Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/347

 from the  priest  who  was  called  Zacharias;

because people  offered,  in  the  old  fashion,

a calf  for  the  priest,  and  slew  it  at  the  altar.

The Eagle's  likeness  belongeth  to  John,

because the  eagle  flieth  the  highest  of  all  birds,

and can  most  steadily  stare  at  the  sun's  light.

So did  John,  the  divine  writer;

he flew  far  up,  as  if  with  eagle's  wings,

and beheld  sagaciously  how  he  might  write  most  nobly  of  God.

The aforesaid  prophet  said  in  his  vision,

that the  four  beasts'  feet  were  straight;

and they  went  ever  after  the  spirit,

and had  eyes  upon  each  side  of  them.

Thu§ is  it  written  about  the  Evangelists  in  the  Old  Law,

and again  in  the  New  Testament  after  Christ's  incarnation.

The Book  of  the  Apocalypse  saith  about  this  same,

that John  saw  the  aforesaid  beasts

in the  same  appearance,  which  we  before  said,

and they  sung  this  song  with  continual  harmony,

Sanctus, Sanctus,  Sanctus,  dominus  deus  omni]potens,  qui  erat,  et qui  est,  et  qui  venturus  est : 

Holy, Holy,  Holy,  Lord  God  Almighty,  which  was,  and  which

now is,  and  which  is  to  come.'

This holy  song  signifieth  the  Holy  Trinity

in One  Godhead,  ever  abiding,

who ever  was,  and  also  now  continueth,

and ever  is  to  come,  without  ceasing.

Now we  have  said,  in  this  epitome,

how God  revealed  the  true  Evangelists

in the  Old  Law,  and  also  in  the  New;