Bede the Venerable ca. 673-735
Whilst Sigebert still governed
the kingdom, there came out of Ireland a holy man called Fursey renowned
both for his words and actions, and remarkable for singular virtues,
being desirous to live a stranger for our Lord, wherever an opportunity
should offer. On coming into the province of the East Saxons, he was
honorably received by the aforesaid king, and performing his usual
employment of preaching the Gospel, by the example of his virtue and the
efficacy of his discourse, converted many unbelievers to Christ, and
confirmed in his faith and love those that already believed.
In short, he built himself the
monastery, wherein he might with more freedom indulge his heavenly
studies. There, falling sick, as the book about his life informs us, he
fell into a trance, and quitting his body from the evening till the cock
crew, he was found worthy to behold the choirs of angels, and to hear
the praises which are sung in heaven. He was wont to declare, that among
other things he distinctly heard this: “The saints shall advance from
one virtue to another.” And again, “The God of gods shall be seen in
Sion.” Being restored to his body at that time, and again taken from it
three days after, he not only saw the greater joys of the blessed, but
also extraordinary combats of evil spirits, who by frequent accusations
wickedly endeavored to obstruct his journey to heaven; but the angels
protecting him, all their endeavors were in vain. Concerning which
particulars, if any one desires to be more fully informed, that is, with
what subtle fraud the devils represented both his actions and
superfluous words, and even his thoughts, as if they had been written
down in a book; and what pleasing or disagreeable things he was informed
of by the angels and saints, or just men who appeared to him among the
angels; let him read the little book of his life which I have mentioned,
and I believe he will thereby reap much spiritual profit.
But there is one thing among the
rest, which we have thought may be beneficial to many if inserted in
this history. When he had been lifted up on high, he was ordered by the
angels that conducted him to look back upon the world. Upon which,
casting his eyes downward, he saw, as it were, a dark and obscure valley
underneath him. He also saw four fires in the air, not far distant from
each other. Then asking the angels, what fires those were? he was told,
they were the fires which would kindle and consume the world. One of
them was of falsehood, when we do not fulfil that which we promised in
baptism, to renounce the Devil and all his works. The next of
covetousness, when we prefer the riches of the world to the love of
heavenly things. The third of discord, when we make no difficulty to
offend the minds of out neighbors even in needless things. The fourth of
iniquity, when we look upon it as no crime to rob and to defraud the
weak. These fires, increasing by degrees, extended so as to meet one
another, and being joined, became an immense flame. When it drew near,
fearing for himself, he said to the angel, “Lord, behold the fire draws
near me.” The angel answered, “That which you did not kindle shall not
burn you; for though this appears to be a terrible and great fire, yet
it tries every man according to the merits of his works; for every man’s
concupiscence shall burn in the fire; for as every one burns in the
body through unlawful pleasure, so when discharged of the body, he shall
burn in the punishment which he has deserved.”
Then he saw one of the three
angels, who had been his conductors throughout both visions, go before
and divide the flame of fire, whilst the other two, flying about on both
sides, defended him from the danger of that fire. He also saw devils
flying through the fire, raising conflagrations of wars against the
just. Then followed accusations of the wicked spirits against him, the
defense of the good angels in his favor, and a more extended view of the
heavenly troops; as also of holy men of his own nation, who, as he had
long since been informed, had been deservedly advanced to the degree of
priesthood, from whom he heard many things that might be very salutary
to himself, or to all others that would listen to them. When they had
ended their discourse, and returned to heaven with the angelic spirits,
the three angels remained with the blessed Fursey, of whom we have
spoken before, and who were to bring him back to his body. And when they
approached the aforesaid immense fire, the angel divided the flame, as
he had done before; but when the man of God came to the passage so
opened amidst the flames, the unclean spirits, laying hold of one of
those whom they tormented in the fire, threw him at him, and, touching
his shoulder and jaw, burned them. He knew the man, and called to mind
that he had received his garment when he died; and the angel,
immediately laying hold, threw him back into the fire, and the malignant
enemy said, “Do not reject him whom you before received; for as you
accepted the goods of him who was a sinner, so you must partake of his
punishment.” The angel replying, said, “He did not receive the same
through avarice, but in order to save his soul.” The fire ceased, and
the angel, turning to him, added, “That which you kindled burned in you;
for had you not received the money of this person that died in his
sins, his punishment would not burn in you.” And proceeding in his
discourse, he gave him wholesome advice for what ought to be done
towards the salvation of such as repented.
Being afterwards restored to his
body, throughout the whole course of his life he bore the mark of the
fire which he had felt in his soul, visible to all men on his shoulder
and jaw; and the flesh publicly showed, in a wonderful manner, what the
soul had suffered in private. He always took care, as he had done
before, to persuade all men to the practice of virtue, as well by his
example, as by preaching. But as for the matter of his visions, he would
only relate them to those who, from holy zeal and desire of
reformation, wished to learn the same. An ancient brother of our
monastery is still living, who is wont to declare that a very sincere
and religious man told him, that he had seen Fursey himself in the
province of the East Angles, and heard those visions from his mouth;
adding, that though it was in most sharp winter weather, and a hard
frost, and the man was sitting in a thin garment when he related it, yet
he sweated as if it had been in the greatest heat of summer, either
through excessive fear, or spiritual consolation.
(Ecclesiastical History Bk. 3.19)
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