Part 11 (2/2)
(ll. 626-627) ”Descend now quickly, ye accursed, into the house of pain. I know you not.”
(ll. 628-646) And straightway at these words h.e.l.l's captives, cursed spirits, shall drag them down by thousands, leading them thither to the home of fiends, and thrust them deep down in the narrow pit. Never may they return, but there they needs must suffer torturing pain, imprisonment, and bonds, and the cold ground, endure the depths of h.e.l.l and devils' discourse, black fiends with hate reviling them for sin, because they often have forgot the Lord, Eternal G.o.d, who should have been their hope.
Wherefore let us resolve while in the world to serve the Saviour gladly by G.o.d's grace, be mindful of the spirit's joy, and how the blessed sons of G.o.d abide on high in radiant glory.
(ll. 647-655) There is a golden gate adorned with gems, enwreathed with joy, for those who enter in G.o.d's kingdom, and win the light of glory. About the walls stand radiant angel spirits and blessed souls who pa.s.s from earth to heaven. There are martyrs pleasing unto G.o.d, and patriarchs with holy voices praising G.o.d, the King within His city, saying:
(ll. 656-658) ”Thou art the Lord of men, the Heavenly Judge and Prince of angels! Thou hast led the sons of earth unto this blessed home!”
(ll 659-662) So the thanes about their Prince shall praise the Lord of glory. There shall be song and splendour round His throne. For He is King indeed, and Lord of all things in the eternal creation!
THE TEMPTATION
(ll. 663-673) He is the Lord, the Prince of angels, who died for us; and, in the fullness of His mercy, the Maker of mankind once fasted forty days. And it came to pa.s.s that the Accursed Fiend, who was driven out of heaven and sank to h.e.l.l, tempted the Lord of all creation, bringing in his arms great stones, and bidding Him make loaves to stay His hunger, ”if Thou have so much power.”
But the Eternal Lord made answer unto him:
(ll. 674-675) ”Knowest thou not, accursed, it was written....”
((LACUNA of indeterminate length.))
(ll. 676-678) ”....save Me alone? But Thou, O Lord of victory, hast ordained the light for living souls, reward unending in the heavenly kingdom, and holy joys.”
(ll. 679-682) Then the malicious, evil spirit in derision lifted Him up in his hands, and set Him upon his shoulder, and ascended a high mountain, and placed the Lord G.o.d on a peak thereof:
(ll. 683-688) ”Gaze now full widely over the dwellers of earth.
The world and the inhabitants thereof will I give into Thy hand.
Take now from me the city and the s.h.i.+ning home which I will give Thee in the heavenly kingdom, that Thou mayest truly be the King of men and angels, as Thou hast thought.”
(ll. 689-709) Then answered the Eternal Lord: ”Depart, thou cursed Satan, into the house of pain; for thee is punishment prepared, and not G.o.d's kingdom. By most high might I bid thee bring no hope to such as dwell in h.e.l.l, but tell them now of this, thy greatest woe, that thou hast met the Maker of creation, the Lord of men. Get thee behind Me! Know, accursed fiend, how measureless and wide and dreary is the pit of h.e.l.l! Measure it with thy hands, take hold upon its bottom. Go, then, until thou knowest all the circle of it; measure it first from above even unto the abyss. Measure how broad the black mist stretches.
Then shalt thou know more clearly that thou strivest against G.o.d, when thou hast measured with thy hands how high and deep is h.e.l.l, the grim grave-house, within. Go quickly, that thou measure, ere two hours are past, the home allotted thee.”
(ll. 710-728) Then vengeance came upon the fiend. Satan, the cursed monster, fled away and sank to h.e.l.l. And first he measured with his hands its torment and its woe. The black flame leaped against the evil spirit; and he beheld the captives as they lay in h.e.l.l. And there rose a howling throughout h.e.l.l, when their eyes fell on the fiend. G.o.d's foes had striven... the black evil spirit, so that he stood upon the floor of h.e.l.l, and it seemed to him that from the pit to the doors of h.e.l.l was an hundred thousand miles in reckoning, as the Almighty Lord had bidden him, for his sin, to measure all his torment. And he remembered as he stood in the depths of h.e.l.l! The foul fiend with his eyes gazed through the loathsome den, until its overwhelming horror, the host of devils... then mounted up...
With words of malice the accursed fiends began to speak and say:
(ll. 728-730) ”Lo! thus may evil be upon thee always! Thou didst not wish for good!”
FINIT LIBER II. AMEN.
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