627. Their inward angels also were instructed that the Lord never punishes anyone, much less does evil to anyone. And because at first they did not want to admit this, firmly believing that the Lord does chastise and punish, it was declared to them aloud that even their angels do not chastise or punish, nor do they speak harshly to people of their earth, but only permit the punishing and reproving spirit to carry out and speak the punishments and threats, while they temper them, and decide of what kind and what intensity they shall be.
From this they were able to deduce that since their angels do not punish and say harsh things to any person, so much less does the Lord, Who is the Best, the Fountain of all Goodness, He Who governs the angels. Hence because of their own modes of behavior, they could not help acknowledging, but even affirmed in a public declaration, that the Lord punishes no one, speaks harsh words to no one, still less does evil to anyone. 1748, the 2nd day of February.
627. Their interior angels were also instructed that the Lord never punishes anyone, still less does evil to anyone. At first they were not willing to admit this, for they supposed that the Lord chastised and punished. But when it was demonstrated to them by a living voice that their angels neither chastise nor punish, nor speak harshly to a man on their earth, but that they only permit the punishing and accusing spirits to do and say such things so that they might moderate and judge concerning the kind and amount of the punishment and threats, they could conclude as a result that, since their angels do not punish and say harsh things to any man, still less does the Lord, Who is the Best, the Fountain of all goodness, and Who governs the angels. Hence from their own modes of acting they could not but acknowledge, and also affirm with a manifest voice, that the Lord punishes no one, speaks harshly to no one, still less does evil. 1748, Feb. 2.
627. Instruebantur etiam angeli eorum interiores, quod Dominus nusquam aliquem puniat, minus alicui malum faciat, quod quia primum non voluerunt admittere, arbitrantes quod Dominus castigaret et puniret, iis ostendebatur viva voce, quod angeli eorum nec castigent aut puniant, nec loquantur dure ad hominem telluris suae, sed modo permittant spiritui punitori et redarguitori, ut id faciat ac dicat, sic ut moderentur, et judicent de qualitate et quantitate poenarum 1
et minarum, inde concludere possent, quod cum ii non puniunt ac dura dicunt alicui homini, eo minus quod Dominus, Qui est Optimus, Fons omnium Bonitatum, Qui regit angelos; inde, ex suismet modis agendi, non potuerunt non agnoscere, sed etiam affirmare manifesta voce, quod Dominus nullum puniat, ad nullum dura 2
loquatur minus malum faciat. 1748, d. 2 Febr.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has quantite poena
2. In the Manuscript durum in dura emendatum