5409. On the high mountain almost above me a cross appeared, like those found with the Catholic nation along their roads and elsewhere, and it was sensed that they were plotting something there. And it was made possible for me to see and know that some there were beginning to form a Babel again, which was done in the following manner: They persuaded Christians who know truths that the sign of the cross had been put there so that it might be a sign to all that they worship the Lord, who has all power in the heavens and on earth. They also made a crypt for themselves there under the cross, where they descended and concealed themselves so as to work out their criminal acts in silence, that is, in secrecy. They said, also, that they accepted the true doctrine about the Lord, about love and faith in Him, and about charity toward the neighbor, but that the care that all things be observed rightly had been entrusted to them. But it was not apparent to Christians that this was a lie, namely, that they confessed these things so that they might serve them as a means of exercising control as before. For they were the same as the ones earlier were: they strove to obtain control through holy things. Besides this they associated themselves with sorcerers and others, even with the hells who shared their goal. For the love of control for the sake of self as the goal is in hell, and they make a show of holy things so that hell might have control over heaven, on which account too the hells act as one with them.
All these, who numbered up to a thousand, were hurled into the Western sea along its northern shore.
5409. Upon a lofty mountain almost above me, there appeared the sign of the cross, as, amongst the Catholic people, in their roads and elsewhere; and it was perceived that they were attempting something there. It was given me to see, and know, that certain ones have begun to inaugurate Babel there again; which they did in this way: they endeavored to persuade those Christians who were in truths, that the sign of the Cross was placed there to the end that it might be a sign, to all, that they worshipped the Lord, to whom power over the heavens and earths belongs. They also made themselves, there, a crypt under the cross, into which they descended and concealed themselves, so that they might, thus, in silence and in hiding, elaborate their villainies. They said, also, that they accepted the true doctrine of the Lord, of love and faith towards Him, and of charity towards the neighbor; but that to them was entrusted the charge of seeing all things rightly observed. Nor did it appear to the Christians that there was deceit in this, namely, that those things are acknowledged to the end that they may serve them as a means to dominion (as before said); for such ones were like the former, 1in that they seized upon dominion by means of holy things. Moreover, they conjoined themselves with sorcerers, and with others, and also with the hells amongst which their end was; for the love of ruling for the sake of self as the end, is in hell. They also patronized holy things to the end that hell might rule over heaven wherefore, also, the hells acted in unison with them. All these, who reached the number of a thousand, were cast into the western sea next its northern shore.
Footnotes:
1. See n. 5407. -ED.
5409. Apparuit super edito monte paene supra me signum crucis, quale apud gentem Catholicam in viis et alibi, et perceptum quod aliquid ibi molirentur, et datum videre et scire, quod quidam coeperunt ibi Babelem iterum inchoare, quod factum eo modo, quod persuaderent Christianis qui in veris, quod signum crucis ideo ibi positum esset, ut esset in signum omnibus quod colerent Dominum, cui potestas in coelis et in terris, fecerunt etiam sibi ibi cryptam sub cruce, ubi descendebant et se abscondebant, ut sic in tacito seu abscondito molirentur suum facinus; etiam dicebant quod acceptarent doctrinam veram de Domino, de amore et fide in Ipsum, et de charitate erga proximum, sed quod illis concrederetur cura, quod omnia rite observarentur; nec eluxit coram Christianis, quod dolus esset, nempe quod confiterentur illa, ut servirent illis pro medio ad dominationem ut prius, nam tales erant sicut priores, quod dominium affectarent per sancta; praeterea conjungebant se cum magis, et cum aliis, etiam cum infernis, apud quos finis eorum erat, nam amor dominandi propter se ut finis est in inferno, et sancta praetexunt, ut infernum dominaretur super coelum, quare etiam inferna unum cum illis agebant. Omnes hi, qui ad mille fuerunt, conjecti sunt in mare occidentale juxta litus septentrionale ejus.