the Lord's Divine Humanity, and who were guard- | midst between heaven and hell; and at length they ed by the Lord that they might not be seduced. were allowed to make there for themselves fixed Under the altar, signifies the lower earth, where habitations, and also by the abuse of correspondthey were guarded by the Lord; an altar signifies ences, and by fantasies, to form to themselves as the worship of the Lord from the good of love; it were heavens, which also they did form in great by the souls of them that were slain, are not here abundance; but when these were multiplied to signified the martyrs, but they who are hated, such a degree as to intercept the spiritual light and abused, and rejected by the wicked in the world spiritual heat in their descent from the superior of spirits, and who might be seduced by the drag- heavens, to men upon earth, then the Lord executonists and heretics; for the Word of God and for the ed the last judgment, and dispersed those imagitestimony which they held, signifies for living ac-nary heavens; which was effected in such a manner, cording to the truths of the Word, and acknowl- that the externals, by means of which they resemedging the Lord's Divine Humanity. Testimony bled Christians, were removed, and the internals, in heaven is not given to any but to those who ac- in which they were devils, were laid open, when knowledge the Lord's Divine Humanity, for it is they appeared such as they were in themselves, the Lord who testifies, and gives the angels to tes- and they who proved to be devils, were cast into tify;"For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of hell, every one according to the evils of his life; prophecy" (Apoc. xix. 10). Since they were un- this was done in the year 1757.-A. R. 865. der the altar, it is evident that they were guarded by the Lord; for they who led, in any sort, a life of charity, were all guarded by the Lord against sustaining any injury from the wicked; and after the last judgment, when the wicked were removed, they were set free and elevated into heaven. I have frequently seen them, since the last judgment, liberated from the lower earth and translated into heaven.-A. R. 325.

The former Heaven and its Abolition.

1666. It is said in the Apocalypse, "I saw a great throne, and One sitting upon it, from whose face the heaven and the land fled away, and their place was not found," xx. 11. And afterwards, "I saw a new heaven and a new land; the first heaven and the first land had passed away," xxi. 1. 1667. But before showing what is understood by the first heaven and the first land, it ought to be known, that by the first heaven is not understood the heaven formed of those who have become angels from the first creation of the world to the present time, for that heaven is abiding, and endures to eternity; for all who enter heaven are under the Lord's protection, and he who has once been received by the Lord, can never be plucked away from Him. But by the first heaven is understood a heaven which was composed (conflatum) of others than those who have become angels, and for the most part of those who could not become angels. This heaven it is, of which it is said, that it "passed away." It was called heaven, because they who were in it dwelt on high, forming societies upon rocks and mountains, and living in similar to natural delights, but never in any that were spiritual; for very many who depart from the earth into the spiritual world, believe themselves in heaven, when they are on high, and in heavenly joy, when they are in world-like delights. Hence it was called heaven, but "the first heaven which passed away."

1670. The first heaven was composed of all upon whom the last judgment was effected, for it was not effected upon those in hell, nor upon those in heaven, nor upon those in the world of spirits, nor upon any who were yet living in this world, but solely upon those who had made to themselves the likeness of a heaven, of whom the greater part were on mountains and rocks; these also were they whom the Lord meant by the goats, which he placed on the left, Matthew xxv. 32, 33, and following verses. Hence it may appear, that the first heaven existed, not merely from Christians, but also from Mahometans and Gentiles, who had all formed to themselves such heavens in their own places. What manner of men they were shall be told in few words. They were those who lived in the world in external, and never in internal, sanctity; who were just and sincere for the sake of civil and moral laws, but not for the sake of Divine Laws, therefore, who were external or natural, and not internal or spiritual men; who also were in the doctrinals of the church, and were able to teach them, but whose lives were not accordant with them; and who filled various offices, and did uses, but not for the sake of uses. These, and all throughout the whole world who were like them, and lived after the Lord's coming, constituted the first heaven. This heaven therefore was such as the world and church upon earth is, among those who do good, not because it is good, but because they fear the laws, and the loss of fame, honor, and lucre; they who do good from no other origin, do not fear God, but men, and are destitute of conscience. In the first heaven of the Reformed, there was a large proportion of spirits, who believed that man is saved by faith alone, and did not live the life of faith, which is charity; and who loved much to be seen of men. In all these spirits, so long as they were associated together, the interiors were closed, that they might not appear, but when the last judgment was at hand they were opened; and it was then found that inwardly they were obsessed by falses and evils of every kind, and that they were against the Divine, and were actually in hell; for every one after death is immediately bound to his like, the good to their like in heaven, but the evil to their like in hell; yet they do not go to them before the interiors are unveiled; in the mean time they may live together 1669. From the time of the Lord's being in the in society with those who resemble them in exterworld, when he executed the last judgment in per- nals. But it is to be noted, that all who were inson, it was permitted that they who were in civil wardly good or spiritual, were separated from those and moral good, though in no spiritual good, spirits, and elevated into heaven, and that all who whence in externals they appeared like Christians, were outwardly, as well as inwardly, evil, were but in internals were devils, should continue longer also separated from them, and cast into hell; and than the rest in the world of spirits, which is in the this from the time immediately succeeding the

1668. It is moreover to be noted, that this heaven which is called the first, did not consist of any who had lived before the Lord's coming into the world, but that all who composed it lived after His coming, for (as was shown above,) a last judgment is effected at the end of every church, a former heaven being then abolished, and a new heaven created or formed. - L. J. 65–67.

1673. Before the last judgment was effected upon them, much of the communication between heaven and the world, therefore between the Lord and the church, was intercepted. All enlightenment comes to man from the Lord through heaven, and enters by an internal way. So long as there were congregations of such spirits between heaven and the world, or between the Lord and the church, man was unable to be enlightened. It was as when a sunbeam is cut off by a black interposing cloud, or as when the sun is eclipsed, and its light arrested, by the interjacent moon. Wherefore, if any thing had been then revealed by the Lord, either it would not have been under- 1676. I have had various converse with the stood, or if understood, still it would not have been angels concerning the state of the church herereceived, or if received, still it would afterwards after. They said, that things to come they know have been suffocated. Now, since all these interposing congregations were dissipated by the last judgment, it is plain, that the communication between heaven and the world, or between the Lord and the church, has been restored.

EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. Permission to discourse with the Inhabitants of other Earths.

1677. Inasmuch as, by the Divine mercy of the Lord, things interior are open to me, which appertain to my spirit, and thereby it has been granted me to discourse not only with spirits and angels who are near our earth, but also with those who are near other earths; and whereas I had a desire to know whether other earths exist, and of what sort they are, and what is the nature and quality of their inhabitants, therefore it has been granted me of the Lord to discourse and converse with spirits and angels who are from other earths, with some for a day, with some for a week, and with some for months; and to be instructed by them concerning the earths, from which and near which they were; and concerning the lives, customs, and worship of the inhabitants thereof, with various other things worthy to be noted: and whereas in this manner it has been granted me to become acquainted with such things, it is permitted to describe them according to what has been heard and seen. — E. U. 1. (See also 1062.)

The Planet Mercury.

is

1678. To constitute the Grand Man, there need of spirits from several earths, those who come from our earth into heaven not being sufficient for this purpose, being respectively few; and it is provided of the Lord, that whensoever there is a deficiency in any place as to the quality or quantity of correspondence, a supply be instantly made from another earth, to fill up the deficiency, that so the proportion may be preserved, and thus heaven be kept in due consistence.-E. U. 9.

at things material, corporeal, and terrestrial, but only at things real: hence it was confirmed, that the spirits of that earth, in the Grand Man, have relation to the memory of things abstracted from what is material and terrestrial.

1680. It was told me, that such is the life of the inhabitants of that earth, viz. that they have no concern about things terrestrial and material, but only about the statutes, laws, and forms of government, which prevail among the nations therein: also about the things of heaven, which are innumerable; and I was further informed, that several of the men of that earth converse with spirits, and that thence they have the knowledges of spiritual things, and of the states of life after death; and thence also their contempt of things corporeal and terrestrial; for they who know of a certainty, and believe, that they shall live after death, are concerned about heavenly things, as being eternal and happy, but not about worldly things, only so far as the necessities of life require. Inasmuch as the inhabitants of the planet Mercury are of such a nature and quality, therefore also the spirits, who are from thence, are of a like nature and quality.

1681. With what eagerness they inquire into and imbibe the knowledges of things, such as appertain to the memory elevated above the sensualities of the body, was made manifest to me from this circumstance, that when they looked into those things which I knew respecting heavenly subjects, they passed hastily through them all, declaring every instant the nature and quality of each. These spirits did this with greater dexterity and expedition, because they did not stop at such things as are heavy and sluggish, and which confine and consequently retard the internal sight, as all terrestrial and corporeal things do, when regarded as ends, that is, when alone loved; but they looked into things essential.

1682. The spirits of Mercury, above all other spirits, possess the knowledges of things, as well respecting this solar system, as respecting the earths which are in the starry heaven; and what they have once acquired to themselves, that they retain, and also recollect it as often as any thing similar occurs. ·E. U. 11-14.

1683. In consequence of their knowledges, the spirits of Mercury have an extraordinary degree of haughtiness; wherefore they are given to understand, that although they know innumerable things, yet there are infinite things which they do not know; and that if their knowledges should increase to eternity, the notice even of all general or common things would still be unattainable; they are told likewise of their haughtiness and highmindedness, and how unbecoming such a temper is; but on such occasions they reply, that it is not haughtiness, but only a glorying by reason of the faculty of their memory; thus they have the art of exculpating themselves, and excusing their foibles.

1679. On a time some spirits came to me, and it was declared from heaven, that they were from the earth which is nearest to the sun, and which in our earth is known by the name of the planet Mercury; immediately on their coming, they explored my memory in search of all that I knew: (spirits can do this most dexterously, for when they come to man, they see in his memory all things contained therein) during their search after various things, and amongst others, after the cities and places where I had been, I observed, that they had no inclination to know any thing of temples, palaces, houses, or streets, but only of those things which I knew were transacted in those places, also of whatever related to the rule and government therein prevailing, and to the tempers and manners of the inhabitants, with other things of a similar nature for such things cohere with places in man's memory, wherefore when the places are excited in remembrance, those things also are brought to 1685. They were questioned, whether they proview at the same time. I was much surprised to posed to themselves any use from their knowledges; find them of such a nature and quality, wherefore and at the same time it was represented to them, I asked them why they disregarded the magnifi- that it is not enough to be delighted with knowlcence of the places, and only attended to the things edges, because knowledges have respect to uses, and circumstances connected therewith? They and uses ought to be the ends of knowledges; answered, because they had no delight in looking from knowledges alone no use results to them, but

1684. The spirits of Mercury are little distinguished for their judgment, having no delight in the exercise of that faculty, and the deducing of conclusions from knowledges; for bare knowledges alone are the things which give them pleasure.

1686. The spirits of Mercury differ totally from the spirits of our earth, for the spirits of our earth have not so much concern about immaterial things, but about worldly, corporeal, and terrestrial things, which are material; wherefore the spirits of Mercury cannot abide together with the spirits of our earth, and of consequence, wheresoever they meet 1690. The spirits of Mercury, who were attendthem, they fly away; for the spiritual spheres, ant upon me whilst I was writing and explaining which are exhaled from each, are altogether con- the Word as to its internal sense, and who pertrary the one to the other. The spirits of Mer-ceived what I wrote, said that the things which I cury have a common saying, that they have no inclination to look at a sheath, but at things stripped of their sheath, that is, at interior things.-E. U. 20.

to others with whom they are disposed to com- [out of the sphere of this world into the starry municate their knowledges; and that it is very in- heaven, where they knew such spirits existed as expedient for any one, who wishes to become wise, had no concern about terrestrial and corporeal to rest satisfied with mere knowledges, these be- things, but only about things elevated above them, ing only administering causes, intended to be sub- and that they were desirous to associate with those servient to the investigation of things appertain- spirits. It was given to understand, that they ing to life; but they replied, that they were de- themselves do not know whither they are journeylighted with knowledges, and that knowledges to ing, but that they are led by the Divine Guidance to them are uses. - E. Ü. 16–18. those places, where they may be instructed concerning such things as they are yet unacquainted with, and which agree with the knowledges that they have already: it was given to understand further, that they do not know how to find the companies with whom they are joined together, and that this also is of Divine Direction. — E. U. 23–25.

1687. There was a spirit from another earth, who was well qualified to discourse with them, being a quick and ready speaker, but who affected elegance in his discourse; they instantly decided on whatever he spake, saying of this, that it was too elegant, of that, that it was too polished; so that the sole thing they attended to was, whether they could hear any thing from him which they had never known before, rejecting thus the things which were as shades to the substance of the discourse, as all affectations of elegance and erudition especially are, for these hide real things, and instead thereof present expressions which are only material forms of things; for the speaker keeps the attention fixed herein, and is desirous that his expressions should be regarded more than the meaning of them, whereby the ears are more affected than the minds of the audience. 1688. The spirits of the earth Mercury do not abide long in one place, or within companies of the spirits of one world, but wander through the universe; the reason is, because they have relation to the memory of things, which memory must be continually stored with fresh supplies; hence it is granted them to wander about, and to acquire to themselves knowledges in every place. During their sojourning in this manner, if they neet with spirits who love material things, that is, things corporeal and terrestrial, they avoid their company, and betake themselves where such things are no subjects of discourse. Hence it may appear, that their mind is elevated above things of sense, and thus that they are in an interior luminous principle: this was also given me actually to perceive, whilst they were near me, and discoursed with me; I observed at such times, that I was withdrawn from things of sense, insomuch that the luminous principle of external vision began to grow dull and obscure.

1689. The spirits of that earth go in companies and phalanxes, and when assembled together, they form as it were a globe; thus they are joined together by the Lord, that they may act in unity, and that the knowledges of each may be communicated with all, and the knowledges of all with each, as is the case in heaven. That they wander through the universe to acquire the knowledges of things, appeared to me also from this circumstance, that ence, when they appeared very remote from me, they discoursed with me thence, and said, that they were then gathered together, and journeying

wrote were very gross (admodum crassa), and that almost all the expressions appeared as material; but it was given to reply, that to the men of our earth what was written seemed subtile and elevated, and many things incomprehensible.

1691. On another occasion, there was sent me, by the spirits of Mercury, a long piece of paper, of an irregular shape, consisting of several pieces pasted together, which appeared as if covered with print, like our printed books. I asked whether they had the art of printing amongst them? but they said, they had not, nevertheless they knew that on our earth we had such printed papers; they had no inclination to say more; but I perceived that they thought that knowledges with us were upon our paper, and not so much in our understandings, thus in a sneering way insinuating, that our papers knew more than we ourselves did: they were instructed, however, how the real case was in this respect. After some time they returned, and sent me another paper, which appeared also printed like the former, but not so pasted together and irregular, but neat and handsome; they said, that they were further informed, that in our earth there are such papers, and books made of them.-E. U. 27, 28.

1692. Inasmuch as the spirits of Mercury in the Grand Man, have relation to the memory of things abstracted from what is material, therefore when any one discourses with them concerning things terrestrial, corporeal, and merely worldly, they are altogether unwilling to hear him; and if they are forced to hear, they transmute the things spoken of into other things, and for the most part into things contrary, that they may avoid attending to them. — E. U. 31.

1693. I asked them in what manner they instruct their inhabitants? They said, that they do not instruct them as to all particulars in relation to the subject matter of instruction, but still insinuate some perception thereof, that thus a desire of examining and acquiring the knowledge of it may be excited and cherished; which desire would die away, in case they fully explained all particulars; they added, that they suggest objections of things opposite also, for this reason, that the truth afterwards may appear more striking; for all truth is made manifest by relation to its opposites.

1694. It is their constant custom not to declare to another what they know, but still they desire to learn from all others what is known to them: nevertheless, with their own society they communicate all things, insomuch that what one knows all know, and what all know each one knows in that society. - E. U. 35, 36.

1697. They were questioned, also, concerning the sun of the system, how it appears from their earth? They said, that it appears large, and larger there than when seen from other earths, and that they knew this from the ideas of other spirits concerning the sun. They said further, that they enjoy a middle temperature, neither too hot nor too cold; it was on this occasion given me to tell them, that it was so provided of the Lord in regard to them, that they should not be exposed to too much heat, by reason of their greater nearness to the sun, inasmuch as heat does not arise from the sun's nearness, but from the altitude and density 1702. Such, however, amongst them, as are in of the atmosphere, as appears from the cold on the capacity of being saved, are in places of high mountains even in hot climates; also that vastation, and are there reduced to the last state heat is varied according to the direct or oblique of desperation; for there is no other method incidence of the sun's rays, as is plain from the seasons of winter and summer in every region. These are the things which it was given to know concerning the spirits and inhabitants of the earth Mercury.-E. Ú. 44, 45.