Book of the Bee

Historical scan page 159

OF DEATH AND THE DEPARTURE OF THE SOUL. 131 Christ, the expectation of the world.’ The time of the error of the Antichrist will last two years and a half, but others say three years and six months. And when every one is standing in despair, then will Elijah (Elias) come from Paradise, and convict the deceiver, and turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to the fathers ; and he will encourage and strengthen the hearts of the believers. A* CHAPTER LVI1. OF DEATH AND THE DEPARTURE OF THE SOUL FROM THE BODY. The foundation of all good and precious things, of all the greatness of God’s gifts, of His true love, and of our arriving in His presence, is Death. Men die in five ways. Naturally; as David said, ‘Unless his day come and he die,’ alluding to Saul 2. Voluntarily ; as when Saul killed himself in the battle with the Philistines. By accident ; such as a fall from a roof, and other fatal accidents. By violence, from devils and men and wild beasts and venomous reptiles. By (divine) chastise¬ ment ; as the flood in the days of Noah, and the fire which fell upon the Sodomites, and other such like things. But (side by side) with all these kinds of fatalities runs the providence of God’s government, which cannot be comprehended by the creatures, restraining (them) where it is meet (to restrain), and letting (them) loose where it is fitting (to let loose). This government is not comprehended in this world, neither by angels nor by men ; but in the world which is to come all rational beings will know it. When the soul goes forth from j^n] the body, as Abba Isaiah says, the angels go with it : then the hosts of darkness go forth to meet it, seeking to seize it and examine it, if there be any¬ thing of theirs in it. Then the angels do not fight with them, but those deeds which the soul has wrought protect it and guard it, that they come not near it. If its deeds be victorious, then the angels sing praises before it until it meets God with joy. In that hour the soul forgets every deed of this world. Consequently, no one who does not obtain remission (of sins) in this world can be free from the penalty of examination in that day. Not that there is torture or pleasure or recompense before the In the Oxford MS. chap, lvii, fol. 200 a. 1 2 i Sam. xxvi. io.