5230. The things which now follow are more important than the preceding. For half a day or more it was practically calm within me, yet all around I sensed there was a great tumult. All who were higher in rank than the rest were then being gathered together, those in monasteries and in churches who had been monks, bishops, priests, prelates, up to thousands in all, and from every quarter round about. When they all were gathered together and separated from the others, it was then evident that they plotted against the Lord and thought that He has no power, and the greater part of them that the Lord does not exist, but they thought that they had all power. And it was evident that they profess belief in Him solely for the sake of exercising control, in a word, the majority of them were pure atheists, and nevertheless they are the sort who are in control of others, and they proclaim the Lord as being most holy. Then they began to persecute those whom the Lord was protecting, or in other words, who were the Lord's, for angels were sent out from heaven. They directed their attacks toward these. Then in a loud voice heard everywhere all around, it was said that they are persecuting the Lord, that they were indeed persecuting those whom the Lord sent and protects, but that they believe the Lord to be there and that they regard Him as a nothing, denying Him at heart, although in the world from their hypocrisy they worshiped Him sanctimoniously, besides doing other like things. It was then seen that many went away from them, namely all those whom they had stirred up so that they would stand on their side and fight against the Lord. These drew back, saying that they had not believed them to be such, but that they themselves acknowledge the Lord. After this all those remained who either despised or denied the Lord, and who claimed all power for themselves in the name of the Lord. There were more than ten thousand at that point, all eminent in the world.
5230. The matters which now follow, are more important than the preceding. For half a day, which speedily passed, there was, as it were, a tranquility with me; but yet I perceived that there was a great tumult round about. There were then gathered together all who have been of higher rank than the rest in monasteries and churches - monks, bishops, priests, prelates - amounting, from all sources, to myriads; and this in the whole region around. When all were gathered together, and separated from others, it then appeared that they schemed against the Lord; and that they thought that He has no power, and the greatest part of them that there is no Lord, but that they have all power: [it appeared], also, that they only profess Him to the end that they might govern. In a word, the greatest part were entirely atheistic; and yet they were such as were exalted above others, and they proclaimed the Lord as most holy. They then began to persecute those whom the Lord protected, or who were the Lord's; for angels were sent forth from heaven, and against these they directed their persecutions. It was then said, with a loud voice which was heard everywhere round about, that they persecute the Lord; in fact [they persecute] those whom the Lord has sent and protects, but they believe the Lord is in them. They also make Him of no account, and deny Him, in heart, although, from hypocrisy, they had worshipped Him most holily in the world: besides other like things. It was then seen that many withdrew from them - all those, namely, whom they called forth that they might stand on their side and fight against the Lord. Those receded, saying that they had not believed them to be of such a character; but that they themselves acknowledge the Lord. After this, there remained all those who either depreciated, or denied, the Lord, and arrogated all power to themselves, in the name of the Lord. They then numbered more than ten thousand, all eminent in the world.
5230. Quae nunc sequuntur, sunt digniora prioribus; per dimidium diem, quod excurrit, erat sicut tranquillum apud me, sed usque percipiebam quod circumcirca tumultus magnus esset, colligebantur tunc omnes, qui digniores reliquis fuerunt, qui in monasteriis, et in templis monachi, antistites, sacerdotes, praelati, undequaque ad myriades, et hoc circum ad omnem plagam; quando omnes collecti sunt, et separati ab aliis, tunc apparuit, quod machinarentur contra Dominum, et quod cogitarent quod ei nulla potestas, et maxima pars eorum quod Dominus non sit; sed quod illis omnis potestas, et quod Ipsum profiteantur solum ob causam ut imperent, verbo fuerunt maxima pars pure athei, et tamen fuerunt tales qui praefuerunt aliis, ac Dominum pro sanctissimo venditarunt; tunc coeperunt persequi illos, quos Dominus tutabatur, seu qui Domini erant, nam e coelo emissi sunt angeli, in hos dirigebant suas persequutiones, tunc alta voce dictum, quae audiebatur circumcirca ubivis, quod persequantur Dominum, quod quidem illos, quos Dominus misit et tutatur, sed quod credant ibi Dominum esse, et quod Ipsum nihili faciant, negent corde, tametsi sanctissime ex hypocrisi coluerant in mundo, praeter similia alia, tunc visum quod plures discederent ab illis, nempe omnes illi, quos excitaverunt ut a parte sua starent et pugnarent contra Dominum, illi recedebant, dicentes, quod non crediderint illos tales esse, sed quod agnoscant Dominum; postea remanserunt omnes illi qui Dominum vel vilipenderunt vel negarunt, et qui sibi arrogarunt omnem potestatem sub nomine Domini, erant plus quam myrias tunc, omnes eminentes in mundo.