4988. Some of those who were on the mountain, took counsel together that they should receive the heavenly doctrine which is treated of [in the Arcana Coelestia] before the successive chapters of Exodus. They devised atrocious plots how they might adulterate it - which plots were of such a character that I dared not give them publicity; for they were too horrible to divulge - together with all those contrivances which could adulterate it, and thus could utterly do away with and extirpate it with them, so that it might be altogether annihilated. But their atrocious plots were detected; and they were punished in such a manner that they became altogether insane and stupid, so that they could never recover intellectual power. There were many of such a character, from whom it was granted to know how it fared with those who embrace heavenly doctrine with the purpose and design of annihilating it - which can happen when they admit its sanctity and clandestinely infuse profane things. They were persons of three sorts: 1st. Those who think of nothing else but ruling, and employ holy things as a means of ruling; who also are Babel 2nd. Those who have persuaded themselves that there is not a God, but that man has all things in himself, so that everyone is absolutely the architect of his own fortune; and that religion is on account of the common people, that they may be held in bonds. 3rd. There were such as have entirely conjoined themselves with the hells.