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Earths in the Universe, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1758], tr. by John Whitehead [1892] at sacred-texts.com

Earths in the Universe

I could distinguish the presence of the spirits of Jupiter, not only by the gentleness and sweetness of their approach and influx, but also from this, that for the most part their influx was into the face, and made it smiling and cheerful, and this continually during their presence. They said that they communicate a like cheerfulness of countenance to the inhabitants of their earth, when they come to them, being desirous thus to inspire them with tranquillity and delight of heart. That tranquillity and delight with which they inspired me filled my breast and heart very sensibly; at the same time cupidities and anxieties concerning things to come were removed, which cause unrest and undelightfulness, and excite various commotions in the mind. Hence it was evident to me what was the nature and quality of the life of the inhabitants of the earth Jupiter; for the disposition of the inhabitants of any earth may be known by the spirits who come thence, inasmuch as every one retains his own life after death, and continues to live it when he becomes a spirit. It was observed that they had a state of blessedness or happiness still more interior, which was manifest from this circumstance, that their interiors were perceived not to be closed, but open to heaven; for in proportion as the interiors are more open to heaven, in the same proportion they are the more susceptible of receiving Divine good, and with it blessedness and interior happiness. The case is altogether otherwise with those who do not live in the order of heaven: the interiors with such are closed, and the exteriors open to the world.

It was further shown me what sort of faces the inhabitants of the earth Jupiter had; not that the inhabitants themselves appeared to me, but that the spirits appeared with faces similar to what they had when on their earth. But before it was shown, one of their angels appeared behind a bright cloud, who gave leave; and then two faces were shown. They were like the faces of the men of our earth, fair and beautiful; sincerity and modesty beamed forth from them. During the presence of the spirits of Jupiter, the faces of the men of our earth appeared less than usual, which was owing to this, that there was an influx from those spirits of the idea which they had concerning their own faces as being larger; for they believe, during their abode in their earth, that after their decease their faces will he larger and of a round shape; and because this idea is impressed on them, it consequently remains with them, and when they become spirits they appear to themselves as having larger faces. The reason why they believe that their faces will be larger is, because they say that the face is not body, because through it they see, hear, speak, and manifest their thoughts; and whereas the mind is thus transparent through the face, they hence form an idea of the face as of the mind in form; and because they know that they will he wiser after their life in the world, therefore they believe that the form of the mind or the face will become larger. They believe also that after their decease they will perceive a fire which will communicate warmth to their faces. This belief takes its rise from hence, that the wiser amongst them know that fire in the spiritual sense signifies the love, and that love is the fire of life, and from this fire the angels have life. 52-1 Those of them also who have lived in heavenly love, obtain their wish, and perceive their face to grow warm; and then the interiors of their mind are kindled with love. For this reason the inhabitants of that earth also wash and cleanse their faces much, and protect them carefully from the heat of the sun. They have a covering made of the inner rind or bark of a tree, of a bluish color, which they wrap about the head and thus cover the face. Concerning the faces of the men of our earth, which they saw through my eyes,  52-2 they said that they were not beautiful, and that their beauty consisted in the external skin, but not in the fibers from the internal. They wondered that the faces of some were full of warts and pustules, or were otherwise deformed, saying that with them such faces were never seen. Some faces were always smiling, namely, those that were cheerful and merry, and those that were a little prominent about the lips.

The reason of the faces smiling that were prominent about the lips was, that the most of their speech is effected by the face, and especially by the region around the lips; and also because they never dissemble, that is, speak otherwise than they think. For this reason they do not constrain their face, but let it out freely. It is otherwise with those who from childhood have learned to dissemble. Their face is thus contracted interiorly, lest something of their thought should shine forth. Neither is it let forth outwardly, but is held ready to let itself out or contract itself, according as cunning suggests. The truth of this may be evident from an examination of the fibers of the lips and the parts around them. For there are manifold series of fibers there, folded together and intertwined, which were created not only for masticating and for speech by words, but also for expressing the ideas of the mind.

It was also shown how the thoughts are presented by the face. The affections of the love are manifested through the countenance and its changes, and the thoughts by variations as to the forms of the interiors therein; but they cannot be further described. The inhabitants of the earth Jupiter have also a vocal speech, but not as sonorous as ours. The one speech assists the other, and their vocal speech is inspired with life by the speech of the face. I was informed by angels that the first speech of all men on every earth was speech by the face, and this from two sources, the lips and the eyes. The reason why such speech was the first, is, that the face was formed for portraying what man thinks and wills, and thence also the face was called the image and index of the mind; also because in the most ancient or earliest times there was sincerity, and man neither thought nor wished to think anything else than what he was willing should shine forth from his face. Thus also the affections of the mind, and the thoughts therefrom, could be presented to the life, and fully. Thus also they were made apparent to the eye, very many, as it were, in a form together. This speech, therefore, as much surpassed vocal speech as sight excels hearing, or as seeing a landscape excels hearing of it, or apprehending it by verbal description. They added that such speech agrees with the speech of angels, with whom also men in those times were in communication; and further that when the face speaks, or the mind through the face, it is the angelic speech with man in ultimate natural form, but not when the mouth speaks by words. Every one, too, can comprehend that the most ancient people could not have the speech of words; since the words of language were not immediately infused into men, but had to be invented, and applied to things; which could be done only in process of time. 54-1 As long as sincerity and rectitude remained with man, so long also such speech remained. But as soon as the mind began to think one thing and speak another, which took place when man began to love himself and not his neighbor, then vocal speech began to develop, the face being silent or dissembling. Thus the internal form of the face was changed, contracted itself, hardened, and began to be almost void of life; but the external form, inflamed by the fire of self-love, began to appear to the eyes of men as if it were alive. For that absence of life which lies underneath, does not appear to the eyes of men, but to the eyes of angels, since these see the interiors. Such are the faces of those who think one thing and speak another; for dissimulation, hypocrisy, cunning, and deceit, which are prudence at this day, induce such effects. But it is different in the other life, where it is not permitted to speak one thing and think another. Disagreement between the speech and the thought is also there clearly perceived in every word; and when it is perceived in a spirit, he is cast out of the community, and fined. Afterward he is reduced by various methods to speak as he thinks, and to think as he wills; even till he has one undivided mind; so that if he is good, he may will good and think and speak truth from good, and if he is evil, he may will evil and think and speak falsity from evil. Not before this is effected is the good spirit elevated into heaven, nor the evil spirit cast into hell; and this to the end, that there may be in hell nothing but evil and the falsity of evil, and in heaven nothing but good and the truth of good.

I was further informed by the spirits from that earth, concerning various particulars relating to its inhabitants, as concerning their manner of walking, their food, and their habitations. With respect to their manner of walking, they do not walk erect like the inhabitants of this and of many other earths, nor do they creep like animals; but as they go along, they assist themselves with their hands, and alternately half elevate themselves on their feet, and also at every third step turn the face sideways and behind them, and likewise at the same time bend the body a little, which is done suddenly; for with them it is thought unbecoming to be seen by others except in the face. In walking thus they always keep the face elevated as with us, that so they may look at the heavens as well as the earth. Holding the face downwards so as to look at the earth alone, they call accursed. The most vile amongst them do so, but if they continue and do not elevate the face, they are banished from the society. When they sit, they appear like men of our earth, erect as to the upper part of the body, but they usually sit cross-legged. They take special care, not only when they walk, but also when they sit, to be seen in the face, and not at the back. They are also very willing to have their faces seen, because thence their mind appears; for with them the face is never at variance with the mind, nor indeed can they make it so. Those present also know clearly from this what dispositions they entertain towards them, especially whether their apparent friendship is sincere or forced, for this they never conceal. These particulars were shown to me by their spirits, and confirmed by their angels. Hence also their spirits are seen to walk, not erect like others, but almost like persons swimming, appearing to help themselves forward with their hands, and by turns to look around them.

They who live in their warm climates go naked, except with a covering about the loins; nor are they ashamed of their nakedness, for their minds are chaste, and they love their con sorts only, and abhor adultery. They wondered exceedingly that the spirits of our earth, who on hearing of their method of walking, and also that they were naked, ridiculed it, and had lascivious thoughts, without attending at all to their heavenly life, but only to such things. They said that this was a sign that things corporeal and terrestrial were of more concern to them than heavenly things, and that things of an indecent nature had place in their minds. Those spirits of our earth were told that nakedness gives no occasion either of shame or of scandal to such as live in chastity and a state of innocence, but only to such as live in lasciviousness and immodesty.

When the inhabitants of that earth lie in bed, they turn their faces forward, or towards the chamber, but not backward, or towards the wall. This was told me by their spirits, who said the reason is, that they believe that in turning the face forward they turn it to the Lord, but if they turn it backward they avert it from the Lord. I have sometimes observed, in regard to myself, whilst I was in bed, such a direction of the face; but never knew before whence it was.

They take delight in making long meals; but not so much from enjoyment of the food, as from enjoyment of the conversation at that time. When they sit at table they do not sit on chairs or benches, or raised couches of turf, nor on the grass, but on the leaves of a certain tree. They were not willing to tell of what tree the leaves were; but when I named several by conjecture, they assented at last on my naming the leaves of .the fig-tree. They said moreover, that they do not prepare food with reference to the taste, but especially with reference to the use; and they added that to them useful food was savory. On this subject a conversation arose among the spirits, and it was , said that this is the right way for man; for thus it is in his heart to have a sound mind in a sound body, but it is otherwise with those whose taste governs, and whose body therefore sickens, or at least inwardly languishes, and consequently their mind also; for the action of this depends upon the interior state of the recipient parts of the body, as the sight and hearing upon the state of the eye and ear. Thus is seen the insanity of placing all the delight of life in luxury and pleasure. From this too, comes dullness in such things as are of thought and judgment, and shrewdness in such things as are of the body and the world. From this arises the likeness between a man and a brute animal, with which also such persons not inaptly compare themselves.

Their habitations were also shown me. They are low and of wood, but within they are lined with the bark or rind of a tree of a palish blue color, the walls and ceiling being spotted as with small stars, to represent the heavens; for they are fond of thus picturing the visible heavens and stars in the insides of their houses, because they believe the stars to be the abodes of angels. They have also tents, which are round above, and stretched out to a considerable length, spotted likewise within with little stars in a blue plane; in these they betake themselves in the middle of the day, lest their faces be injured from the heat of the sun. They take great care in the construction and in the cleanliness of these their tents. They have also their meals in them.

When the spirits of Jupiter saw the horses of this earth, the horses appeared to me smaller than usual, although they were tolerably robust and large. This was in consequence of the idea of those spirits concerning the horses there. They said that they also had horses with them, and much larger, but that they were wild, or in the woods, and that when they are seen, the inhabitants are terrified, although they do no harm. They added, that the fear of horses is innate or natural to them. This led me to a consideration of the cause of that fear; for "a horse" in the spiritual sense signifies the intellectual faculty formed of scientifics, 60-1 and because the inhabitants of Jupiter are afraid of cultivating the intellectual faculty by worldly sciences, hence comes an influx of fear. That they do not care for scientifics, which are of human erudition, will be seen in what follows.

The spirits of that earth are not willing to associate with the spirits of our earth, because they differ both in minds and manners. They say that the spirits of our earth are cunning, and that they are prompt and ingenious in the contrivance of evil; and that they know and think little about what is good. Moreover, the spirits of the earth Jupiter are much wiser than the spirits of our earth. They say also of our spirits, that they talk much and think little, and thus that they are not capable of an interior perception of many things, not even of what is good; hence they conclude, that the men of our earth are external men. Once also it was permitted evil spirits of our earth, by their evil arts, to act upon and infest the spirits of Jupiter who were with me. The spirits of Jupiter endured them for a long time, but at length confessed that they could endure no longer, and that they believed it impossible for worse spirits to exist, for they perverted their imagination and also their thoughts in such a manner that they seemed to themselves as it were bound, and that they could not be extricated and set at liberty without Divine aid. Whilst I was reading in the Word some passages concerning our Savior's passion, then European spirits infused dreadful scandals, with intent to seduce the spirits of Jupiter. Inquiry was made who they were, and what had been their profession in the world, and it was discovered that some of them had been preachers; and that the greater part were of those who call themselves of the Lord's society, or Jesuits. I said that when they lived in the world, by their preaching concerning the Lord's passion, they were able to move the common people to tears. I added also the reason, that in the world they thought one way and spoke another, thus entertained one thing in the heart and professed another with the mouth; but now it was not permitted them to speak thus deceitfully, because when they become spirits, they are compelled to speak just as they think. The spirits of Jupiter were greatly astonished that there could be given such a disagreement between a man's interiors and his exteriors, so that he could speak altogether differently from what he thought; which to them was impossible. They wondered when they heard that many who are from our earth also become angels, and are of an altogether different heart, supposing at the time that all on our earth were like those present. But it was said that there are many of a different nature, and that there are also those who think from good, and not as these from evil; and that they who think from good become angels. That they might know that it was so, there came out of heaven choirs of angels from our earth, one after another, which with one voice and in harmony together glorified the Lord. 61-1 Those choirs so greatly delighted the spirits of Jupiter who were with me, that they seemed to themselves, as if they were caught up into heaven. The glorification by the choirs lasted about an hour, and the delight they received was communicated to me and given me to feel. They said that they would tell their people about it who were elsewhere.

The inhabitants of the earth Jupiter place wisdom in thinking well and justly of all things that happen in life. This wisdom they derive from their parents from infancy, and it is successively transmitted to posterity, and increases from the love they have for it because of its belonging to their parents. Of sciences, such as are in our earth, they know nothing whatever, nor do they wish to know. They call them shades and compare them to clouds which hide the sun. This idea concerning the sciences they have conceived from some spirits from our earth who boasted that they were wise from sciences. The spirits from our earth who thus boasted were such as made wisdom to consist in things appertaining merely to the memory, as in languages, especially the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, in a knowledge of the things related in the literary world, in criticism, in mere experiments, and in terms, particularly such as are philosophical, with other things of a like nature, not using such things as means leading to wisdom, but making wisdom to consist in those things themselves. Such persons, because they have not cultivated their rational faculty by the sciences, as by means leading to wisdom, have little perception in the other life; for they see only in terms, and from terms, in which case those things are as clods and clouds obstructing the intellectual sight (see above, n. 38); and they who have been proud of their erudition therefrom, have still less perception; but they who have used the sciences as means of invalidating and annihilating the things appertaining to the church and to faith, have totally destroyed their intellectual faculty, and like owls they see in the thick darkness falsity for truth, and evil for good. The spirits of Jupiter, from the conversation they had with such, concluded that sciences induce shade and blindness. But they were informed that on our earth the sciences are means of opening the intellectual sight, which sight is in the light of heaven; but because such things as appertain to the mere natural and sensual life reign, therefore the sciences to the men of our earth are means of becoming insane, namely, of confirming them in favor of nature against the Divine, and in favor of the world, against heaven. They were further informed that the sciences in themselves are spiritual riches, and that they who possess them are like those who possess worldly riches, which in like manner are means of performing uses to himself, his neighbor, and his country, and also means of doing evil. Moreover, that they are like garments, which serve for use and ornament, and also for pride, as with those who would be honored for these alone. The spirits of the earth Jupiter understood these things well; but they wondered that, being men, they should rest in means, and prefer things leading to wisdom before wisdom itself; and that they should not see, that to immerse the mind in such things, and not to elevate it above them, was to becloud and blind it.

A certain spirit ascending from the lower earth, came to me, and said that he had heard what I had been discoursing upon with' other spirits, but that he did not understand at all what was said concerning spiritual life and the light thereof. He was asked whether he was willing to be instructed concerning it. He said that he had not come with that purpose. From which I concluded that he would not comprehend such things. He was very stupid; yet it was declared by the angels, that when he lived as a man in the world, he was much celebrated for his learning. He was cold, as was manifestly felt from his breathing, which was a sign of light merely natural, and of none spiritual, thus that by the sciences he had not opened, but had closed for himself the way to the light of heaven.

Because the inhabitants of the earth Jupiter procure intelligence for themselves by a way different from that of the inhabitants of our earth, and are moreover of a different genius from their life, therefore they cannot abide long together, but either shun them or remove them. There are spheres, which may be called spiritual spheres, which continually flow forth, yea, overflow from every spirit; they flow from the activity of the affections and consequent thoughts, thus from the life itself. 64-1 All consociations in the other life are regulated according to these spheres; those which agree being joined together according to their agreement, and those which disagree being separated according to their disagreement. The spirits and angels who are from the earth Jupiter, in the Greatest Man have relation to the imaginative of thought, and consequently to an active state of the interior parts; but the spirits of our earth have relation to the various functions of the exterior parts of the body, and when these are desirous to have dominion, the activity or imaginative of thought from the interior cannot flow in: hence come the oppositions between the spheres of the life of each.

As to what concerns their Divine worship, it is a principal characteristic thereof, that they acknowledge our Lord as the Supreme, who rules heaven and earth, calling Him the only Lord; and because they acknowledge and worship Him during their life in the body, they hence seek Him after death and find Him; He is the same with our Lord. They were asked, whether they know that the only Lord is a Man. They replied that they all know that He is a Man, because in their world He has been seen by many as a Man; and that He instructs them concerning the truth, preserves them, and also gives eternal life to those who worship Him from good. They said further, that it is revealed to them from Him how they should live, and how they should believe; and that what is revealed is handed down from parents to children, and hence there flows forth doctrine to all the families, and thereby to the whole nation which is descended from one father. They added, that it seems to them as if they had the doctrine written on their minds, and they conclude so from this, because they perceive instantly, and acknowledge as of themselves, whether it be true or not what is said by others concerning the life of heaven with man. They do not know that their only Lord was born a man on our earth; they said that they care to know only that He is Man, and rules the universe. When I informed them that on our earth He is named Christ Jesus, and that Christ signifies Anointed or King, and Jesus, Savior, they said that they do not worship Him as a King, because royalty savors of what is worldly, but that they worship Him as the Savior. On this occasion a doubt was injected from the spirits of our earth, whether their only Lord was the same with our Lord; but they removed it by the recollection that they had seen Him in the sun, and had acknowledged that it was He Himself whom they saw on their earth (see above, n. 40) Once also with the spirits of Jupiter who were with me, there flowed in for a moment a doubt whether their only Lord was the same with our Lord; but this doubt, which flowed in for a moment, was also in a moment dispersed. It inflowed from some spirits of our earth; and then, what surprised me, they were so ashamed for having doubted this, through but for a moment, that they requested me not to publish it, lest they should be charged with incredulity, when yet they now know it more than others. These spirits were very much affected and rejoiced when they heard it declared that the only Lord is alone Man, and that all have from Him what entitles them to be called men; but that they are only so far men as they are images of Him, that is, as far as they love Him, and love their neighbor, thus, so far as they are in good; for the good of love and faith is the image of the Lord.

There were with me some spirits of the earth Jupiter, while I was reading the seventeenth chapter in John concerning the Lord's love, and concerning His glorification; and when they heard the things that are there, holiness filled them, and they confessed that all things therein were Divine. But then some spirits of our earth, who were unbelievers, continually suggested various scandals, saying that He was born an infant, lived as a man, appeared as another man, was crucified, with other circumstances of a like nature. But the spirits of the earth Jupiter paid no attention to these suggestions. They said that their devils are such, whom they abhor; adding, that nothing celestial has any place in their minds, but only earthly things, which they called dross. That it was so, they said they had also discovered from this, that when they heard that on their earth they go naked, obscene ideas immediately occupied their thoughts, and they paid no attention to their celestial life, about which they had heard at the same time.

The clear perception which the spirits of Jupiter have concerning spiritual things, was made manifest to me from their manner of representing how the Lord converts depraved affections into good affections. They represented the intellectual mind as a beautiful form, and impressed upon it an activity suitable to the form answering to the life of affection. This they executed in a manner which no words can describe, and with such dexterity that they were commended by the angels. There were then present some of the learned from our earth, who had immersed the intellectual faculty in scientific terms, and had written and thought much about form, about substance, about materiality and immateriality, and the like, without applying such things to any use; these could not even comprehend that representation.

They are exceedingly cautious on their earth, lest any one should fall into wrong opinions concerning the only Lord; and if they observe that any begin to think wrongly concerning Him, they first admonish him, then use threats, and lastly deter by punishment. They said that they had observed, if any such wrong opinions insinuate themselves into any family, that family is taken from amongst them, not by the punishment of death inflicted by their fellows, but by being deprived of respiration, and consequently of life, by spirits, when they have first threatened them with death. For in that earth spirits speak with the inhabitants, and chastise them if they have done evil, and even if they have intended to do evil, of which we shall say more presently. Hence if they think evil concerning the only Lord, and do not repent, they are threatened with death. In this manner the worship of the Lord is preserved, who is to them there the Supreme Divine.

They said that they have no festival days, but that every morning at sunrise, and every evening at sunset, they perform holy worship to their only Lord in their tents; and that they also sing psalms after their manner.

I was further instructed, that in that earth there are also some who call themselves saints, and who command their servants, of whom they wish to have great numbers, to give them the title of lords, under threat of punishment. They likewise forbid them to adore the Lord of the universe, saying that themselves are mediating lords and that they will present their supplications to the Lord of the universe. They call the Lord of the universe, who is our Lord, not only the Lord, as the rest do, but the Supreme Lord, by reason that they call themselves also lords. The sun of the world they call the face of the supreme Lord, and believe that His abode is there, wherefore they also adore the sun. The rest of the inhabitants hold them in aversion and are unwilling to converse with them, as well because they adore the sun as because they call themselves lords, and are worshiped by their servants as mediatory gods. There was shown me by spirits the covering of their head, which was a tower-shaped cap of darkish color. In the other life such appear to the left in a certain altitude, and there sit as idols, and in the beginning are also worshiped by the servants who have attended upon them, but are afterwards held in derision by them also. What surprised me was, that their faces shine there as from a fire, which is in consequence of their having believed that they were saints; but notwithstanding this fiery appearance of their faces, they are nevertheless cold, and have an intense desire to be made warm. Hence it is evident that the fire, from which they shine, is the fire of self-love, and is fatuous. In order to make themselves warm, they seem to themselves to cut wood, and whilst they are cutting, there appears underneath the wood something of a man, whom at the same time they attempt to strike. This appearance is in consequence of their attributing to themselves merit and sanctity; for all who do so in the world, seem to themselves in the other life to cut wood, as was the case likewise with some spirits from our earth, who have been spoken of elsewhere. For the further illustration of this subject, I will here adduce this experience concerning them. "In the lower earth beneath the soles of the feet, are those who have placed merit in their good deeds and works. Many of them appear to themselves to cut wood. The place where they are is very cold, and they seem to themselves to acquire warmth by their labor. I have also spoken with them, and it was granted me to ask them whether they wished to come out of that place. They said that they had not yet merited it by their labor. But when that state has been gone through, they are taken out. They are natural, because to wish to merit salvation is not spiritual; for it comes from the proprium, not from the Lord. Moreover they also prefer themselves to others, and some of them despise others. If they do not receive greater joy than others in the other life, they are indignant against the Lord; for which reason, when they are cutting wood, there appears as it were something of the Lord under the wood. This comes from their indignation." 70-1

It is common on that earth for spirits to speak with the inhabitants and to instruct them, and also to chastise them if they have done evil, in regard to which since many things have been related to me by their angels, I wish to repeat them in order. The reason why spirits speak with the men there, is that they think much about heaven and about the life after death, and have comparatively little solicitude about life in the world; for they know that they are to live after death, and in a state happy according to the state of their internal man, formed in the world. To speak with spirits and angels was also common on this earth in ancient times, and for the same reason, namely, because they then thought much of heaven and little of the world. But that living communication with heaven in process of time was closed, as man from internal became external, or what is the same, as he began to think much about the world and little about heaven; and still more when he no longer believed that there is a heaven or a hell, nor that man in himself is a spirit which lives after death; for at this day it is believed that the body lives from itself, and not from its spirit; wherefore unless man now believed that he will rise again with the body, he would have no belief in the resurrection.

As to what particularly regards the presence of spirits with the inhabitants of the earth Jupiter, there are some spirits who chastise, some who instruct, and some who rule over them. The spirits who chastise apply themselves to the left side, and incline themselves towards the back, and when they are there, they draw forth from the man's memory all that he has done and thought; for this is easy to spirits, for when they come near to a man, they come into all his memory. If they find that he has done evil, or thought evil, they reprove him, and also chastise him with pain of the joints, and of the feet or hands, or with a pain about the epigastric region. This also spirits can do dexterously when permitted. When such come to a man they inspire horror with fear, and thus the man knows of their approach. Evil spirits can inspire fear when they approach any one, especially those who while they lived in the world were robbers. That I might know how these spirits act when they come to a man of their earth, it was permitted that such a spirit should also come to me. When he was near, horror with fear manifestly took possession of me; yet the horror was not interior but exterior, because I knew that it was such a spirit. He was also seen, and appeared like a dark cloud, with moving stars in the cloud. Moving stars signify falsities, but fixed stars truths. He applied himself to my left side toward the back, and also began to reprove me for the deeds and thoughts which he drew forth out of my memory, and also interpreted perversely; but he was prevented by angels. When he perceived that he was with one who was not a man of his earth, he began to speak with me, saying that when he came to a man, he knew each and all things that the man had done and thought; and that he reproved him severely, and also chastised him with various pains. Again at another time such a chastising spirit came to me, and applied himself to my left side below the middle of the body, like the former one, who also wished to punish me; but he too was prevented by angels. He, however, showed me the binds of punishments which they are permitted to inflict upon the men of their earth, if they do and intend to do evil. They were, besides pain of the joints, a painful constriction also around the middle of the belly, which is felt as a compression by a sharp girdle. And then there was a taking away of the breath at intervals even to distress; and also the prohibition from eating anything but bread for a time; last of all the threat of death, if they should not leave off doing such things; and also privation from enjoyment of the consort, children, and companions. Pain therefrom is also then insinuated.

But the spirits who instruct, also, apply themselves to the left side, but more toward the front. They also rebuke, but mildly, and presently teach them how they ought to live. They appear dark also, yet not as the former like clouds, but as if clothed in sackcloth. These are called instructors, but the former chastisers. When these spirits are present, angelic spirits are also present, sitting at the head and filling it in a peculiar manner. Their presence is also perceived there as a gentle breathing; for they fear lest from their drawing near and their influx the man should perceive the least pain or anxiety. They rule the chastising and instructing spirits; preventing the former from doing worse to the man than is permitted by the Lord, and requiring the latter to tell the truth. When the chastising spirit was with me, the angelic spirits also were then present, and kept my face continually cheerful and smiling, and the region around the lips prominent, and my mouth a little open. This the angels do easily by influx, when permitted by the Lord. They said that they induce such a countenance upon the inhabitants of their earth, when they are present.

If a man after chastisement and instruction again does evil, or thinks to do evil, and does not restrain himself by the precepts of truth, then, when the chastising spirit returns, he is punished more severely. But the angelic spirits moderate the punishment according to the intention in the deeds, and according to the will in the thoughts. From this it may be evident that their angels who sit at the head, have a kind of judicial authority over the man; since they permit, moderate, restrain, and flow in. But it was said that they do not judge, for the Lord alone is the Judge; and all the things which they command to the chastising and instructing spirits flow in with them from Him, though it appears as if from them.

Spirits there speak with man, but not man in turn with the spirits, except these words when he is instructed that he will do so no more. Nor is it permitted him to tell any one that a spirit has spoken with him: if one does this, he is afterward punished. Those spirits of Jupiter, when they were with me, thought at first that they were with a man of their earth; but when I spoke in turn with them, and they saw that I thought of publishing these things, and thus of telling others, and it was not then permitted them to chastise or instruct me, they perceived that they were with another.

There are two signs that appear to those spirits when they are with a man. They see an old man with a pale face, which is a sign that they should say nothing but what is true, and do nothing but what is just. They also see a face in a window, which is a sign that they should depart thence. That old man was also seen by me, and likewise the face in the window was seen; on seeing which the spirits immediately departed from me.

Besides the spirits who have now been mentioned, there are also spirits who persuade the contrary. They are those who while they lived in the world, were banished from the society of others, because they were evil. When they approach, there appears as it were a flying fire, that glides down near the face. They place themselves low down behind the man, and speak thence toward the upper parts. They speak things contrary to what the instructing spirit has said from the angels, namely, that one should not live according to the instruction, but of his own will and license, and similar things. They come for the most part after the former spirits have gone away, but the men there know who and what these spirits are, and therefore care nothing for them; yet they learn in this way what evil is, and so what good is; for by evil it is learned what good is, since the quality of good is known from its opposite. All perception of a thing is according to reflection in regard to its distinctions from things contrary, in various ways and various degrees.

The chastising and instructing spirits do not go to those who call themselves saints and mediating lords of whom above (n. 70), as they do to others on that earth, because these do not suffer themselves to be instructed, nor are they amended by discipline. They are inflexible, because they do this from the love of self. The spirits said that they recognize them from their coldness, and when they perceive the cold, they depart from them.

There are also spirits among those of Jupiter, whom they call chimney-sweepers, because they appear in such garments, and also with a sooty face. Who and what they are, I am also permitted to describe. One such spirit came to me, and earnestly begged me to intercede for him that he might come into heaven. He said that he did not know that he had done evil, only that he had reproved the inhabitants of that earth; adding that after he had reproved, he instructed them. He applied himself to my left side under the elbow, and spoke as with a cracked voice; he could also move to pity. But I could only reply that I could bring him no help, and that this is of the Lord alone; and that I could not intercede, because I did not know whether it would be useful or not, but if he was worthy he might have hope. He was then sent back among the upright spirits from his earth; but they said that he could not be in their company, because he was not such as they. But because from his intense desire he still importuned to be let into heaven, he was sent into a society of upright spirits of this earth; but they also said that he could not be with them. He was of a black color in the light of heaven, but he said that he was not of a black, but of a brown color. It was told me that they are such at first, who are afterward received among those that constitute the province of the seminal vesicles in the Greatest Man, or heaven; for in those vesicles the semen is collected and enclosed around with a suitable material, fitted for preserving the prolific principle of the semen from being dissipated, but such as may be thrown off in the neck of the uterus, that thus what is reserved within may serve for conception, or for the impregnation of the ovulum. Hence also that seminal matter has an effort, and as it were a burning desire, to throw itself off and leave the semen to perform its use, similar to what was seen with that spirit. He still came to me, in vile garments, and said again that he burned to come into heaven, and that he now perceived that he was such that he could. I was then permitted to tell him, that perhaps this was an indication that he would shortly be received. He was then told by angels to cast off his garment, which from his desire he rejected so quickly, that scarce anything could be quicker. By this was represented what are the desires of those who are in the province to which the seminal vesicles correspond. It was said that these spirits when prepared for heaven, put off their garments and are clothed with shining new ones, and become angels. They were likened to caterpillars, which having passed through their vile state, are changed into chrysalises, and thus into butterflies; to which another dress is then given, and also wings of a blue, yellow, silver, or golden color; and then the liberty of flying in the air as in their heaven, of celebrating their marriages and laying their eggs, and thus of providing for the propagation of their kind; and at the same time there is allotted them sweet and pleasant food from the juices and odors of the various flowers.

Thus far nothing has been said of the quality of the angels who are from that earth; for those who come to the men of their earth and sit at their head, as mentioned above (n. 73), are not angels in their interior heaven, but are angelic spirits, or angels, in their exterior heaven. And as the nature of the angels of the interior heaven has also been disclosed to me, it is permitted to relate what has been given me to know. A certain one of the spirits of Jupiter who inspire fear, applied himself to my left side under the elbow and spoke thence. But his speech was harsh, nor were his words sufficiently distinct and separate; so that I had to wait some time before I could gather his meaning. And when he spoke he also injected something of fear, thus also admonishing me to receive the angels well when they came. But it was given to answer, that this did not depend on me; since all were received with me as they are. Presently angels of that earth came to me, and I was able to perceive from their speech with me, that they were altogether different from the angels of our earth; for their speech was not by words, but by ideas, which diffused themselves everywhere through my interiors, and thus they had also an influx into my face, so that the face concurred in every particular, beginning from the lips and proceeding in every direction toward the circumference. The ideas which were in the place of spoken words were discrete, though in small degree. They afterwards spoke with me by ideas still less discrete, so that scarce any interstice was perceivable. To my perception it was like the meaning of words with those who only attend to the meaning abstractly from the words. This speech was more intelligible to me than the former, and was also more full. Like the former it flowed into the face, but the influx in accordance with the quality of the speech, was more continuous. It did not however begin like the former from the lips, but from the eyes. Afterward they spoke still more continuously and fully, so that my face was not then able to concur by fitting motion; but there was felt an influx into the brain, and that this was then acted upon in like manner. At last they so spoke that the discourse fell only into the interior understanding. Its volubility was like that of a thin aura. I felt the influx itself, but not distinctly the particulars. These kinds of speech were like fluids, the first kind like flowing water, the second like thinner water, the third comparatively like the atmosphere, and the fourth like a thin aura. The spirit mentioned above, who was on the left side, sometimes interrupted, especially warning me to act modestly with his angels; for there were spirits from our earth, who introduced such things as were displeasing. He said that he did not at first understand what the angels said, but that he did afterward when he was brought nearer to my left ear. Then also his speech was not harsh, as before, but like that of other spirits.

I afterward spoke with these angels about some notable things on our earth, especially about the art of printing, about the Word, and about the various doctrines of the church from the Word; and I said that the Word and the doctrines are published, and so are learned. They wondered exceedingly that such things could be published by writing and by types.

I was permitted to see how the spirits of that earth after they have been prepared, are taken up into heaven and become angels. There then appear chariots and horses bright as with fire, by which they are carried away like Elijah. Chariots and horses bright as with fire appear, because it is thus represented that they have been instructed and prepared to enter heaven; since "chariots" signify the doctrinals of the church, and "bright horses" the understanding enlightened. 82-1

The heaven into which they are taken, appears on the right of their earth, thus apart from the heaven of the angels of our earth. The angels who are in that heaven appear clothed in shining blue, dotted with small golden stars, and this because they loved that color in the world. They also believed that it was the veriest celestial color, chiefly because they are in such good of love as that color corresponds to. 83-1

There appeared to me a bald head, but only the top of it, which was bony; and it was said that those who are to die within a year see such a one, and that they then prepare themselves. They do not fear death there, except on account of leaving the consort, children or parents; for they know that they will live after death, and that they are not going out of life, because they are going into heaven. Therefore they do not call it dying, but being heaven-made. Those who have lived in love truly conjugial on that earth, and have taken care of their children as becomes parents, do not die of diseases, but tranquilly as in sleep; and thus they migrate from the world into heaven. The age of men there is usually thirty years, according to the years of our earth. The cause of their dying in so short a time is of the Lord's providence, lest the multitude of men should increase beyond what can be sustained by that earth; and because after they have fulfilled those years, they do not suffer themselves to be led by spirits and angels as those do who have not yet fulfilled them; for which reason spirits and angels rarely go to the more mature. They come to maturity also more quickly than on our earth. Even in the first flower of youth they form marriages, and then their delights are to love the consort, and to take care of their children. Other delights they indeed call delights, but respectively external.

THE EARTH OR PLANET MARS, ITS SPIRITS AND INHABITANTS. The spirits of Mars are the best of all among the spirits who are from the earths of our solar system, for they are as to the most part celestial men, not unlike those who were of the Most Ancient Church on this earth. 85-1 When they are represented as to their quality, they are represented with the face in heaven and the body in the world of spirits; and those of them who are angels, with the face toward the Lord and the body in heaven.

The planet Mars in the idea of spirits and angels, like the other planets, appears constantly in its place, which is to the left in front, at some distance, in the plane of the breast, and so out of the sphere where the spirits of our earth are. The spirits of one earth are separate from the spirits of another earth, because the spirits of each earth refer to some particular province in the Greatest Man, and hence are in another and different state; and diversity of state makes them appear separate from each other, either to the right or to the left, at a greater or less distance. 86-1

Spirits from Mars came to me and applied themselves to my left temple, where they breathed upon me with their speech; but I did not understand it. It was soft in its flow, softer I had never before perceived; it was like the softest aura. It first breathed upon my left temple, and upon my left ear from above; and the breathing proceeded thence to my left eye, and little by little to the right, and then flowed down, chiefly from the left eye to the lips; and when it reached the lips, it entered through the mouth, and through the passage within the mouth, and indeed through the Eustachian tube, into the brain. When the breathing arrived there, I then understood their speech; and it was granted to speak with them. I observed when they were speaking with me, that my lips were moved, and the tongue also a little; which was by reason of the correspondence of interior speech with exterior speech. Exterior speech is that of articulate sound finding its way to the external membrane of the ear, whence it is conveyed, by means of little organs, membranes, and fibers which are within the ear, into the brain. From this, it was granted, to know that the speech of the inhabitants of Mars was different from that of the inhabitants of our earth, namely, it was not sonorous, but almost tacit, insinuating itself into the interior hearing and sight by a shorter way; and being such it was more perfect, and more full of the ideas of thought, thus approaching nearer to the speech of spirits and angels. The very affection of the speech is also represented with them in the face, and its thought in the eyes; for the thought and the speech, also the affection and the face, with them act as one. They regard it as nefarious to think one thing and speak another, and to will one thing and show another in the face. They do not know what hypocrisy is, nor what fraudulent pretence and deceit are. That such was also the speech of the most ancient people on our earth, it has been given me to know by conversation with some of them in the other life; and that this matter may be made clearer, it is permitted to relate what I have heard, as follows: "It was shown me by an influx which I cannot describe, what kind of speech they had who were of the Most Ancient Church, namely, that it was not articulate, like the vocal speech of our time, but tacit, which was effected not by external respiration but by internal; thus it was the speech of thought. It was also granted to perceive what their internal respiration was, that it proceeded from the navel toward the heart, and so through the lips without being sonorous when they spoke; and that it did not enter into the ear of another by the external way, and beat upon what is called the drum of the ear, but by a certain internal way, and in fact by a certain passage now called the Eustachian tube. It was shown that by such speech they could much more fully express the feelings of the mind and the ideas of the thought, than can ever be done by articulate sounds or sonorous words; which speech is in like manner directed by respiration, but external: for there is no word, nor indeed anything in a word, which is not directed by applications of the respiration. But with them this was much more perfect, because it was effected by internal respiration, which is the more perfect, because more internal, and more applicable and better conformed to the very ideas of thought; and it is further effected also by the little motions of the lips and corresponding changes of the face. For, since they were celestial men, whatever they thought shone forth from their face and eyes, which were varied in conformity, the face as to form according to the life of the affection, and the eyes as to light. They could by no means present any other countenance than such as accorded with what they thought; and because they had speech by internal respiration, which is that of man's spirit itself, they were therefore able to associate and speak with angels. The respiration of the spirits of Mars was also communicated to me; 87-1 and it was perceived that it proceeded from the region of the thorax toward the navel, and thence flowed upward through the chest with an imperceptible breathing toward the mouth. From this, as also from other proofs of experience, it was made plain to me that they were of a celestial genius; thus that they were not unlike those who were from the Most Ancient Church on this earth.

I have been instructed that the spirits of Mars have reference in the Greatest Man to what is mediate between the intellectual and the voluntary faculties, thus to thought from affection; and the best of them to the affection of thought. It is for this reason that their face acts as one with their thought, and that they cannot dissemble before any one. And as they have reference to this in the Greatest Man, the middle province, which is between the cerebrum and the cerebellum, corresponds to them. For with those with whom the cerebrum and the cerebellum are conjoined as to spiritual operations, the face acts as one with the thought; so that the very affection of the thought shines forth from the face, and from the affection, with the aid of some signs going forth from the eyes, the general of thought shines forth. For this reason when the spirits of Mars were with me, I perceived sensibly a drawing back of the front part of the head toward the occiput, thus of the cerebrum toward the cerebellum. 88-1

Once when the spirits of Mars were with me, and occupied the sphere of my mind, some spirits from our earth came and wished to infuse themselves also into that sphere. But then these spirits from our earth became as it were insane, for the reason that they did not at all agree. For the spirits of our earth in the Greatest Man have reference to the external sense, and thus they were in an idea turned to the world and to self, while the spirits of Mars were in an idea turned from self to heaven and to the neighbor; hence there was contrariety. But angelic spirits of Mars then came, and at their approach communication was taken away, and so the spirits of our earth withdrew.

The angelic spirits spoke with me about the life of the inhabitants on their earth, that they are not under empires, but are arranged in societies larger and smaller, and that they consociate with themselves in their societies such as agree with them in mind, which they know at once from the face and speech, and are rarely deceived. Then they are friends at once. They said also that their consociations are delightful, and that they speak with one another of those things that are done in the societies, especially those done in heaven; for many of them have manifest communication with the angels of heaven. Those in their societies who begin to think perversely, and from this to will evil, are dissociated, and left to themselves alone, and thus they pass their time very miserably out of the society, among rocks or elsewhere; for the society no longer has a care over them. Certain societies try in various ways to compel such to repentance; but when they cannot effect this, they separate themselves from them. Thus they take care lest the lust of dominion and the lust of gain creep in; that is, lest any from the lust of dominion subject any society to themselves, and then many more; and lest any from the lust of gain seize the goods of others. Every one there lives content with his own goods, and every one with his own honor, in being esteemed just and one that loves his neighbor. This delight and tranquillity of mind would perish, if those that think and will what is evil were not cast out, and if the love of self and the love of the world were not met prudently and severely in the very beginnings. For these are the loves for the sake of which empires and Kingdoms have been established, within which there are few who do not wish to have dominion, and to possess the goods of others. For there are few who do what is just and equitable from the love of what is just and equitable; still less who do what is good from charity itself, rather than from fear of the law, of life, of the loss of gain, of honor, and of reputation on account of those things.

Concerning the Divine worship of those that dwell on their earth, they said that they acknowledge and adore our Lord, saying that He is the Only God, and that He rules both heaven and the universe; and that all good is from Him, and that He leads them; also that He often appears with them on their earth. It was then granted to say to them, that Christians also on our earth know that the Lord rules heaven and earth, from the words of the Lord Himself in Matthew: All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth (28:18) but that they do not believe this as those who are from the earth Mars do. They said also that there they believe that there is nothing in them but what is filthy and infernal, and that all good is the Lord's, yea, saying further, that of themselves they are devils, and that the Lord draws them out of hell, and continually withholds them. Once when the Lord was named, I saw that those spirits humbled themselves so interiorly and profoundly as cannot be described; for in their humiliation they had the thought that they were of themselves in hell; and that so they were altogether unworthy to look to the Lord, Who is holiness Itself. They were so profoundly in that thought, from belief, that they were as if out of themselves; and they remained in it upon their knees until the Lord lifted them up, and then as it were drew thee out of hell. When they thus come forth out of their humiliation, they are full of good and of love, and thence of joy of heart. When they so humble themselves, they do not turn their face to the Lord, for this they do not then dare to do, but turn it away. The spirits who were around me said that they had never seen such humiliation.

Certain spirits who were from that earth wondered that there were about me so many spirits from hell, and that they also spoke with me. But it was given to answer, that this was permitted them in order that I might know their quality, and why they are in hell, and that this is according to their life. It was also given to say that there were many among them whom I had known when they lived in the world, and that some were then established in great dignity, who yet had nothing but the world in their heart; but that no evil spirit, even the most infernal, could do me any harm, because I was continually protected by the Lord.

There was presented before me an inhabitant of that earth. He was not indeed an inhabitant, but like one. His face was like that of the inhabitants of our earth, but the lower region of the face was black, not from a beard, for he had none, but from blackness in place of it. This blackness extended on both sides as far as the ears. The upper part of the face has yellowish, like the faces of the inhabitants of our earth who are not altogether white. These spirits said further that in their earth they feed on the fruits of trees, especially a certain round fruit which grows up out of the ground, and also leguminous plants. That they are there clothed with garments made out of fibers of the bark of certain trees. These have such consistence that they can be woven, and also glued together by a kind of gum which they have with them. They further related that they know there how to make fluid fires from which they have light during the evening and night.

I saw a most beautiful flame of varying color, purple, and also bright red, and the colors with a beautiful ruddy glow from the flame, I also saw a certain hand, to which this flame adhered, at first on the back, afterward in the palm, and thence it played round the hand on all sides. This lasted for some little time. Then the hand with its flamy light was removed to a distance, and where it rested there was a bright light. In that brightness the hand receded, and then the flame was changed into a bird, which at first was of the same colors as the flame, and the colors glittering in like manner; but gradually the colors were changed, and with the colors the vigor of life in the bird. It flew round about and at first around my head, then forward into a certain narrow chamber, which appeared like a shrine; and as it flew farther forward, so its life receded, till at length it became as of stone, at first of a pearl color, afterward dark; but though without life, it was still flying. When the bird was flying around my head and was still in the vigor of life, a spirit was seen rising from below through the region of the loins to the region of the breast, who wished to take the bird away. But because it was so beautiful, the spirits around me prevented him; for their eyes were all fastened on it. The spirit however who rose up from below, endeavored strongly to persuade them that the Lord was with him, and thus that he did this from the Lord. And then, though most of them did not believe this, they no longer prevented him from taking away the bird. But as heaven flowed in at that moment, he could not hold it, and presently let it go free out of his hand. When this was done, the spirits around me who had intently watched the bird and its successive changes, spoke with one another about it, and this for a considerable time. They perceived that such a sight could not but signify something celestial. They knew that the flame signified celestial love and its affections; that the hand to which the flame adhered, signified life and its power; the changes of colors, varieties of life as to wisdom and intelligence; and the bird also the same, but with the difference that the flame signified celestial love and the things of that love, and the bird signified spiritual love and the things of that love (celestial love is love to the Lord, and spiritual love charity toward the neighbor), and that the changes of the colors and at the same time of the life in the bird, until it became as of stone, signified successive changes of spiritual life as to intelligence. They knew also that spirits who ascend from below through the region of the loins to the region of the breast, are in a strong persuasion that they are in the Lord, and hence believe that all things they do, even though evil, they do by the Lord's will. But yet they could not know from this who were meant by this appearance. At length they were instructed from heaven that the inhabitants of Mars were meant, that their celestial love, in which very many still are, was signified by the flame which adhered to the hand, and that the bird in the beginning, when in the beauty of its colors and the vigor of its life, signified their spiritual love; but that the bird's becoming as of stone without life, and at length of a dark color, signified such of the inhabitants as have removed themselves from the good of love and are in evil, and yet still believe that they are in the Lord. The same was signified by the spirit who rose up and wished to take away the bird.

By the bird of stone were also represented the inhabitants of that earth who in a strange manner transmute the life of their thoughts and affections into almost no life, concerning which I have heard as follows. There was a certain spirit above my head who spoke with me, and from the sound of his voice it was perceived that he was as it were in a state of sleep. In this state he spoke many things, and with such prudence that if he were awake he could not speak more prudently. It was given to perceive that he was a subject through which angels spoke; and that in that state he perceived and brought forth what they said, 95-1 for he spoke nothing but what was true. If anything flowed in from any other source, he admitted it indeed, but did not bring it forth. I questioned him about his state, and he said that this state was to him peaceful, and without any anxiety about the future; and that at the same time he performed uses, whereby he had communication with heaven. It was told me that such spirits in the Greatest Man have reference to the longitudinal sinus in the brain, which lies between its two hemispheres, and there he is in a quiet state, however the brain may be disturbed on both sides. When I was in conversation with this spirit, some spirits introduced themselves toward the fore part of the head, where he was, and pressed upon him; wherefore he withdrew to one side, and gave them place. The newly arrived spirits conversed with one another; but neither the spirits around me, nor I myself, understood what they were saying. I was instructed by angels that they were spirits from the earth Mars, who were skilled in talking with one another in such manner that the spirits present neither understood nor perceived anything. I wondered that such speech was possible, because all spirits have one kind of speech, which flows from the thought, and consists of ideas, that are heard as words in the spiritual world. It was said that those spirits form in a certain manner ideas expressed by the lips and the face, not intelligible to others, and at the same moment artfully withdraw their thoughts, taking special care that nothing of the affection should manifest itself, because if anything of the affection were perceived, the thought would then be manifest; for the thought flows from the affection, and is as it were in it. I was instructed further that the inhabitants of the earth Mars who place heavenly life in knowledges alone, and not in a life of love, contrived such speech, though not all of them; and that when they become spirits, they retain it. It is these who were signified in particular by the bird of stone; for to present speech by modifications of the countenance and foldings of the lips, with the removal of the affections and withdrawal of the thoughts from others, is to take the soul out of speech, and to render it like a mere image, and by degrees they also become similar. But although they think that they are not understood by others in what they say among themselves, still angelic spirits perceive each and everything that they speak, for the reason that from them no thought can be concealed. This was also shown them by living experience. I was thinking of this, that the evil spirits of our earth are not affected with shame when they infest others, and this thought flowed in with me from angelic spirits who perceived their speech. These spirits of Mars then acknowledged that this was what they were speaking of among themselves, and they marveled. Moreover, there were many things disclosed by an angelic spirit, both of what they spoke and of what they were thinking, notwithstanding they endeavored to withdraw their thoughts from him. Afterward those spirits flowed in from above into my face, and their influx was felt like a fine striated rain, which was a sign that they were not in any affection of truth and good, since that is represented by what is striated. They then spoke with me plainly, saying that the inhabitants of their earth speak with one another in like manner. It was then said to them, that this is evil, because in this way they obstruct internals, and recede from them to externals, which they also deprive of their life; and especially because it is not sincere to speak thus. For they who are sincere have no wish to speak nor even to think anything but what others may know, yea all, even the whole heaven. But they who do not wish others to know what they speak, judge concerning others, think evil of them, and well of themselves, and are at length carried by habit so far as to think and speak ill of the church, of heaven, and even of the Lord Himself. It was said that they who love knowledges, and not so much a life according to them, have reference to the interior membrane of the skull in the Greatest Man; but they who accustom themselves to speak without affection, and to draw the thought to themselves and withdraw it from others, have reference to that membrane when it is become bony, because from having some spiritual life they come to have no life.

As those who are in knowledges alone, and in no life of love, were also represented by the bird of stone, and as they have thence no spiritual life, I may therefore show here, by way of appendix, that those alone have spiritual life who are in heavenly love, and in knowledges therefrom; and that a love contains in itself all the power of knowing which is of that love. For example, the animals of the earth, and also the animals of the air, or the birds, have the knowledge of all things that are of their loves. These loves are, to nourish themselves, to dwell in safety, to propagate offspring, to bring up their young, and with some, to provide for themselves against winter. Consequently they have all the requisite knowledge, for this is in those loves, and it flows into them as into its very receptacles; which knowledge with some animals is such, that man cannot but be astonished. The knowledge is innate with them, and is called instinct; but it is of the natural love in which they are. If man were in his love, which is love to God and toward the neighbor (for this love is man's proper love, by which he is distinguished from the beasts, and is heavenly love), man would then be not only in all requisite knowledge, but also in all intelligence and wisdom; for these would flow into those loves from heaven, that is, through heaven from the Divine. But because man is not born into those loves, but into the opposite ones, namely, into the loves of self and the world, for that reason he cannot but be born into all ignorance and lack of knowledge. But by Divine means he is led on to something of intelligence and wisdom, yet not actually into anything of it, unless the love, of self and the world are removed, and the way is thus opened for love to God and the neighbor. That love to God and love toward the neighbor have in them all intelligence and wisdom, may be evident from those who in the world have been in these loves. When after death they come into heaven, they there come into such knowledge and wisdom as they had never known before; yea, they think and speak there, as do the rest of the angels, such things as the ear has never heard, nor the mind has ever known, and which are ineffable. The reason is, that those loves have in them the faculty of receiving such things.

THE EARTH OR PLANET SATURN, ITS SPIRITS AND INHABITANTS. The spirits from the earth Saturn appear in front at a considerable distance, beneath in the plane of the knees, where the earth itself is; and when the eye is opened to see thither, a multitude of spirits come into view who are all from that earth. They are seen on this part of that earth, and to the right of it. It has also been granted to speak with them, and thereby to know their quality in comparison with others. They are upright and modest, and inasmuch as they esteem themselves little, therefore they also appear small in the other life.

In worship they are exceedingly humble, for in it they account themselves as nothing. They worship our Lord, and acknowledge Him as the only God. The Lord also appears to them at times under an angelic form, and thereby as a Man, and the Divine then shines forth from the face and affects the mind. The inhabitants also, when they arrive at a certain age, speak with spirits, by whom they are instructed concerning the Lord, how He ought to be worshiped, and likewise how they ought to live. When any wish to seduce the spirits who come from the earth Saturn, and to withdraw them from faith in the Lord, or from humiliation towards Him, and from uprightness of life, they say they wish to die. There then appear in their hands small knives, with which they seem desirous of striking their breasts, On being questioned why they do so, they say that they would rather die than be drawn away from the Lord. The spirits of our earth sometimes deride them on this account, and infest them with reproaches for so doing. But they reply, that they know well that they do not kill themselves, and that this is only an appearance flowing from the will of their mind, inclining them rather to die than to be withdrawn from the worship of the Lord.

They said that sometimes spirits from our earth come to them, and ask them what God they worship; to whom they reply, that they are insane, and that there cannot be a greater proof of insanity than to ask what God any one worships, when there is but one only God for all in the universe; and that they are still more insane in this, that they do not acknowledge the Lord to be that one only God, and that He rules the entire heaven, and thereby the whole world; for whosoever rules heaven also rules the world, inasmuch as the world is ruled through heaven.

They said that on their earth there are also some who call the nocturnal light, which is great, the Lord; but that they are separated from the rest, and are not tolerated by them. That nocturnal light comes from the great bolt, which at a distance encompasses that earth, and from the moons which are called Saturn's satellites.

Footnotes

52-1 Fire in the Word is love in both senses (n. 934, 4906, 5215). The sacred and heavenly fire is the Divine love, and every affection which is of that love (n. 934, 6314, 6832). Internal fire is the love of self and the world, and every concupiscence which is of these loves (n. 965, 1861, 5071, 6314, 6832, 7575, 10.747) Love is the fire of life, and life itself is actually thence (n. 4906, 5071, 6032).

52-2 Spirits and angels do not see what is in this solar world, but they saw through my eyes (n. 1881).

54-1 The most ancient people on this earth had speech through the face and lips, by means of internal breathing (n. 607, 1118, 7361). The people on, certain other earths have a similar speech (n. 4799. 7359, 8248, 10,587). Concerning the perfection and excellence of that speech (n. 7360, 10,587, 10,708).

60-1 A "horse" signifies the intellectual faculty (n. 2760-2762, 3217, 5321, 6125, 6400, 6534, 7024, 8146, 8148). And that "the white horse" in the Apocalypse signifies the understanding of the Word (n. 2760).

61-1 When many spirits speak together and unanimously they form what is called a choir, and concerning them (n. 2595, 2596, 3350). In their speech there is harmony (n. 1648, 1649). By choirs in the other life introduction into unanimity is effected (n. 5182)

64-1 A spiritual sphere, which is the sphere of the life, flows forth and overflows from every man spirit, and angel, and encompasses them about (n. 4464, 5179, 7454). It flows forth from the life of their affections and consequent thoughts (n. 2489, 4464, 6206). In the other life consociations and also dissociations are according to spheres (n. 6206, 9606, 9607, 10,312).

70-1 The Lord alone has merit and justice (n. 9715, 9975, 9979, 9981, 9982). They who place merit in works, or wish to merit heaven by their good deeds, wish to be served in the other life, and are never content (n. 6393). They despise the neighbor, and are angry with the Lord Himself if they do not receive reward (n. 9976). What their lot is in the other life (n. 942, 1774, 1877, 2027). They are of those who appear to cut wood in the lower earth (n. 1110, 4943).

82-1 "Chariots signify the doctrinals of the church (n. 2761, 5321, 8215). "Horses" signify the intellectual faculty (n. 2760, 2761, 2762, 3217, 5321, 6125, 6400, 6534, 7024, 8146, 8148, 8351). "The white horse" in the Apocalypse signifies the understanding of the word (n. 2760). By "Elijah" in the representative sense is meant the word (n. 2762, 5247). And because all the doctrine of the church and the understanding of it are from the word, Elijah was called "the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof" (n. 2762). He was therefore taken up by a fiery chariot and horses of fire (n. 2762, 8029).

83-1 Blue from red or flame corresponds to the good of celestial love, and blue from white or light corresponds to the good of spiritual love (n. 9868).

85-1 The First and Most Ancient Church on this earth which was celestial church, which is the primary of all, see (n. 607, 895, 920, 1121-1124, 2896, 4493, 8891, 9942, 10,545). The church is called celestial in which the principal thing is love to the Lord, but spiritual in which the principal thing is charity toward the neighbor and faith (n. 3691, 6435, 9468, 9680, 9683, 9780).

86-1 Distances in the other life are real appearances, which are presented by the Lord to be seen, according to the state of the interiors of angels and spirits (n. 5604, 9104, 9440, 10,146).

87-1 That spirits and angels have respiration (n. 3884, 3885, 3891, 3893).

88-1 Human faces on our earth in ancient times received influx from the cerebellum, and the faces then acted as one with the interior affections of man but that afterward they received influx from the cerebrum, when man began to dissemble and counterfeit in the face affections not his own, and concerning the changes brought upon faces therefrom in process of time (n. 4325-4328).

95-1 That communications are made through spirits sent forth by societies of spirits and angels to other societies, and that these emissary spirits are called subjects (n. 4403, 5856, 5983, 5985-5989).