XXXVIII. De Itiobedientia.

XXXVIII. De Itiobedientia.

The fourth image reveals disobedience, which walks here after empty glory, because it is the chariot of that and other previously mentioned vices, and it prepares and instructs all its actions according to the will of that same empty glory and the other vices, penetrating them with its own fire. The back, tail, and the entire remaining body are consumed by a cancer, because the stubbornness of disobedience has its strength in rebellion, leading to the end of its work, while it persists in evil. Therefore, the remaining connections of the perverse nature now proceed with stubborn boldness, now retreat with deceptive cunning; so that they neither maintain stability in one nor the other, but reject the truths established in God's commandments through the worst of deceptions, and recklessly disturb them through broad mockery. Therefore, it throws itself this way and that with reckless abandon, as if it were being moved by the wind; and when it is stirred, it shakes all the aforementioned darkness, because people who are eager for disobedience do not stand firm in a single act of rebellion, but rather, at one moment they move from this to that, and at another moment from that to this, expanding themselves recklessly, stirred up by diabolical arts: where, in the commotion of that very agitation, all the perversions of vice are revealed, because through the evil of disobedience, all other vices draw themselves in. When someone turns toward the North and breathes out a fiery breath from their mouth, it pertains to the light that was in the North, which, through disobedience, sought to oppose God. This is because it produced its own origin, and thus it also brings forth many fires of various vices in its speech, as it shows no reverence due to obedience; instead, it burns all whom it can with its words, just as it also confesses through itself, as has been said. To whom obedience responds, and it persuades that people should not faithfully imitate it.