olation of Sion. He acknowledged to God
the sins of the people, yet complained that the heathen who were lords
over them were more wicked than they. Uriel, the angel, then said that
when Adam transgressed God's statutes the way was made narrow, and the
days few and evil; but, behold, the time shall come when my son Jesus
shall be revealed and shall die, and all men that have life. And after
seven days of silence, the earth shall restore those that are asleep,
and the most High shall appear upon the seat of judgment; and misery
shall pass away but judgment shall remain; truth shall stand; and faith
wax strong.

Then Esdras said: I know the most High is called merciful, and he
pardoneth; for if he did not so that they which have committed
iniquities might be eased of them, the ten thousandth part of men should
not remain living; there should be very few left, peradventure, in an
innumerable multitude. And the angel answered: There be many created,
but few shall be saved. Every one that shall be saved shall be able to
escape by his works and by faith, and then they shall be shown great
wonders. And it came to pass that a voice out of a bush called Esdras,
which prophesied that God would take vengeance upon Egypt, Syria,
Babylon, and Asia; that the servants of the Lord must look for troubles,
and not hide their sins but depart from evil, and they would be
delivered because God is their guide.

TOBIT

This is the Book of Tobit, of the tribe of Nephthali, who in the time of
Enemessar, King of the Assyrians, was led captive to Nineve. Tobit in
captivity still remembered God with all his heart, and was deprived of
his goods under King Sennacherib for privily burying fellow-captives who
had been killed. Then Tobit, who became blind, remembered that he had in
the days of his prosperity committed to Gabael in Rages of Media the sum
of ten talents; and he called his son Tobias to go forth and seek
Gabael, giving him handwriting. Tobias sought a guide and found Raphael,
who was an angel though Tobias knew it not, and who said he knew and had
lodged with Gabael. So they went forth both.

When Tobias and Raphael came to the River Tigris, a fish leaped out of
the water and would have devoured him, but the young man laid hold of
it, and drew it to land. The Angel bade Tobias open the fish, and take
the heart and the liver and the gall, and put them up safely. The young
man said to the Angel: To what use are these? And the Angel