" "Shall be great Earthquakes in divers Places; alfo great and terrible Signs from Heaven; and there fhall be Diftrefs of Nations, the Sea and the Salt"Water roaring." 26. VISITATIONS were also made by Angels; for before any ill-formed Society perishes, Visitation always precedes. The Angels exhorted them to defift, and in Cafe they refused, denounced their Deftruction. At the fame Time alfo they explored whether there were any good Spirits intermixed with them, and if they found any fuch, they feparated them. But the Multitude, inftigated by their Leaders, infulted the Angels, and rushed forth with Intent to drag them to their public Place of Meeting, and there to treat them in a wicked Manner; juft as was the Cafe in Sodom. The greater Part of them were fuch as had feparated Faith from Charity; there were also fome, who profeffed Charity, and nevertheless lived fcandalous Lives. 27. III. In what Manner the Universal Fudgment was accomplished. When it was found, that the Vifitations and Signs, forewarning them of an approaching Judgment, had no Effect in reftraining them from their wicked Practices, and alfo from their feditious Plots against thofe who acknowledged the Lord as the God of Heaven and Earth, held the Sanctity of the Word, and and led a Life of Charity, then the Laft Judgment came fuddenly upon them, and was performed as follows. 28. The Lord was feen in a white Cloud with Angels, and there was heard a Sound from thence as of Trumpets; which was a Sign representative of the Protection of the Angels of Heaven by the Lord, and of the Gathering together of the Good from every Quarter; for the Lord does not bring Deftruction on any one, but only defends his own, and withdraws them from Communication with the Wicked; whereupon the Wicked enter into their Concupifcences, and in Confequence thereof rush into Enormities of every Kind. Then all they who were about to perish, were feen together in the Form of a great Dragon with it's Tail extended in a Curve, and elevated towards Heaven, and in it's Elevation turning itself different Ways, as though it would deftroy Heaven, and draw it down; but the Attempt was fruitless and vain, for it's Tail was caft down, and the Dragon itself, which then also appeared elevated, funk beneath. It was given me to fee this Reprefentation, that I might know and make known who are meant by the Dragon in the Apocalypfe; namely, that by the Dragon are meant all those who read the Word, hear Sermons, and frequent the Ordinances of the Church, but make no Account Account of the Concupifcences of Evil, in which they take Delight, and inwardly meditate on Thefts and Frauds, Adulteries and Obscenities, Hatred and Revenge, Lying and Blafphemy; thus living in Spirit the Life of Devils, though outwardly in the Body they have the Appearance of Angels: Such were the Perfons who compofed the Dragon itself; but they who formed the Tail, were fuch as in the World had lived in Faith feparate from Charity, and who were like the former as to their Thoughts and Intentions. 29. I then faw the Rocks on which they were, fome finking down below; fome removed to a great Distance; fome opening in the Middle, and letting down through the Apertures those who were upon them; and others overwhelmed as with a Deluge: I alfo faw many People, ac cording to the Genera and Species of Evil, collected together into Companies, like Bundles, and caft here and there into Whirlpools, Bogs, Lakes, and Defarts, which were fo many Hells. The reft, who were not upon Rocks, but difperfed here and there, and yet in fimilar Evils, fled. with Terror and Aftonishment to the Papifts, Mahometans, and Gentiles, and made Profeffion of their Religion; this they could do without, Uneafinefs of Mind, because they had no any Religion at all; but left they fhould likewife feduce them, they were driven away, and thruft down to their Companions in the Hells. This is a general Description of their Destruction; the Particulars, which I faw, are too numerous to admit of being defcribed here. 39. Of the Salvation of the Sheep. After the Laft Judgment was accomplished, then there was Joy in Heaven, and there was alfo Light in the World of Spirits, fuch as was not before. The Joy that took Place in Heaven, after the Dragon was caft down, is defcribed in the Apocalypfe, Chap. xii. 10, 11, 12: And there was Light in the World of Spirits, because those infernal Societies were removed, which were like interpofing Clouds that darken the Earth; A fimilar Light then also arose upon Men in the World, from which they enjoy new Illumination. 31. Then I faw angelic Spirits ascending in great Numbers from beneath, and taken up into Heaven; these were the Sheep, who had been there referved and guarded by the Lord for Ages back, left they fhould come into the malignant Sphere, which exhaled from the Spirits of the Dragon, and which would have fuffocated their Charity. There are they who are meant in the |