CONCERNING HEAVEN AND HELL

CONCERNING THE NEW JERUSALEM AND ITS HEAVENLY DOCTRINE

CONCERNING THE LAST JUDGMENT

CONCERNING THE WHITE HORSE and

CONCERNING THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE.

These small works have been sent as a gift to all the bishops, and to many great men or lords. They said that they received them and looked at them, but that they did not consider them worthy of notice, although written skilfully; and also that they persuaded whomsoever they could not to read them. I asked them why, when yet there we have arcana concerning heaven and hell, and the life after death, and more things of great worth, which have been revealed by the Lord for those who will be of His New Church, which is the New Jerusalem. But they said, 'What do these things matter to us?'; and they poured out disparagements against them, just as formerly in the world. I heard them. And then in their presence these words were read out of the Apocalypse:-

And the sixth angel poured out his phial upon the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, that the way of kings from the rising of the sun might be prepared. And I saw out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are the spirits of demons doing signs to go away to the kings of the land and of the whole world, to gather them together to the war of the great day of God Omnipotent. And he gathered them together into the place termed in Hebrew ARMAGEDDON Rev. xvi 12-16.

These things were expounded in their presence, and it was said that they, and others like them, were those who are understood thereby. [2] From heaven, the king*, the grandfather of the king at present reigning, heard these things that were said to the bishops, and being somewhat displeased said, 'What is this?' And then a certain one of them who had not agreed with them in the world, turned to the king and said, 'Those whom you now see with your eyes thought in the world, and consequently also think now, of the Lord's Divine Human as of the human of an ordinary man, and they attribute all salvation and redemption to God the Father, and not to the Lord except as a cause for the sake of which [this is effected]. For they believe in God the Father, and not in His Son, although they know from the Lord that it is the will of the Father that they should believe in the Son, and that they who believe in the Son may have eternal life; and that they who do not believe in the Son are not going to see life [John vi 40; iii 36]. Besides this they cast out the charity that is done by the Lord by means of a man as by him, from having anything to do with salvation.' [3] Speaking further with the king he exposed the HIERARCHY, which many of them continually aim at and practise, which they strengthen by joining together and combining with all of their order by means of emissaries, messages, letters and speeches, supported by ecclesiastical and at the same time political authority, as the result of which they all stick together like one bunch (fascis). And [he said] that by means of that hierarchy it has also been brought about that the above-named WORKS FOR THE NEW JERUSALEM, although published at London and sent to them as a gift, have been so disgracefully rejected as not to be deemed worthy even of a place among the books to be named in their catalogue. On hearing these things the king was utterly amazed, especially at their thinking in that manner of the Lord, Who yet is the God of heaven and earth; and of charity, which yet is religion itself. And then by means of the light let in from heaven the interiors of their mind and faith were opened. And the king saw, and then said, 'Go away! Alas, who can become so apathetic at hearing anything about heaven and eternal life?

[4] Thereupon an inquiry was made by the king, whence they had such complete obedience from the clergy, and it was said that it is from the authority conceded to each bishop in his own diocese of nominating to the king only one candidate for [each of the] congregations, and not three as in other kingdoms. Also that by virtue of that authority they had the right to promote their proteges to higher honours and larger revenues, anyone they please according to the obedience he offers. It was also disclosed how far that hierarchy is able to go, and that it advances as far as making dominion the essential thing and religion a formality. Their ardour for dominating was also laid open and viewed by angels, and it was seen that it exceeds the ardour for dominating of those who have authority in secular matters. * George II. Cf. n. 344.