93. I have sometimes conversed in the spiritual world with those who justify men by faith alone, and I have said that their doctrine is erroneous, and also incongruous; that it leads to unconcern, blindness, sleep, and night in spiritual things, and thereby to the death of the soul; and I have exhorted them to abandon that doctrine. But the answer I received was: Why should we abandon it? Does not the superiority of the learning of the clergy in the sight of the laity depend upon this doctrine? But I replied that in that case they do not regard the salvation of souls, but their own eminence; and that, as they have applied the truths of the Word to their own false principles, and so have adulterated them, they are angels of the abyss, called Abaddons and Apollyons, Rev. ix. 11; by whom are signified those who destroy the Church by a total falsification of the Word see the explanation in THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED, n. 440, and the memorable experience, n. 566. But they answered: What of that? Are we not oracles on account of our knowledge of the mysteries of that doctrine? And from that doctrine do we not give answers as from a shrine? Wherefore, we are not Apollyons, but Apollos. I was indignant at these words and said If you are Apollos, you are also Leviathans. The chief among you are crooked Leviathans, the lesser are piercing Leviathans, whom God will visit with His hard and great sword; Isaiah xxvii 1. But they laughed at this. What is signified by being visited, and by perishing by the sword, may be seen in THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED, n. 52.