655、在此我附上这段见闻：
我曾与那些在启示录中被“龙”所指的人谈话。其中一人对我说：“你跟我来，我要让你看看我们眼中的快乐和心中的愉悦。”他领我穿过一片茂密的森林，上了一座小山，从那里我可以看到龙们的快乐。我看见一个呈圆形剧场形状的场所，四周有阶梯式座位，逐级向上建造，上面坐着观众。坐在最低层座位上的人，从远处看像是萨梯和普里阿普斯，有的用遮盖物遮住私处，有的则赤裸无遮。在他们上面的座位上坐着淫荡男女（我从他们的举止看出他们是那样的人）。
龙对我说：“现在你来看看我们的游戏。”我看见仿佛有公牛、公羊、绵羊、山羊和羔羊被放进场地。它们被放入后，一道门打开了，就像年轻的狮子、豹子、豺狼冲了进来，疯狂地攻击羊群，撕咬并杀死它们。血腥屠杀之后，那些萨梯们把沙土撒在屠杀之处。龙对我说：“这就是我们的游戏，它们使我们的心快乐。”我回答说：“滚开，魔鬼！过不了多久，你就会看到这剧场变成一个火与硫磺的湖。”他笑了笑，就走了。
后来我心中思忖，为何主允许这些事发生。我心中得到一个回答：它们被允许发生，是在他们还处于灵界的时候；但当他们在那个世界的时间结束后，这些戏剧场景就会变成可怕的地狱景象。所见的一切，都是龙类通过幻想所引发的；因此并非真的是公牛、公羊、绵羊、山羊和羔羊，而是他们使教会纯正的良善与真理如此显现，因为他们仇恨这些东西。那些年轻的狮子、豹子、豺狼，是那些看起来像萨梯和普里阿普斯之人内心欲望的显现。那些没有遮盖私处的人，是相信恶行在神面前不显现的人；那些有遮盖的人，是相信恶行虽会显现，但只要他们有信仰，就不会被定罪的人。淫荡男女是歪曲圣言真理的人，因为“淫乱”象征对真理的歪曲。在灵界，一切事物都按照对应关系从远处显现；当它们以形态显现时，被称为灵性事物在类似自然对象中的表象。
后来我看见他们从森林中出来，龙在萨梯和普里阿普斯中间，随从和仆役（即淫荡男女）跟在后面。队伍在路上不断壮大。这时我听见他们彼此交谈。他们说，看见草地上有一群绵羊和羔羊，这预示着耶路撒冷诸城中有一座以仁义为首要的城就在附近。他们说：“我们去占领那座城，赶出居民，掠夺他们的财物。”他们走近了，但见城周围有一道墙，墙上有守护的天使。于是他们说：“我们用诡计占领它。派一个精通暗语的人去，他能把黑的洗白，把白的染黑，能把任何东西涂上表面颜色。”他们找到了一个精通形而上学技艺的人，他能把事物的观念转变为术语的观念，把事物本身隐藏在公式之下，像鹰爪抓着猎物一样飞走。他被指示如何与城里的人说话，说他们是在信仰上同属一体的，请求被接纳。
他来到城门前敲门。门开了，他说想与该城最有智慧的人谈话。他进去后被带到一个人面前，对他说：“城外有我的弟兄们，请求被接纳。我们在信仰上是同属一体的；你们和我们都将信仰和仁义视为宗教的两个本质。唯一的区别是，你们说仁义是首要的，信仰由此而来；我们说信仰是首要的，仁义由此而来。既然两者都被相信，说哪一个为首要又有什么区别呢？”城中的智者回答说：“我们不要单独谈这事，要在多人面前谈，让他们作评判和裁决，否则无法决定。”于是他们召聚了众人。龙派来的那人向他们说了同样的话。
城中的智者回答说：“你说，无论以仁义还是以信仰作为教会的首要，只要承认两者共同构成教会及其宗教，就没有区别。然而，其区别如同先与后、原因与结果、主要与工具、本质与形式之间的区别。我说这些，是因为我看出你精通形而上学技艺——我们称这技艺为暗语，有人称之为咒语。但我们暂且放下那些术语。其区别如同在上与在下之间的区别；甚至，如果你愿意相信，其区别如同天堂与地狱之间的区别。因为那首要的构成头和胸，那由此而来的构成脚和脚掌。但让我们先确定什么是仁义，什么是信仰。仁义是为神、为得救和永生而对邻舍行善的爱之情感；信仰是从对神、得救和永生的信靠而来的思维。”
那使者说：“我承认这是信仰，我也承认仁义是为神（因为祂的诫命）而有的那种情感，但不是为得救和永生。”城中的智者说：“只要是为神，就暂且这样吧。”达成这共识后，城中的智者说：“情感不正是首要的，思维不是由它而来的吗？”龙派来的使者说：“我否认这点。”但他得到回答：“你不能否认这一点。人难道不是从情感来思考吗？拿走情感，你还能思考什么？这就像从言语中拿走声音：如果你拿走声音，你还能说什么？声音来自情感，言语来自思想，因为情感发声，思维说话。这也像火焰与光：如果你拿走火焰，光不就消失了吗？仁义也是这样，因为它是情感；信仰也是这样，因为它是思维。难道你不能这样理解：首要的一切都在次要之中，正如声音在言语之中吗？由此你可以看出，如果你不把首要的当作首要的，你就不能拥有那次要的。因此，如果你把居于第二位的信仰放在首位，你在天堂里看起来就像倒立的人，脚在上、头在下，又像以手倒立行走的变戏法的人。当你们这样出现在天堂时，你们的仁义之善行（即你们的仁义）会变成什么样呢？岂不是像那变戏法的人用脚所行的，因为他不能用手行吗？因此，你们的仁义（正如你们所看见的）是自然的而非属灵的，因为它是颠倒的。”
使者明白了这话，因为每个魔鬼在听到真理时都能理解它；但他不能保持住，因为邪恶的情感一旦回来，就把真理的思想赶出去了。后来，城中的智者详细描述了当信仰被当作首要时，它是何等的纯自然的，何等的纯粹知识而没有任何属灵的生命，因此它根本不是信仰。“因为你们的仁义无非是自然的情感，而从自然的情感所发出的思想，只能是自然的思想，也就是你们的信仰。我几乎可以说，在纯自然的信仰中，属灵的东西几乎不比关于蒙古王国、那里的钻石矿以及君王的宝藏和宫殿的知识更多。”
龙派来的人听了这些话，愤怒地离开了，向城外的人报告。当他们听说仁义被定义为“为神、为得救和永生而对邻舍行善的爱之情感”时，全都喊道：“这是谎言！”龙自己也说：“啊呀，岂有此理！为得救而行的善行（即仁义），不都是求功德的吗？”于是他们彼此说：“我们再从我们的人中召集更多人来，围困这城。我们造梯子爬上城墙，夜里冲进去，把那些仁义者赶出去。”但就在他们图谋的时候，忽有火从天降下，烧灭了他们。那从天降下的火，是出于对他们的愤怒和仇恨的表象，因为他们把信仰从首位降到了次位；他们被火吞噬的表象，是因为地狱在他们脚下裂开，他们被吞没了。
在最后审判之日，许多地方都发生了类似的事。这就是启示录中这些话所象征的：
龙出来要迷惑地上四方的列国，叫他们聚集争战。他们上来遍满了全地，围住圣徒的营与蒙爱的城，就有火从天降下，烧灭了他们。（20:8-9）
655、对此，我补充以下难忘的事：
我与启示录中的龙所指的那些人中的一些人交谈；其中一个人对我说：“跟我来，我要把我们眼中和心里的快乐指给你看。”于是他带我穿过一片幽暗的森林，爬上一座小山，我从山顶可以看到龙们的快乐。我看到一座马戏团形式的圆形露天剧场，四周是一圈圈的阶梯座位，观众坐在上面。从远处看，那些坐在最下面座位上的人就像萨梯和普里阿普斯；其中一些人只遮住了私处，一些人则赤身裸体，没有任何遮盖。在他们上面的座位上坐着的，是嫖客和妓女；从他们的行为来看，他们在我看来是这样。然后，那龙对我说：“现在，你将看到我们的运动。”于是，可以说我看到公牛、公羊、绵羊、小山羊和羔羊被赶进马戏团的竞技场；它们进去后，大门开了，有少壮狮子、黑豹、豹子和豺狼冲了进来，狂怒地攻击畜群，将它们撕成碎片，屠杀它们。血腥屠杀结束之后，萨梯把沙子撒在屠杀的地方。
然后，龙对我说：“这些就是让我们心情愉悦的运动。”我回答说：“走开，你这恶魔！很快你就会看到这个剧场变成硫磺的火湖。”他闻言笑着走了。后来我心里想，为何主允许这样的事发生？我心里得到的答案是，只要他们还在灵人界，就被允许这样做；但当他们在灵人界的时间结束时，这些戏剧场景就会变成可怕的地狱之物。
我所看到的一切都是龙通过幻想引发的；因此，它们不是公牛、公羊、绵羊、小山羊和羔羊，而是他们所恨恶的教会的真正良善和真理，他们使这些良善和真理如此显现。少壮狮子、黑豹、豹子和豺狼是那些看似萨梯和普里阿普斯之人的欲望的表象。没有任何遮盖的人是那些以为邪恶不会出现在神面前的人；有遮盖的人是那些以为邪恶虽会出现，但只要有信，就不会定罪的人；嫖客和妓女是圣言真理的歪曲者，因为淫乱表示对真理的歪曲。在灵界，从远处看，一切都照着对应来显现，这些表象的形式被称为属灵事物在类似属世物体的物体中的代表，或说当这些对应在类似属世物体的物体中取得显现的形式时，我们就称它们为属灵事物的代表。
此后，我看见他们从森林里出来，那龙在萨梯和普里阿普斯的中间，后面跟着他们的仆人和杂役，就是那些嫖客和妓女。一路上，这帮人越来越多，然后得以听见他们正彼此谈论什么。他们在说，他们看见草地上有一群绵羊和羔羊，这是一个迹象，表明附近有一座以仁爱为主的耶路撒冷城。他们就说：“让我们去攻下那座城，赶出其中的居民，夺走他们的财物。”他们走近了，但这城周围有城墙，城墙上有守护的天使。于是他们说：“让我们用计攻下这城，派一个能言善辩的人，他可以把黑的变成白的，把白的变成黑的，给任何物体涂上他所喜欢的任何颜色。”于是，他们找到一个精通形而上学艺术的人，他能把现实概念转化为术语概念，并将现实本身隐藏在公式之下，从而像翅膀下面夹带猎物的鹰一样飞走。他被教导如何与这城的居民交谈，即：他们在宗教信仰上是团契，或说与居民有共同的宗教信仰，应该被接纳。他来到城门前敲门，城门开了，他说，他想和这城里最有智慧的人谈一谈。于是，他进去了，并被带到一个人面前；然后，他对那人说：“我的一些弟兄在城外，请求接待。他们是宗教盟友。你们和我们都把信仰和仁爱当成宗教的两个基本要素。唯一的区别是，你们说仁爱是首要的，信仰由此而来；而我们说信仰是首要的，仁爱由此而来。不过，当这两者都被相信时，是这一个还是那一个被称为首要的，又有什么关系呢？”
这城的智者回答说：“我们不要单独讨论这个问题，而是当着可以担任仲裁者和法官的那几个人的面来讨论吧，否则无法做出任何决定。”于是他们被召集起来，这龙灵的使者向他们重复了他之前说的话。然后，这城的智者回答说：“你说，只要一个人同意仁爱和信仰这两者一起构成教会及其宗教，那么被视为教会首要关注点的，无论是仁爱，还是信仰，都是一样的。然而，它们的区别就像在先之物和在后之物、原因和结果、主因和工具因、本质和形式的区别。我这样说，是因为我注意到你精通形而上学的艺术，我们将这种艺术称为嗫语或喃喃自语，有些人称之为咒语。不过，我们先放下这些术语。这种区别就像在上之物和在下之物的区别；事实上，如果你相信的话，这种区别就像天堂和地狱的区别；因为首要的构成头和胸，由此衍生之物构成脚和脚底。但先让我们在什么是仁爱，什么是信仰上达成一致。仁爱是对为了神、救赎和永生而向邻舍行善的爱之情感，信仰则是对神、救赎和永生的信心所产生的思维。”
但使者说：“我承认后者是信仰，也承认如你所说的，仁爱是为了神的一种情感，因为这符合祂的诫命，但它不是为了救赎和永生的一种情感。”这城的智者说：“那就这样吧，只要是为了神。”达成一致后，这城的智者说：“难道情感不是首要的吗？难道思维不是源于这情感吗？”但龙所派的那个人说：“我否认这一点。”不过，他得到的答复是：“你无法否认这一点。人不是出于情感来思考吗？拿走情感，你能思考什么呢？这完全就像你要把声音从言语中拿走一样。若拿走声音，你能说点什么呢？声音也属于情感，言语属于思维；因为情感发声，思维说话。这也像火焰和光。若拿走火焰，光岂不会消失？仁爱也是如此，因为它是情感；信仰亦如此，因为它是思维。你难道不能这样理解，首要事物是次要事物中的全部，完全就像声音是言语中的全部吗？由此可见，你若不把首要事物当成首要的，就不会处于次要事物。因此，如果你把处于第二位的信仰摆在第一位，那么你在天上看起来只会像一个倒立的人，脚朝上，头朝下，或像一个身体倒立、用手掌行走的小丑。当你在天上看起来是这样时，那么你的善行，也就是仁爱，是什么呢？不就是小丑用脚所做的那种吗？因为他不能用手来做。正因如此，你们的仁爱，如你们自己所看到的，是属世的，而不是属灵的，因为它是颠倒的。”
使者明白了这一点；因为每个魔鬼当听到真理时，都能理解；但他无法保留它，因为当邪恶的情感返回时，它就会抛弃真理的思维。后来，这城的智者详细描述了当信仰被视为首要的时，它是何品质，即：它是纯属世的，是纯粹的知识或科学，没有任何属灵生命；因此，它不是信仰。“你们的仁爱无非是属世的情感；从属世的情感只会发出属世的思维，这就是你们的信仰。我几乎可以说，纯属世的信仰里面几乎没有任何属灵事物，就像莫卧儿王国、那里的钻石矿，以及皇帝的宝库和宫殿的知识里面没有任何属灵事物一样。”闻听此言，龙的使者怒气冲冲地离开了，并向城外的同伴报告。当他们听说，有人说，仁爱是对为了神、救赎和永生而向邻行善的爱之情感时，都大声喊道：“这是谎言！”龙自己则惊呼：“哦！什么罪行！真是令人愤慨！一切善行，也就是仁爱，若是为了救赎而做的，岂不是邀功的，或在追求功德吗？”
然后，他们彼此说：“让我们再召集更多朋友来围攻这座城吧；让我们造梯子，爬上城墙，夜里冲进去，把这些仁爱的拥护者赶出去。”然而，当他们试图这样做时，看哪，有火从天而降，烧灭了他们。不过，从天而降的火是他们源于对这城市居民的仇恨的愤怒的表象，因为他们拒绝将信仰放在第一位，而是把它放在了第二位。他们看似被火烧灭，是因为他们脚下的地狱打开了，并吞没了他们。在最后审判之日，许多地方都发生了类似的事；这也是启示录中这些话的意思：
龙必出来迷惑在地四角的列族，聚集他们去赴战；他们上到地上的平原，围住圣徒的营与蒙爱的城；但有火由神那里从天降下，烧灭了他们。(启示录20:8, 9)
655. To this I will append the following account:
I spoke with some of the spirits meant by the dragon. And one of them said to me, "Come with me and I will show you what pleases our eyes and hearts."
Then he took me through a dark forest and over a hill, from which I could view the pleasures of the dragon spirits. And I saw an amphitheater built in the form of a circle, with sloping tiers of benches extending up all around on which spectators were sitting. Those who sat on the lowest benches looked to me at a distance like satyrs and priapi, some of them with a cloth covering their private parts, and some of them naked without one. On the benches above them sat whoremongers and harlots. So they appeared to me from their behavior.
The dragon spirit then said to me, "Now you will see our sport." And I saw what looked like calves, rams, ewes, kids and lambs brought into the arena of the circus, and after they were all there, a gate opened and I saw what looked like young lions, panthers, leopards and wolves rushing upon the flock and savagely attacking them. They tore them to pieces and slaughtered them. And after that bloody carnage the satyrs spread sand over the site where the slaughter took place.
[2] The dragon spirit said to me then, "These are our sports, which please our hearts."
But I replied, "Get away from me, you demon! In a little while you will see this amphitheater turned into a lake of fire and brimstone."
He laughed and left me. And wondering to myself afterward why the Lord permits such things, I received in my heart the answer, that they are permitted as long as spirits are in the world of spirits; but that when their time in that world is over, such theatrical scenes are turned into dreadful ones in hell.
[3] Everything that I saw was a sight induced by the dragon spirits through beguilements. There were no calves, rams, ewes, kids or lambs, therefore, but those spirits made genuine goods and truths of the church to so appear, goods and truths that they hate. The young lions, panthers, leopards and wolves were manifestations of the lusts in those spirits who looked like satyrs and priapi. Those without a cloth over their private parts were people who believed that evils are not seen in the eyes of God, while those with a cloth are people who believed that evils are seen, but do not condemn, provided they have faith. The whoremongers and harlots were people who falsified the Word's truth, for licentiousness symbolizes the falsification of truth.
Everything in the spiritual world appears at a distance in accordance with its correspondence, and when these correspondences take manifest form, in objects like those of natural ones, we call them representations of spiritual entities.
[4] I later saw those spirits leaving the forest, with the dragon spirit surrounded by the satyrs and priapi, followed by their lieutenants and camp followers, who were the whoremongers and harlots. The troop grew as it went, and I was given then to hear what they were saying among themselves. They were saying that they saw a flock of sheep and goats in a meadow, and that it was a sign that they were approaching one of the Jerusalem cities where charity is primary. And they said, "Let us go and seize that city, throw out its inhabitants, and plunder their goods!"
They went to it, but it had a wall around it, with angels as guards upon the wall. So then they said, "Let us take it by trickery. Let us send in an artful person skilled in casuistry, who can make black white and white black, and color the reality of any subject."
So the spirits found a certain expert in the metaphysical art, who could turn concepts of things into considerations of terms and hide actual realities under strings of words, and so fly away like a hawk with its prey under its wings. They told him what to say to the inhabitants of the city, that they were people who shared the inhabitants' religion and should be admitted.
Going to the city gate he knocked, and when it was opened, he said that he wished to speak with the wisest person in the city. So he was allowed in and taken to a certain man, and he addressed the man then, saying, "My brethren are outside the city and ask to be let in. They share your religion. You and we both make faith and charity to be the two essential ingredients of religion. The only difference is that you say charity is primary and faith its effect, while we say faith is primary and charity its effect. What does it matter which one is called primary, when we believe in both?"
[5] The city's wise man replied, "Let us not speak about this matter by ourselves, but do so in the presence of a number of others, to serve as arbiters and judges. Otherwise no decision will result."
And at that he summoned some others, and the dragon spirit's emissary repeated to them what he had said before.
Then the city's wise man responded, "You said that it is the same whether one takes charity to be the primary concern of the church, or faith, provided one agrees that the two together form the church and its religion. And yet the difference is as the difference between something prior and something subsequent, between a cause and its effect, between a principal cause and an instrumental cause, between an essential component and a manner of expression.
"I speak so to you, because I have observed that you are an expert in the metaphysical art, an art that we call casuistry, and that some people call mumbo jumbo. But let us put these terms aside. The difference is as the difference between something above and something below. Indeed, if you would believe it, it is as the difference between heaven and hell. For that which is primary forms the head and breast, while that which is its effect forms the feet and the soles of the feet.
"But let us first agree on what charity is and what faith is - that charity is the love's affection for doing good to the neighbor for God's sake, and for the sake of salvation and eternal life, and that faith is confident thought regarding God, salvation and eternal life."
[6] However, the emissary said, "I grant that that is what faith is, and I also grant that charity is, as you say, an affection for God's sake, because it conforms with His commandment, but not that is an affection for the sake of salvation and eternal life."
Whereupon the city's wise man said, "Let it be as you say, provided it is for God's sake."
Following this agreement the city's wise man said, "Is not affection the primary thing and thought its effect?"
To which the dragon spirit's emissary answered, "No, it is not."
But he was told in reply, "You cannot deny it. A person is moved to think by his affection, is he not? Take away the affection. Can you form any thought? The case is entirely the same as if you were to take the sound out of speech. If you were to take away any sound, could you speak a word? The tone is also a matter of affection, while the words are a matter of thought, for affection produces the tone and thought the words. The case is also like that of a flame and its light. If you take away the flame, does not the light die?
"So it is with charity and faith, charity being an affection, and faith a matter of thought. Can you not comprehend, then, that the primary element is everything in the secondary one, even as sound is in speech? And from this you can see that if you do not make primary that which is primary, you do not possess the second element. Consequently, if you take faith, which is in second place, and put it in first place, you will appear no otherwise in heaven than as a person upside down, with his feet planted upward and his head pointed down. Or you will look like a clown turned upside down and walking on his hands. Since people like you will appear so in heaven, what then are your good works constituting charity but the kind that a clown might do with his feet, seeing that he cannot do them with his hands? As a consequence your charity is natural and not spiritual, as you yourself see, because it is turned upside down."
[7] The emissary understood this, for every devil can understand truth when he hears it, even though he cannot retain it, because when his affection for evil returns, it casts out thought of truth.
After that, then, the city's wise man described with many illustrations what faith is like when it is accepted as primary, saying that it is merely natural, that it is simply knowledge devoid of any spiritual life, and that it is consequently not faith. "For your charity," he said, "is nothing but a natural affection, and the only kind of thought that springs from a natural affection is natural thought, which is what constitutes your faith.
"I might almost say, too," he continued, "that in your merely natural faith there is scarcely any other spiritual life than in your knowledge of the Mongol empire, of the diamond mine there, or of its emperor's wealth and court."
When the dragon's emissary heard this, he angrily departed and reported to his companions outside the city. And when they heard that he had been told that charity is an affection for doing good to the neighbor for God's sake and for the sake of salvation and eternal life, they all cried out, "That's a lie!"
And the dragon spirit himself said, "What an outrage! All good works that constitute charity - if done for the sake of salvation, are they not merit-seeking?"
[8] The spirits then said to one another, "Let us summon here more of our colleagues, and let us lay siege to this city. Let us make ladders, scale the wall and attack them at night, and throw out those proponents of charity."
But when they attempted this, there suddenly appeared what looked like fire from heaven which consumed them. In fact, however, the fire from heaven was a manifestation of their anger, owing to their hatred of the city's inhabitants, because those inhabitants cast faith out of first place into second place. It appeared to them as though they were consumed by fire because hell opened beneath their feet and swallowed them.
Events similar to this occurred in many places at the time of the Last Judgment, and this is the meaning of the following depiction in the book of Revelation:
(The dragon) will go out to lead astray the nations which are in the four corners of the earth..., to gather them together for war... And they went up over the breadth of the land and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. But fire came down from God out of heaven and consumed them. (Revelation 20:8-9)
655. To these things I will add this MEMORABLE OCCURENCE. I spoke with some of those who are understood by 'the dragon' in the Apocalypse; and one of them said to me, 'Come with me, and I will show you the delights of our eyes and hearts.' And he led me through a shady wood and on to a hill from which I could view the enjoyments of the dragons. And I saw an amphitheatre built in the form of a circus with benches all round constructed in tiers sloping upwards, upon which the spectators were sitting. Those who were sitting on the lowest benches appeared to me from afar off as satyrs and priapi, some with a cover concealing the private parts, and some naked without that. On the benches above them whoremongers and harlots were sitting, appearing such to me by their gestures. And then the dragon said to me, 'Now you shall see our sport. And I saw as it were bullocks, rams, sheep, kids and lambs let into the area of the circus, and after these had been let in a door was opened, and as it were young lions, panthers, leopards and wolves were rushing in and furiously attacking the flock, and tearing them in pieces and slaughtering them. But the satyrs after that bloody carnage were spreading sand over the place of the slaughter.
[2] Then the dragon said to me, 'These are our sports that delight our minds (animus).' And I replied, 'Go away, you demon! After a while you will see this amphitheatre turned into a lake of fire and sulphur.' He laughed and went away. And afterwards I was thinking to myself, Why are such things permitted by the Lord? And in my heart I got the answer that they are permitted as long as they are in the world of spirits, but after their time in that world has been accomplished such theatrical scenes are turned into things infernally dreadful.
[3] All the things that were seen were induced by the dragonists by means of fantasies, and therefore there were no bullocks, rams, sheep, kids and lambs, but they made the genuine goods and truths of the Church, which they hated, so to appear. The young lions, panthers, leopards and wolves were the appearances of the lusts of those who were seen as satyrs and priapi. The ones without a covering around their private parts were those who believed that evils do not appear before God, and the ones with a covering were those who believed that they do appear but do not condemn provided they are in faith. The whoremongers and harlots were falsifiers of the truth of the Word, for whoredom signifies the falsification of truth. In the spiritual world all things appear from afar off in accordance with correspondences, and when they are appearing in forms they are called representations of spiritual things in similar objective forms of natural things.
[4] Afterwards I saw them going out of the wood, the dragon in the midst of the satyrs and priapi, and after them the drudges and camp followers who were the whoremongers and harlots. The gang was increasing on the way, and then it was given to hear what they were talking about. They were saying that they saw a flock of sheep with lambs in a meadow, and that this is a sign that one of the Jerusalem cities where charity is primary was near. And they said, 'Let us go and take that city, and cast out its inhabitants and plunder their goods.' They approached, but there was a wall round it, and guardian angels on the wall. And then they said, 'Let us take it by deceit. Let us send an expert ingenious mutterer who can whiten what is black and blacken what is white, and colour the reality of any object.' And one skilled in the art of metaphysics was found, who could change ideas of realities into ideas of terms, and hide the realities themselves under formulas, and thus fly off like a hawk with its prey under its wings. He was instructed how to speak with the city people, [to say] that they were in fellowship in religion and should be admitted. Coming to the gate he knocked, and when it was opened he said that he wished to speak with the wisest person of that city. And he entered and was conducted to a certain person, whereupon he spoke to him, saying, 'There are some of my brethren outside the city, and they request to be received. They are allies in religion. You and we make faith and charity the two essentials of religion. The only difference is that you say charity is primary and faith is thence derived, while we say faith is primary and charity is derived thence. What does it matter if one or the other is said to be primary, when each of the two is believed in?'
[5] The city's wise one replied, 'Let us not discuss this matter alone, but in the presence of some more who may be the arbiters and judges, otherwise no decision may be made.' Whereupon they were sent for, and the draconic one spoke the same words as before to them. And then the wise man of the city replied, 'You have said that it is all the same whether charity or faith be taken as the primary thing of the Church, provided there is agreement that each of the two makes the Church and its religion. And yet the difference is such as exists between prior and posterior, cause and effect, the principal and the instrumental, and the essential and the formal. I say such things because I have noticed that you are skilled in the art of metaphysics, which art we call muttering, and some call it incantation. But let us leave those terms. The difference is like that between what is above and what is below; indeed, if you will believe it, the difference is like that between heaven and hell. For that which is primary makes the head and the breast, and that which is derived therefrom makes the feet and the soles thereof. But first let us agree what charity is and what faith is. [Let us agree] that charity is the affection of the love of doing good to the neighbour for the sake of God, salvation and eternal life, and that faith is the thought resulting from confidence concerning God, salvation and eternal life.'
[6] But the emissary said, 'I grant that the latter is faith, and I also grant that charity is the former affection for the sake of God, because for the sake of His command, but not for the sake of salvation and eternal life.' And the wise one of the city said, 'So be it, provided it is for the sake of God.' After this agreement the wise one of the city said, 'Is not affection primary and thought derived from it?' But the one sent by the dragon said, 'This I deny.' But he got the answer, 'You cannot deny it. Does not a man think by virtue of affection? Take away the affection, and can you think anything? It is just the same as if you should take the sound away from speech. If you take away the sound, can you speak anything? For the sound is of the affection, and the speech is of the thought, for affection sounds and thought speaks. And it is also like flame and light. If you take away the flame, does not the light perish? It is similar with charity, because it is affection, and with faith, because it is thought. Are you not able thus to grasp that what is primary is the all in what is secondary, altogether as the sound is in speech? From these considerations you can see that if you do not make that which is primary the primary thing, you are not in the other. Therefore if you put the faith that is in the second place in the first place, you will in heaven appear no otherwise than as a man inverted, whose feet stand upwards while the head is downwards, or as a contortionist (hariolus) who walks on the palms of his hands with his body upside-down. Since you appear such in heaven, what then are your good works like, which are charity, but such things as that contortionist would do with his feet because he cannot use his hands? The result of this is that your charity, as you have also seen, is natural and not spiritual, because it is inverted.'
[7] The emissary understood this, for every devil can understand truth when he hears it; but he cannot retain it, because when the affection of evil comes back it rejects the thought of truth. And afterwards the wise one of the city described in much detail what faith is like when it has been taken for what is primary, that it is merely natural, and that it is nothing but knowledge without any spiritual life, consequently that it is not faith. 'For your charity is only natural affection, and out of natural affection no other than natural thought proceeds, and this is your faith. And I can almost say that in faith merely natural there is hardly any other spiritual thing than there is in a knowledge of the kingdom of the Mogul, of the diamond mine there, and of its emperor's treasury and palace.' On hearing these things the draconic one went away full of wrath and reported them to his gang outside the city. And when they heard what had been said, that charity is the affection of the love of doing good to the neighbour for the sake of God, salvation and eternal life, they all cried out, 'This is a lie.' And the dragon himself cried, 'Oh! what a crime! Are not all the good works that are of charity, when done for the sake of salvation, merit-seeking?'
[8] Then they said among themselves, 'Let us call more of our sort together, and besiege this city. Let us make ladders, climb the wall, and rush in at night and throw these charities out.' When, however, they attempted this, lo there appeared as it were fire out of heaven, which consumed them. But the fire out of heaven was the appearance of the wrath derived from hatred against those [charities], because they cast faith out of the first into the second place. Their appearing to be consumed as it were with fire was in fact the opening of hell under their feet, and their being engulfed. Things similar to these occurred in many places at the day of the last judgment; and this is what is understood by these words in the Apocalypse:
The dragon shall go out to lead astray the nations that are at the four corners of the land, that he may gather them together for war; and they went up on the plain of the land, and encompassed the camp of the saints, and the beloved city; but fire came down from God out of heaven and consumed them. Revelation 20:8-9.
655. Here I will add this Relation. I spoke with some of those who are meant by "the dragon" in Revelation; and one of them said to me, "Come with me, and I will show you the delights of our eyes and hearts." And he led me through a gloomy forest to the top of a hill, from which I could have a view of the delights of the dragons. And I saw an amphitheater erected in the form of a circus, with rows of benches one above another, on which the spectators were seated. They who sat on the lowest benches appeared to me, at a distance, like satyrs and priapi, some with a slight covering and some naked without it.
On the benches above them sat whoremongers and harlots; they appeared such to me, from their gestures. And then the dragon said to me, "Now thou shalt see our sport." And I saw, as it were, bullocks, rams, sheep, kids, and lambs, driven into the area of the circus, and when they were in, a gate was opened, and there rushed in, as it were, young lions, panthers, leopards, and wolves, which attacked the flock with fury, and tore them in pieces and slaughtered them. But the satyrs, when the bloody slaughter was over, strewed sand over the place of the slaughter.
[2] Then the dragon said to me, "These are our sports which delight our minds." And I replied, "Get thee hence, demon, in a short time thou wilt see this amphitheater converted into a lake of fire and sulphur." At this he laughed and went away. And afterwards I was thinking within myself, why such things are permitted by the Lord, and I received an answer in my heart, that they are permitted so long as they are in the world of spirits, but when the time of their stay in that world is at an end, those theatrical scenes are changed into such as are direful and infernal.
[3] All the things which were seen were induced by the dragonists by phantasies; therefore they were not bullocks, rams, sheep, kids, and lambs, but the genuine goods and truths of the church, which they hold in hatred, they made to so appear. The young lions, panthers, leopards, and wolves were appearances of the lusts with those who seemed like satyrs and priapi. They who were without any covering, were such as believed that evils do not appear before God; and they who had a covering, were such as believed that they do appear, but yet do not condemn, provided they are in faith; the whoremongers and harlots were falsifiers of the truth of the Word, for whoredom signifies the falsification of truth. In the spiritual world all things appear, at a distance, according to correspondences, the forms of such appearances being called representations of spiritual things in objects similar to those that are natural.
[4] After this I saw them going out of the forest, the dragon being in the midst of the satyrs and priapi, and after them, their servants and scullions, for such were the whoremongers and harlots. Their company increased in the way, and then it was given to hear what they were talking about among themselves. They were saying that they perceived a flock of sheep with lambs in a meadow, which was a sign that one of the cities of Jerusalem, where charity is primary, was near. And they said, "Let us go and take that city, and cast out its inhabitants, and plunder their goods." They drew near; but there was a wall around it, and angel guards upon the wall. Then they said, "Let us take it by deceit; let us send one who is skilled in the art of mussitation, who can make black white, and white black, and can give to any object whatever color he pleases." And there was found one who was expert in the art of metaphysics, who could change the ideas of things into the ideas of terms, and conceal the things themselves under formulas, and thus fly away, like a hawk, with his prey under his wings. He was instructed how to speak with the citizens, that they were in fellowship in religion, and that they should be admitted. Coming to the gate he knocked, and when it was opened, he said that he wished to speak with the wisest person in the city. Then he entered and was conducted to one, whom he thus addressed, saying, "There are some of my brethren, without the city, who request to be received. They are consociates in religion. You and we, make faith and charity the two essentials of religion; the only difference is, that you say charity is primary and faith is thence, whereas we say that faith is primary and charity is thence. But what matters it whether one or the other is called the primary when both are believed in?"
[5] The wise man of the city replied, "We will not talk this matter over alone, but in the presence of several, who may act as arbiters and judges, or else there would be no decision." And then they were summoned, to whom the draconic spirit spoke the same words as before. And then the wise man of the city replied, "Thou hast said, that it is the same thing whether charity or faith be assumed as the primary of the church, provided it be agreed that each constitutes the church and its religion. And yet the difference between them is the same as between prior and posterior, between cause and effect, between the principal and the instrumental, and between the essential and the formal. I speak in this manner, because I have observed that thou art expert in the art of metaphysics, which art we call mussitation, and some call it incantation. But let us leave these terms. The difference is the same as between what is above and what is below; yea! if you will believe it, the difference is as between heaven and hell; for that which is primary constitutes the head and the breast, and that which is thence derived, the feet and the soles of the feet. But let us first agree what charity is and what faith is. Charity is the affection of the love of doing good to the neighbor for the sake of God, salvation, and eternal life, and faith is thought from confidence concerning God, salvation, and eternal life."
[6] But the emissary said, "I concede that this is faith, and I also concede that charity is that affection for the sake of God, because for the sake of His command; but not for the sake of salvation and eternal life." And the wise man of the city said, "Let it be this, provided it is for the sake of God." After this agreement the wise man of the city said, "Is not affection the primary? And is not thought from it?" But he that was sent by the dragon said, "This I deny." But he received for answer, "You cannot deny it. Does not a man think from affection? Take away affection, and can you think anything? It is altogether as if you should take away sound from speech. If you take away sound, can you speak anything? Sound also is of the affection, and speech is of the thought; for the affection sounds, and the thought speaks. And it is also like flame and light. If you take away the flame, does not the light perish? It is the same with charity, because this is affection; and with faith, because this is thought. Can you not thus comprehend that the primary is the all in the secondary, altogether as the sound is in speech? From which you may see, that if you do not make that to be the primary which is the primary, you are not in the other. Wherefore, if you take faith, which is in the second place, and put it in the first, you will not appear otherwise in heaven than as a man inverted, whose feet stand upwards, and his head downwards; or like a mountebank, who, with his body upside down, walks upon the palms of his hands. When ye appear such in heaven, what then are your good works, which are charity, but such as that mountebank would do with his feet, because he cannot with his hands? Hence it is that your charity, as you also have seen, is natural, and not spiritual, because it is inverted."
[7] The emissary understood this; for every devil can understand truth, when he hears it; but he cannot retain it, because when the affection of evil returns, it casts out the thought of truth. And afterwards the wise man of the city described by many things what the quality of faith is when it is received as the primary, that it is merely natural; and that it is mere science, without any spiritual life; consequently, that it is not faith. "For your charity is nothing but natural affection; and from natural affection no other than natural thought proceeds, which is your faith.
And I may almost say, that in merely natural faith there is scarce any more that is spiritual, than in a knowledge of the kingdom of the Mogul, of the diamond mine there, and of the treasure and court of the emperor." Hearing this, the dragonist went away in a rage, and reported to his friends without the city. And when they heard that it was said that charity is the affection of the love of doing good to the neighbor for the sake of God, of salvation, and of eternal life, they all cried out, "This is a lie:" and the dragon himself exclaimed, "O the wickedness, are not all the good works which are charity, when done for the sake of salvation, meritorious?"
[8] Then they said among themselves, "Let us call together still more of our friends, and we will besiege this city: let us make ladders, scale the wall, and rush in by night, and cast out these charities." But when they attempted this, lo, there appeared as it were fire out of heaven, which consumed them. But the fire from heaven was an appearance of their anger from hatred against the others, because they rejected faith from the first place into the second. The reason that they appeared to be consumed as if by fire, was because hell was opened under their feet, and swallowed them up. Things similar to this happened in many places at the time of the Last Judgment, and this is what is meant by these words in Revelation:
The dragon shall go out to seduce the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, to gather them together to war: and they went up on the plain of the earth, and encompassed the camp of the saints, and the beloved city; but fire came down from God out of heaven, and consumed them, (Revelation 20:8-9).
655. His adjiciam hoc MEMORABILE:--
Locutus sum cum quibusdam qui in Apocalypsi intelliguntur per "Draconem;" et unus ex illis mihi dixit, "Veni mecum, et jucunditates oculorum et cordium nostrorum ostendam."
Et duxit me per sylvam opacam, et super collem, e quo potui spectare Draconum jucunda. Et vidi amphitheatrum in circi formam erectum, cum scamnis circum circa oblique sursum structis, super quibus spectatores sedebant. Illi qui sedebant super scamnis infimis apparebant mihi e longinquo sicut satyri et priapi, quidam cum velamine tegente pudenda, et quidam nudi absque illo. In scamnis supra illos sedebant scortatores et meretrices (tales mihi ex gestibus illorum apparebant).
Et tunc dixit Draco ad me, "Nunc videbis ludum nostrum." Et vidi in aream circi tanquam juvencos, arietes, oves, haedos et agnos immissos; et postquam illi immissi sunt, aperiebatur porta, et irruebant tanquam leones juvenes, pantherae, pardi, et lupi, et cum furore invadebant gregem; ac dilaniabant et mactabant illos. At satyri, post cruentam illam caedem, spargebant arenam super locum mactationis.
Tunc dixit ad me Draco, "Hi sunt nostri ludi, qui jucundant animos nostros."
Et respondi, "Abi, daemon; post aliquod tempus videbis amphitheatrum hoc conversum in stagnum ignis et sulphuris."
Ille risit et abivit.
Et postea mecum cogitabam, cur talia a Domino permittuntur; et tuli responsum in corde meo, quod permittantur quam diu in Mundo spirituum sunt, sed postquam tempus illorum in illo mundo peractum est, vertuntur tales scenae theatrales in diras infernales.
Omnia illa quae visa sunt, inducta fuerunt a Draconicis per phantasias; quare non erant juvenci, arietes, oves, haedi et agni; sed fecerunt ut ita apparerent genuina bona et vera Ecclesiae, quae odio habebant. Leones juvenes, pantherae, pardi et lupi, erant apparentiae cupiditatum apud illos qui visi sunt sicut satyri et priapi. Hi absque velamine circum pudenda, erant, qui crediderunt quod mala non appareant coram Deo; et qui cum velamine, erant qui crediderunt quod appareant, sed non damnent, modo sint in fide. Scortatores et meretrices erant falsificatores veri Verbi, scortatio enim significat falsificationem veri. In mundo spirituali omnia apparent secundum correspondentias e longinquo: quae cum apparent in formis, vocantur repraesentationes spiritualium in objectis naturalium similibus.
Postea videbam illos exeuntes e sylva, Draconem in medio satyrorum et priaporum, ac calones et lixae, quae erant scortatores et meretrices, post illos. Augebatur agmen in via, et tunc datum est audire quid inter se loquebantur.
Dicebant quod viderent in prato gregem ovium cum agnis, et quod hoc signum sit quod una urbs ex urbibus Hierosolymitanis, ubi charitas primarium est prope esset. Et dixerunt, "Eamus et capiamus illam urbem, et ejiciamus habitatores, et depraedemur bona illorum."
Accesserunt; sed erat murus circum illam, et angeli custodes super muro.
Et tunc dixerunt, "Capiamus illam per dolum; mittamus quemdam artificem peritum mussitationis, qui potest dealbare nigrum ac denigrare album, et infucare rem cujusvis objecti."
Et inventus est unus gnarus artis metaphysicae, qui potuit vertere ideas rerum in ideas terminorum, ac ipsas res occultare sub formulis, et sic avolare sicut accipiter cum praeda sub alis. Ille instructus quomodo cum urbanis loqueretur, quod essent consocii in Religione, et quod immitterentur.
Ille accedens ad portam pulsavit; qua aperta dixit, quod cum sapientissimo illius urbis vellet loqui. Ac intravit, et deductus est ad quendam; et tunc ad illum loquebatur dicens, "Sunt mei fratres extra urbem, et petunt ut recipiantur; sunt consocii in Religione; vos et nos facimus fidem et charitatem duo Essentialia Religionis; discrimen solum est, quod vos dicatis charitatem esse primarium et inde fidem, et nos dicimus fidem esse primarium et inde charitatem; quid refert si unum aut alterum dicatur primarium, cum utrumque creditur."
Sapiens urbis respondit, "Non loquamur de hac re soli, sed in praesentia plurium, qui sint arbitri et judices; alioquin non fit decisio."
Et tunc arcessiti sunt; ad quos Draconicus similia verba, quae prius, loquebatur.
Et tunc respondit vir sapiens urbis: "Dixisti quod simile sit, sive charitas sumatur primarium Ecclesiae, sive fides, modo consensus sit quod utraque faciat Ecclesiam et ejus Religionem. Et tamen discrimen est quale inter prius et posterius, inter causam et effectum, inter principale et instrumentale, inter essentiale et formale. Talia dico quia animadverti quod sis artis metaphysicae gnarus, quam artem nos vocamus mussitationem, et aliqui incantationem. Sed relinquamus illos terminos. Est discrimen sicut inter id quod supra est et id quod infra est; imo, si vis credere, est discrimen sicut inter Caelum et Infernum; nam quod primarium est, hoc facit caput et pectus, et quod inde est hoc facit pedes et eorum plantas. Sed conveniamus primum, quid charitas et quid fides; quod charitas sit affectio amoris faciendi proximo bonum propter Deum, salutem et vitam aeternam; et quod fides sit cogitatio ex fiducia de Deo, salute et vita aeterna.
Sed dixit Emissarius, "Concedo quod hoc sit fides, et quoque concedo quod charitas sit illa affectio propter Deum, quia propter mandatum Ejus; non autem propter salutem et vitam aeternam."
Et dixit sapiens urbis, "Sit hoc, modo sit propter Deum."
Post hanc conventionem dixit sapiens urbis, "Annon affectio est primarium et cogitatio inde."
At missus a Dracone dixit, "Hoc nego."
Sed responsum tulit, "Non potes id negare. Annon homo cogitat ex affectione; aufer affectionem, num cogitare potes quicquam. Est prorsus sicut si auferres sonum de loquela: si auferas sonum, num poteris loqui quicquam; sonus etiam est affectionis, et loquela est cogitationis, nam affectio sonat et cogitatio loquitur. Et est quoque sicut flamma et lux: si aufers flammam, annon perit lux; simile est cum charitate, quia haec est affectio, et cum fide, quia haec est cogitatio. Nonne sic potes capere quod primarium sit omne in secundario, prorsus sicut est sonus in loquela. Ex quibus videre potes, quod si non facis primarium id quod primarium est, non sis in altero; quare si fidem, quae est in secundo loco, ponis in primo, non apparebis aliter in Caelo quam sicut inversus homo, cujus pedes stant sursum ac caput deorsum, aut sicut hariolus qui inverso corpore ambulat super palmis manuum. Quum tales apparetis in Caelo, qualia tunc sunt vestra bona opera, quae sunt charitas, nisi qualia facturus esset hariolus ille suis pedibus, quia non potest manibus. Inde est quod charitas vestra, ut quoque vidistis, est naturalis et non spiritualis, quia est inversa."
Emissarius intellexit hoc, nam omnis Diabolus potest intelligere verum cum illud audit; sed non potest retinere, quia affectio mali, cum redit, ejicit cogitationem Veri.
Et postea sapiens urbis descripsit multis, qualis est fides quando acceptata est pro primario, quod sit mere naturalis, et quod sit mera scientia absque ulla vita spirituali, consequenter quod non sit fides: "Vestra enim charitas non est nisi quam affectio naturalis, et ex affectione naturali non procedit alia cogitatio quam naturalis, quae est vestra fides: ac paene dicere possum, quod in fide mere naturali, vix aliud spirituale sit quam in scientia de Regno Mogolis, de Fodina adamantina ibi, deque Imperatoris ejus Thesauro et Aula."
His auditis, Draconicus iratus abivit, et renuntiavit suis extra urbem. Et cum audiverunt quod dictum sit quod charitas sit affectio amoris faciendi proximo bonum propter Deum, salutem et vitam aeternam, clamaverunt omnes, "Hoc mendacium est;" et ipse Draco, "Heu facinus; nonne omnia bona opera, quae sunt charitas, propter salutem, sunt meritoria."
Tunc inter se dixerunt, "Convocemus adhuc plures ex nostris, et obsideamus hanc urbem; faciamus scalas, ascendamus murum, ac irruamus noctu et ejiciamus Charitates illos."
At cum hoc moliti sunt, ecce apparuit sicut ignis e Caelo qui consumpsit illos. Sed ignis e Caelo fuit apparentia irae ex odio contra illos, quia fidem e primo loco in secundum rejecerunt; quod apparerent sicut igne consumi, erat quod sub pedibus eorum aperiretur Infernum, et deglutirentur.
His similia contigerunt pluribus in locis die Ultimi Judicii; et hoc est quod per haec verba intelligitur in Apocalypsi:
"Exibit Draco ad seducendum Gentes quae in quatuor angelis terrae, ut congreget eos in bellum. Et ascenderunt super planitiem terrae, et circumdederunt castra Sanctorum, et Urbem dilectam; sed descendit ignis a Deo e Caelo, et consumpsit eos," (20:8-9).