716.对此，我补充以下记事：
在灵界，我与一些英国主教谈论1758年在伦敦出版的几本书，它们分别是：《天堂与地狱》、《新耶路撒冷及其天堂教义》、《最后的审判》、《白马》和《宇宙星球》；我曾将这几本书作为礼物送给所有主教，以及许多达官贵人。他们都说收到了，也看过了，但觉得它们不值得注意，尽管文笔娴熟；他们还见人就劝他们不要读这些书。我问他们这是为何，毕竟我们通过这些书能知道关于天堂与地狱、死后生命的奥秘，以及更多价值重大的事，这些都是主为了那些将属于其新教会，也就是新耶路撒冷的人所揭示的。谁知他们却说:“这些事与我们有什么相干？”并大肆诋毁它们，恰如在世所为。我听见了他们，于是当着他们的面从启示录读了这些话：
第六位天使把他的香瓶倒在幼发拉底大河上，河水就干了，要给那从日出之地所来的众王预备道路。我又看见三个污秽的灵，好像青蛙，从龙口兽口并假先知的口中出来。他们本是鬼魔的灵，施行奇事，出去到大地和全世界的众王那里，叫他们在神全能者的大日聚集争战。他就把他们聚集在一个地方，希伯来话叫作哈米吉多顿。（启示录16:12-16）
我当着他们的面解释了这些经文，并说，他们，以及像他们那样的人，就是这些经文所指的人。
有一位国王，就是当今执政国王的祖父，从天上听到对这些主教所说的话，有些愤慨地说:“这是什么？”于是，其中一位在世时不同意他们的主教就转向国王说:“你现在亲眼所看到的这些人在世时认为，因而现在还认为主的神性人如同凡人的人性，他们将一切救恩和救赎都归于父神，而不归于主，除非是为了实现这一切的缘故。因为他们信父神，不信祂的儿子，尽管他们从主那里知道：
父的意思是叫他们信子，信子的人有永生，不信子的人不得见永生。（约翰福音6:40；，3:36）
除此以外，他们还将主通过人、如同这人凭自己所行的仁爱从与救恩相关的事中逐出。”
在与国王进一步的谈话中，他揭露了教阶制度，指出他们当中许多人一直追求并奉行教阶制度，他们在教会和政治权威的支持下，利用特使、通谕、牧函、会谈，通过联合并与他们阶级的所有人联盟来强化这教阶制度。结果，他们全都粘成一团。他还说，由于这种教阶制度，也导致上述新耶路撒冷的著作尽管已经在伦敦出版，并且作为礼物送给他们，却遭到如此羞辱般地弃绝，以至于都不值得在他们的书目所提及的书籍中占据一席之地。听到这些话，这位国王目瞪口呆，尤其震惊于他们竟以这种方式思想主和仁爱；殊不知，主就是天地之神，仁爱就是宗教信仰本身。于是，借着从天上放进来的光，其心智和信仰的内在被打开 。那国王一看，就说:“走开！唉，有谁听了关于天堂和永生的事会如此无动于衷呢？”
于是，国王作了一番调查，他们为何得到神职人员如此完全的顺从，这位主教说，这是因为每位主教被授权在他的教区内为所属堂区向国王提名一位候选人，不像其它国家那样提名三位。由于这种权柄，他们就有权力使他们所提携的人获得更高荣誉、更大利益，他们对人的喜悦取决于他的顺服程度。这位主教还揭露了这种教阶制度能走多远，它甚至发展到把权力当成本质事物，把宗教当成例行公事的地步。他们对权力的热情也遭到暴露，在天使看来，这种热情甚至超过那些追求世俗权力之人对权力的热情。
附注：该国王是乔治二世。
715. And people blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, as the plague was exceedingly great. This symbolically means, because the people entrenched such falsities in themselves, they denied truths to the extent that they could not acknowledge them, owing to feelings of repugnance springing from their interior falsities and evils.
To blaspheme God means, symbolically, to deny and not to acknowledge that the Lord alone is God of heaven and earth (no. 571, 582, 697), and to deny and not acknowledge likewise the truth in the Word. "As the plague was exceedingly great" means, symbolically, owing to the aforementioned dreadful and atrocious falsities from their entrenched dogma of justification by faith alone (no. 714). They cannot acknowledge truths owing to those falsities, because an affirmation of falsity is a denial of the truth.
It appears as though the meaning is that the plague of hail was so great that the people were driven by the torment and pain of it to blaspheme God, but that is not what is meant. Rather the meaning is that they could not acknowledge truths owing to their falsities. The case is similar to ones earlier in this chapter, where we are told that they blasphemed the name of God because of the heat (verse 9), and that they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their sufferings and because of their sores (verse 11), the explanations of which may be seen in nos. 692 and 697.
715. 'And men blasphemed God for the plague of hail, because the plague thereof was exceedingly great' signifies that because they have confirmed such untruths with themselves, they have denied truths to such an extent that they cannot acknowledge them on account of the resistances originating from their interior untruths and evils. By 'to blaspheme God' is signified to deny and not acknowledge the Lord to be the Only God of heaven and earth (571, 582, 697), and in like manner the truth of the Word. 'Because the plague thereof was exceedingly great' signifies on account of the dreadful and horrible untruths resulting from the confirmed dogma concerning justification by faith alone (714[b]). The reason why on account of these they are unable to acknowledge [the Lord], is because the confirmation of what is untrue is the denial of what is true. It appears as if it were understood that the plague of hail was so great that by reason of the torment or pain of its impact they blasphemed God. This, however, is not understood, but that they were unable to acknowledge truths on account of untruths; in like manner as before in this chapter where it is said that 'they blasphemed the Name of God' for the heat (verse 9); and that 'they blasphemed the God of heaven' for the annoyances and the sores (verse 11), which verses may be seen expounded (692, 697).
715. And men blasphemed God because of the plague of hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great signifies that because they had confirmed themselves in such falsities, they have denied truths to that degree as not to be able to acknowledge them, by reason of the repugnances arising from their interior falsities and evils. "To blaspheme" God signifies to deny and not to acknowledge the Lord alone to be the God of heaven and earth, (571, 582, 697) and in like manner the truth of the Word; "for the plague thereof was exceeding great," signifies by reason of those direful and atrocious falsities from the confirmed dogma of justification by faith alone, (714). The reason why they cannot acknowledge truths on account of those falsities, is, because the confirmation of falsity is the denial of truth. It appears as if it was meant that "the plague of hail" was so great, that from torment or pain they blasphemed God when it fell upon them; but this is not meant, but that they could not acknowledge truths on account of falsities; in like manner as before in this chapter, where it is said that they blasphemed the name of God "on account of the heat" (verse 9); and that "they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their distresses and sores" (verse 11); the explanation of which may be seen, (692, 697).
715. "Et blasphemarunt homines Deum prae plaga grandinis, quia magna erat plaga ejus valde," significat quod, quia confirmaverunt apud se talia falsa, negaverint vera adeo ut non possint agnoscere illa, propter repugnantias oriundas ex interioribus eorum falsis et malis. - Per "blasphemare Deum" significatur negare et non agnoscere Dominum esse Solum Deum Caeli et Terrae (571, 582, 697), 1similiter verum Verbi; "quia magna erat plaga ejus valde" significat propter dira et atrocia illa falsa ex confirmato dogmate de justificatione per solam Fidem (714b); 2quod non possint agnoscere propter illa, est quia confirmatio falsi est negatio veri. Apparet sicut intelligatur quod "plaga grandinis" tanta fuerit, ut ex cruciatu aut dolore impulsus ejus blasphemaverint Deum; verum hoc non intelligitur, sed quod non potuerint agnoscere vera propter falsa; similiter ut prius in hoc capite, ubi dicitur quod blasphemaverint Nomen Dei "prae aestu," (vers. 9); et quod blasphemaverint Deum Caeli "prae molestiis, et prae ulceribus," (vers. 11); (quae explicata videantur, 692 et 697).
Footnotes:
1. 571 pro "551"
2. 714b pro "715"