5765. About Babylon and the old heaven both destroyed
I saw and heard many thousands of spirits who were in the mountains and rocks who were thrown down from there and thrown, now into deserts, now into quagmires, now into other hells, all of whom spoke of God and heaven with their mouth, but had the world in their heart, and this came from spirits in Christendom! All these were cast down. Those who looked around themselves at the other mountains and other rocks,
[5765] 1/2. formed a society with those [they found there], so that they might protect themselves against attackers; and they would have no regard for God, still less for the Lord, who would have protected them. Thus they wanted to be protected and happy there of themselves and their own prudence and not from the Divine, a sign they had been like this in the world. Those in particular were cast down who looked down from high positions to the lower regions, and using various methods and arts, attacked those whom they saw. Eventually all those who looked downwards [were cast down]; for those who did not look down were not concerned about anything except their own houses, and trusted in the Lord, who Himself
[5765] 1:3. gave protection, they were kept safe. Also, after this those [spirits were thrown down] who had created a quasi-heaven for themselves by using a variety of arts learned in the other life and familiar in the other life. Not that they created it by an inward happiness, but by an outward one that soothed the outer senses. Accordingly, using various arts, they created magnificent things for themselves as regards dwellings and the things in them, as regards clothes and other adornments, and as to food. They invited all of the magicians and wizards who could produce things like this using artful tricks. These were invited to come to them and train them so they themselves could do these things too. Everyone upright and good they looked on as simple and wanted to obtain service from them; and when they also wanted to lead them astray, these upright spirits were all taken away by the Lord and removed to safety elsewhere and hidden up to this time. I could never imagine that there was so great a number of spirits like this; there were many thousands. And what I was amazed
[5765] 1:4. at was that they also were in lofty mountain places where they were not seen, nor [did they live] as it were in a cloud. Most believed that heaven was there, and they also boasted that they were in heaven and called themselves angels of heaven although there was nothing Divine in them. And it was their belief that God only rules heaven as a whole and that they ruled all the details. Thus they were devoid of faith in the Divine Providence and made themselves almost gods. They did not consider the Lord otherwise than as a common person, nor did they think about His Divinity. Consequently in their mental attitude most of them are associated with the hells.
5765. THE DESTROYED BABYLON AND OLD HEAVEN.
I saw and heard many myriads of spirits who were on the mountains and rocks cast down therefrom, and cast here into the deserts, there into the gulfs, and elsewhere into other hells; all of whom spoke with the mouth about God and heaven, but had the world in the heart: and this with spirits who were in Christianity! All these were cast down; and they looked about on the other mountains and on the other rocks,
5765a. and entered into society with them, in order that they might protect themselves against infestors. Also, they did not have regard to the one God, the Lord, who would protect them; consequently, they desired to be secure and happy there from themselves and their own prudence, and not from the Divine: a proof that they were of such a character in the World. Especially were those cast down who looked down from the heights towards the lower [places], and in various modes and by various arts infested those whom they saw: and at length all who looked down; for those who did not look down, were not anxious for anything save for their own homes, and trusted in the Lord, who Himself guarded them. These were preserved.
5765b. Moreover, those also [were cast down], who, by means of different arts learned in the other life, and in the other life well known, by various devices made themselves a heaven, as it were: not one that is felt with interior joy, but exterior, and that charms the external senses. Therefore, by means of various arts they made to themselves magnificent things, both as regards situation and the things which were there, and as regards apparel and other adornments, and as regards altars. They gathered to themselves all the sorcerers and contrivers who were able to present such things by means of arts, and thus also caused themselves to be instructed by them. All the upright and good they looked upon as simple, and wanted to obtain service from them; and inasmuch as they also desired to lead them astray these upright ones were all taken away by the Lord and led forth elsewhere and concealed until this time. I could never have supposed that the number of such ones was so immense: there were many myriads.
5765c. Also, what I was amazed at, they were likewise in lofty mountain places, where they were only seen as a mist; and most of them believed that heaven was there, and also boasted that they were in heaven, and called themselves angels of heaven, although there was nothing Divine with them; and these also believed that God rules only universally, and that they [rule] all particulars and every one of them: they were thus destitute of faith as regards Divine Providence, and made themselves almost gods. They did not regard the Lord any otherwise than as an ordinary man, nor did they think about His Divine. Hence most of them were consociated, in disposition, with the hells.
5765. De Babylonia et veteri coelo destructis
Vidi et audivi plures myriades spirituum, qui in montibus et petris erant, inde dejectos, et conjectos passim is deserta, passim in voragines, et passim in alia inferna, quorum omnes ore loquebantur de Deo et coelo, sed corde habebant mundum, et hoc ex spiritibus qui in Christianismo; omnes illi dejecti sunt, qui circumspiciebant ad alios montes et ad alias petras, et cum illis
[5[765] 1/2. iniverunt societatem, ut se sit tutarentur contra infestatores non respectarent Deum minus Dominum, qui illos tutaretur, ita ex semet suaque prudentia voluerunt ibi tuti felices esse non ex Divino, signum quod tales fuerint in mundo; imprimis illi dejecti sunt, qui despiciebant ex editis versus inferiora illos quos videbant, infestabant variis modis artibus, tandem omnes qui despiciebant, nam qui non despiciebant non curabant nisi suas domos confiderunt Domino, qui semet tu-
[5[765] 1/3. taretur, illi conservati sunt: praeterea etiam illi, qui per varias artes, cognitas in altera vita notas in altera vita, variis artibus fecerunt ipsi quasi coelum, non quod interiori gaudio faceretur, sed exteriori, quod mulceret sensus externos, ideo sibi magnifica per varias artes fecerunt; tam quoad habitationes quae ibi, quam quoad vestitus alios ornatus, quam quoad cibaria, arcesserunt se omnes magos artifices, qui talia potuerunt per artes sistere ipsi ab illis edocti fecerunt quoque ita: omnes probos bonos sicut simplices aspexerunt ex illis servitia habere volebant cum quoque illos seducere vellent, omnes illi a Domino exemti sunt alibi repositi occultati usque hoc tempus. Quod tantus numerus talium esset, nusquam cogitare potui, erant plures myriades; quod miratus quod etiam
[5[765] 1/4. in locis editis montanis essent, ubi nec visi, nec sicut nebula crediderunt plerique quod ibi coelum esset quoque illi venditarunt se in coelo esse vocabant angelos coeli, tametsi nullum Divinum esset apud illos credebant ii, quod Deus solum regat universaliter illi omnia singula, ita erant absque fide de Providentia Divina se paene deos fecerunt; Dominum non considerabant aliter quam sicut vulgarem hominem, nec de Divino Ipsius cogitabant. Inde plerique cum infernis animo consociati sunt.