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Spiritual Diary, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1758], tr. by Bush, Smithson and Buss [1883-9] at sacred-texts.com

Spiritual Diary

THE ABYSS. (((((( The abyss into which the dragon was at length cast, which is treated of in the Apocalypse, 5751-1 is completely and directly under the genitals. There appears there a great and spacious cavern, black and gloomy. Thither was cast the dragon himself (Bishop Benzelius), and many who adhered to him; who, as they arrived at the depth, were shut up in the midst. Thither; also, were cast those who were able to feign innocence, - who, in the world, were with infants, and learned to play and act with them, and, yet, lived a wicked life and were prostitutes - so that they might serve those who were there. In a word, it is an immense gulf. It is the receptacle of the dregs of urine - not, however, of the ordure - for the reason that they all love falsities and mingle falsities with truths.))))))

WHY THOSE IN THE CHRISTIAN WORLD HAVE NOT BELIEVED IN THE STATE OF RESURRECTION AFTER DEATH. The reasons are, (1) because they thought sensually about the life of man, and that only the body lives; (2) because they thought about man's soul as of ether, or as of wind, or as of thought abstracted from an organic subject; (3) because they have a similar idea about a spirit, also about angels, since, from a doctrinal taken from the literal sense of the Word [they thought] that they would rise at the Last Judgment, when all things would perish; (4) because they did not understand what the internal man, consequently what man's spirit, is; - also, because they remove from their ideas thereof everything appearing substantial; (5) because the majority, when any such thing presents itself, subject it to the thought as to whether it is, or is not, and then the sensual judges and concludes upon it; (6) because such things are put under the midst 5752-1 of the intuition, when they are mentioned; (7) they who do not do this believe, as do all the simple, and all at the hour of death, and all when they do not think about it from the things mentioned.

 5758-1 THE LAST JUDGMENT (continued). It has been shown how it befell those from the Christian world. The leaders, who endeavored to destroy the kingdom of the Lord and heaven, were principally of those who were in faith alone. They were assembled with their prelates; and they decided that they would assail from every quarter those who acknowledged the truths of faith, or the Heavenly Doctrine. They dispatched [emissaries] from all sides, 50 by 50, into a hundred places, and allied themselves with the diabolical crew; and part of them remained and communicated with those and rendered assistance. Thus it was begun; but, at length, all such, and those who were like them, were cast down and dispersed.

After this, those were cast down who utterly despised learning and the sciences (amongst them, Eliezer), who were in great numbers. This, also, lasted a long time.

Those were afterwards cast out who experienced delight in the sufferings of others, and who devised unheard of contrivances for torturing others, by inflicting pain on body and mind, and holding the thought continually upon the pain, and sending those who also infused desperation likewise, those who inflicted weariness of life and the continual desire of liberation from the pain, or whatever ill [it might be]; which two [classes] inflict such suffering and torture as cannot be described. Such, also, were cast down in immense numbers; besides some like them, who took delight in the torture of others. All, likewise, were cast down who communicated with those who were beneath, inasmuch as [they were] outside their own territory. For these were in the disposition of ruling and leading others, but did not attend to their own affairs.

I saw those who remained collected into one, and they appeared together as one man. Those who were outside [this man] were cast out: those who appeared together as one man were those who were in charity.

Afterwards, those were sent down, and not thus cast down, who were more in worldly things than in heavenly things, and in the world greatly regarded worldly things of various kinds, and consequently did not care for heavenly things; thus, with whom worldly and bodily things prevailed. For these are not able to be in the heights; for they cared for nothing else than to look down upon and communicate with the lower [places]. All who looked down were sent down, because they had care for earthly things; those, however, who did not look down, remained. There were various kinds of such ones and I heard their sending forth and casting down for a long time: thus, they amounted to countless myriads. They were let down into the plain, or the lower [places], where their eyes and their minds were; and those who were evil, into hells. All these were those who were of the second resurrection. 5761-1

In place of these, others - who, meanwhile, had been separated from those who were upon the mountains, and hidden and protected, even up till this time - were led forth by the Lord; and succeeded in the place of the former. These constitute the new heaven. They were all such as were in charity towards the neighbor and in faith therefrom, or, who were in good and had conscience from the Lord, and who, when there was anything evil, reflected, "This is contrary to truth and good, contrary to the Divine precepts, contrary to God;" and those of them who were from the Christian world, worshipped the Lord. This continued from the beginning of the year 1757; and the elevation of the good for constituting the new heaven, took place at the end of the month of April, and in the month of May.

The 5763-1 greater part, to the number of many millions came down because they looked down, and were joined with others who were without which went on for a long time whereby they joined themselves with devils, received protection from them, entered into alliance with them as with their own, were incited with lust to govern around them, and did evil to all those who they saw were without protection. All these did not belong to the mountain; they only went there and stayed among those who were there before, who had been well conducted and who were now taken away by the Lord and hidden in many places, so that they should not be seduced. Yea, in some places, those who came up have driven away all those who were there before, and put themselves in their places. Those who come up thus are of the second resurrection. They are also taken down and away, and the others are put in their places; and all those who died in childhood and who were brought up in the other life are also put in their places. These there form the new heaven and the new earth.

Afterwards, those also were let down who were pietists. They were on the summit of a rock - in its midst - invisible to the rest. They lived a life of piety, but not one of charity. There were two kinds of these; one which was in falsities;

THE DESTROYED BABYLON AND OLD HEAVEN. I saw and heard many myriads of spirits who were on the mountains and rocks cast down therefrom, and cast here into the deserts, there into the gulfs, and elsewhere into other hells; all of whom spoke with the mouth about God and heaven, but had the world in the heart: and this with spirits who were in Christianity! All these were cast down; and they looked about on the other mountains and on the other rocks,

and entered into society with them, in order that they might protect themselves against infestors. Also, they did not have regard to the one God, the Lord, who would protect them; consequently, they desired to be secure and happy there from themselves and their own prudence, and not from the Divine: a proof that they were of such a character in the World. Especially were those cast down who looked down from the heights towards the lower [places], and in various modes and by various arts infested those whom they saw: and at length all who looked down; for those who did not look down, were not anxious for anything save for their own homes, and trusted in the Lord, who Himself guarded them. These were preserved.

Moreover, those also [were cast down], who, by means of different arts learned in the other life, and in the other life well known, by various devices made themselves a heaven, as it were: not one that is felt with interior joy, but exterior, and that charms the external senses. Therefore, by means of various arts they made to themselves magnificent things, both as regards situation and the things which were there, and as regards apparel and other adornments, and as regards altars. They gathered to themselves all the sorcerers and contrivers who were able to present such things by means of arts, and thus also caused themselves to be instructed by them. All the upright and good they looked upon as simple, and wanted to obtain service from them; and inasmuch as they also desired to lead them astray these upright ones were all taken away by the Lord and led forth elsewhere and concealed until this time. I could never have supposed that the number of such ones was so immense: there were many myriads.

Also, what I was amazed at, they were likewise in lofty mountain places, where they were only seen as a mist; and most of them believed that heaven was there, and also boasted that they were in heaven, and called themselves angels of heaven, although there was nothing Divine with them; and these also believed that God rules only universally, and that they [rule] all particulars and every one of them: they were thus destitute of faith as regards Divine Providence, and made themselves almost gods. They did not regard the Lord any otherwise than as an ordinary man, nor did they think about His Divine. Hence most of them were consociated, in disposition, with the hells.

I saw that the faces of many were directed towards one who was not of such a character, but who thought not of the world but of heaven, and not of himself but of the Divine, and especially of the Lord, and who believed that he possessed nothing of power from himself, but only from the Lord. When they saw him, they, to the number of as many as thousands of thousands, were so enraged, that they all banded themselves together to torment him in many ways. Thus they exposed what their disposition was opposed to the Divine and to the Lord. All those who were upon certain mountains - to the number, as has been said, of many thousands - were noticed.

Those who were there, appeared in a glistening city, as if they were in heaven; but it was ascertained that they were such as above described, and that interiorly they were hypocrites; to wit, that they could talk of heaven, of God, of the truths of faith, but that still they did nothing good, save to themselves, that is, for their own sake. Some of them were shown to be hypocrites interiorly, some exteriorly; it was likewise shown that the interiors which are of the mind, into which the Divine inflows, and which are open with angels, with these were fast shut, and the exteriors open towards the world: hence, they cared for nothing but such [viz. worldly] things. 5766b. These vilely, indeed most vilely, ill-treated him who was in such faith and charity, even to the point of cruelty; but, still, he was borne away from their ferocity by the Lord. All those from the two mountains which were at the right, within the sphere of Christendom, where was the Word, were then explored, and were cast down. Thus those mountains were emptied of such ones. There were, moreover, round about, others, especially at the left, who appeared as it were very high above the head: these were examined, and were found to be interiorly hypocrites; and they in like manner were cast down. These, also, were most implacable enemies against those who did good from the heart, although the latter did them no harm, nor said any harm to them. Of such a character are all those who, although they know and speak truths, still do not practice truths.

 5767-1 ascribing all things to immediate mercy, also merit to themselves, besides many other [falsities]; so that they had no inclination to know doctrinals and imbue the internal man with them, only they had been in a holy external, in prayings, in church-goings, in [pious] conversations. The second kind were such that they despised the neighbor in comparison with themselves, believing themselves alone worthy of heaven, and, in heart, condemning others who have not lived as they did. The latter and the former looked beneath themselves to those who were slow and wanted to govern all whom they saw there; thus their disposition was to rule; and it gave them the notion, that, because they were on high, they were angels. They brought on a heaviness in the interiors of the loin, at the right side. The pain from those who were in falsities terminated towards the urethra; that from those who were in the love of self, towards the anus. They said that they thought but little of the Lord, but not so of God, [or] the Father. They were also anxieties; wherefore, they ought to have been with each other, and not to inflict sadness upon the angels, who are joys.

 5768-1 At the back was an extensive plain. There, somewhat raised up, were those who made a profession of piety with the mouth, and spoke about God with the mouth, and prayed that He would be merciful, and by this means, also, accustomed their thoughts [to such things], and likewise attended the Holy Supper frequently and habitually, and nevertheless, possessed nothing of the kind in heart. They lived an altogether worldly and evil life. They thought nothing interiorly about God, as they spoke. These were those who were exceedingly enraged against and wished in every way to destroy him [who was in faith and charity] - of whom, above. 5768-2 These, too, were all cast into the marshes beyond the plain. A part, also, were cast forwards into caverns.

I likewise saw at one place, in the mountains and rocks, where the good were also mingled with the evil, how they were separated. The good were in the midst and consociated together. When inspected by my eye, they appeared as one man. All who were outside him, were such as could not be received within the society of the good; and they were rejected.

THE SPEECH OF SPIRITS AND ANGELS. I have frequently observed, that, when spirits spoke with me, it was done in my mother tongue, or in other languages with which I was familiar at the time. They did not know that they spoke otherwise than they speak with each other. This is because their speech falls, with me, into my language, and is thus presented in words, when yet they themselves, at the time, are thinking from their own speech. It is also because they do not then reflect upon anything else than what belongs to me, and because they do not know any different. But when they turn themselves from me, they speak to each other in their own speech, upon which they do not reflect, inasmuch as it is natural and inrooted; for every man comes into it when he becomes a spirit. How much more prompt it is than human speech, has been declared several times before.

It must be known, however, that some speak from ideas more fully, others less fully; and this according to their thoughts on the matter about which they are speaking.

They are not able to utter a single word of a natural language which is with man, much less the names of persons which are in the Word; but still they utter them in their own speech, which is of the thing, or of the thought about the person. The ideas about it, collected together, make up a word; but how this takes place cannot be described. It is the idea of that person which is expressed.

All their speech flows from the thing itself and the affection of the thing, which is expressed sonorously, as sonorously as in the world; and since there is a similar speech with all, therefore, that speech comes from the inmost of every man whatever, and is produced according to the idea of the thing: still it is the affection which speaks; or it is the affection, varied, formed or separated, which is the speech; and all affection is from the interior life. But still the evil are not able to speak of the things of heaven from internal affection, and express them in words; for the things of heaven are inscribed only on the life of angels.

REAL APPEARANCES IN THE OTHER LIFE, FROM COMPARISONS. HEAVEN. Real appearances in the other life are circumstanced, comparatively, (1) like life, which appears to be in man, when nevertheless it inflows; (2) like wisdom, intelligence, faith, love being from man, when nevertheless they inflow; (3) like man existing without a connection with the Lord through spirits and angels; (4) like the eye of the body seeing; in general, the body living, when yet it is the spirit in the body; so in very many other cases.

HEAVEN ANSWERS TO ONE MAN. It is certain to me, from many proofs, that the universal heaven in the Lord's sight is in the figure of a man, and that it is from this that angels are men, and that it is owing to the influx of the Divine into heaven, inasmuch as the Divine makes heaven - consequently, angels are such from reception of the Divine and not in the least from their proprium: likewise, that, therefore, the angels appear as men in the most beautiful form; for, as the general is circumstanced, so are the particulars therein. This is from the order of heaven; as is the case in the atmosphere: that the greatest in it is as the least, and the least as the greatest. Hence it is that [we are able] to think, will and act in freedom; for all and every one of the things there correspond, and the things which happen, happen according to the order and flow of heaven. It is the Divine Human which inflows into heaven and constitutes it. Before the Lord's advent, the Divine Human was that form of heaven which is the Lord from eternity, consequently, the Divine Itself, or Jehovah in heaven. Moreover, the inmost heaven forms the head; the second, the breast; and the first, the knees and feet; that there is, consequently, a correspondence of heaven with all and everyone of the things which are with man - which has been much treated of - may be manifest. Hence it is implanted with man, everywhere, because from the influx of heaven, to worship the Divine under the Human Form, save with those who have eradicated this inclination by self-intelligence. Hence also it is, that the angels who are in the interior heaven, and especially those in the inmost, or any as soon as they are raised into a higher sphere, are not able to think of the Divine otherwise than under the Human Form.

HEAVEN. The reason why all have a worship similar to their worship in the world, is because that is inrooted in the interior life, and they are at first let into it and successively removed from it. It is so with all in the universal globe: idolaters are let into their worship, those who [are] in good are borne to good, the evil to evil: so also Christians into theirs likewise, Catholics to the worship of their saints and images; Jews, Mohammedans, Gentiles, into their worship: and even to those [men] whom they have worshipped as gods.

BABYLON. I heard some saying that it is their intention to collect and gather to themselves all the riches of the world. This takes place through the multiplication of monasteries, and through the cunning in gaining ascendancy over men's souls, and by promises that they should be admitted into heaven; in order that, in this way, after they have scraped together all wealth, they would necessarily be acknowledged as masters, and that others must be their slaves; also that they were absolutely unable to acquire a home for themselves in any other way: in a word, to subject the whole globe to themselves. Hence is manifest what the love of self is. This is plainly manifest from the fact, that, although they have their cellars filled up with riches from top to bottom, and although they have annual revenues, even to many thousands of gold [pieces], yet they continually seek for more, and even from the poor - without compassion for orphans or widows.

THE SPITE OF EVIL SPIRITS: ALSO INFLUX. HEAVEN AND HELL. The evil spirits who are with man seek by many methods how they may seduce him; and it has been given me to know from experience how this matter is circumstanced. Those who are near by, inflow variously with man, according to their situation in relation to his body. Those who are at the occiput, both those above and those beneath, chiefly inflow into the thought, and indeed into his interior thought; but those at the sides, or temples, both in front and above, inflow into the thought likewise, but into the sensual and external of it. It must also be known, that, when spirits speak to each other about a matter delightful to the man, or which favors his loves, the man is joyful, glad, and in a state of delight; likewise, that when they speak of such things as are adverse to his loves, he is in undelightfulness and sadness: hence comes melancholy. For instance, when they are with the avaricious and those who are fearful for the future, and speak to each other about the loss of wealth and of such things as relate to its loss, and about the state in the future, the man becomes anxious. These appeared about the stomach in the abdominal region. Anxiety is from this source. So with all other matters. With those who think much against the neighbor, from deceit and cunning, there are genii at the occiput; who, also, in an instant pervert all their thoughts of doing good to the neighbor and of God, especially of the Lord. With me, all these were observed; for I knew that I did not think from myself but from others, and, when wickedly, that it was from evil spirits, who, also, were then instantly detected. At one time, they devised this artifice: while associated with me they spoke about various things, and noted those which affected my mind and in what manner they did so; also what carried me away into indignation, what into this or that affection, or desire; and I observed that they could discover some, but not others. It was allowed me to speak with them as often as I wished, and to refute them and drive them away. When they were driven away, the thought was changed. It was permitted me to notice, that, when spirits and genii spoke to each other in their own tongue, I heard nothing of what they said, but only when they spoke with me; but that I perceived the influx only through an affection in myself, and thought therefrom. Those spirits and genii, however, operate in this manner only into the external man, but the Lord and heaven into the internal. I also observed, that heaven inflows into the internal in a similar way, and that as the angels speak to each other, so the man is affected. Angels do not speak anything else than those things which are of wisdom, faith and love, and of happiness therefrom: these interiorly affect the man who is in them. It is hence manifest, that, so far as the external man acts as one with the internal, so far the man can be led by the Lord; for through the internal, the infesting things and evils which are introduced by evil spirits are dispersed - removed as hell is by heaven: it is otherwise if the external and internal man are not conjoined. I also observed that it is inevitable that the internal man should be closed with those who are in evil or in the delight of evil, because nothing of joy and of delight can be received out of heaven, for there is not any reception: in fact, so far as the angels operate, so far is such a one sensible of sadness and distress; for [angels] operate such things as are contrary to the loves of self and of the world. Hence it was also evident to me how the Lord reduces the external man to subordination to the internal, so that they act as one, and that this takes place through the whole life of man: consequently, how the regeneration of man occurs, and that it happens in countless ways. It was also observed, that, so far as man acts from proprium, that is, without the living faith that all good is from the Lord, what is from the Lord is not able to flow in, nor anything be arranged into order in the external man. Proprium is that which is contrary to the Divine: it appears also as black, not receptible of anything out of heaven.

THE SITUATION OF THOSE WHO ARE IN THE LOWER EARTH AND IN THE HEAVENS. Situation there, as regards the form, is incomprehensible. In heaven itself, which is in the lofty parts, the form is entirely heavenly; most perfect in the inmost heaven, and perfect, likewise, in the rest; but all the angelic societies there are arranged according to the form of heaven, and although they appear separate, yet nevertheless they are arranged according to the form; but no one there is able to compass that form. Of what nature it is may be somewhat comprehended from the form of the fibers in the human body, where such forms exist as surpass all understanding: as, for example, in the brain, where all things are arranged in series and bunches, and although those appear like a glutinous something and a snowy mass, still all things flow according to order, and put themselves forth into the nerves in such a manner that not the least thing is lacking, in order that everything of the will may flow distinctly into acts in the body. This may be seen in the cerebrum, the cerebellum, the medulla oblongata and the spinal marrow, in which organs are the cortical substances from which the fibers flow forth for therein are the beginnings of all things in the body.

Moreover, it may be seen from the serieses of the fibers in the body, how the case is in the ultimate heaven, in that there are in that heaven incomprehensible fascicles; as, for example, those which are about the heart, those which are in the lower part where all things marvelously unite together, where one fiber inflows into another and also entwines itself with others in a wonderful manner, flowing in and flowing out and mingling itself with others and into others again even into the ganglia, where they commingle themselves in a different way, and thence flow forth to the performance of their functions. How these things take place, nobody is able to comprehend; they are arranged according to the heavenly form. [Similarly circumstanced are] the cardiac plexus, the hepatic and other plexuses also the individual plexuses in every single internal organ.

Neither can it be comprehended how the case is in the lower earth. There, also, are good spirits and evil, too: but as it were in layers; for the reason that the evil there may be ruled by the good. These are circumstanced as is the case in the bodily system: fibers from the cerebrum are adjoined to fibers from the cerebellum, which are consociated together wherever they go. This is because of the fact that man's voluntaries are ruled from the involuntaries; for good with man always rules evil. Such is the form there: wherefore, it is incomprehensible. It cannot be described in any other way; for the whole heaven corresponds with all and every one of the things that are with man.

That which the eye sees in the nervous structures, is so little in comparison with those things in their interiors which man does not see, as scarcely to amount to anything.

There is a communication of all things in heaven, just as there is a communication into all things there; for, when the will acts, then a communication takes place with all and single the things in it: in inmosts through willing, in extremes through doing; in which actions there is almost nothing in the whole body which is not a participator, and in some way co-operates.

APPEARANCE IN THE HEAVENS. Heaven was seen, also palaces there, and it was said by some that [they had been] to the place seen; that they ascended thither because into heaven, but that they did not see any one there, and very few houses, and those not magnificent. The reason was that they were in externals, and [when] the interiors are not open, then those there cannot be seen; and, also, because those who are in interiors see more magnificent things than those who are not so much in interiors; for all things increase in perfection, and are presented to view, according to the interiors exterior objects do not then appear in that beauty in which they are with those who are in interiors. Magnificent promenades were seen there, shining lampstands; and lamps in exquisite order.

SCIENTIFICS AVAIL NOTHING, IF THE RATIONAL HAS NOT BEEN CULTIVATED THEREBY. There was a certain one (Leeuwenhoek) 5785-1 more celebrated in experimental researches than any man in Europe. He said, in the other life, that he lived a wretched life, because he had only performed experiments there [i.e. on earth], and that with much labor, but cultivated nothing rational by their means. He said, that, in the beginning, he believed that he should be accepted in preference to all others; but that he is still stupid. Angels spoke to each other about this matter, saying, that if man only cultivates the rational in any kind of way, he would still be able in the other life to be amongst such ones as possess some charm of social interaction; since, in the other life, the rational is what speaks, but not the rational as regards the scientific faculty; for then, the memory is closed. They said also that if he is in good and in the affection of truth, his rational is then perfected.

THOSE WHO ARE CAST DOWN OUT OF THE HEAVENS: BABYLON. THE FORMER HEAVEN. The casting down out of the heavens lasted a long while; and those cast down reached to myriads. All those were cast down who were in the love of self. They were explored by being turned to lower places, because they then wanted to lead all whom they saw; for this takes place in the other life in another way than in the world, for thoughts are connected there, and one leads another, by means of thoughts, in a wonderful manner. They are able to deprive him of his thoughts and to introduce their own, and thus to place themselves in him, and in this way to drive him whithersoever they will. They are likewise able to introduce various things, and compel him to think such things and to will such things as are altogether foreign to him. All those who are in the love of self, want nothing else than to mount to the higher places, and look down into those within reach, and thus infest them. These never submit themselves to the Lord; they believe that they do all things from themselves and not at all from the Divine. When they look upon anyone who worships the Lord, they become as it were mad, and endeavor to destroy him more assiduously than any others: they cannot bear his sphere. All such ones, on being turned towards me, became such, and held in hatred all things which have been written about the Lord.

At length, those also were cast down who did not acknowledge the Lord as God, but only the Father. Their sphere was felt with me. All these, also, who are from the Christian world, do not worship any God, neither do they care for the life, only for reputation. They do not know what it is to be led by the Divine; for they have not any idea about God the Father. These, too, were cast down.

They sometimes stand and operate into each other. Some know, from art, many ways in which they may thus injure others, cast them into the marshes beyond the boundary, bringing them into darkness, and through phantasies lead them into ways and streets and many other places, in order that [the victim] may lose his way, so that he may finally come to some cavern, or to the infernals; and how to do many more things thus. I saw that some in this way deprived another of life; so that he lay as it were like one dead. They also inflict pains, anxieties, fears, and thus rule over others; wherefore, they go upon mountains and rocks, in order that they may see the lower places far and wide, and thus infest. Most of the cities, there, are on the slopes of a mountain or rock. Those who are congregated in society, go forth thence and act thus. These are their pleasures: in fact, to rule and hurt others is their inmost joy, for those who are in the love of self do not love the neighbor, but hold him in hatred. This appears manifestly in the other life, because there they act according to their interiors. Some who are of such a character speak with the evil below; and they know how to bind the minds of these to themselves so that they cannot be released. Hence there were consociations of such ones with the hells; wherefore, they were cast down. There were such ones in the cities, and they were bound by the evil; but such are easily known afterwards, for the evil have them bound to them; - which fact betrays itself to others. 5786b-1

 5789-1 It must be known that all spirits with whom the love of self is inrooted, believe that heaven stands on high. They do not know that it is in the interior, and that the internal is the high; wherefore, they mount upon the rocks higher and higher and believe that thus they are in heaven; and the more so since they are then in the delight of self-love, for thence they are able to look round on all sides, and, by means of the thoughts, to flow into and rule over whomsoever they see below. The scope of their sight is very wide, even to the surrounding mountains to a great distance. They speak with those there, and send forth subjects 5789-2 to them, through whom they are conjoined and form alliances; they also conjoin themselves [with them] that they may thus prove more powerful. When this is done, they then begin unitedly to lord it over all who are roundabout, and to subject them to themselves; some also they attack openly; and they effect this through punishments and various methods well-known in the other life. I saw some such societies in the highest places, where I, also, supposed the angels of heaven to be; and they ruled all roundabout, and all who were below themselves, whom they see there clearly. The extension of the sight is circumstanced there as in the world, in the respect that the higher the standpoint, the wider it is. There was one who knew better than others how to arrange those societies according to order, so that one could do scarcely anything: he arranged them thus, so that scarcely anyone within [view] was able to do anything from himself, but only from them. Their arrangement was into a form opposite to the form of heaven. Hence all things which were below were disturbed; but they were restored by the Lord. All such ones, however, were cast down, even from the highest [places]; I wondered at this at first, because I supposed that those there were angels, when, yet, they were such ones. The love of self is of such a nature that those who are in it, seem to themselves to be on high, when they are in [the enjoyment of] their phantasy.

 5787-1 THE SPEECH OF SPIRITS. The speech of spirits is according to the nature of a matter, likewise the words and the sound; for the nature of every reality is inscribed on man; as, for example, the nature of the ether on the eye, and the nature of the air on the ear, and so forth. Wherefore, [men], likewise, speak according to it; for man was created to the image of all things of the world. Hence, the nature of a thing, and of the sound agreeing with it, is also in certain words of language in the world: all conjunctions and notions, and analyses, which inhere in languages, are therefrom. Hence it is, that, in the other life, everyone who pleases is able to speak with any. Vowels, also, are according to the nature of a matter, as, a, e, i, o, u, as is manifest from the celestial angels: u involves all things; and so forth. That men in the world do not speak according to the nature of the thing, but by various and different languages, is because man is not born into the nature of reality, but into ignorance of all things, and learns to speak; which cannot take place according to the nature of a thing. He thinks, also, exteriorly, in the sensual, which is perverted. In a word, men see otherwise than as the things themselves are, and believe them [i.e., their impressions of things] to be realities; but the things themselves they either do not see, or, if they see them, they believe them to be phantasies, or not to be as they are.

That the angels in the heavens speak according to the nature of a matter in heaven, but those who are in externals according to the nature of the matter in the world, and that yet they are understood, is because there is correspondence; but the latter speech is, on that account, material.

I saw some so high up that you would have said [they reached] to the stars of heaven, when, nevertheless, as to the body they are not there. It must be known that everyone in the other life, no matter where he appears, is yet in that place where his ruling love is, and that they who are on the heights, are, notwithstanding, in the lowest places, as has been frequently seen by me; for they were in hell in a moment, although appearing on high. This has been proved to me, when I have wished to know, since they infested me, whence they were. It is hence manifest that a place is prepared for everyone who comes into the other life. All these were cast down. They were first examined by being turned to the lower places; then, from their ingrained disposition, they wanted to inflow into others, to lead them, to rule over them, and to do them injury. They were cast down, to the number of many myriads, and this for a long while.

All these are of such a quality, that they take away the government of the Lord from every one whom they assail; for they arrogate it to themselves, and rise up even to the point that they believe that they are gods, and that the Divine is not anything, but that the Lord rules universally and they in details; thus, that they are deities, and that this is heaven. They say that ruling is heaven, because this is the very delight of their life. They therefore never submit to the Lord, nor receive anything of obedience: they wish to do all things from proprium.

Those who are not such keep quiet in their own houses. They are content with their own possessions, and perform the duties enjoined upon them. These are the ones who enjoy heavenly gladness, because it is in themselves and not outside them. I spoke with some who were such, and said that if they wished to rule others, and over subject-spirits, by their eyes, it would be as if one fiber in the body wished to arrogate to itself all things of the will, and not to obey the will save from itself, and that if many fibers did thus, all action would stand still utterly, would not receive the influx of the will, but would separate itself and utterly destroy lower things. Inasmuch as these [observations] fell into the ideas of the spirits, they acknowledged that it was so; but still they did not desist; for the love is what actuates every one there, and it is vain to try to change it; for a man, or spirit, is from it, and is nothing else than his love. 5790b. The majority of such ones are hypocrites. As long as they are able to rule, they acknowledge the Divine; but as soon as they are deprived of dominion, they deny it. They carry this [denial] in the heart: the acknowledgment they carry only in the mouth. It is well known that there are such also in the world, especially among the Catholic community. They adore the Lord with the mouth, and affect sanctity to such a degree that merely at the presence of the host when it is borne round, and when they exhibit that symbol from the altar, they compel all to fall upon their knees and to be in the holiest worship of Him; when, nevertheless, in their heart, they deny Him, even saying that the Lord has no power, because it has all been given to themselves: thus, that the Lord rules by virtue of them. It was shown, also, that a certain one was taken up out of hell, and power was there given him over many; and it was said that he would enjoy that power if he acknowledged the Lord: and then he acknowledged with such great fervor as scarcely anyone could exceed; but, as soon as he was deprived of dominion, he denied Him. Of such a character are all those who adore the Divine for the sake of dominion.

Hence it came to pass that they allied themselves principally with hypocrites, because they are able to simulate angels of light in the external form; which also they themselves confessed, [namely], that these were those to whom they bound themselves; and although they knew that they were such, still they loved them and consociated themselves with them. When, also, these were examined, they were hypocrites; for he who desires to rule is nothing else: he is not able to acknowledge the Divine in heart.

The majority who are of such a character go up into mountains and rocks; and, when they come there, they seek nothing else than to be able to gain pre-eminence over others; thus they decline to be in any employment, saying that they do not know [how to do] anything else, and that they were of such a nature. When inquiry is made as to what sort they are, they were such as performed no other functions than solely to rule over others, and that they are good-for-nothings and idle, but wish to be honored by others; and when they do not obtain this, they betake themselves outside the society, and look down and domineer over all whom they see. They also do evil to them, because they love no one but themselves. Such are to be found for the most part in Germany, Sweden, Denmark, and elsewhere; but there are few in England, because there they give attention to their domestic affairs and business concerns. 5791b. Such ones are cast down, to the number of myriads. This occurs by the following means, namely, that the Lord separates the good from them; consequently, takes away their communication with the good; separated from whom they appear such as they are. Previously, they are not known; and, when they are shown as they are, it is seen that they are good-for-nothings, caring for naught but doing evil: wherefore they are cast down. Such ones never care anything for wisdom. They speak as if they understood all things; but they do not possess an intelligent idea about any matter. They suppose themselves to be wiser than all others. 5791c. Great part of these were such as rushed off to every place where they found delight, and so went from one place to another, forsaking all home duties. Thus, also, they bore away from others the delight of their life, as do societies of friendship, and drew it to themselves; whence, others, who had delight from uses and in their duties, were reduced to a wretched state. 5791d. And they did this, because, in the world, they did not tie themselves down to any calling, save for the sake of honor and of gain, and thus of pleasure, and did nothing on account of use. The greatest part of them are such as seek posts in courts and kingdoms. Such ones, because they are good-for-nothings, in the other life rush off wherever there is said to be enjoyment. All these are cast down, in order that they may be reduced to a state of undelight and wretchedness; but, still, in such wise that they may at length perceive somewhat of delight in performing uses. When, also, these come to others, they enter their homes and stay there, although those who dwell there object: hence, the rightful owners go forth out of the house, partly of themselves, partly are turned out by those interlopers.

I saw these and others, not cast down, but sinking down, and the hill, or mountain, parting asunder in the midst; also, I saw these cast down thus into the depth. They ascend the mountains in various places and by various arts, and also summon and receive magicians and the most deceitful, who defend them and whom they post around them. The greater part of such ones do not ascend by ways outside, but inside; for they are cities within cities. Communication occurs through opened ways when [all] constitute one society. The open way is a descent through a path, which I also traversed: and their ascent is by ladders from one city to another, which is not quite like it. Most of those of such a character ascended by ladders from the lower places to the higher: hence so great a multitude. I also descended by ladders from a town into a town. When they are at the top, then they do evil to all who are roundabout; and when they are found out, they descend and conceal themselves in caverns and [other] places, which they approach by winding about; for thus they escape detection. I saw such ones when they descended and entered into their own cavern; which, also, they barricaded round about in various ways: they also [secured themselves] by means of wicked sentinels.

Some were of those who even attended Churches and the Holy Supper; but only by reason of habit contracted from infancy: hence, from a certain pleasure, and thus on account of external sanctity, of which sanctity it was said that it does not promote any other use than to prevent the man being forgetful of the things which he learned from infancy, and thus to prevent him becoming worse, but does not in any respect cause him to become better and be reformed when, nevertheless, man ought to be perfected and to become better daily; for, in this way, the sanctity becomes holy, for thus the good which he does contains in itself such things as he imbibes, which were not with him before.

Most of these employed phantasies for constructing for themselves an imitation of heaven, as regards buildings and magnificent surroundings. They knew also how to inspire through such evil spirits as they took and placed roundabout; also, by means of magical [arts] themselves, and through the spirits with whom they communicated. They made nothing of communicating with infernals, and many similar things.

It was ascertained that almost all these took delight in ruling and in making gain, and none of them in use; so that they had no pleasure at all from use, but the whole of it from dominion and gain: also, that they regarded only those things from which they had joy and happiness; so that they were corporeal and natural, not spiritual. For they who are delighted in a good use, and in honor and gain only as means to use, are in a spiritual delight which delight infinitely surpasses [natural]. These things were told them; but they did not understand, not even what the delight of use is, except use were honor, dominion, and thence the licence of doing whatever they wish, consequently, the evils - which are many - of those two loves. There were some who desired gain and wealth for the sake of honor and dignity, or rather that they might he promoted, or that they might be honored; there were some who desired honors on account of gain there were some who did so for the sake of display, in the matters of houses, gardens, clothes, retainers, banquetings and the like: these things they accounted as use; but still not on account of the use of employment for their country, the Church, or the fellow-citizen, consequently, not for the sake of the neighbor, but for the sake of self. Such spirits are roundabout everyone in this globe of earths, because almost all who come into the other life are of such a character; wherefore, these were all removed, and in their place succeeded those who were reserved by the Lord, who experienced delight in uses, of whom is the New Jerusalem. What kind, in general those were who were in the former heaven, see page 270. 5792c-1

WHAT IT IS TO LIVE AS A CHRISTIAN. THAT IT IS NOT DIFFICULT IN THE HEAVENLY DOCTRINE, AS IT WAS IN BABYLON DESTROYED. Two things are requisite (1) to believe in the Lord, that is, to believe that all good and truth is from Him; (2) to live an honest life, consequently, to shun outward evils, which also are contrary to the civil laws.

(A Christian lives as anyone else in external form: he may grow rich, but not by craft and trickery; he may eat and drink well, but not place his very life in those things, and find his delight in superfluities and also in drunkenness, that is, live for appetite; he may be well, and even, according to his condition, handsomely, housed; he may associate with others, like other men, amuse himself in their society; discuss the affairs of the world and the various things in domestic matters: in a word, without any difference in externals, to such an extent that no difference is apparent. Neither is it necessary that he should appear devout, so as [to go about] as it were with a sorrowful countenance, and with shaking head, and with sighing; but that he be cheerful and merry; nor [need he] give his goods to the poor, except so far as the affection of the neighbor prompts him.

He ought to be a moral man, and a good one; but, with him, the moral man, because he reflects that all good and truth is from the Lord, is a spiritual man.) Not so, however, with those who do not believe in the Divine, but [regard] self and the world in all things, or with whom moral life is for the sake of self and the world: their moral life is natural, and not in the least spiritual.

With the truly Christian man whose faith and life is of such a quality, the internal is altogether different. It is turned towards heaven. The Lord leads his will, or love, and gives him the affection of good, that is, the faculty of being affected, or made glad, by reason of good; he also leads his understanding, so that he may be affected with truth, and so that, immediately he hears it, he is also gladdened, and it is implanted in his life; and, so far as he learns the truth, so far it abides in him, and, by its means, he is led by the Lord. For he who does not know what good and truth are, cannot be led by the Lord. A man is led through that which he knows. The Lord inflows into those things which he knows, and so leads his affections and thoughts. This is understood by being affected by truth for the sake of truth, and by good for the sake of good, and loving truth and good for the sake of life. It is not that he reflects therefrom that he will now implant it in his life: this would be from proprium; but the Lord leads him, through those things which he learns, from affection or love.

The reason he is in freedom, is, because he is led to good in such a way as to be affected by truth and good, and thus as to be led in it by the Lord; and, then, he is led away from thinking and willing evil. Also, not to will evil, but good, is freedom; and this freedom is from the Lord. These are averse from, and they shun, evils; wherefore, to think and to do them, is, with them, compulsion. But, with the evil, doing and thinking evils is freedom, and thinking and willing good is compulsion; and to be of such a character, is to be a slave.

THE WAY WHICH LEADS TO HEAVEN IS THE SAME WAY, AS FAR AS THE CORNER-STONE, [AS THAT WHICH LEADS TO HELL]. I conversed with angels respecting the fact that it is believed that it is difficult to tread the way to heaven, because so many things must be done and all lusts forsaken, besides many things more. Wherefore, as occurs in the spiritual world, the matter was shown by means of a road, which signifies truth which leads. A road appeared at the right, where both the good and the evil trode. It was the same road; but, when they reached to a certain distance, there was a great stone, in shadow, which the good saw but not the evil. From that stone, which is called the corner-stone, a road led to one side and another to the opposite. The evil went on the opposite side, which was behind and sloped downwards; but the good went the other way, which inclined upwards. The latter led to heaven, the former to hell. That stone signified the Lord and His Divine Human. The evil did not acknowledge it: the good did acknowledge. It appeared that the evil fell upon it, because the stone was in shadow. Hence was shown that the moral life which both evil and good lead is the same, but from a different source; the evil do it from an infernal source, the good from a spiritual source. The evil who traveled it, were those who led a moral life like the moral life of the good About the corner-stone, see Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10, 11; Luke 20:17, 18. They who fell upon the stone said, that, when they fell, they lay as if dazed. When they got up, they said that they did goods as much as the others - they were permitted to enumerate some of these - and that, therefore, they were equally entitled to enter heaven. But they were merely goods of civil life in external form; for the interiors, which were of the thought and of the love, were opened, and they were vile, and also defamatory about God, especially about the Lord. They angrily declared, also, that they were not able to do good of themselves; how, then, could they travel the way leading to heaven? But they were told that it was within their power, not to think evils about God and about the Lord, and thus to shun such things as are against the Word and against doctrine, and against the doctrine of their faith; and when they shun evils of thought, then, from the Lord, good affection and consequent thought inflows, and thus they are brought into good by the Lord; and so far as they are in this, so far they come into the affection of truth.

OF WHAT NATURE MAGIC AND PHANTASIES ARE. I saw one known to me in the world - Frederic, 5799-1 at that time, King of Sweden. He drew to himself all whom he could and showed them favor, and this up to hundreds - all who were able to do for him what he desired, furnishing both gold and many other things which he possessed in the world and at heart preferred, especially procuring him women and any of the female sex whom he saw. The sorcerers who were with him knew how to make many gestures, by different expressions of the face, by the bowing of the body even down to the knees, and by numberless other devices which could not be detailed, by which means they procured themselves influx and communication with those who were above. They knew, also, how to direct themselves higher up to such ones as there was correspondence with.

Besides this, the correspondences they possessed were with those who were above them, and through these they practiced magic; so that magical practices are abuses of correspondences. They practice them also in another way, by means of a broad linen band over the head; and so forth.

Footnotes

5751-1 Chapter 20 - there called "the bottomless pit." -TR.

5752-1 Consult nos. 5678-5684 above. -TR.

5758-1 The gap in the numbering occurs in the original. -TR.

5761-1 i.e. "second death." - According to AE 899, "resurrection" and "death," in the present point of view, are interchangeable terms and in Spiritual Experiences they are frequently so used. See nos. 4891, 5203. In the place of the second sentence of the footnote to the latter number, the reader is requested to substitute the following: - "The apparent lapse in the text, here, is, however, explained, when we know that, spiritually viewed, `death' and `resurrection' are synonymous. That they are so in their use in the Apocalypse, is plainly stated in AE 899, in the following terms: `That natural death, which is the rejection of the unclean things of the body, and spiritual death, which is the removal of the unclean things of the spirit, signify resurrection, may also be evident from the things which follow in the Apocalypse, where the first death and the second death are treated of, which are also called the first resurrection and the second resurrection." - When penning the footnote to n. 5203, in Vol. IV., the Translator was not aware of this teaching of AE 899. This evidence has also led the Translator to revise the opinions, detracting from the authoritativeness of the contents of the Diary, expressed on pp. xvi-xvii, xx-xxi, and the second paragraph of p. xxiii of his "Preface" to that Volume. On this matter, the reader is referred to the Preface to the present Volume. -TR.

5763-1 The original of this no. is in Swedish; and as it does not appear in the Latin edition, we subjoin it here from the Appendix to Swedenborg's Drommar, edited by G. E. Klemming. It is as follows: "5763. Storsta dehlen til monga millioner, som lenge continuerades, kommo ned for det de sago ned, och sammanfogades med de som andre woro, och vtom woro. Hwarigenenom de sammanfogade sig med dieflar, tog forswar af dem, contraherade som med sine egne, fick lusta styra omkring sig, och giora illa alle dem som de sago wara vtan forswar; alle de horde intet til bergen vtan begifwit sig och tagit sitt hemwist der ibland dem som forr warit der, som warit beskedelige, hwilke at de intet skulle forforas nu woro borttagne af Herren och giomde pa amonge stellen:-Ja pa nagra stellen, hafwa de som opkommit drifwit bort alla dem som forr warit der, och satt sig i stelle. -de som saledes opkommit, aro af den andre resurrectione, hwilcke ock ock blifwit nedkorde och bortbragte och de andre i stellet, som ock alla de som blifwit dode som barn och opfostrade i andrelifwet kommit i stelle, de der giora novum coelum et novam terram."

5767-1 Swedenborg's asterisks evidently mean that no. 5767 is to follow immediately upon no. 5764; a thing manifestly demanded by the sense. We have, therefore, placed it accordingly. For 5765 see after 5767. -TR.

5768-1 For no. 5767 see after 5764. -TR.

5768-2 Nos. 5766-5766c. -TR.

5785-1 Antony von Leeuwenhoek. --He "was a celebrated Dutch microscopist and maker of microscopes; born at Delft in 1632, died in 1723" (Documents Concerning Swedenborg, Vol. ii., p. 1256). --TR.

5786b-1 The asterisks clearly indicate that no. 5789 is to be read consecutively with the conclusion of 5786b. It is, therefore, placed accordingly. -TR.

5789-1 The asterisks clearly indicate that no. 5789 is to be read consecutively with the conclusion of 5786b. It is, therefore, placed accordingly. -TR.

5789-2 For information respecting "subject-spirits" see no. 4269 above, and many other places. -TR.

5787-1 The asterisks clearly indicate that no. 5787 is to be read consecutively with the conclusion of 5792c. It is, therefore, placed accordingly. -TR.

5792c-1 This is the page in Swedenborg's MS. In the present English edition, the passage indicated is on pp. 295-6 of Volume IV., no. 5070. -TR.

5799-1 This Frederic was husband of Queen Ulrica Eleanora, sister of the preceding King, Charles XII. It was Queen Ulrica Eleanora who ennobled Swedenborg and his brothers and brothers-in-law the year after she became Queen, and the year before that in which her husband was, by her request, admitted to the sovereignty conjointly with herself. -TR.