in his exteriors he is as he was in the world, thus as an evil person with a good one there, and as a good person with an evil one; but it is otherwise when he is brought into his interiors, and left to his own nature or will. The separation of the good from the evil is effected by various means; generally by their being led about to those societies with which they had had communication by good thoughts and affections in their first state, and so to those which they had induced to believe, by external appearances, that they were not evil. They are most usually led about through a wide circle, and are every where shown to good spirits such as they are in themselves: at the sight of them then the good spirits turn themselves away, and as they turn themselves away, so likewise the evil spirits who are carried about, are averted from them, as to their faces, to the quarter where their infernal society is, into which they are about to come. Not to mention other methods of separation, which are several.-H. H. 511.

Third State after Death.

676. The third state of man after death, or of his spirit, is a state of instruction: this state is for those who come into heaven, and become angels, but not for those who come into hell, since these cannot be instructed. Wherefore the second state of these latter is likewise their third, which is ended in this, that they are altogether turned to their own love, thus to the infernal society which is in similar love. When this is effected, they then think and will from that love; and because that love is infernal, they will nothing but what is evil, and think nothing but what is false, these things being their delights, because they are of their love; and hence they reject all the good and true, which they had before adopted because they served as means for their love. But the good are brought from the second state into the third, which is the state of their preparation for heaven, by instruction. For no one can be prepared for heaven, except by the knowledges of what is good and true, thus except by instruction; since no one can know what spiritual good and truth are, and what the evil and the false, which are opposite to them, unless he be instructed.

677. Instructions are effected by the angels of several societies, especially by those which are in the northern and southern quarters, for those angelic societies are in intelligence and wisdom from the knowledges of good and truth. The places of instruction are to the north, and are various, arranged and distinguished according to the genera and species of heavenly goods, that all and each may be there instructed according to their genius and faculty of reception; those places extend in all directions there to a considerable distance. The good spirits who are to be instructed are conveyed thither by the Lord, when they have passed through their second state in the world of spirits; but still not all; for they who have been instructed in the world were there also prepared by the Lord for heaven, and are conveyed into heaven by another way; some immediately after death; some after a short stay with good spirits, where the grosser things of their thoughts and affections, which they contracted from honors and riches in the world, are removed, and thus they are purified. Some are first vastated, which is effected in places under the soles of the feet, which are called the lower earth, where some suffer severely; these are they who have confirmed themselves in falses,

and still have led good lives; for falses confirmed inhere with much force, and until they are dispersed, truths cannot be seen, thus cannot be received.

678. All who are in places of instruction dwell distinct among themselves; for they are severally as to their interiors connected with the societies of heaven to which they are about to come. Wherefore since the societies of heaven are arranged according to a heavenly form, so likewise are the places where instructions are given; it is on this account, that when those places are viewed from heaven, there appears there as it were a heaven in a lesser form. They extend themselves there in length from east to west, and in breadth from south to north: but the breadth to appearance is less than the length. The arrangements in general are as follows. In front are those who died infants, and have been educated in heaven to the age of first adolescence, who, after passing the state of their infancy with the females appointed to educate them, are brought thither by the Lord and instructed. Behind them are the places where those are instructed who died adults, and who in the world were in the affection of truth from the good of life. Behind them are they who have professed the Mahomedan religion, and in the world have led a moral life, and acknowledged one Divine, and the Lord as the very Prophet; these, when they recede from Mahomed, because he is not able to help them, accede to the Lord, and worship Him, and acknowledge his Divine, and then are instructed in the Christian religion. Behind these, more to the north, are the places of instruction of various nations, (or heathen,) who in the world have led a good life in conformity with their religion, and have thence acquired a species of conscience, and have done what is just and right, not so much on account of the laws of their government, but on account of the laws of religion, which they believed ought to be devoutly observed, and in no way to be violated by deeds; all these, when they are instructed, are easily led to acknowledge the Lord, because it is impressed on their hearts that God is not invisible, but visible under a human form: these in number exceed all the rest; the best of them are from Africa.

679. But all are not instructed in a similar manner, nor by similar societies of heaven. They who from infancy have been educated in heaven, are instructed by angels of the interior heavens, inasmuch as they have not imbibed falses from falses of religion, nor have defiled their spiritual life by grossness from honors and riches in the world. They who have died adult, are mostly in structed by angels of the ultimate heaven, because these angels are more suited to them than the an gels of the interior heavens, for the latter are ir interior wisdom, which is not as yet received. But the Mahomedans are instructed by angels who had before been in the same religion, and had been converted to Christianity. The nations (or heathen) likewise, are instructed by their respective angels.

680. All instruction is there effected from doctrine derived from the Word, and not from the Word without doctrine. Christians are instructed from heavenly doctrine, which is in perfect agreement with the internal sense of the Word. All others, as the Mahomedans, and the nations (or heathen) are instructed from doctrines adequate to their apprehension, which differ from heavenly doctrines only in this, that spiritual life is taught

by moral life, in agreement with the good dogmas of their religion, from which they have derived

their life in the world.

681. Instructions in the heavens differ from instructions on earth in this, that knowledges are not committed to the memory, but to the life; for the memory of spirits is in their life, inasmuch as they receive and imbibe all things which are in agreement with their life, and do not receive, still less imbibe, those things which are not in agreement; for spirits are affections, and thence in a human form similar to their affections. This being the case with them, the affection of truth is continually inspired for the sake of the uses of life; for the Lord provides that every one may love the uses suited to his genius, which love is also exalted by the hope of becoming an angel. And whereas all the uses of heaven have reference to the common use, which is for the Lord's kingdom, this kingdom being their country, and whereas all special and singular uses are excellent in proportion as they more nearly and more fully regard that common use, therefore all special and singular uses, which are innumerable, are good and heavenly. With every one therefore the affection of truth is conjoined with the affection of use, insomuch that they act as one; truth is thus implanted in use, so that the truths which they learn are truths of use. Thus angelic spirits are instructed, and prepared for heaven. The affection of truth suitable to use is insinuated by various means, most of which are unknown in the world; principally by representatives of uses, which in the spiritual world are exhibited by a thousand methods, and with such delights and pleasantnesses, that they penetrate the spirit, from the interiors which are of his mind to the exteriors which are of his body, and thus affect the whole: hence the spirit becomes as it were his own use; wherefore, when he comes into his own society, into which he is initiated by instruction, he is in his own life when in his own use. From these things it may be manifest, that knowledges, which are external truths, do not introduce any one into heaven, but the life itself, which is the life of use, implanted by knowledges.-H. H. 512–517.

682. After spirits have been by instructions prepared for heaven in the above-mentioned places, which is effected in a short time, by reason that they are in spiritual ideas, which comprehend several things together, they are then clothed with angelic garments, which for the most part are white, as of fine linen; and thus they are brought to the way which tends upwards to heaven, and are delivered to the angel guards there, and are afterwards received by other angels, and are introduced into societies, and into many gratifications there. Every one is next led by the Lord into his own society, which also is effected by various ways, sometimes by winding paths: the ways by which they are led are not known to any angel, but to the Lord alone. When they come to their own society, their interiors are then opened, and since these are conformable to the interiors of the angels who are in that society, they are therefore immediately acknowledged, and received with joy. - H. H. 519.

State of Idiots and the Insane after death. 683. "As there are no natural diseases among spirits in the spiritual world, (though there exist spiritual diseases and spiritual uses, which correspond with the natural diseases and cures in this world,) there are neither any hospitals; but in

stead of them, there are spiritual madhouses, a some of which are those who theoretically denied God; and in others, such as practically did the same. Those who in the world were idiots, at their arrival in the other world, are also foolish and idiotic; but being divested of their externals, and their internals opened, as is the case with them all, they acquire an understanding agreeable to their former quality and life, inasmuch as the actual follies and madness dwell in the external natural man, and not in the internal spiritual." - Letter to Dr. Beyer.

The Case with executed Criminals.

684. "One day a prisoner was publicly executed; Mr. Robsahm went in the evening to visit Swedenborg, and asked him, how a malefactor, in the moment of his execution, finds himself on entering the world of spirits. He answered, 'When he lays his head on the block, he loses his senses, and that, after the beheading, when the spirit enters the world of spirits, the prisoner finds himself alive, tries to make his escape, is in expectation of death, and in a great fright, as thinking either on the happiness of heaven, or the miseries of hell in that moment. At last, such a one is associated with the good spirits, who discover to him, that he is really departed from the natural world. And then he is left to the exercise of his own inclinations, which lead him to the eternal place of his abode.' Swedenborg added, 'that a man ripened in evil, whom the law and the axe, or halter, removes from earth, although apparently repenting, always remains evil to eternity; because his conversion is forced, and not performed out of his own free will, which God requires. For unless his crines had thrown him into prison, where he sees death impending, he would not have turned his thoughts to God, much less his heart, which is hardened by custom to a wicked life; and perceiving himself, after death, to live as before, he rushes headlong into the same wicked practices, as he did in the world, and thus is quickly led on to the hell, with the spirits of which he was in conjunction while on earth. It is a very different case,' added he, with those who indeed are executed for some crime, which they have committed in drunkenness or passion, but without any design; such persons repent earnestly of their actions; and unless they have, in the course of their life, confirmed themselves in opposition to the commandments of God, they become after death, when divested of their infirmities, happy spirits."" Documents Concerning the Life and Character of Swedenborg, p. 69.

Case of a Suicide.

685. A certain person, in the life of the body, had been reduced by melancholy to despair, until, being instigated by diabolical spirits, he destroyed himself, by thrusting a knife into his body. This spirit came to me, complaining that he was miserably treated by evil spirits, saying that he was amongst furies, who continually infested him. The place where he was, namely, in the lower earth, was a little to the left, where he was also seen by me, holding a knife in his hand, as though he would plunge it into his breast, but with which he strove hard, as if wishing rather to cast it from him, but in vain. For what happens in the hour of death, remains a long time before it vanishes away, as was told me.-S. D. 1336, 1337.

The circumstance here related by our author teaches, in a manner not to be forgotten, the folly, as well as sin, of commit. ting suicide, to escape from wretchedness

Case of an eloquent Preacher.

States of the Good and Evil reversed in the

Case of a certain Restorationist. 687. "A merchant of Elberfield went to see Swedenborg, and requested a proof of his intercourse with the spiritual world. The test he proposed was, that Swedenborg should learn from the deceased spirit of his (the merchant's) friend, who was a student of divinity, the subject of conversation which he had with him, on an important topic, a short time before he died. Swedenborg complied with the request, and desired him to call again in a few days, stating that in the mean time he would see if he could find his friend. The merchant took his leave, and despatched his business. Some days after, he went again to Swedenborg, in anxious expectation. The old gentleman met him with a smile, and said, 'I have spoken with your friend; the subject of your discourse was, the restitution of all things.' He then related to the merchant, with the greatest precision, what he, and what his deceased friend, had maintained. My friend turned pale; for this proof was powerful and invincible. He inquired further, 'How fares it with my friend? Is he in a state of blessedness?' Swedenborg answered, 'No, he is not yet in heaven; he is still in Hades, and torments himself continually with the idea of the restitution of all things.' This answer caused my friend the greatest astonishment. He ejaculated, "My God! what, in the other world?' Swedenborg replied, 'Certainly; a man takes with him his favorite inclinations and opinions; and it is very difficult to be divested of them. We ought, therefore, to lay them aside here." - Documents, &c., p. 105. Both Friends and Enemies meet in the other Life.

688. When souls first arrive in the other life, the things of earth adhere to them, for they do not know otherwise than that they are still in the world, and living there, which has been made evident to me by many things; nor could they perceive it to be otherwise, unless previously demonstrated to them, when they confessed it. Wherefore they also remember the associates whom they had in the life of the body, and it is there permitted them by the Lord to find them and converse with them, as when upon earth, but no otherwise than as it is permitted and granted them to do so. Thus every one can find his friends, parents, and children; they remain, however, no longer together than is granted by the Lord.

689. Moreover, as they find their friends, they also meet with their enemies, especially when from hatred they have persecuted them: hence it may be concluded how dangerous it is to persecute any one from hatred. For no one there can dissemble, or have one thing in his mind and say

next Life.

690. A man who is in the love of self and of the world, so long as he lives in the body, feels delight from those loves, and also in each of the pleasures which are from them. But a man who is in love to God and in love towards the neighbor, so long as he lives in the body, does not feel manifestly delight from those loves, and from the good affections which are from them, but only a blessedness almost imperceptible, because it is stored up in his interiors, and veiled by the exteriors which are of the body, and blunted by the cares of the world. But the states are entirely changed after death; the delights of the love of self and of the world are then turned into what is painful and direful, because into such things as are called infernal fire and by turns into things defiled and filthy, corresponding to their unclean pleasures, which, wonderful to tell, are then delightful to them. But the obscure delight, and almost imperceptible blessedness, which had been with those in the world who were in love to God and in love towards the neighbor, is then turned into the delight of heaven, which is in every way perceptible and sensible: for that blessedness, which was stored up and lay hid in their interiors when they lived in the world, is then revealed and brought forth into manifest sensation, because they are then in the spirit, and that was the delight of their spirit.-H. H. 401.

Vastations in the Lower Earth.

691. The lower earth is proximately beneath the feet, and the region round about to a small distance; there most persons are after death, before they are elevated into heaven; mention is made also of this earth in the Word throughout; beneath it are the places of vastation, which are called pits; below those places, and round about to much extent, are hells. Hence it is in some measure evident, what is meant by hell, what by the lower earth, and what by pit, when they are mentioned in the Word. As in Isaiah: "Thou wast let down to hell, to the sides of the pit; thou wast cast forth from thy sepulchre as an abominable twig; the garment of the slain, of the thrust through with the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit," xiv. 15, 19. So in Ezekiel: "When I shall cause thee to go down with those who go down to the pit to the people of the age, and shall cause thee to dwell in the earth of things below; that thou mayest not dwell in desolations from the age with them who go down to the pit; then I will give gracefulness in the land of the living," xxvi. 20.-A. C. 4728.

692. The lower earth is beneath the soles of the feet encompassed by the hells, on the front by those who have falsified truths and adulterated goods; to the right by those who pervert divine order, and hence study to acquire to themselves power; at the back by evil genii, who from self-love have secretly contrived evil against the neighbor: at a depth beneath them are they who have altogether despised the Divine, and have worshipped nature, and hence have removed every thing spiritual from themselves. With such are they encompassed

who are in the lower earth. At this day also, they who are of the church, and have filled their ideas with worldly things, and also with earthly things, and have caused the truths of faith to be adjoined to such things, are let down to the inferior earth, and there also are in combats; and this until those worldly and earthly things are separated from the truths of faith, and such things inserted, that they can no more be conjoined. When this is accomplished, they are then elevated thence into heaven; for until such things are removed, they cannot in any wise be with the angels, inasmuch as those things are darkness and defilements, which do not accord with the light and purity of heaven.-A. C. 7090.

693. There are many persons who during their abode in the world, through simplicity and ignorance, have imbibed falses as to faith, and have formed a certain species of conscience according to the principles of their faith, and have not, like others, lived in hatred, revenge, and adulteries. These in another life, so long as they are principled in what is false, cannot be introduced into the heavenly societies, lest they should contaminate them, and therefore they are kept for a certain time in the lower earth, in order that they may put off these false principles. The periods of their continuation there are longer or shorter according to the nature of the falsity, the life which they have thereby contracted, and the principles which they have confirmed in themselves; and some of them suffer severely, but others only in a trifling degree. These states are denominated vastations, and are frequently mentioned in the Word. When the time of vastation is over they are taken up into heaven, and being novitiates, are instructed in the truths of faith by the angels amongst whom they are received.

694. There are some who willingly endure vastations, that they may thereby put off the false principles which they had contracted in the world; but it is impossible for any one to get rid of them in the other life, except after some delay, and by means provided by the Lord. During their continuance in the lower earth they are kept by the Lord in the hope of deliverance, and in the consideration of the end proposed, which is their amendment and preparation for the reception of heavenly happiness.

695. Some are kept in a state intermediate between sleep and wakefulness, and think very little, except when they are, as it were, occasionally roused to the recollection of what they had thought and done during the life of the body, when they again relapse into the state just described, and thus become vastated. These are beneath the left foot, a little in front.

696. Those who have fully confirmed themselves in false principles, are reduced to a state of absolute ignorance; when such is their obscurity and confusion, that if they only think of the notions in which they have previously fortified themselves, they are seized with inward pain. After a stated time, however, they are as it were created anew, and become principled in the truths of faith.

when, if they be asked whether they are not fatigued, they reply that they have not yet done work enough to merit heaven. It appears, whilst they are cutting the wood, as though something of the Lord was in it, so that the wood is merit. The more of the Lord there seems to be in the wood, so much the longer they continue in that state; but as this disappears, they draw nigh to the end of their vastation. At length they become so improved as to be capable of admission into good societies; still, however, they fluctuate for a long while between truth and falsity. The Lord takes much care of them, because they have led a pious life, and occasionally sends his angels to them. These are they who are represented in the Jewish church by the hewers of wood, Joshua ix. 23, 27.

698. Those who have lived a good civil and moral life, but have persuaded themselves that they might merit heaven by their works, and thought it enough to acknowledge the only God, the Creator of the universe, have their false principles changed in the other world into such fantasies that they seem to themselves to cut grass, and are called grass sawers. They feel cold, and by this sawing endeavor to warm themselves. Sometimes they go about, requesting those they meet to warm them, which indeed spirits are enabled to do; but the heat which they receive does them no good, because it is external, and they want internal heat; wherefore they return to their sawing, and thus warm themselves by labor. I have been made sensible of their cold. They always entertain hopes of being taken up into heaven, and occasionally consult how by their own power they may introduce themselves there. These, as having performed good works, are amongst those who are vastated; and at length, when the time is fulfilled, they are introduced into good societies, and are instructed.

699. Those, however, who have been principled in the goods and truths of faith, and have thereby acquired conscience and the life of charity, are elevated by the Lord into heaven immediately after death.

700. There are young girls who have been enticed to prostitution, and persuaded that there was no evil in it, who in other respects were uprightly disposed. These, as having not yet attained to an age capable of knowing and judging correctly of the nature of this kind of life, have a certain instructor set over them, who is very severe, and chastises them whenever they give their thoughts to such wantonness: they are much afraid of him, and are thus vastated. Adult women, however, who have been prostitutes, and have enticed others to commit the same crime, do not undergo vastation, but are in hell. A. C. 1106-1113.

Vastation twofold with the Good and Evil, even to a full State.