487.关于龙，他在天堂的顶点或天顶为自己占了一个座位。一个由于幻想而坐在头顶上的高处，就是天顶（参看461-64, 466-67节）的人，被数次警告不可指责、迫害忠信的人。然而，许多世纪过去了，他还在做这种事，败坏了不计其数的人。他是这样的：当陷入恐惧状态时，他就会谦卑下来，承诺悔改，并顺服；但好景不长。他从心底里就是极其诡诈的，因为他行诡诈已经这么长时间了，绝无可能停止，无论给予他什么样的恩典。对其他人的惩罚和折磨被指给他看，每次他都感到恐惧，于是老调重弹，表示悔改，祈求恩典；然而，后来他又恢复自己的老我，以至于毫无希望了。指给他看的惩罚，我知道三种。其中一种是，在某个特定时刻，他遭受如分娩那样的痛苦，或遭受一种肠道疼痛，极其痛苦，他想把这一切转化为自己的功德。之后，他被送入俗称沼泽之地，浸泡在里面，被关在那里数个小时；不过，他从那里被释放了。今天，他被送到被诅咒者所在的一个地方，好叫他亲眼看看他所受的，比那里的人还要多。他吓得要命，在不到一刻钟的时间里，就受到残酷的打击。从那里被释放后，他现在战战兢兢，充满恐惧，再次祈求恩典；但一个出于恐惧祈求的人是不蒙垂听的，只有发自内心祈求的人才蒙垂听。（1748年1月17日）
他的阴谋诡计罄竹难书。
487. About the dragon, who took for himself a seat in the vertex or zenith of heaven
He who because of his fantasy is seated up high overhead at the zenith [see 461-464, 466-467], had been warned several times not reproach believers persecute them. But still, since many centuries ago he has kept on corrupted countless people. When he is frightened, it is his nature humble himself to promise repentance become submissive, but still, it does not last. He is cunning the core because he has practiced his deceits for such a long time, he can by no means desist, however much he is offered grace. He has been shown the punishments torments of others each time he is horrified resorts his own little rituals utterances prays for grace; but still, he returns his old self, so there is no hope for him. Of the punishments shown him, I know three. First, at a given moment he suffered a pain like that of one giving birth, or an internal pain, extremely agonizing he wanted turn this toward his own merit. After that he was let into the swamp, as it is called, be immersed into it was held there for some hours; but he was freed from there. Today he was let into some place of the damned, behold with his own eyes what he deserved more than those who are there. He was horrified for a space of hardly a quarter of a minute, suffered cruel blows. Being freed from there, he is now shuddering praying again, but one who prays out of fear cannot be heard, only one who prays from the heart. 1748, the 17th day of January. To enumerate his intrigues tricks, volumes would not suffice.
487. CONCERNING THE DRAGON WHO HAS TAKEN FOR HIMSELF A SEAT IN THE VERTEX OR IN THE ZENITH OF HEAVEN
He who, from his phantasy, sits on high above the head, in the zenith [n. 461 ], is sometimes admonished that he should not accuse the faithful nor persecute them, but he still has persisted for many ages past, and has perverted countless numbers. He is such that when he is in a state of terror he humbles himself, and promises repentance, and submits himself; but still it does not last. He is very deceitful from the heart, and because he has practiced his deceits for such a long time, he can by no means desist whatever grace is offered him. The punishments and torments of others are shown him, and just so often he is horrified and flees to his formulas and expressions [of repentance], and supplicates for grace; but he later returns to himself, so that there is no hope for him. I know three punishments that were demonstrated to him, namely, that for a moment he suffered a pain as of one in child-birth, or an intestinal pain by which he was most grievously afflicted, and he wanted to turn this into merit to himself. He was afterwards sent to the lake, as it is called, to be immersed there, and he was kept there for hours; but he was thence liberated. Today he was sent into a certain place of the damned, that he might behold with his own eyes what he deserved above those who are there. He was exceedingly horrified, and for scarcely the fourth part of a minute suffered cruel blows. Having been thence liberated, he is now filled with horror, and again supplicates [for grace]; but he who supplicates from terror cannot be heard, only he who does so from the heart. 1748, Jan. 17. Volumes would not suffice to enumerate his machinations and deceits.
487. De dracone, qui sedem sumsit 1
sibi, in vertice seu in zenith coeli
Qui in alto sedet, supra caput, in zenith [vide 461-464, 466-467], ex phantasia sua, is aliquoties admonitus, ne accusaret fideles, et persequeretur eos, sed usque perstiterat, a multis retro saeculis 1
, et pervertit innumeros, talis est, ut 2
dum in terrore, se humiliet, et spondeat poenitentiam, seque submittat, sed usque non perstat, est subdolus, ex corde, et quia tanto tempore exercuit dolos suos, neutiquam potest desistere, utcunque ei gratia praestatur; ostensa ei sunt supplicia et cruciatus aliorum, ac toties exhorrescit, et ad suas formulas seu expressiones fugit, et de gratia supplicat, sed usque redit ad semet, sic ut nulla ejus sit spes; supplicia, quae ei ostensa sunt, tria scio, nempe quod aliquo momento dolorem passus sicut parturientis, seu intestinum, ex quo maximopere condoluit, et voluit sibi vertere in meritum; postea missus ad stagnum, ut vocatur, ut ibi immergeretur, tenebatur 3
per horas, sed inde liberatus; hodie in locum damnatorum quendam missus, ut spectaret oculis suis quid meruit, prae iis, qui ibi sunt, exhorruit, et vix quarta parte minuti passus crudeles ictus, inde liberatus; nunc horret, et iterum supplicat, sed qui ex terrore supplicat, non potest audiri, solum qui ex corde. 1748, die 17 Jan. Ejus machinationes et dolos enumerare, non sufficiunt volumina.
Footnotes:
1. = sumpsit
1. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has saeculi
2. The Manuscript has ut ut
3. The Manuscript has sed tenebatur