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Last Judgment Posthumous, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1762], tr. by John Whitehead [1914], at sacred-texts.com

Last Judgment Posthumous

[101] It was said to them that there are Mohammedans who receive the belief that the Lord is one with the Father, and that they have a heaven in which all things are happy; and that they live there from the Lord in spiritual marriage of good and truth.

[102] SOME THINGS CONCERNING THE PAPISTS. When the Last Judgment was going on, he who was Pope in the year 1738, and was then blind in his old age, dwelt on high near a city in the northern quarter; and I saw him then brought away, and carried sitting upon a litter, and sent into a secure place; and as everyone after death is first led to his own religion, and afterwards is led away from it, as far as he can be, they also, for that reason, seek for the Pope: on which account someone is always appointed, who takes on the name and the function of Pope. He was for a long time in that function after that time; but when he observed that he had no power at all of remitting sins, nor of opening heaven, and that this power was Divine, and thence the Lord's alone, he therefore began to be averse to that doctrine, and afterwards to abhor it, and he abdicated that office, and betook himself among the Christians who worship the one Lord, and is with them in heaven. I have often spoken with him; and he called himself happy, that he had embraced those truths, and had removed himself away from that idolatrous religious persuasion. He said that he revolved in his mind similar things in the world, and acknowledged in heart that the Word was holy, and that the Lord was to be worshipped; but that he could not then recede, on account of causes which he also mentioned.

[103] But it happened otherwise with his successor, Benedict XIV. He declared openly that he had confirmed in his own mind, that since the Lord had transferred all power over the heavens to Peter, He had no power at all left, and no longer any holiness. I saw him speaking with Sextus V, who was called up from below, and after the conversation sank down again. I heard him speaking many things in regard to the Word with someone concerning the Bull Unigenitus, but this is not the place to make them public. He was cunning, and at first civil, and then very sharp-sighted: he loved the Jesuits more than others, and went down to them into their hell; nor have I as yet seen him come up therefrom: and scarcely is he to come up thence, because he said that he had confirmed and established the Bull Unigenitus, and because he said that the Sacred Scripture was not equal in his mind to the papal decree, but inferior to it. When it was shown him that the Word was holy in every word, and that they were perpetual correspondences, and that thence it was for the whole heaven, he made this of no account, saying that the papal decrees were of the same holiness. But then it was said, that there is in each thing which the Pope pronounces in the Consistory, something derived from the infernal love of ruling over heaven and earth, and of ascribing to himself the Divine power, and so of being worshipped as God; and that hell, and not heaven, is in such a decree. And it was shown from what spirits it is said, and who it is that then breathe into and move the breast; that they are infernal spirits, who are not willing to believe in salvation by the Holy Spirit, 103-1 but he reasoned against those things.

[104] Louis XIV, king of France, is at this day among the happy. He was made by the Lord the governor over the best society of the French nation, over those who are arriving in the spiritual world from the world. He acts uprightly and justly, and is diligent in looking out for things useful to his subjects there. He acknowledges the Lord, and that He has power over the heavens and the earth. He reads the Word, and shuns cunning and craftiness. He said that he was such in the world. Once when I was speaking with him, he suddenly descended seemingly as if by steps, to a place below me a little in front; and it was perceived that then in vision he was as if he was at Versailles. And it was then perceived that he had come as if into a kind of sleep; and it immediately became silent around him, and also with me; which lasted two hours. Afterwards he ascended, and spoke to those who stood around him, saying that he had spoken with the king of France, his grandson, who reigns at this day; and that he exhorted him to desist from confirming the Bull Unigenitus; and he said that otherwise misfortune would come upon him. He said that he did not know whether he perceived that in clear vision, or obscure vision, which are in the thought with some emotion of the mind. This took place Dec. 13, 1759, about seven or eight o'clock.

[105] After the Last Judgment, the Babylonians were for a long time gathered together upon mountains in the west as before. The reason is, that a spirit after death can go nowhere else than the place where his life is. They were thus there upon mountains, where a part made to themselves as it were new heavens. But as soon as it was calculated that there were about two hundred there, they were cast down into the hells, as before; and this was done until all things were reduced into such order; and no one after death can go anywhere but into his own hell; nor can a part remain upon the earth there; and this is done when those places are taken possession of by societies, where they are in the acknowledgment and adoration of the Lord. [106] The southern quarter, where the richest were, and where the great city of the Jesuits is, which quarter was altogether overturned, as may be seen from the description of the Last Judgment, is still a desert land; and I saw the monks there sometimes, who, as they had heard that treasures were hidden away there, still flocked thither for the purpose of exploring; but in vain.

[107] Nor do they still desist from sending out their emissaries into the Reformed Christian world, for the purpose of seducing as in the world. They are monks, who thirst solely for gain and who aspire to supreme, yea Divine, power and who are so barren that they know nothing at all of Divine truth; but yet they prevail over others by cunning; nevertheless they are investigated, and those who have been investigated are miserably punished.

[108] It was shown me to the life, why Babel or Babylon was called Lucifer, son of the dawn, Isa. 14 and Gen. [11:1-9]. That by Lucifer there Babel is meant, is manifest from what precedes and follows there, concerning which the things there may be quoted. And that Babel in the beginning adored the Lord, and observed the commandments more than others, bearing domination in the mind; but that in process of time domination becomes the head, and at length endeavors to drag the Lord Himself from His throne, and to place itself thereon.

[109] The women and virgins who have lived in convents, and have thought lascivious things, and still more those who have done lascivious things, are cast into hells where there are direful things. But they who have cultivated piety alone, and have not done any work, are divided among the adherents of their own religion, to act as servants, learning that bare piety in idleness does not conduce to salvation. But they who were diligent and loved to work, are allotted places among those women in the churches, with whom it is well. They who have been diligent in the convents, by serving others there in various ways, as to food, clothing, and other functions there, and who did these things from charity and affection, are conducted away beyond that mountain into the confines between the south and west, and form a society, which is protected from infestations from the men, and they are sent to those who teach the truths of faith; for they are more teachable than others.

[110] There was a vast multitude of Papists dwelling to the east, occupying all those mountains, 109-1 even from the eastern quarter to the southern, who introduced themselves to the Gentiles upon the mountains and plains there. All that multitude was transferred by a direct way to the west, where a settlement was given them upon hills and plains for a great extent. They were those who had lived in goods, although not in truths, who had performed good works according to their religion, and were of that genius that they would not injure others, nor plot evils. That they desired truths is manifest from the fact that while they were on the way they appeared as if they were borrowing silver and garments, as the sons of Israel did from the Egyptians; by which was signified that they desired truths, and were receiving them from them; from those who do not do anything good.

[111] The vast multitude was explored as to the quality of its affection of truth from good, and at the same time whether they had lived in the good of charity. That exploration was seen as a sudden and instantaneous transference to various quarters. They who were in the middle remained there; because they were in the affection of truth, and wished to be imbued with the truths of faith. The rest were sent back, that they might first be instructed below by their own people, who had been upright monks, and at the same time had been in some doctrine of truth from the Word; and they were afterwards transferred to those of the Reformed, who, on account of a life according to the truths of the Word, were angelic spirits.

[112] I also saw a vast multitude of the Catholic nation, who had been hidden away and reserved by the Lord for a long time, and were reserved from the idolatrous contagion of the others; because they had lived well, and had acknowledged the Lord: and some were transferred to the south, some to the east, some to the west, and some to the north, that they might form some heavenly society, and be further instructed. For this end angels were sent to them, not only to instruct them, but also to guard them from the cunning and deceitful of their own nation, and from the influx out of their hells. In a word, many and great societies were instituted out of Catholics, and partly inserted into societies where the Word is read freely and the Lord is adored. If, after being instructed, they have received the truths of faith in the good of love, they are elevated thence into heaven. It is not their fault that they were born there. All their infants are in heaven: but these are ignorant of the falsities of their parents, not knowing that they are such; and they are educated under the Lord's auspices by the angels.

[113] The most malicious of the Roman Catholics become the most stupid, for the reason that when malice penetrates all the interiors of the mind, and destroys all spiritual truth, they then first become insane, and afterwards stupid, and are sent under the earth between the west and the north. When anyone passes to that place, great stupor occupies his thought, and torpor his body. Many of them were worshippers of the devil, and had books where the doctrine of the worship of them was contained. One or two of their books were taken from them and read before others. The doctrinal teaching was this: that they petition God the Father to excuse them for betaking themselves to the devil; because they petitioned for help from God the Father, and had not obtained it, knowing that they get help from the devil; on which account they betake themselves to him, calling him their patron. Another book was opened, written with various characters and flexures, and being deciphered, taught that they had nothing from the Divine, but all from the devil. Being asked the reason they said, that they had not obtained from God by prayers their request that they might rule as in the world, over the souls of men and over the goods of that earth. It was told them that no one obtains this by prayers. Being detected, at first they became insane, and were cast down from the mountain on which they were, from the southern side of the mountain, into a direful hell where the worshippers of the devil are; and their houses collapsed together into heaps. One of them ran to me, and he was dusky like a devil.

[114] Those of them who are upright by nature, cannot dwell together with those who have attained spiritual uprightness from the affection of truth; for those who are upright from any natural uprightness are easily seduced. They believe all things, even things of cunning, and adore idols; on which account also they are among those who serve others as handmaids and servants; by whom they are guarded, lest they should be approached by the monks.

[115] THE AFRICANS. There are, among the blackest of the Africans, those who love to be punished and treated harshly; and who come into heaven, saying afterwards that they detest blackness, because they know that their souls are white and their bodies black.

[116] I have heard it announced that at this day a church is being established with many in Africa, and that revelations are made at this day; and that they are receptive of the Heavenly Doctrine, especially concerning the Lord.

[117] I was conducted through several regions in front towards the left. Afterwards I saw a great palace, and a spacious court there. A certain one spoke with me there, saying that a revelation had been promised, and that he was expecting it. And then something luminous appeared in obscurity, which was an indication that now there will be a revelation. And as I was attending, I heard that they were expecting a revelation concerning Christ, whom they call the Only Man, from whom every man is a man. And one of the angels then spoke with them, and instructed them concerning the Lord, that He is the only God. They replied that they perceived this, but not as yet that He was born a man. But when they were instructed by the angels, they understood this also, saying, that this was done for the sake of the salvation of the human race. Moreover, they knew many things respecting heaven and hell, of which Christians are ignorant. It was said that they were Africans. I was afterwards conducted thence towards the right, where I heard them saying that they had expected a revelation, and that angels were now speaking with them from the Lord, and were instructing them concerning the Lord, with the promise that they were about to receive the Heavenly Doctrine. These said that it could not be otherwise than that God, the Creator of the universe, should appear in the world, because He created men, and loves them; and that His appearing must be made even to the ocular sight in the human form.

[118] It was afterwards shown in obscure vision how the Heavenly Doctrine would proceed in Africa; namely, towards the interior parts, even to the middle of it; and that it would then proceed towards those who were at, the sides on the Mediterranean Sea, but not to the coast; and then, after a time, would turn itself back towards Egypt. Thereupon the angels were glad, that there was now the Lord's coming anew, and that a New Church was being established, with whom they could be conjoined. That doctrine does not extend as far as to the Africans that dwell near the coasts, since the Christians come thither, who insinuate scandals, and who have a human and not a Divine idea concerning the Lord. The Africans are more receptive of the Heavenly Doctrine than others on the earth, because they freely receive the doctrine concerning the Lord, and have it as if implanted in themselves that God will altogether appear as a man. They are in the faculty of receiving the truths of faith, and especially its goods, because they are of a celestial disposition. It was told them that a prediction was made by the Lord concerning His coming, and concerning the New Church after the old one; and that His appearing is made through angels who teach.

[119] I was conducted again to the Africans by a way running first to the north and afterwards to the west; and I saw there as it were a palace, where someone walked; and afterwards higher up, where I stopped, and heard a vast number sent forth out of the Christian heaven to those who were Africans; and those were there who in the world had lived according to their religion and had acknowledged one God under the human form. It was told them that he who has lived in good according to religion is also in the affection of truth, because the good of life desires nothing more than truth; for it desires to know how one is to live well. Thence they rejoice when they are informed; and that all such receive truths from the Lord, and are enlightened according to the quality and quantity of their good of life: this they acknowledged, and were glad. The African race can be in greater enlightenment than others on this earth, since they are such that they think more interiorly, and so receive truths and acknowledge them. Others, as the Europeans, think only exteriorly, and receive truths in the memory; nor do they see them interiorly from any intellectual light, which they do not acknowledge in matters of faith. I said there, that few Christians live according to religion, but only according to the civil laws, and live well morally for the sake of fame, honor, and gains; and that they rarely think of living according to their doctrinals; believing also that they are saved by the faith of doctrine, and not by the life: on which account they have no doctrinals of life. At this the Africans wondered exceedingly, not being willing to believe that it is so; believing that there is no man who does not live according to his religion; and if not, that he cannot but become stupid and evil, because he then does not receive anything from heaven.

[120] All are explored after death as to what idea they have concerning God. That idea is the chief of all, because conjunction with the Lord and conjunction with heaven is according to it, and all of the love and faith of the church is hence according to it, because the Divine is the all of the church, yea, is God: hence the all of the church with a man is from his idea of God: such as that idea is, such is heaven to everyone. The Africans also differ from each other according to their idea of God. Some worship an invisible God, and some a visible one: some make of them two, and some make of them one and the same. Some have been instructed by Christians that God was born a man, and they receive this; and when they hear that they distinguish the Divine into three Persons, they go away, believing, however, that the Christians, although they say three, still think of one: for they do not comprehend what a Son born from eternity is. Some, who are the best of them, believe that God is altogether a Man. They say that those who believed that God was born a Man, formerly saw a bright star in the air. The wiser of them believe that God was born a Man in the world, and so manifested Himself.

[121] It was said that in a certain region of Africa there is from ancient times a book which they regard as holy. It is written by correspondences in a similar manner as the Word is with us.

[122] A certain priest, who had supposed that the idea of the Divine Human is not given with anyone, was transferred into societies of Africans, and he found that they had no other idea than that of the Divine Human.

In Abyssinia, in Africa, they have some psalms written in a style similar to that of our Word, and they sing them in their temples, and spirits are sensible of communication therefrom. In the spiritual sense they treat of one God, the Redeemer of the human race; but these things have been treated of before, where the Word is spoken of, Spiritual Experiences [n. 5947].

[123] It has been granted me to speak with African spirits on various subjects, and they perceived all the truths of the church with a clear perception; and when the Word was presented to them, they understood it as to the internal spiritual sense, and carried it to their elders, who said that they have a Word with them, and that it is most holy.

[124] They afterwards showed me the quality of those who are in Africa, which they know from the societies of that race in the spiritual world; namely, that interiorly in Africa are the best and the wise: that those that are not good are near the Mediterranean Sea, also near Egypt, and at the Cape of Good Hope. The tract where the good are, lies from Ethiopia towards the middle, into which part strangers from Europe are not admitted; and if they enter, and are not willing to perform service, they sell them to the Asiatics; and they said that at this day some speak with Africans in the world, and instruct them orally; and that their speech with them falls especially into their interior perception; and that they perceive the influx, and so receive the revelation with enlightenment; and that such speech is with their instructors, in whom they have confidence.

[125] THE GENTILES. Concerning the lot of nations and peoples outside the church, see what has been written in Arcana Coelestia (n. 2589- 2604), and in the work on Heaven and Hell (n. 318-328); also something in the little work on The Last Judgment (n. 47-51). That a new heaven has been formed both from Christians and from Gentiles, and also the Lord's Church on earth, see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem (n. 3, 244-246).

[126] About the time of the Last Judgment, Christians appeared there in the middle, where they were arranged at a distance from the center 2 to the circumference, and also at the various quarters according to the light of truth from the love of good. Around this middle were seen the Mohammedans arranged in like manner at the various quarters, near to the Christians according to the light of truth from good. Outside this compass were seen the Gentiles arranged according to their religion and according to life therefrom. All have similar lands divided into mountains, hills, rocks and valleys, and above them are expanses where dwell the best of them who have received from angels truths of doctrine concerning the Lord and concerning life. Beyond them appeared as it were a sea, which was the boundary. All these circuits taken together are extended not in a plane but in a globe like the earth, so that when I was conducted to the Gentiles, after passing through the Mohammedans, I descended by a declivity.

[127] When the Last Judgment was going on, those who were in the western quarter beyond the Mohammedans, were led away towards the east. They were led, not by a circuit, but above the northern plane of the Christians, and, what I wondered at, on high, so that they were transferred by a way above the Christians, and yet did not communicate with them. And they were then allotted places around the Mohammedans at the east and also at the south. On both sides of where the Mohammedan heavens are, there appeared openings descending into the depths. Thither were cast those of them who were evil, who had worshipped idols, and had thought nothing about God, and at the same time had lived an evil life. [128]. There is also a similar chasm on the northern side of the Mohammedan desert. Into this were cast the worst, and also many of the Roman Catholic religion who had worshipped the images of saints, and had thought nothing at all about the Lord. These latter were gathered from the northern quarter under the mountains there and were mingled with the Gentiles because they are similar. I then saw the whole northern valley even to the mountains there torn up to its foundations, and all who were there, scattered, and then there appeared in that place as it were a smokiness.

[129] I was afterwards led beyond the Mohammedans to certain Gentiles who were in the eastern quarter, with whom it was granted to speak. They said that they were sad because the Divine does not appear to them, when yet they think of the Divine and speak about it; and, therefore, if there is a God [they had hoped] that He would send to them those who would teach them; but that they had long waited for this in vain, lamenting that perchance He had deserted them, and that thus there seemed nothing else for them but to perish. And then I heard angels speaking with them out of heaven, saying that God could not have been manifested to them because they had not been willing to believe that God was born a man in the world, or that He had taken on a Human, and that until they believe this, God cannot be manifested to them, nor can they be taught, because this is the primary thing of all revelation. They said that they did indeed believe that God is Man but that they could not comprehend that He was born Man in the world. But answer was made them, that He was not born Man like any other man, since He was not born from a human father, but from the Father Jehovah, and by a Virgin, and that thus He was unlike any other man; for a man's soul from a human father is a recipient of life, but the Lord's soul from the Father Jehovah is life itself, which gives life to all; and that the difference is as between the human and the Divine, and the finite and the infinite, or the create and the uncreate; and because He was such as to His soul, it could not be otherwise than that His body should become like His soul, after He had rejected that of the body which He had taken from the mother; and that therefore He rose as to His whole body, nor did He leave anything of it in the sepulcher, as is the case with every other man, who rises only as to his spirit, and never as to his material body. And further, it was said that the Divine itself, as it is in itself, which is infinite, could not have done otherwise than reject the finite which was from the mother, and put on the infinite from the Father, thus the Divine. They said that they had known no other than that He was like any other man born from a human father, and also that He so died, and was afterwards received by men as God, and that they now know that the Lord is not such a man as others are. After they received these things they were divided, and those who had received the faith were instructed by angels in other matters of faith and love.

[130] I was conducted to those who in the world had known nothing about God, but who nevertheless had led a moral life amongst each other; they were said to live on a certain island. They appeared to me not like men but like apes and yet with a human face. 129-1 They so appeared because they knew nothing about God, and the Divine is in the likeness of a man. One of the Christians is set over them by the Lord. I have spoken with him, and he said that they obey him and love him; that they are modest and are engaged in employments, but that at first they could hardly comprehend the things of religion. But after some time, there was given them a nearer communication with the Christians, and they are beginning to receive something of religion, and he cherished the hope that they could be reformed, for the reason that they had lived a moral life, and are in obedience and are industrious. As to similar people elsewhere, see below. 129-2

[131] There were likewise seen others, who had lived in an island in the West Indian seas, who had no thought at all about God, thus no religion, and who yet had lived together in a sincere and friendly way. It was told me, that at first they appear destitute of rationality, but that nevertheless, because they had contracted no false principles against religion, some of them suffer themselves to be instructed like infants, and they are perfected. It was shown that the delight of their life was to will to serve others under others. Some wealth was once given them, but they offered it to the angel who was instructing them, in order that he might receive them as his servants, that thus they might be instructed as to how they should live. It is an angelic delight to inform such spirits and to lead them to heaven.

[132] I was once in a sweet sleep, and when I awoke I saw around me some Chinese, 131-1 and I noticed that they sat with their legs crosswise, and were talking with each other. And it was ascertained that they had been sent to me by the Lord in order that I might know of what quality many of them are. The angels said that the delightfulness of my sleep had inflowed from the fact that angels had been speaking with them about God and about the wonderful things of wisdom, and that they had been so delighted at this that they had been in the tranquillity of some celestial peace; and that evil spirits could not approach, because they were of a spiritual celestial genius.

[133] There were with me some spirits from Tartary, 132-1 who dwelt outside the Chinese wall, saying that their country is populous; nor do they know anything about war, saying that they are without the love of reigning and that they give the government to those who say they can rule and govern, but if he cannot, he is rejected with a fine; those who do what is right and just are loved. They said that all are engaged in work, and that the lazy are cast out. They say that sometimes Christians come to them, and they marvel at their sayings that God is a Man, for they believe that all men know this. They also say that they have the commandments of the Decalogue, and that they live according to them because God so wills. They said that they have a holy book of which others do not know, and which they understand. Inquiry was made, and it was the Psalms of David. They call the Chinese their friends because they are of their nation; nor do they think of war, saying that if any strangers should come, then, unknown to them, they would all depart, taking their provisions with them. I also saw a Christian preacher with the spirits of that region. They are of a tranquil disposition.

[134] THE LAST JUDGMENT ON THE PROTESTANTS OR REFORMED. Before the Last Judgment which was a general one, less general judgments preceded which might be called preparatory, by which those who were more exteriorly evil were cast into hells. It should be known that between the judgment effected by the Lord when He was in the world, and that of the judgment which is now effected, spirits who had outwardly lived a moral life, and had confessed God with the lips but not interiorly or in heart, had ascended upon mountains and hills and had there made for themselves, as it were, heavens, where by various arts, which are very numerous in the spiritual world, all of them unknown in our world, they had ascended on mountains; so that the world of spirits which is mediate between heaven and hell had been filled up with such heavens, and thereby the communication of the Lord and heaven with the human race had been intercepted. This also was the reason why the spiritual things of the Word and of doctrine therefrom were not disclosed until after the Last Judgment, for by the latter the world of spirits was purified and communication with man opened. If the spiritual things of the Word and of doctrine therefrom had been disclosed before, they would not have been received nor understood; and if they had been received and understood, still hell, which then prevailed, would have secretly snatched them away from men's hearts and have profaned them. Those fictitious heavens are meant in Revelation by the heaven and earth which passed away. These could pass away, but our visible heaven, which is the firmament of all things, was so created that it cannot pass away, for if this should pass away, the angelic heavens would also pass away. It would be as when the foundation is taken away from a palace, or the base from a column, whereby the house and the column would fall. For there is a connection of all things from the first to the last, from the Lord Himself to His last work which is the visible heaven and the habitable earth. The case would be similar if the human race were to perish, for thus, for a like reason, the angelic heavens would also fall to ruin.

[135] Before the Last Judgment I often saw societies, which had made for themselves semblances of heavens, purged and also destroyed. There was one rock on which was quite a large city, where those were who were in faith separate from charity, believing as in the world, that faith alone saves, and this from mere mercy whatsoever the life may have been. They were in the lust of commanding; and therefore they stood at the sides of the rock, and in various ways infested those who were beneath. When visitation was made, and all there were found to be of such a character, I saw that the rock sank down into the depths together with the hill and the inhabitants. The like was done elsewhere. But prior to this being done, the good are separated from the evil, and the evil are in the middle; and then the middle sinks down while the borders remain; in the borders are those who are in the good of faith, that is, who are in charity.

[136] All who have not denied God with the lips, although they have in the heart, and have led a moral life on account of the civil laws and also on account of reputation and consequent honors and gains, when they come into the other life betake themselves into societies where there are cities; and there as in the world they live well morally, from fear of punishment and of the loss of honor and gain. But when their externals are taken away from them, and they are let into their internals, they rush into infamous crimes. But when the wicked increase in number the society is then perverted; wherefore angels are then sent thither who search out the state and separate the good from the evil; and the good are either sent to the sides of the society or are taken away. Then the city with the evil sinks down into hell, to a depth according to their wickedness. Once I saw that four angels were sent to such a city, who when they came thither entered into a house; 135-1 but the criminal spirits who were there, being excited by their presence into interior malice, as takes place, rushed to the house where the angels were, shouting out to them, Did they wish to come out and commit whoredom? They wished to urge them to it, and even attempted to offer violence, but in vain; in a word, they did like what was done in Sodom. And that city was completely destroyed and its inhabitants cast into hells. The reason why they wished to lead them forth to commit whoredom, was because in that city were gathered those who in the world had accounted adulteries as allowable; also because they had been in falsities of doctrine, by reason of having regarded life as of no account; moreover, to confirm these things they had falsified the Word, and all those who falsify the Word in order to confirm evils of life and falsities of doctrine, account adulteries as allowable and are led into them.

[137] I also saw a rock on which there had been such a city; torn up from its place and carried away to another place at a remarkable distance; it appeared carried away like a cloud. And when it came to that place I saw that it also sank down, because there was their hell. The inhabitants had been first reduced into a state of stupor.

[138] A great number of those who are in faith separate from charity betake themselves to rocks; while those who are in the love of self betake themselves to mountains which are higher than the rocks. Hence it is that in the Word, a rock signifies faith, and a mountain love. And when, before the Last Judgment, the evil had been thus gathered together upon rocks and upon mountains, first there were suddenly felt concussions and earthquakes, by which are meant perversions of state in respect to the church, and afterwards follows the overturning, which is effected either by sinking, or by carrying away, or by casting out and thus thrusting down into hell. On the mountains and hills upon which are angels, the wisest are in the middle and the less wise at the circumferences; but on those upon which are the evil, the worst are in the middle and the better at the circumferences. The sinking in the middle appears like a vortical gyration, but in a spiral.

[139] There was a plain somewhat more elevated than the valley. In this plain was congregated a multitude of spirits who had learned to practice evils by means of cunning, and to station themselves invisible behind others, and thus force them to think and speak what they wish them to, yea evils and falsities. They have contracted these arts by reason of their having been in the insane love of ruling over others. As it was then disclosed that their wickedness was consummated, their destruction followed. The whole of that plain was overturned; and the earth was then opened elsewhere and there rose up good spirits who had been kept concealed by the Lord in the lower earth and guarded lest they should be infested by the evil; and they succeeded in place of the former, and came in full number into possession of their land. Such things are represented by the sons of Israel to whom the land of Canaan was given after the wickedness of its nations had been consummated.

[140] After many destructions and partial judgments had been executed, which were premonitory of the general destruction and judgment, and hordes of spirits who were impure had been cast into pools, 139-1 lakes, and chasms, that is into hells, then some came who were skilled in the art of breathing into others and exciting them to evils of interior thought. They incited some souls against the Lord and against Divine truth from Him, and from these the multitude, like one mass, began to be fermented. The tumult spread thence in every direction, as when a rebellion is started by a few persons, and yet at length stirs up a crowd. I there saw the disturbance widely spread to many rocks and mountains, even to their peaks, and thence to the sides down to the bases. Their intent was to destroy those who acknowledged and worshipped the Lord and were in Divine truths from Him. When it was noticed that the contagion had grown so wide, then was the Lord's coming for the general judgment. This coming was the Lord's influx into them through the heavens, an influx which appeared like a misty sphere spread around over those mountains and rocks; and it carried off the dwellers there, not by casting them down but by bearing them away. The Divine sphere entered into their interiors and laid them bare; and what lay concealed in their will and heart was thus made manifest. And it snatched them away and carried them down to hells according to the evils of their life. That Divine sphere was seen carried around in gyres, sometimes returning; and it also drew them out of the places where they had concealed themselves. This was done with some myriads within the space of an hour. When these things had been accomplished, the tops of the mountains receded, and the mountains themselves sank down even to the plain, and there was seen a solitude. Such things are meant in Revelation by the former heaven and the former earth which John saw pass away; for the mountains there, with the rocks and valleys, appear like the earth in our world; and the habitations upon the mountains are there called heavens. Those who were thus carried off and cast away, are they who are meant in Revelation by the dragon and his two beasts (Rev. 12-13), and by the false prophet who was cast into the lake of brimstone and fire (Rev. 19:20; 20:10).

[141] The judgment upon the Protestants or Reformed was effected as follows: They who had led a life of charity, which may also be called a life of faith, had all been carried up into heaven long before the universal judgment; and all who in heart had denied heaven and had led an evil life had been cast by turns into hell as they came from the world. On those only was the judgment effected, who had professed religion and had acted as if from religion but only hypocritically; to these it was conceded to gather themselves together in many places in the spiritual world, and, as in the world, to simulate religion, but still they had no religion. These are they who made heavens for themselves and who are meant by the former heaven and the former earth; and by means of arts unknown in the world they are able to produce splendid things, and to persuade those who are similar that they are in heaven. Their exteriors communicated with the ultimate heaven but their interiors with the hells; and it was on account of the communication with the ultimate heaven that they were tolerated, according to the Lord's words concerning the pulling up of the tares. The angels of the ultimate heaven were first separated from them and the communication was broken; as takes place comparatively with seeds in fruits when they ripen, in that when the time comes for them to produce a new tree they separate themselves, as it were, spontaneously from the body of the fruit.

[142] All the Protestants or Reformed of whom there was still some hope, were collected in the middle, where they were arranged according to their kingdoms in the world; for according to these were also the diversities of their dispositions or affections. But above them 141-1 and also around them were those who had read the Word and had frequented temples, but yet had made nothing of evils of life, loving themselves and the world above all things; there was an immense multitude there. Surrounding the middle region, in which were Christians who had been in the good of faith and charity, were dark caverns stretching obliquely into hells which occupied a wide space below the heaven of spirits, where were hells beneath hells. Such gulfs and chasms lay around that middle region on every side, east, west, south and north; thus the hells extended even under the circuit made by the Papists round about the Reformed. All who were interiorly evil had been disposed around the Christian middle, and from every quarter they were led down into those gulfs and cast into them. Thus, into the eastern gulf were cast those who had been collected from the east; they were such as had been in the love of self and especially in the love of ruling, nor had known anything whatever except that faith alone is saving. Into the southern gulf were cast those who had been versed in the doctrinals of faith; into the western gulf those who had been in the love of the world; and into the northern, those who had been in no understanding, but had merely heard preachings and had received no instruction afterwards.

[143] Those at the south were led down first, then those at the west, and, lastly, those at the east. This happened at the same time that the eastern Papists were being led down beyond the northern tract.

[144] When this had been done their dwellings were laid waste and destroyed.

[145] Afterwards I saw an immense number of those who had lauded faith alone, and yet had possessed no faith because they had paid no attention to the evils of their life, both the learned and the unlearned, saying that they have the Word and the true doctrine, that they know the Lord, and many other things, and that, therefore, they, above others, would be saved. They were led away in a multitude, first to the west, afterwards to the south, on the other side of the waste Babylonish tract there, and even towards the east and still farther. 144-1 And they were divided; [some] were scattered towards the north, nor were they seen anymore. And many were led back, but hither and thither; this transfer was effected in order that they might be explored as to whether they had any faith such as they had boasted of; namely, whether their faith was only a science, which is not faith; or, whether there was anything of life in it, which is faith. And it was given them to perceive that they had had no faith, but only something scientific without life.

[146] When they were in the southern quarter near a gulf there, there came forth a multitude which had been concealed there from early times, who likewise said that they had had faith, and that they would be saved by reason of faith alone, and they had thought nothing about life. This multitude then approached them and was mingled with them.

[147] From a certain mountain region a multitude was brought forth, who had led a moral life, not from any religion, but merely from fear of the law and of the loss of fame, honor and gain; thus without any Christian life; wherefore, so far as they could do it unknown, they perpetrated evils. Because they had not acquired to themselves any communication with heaven by means of a life from religion, they were led around to the southern and western quarters, that they might be explored as to whether they had any religion of life; and because they had none, they were rejected.

[148] Finally came those who had been versed in the doctrinals of the church, and, in like manner, had led a moral but not a Christian life, because they had lived, not from doctrine, or the Word, but for the sake of fame, thus before men and not before God. And, being explored [it was seen] that they had nothing of conscience, because nothing of the religion of life. These were cast out of that mountain region.

[149] All these, who were divided into the three classes, were driven so far away that they could not be seen except as a dark cloud; and they were dissipated. It was told me from heaven that they were cast down into uninhabited and desert places, and thus were separated lest they should consociate together.

[150] The dispersion of these three classes was made to all the quarters, east, south, west, and north, whence they can never return; and this all the more, since every knowledge of religion is taken away from them. Concerning life in deserts, see elsewhere.

[151] The angels wondered that there is so great a multitude in the Christian world who are entirely ignorant of the truth that religion is a matter of life, imagining that religion consists in thinking something or other, and that by thus thinking they absolve themselves from every obligation of life, which they have made up from this: that, by the Lord's merit, they are exempt from the yoke of the law, and that no one can do good from himself, and that if he does, it is meritorious: and yet this is so far from religion of life that it is no religion at all.

Footnotes

103-1 Tafel has, qui non volunt credere salutem per spiritum sanctum. The reading is doubtful. Acton translates it, "Who at heart wish to be saluted as the Holy Spirit."

109-1 See SE 5341-5343.

129-1 See SE 5822.

129-2 See SS 116; SE 393, 5822.

131-1 See AC 2596; SE 6067.

132-1 See SE 607; R 11; T 279; Coro 39.

135-1 See SE 4932

139-1 In the M.S. stagna is written twice; in SE 5202, lacus, "lakes," is given in place of the second stagna.

141-1 See SE 5347.

144-1 See SE 5355, 5535, 5538.