Near the walls were set silver tables overlaid
with gold, on which were placed various implements made of precious
stones, and of entire gems in heavenly forms, with several other things,
such as no eye had ever seen on earth, and consequently such as could
never be supposed to exist in heaven. While they were struck with
astonishment at these magnificent sights, the angel said, "Be not
surprised; the things which you now behold are not the production and
workmanship of any angelic hand, but are framed by the Builder of the
universe, and presented as a gift to our prince; wherefore the
architectonic art is here in its essential perfection, and hence are
derived all the rules of that art which are known and practised in the
world." The angel further said, "You may possibly conceive that such
objects charm our eyes, and infatuate us by their grandeur, so that we
consider them as constituting the joys of our heaven: this however is
not the case; for our affections not being set on such things, they are
only contributory to the joys of our hearts; and therefore, so far as we
contemplate them as such, and as the workmanship of God, so far we
contemplate in them the divine omnipotence and mercy.
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