VISIO SECUNDA, cap. V
The Aether of Pure Repentance
Beneath the bright and dark fires, a circle of pure aether blazes forth, signifying the repentance stirred in the sinner by grace and holy fear, holding the density of both fires as God's just judgment ordains.
Beneath the same circle of black fire, there is another circle in the likeness of pure aether. It is everywhere of as great density as the two circles of the fires mentioned above appear to be, because beneath the fires already described — both the bright one and the dark one — the pure aether, encompassing the world with its own roundness, proceeds from them, blazing from the blazing fire like a lightning flash, when fire spreads out its own flame. It points to the pure repentance of sinners that, through the grace of God, is stirred up in a person as if from the bright fire and from fear of him as if from the dark fire. And it is of the same density as the two fires mentioned above, because it shines out from each of these fires and holds the density of both within itself. It is no gentler in the lightning flash of the bright fire, and no harsher in the rebound of the dark fire, than the just judgment of God determines — since neither day nor night shows anything in itself except what the divine will ordains.
Repentance Restraining Judgment
The aether holds all regions in their bounds and, by its subtlety, withholds deserved punishment, just as true repentance restrains the judgment due to sinners when they behold the fall of the first angel and of humankind.
This same aether also holds the higher and lower regions in place so that they do not overstep their boundary, and it does not fall in judicial judgment upon any creature. But by its own subtlety and evenness it has many times withstood that judgment, just as repentance restrains the punishment due to sinners. That it holds the density of these fires means this: the repentant person should attend to the fall of the first angel, who was bright, within the bright fire, and should consider, within the density of the dark fire, the fall of human beings in the unbelief and recklessness of those who sin. And so, looking upon the power and just judgment of God, the repentant one purely and worthily repents.
A Glimpse of the Fourth Circle
A brief transitional notice announcing the fourth circle, likened to watery air, and promising its density and meaning.
Concerning the fourth circle, which appears in the likeness of watery air, and how great its density is, and what it signifies.
Read the original Latin
Sub eodem autem circulo nigri ignis alius circulus in similitudine puri aetheris est, ubique tantae densitatis, quantae circuli duorum praefatorum ignium apparent, quoniam sub praefatis ignibus tam lucido quam nigro rotunditate sua mundum comprehendens purus aether est ab ipsis procedens velut fulgora flammante igne, quando ignis flammam suam expandit demonstrans puram poenitentiam peccatorum, quae per gratiam Dei velut a lucido igne, et per timorem ejus quasi a nigro in homine excitatur. Et ejusdem densitatis est, ut duo supradicti ignes sunt, quia ipse ab hoc utroque igne resplendens, densitatem utriusque in se habet, nec lenior in fulgore lucidi, nec severior in repercussione nigri existit, quam justum judicium Dei dijudicat, quoniam nec dies nec nox aliud in se demonstrant, quam quod divina voluntas disponit. Idem quoque aether superiora et subteriora retinet, ne terminum suum excedant, nec super ullam creaturam judiciali judicio cadit, sed subtilitate et aequitate sua multoties illi restitit, quemadmodum poenitentia vindictam peccatorum constringit. Quod vero densitatem ignium istorum habet, hoc est quod poenitens homo casum primi angeli, qui lucidus fuit, in lucido igne attendat, et quod in densitate nigri ignis casus hominum in incredulitate et temeritate peccantium consideret, ac sic potentiam justumque judicium Dei inspiciens pure digneque poeniteat.
De quarto circulo, qui in modum aquosi aeris videtur, et quantae densitatis sit, et quid significet.
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