4811. About Dr. Nordberg 1
A large snake, of a greenish color, appeared on the left side and was seen to seize a spirit there by his clothes and lead him around to the right. I wondered what it was after. When the spirit was freed, the snake seized another by his clothes and twisted itself around in same way and wandered off. And it did the same with others. I realized then that this appearance came from his nature, that he had mistreated others in this way using sensual matters and their fallacies, and had done so cunningly.
This is how they appear to others, not to themselves. The outer garments he seized are sensual things and their fallacies. Immediately after this I heard him talking with them, summarily, asking whom they believed in. They said, in God the Father, in the Son, and in the Holy Spirit. Consequently some he criticized bitingly, some he left alone and passed by them. Later he was detected and seen, and it was cried out that it was Dr. N[ord]b[e]r[g]. His head was boney, [his] body and hands white, and looking like this he was led around and shown to spirits, and it was always announced that it was he. He folded his hands and said that he had sinned, but this was said to those standing near to show them what he was thinking then. What was seen and felt was a fraud. And then he was taken toward heaven and led around, and it was shown to the angels what he was like and who he was. And in a clear voice he admitted that he had not believed in either the Father or the Son or the Holy Spirit although he had preached [about them]. And [he admitted] that he had treated the entire Sacred Scripture with contempt, had not been content with this but had also wanted to persuade others, [and] had tried to do so with many priests, so much so that he was not afraid of it being divulged. Then from there he was cast into a deep hell. He had such a strong power of persuasion that he almost blinded spirits when he questioned them; certain were scarcely able to reply. It was said that on this account, in his final years he had not wanted to preach, and in the end he was cast down. He spoke with some scandalously about the Sacred Scripture, faith, and God, and did so persuasively.
Footnotes:
1. Dr. Joran Nordberg, (1677ֱ744), the chaplain, confessor and chronicler of Charles XII.
4811. CONCERNING DR. NORDBERG
There appeared, at the left side, a great serpent, of nearly a green color; and it seemed to take hold of a certain spirit there, by the garment, and brought him around to the right. I wonder what it wanted. Extricated from him, it took hold of another by the garment and wound itself around, in this way, and wandered about, and behaved similarly to others. It was then perceived [that] this appearance was from his nature; because, by means of sensuals and their fallacies, he thus treated others, and this out of craftiness. Such ones appear thus to others, not to themselves. The outside garments, which he took hold of, are sensuals and their fallacies. Afterwards, he was heard to speak with them, but briefly. He inquired in whom they believe; they said in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. For this, he bit certain of them. Certain he artfully left, passing over them. Afterwards, he was detected, and appeared [in his proper person]; and it was shouted out that it was Dr. Nordberg. He appeared, as it were bony as to the head, and snowy as to the body and hands; and, thus, he was led around, and seen before the eyes of the spirits; and they constantly shouted out that it was he. He folded his palms, and said that he has sinned; but it was said by those standing near, that they saw what he then designed, and that what they saw and felt was an imposition; and he was then borne up towards heaven and carried round, and it was shown to the angels of what character he was and who he was; and he confessed, in a clear voice, that he did not believe either in the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit, although he has preached, and that he has treated the Holy Scripture altogether contumeliously; and he was not content with that, but he also wished to persuade others, tempting, amongst many, some priests - so little was he afraid for the thing to be divulged. He was then cast thence into a deep hell. He possessed strong persuasive power, so that he could almost blind spirits when he questioned them, so that some could hardly reply. It was said that, on that account, in his last years, he did not wish to preach. At length, he was cast down. He spoke scandalously to some, about the Holy Scripture, and about faith, and about God, and this with persuasion.
4811. De Doct. Nordberg
Apparuit magnus serpens ad latus sinistrum, viridi paene colore, et is visus arripere aliquem spiritum ibi in veste, et circumduxit ad dextrum, miratus sum quid vellet: liberato illo, arripuit alium in veste, et sic circumflectebat se et vagabatur, et similiter fecit cum aliis; perceptum tunc [quod] hoc apparentia esset ex ejus natura, quod per sensualia et eorum fallacias ita tractaret alios, et hoc ex astu, ita apparent illi, aliis, non sibi, vestes ultimae, quas arripuit, sunt sensualia et eorum fallaciae: postea auditus loqui cum illis sed strictim, interrogans in quem credant, dixerunt in Deum Patrem, Filium et Spiritum Sanctum, quosdam ita momordit, quosdam autem reliquit, ita pertranseundo; postea, detectus est, et apparuit, et clamatum quod esset D. N. br. Apparuit sicut osseus quoad caput, niveus quoad corpus et quoad manus, et sic circumlatus circum et visus coram spiritibus, et semper clamatum quod is esset; plicabat palmas, et dicebat quod peccaverit, sed dictum adstantibus ut viderent quid tunc cogitaret, erat fraudulentum quod visum et sentitum, et dein sublatus versus coelum et circumlatus et ostensus angelis qualis esset, et quis esset, et fassus clara voce quod non crediderit neque in Patrem neque in Filium neque in Spiritum sanctum, tametsi praedicaverit, et quod prorsus scripturam sacram contumeliose tractaverit; et non contentus eo, sed etiam voluerit persuadere aliis, tentando apud plures sacerdotes, quantum non timuit id propalari; dein conjectus est inde in infernum profundum: fuit tam forti persuasivo ut occoecaret spiritus paene, cum interrogabat eos, ut quidam vix possent respondere: dictum quod ideo ultimis annis non voluerit praedicare. Demum dejectus est. Cum quibusdam loquutus est scandalose de sancta scriptura, et de fide, deque Deo, et hoc cum persuasione.