5719. It was said of those who are not good who are in the houses and cities that they give no attention whatever to the things of heaven. They turn away from them and do nothing other than talk among themselves about worldly and bodily matters, and they eat and they drink, and they listen to the news about what is going on around them, just as it is in the world with those like this. In a word, the pleasures of the world and of the body are their life, and not at all the pleasures of heaven. Previously they had gone to church, but now their churches no longer even appear. #
5720. 1 It was said in addition about those in Stockholm that they care about nothing but hearing what is going on in the city and outside the city, for example, who is at my house, whether it is still so. But they do not care at all about matters of doctrine, what these are. They had attached themselves to those who were merely natural-minded and materialistic although they knew that they were devils. They take a walk in the streets and markets and take note of everything, seeing nothing of what pertains to the Church and heaven. They are almost all of such a mind that they want to lead others and rule; this is ingrained in them. I saw the purging of parts of Stockholm. The left side of Nygatan 2Street was entirely destroyed, so that there was no longer a house, but only devastation; part of Sodermalm also, from the farther side there up to the houses nearer me, and everyone was thrown out depending on their nature.
Footnotes:
1. Following the author's instruction in the manuscript, we have inserted 5721 here, and numbered it as 5720 in the online version.
2. A street in Stockholm.
5719. It was said of those in the houses [in] the cities, who were not good, that they pay no attention whatever to heavenly things, but turn themselves from them; and that they do nothing else but talk to each other about worldly and bodily matters, and eat and drink, and listen to the things which happen round about, as with such people in the world: that, in a word, the delights of the world and the body are their life, and not at all the delights of heaven. They formerly attended churches; but, now, there no longer appear churches for them. 1
5719. Dicebatur de illis qui in domibus [et] urbibus, qui non boni, quod prorsus nihil attendant ad coelestia, avertant se ab illis, et quod nihil aliud faciant, quam quod loquantur inter se de mundanis et corporeis, et comedant et bibant, et audiant quae contingunt circum circa, sicut in mundo apud tales, verbo quod jucunda mundi et corporis sint vita eorum, et prorsus non jucunda coeli: frequentarunt templa prius, sed nunc etiam templa pro illis non apparent amplius. #