72.⑶它是如何过去的。这一点在前面已经描述了，那里描述了对伊斯兰教徒和外邦人或异教徒的最后审判（50-51节）；对天主教徒的最后审判（61-63节），因为他们也在自己的地方构成先前的天。还需要说一说对新教徒的最后审判，以及由他们所构成的先前天是如何过去的，他们也被称为改革宗和福音派。如前所述（67节），审判只发生在那些构成先前天的人身上。这些人接受评估并被带入自己的内层之后，就彼此分离，并照着他们的邪恶和由此而来的虚假，以及他们的虚假和由此而来的邪恶而被分门别类，然后被投入与他们的爱相对应的地狱。他们的地狱在中间区域的四围，因为如前所示（48节），新教徒在中间，天主教徒在他们周围，伊斯兰教徒在天主教徒周围，外邦人或异教徒在最外围。那些没有被投入地狱的人则被赶到旷野。不过，其中一些人被送往南部和北部的平原，在那里形成各个社群，并接受教导，为天堂作准备；这些人就是得救或被保存的人。但在此详细描述这一切事如何发生是不可能的，因为对新教徒的审判持续的时间比其他人更长，并且是分阶段逐步进行的。鉴于我的所见所闻有很多值得一提的事，所以我将在《揭秘启示录》一书中依次呈现这些细节。
72. 3. How the first heaven passed away. This has already been described in dealing with the Last Judgment on Muslims and people of other religions (50, 51) and on Catholics (61, 62, 63), because these groups too were part of the first heaven. It remains to say something about the Last Judgment on Protestants, also called the Reformed and Evangelicals, 1or how their part of the first heaven passed away. As already noted [67], the Last Judgment was carried out only on the people who constituted the first heaven, not on anyone else.
After [the Protestants in the first heaven] had been taken through a process of assessment and brought into their inner natures, they were divided into groups and sorted out either by the evil they loved and the falsity it gave rise to or by the falsity they loved and the evil it gave rise to. Then they were cast into the hells that corresponded to their loves. Their hells were on all sides of the central area, because, as shown above in 48, Protestants were in the middle, with Catholics around them, then Muslims around them, and finally people of other religions on the outside. Those among them who were not cast into hells were sent away into wilderness areas. Some of them, though, were sent off into plains to form communities in the southern and northern regions, where they would be taught and prepared for heaven. These are the ones who were saved.
As for the details of how all this happened, though, they cannot be described here. The Protestant judgment lasted a long time and was carried out gradually, in stages; and because I saw and heard during that time many things worth mentioning, I would like to present them in sequence as part of the explanation of the Book of Revelation. 2
Footnotes:
1. On the terms “Reformed” and “Evangelical,” see note 1 in New Jerusalem 8. [Editors]
2. On the work or works referred to here, see note 1 in Last Judgment 42. Swedenborg generally interprets most of Revelation chapters 8-13, chapter 16, the last three verses of chapter 19, and chapter 20 as depicting the spiritual and doctrinal state of the Reformed, or Protestants, in his day and the final judgment upon them in the spiritual world. Though the intention expressed here of providing a detailed account of that judgment on them was not fulfilled in either of his works on the Book of Revelation, Swedenborg did publish such an account in Supplements 14-29. See also Draft of “Supplements” 133-179 [Rogers's numbering] = 134-179 [Potts's numbering] (= Swedenborg 1997a, 108-125). For the original descriptions of the final judgment on the Reformed that Swedenborg wrote but never published, see Spiritual Experiences (= Swedenborg 1998-2013) 5202-5206, 5347-5356, 5532-5537, 5937, 5948. Compare note in 60, on the judgment on Babylon. [LSW]
72. How the first heaven passed away was first described earlier, where I dealt with the Last Judgment on the Mohammedans and the heathen (50-51) and on the Roman Catholics (61-63), because they too made up the first heaven in their own locations. It remains to say something about the Last Judgment on the Reformed, those also known as the Protestants and Evangelicals, and how the first heaven composed of them passed away. For, as I said above, judgment only took place on those who made up the first heaven.
After these had received a visitation and had their interior natures exposed, they were split up and divided into groups determined by their evils and resultant falsities and by their falsities and resultant evils, and thrown into hells corresponding to their loves. Their hells were on every side around the centre. For the Reformed were in the centre, the Roman Catholics around them and the Mohammedans around these, and the heathen in the outermost circle (see above 48). Those not thrown into hells were driven out into deserts. But some were taken down into the plains in the southern and northern quarters, to form communities in which they could be instructed and prepared for heaven. These are the ones who were preserved. But it is impossible to describe here in detail how all these events occurred, for the judgment on them took a long time and happened by successive stages. Since I then saw and heard much that deserves to be related, I should like to present these incidents in due order in the explanation on Revelation.
72. III. How the first heaven passed away, was described before, in describing the Last Judgment upon the Mohammedans and Gentiles (50, 51); and upon the Papists (61-63), since they also in their own places were constituents of the first heaven. It remains that something be said of the Last Judgment upon the Reformed, who are also called Protestants and Evangelical, or how the first heaven composed of them passed away; for, as was said above, judgment was effected upon those only of whom the first heaven consisted. After being visited, and let into their own interiors, they were separated from each other, and divided into classes according to evils and falsities therefrom, and according to falsities and evils therefrom, and were cast into hells corresponding to their loves. Their hells surrounded the middle region on all sides, for the Reformed were in the middle, the Papists around them, the Mohammedans around the Papists, and the Gentiles in the outmost circuit (see 48). Those who were not cast into hells, were cast out into deserts; but there were some sent down to the plains in the southern and northern quarters, there to form societies, and be instructed and prepared for heaven; these are they who were preserved. But how all these things were accomplished, cannot be described in particular in this place, for the judgment upon the Reformed was of longer continuance than upon others, and was effected by successive changes. Now since much that is worthy of mention was then heard and seen, I will present the particulars in their own order in the Explanation of the Apocalypse.
72. ((iii.)) Quomodo Primum Caelum transivit, descriptum est prius, ubi de ultimo judicio super Mahumedanos et super Gentes (50-51), et super Pontificios (61-63), actum est; quoniam illi etiam in suis locis primum caelum constituerunt: superest ut aliquid dicatur de ultimo judicio super Reformatos, qui etiam Protestantes et Evangelici vocantur, seu quomodo primum caelum ex illis compositum transivit; nam, ut supra dictum est, non super alios factum est judicium, quam super illos ex quibus erat primum caelum. Hi postquam visitati sunt, ac immissi in interiora sua, partiti sunt et divisi in classes secundum mala et inde falsa et secundum falsa et inde mala, et conjecti in inferna amoribus eorum correspondentia. Inferna eorum erant ab omni latere circum medium; nam in medio fuerunt Reformati, circum illos Pontificii, et circum hos Mahumedani, et in ultimo ambitu Gentes (videatur supra 48). Illi qui non in inferna, ejecti sunt in deserta: quidam autem demissi erant in planities in plaga meridionali et septentrionali, ut societates formarent, ac instruerentur et praepararentur ad caelum: hi sunt qui conservati. Sed quomodo omnia haec peracta sunt, hic in specie describi non potest, judicium enim super illos diutius perstitit, et factum est successive per vices; et quia tunc multa memoratu digna visa et audita sunt, velim illa in suo ordine sistere in Explicatione super Apocalypsin.