4988. Some of those who were on the mountain conferred among themselves about how they might adopt the heavenly doctrine, which is dealt with [in Arcana Coelestia] before the Chapters on Exodus. And they devised wicked plots about how they might adulterate it, which plots were of such a nature that I dare not publicize them, because they were more horrible than may be exposed to view, together with all the things that could adulterate it and thus could utterly destroy and uproot it with these, so that it would be utterly extinguished.
[2] But their wicked plots were uncovered and they were punished in this way, they became entirely insane and stupid with the result that they could never recover their intellectual faculty. There were many like this. I was able to learn from them how it happened with those who embrace the heavenly doctrine with the intention and the plan of extinguishing it, which can be done when they admit its holiness and secretly pour in profane matters. There were three kinds of people; 1) Those who think about nothing other than exercising control and use holy things as a means of exercising control, who also are Babel. 2) Those who have persuaded themselves that there is no God but that people have all things in themselves and so everyone creates his own luck, and that the religion is for the sake of keeping the common people in control. 3) There were such as joined themselves openly with the hells.
4988. Some of those who were on the mountain, took counsel together that they should receive the heavenly doctrine which is treated of [in the Arcana Coelestia] before the successive chapters of Exodus. They devised atrocious plots how they might adulterate it - which plots were of such a character that I dared not give them publicity; for they were too horrible to divulge - together with all those contrivances which could adulterate it, and thus could utterly do away with and extirpate it with them, so that it might be altogether annihilated. But their atrocious plots were detected; and they were punished in such a manner that they became altogether insane and stupid, so that they could never recover intellectual power. There were many of such a character, from whom it was granted to know how it fared with those who embrace heavenly doctrine with the purpose and design of annihilating it - which can happen when they admit its sanctity and clandestinely infuse profane things. They were persons of three sorts: 1st. Those who think of nothing else but ruling, and employ holy things as a means of ruling; who also are Babel 2nd. Those who have persuaded themselves that there is not a God, but that man has all things in himself, so that everyone is absolutely the architect of his own fortune; and that religion is on account of the common people, that they may be held in bonds. 3rd. There were such as have entirely conjoined themselves with the hells.
4988. Quidam ex illis qui fuerunt in monte, consultarunt inter se quod reciperent doctrinam coelestem, de qua ante Capita Exodi, et iniverunt nefanda consilia, quomodo adulterarent illam, quae consilia talia erant, ut non ausim publico dare, nam fuerunt magis horrenda, quam ut paterent, cum omnibus iis, quae adulterare illam possent, et sic prorsus delere et exstirpare cum illis possent, sic ut exstingueretur prorsus; sed detecta sunt illorum nefanda consilia, et illi puniti eo modo, ut facti fuerint prorsus insani et stupidi, ut nusquam possent recuperare intellectuale, tales fuerunt plures, ex quibus scire datum est, quomodo cum illis fieret, qui amplectuntur doctrinam coelestem, animo et consilio exstinguendi illam, quod fieri potest, dum sanctum ejus admittunt, et prophana clam infundunt: fuerunt personae triplicis generis,
1) qui nihil aliud cogitant quam imperare, et uti sanctis pro mediis imperandi, qui etiam sunt Babel.
2) Qui sibi persuaserunt quod non Deus sit, sed quod homo habeat omnia in se, ita quod quisque sit faber suae fortunae, et quod religio sit propter vulgus ut teneantur in vinculo.
3) Fuerunt tales qui cum infernis se conjunxerunt plane.