Chapter XIV.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1.) And I saw, and behold, the Lamb was standing upon Mount Zion. If we carefully examine the text of the following reading, we will see that the things spoken of the 144,000 pertain more to the elect, whose souls rejoice in heavenly bliss with the Lord, than to those who labor in this life. Therefore, the Lamb signifies Christ: Zion, however, signifies contemplation: and by Mount Zion, we ought to understand the heavenly homeland. Therefore, on Mount Zion, the Lamb was seen, because in heavenly blessedness Christ dwells with his saints. And with him were one hundred and forty-four thousand, having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. In the third vision, which precedes this, it is said that one hundred and forty-four thousand from the twelve tribes were chosen and sealed with the sign of faith. Therefore, these one hundred and forty-four thousand, as the explanation of the names of the twelve tribes demonstrates, pertain to the chosen ones who labor in this life. But these one hundred and forty-four thousand signify the chosen ones who rejoice in heavenly glory with the Lord, as the text of the present reading clearly indicates. But why does he say that only the name of the Father and the Son is written on their foreheads, and he is silent about the Holy Spirit? Because wherever we read about the Father and the Son, we should understand the Holy Spirit. However, we can understand the hearts of the saints through their foreheads. Therefore, the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit is written on their foreheads, because the love of God can never be taken away from their minds, just as it was taken away from the hearts of some angels who fell from heaven due to their pride.
(Vers. 2.)
(Verse 2.) And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. Often through John are the faithful of the present life demonstrated: but through waters are the people signified. And because chosen ones are gathered daily from all nations and are placed in heavenly bliss, the saints of God on earth, who are designated by John, incessantly hear the voice of many waters; because they perceive the doctrine of the saints who dwell in the heavens with the ears of their hearts, and by the power which they possess, they imitate their actions. Moreover, the same voice is said to resound like thunder, which often terrifies the hearts of those who hear it; for they are terrified when they consider that they are unable to reach its perfection. And the voice that I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. The voice of the harpists is very sweet to those who hear it: and what is sweeter to the faithful than the memory of the saints dwelling in heaven; while they ponder in their minds how great their glory is, and supplicate so that they may someday attain it?
(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3.) And they were singing as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures, and the elders: and no one could sing the song but those hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. This is a great mystery; for it is said that the hundred and forty-four thousand were not defiled with women, for they are virgins; and therefore they can sing the new song, which no one else can say, except those alone: but we know that some of the apostles and martyrs had wives. Do those who strive to preserve the virginity of their bodies sing praises to God, while these remain mute in the praises of God? Especially since we know that both men and women of little merit have preserved the virginity of their bodies until death, such as infants and children, whom age does not allow to lose their virginity. We have also seen some individuals, guilty of certain sins, who have preserved the virginity of their bodies until death, whom we believe must be purified through the fire of purgatory, so that they may deserve to be included among the righteous at some point. Shall we dare to prefer those apostles and martyrs, whom the Scripture does not keep silent about having had wives, in order that they may offer that sweetest song to God, from whom Peter and his similar ones may exist as strangers? For just as the vision of God is sweet to the saints, so is the praise of God; and just as they cannot be satisfied by the vision of God, so they cannot be satisfied by the praises of God. And the closer they are to the Lord God in terms of the qualities of their merits, the more fervent they are in the praises of God. Who can truly consider how great a part of glory is taken away from the saints if they are deprived of the praise of God? And we do not say this to detract from virginity, which is a great virtue and a companion of the angels, if, however, they have not defiled it with vice. For who can weigh how great a good it is to possess integrity of body and soul? Therefore, since the things that have been said above about virgins cannot be understood about only those who have preserved the virginity of the body, it is necessary that we investigate who are the virgins and who are those who cannot sing the song of virgins. For if we carefully consider the surface of the reading, we will find that these words are not spoken only of virgins, but of all holy souls.
We have said above that one hundred forty-four thousand holy souls are designated, who do not cease to praise God in heavenly blessedness: but faithful placed in this life, from whom the Church consists, are also designated, as we said in the second Vision. Therefore, it is said that one hundred forty-four thousand have sung a new song before the throne, and the four animals, and the elders; for the new Testament is called a new song, as the prophet says: Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth (Isaiah XLII, 10). However, the New Testament is called such because it precedes another, which is called the old: either because it makes new peoples, when it makes children of God from the children of the devil. And the faithful have their own songs in this life, but in those songs there is often a confession of sins, often a prayer for sins, often a remembrance of eternal torments. Therefore, they often stir up tears while singing, and they are accustomed to praying in praise of God, and they often elevate the minds of the faithful to the hope of the heavenly homeland. But in that song of the heavenly spirits, nothing sad, nothing that disturbs the mind, resounds; and the more it is expressed, the more it fills the minds of the singers with joy and gladness. Just as the new Testament is called "new" because the old Testament preceded it, so also that song of the heavenly spirits is called a new song because it precedes another song that is old to those who daily pass over to heavenly blessedness, and it is new to which they come. And it is said that they sang this song before the throne of God, that is, in the presence of the throne; for what is before our sight, we behold uninterruptedly. Therefore, in the presence of the faithful, who are designated by the throne and the four living creatures and the elders, the souls of the faithful are said to have sung a new song; because holy men, placed on this earth, constantly gaze with the eyes of their minds upon the glory of the saints dwelling in heaven, and with all their might they strive to reach their fellowship someday.
And no one could sing the song except those one hundred forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth: that is, none of those who are symbolized by the throne and the four living creatures and the elders. For faithful men on earth see at present, as if in a mirror and in enigmas, the glory of the saints who are in heaven, and they ardently desire that song, as if they hear it, but they cannot sing it; for, 'eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, what things God has prepared for those who love him' (1 Corinthians 2:9). Those who are said to be bought from the earth are indeed bought with the precious blood of Christ, placed in the earth. But it is better that we understand it as a purchase and assumption; for they have been assumed from the earth and placed in heavenly blessedness.
(Vers. 4.)
(Verse 4) These are they who are not defiled with women, for they are virgins. Here again arises a question; for if in that blessed state there are different orders, as there are apostles, martyrs, confessors, and virgins, how are all the souls of the saints called virgins, and to such an extent virgins that they are said not to have been defiled with women? And if it is true what the Lord says (indeed it is true, for God cannot lie - Matthew 5:28): Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart, how could all the souls of the saints throughout their whole earthly life have been free from the defilement of worldly women? Therefore, it needs to be understood by us how this is to be understood; for many were adulterers and fornicators before baptism, but believing in Christ and repenting of their sins, and seeking the fountain of baptism, whatever was defiled in them was washed away by the grace of the Holy Spirit through the waters of baptism: those who persevered in the good that they promised in the same baptism until the end of their lives, when the Lord came to take them away from this earthly habitation through death, their souls were found to be virgins, that is, untainted and free from all corruption of vices. Therefore, these souls are rightly called virgins because all their corruption has been wiped away by the waters of baptism and good works. There have also been many who, after baptism, committed many crimes, but when they sought to erase the evil they had done through repentance, tears, mercy, and other good works, and persevered in their good intent, their souls were found to be virgins when the Lord came, for whatever was wicked in them had been cleansed by the remedies of charity. There were also those who, with their whole strength, loved God and endeavored to lead their life in virtues. Therefore, their souls are rightly called virgins; for if they have drawn any filth from the union with women (Gen. II, 24), it has been erased by good works. The same understanding should be applied to the other orders.
We can also understand the bodies of saints through women, but the souls through men; because just as a man and a woman are called one flesh, so the body and the soul are one person: and just as the woman is subordinate to the man, and therefore it is necessary for her to be ruled by the man and endure his domination; so the body is much inferior to the soul, and therefore it is necessary for it to be ruled and subdued by the spirit, and for its desires to be broken. And because the saints have endeavored to do this, they are not defiled with women; because they did not draw any impurities from the union of bodies, from which they would greatly offend God. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. Where does he go, who fills all things and is everywhere? But as the Apostle teaches, he goes wherever he wants, showing mercy to whomever he chooses and hardening whomever he chooses (Rom. IX, 18). Therefore, God goes by showing mercy to some and by taking away his mercy from others. The saints follow because those to whom he grants his mercy also grant it to others, and those from whom he removes it also remove it from others. We cannot understand this about the chosen ones placed on earth; for often those whom God does not have mercy on, He has mercy on, like Samuel who mourned for Saul (1 Samuel 15:35), whom God had cast away from His presence: some even want to condemn those whom God has mercy on, like Jonah, who desired the destruction of Nineveh, whom God had decreed to save. They were bought from among all the firstfruits for God and the Lamb (John 4:3). In the Law, it is commanded that the firstfruits of the crops be offered to God (Exodus 22:29): by the firstfruits of the crops, the chosen ones are designated; for just as from the multitude of fruits, small firstfruits were offered to God, so from the multitude of peoples, a small number of chosen ones is elected, who are offered by the angels to God in the temple of celestial glory, as the Lord says in the Gospel: Many are called, but few are chosen (Matthew 22:14). Therefore, the holy ones have been assumed from among men according to the custom of the firstfruits, and placed in heavenly blessedness.
(Vers. 5.)
(Verse 5) And in their mouth there was found no lie. It seems very difficult, what is said; for there are indeed some lies that are very serious, and others that should be considered light sins, from which in our times I do not know if anyone can abstain throughout their entire life, unless they are an infant who does not know how to speak. Therefore, it does not seem to me that this is said about all lies: but it is a very grave lie when we lie about the things we promised in baptism. Therefore, this lie was not found in the mouths of the saints; because they endeavored to keep what they promised in baptism until the end of life. And even if there were some who committed many sins after baptism, yet no lie was found in their mouths; because they sought to erase the evil they had done through repentance and acts of charity before death: For they are without blemish. And this clearly shows that the things contained in this reading pertain not to the faithful who labor in this life, but to those who rest in heavenly seats. For who in this life can be without blemish? When the same John says: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8). However, the souls of the saints are without blemish; for if they have contracted any defilement from their worldly habitation, they are cleansed either through repentance and tears, and the works of charity, or through afflictions, or certainly after death they are purged by the purifying fire.
I have said what I have perceived. And if anyone wishes to transfer the text of this reading to the present Church, and regards it as the designated Gospel through one hundred and forty-four thousand, or preachers, or other righteous people still living in this life; let them consider that the holy Gospel is often preached not only by the chosen ones, but also by the reprobate, of whom we believe the Lord said in the Gospel: 'Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out many demons, and in your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them: Truly I say to you, I do not know you. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity (Matthew 7:22). Concerning such people, even the apostle Paul speaks, saying: There are those who proclaim Christ out of contention, not sincerely, thinking that they cause affliction with my chains (Philippians 1:17). However, if anyone determines that the sequence of this reading pertains to the virgins of the present time, namely those whom the love of God impels daily to the preservation of integrity, along with other good works, it seems to me that they possess a sound understanding in this regard. But they ought to notice that this interpretation cannot be in agreement with the fact that in this passage, the Gospel is understood as a new song; rather, it refers to a spiritual joy that grows in them from their custodianship of virginity. Therefore, no one can sing a new song except those alone; for no one is able to possess the joy of virginity except those alone who offer it daily adorned with other good works to God. Likewise, anyone who wishes to apply this sentiment to those who have deserved to ascend to the heavenly kingdom with the palm of virginity, does not differ from correct understanding: but let him know that it does not pertain to this meaning that by a new song, he understands a song that can be composed by voice, language, or lips, but rather the reward of virginity, which they deserve to receive eternally from the Lord. And no one can sing this song except those alone who have striven in this world to keep their virginity with an undefiled mind for the love of Christ, for no one receives the reward of virginity except those who have chosen to keep my Sabbaths and have held onto my covenant. I will give them a place in my house and within my walls, and I will give them a better name than sons and daughters, an everlasting name that will not perish (Isaiah 56:4-5).
(Vers. 6.)
(Vers. 6.) And I saw another angel flying through the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel, to preach to those who dwell on the earth, and to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice. Again, he briefly sums up everything, for just as he wanted to narrate the evils of the Antichrist above, he begins with the coming of Christ and the persecutions that the Church suffered from the devil, and before he reaches the Antichrist, he describes the day of judgment, desiring to describe it here as well, beginning with the coming of Christ and summarizing everything under the appearance of the three angels, and reaching the day of judgment. Indeed, this angel represents Christ and his apostles, and the other preachers of Christ. He is said to have the eternal Gospel, because the doctrine of the Gospel was given by Christ, the apostles, and the other preachers, to be preached to the nations. This Gospel is said to be eternal because it grants eternity to all who practice it. It is also said to be preached to those sitting on the earth; for the nations to whom the Gospel was preached were seeking nothing else but the earth, and had placed all their rest in it. But let us hear what that angel preaches.
(Vers. 7.)
(Verse 7.) Fear the Lord, and give him honor; for the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him, who made the heaven and earth, the sea and the fountains of water. Appropriately, he placed the fear of the Lord first, and afterward honor; for the fear of the Lord impels man to repentance: but repentance prompts him to perform good works. Therefore, we give honor to God when we perform good works, as the Lord himself says: Let your good works be seen, and let them glorify your Father, who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16). But the hour of judgment began from the time when the Gospel began to be preached. Therefore, on the day of judgment, those who heard the word of the Gospel and rejected it, refusing to accept the faith of Christ, will be judged harshly. Similarly, those who have received the faith of Christ but have not been willing to fulfill it by their actions will also be judged. For to whom much is given, much will be required. As for those who have not heard the word of God, the Lord says in the Gospel: 'Whoever does not believe is already condemned.' (John 3:18).
(Vers. 8.)
(Verse 8.) And worship Him, who made the heaven and the earth, and the sea and the fountains of water, that is, leave behind idols that are deaf, mute, and blind, and worship Him who created all things out of nothing. And another angel followed, saying. Another angel designates the doctors of the Church, who, after the persecutions ended, governed the Church of God. Babylon the great has fallen, has fallen. As we said above, Babylon represents the city of the devil, which consists of all the wicked. However, it had fallen because the all-knowing nature of the demons had been destroyed by the faith of Christ. And it is said to have fallen twice: once from the side of the persecutors, and once from the side of the devilish nature. It had intoxicated all nations with the wine of its anger. The wine of anger is the errors of the Gentiles, by which they provoked God to anger. But since Babylon is nothing other than all nations, that is, all the reprobate, how did it intoxicate all nations with the wine of its anger? But when one taught another, and he taught a third, and the third a fourth, and so the diabolical error passed on to all men, surely Babylon intoxicated all nations with the wine of God's wrath.
(Vers. 9, 10.)
(Verses 9, 10.) And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice: If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on his forehead or on his hand, he will also drink of the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of His anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. The third angel represents the preachers who will come during the time of the future Antichrist. They will preach against worshipping the Antichrist and warn people not to listen to his evil teachings or imitate his actions. Anyone who does so will be condemned to eternal punishment. The last condemnation of God's anger is designated by the wine of God's wrath, which will be inflicted on the wicked on the day of judgment. By pure wine we mean pure justice. Therefore, by wine is designated the justice of God, and by the cup we can understand the judgment of God. Therefore, the wine is mixed with pure wine in the cup of God; because the last condemnation, by which the wicked will be condemned, will be mixed with justice in the cup of God, that is, in the judgment of God; because it will be accomplished by the most just judgment of God. Therefore, the wicked will drink the wine of God's anger, when it will be said to them: Go, you cursed, into the eternal fire, which has been prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).
(Vers. 11)
(Verse 11) And they will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. Fire burns, but sulfur emits a foul odor. Those who refuse to extinguish the fire of their vices will be physically tormented by fire, and those who found pleasure in the sweet smell of lust will be tormented by the stench of sulfur. They will be tormented in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb, that is to say, they will be tormented in the sight of those for whom they did not fear to commit many evils. Neither shall they have rest day nor night, who worship the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name. Why does it say that the wicked shall not have rest, neither in the day nor in the night, when the chosen ones will possess eternal day, but the wicked will have eternal night? But it spoke in human terms.
(Vers. 12, 13.)
(Ver. 12, 13.) This is the patience of the saints, who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus: that is, such is the patience of the saints, and it brings forth such fruit as is demonstrated in the following. And I heard a voice from heaven saying to me: Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. Therefore, such is the patience of the saints who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, that they may be blessed forever. But what does it mean when it says: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord? For who can die after being dead? No one who is already dead can die again, unless they receive their soul back, so that they can die again. But those are blessed, and those in the Lord die, who die first to the world, then to the flesh: who first extinguish the old man, that is, all spiritual and carnal wickedness in themselves, so that they can say with the Apostle: The world is crucified to me, and I to the world (Galatians VI, 16). For those who die in the Lord, of whom the Lord says in the Gospel: But he who perseveres to the end, he will be saved (Matthew 24:13).
Now the Spirit says that they may rest from their labors. Now, at the time of their death, the saints will rest from their labors. For their works will follow them. How do they follow? Did not Cornelius' works precede him, to whom the angel said, 'Your prayers and your alms have been remembered before God' (Acts 10:4)? But to follow can also mean to accompany; for even an army that accompanies a king is said to follow him; while some may go ahead, others may follow, and some may walk by his right or left side. Therefore, the works of the saints follow them; for the reward of their works accompanies them forever. We can also understand this spiritually regarding those who will be killed for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ during the times of the Antichrist; for blessed indeed are those who will die for the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, since he has mentioned the punishment of those who will believe in the Antichrist and has briefly summarized the blessedness of those who will persevere in the faith of Christ until the end, it follows that he should describe the day of judgment in which all these things will be fulfilled.
(Vers. 14-19.)
(Verse 14-19.) And I saw, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, 'Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.' So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and cried with a loud cry to the one who had the sharp sickle, saying: Send forth your sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, because its grapes are ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. I have put forth almost the entire sentence, so that the twists and turns of it may be seen more clearly from every angle. For each of those angels signifies Christ: likewise, the two sickles have one meaning; for they represent the fire by which the entire world will be destroyed; for just as in the beginning of time the world was destroyed by water, so too at the end of time it will be destroyed by fire. But we must ask ourselves why one Christ is represented by two angels, and one extermination is represented by two sickles. For the first angel was seen sitting on a white cloud and having a golden crown, but it is said that the second angel neither had a golden crown nor was seen sitting on a white cloud. And the first is said to have harvested the crops of the earth, but it is not said where he placed the harvest of the earth. However, it is said that the second angel threw the clusters of the vine of the earth into the great winepress of the wrath of God. Therefore, it seems to me that the chosen ones are chosen through the harvest of the earth: however, the wicked ones are designated through the grapes, from which wine arises, which alienates the minds of men. This is the harvest about which the Lord says in the Gospel: 'At harvest time I will say to the reapers: Gather first the weeds and bind them in bundles to be burned; but gather the wheat into my barns' (Matthew 13:30). For just as there the wheat is designated, here in this place they are designated through the harvest. And those who are there represented by tares, themselves are represented in this place by the bunches of vines from the earth: and because Christ will appear differently to the righteous and differently to the unrighteous, it is not incongruous to represent him through two angels. For the righteous will see him in the same glory in which he is seen by the angels and the holy spirits in heavenly bliss; but the wicked will see him in the same form in which he appeared to humans on earth. Indeed, the wicked will be taken away so that they may not see the glory of God (Isaiah 26). Therefore, he will appear gentle to the righteous and terrifying to the unjust; hence he is described as first sitting on a white cloud and wearing a golden crown on his head. For through the white cloud, his immaculate body is symbolized; and through the golden crown, the multitude of angels and saints who will accompany him when he comes to judge is expressed. Likewise, the extermination is represented by two sickles; because the righteous will be exterminated differently than the unjust: the extermination of the righteous should rather be called redemption, as the Lord says: Look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is approaching (Luke 21:28). Redemption is called right, because it frees from temporal evils and leads to eternal joys. The extermination of the wicked will be severe here and even more severe after death; for eternal damnation and perpetual sorrow will remain in them. The righteous will receive a joyful death from the hope of eternal retribution: but the wicked, fearful of eternal damnation, will be punished by a most sorrowful death.
Then another angel came out of the temple and cried out with a loud voice to the one sitting on the cloud, 'Send out your sickle and reap; for the time to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe.' And the one sitting on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped. Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. Then another angel came out from the altar, who has authority over fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, 'Send out your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.' So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and gathered the vintage of the earth, and he threw it into the great wine press of the wrath of God. Indeed, the dryness of the harvest indicates its ripeness; for just as the harvest grows until it is ripe, when it becomes dry: so too will the number of the elect grow until the end of the world, and their maturity will be perfected then, when their number is complete. Likewise, the fourth angel, who came out from the altar, who had power over fire, has the same meaning as the second, who was seen coming out from the temple; for he signifies the chosen ones laboring in this life. But the altar signifies the Church, just as the temple does; by fire, however, we can understand charity, which the Holy Spirit nurtures in the hearts of the saints through spiritual means. The saints have power over this fire, as they possess charity and are possessed by it. Therefore, this angel called out to the third angel carrying the second sickle, whom we said represents Christ, to harvest the clusters of the vine of the earth, which symbolize the wicked. For the holy men, seeing daily how the human race is deceived by demons and how the wicked flourish and the world continually descends into worse evils, pray for the day of judgment to come, in which both the wickedness of the demons and their accomplices will perish, and all transgression, along with its transgressors, will come to an end, and eternal righteousness will be established, which will have no end. For the vineyard indeed signifies the world, which has produced and nurtured the entire multitude of the impious: but the lake, which we call infernal, is called the lake of God's wrath, because the vengeance of God's wrath will be consummated in it.
(Vers. 20.)
(Verse 20.) And the lake outside the city was trodden upon. By the treading, we can understand the submersion of the wicked into hell. And by the city, the heavenly Jerusalem is signified, which consists of all the elect. Therefore, the lake will be trodden upon outside this city because the wicked will be separated from the company of the righteous and will be thrown into hell, as the Lord says in the Gospel: 'The angels will come forth and separate the wicked from among the just, and will cast them into the furnace of fire.' There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. VII, 14).
And blood came out of the lake up to the bridles of the horses for a thousand six hundred furlongs. The punishment of the wicked is symbolized by the blood: as the blood which came out of the lake occupied a space of a thousand six hundred furlongs, false Christians are symbolized: although the number is derived from the quaternary number, it is nevertheless scattered everywhere, maintaining the same number, and never crossing its boundaries. Similarly, false Christians receive the faith of Christ, which consists of the four books of the Gospel, in baptism: but leaving the narrow and restricted path, which is enclosed within the confines of the quaternary number, that leads to life; they walk along the wide and spacious path of this world, which leads to death (Matthew 13:3). However, they do not depart from the number four, for even though they do not have the works of Christianity, they do not lose the name of Christianity. Therefore, blood came out from the lake and occupied one thousand six hundred stadia; for that punishment which will engulf demons and all unbelievers will also ensnare false Christians, who appeared to have faith but did not have the works of faith: False shepherds of the Church are designated by the horses, who undertake the task of governing not out of love for God, but out of love for the world; their false doctrine is represented by the reins by which the horses are controlled. Indeed, false shepherds have doctrine in their mouth, so that they may not appear entirely alien from their office. But following the example of the Pharisees, they say and do not do. And since they can only teach what the Gospel speaks, and in their preaching they announce the punishment that sinners will suffer unless they are corrected, the blood reaches the reins of the horses, because the punishments that they have threatened to sinners, unless they are corrected, they themselves will experience, because they did not want to abandon their vices.