5103. About the hell where they quarrel about religious matters
About Luther
Babylon
About the big toe of the right foot
I heard a gang of several thousand around me. A hell of hypocrites was stirred up by it. A gaseous vapor came up from this hell that hurt my teeth and gums on the upper and lower left side. This went on for several hours, and I complained that I was subjected to this pain produced by this gang's agitation. Hours later I saw in front of me what appeared to be a monk dressed in gray, and it was said that he was Luther, and I realized that this gang had been stirred up by him against those who were with me, since from the first they had entirely agreed with his doctrine about faith. I was then granted to speak with him. I spoke to him then about the things that pertain to faith, saying that the twofold essential of Divine worship is faith and charity, but that they must work as one so that a person can be saved, besides many other things which were confirmed by heaven, and he stood listening, agreeing with everything. I thought that he was of such a nature that he could assent and stop stirring up the rest of the gang against this; but when he went off, he turned to the place where what pleased him, which was stirring up gangs, took him, and I immediately sensed a similar gang where he went, and pain from the opening of a hell of hypocrites, for on becoming present, every spirit opens a hell agreeing with his or her own love. Then warned repeatedly, he stopped. However, he went up on a high rock, and when he saw us below, he then again stirred up a similar gang. They said from there that they could not do otherwise because he possesses his belief's persuasive force, and also authority, so as a result he has these powers.
[2] But then he was punished and cast down. When he came to a valley, he stirred up similar gangs again there and also opened the hell that is directly below the middle of the groin, where those are who believe that they know everything and that nothing at all escapes them, and together with this do not allow others to speak, only themselves, not even to think unless they think as they do (Peter Schonstrom) 1who was such, had often been there). This was experienced as a kind of cold draft on the left side of my nose which made it sore, like when a winter wind blows on the nose and makes it somewhat painfully cold there because it takes away breathing through it. A gang was seen there as well. They said that they had no choice but to be there and that they were held there by force. On the left side higher up was the one who was its representative who opened this hell. And it was at length learned that this had been done by Luther. His nature is such that he says he wants all others to believe [as he believes], and that he alone knows and he alone should speak; and he does not allow others to believe or speak otherwise, always maintaining that [the things he says] are the truths themselves and cannot be contradicted.
Footnotes:
1. Peter Schonstrom (1682ֱ746) was Emanuel Swedenborg's paternal uncle and the husband of his maternal aunt Anna.
5103. CONCERNING THE HELL WHERE THEY WRANGLE ABOUT RELIGIOUS MATTERS. CONCERNING LUTHER. CONCERNING BABYLON. CONCERNING THE GREAT TOE OF THE RIGHT FOOT.
I heard a considerable crowd around me, which numbered several thousands. By them the hell of hypocrites was excited; from which hell there arose an exhalation which infested the teeth and gums, both upper and lower, of the left side. This continued some hours; and I complained that I was affected with that pain from that disturbing crew. After some hours, there appeared before me, a certain one, like a monk, in a blackish garment, and it was said that it was Luther; and it was perceived that that crew was stirred up by him, against those who were with me, because they entirely disagreed with his doctrine concerning faith. It was then granted me to speak with him. I then stated to him those things which pertain to faith; and said that the two essentials of divine worship are faith and charity, but that, in order that man may be saved, they must make one: besides many other things, which were confirmed from heaven; and he stood listening, and assenting to everything. I supposed that he was of such a disposition that he is able to acquiesce, and not any more excite the rest of the crew against these things. But when he went away, he turned himself to that course to which his delight led him, which was to excite tumults. As soon as he went off, I perceived a similar tumult, and also the pain arising from the opening of the hell of hypocrites; for every spirit, by reason of his presence, opens a hell agreeing with his love. Then, being once more admonished, he desisted, but betook himself to a high rock; and, when he saw us beneath, then he again stirred up a similar crew there. They said from thence, that they cannot do otherwise, because he has the persuasive power, and also the authority, of his opinion; so that it is not [in] their power, [to do otherwise than as he wishes]. But he was then punished and cast down. When he came to the valley, he again stirred up similar crowds there, and also opened a hell which is quite in the middle, under the groin, where are those who believe they know everything and that nothing at all is concealed from them, and, at the same time, do not suffer others to speak, nor even to think, save only those who agree with them. (Peter Schonstrom, who was of such a character, was often there.) This was observed from a certain cold draught into the nostril, from which arose discomfort, such as there is when a wintry wind blows into the nostrils and causes a certain cold pain there; for, by that means, it takes away the respiration. For a crowd appeared there also, which said that they cannot but be there, and that they are kept there by force. He who was their subject, who opened that hell, was at the left side, higher up; and it was at length ascertained that this was caused by Luther for he is of such a character that he wishes all others to believe what he says, and [thinks] that he only knows, and that he only ought to speak. Nor does he suffer others to believe and speak differently from him, always saying that the things he said were truths themselves, and cannot be contradicted.
5103. De inferno, ubi rixantur de religiosis
De Luthero
Babylonia
De pollice pedis dextri
Audivi multorum turbam circum me, quae erat aliquot mille, per illam excitabatur infernum hypocritarum, ex quo exsurgebat halitus, qui infestabat dentes et gingivas sinistri lateris superiores et inferiores, hoc perstabat aliquibus horis, et conquestus sum quod dolore illo afficerer, ex turba illa excitatrice, post horas visus est quidam ante me sicut monachus, vestitu nigricante, et dictum quod esset Lutherus, et perceptum, quod ab illo excitaretur illa turba, contra illos qui apud me, quoniam primum prorsus consentirent cum doctrina ejus de fide; tunc datum loqui cum illo, cui tunc dicebam illa quae ad fidem pertinent, quod duo essentialia cultus Divini sit fides et charitas, sed quod unum facient, ut homo salvari possit, praeter alia plura, quae confirmabantur e coelo, etiam stetit ille, auscultans, et consentiens, ad omnia, rebar quod esset tali indole, ut possit acquiescere, et non amplius excitare contra haec reliquam turbam; sed cum abibat, se vertit illuc quo jucundum ejus ferebat, quod erat turbas excitare, ac statim ubi abivit, sensi similem turbam, et dolorem ex apertione inferni hypocritarum, nam quivis spiritus ad praesentiam suam aperit infernum suo amori conveniens, tunc iterum monitus, desistebat, sed contulit se in petram altam, et cum vidit nos infra, tunc iterum ibi excitabat turbam similem; dicebant inde quod non possint aliter facere, quia habet vim persuasivam suae opinionis et quoque auctoritatem, sic ut in illis viribus sit; sed tunc punitus et dejectus, cum ad vallem venit, iterum ibi excitabat turbas, similes, et quoque aperuit infernum, quod prorsus in medio sub inguinibus, ubi illi sunt, qui credunt se omnia scire, et nihil prorsus illos latere, et simul non patiuntur ut alii loquantur, sed illi solum, ne quidem cogitent nisi illi similiter cum illis (ibi fuerat saepe Peter Sch�nstr�m qui talis), hoc apperceptum est quodam inflatu frigido in narem sinistram, ex quo incommodum, quale cum spirat ventus hyemalis in nares, et aliquid doloris frigidi ibi facit, demit enim respirationm per illam; apparebat etiam turba ibi, quae dicebat quod non possint aliter quam ibi esse, et quod teneantur ibi vi; erat a latere sinistro superius, qui subjecta ejus qui aperiebat id infernum, et compertum tandem, quod hoc fieret a Luthero; ille enim talis est, ut quod dicat, velit ut omnes alii credant, et quod solus sciat, et solus loqui debeat, nec permittat ut alii aliter credant et loquantur, dicens semper quod ipsa vera essent; et quod contradici nequeant.