4396. Those who had been the worst in life, but who had thought justly about everyday matters, accept the truths of faith more easily than those who had been outwardly moral, but who had thought evilly
There were three (ofwerste i Swerje, 1Gustaf Rudbeck, Prince of Dessau), who had lived a godless life, and had not believed in the other life, and had been extremely wicked. In the other life, they are accepting the truths of faith, because they have been gifted with the ability to receive, for the reason that they had thought justly and rightly about everyday matters, namely about worldly matters. Thus they had a ground, namely of earthly justice and righteousness, in which the truth of faith could be implanted. But the contrary was the case with others, who had thought evilly about holy matters, and had not cared for righteousness and truth, only outwardly appearing moral and courteous, and seen before people as upright, such as (Adlerheim, who was among the worst, and Bergenstierna, who was a hypocrite). The former men, because they had thought justly and truly, and had denied faith and eternal life, and had not believed in hell, nor in heaven, were withheld from the profanation of truth, which they blasphemed but could not profane. They are able to receive truth, but whether they receive good, I do not yet know. Truth of nature, or moral, or civil truth, is a receiving vessel of the truth of faith, and within it is a kind of conscience.
Footnotes:
1. Swedish for "colonels in Sweden."
4396. THAT THE VERY EVIL IN LIFE, WHO THOUGHT JUSTLY CONCERNING ORDINARY THINGS, RECEIVE THE TRUTHS OF FAITH MORE EASILY THAN THOSE WHO WERE EXTERNALLY MORAL, BUT WHO THOUGHT EVIL.
There were three (:Ofwerste i Swerige, Gustaf Rudbeck, Prince von Dessau:) who led an atheistical life, and believed nothing concerning another life, and were exceedingly wicked. These, in the other life, received the truths of faith, because they are endowed with the faculty of receiving, by reason of their having thought justly and uprightly concerning obvious matters, to wit, concerning worldly things; thus they had a plane, namely, natural justice and uprightness, in which the truth of faith could be implanted. But, on the contrary, others who thought evil of sacred things, and had no regard for what was just and true, provided only they might appear externally moral and civil, and appear good before men, such as Alderheim, who was among the most evil, and Bergenstierna, who was a hypocrite - these, because they thought what was just and true, and denied faith and eternal life, and believed nothing of heaven or hell, were withheld from the profanation of truth, which they blasphemed [indeed], but were not able to profane. [The first-mentioned] can receive truth, but whether good I do not yet know. Natural, moral, and civil good is the recipient vessel of the truth of faith, and in it there is a kind of conscience.
4396. Quod pessimi in vita, qui cogitarunt juste de obviis, facilius recipiant vera fidei, quam ii qui extus morati fuerunt sed cogitarunt male
Fuerunt tres (ofwerste i Swerje 1
, Gustaf Rudbeck, Prince von Dessau) qui vitam atheisticam vixerunt, nec quicquam crediderunt de altera vita, et facinorosissimi fuerunt, illi in altera vita recipiunt vera fidei, quia facultate recipiendi donati sunt, ex causa quia de obviis cogitarunt juste et recte, nempe de mundanis, sic habuerunt planum, nempe justum et rectum naturale, cui implantari potuit verum fidei: contra vero alii, qui cogitarunt male de sanctis, nec justum et verum curarunt, modo extus morati et civiles apparuissent, et videri coram hominibus, quod probi, sicut Adlerheim qui inter pessimos, et Bergenstierna qui hypocrita). Illi quia justum et verum cogitarunt, et negarunt fidem, et vitam aeternam, nec crediderunt infernum nec coelum, detenti sunt a prophanatione veri, quod blasphemarunt, sed non prophanare potuerunt. Verum possunt recipere, sed num bonum nondum scio. Verum naturale, morale, civile est vas recipiens veri fidei, inque illo est species conscientiae.
Footnotes:
1. = praefectus in Suecia (verba suecica)