228.关于下地狱的灵魂的状态。1747年10月29日至30日的一个晚上，我做了一个梦；我时不时地从梦中醒来，因为恶灵不断攻击我，以致我无法继续睡觉。我醒了好几次，直到最后完全醒来，全身都在颤抖。我分明看见一根柱子围着我。我能感觉得到。我等着看看要发生什么事，我断定我正以这种方式得到保护，防御恶灵。我能感觉到那根柱子逐渐变大。有一种敏锐的感觉不断潜入我的思维，即：这就是“铜墙”，如它被称呼的（耶利米书1:18;15:20）那样，这“铜墙”能保护有信者免受恶灵的攻击。因此，当这根柱子或这堵墙（它无非是由弥赛亚神在其中的天使构成的柱子，弥赛亚神就是“铜墙”）仍围绕我时，我还意识到原因，即：我正被下放到地狱里的不幸者那里，好叫我看看他们的状况，然后报告给世人，尤其报告给怀疑或不信的人说：地狱是存在的，不仅报告地狱存在，而且还报告他们的状态是什么样，尽管我无法充分描述它。我听见这样的悲叹：“神啊，神啊！求耶稣基督怜悯，求耶稣基督怜悯！”很长一段时间以来，这就是吸引我注意力的第一件事。此后，当我在地狱，甚至如今天那样还在肉身中时，其中一个悲惨的人被允许与我交谈；这交谈也持续了相当长的时间，但我不能讲述他所说的话。现在只讲这一点：他们正在报怨这些得了自由的灵人，或复仇女神（218,223节）；他们仍住在第三层天（按降序排列），这就是折磨他们的灵人；因为他们渴望折磨每个人和任意一个灵人。简言之，他们所受的折磨难以说出口。不过，我蒙允许以某种希望鼓励他们说，他们不要完全绝望；因为他们在说他们觉得这折磨是永恒的。我被恩准告诉他们说，弥赛亚神是仁慈的，我们在祂的圣言中读到：“被囚在坑中的人”要释放出来（撒迦利亚书9:11;诗篇40:2;以赛亚书51:14），在这里，“坑”表示地狱。我还听见上面证实了这一点，好叫他们能得到一些安慰；那时，他们也说的确感觉到安慰。为叫你们相信，我向你们见证更神奇的事，因为这是真的：弥赛亚神被至内在的怜悯感动，从天上向他们显现；事实上，如所告诉我的，在荣耀中显现。我也能看出这一点，只是不如这些不幸的灵人看得那么清楚。他们坦承，他们因这次显现而大得安慰。现在有人在我耳边说，天使也安慰了他们，并将继续安慰他们。此外，我还想叫你们相信这一件事，我知道这是千真万确的，因为我已经看到了：他们中间有许多人已经从地狱和折磨中被提升到天堂，今日就住在那里。其中一位所受的折磨是最大的，弥赛亚神似乎拥抱并亲吻了他。后来，又有许多人从地狱得以释放，被提入天堂。
228. About the state of the damned in hell
In the night between the 29th and 30th of October (old calendar), 1747, I had a dream from which I awoke again and again, for evil spirits were attacking me from everywhere to the point where I was unable to continue sleeping. After a number of awakenings, when I was finally fully awake, I was being shaken throughout my whole body, and I plainly saw a kind of column surrounding me. I was able to perceive it by sense.
As I was waiting [to find out] what would come of this - I judged that I was being defended in this way from evil spirits - I could feel that tangible column becoming successively larger. The thought crept in that this was the "brazen wall," as it is called [218, 223] who are still being lodged in the third heaven, 1saying it is they who are tormenting them, for it is their passion to torment people, and any spirit whatever. In short, their torments are unspeakable. But I was allowed to encourage them with some hope, so that they would not wholly despair (for they were saying that they believed the torment would be eternal), telling them that God the Messiah is merciful, and we read in His Word that "those bound in the pit" are to be released [Zach. 9:11, Ps. 40:2, Is. 51:14], where "the pit" means hell. This I also heard confirmed from above so that they might have some comfort, which they then said they did feel.
Something still more wonderful - I testify to you that you may believe it, for it is true - is that God the Messiah, moved by innermost mercy, appeared to them out of Heaven, and indeed, as it was told to me, in glory. Even I was able to discern it, although not as clearly as the unhappy spirits. They made it known that they had received much consolation from this occurrence. It is now being said to me in my ear that the angels also have comforted them and will continue to comfort them. Moreover, I also want you to believe this one thing that I know to be true because I observed it: many of them were raised up from hell and torment, into heaven, where they are living today; and to one of them, who had suffered the greatest torment, it seemed that God the Messiah embraced and kissed him. Afterwards also, many freed from hell were raised into heaven. In the night between 29 and 30 October (old calendar), 1747.
Footnotes:
1. I.e. the third in descending order.
228. CONCERNING THE STATE OF THE DAMNED IN HELL
During the night between Oct. 29 and 30, 1o.s. 1747, I had a dream from which I awoke repeatedly; for evil spirits kept on infesting me, so much so that I could not continue my sleep. After awakening several times, until at length I was quite awake, I was seized with a trembling throughout the whole body, and I manifestly perceived that a certain column, as it were, surrounded me; I could sensibly perceive it. I awaited what would thence happen. I supposed that I was thus being defended against evil spirits. That column was sensibly increased. It was continually insinuated into my thought with a perceptive feeling that this was the "brazen wall", as it is called [Jer. i 18; xv 15:20, by which the faithful are defended from the infestation of evil spirits. While, therefore, this column or wall remained around me which could be nothing else than a column of angels in the midst of whom was God Messiah, Who is the "Brazen wall" - I also observed the cause, namely, that I was let down to the unhappy in hell, that I might perceive their state, and thus make known to the world, especially to the incredulous or the unbelieving, that there is a hell: not only that there is a hell, but also what is the state of those there, though I cannot adequately describe it. I heard lamentations such as these, "God! Oh God! Jesus Christ be merciful! Jesus Christ be merciful!": and for a long time, to which I at first gave attention. Afterwards, when I was in hell, and indeed in the body as I am today, a certain one of those miserable beings was permitted to speak with me, which he also did for some considerable time; but I cannot relate the things he said. Only this at present: that they complained of those free spirits, or "furies", who as yet lodge in the third heaven, that they are the ones who torment them; for their desire is to torment every man and spirit whatsoever. In a word, their torments are unspeakable; but I was allowed to encourage them with some hope, that they should not despair entirely; for they were saying that they believed the torment would be eternal. It was granted me to encourage them by saying that God Messiah is merciful, also that we read in His word that those bound in the pit would be released, 2and that the pit signifies hell. This I also heard confirmed from above in order that they might have some consolation, which also they then said that they felt. In order that ye may believe, for it is true, I testify to you something still more wonderful - that God Messiah, moved by inmost mercy, appeared to them out of heaven, and indeed as was said to me, in Glory; I also could discern this, though not so manifestly as the unhappy spirits. They confessed that they had received great consolation from this appearance. It is now said in my ear that angels also have consoled them, and that they will console them. Moreover, I also wish you to believe, for it is true, since I know because I have perceived it, that many of them have been raised out of hell and torment into heaven, where they are living at this day, and that it seemed to one of them who had suffered the greatest torment, that God Messiah embraced and kissed him. Afterwards many also were liberated from hell and taken up into heaven. In the night between Oct. 29 and 30, o.s. 1747.
Footnotes:
1. The manuscript has Oct. 23, but since in nos. 226, 229, and 331, the date 22 is crossed out and 29 written above, and in n. 228, 22 and 23 are crossed out and 29 and 30 written above, it seems evident that the author omitted to make the change here. For the same reason, in the first line of n. 228 we have changed 22 and 23 to 29 and 30, as the author himself did in the last line. In n. 230 we have twice changed 23 and 24 to 30 and 31.
2. Zech. ix 11. See also Isa. li 14 and Psalm xl 2.
228. De statu damnatorum in inferno
Nocte inter 22 et 234 Oct. st. v. 1747: somnium habui, e quo passim expergefactus, nam spiritus maIi passim me infestabant, adeo ut non possem continuare somnum; post aliquot vices expergefactionis tandem dum prorsus vigil essem, commovebar 1
per totum corpus, et percipiebam manifeste 2
, quod quasi quaedam columna me circumdabat, sensu eam percipere potui, exspectabam quid inde eveniret, arbitrabar quod sic defenderer a malis spiritibus, columna ista sensibilis augebatur, continue cum perceptionis sensu, insinuabatur cogitationi, quod haec esset "murus aheneus," ut vocatur [Jer. I: 18, 15:20], quo defenduntur fideles ab infestatione malorum spirituum; dum itaque persisteret haec columna seu murus circum me, qui non potuit non esse angelicus, inter quos Deus Messias, Qui est "Murus Aheneus," tunc animadvertebam causam, nempe quod demitterer ad infelices in inferno, ut perciperem statum eorum, et sic nuntiarem orbi, cumprimis incredulo, seu non credenti, quod infernum sit, non solum quod infernum, sed etiam qualis status eorum, eum quidem non satis describere possum; audiebam lamentationes, et quidem tales, "Ah Deus, ah Deus, Jesus Christus misereatur, Jesus Christus misereatur!" et hoc diu, ad quae primum attendebam mentem; postmodum quum in inferno esse 3
, et quidem corpore, quali hodie sum, permittebatur cuidam, a miseris illis, ut mecum loqueretur, quod fiebat etiam per diutinum satis tempus, sed ea non narrare possum hoc 4
modo nunc, quod querebantur de spiritibus liberis, seu furiis istis qui in tertio 5
coelo hospitantur 6
adhuc, quod ii sint, qui eos cruciant, eorum enim cupido est cruciare hominem, et quemcunque spiritum verbo 7
sunt cruciatus ineffabiles, sed eos licuit sublevare spe aliqua, quod non prorsus desperarent nam 8
dicebant quod crederent aeternum fore cruciatum 9
dicendo [quod] 10
Deus Messias sit misericors, et in Verbo Ipsius legatur 11
, quod solvendi sint "Vincti in fovea" [Sach. IX: 11] 12
, et quod "fovea" significet infernum, quod etiam confirmatum audiebam desuper, ut aliquam consolationem haberent, quam etiam tunc sentire dicebant; quod adhuc mirabilius est, attestor vos, ut credatis, nam verum est, quod Deus Messias intima misericordia commotus ex Coelo apparuerit iis, et quidem ut mihi dictum in gloria, etiam ego potui id cernere, sed non ita manifeste ac spiritus infelices, ex quo se magnam accepisse consolationem confitebantur; nunc dicitur mihi in aurem, quod etiam angeli eos consolati sunt, et consolaturi; praeterea etiam hoc velim ut credatis, nam verum est, nam scio, quia percepi, quod plures eorum ab inferno et cruciatu sublati sunt in coelum, ubi hodie vivunt, et quod quidam 13
eorum, qui in maximo cruciatu fuit, videbatur sibi quod Deus Messias eum amplexaretur, et oscularetur; postea etiam plures ex inferno liberati, in coelum tollebantur. Nocte inter 29 et 30 14
Oct. st. v. 1747.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has essem; commovebar
2. The Manuscript has maniste
3. sic manuscript; vide praefationem hujus editionis sub capite "Idiosyncrasies"
4. The Manuscript has possum, hoc
5. The Manuscript has hospitant
6. hoc est ultimo
7. The Manuscript has spiritum, verbo
8. The Manuscript has desperarent, nam
9. The Manuscript has crueiatum, sublevare,
10. sic in J.F.I. Tafel's edition
11. The Manuscript has legitur
12. cf. etiam Es. LI: 14
13. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has quidem
14. In the Manuscript 22 et 23 in 29 et 30 emendatum