4987. But it is the other way around in the cities where the good are, because taken together the inhabitants make as it were one person. Therefore cities are doctrines.
What dreadful tricks they excel at for leading people into damnation! They were able to turn the inflow of the Lord away from those who faithfully acknowledge the Lord, both by weakening the inflow and also by virtually taking it away and turning the mind and its thinking to themselves. They did this, and it was shown. They said that additionally they had said to certain in the world that they have no need to look to the Lord but to them, since He had left His power to them. When they replied that He is also God, they said that He came into the world as a person and received that power from His Father and that He now has no power.
4987. But it is the reverse in cities where the good dwell; for the inhabitants make together one man, as it were: hence cities are doctrines. Very skilful indeed are the inhabitants of the cities where the evil dwell, in dreadful arts for leading men into damnation. They were able to avert the influx of the Lord from those who in faith acknowledge the Lord, by blunting the influx, and also by almost taking it away, and by turning the mind and its thought to themselves. They practiced this; and their practice was exposed. They said (as they had also stated to some in the world) that men do not need to look to the Lord but to them, since He left His power to them. When any replied that He is still God, they say that He came into the world as a man and received that power which He had from His Father, and that He has no power now.
4987. Vice versa autem in urbibus ubi boni, nam habitatores simul faciunt sicut unum hominem, inde urbes sunt doctrinae. Quam diras artes callent perducendi homines in damnationem! potuerunt avertere influxum Domini ab illis qui fide agnoscunt Dominum, tam hebetando influxum, et quoque paene tollendo, et vertendo mentem et ejus cogitationem ad se; hoc exercebant, et ostensum, dicebant quod etiam ad quosdam in mundo dixerint, quod non opus habeant spectare ad Dominum, sed ad semet, quoniam potestatem suam illis reliquit, cum responderent quod etiam Deus sit, dicunt, quod ut homo venit in mundum, et potestatem illam a Patre suo accepit, et quod nunc nihil potestatis habeat.