2638. Continuation about the threshers and saws spoken of earlier, 16 July
As to what "threshers" 1are, see earlier [2 Sam. 15:31] tools of iron, by which they are broken up into small pieces. In the other life the gang that takes pleasure in cruelty and adulteries, and inhabits the region of the left heel, in their fantasy seem to themselves to be using such tools, practicing their perpetual cruelty. Therefore David had learned of them from such spirits, or from his companions who had had visions and seen them with those spirits. And he employed the same cruelty, a purely hellish cruelty that had never been commanded him, so that they might also find out what David was like even though holy things were portrayed by him.
Footnotes:
1. NKJV has "saws."
2638. CONTINUATION, CONCERNING THE TRIBULA AND AXES OF WHICH [I HAVE TREATED] PREVIOUSLY, [ON] THE 16TH DAY OF JULY.
See above [prius] what [relates to] to the tribula; to wit, that they are vessels for triturating herbs with the iron triturating instruments there [mentioned], by which in the other life is diminished the crew [turba] that delights in cruelty and adulteries, and dwell in the region of the left heel. In their phantasy they seem to themselves to use such [instruments] to exercise [in practicing] perpetual cruelty: wherefore David learnt [this] from such spirits, or his companions who have been in visions and seen these things among such [spirits], and employed the like cruelty, that is, a more infernal [cruelty], which was never commanded him; so that they also knew of what quality David was, although by him are represented holy things.
2638. Continuatio de tribulis et serris, de quibus prius d. 16 Julius
Quid "tribula," vide prius [2615], nempe quod sint vasa trituratoria olerum cum instrumentis triturantibus ibi ferreis, quibus diminuuntur 1
, in altera vita turba quae oblectatur crudelitate et adulteriis, et habitant regionem calcanei sinistri, in phantasia sua, talibus uti sibi videntur, exercendo crudelitatem suam perennem 2
; quare David [talia instrumenta] ex talibus spiritibus, vel a sociis suis, qui in visionibus fuerunt, et ea viderunt apud tales, didicit, et simili crudelitate, nempe mere infernali usus est, quod nusquam ei mandatum, ut scirent quoque, qualis David fuit, tametsi per eum sancta repraesentantur.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has dimunuuntur
2. The Manuscript has perennem