5207. About the destruction of Babel, and throwing [them] into a lake of sulfur
It has been seen on several earlier occasions how it is with those who are from the Catholic religion who had been prelates, monks, and such as governed others, namely, that certain are from the east where the Lord is as the sun [4913 ff.]. The Lord is above the heavens just as the sun of the world is above the earth, but those from this religion who are there, using the ability to fantasize, have made a semblance of the sun for themselves, but made of magical fantasy. It is [attractive] in outward respects, but is foul and diabolical within. There they had put up a devil whom they called Christ, and those who were around went to him and came back, and he told them that he had given them all his power, and they do what they desire, and that nevertheless it seems, through the fantasy sun, that they were at his side. There were no Jesuits there, nevertheless. As a consequence they had convinced the common people and were holding them in what they had been convinced of earlier, lest they ever come to concepts of truth and good. This fantasy sun was worshiped entirely as if it were Christ. This went on for some time, but when light from heaven was sent there and its nature became evident, then that sun was darkened and became black, and the devil who was in it there appeared in a certain container, a stort kearl, 1which fell down, and was repaired again by them with fantasies; and another devil went into it, a certain one known to me in the world, who was a devil. And this happened several times. But these were destroyed and thrown into the hells. And this went on without interruption, because many always came back.
[2] At the back, at a distance there, thus in the west, was a mountain full of this sort who call themselves Christ; and wherever they go they have an aura as if they were Christ [Himself], to such extent that the simpleminded were totally led along and believed this, because they were feigning humility, piety and such behaviors as they used to convince them. Because they were with me, they also said that Christ was in them, to save them and protect them from the diabolical gang, besides many things like this. They were able to seduce even more than the simpleminded. They continued on with this a long way, and then always applied themselves to the back of the head, and acted as one with the diabolical crowd all-around, maintaining all the time that they were exercising protection. In spite of this they were finally detected as being devils in angelic form, and as having gotten this from the fact that in the world they had wanted to rule all in the name of the Lord. There was a great number of them, and they persisted for a long time, but then they were thrown down from that mountain into a dark hell directly under the mountain there. I saw bands, and a great number were thrown down there. They are inward seducers, and they conspire with the hells all around. I saw them often and spoke with them often.
Footnotes:
1. Swedish for Ԭarge vessel"
5207. CONCERNING THE DESTRUCTION OF BABEL, AND THE CASTING INTO THE LAKE OF SULFUR.
It has been seen, on several former occasions, how those of the Catholic religion are circumstanced, who have been prelates, monks, and such as have been set over others, namely, that some of them are in the east, where the Lord is as the sun. The Lord is above the heavens, like the sun of the world is above the earth. But those of that religion who are there, have, by phantasy in themselves, made for themselves the semblance of a sun; but this is from magical phantasy, which is in externals, and inwardly [that semblance] is foul and devilish. They placed therein a certain devil whom they called Christ; and those around, went to him and came back, and he told them that he has given them all his power and they may do what they will; also, that it must always appear, by means of the phantastic sun, that they are in his favor. All this time, there were no Jesuits there. Thus they persuaded the common people, and held them in their former persuasion, lest they should, in any way, arrive at the knowledges of truth and good. That phantastic sun was worshipped, altogether as though it were Christ. This continued for some time; but, when light from heaven was let in upon it and its quality made evident, then that sun was obscured, and made darkness, and the devil inside it appeared in a certain vessel - a large vat - which glided down. And yet [that sun] was again restored by them, through phantasies, and another devil entered - a certain one known to me in the world, who is now a devil; and it so occurred several times. But these [suns] were destroyed; the people were cast into hells; and this went on continually, for there were always many fresh arrivals. At a distance, behind these, in a corresponding position in the west, was a mountain full of that sort, who called themselves Christ; and, whithersoever they came, they had just such a sphere as though they were Christ, and this in such a powerful degree, that the simple-minded were altogether led away, and believed it to be so; for they feigned humility, piety and the like, whereby the simple were deceived. They also said, when they were with me, that Christ was in them, to save them and protect them from the diabolical crew; besides many similar things. They were also able to seduce others besides the simpleminded. They proceeded, there, along an extended way, and applied themselves near the occiput; and there they acted in concert with the diabolical crew round about; still alleging that they protected, until, at length, they were exposed as being devils under angelic form, and as having derived this [quality] from the fact, that, in the world, they desired to rule all things, in the name of the Lord. There was a great multitude of them, and they continued for a considerable time; but they were afterwards cast out of that mountain into a gloomy hell, immediately beneath the mountain there. I saw companies of them; and a great multitude were cast thither. They are seducers of an interior kind; and they combined with the hells round about. I saw, and spoke with them, frequently.
5207. De destructione Babelis, et conjectione in stagnum sulphuris
Visum aliquoties prius est, quomodo se habet cum illis qui e Catholica religione, qui antistites, monachi, et tales qui praefuerunt aliis, quod nempe quidam ab oriente sint, ubi Dominus ut sol [4913 ff.], Domunus est supra coelos sicut sol mundi supra terras, sed illi qui ibi ex illa religione per phantasiam apud se fecerunt sibi instar solis, sed ex magica phantasia, quae est in externis, et intus foedum et diabolicum, ibi posuerunt aliquem diabolum, quem vocabant Christum, et illi circum ibant ad illum et redibant, et ille dixit illis quod dederit illis omnem suam potestatem, et faciant quid volunt, et quod usque videatur per solem phantasticum quod illi essent a latere ejus, ibi usque non erant Jesuitae, ita persuaserunt vulgum, et tenebant illos in priore sua persuasione, ne usquam ad cognitiones veri et boni venirent, adorabatur phantasticus ille sol prorsus sicut Christus, hoc perstitit aliquamdiu, sed cum lux e coelo illuc missa est, et patuit quale id tunc obscurabatur sol ille, et facta caligo, et diabolus qui intus ibi apparuit in vase quodam, stort kearl 1
, quod delapsum, ac iterum per phantasias reparabatur ab illis, et intrabat alius diabolus, quidam mihi notus in mundo, qui diabolus: et sic aliquoties; sed hi destructi sunt, et conjecti sunt in inferna; et hoc continue, nam redibant semper plures;
[2] a tergo ad distantiam ibi, ita ab occidente, erat mons plenus ex illa gente, quae se dicebant esse Christum, et quocunque veniebant, habebant sphaeram sicut essent Christus, usque adeo ut simplices deducerentur prorsus et crederent id, nam simulabant humiliationem, pietatem, et talia per quae persuadebant, dicebant etiam quia apud me erant, quod Christus in illis esset, et ad salvandum illos, et tutandum a diabolica turba, praeter plura similia, illi potuerunt seducere etiam plus quam simplices, pergebant ibi longa via, et applicabant se semper occipitio, et ibi unum agebant cum diabolica turba circum circum, praeferentes usque quod tutarentur, tandem usque detecti sunt, quod essent diaboli sub forma agelica, et quod traxerint id ex eo, quod in mundo omnia sub nomine Domini regere voluerint: multitudo eorum erat magna, et perstabat per multum tempus, sed dein conjecti sunt e monte illo in infernum tenebrosum proxime sub monte ibi, vidi cohortes, et multitudinem magnam illuc conjectam; hi sunt seductores interiores; et conspirabant cum infernis circum circa. Vidi illos saepe, et loquutus cum illis saepe.
Footnotes:
1. vel stort karl = magno vase (verba suecica)