3583. Because they were unable to reply to this, but seemed to be convinced, I was given to realize that perhaps their persuasion did not result so much from an abundance of arguments as it did from other causes, and that they had indeed hardened and darkened [their minds], to the point of denying the truths of faith; and that they had been afflicted with such self-love that they imagined whatever they thought to be so, considering themselves infallible, and as gods upon the earth. Hence, perhaps, came their persuasion, spoken of earlier in connection with those living before the flood [3358-3379], as is also supported by the fact that while living in the body, they desired to choke any who would not believe that what they declared was so.
[2] They did not want to allow it to be said they desired to kill, but to strangle, and thus to suffocate them - for this is the nature of their persuasion, that it suffocates, for which reason some wish to maintain that this was the meaning of the flood, namely, that they were suffocated one after the other. This is the nature of persuasion, that it suffocates others, i.e., obstructs their breathing. Therefore they are now saying that they, the antediluvians, were suffocated by their own persuasion, when [yet their respiration] withdrew inwardly where something spiritual remained which was not able to bear it that they should die eternally.
3583. As they were unable to reply to this, though they appeared as persons convicted, it was given to know, that their persuasive principle arose not so much from the store of reasonings as from other causes, and that they had confirmed and darkened their minds, so as to deny the truths of faith. But as they were smitten, as it were, with such a love of self as to suppose that whatever they thought was actually so, and thus to deem themselves infallible and as gods upon earth, this was perhaps the source of their persuasive principle, concerning which I have spoken before in relation to the antediluvians, which is also confirmed by this that when they lived in the body, they would have strangled those who did not admit that everything was just as they would have it. They would not allow its being said that they wished to kill them, but rather, to strangle, and thus to suffocate them, for their persuasive principle is such as to suffocate, whence some would have it that the flood is to be understood in this way, as something by which men were suffocated one after another. For this persuasive principle is such as to suffocate others by taking away their respiration, wherefore they now say that they are thus suffocated by their own persuasive principle, when it penetrates interiorly, where the spiritual resists, so as not to suffer them to die eternally.
3583. Adhuc quia nihil respondere potuerunt, sed apparebant sicut convicti, scire dabatur, quod forte eorum persuasivum non ita a copia ratiociniorum exstitisset, quam ex aliis causis, ac quod quidem se confirmaverint, et obscuraverint, sic ut negaverint veritates fidei; sed quod tali amore sui fuissent tandem perciti, ut quicquid cogitarent, putarent hoc ita esse, sic ut putarent se infallibiles, et deos super terra; inde eorum persuasivum forte, de quo etiam [prius,] ubi de antediluvianis [3358-3379], quod etiam confirmatum per id, quod cum vixerunt in corpore, voluerint strangulare eos, qui non crederent tale esse, quod dixerunt; non volebant admittere ut diceretur quod vellent interimere, sed strangulare, ac ita suffocare, nam persuasivum eorum tale est, ut suffocet, inde quidam volunt tale per diluvium fuisse intellectum, quod nempe suffocati unus post alterum; nam tale est persuasivum, ut suffocet alios, demat sic respirationem, quare nunc dicunt, quod ii sic suffocati sint a suomet persuasivo, cum [tamen] interius se intulit, ubi restitit spirituale, [quia] non sufferere potuit, ut in aeternum morerentur.