XXXV. De Iristilia sacculi

XXXV. De Iristilia sacculi

The fifth image signifies the sadness of this world; here it follows greed, because when the greedy cannot possess what they desire, they fall into sadness, from which they cannot easily free themselves. It takes on a feminine form, with a tree standing at its back, which is entirely dry and without leaves, because it foolishly embraces folly in a state of feminine fear, placing all its strength and confidence into the affliction of the soul; it lacks all vitality, whether from any protection of happiness, and its branches are intertwined with the same image, as the same flaw is entangled in the adversities that arise from it, as if it were in happiness. For one branch covers the top of his head, which is contrition, the beginning and end of the minds of those men who are occupied with the same evil, oppressing them; and another surrounds his neck and throat, showing anxiety, constraining their strength to bear the yoke of the Lord and their desire to receive the food of life. One extends around the right arm, and another around the left, yet their arms are not outstretched but drawn in close to themselves, because these people are gripped by fear of eternal and spiritual works, and dread of transient and worldly horrors, so that they neither strive to work in those matters nor to expand themselves well and honorably, but rather they contend to remain in laziness through the worst oppression of their hearts. And they do this with hands hanging down from the same branches, having claws like those of a raven, because their actions, marked by the aforementioned contradictions, display a proud prominence and a harshness in the voracity of their reckless darkness; for they show no love either for themselves or for others, since they have no confidence at all in joyful times, nor in sorrowful, nor in prosperous, nor in adverse situations. From the right side, one branch also proceeds, and from the left side, another branch comes forth, which encircles its belly and legs transversely and embraces them mutually; because where men perish in the sadness of this world, they ought to be defended through spiritual means as if on the right side, but there, affliction of the soul sends them doubt; and where they ought to cast aside carnal things as if on the left side, there, sorrow also comes upon them through the affliction of the soul, which even compresses all their conscience and strength, both of their souls and bodies, in various ways; and those who are joined in this worst society, so that they do not strive toward God or the world with any vigor; because they have no joy in God or in the world, nor do they fully consider what their works are. Therefore, the feet of that vice are wooden, because those same people do not correct their paths with any hope or confidence, but instead place them after the sadness of this world, having no freshness in their ways, and being like a serpent that hides itself from all joy and all happiness of heaven and earth. However, it has no other clothing except that it is wrapped in these branches, because this same vice leaves these people without any glory, without any honor, but renders them naked of all happiness, and as has been stated, it shows them oppressed by the worst calamities, since they do not love themselves or others, but inflict a burden on everyone through their behavior. But the evil spirits, coming with a dark and foul-smelling cloud, invade the very soul of those to whom they lean in despair; these are the most wicked and diabolical spirits, who, with the darkness of their most vile arts, reek with every filth and impurity. They attack those individuals afflicted with this defect, dragging them away from all consolation and peace of mind, so that these people, in their desperation and self-loathing, consent to their influence, believing that no happiness can ever come to them; just as this same defect is revealed in their words, as has been shown. He responds with heavenly joy, encouraging people to cast away the bitterness of sorrow and to cling faithfully to God in joy. This is the teaching about the form of God's zeal. And behold, before the aforementioned man stands a bronze staff, like that of a striker, fixed in the abyss, which appears in the sight of God, prepared for the most powerful zeal of His vengeance against evil, and designated by His profound judgments, striking nothing, breaking nothing, except what divine judgments demonstrate. He who is moved this way and that as if to strike is searching for everything, scrutinizing all things that must be examined and judged by God's just judgments. And his movement, namely the just judgments, gives voice to the zeal of God, which speaks forth a judicial sentence, for it cries out with great severity that those who cling to diabolical visions oppose God, and those who strive to reach that height which descends into the depths, contend against it, will be stripped of all beauty and all blessedness, and will be cast into the disgrace of a foul corpse; for he cruelly leads away those who emerge from the voracity of the first deceiver and from his rabidness, dragging with him whomever he can into the places of the worst damnation. But the zeal of the Lord scatters them and brings them to nothing, because He examines all things justly and judges everything that needs to be judged with fairness, as it is also written: