spirits, who, during their life in the world, had paid no regard to the good of society, but only to themselves, being unfit for the duties of any office in the state, having no end in life but to indulge in luxury and refinement, and to be distinguished by the elegance of their dress, or to accumulate wealth, practising various deceptive pretences and modes of insinuation, by flattery and affecting a regard to duty, merely with a view to appearance, and that they might obtain the management of the revenue of their sovereign, whilst they looked down with contempt on all those who were seriously occupied with the business of their employments. It was perceived that they had been courtiers. Their sphere was of such a nature as to deprive me of all power of applying to business, and to make it so irksome to me to do or think about anything serious, true, and good in its nature, that at length I scarce knew what to do. Such, when they come amongst other spirits, induce on them the same listlessness. In the other life they are useless members, and are rejected whithersoever they go. 1510. Every spirit, and still more every society of spirits, have their own particular sphere proceeding from the principles and persuasions they have imbibed, which is a sphere of those principles and persuasions. Evil genii have a sphere of lusts. The sphere of principles and persuasions is of such a nature that when it acts upon another spirit it causes truths to appear like falsities, and calls forth all sorts of confirmatory arguments, so as to induce the belief that things false are true, and that things evil are good. Hence it may appear, how easily man may be confirmed in falsities and evils, unless he believe the truths which are from the Lord. Such spheres have a greater or less density according to the nature of the falsities which give them birth. These spheres can, in no respect, accord with the spheres of spirits principled in truths; but as they approximate each other there arises a conflict, when if, by permission, the sphere of falsity prevails, the good come into temptation and into anxiety. There was perceived also a sphere of incredulity, which is of such a nature, that the spirits from whom it proceeds believe nothing which is told them, and scarce what is exhibited to their view. The

sphere also of those who believe nothing but what they comprehend by the bodily senses was made perceptible.

1511. It has been made known to me by much experience, and with such certainty as to admit of no doubt, that the spirits who are principled in false sentiments, enter by influx into the thoughts, and induce a persuasion as if what is false were truth, so that there is no possibility of its appearing otherwise, and this by reason of their sphere. In like manner genii, who are principled in evils, enter by influx into the will, and excite a sensation as if evil were good, so that there is no possibility of its being perceived otherwise, and this also by reason of their sphere. It has been granted me a thousand times over to perceive manifestly the influx both of the former and of the latter, and also from whom it proceeded, and in what manner the angels from the Lord removed it, with a variety of circumstances which cannot be particularly declared. Hence it was made evident to me, with such certainty that nothing can be more so, whence come the falsities and evils that prevail in man; and that from principles of falsity, and from lusts of evil, proceed such spheres which remain after the life of the body, and manifest themselves so evidently.

1512. The spheres of phantasies, when they are rendered visible, appear like mists, more or less dense, according to the quality of the phantasy. From those who have lived in hatred and revenge, there exhale such spheres as cause fainting and excite vomiting. Such spheres are, as it were, imbued with poison; and it is usual to examine the degree of their poison and density by a kind of bands of a dull azure colour; for in proportion as these vanish and disappear, the poison and density of the sphere are diminished.

1513. A certain one of those spirits who are called lukewarm came to me, behaving himself like a sincere penitent; nor did I discover his deceitfulness, although I thought that he was practising some internal concealment. But the asso

ciate spirits said that they could not endure his presence, and that they felt themselves affected as men are when they are excited to vomit, and that he was of the number of those who were to be spewed out. He afterwards began to discourse in

a very profane and shocking manner; nor could he desist, notwithstanding the many admonitions he received to be

silent.

1514. Spheres are also rendered sensible by odours, which spirits have a more exquisite perception of than men. Odours correspond with spheres. They who have been accustomed to play the hypocrite, and to impose on others by false pretences, and have thereby contracted a nature accordingly, when their sphere is changed into an odour, it is like the stench of vomiting. Such as have studied the art of eloquence with no other view than to gain themselves admiration, when their sphere is made odoriferous, it is like the smell of burnt bread, &c., &c.

1519. When the spheres of charity and faith are perceived as odours, they are most delightful; the odours are sweet and pleasant, like those of flowers, lilies, and spices of divers kinds, with an indefinite variety. Moreover, the spheres of the angels are sometimes rendered visible like atmospheres, which are of such beauty, pleasantness, and variety as to admit of no description.

1520. But with respect to what has been said concerning the perceptibility of the interiors of spirits by means of spheres extended and propagated without them, and also by odours, it is to be observed that these things do not exist continually; and moreover, that they are diversely tempered by the Lord to prevent spirits always appearing before others, according to their true nature and quality.

CONCERNING THE LIGHT IN WHICH THE ANGELS LIVE, AND CONCERNING THEIR PARADISIACAL SCENERY AND HABITATIONS.

1521. That spirits and angels enjoy every sense except taste in a far more exquisite and perfect degree than ever man did, has been abundantly manifested to me. They not only see each other and converse with each other, but they also see more objects in their world than man can believe to exist. The world of spirits and the heavens are full of repre

sentatives such as were seen by the prophets, and of so grand a kind that if any one's spiritual sight were opened, and he could look into those worlds, though but for a few hours, he would be all astonishment. The light of heaven is such as to exceed the noonday light of this world in a degree surpassing all belief. The heavenly inhabitants, however, receive no light from this world, because they are above or within the sphere of that light; but they receive light from the Lord, who to them is a sun. The noonday light of this world is to the angels also like gross darkness; and when it is given them to look upon that light, it is as if they looked upon mere darkness; of which I have been convinced by experience. Hence may appear what a difference there is between the light of heaven and the light of this world.

1529. The Lord appears in the third heaven to the celestial angels as a sun, and to the spiritual angels as a moon. This is the only true source and origin of light; but the degree in which it is received is in proportion to the degree of the celestial and spiritual principle; thus the very celestial and spiritual principle of the Lord manifests itself by light before the external sight of the angels. Since the celestial and spiritual principle of the Lord appears before the external sight of the angels as a sun and a moon, hence it is that the sun in the Word signifies the celestial principle, and the moon the spiritual principle.

1532. By virtue of the Lord's light in heaven, there appear wonderful things which cannot be expressed. They are continual representatives of the Lord and of His kingdom, such as are mentioned by the prophets, and by John in the Revelation, besides other significatives. It is not possible for man to see these things with his bodily eyes; but as soon as ever the interior vision of any one, which is the sight of his spirit, is opened by the Lord, such objects may be exhibited to view. The visions of the prophets were no other than openings of their internal sight, as when John saw the golden candlesticks, &c.

1533. Before my interior sight was opened, my idea concerning the innumerable things which appear in the other life

differed little from that which the generality of people entertain—viz., that light, and such things as exist by virtue of light, together with objects of sense, could by no means have existence there. This idea was formed in consequence of the prevailing imaginary conceit of the learned respecting immateriality, upon which they so much insist in their disquisitions on the nature of spirits and of all things relating to the life of spirits; from which no other conception can be formed than that, being immaterial, their state must either be so obscure as to fall under no idea, or else that it is a mere nonentity, for this is implied in the notion of such immateriality. Nevertheless, the very reverse of this is the truth; for, unless spirits and angels were organized substances, it would be impossible for them either to speak, or see, or think.

OF THE WORD AS HAVING STORED WITHIN IT DIVINE THINGS, WHICH ARE MADE MANIFEST TO GOOD SPIRITS AND ANGELS.

1767. The Word of the Lord, when it is read by a man who loves it, and who lives in charity, and even by a man who in simplicity of heart believes what is written, having formed no principles contrary to the truth contained in the internal sense, is displayed by the Lord to the angels with such beauty and with such pleasantness, accompanied also with representatives, and this with an inexpressible variety, according to the whole state of the angels at the time, that every particular is perceived as if it had life. This is the life that is in the Word, and from which the Word had birth when it was sent down from heaven. From this cause the Word of the Lord is of such a nature, that, although it appears rude in the letter, yet within it are stored things spiritual and celestial, which are made manifest to good spirits and angels, when it is read by man.

1774. There are spirits who have no inclination to hear anything concerning the interior things of the Word, even though they have a capacity to understand them. These are principally such as have placed merit in their works, and who,

G