4321. About Paul
For a long time he had been in front, a little toward the right, and it was shown him that he might enjoy blessedness, but constantly, whenever he had the opportunity, he spoke against the truths of faith. Finally a certain spirit in a higher place was discovered, who claimed that he had led him. Engaged in conversation, he spoke quite confidently of himself as the one who had controlled him, and had ruled everything about him, professing himself to be as a god, even breathing out an aura as if he were the Lord. But he was a certain devil who imagined he was the very devil who had deceived Adam and Eve, according to the common opinion.
He was sent into hell, into its caverns, where he wandered through until he was right under my feet, and finally he came up, veiled in a cloud, which was his fantasy. Then Paul spoke with him, which it was granted me to hear, saying that he wanted him as a companion, and to go with him, and make him a god.
[2] So indeed they became companions, and went forward quite far, and tried to trick those who were there, but they were rejected wherever they went.
Also, while I was sleeping I was attacked by adulterers, and when they realized that I was under attack, those two helped them, and so stubbornly held me in that filthy kind of thought that I could hardly escape from it. The adulterers or adulteresses were punished, by gnuggning, 1which is their punishment, or being dashed together, back and forth. And because those two were also there, they also underwent the same punishment, severely, and hence it became known to all that Paul too is of that wicked character, and that he has been tolerated hitherto for certain reasons, for he underwent the punishment of a wicked spirit on account of his wicked deeds. I spoke with him about this, and now he is among robbers who wander around, almost where the desert is.
Footnotes:
1. Swedish for "dashing together."
4321. CONCERNING PAUL.
He was for a long time in front a little to the right, and it was shown him that he might attain to happiness, but whenever the opportunity was granted he continually spoke against the truths of faith. At length a certain spirit was detected in a higher place, who said to he led him. He spoke with abundant confidence as one that directed him and everything that pertained to him, profess in himself to be, as it were, a god, and breathing forth a sphere like the Lord; but he was a certain devil who imagined himself to be the very devil that deceived Adam and Eve according to the common opinion. He was sent into hell, into caverns, where he wandered about till [he came directly] under my feet, and there spoke. From thence he by and by ascended, veiled in a cloud, which, however, was his phantasy. It was then given me to hear Paul speaking with him and saying that he wished to be his companion, and that they would go together and make themselves gods. Wherefore being associated they went in company to a considerable distance in front and would fain have deceived those that were there; but they were rejected wherever they came. Having been moreover infested during my sleep by adulterers, these two when they perceived it lent their aid to the infesters, and so stubbornly held me in that vile train of thought that I could scarcely release myself. These adulterers or adulteresses were punished by the bruising process [gnuggismus] or reciprocal collisions, which is their [appropriate] punishment; and because those two were concerned in it, they also painfully underwent the same punishment. Hence it was made known to all that Paul is of such a nefarious character, and that it was only from certain causes that he was hitherto exempted [from the proper penalty], for the base suffer punishment for baseness, concerning which I also conversed with him; and he is now among those companies which rove about, and approximate the place of the desert. - 1749, July 10.
4321. De Paulo
Longo tempore fuit antrorsum dextrorsum paulo, et ostensum ei quod beatitudinem haberet, sed continue cum dabatur occasio, contra veritates fidei, loquutus, tandem quidam in altiori loco detectus, qui eum duxisse se dicebat, detentus, loquutus satis confidenter, sicut qui rexerit eum, et rexerit omnia quae ei, se deum quasi profitens; etiam exspirans sphaeram, sicut Dominus, sed erat quidam diabolus, qui putavit se ipsum diabolum fuisse, qui decepit Adam et Evam secundum communem opinionem, missus is in infernum, in cavernas, ubi pervagatus usque sub pedes meos, et ibi loquutus, tandem cum nube velatus ascendit, quae erat phantasia ejus, tunc Paulus, quod datum mihi audire, cum eo loquutus, dicens quod vellet socius esse, et simul ire, seque deum facere; quare etiam associati simul iverunt antrorsus satis longe, et ibi decipere volebant illos, sed rejecti, ubi venerunt; etiam cum dormirem infestatus ab adulteris, et cum perciperent quod infestatus, bini illi auxiliati sunt, et contumaciter tenuerunt me in tali cogitationis turpi, ut vix dissolvi possem, adulteri seu adulterae punitae sunt, per gnuggning, quod est poena earum, seu collisiones reciprocas; et quia bini illi erant quoque, etiam illi subibant eandem poenam, graviter, inde notum omnibus, quod Paulus etiam talis nefarius sit, et quod toleratus hactenus ex quibusdam causis, nam poenam subiit nefarii, ob nefanda, de qua cum eo loquutum est, et nunc inter tales latrones qui circumvagantur, et fere ubi locus desertus.