3593. Concerning unmerciful mercy and charity
Certain ones, while I was writing about the people before the flood having scarcely anything [of good] remaining, were touched by a kind of compassion to induce persuasively a mental image of the Lord weeping over them. Since they somewhat convinced me, it was not granted me to instruct them that they are of the kind, should they come into the world of spirits, to destroy all, whomsoever they should meet.
But because others were moved by that inappropriate mercy to feel the same compassion, not knowing where it came from; and because it would penetrate even to good spirits, or into the nearest societies, or those in between both evil and good, it was permitted that some of those below the mountain, where were the antediluvians spoken of earlier [3579 ff.] should come up. But as I then realized, there were also others going down toward them, whose life was similar. But concerning the people before the flood and how they came up, see just above [3584].
3593. CONCERNING A MERCILESS MERCY, AND [CONCERNING] CHARITY.
Certain spirits, when I was writing respecting the antediluvians, [and saying] that they had scarcely anything [vital] left, were touched with such compassion, that they persuasively induced the idea of the Lord's becoming placable towards them; and because they induced a degree of this persuasion upon me, it was not given then to instruct them that such, if they should come into the spiritual world, would destroy whomsoever they should find by an unseasonable compassion. Others were greatly moved, they knew not whence, to exercise a like pity, and because they penetrate even to good spirits, or to the proximate or intermediate societies, evil and good, it was permitted that some of those who were under the mountain where were the antediluvians before spoken of should come forth; but, as was then perceived there were others also who descended to them, whose life was similar. But concerning the antediluvians, and the manner of their coming forth, see just below.
3593. De immisericordi misericordia, et charitate
Quidam, cum de antediluvianis scriberetur, quod vix aliquid residui haberent, [moti] sunt misericordia tali, ut persuasive induxerint Dominum plorantem super eos; quia mihi inducebant aliquid persuasionis, non datum est mihi instruere [eos,] quod tales sint, si in mundum spirituum venirent, quod perderent omnes quoscunque [offenderent; at quia] eorum intempestiva misericordia, [commoti] sunt alii, qui nesciebant [unde,] ut similiter misererentur, et quia usque ad bonos spiritus, seu in societates proximas seu intermedias, malas et bonas penetraret, permissum erat, ut ex iis qui sub monte, ubi antediluviani, subirent, de quibus prius [3579 seqq.], sed sicut tunc perceptum, erant quoque alii qui ad eos descendebant, quorum vita similis; sed de antediluvianis, quomodo subiverint, mox prius videas [3584] .