circumferences, and acknowledged those who were in the middle as their tutor-angels. Thus they banded themselves into the form of hell.
These changes of their state were accompanied by various concussions of their dwellings and lands; which were followed by earthquakes, mighty according to their perversities. Here and there, too, gaps were made toward the hells which were under them, and a communication was thus opened with these hells. There were then seen exhalations ascending, as of smoke mingled with sparks of fire. These also were signs which, preceded, and they are understood by the Lord's words on the consummation of the Age, and afterwards on the last judgment, in the Evangelists: "Nation shall be stirred up against nation; there shall be great earthquakes in divers places; signs also from heaven, terrible and great. And there shall be distress of nations, the sea and the salt water roaring."
Visitations also were made by angels; for before any ill-constituted society perishes, visitation always precedes. The angels exhorted them to desist, and denounced destruction upon them if they did not. At the same time they sought out and separated any good spirits who were intermingled with them. But the multitude, excited by their leaders, reviled the angels, and rushed in upon them for the purpose of dragging them into some public place, and treating them in an abominable manner; just indeed as was
