VISIO QUARTA, cap. III
The Firmament's Fiery Scales
The upper fire of the firmament, sustained by God's ordering of air, water, stars, and winds, sends forth glowing scales as divine vengeance when its heat is overcome by lower moisture.
You also see that the upper fire of the firmament, when stirred at times, sends forth from itself certain scales, as it were glowing embers, onto the earth, which bring marks and sores upon humans and animals and the fruits of the earth, because God made the firmament fast with fire, lest it fall apart, lightened it with air so that it could be moved, poured waters upon it lest it dry up, illuminated it with stars so that it might shine, and it is also sustained by the winds, so that it may continually carry out its course. For in the four regions — namely in the east, in the south, in the west, and in the north — the firmament revolution by the winds. But its bright fire, while it is overcome by the moisture of the lower water through the arrangement and judgment of God, so that it ceases from its proper measure of heat, sends forth scales — scorching from the heat, moist from the water — for vengeance, as was said above.
God's Just Judgment on Beastly Humanity
The fiery scales signify God's power provoking vengeance against humans who live like beasts and bear no fruit of good works.
This shows that the power of God, having the human spirit in its own control, provoked by the perverse deeds of men, sends forth its vengeance in just judgment, so that they are confounded and cast down, because they display in themselves not human but beastly manners, bearing no fruit of good works.
The Black Fire's Devastating Mist
The black fire stirred within the second sphere sends a mist that scorches the earth's green things and threatens living bodies, pointing to a further spiritual signification.
Because the black fire, when it is stirred up within the second sphere, either by the judgment of God or by the collision of the winds, sends out a mist that dries up the green things of the earth, and now with heat, now with a flooding of the limbs becomes dangerous—and what these things might signify.
Read the original Latin
Vides quoque quod superior ignis firmamenti, interdum commotus, quasdam squamas velut favillas ex se in terram emittit, quae stigmata et ulcera hominibus et animalibus et fructibus terrae inferunt, quoniam Deus firmamentum igne firmavit, ne difflueret, aethere alleviavit, ut moveri posset, aquis perfudit, ne aresceret, stellis illuminavit, ut claresceret, ventis quoque sustinet, quatenus cursum suum assidue peragat. In quatuor enim plagis, scilicet in oriente, in austro, in occidente, et in septentrione firmamentum ad circumvolutionem per ventos impellitur. Sed lucidus ignis ejus, dum ab humore subterioris aquae per dispositionem et judicium Dei superatur, ita ut a recto modo ardoris sui cesset, squamas de ardore fervidas, de aqua humidas ad ultionem emittit, ut supra dictum est. Hoc ostendit, quod potentia Dei spiritum hominis in potestate sua habens, justo judicio provocata, ultionem suam perversis actibus hominum immittit, ita ut illi confundantur, et dejiciantur, quia non humanos, sed pecuales mores nullum fructum bonorum operum habentes in se ostendunt.
Quod niger ignis secundo comprehensus circulo vel judicio Dei, vel ventorum collisione excitatus nebulam viridia terrae exsiccantem emittat, et nunc calore, nunc membrorum inundatione periculosus fiat, et quid ista significet.
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