and the whole multitude of Jacob sang aright. * And David went with psalteries of singers into the house of the LORD and sang the praises of GOD. Al. Al. V. Therefore the priests and the Levites were sanctified: and all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of GOD with joy. And. Lesson VIII. HE therefore saith: A little while and ye shall not see Me, unto those who then saw Him bodily: because He was about to go to the FATHER, and henceforth they were not to behold Him mortal, in such sort as they saw Him when He spake these things. But that which He added: And again, a little while, and ye shall see Me: He promised to the whole church even as He promised to the whole: Lo, I am with you, even unto the end of the world. The LORD is not slack concerning His promise. Yet a little while, and we shall see Him: where we shall make no more requests, ask no more questions, because nothing will remain to be wished for, nothing will be hid to be sought out. Ry. Your sorrow, Al. * shall be turned into joy. Al. Al. y. The world shall rejoice, and ye shall be sorrowful: but your sorrow. Shall. Glory. Shall. TE Lesson IX. HIS little while seemeth long unto us, because it yet continueth: but when it shall be ended, then shall we know how short it was. Let not therefore our joy be such as the world hath, whereof it is said: But the world shall rejoice. Nevertheless, neither in our travailing with this desire let us be sad, without joy: but even as the Apostle saith: Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation: because even the woman in travail herself, unto whom we are compared, is more glad because of the child soon to be born, than she is sorry because of present pain. But be this the end of this discourse: for the things which follow contain a most troublesome question, neither must we let them be straitened for want of room, so that they may be more conveniently explained, if the LORD will. Te Deum. p. 15. MONDAY. Of the Book of the Revelation of S. UNTO the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate. He that hath an ear, let him churches: To him that overcometh hear what the Spirit saith unto the will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. the east, and the names of the Ry. I saw the gate of the city set on thereon: * and on its walls a guard of apostles and of the LAMB written angels. AL V. I saw a new heaven and a new earth; and a new city coming down out of heaven. And. Lesson II. AND unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; I know thy works, į name written, which no man knoweth and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou saving he that receiveth it. art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Te Deum. p. 15. TUESDAY. John the Apostle. Fear none of those things which thou Of the Book of the Revelation of S. shalt suffer behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried: and ye shall have tri Lesson I. Chap. iv. bulation ten days: be thou faithful AFTER this I looked, and, behold, unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. Ry. The angel shewed me a river of water of life, and saith unto me: Al. * Worship GOD. Al. Al. Al. y. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me those things. Then saith he unto me. Worship. Glory. Worship. Lesson III. a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the Spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they AND to the angel of the church in had on their heads crowns of gold. Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices : and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of GOD. block before the children of Israel, to AN eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new Lesson II. ND before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, LORD GOD Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. Ry. Upon the diadem of Aaron's head was graven the majesty of the LORD, * till the service of GOD was finished. Al. Al. Al. y. In the long garment, which he had, was the whole world, and in the four rows of the stones was the glory of the fathers graven. Till. Lesson III. AN ND when those beasts give glory Te Deum. p. 15. Lesson II. AND when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to GoD by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our GOD kings and priests and we shall reign on the Of the Book of the Revelation of S. earth. AND I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look hereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, | and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns, which are the seven Ry. The people. with Glory, &c., p. ccii. AND I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever. Te Deum. p. 15. THURSDAY. | noisome and grievous sore upon the Of the Book of the Revelation of S. men which had the mark of the beast, John the Apostle. Lesson I. Chap. xv. and upon them which worshipped his image. And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea. And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O LORD, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. AND I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of GOD. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of GOD. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of GOD, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, LORD GOD Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not Of the Book of the Revelation of S. fear thee, O LORD, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made A manifest. Ry. Thou art worthy. p. cci. Lesson II. AND after that I looked, and, Lesson III. Chap. xvi. AND I heard a great voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of GOD upon the earth. And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a Te Deum. p. 15. FRIDAY. John the Apostle. ND after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the LORD our GOD: for true and righteous are his judgements: for he Ry. One of the seven. p. ccii. AND I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying Alleluia: for the LORD GOD Omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of GoD. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of JESUS: worship GoD: for the testimony of JESUS is the spirit of prophecy, Ry. I heard. with Glory, &c., p. ccii. Lesson III. A ND I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood; and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the wine press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty GOD. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING of Kings, and LORD of Lords. Te Deum. p. 15. SATURDAY. Of the Book of Revelation of S. John the Apostle. Lesson I. Chap. xxii. bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of GOD and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the LORD GOD giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the LORD GOD of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. Ry. Thy streets. p. ccv. Lesson II. AND I, John, saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. Ry. The people. with Glory, &c., p. ccii. AND he shewed me a pure river of AM Alpha and Omega, the begin water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of GOD and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which ning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. |