374. CONCERNING HELL AND THE CRUELTY OF THE INFERNAL CREW What the cruelty of the infernal crew is like can never be described; they act from phantasies in the most hostile manner against others upon whom they exercise such cruelties that if they were to be described they would horrify. For if they could exercise cruelties according to their phantasies, their butcheries would be even more cruel than those of the most ferocious wild beasts. By their phantasies they as it were bring forth axes and instruments of death, and unless God Messiah subdued their savagery, those whom they intend to torment would also have the most cruel sensation. For such is the power of phantasies amongst souls that they can induce a sensation as though it were corporeal, thus likewise torments. God Messiah removes those sensations; indeed He takes away the instruments of death from the infernal crew. In a word, these cruelties are more horrifying than one can ever believe. The human race, which is worse than the most ferocious wild beasts, would have exercised such cruelties unless God Messiah had saved them and redeemed them, and thus He continually liberates them from infernal punishments. 1747, Dec. 21.