5744. The whole western quarter was full of spirits like this who had been thrown down from the heavens everywhere; and there the earth opened itself [to them] and they were covered by a cloud so that they could no longer rise up. They were the sort of spirits who certainly had acknowledged God and lived well morally, but had not thought about the Lord other than as about an ordinary person like themselves, nor done what is good on account of God and because it was commanded in the Word, but on account of themselves and the world; nor did they abstain from thinking and willing what is evil other than out of fear of the law, for life and fame, respectability and gain. In a word, it was for themselves that they did whatever they did.
5744. The whole western quarter was full of such ones as had been cast down from the heavens on every side; and the earth there opened itself, and they were enveloped in a cloud so that they could not rise up any more. They were all such as did indeed acknowledge a God, and live morally well, but only thought of the Lord as of an ordinary man like themselves; nor did they do good on account of God and because it is enjoined in the Word, but for the sake of self and the world; neither did they abstain from thinking and willing evil but only from doing evil, for fear of the law, of their life, of reputation, of honor and gain: who, in a word, whatever they did, did it for the sake of self.
5744. Tota plaga occidentalis erat plena talibus qui dejecti de coelis undique, et ibi aperiebat se terra, et operiebantur nimbo, ut non amplius resurgerent; erant omnes tales qui quidem agnoverunt Deum, et vixerunt moraliter bene, sed non cogitaverunt de Domino, nisi sicut de homine vulgari simili sibi, nec bonum egerunt propter Deum et quia praeceptum in Verbo, sed propter se et mundum; nec abstinuerunt a cogitare et velle malum, sed solum a facere malum ex timore legis, vitae, famae, honoris, et lucri, verbo quicquid fecerunt propter se fecerunt.