3462. Further, because he was of the conviction that he had eternal life, he was restored to his former freedom from restraint and again examined - for the reason that he was a preacher with much dignity - to determine whether he had only served as a medium for such spirits, and then as medium was not able to think differently, so that even the examiners were deceived.
I marveled at the time that such a person should be found in the company of priests, and almost began to think him blameless for being there, for a good respiration of the chest flowed in.n But because the course of events and his conviction regarding life revealed what kind he was, I was then prompted to say that these things are the results.
But because he was a priest, some of them wanted to protect him, as priests are apt to protect one another - even the shameful - as if it would be injurious to the priestly order for him to be thus charged. So he was given over to a different group, first into one made up of those who were cunningly malicious, but still he was recognized to be as he was. Afterwards he was given over to a group of pious ones who thought they were holy, who were with me near my face, and those accompanied him who acted on him through right and wrong, or piety and impiety, or holily and profanely, but he was still recognized for what he was.
Finally he was handed over to a company of priests, who wanted to protect him because he was a priest. Because of their false notion that unless priests were protected the priesthood would suffer, in their company he behaved in a way that he could never be recognized for what he was. He seemed to be confessing the faith entirely like those who were leading him, but still I faintly realized that it was they, not he, so that the spirits around me declared that he was not to blame and had only served them as a medium and did not belong among them, but rather, toward the end of his life, had been horrified; but it was not he - quite the contrary, that the priests had reduced him into their own state of mind, and that then, forgetting himself, he had spoken just as they did.
All this also shows what priests are like in general, even their bishops, who were among them, that from an assumed false principle they would rather defend even the most wicked ones and have the Church of the Lord suffer, than allow even the most wicked to be removed from the priesthood, whose duty it is to care for souls, not for a criminal who can mislead and pervert whole congregations, and plunge them into hell. But most priests and their bishops indulging their own worldly and bodily appetites, do not bother about such matters, and do not think at all about the Church and the salvation of souls. As I am writing these words, they acknowledge that they are of this character, and being somewhat ashamed, are withdrawing.
3462. Moreover, because he was in the persuasion that he might have eternal life, he was restored to his former freedom from restraint, and again explored; the reason was, that being a preacher of much dignity, he might have served as a subject of this class [of spirits], and then, as a subject, he could not have thought differently [from them], and consequently the explorers themselves might have been deceived. But because the course of events detected his quality, and the persuasion of his life, it was given to state what the result would be. But because he was a priest, and priests are accustomed to shield each other, however flagitious, certain spirits were disposed to protect him, as if it would be injurious to the priestly order were he to be impeached. He was therefore transferred into the society of others, and first of those who were cunningly malicious; but yet his true character was seen as it was. Afterwards he was conveyed to a society of the pious [pietists], who deem themselves holy, and who were with me in the face; he there became associated with those who directed him through right and wrong, pious and impious, sacred and profane, but still he was recognized there also in his true character. At length he was delivered over to the company of certain spirits who, because he was a priest, were ready to screen him, from the false idea that unless the priests were screened, the priesthood would suffer. In this society he became such that he never could have been read as he really was, for he seemed ready to confess faith as fully as those who now led him, although it was obscurely perceived that, as the spirits around me said, it was rather they than he that were chargeable with it, and that he merely served them as a subject, which he did without his own agency, for from this he would have shrunk at all hazards; but the truth was, the priests had reduced him into their own state, so that forgetting himself he spoke as they did. 1Hence it appears what the quality of priests in general is, as well as that of the bishops who are among them, viz. that from a false principle assumed they will defend the most abandoned and reprobate, and see the church of the Lord suffer rather than permit the vilest wretch to be removed from the priesthood, though it is plainly their duty to prefer the care of souls to the well-being of a base miscreant who can seduce and pervert whole congregations, and plunge them into hell. But most priests, as well as their bishops, rioting in worldly and corporeal indulgence, heed none of these things, nor think at all of the church and the salvation of souls. While I am writing this they acknowledge that such is their character, and being somewhat ashamed, retire.
Footnotes:
1. In a note on the lateral margin of the page containing this paragraph, occurs the following:
"I wondered that such a person should be found in the company of priests, and almost began to think him blameless that he was there, for a good pectoral respiration flowed in."
3462. Mirabar tunc quod talis esset in consortio sacerdotum, et fere eum inculpatum incepi cogitare quod esset, nam respiratio pectoralis bona influebat 1
Porro, quia in persuasione fuit, quod vitam aeternam haberet, restitutus priori suae licentiae ac iterum exploratus, ex causa, quia praedicator multae dignitatis, [num modo] inserviverit pro subjecto talium, et tunc sicut subjectum, non aliter potuisset cogitare, sic ut quoque exploratores decepti essent; sed quia series rerum detexit qualis esset, et vitae ejus persuasio, inde dicere datum, quod sint consequentia, sed quidam eum, quia fuit sacerdos, sicut solent sacerdotes unus alterum tutari, etiam flagitiosos, ita tutari voluerunt, sicut injuriosum sic sacerdotii muneri insimularetur: quare datus est in societatem aliorum, et primum in eorum qui astute maligni erant, sed usque agnitus quod talis: postea in piorum, qui se sanctos putant, qui apud me in facie, et ii ei associati, qui per fas et nefas, seu per pia et impia, seu sancte et profane eum agebant, sed usque agnitus talis: tandem traditus in consortium sacerdotum, qui eum, quia sacerdos tutari voluerunt, ex eorum opinione falsa, nisi tutarentur sacerdotes, quod sacerdotium pateretur, in eorum consortio talis erat ut nusquam potuisset agnosci quod talis, videbatur quod is confiteretur fidem prorsus sicut ii qui eum ducebant, sed usque obscure perceptum, quod ii essent, non is - sic ut dicerent spiritus qui circum me, quod inculpatus, et modo serviverit pro subjecto talium, et non interfuerit, sed potius ad extremum vitae abhorruerit, sed non erat is - aliter quod sacerdotes redegerint eum in suum statum, et sic oblitus sui, loquutus sicut ii. Exinde constat quoque, quales sunt sacerdotes in genere, etiam eorum episcopi, qui interfuerunt, quod ex principio falso capto, quod [potius] defendere velint etiam scelestissimos, et sic pati Ecclesiam Domini, quam admittere, ut, licet scelestissimus removeretur a sacerdotio, quorum tamen est animarum curam habere, non facinorosi, qui ita seducere et pervertere potest integros coetus, et ad infernum praecipitare; sed talia non curant plerique sacerdotes et eorum episcopi, suis mundanis et corporeis indulgente, et ne hilum cogitant de Ecclesia et animarum salute. Cum haec scribo, agnoverunt quod tales, et parumper pudefacti, recedunt.
Footnotes:
1. This heading was a sidebar in the text.