PRIMA VISIO, cap. VI
The Eagle's Fiery Eyes
The eagle with fiery eyes in which angels appear symbolizes those who, by subjecting themselves to God, are lifted into angelic contemplation.
At the top of the curved arch of this right wing, you see what looks like the head of an eagle, with fiery eyes in which a multitude of angels appears as in a mirror, because in the height of triumphant subjection, when someone is subject to God and overcomes both self and the devil, that person is exalted in the blessedness of divine protection. And when the mind lifts itself up, kindled by the Holy Spirit and fixing its intention on God, in that very blessed spirit they clearly appear, and they offer to God the devotion of that person's heart.1 For spiritual people are designated by the eagle, who with all the devotion of their heart frequently gaze upon God in contemplation like angels.
Unending Praise Before the Infinite God
The blessed spirits rejoice in the good works of the just and praise God without ceasing, for his miracles are innumerable and no one shares his timeless power.
Therefore, blessed spirits who continually behold God rejoice in the good works of the just, and they themselves show these things within themselves, and so persevering in the praise of God they are never tormented, because they will never be able to bring him to an end.2 For who could count the innumerable miracles that God works in the power of his own potentiality? No one. For to the angels a radiance as of many mirrors is present, in which they see that no one works in this way, nor is of such great power as God, whence also no one is like him, because he has no time.
All Things Present to the Eternal Creator
From eternity all things were present to God without spatial limit, and at creation they emerged distinguished by number, order, place, and time.
From eternity, all things were present to God without any limitation of place, and at his creating they went forth distinguished by number and order and location and time.
Read the original Latin
In summitate autem arcuatae incurvationis hujus dexterae alae, quasi caput aquilae, quod igneos oculos habet aspicis, in quibus multitudo angelorum velut in speculo apparet, quoniam in celsitudine triumphantis subjectionis, cum quilibet Deo subjectus se ipsum et diabolum superat, celsus in beatitudine divinae protectionis efficitur. Et cum mentem suam sursum erigit, Spiritu sancto ignitus, intentionemque suam ad Deum figit, in ipsa beati spiritus perspicue apparent, ac Deo devotionem cordis illius offerunt. Nam in aquila spiritales homines designantur, qui omni devotione cordis sui in contemplatione Deum frequenter velut angeli intuentur. Quapropter beati spiritus Deum assidue intuentes, de bonis operibus justorum gaudent, eaque ipsi in semetipsis ostendunt, ac sic in laude Dei perseverantes, nunquam extaediantur, quia eum ad finem nunquam perducere poterunt. Innumerabilia etenim miracula quae Deus in potentia suae possibilitatis facit, quis dinumerare posset? Nemo. Angelis quippe fulgor quasi multorum speculorum adest in quo vident quia nullus ita operatur, nec tantae potentiae est, sicuti Deus, unde et nullus ei similis est, quoniam nec tempus habet.
Quod ab aeterno inlocaliter in Deo erant universa quae ipso creante numero, et ordine, et loco et tempore distincta processerunt.
Notes
- 1 ↩The subject of 'apparent' and 'offerunt' is ambiguous: likely the angels or the blessed spirits. I read it as the blessed spirits becoming visible and offering the person's heart-devotion to God.
- 2 ↩extaediantur is a rare form; I render it as 'are never tormented / never grow weary.' The sense is that their praise never exhausts itself because God is inexhaustible.
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