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176 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG,
cially with France. With regard to the first, it must be evident to every well
constituted and enhghtened mind, that any change or revolution in our excellent
government, must render us an unhappy people. We inhabit the extreme north,
which one may call the end of the world ; and if an absolute monarchy were to
be again established amongst us, it would be as impossible here as it is in Rus-
sia, or among the Asiatic nations, for the people or the country to create any
opposition or counteracting power which might check and control e\^en a single
vice or evil propensity of the sovereign; for evil is rooted and lies dormant in
the nature of the sovereign, in common with all mankind, and accordingly
breaks forth, through want of an opposition, upon the first opportunity that
offers : that is, when the government is absolute.
" It is indeed unlawful to deliver over one’s life and property to the arbitrary
power of an individual ; for of these God alone is Lord and Master, and we are
simply their administrators on earth.
" It would be tedious to enumerate all the misfortunes and the grievous and
dreadful consequences, which might liappen here in the north, under a despo-
tic government; I will mention therefore only one—popish darkness,—and will
endeavor to exhibit it in its true light.
" We know from experience how the Babylonian whore (which signifies the
popish religion) fascinated and bewitched the reigning princes of Saxony, Cas-
sei, and Zweibriicken, also the king of England, shortly before the house of
Hanover was called to the British throne, and how it is still dallying with the pre-
tender ; how in Prussia likewise, it tampered with the present king, when crown-
prince, through his own father; not to mention king Sigismund and Queen
Christina in Sweden. We are well aware, too, how this whore is still going her
rounds through the courts of reformed Christendom. If, therefore, Sweden were
an absolute monarchy, and this whore, who understands so well how to dissem-
ble, and to adorn herself like a goddess, were to intrude herself into the cabinet
of a future monarch, is there any reason why she should not as easily delude
and infatuate him, as she did the above mentioned kings and j)rinces of Chris-
tendom ? What opposition would there be, what means of self protection, es-
pecially if the army, which is now upon a standing footing, were at the dispo-
sal of the monarch? what could bishops and priests, together with the peasant-
ry ,do, against force, against the determination of the sovereign, and against the
crafty cunning of the Jesuits? Would not all heavenly light be dissipated;
would not a night of barbarian darkness overwhelm the land ; and if they would
not be martyrs, must not the people bow down the neck to Satan, and become
worshipers of images, and idolaters ?
" The dread of this and every other slavery, which I need not here describe,
must hang over us for the future, should there take place any alteration in our ex-
celknt constitution, or any suspension of our invaluable liberty. The only gua-
rantee and counter check against such calamities would be oath and conscience.
Certainly if there were an oath, and the majority were sufficiently conscientious
to respect it, civil and religious liberty, and all that is valuable, might, indeed,
in every kingdom remain inviolate : but, on the other hand, we must bear in
mind that the papal chair can dissolve all oaths, and absolve every conscience,
by the virtue of the keys of St. Peter. It is easy for a monarch to assert, and
with every appearance of truth, that he has no thought of or desire for absolute
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