The Gospel of Barnabas

169.

Jesus answered: 'Hearken, and I will tell you of what manner is paradise, and how the holy and the faithful shall abide there without end, for this is one of the greatest blessings of paradise, seeing that everything, however great, if it have an end, becometh small, yea nought.

'Paradise is the home where God storeth his delights, which are so great that the ground which is trodden by the feet of the holy and blessed ones is so precious that one drachm ofit is more precious than a thousand worlds.

'These delights were seen by our father, David, prophet of God, for God showed them unto him, seeing he caused him to behold the glories of paradise; whereupon, when he returned to himself, he closed his eyes with both his hands, and weeping said: "Look not any more upon this world, O mine eyes, for all is vain, and there is no good!"

'Of these delights said Isaiah the prophet: "The eyes of man have not seen, his ears have not heard, nor hath the human heart conceived, that which God hath prepared for them that love him." Know ye wherefore they have not seen, heard, conceived such delights? It is because while they live here below they are not worthy to behold such things. Wherefore, albeit our father David verily saw them, I tell you that he saw them not with human eyes, for God took his soul unto himself, and thus, united with God, he saw them with light divine. As God liveth, in whose presence my soul standeth, seeing that the delights of paradise are infinite and man is finite, man cannot contain them; even as a little earthen jar cannot contain the sea.

'Behold, then how beautiful is the world in summer-time, when all things bear fruit! The very peasant, intoxicated with gladness by reason of the harvest that is come, maketh the valleys and mountains resound with his singing, for that he loveth his labours supremely. Now lift up even so your heart to paradise, where all things are fruitful with fruits proportionate to him who hath cultivated it.

'As God liveth, this is sufficient for the knowledge of paradise, forasmuch as God hath created paradise for the home of his own delights. Now think ye that immeasurable goodness would not have things immeasurably good? Or that immeasurable beauty would not have things immeasurably beautiful? Beware, for ye err greatly if ye think he have them not.