THE LETTER

...worst original: "-tia," the conclusion of the word "venenantia" (poisoning or poisonous) from the preceding page offspring of vipers: who will show you how to flee from the coming wrath of God? A reference to Matthew 3:7, where John the Baptist rebukes those seeking baptism without true repentance. Now the axe is laid at the root of the tree. For unless you are converted very, very quickly, Jesus Christ has brandished His sword against you unrepentant ones, and has bent His terrible bow. This imagery of the sword and "terrible bow" (horridum arcum) is drawn from Psalm 7:12-13, symbolizing the readiness of divine judgment.

But inside, while the holy man opened the book, you read these things: "I, Jesus Christ, Lord of all things, forgotten by Christians and the world, and most wickedly mocked and crucified every day—behold, I come very, very quickly upon the earth, brandishing a sword, and my reward is with me to give to each according to his works original: "merces mea mecum est," a direct citation of Revelation 22:12: so that I may destroy and uproot the tyranny of Satan original: "sathanæ", and once again lead my Spirit onto the earth copiously and abundantly, to the perpetual confusion of all unbelievers and those who despise my commandments, and to the eternal resurrection of my elect, for whom I chose to take on flesh and the cross..."