head four colours; first black, then a red and bloody colour, then a golden, and then a white.
14 After that I had passed by it, and was gone forward about thirty feet, behold there met me a certain virgin, well adorned as if she had been just come out of her bride-chamber; all 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 loses its dross, so shall ye also cast away all sorrow and trouble, and be made pure for the building of the tower.
27 But the white colour denotes the time of the world which is to come, in which the elect of God shall dwell: because the elect of God shall be pure and without spot until life eternal.
28 Wherefore do not thou cease to speak these thing in the ears of the saints. Here ye have the figure of the great tribulation that is about to come; which, if you please, shall be nothing to you.
29 When she had spoken thus much, she departed; but I saw not whither she went. But suddenly I heard a noise, and I turned back, being afraid, for I thought that the beast was coming toward me.
