Verba Christi ad sponsam, qualiter deitas virtus veraciter est nuncupanda, et de multiplici supplantacione hominis per diabolum instigata et de multiplici remedio in hominis adiutorium per Christum addito et suppleto.
The Power and Order of the Godhead
Christ reveals the divine nature as perfect power and wisdom, explaining the ordered creation of angels and the origin of all things in His providence.
The Son of God said to his bride, "Do you firmly believe that what the priest holds in his hands is the Body of God?" She replied, "I firmly believe that just as the Word sent to Mary became flesh and blood in her womb, so I believe that what I now see in the priest's hands is truly God and man." The Lord answered her: "I am the same one who speaks with you, remaining eternally in my divinity, yet having become human in the Virgin's womb without, however, losing that divinity." My Godhead can rightly be called power, because two things exist within it: first, the most powerful potency, from which all potency comes; and second, the most wise wisdom, from which and in which all wisdom exists. Within the Godhead itself, everything that exists is ordered with reason and wisdom. For there isn't a single tiny thing in heaven that isn't in Him, and established and foreseen by Him. There isn't a single atom on earth, nor a single spark in hell, that falls outside His design or can hide from His foreknowledge. Are you wondering why I said 'a single dot in heaven'? After all, just as a dot is the perfection of a written word, so the Word of God is the perfection of all things and is established in the honor of all things. Why, then, did I say 'a single atom on earth,' if not because everything earthly is fleeting? Yet even those things, however small, don't fall outside the arrangement and providence of God. And why did I say 'a single spark in hell,' if not because there's nothing in hell but envy? Just as a spark comes from a fire, so all malice and envy come from unclean spirits, so that they and those who support them always have envy, but no love at all. Because God possesses perfect knowledge and power, everything is ordered so that nothing can prevail against His power, and nothing is created without a reason; instead, all things have been made reasonably, just as was fitting for each one. Because the Godhead can truly be called Power, it shows its greatest power in the creation of the angels. He created them for His own honor and for their own delight, so that they might have love and obedience: love, by which they would love nothing but God, and obedience, by which they would obey God in all things.
The Fall and the Divine Remedy
The narrative traces the fall of the angels and humanity, and God's merciful response through the gift of reason, law, and the promise of redemption.
In opposition to these two things, some of the angels, wandering in their error, moved their own will in a wicked way. They turned their will directly against God, so that virtue became hateful to them, and consequently, whatever was contrary to God became dear to them. And from that disordered impulse they earned their fall—not because the Godhead had created it for them, but because they brought that same fall upon themselves through the disorder of their own knowledge.1 When God saw the depletion in His heavenly host—a loss caused by their own vice—the Godhead once again exerted His power. For He created man with both body and soul. He also gave him two gifts: the freedom to do good and to avoid evil. Since no more angels were to be created, it was only right that man should have the freedom to ascend, if he chose, into the dignity of the angels. God also gave the human soul two gifts: first, the reason to distinguish between things that are contrary to one another, and to discern what is better from what is best; second, he gave the strength to stand firm in what is good. When the devil saw this love of God for man, he thought to himself out of envy: 'Look, God has created something new that can ascend to our place and, through struggle, win what we carelessly abandoned!' If we can trip him up and deceive him, he'll fail in the fight, and then he won't ascend to such great dignity.' Then, having devised a plan of deception, they tricked the first man out of their own malice, and by my permission, they prevailed over him in justice. But how or when was man defeated? Certainly, it was when he let go of virtue and did what was forbidden, when the serpent's promise delighted him more than my obedience. Because of this disobedience, then, the soul could not remain in heaven, for it had shown contempt for God; yet it did not belong in hell either, because the soul, aided by reason, carefully considered what it had done and took on contrition for its offense. Therefore, the virtuous God, considering the misery of man, provided a kind of guard and a place of captivity for him, so that in it man might experience his own weakness and pay for his disobedience, until he should merit to ascend to the dignity he lost.2 Considering this again, the devil wanted to kill the human soul through ingratitude. By casting his filth into the soul, he clouded its understanding so thoroughly that it had neither the love of God nor the fear of Him. God's justice was forgotten and His judgment held in contempt, so He wasn't feared; God's goodness and His gift were consigned to oblivion. And so, at that time, He wasn't loved; instead, with their consciences darkened, people lived in a miserable state, and they fell even more miserably.3 Even though humanity was in such a state, the power of God wasn't absent; instead, He showed both His mercy and His justice. He showed mercy when He revealed to people—specifically to Adam and other good souls—that at a set time they would obtain help, through which their fervor and love for God would be stirred up. He also showed His justice, for instance in the flood during Noah’s time, through which the fear of God was poured into human hearts.
The Ongoing Battle and the Triumph of Grace
Christ describes the devil's persistent attempts to lead humanity into faithlessness and despair, and the corresponding remedies of hope and the Incarnation.
After this, however, the devil didn't stop trying to disturb man again, but attacked him with two other evils. First, he planted faithlessness in him; second, despair.4 He instilled faithlessness so that people wouldn't believe the Word of God, and so that they would attribute His miracles to fate. He brought despair, so they wouldn't hope for salvation or for the recovery of the glory they had lost. Against these two things, God in His virtue did not hesitate to provide two other remedies. To counter despair, He gave hope, invoking the name of Abraham and promising that He would be born from his seed to lead him and his followers back to their lost inheritance. Furthermore, He appointed prophets to whom He revealed the manner of redemption, as well as the places and times of His passion. Against the second—that is, against faithlessness—God spoke to Moses and showed him His law and His will, and He fulfilled His words with signs and works. Even after these things were done, the devil's malice didn't stop; instead, always goading man toward worse things, he planted two other thoughts in his heart: first, that the law was far too unbearable, and second, that he should be anxious about keeping it. Second, he planted the thought in the person's heart that it seemed almost unbelievable and too difficult to accept that God would be willing to die out of love, and to suffer out of love. God has provided two other remedies against these two things. First, so that humanity wouldn't be troubled by the harshness of the law, He sent His Son into the womb of a virgin; and He, having taken on human nature, fulfilled what the law required and then softened the law itself. God shows his greatest power against this second point. For the Creator died for the creature, the just for the wicked; the innocent was tormented to the very last point, just as it was prophesied through the prophets.
The Call to Proclaim and Act
Christ instructs the bride to bring His words into the light, emphasizing that divine truth must be both proclaimed and lived out in imitation of His life.
The devil’s wickedness hasn't ceased; instead, he has risen up again against humanity by introducing two other things. First, he put it into their hearts to mock my words; second, to let my works be all but forgotten. Against these two things, the power of God begins once again to reveal two other remedies. First, that my words may be restored to honor, and my works may be taken up for imitation. This is why God has led you into His own spirit and, through you, has shown His will on earth to His friends, especially for two reasons. First, so that God’s mercy may be shown, through which people might learn to be called back to the memory of God’s love and passion; second, so that God’s justice may be considered and the severity of my judgment feared. So, tell her this: because my mercy has arrived, she should bring it into the light, so that people may learn to seek mercy and be on their guard regarding the judgment. Also, tell her that even though my words are written down, they must first be proclaimed and then put into action, just as you'll be able to understand through an example. When Moses was about to receive the law, the staff and the carved tablets were already prepared. Yet he didn't perform miracles with the staff until necessity and the right time required it. But when the right time came, miracles were shown, and my words were made clear by my works. In the same way, when the new law arrived, my body first grew and matured to the proper age, and only then were my words heard. Yet, even though my words were heard, they didn't have power and strength in themselves until my works arrived. Nor were they fulfilled until I completed everything prophesied about me through my Passion. It's the same even now. For although the words of my love are written down and must be carried into the world, they can't have power until they've come into the full light.5
Read the original Latin
Filius Dei loquebatur ad sponsam dicens: "Credis tu firmiter, quod hoc, quod presbiter tenet in manibus, sit corpus Dei?"
Respondit illa: "Ego credo firmiter, quod, sicut verbum missum Marie factum est in ventre eius caro et sanguis, sic hoc, quod nunc video in manibus sacerdotis, credo esse verum Deum et hominem."
Cui respondit Dominus: "Ego sum idem, qui loquor tecum, eternaliter in deitate manens et in utero Virginis humanatus, non tamen amittendo deitatem.
Deitas mea merito potest vocari virtus, quia in ipsa sunt duo, scilicet potencia potentissima, a qua est omnis potencia, secundo sapiencia sapientissima, de qua et in qua est omnis sapiencia.
In ipsa quippe deitate omnia, quecumque sunt, racionabiliter et sapienter ordinata sunt.
Nam non est una titella in celo, que non est in ea et per eam constituta et preuisa.
Non unus athomus in terra, non una scintilla in inferno est, que eius constitucionem excedat et quod ab eius /se/ presciencia se possit occultare.
Numquid miraris, quare dixi 'unam titellam in celo'? Denique, sicut titella est perfeccio verbi glosati, sic verbum Dei perfeccio omnium et in honore omnium institutum.
Quare autem dixi 'unum athomum in terra', nisi quia omnia terrena transitoria sunt? Nec tamen illa, quantumcumque modica, disposicionem et prouidenciam Dei excedunt.
Quare autem dixi 'unam scintillam in inferno', nisi quia in inferno nichil est nisi inuidia?
Sicut enim scintilla procedit ab igne, sic ab immundis spiritibus procedit omnis malicia et inuidia, ut semper ipsi et eorum fautores habeant inuidiam, caritatem vero nullam.
Ergo, quia in Deo est perfecta sciencia et potencia, ideo unumquodque sic dispositum est, ut potencie Dei nichil preualeat, nec irracionabiliter aliquid causari potest factum, sed omnia racionabiliter facta sunt, sicut unicuique rei congruebat.
Deitas igitur, quia veraciter virtus nuncupari potest, virtutem suam maximam ostendit in creacione angelorum.
Creauit quippe eos sibi in honorem et sibi ipsis in delectacionem, ut caritatem haberent et obedienciam: caritatem, qua nichil diligerent nisi Deum, obedienciam, qua Deo in omnibus obedirent.
Contra hec duo quidam angelorum male errantes male mouerunt voluntatem suam. Verterunt quippe voluntatem suam directe contra Deum ita, quod virtus erat eis odiosa et ideo, quod erat Deo contrarium, eis erat carum.
Et ex isto inordinato motu meruerunt casum, non quod deitas eum ipsis creasset, sed quia ipsi ex inordinacione sciencie sue sibi ipsis procurauerunt eundem casum.
Cum ergo vidisset Deus in exercitu suo celesti diminucionem, ex proprio vicio ipsorum factam, fecit iterum deitas virtutem suam.
Nam creauit hominem cum corpore et anima. Eidem vero dedit duo bona, scilicet libertatem faciendi bona et omittendi mala, quia, cum plures angeli creari non deberent, iustum fuit, ut homo haberet libertatem ascendendi, si vellet, in dignitatem angelorum.
Anime eciam hominis Deus dedit duo bona, racionem scilicet discernendi contraria a contrariis et meliora ab optimis; secundo dedit fortitudinem in bono standi.
Cumque istam caritatem Dei ad hominem videret diabolus, cogitauit secum ex inuidia sic: 'Ecce Deus quoddam nouum fecit, quod in locum nostrum potest ascendere et pugnando vincere, quod nos negligenter reliquimus! Si poterimus illud supplantare et decipere, deficiet a pugna, et tunc ad tantam dignitatem non ascendet.'
Deinde excogitato consilio decepcionis deceperunt ex malicia sua primum hominem et in eum ex iusticia permissione mea preualuerunt.
Sed quomodo vel quando victus est homo? Utique, quando dimisit virtutem et fecit prohibitum, quando magis delectabat promissio serpentis quam obediencia mea.
Propter hanc igitur inobedienciam non debebat esse in celo, quia contempsit Deum, nec eciam in inferno, quia anima, succurrente racione, considerabat diligenter, quid fecit et assumpsit sibi contricionem pro commisso.
Propterea virtuosus Deus, considerans miseriam hominis, disposuit ei quasi unam custodiam et locum captiuitatis, ut in ea homo experiretur infirmitatem suam et lueret inobedienciam suam, donec mereretur ascendere ad dignitatem, quam amisit.
Hoc iterum perpendens diabolus voluit interficere animam hominis per ingratitudinem.
Et immittens stercus suum in animam sic obumbrabat intellectum eius, quod nec habebat Dei caritatem nec timorem.
Obliuiscebatur quippe iusticia Dei, et iudicium eius contemnebatur, et ideo non timebatur et dabatur obliuioni bonitas Dei et donum eius.
Et ideo tunc non diligebatur, sed sic obumbrata consciencia miserabiliter stabant homines et miserabilius ceciderunt.
Quamuis vero sic dispositus erat homo, non tamen adhuc defuit virtus Dei; immo ostendit misericordiam suam et iusticiam. Misericordiam, quando ostendit hominibus, scilicet Ade et aliis bonis, quod tempore diffinito optinerent auxilium, per quod feruor et dileccio ad Deum excitabatur.
Ostendit et iusticiam, scilicet in diluuio sub Noe, per quod timor Dei in cordibus infundebatur.
Post hec autem diabolus non destitit adhuc iterum inquietare hominem sed duabus maliciis aliis aggressus est eum.
Primo immisit ei perfidiam, secundo desperacionem.
Perfidiam, ne crederent homines verbo Dei et ut mirabilia eius fato deputarent.
Desperacionem vero, ne sperarent salutem et glorie amisse adepcionem.
Contra hec duo Deus virtuosus non destitit alia duo remedia opponere. Nam contra desperacionem dedit spem, nominans nomen Abrahe et promittens se de semine eius nasciturum, qui ad amissam hereditatem reduceret eum et eius sequaces.
Insuper et instituit prophetas, quibus modum redempcionis et loca et tempora passionis sue ostendit.
Contra secundum, scilicet contra perfidiam, loquebatur Deus Moysi et ostendit ei legem et voluntatem suam, et verba sua signis et operibus adimplebat.
Hiis impletis nec adhuc malicia diaboli destitit, sed hominem ad deteriora semper instigans immisit cordi eius alia duo: primo scilicet cogitare legem nimis intolerabilem et inquietari in eius obseruacione;
secundo immisit ei, quod quasi incredibile videretur et nimis difficile ad credendum, quod Deus ex caritate vellet mori et ex caritate tribulari.
Contra hec duo Deus iterum alia duo remedia dedit. Primo, ne homo inquietaretur in legis duricia, misit filium suum in virginis uterum; qui assumpta humanitate compleuit ea, que legis erant, et deinde ipsam legem mitigauit.
Contra secundum ostendit Deus virtutem maximam. Nam mortuus est Creator pro creatura, iustus pro impiis; tribulatus est innocens usque ad ultimum punctum, sicut per prophetas fuit prophetatum.
Nec adhuc cessauit nequicia diaboli, sed erexit se adhuc contra hominem alia duo immittendo.
Primo enim immisit cordi eius, ut verba mea haberentur pro derisione; secundo ut opera mea quasi darentur obliuioni.
Contra hec duo virtus Dei iterum incipit demonstrare alia duo remedia. Primo ut verba mea reducantur in honorem et opera mea ad imitacionem assumantur.
Ideo duxit te Deus in spiritum suum et ostendit per te voluntatem suam in terra amicis suis, specialiter propter duo.
Primo, ut misericordia Dei ostendatur, qua reuocari addiscant homines ad memoriam caritatis et passionis Dei; secundo, ut iusticia Dei attendatur et seueritas iudicii mei timeatur.
Propterea dic isti, ut, quia misericordia mea iam venit, proferat eam in lucem, ut discant homines querere misericordiam et de iudicio sibi precauere!
Insuper dic ei, quod, licet verba mea scripta sunt, tamen prius annunciari debent et sic venire in opera, sicut per exemplum intelligere poteris.
Cum Moyses accepturus esset legem, preparata erat virga et dolate tabule. Non tamen fecit miracula cum virga, antequam necessitas esset et tempus requirebat.
Veniente vero tempore acceptabili, tunc ostensa sunt miracula et verba mea operibus declarata.
Similiter et, veniente noua lege, primo corpus meum crescebat et proficiebat ad etatem debitam, deinde verba audiebantur.
Attamen, licet verba audiebantur, non tamen habebant in se vim et fortitudinem, antequam venerunt opera. Nec complecionem habebant, antequam per passionem compleui omnia, que de me erant prophetata.
Sic eciam nunc est. Nam licet verba caritatis mee scripta sunt et portari debent in mundus, non tamen vim habere poterunt, antequam in lucem plenariam venerint."
Notes
- 1 ↩The Latin 'deitas' is rendered as 'the Godhead' to maintain the theological weight of the divine nature as distinct from the creaturely act of falling.
- 2 ↩The term 'virtuosus' here is used in a sense of divine excellence or power, rather than the modern sense of moral character.
- 3 ↩The Latin 'diligebatur' is passive; in this context, it refers to the lack of love directed toward God.
- 4 ↩The term 'perfidia' here carries the sense of faithlessness or treachery against the word of God, rather than mere lack of belief.
- 5 ↩The Latin 'in mundus' is grammatically irregular (accusative expected after 'in' for motion, but 'mundus' is nominative). Translated as 'into the world' based on the clear intended sense of motion.
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