218. IN THE OTHER LIFE VERY MANY OF THE GOOD ARE HELD IN CAPTIVITY, WHILST THE EVIL ENJOY FREEDOM. CONCERNING THE STATE OF THE UNFAITHFUL AT THE TIME OF THE LAST JUDGMENT In what manner good souls are as yet held in captivity has been granted me to know so manifestly that nothing is more manifest; it has been given me to feel this, and at the same time to speak with them. In like manner [I learned] that liberty was sometimes granted them and as it were, respite from captivity. I am unable to describe the experience itself, and how I manifestly perceived it, even for whole days, also in what manner those spirits were raised out of captivity, and restored to a kind of liberty, and again by turns drifted back into captivity. Nor can I relate how, according to their description, those who are in hell are tormented, and the kind of hatred that there reigns, with which one persecutes another, even to death. In the meanwhile others who are wicked and in the highest degree profane still enjoy liberty. The reason was also made clear to me, namely, that unless those spirits enjoyed their liberty, the human race, now vastated as to faith, would not be able to live in such corporeal and earthly delight, and in pleasures, but would continually be in misery and torment of conscience. For if good spirits and angels ruled in that ultimate heaven, then mortals could not but be infested by continual torment of conscience, which as yet, so long as the vastation continues, is not allowed for many reasons. But still at the time of the last judgment, the upright who have lived in ignorance, who are called "gentiles" by the prophets, will then be released from their captivity, and the evil spirits thrust down into grievous captivity and into hell, as the prophets prophesied in many places. Then the anxiety of which God Messiah spoke Himself, and through the prophets, will overtake those mortals who have led a wicked life, and likewise those in the other life who are like them. 1747, Oct. 24, o.s. I spoke about these things both with those who are in captivity, and with those who are at liberty: those who are in captivity have consolation, thus hope; very many of those who fly about in liberty, care nothing at all about it; they do not suppose it is true.