Visio Undecima
The Vision of the Five Beasts
The visionary sees five beasts representing carnal desires and the corruption of the Church, leading to a cry for divine mercy.
Then I looked toward the north and saw five beasts standing there: one was like a fiery dog, though it didn't burn; one was like a tawny lion; another was like a pale horse; another was like a black pig; and the last was like a gray wolf. They were all facing west. In the west, in front of these beasts, a hill with five peaks appeared. A cord stretched from the mouth of each beast to one of the peaks. All the cords were dark, especially the one from the wolf's mouth, which looked black on one side and white on the other. And look, in the east, I saw that young man again—the one I had previously seen wearing a purple tunic on the corner of the bright, stone wall of the building—standing on that same corner, but now he appeared to me from the waist down. You can see how, from his waist to the place where the man is distinguished, it shone like the dawn; there was something like a lyre lying across it with its strings, and from that point down to the heels of his feet—that is, to the measure of two fingers placed above the ankle—it was shadowy, and from that measure down to his feet, he appeared whiter than milk. The female figure I had seen earlier before the altar that stands in the sight of God was also shown to me here, though again, I only saw her from the waist down. For from her waist down to the place where the woman is known, she had various scaly spots. In the place of the woman's knowing, a monstrous and pitch-black head appeared, having fiery eyes, ears like a donkey's, and nostrils and a mouth like a lion's, gnashing with a wide gap and horribly sharpening teeth that looked like iron and were terrifying. But from that head down to her knees, that figure was white and red, and looked as if it had been bruised by much contrition. From those knees down to the two bands that crossed at her heels—which appeared white—she looked blood-red. Then, that monstrous head shifted from its place with such a crash that the entire female figure was shaken to her core in every limb. Attached to that head was what looked like a great mass of filth, from which it rose above a certain mountain, trying to climb to the height of the heavens. And look, something like a sudden clap of thunder came and struck that head with such force that it fell from that mountain and breathed its spirit into death. Then a foul-smelling mist suddenly engulfed the entire mountain, wrapping that head in such filth that the people standing nearby were terrified, while the mist itself lingered around the mountain for a little while longer. Seeing this, the people standing nearby were shaken with great fear and said to one another, "Alas!" "Alas!" "What is this?" "What does this seem to us to be?" Ah, how miserable we are! Who will help us? Or who will set us free? For we don't know how we have been deceived. O almighty God, have mercy on us! Let us return, let us return then; let us hasten to the testament of the Gospel of Christ, since—ah, ah, ah! we have been deceived in our love. And look, the feet of the aforementioned womanly image appeared, white and shining, radiating a splendor greater than the splendor of the sun.
The Bride and the Son of Perdition
God explains the meaning of the vision, detailing the rise of the son of perdition and the suffering of the Church at the end of the ages.
I heard a voice from heaven saying to me: Although everything on earth is moving toward its end, such that the world, weakened and burdened by many sorrows and calamities, is bowing toward its conclusion, still the bride of my Son—though greatly wearied in her children by the forerunners of the son of perdition and by the destroyer himself—will by no means be crushed, even though she is fiercely attacked by them. For she will rise up at the end of the ages, stronger and more powerful, and will be made more beautiful and radiant, so that in this way she may proceed more sweetly and pleasantly to the embraces of her Beloved. This is what the vision you see mystically signifies. For you look toward the north and see five beasts, which represent carnal desires—in which the stain of sin is never absent—and five most ferocious courses of temporal kingdoms, raging fiercely against one another. One of them is like a fiery dog, yet it doesn't burn; for the course of those times will have people who are biting in their nature, appearing like fire in their own estimation, but not burning with the justice of God. And one is like a tawny lion; for that course will sustain warlike people who stir up many wars, yet do not look to the righteousness of God in them, because in that tawny color those kingdoms will begin to incur the exhaustion of weakness. Another, however, is like a pale horse; for those times will produce people who are wanton in the flood of sin and who, in the speed of their own pleasure, skip over the practice of good virtues, where the heart of those kingdoms will then be broken in the pallor of their own ruin, because they will lose the flush of their own strength. But another is like a black pig; for that course has leaders who create a great blackness of sadness within themselves and wallow in the mud of impurity, setting aside the divine law in many contradictions of fornication and other similar abominations, and plotting many schisms against the divine commandments under the guise of holiness. Another is like a gray wolf; for those times will have people hoarding many spoils, both in positions of power and in other successes, and in these struggles they will show themselves to be neither black nor white, but gray in their cunning. They will divide and bring down the heads of those kingdoms, for then a time of entrapment for many souls will come, where an error of errors will be raised from hell all the way to heaven, so that the children of light will be placed under the winepress of their own martyrdoms—not denying the Son of God, but rejecting the son of perdition who will attempt to carry out his own will through diabolical arts. These beasts turn toward the west, because these fleeting times fade away with the setting sun; for just as it rises and sets, so too do people act when one is born and another dies. And so, there in the west, before those beasts, a kind of hill appears with five peaks; for the power arranged in carnal desires and in their very outbursts is revealed in five heights, such that from the mouth of each beast a single cord extends to each peak of that hill. Since from the beginning of those times, the stretch of this length extends to every height of the power that has been set in place, all of them are of a dark color, except for that cord which extends from the mouth of the wolf, which appears partly black and partly white, because these lengths exist in the variety of the stubbornness of human pleasure. That stretch, which is placed in the greed of plunder, is in the part of darkness and extends many iniquities, yet in such a way that from it proceed those who, in the great brightness of justice, stand against the son of perdition with terrifying miracles so that they may resist him, just as my servant Job shows regarding the just man who does justice, saying: 'The innocent shall be stirred up against the hypocrite, and the just shall hold his way, and with clean hands shall add strength.' This means that whoever is innocent of bloody work—that is, of homicide, fornication, and similar evil deeds—is stirred up like a burning spark against him who always lies in his works. How so? Because he speaks of honey but devours poison, and calls a friend the one whom he suffocates like an enemy. That is to say, when his words sound sweet but hold malice within, and he speaks smoothly with a friend, but tries to kill him in an ambush. But he who holds the rod, driving unworthy beasts away from himself and from the straight path of his own heart, also has clear paths before the shining sun, because he himself is stirred up as a clear spark and a clear light in God, like a shining torch; and so, surrounding himself with the strongest and purest works, he arms them with a strong breastplate and a striking sword, driving vices away from himself and winning virtues for himself. That is why you see that young man again in the east, standing on the same corner of the bright, stone wall of the building where you first saw him dressed in a purple tunic; for the Son of Man, the rising sun of justice, who presides over the strength of speculative knowledge and human work, building upward in the goodness of the Father, is now revealed to you again through the mysteries of his miracles, even as he sits in that same height, confirming the truth—just as it was shown to you before, when the Son of Man himself, in the will of his Father, gave his own blood for the salvation of the world. Yet he appears to you now only from the waist down, because from the strength of his members—which is his elect, where the Bridegroom of the Church now flourishes—you see many wondrous and obscure signs until their completion, in such a way that from the waist down to the place where the man is distinguished, it shines like the dawn; for from that perfection, when his faithful members already possess the perfection of strength, until the time of the son of perdition, who will pretend to be a man of virtue, he will demonstrate the radiance of justice in the uprightness of those who worship him devoutly. And that is why a lyre lies there crosswise with its strings; this signifies the joy of the songs of those who, already released from their bodily bonds because of the terrible torments they suffer in their bodies, pass on to their rest during that persecution in which the son of iniquity will inflict many tortures upon the elect. But from that point down to the heels—that is, measuring two fingers up to the ankle—it is shadowed. This is because from the time the faithful suffer persecution from the son of the devil, right up to the teaching of the two witnesses (Enoch and Elijah, who despise earthly things and focus their efforts on heavenly desires), the faith of the Church must be held as if in doubt, with people asking in great sorrow, “What is this that is said about Jesus?” Is it true, or not? But from that measure upward, touching the ankle and across the entire feet, it appears whiter than milk. This means that after the son of perdition is defeated by the testimony of those witnesses who await eternal rewards, the Son will shine forth before the end of the world in the Catholic faith, most white and most beautiful. Then the truth will be openly known through Him, and the falsehood of the son of iniquity will be cast out entirely, just as David, the servant of the mind, testifies: “The King will rejoice in God; all who swear by Him will be praised, because the mouth of those who speak iniquity is stopped.”✦ This means that profound knowledge—a high status in a person, touching the beautiful form of human language by the will and arrangement of God—symphonizes vigorously at the altar of God. It knows God, and the blessed run in the praises of sounding minds, making a rushing path of words in the purest fountain of the most powerful ruler, while in the lost time, the gaping maws of the hissing diabolical arts, which shamefully infect the minds of men, are destroyed. But that womanly image, which you had previously seen before the altar that is before the eyes of God, is now shown to you again here; because the bride of the Son of God, pressing on with the purest prayers of the saints and offering them most devoutly to the heavenly inquiry just as it was shown to you, is now declared to you even in these same Sacraments for the assertion of justice; yet in such a way that you see her now even from the navel of the belly downward, because she is manifested to you for that creation by which she is now advanced in ecclesiastical dignity, up to the fullness of her children, with many mysteries of miracles for the protection of many. For from the navel down to that place where the woman is known, she has various scaly spots. This means that from that strength by which she now thrives worthily and laudably in her children, up to that time when the son of perdition will attempt to complete his arts—which the devil introduced to the first woman—she will lamentably and miserably endure variety and hardness in the objection of many vices, both in fornications and in deadly and rapacious evils. How? Because those who ought to love her will bitterly persecute her. This is why a monstrous and pitch-black head appears in the place of the woman's knowledge; for the son of perdition will come in a frenzy, using the arts of the first seduction in monstrous filth and pitch-black wickedness. He will have fiery eyes, ears like a donkey's, and nostrils and a mouth like a lion's. He will send forth into humanity the furious acts of a most wicked fire and the foulest sounds of contradiction, causing God to be denied, and pouring the worst stench into their senses, while tearing apart the institutions of the Church with the most cruel rapacity—gnashing his teeth with a wide-open maw and sharpening his iron-like, horrible teeth in a terrifying way, because with his voracious, gaping mouth he will most wickedly inflict the strength and the insane bitterness of his malice upon those who consent to him. From that head down to those knees, it appears white and red, and as if bruised by much contrition; for from the worst deception by which the son of perdition will first try to seduce people with smooth and gentle words, up to the time when he will try to bend and bow them more cruelly, the Church will sustain the whiteness of true faith in her children, but in herself, she will endure the anguish of a bloody stupor and the greatest hardships of various sufferings. But from those knees down to the two bands that appear white as they cross over the heels of the feet, it appears blood-red; for when it has already endured something like the motion of its own oppression, it will suffer—up to the two witnesses of truth who will hold the Church most firmly, already showing the brightness of justice and righteousness near the end of the world—the most wicked persecutions and the most cruel shedding of blood in those who have despised the destroyer himself. What does this mean? When the son of perdition has already received confidence and strength, falsely emboldened by his contrary doctrine, then the Church, in the course of her haste, will be drenched in most noble blood, where she herself will then be fully built up as a heavenly dwelling. For you, O streets of Jerusalem, will then shine with the finest gold through the blood of the saints; for the devil will then be extinguished, because he has persecuted the members of the heavenly King, in such a way that he himself will be reduced to nothing out of his own great terror.
The Seventh Age and the Call to Vigilance
God calls the faithful to repentance and vigilance, explaining the significance of the ages of the world and the timing of Christ's incarnation.
But you, people who long to live in those things, flee from them and worship the God who created you. For in six days God finished His works, and on the seventh He rested from His work. What does this mean? The six days are the six ages of the world; but in the sixth, new miracles were revealed to the world, just as on the sixth day God completed His works. Now, however, the world—in its seventh age before the final day—is as it was on the seventh day. How so? The prophets finished their voices, and my Son also fulfilled my will in the world, and the Gospel was openly preached throughout the whole world; yet this continued through the time of the full number of ages, and through more than the time of the years of that full number, and although it was in the great diversity of human behavior, it still remained well-founded through me. But now the Catholic faith wavers among the people, and the Gospel limps among men; even the most powerful volumes that the most approved teachers explained with great study are dissolving in shameful boredom, and the bread of life, the divine Scriptures, has now grown lukewarm. That is why I am speaking now through a person who doesn't speak of the Scriptures, nor is taught by any earthly teacher; rather, I, who am, explain through her new secrets and many mysteries that have until now remained hidden in books, just as a person takes clay, first prepares it for himself, and then shapes it into whatever forms he chooses according to his own will. O fruitful teachers of good gain, redeem your souls and proclaim this message boldly, and don't be skeptical of it; for if you reject it, you aren't rejecting it, but rather Me, who am Truth, that you despise. For you are obligated to nourish My people under My law, maintaining your care until the appointed time of that healing, when every care of all labors will cease. But regarding this time, you have the times of times of the foreordained predestination, running toward that time in which the son of perdition will come. Recover your strength, therefore, and be comforted, My chosen ones, taking care not to fall into the snare of death; instead, lift up the most victorious banner of these words and rush upon the son of iniquity. For in the error of those paths that precede and follow the son of perdition—whom you call Antichrist—you imitate the footsteps of Him who taught you the way of truth when He appeared in the world in the flesh with great humility, and not with pride. Listen, therefore, and understand. For the Spirit speaks to the Church about the time of the final error. Death will rush into the Church at the very hour when, at the end of times, the cursed one, the son of perdition, will come; he who is the curse of curses, just as My Son in the Gospel testifies regarding the city of the worst error, saying: 'And you, Capharnaum, will you be exalted to heaven?'✦ You will descend all the way into hell. This is what it's like: O you den of iniquity, you pit of concealment, harboring the wings of hypocritical pretense—how could you stand on the heights of the walls when your eye looks upon the wickedness of vices, which hide their burning light in filth, saying, 'Who is like the murderer in hypocrisy, whom fools call a master?' Will you hold heaven in the miracles of signs when you dip your finger into the abyss? How? Your works will seek the bottom of hell, where you will lie swallowed up in its voracity, so that even hell will vomit out that stench in which the world will see the bitterness of death in the destroyer of destructions. But the head shouldn't exist without the belly and the other members. The Son of God is the Head of the Church; the Church, with its children, is the belly and the other members that follow. The Church, however, isn't yet perfect in its members and its children, but on the last day, when the number of the elect is filled, then the Church will also be full. Yet even then, on the last day, there will be a shaking of the world, when I, God, cleanse the four elements along with that which is mortal in the flesh of man; and then, at the end of the age, there will be full joy for the offspring of the Church. For as it was foretold, God finished His works in six days. Five days are the five numbers of the age; in the sixth, new miracles were made known on earth, just as the first man was formed on the sixth day. But now the sixth number is finished, and we've arrived at the seventh number, in which the course of the world is now set as if in the seventh day of rest; for the labor that the strongest teachers previously held in the depth of the closed seals of the holy Scriptures must now be openly brought forth, in the lightness of words, just as the words of this book are, as if in the seventh day of rest. For there are six days of work, and the seventh is for rest. The number of days isn't anything else, and what remains for you to know, O man, isn't for you to know; it rests in the secret of the Father. But you, O men, regarding this time: you have a time of times in your own course before that murderer comes who will desire to pervert the Catholic faith. As for what happens next, however, neither the time nor the moment is for you to know, just as you can't know what happens after the seven days of the week; only the Father knows this, who has placed even these things in His own power. For you, O man, there is nothing more to be known regarding the days of the week or the times of the ages of the world. But after five ages of the world, I brought heavenly miracles into the world, just as in five days other creatures were created before man, only to be placed under man's authority. Likewise, there had been a fullness of both the faithless and the Jews, and various schisms of different evils had boiled over among both Gentile and Jewish peoples. The Law and the prophets had already labored, and all peoples had been tested in both good and evil before my only-begotten Son took on flesh from the Virgin. For it had not been decreed that He should be sent until all these things had been set forth, so that all justice might be proven in Him, and all injustice might be scandalized by Him. For if my Son had come sooner, this would have been done as if foolishly, just as a man acts imprudently who wants to harvest his crops before they ripen, or if His incarnation had been delayed until the very end of the world: then He would have come suddenly, like that bird-catcher who captures birds deceitfully, while they do not know how they have entered his net. But my Son came at a time like the day after the ninth hour, when it tends toward evening—that is, when the day's greatest strength is fading and the cold begins to set in. So, after five ages of the world, my Son came when the world was already running toward its sunset. What then? For He Himself, in coming, revealed the marrow of the Law, turning the water of the Law into the wine of the Gospel. He caused the greatest streams of virtues to flow forth, which He completed by coming so opportunely, so that the ecclesiastical virtues kindled by the Holy Spirit might be strengthened with firm roots in men, and that the virginity He brought in Himself might bud and expand into the most worthy blossoms of flowers.
The Deception of the Antichrist
A detailed warning is given regarding the birth, deceptive miracles, and false doctrine of the son of perdition.
But that insane murderer—the son of perdition, as he is called—will come in a very short time; for the day is already fading, the sun is hiding in the west, and the final time is already collapsing as the world abandons its course. Listen to this testimony, my faithful ones, and understand it with devotion for your own protection, so that the error of the destroyer himself does not come upon you suddenly and plunge you into the ruin of infidelity and perdition. Therefore, arm yourselves and, forewarned by these most faithful defenses, prepare for the coming battle. For when that time arrives in which that most wicked deceiver will appear in horror, the mother who will bring this deceiver into the world will have been raised from her childhood in a girlhood full of diabolical arts and vices, nurtured in a desert of rejection among the most vile people, with her parents unaware of her, and those with whom she lives also unaware, because the devil persuades her to go there and, by deceiving her, shapes her there according to his own will, as if she were a holy angel. For this reason, she separates herself from others so she can be hidden more easily; she secretly engages in the wicked theft of fornication with a few men, polluting herself with a great zeal for filth, as if a holy angel were commanding her to carry out the fervor of that depravity. And thus, in the most fervent heat of that fornication, she conceives the son of perdition, not knowing from which of those men she has conceived him. But Lucifer, the serpent—that is, the ancient one—delighted by this filth, breathes his arts into this coagulation by my just judgment, and possesses her entirely with all his strength in her mother's womb, so that the destroyer emerges from his mother's womb full of the diabolical spirit. Then she avoids her usual fornication and openly tells foolish and senseless people that she has no husband and does not know the father of her child; yet she calls the fornication she has committed holy. And so the people think she is holy and call her that. In this way, the son of perdition is nurtured by diabolical arts until he reaches a stronger age, all the while keeping himself hidden from those who know him. But his mother, using certain magical arts, sometimes displays him to people—both those who worship God and those who don't—thereby making him seem worthy of being seen and loved by them. When he reaches full maturity, he will openly teach a doctrine that is contrary to mine; he will oppose me and my chosen ones, gaining such strength that, in his great power, he will attempt to lift himself above the clouds. For in my just judgment, I allow him to exercise his will among various creatures; because just as the devil said in the beginning, 'I will be like the Most High,' and fell, so too do I allow the same devil to fall in the final time when he himself says through this son of his, 'I am the Savior of the world.' And just as every age of the faithful has known that Lucifer was a liar when he wanted to be like God at the beginning of days, so too will every faithful person see that the son of iniquity is a liar when he makes himself like the Son of God before the final day. He is the worst of beasts, killing those who deny him and attaching himself to kings, leaders, princes, and the wealthy, all while crushing humility, stirring up pride, and bringing the whole world under his control through diabolical art. His power extends even to the edge of the wind, so that he appears to stir the air, call down fire from heaven, and produce lightning, thunder, and hail; he even seems to overturn mountains, dry up waters, strip forests of their greenness, and then restore the sap of their life to them again. He displays these illusions in various created things—specifically in their moisture, their greenness, and their dryness. But he doesn't stop working his deceptions in people as well. How? He will appear to inflict sickness on the healthy and health on the sick, to cast out demons, and sometimes even to raise the dead. How? For when someone has passed from this life whose soul is in the power of the devil himself, the devil will sometimes, by my permission, show his illusions around the corpse of the one who has died, making the body move as if it were alive; yet he will be permitted to do this only for a very brief hour and not for any longer, so that the glory of God may not be mocked or held in contempt by such presumption. Some people see this and put their trust in him; others, however, wanting to hold onto their former faith, will still always hope he'll be favorable to them. Yet, not wanting to harm them too severely, he sends certain infirmities upon them. When they seek medicine and the help of doctors but cannot be cured, they turn back to him, testing whether he might be able to heal them; and when he sees them coming to him, he takes away the weakness he himself inflicted upon them. Because of this, those who love him deeply will believe in him. And so, many will be deceived when they cloud the eyes of their inner self—the eyes through which they should have been looking toward me—because they want to know, in the testing of their own spirit, things that are like some new discovery, things they see with their physical eyes and touch with their hands, while despising those invisible things that remain in me and must be grasped by true faith. For mortal eyes cannot see me, but I show my miracles in a veil to those I choose; yet no one will see me while they remain in a mortal body, except in the veil of my mysteries, just as I spoke to my servant Moses, as it is written: 'No one shall see me and live.' It is like this: someone who is mortal cannot set their gaze upon the brightness of my divinity in such a way that they could possess mortal life while in corruptible ash, while they are in the change of passing time—that is, while they leave one life and pass to another—because all living things are made firm by me, and because I live and there is no change in me. For just as a gnat cannot live if it throws itself into the flame of a fire, so too a mortal human could not survive if they saw the flash of my divinity; but as long as mortal humans are weighed down by the burden of their mortality, I show myself to them in a veil, just as a painter declares to people through the images of his painting those things that are invisible. But if, O human, you love me, I will embrace you, and I will warm you with the heat of the Holy Spirit. When you look to me with a good intention and recognize me in your faith, I will be with you. But those who despise me turn toward the devil, because they don't want to know me. And so, I cast them off as well. The devil mocks and deceives these same people however he pleases, so that they think whatever he shows them is true. The devil pours this very art of deception into those who trust him, so that they, in turn, deceptively show people various portents in creation according to his will. Yet he cannot change the elements or other creatures that God created into anything else; he can only use his deceptions to conjure up monsters for those who believe in him, like so many mists. For when Adam sought more than he should have, he lost the glory of paradise; in the same way, these people lose the sight and hearing of their inner self because they abandon God and worship the devil. In the same way, the son of perdition uses his deceptive arts within the elements, showing them a beauty, sweetness, and charm that matches the desires of the people he's deceiving. Yet he is permitted this power for a reason: so that the faithful may see with clear faith that the devil has no power over the good, but only over those who are in the evil of eternal death. For whatever this son of iniquity does, he does it with force, pride, and cruelty, lacking mercy, humility, and discernment. Instead, he drives people toward this with authority and great shock so that they follow him. He wins over many people for himself, telling them to freely follow their own desires and not to restrict themselves much with vigils or fasting. He proposes to them that they should only love their 'God'—the one he pretends to be—so that, having been 'freed' from hell in this way, they might reach life. And so, those who are deceived in this way say: 'Woe to those miserable people who lived before these times, because they afflicted their lives with harsh torments, alas, while ignoring the mercy of our God!' He shows them treasures and riches and allows them to feast according to their own desires, confirming his doctrine with deceptive signs, so that they think they don't need to restrict or discipline their bodies in any way. He also commands them to observe circumcision and Judaism according to the customs of the Jews, making the stronger precepts of the Law—which the Gospel converts into grace through worthy penance—easier for them, according to their own desires. And he says, 'Whoever turns to me, his sins will be wiped away, and he will live with me forever.' He even rejects the Baptism and the Gospel of my Son. And mock all those precepts that have been handed down to the Church. Then, with a diabolical sneer, he says to those who serve him: 'Look at what kind of madman he was, who established these things for simple people to follow through his own lies.' But for your sake and for your glory, I choose to die and to rise again from death. In this way, I will free my people from hell so that you may live gloriously with me in my kingdom from now on—something that deceiver only pretended to do. Then he tells his favorites to strike him with a sword and wrap him in a shroud until the day of his own resurrection. They are so deceived that they think they are killing him and fulfilling his commands in this way, while he later pretends to rise again, bringing forth a document of dire cursing as if it were the salvation of souls; and handing this to people as a sign, he commands them to worship him. If any faithful person refuses this for the love of my name, he will be consumed by that one with a dire torture of torments, which will leave everyone who sees or hears of it shaken with a great stupor of wonder and doubt, just as my beloved John also showed, saying: 'And I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain to death, and his deadly wound was healed.' And the whole earth marveled after the beast (Apoc. XII). This is what it means: I, a lover of the mysteries of God, saw the deceiver, cursed in his great and countless iniquities, going about all the holiness of the saints and wearing it out with manifold vices; he will pretend that he is pouring out his own blood in the act of his lies and dying in this way, not falling in his own body but in a deceptive shadow, appearing as if he were struck down and dying. So, even in the error of his deceptive wounds, he pretends that he has come back to life as if from the sleep of death; and in this way, all people who are on the whole earth will be seized by a wonderful and terrible stupor in the horror of this cursed one, just as the people were stunned by the size and strength of Goliath when they saw him standing armed in battle against them.
The Witnesses and the Final Triumph
The appearance of Enoch and Elijah as witnesses of truth leads to the final defeat of the Antichrist and the ultimate victory of the Church.
And so, as you see, the pillars of my chosen ones will appear shaken by a great, terrifying dread—both because of these torments and because of the contrary, monstrous, and horrible signs that the son of perdition will send forth—and they will let out a groan of lamentable anguish. But I will send my two witnesses, whom I have kept in the secret of my will until now—Enoch and Elijah—so that they may resist and lead those who are wandering back to the way of truth. They will show the faithful the most powerful and robust virtues; for when the words of their testimony agree equally in the mouth of each, those who hear them will believe. For this reason, these two witnesses of truth have been kept by me for so long, so that when they come forward, their message may be held and strengthened in the hearts of my chosen ones, to the extent that the seed of my Church may subsist in great humility. And they will say to the children of God whose names are in the book of life: 'O you who are upright in heart and chosen in the glorious praise of the blessed graces of life, listen and understand what we confidently explain to you.' This cursed one was sent by the devil to lead into error the souls who submit themselves to his commands. For we were hidden away from this world, kept in the secrets of God that are hidden from men, so that we were not in the anxiety and distress of men. We have been kept for this purpose and sent to you, so that we may oppose the errors of this destroyer. See, therefore, whether we are like you in physical stature or in age. And all who wish to know and confess the true God will follow these two old men, these truthful witnesses who carry the banner of God’s justice, leaving behind wicked error; for they will shine with great proclamations both before God and before the people, traveling through villages, streets, cities, and other places wherever the son of perdition has breathed his contrary doctrine, and performing many signs in the Holy Spirit among them, so that all the people who see them will be led into the greatest wonder. For this reason, these great signs, established upon the firm rock, will be given to them so that those contrary and false signs may be cast aside. Just as lightning ignites and burns, the son of perdition will act through his perverse iniquity and wickedness, burning the people with magic arts as if with the fire of lightning. But Enoch and Elias, with their sound doctrine, will terrify and cast down his entire cohort as if with a clap of thunder, strengthening the faithful in the process. Yet, by the permission of my will, once they are finally perfected by Him, they will attain the reward of their labors in heaven. Then the flowers of their teaching will fall—because their voices will no longer be heard in the world—and they will show good fruit in the elect, who despise the words and the madness of diabolical art and are well-established in the hope of the heavenly inheritance, just as Solomon shows regarding the good and upright person, saying: “The house of the just has much strength, but in the fruits of the wicked there is turmoil.” . It’s like this: a sharp dwelling where there is no compunction or misery is a special mirror of the eye of God in an upright person, in which that same eye sees the strength of His miracles as if in the appetite of a striking sword. But in the deeds that follow—like the growing fruits of a proud heart that builds its ruins upon its own desires—there will be that sadness, because a proud heart doesn't trust in the hope that flourishes in heavenly fullness. But as you see that monstrous head move itself from its place with such a crash that the entire aforementioned image of the woman is shaken in all its members: this is what happens when the son of perdition, existing as the head of iniquity, lifts himself up with great arrogance of pride—as if from a small error of wickedness fixed within him—and seizes a greater error, namely, wanting to be exalted above everyone. That is to say, when his deceptions are about to reach their end, the whole Church, in all its children, both great and small, is thrown into the greatest fear, awaiting the madness of his presumption. And just as a great mass of filth is joined to that head, from which it raises itself up over a certain mountain and attempts to ascend to the height of the heavens, because the greatest arts of diabolical snares—bringing much impurity—assist the same son of iniquity, provide him with the wings of pride, and lift him into such presumption that he even thinks he can penetrate the secrets of heaven. How? For when he has fulfilled the entire will of the seducing devil, to the point that God’s just judgment will no longer permit him such power of iniquity and cruelty, he will gather his entire cohort and tell those who believe in him that he intends to go to the heavens. But just as the devil did not know that the Son of God was born for the redemption and salvation of souls, so too will this most wicked one, when he wraps himself in the deadly evil of all evils, be ignorant that the most powerful blow of the hand of God is coming upon him. And then, like a sudden thunderclap, a force strikes that head with such power that it knocks it from that mountain and forces its spirit into death. For the power of God, revealing itself, strikes down that same son of perdition with such strength of His zeal that he falls from the pride with which he had exalted himself against God, tumbling down the great precipice of his own presumption, and, fully finished, he vomits his vital breath into the death of eternal damnation. For just as the temptations of my Son were finished when, being tempted, He said to the devil, 'Away with you, most vile Satan,' and he fled in terror, so too will these temptations that the son of iniquity brings upon the Church find their end in this zeal of mine. Then, suddenly, a foul mist envelops the entire mountain, and the head itself is wrapped in such filth that the people standing by are struck with immense terror; for an utterly unclean, intolerable, and hellish stench will fill the entire place of that pride where that worst of accusers once seethed with such filth and stench that, by the just judgment of God, neither his beginning nor his end will ever again be held in memory. For those people, seeing his corpse lying on the ground without a voice and soaked in much decay, will realize they have been deceived, as that same mist lingers around the mountain for a little while longer; for that stench, clinging to diabolical pride, reveals its uncleanness so that the people who were seduced by it, seeing that stench and filth, may turn away from their error and return to the truth. For the people standing by, seeing this, are shaken with great fear; because seeing these things strikes them with the greatest horror, so that they cry out in mournful voices and tearful complaints, and confess that they have gravely erred. And look, the feet of the aforementioned womanly image appear bright, casting a radiance greater than the sun's. This means that the strength of the foundation and the support of my Son's bride will show the great brightness of faith and will demonstrate that beauty which surpasses all the beauty of earthly splendor; when the son of perdition is struck down, as has been said, many of those who had wandered will return to the truth. But after the fall of that wicked one, when the final day occurs at the end of the world, let no mortal man seek to know it, because he won't be able to, since the Father has kept it in the hidden place of His own secret. Prepare yourselves, therefore, for judgment, O people. But as it was foretold, the son of perdition, along with his father the devil and all his schemes, will be overcome with great confusion in the final time by my Son, the most powerful warrior. Just as the enemies of the mighty Samson were cast down in his prefiguration, as it is written in the sacred History: 'And when the pillars were shaken strongly, the house fell upon all the princes and the rest of the multitude that was there,' and he killed many more in his death than he had killed while alive. This is how it is: the Synagogue was first joined to the Son of God, the most powerful Samson. To her, He kindly revealed those hidden things that were concealed in the Old Testament, distributing them in His wonderful teaching, and opening to her the inner sweetness of the law, which was stronger than a lion. But she deceived Him, causing His secrets to be mocked, refusing to look into His teaching, but instead despising it with great arrogance and pride. Therefore, He was moved and foretold that the kingdom of God would be taken from her and given to another nation. Thus, in many wonders, He went up to the city of Jerusalem with a great crowd, and because of the faithlessness of those who spread their garments on the road, He returned to them what He had promised through the miracles by which He had been betrayed through His bride. And in that fervor, He abandoned His bride, when He foretold that her house would be left desolate. But the father of that bride—which is to say, diabolical seduction—joined her to another man: infidelity. Then the Son of God sent out his cunning foxes, the apostles, who burned up the crops of his enemies with the fire of the Holy Spirit—meaning they turned the legal commandments toward a spiritual understanding—and so the Synagogue was burned up along with its father; that is, the Synagogue was overturned by its own perverse infidelity. Afterward, he struck down the unbelievers with great signs and astonishing miracles, so that everyone trembled in deep shock, saying they feared the Romans would come and take away both their place and their nation. Because of this, they gathered their council to destroy him, but he hid himself on the mountain, praying and saying that, if it were possible, that cup might pass from him. But Judas Iscariot betrayed him, handing him over into the savage hands of his enemies. And he hid the strength of his power, which he had in his hair—that is, in his Father—which is unknown to all people except insofar as it is grasped by faith, just as the hairs on a person's head are seen. Later, when he wanted to suffer, he showed the strength of his power by taking up the jawbone of an ass and telling the daughters of Jerusalem not to weep for him, but for themselves; in this way he killed them, truly predicting the terror of the evils to come for them. And so, when he was exhausted on the cross and thirsty, the fountain of true faith flowed out from the Gentile people; he didn't blush to drink from it, saying even that it was finished. So, when he gave up his spirit, he descended into hell—that is, to the harlot—and later, while his enemies were surrounding him and guards were stationed at his tomb, he rose from death and sought the heavenly kingdom with two gates: his special chosen ones and the common people whom he freed from hell. But in this way the most beautiful bride, the Church, joined to him, asked him most diligently how she might come to know his strength. He, however, didn't reveal his powers to her all at once, but gradually and with discernment. How? As soon as they received the Catholic faith in both the Old and New Testaments, some thought they had to move toward perfect correction, which was like binding moist nerves that hadn't yet reached their perfect dryness. So the Church, still inexperienced, would say to the many crowds: 'This is the strength of my Spouse.' Hearing this, the people wanted to worship God on a sudden impulse based only on hearing the words, rather than living in the meaning of the Holy Spirit. But His strength wasn't known in that way. Then virginity, like new ropes that had never been used, wasn't held in the glorious or noble esteem it once had; it was raised up, and while this bond touched the Son of God strongly, it still didn't fully reveal Him. But the Church, lifting herself up, said: 'O my friends, these are the greatest virtues of my Spouse.' Suddenly, with a great clamor, a large crowd rushed upon Him, saying: 'We have captured Him by His own greatest strengths.' But not even in this way were His strengths revealed. Afterward, the Church was strengthened by the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, as if by seven locks of hair, secured with a strong nail into the firmament of the apostolic preachers. So, with the net of faith woven this way, the Church cried out: "Oh, how strong my Bridegroom is in his seven locks of hair!" And everyone who heard this rushed toward him, thinking he had no greater strength than that. But even in this way, his strength was not truly recognized. Then the Church shed many tears because she didn't know the strength of the Holy Trinity, saying that while she had indeed seen the humanity of the Son of God, she hadn't yet perfectly understood his divinity. And so, moved by his beloved John, he revealed the secrets of the Holy Trinity—as much as it was permitted for a human to know—in the honor of the Father and in the ardor of the Holy Spirit. And so, resting his head in the bosom of his bride, he will remain there until the great schisms that are to come in the son of perdition; there his strength will be cut away, his locks shorn, when in that time people will strive to follow the son of perdition more than him, saying: "What is this, O God, that we see such great and many miracles?" And so his strength is weakened, when true faith is now seen to be clouded over in the blindness of infidelity. But his strength will rise again when Enoch and Elijah appear. Therefore, by striking hard at pride and presumption, he will cast down the son of perdition along with all his diabolical arts and other vices. He will crush those diabolical vices much more severely when the Church, with the Christian name, passes from this present, temporal age to the eternal one, than he did before when divine worship still flourished in the world in a temporal way. What does this mean? Because when the age finally reaches its end, then both diabolical persecutions and the most powerful operations of the virtues will also cease among men in a temporal sense. But whoever has the sharp ears of an interior intellect should pant for these words in the burning love of my mirror, and write them into the conscience of his own soul.
Read the original Latin
Deinde vidi ad aquilonem, et ecce ibi quinque bestiae stabant, quarum una erat ut canis igneus, sed non ardens, una ut leo fulvi coloris, alia ut equus pallidus, alia ut niger porcus, alia ut lupus griseus, et se ad occidentem vertebant. Et in occidente coram bestiis illis veluti quidam collis quinque apices habens apparuit; ita ut ab ore cujusque bestiae funis unus ad unumquemque apicem ipsius collis extenderetur, omnes subnigri coloris, praesertim funem illum qui ab ore lupi tendebatur, qui ex parte niger et ex parte albus videbatur. Et ecce in oriente, juvenem illum quem prius super angulum conjunctionis lucidi et lapidei muri aedificii purpurea tunica indutum videram, super ipsum angulum iterum vidi, sed nunc ab umbilico deorsum mihi apparentem: ita vides ut ab umbilico usque ad locum illum ubi vir discernitur quasi aurora fulgeret, et ibi erat veluti lyra cum chordis suis in transversum jacens, et ab hoc loco usque ad calces pedum, id est ad mensuram duorum digitorum transpositorum superius tangentem talum umbrosus erat ac ab illa mensura per totos pedes suos lacte candidior apparebat. Sed et illa muliebris imago quam ante altare quod est ante oculos Dei prius conspexeram, nunc etiam mihi et hic iterum ostensa est; ita tamen quod eam etiam ab umbilico ventris deorsum viderem. Nam ab umbilico usque ad illum locum ubi mulier cognoscitur, varias et squamosas maculas habebat. In loco autem muliebris cognitionis monstruosum et nigerrimum caput apparuit igneos oculos, et aures ut aures asini, et nares et os ut nares et os leonis habens ac magno hiatu frendens, et velut ferreos ac horribiles dentes horribiliter acuens. Sed ab illo capite usque ad genua sua imago illa alba et rubea et velut multa contritione contusa erat. Ab ipsis autem genibus usque ad duas zonas quae per transversum superius tangentes calcem pedum albae videbantur, sanguinea apparebat.
Et ecce illud monstruosum caput se tanto fragore a loco suo emovit ut omnis muliebris imago in omnibus membris suis inde concuteretur. Sed et velut magna massa multae faecis ipsi capiti conjuncta est, unde illud supra quemdam montem se elevans altitudinem coelorum ascendere tentavit. Et ecce velut ictus tonitrui repente veniens, ipsum caput tanta fortitudine repercussit quod et de monte illo cecidit et quod spiritum in mortem emisit. Unde subito fetens nebula montem ipsum totum comprehendit, in qua caput illud tanta sorde involutum est ut astantes populi in maximum terrorem converterentur, ipsa quidem nebula circa ipsum montem aliquantulum diutius immorante. Quod astans populus cernens, multo timore concussus adinvicem dicebat: Heu! heu! quid est hoc? quid videtur nobis hoc esse?
Ah nos miseros! quis nos adjuvabit? aut quis nos liberabit? Nescimus enim quomodo decepti sumus. O omnipotens Deus, miserere nobis! Revertamur, revertamur ergo; properemus testamentum evangelii Christi, quoniam ah, ah, ah! amare decepti sumus. Et ecce pedes praedictae muliebris imaginis candidi apparuerunt, splendorem super splendorem solis reddentes.
Audivique vocem de coelo mihi dicentem: Quamvis omnia quae in terra sunt ad finem suum tendant, ita quod mundus in defectu virium suarum positus ad exitum suum multis aerumnis et calamitatibus oppressus incurvetur; tamen sponsa Filii mei tam a praenuntiis filii perditionis quam ab ipso perditore in filiis suis multum fatigata nequaquam contereretur, quamvis ab eis multum impugnetur. Cum ipsa in fine saeculorum robustior et validior exsurgens pulchrior et clarior reddetur; quatenus hoc modo ad amplexus dilecti sui suavius et dulcius procedat. Quod et haec visio quam cernis mystice designat. Vides enim ad aquilonem, et ecce ibi quinque bestiae stant, quae sunt in carnalibus desideriis quibus macula peccati non deest, quinque ferocissimi cursus temporalium regnorum ferociter in se bacchantes.
Quarum una est ut canis igneus sed non ardens; quia cursus temporum illorum homines suae constitutionis mordaces habebit, in sua quidem aestimatione velut ignis apparentes, sed in justitia Dei non ardentes. Et una ut leo fulvi coloris est; quoniam cursus ille bellicosos homines sustinebit, multa quidem bella moventes, sed in eis rectitudinem Dei non inspicientes, quia in fulvo colore regna illa incipient fatigationem debilitatis incurrere. Alia autem ut equus pallidus; quia tempora illa homines in diluvio peccati lascivos et in velocitate voluptatis suae operationem bonarum virtutum transilientes producent, ubi tunc cor regnorum illorum in pallore ruinae suae confringetur, quoniam ruborem fortitudinis suae tunc perdet. Sed alia, ut niger porcus; quoniam cursus ille rectores magnam nigredinem tristitiae in se ipsis facientes habet, et se luto immunditiae involventes, videlicet divinam legem in multis contrarietatibus fornicationum et aliarum similium abominationum postponentes, ac multa schismata divinorum praeceptorum in sanctitate machinantes.
Alia vero ut lupus griseus; quia illa tempora habebunt homines multas rapinas tam in potestatibus quam in reliquis successibus sibi ipsis congerentes cum in his certaminibus, nec nigros nec albos, sed velut griseos in versutiis suis se ostendentes: capita regnorum illorum dividentes dejicient, quoniam tunc veniet tempus irretitionis animarum multarum, ubi error errorum ab inferno usque ad coelum erigetur; ita quod filii lucis torculari martyriorum suorum imponentur, Filium Dei non negantes, sed filium perditionis abjicientes qui diabolicis artibus voluntates suas perficere tentabit. Et hae bestiae se ad occidentem vertunt, quoniam haec caduca tempora cum occidente sole cadunt; quia sicut ille oritur et occidit, ita etiam faciunt homines cum hic nascitur et cum ille moritur.
Unde etiam ibi in occidente coram bestiis illis velut quidam collis quinque apices habens apparet; quia in carnalibus concupiscentiis in ipsis excursibus disposita potestas, quinque altitudinum propalata ostenditur, ita ut ab ore cujusque bestiae funis unus ad unumquemque apicem ipsius collis extendatur; quoniam ab initio illorum temporum tenor prolixitatis ad quamque altitudinem dispositae potestatis protenditur, omnes subnigri coloris praeter funem illum qui ab ore lupi protenditur qui ex parte niger et ex parte albus videtur, quia istae prolixitates sunt in varietate contumaciae voluptatis hominum. Tenore illo qui in voracitate rapinae positus est in parte nigredinis, multas iniquitates protendente, ita tamen quod ex ipsa hi in multo candore justitiae procedunt qui terrentibus miraculis filio perditionis ut ipsi resistant occurrent, quemadmodum servus meus Job de justo viro justitiam facientem ostendit dicens: Innocens contra hypocritam suscitabitur, et tenebit justus viam suam et mundis manibus addet fortitudinem . Hoc tale est: Qui innocens est sanguinei operis, id est homicidii et fornicationis et similium malorum operum velut ardens scintilla contra illum excitatur, qui semper in operibus suis mentitur. Quomodo? Quia ille mel nominat; sed venenum devorat et amicum vocat, quem sicut inimicum suffocat. Videlicet cum dulcia verba sonant; sed intra se malitiam habent, et cum amico blande loquitur, sed illum in insidiis occidere nititur. Sed qui habet virgam, indigna pecora a se ipso fugans ex recto itinere cordis sui, habet etiam clara itinera coram fulgente sole, quoniam ipse clara scintilla et clara lux in Deo suscitatur quasi fulgens facula; atque ita fortissimis purissimisque operibus se circumferens, ipsis apponit fortem loricam et incidentem gladium, a se etiam vitia expellens et virtutes sibi concilians.
Quapropter etiam in oriente juvenem illum quem prius super angulum conjunctionis lucidi et lapidei muri ipsius aedificii purpurea tunica indutum videras, super eumdem angulum iterum vides, quia oriens justitiae Filius hominis, praesidens fortitudini conjunctionis speculativae scientiae et humano operi in bonitate Patris sursum aedificante, cum ipse Filius hominis in voluntate Patris sui sanguinem suum pro salute mundi ludit (ut tibi monstratum est) ibi ipse etiam modo sedens in eadem altitudine ad confirmationem veritatis tibi denuo per mysteria miraculorum suorum manifestatur, sic tamen ut nunc ab umbilico deorsum tibi appareat; quoniam a fortitudine membrorum suorum quae est electorum ejus, ubi modo ipse Sponsus Ecclesiae viget usque ad completionem eorum multa admiranda et obscura signa vides, ita videlicet ut ab umbilico usque ad locum illum ubi vir discernitur, quasi aurora fulgeat; quia a perfectione illa cum jam fidelia membra sua perfectionem fortitudinis habent usque ad tempus filii perditionis, qui se virum virtutis esse simulabit in rectitudine se devote colentium fulgorem justitiae demonstrabit. Unde et ibi velut lyra cum chordis suis in transversum jacet; quod est in persecutione illa qua filius iniquitatis multos cruciatus electis inferet, gaudium canticorum eorum qui jam propter dira tormenta quae in corporibus suis patiuntur a corporalibus nexibus solvuntur, ad requiem transeuntes.
Sed ab ipso loco usque ad calces pedum, id est ad mensuram duorum digitorum transpositorum superius tangentem talum ejus umbrosus est; quoniam a persecutione hac quam fideles a filio diaboli passuri sunt, usque ad doctrinam duorum testium, scilicet Enoch et Eliae terrena despicientium, et ad superna desideria labores suos ponentium, fides ecclesiasticae institutionis velut in dubio habenda est: hominibus multo moerore dicentibus: Quid est quod dicitur de Jesu? Verumne est an secus? Sed ab illa mensura superius tangente talum per totos pedes suos lacte candidior apparet: quod est a testimonio testium illorum aeterna premia exspectantium filio perditionis devicto, Filius ante finem mundi in catholica fide candidissimus et pulcherrimus fulgebit, ita quod tunc palam veritas per ipsum cognoscetur; et quod falsitas in filio iniquitatis per omnia abjicietur, ut et David servus mens testatur, ubi dicit: Rex vero laetabitur in Deo, laudabuntur omnes qui jurant in eo; quia obstructum est os loquentium iniqua . Hoc tale est: Profunda scientia quae est magnus status in homine scilicet pulchram formam linguarum hominum voluntate et dispositione Dei tangens, strenue symphonizat in altari Dei, quia Deum novit et beati in laudibus sonantium mentium currunt, torrens iter verborum in purissimo fonte fortissimi dominatoris facientes: cum in perdito tempore destruuntur hiatus sibilorum diabolicarum artium, quae mentes hominum turpiter inficiunt. Sed et illa muliebris imago quam ante altare quod est ante oculos Dei prius conspexeras, nunc etiam tibi et hic iterum ostenditur; quia sponsa Filii Dei purissimis orationibus sanctorum instans, et eas supernae inquisitioni secundum quod tibi permonstratum est devotissime offerens, modo etiam tibi in eisdem sacramentis pro assertione justitiae declaratur; ita tamen quod eam modo etiam ab umbilico ventris deorsum videas; quoniam ipsa pro creatione illa qua nunc ecclesiastica dignitate provehitur, usque ad plenitudinem filiorum ejus multis miraculorum mysteriis ad tuitionem multorum, tibi manifestatur. Nam ab umbilico usque ad locum illum ubi mulier cognoscitur, varias et squamosas maculas habet: quod est a fortitudine illa qua modo in filiis suis digne et laudabiliter viget, usque ad tempus illud ubi filius perditionis artes suas, quas diabolus primae mulieri immisit perficere conabitur, varietatem et duritiam in objectione multorum vitiorum tam in fornicatoriis quam in mortiferis et rapacibus malis lamentabiliter et miserabiliter sustinebit. Quomodo? Quoniam ii qui eam diligere deberent, eam acriter persequentur.
Unde etiam in loco muliebris cognitionis monstruosum et nigerrimum caput apparet; quia cum artibus primae seductionis in monstruosis turpitudinibus, et in nigerrimis iniquitatibus, perditionis filius insaniens veniet, igneos oculos et aures ut aures asini, et nares et os ut nares et os leonis habens: cum furibundos actus nequissimi ignis et turpissimos sonitus contradictionis, Deum abnegari faciens hominibus immittit, ita pessimum fetorem sensibus eorum infundens, ac crudelissima rapacitate ecclesiastica instituta dilanians, scilicet magno hiatu frendens et velut ferreos ac horribiles dentes horribiliter acuens; quoniam voracissimo rictu vitiorum fortitudinem et insaniam mordacitatis suae, sibi consentientibus pessime infigit. Et ab illo capite usque ad genua illa, alba et rubea et velut multa contritione contusa est; quoniam a pessima deceptione qua filius perditionis homines primum blande et leniter seducere conabitur, usque ad tempus illud cum eos jam crudelius inflectere et incurvare tentabit, Ecclesia in filiis suis albedinem verae fidei, sed in ipsa angustiam sanguinei stuporis ac maximas aerumnas diversarum passionum sustinebit. Ab ipsis autem genibus usque ad duas zonas quae per transversum superius tangentes calcem pedum albae videntur, sanguinea apparet; quia cum jam velut motionem oppressionis suae sustinuerit, usque ad duos testes veritatis qui Ecclesiam fortissime continebunt, jam circa consummationem mundi candorem justitiae et rectitudinis ostendentes, sceleratissimas persecutiones et crudelissimas effusiones sanguinis, in iis qui ipsum perditorem contempserint patietur. Quid hoc? Cum filius perditionis in contraria sua doctrina jam fiduciam et fortitudinem fallaciter confortatus acceperit; tunc et Ecclesia in cursu festinationis suae nobilissimo sanguine perfundetur, ubi et ipsa tunc plene jam coeleste habitaculum construetur. Nam vos, o plateae Hierusalem, tunc in optimo auro per sanguinem sanctorum fulgebitis; quia diabolus tunc exstinguetur, quoniam membra superni regis persecutus est, ita quod ipse prae magno terrore suo ad nihilum redigetur.
Sed o vos homines, qui in ipsis habitare desideratis, illum fugite, et Deum qui vos creavit adorate. In sex enim diebus perfecit Deus opera sua; et in septimo requievit ab opere suo. Quid hoc? Sex dies sex numeri saeculi sunt; sed in sexto nova miracula mundo aedita sunt, ut etiam in sexto die Deus opera sua complevit. Nunc autem mundus, in septimo numero saeculi ante novissimum diem, est sicut in die septimo. Quomodo? Prophetae voces suas compleverunt, Filius etiam meus voluntatem meam in mundo perfecit, et aperte Evangelium in toto mundo praedicatum est, sed et hoc per tempus temporum pleni numeri, et per plus temporum annorum ipsius pleni numeri, quamvis in multa diversitate morum hominum tamen per me bene fundatum perstitit. Sed nunc catholica fides in populis vacillat, et Evangelium in hominibus claudicat, fortissima etiam volumina quae probatissimi doctores multo studio enucleaverunt: turpi taedio diffluunt, et cibus vitae divinarum Scripturarum jam tepefactus est.
Unde nunc loquor per non loquentem hominem de Scripturis, nec edoctam a terreno magistro; sed ego qui sum edissero per eam nova secreta et multa mystica quae hactenus in voluminibus latuerunt, velut homo facit qui limum sibi primum componit: et deinde ex eo quasque formas secundum voluntatem suam discernit.
O fructuosi doctores boni lucri, animas vestras redimite et hunc sermonem fortiter clamate, nec ad ipsum increduli estote; quia si illum spernitis non illum sed me qui verax sum contemnitis. Vos namque populum meum sub lege mea nutrire debetis, habentes curam usque ad praefinitum tempus illius curationis, cum deficiet omnis cura omnium laborum. Sed de hoc tempore habetis tempora temporum praefixae praedestinationis, ad tempus illud currentes in quo filius perditionis veniet. Convalescite ergo et confortamini, electi mei, praecaventes ne in laqueum mortis cadatis; sed victoriosissimum vexillum horum sermonum elevate, et super filium iniquitatis ruite. Nam in errore semitarum illarum quae praecurrunt et subsequuntur filium perditionis, quem vos Antichristum nominatis: vestigia illius imitamini qui vos viam veritatis edocuit cum in carne in mundo cum magna humilitate et non cum superbia apparuit. Audite ergo et intelligite. Spiritus enim dicit Ecclesiae de tempore novissimi erroris. Mors irruet in Ecclesiam in ipsa hora cum in fine temporum maledictus, maledictionis filius, veniet; qui est maledictio maledictionum, velut filius meus in Evangelio de civitate pessimi erroris testatur dicens: Et tu Capharnaum, nunquid usque in coelum exaltaberis?
usque in infernum descendes . Hoc tale est: O tu antrum iniquitatis, fossa absconsionis existens, et alas simulationis hypocritarum habens, quomodo in excelso parietum stare posses, cum oculus tuus nequitias vitiorum inspiciat, quae ardens lumen in sordibus abscondunt, dicentes: Quis similis est parricidae in hypocrisi, quem stulti dominatorem nominant. Nunquid coelum in miraculis signorum habebis, cum digitum tuum barathro intinges. Quomodo? Opera tua fundum inferni petent, in cujus voracitate absorpta jacebis: ita quod etiam infernus fetorem illum evomet, in quo mundus amaritudinem mortis in perditore perditionum videbit.
Sed caput sine ventre et absque caeteris membris esse non debet. Caput Ecclesiae Filius Dei est, venter et caetera membra quae sequuntur, Ecclesia cum filiis suis est. Ecclesia autem nondum in membris et in filiis suis perfecta est, sed in novissimo die cum numerus electorum implebitur, tunc et Ecclesia plena erit. Sed et tunc in ultimo die turbatio orbis terrarum fiet; cum ego Deus quatuor elementa abluam, cum illo quod mortale in carne hominis est, et tunc in consummatione saeculi plenum gaudium sobolis Ecclesiae erit. Ut enim praedictum est, in sex diebus perfecit Deus opera sua. Quinque dies, quinque numeri saeculi sunt, in sexto nova miracula in terris propalata sunt velut in sexta die primus homo formatus est. Sed nunc sextus numerus finitus est et deventum est in septimum numerum; in quo nunc cursus mundi velut in septima die requiei positus est, quia labor ille quem prius fortissimi doctores in profunditate clausorum sigillorum sanctarum Scripturarum habuerunt: modo apertus existen aperte proferendus est, in levitate verborum velut verba hujus libri sunt, quasi in septima quietis die. Sex enim dies operis sunt, septima requiei est.
Numerus dierum alius non est, quod superest tibi, o homo, sciendum non est; sed in secreto Patris est. Sed vos, o homines, de tempore hoc: tempus temporum in cursu vestro habetis antequam homicida ille veniat, qui fidem catholicam pervertere cupiet. Quid autem deinde fiat; nec tempus nec momentum vobis de hoc sciendum est, sicut nec quid post septem dies hebdomadis sit, scire potestis; sed solus Pater hoc novit, qui et haec in sua potestate posuit. De diebus enim hebdomadis aut de temporibus temporum saeculi, amplius tibi, o homo, sciendum non est.
Sed post quinque numeros saeculi coelestia miracula mundo edidi; sicut et in quinque diebus alia creatura ante hominem creata fuerat, quae homini subjecta est. Sic etiam et plenitudo infidelium et Judaeorum fuerat, et diversa schismata diversorum malorum tam gentilis quam Judaici populi efferbuerant, et lex ac prophetia jam sudaverant, atque omnes populi tam in malis quam in bonis probati erant, antequam unigenitus meus carnem de virgine susciperet. Nam eum mittendum decretum non fuerat nisi praemissis omnibus his, ut omnis justitia in illo probaretur, et ut omnis injustitia ab illo scandalizaretur. Quod si Filius meus prius venisset, hoc quasi insipienter factum fuisset, velut homo ille imprudenter agit qui fruges suas antequam maturescant colligere vult, vel si incarnatio ejus in ipsum finem mundi dilata esset: tunc raptim veniret quasi auceps ille qui aves fraudulenter capit, illis nescientibus quomodo rete ejus intraverint. Sed Filius meus venit in tempore illo velut cum jam dies post nonam ad vesperas tendit, scilicet cum jam maxima virtute diei abscedente, frigus adesse incipit: ita post quinque numeros mundi Filius meus mundo adfuit cum mundus jam ad occasum currit. Quid tunc? Ipse enim veniens medullam legis aperuit ubi aquam legis in vinum Evangelii convertit, ubi et maxima fluenta virtutum emanare fecit, quod tam tempestive veniens complevit; ut ecclesiasticae virtutes quas Spiritus sanctus incendit firmis radicibus in hominibus confortarentur, et ut virginitas quam in se ipso attulit, in dignissima germina florum pullularet et dilataretur.
Sed insanus homicida, filius scilicet perditionis in brevissimo tempore veniet; cum jam dies abscedit, sole in occasum latente videlicet cum novissimum tempus jam cadit et mundus tenorem suum deserit; hoc autem testimonium, o fideles mei, audite, et illud devote ad cautelam vestram intelligite, ne vobis nescientibus error ipsius perditoris repente veniens, in ruinam infidelita is et perditionis vos praecipitet. Unde vos armate et ad validis imam pugnam hoc modo fidelissimis munitionibus praemoniti: vos praeparate. Cum enim tempus illud advenerit quo nequissimus ille deceptor horribiliter apparebit, mater illa quae istum fallacem in mundum parturiet a pueritia sua in puellari aetate diabolicis artibus plena vitiis, in deserto abjectionis inter nefandissimos homines enutrita est, ibi parentibus ejus eam nescientibus, nec illis cum quibus moratur eam scientibus, quoniam diabolus eam illuc ire persuade, et ibi eam secundum voluntatem suam decipiendo componit, quasi angelus sanctus sit. Et ideo illa ab hominibus se separat, ut tanto facilius celari possit; unde etiam aliquibus sed tamen paucis viris nequissimo latrocinio fornicationis occulte commiscetur, et in tanto studio turpitudinis cum illis se polluit, velut angelus sanctus fervorem pravitatis illius eam perficere jubeat. Et sic in ferventissimo ardore fornicationis illius filium perditionis concipit, nesciens de quo semine virorum illorum eum conceperit. Sed Lucifer serpens, scilicet antiquus turpitudine ista delectatus, coagulationem hanc justo meo judicio artibus suis afflat, et eam omnibus viribus suis totam in ventre matris illius possidet, sic illo perditore de ventre matris suae pleno diabolico spiritu egrediente. Deinde illam consuetam fornicationem devitat: et aperte stulto et insipienti populo dicit, quia virum non habeat, nec patrem infantis sui sciat; fornicationem autem quam perpetravit, sanctam dicit. Unde et populus illam sanctam putat et nominat.
Sic filius perditionis diabolicis artibus usque ad fortiorem aetatem enutritur, semper noto populo sibi se subtrahens. Sed mater ejus eum cum quibusdam magicis artibus interdum tam populo Deum colenti, quam non colenti ostendit; sic eum ab eis faciens videri et amari. Qui cum ad plenam aetatem pervenerit, manifeste contrariam doctrinam docebit; ita mihi et electis meis repugnans, tantamque fortitudinem acquirens ut in magna potestate sua, se supra nubes elevare conetur. Nam ego justo judicio meo permitto eum in diversis creaturis voluntatem suam exercere; quoniam ut diabolus in initio dixit: Similis ero Altissimo et cecidit, ita etiam permitto ut idem diabolus in tempore novissimo cadat cum ipse in hoc filio suo dicit: Salvator mundi ego sum. Et ut omne saeculum fidelium cognovit quod Lucifer mendax fuit, cum se in initio dierum similem Deo esse voluit; sic etiam omnis fidelis homo videbit quod filius iniquitatis mendax est, cum se ante novissimum diem Filio Dei similem facit.
Ipse enim est pessima bestia, homines qui ipsum negant interficiens et regibus, ducibus, principibus, divitibusque se adjungens, humilitatemque deprimens, ac superbiam erigens, orbemque terrarum diabolica arte sibi subjiciens. Potestas namque ejus usque labrum venti procedit; ita quod aerem videtur commovere, ignemque de coelo educere, et fulgura, tonitrua ac grandines producere, montes etiam evertere, aquas exsiccare, silvis viriditatem suam auferre, eisque iterum succum viroris sui reddere. Tales enim illusiones in diversis creaturis ostendit; videlicet in humore, in viriditate et in siccitate earum. Sed et in hominibus decept ones suas facere non decinit. Quomodo? Videbitur enim sanis immittere aegritudinem, et infirmis sanitatem, daemones ejicere, ac interdum mortuos suscitare. Quomodo? Cum enim aliquando quispiam vita evanuerit, cujus anima in potestate ipsius diaboli est, circa cadaver illius qui vita discesserit interdum permissione mea illusiones suas ostendet, cadaver illius quasi vivat moveri faciens, quod tamen per brevissimam horam et non per longius spatium facere interdum permittetur; ne hac praesumptione gloria Dei derideatur atque nihilipendatur.
Quod quidam videntes in eum confident; quidam autem et priorem fidem suam retinere volentes, eum tamen sibi propitium semper optabunt. Quos tamen durius laedere nolens, quasdam infirmitates ipsis immittit. Qui, dum medicinam et auxilium medicorum quaerent nec curari poterunt, ad ipsum recurrent tentantes, si eos curare valeat; quos dum ad se venientes viderit, debilitatem quam eis intulit ipsis aufert. Unde valde eum amantes in ipsum credent. Et sic multi decipientur, cum ipsi oculos interioris hominis obnubilant; per quos in me respicere debuerant, volentes in probatione animi sui velut in quadam novitate illa scire quae exterioribus oculis vident, et quae manibus palpant, contemnentes illa invisibilia quae in me manent, et quae vera fide comprehendenda sunt quia mortales oculi me videre non possunt, sed miracula mea in obumbratione illis ostendo quibus voluero; meipsum autem nullus videbit, dum in mortali corpore manet, nisi in umbratione mysteriorum meorum ut servo meo Mosi locutus sum, quemadmodum scriptum est: Non enim videbit me homo et vivere poterit . Hoc tale est: Obtutum mortalitatis suae non ponet in claritatem divinitatis meae, ille qui mortalis est, ita quod in corruptibili cinere mortalem vitam possit habere, dum in transeuntis temporis mutatione est, scilicet quod vitam unam deserit et ad aliam transit; quoniam omnia viventia per me solidata sunt, et quia ego vivo nec ulla mutatio in me est. Nam ut culex vivere non potest si se in flammam ignis immittit, ita etiam mortalis homo non posset subsistere, si coruscationem divinitatis meae videret, sed ego mortalibus hominibus quandiu gravamine mortalitatis suae gravati sunt, me ita in obumbratione ostendo; velut pictor ea quae invisibilia sunt, per imagines picturae suae hominibus declarat. Quod si, o homo, me dilexeris, te amplectar, et calore sancti Spiritus te calefaciam.
Cum enim bona intentione tua me inspexeris, meque in tua fide cognoveris, tunc et ego tecum ero. Sed qui me contemnunt, ad diabolum se convertunt, quoniam me scire nolunt. Unde et ego ipsos abjicio.
Eosdem autem diabolus illudit et decipit quomodocunque sibi placuerit: ita quod ipsi putant quod verum sit, quidquid eis ostenderit. Et hanc ipsam artem deceptionis suae diabolus illis infundit, qui in ipsum confidunt: ita quod ipsi in hac arte diversa portenta in creaturis secundum voluntatem suam hominibus fallaciter ostendunt. Sed tamen nec elementa, nec alias creaturas quae a Deo creatae sunt in alium modum transmutare possunt; nisi quod solum per deceptiones suas, quaedam monstra velut quasdam nebulas in eis sibi credentibus fingunt. Nam et Adam cum plus quaereret quam habere deberet, gloriam paradisi perdidit; sic et isti visum et auditum interioris hominis amittunt, quoniam Deum deserunt et diabolum colunt.
Secundum hunc modum filius perditionis, deceptiones artium suarum in elementis operatur, ostendens in eis pulchritudinem, dulcedinem et suavitatem secundum voluntatem hominum quos decipit. Sed haec potestas ei ob hoc promissa est, ut fideles in recta fide cernant, quod diabolus nullam potestatem in bonis habet, sed solum in malis aeternae mortis. Quidquid enim iste filius iniquitatis operatur, id in potestate, superbia et crudelitate facit, misericordiam, humilitatem et discretionem non habens; sed cum imperio et magno stupore homines ad hoc praecipitat, ut ipsum sequantur, plurimos enim populos sibi acquirit, dicens eis ut voluntates suas libere peragant, ne se multum in vigiliis aut in jejuniis constringant, proponens eis ut tantum Deum suum diligant quem se esse simulat: quatenus sic ab inferno liberati ad vitam perveniant. Unde illi hoc modo decepti dicunt: O vae miseris illis qui ante tempora ista fuerunt, quia diris cruciatibus vitam suam afflixerunt, pietatem Dei nostri heu ignorantes! Ille enim thesauros et divitias eis ostendit, ac eos secundum voluntates ipsorum epulari permittit, fallacibus signis doctrinam suam confirmans; ita quod ipsi putant quod non oporteat eos ullo modo corpora sua constringere et castigare. Sed et circumcisionem et judaismum secundum mores Judaeorum illis observare jubet, fortiora praecepta legis, quae Evangelium cum digna poenitentia in gratiam convertit, ipsis juxta voluntatem eorum leviora faciens. Et dicit qui ad me convertitur, peccata illius delebuntur, vivetque mecum in aeternum. Baptismum etiam et evangelium Filii mei abjicit.
Et omnia praecepta illa quae Ecclesiae tradita sunt deride. Et iterum sibi famulantibus diabolica irrisione dicit: videte quis et qualis ille insanus fuerit, qui haec observare per mendacia sua simplici populo instituit.
Ego autem pro vobis et ad gloriam vestram mori, et a morte resurgere volo. Et sic populum meum ab inferno liberabo; ut deinceps mecum in regno meo gloriose vivatis, quod ille fallax prius se fecisse simulavit. Et deinde dilectis suis dicit: ut eum gladio percutiant, atque in mundum sindonem usque ad diem resurrectionis suae involvant, illis ita deceptis quod putant se illum occidere, et praecepta ejus hoc modo perficere, postea se resurgere simulans dirae maledictionis scripturam velut salvationem animarum profert; quam pro signo hominibus tradens, jubet ut ipsum adorent. Quod si quis fidelis propter amorem nominis mei recusaverit, diro cruciatu tormentorum ab illo consumetur, unde omnes qui haec viderint vel audierint maximo admirationis et dubietatis stupore concutientur, quemadmodum etiam Joannes dilectus meus ostendit, dicens: Et vidi unum de capitibus ejus tanquam occisum in mortem, et plaga mortis ejus curata est. Et admirata est universa terra post bestiam (Apoc. XII). Hoc tale est: Ego amator mysteriorum Dei vidi fallacem et maledictum in maximis et innumerabilibus iniquitatibus omnem sanctimoniam sanctorum circumeuntem, et multiplicibus vitiis eam fatigantem; qui actibus mendaciorum suorum sanguinem suum in occisione se effundere et ita mori assimilabit, non in corpore suo cadens sed in fallaci umbra, velut percussus et moriens aestimatus. Unde etiam in errore fallacium vulnerum suorum quasi mortuus fuerit simulat se quasi a sopore mortis revixisse; et ita admirabilem et terribilem stuporem omnes homines qui in tota terra sunt, in horrore hujus maledicti capient, sicut etiam populus in magnitudine et fortitudine Goliath obstupuit, cum eum armatum in bello adversum se stare videret.
Et ita ut vides columnae electorum meorum, tam de cruciatibus istis quam de contrariis et immanibus ac horribilibus signis, quae filius perditionis emittet magno stupore pavoris commoveri videbuntur, gemitum lamentabilis angustiae emittentes.
Sed duos testes meos quos ad id tempus in secreto voluntatis meae reservavi, scilicet Enoch et Eliam; ut ipsi repugnent et ut errantes ad viam veritatis reducant emittam. Qui fortissimas et robustissimas virtutes fidelibus ostendent; quia cum verba testimonii eorum in ore utriusque sibi aequaliter consentient, fidem audientes adhibebunt. Nam idcirco hi duo testes veritatis tandiu per me reservati sunt, ut tunc ipsis procedentibus, sermo eorum in cordibus electorum meorum teneatur et solidetur, quatenus inde germen Ecclesiae meae in magna humilitate subsistat. Et ipsi ad filios Dei quorum nomina in libro vitae sunt, dicent: O vos recti corde et electi in gloriosa laude beatarum gratiarum vitae, audite et intelligite quae vobis fiducialiter disserimus. Hic maledictus a diabolo missus est, ut animas quae se praeceptis illius subjiciunt in errorem mittat. Nos enim de hoc mundo reclusi eramus, reservati in secretis Dei quae hominibus abscondita sunt, ita quod in sollicitudine et angustia hominum non fuimus. Nam ad hoc reservati sumus, et ad vos missi; ut erroribus istius perditoris contradicamus. Videte ergo, si vobis aut in corporali statura aut in aetate similes simus.
Et omnes qui cognoscere et confiteri verum Deum volent: hos duos senes et veraces testes, vexillum justitiae Dei portantes subsequentur, iniquum errorem deserentes, quoniam ipsi in magnis praeconiis et coram Deo et coram populo fulgebunt; vicos, et plateas, et civitates, atque alia loca ubicunque filius perditionis contrariam doctrinam efflaverit percurrentes, ac in eis multa signa in Spiritu sancto facientes, ita ut omnis populus qui eos viderit in maximam admirationem ducatur. Idcirco autem haec magna signa supra firmam petram solidata illis dabuntur, quatenus illa contraria et falsa signa abjiciantur. Nam ut fulgur incendit et comburit, sic et filius perditionis perversa iniquitate et nequitia sua faciet, populos magicis artibus velut igne fulguris comburens. Sed Enoch et Elias cum recta doctrina quasi cum ictu tonitrui omnem cohortem illius exterrentes dejicient, fideles hoc modo stabilientes.
Attamen in permissione voluntatis meae ab illo tandem consummati, mercedem laborum suorum in coelestibus consequantur. Tunc flores doctrinae eorum cadentes, quia voces ipsorum jam in mundo non audientur, bonum fructum in electis ostendent, verba et rabiem diabolicae artis contemnentibus, et in spe supernae haereditatis bene firmatis, quemadmodum et Salomon de bono et recto homine ostendit, dicens: Domus justi plurima fortitudo, et in fructibus impii conturbatio. . Hoc tale est: Acutum habitaculum ubi contritio et infelicitas non est: speciale speculum oculi Dei in recto homine est, in quo idem oculus fortitudinem miraculorum suorum quasi in appetitu percutientis gladii videt. Sed in procedentibus factis, velut in crescentibus fructibus superbi cordis, quod in propriis voluptatibus suis ruinas aedificat, tristitia illa erit, quia superbum cor in eam spem non confidit, quae in superna saturitate floret.
Sed ut vides quod ipsum monstruosum caput se tanto fragore a loco suo emovit, quod omnis praedicta muliebris imago in omnibus membris suis inde concutitur: hoc est cum se filius perditionis caput iniquitatis existens, multa arrogantia superbiae velut a parvo errore infixae sibi nequitiae tollit, majorem errorem arripiens, scilicet supra omnes exaltari volens, id est cum deceptiones suae finem accepturae sunt, omnis Ecclesia in omnibus filiis suis tam majoribus quam minoribus in maximum timorem mittitur, exspectans insaniam praesumptionis illius. Et velut magna massa multae faecis ipsi capiti conjungitur, unde illud super quemdam montem se elevans, altitudinem coelorum ascendere tentat; quia maximae artes diabolicarum insidiarum, multam immunditiam afferentium eidem filio iniquitatis assistentes, ipsi alas superbiae subministrant, ac eum in tantum praesumptionem erigunt, quod ipse etiam secreta coelestia se putat posse penetrare. Quomodo? Nam cum omnem voluntatem seductoris diaboli compleverit, ita quod justo judicio Dei amplius tantam potestatem iniquitatis et crudelitatis suae habere omnino non permittetur; omnem cohortem suam congregabit, et sibi credentibus dicet quia ad coelos ire velit. Sed sicut diabolus nescivit Filium Dei ad redemptionem et salutem animarum nasci, ita et iste pessimus cum se in mortiferum malum omnium malorum involvet, fortissimum ictum manus Dei super se venire ignorabit.
Et ecce velut ictus tonitrui repente veniens caput ipsum tanta fortitudine percutit quod et de monte illo dejicit et quod spiritum suum in mortem emittit; quoniam potestas Dei se manifestans, eumdem perditionis filium tanta virtute zeli sui prosternit, quod et de superbia illa qua se contra Deum erexerat, magno praecipitio praesumptionis suae ruit, et quod vitalem flatum suum in mortem aeternae damnationis ita consummatus evomit; quia sicut tentationes Filii mei finitae sunt, cum ipse tentatus diabolo dixit: Vade, turpissime Satana, et ille exterritus fugit; sic etiam et tentationes istae quas filius iniquitatis Ecclesiae infert, in hoc zelo meo consummationem accipient.
Inde subito fetens nebula montem ipsum totum comprehendit, in qua caput ipsum tanta sorde involvitur, ut astantes populi in maximum terrorem mittantur; quia immundissimus intolerabilisque et infernalis fetor locum elationis illius totum replebit, in quo ille pessimus criminator tanta immunditia et fetore effervebat, ut justo Dei judicio nec initium nec finis ejus amodo in memoria habeatur; quoniam populi illi cadaver ipsius sine voce in terra prostratum et multa tabe perfusum videntes: se deceptos esse cognoscent, ipsa nebula circa montem illum aliquantulum diutius immorante; quoniam fetor ille diabolicam elationem circumamplectens, immundam ostendit, ut homines ab illo seducti fetorem et immunditiam illam videntes, errorem suum declinent, et ad veritatem redeant. Nam astans populus haec cernens, multo timore concutitur; quia haec videntes maximus horror incutit, ita ut lugubres voces et flebiles querelas proferant, et se graviter errasse dicant.
Et ecce pedes praefatae muliebris imaginis candidi apparent, splendorem super splendorem solis reddentes: hoc est quod fortitudo fundamenti et sustentatio sponsae filii mei multum candorem fidei ostendet, et pulchritudinem illam quae omnem pulchritudinem terrenae claritatis superat demonstrabit, cum filio perditionis ut dictum est prostrato, multi ex iis qui erraverant ad veritatem revertentur. Sed post casum illius impii, quando novissimus dies in solutione mundi occurrat mortalis homo non quaerat; quia eum scire non poterit, quoniam eum Pater in abscondito secreti sui servavit. Ad judicium ergo, o homines, vos praeparate. Ut autem praedictum est filius perditionis cum patre suo diabolo et cum omnibus artibus illius in novissimo tempore per Filium meum fortissimum praeliatorem cum magna confusione superabitur; sicut et inimici fortissimi Samsonis in praefiguratione ipsius dejecti sunt, velut in sacra Historia scriptum est: Concussisque fortiter columnis, cecidit domus super omnes principes, et caeteram multitudinem quae ibi erat: multoque plures interfecit moriens quam ante vivus occiderat . Hoc tale est: Filio Dei, scilicet fortissimo Samsoni primum Synagoga conjuncta est; cui ipse occulta illa quae in Veteri Testamento abscondita erant, in mirabili doctrina sua distribuit, interiorem dulcedinem legis quae fortior leone erat, ipsi benigne aperiens. Sed ipsa decepit eum; faciens ut secreta ejus illuderentur, in doctrinam illius respicere nolens, sed eam magno fastu superbiae despiciens. Quapropter ipse commotus regnum Dei ab ea auferri et alii genti dari praedixit; ita in multis prodigiis cum plurima turba civitatem Hierosolymam ascendens, infidelitate illorum qui vestimenta sua in via straverunt occisa, ubi quod promiserat illis per miracula reddidit, quibus per sponsam suam proditus fuerat. Et in illo fervore sponsam suam deseruit, cum domum ejus desertam derelinqui praenuntiavit.
Sed pater sponsae illius, videlicet diabolica seductio; alii viro, id est infidelitati eam conjunxit. Tunc Filius Dei astutas vulpes, scilicet apostolos emisit, qui igne sancti Spiritus segetes inimicorum suorum combusserunt, id est qui legalia praecepta ad spiritualem intellectum verterunt, ita Synagoga cum patre suo combusta, scilicet perversa infidelitate Synagogae eversa. Deinde magnis signis et stupendis miraculis incredulos occidit; ita quod omnes multo stupore contremuerunt, cum dicerent se timere Romanos venire, et locum et gentem ipsorum tollere. Quapropter concilium suum congregaverunt ut illum perderent, sed ipse abscondit se in monte, in oratione cum diceret ut, si fieri posset, calix ille ab eo transiret. Sed Judas Iscariothes prodidit eum, tradens eum in manus saevissimas inimicorum suorum. Et ipse vim fortudinis suae abscondit, quam in crine, id est in patre suo habuit; quae omni populo ignota est, nisi quantum in fide capitur, veluti et capilli in capite hominis videntur. Postea cum pati voluit vim fortitudinis suae ostendit, videlicet mandibulam asini tollens cum filiabus Hierusalem diceret, ne super eum sed super se ipsas flerent; ita illas occidens, scilicet terrorem futurorum malorum eis verissime praedicens. Et sic in cruce fatigato cum sitiret, fons verae fidei de gentili populo emanavit; de quo ipse bibens non erubuit, dicens etiam quod sic consummatum esset.
Unde cum spiritum emisit, in gehennam, videlicet ad mulierem meretricem postea descendit, inimicis suis eum obsidentibus, cum custodes ad sepulcrum ipsius ponerent, sed ipse a morte resurgens, cum duabus portis, id est cum specialibus electis suis, et cum communi populo quos ex inferno liberavit, coeleste regnum petivit. Sed sic pulcherrima sponsa, scilicet Ecclesia, ipsi conjuncta, diligentissime ab eo quaesivit quomodo fortitudinem ipsius cognoscere posset. Ipse autem vires suas ei non repente, sed paulatim et cum discretione aperuit. Quomodo.
Cum primum catholicam fidem percepissent in veteri lege et in nova, usque ad perfectam correctionem putabant se quidam illorum debere ambulare, quae ligatura humentium nervorum sed nondum perfectam siccitatem habentium erat. Unde Ecclesia rudis adhuc, multis turbis dicebat: Haec est fortitudo sponsi mei. Et populus haec audiens, volebat repentino motu Deum in auditu verborum tantum colere, et non in significatione Spiritus sancti conversari. Sed ita fortitudo ejus cognita non est. Deinde virginitas velut novi funes qui nunquam in opere fuerunt, sicut et virginitas ante non est gloriose habita; nobiliter erecta est, quae ligatura Filium Dei fortiter quidem tetigit, sed tamen eum plene non ostendit. Sed Ecclesia se sursum erigens dicebat: O vos, amici mei, hae maximae virtutes sponsi mei sunt. Et subito in magno strepitu multus populus super eum ruit, dicens: Nos in maximis viribus ejus, ipsum cepimus. Sed nec sic vires ejus manifestatae sunt.
Postea in septem donis Spiritus sancti velut in septem crinibus illius Ecclesia solidata est, ipsis forti clavo in firmamento apostolicorum praedicatorum infixis. Unde reti fidei hoc modo contexto, Ecclesia clamabat: O quam fortis sponsus meus in septem crinibus suis est. Et omnes populi illam audientes, in eum irruerunt, putantes ipsum majores vires non habere. Sed et hoc modo non est agnita fortitudo ipsius. Dehinc multas lacrymas Ecclesia fudit; quia fortitudinem sanctae Trinitatis ignoravit, dicens humanitatem Filii Dei se quidem vidisse, sed divinitatem ipsius nondum perfecte intellexisse. Unde ipse commotus in dilecto suo Joanne secreta sanctae Trinitatis quantum homini licitum erat scire: in honore Patris et in ardore Spiritus sancti manifestavit. Et ita in gremium sponsae suae caput suum reclinans: ibi usque ad maxima schismata quae in filio perditionis futura sunt, requiescet; ibi fortitudo ejus abrasis crinibus ipsius abscindetur: cum homines in tempore illo magis filium perditionis, quam ipsum sequi studebunt dicentes: Quid est, o Deus, quod talia et tanta miracula videmus? Et ita fortitudo ipsius dilinitur, cum jam vera fides in caecitate infidelitatis obnubilari videtur.
Sed vires ejus resurgent, cum Enoch et Elias apparuerint. Quapropter superbiam et praesumptionem fortiter concutiens, filium perditionis cum omnibus diabolicis artibus et caeteris vitiis ejus dejiciet, multoque durius diabolica vitia conteret, cum jam Ecclesia cum Christiano nomine de praesenti et temporali saeculo ad aeterna transibit, quam antea fecerit cum adhuc divinus cultus in mundo temporaliter vigeret. Quid hoc? Quia cum jam saeculum finem accipiet, tunc et diabolicae persecutiones et virtutum fortissimae operationes, in hominibus etiam temporaliter cessabunt. Qui autem acutas aures interioris intellectus habet: hic in ardente amore speculi mei, ad verba haec anhelet, et ea in conscientia animi sui conscribat.
Scripture echoes
Scivias (Know the Ways of the Lord) companion
Keep Hildegard in your mornings
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Hildegard's visions were meant to be read and prayed over daily by her community; Chosen Portion continues that pattern with a curated historic devotional reading each morning.
- Read all three parts of Scivias in curated excerpts — about 15 minutes a day for 14 days
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