Revelation 4

After these things I looked, and behold a door was opened in heaven. The Redeemer's Nativity is recapitulated, and these things had already been said with various other symbols; as when one relates one event in different ways, the narrations will each have a different time, but not the event itself, which happened in one time. We should however ask the question of why John does not disclose the time of his prophecy, while other prophets used to disclose by the kings the length of the interval between one vision and another. It is because he is informing us that the whole time of the Church should be related to that continuous day of resurrection about which it is said, Blessed is he that hath part in the first resurrection; [Rev. 20:6] for the first resurrection, that is the one by which souls rise again from the death of sin to the life of justice, is now going on all the time. Now with what eyes did John see this door? As far as the figurative vision is concerned, he did not of course see it with the eyes of the flesh, but with those of the mind; but for what concerns the truth of the thing itself, truth which had already been manifested when the Lord had appeared in the flesh, not only did he see it with the eyes of the flesh, but he even touched it with his hands. The open door represents Christ, who has already been manifested to all the faithful by being born, dying, and rising again. It is appropriate for this door to be seen in heaven, that is in the Church, because it is in the Church that people proclaim and believe that our Redeemer was born, suffered, was resurrected, and went up to heaven. And the first voice which I heard, was, as it were, of a trumpet speaking with me, saying: Come up hither. Whither, but to the door and heaven, that is Christ and the Church? And with what steps, but those of faith? It is right for John to be invited to this by the first voice, because every one of the elect, in order that they may reach the mysteries of the true faith through the Gospel without the foot of belief striking against any obstacle, is strengthened by the teaching of the Old Testament, which preceded the new teaching. It is also right for this voice to be compared to a trumpet, because it is calling us to a spiritual war; whence this: Lift up thy voice like a trumpet. [Is. 58:1] In what is said after that, I will shew thee the things which must be done hereafter, he does not deny that the Church already has high honors, but he shows that they will last until the end of the world.

The opening of the door signifies the revelation of the hidden mysteries of the Spirit. The trumpet represents the sonorous voice of the Revealer. "Come up here" indicates that the mind of the hearer is to turn away completely from the things of the earth and be turned toward heaven.

After this, I looked, and behold, a door open in heaven. After describing the works of the Church, what it was and what it would be like, he recapitulates from the birth of Christ, intending to say the same things differently. For he repeats the entire time of the Church in various figures in this book. Behold, he says, a door open in heaven. Fittingly, he sees a heavenly door about to ascend, to whom high mysteries are promised to be revealed. Or because Christ is the door, he who believes in Him born and suffered ascends to heaven, that is, to the height of the Church, and sees future spiritual events as he says.

Reason requires that after the seven letters which John addressed to the seven Churches, which signify the one catholic Church, in which the faithful are instructed how they ought to ascend to the height of the virtues, the condition and exaltation of this same Church should be described more clearly.

After these things I saw a door opened in heaven.

By the door Christ is understood, who says: I am the door; if anyone enters through me, he will be saved (Jn. 10:9). This door is said to be open, because to all who wish to come to him, although they are weighed down by many crimes, he does not disdain to open the door of his mercy, as he himself says in the Gospel: Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you (Matt. 11:28). By heaven, however, the Church is signified. But if everyone who enters through the door into the sheepfold, that is, into the holy Church, will be saved, by what entrance have the depraved, whose countless numbers are contained within the holy Church, come in? Let us ask the Lord about this; for he says: He who does not enter through the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up another way, he is a thief and a robber (Jn. 10:1). Whoever therefore does not wish to observe what they promised in baptism has not entered through the door into the sheepfold, but has climbed up another way.

And the first voice which I heard, like a trumpet speaking with me, saying.

We can take the first voice as the Old Testament; but it seems better to me that by the first voice we understand John the Baptist, of whom it is written: And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins (Luke 1:76). But John himself also calls himself a voice, saying: I am the voice of one crying in the desert, make straight the way of the Lord, as Isaiah the prophet said (Jn. 1:23, from Isa. 40:3). And because his preaching spread everywhere around, the voice of his preaching is said to be like a trumpet. But let us hear what this voice says:

Come up here, and I will show you what must be done after these things;

That is, abandon earthly things and lift up your mind to heavenly things. Alternatively: the Evangelist John in this passage plays the role of those who believed in Christ through John the Baptist, and many existed at that time who thought John was the Christ; but John was urging his hearers to lift their minds upward, when he said that he was not the Christ, but that another was to come after him, saying: I am not the Christ; but one stronger than I will come after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire (Jn. 1:27); and again: He must increase, but I must decrease (Jn. 3:30). He also warned his disciples to go up higher, when he taught very clearly, with evident reasoning, that he must be abandoned and Christ must be followed. Then it follows:

And I will show you what must be done after these things.

As if he were saying: If you lift up your heart on high, that is, if you follow Christ in faith, you will be able easily to know both what I teach and the things that are to come, with him himself also teaching.

It is not that there is literally a door in heaven that opens and closes at times, but it was shown to the evangelist in this way so that he might see the things above the heavens.

For with every door opened, what lies within must inevitably be seen. And I heard a voice, which sounded like a trumpet, saying these words to me: Come up here so that you may see what is to come.

This is, therefore, the voice of prophecy of which it is said, "Lift up your voice like a trumpet." One has gone up and ascended who, having despised the world, is either compelled to come to the church or obtains admission to her. He ascends from the valley of tears to the height of that dignity of which we read, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us his ways." However, the faithful are also invited to ascend to heaven when they are commanded to seek and to taste what is in heaven and not what is upon the earth. For when a neophyte in the church is taught that Christ suffered, was raised and has ascended to the Father, and then beyond these things is taught and instructed spiritually to contemplate him in the Father according to the form of God, he is rightly said to ascend, since he will see the secrets of the mysteries in which he has believed. Therefore, the Lord said, "Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father," wishing this touching to be understood as belief.

"Afterwards," John said, "I saw." After seeing the vision, he remembered that he had seen another. The interval in time belongs not to the events but to the visions. If one were to describe a single event in different ways, it would be the descriptions that differ in time, not what took place at one time. In this way, he retraces the whole span of the church using various figures to describe it. "Behold," he says, "an open door in heaven." The open door represents Christ, who was born, suffered and was raised. Christ is the gateway, as he himself said, "I am the door." Heaven represents the church because it is the habitation of God where the celestial realities are effected. This is why we pray that the will of God be done on earth even as it is in heaven. Sometimes, however, the church is represented by both heaven and earth, since the earth comes into agreement with heaven, either when the unfaithful are won by the righteous proclamation of the faithful, or when the flesh is subdued by the Spirit, or when the things of the earth are reconciled and united to the things of heaven.

"After this, I beheld, and, lo, a door was opened in heaven." The new testament is announced as an open door in heaven.

"And the first voice which I heard was, as it were, of a trumpet talking with me, saying, Come up hither." Since the door is shown to be opened, it is manifest that previously it had been closed to men. And it was sufficiently and fully laid open when Christ ascended with His body to the Father into heaven. Moreover, the first voice which he had heard when he says that it spoke with him, without contradiction condemns those who say that one spoke in the prophets, another in the Gospel; since it is rather He Himself who comes, that is the same who spoke in the prophets. For John was of the circumcision, and all that people which had heard the announcement of the Old Testament was edified with his word.

"That very same voice," said he, "that I had heard, that said unto me, Come up hither." That is the Spirit, whom a little before he confesses that he had seen walking as the Son of man in the midst of the golden candlesticks. And he now gathers from Him what had been foretold in similitudes by the law, and associates with this scripture all the former prophets, and opens up the Scriptures. And because our Lord invited in His own name all believers into heaven, He forthwith poured out the Holy Spirit, who should bring them to heaven.

And immediately I was in the spirit. If this is taken as referring to John, it means that he was taken into ecstasy; if it is taken as referring to the Church, these words show its spiritual conversion. And behold there was a throne set in heaven, and upon the throne one sitting. Both heaven and the throne represent the Church, for genus is joined to genus in such a way that not two things are understood, but one. So the throne is set in heaven when heaven itself, that is the Church, deserves to be presided over by the Lord. As for the one sitting on the throne, he is nothing else but the Son of man appearing in the midst of the golden candlesticks: the only difference is that there he is walking, that is bestowing gifts, and here he is sitting, that is making judgment between everyone by administering justice according to the gifts they have been offered. Indeed the fact that the one sitting in this passage represents the Son is disclosed when it is said after that:

Who would think that he speaks anything fleshly who reports that he had entered in the spirit? A man so thoroughly tested by his God receives nothing fleshly, nothing earthly. But he was in the spirit so that he might see the Lord of majesty, whom he perceives in the spirit, but does not behold in the flesh. He thereby fulfilled what the apostle said: "Even though we knew Christ according to the flesh, we know him thus no longer."

The jasper stone shines with a green and radiant brightness, so that he might know that the flesh of the assumed man, taken up without a hint of sin, shines with the vigor of everlasting sincerity and glows through the indwelling of the divine power. However, the carnelian stone is red and glimmers with a certain darkness, so that you might recognize the integrity of the undefiled flesh assumed from the modest and humble Virgin.

And immediately I was in the Spirit. And the first voice which I heard. Certainly similar to the previous voice, which had said: What you see, write in a book (Rev. 1).

And behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sitting on the throne. The Lord inhabits the church placed in heavenly conversation. Pope Gregory interprets the throne of God in the vision of Micah as angelic powers. Presiding higher in their minds, He disposes all things below.

And immediately I was in the spirit;

That is, when I began to believe in Christ, I was changed from carnal to spiritual.

And behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sitting upon it.

By heaven, as we said above (verse 1), the Church is indicated; but the throne set in heaven signifies the hearts of the saints dwelling in the Church. And the one who was seen sitting upon the throne is God, who dwells and sits in the hearts of his saints, as the Apostle says: For the temple of God is holy, and that temple is you (1 Cor. 3:17).

[Daniel 7:9] "I beheld until thrones were set up, and the Ancient of days took His seat. His garment was as white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was composed of fiery flames and its wheels were set on fire. From before His presence there issued forth a rushing, fiery stream." We read something similar in John's Apocalypse: "After these things I was immediately in the Spirit, and lo, a throne was set up in heaven, and one was seated upon the throne; and He who sat upon it had the likeness of jasper and sardine stone, and there was a rainbow round about the throne like the appearance of emerald. Around the throne there were twenty-four other thrones, and upon the twenty-four thrones there sat twenty-four elders, clothed in shining garments; upon their heads was a golden crown, and lightning flashes issued from the throne, and voices and thunder. And in front of the throne there were seven torches of burning fire, which were the seven spirits of God. And in front of the throne lay a glassy sea like unto crystal." (Revelation 4:2-6) And so the many thrones which Daniel saw seem to me to be what John called the twenty-four thrones. And the Ancient of days is the One who, according to John sits alone upon His throne. Likewise the Son of man, who came unto the Ancient of days, is the same as He who, according to John, is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, and the titles of that sort (Revelation 5:5). I imagine that these thrones are the ones of which the Apostle Paul says, "Whether thrones or dominions..." (Colossians 1:16). And in the Gospel we read, "Ye yourselves shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matthew 19:28). And God is called the One who sits and who is the Ancient of days, in order that His character as eternal Judge might be indicated. His garment is shining white like the snow, and the hair of His head is like pure wool. The Savior also, when He was transfigured on the mount and assumed the glory of His divine majesty, appeared in shining white garments (Matthew 17:2). And as for the fact that His hair is compared to perfectly pure wool, the even-handedness and uprightness of His judgment is shown forth, a judgment which shows no partiality in its exercise. Moreover He is described as an elderly man, in order that the ripeness of His judgment may be established. His throne consists of fiery flames, in order that sinners may tremble before the severity of the torments, and also that the just may be saved, but so as by fire. The wheels of the throne are set aflame, or else it is the wheels of His chariot which are aflame. In Ezekiel also God is ushered on the scene seated in a four-horse chariot (Ezekiel 1:4-28), and everything pertaining to God is of a fiery consistency. In another place also a statement is made on this subject: "God is a consuming fire" (Deuteronomy 4:24), that we might know that wood, hay and stubble are going to burn up in the day of judgment. And in the Psalms we read: "Fire goeth before Him, and He shall set aflame all His enemies round about Him" (Psalm 97:3). A rushing, fiery stream proceeded from before Him in order that it might carry sinners to hell (Gehenna).

And rising in the Spirit, since the ascent was neither physical nor perceptible by the senses.

I see, it says, a throne, and God upon it.

"Immediately I was in the Spirit." And since the mind of the faithful is opened by the Holy Spirit, and that is manifested to them which was also foretold to the fathers, he distinctly says:-

"And, behold, a throne was set in heaven." The throne set: what is it but the throne of judgment and of the King?

And he that sat, was to the sight like the jasper and the sardine stone. By the jasper, which is green, are represented the green pastures of the paradise; and what are those pastures but Christ's divinity, in which all things live? As the same John said, He that hath the Son, hath life. [1 John 5:12] By the sardine stone, which has a resemblance to red earth, is represented our Redeemer's humanity, because truth is sprung out of the earth. [Ps. 84:12] The species of these stones may also represent the Church. And there was a rainbow round about the throne, like to the sight of an emerald. By the rainbow is represented the reconciliation of the world achieved through the plan of the Word incarnate. Indeed the sun illuminated a cloud and a rainbow appeared, because when the Father's Word, which is the Sun of justice, [Mal. 4:2] shed rays of light on human nature by adopting it, this very adoption of his humanity, which is called a cloud by the prophet, became the reconciliation of the world. The very interpretation of the noun agrees with this, for if you add one letter and say irini, it means "peace" in Greek. When he illuminates the solid hearts of the saints, which are called clouds, they give the appearance of a bow, because they are bent towards piety by the fact of praying to God. There is here a fitting connection of symbols, because below, lightnings and thunders are said to proceed from the throne, as though from a cloud. Then, since a rainbow shines principally with two colors, namely that of water and that of fire, what is represented is either baptism by water and by the Holy Spirit, or the preceding judgment through the flood and the following one through fire. It is in order that it may be shown more openly in this passage that the divinity was propitiated to the world again by him, that it is compared to the sight of an emerald; for this stone is of a very green color, which it is not unfitting to apply to the nature of the divinity.

And he who was sitting was like the appearance of a jasper and a sardius stone. Jasper's color signifies water, sardius fire. With these two, we know the judgment is celebrated. For as it was in the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man (Matt. 24).

And a rainbow was around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. The rainbow, which is made by the sun shining on clouds, and after the flood was first made a sign of propitiation, by the intercession of the saints whom the Lord illuminates, signifies the Church being fortified. They are well compared to the emerald stone of great greenness; for as they expect an imperishable inheritance with perfect faith, they also powerfully protect others by praying.

And the one who sat there had an appearance like a jasper stone and a sardius.

Jasper is green in color, but sardius is red: therefore by the greenness of the jasper the divinity of our Savior is indicated; by the redness of the sardius, however, his humanity is signified. Therefore our Savior contains in himself the greenness of the jasper, because according to his divinity he is in all things equal to the Father; and the redness of the sardius, because according to his humanity he exists as a perfect man, as it is written: Perfect God, perfect man, subsisting from a rational soul and human flesh (Creed under the name of Athanasius).

And there was a rainbow around the throne, similar to the appearance of an emerald.

In Genesis we read that God said to Noah: I will place my bow in the clouds of heaven, and I will remember my everlasting covenant, which was made between God and every living soul (Gen. 9:13). Therefore by the bow, which appears as a sign of God’s mercy to men living upon the earth, the mercy of God is not inappropriately understood. The rainbow, that is, the bow, surrounded the throne of God, that is, the Church; because His mercy, by surrounding us, protects and governs us, and defends us from invisible enemies. For in Him, as the Apostle says, we live and move and are (Acts 17:28). This bow is said to have had the appearance of an emerald, which possesses an exceedingly rich and most pleasing greenness; but jasper, of which we spoke above, is a stone of green color, like the emerald. Yet its greenness is dull; whereas the greenness of the emerald is clear, and its beauty draws the eyes of those who look upon it to admire it. By the greenness of jasper, as we said, the divinity of our Savior is understood; which is obscure and veiled by certain mists, because no mind can comprehend the divinity of our Redeemer as it truly is; and the higher the mind raises itself to investigate it, the thicker a darkness is set before it. But by the greenness of the emerald, which is clear, the mercy of the Lord is rightly signified; for the mercy of the Lord is so evident that no person in possession of a sound mind can fail to know it. For who can be ignorant of the boundless mercy of God, which He has shown toward humanity, and shows every day, even though it cannot be perfectly expressed in words? And this fact also, that the greenness of this stone, if one looks at it, sharpens dim eyes for seeing, can fittingly be applied to the mercy of God; for when we lie in sins and our crimes weigh us down, we have dim eyes of the mind. But when we consider the mercy of God, how He has brought back to salvation, through repentance, prostitutes and robbers and those cast down by every kind of crime, and even His own persecutors, we are restored to the hope of pardon. And since we were already being held in the pit of destruction, when we gaze upon the mercy of the Lord and take confidence from it, we flee for refuge to Him whom we have offended, that by His mercy we may be freed from everlasting death. Gazing upon this mercy of God, and unable to express it in words, the Psalmist called God Himself his mercy, saying: My God, my mercy (Ps. 143:1–2).

Stone of jasper—jasper or onyx, i.e., like white lead is his likeness. And of carnelian—He is of red color like fire. Of emerald—The color of emerald is like beet.

Sea of glass like crystal—of ice.

Twenty-four elders—They are of the order of Thrones.

And four living creatures—order of Cherubim. And those having six wings are Seraphim; but in the Apocalypse he says the Cherubim have six wings and they exclaim: "Holy!" For by the church above the Son of Thunder is illuminated with this revelation.

Four living creatures full of eyes—Each living creature has four faces; because when one is the Gospel, it seems quadriform.

And a spirit above Him resembling jasper and carnelian. God is not like these things; away with that thought [ἄπαγε]. He is unlike any of the things perceived by the senses, neither having a body at all, invisible, spiritual, and without form. The invisible God is like that of the Seraphim, revealing their unseen nature, cover their faces with their wings (Is. 6:2). And to Moses, God spoke, saying: "No one shall see my face and live." (Ex. 33:20) But even the evangelist states decisively: "No one has ever seen God." (Jn. 1:18) Therefore, God was not seen resembling anything; rather, the vision of Him was depicted through the works of God by the Revelation.

For the jasper is a precious stone, this one is emerald-like and green, resembling the venom of an asp [ἰῷ ἀσπίδος], from which it also derived its name. The carnelian is another precious stone, fiery and blood-red. The jasper is said to symbolize for us the nourishment of God, and provision, since all nourishment for humans, four-footed animals, birds, and crawling beasts has its origin, and as it were its cause, beginning from green grass. For the prophet says: "He causes grass to grow for the cattle, and vegetation for the service of mankind, to bring forth bread from the earth. And wine gladdens the heart of man, to make his face cheerful with oil." (Ps. 103:14-15) And again, in the creation, God says: "Let the earth bring forth grass, herb yielding seed, and fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind." (Gen. 1:11-12) Now, jasper illustrates these things. But indeed, the carnelian is described as the fearfulness of God; for our God is said by the advocator [ἱεροφάντης] Moses to be "a consuming fire", (Deut. 4:24) and the prophet also cries out to Him: "You are fearful, and who can stand before Your face?" (Ps. 75:8) Accordingly, the wise Apostle writes: "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Heb. 10:31) Since the goodness of God is incompatible with those who love sin and are scornful, and is pure, not leading to repentance but to the freedom to commit wrongdoing, it is reasonable that God, along with goodness, also possesses the generous and the awe-inspiring; therefore Paul, knowing the character of those learning and the need for incentives rather than gentleness, addressed the Corinthians, saying: "What do you want? Should I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?" (1 Cor. 4:21) Yet one of the saints (Basil) said, "Gehenna does not frighten you; the kingdom does not urge you on? We speak to you with a heart of stone."

Therefore, it was known as a fearful and astonishing necessity for those being disciplined. But the carnelian is not the first for God, rather, the first indeed is the jasper. For His nature is that of good and humane and gentle, and He wishes to be a Father rather than a Master to us. But, if it is lawful to say, we 'force' Him, and He leaves behind His natural gentleness, and is led by unnatural sternness.

And it is said that a rainbow encircling the throne appeared like an emerald in appearance. The perceptible rainbow [ἶρις] which the divine Scripture calls the bow [τόξον] of God, consisting of the reflection of the solar light, when it is diverted in the thickness of a cloud, has become multicolored and numerous in color. But that one, the spiritual rainbow, which encompasses the divine throne, was of one kind; for it was emerald in appearance. And it itself also prefigures all the holy and ministering spirits of God, wherefore it has also been called rainbow, although it happens to be of one kind, so that from the various colors of the rainbow we may conceive the many orders and distinctions of the divine angels. Everything indeed is bound to one single color; for all things are equally beneficial and bear the likeness of their own Master, of the emerald color that itself attests to its productive power, just as the jasper does to God. And let no one stumble over those who encounter it; Why indeed are the sacred orders of the spiritual beings concerning God are overshadowed by the more precious stone of the emerald, while God Himself is associated with the less precious jasper and carnelian? For the discussion is not now about the value of what is visible, but about the meanings signified by the colors.

For if someone were to seek honor in a petty way, there would be nothing for which God could be accused, nor would anyone find fault with it; that is, that the Lord is rejected with a stone. For Isaiah says, "Behold, I am placing a cornerstone in Zion concerning the Lord." (Isa. 28:16) And the prophet speaks of the stone that the builders rejected concerning him. The evil spirits are allegorized as mountains; for David himself said that mountains can be moved—"in the hearts of the seas," and "the mountains were shaken in his mighty power," (Ps. 117:22) whose magnitude is so great that it is impossible to find anything greater than it.

Since the rainbow was given as a sign of safety after the flood, it is now suitably used as a sign of the church's reconciliation to God. For when the storm clouds are irradiated by the splendor of the sun, they produce the form of a rainbow. In comparison to this, when the souls of the saints are illumined by the Sun of righteousness, which is Christ, his deity deigns to be reconciled by their intercession.

At last there has really been found a way to prevent even gold from being loved! We have also seen at Rome the nobility of gems blushing in the presence of our matrons at the contemptuous usage of the Parthians and Medes, and the rest of their own fellow-countrymen, only that (their gems) are not generally worn with a view to ostentation. Emeralds lurk in their belts; and the sword (that hangs) below their bosom alone is witness to the cylindrical stones that decorate its hilt; and the massive single pearls on their boots are fain to get lifted out of the mud! In short, they carry nothing so richly gemmed as that which ought not to be gemmed if it is (either) not conspicuous, or else is conspicuous only that it may be shown to be also neglected.

"And He that sate upon the throne was, to look upon, like a jasper and a sardine stone." Upon the throne he says that he saw the likeness of a jasper and a sardine stone. The jasper is of the colour of water, the sardine of fire. These two are thence manifested to be placed as judgments upon God's tribunal until the consummation of the world, of which judgments one is already completed in the deluge of water, and the other shall be completed by fire.

"And there was a rainbow about the throne." Moreover, the rainbow round about the throne has the same colours. The rainbow is called a bow from what the Lord spake to Noah and to his sons, that they should not fear any further deluge in the generation of God, but fire. For thus He says: I will place my bow in the clouds, that ye may now no longer fear water, but fire.

And round about the throne were four and twenty seats; and upon the seats, four and twenty ancients sitting. As in the Gospel the Lord mentions twelve thrones, [Matt. 19:28] what does it mean that John says there are twenty-four, if not that, because of the two testaments, the number of the twelve tribes is also doubled? Therefore, regarding the distinction between both testaments, there are twenty-four thrones, and as many ancients; but regarding the unity and harmony between those same testaments, there are only twelve. We should not however understand things only carnally and think that the one throne is one thing and the twenty-four seats another; for because it is specifically and chiefly the Lord who will judge the whole Church, the ancients and the seats are for this reason said to be one throne; but because the holy preachers of both testaments will examine with him the people below them, consequently twenty-four ancients sit on twenty-four seats round about the throne. As for what is said after that concerning the ancients, clothed in white garments, and on their heads were crowns of gold, it refers to the whole Church, which clothes in white garments, that is in the inviolate sacraments of baptism. It has crowns of gold on its head because it truly triumphs over the author of death. Alternatively, this number may symbolize the holy Church because of the perfection of the number six, completed by the four books of the Gospel; or if not, then surely because the Church uses the twenty-four books of the Old Testament.

Most evidently John has described the chorus of the patriarchs and of the apostles, who sit upon the chair of holy doctrine. These he calls "elders," that is, "fathers," and they are clothed in white garments, that is, they are clothed in works of righteousness and in purity. They carry upon their heads golden crowns, for they have been made victors in present struggles, since that evil enemy, the devil, has been thrown down, and they have received their crowns from the Lord. Concerning this crown, the vessel of election says: "I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on the day, and not only to me but also to those who love his appearing."

And around the throne were twenty-four thrones, etc. He sees the same Church, which he had seen as one seat because of the fellowship of faith, generated from the patriarchs and apostles through the double testament, in twenty-four thrones, sitting because of its judicial dignity in Christ. For all members will sit and judge, but in one and through one head. For how can the saints sit in judgment, standing at the right hand of the Judge? The twenty-four elders can also be understood as those who complete the perfection of work, which is commended by the number six, with the clear preaching of the Gospel. For four times six makes twenty-four.

Clothed in white garments, and on their heads were golden crowns. That is, clothed in good works, seeking heavenly joys with the perpetual memory of the mind. For often the mind is understood by the name of the head.

And all around the seat were twenty-four seats, and upon the thrones twenty-four elders sitting, clothed all around with white garments, and on their heads golden crowns.

The twenty-four elders in this book sometimes signify the Fathers of the Old Testament, sometimes those of the New, sometimes both together; but in this place they signify the Fathers of the Old Testament, who are said to have sat on the twenty-four seats; for when we sit, we rest from labor. Through the seats, therefore, the twenty-four books of the Old Testament are signified. Therefore, upon the twenty-four thrones, the twenty-four elders were seen sitting, because the Fathers of the Old Testament, from the labors and cares of this age, found a kind of rest in the reading and meditation of the divine books. But we must ask, since the seat signifies the Church, why these seats are said to be arranged around the seat. Surely because whoever is master of a household and desires his house to be safe from robbers and enemies surrounds it either with a wall, or a hedge, or a fence. In the same way the Church, both against heretics and against pagans who want to overthrow the faith of Christ in her, is fortified by the books of the Old Testament; because when she proves that what she venerates was foretold long before the coming of Christ, she drives far away from herself the darts of enemies who wish to destroy the faith of Christ. These elders are said to have been clothed all around with white garments and to have had golden crowns on their heads: by the white garments purity of life is signified, and by the golden crowns good works are signified.

Furthermore, these twelve virtues, doubled in prosperity and adversity, are represented by the twenty-four hours, twelve in the night of adversity and twelve in the day of prosperity. Likewise, they are doubled in the active and the contemplative life: in that sense they are represented by the twenty-four elders who turned sometimes to action and at other times to contemplation, for they do what is sensible and mature. Once more, the twelve virtues are doubled through practical and speculative contemplation: and in this they are revealed by the twenty-four wings of the four animals, each one of which had six wings. And here ends the First Vision and the work of the First Day.

These are the true witnesses of Scriptures: the prophets and the apostles. Nor can it be said that the apostles bribed the prophets so that their prophecies would accord with what eventually came about in Christ. If they had lived at the same time, there could have been some suspicion: but the prophets came before the apostles. And so this truth is infallible. The Old and the New Testament agree, standing as they do in major conformity and harmony; and they are like the twenty-four elders around the throne of Christ, so that there be no doubt.

Such an one is in reality a presbyter of the Church, and a true minister (deacon) of the will of God, if he do and teach what is the Lord's; not as being ordained by men, nor regarded righteous because a presbyter, but enrolled in the presbyterate because righteous. And although here upon earth he be not honoured with the chief seat, he will sit down on the four-and-twenty thrones, judging the people, as John says in the Apocalypse.

The twenty-four elders seated on the thrones would be known only by God, the knower of hidden things; and to whom He Himself reveals it. As far as my speculation goes, they were Abel, Enoch, and Noah; Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; Melchizedek and Job; Moses and Aaron; Joshua son of Nun and Samuel; David, Elijah, and Elisha; the twelve minor prophets represented as one figure; Isaiah and Jeremiah; Ezekiel and Daniel; Zechariah and John; James son of Joseph, and Stephen, the witnesses of the new covenant. It could be said that Peter, Paul, and James, the brother of John, whom Herod killed by the sword (Acts 12:2), along with the rest of the holy apostles, if they did not have a promise from the Lord, would not now, but rather in the Renewal of All Things [παλιγγενεσίᾳ], sit upon twelve thrones, distinct from those already mentioned. For this is what the Lord said to them in the Gospel according to Matthew: "Truly I tell you, you who have followed me will, at the Renewal of All Things [παλιγγενεσίᾳ], when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Matt. 19:28)

The white garments serve as a symbol of their purity throughout life.

The crowns, in turn, represent victory over passions and spiritual enemies.

If she ought not to appear with her head uncovered on account of the angels, much more with a crown on it will she offend those (elders) who perhaps are then wearing crowns above. For what is a crown on the head of a woman, but beauty made seductive, but mark of utter wantonness,-a notable casting away of modesty, a setting temptation on fire? Therefore a woman, taking counsel from the apostles' foresight, will not too elaborately adorn herself, that she may not either be crowned with any exquisite arrangement of her hair.

The elders represent the whole church, as we learn through Isaiah, "The Lord has reigned in Zion and in Jerusalem, and he will be glorified in the presence of his elders." However, the twenty-four includes at the same time both leaders and people, as though duplicating the twelve tribes of Israel on account of the two Testaments. For the very same church is established in both the old and in the new, since he shows the church in the twelve apostles, namely, the entire body of leaders. And so we discover Jerusalem in the description of the city descending from heaven. The twenty-four thrones, considered by way of a distribution of offices, are twelve, since also the leaders of the twelve tribes will be advanced. And the twelve thrones, considered by way of a mystical number, is one throne, where from comes the church. For the Lord Christ is alone the one who will sit in judgment. However, the church also will sit and does sit judging the twelve tribes, but she will do this in Christ in whom is the whole [church]. Therefore, the members will sit and judge, but in one head and through one head.

The day, as I have above related, is divided into two parts by the number twelve-by the twelve hours of day and night; and by these hours too, months, and years, and seasons, and ages are computed. Therefore, doubtless, there are appointed also twelve angels of the day and twelve angels of the night, in accordance, to wit, with the number of hours. For these are the twenty-four witnesses of the days and nights which sit before the throne of God, having golden crowns on their heads, whom the Apocalypse of John the apostle and evangelist calls elders, for the reason that they are older both than the other angels and than men.

And from the throne proceeded lightnings, and voices, and thunders. Here it is clearly shown that the throne symbolizes the Church, which all these things tally with. For by lightnings we understand miraculous signs; whence the Psalmist: Thy lightnings enlightened the world, [Ps. 76:19] and by voices and thunders is represented the preaching of the truth, as the same Psalmist said: The voice of thy thunder in a wheel. [Ibid.] Note also that, passing obliquely, as it were, from one symbol to another, he says that these things proceed from the throne while they do not correspond to a throne but to a cloud. Therefore by the throne he wants us to understand the cloud. It is fitting for the Church of the just to be symbolized by a cloud, because its preachers rain words, thunder with threats, and flash with miracles. And there were seven lamps burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. And in the sight of the throne was, as it were, a sea of glass like to crystal. It is fitting for the Holy Spirit to be compared to lamps, because he kindles the hearts of the elect to the love of God and neighbor. As for the sea of glass, what is symbolized by it but baptism? And why is it of glass, if not because the faith of those who go through it is being indicated with a figurative expression, in which what is caused is being represented by what causes it? Indeed, just as in glass you can see nothing from the outside but that which is carried inside of it, so is the Church's faith sincere in its belief on the inside, and so does it appear truthful in confession on the outside. Yet, so that it should not be thought to be fragile like glass, it was added like to crystal. Indeed, just as ice compressed by the winter's cold, after many years, hardens in such a way that it resembles a stone and becomes crystal, so is the faith of the saints solidified with time among oppressions. And in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four living creatures, full of eyes before and behind. No one doubts that by these four living creatures are represented the four evangelists. But if they are in the midst of the throne, how can they be said to be round about the throne? Especially since it has already been said that the Lord was sitting in the midst of the throne, and the twenty-four ancients round about the throne. One should know then that the living creatures are found in the Lord, and the Lord in the living creatures; and again the living creatures in the ancients, and the ancients in the living creatures. The species of the four creatures may also indicate the Church in general. So the living creatures are full of eyes because as many words of the sacred Scriptures as there are, there are so many spiritual lights for the elect, by which they are illuminated to faith. Their eyes are before and behind because they contain in themselves the mysteries of the Old and of the New Testament. For before is used in this passage to mean the past. Alternatively, they have eyes before and behind because they announce some things that have been fulfilled and some that are to be fulfilled, or because they lament past sins and guard against future ones.

This passage shows how fearful and terrible God is to those unworthy of his long-suffering. However, [the lightning and thunder] become, to those worthy of salvation, their enlightenment. The lightning enlightens the eyes of the mind, and the thunder falls upon spiritual ears.

He desires that we understand that the entire original preaching of the apostles and indeed the heavenly and sacred doctrine proceeds from the judgment and inspiration of God. We interpret therefore the flashes of lightning to be the words of all the saints, and likewise the thunder to be the voices of the preachers. We confess that all these things come forth from one source, namely, God. Concerning these flashes of lightning and sounds of thunder, it is said: "The voice of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings illumined the whole world."

And from the throne proceed flashes of lightning and voices and peals of thunder. This is what Mark says: But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the accompanying signs (Mark 16).

And seven burning lamps before the throne, etc. He speaks of the one Spirit in a sevenfold way, for there is one Spirit. But the sevenfold nature is perfection and fullness. Having mentioned the Holy Spirit, it is fitting that the wave of baptism follows, in which the same Spirit is believed to be received.

And from the throne (that is, from the Church) proceed lightnings, and voices, and thunders.

By the lightnings are meant the miracles that God works through his saints; by the voices, preaching; by the thunders, the terror of the fire of Gehenna is signified, because the holy preachers, when they cannot draw people back from vices by love of the heavenly homeland, set before them the eternal torments that are prepared for the wicked, so that those whom they cannot restrain by gentleness they may at least curb from vices by terrors.

And seven burning lamps before the throne.

What the seven lamps are, he himself explains when he says:

Which are the seven spirits of God.

By the seven spirits of God we must understand the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, which the prophet Isaiah shows to have rested upon the Lord, saying: “And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and piety, and the spirit of the fear of the Lord shall fill him” (Isa. 11:2). These seven lamps, that is, the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, are said to burn before the throne, that is, before the sight of his Church, because without the light of these virtues, placed as we are in the night of this world, we cannot walk along the paths of life to the heavenly homeland. But when he says that Christ received these seven gifts from the Holy Spirit, this belongs to the mystery of his humanity; for according to his divinity he could in no way be increased, since without him nothing could exist.

Yet a question can truly be raised: why, when the prophet said that these seven gifts were going to descend upon Christ, did he begin with the greater ones and, going down, arrive at the lesser? But it will seem not to have been done without reason if it is carefully examined. For since our Lord Jesus Christ, from that heavenly blessedness in which He was in all things equal to the Father, consented to descend to earth and to become man, and chose to be made lower than the angels whom He Himself had created, He fittingly received these seven gifts in a descending order; because by descending and humbling Himself even to death He fulfilled the will of the Father, as the Apostle says: He humbled Himself unto death, even death on a cross (Philip. 2:8). But we, who are raised up from the very pit of destruction to heavenly things, begin from the lesser, so that by growing we may come to the greater.

Let us now briefly say how these seven gifts descended upon Christ, as the Lord has granted. The Spirit of wisdom rested upon the man Christ when the Son of God according to his divinity, who is called the wisdom of the Father, descended into him.

The spirit of understanding rested in him, when he was endowed with all virtues, just as it is written in the Gospel: Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and grace before God and men (Luke 2:52).

After understanding comes counsel. Counsel is so called from “consulting”; for if some danger is hanging over us, we seek counsel from a wise person, so that we may know how to escape the danger. Likewise, when we desire to rise to some dignity of the world, we seek counsel as to how we may be able to attain what we desire. Christ therefore is our counselor, who gives counsel as to how we may escape eternal dangers; and the counsel that he gives, he himself brings to completion, when he frees us from eternal dangers. Likewise, he gives counsel as to how we may be able to reach the inheritance of Paradise, and he himself leads us to those joys. Therefore the spirit of counsel descended upon the man Christ, when from the Holy Spirit he received the teaching of the Gospel, in which the counsel of all who desire to be saved consists.

The Spirit of fortitude also rested upon Christ when he appeared among men as the strong one to wage war against the ancient enemy. Of this fortitude of his he himself said in the Gospel: “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own courtyard, the things he possesses are in peace; but if someone stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he will take away all his weapons in which he trusted, and will distribute his spoils” (Luke 11:21).

After fortitude comes knowledge. Among men there are many kinds of knowledge; for there are different kinds of knowledge belonging to different arts. There is knowledge in literature, there is in worldly laws, there is in increasing temporal goods, there is also knowledge in anticipating dangers; there are also many who, through sensitivity of perception, foresee certain future things. But these kinds of knowledge are sometimes possessed by the good, sometimes by the evil; whereas the knowledge that descended upon Christ no one except a good person can have. It was so great that no mind could comprehend it: “For in him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3). Therefore it seems to me that by the spirit of knowledge we ought not to understand some particular deed of his; for our Savior, foreseeing that, if he avoided the company of sinful men, many wicked people would fall into the pit of despair, willed to conform himself to sinners through the fellowship of the body, namely by eating and drinking with them, and not rejecting even the touch of prostitutes. He also promised paradise to the thief at the very beginning of his confession (Luke 23:43), so that he might give hope of pardon to all sinners who desire to be saved. But the Pharisees, not having the spirit of knowledge, found fault with him because he ate with tax collectors and sinners. Yet he, possessing the spirit of knowledge, said to them: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Matt. 9:12 and so on).

But regarding the spirit of piety, there is no need for us to say anything. For what is as pious as he who did not commit sin, and in whose mouth no deceit was found (1 Peter 2:22); and though he could by his own power free himself from death, yet for the salvation of humanity he allowed himself to be seized, bound, spat upon, struck with blows, scourged, and crucified?

But the spirit of the fear of the Lord, which is placed last, refers to the Passion; not because he was compelled by fear to die for the salvation of humanity, but we must understand “fear” here as “obedience,” of which he himself says: “I have not come to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me, the Father” (Jn. 6:38). For we also say that a son who is in all things obedient to his earthly father “fears” his father, although that obedience is not of fear but of love. Of this fear the Psalmist says: “The fear of the Lord is holy, enduring for ever and ever” (Ps. 18:10); yet it is not fear, but the love of God that will remain for ever and ever.

Now it must be said briefly how these seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are fitting for each of the faithful. And since we, who through the guilt of the first transgression lay in the snare of destruction, are by the mercy of God brought back from lower things to those above, that is, we begin with the fear of God, so that by advancing we may grow to higher things, that is, to wisdom. And by the same steps by which Christ, humbling himself, came down to us and brought our salvation to completion by dying, by those same steps we also ought to ascend to him, namely by doing his commandments, which are contained in the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Therefore the Spirit of the fear of the Lord rests upon every sinner when, considering his sins and greatly dreading the just judgment of God and the punishments of eternal fire which have been prepared for the wicked, he is turned to repentance and tears, and begins to weep most bitterly for what he performed with delight.

But the spirit of piety rests upon any sinner, when, hearing Scripture which says, “Just as water extinguishes fire, so almsgiving extinguishes sin” (Sirach 3:33), and the Lord saying, “Give alms, and behold, everything is clean for you” (Luke 11:41), he begins to feed the needy, clothe the naked, and to carry out the other works of mercy; so that, by having mercy on others, he may make God favorable to himself, whom he had offended by sinning. Therefore also the prophet Daniel took care to admonish the most wicked king to redeem his sins by almsgiving and by acts of mercy toward the poor.

One ascends from piety to the spirit of knowledge; for although someone may seem to possess knowledge, he is a fool if he lives badly. For what is more foolish than to cast the fear of God out of one’s mind, to be enslaved to vices, and to hurry at full speed toward destruction? Therefore, if it is folly to serve vices, and the best kind of knowledge is to abandon vices and turn with one’s whole mind to God, then whoever, through the spirit of fear, begins to weep for his sins, and through the spirit of piety strives to be merciful toward those in need, so as to make God merciful to himself by having mercy on others, must necessarily possess, through the gift of the Holy Spirit, the spirit of knowledge. For whoever desires to be converted to God must necessarily abandon vices; and whoever wishes to abandon vices must necessarily, through the teaching of the divine Scriptures or through the preaching of holy men, learn what kinds of vices there are, how they lure people, and by what means they can be extinguished; what also are the deceits of demons, and how one must fight against them: this, then, is what it is to possess the spirit of knowledge.

And because Solomon says that whoever adds knowledge also adds labor (Eccles. 1:18), from knowledge one ascends to the spirit of fortitude. For just as any fighter does not battle against someone whom he holds in chains, but rather against one who wishes to resist him, so too the Devil does not fight against the one whom he keeps bound with the chains of sins, but rather against the one who stops sinning and returns to God with his whole mind. Therefore, whoever through penance and works of mercy deserves to be freed from the chains of the Devil and wishes to wage war against him through the spirit of knowledge, must necessarily receive from the Holy Spirit the gift of fortitude. Armed with this, he is able both to extinguish completely his internal enemies, that is, the vices, and to overcome exterior enemies, namely, other people, through patience, and to repel from himself all the darts of demons with the shield of faith.

One ascends from courage to counsel; but the counsel of our salvation lies in the Gospel teachings. Therefore, whoever has been able to extinguish vices within himself through the spirit of courage must necessarily go on to examine the commands of the Gospel and store them up in his heart; there he will find the counsel by which he may be able to ascend to the summit of perfection.

And because the commands of the Gospel cannot be kept without virtues, one ascends from the spirit of counsel to understanding, in which the perfection of the virtues wholly consists. Indeed, the faithful receive the gift of understanding from the Holy Spirit when they deserve to be enriched with all the virtues; for he truly possesses understanding who is enlightened by faith, purified by chastity, adorned with patience, fortified with humility, shining with love, and brought to completion by the other virtues.

And because through the exercise of the virtues one climbs to the summit of perfection, wisdom is placed before understanding, in which all perfection consists. Of this perfection the Lord says in the Gospel: If you wish to be perfect, go, sell all that you have, and give to the poor, and you will have a treasure in heaven; and come, follow me (Matt. 19:21). There are indeed many who try suddenly to ascend to the height of perfection; but because they do not climb by the steps of the virtues, they easily fall. For what does it profit to abandon one’s possessions, if one does not cast away from one’s mind anger, hatred, drunkenness, envy, pride, vain glory, and the other vices that kill the soul? It is no advantage to climb a tree to escape a lion if one carries a serpent in one’s heart, by whose venom one perishes. Nor does the Lord say that he is perfect who has only given up his possessions, but rather he who has given up his possessions and has followed Him Himself. Now we follow Him when we imitate Him. Therefore, he ascends to this summit of perfection by a fitting degree who, having first renounced vices, rises from the active life, which is brought to completion by the virtues, to the contemplative life, in which he is united to Christ alone, who is the wisdom of the Father and the Son of God, and he becomes a citizen of the heavenly Jerusalem.

Now let us briefly show how the ascent of the faithful, through the seven steps of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, corresponds to Christ’s descent. The last step of Christ’s descent is the fear of God, through which we said his passion and death were prefigured, and it is the first step of the ascent of those who turn to God. The death of the Lord, moreover, suits those who, through the spirit of the fear of the Lord, weep for their sins; because in the death of the Lord lies the forgiveness of all sins, nor could there be perfect forgiveness of sins if he had not died for us.

The sixth step of Christ’s descent is mercy, and the second of the penitents’ ascent. Now the mercy of the faithful agrees with the mercy of the Lord; for he bestowed his mercy on those who were wretched in respect of the soul, freeing them from eternal death by his own death, and these (the faithful) bestow mercy on those who are wretched in respect of the body, by giving them the bodily necessities, about which he himself will say in the judgment: “Whatever you did to one of the least of my brothers, you did to me” (Matt. 25:40).

The fifth step of Christ’s descent is knowledge, and the third of the faithful’s ascent. Now, the spirit of knowledge that is given to the faithful agrees with the spirit of knowledge that was bestowed on the man Christ; for he, in order to save sinners, did not disdain to make himself like them, and they, in order to escape sins, flee to him through the spirit of knowledge, who has the power to forgive sins.

The fourth step of Christ’s descent is fortitude, and likewise the fourth of the faithful’s ascent. Moreover, the fortitude of the faithful corresponds to the fortitude of Christ, because they conquer the Devil by that same fortitude by which Christ also conquered, namely, by the fortitude of Christ, not their own; as he himself says: “Without me you can do nothing” (Jn. 15:5).

The third degree of Christ’s descent is the spirit of counsel, and the fifth of the faithful’s ascent. But the counsel of the faithful is joined to the counsel of Christ when they devote themselves to keeping the teachings of the Gospel, in which the perfect counsel of all the saints consists.

The second degree of Christ’s descent is understanding, and the sixth of the faithful’s ascent. And the understanding of the faithful corresponds to the understanding of Christ when the same virtues that he received from his Spirit, the same also his saints merit to receive from him.

The first degree of Christ’s descent is wisdom, and the seventh of the faithful’s ascent; because Christ is the wisdom of the Father, and from him all wisdom arises. Therefore the saints, who are united to the Lord through the practice of virtues, receive from him wisdom, in which the fullness of all goodness consists (Prov. 3:13). To them he himself speaks through Solomon, saying: If anyone loves wisdom, let him turn to me, and he will find it; and when he has found it, he is blessed if he holds fast to it. It follows:

The flashes of lightning and the sounds of thunder emanating from the throne once again signify the awe-inspiring presence of God. For divine beauty does not lie in some long-winded pleasure or delight, but in a wondrous and awe-inspiring reverence. And knowing this, the prophet said: "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling before Him." (Ps. 2:11)

And he speaks of the throne that burn seven lamps of fire, which are the seven spirits of God; indeed, the seven are the seven archangels among the angels. Clement states in the sixth Stromata, perhaps guided from this source to say these things, that the seven spirits are like torches of fire. For it has been said somewhere about angels: "He makes his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire." (Ps. 103:4; Heb. 1:7) This is an allegory drawn from the divine Scripture, concerning what this passage is now speaking about.

In the voices and thunder the proclamation of the gospel is indicated, while the lightning signifies the miraculous signs, as we read in the Gospel, "They went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs which followed." And again: "The voice of your thunder was in the whirlwind, and your lightning illumined the whole world." For, as though from the clouds, the world, trembling by the thunderous commandments and astonishing miracles, was brought to fear and made to believe.

These seven lamps are the seven spirits of God. Even if he had not explained it, we would have properly understood these seven lamps to represent the Holy Spirit. For we know that at the beginning he had illuminated the apostles in the form of fiery tongues, and [we are aware] of his sevenfold operation. How much more clear is it, when now he himself adds, "which are the seven spirits of God." But where is the Holy Spirit more properly said to be present than at the time of baptism, when we believe that each one of the faithful have properly received him.

Behold the seven horns of the Lamb, the seven eyes of God -the seven eyes are the seven spirits of the Lamb; seven torches burning before the throne of God seven golden candlesticks, seven young sheep, the seven women in Isaiah, the seven churches in Paul, seven deacons, seven angels, seven trumpets, seven seals to the book, seven periods of seven days with which Pentecost is completed, the seven weeks in Daniel, also the forty-three weeks in Daniel; with Noah, seven of all clean things in the ark; seven revenges of Cain, seven years for a debt to be acquitted, the lamp with seven orifices, seven pillars of wisdom in the house of Solomon.

"And from the throne proceeded lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and seven torches of fire burning." And the lightnings, and voices, and thunders proceeding from the throne of God, and the seven torches of fire burning, signify announcements, and promises of adoption, and threatenings. For lightnings signify the Lord's advent, and the voices the announcements of the New Testament, and the thunders, that the words are from heaven. The burning torches of fire signify the gift of the Holy Spirit, that it is given by the wood of the passion.

The sea of glass is like crystal, that is, it is transparent, indicating that it is infused by a certain whiteness and an uncommon purity. With good reason we think that this is said of the font of baptism and of the grace of regeneration. For [baptism] cleanses and illumines those who have received it and it clothes those who have been led to purity with the splendor of righteousness. These are the waters of which it is written in the prophets: "In those days living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea. They shall continue in summer and in winter."

"The first animal was like a lion." Most of our interpreters say that this signifies the person of Mark, the Evangelist. And indeed this seems most apt and true, for his Gospel begins in this way: "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, 'Behold, I send my messenger who shall prepare the way before your face.' " Nor is it strange that here Isaiah is mentioned instead of Malachi, for most certainly this testimony occurs in Malachi. However, "Isaiah" means "the salvation of the Lord," and "Malachi" means "angel." And so at the beginning of the Gospel he prefers to speak of the salvation of the Lord, which is "Isaiah," rather than of the angel, which is "Malachi," in order that through the faith of the gospel he might suggest the immovable perpetuity of the present and future life. And then, to be sure, he mentions the "messenger," which is "angel," and he adds the words of Isaiah: "Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight the highways of our God," so that, salvation having been both promised and foretold, he might show the messenger of the truth and might prepare the hearts of humankind for the reception of grace. And the form of the lion is in this, that he reports that John was in the desert preaching and enjoying the desert, as he says: "John was in the desert baptizing and proclaiming the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." The words "the second creature was like an ox" introduce Luke. For a bull is representative of the priesthood, as it is said in Isaiah: "Blessed are you who sow upon all the waters, letting the feet of the ox and the ass go free." And so at the beginning of his Gospel, he speaks of Zechariah the priest: "In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah." "The third living creature with the face of a man" indicates Matthew, for at the beginning of his Gospel, Matthew wished to report the genealogy of the Lord according to the flesh. The words "the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle" indicate John. For, at the beginning of his Gospel, John did not speak of the humanity of the Lord or of the priesthood or of John preaching in the desert. Rather, desiring like an eagle to reach toward the height of heaven itself, he left behind all things lowly and spoke properly of him as God: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; he was in the beginning with God."

And before the throne, there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. This refers to the faith of true baptism, which is related to glass, in which nothing different is seen on the outside than what it bears within. The grace of baptism is also figured by crystal, which is formed from water into ice and a precious stone.

And in the midst of the throne and around the throne, there were four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind. All parts of the throne of God, that is, the Church, are filled with the light of the Gospel from the knowledge of past and future things.

And in front of the throne there was something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal.

In the temple of Solomon we read that there was a bronze sea, in which the priests washed before they approached the altar to offer sacrifices (2 Chron. 4:6); but the brightness of bronze is quickly clouded by a certain blackness. By the bronze sea, therefore, the Law of Moses is signified, which obscures the brightness of spiritual understanding with the blackness of the letter. And just as, if bronze is rubbed with a file, its brightness is brought out, so too the spiritual understanding, which is obscured by the surface of the letter in the Law, if it is carefully examined by faithful men, is revealed through the grace of God. In this sea, then, the priests were washed, because through sacrifices and certain legal observances some sins of the ancient people were wiped away. By the sea of glass and crystal, therefore, the New Testament is not inappropriately understood. Now in this sea we find three things: the sea, the glass, and the crystal. By the sea, then, history is signified; by the glass, moral understanding; and by the crystal, spiritual understanding. By the glass, therefore, from which mirrors are made, moral understanding is not unsuitably taken; because just as a person can detect in a mirror whatever shameful thing he bears in his face, so too moral understanding reveals whatever vice may be in the souls of human beings. By the crystal, however, which is clearer than all gems, and which is accustomed to emit flashes of brightness and often even fire from itself, spiritual understanding is expressed; it clarifies whatever is obscure in the divine Scriptures, it illumines minds with the flames of spiritual meanings, and it kindles some persons into the love of God and the love of the heavenly homeland.

And in the midst of the throne and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind.

This, taken according to the historical sense, cannot stand; for so small a number could not occupy both the whole circuit of the throne and its middle part. Rather, it must be understood spiritually. Therefore, the four living creatures signify not only the four evangelists, but also all the doctors of the Church who follow their teaching. The four living creatures stand around the throne, because the doctors of the Church defend the people entrusted to them, with all the strength they can, from both visible and invisible enemies. They stand in the midst of the throne, because they never cease to admonish each one of them to make progress in virtues and in all good works. Therefore these four living creatures were seen as having eyes in front and behind, because holy preachers look to both future and past things. They have eyes in front, because when they contemplate the day of judgment, the condemnation of the wicked, and the glory of the righteous, they show their hearers what they ought to avoid and what they ought to desire. They have eyes behind, because when they gaze upon the life of the fathers who went before, they themselves make progress by imitating them, and they set before their hearers their life and teaching, so that they too may make progress by imitating them.

In one of Stevenson's letters there is a characteristically humorous remark about the appalling impression produced on him in childhood by the beasts with many eyes in the Book of Revelations: "If that was heaven, what in the name of Davy Jones was hell like?" Now in sober truth there is a magnificent idea in these monsters of the Apocalypse. It is, I suppose, the idea that beings really more beautiful or more universal than we are might appear to us frightful and even confused. Especially they might seem to have senses at once more multiplex and more staring; an idea very imaginatively seized in the multitude of eyes. I like those monsters beneath the throne very much. But I like them beneath the throne. It is when one of them goes wandering in deserts and finds a throne for himself that evil faiths begin, and there is (literally) the devil to pay--to pay in dancing girls or human sacrifice. As long as those misshapen elemental powers are around the throne, remember that the thing that they worship is the likeness of the appearance of a man.

It is not possible that the Gospels can be either more or fewer in number than they are. For, since there are four zones of the world in which we live, and four principal winds, while the Church is scattered throughout all the world, and the "pillar and ground" of the Church is the Gospel and the spirit of life; it is fitting that she should have four pillars, breathing out immortality on every side, and vivifying men afresh. From which fact, it is evident that the Word, the Artificer of all, He that sitteth upon the cherubim, and contains all things, He who was manifested to men, has given us the Gospel under four aspects, but bound together by one Spirit. As also David says, when entreating His manifestation, "Thou that sittest between the cherubim, shine forth." For the cherubim, too, were four-faced, and their faces were images of the dispensation of the Son of God. For, [as the Scripture] says, "The first living creature was like a lion," symbolizing His effectual working, His leadership, and royal power; the second [living creature] was like a calf, signifying [His] sacrificial and sacerdotal order; but "the third had, as it were, the face as of a man,"-an evident description of His advent as a human being; "the fourth was like a flying eagle," pointing out the gift of the Spirit hovering with His wings over the Church. And therefore the Gospels are in accord with these things, among which Christ Jesus is seated. For that according to John relates His original, effectual, and glorious generation from the Father, thus declaring, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Also, "all things were made by Him, and without Him was nothing made." For this reason, too, is that Gospel full of all confidence, for such is His person. But that according to Luke, taking up [His] priestly character, commenced with Zacharias the priest offering sacrifice to God. For now was made ready the fatted calf, about to be immolated for the finding again of the younger son. Matthew, again, relates His generation as a man, saying, "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham;" and also, "The birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise." This, then, is the Gospel of His humanity; for which reason it is, too, that [the character of] a humble and meek man is kept up through the whole Gospel. Mark, on the other hand, commences with [a reference to] the prophetical spirit coming down from on high to men, saying, "The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as it is written in Esaias the prophet,"-pointing to the winged aspect of the Gospel; and on this account he made a compendious and cursory narrative, for such is the prophetical character. And the Word of God Himself used to converse with the ante-Mosaic patriarchs, in accordance with His divinity and glory; but for those under the law he instituted a sacerdotal and liturgical service. Afterwards, being made man for us, He sent the gift of the celestial Spirit over all the earth, protecting us with His wings. Such, then, as was the course followed by the Son of God, so was also the form of the living creatures; and such as was the form of the living creatures, so was also the character of the Gospel. For the living creatures are quadriform, and the Gospel is quadriform, as is also the course followed by the Lord.

Also before the throne there is a sea of glass, like crystal. The vision of the sea represents the multitude.

But what about glass and crystal? The pure ones. And it is shown to be free from every stain by the holy fathers concerning God, who are as numerous as the sea (Isa. 10:22; Rom. 9:27). For Daniel says that "thousands upon thousands stood before Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand served Him." (Dan. 7:10) And being such in number, all are pure, resembling glass and crystal.

One cannot say that those sacred creatures were exactly like the ones that the prophet Ezekiel was deemed worthy to behold in his vision (Ez. 10:13). Each of them had four faces and eight wings, and they were accompanied by certain wheels called "Gelgel", which were also many-eyed, much like these creatures. Here, however, each had a single face, though different from one another, and six wings. And those were the Cherubim, for that is how they are called in Ezekiel. These others, as I believe, are the Seraphim, shown in Isaiah the prophet (Isa. 6:2), although Isaiah neither mentioned any faces for them nor described them in detail, only that they covered their faces with their wings; not that they had many eyes, but that they had six wings.

But what was meaning of these great things shown to the evangelist? Was there some deception among certain Jews? That God, who governs the holy orders in heaven and dwells within them alone, has withdrawn from and neglected those on earth because of the transgression committed in Adam. Therefore, they said to Isaiah, "Why have we fasted, and you did not notice? We humbled our souls, and you did not pay attention." (Isa. 58:3) But such a deception came upon them from a certain written passage that says, "Lord, in heaven, your mercy and your truth reach to the clouds." (Ps. 35:6) As it shows that divine providence proceeds by disregarding the sins committed below on earth, the vision therefore reveals to the evangelist that God's providence extends through all things, both overseeing those in Heaven and those who have come to dwell on earth.

And this is symbolized by the four holy living creatures surrounding the divine throne. For every perceptible and earthly body is composed of the four elements: fire, earth, air, and water.

The sea of glass refers to baptism, where "it is believed with the heart unto justification, and there is confession with the mouth unto salvation." And it is likened to glass because of faith. For in glass there is nothing to be seen on the outside than what is true on the inside. Nor is it without reason that baptism is said to be in the presence of the throne, lest heretics believe that they possess this or can bestow this outside [the church]. As so it says that [baptism is] in the presence of the throne, just as we read what was said to Moses, "The place is near me," or as God himself exhorted in Deuteronomy, "In the place which the Lord your God chooses, to make his name present there." We know that by all these passages the indivisible unity of the church is declared, where the Trinity may be received by baptism unto salvation, while the one who receives [baptism] outside [the church] is born to destruction. The gift of baptism is not evil but becomes evil when one to whom it is given makes evil use of it, just as was the morsel which was extended to Judas by the hand of the Lord.

The church, therefore, lives and works on the strength and beauty of the royal majesty, because the Lion of the tribe of Judah conquers. "For Judah is a lion's cub," from whose tribe kings are accustomed to be set over the people. "And the second animal was like a calf." For the same reason, the virtue of the church is indicated in the calf, namely, the first victim, for whenever anyone of the faithful is slain for Christ, he conquers at that moment. "Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is your reasonable worship," so that what the Head has accomplished on behalf of the body, the body may be worthy to fulfill for the Head. For this reason, [the Gospel of Luke] began with Zechariah the priest. "The third animal had a face like a man." In my opinion, the humility of the church is here commended. For although she has received "the Spirit of the adoption of sons" and possesses "this treasure in clay vessels," she nevertheless freely prefers to glory humbly in her weaknesses than to be praised in the strengths that she has acquired. In this way she devoutly follows in the footsteps of the Master who was "made obedient even unto death" and who said, "Learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart." "The fourth animal was like a flying eagle." The celestial church is being described as flying on the spiritual thoughts of her members. For she is free from the heaviness of earthly desires and is drawn into the heights at the direction of the two Testaments.

"And before the throne there was, as it were, a sea of glass like to crystal." That is the gift of baptism which He sheds forth through His Son in time of repentance, before He executes judgment. It is therefore before the throne, that is, the judgment.And when he says a sea of glass like to crystal, he shows that it is pure water, smooth, not agitated by the wind, not flowing down as on a slope, but given to be immoveable as the house of God."And round about the throne were four living creatures." The four living creatures are the four Gospels.

Now is manifested the reason of the truth why the fourth day is called the Tetras, why we fast even to the ninth hour, or even to the evening, or why there should be a passing over even to the next day. Therefore this world of ours is composed of four elements-fire, water, heaven, earth. These four elements, therefore, form the quaternion of times or seasons. The sun, also, and the moon constitute throughout the space of the year four seasons-of spring, summer, autumn, winter; and these seasons make a quaternion. And to proceed further still from that principle, lo, there are four living creatures before God's throne, four Gospels, four rivers flowing in paradise; four generations of people from Adam to Noah, from Noah to Abraham, from Abraham to Moses, from Moses to Christ the Lord, the Son of God; and four living creatures, viz., a man, a calf, a lion, an eagle; and four rivers, the Pison, the Gihon. the Tigris, and the Euphrates. The man Christ Jesus, the originator of these things whereof we have above spoken, was taken prisoner by wicked hands, by a quaternion of soldiers. Therefore on account of His captivity by a quaternion, on account of the majesty of His works,-that the seasons also, wholesome to humanity, joyful for the harvests, tranquil for the tempests, may roll on,-therefore we make the fourth day a station or a supernumerary fast.

And the first living creature was like a lion: and the second living creature like a calf: and the third living creature, having the face, as it were, of a man: and the fourth living creature was like an eagle flying. We should ask the question of why John said that the first living creature was like a lion while Ezekiel says that the appearance of man was in the first animal. So, either the historical order (which the mystical words of the Scriptures do not always keep) has been changed, or he put the symbol of the lion first because it is not on account of the Nativity or of the Passion that people have believed in Christ, but on account of the Resurrection, which is symbolized by the lion. Finally, since he began with the human generation, [Sc. of Jesus. Matt. 1:1 et seq.] Matthew is appropriately represented by the man; since he began with the cry in the desert, [Mark 1:3] Mark is appropriately represented by the lion; since he started with a sacrifice, [Luke 1:8] Luke is well represented by the calf; and John, who began with the divinity, [John 1:1 et seq.] is fittingly represented by the eagle. All this can also refer to Christ and all his limbs. However, for brevity's sake, let us content ourselves with what we have said here.

Both in the prophet Ezekiel and in the Apocalypse of the same John whose Gospel this is, there is mentioned a quadruple beast, having four characteristic faces: a man's, a calf's, a lion's, an eagle's. Very many who have commented on the mysteries of the holy Scriptures before us have understood the four Evangelists in this animal, or rather in these animals. The lion, [they say], has been put for king, because the lion seems to be, in a way, the king of beasts because of his power and terrifying bravery. This character has been attributed to Matthew because he described in proper order the royal line in the generations of the Lord, how the Lord was through royal descent from the seed of King David. But Luke, because he began from the priesthood of the priest Zechariah, making mention of the father of John the Baptist, is accounted the calf because the calf was the important victim in the sacrifice of the priests. Christ as a man has rightly been assigned to Mark, because neither did he say anything about his royal power nor did he begin from the priestly, but he simply started with Christ the man. All of these have practically not departed from the earthly things, that is, from those deeds that the Lord Jesus Christ performed on earth. They said very few things about his divinity, as if they were walking with him on earth. There remains the eagle: it is John, he who preaches the sublime and who gazes with unflinching eyes upon the internal and eternal light.

And the first living creature was like a lion, etc. These living creatures are interpreted in various ways. But blessed Augustine, according to the order of this book, says that Matthew is understood in the lion, who narrates the royal lineage of Christ, who also conquered as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. For the cub of the lion is Judah (Gen. 49). And in whom, as a king, he is feared by a king, worshipped by the magi. Where also the king reckons with his servants, the king makes a marriage for his son, and finally, the king separates the sheep from the goats. Luke is in the calf, which was a great sacrifice in the law. For not only are his beginnings around the temple and sacrifices, but it also concludes: And they were continually in the temple praising and blessing God (Luke 24). The face of a man signifies Mark, who, saying nothing of the royal or priestly power of the Lord, simply narrates the deeds of the man Christ. But John is the eagle, who sharply looks at the birth of the Word like the rising sun. The living creatures sometimes signify the evangelists, sometimes the whole Church. Whose strength is shown in the lion, sacrifice in the calf, humility in the man, sublimity in the flying eagle.

And the first living creature was like a lion, and the second living creature like a calf, and the third living creature having a face like a man, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle.

Not all authors have explained the forms of the four living creatures in the same way; but it has been handed down to us by the more ancient writers that we should understand Mark through the lion, Luke through the calf, Matthew through the man, and John through the flying eagle; because Mark begins from the wilderness, Luke from the priesthood of the Jews, Matthew from the man, that is, from the genealogy of Christ, but John from the divinity of Christ. Yet some, following another order, think that Matthew was indicated by the lion, Mark by the calf, Luke by the man, and John by the eagle. For they say that Matthew was therefore signified by the lion, which is the king of beasts, because he himself relates that Christ according to His human nature descended from a royal lineage (Matt. 2:2); he also says that at the time of His birth a star appeared, which showed Him to be King of heaven and earth, of angels and of men; he tells how the Magi, as if to a King of the world, were led from the East to worship Him; and he also says that the earthly king, that is, Herod, was troubled at the time of His birth together with all his ministers; for just as any king who has little power trembles and is disturbed if he learns that another king of great power is coming against him to invade his kingdom (Matt. 2:3), so when Christ came in the flesh, who was to be the King of the world, Herod was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; for the gifts which the Magi are said to have offered to Christ show that He is King, God, and Lord of all creatures. They say that Mark was signified by the calf because of the simplicity of his style; Luke by the man, because he has set forth the human genealogy of Christ more fully than the others. For from him we have learned how He was announced by the angel, how He was born, how He was laid in the manger, how He was circumcised, how He was presented in the temple, and how, by growing, He reached mature age. There is no one who denies that John was signified by the eagle.

John says in the Apocalypse that the four living creatures stood around God's throne, and that the first had the face of a lion, the second that of an ox, the third that of a man, and the fourth that of an eagle: but he does not say that each one had four faces. While Ezechiel says that the living creatures "moved," John says that they "stood." Ezechiel says that the first living creature had the face of a man; John, that it had the face of a lion. Wherefore John seems to comprise the visions both of Isaiah and of Ezechiel.

John intends to describe the four meanings, not in the order of importance, but according to the four faces which represent four meanings, that is, the literal or the allegorical or the tropological or the anagogical within any one of the four. The legal books correspond to the lion, because of its magnificence and authority; the historical to the ox who pulls the plow, because of its simplicity, and because it furrows the earth; the sapiential to man; and the prophetical to the face of an eagle.

The first living creature like a lion—By this he shows the kingdom and sovereignty of the lion who has arisen from the tribe of Judah; Matthew shows this. The second living creature like a calf—The bull signifies the priestly glory of Christ, of which Luke tells. The third living creature has the face of a man—He shows the passibility of the Son and the lowly condition of the Son of Man who was among men, of which Mark tells. And the fourth living creature a figure of a flying eagle—By the eagle he indicates the tremendous spiritual mystery of the Word and teaches that his power extends into the heavens; John proclaims this.

That these four Gospels, then, were foretold long before, the book of Ezekiel too proves, in which the first vision is woven together thus: And in the midst as it were the likeness of four living creatures, and their countenance the face of a man and the face of a lion and the face of a calf and the face of an eagle. The first, the face of a man, signifies Matthew, who began to write as if about a man: The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham; the second signifies Mark, in whom is heard the voice of a lion roaring in the desert: The voice of one crying in the desert: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight; the third, that of the calf, prefigures that the evangelist Luke took his beginning from Zechariah the priest; the fourth signifies John the evangelist, who, taking up the wings of an eagle and hastening to higher things, discourses on the Word of God. The rest that follows tends to the same sense: their legs straight, and their feet winged, and wherever the spirit went, they went and did not turn back, and their backs full of eyes, and sparks and lamps running to and fro in the midst, and a wheel within a wheel, and in each one four faces. Hence the Apocalypse of John too, after its account of the twenty-four elders, who, holding harps and bowls, worship the Lamb of God, brings in lightnings and thunders and seven spirits running to and fro and a sea of glass and four living creatures full of eyes, saying: The first living creature like a lion, and the second like a calf, and the third like a man, and the fourth like a flying eagle; and a little after: They were full, it says, of eyes, and they had no rest day and night, saying: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty, who was and who is and who is to come. By all these things it is plainly shown that only four Gospels ought to be received, and that all the dirges of the apocrypha are to be sung by dead heretics rather than by living churchmen.

Each of the animals is associated with one of these elements:

the lion with fire, due to the animal's warmth and spirited nature;

the calf with the earth, because the calf's work is connected to the soil;

the man with the air, as humans are celestial and transcendent beings due to the artfulness [λεπτότητα] of the mind;

and the eagle with water, since birds originate from water.

Around the throne of God are seen those deemed worthy of care and providence, signified through living beings, that is, those on earth.

"The first living creature was like to a lion, and the second was like to a calf, and the third had a face like to a man, and the fourth was like to a flying eagle." And in that the living creatures are different in appearance, this is the reason: the living creature like to a lion designates Mark, in whom is heard the voice of the lion roaring in the desert. And in the figure of a man, Matthew strives to declareto us the genealogy of Mary, from whom Christ took flesh. Therefore, in enumerating from Abraham to David, and thence to Joseph, he spoke of Him as if of a man: therefore his announcement sets forth the image of a man. Luke, in narrating the priesthood of Zacharias as he offers a sacrifice for the people, and the angel that appears to him with respect of the priesthood, and the victim in the same description bore the likeness of a calf. John the evangelist, like to an eagle hastening on uplifted wings to greater heights, argues about the Word of God. Mark, therefore, as an evangelist thus beginning, "The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet; " The voice of one crying in the wilderness," -has the effigy of a lion. And Matthew, "The hook of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham: " this is the form of a man. But Luke said, "There was a priest, by name Zachariah, of the course of Abia, and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron: " this is the likeness of a calf. But John, when he begins, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God," sets forth the likeness of a flying eagle. Moreover, not only do the evangelists express their four similitudes in their respective openings of the Gospels, but also the Word itself of God the Father Omnipotent, which is His Son our Lord Jesus Christ, bears the same likeness in the time of His advent. When He preaches to us, He is, as it were, a lion and a lion's whelp. And when for man's salvation He was made man to overcome death, and to set all men free, and that He offered Himself a victim to the Father on our behalf, He was called a calf. And that He overcame death and ascended into the heavens, extending His wings and protecting His people, He was named a flying eagle. Therefore these announcements, although they are four, yet are one, because it proceeded from one mouth. Even as the river in paradise, although it is one, was divided into four heads.

And the four living creatures had each of them six wings. We take the wings of the four living creatures to mean the words of the two Testaments. Then, although these wings are two, because of the doubled number twelve found in the tribes of Israel and the apostles, they are multiplied by twelve, and give twenty-four. In the same way, because of the knowledge of the Trinity that they spread throughout the world, they are also multiplied by three, and six appear in all. Alternatively, the six wings may be taken to mean the six laws: the first which is the natural law, the second which is that of Moses, the third which is that of the prophets, the fourth which is that of grace, the fifth which is that of the apostles, and the sixth which is that of the synods; by all of which the Church flies to heaven. And round about and within they are full of eyes. The living creatures are full of eyes both round about and within because the holy Church shows the light of preaching to believers, but conceals it from the unfaithful; or because the holy preachers show the way of faith and holiness to the minds of little people as though on the outside through the history only, and to the minds of perfect people as though on the inside through allegory; or because they incessantly see to it to provide their brothers with good examples on the outside, and to persevere in right intention on the inside. And they rest not day and night, saying: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who is, and who was, and who is to come. They rest not, that is, they do not desist from their cry; whence it is clear that the four living creatures represent the whole Church, because not only the evangelists, but also all the faithful do not desist from praising God day and night, that is in success and in adversity. By the fact of saying holy thrice, they indicate the three Persons. On the other hand, by saying Lord God Almighty, they show the one-substanced God in these three Persons. Yet, how can the words who is to come in the aforementioned praise correspond to the Trinity, when only the Son will come in his humanity to judge? One should know then that the invisible Trinity will assume the person of the Son and examine the just and sinners through it. It will not however come by passing from one place to another, but by showing its manifest power through the human form adopted by it, which will come down from heaven to the lower regions. We may also understand in this passage the divinity's present coming by which its saints are illuminated every day.

For what is nearer [God] than the Cherubim or the Seraphim? And yet they, not even seeing Him, nor standing on their feet, nor even with bare, but as it were with veiled faces, offer their praises, with untiring lips doing nought else but glorify the divine and ineffable nature with the Trisagion. And nowhere has any one of the divinely speaking prophets, men specially selected for such vision, reported to us that in the first utterance of the word Holy the voice is raised aloud, while in the second it is lower, but in the third, quite low,—and that consequently the first utterance denotes lordship, the second subordination, and the third marks a yet lower degree. But away with the folly of these haters of God and senseless men. For the Triad, praised, reverenced, and adored, is one and indivisible and without degrees. It is united without confusion, just as the Monad also is distinguished without separation. For the fact of those venerable living creatures offering their praises three times, saying "Holy, Holy, Holy," proves that the Three Subsistences are perfect, just as in saying "Lord," they declare the One Essence.

Each of them had six wings. By the perfection of their doctrine, they lift the Church to the heights. For the number six is called perfect because it is completed by its own parts. For one, which is the sixth part of six, and two, which is the third, and three, which is half, make up the same six. Alternatively, the six wings of the four living creatures, which are twenty-four, signify the same number of books of the Old Testament, by which the authority of the evangelists is supported and the truth is confirmed.

And around and within they are full of eyes, etc. The holy Church vigilantly regards itself both before God and before men. The Psalmist had seen its inner eyes when he says: All the glory of the king's daughter is within (Ps. 45). And the outer eyes when he immediately adds: In embroidered garments, she is led to the king (Ibid.). Alternatively, whether you attend to the letter or seek the allegory, you will always find light from the Gospel. Another translation has: Full of eyes before and behind. Because the light of the Gospel shines into the mysteries of the law and infuses the world with the splendor of the new grace.

And they had no rest day and night, etc. The holy creatures, throughout the time of the age, affirm the single dominion of the Deity, the omnipotence and eternity of the Holy Trinity, with the perpetual praise of the intellectual creature remaining in the heavens.

And the four living creatures, each of them had six wings, and all around and within they are full of eyes.

By the number six, which is perfect, the perfection of the saints is signified, to which no one can rise except through the teaching of the Gospel: for the Law brought no one to perfection (Heb. 7:19). But if you join together the six wings of the four living creatures, you will find twenty‑four. It seems to me, therefore, that they have the same meaning as the twenty‑four thrones, which we have said signify the twenty‑four books of the Old Testament. Now thrones, since they always cling to the earth, bend somewhat toward the earth those who rest on them; but wings lift up to the heights those to whom they are attached. Therefore, the books of the Old Testament were thrones for the fathers of old, because, understanding them according to the letter, they were in no way able to raise themselves perfectly to their spiritual understanding; but these thrones have been turned into wings for the fathers of the New Testament, because, understanding the books of the Old Testament spiritually, they are daily lifted up to heavenly things through their teaching.

But because this number, that is, twenty‑four, is often found in this book, it has seemed good that we say a few things about the mysteries of this number. For the parts of this number are one, two, three, four, six, eight, twelve. The one, which is placed at the head, signifies the one God; the two that follow indicate the two Testaments; the three pertain to the Trinity. After the three, it is not unfitting that four follow, because through the teaching of the four Gospels the faith of the holy Trinity has been revealed to us. After the four, six follows, which is a perfect number, because without the doctrine of the Gospel no one has been able to ascend to the summit of perfection; for the Law, as the Apostle says, brought no one to perfection (ibid.). After the six, eight follow, because there are eight virtues which fight against the vices, and without the exercise of which no one is able to ascend to the peak of perfection. After the eight, twelve follow, because through the teaching of the apostles we come to the faith, which is the mother of all virtues.

Therefore the four living creatures are said to be full of eyes around and within. By “around” we must understand the whole body; for when Ezekiel spoke about these living creatures, he says that their whole body was full of eyes (Ezek. 10:12). The saints therefore have eyes behind, when, hearing the Lord’s warning, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62), they strive with all their strength not to fall back into the evils which they remember having committed at some time in the past; although they do not cease to set those deeds before the eyes of their mind for the safeguarding of their humility. They have eyes before them, when, hearing the Lord’s words, “Blessed is that servant whom his lord, when he comes, shall find watching” (Matt. 24:46), they do not cease to do whatever good they can, so that at the time of their death, when the Lord comes, they may be found prepared. They have eyes on the left, when they repel all the temptations of demons from their minds with the shield of faith; they have eyes on the right, when they carefully guard against being exalted on account of good works. Or, they have eyes on the right and on the left, when neither prosperous things can lift them up nor adverse things cast them down. Below they have eyes, when, by extinguishing carnal desires, they trample them underfoot; above they have eyes, when with the whole desire of their mind they gasp for their heavenly homeland; within they have eyes, while they keep their hearts from filthy thoughts.

And they had no rest day and night, saying: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come.

For the rest of the wicked is the present life; following them is tribulation that has no end. But the righteous are afflicted in this world, so that they may possess eternal rest, as Paul the Apostle says: Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God (Acts 14:21). Otherwise: the saints have no rest, because they do not cease from the praises of God and from prayers, as the Lord says: We must always pray and not lose heart (Luke 18:1); and Paul the Apostle speaks, saying: Pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks (1 Thess. 5:17). But we must ask ourselves how we can pray without ceasing. For there are many who, though they are constant in prayers, in psalm-singing, in the celebration of Masses, and give many alms, are nevertheless puffed up with pride, burn with the heat of greed, and gather money by whatever means they can; to such an extent that they even harass the poor themselves, whose misery they ought to have pitied, with certain cons, so as to increase their own wealth from the poor’s small resources, saying that they do this lawfully, though this “law” is not of God but a trick of the Devil. And even in monasteries many are found who are devoted to vigils, psalms, prayers, and the celebration of Masses, and yet are very often and easily inflamed with anger; some indeed are devoted to drunkenness and gluttony; some also carry hatred in their hearts for a long time; some in the good works they appear to do seek human favor and praise; some are weighed down by envy, some by slander, or by other vices. And what more? All the holiness that they lay claim to in words they disfigure and spoil by unworthy conduct.

Therefore, to show the blindness of these people, I will set forth a certain likeness. A man was stuck up to his neck, held fast in the mud; and when he saw someone passing by, he stretched out his hand and cried, saying: Have mercy on me, and pull me out of this mud. When the passerby stretched out his hand to pull him out, the man who had extended his hand sank it down under the mud. And when the one who had come to rescue him wanted to withdraw, the man again begged to be freed. When the rescuer a second time stretched out his hand to pull him out, the man, just as before, plunged his hand under the mud. When he did this repeatedly, the rescuer, angered, said: Why do you ask to be freed, when you choose to remain in your danger? And since you love your own destruction, keep what you have chosen. In the same way, these people constantly beg God to be freed from their vices; and yet they embrace these very vices so firmly that they can in no way be torn away from them. Let us therefore place before our eyes two men: one, learned, constantly praying, chanting psalms, celebrating masses, and yet subject to certain vices; the other, unlearned, ignorant in worldly terms, yet faithful, fearing and loving God, loving his neighbor, patient, humble. Which of these seems to you to have kept the Apostle’s command, where he says: Pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17); the one who prays constantly and is subject to certain vices, or the one who does not know how to pray, and yet is free from vices and devoted to good works? It is clear to all that the innocence and good works of the second man move God to hear him more than the words of the first, whose life is stained by certain vices. Therefore he prays without ceasing who at fitting times entreats God with mind and tongue, and is constant in good works. When he sleeps, or is occupied with any works necessary for human life, his works shine in the sight of God, and they themselves are his intercessors with God, as the angel speaks to Cornelius, saying: Your prayers and your alms have been remembered in the sight of God (Acts 10:4).

But what the four living creatures say without ceasing, let us hear: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come. By calling God holy three times, they show the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. But when they say: Lord God almighty, passing from plurality to singularity, they show that the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are of one dominion, one divinity, one omnipotence. Yet we must ask, if the four living creatures signify not only the four evangelists, but also all the teachers of the Church; why are they said to invoke the holy Trinity without ceasing, when the holy ones of God are sometimes occupied in prayers, sometimes in reading, sometimes in preaching, or in various needs. Therefore, the holy preachers, while they hold in mind and confess with their mouth the faith of the holy Trinity, while they fulfill the works of faith, while they preach that same faith and the works of faith to whomever they can, while also in prayers and in giving thanks they pray and praise Him who is the triune and one God, while, according to the Apostle, whether they eat or drink, they do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, they invoke the holy Trinity without ceasing (1 Cor. 10:31). But as for what follows: Who was, and who is, and who is to come; this has already been explained above.

Furthermore, these twelve virtues, doubled in prosperity and adversity, are represented by the twenty-four hours, twelve in the night of adversity and twelve in the day of prosperity. Likewise, they are doubled in the active and the contemplative life: in that sense they are represented by the twenty-four elders who turned sometimes to action and at other times to contemplation, for they do what is sensible and mature. Once more, the twelve virtues are doubled through practical and speculative contemplation: and in this they are revealed by the twenty-four wings of the four animals, each one of which had six wings. And here ends the First Vision and the work of the First Day.

Them being full of eyes characteristics demonstrates God's all-encompassing watchfulness over them.

And they had no rest day or night; this does not mean that they live a life of pain and misery, unable to find relief from work and pressing necessity, but rather that they never cease praising God, delighting continually in their melody to Him.

The term "holy" being repeated seven times is a frequent and unceasing form of allusion. For the number seven is often handed down by divine Scripture; for example, "the barren woman bore seven children, and the many became weak through their offspring," (1 Sam.2:5) and "the seven eyes of the Lord watch over the entire earth," (Zech. 4:10) and "the righteous man is delivered seven times from distress." (Prov. 24:16)

He says, "who was, and is, and is to come." Through these, the Holy and venerable Trinity is revealed, as was stated earlier. There is nothing wrong with saying now, "for writing the same things is not burdensome to me," (Phil. 3:1) and the divine apostle has clearly demonstrated this to those who encounter it as certain.

The Father, who is, is named by Moses. For he says to him, "I AM THE ONE WHO IS [ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν]." (Ex. 3:14) And concerning the Son, it is said to the evangelist, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (Jn. 1:1) And he says that the Holy Spirit is the one who is to come, for He always visits the souls worthy of receiving Him.

Everywhere diffused in its individual members and in those who profess [the faith], the church ceaselessly praises God by word and deed in times of difficulty and in times of prosperity, and she does this throughout a variety of cities, regions, provinces, languages and peoples. Nor does she cease to praise the Lord day and night, while that perpetual praise continues that is given by those rational creatures in the heavens, in the Jerusalem above, after whose likeness the pilgrim church rejoices to be formed.

Certainly it is right that God should be blessed in all places and at all times because it is every person's duty to be ever mindful of his benefits, but this wish takes the form of a benediction. Moreover, when is the name of God not holy and blessed in itself, when of itself it makes others holy? To him the attending hosts of angels cease not to say, "Holy, holy, holy!" Therefore, we, too—the future comrades of the angels, if we earn this reward—become familiar even while here on this earth with that heavenly cry of praise to God and the duty of our future glory.

Otherwise, when is the name of God not "holy," and "hallowed" through Himself, seeing that of Himself He sanctifies all others-He to whom that surrounding circle of angels cease not to say, "Holy, holy, holy? " In like wise, therefore, we too, candidates for angelhood, if we succeed in deserving it, begin even here on earth to learn by heart that strain hereafter to be raised unto God, and the function of future glory.

In the animals the twenty-four elders are indicated, for six wings in four animals amount to twenty-four wings, and moreover he saw the animals around the throne, which is where he said that he had seen the elders. But how could an animal with six wings be like an eagle with two wings unless the four animals were one with twenty-four wings? And in this we recognize the twenty-four elders who are the church, which he likens to an eagle with two wings, that is, the two Testaments, upon which it is borne above, lest it be hindered by earthly affections.

"Almighty" is applied to him on account of the dominion he has over the universe. But the Father governs the universe through the Son, as the apostle himself states: "For through him were all things created, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers." Again, writing to the Hebrews, he states, "Because through him he made the world and appointed him heir of all things." By "appointed" we are to take him as meaning "generated." But if the Father made the world through him, and if through him all things were created and he is the heir of all things, it must be through him that he wields his sway over the universe. Just as light is generated from light and truth from truth, so Almighty is generated from Almighty. So we read in John's Apocalypse about the seraphim: "And they rested not day and night, saying, 'Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of armies, who was, and who is, and is to come, the Almighty.' " He then who is to come is called Almighty. Who else is to come save Christ, the Son of God?

"Six wings." These are the testimonies of the books of the Old Testament. Thus, twenty and four make as many as there are elders sitting upon the thrones. But as an animal cannot fly unless it have wings, so, too, the announcement of the New Testament gains no faith unless it have the fore-announced testimonies of the Old Testament, by which it is lifted from the earth, and flies. For in every case, what has been told before, and is afterwards found to have happened, that begets an undoubting faith. Again, also, if wings be not attached to the living creatures, they have nothing whence they may draw their life. For unless what the prophets foretold had been consummated in Christ, their preaching was vain. For the Catholic Church holds those things which were both before predicted and afterwards accomplished. And it flies, because the living animal is reasonably lifted up from the earth. But to heretics who do not avail themselves of the prophetic testimony, to them also there are present living creatures; but they do not fly, because they are of the earth. And to the Jews who do not receive the announcement of the New Testament there are present wings; but they do not fly, that is, they bring a vain prophesying to men, not adjusting facts to their words. And the books of the Old Testament that are received are twenty-four, which you will find in the epitomes of Theodore. But, moreover (as we have said), four and twenty elders, patriarchs and apostles, are to judge His people. For to the apostles, when they asked, saying, "We have forsaken all that we had, and followed Thee: what shall we have? "our Lord replied, "When the Son of man shall sit upon the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." But of the fathers also who should judge, says the patriarch Jacob, "Dan also himself shall judge his people among his brethren, even as one of the tribes in Israel."

Moreover, that for the announcement of the New Testament those bring creatures had eyes within and without, shows the spiritual providence which both looks into the secrets of the heart, and beholds the things which are coming after that are within and without.

And when those living creatures gave glory, and honour, and benediction to him that sitteth on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever; the four and twenty ancients fell down, and adored him that liveth for ever and ever. Here the living creatures no longer indicate a genus, but a species, namely the evangelists; but by the twenty-four ancients is represented the universal Church in its superior and inferior members. So the living creatures give glory and honor to him that sits on the throne, when the holy evangelists teach us that he ought to be praised for all good things, as in Every best gift, etc. [James 1:17] As the evangelists are thus speaking, the twenty-four ancients, that is all the saints, fall down, because they feel humble. They adore God at the same time as they fall, because they honor God by the very fact of attributing nothing to themselves. This fall and adoration should be understood as spiritual, according to this: God is a spirit; and they that adore him, must adore him in spirit and in truth. [John 4:24] And cast their crowns before the throne, saying, etc. He is repeating the very same thing: for the ancients laying their crowns before the throne mean the elect, with a pious confession of the mind, laying down before their consciences, which God presides over, the swelling of pride for the virtues they have received, and attributing everything to him who presides over them; which is also why they say:

And when those living creatures gave glory and honor and blessing to the One seated on the throne, who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders came forward before the One seated on the throne and worshiped the One who lives for ever and ever.

In this passage, by the four living creatures the four books of the Gospel are indicated; by the twenty-four elders, the Fathers of the New Testament can be understood. Therefore the four living creatures give glory and honor and blessing to the One seated on the throne, who lives for ever and ever, because the teaching of the Gospel is read and preached throughout the whole world, through which glory and honor and blessing are given to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. At the voice of the four living creatures, then, the twenty-four elders fell down before the One seated on the throne and worshiped the One who lives for ever and ever, because the saints of God, established throughout the whole world, when they hear the teaching of the Gospel, humble themselves in the sight of God, so that they may live with Him for ever and ever. And they cast their crowns before the throne, saying. We said above that good works were signified by the crowns; therefore the saints cast their crowns before the throne when they attribute to God, and not to themselves, whatever good they do, according to the command of the Apostle: “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord” (2 Cor. 10:17).

But let us hear what they say:

Along with the holy living creatures, the elders give glory to God; the act of casting their crowns before God signifies that the crown is a symbol of victory and kingship. Casting them before the throne of God, the true and genuine kingdom and the victory over all given to God who reigns over all.

And when these things were doing, he says that all the elders fell down and adored the Lord; while the living creatures-that is, of course, the actions recorded in the Gospels and the teaching of the Lord-gave Him glory and honour.31 In that they had fulfilled the word that had been previously foretold by them, they worthily and with reason exult, feeling that they have ministered the mysteries and the word of the Lord. Finally, also, because He had come who should remove death, and who alone was worthy to take the crown of immortality, all for the glory of His most excellent doing had crowns.

"And they cast their crowns under His feet." That is, on account of the eminent glory of Christ's victory, they cast all their victories under His feet. This is what in the Gospel the Holy Spirit consummated by showing, For when about finally to suffer, our Lord had come to Jerusalem, and the people had gone forth to meet Him, some strewed the road with palm branches cut down, others threw down their garments, doubtless these were setting forth two peoples-the one of the patriarchs, the other of the prophets; that is to say, of the great men who had any kind of palms of their victories against sin, and cast them under the feet of Christ, the victor of all. And the palm and the crown signify the same things, and these are not given save to the victor.

"And the four and twenty elders, failing down before the throne, adored God." The four and twenty elders arethe twenty-four books of the prophets and of the law, which give testimonies of the judgment. Moreover, also, they are the twenty-four fathers-twelve apostles and twelve patriarchs.

The twenty-four elders fell down before Him who sits on the throne and worshipped. When the creatures resound in praise, that is, when the evangelists proclaim the dispensation of Christ, the whole Church, which consists of leaders and peoples (for this is what the doubled number twelve signifies), immediately falls on its face and worships Him who lives forever and ever.

And they cast their crowns before the throne. Namely, assigning whatever virtue, whatever dignity they had. For He created all things out of nothing.

When the animals resound with praise, that is, when the Evangelists preach and celebrate the dispensation of Christ, … the twenty-four elders, that is, the whole church, that is, the leaders and people immediately fall on their faces and adore him who lives forever and ever.… By casting their crowns before the throne, they are ascribing to God whatever they possess of virtue and dignity. For whatever good we seek and acquire by right is attributed to him from whom he who conquers receives assistance. A figure of this action occurred in the Gospel when the people, going before the Lord, cast their garments and palm branches on the road before him, saying, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel."

Thou art worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory, and honour, and power, as if they were saying, "These things principally fit thee, from whom, by whom, and in whom is the glory, honor, and power of the saints." Yet, what is meant by what follows, because thou hast created all things; and for thy will they were, and have been created? If they have been created, how can they have been before they were created? One should know then that they were in the predestination before they came into being in deed.

You are worthy, Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power.

Above, he said that the four living creatures gave glory and honor and blessing to God; but here the twenty‑four elders say that God has received glory and honor and power, exchanging “power” for “blessing.” Yet what indeed can anyone give to God, or what can God receive from anyone, since he himself created all things, and without him nothing can exist, and he says in the Gospel: Without me you can do nothing (Jn. 15:5)? For if the saints can do nothing without God, what can they give him? Therefore, since the nature of human beings is such that they can have no good from themselves unless they receive it from him who is supremely good, God gives to his saints what they may use to repay him. For God has promised the kingdom of heaven to his saints, yet on the condition that they give the price of good works for it; and because the elect do not have this price unless they receive it from him, he himself gives the price with which they may purchase from him eternal life. Therefore the saints give glory to God when, whatever good they do, they do it with this intention: that God may be glorified through them, as he himself says in the Gospel: Let them see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven (Matt. 5:16). For John also says that Peter by his death glorified God (Jn. 21:19). They give honor when in all that they do, they seek the honor of God, not their own. Above, “blessing” is placed in the third place, but here “power”; and because the saints, while they accomplish great deeds, are blessed (praised) by human beings, “power” fits well together with “blessing.” But how greatly the saints detest the praises of people for the great works they do, the book of the Acts of the Apostles shows us. For when Peter and John had healed the lame man and all eyes were fixed on them, as though they had done this by their own power, Peter, avoiding the “blessings” (admiring looks) of their eyes, said to them: Men, brothers, why do you look at us, as though by our own power or virtue we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob has raised up his Son Jesus (Acts 3:12). And a little later: In his name this man stands before you sound. Likewise Paul and Barnabas, when they had healed a sick man in Lystra and the crowds wanted to offer sacrifice to them, tore their garments, saying: Men, why are you doing this? We too are human beings, with the same nature as you (Acts 14:14). We can also understand this of Christ, for it is clear that, according to his humanity, he has received both glory and honor and power. It follows:

For you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created.

If this is to be understood in the same sense as that other saying: “He who made the things that are to be”; then all creatures were in the power and will of God before they were created, but were in fact created at the time which God appointed. Therefore, may he himself, who created all things out of nothing, consent to create in us a pure heart, he who lives and reigns for ever and ever, amen.

In the verse "Thou didst create the earth, according to thy desire" Akhenaten even anticipates the New Testament—"thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were created" (Rev. 4:11). This Egyptian Pharaoh of the fourteenth century B.C. had broken from the Polytheism of his fathers to establish the worship of a single God whose Monotheism appears to have been of an extremely pure and conceptual kind. Where ancient Gentile literature (in some measure) anticipates the nature poetry of the Jews, it has also (in some measure) anticipated their theology. The doctrine of Creation—that all things exist not by self-existence or accident but according to the desire and pleasure of a transcendent God—is what frees Nature to be celebrated as a magnificent achievement and a bearer of messages from her Maker.

Man is not the centre. God does not exist for the sake of man. Man does not exist for his own sake. "Thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." We were made not primarily that we may love God (though we were made for that too) but that God may love us, that we may become objects in which the Divine love may rest "well pleased". To ask that God's love should be content with us as we are is to ask that God should cease to be God: because He is what He is, His love must, in the nature of things, be impeded and repelled, by certain stains in our present character, and because He already loves us He must labour to make us lovable. We cannot even wish, in our better moments, that He could reconcile Himself to our present impurities--no more than the beggar maid could wish that King Cophetua should be content with her rags and dirt, or a dog, once having learned to love man, could wish that man were such as to tolerate in his house the snapping, verminous, polluting creature of the wild pack. What we would here and now call our "happiness" is not the end God chiefly has in view: but when we are such as He can love without impediment, we shall in fact be happy.

There is joy in the dance, but it does not exist for the sake of joy. It does not even exist for the sake of good, or of love. It is Love Himself, and Good Himself, and therefore happy. It does not exist for us, but we for it.

We are taught in the Prayer Book to "give thanks to God for His great glory", as if we owed Him more thanks for being what He necessarily is than for any particular benefit He confers upon us; and so indeed we do and to know God is to know this. But I had been far from any such experience; I came far nearer to feeling this about the Norse gods whom I disbelieved in than I had ever done about the true God while I believed. Sometimes I can almost think that I was sent back to the false gods there to acquire some capacity for worship against the day when the true God should recall me to Himself.

The primal and necessary Being, the Creator, has sovereignty de facto as well as de jure. He has the power as well as the kingdom and the glory. But the de jure sovereignty was made known to me before the power, the right before the might. And for this I am thankful. I think it is well, even now, sometimes to say to ourselves, "God is such that if (per impossibile) his power could vanish and His other attributes remain, so that the supreme right were forever robbed of the supreme might, we should still owe Him precisely the same kind and degree of allegiance as we now do."

Yet there was one really wholesome element in it. The Absolute was "there", and that "there" contained the reconciliation of all contraries, the transcendence of all finitude, the hidden glory which was the only perfectly real thing there is. In fact, it had much of the quality of Heaven. But it was a Heaven none of us could ever get to. For we are appearances. To be "there" is, by definition, not to be we. All who embrace such a philosophy live, like Dante's virtuous Pagans, "in desire without hope". Or like Spinoza they so love their God as to be unable even to wish that He should love them in return. I should be very sorry not to have passed through that experience. I think it is more religious than many experiences that have been called Christian. What I learned from the Idealists (and still most strongly hold) is this maxim: it is more important that Heaven should exist than that any of us should reach it.

Along with the holy living creatures, the elders give glory to God; the act of casting their crowns before God signifies that the crown is a symbol of victory and kingship. Casting them before the throne of God, the true and genuine kingdom and the victory over all given to God who reigns over all, they say: "To You, Master, all glory is owed; for You brought all things from non-existence into being, and by Your will subjected what did not exist before."

We also know of another translation: "Because you have created all things, and they exist and are created on account of your will." Indeed, all things existed in the artful wisdom [of God] before they were formed in the act of creation. However, they were created in order that those things might exist also visibly which in their natures are according to the ideas written in the wisdom of God.