ll in white, having
on white shoes, and a veil down her
face, and covered with shining hair.

15 Now I knew by my former
visions that it was the church,
and thereupon grew the more cheerful.
She saluted me, saying, Hail, O Man!
I returned the salutation, saying,
Lady, Hail!

16 She answering said unto me,
Did nothing meet you, O man!
I replied, Lady, there met me such
a beast, as seemed able to devour
a whole people; but by the power
of God, and through his singular
mercy, I escaped it.

17 Thou didst escape it well,
said she, because thou didst cast
thy whole care upon God, and
opened thy heart unto him,
believing that thou couldst be safe
by no other than by his great and
honourable name.

18 For this cause the Lord sent
his angel, who is over the beast,
whose name is Hegrin, and stopped
his mouth, that he should not
devour thee, Thou hast escaped
a great trial through thy faith, and
because thou didst not doubt for
such a terrible beast.

19 Go, therefore, and relate to
the elect of God the great things
that he hath done for thee. And
thou shalt say unto them, that this
beast is the figure of the trial that
is about to come.

20 If, therefore, ye shall have
prepared yourselves, ye may escape
it, if your hearts be pure and
without spot; and if ye shall serve
God all the rest of your days
without complaint.

21 Cast all your care upon the
Lord, and he will direct them.
Believe in God, ye doubtful,
because he can do all things;
he can both turn away his wrath
from you, and send you help and
security.

22 Woe to the doubtful, to those
who shall hear these words, and
shall despise them: it had been
better for them that they had not
been born.

23 Then I asked her concerning
the four colours which the beast
had upon its head. But she
answered me saying; Again thou
art curious in that thou asketh
concerning these things. But I
said to her, Lady, chew me what
they are?

24 Hear, said she; The black
which thou sawest denotes the
world in which you dwell. The
fiery and bloody colour signifies
that this age must be destroyed
by fire and blood.

25 The golden part are ye, who
have escaped out of it; for as gold
is tried by the fire, and is made
profitable, so are ye also in like
manner tried who dwell among the
men of this world.

26 They therefore, that shall
endure to the end, and be proved
by them, shall be purged. And as
gold, by this trial, is cleansed
and lo