VISIO QUINTA, cap. XIV
The Life That Cannot Be Hidden
God is the one life from which all life flows, and it would be unfitting for that life not to shine forth, for its brightness is unfailing because no death dwells in it.
So God, who made all the things that were spoken of, is the one life from which every life draws its breath — just as a ray of light comes from the sun, and just as fire comes from that fire which every fire that looks toward happiness catches from, the way sparks fly from a flame. And how would it be fitting that nothing living should cling to this life, and that this fire should heat nothing and illuminate nothing? And how would it be right that from the Godhead, which was life before all ages, no life and no brightness should proceed? And what good would it do if a light kindled by fire shone on no one, since neither fire hides its own light, nor the sun its own ray? For God is that life by which the host of angels was set ablaze, just as sparks fly from fire. And so it would be unfitting that this life should not shine forth clearly. And this brightness is unfailing, because no death can exist within it. How so?
The Fall of the Proud Ruler
God alone exists from himself, and from him the honored spirits arose, but their great ruler looked toward an empty place and was cast with his host into the measureless pit of hell prepared for his pride, discord, and envy.
God alone, through himself and in himself, simply is—he didn't receive his being from anyone else—while every other creature began to exist because of him. He himself created certain spirits of great honor and placed a great ruler over them, whom they all gazed upon—just as you'd look at a lamp shining with a burning light—because all their adornments gleamed in him like precious stones. But he looked toward an empty place, where he also wanted to set his throne. Therefore, when he and all his host were cast like stubble into the pit of hell—so that the outer darkness and the mouth of the infernal pit were prepared for his downfall along with the pit itself—that pit is without measure, just as the number of lost angels is beyond counting. For against that likeness—by which he wanted to be like God—those outer darknesses were prepared, and because of the unlawful discord by which he wanted to exist between God's army and his own, he himself became the mouth of the infernal pit, and because of this envy—by which he absolutely refused to confess God—the pit of hell was prepared for them.
God's Protection and the Garment of Grace
God so surrounds the blessed spirits with his brightness that the ancient deceiver can no longer harm them, and for deceived humanity he created a garment from the air, clothing man and sending him into exile to atone, while creation itself was overshadowed by that fall.
And God, in the strength of his majesty, so surrounded the blessed spirits that they are no longer terrified by any astonishment of the ancient deceiver, and he so filled their faces with his brightness that they always delight to gaze upon his face, and he extended his power over hell in this way: that the ancient deceiver can destroy the full number of those to be saved by no war and by no craft — just as he destroyed himself according to his viper-like ways. Because for the man made in the power of God's light, but deceived by the devil's deceit, God created a garment from the air, and clothed him, then drove him from paradise into the exile of this world to atone for the guilt of disobedience; and because in the downfall of that same man creation was overshadowed from its former beauty, and how man himself, aided through the elements, lives and works.
Read the original Latin
Deus itaque, qui omnia quae praedicta sunt fecit, unica vita est, ex qua omnis vita spirat, ut etiam radius a sole est, et ignis ille est a quo omnis ignis, qui ad beatitudinem respicit, accenditur, quemadmodum scintillae ab igne procedunt. Et quomodo conveniens esset ut huic vitae nihil vitale adhaereret, et ignis iste nullam calefaceret, nec illuminaret? Et quomodo deceret quod a Deitate quae, ante aevum vita fuit, nulla vita nec claritas ulla procederet? Et quid prodesset si lumen per ignem accensum nulli luceret, cum nec ignis lumen suum, nec sol radium suum abscondit? Deus enim vita illa est per quam multitudo angelorum accensa est, quemadmodum scintillae ab igne procedunt. Unde et indecens esset ut vita haec non claresceret. Et claritas ista indeficiens est, quoniam nulla mors in ipsa esse potest. Quomodo?
Deus solus et per semetipsum et in semetipso est, nec ab ullo alio esse accepit, sed alia quaelibet creatura ab illo esse coepit. Ipse quosdam spiritus magni honoris creavit, quibus magnum principem praefecit, in quem omnes aspexerunt, ut lucerna inspicitur in qua ardens lumen lucet, quia in ipso omnia ornamenta illorum quasi lapides pretiosi fulgebant. Sed ille in vacuum locum respexit, ubi et sedem suam ponere voluit. Quapropter cum omni agmine suo sicut stipulam in puteum inferni projectus est, ita ut ad ejus casum exteriores tenebrae et os infernalis putei cum ipso puteo parata sunt; qui puteus sine mensura est, sicut et numerus perditorum angelorum numerum non habet. Nam contra similitudinem illam, qua Deo similis esse voluit, exteriores tenebrae illae paratae sunt, et propter illicitam discordiam, qua inter exercitum Dei et suum esse voluit, ipsi os infernalis putei factus est, atque propter invidiam hanc, qua Deum nullo modo confiteri volebat, illi puteus inferni praeparatus est. Et Deus in fortitudine majestatis suae beatos spiritus ita circumdedit, ut amplius nullo stupore antiqui deceptoris terreantur, faciesque illorum claritate sua ita replevit, ut faciem ejus intueri semper delectentur, atque potentiam suam hoc modo super infernum extendit, quod antiquus deceptor nullo bello nec ulla arte plenum numerum salvandorum destruere valet, quemadmodum ille se ipsum secundum vipereos mores occidit.
Quia homini in virtute divini luminis facto, sed fraude diaboli decepto, Deus vestem de aere creaverit, indutumque a paradiso in exsilium hujus mundi ad luendam inobedientiae culpam expulerit; et quod in dejectione ejusdem hominis creatura a pristino decore obnubilata sit, et qualiter homo ipse per elementa adjutus vivat et operetur.
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