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460 TESTIMONY OF CONTEMPORARIES. [Doc. 256.
to the world, I can the less believe it, as his discoveries
contain so much that is manifestly contradictory. Of this I
will give only one instance : He asserts in the driest manner,
that the last judgment must no longer be expected, but
that it has already taken place in the world of spirits in
1757. [This is contradictory to a merely literal interpretation
of the Word of God, based on a wrong translation of the
words : τῆς συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος, which are commonly trans
lated ’the end of the world,’ when yet their real meaning is
’the consummation of the age.’] This I found assured in clear
and distinct words in the above work, where he referred to a
separate treatise entitled : The Last Judgment and the De
struction of Babylon.’ It can be readily supposed that I be
came curious to read that ; wherefore I applied to Swedenborg
for the loan of the book, which I obtained from him. It bears
the title : De Ultimo Judicio et de Babylonia destructa. Ita
quod omnia, quæ in Apocalypsi prædicta sunt, hodie impleta
sunt. Ex auditis et visis. Londini, 1758. From the mere title
it appears, that this book contains unheard of news, and who
would not believe them, as the author has been present, and
has seen and heard every thing !? Really, not often a worldly
event of any importance has been described with more con
fidence and assurance, than our Swedenborg relates that the
Last Judgment has taken place in heaven. [He does not say
that it has taken place in heaven, but in the world of spirits.]
3.* "His Arcana Calestia, to which he constantly refers, I
have not read ; they are said to constitute eight thick quarto
volumes, which were printed in London at his own expense
between 1747 and 1758. Who has patience enough to read
such extensive works ? Perhaps I should have had it, but as
the author did not have the volumes with him, and I heard
from him that they cost over a hundred florins in England,.
I did not feel very strongly tempted to purchase them.
4. "Nothing is repeated more frequently in his writings,
than that all angels and devils have been human beings. I
often interrogated him orally on this subject, but never could
* See "Aufzeichnungen," &c. , p. 77.
Ibid., p. 86.
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