.1 :. rt h 3 j

YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

Gift of

STARLING W. CHILDS
YALE 1891

THE

E-AETHS
IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM

WHICH ARE CALLED

PLANETS:

AND

THE EARTHS IN THE STARRY HEAVENS

AN ACCOUNT OF THEIR INHABITANTS, AND ALSO OP THE
SPIRITS AND ANGELS THERE:

FROM WHAT HAS BEEN SEEN AND HEARD.

FROM THE LATIK OF
EMANUEL SWEDENBORG.

THE NEW CHUECH BOAED OF PUBLICATION-
NEW YORK : 20 COOPER UNION;
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THE

EARTHS
IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM

WHICH ARE CALLED

PLANETS:

AND

THE EARTHS IN THE STARRY HEAVENS

AN ACCOUNT OF THEIR INHABITANTS, AND ALSO OP THE
SPIRITS AND ANGELS THERE:

FROM WHAT HAS BEEN SEEN AND HEARD.

FROM THE LATIN OF
EMANUEL SWEDENBORG.

THE NEW CHUECH BOAED OF PUBLICATION:
NEW YORK: 20 COOPER UNION;
BOSTON : MASS. NEW CHURCH UNION ;
CHICAGO: NEW CHURCH BOOK STORE;
PHILADA. : J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.
1876.

t b'7

ON THE

Earths in the Universe.

1. 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 per
mitted to describe them according to what, has been heard
and seen. It is to be observed, that all spirits and angels are
from the human race ;* and that they are near their respective
earths ;b and that they are acquainted with things on those
earths ; and that by them man may be instructed, if his interiors
be so open as to be enabled to speak and converse with them ;
for man in his essence is a spirit0 and together with spirits as
to his interiors ;d wherefore he whose interiors are opened by
the Lord, may discourse with them, as man with man ;" which
privilege has been granted me now for twelve years daily.
EXTEACTS FROM THE ARCANA CCELESTIA.
* That there are no spirits and angels, but what were of the human race, n. 1880.
k That the spirits of every earth are near to their own particular earth, because
they are from the inhabitants of that earth, and of a similar genius and temper ; and
that they are serviceable to those inhabitants, a. 9968.
c That the soul, which lives after death, is the spirit of man, which is the real
man in him, and also appears in another life in a perfect human form, n. 322, 1880,
1881, 3633, 4622, 4735, 6054, 6605, 6626,7021, 10594.
* That man, even during his abode in the world, as to his interiors, consequently
as to his spirit or soul, is in the midst of spirits and angels, of a nature and quality
agreeing to his own, n. 2378, 3645, 4067. 4073, 4077.
• That man is capable of discoursing with spirits and angels, and that the ancients
on our earth did frequently discourse with them, n. 67, 68, 69, 784, 1634, 1636, 7802
But that at this day it is dnnsenms to discourse with tliem, unless man be in a true
fiiith, and be led of the Lord,"u. 784. .9438, 10751.

ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE.

L2— I

2. That there are several earths, and men upon them, and
thence spirits and angels, is a thing most perfectly well known
in another life, for it is there granted to every one who desires
it from a love of truth and consequent use, to discourse with
the spirits of other earths, and thereby to be confirmed con
cerning a plurality of worlds, and to be informed, that the
human race is not confined to one earth only, but extends to
earths innumerable ; and moreover to know, what is the par
ticular genius, manner of life, and also divine worship, pre
vailing amongst the inhabitants of each particular earth.
3. I have occasionally discoursed on this subject with the
spirits of our earth, and the result of our conversation was,
that any man of an enlarged understanding may conclude, from
various considerations, that there are several earths, and that
they are inhabited by men ; for it is a suggestion of reason
that so great material masses as the planets are, some ol
which far exceed this earth in magnitude, are not empty mass
es, and created only to be conveyed in their revolutions round
the sun, and to shine with their scanty light for the benefit of
one earth, but that their use must needs be more enlarged and
distinguished. He who believes, as every one ought to believe,
that the Deity created the universe for no other end, than that
mankind, and thereby heaven, might have existence, (for man
kind is the seminary of heaven,) must, needs believe also, that
wheresoever there is any earth, there are likewise men-inha
bitants. That the planets, which are visible to our eyes, as
being within the boundaries of this solar system, are earths,
may appear manifest from this consideration, that they are
bodies of earthy matter, because they reflect the light of the
sun, and when seen through optical glasses, they appear, not
as stars glittering by reason of their flame, but as earths vari
egated by reason of their opaque spots : the same may further
appear from this consideration, that they, in like manner as
our earth, are conveyed by a progressive motion round the
sun, in the way of the zodiac, whence they have their years,
and seasons of the year, as spring, summer, autumn, and
winter ; and in like manner, revolve about their own axis,
whence they have their days, and times of the day, as morn
ing, mid-day, evening, and night ; moreover some of them have
moons, which are called satellites, and which perform their
revolutions round their central globes, as the moon does round
our earth ; the planet Saturn has besides a large luminous
belt, as being furthest distant from the sun, which belt supplies
that earth with much light, although reflected. How is it pos
sible for any reasonable person, acquainted with these circum
stances, to assert, that such bodies are void, and without
inhabitants ?
4. Moreover, in my discourse with spirits, I have at such

4  1 1 ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. 5
times suggested, that it is very credible that in the universe
there are more earths than one, from this consideration, that
the starry heaven is so immense, and the stars therein are so
innumerable, each of which in its place, or in its world, is a
sun. and like our sun, in various magnitude: every considerate
person is led to conclude, that so immense a whole must needs
be a means to some end, the ultimate of creation, which end
is the kingdom of heaven, wherein the Divine [being or prin
ciple] may dwell with angels and men: for the visible uni
verse, or the heaven resplendent with stars so innumerable,
which are so many suns, is only a means, or medium, for the
existence of earths, and of men upon them, of whom ma}' be
formed a celestial kingdom. From these considerations every
reasonable person must needs be led to conceive, that so im
mense a means, adapted to so great an end, was not constituted
for a race of men from one earth only, and for a heaven thence
derived; for what would this be to the Divine [being or prin
ciple] which is infinite, and to which thousands, yea ten thou
sands of earths, all full of inhabitants, are comparatively small.
and scarce of any amount.
5. Moreover, the angelic heaven is so immense, that it cor
responds with all and singular the things appertaining to man,
myriads corresponding to every member and organ, and to all
the viscera, and the respective affections of each ; and it has
been given to know, that that heaven, as to all its correspon
dences, can by no means exist, except by the inhabitants of
very many earths/
6. There are spirits whose sole study is to acquire to them
selves knowledges, because they are delighted only with know
ledges ; these spirits are permitted to wander at large, and
even to pass out of this solar system into others, and to pro
cure for themselves knowledges : these have- declared, that
there are not only earths inhabited by men,' in this solar sys
tem, but also out of it in the starry heaven, to ati immense
number. These spirits are from the planet Mercury.
7. As to what in general concerns the divine worship of the
inhabitants of other earths, such amongst them as are not
idolaters, all acknowledge the Lord to be the only God ; for
they adore the Divine [being or principle] not as invisible, but
as visible, for this reason amongst others, because when the
f That heaven corresponds to the Lord, and that man, as to all and singular
things appertaining to him, corresponds to heaven, and that hence heaven, before
the Lord, is a man in a large effigy, and may be called the Grand Man, n. 2996
2.998, 3624 to 3649, 3636 to 3643, 3741 to 3745, 4625. Concerning the correspon
dence of man, and of all things appertaining to him, with the Grand Man, which is
heaven, in general, from experience, n. 3021, 3624 to 3649, 3741 to 3751, 3883 to
3896, 4039 to 4051, 4218 to 4228, 4318 to 4331, 4403 to 4421, 4527 to 4533, 4622 to
4633, 4652 to 4660, 4791 to 4805, 4931 to 4953, 5050 to 5061, 5171 to 5189, 5377 te
5306, 5552 to 5573, 5711 to 5727, 10030.

6 ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [1  10
Divine [being or principle] appears to them, he appears in a
human form, as he also formerly appeared to Abraham and
others on this earth -f and they who adore the Divine [being
or principle] under a Human Form, are all accepted of the
Lord.h They say also, that no one can rightly worship God,
much less be joined to Him, unless he comprehends Him by
some idea, and that God cannot be comprehended except in a
Human Form ; and if He be not so comprehended, the interior
sight, which is of the thought, concerning God, is dissipated,
as the sight of the eye is, when looking upon the boundless
universe; and that in this case the thought must needs sink
into nature, and worship nature instead of God.
8. When they were told that the Lord on our earth assumed
the human [principle,] they mused awhile, and presently said
that it was done for the salvation of the human race.

OF THE EARTH OR PLANET MERCURY, ITS SPIRITS AND
INHABITANTS.
9. THAT the universal heaven resembles one man, who is
therefore called the Grand Man, and that all and singular the
things appertaining to man, both his exteriors and interiors,
correspond to that man or heaven, is an arcanum not as yet
known in the world ; but that it is so, has been abundantly
proved/ To constitute that Grand Man, there is need of spirits
from several earths, those who come from our earth into hea
ven 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 cor
respondence, a supply be instantly made from another earth,
to fill up the deficiency, that so the proportion maybe preserv
ed, and thus heaven be kept in due consistence.
10. It was also discovered to me from heaven, in what re
lation to the Grand Man the spirits from the planet Mercury
stand, viz., that they have relation to the memory, but to the
memory of things abstracted from terrestrial and merely ma
terial objects. Since, however, it has been granted to discourse
with them, and this during several weeks, and to learn their
nature and quality, and to observe how the inhabitants of that
earth are particularly circumstanced, I shall adduce what has
been thus experimentally made known to me.
s That the inhabitants of all the earths adore the Divine [being or principle]
under a Human Form, consequently the Lord, u. 8541 to 8547, 10159, 10736
10737, 10738. And that, they rejoice when they hear that God was actually made
Man, li. 9361. That it is impossible to think of G?d except in a Human Form, n.
8705, 9359, 9972. That man miy worship and love what he has some idea of but
not what lie has no idea of, n. 4733, 5110, 5633, 7211, 9267, 10067.
h That the Lord receives all who are principled in good, aud who adore the Di
vine [being or principle] under a Human Form, n. 9359, 7173.

I]  13] OF THE PLANET MERCURY. 1
1 1 . 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 ex
plored my memory in search of all that I knew: (spirits can
do this most dexterously, for when they come to man, they see
n 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 in
clination 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 go
vernment 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 view at the same time. I was much surprised to
rind them of such a nature and quality, wherefore I asked them
why they disregarded the magnificence of the places, and only
attended to the things and circumstances connected therewith ?
They answered, because they had no delight in looking 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 ab
stracted from what is material and- terrestrial.
12. It was told me, that such is the life of the inhabitants
of that earth, viz. that they have no concern about things ter
restrial 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, there
fore also the spirits, who are from thence, are of a like nature
and quality.1"
13. With what eagerness they inquire into and imbibe the
knowledges of things, such as appertain to the memory eleva
ted above the sensualities of the body, was made manifest to
1 That spirits enter into all the things of man's memory, n. 2488, 5863, 6192,
6193, 6198, 6199, 6214. That angels enter into the affections and ends, from which,
and for the sake of which, man thinks, wills, and act* in such and such a manner
in preference to' every other, n. 1317, 1645, 5844.

8 ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [13 15
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 : for when spirits come to man, they enter
into all his memory, and excite thence whatever suits them
selves ; yea, what I have often observed, they read the things
contained therein, as out of a book." These spirits did this
with greater dexterity and expedition, because they did not
stop at such things as are heavy and sluggish, and which con
fine 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 : for such
things, which are not clogged with things terrestrial, elevate
the mind upwards, whereas mere material things sink the mind
downwards, and at the same time contract and shut it up.
Their eagerness to acquire knowledges, and to enrich the me
mory, was manifest also from the following circumstance : on
a time whilst I was writing somewhat concerning things to
come, and they were at a distance, so that they could not look
into those things from my memory, because I was not willing
to read them in their presence, they were very indignant, and,
contrary to their usual behaviour, they were desirous to abuse
me, saying that I was one of the worst of men, with such like
indignities ; and that they might give proof of their resentment,
they caused a kind of contraction, attended with pain, on the
right side of my head even to the ear ; but these things did
not hurt me : nevertheless, in consequence of having done evil,
they removed themselves to a yet greater distance, but pre
sently they stood still again, desirous to know what I had writ
ten : such is their eager thirst after knowledges.
14. 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 ; hence
also it may appear manifest, that spirits have memory, and
that it is much more perfect than the memory of men ; and
further, that what they hear, see, and perceive, they retain,
and especially such things as delight them, as these spirits are
delighted with knowledges ; for whatever things cause delight,
and affect the love, these flow in as it were spontaneously, and
remain ; olher things do not enter, but only touch the surface
and pass by.
15. When the spirits of Mercury come to other societies,
they explore and collect from them what they know, and then
they depart ; for such communication is granted amongst spi-
k That the spirits who are attendant on man, are in possession of all things ap
pertaining to his memory, u. 5853, 5857, 5859. 5860.

15  19] IF THE PLANET MERCURY. 9
nts, and especially amongst angels, that when they are in a
society, if they are accepted and loved, all things which they
know are communicated.1
16. In consequence of their knowledges, the spirits of Mer
cury have an extraordinary degree of haughtiness ; wherefore
they are given to understand, that although they know innu
merable 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 hanghtiness and
high-mindedness, 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.
17. They are averse to discourse consisting of vocal expres
sions, because it is material, wherefore when I conversed with
them without intermediate spirits, I could only do it by a spe
cies of active thought. Their memory, as consisting of things.
not of images purely material, affords a nearer supply of its
objects to the thinking principle : for the thinking principle,
which is above the imagination, requires for its objects things
abstracted from material ; but notwithstanding this, 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.
18. They were questioned, whether they proposed to them
selves any use from their knowledges ; and at the same time
it was represented to them, that it is not enough to be delight
ed with knowledges, because knowledges have respect to uses,
and uses ought to be the ends of knowledges ; from know
ledges alone no use results to them, but to others with whom
they are disposed to communicate their knowledges ; and that
it is very inexpedient for any one, who wishes to become wise,
to rest satisfied with mere knowledges, these being only ad
ministering causes, intended to be subservient to the investiga
tion of things appertaining to life ; but they replied, that they
were delighted with knowledges, and that knowledges to them
are uses.
19. Some of them also are unwilling to appear as men, like
the spirits of other earths, and would rather appear as chrys-
talline globes ; the reason why they are desirous to appear so,
although they do not appear so, is, because the knowledges of
things immaterial are represented in another life by chrystals.
1 That in the heavens there is given a communication of all good things, inas
much as it is the property of heavenly love to communicate all its possessions with
others ; and that hence the angels derive wisdom and happiness, u. 549, 550. 1390,
1391 1399, 10130, 10723.

10 ON THE EARTHS IN I'HE UNIVERSE. [^0  ^3
20. The spirits of Mercury differ totally from the spirits of
our earth, for the spirits of our earth have not so much con
cern 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 them.
they fly away ; for the spiritual spheres, which are exhaled
from each, are altogether contrary the one to the other. The
spirits of Mercury 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.
21. On a time there appeared a whitish-coloured flame,
which burnt briskly, and this for nearly an hour ; that flame
signified the approach of spirits of Mercury, who for penetra
tion, thought, and speech, were more prompt than the former
spirits ; when they were come, they instantly ran through the
things contained in my memory, but I could not perceive whal
observations they made, by reason of their promptitude ; ]
heard them afterwards express the nature and quality of some
particulars ; in respect to what I had seen in the heavens and
in the world of spirits, they said that they knew those things
before. I perceived that a multitude of spirits consociated
with them was behind, a little to the left, in the plane of the
occiput. 22. At another time I saw a multitude of such spirits, but
at some distance from me, in front a little to the right, and
thence they discoursed with me, but by means of intermediate
spirits ; for their speech was as quick as thought, which does
not fall into human speech, but by means of other spirits ; and
what surprised me, they spake not singly, but in a volume to
gether (volumatim), and yet readily and rapidly : their speech
appeared undulatory, in consequence of the numbers who
spake at the same time, and what is remarkable, it was con
veyed towards my left eye, although they were .to the right ;
the reason was, because the left eye corresponds to the know
ledges of things abstracted from what is material, consequent
ly to such things as appertain to intelligence, whereas the right
eye corresponds to such things as appertain to wisdom.™ They
likewise perceived and judged of what they heard with the
same promptitude with which they discoursed, saying of such
a thing that it was so, and of such a thing that it was not so ;
their judgment was, as it were, instantaneous.
23. There was a spirit from another earth, who was well
qualified to discourse, with them, being a quick and ready
_ » That the eye corresponds to the understanding, because the understanding is
internal sight, and the sight of things immaterial, n. 2701, 4410, 45^6 9051 lOS^
That the sight of the left eye corresponds to truths, consequently "to intelligence '
and the sight of the right eye corresponds to the goods of truth, consequent^ to
wisdom, n. 4410. * J "'

23; — Hbj OF THE PLANET MERCURY. 11
speaker, but who affected elegance in his discourse ; they in
stantly 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 espe
cially are, for these hide real things, and instead thereof pre
sent 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 mean
ing of them, whereby the ears are more affected than the
minds of the audience.
24. 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 know
ledges in every place. During their sojourning in this manner,
if they meet 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 dis
course. 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 per
ceive, 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.
25. 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 communi
cated with all, and the knowledges of all with each, as is the
case in heaven.1 That they wander through the universe to
acquire the knowledges of things, appeared to me also from
this circumstance, that once, when they appeared very remote
from me, they discoursed with me thence, and said, that they
were then gathered together, and journeying out of the sphere
of this world into the starry heaven, where they knew such
spirits existed as had no concern about terrestrial and corporeal
things, but only about things elevated above them, and that
they were desirous to associate with those spirits. It was
given to understand, that they themselves do not know whither
they are journeying, but that they are led by the Divine Gui
dance to those places, where they may be instructed concern
ing such things as they are yet unacquainted with, and which

12 OS THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [25  27
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.
26. In consequence of their thus journeying through the
universe, and thereby being enabled to know more than others
respecting the worlds and earths out of the sphere of our solar
system, I have also discoursed with them on this subject ; they
said that in the universe there are very many earths inhabited
by men ; and that they wonder how any should suppose (whom
they called men of little judgment), that the heaven of the
Omnipotent God consisted only of spirits and angels who come
from one earth, when these comparatively are so few, that in
respect to the Omnipotence of God they are scarce any thing,
nor would it alter the case even supposing there were myriads
of worlds, and myriads of earths : they declared, moreover,
that they knew there were earths existing in the universe to
the number of some hundred thousands and upwards ; and yet
what is this to the Divine [Being or Principle] Who is infinite ?
27. The spirits of Mercury, who were attendant upon me
whilst I was writing and explaining the Word as to its inter
na] sense, and who perceived what I wrote, said that tne
things which I 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 subtle and elevated, and many things incom
prehensible: I added, that several on this earth do not know
that it is the internal man which acts on the external, and
causes the external to live ; and that they persuade, themselves
from the fallacies of the senses, that the body has life, and
that in consequence thereof, such as are wicked and unbeliev
ing entertain doubts respecting a life after death; also, that
the [part or principle] of man which is to live afrer death, is
not by them called spirit, but soul ; and that they dispute what
soul is, and where is its abode, and believe that the material
body, although dispersed throughout the atmosphere, is to be
joined again to it, in order that man may live as man ; with
many other things of a like nature. The spirits of Mercury,
on hearing these things, asked, whether such men could become
angels ? and it was given to answer that they become angels
who have lived in the good of faith and charity, and that then
they are no longer in external and material things, but in in
ternal and spiritual ; and when they come into that state, that
they are in a light superior to that in which the spirits from
Mercury are: to convince them that it was so, an angel was
allowed to discourse with them, who had come into Heaven
from our earth, having lived in the good of faith and charity,
concerning whom more will be said presently.

28 — 31] OF THE PLANET MERCURY. 13
28. On another occasion, there was sent me, by the spirits
of Mercury, a long piece of paper, of an irregular shape, con
sisting 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 1
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 re
turned, and sent me another paper, which appeared also print
ed like the former, but not so pasted together and irregular.
but neat and handsome ; they said, that they were further in
formed, that in our earth there are such papers, and books
made of them.
29. From the above account it appears manifest, that spirits
retain in the memory what they see and hear in another life,
and that they are capable of being instructed alike as when
they were men in the world, consequently of being instructed
in things appertaining to faith, and thereby of being perfected.
In proportion as spirits and angels are of a more interior cha
racter and quality, in the same proportion they receive instruc
tion more readily, and in a greater fulness, and retain it more
perfectly : and inasmuch as this faculty abides for ever, it is
evident that they are continually advancing in wisdom : with
the spirits of Mercury there is a constant growth in the science
of things, but not in wisdom thence derived, because they love
knowledges, which are means, but not uses, which are ends.
30. The particular genius and character of the spirits who
are from the planet Mercury, may still further appear from
the following account. It is to be observed, that all spirits
and angels whatsoever were once men ; for the human race is
the seminary of heaven ; also the spirits are altogether such,
as to affections and inclinations, as they were during their life
in the world whilst men ; for every one's life follows him into
another world :° this being the case, the genius and character
of the men of every earth may be known from the genius and
character of the spirits who come from thence.
31. Inasmuch as the spirits of Mercury in the Grand Man,
nave relation to the memory of things abstracted from what is
material, therefore when any one discourses with them con
cerning things terrestrial, corporeal, and merely worldly, they
¦ That every one's life remains with him and follows him after death, n. 4227,
"440. That the externals of life are kept closed after death, and the internals open
ed, n. 4314, 5128, 6495. That then all and singular the things of thought are made
manifest, .1. 4633, 5128.

H ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [31  34
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.
32. That I might be fully convinced of this their particular
genius and character, it was allowed to represent to them
meadows, fallow lands, gardens, woods, and rivers, (to repre
sent such things is imaginatively to exhibit them before ano
ther, in which case, in another world, they appear to the life ;)
but they instantly transmuted them, obscuring the meadows
and fallow fields, and by representations filling them with
snakes ; the rivers they made black, so that the water no longer
appeared limpid. When I asked them why they did so, they
said, that they had no inclination to think of such things, but
of things real, which are the knowledges of things abstracted
from what is terrestrial, especially of such things as exist in
the heavens.
33. Afterwards I represented to them birds of different sizes,
both large and small, such as exist on our earth ; for in ano
ther life such things may be represented to the life ; when they
saw the birds represented, they were disposed at first to change
them, but afterwards they were delighted with them and seem
ed satisfied; the reason was, because birds signify the know
ledges of things, and the perception of this signification flowed
in also at that instant; thus they desisted from transmuting
them, and thereby from averting the ideas of their memory.
Afterwards it was allowed to represent before them a most
pleasant garden full of lamps and lights ; instantly they
paused, and their attention was fixed, by reason that lamps
with lights signify truths which are lucid by virtue of good.'
Hence it was made manifest that their attention might be fixed
in viewing things material, if the signification of those things
in a spiritual sense was but insinuated at the same time ; for
the things appertaining to such spiritual sense are not so ab
stracted from things material, being representative thereof.
34. Moreover I discoursed with them concerning sheep and
lambs, but they were not disposed to hear of such things, be
cause they were perceived by them as things terrestrial ; the
reason was, because they did not understand what innocence
is, which lambs signify, as was perceivable from this circum
stance, that when I told them that lambs, represented in hea
ven, signify innocence,11 they immediately said, that they did
° That birds signify things rational, things intellectual, thoughts, ideas and know-
ledges, n. 40, 745, 776, 778,866, 988, 993, 5149, 7441. And this with a variety
according to the genera and species of birds, n. 3219.
P That lamps with lights signify truths which are lucid bv virtue of »ood n 4fiia
9548, 9783. ft > ¦ *°aa,
i That lambs in heaven, and in the Word, signify innocence, u. 3994, 7840, 10132

34 —37] OF THE PLANET MERCURY. 15
not know what innocence was, but only knew it as to the
name ; the reason was, because they are affected only with
knowledges and not with uses, which are the ends of know
ledges, consequently they cannot know, from internal percep
tion, what, innocence is.
35. Some of the Spirits of the earth Mercury on a time came
to me, being sent by others, with intent to learn what I was
employed about, to whom one of the spirits of our earth said,
that they might tell those who sent them, not to speak any
thing but what was true, and not, according to their usual
practice, suggest things opposite to what they are questioned
about ; for if any of the spirits of our earth were to do so,
they would be chastised for it ; but immediately the company
which was at a distance, from which those spirits were sent,
made answer, that if they must be chastised on that account,
they must all be chastised, inasmuch as by reason of acquired
habit they could not do otherwise ; they added, that when they
discourse with the men of their own earth, they also do so, but
this not with any intention of deceiving, but to inspire a de
sire of knowledge ; for when they suggest things opposite, and
conceal things in a certain manner, then a desire of know
ledge is excited, and thereby from an earnestness to search out
and discover those things, the memory is perfected. I also
discoursed with them at another time on the same subject, and
because I knew that they conversed with the men of their
earth, I asked them in what manner they instruct their inha
bitants ? 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.
36. 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.'
37. Inasmuch as the spirits of Mercury abound with know
ledges, they are principled in a species of haughtiness ; hence
they imagine that they know so much, that it is almost impos
sible to know more : but it has been told them by the spirits
of our earth, that their knowledge is not so extensive as they
imagine, but comparatively scanty, and that the things which
they do not know are infinite in respect to what they do know,
and as the waters of the largest ocean compared with the

16 ON THE EARTHS IN I'HE UNIVERSE. [37  38
waters of a very small fountain ; and further, that the first
step in the ladder of wisdom is to know, acknowledge, and
perceive, that what is known is little and scarce anything, in
comparison with what is unknown. To convince them that
this is the case, it was given, that a certain angelic spirit
should discourse with them, and should tell them in general
what they knew, and what they did not know, and that there
were infinite things which they did not know, also that eternity
would not suffice for their acquiring even a general knowledge
of things : he discoursed by angelic ideas much more readily
than they did, and because he discovered to them what they
knew, and what they did not know, they were struck with
amazement. Afterwards I saw another angel discoursing
with them; he appeared in some altitude to the right ; he
was from our earth, and enumerated very many things which
they did not know ; afterwards he discoursed with them by
changes of state, which they said they did not understand ;
then he told them that every change of state contains infinite
things, as did also every smallest part of such change. When
they heard these things, inasmuch as they had been puffed up
with self-conceit by reason of their knowledges, they began to
humble themselves : their humiliation was represented by the
sinking down of their volume (voluminis); (for that company
then appeared as a volume, in front at a distance towards ihe
left, in the plane of the region below the navel,) but the
volume appeared as it were hollowed in the middle, and
elevated on the sides ; a reciprocal moving was also observed
therein : they were likewise given to understand what that
signified, viz. what they thought in their humiliation, and that
they who appeared elevated on the sides, were not as yet in
any humiliation : then I saw that the volume was separated,
and that they who were not in humiliation, were remanded
back towards their orb, the rest remaining where the,y were.
38. On a time the spirits of Mercury came to a certain
spirit from our earth, who, during his abode in the world, had
been most distinguished for his great learning, (it was Christian
Wolf,) desiring to receive information from him on various
subjects ; but when they perceived that what he said was not
elevated above the sensual things of the natural man, inasmuch
as in his discourse his thoughts were intent on fame and hono
rary distinction, and he was desirous, as in the world, (for in
another life every one is like his former self,) to connect various
things into series, and from those series again and continually
to form other conclusions, and thus to construct a chain of
several consequences and deductions grounded therein, which
they did not see or acknowledge to be true, and which there
fore they declared to be chains which neither cohered in them
selves, nor with the conclusions, calling them obscurity grounded

38] OF THE PLANET MERCURY. 17
in authority (obscurum auctoritatis ;) they then desisted from
asking him further questions, inquiring only, how this is called,
and how that ; and whereas he answered these inquiries alsc
by material ideas, and by no spiritual ones, they retired from
him ; for every one, in another life, discourses spiritually, or
by spiritual ideas, only so far as he had believed on God during
his abode in the world, and materially, so far as he had not
believed on God. An occasion here offering itself, it may be
expedient to mention how it fares in another life with the learned
who imbibe intelligence from their own meditation, kindled with
the love of knowing truths for the sake of truths, thus for the
sake of uses abstracted from worldly considerations, and how
with those, who imbibe intelligence from others without any
meditation of their own, as is the common case with such as
>iesire to know truth solely for reputation's sake, that they may
be accounted learned, and thereby attain worldly honour or
gain, thus who desire to know truths, not for the sake of uses
abstracted from worldly considerations : concerning such, it ia
allowed to relate the following experience. There was per
ceived on a time somewhat noisy, or sonorous, (sonorum quad-
dam,) penetrating from beneath, near the left side even to tho
left ear : I observed that they were spirits, who there attempted
to force a way, but of what sort they were I could not know ;
however, when they had forced a way. they spake with me,
saying, that they were logicians and metaphysicians, and that
they had immersed their thoughts in the sciences of logic and
metaphysics, with no other end than to acquire the character
of being learned, and thus to be advanced to honour and
emolument, lamenting that they now led a miserable life, in
consequence of applying to those sciences with no other end.
and thus not having cultivated thereby their rational principle ;
their speech was slow, and of a mute tone (mute sonans.) In
the mean time there were two discoursing with f-ach other
above my head, and on inquiring who they were, it was said
that one of them \ as a most distinguished character in the
learned world, and it, was given ine to belie\e that it was
Aristotle ; who the other was, remained untold ; the former
was then let into the state in which he was during his life in
the world ; for every one may easily be let into the state of
his life, which he had in the world, inasmuch as he has with
him every state of his former life : but. what surprised me, he
applied himself to the right ear, and there spake, but in a
hoarse tone of voice, yet with sound sense. From the purport
of his discourse I perceived, that he was altogether of a different
genius and temper fmm those schoolmen who first ascended, in
that he wrote from a ground of thought and discernment in
himself, and ihence produced his philosophical discoveries: so
»hat the terms which he invented, and which he imposed on
2

18 ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [38
speculative subjects, were forms of expression by which he
described interior things ; also that he was excited to such
pursuits by a delight of the affection, and by a desire of
knowing the things appertaining to the thinking and intel
lectual faculties, and that he followed obediently whatever his
spirit had dictated ; wherefore he applied himself to the right
ear, contrary to the custom of his followers, who are called the
schoolmen, and who do not go from thought to terms, but from
terms to thoughts, thus in a contrary way ; and several of
them do not even proceed to thoughts, but stick solely in
terms, which, if they apply, it is to confirm whatever they
desire, and to impose on false principles an appearance of
truth according to their eagerness to persuade others. Hence
philosophical investigations lead them rather to folly than to
wisdom ; and hence they have darkness instead of light.
Afterwards I discoursed with him concerning the analytic
science, observing, that a child, in half an hour's conversation,
speaks more philosophically, analytically, and logically, than
would be in his power to describe by a volume, inasmuch as
all things appertaining to thought, and to human speech
thence derived, are analytical, the laws whereof are from the
spiritual world ; and he who desires to think artificially from
terms, is not unlike a dancer, who would learn to dance by
the science of the moving fibres and muscles, in which science
if he should fix his mind whilst he is dancing, it would be
almost impossible for him to move a foot ; and yet, without
that science, he moves all the moving fibres throughout the
whole body, and in subordination thereto he moves the lungs,
the diaphragm, the sides, the arms, the neck, and other organs
of the body, to describe all which would require many vol
umes ; and the case is exactly similar with those who are
desirous to think from terms. He approved of these observa
tions, and said, that to learn to think in that way is proceeding
in an inverted order ; adding, if any one will be so silly, let
him so proceed ; but let the thoughts be grounded in use, and
flow from an interior principle. He next shewed me, what
idea he had conceived of the Supreme Deity, viz. that he had
represented Him to his mind as having a Human Face, and
encompassed about the head with a radiant circle ; and' that
now he knew that the Lord is Himself that Man, and that the
radiant circle is the Divine principle proceeding from Him
which not only flows into heaven, but also into the universe'
disposing and ruling all things therein ; he added, Whosoever
disposes and ru.es heaven, He also disposes and rules the
universe, because the one cannot be separated from the other :
he also said, that he believed only in one God, Whose attri
butes and qualities were distinguished by a variety of names
and that these names were by others worshipped as so many

38  39 OF THE PLANET MERCURY. 19
gods. There appeared to me a woman, who stretched out her
hand, desiring to stroke my cheek, at which, when I expressed
my surprise, he said, that whilst he was in the world, such a
woman had often appeared to him, as it were stroking his
cheek, and that her hand was beautiful ; the angelic spirits
said, that such women sometimes appeared to the ancients,
and were by them called Pallases, and that she appeared to
him from the spirits, who, during their abode on earth in
ancient times, were delighted with ideas, and indulged in their
thoughts, but without philosophy ; and whereas such spirits
were attendant upon him, and were delighted with him,
because he thought from an interior principle, therefore they
representatively exhibited such a woman to his view. Lastly,
he informed me what idea he had conceived of the soul or
spirit of man, which he called Pneuma, viz. that it was an
invisible vital principle, like somewhat of aether ; and he said,
that he knew that his spirit would live after death, inasmuch
as it was his interior essence, which cannot die, because it is
capable of thinking ; and that moreover he was not able to
think clearly concerning it, but only obscurely, because he had
not formed any thought about it from any other source but
that of his own mind, and a little also from the ancients. It
is to be noted that Aristotle is amongst sound and sober spirits
in another life, and that several of his followers are amongst
the infatuated.
39. On a time I saw that spirits of our earth were with
spirits of the earth Mercury, and I heard them discoursing
together, and the spirits of our earth, amongst other things,
asked them, on Whom they believed ? They replied that they
believed on God ; but when they inquired further concerning
the God on Whom they believed, they could give no answer, it
being customary with them not to answer questions directly.
Then the spirits from the earth Mercury, in their turn, asked
the spirits from our earth, on Whom they believed ? They
said that, they believed on the Lord God: the spirits of
Mercury then said, that they perceived that they believed on
no God, and that they had contracted a habit of professing
with the mouth that they believe, when yet they do not
believe : (the spirits of Mercury have exquisite perception,
in consequence of their continually exploring, by means of
perception, what others know :) the spirits of our earth were
of the number of those, who in the world had made pro
fession of faith agreeable to the doctrine of the church, but
still had not lived the life of faith, and they who do not live
the life of faith, in another life have not faith, because, it is not
in the man/ On hearing this they were silent, inasmuch as,
' That they who make profession of faith agreeable to doctrine, and do not live
the life of faith, have no faith, n 3865, 7766, 7778, 7790, 7950, 8094. And that

20 ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [39  41
by a perception then given them, they acknowledged that it
was so.
40. There were certain spirits who knew from heaven, that
on a time a promise was made to the spirits of the earth
Mercury, that they should see the Lord ; wherefore they were
asked by the spirits about me, whether they recollected that
promise ? They said that they did recollect it ; but that they
did not know, whether the promise was of such a nature, as
that they might depend with certainty on its accomplishment.
Whilst they were thus discoursing together, instantly the Sun
of heaven appeared to them ; (the Sun of heaven, which is
the Lord, is seen only by those who are in the inmost or third
heaven ; others see the light thence derived :) on seeing the
sun, they said, that this was not the Lord God, because they
did not see a Face. In the meanwhile the spirits discoursed
with each other, but I did not hear what they said. But on n
sudden, at that instant, the Sun again appeared, and in tb<
midst thereof the Lord, encompassed with a solar circle ; on
seeing this, the spirits of Mercury humbled themselves pro
foundly, and subsided. Then also the Lord, from that Sun,
appeared to the spirits of this earth, who when they were
men, saw Him in the world, and they all, one after another,
and thus several in order, confessed that it was the Lord
Himself; this confession they made before all the company.
At the same instant also the Lord, out. of the Sun, appeared
to the spirits of the planet Jupiter, who declared with open
voice, that it was He Himself, Whom they had seen on theii
earth when the God of the universe appeared to them.'
41. Certain of them, after that the Lord appeared, were led
off frontwards to the right, and as they advanced,- they said,
that they saw a light much clearer and purer than they had
ever seen before, and thai it was impossible any light could
exceed it ; and it was then even-tide here : there were several
who made this declaration/
their interiors are contrary to the truths of faith, although in the world they do nol
know this, n. 7790, 7950.
¦ That the Lord is the Sun of heaven, from Whom all light therein is derived
n. 1053, 3636, 4060. And that the Lord thus appears to those who are in His
celestial kingdom, where love to Him is prevalent, n. 1521, 1529, 1530, 1531 1837,
4696. That He appears at a middle distance above the plane of the ri"ht eye!
n. 4321, 7078. That therefore by sun in the word is signified the Lord as to
Divine Love, n. 2495, 4060, 7083. That the sun of this world doth not appear to
spirits and angels, but in the place thereof there appears somewhat as it were
darkish, not in front, but behind, in a direction opposite to the Sun of heaven or to
the Lord, n. 9755. '
' That there is in the heavens great light, which exceeds, by many decrees the
mid-day light of this world, n. 1117, 1521, 1533, 1619 to 1632, 4527, 5400, 8644
That all light in the heavens is from the Lord as a Sun there n 1053' lV>l' 3195
3341, 3636, 3643, 4415, 9548, 9684, 10809. That the Divine' Truth proc'eedinc
from the Divine Good of the Divine Love of the Lord appears in the heavens as
tight, and present* all the light that is therein, u. 3195, 3222, 5400, 8644 9399 9548

42  44] OF THE FLANET MERCURY. 21
42. It is to be observed, that the sun of this world does
not appear at all to any spirit, nor anything of light thence
derived ; the light of that sun is as thick darkness to spirits
and angels: that sun remains only in the perception apper
taining to spirits from having seen it during their abode in the
world, and is presented to them in idea as somewhat darkish,
and this behind at a considerable distance, in an altitude a
little above the plane of the head. The planets which are
within the system of that sun, appear according to a deter
minate situation in respect to the sun ; Mercury behind, a
little towards the right ; Venus to the left, a little backwards ;
Mars to the left in front ; Jupiter in like manner to the left in
front, but at a greater distance ; Saturn directly in front, at a
considerable distance ; the Moon to the left, at a considerable
height : the satellites also to the left in respect to their par
ticular planet. Such is the situation of the above planets iti
the ideas of spirits and angels : Spirits also appear near their
respective planets, but out of them. As to what particularly
concerns the spirits of Mercury, they do not appear in any
certain determinate quarter, or at any certain determinate
distance, but sometimes in front, sometimes to the left, some
times a little to the back ; the reason is, because they are
allowed to wander through the universe to procure for them
selves knowledges.
43. On a time the spirits of Mercury appeared to the left in
a globe, and afterwards in a volume extending itself length
ways ; I wondered whither they were desirous of going, whe
ther to this earth or elsewhere, and presently I observed that
they inclined to the right, and as they rolled along, approached
to the earth or planet Venus towards the quarter in front; but
when they came thither they said, that they would not abide
there, because the inhabitants were wicked ; wherefore they
turned about to the back part of that earth, and then said, that
they would willingly stay there, because the inhabitants were
good. Immediately on this, I was made sensible of a remark
able change in the brain, and of a powerful operation thence
proceeding. Hence it was given to conclude, that the spirits
of Venus, who were on that part of the planet, were in con
cord with the spirits of Mercury, and that they had relation to
the memory of things material which was in concord with the
memory of things immaterial, to which latter memory the spi
rits of Mercury have relation : hence a more powerful opera
tion was felt from them when they were there.
44. I was desirous to know what kind of face and body the
men in the earth Mercury had, whether they were like the
9681. That the light of heaven illuminates both the sight and the understanding
of the angels, n. 2776, 3138. That when heaven is said to be in light and heat, it
si- 'ii i lies being in wisdom and iu love, n. 3643, 9399, 9401.

22 ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [44  47
men on our earth ; instantly th^re was presented before my
eyes a woman exactly resembling the women in that earth :
she had a beautiful face, but it was smaller than that of a wo
man of our earth ; her body also was more slender, but her
height was equal ; she wore on her head a linen cap, which
was put on without art, but yet. in a manner becoming. A
man also was presented to view, who was more slender in body
than the men of our earth are; he was clad in a garment of
a dark blue colour, closely fitted to his body, without any fold
ings or protuberances : it was given to understand, that such
was the form of body, and such the dress, of the men of that
ear'b. Afterwards there was presented to view a species of
their oxen and cows, which, indeed, did not differ much from
those on our earth, only that they were less, and in some de
gree approached to a species of deer.
45. They were questioned, also, concerning ihe sun rf tl.e
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 mid
dle 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, in
asmuch as heat does not arise from the sun's nearness, but
from the altitude and density of the atmosphere, as appears
from the cold on high mountains even in hot climates; also
that heat is varied according to the direct or oblique 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 thp
earth Mercury.

OF THE EARTH OR PLANET JUPITER, ITS SPIRITS AND
INHABITANTS.
46. IT was granted me to enjoy longer commerce with the
spirits and angels of the planet Jupiter, than with the spirits
and angels from the rest of the planets, wherefore I am at li
berty to be more particular in regard to the state of life of
them, and of the inhabitants of that planet. That those spirits
were from that planet, was evident, from many circumstances,
and was also confirmed by a declaration from heaven.
47. The real earth or planet Jupiter does not. indeed appear
to spirits and angels : for to the inhabitants of the spiritual
world no material earth is visible, but only the spirits and an
gels who come thence : they who are from the planet Jupiter

47  49] OF THE PLANET JUPITER. 23
appear in front to the left, at a considerable distance, and this
constantly, see above, n. 42 ; there also is the planet. The
spirits of every earth are near their respective earth, in con
sequence of having been inhabitants thereof, (for every man
after death becomes a spirit,) and in consequence of being thus
of a similar genius and temper with the inhabitants, and of
being in a capacity thereby of associating with and serving
them. 48. The spirits from the earth Jupiter related, that the muU
titude of men therein was as great as the earth could support ;
and that the earth was fruitful and plentiful in all productions ;
and that the inhabitants had no desires beyond the necessaries
of life ; and that they accounted nothing useful but so far as
it was necessary ; and that hence the number of inhabitants
was so great. They said, that the education of their children
was their greatest concern, and that they loved them most
tenderly. 49. They further related, that the inhabitants are distin
guished into nations, families, and houses,' and that they all
live apart with their own kindred, and that hence their con
nections are confined to relatives ; likewise that no one covets
another's property, and that it never enters into their minds to
desire the possessions of another, still less to obtain them
fraudulently, and least of all to extort them by violence ; such
violence they consider as a criminal act contrary to human
nature ; and regard it as horrible. When I would have told
them, that on this earth there are wars, depredations, and
murders, they instantly turned away from me, and expressed
an aversion to hear. It was declared to me by the angels, that
the most ancient people on this earth lived in like manner as
the inhabitants of the planet Jupiter, viz. that they were dis
tinguished into nations, families, and houses, and that all at
that time were content with their own possessions ; and that
it was a thing altogether unknown for one person to enrich
himself at the expense of another, or to aspire at dominion
from a principle of self-love ; and that on this account the an
cient times, and especially the most ancient, were more ac
ceptable to the Lord than succeeding times : and such being
the state of the world, innocence also then reigned, attended
with wisdom; every one did what was good from a principle
of good, and what was just from a principle of justice ; to do
what is good and just with a view to self-advancement, or for
the sake of gain, was a thing unknown ; at the same time they
spake nothing but what was true, and this not so much from
a principle of truth, as from a principle of good, that is , not
from an intellectual principle separate from the will-principle
but from a will-principle joined with the intellectual. Such
were the ancient times, wherefore angels could then converse

24 ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [49  50
with men, and convey their minds, almost separate from things
corporeal, into heaven, yea, could conduct them through the
heavenly societies, and shew them the magnificent and blessed
things abounding therein, and likewise communicate to them
their happiness and delights : these times were known also to
the ancient writers, and were by them called the golden and
also Saturnian ages. The superior excellence of those times,
as was observed, was owing to this, that men were then dis
tinguished into nations, nations into families, and families into
houses, and every house lived apart by itself; and it then ne
ver entered into any one's mind to invade another's inheritance,
and thence acquire to himself opulence and dominion ; self-
love and the love of the world were then far from men's affec
tions; every one rejoiced in his own, and not less in his neigh
bour's good. But in succeeding times this scene was changed,
and totally reversed, when the lust of dominion and of large
possessions invaded the mind ; then mankind, for the sake of
self-defence, collected themselves into kingdoms and empires ;
and inasmuch as the laws of charity and of conscience, which
were inscribed on' the hearts, ceased to operate, it became ne
cessary to enact external laws in order to restrain violence,
and to secure obedience thereto by temporal rewards and pun
ishments. When the state of the world was thus changed,
heaven removed itself from man, and this more and more even
to the present time, when the very existence of heaven and
hell is unknown, and by some denied. This account of the
primitive state of the inhabitants of this earth is given in or
der to shew more clearly by the parallel, what is the state of
the inhabitants of the earth Jupiter, and whence they have
their probity, and also their wisdom, concerning which more
will be said hereafter.
50. By long and frequent conversation with the spirits of the
earth Jupiter, it was made very manifest to me, that they were
better disposed than the spirits of several other earths ; the
manner of their approach to me, their abode with me, and
(heir influx at that time, was inexpressibly gentle and sweet ;
in another life the quality of every spirit manifests itself by
an influx, which is the communication of its affection; good
ness of disposition manifests itself by gentleness and sweet
ness ; by gentleness, in that it is afraid to do hurt, and by
sweetness, in that it loves to do good : I could clearly distin
guish a difference between the gentleness and sweetness of
the influx proceeding from the spirits of Jupiter, and of that
which proceeds from the good spirits of our earth. When any
slight disagreement exists amongst them, they said that there
appears a sort of slender bright irradiation, like that of light
ning, or like the little swath encompassing glittering and wan
dering stars ; but all disagreements amongst them are soon

50  52] OF THE PLANET JUPITER. 25
adjusted. Glittering stars, which are at the same time wan
dering, signify what is false, but glittering and fixed stars sig
nify what is true ; thus the former signify disagreement."
51. I could distinguish the presence of the spirits of Jupiter,
not only by the gentleness and sweetness of their approach
and influx, but also by this circumstance, that for the most
part their influx was into the face, to which they communica
ted a smiling cheerfulness, and this continually during their
presence : they said, that they communicate a like cheerfulness
of countenance to the inhabitants of their earth, when they
come to them, being desirous thus to inspire them with heart
felt tranquillily and delight: that tranquillity and delight with
which they inspired me, filled my breast and heart very sensi
bly ; at the same time there was a removal of all evil lusts
and anxiety concerning things to come, which cause unquiet
and disturbance, and excite various commotions in the mind.
Hence was discoverable the nature and quality of the life of
the inhabitants of the earth Jupiter ; for the disposition of the
inhabitants of any earth may be known by the spirits who
come thence, inasmuch as every one retains his own proper
life after death, and continues to live it when he becomes a
spirit. It was very observable, that they had a state of bless
edness or happiness still more interior, which was manifest
from this circumstance, that their interiors were perceived not
to be closed, but open to heaven ; for in proportion as the in
teriors are more open to heaven: in the same proportion they
are the more susceptible of receiving divine good, and there
with blessedness and interior happiness: the case is altogether
otherwise with those who do not live in the order of heaven ;
(he interiors with such are closed, and the exteriors open to
the world.
52. It was further shewn me what sort of faces the inhabit
ants of the earth Jupiter had ; not that the inhabitants them
selves appeared to me. but that the spirits appeared with faces
similar to waat they had during their abode on their earth :
but previous to this manifestation, one of their angels appear
ed behind a bright cloud, who gave permission ; and instantly
two faces were presented to view ; they were like the faces of
the men of our earth, fair and beautiful ; sincerity and modesty
seemed to beam forth from them. During the presence of the
spirits of Jupiter, the faces of the men of our earth appeared
less than usual, which circumstance was owing to this, that
there was an influx from those spirits of the idea which they
had concerning their own faces as being larger ; for they be
lieve, during their abode in their earth, that after their decease
" That stars in the Word signify the knowledges of good and truth, consequently
truths, u. 2495. 2849, 4697. And that in another life truths are represented by fix
ed stars, but falses by wandering stars, n. 1128.

26 UN THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [52 53
their faces will be larger, and of a round shape ; and whereas
this idea is impressed on them, it consequently remains with
them, and when they become spirits, they appear to themselves
as having larger faces. The reason why they believe that
their faces will be larger is, because they say that the face is
not body, inasmuch as through it they see, hear, speak, and
manifest their thoughts; and whereas the mind is thus trans
parent through the face, they hence form an idea of the face
as of mind in a form ; and inasmuch as they know that they
shall become wiser when they cease to live in the body, there
fore they believe that the form of the mind, or the face will
become larger. They believe also, that after their decease
they shall perceive a fire, which will communicate warmth to
their faces ; this belief takes its rise from hence, that the wiser
amongst them know that fire in a spiritual sense signifies love,
and that love is the fire of life, and that the angels have life
from this fire :x such of them also as have lived in celestial
love, have their wishes herein gratified, and perceive a warmth
in the face, and at the same time the interiors of the mind are
kindled with love. It is on this account that the inhabitants
of that earth frequently wash and make clean their faces, and
also carefully secure them from the sun's heat ; they use a
covering for the head, made of the bark of a tree, of a blueisb
colour, which serves as a shade for the face. Concerning the
faces of the men of our earth, which they saw through my
eyes/ they said that they were not handsome, and that the
beauty which they had, consisted in the external skin, but not
in the fibres derived from what is internal ; they were surprised
to see the faces of some full of pimples and carbuncles, and in
other respects deformed, and said, that they have no such faces
amongst them ; some of their faces retained a smiling cast [even
in the spiritual world], viz. such as were of a cheerful and
smiling habit, and such as were a little prominent about the
lips. 53. The reason why the faces which were prominent about
the lips, retained a smiling cast, was, because the chief part
of their discourse is effected by the face, and especially by the
region about the lips, and also because they never use deceit,
that is, never speak otherwise than they think, the consequence
of which is, that they use no restraint in regard to the face,
but let all the features and fibres have free play : the case is
* That fire in the Word signifies love in both senses, n. 934, 4906, 5215. That
sacred and celestial fire is Divine Love, and every affection which is of that love n.
934, 6314, 6832. That infernal fire is self-love and the love of the world, and every
concupiscence appertaining to those loves, n. 965, 1861,5071, 6314, 6832 7 575
10747. That love is the fire of life, and that life itself is actually derived from thai
fire, n. 4906, 5071, 6032.
i That spirits and angels do not see the things of this solar world, but that thev
saw through my eyes, n. 1881.

53  54] OF THE PLANET JUPITER. 27
otherwise with those, who from their childhood have been
practised in deceit: the face is thereby contracted from within,
to prevent the inward thoughts from being manifested ; neither
has it free play from without, but is kept in readiness either
to put itself forth, or to contract itself, according to the sug
gestions of craft and cunning. The truth of this may appear
from an examination of the fibres of the lips, and of the parts
thereabouts, for the series of fibres in those parts are manifold,
complex, and interwoven together, being created not only for
the purposes of receiving and chewing the food, and of form
ing expressions of speech, but also of manifesting the ideas of
the mind by their various configurations.
54. It was also shewn me how the thoughts are expressed
by the face : the affections, which appertain to the love-prin
ciple, are manifested by the features and their changes, and
the thoughts in those affections by variations as to the forms
of interior things therein ; it is impossible to describe them
further. The inhabitants of the earth Jupiter use also vocal
discourse, but it is not so loud as with us ; one kind of dis
course is an aid to the other, and life is insinuated into vocal
discourse by that of the countenance. I am informed by the
angels, that the first discourse of all in every earth was effect
ed by the face, and this from two origins, the lips and the eyes :
the reason why this kind of discourse was first in use is, be
cause the face was formed to express by its features all a
man's thoughts and inclinations ; hence the face is called an
effigy and index of the mind : a further reason is, because in
the most ancient or primitive times man was influenced by a
principle of sincerity, and cherished no thought, nor wished to
cherish any, but what he was willing should beam forth visi
bly in his face : thus also the affections of the mind, and the
thoughts therein originating, might be exhibited to the life, and
in their fulness ; hereby likewise they were made visible, as
several things united together in a form. This kind of dis-i
course, therefore, excelled vocal discourse, as much as the
sense of seeing excels that of hearing, or as the sight of a fine
country excels a verbal description of it. Add to this, that
such discourse was in agreement with the discourse of angels,
with whom men in those times had communication ; and also
that when the face speaks, or the mind by the face, the angelic
discourse is exhibited with man in its ultimate natural form,
but not so in verbal discourse. Every one also may conceive
that the most ancient people could not at first practice verbal
discourse, inasmuch as the expressions of vocal language are
not infused immediately, but must have been invented, and
applied to the things they were intended to express : and this
would require a course of time to effect." So long as man
• That the most ancient, people on this earth used to discourse by tin? i«ce and

28 ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [54 — 55
continued to be influenced by a principle of sincerity and lec-
titude, so long also such discourse remained; but as soon as
the mind began to think one thing and speak another, which
was the case when man began to love himself and not his
neighbour, then verbal discourse began to increase, the face be
ing either silent or deceitful ; hence the internal form of tho
face was changed, contracted itself, acquired stiffness, and be
gan to be nearly void of life ; whilst the external form, in
flamed by the fire of self-love, appeared in the eyes of men as
if it was alive ; for a want of life in the internal forms, which
are hid underneath the external, does not appear before men,
but is manifest to the angels, inasmuch as the latter see inte
rior things. Such are the faces of those who think one thing
and speak another ; for simulation, hypocrisy, cunning, and
deceit, which at this day are called prudence, have a tendency
to produce such effects. But the case is otherwise in another
life, where it is not allowable for the speech and thoughts to
be at variance ; their variance also is there clearly perceived
in every single expression, and when it is perceived, the spirit
who is found guilty, is separated from his associates, and fined ;
afterwards he is reduced by various methods to speak as he
thinks, and to think as he wills, until his mind be one and not
divided ; if he be a good spirit, he is reduced to a state of will
ing what is good, and of thinking and speaking what is true,
from a principle of good : and if he be an evil spirit, he is re
duced to a state of willing what is evil, and of thinking and
speaking what is false, from a principle of evil ; until this is
effected, the good spirit is not elevated into heaven, nor is the
evil one cast into hell ; and this to the end, that in hell there
may be nothing but evil and the false grounded in evil, and in
heaven nothing but good and truth grounded in good.
55. I was further informed by the spirits from that earth,
concerning various particulars relating to its inhabitants, as
concerning their manner of walking, concerning their food,
and their habitations. With respect to their manner of
walking, they do not walk erect like the inhabitants of this
and of several other earths, nor do they creep on all four, like
four-footed beasts, but as they go along, they assist themselves
with their hands, and alternately half elevate themselves on
their feet, and also at every third step turn the face sideways
and behind them, and likewise at the same time bend the body
a little, which is done suddenly ; for it is thought indecent
amongst them to be seen in any other point of view than with
the face in front. In walking thus, they always keep the face
elevated as with us, that so they may look at the heavens as
lips, by means of internal aspiration, n. 607, 1118, 7361. That the inhabitants of
Home other earths used to discourse in like manner, n. 4799, 7359 8°48 105S7
Couc«rning the perfection and excellence of that discourse, n. 7360 10587 10708.

55  58] OF THE PLANET JUPITER. 29
well as the earth ; holding the face downwards so as to see
the earth alone, they call an accursed thing : the most vile
and abject amongst them give into this habit, but if they
continue in it, they are banished the society. When they sit,
they appear like men of our earth, erect as to the upper part
of the body, but they usually sit cross-legged : they are par
ticularly cautious, not only when they walk, but also when
they sit, to be seen with the face in front, and not as to the
back parts; they are also very willing to have their faces seen,
because thence their mind appears ; for with them the face is
never at variance with the mind, nor indeed have they power
to make it so ; hence it evidently appears, on an interview
with them, what dispositions they entertain towards all who
are present, especially whether their apparent friendship be
sincere or forced, for this they never conceal. These particu
lars were declared to me by their spirits, and confirmed by
their angels : hence also their spirits are seen to walk, no*
erect like others, but, almost like persons swimming, appearing
to help themselves forward with their hands, and by turns to
look around them.
56. They who live in their warm climates go naked, excepl
about the loins ; nor are they ashamed of their nakedness,
inasmuch as their minds are chaste, loving none but such as
they are in conjugal connection with, and abhorring adultery
They were very much surprised at the spirits of our earth,
who, on hearing of their method of walking, and also that.
they were naked, made a joke of it, and gave way to
lascivious thoughts, without attending at all to their heavenly
life : they said, that this was a proof that things corporeal
and terrestrial were of more concern to them than heavenly
things, and that things of an indecent nature had place in
their minds. Those spirits of our earth were told, that naked
ness gives no occasion either of shame or of scandal to such
as live in chastity and a state of innocence, but only to such
as live in lasciviousness and immodesty.
57. When the inhabitants of that earth lie in bed, they turn
their faces forward, or towards the chamber, but not back
ward, or towards the wall : this was told me by their spirits,
who assigned also the reason for their so doing, viz. that they
beljeve that in turning the face forward, they turn it to the
Lord, but if they turn it backward, they avert it from the
Lord. I have sometimes observed, in regard to myself, whilst
I was in bed, such a direction of the face, but I never knew
before whence it was.
58. They take delight in making long meals, not so much
for the pleasure of eating, as for the pleasure of discoursing at
such times. Whilst they sit at table, they do not sit on chairs
or stools, nor upon an elevated turf, nor yet upon the bare

30 ON THE EARTHS IN 1'HE UNIVERSE. [58  60
ground, but on the leaves of a certain tree ; they were not
willing to tell of what tree the leaves were, but when I
guessed at several, and at last named the leaves of the fig-tree,
they affirmed that to be the tree. They said moreover, that
they did not dress their food with any view to gratify the
palate, but chiefly with a view to wholesomeness, and that the
food which was wholesome was also savory. In a conver
sation which took place amongst the spirits on this subject, it
was urged, that it would be well for man to prepare his food
according to this rule, for by so doing he would shew his
attention to the health of his mind and body at the same
time ; whereas, when the gratification of the palate is the
chief thing attended to, the bodily health is frequently lost
thereby, at least loses much of its inward vigour, and conse
quently the mind also is affected, inasmuch as the exertions of
the mind depend on the interior state of the recipient bodily
parts, as seeing and hearing depend on the state of the eye
and ear ; hence the madness of supposing, that all the delight
of life consists in luxury and pleasurable indulgences : hence
also comes dulness and stupidity in things which require
thought and judgment, whilst the mind is diposed only for the
exertions of cunning and contrivance respecting bodily and
worldly things ; hereby man acquires a brutal image and
likeness, and therefore such persons are not improperly com
pared with brutes.
59. Their habitations were also shewn to me; they are low,
and constructed of wood, but within they are coated over with
bark of a palish blue colour, the walls and ceiling being
spotted as with small stars, to represent the heavens ; for
they are fond of thus picturing the visible heavens and stars
in the insides of their houses, because they believe the stars
to be the abodes of angels. They have also tents, which are
rounded above, and stretched out to a considerable length,
spotted likewise within with little stars in a blue plane ; into
these they betake themselves in the middle of the day, to
prevent their faces suffering from the heat of the sun : they
are very attentive to the construction, neatness, and clean
liness of these their tents: they have also their meals in them.
60. When the spirits of Jupiter saw the horses of this
earth, the horses appeared to me of a less size than usual,
although they were tolerably robust and large ; this was in
consequence of the idea of those spirits concerning the horses
they saw ; they said that they also had horses amongst them,
but of a much larger size, and that they were wild, running
at, large in the woods, and that when they come in sight, the
inhabitants are terrified, although they never suffer any hurt
from them ; they added, that the fear of horses is innate or
natural to them : this led me to a consideration of the cause

60  61 ] OF THE PLANET JUPITER. 3]
of that fear, and it seemed to be grounded in the spiritual
signification of horses; for a horse in a spiritual sense signifies
the intellectual principle formed of scientifics," and inasmuch
as the inhabitants of Jupiter are afraid of cultivating the intel
lectual principle by worldly sciences, hence comes an influx
of the fear of horses. That they pay no attention to sci-
entifics, which appertain to human erudition, will be seen
presently. 61. The spirits of the earth Jupiter are not willing to asso
ciate with the spirits of our earth, because they differ both in
minds and manners ; they say that the spirits of our earth are
cunning, and that they are prompt and ingenious in the con
trivance of evil ; and that they know and think little about
what is good. Moreover, the spirits of the earth Jupiter are
much wiser than the spirits of our earth ; they say also of our
spirits, that they talk much and think little, and thus that they
are not capable of an interior perception of many things, not
even of what is good ; hence they conclude, that the men of
our earth are external men. On a time also it was permitted
the spirits of our earth, by their wicked arts, to act upon and
infest the spirits of Jupiter who were with me ; the latter
endured such action for a considerable time, but at length
confessed that they could endure no longer, and that they
believed it impossible for worse spirits to exist, inasmuch as
they perverted their imagination and also their thoughts in
such a manner, that they seemed to themselves as it were
bound, and that they could not be extricxted and set at liberty
without Divine Aid. Whilst 1 was reading in the Word some
passages concerning our Saviour's passion, certain European
spirits infused dreadful scandals, with intent to seduce the.
spirits of Jupiter: inquiry was made who they were, and what
had been their profession in the world, and it was discovered
that some of them had been preachers, and that the greater
part were of those who call themselves of the Lord's society,
or Jesuits ; I said, that they, during their abode in the world,
by their preaching concerning the Lord's passion, were able to
move the vulgar to tears ; I further added what was the cause
of the difference between what they appeared to be in the
world, and what they were at present, viz. that in the world
their thoughts and their words were at variance, consequently
they entertained one opinion in their hearts, and professed
another with their lips, but that now they are not allowed to
speak under such disguise, for in becoming spirits they are
compelled to speak in all respects as they think. The spirits
of Jupiter expressed the utmost astonishment at hearing of
•• That horse signifies the intellectual principle, n. 2760, 2761, 2762, 3217, 5321,
6125, 6400, 6534, 7024. 8146, 8148. And that the White Horse in the Revelation
signifies the understanding of the word, u. 2760.

32 ON THE EARTHS IV THE UNIVERSE. [61  62
such variance between men's interiors and exteriors, and that
they were able to think one thing and say another, which to
themselves (viz. the spirits of Jupiter) was impossible. They
were surprised also, when they were informed that great
numbers, who are from our earth, become angels, and that
such are in heart altogether different from the above spirits ;
for they imagined at that instant, that in our earth all were
like the spirits then present ; but they were informed, that
there are not many of such a character, and that there are
also some whose thoughts are under the influence of goodness,
and not of evil like the above, and that all whose thoughts are
under the influence of goodness become angels. To convince
them that this was the case, there came choirs out of heaven,
consisting of angels from our earth, one choir after another,
who together with one voice and in harmonious concert glori
fied the Lord : those choirs affected the spirits of Jupiter who
were present with such delight, that they seemed to themselves
to be caught up as it were into heaven : the glorification by
the choirsbb lasted about an hour ; it was given me to perceive
sensibly a communication of the delights occasioned thereby :
the spirits of Jupiter said, that they would relate what had
happened, to the other spirits from their earth, who were in
other parts of the spiritual world.
62. The inhabitants of the earth Jupiter make wisdom to
consist in thinking well and justly on all occurrences in life ;
they imbibe this wisdom from their parents at an early age,
and it, is successively transmitted to posterity, receiving an
increase in each generation from the love thereof, in consider
ation of its having been the wisdom of their forefathers.
They are altogether unacquainted with the sciences, such as
are cultivated in our earth, nor have they any desire to be
acquainted with them ; they call them shades, and compare
them to clouds which intercept the light of the sun ; this idea
concerning the sciences they have conceived, in consequence
of some spirits from our earth boasting that they were wise by
reason of their skill in the sciences. The spirits from our
earth, who thus boasted, were such as made wisdom to consist
in things appertaining merely to the memory, as in languages,
especially the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, in a knowledge of
all important particulars respecting the learned world, in
criticism, in bare experimental discoveries, and in terms,
particularly such as are philosophical, with other things, of a
like nature, not using such things as means leading to wisdom,
but making wisdom to consist in the things themselves ; such
b° That it is called a chorus or choir when several spirits speak together and
unanimously, concerning which see n. 2595, 2596, 3350. That in their speech
there is an harmonious agreement, concerning which see n. 1648, 1649. That by
choirs in another life there is a preparation I'm- an introduction to unanimity, n. 5182.

62  63] OF THE PLANET JUPITER. 33
persons, inasmuch as they have not cultivated their rational
faculty by the sciences, as by means leading to wisdom, have
little perception in another life, for they see only in terms, and
from terms, in which case those things are as clots and clouds
obstructing the intellectual sight, see above, n. 38 : and they
who have been vain and conceited by reason of their erudition
thus grounded, have still less perception ; but they who have
used the sciences as means of invalidating and annihilating
the things appertaining to the Church and to faith, are found
to have totally destroyed their intellectual principle, in conse
quence whereof they see in the dark like owls, mistaking
what is false for what is true, and what is evil for what is
good. The spirits of Jupiter, from the conversation they had
with such, concluded, that the sciences occasion a shade in the
intellect, and tend to make it blind ; but they were informed,
that on our earth the sciences are means of opening the intel
lectual sight, which sight is in the light of heaven, but inas
much as there is a prevalence of such things as appertain to
the mere natural and sensual life, therefore the sciences to tho
men of our earth are means of becoming unwise, or of con
firming them in favour of nature against divine agency, and
in favour of the world against heaven : they were further
informed, that the sciences in themselves are spiritual riches,
and that they who possess them are like those who possess
worldly riches, which in like manner are the means whereby
man may do service to himself, his neighbour, and his country,
and whereby also he may do mischief; moreover that they are
like dress, which serves for use and ornament, and also for the
nourishing of pride and vanity, as in the case of those who
would be honoured for their fine clothes. This was perfectly
intelligible to the spirits of Jupiter ; but they were surprised
at the inhabitants of our earth, that, being men, they should
rest in means, and prefer things leading to wisdom, before
wisdom itself; and that they should not see, that to immerse
the mind in such things, and not to elevate it above them, was
to becloud and blind it.
63. A certain spirit at that instant, rising from the lower
earth, came to me, and said, that he had heard what I had
been discoursing upon with other spirits, but that he did not
understand at all what was said concerning spiritual life and
the light thereof. He was asked whether he was willing to
be instructed on that head ? He said that he did not come
with any such intention : hence it was given to conclude, that
he would not comprehend what, might be said on the subject ;
he was exceedingly stupid, yet it was declared by the angels.
that, during his abode in the world, he was much celebrated
for his learning : he was cold, as was manifestly perceived
from his breathing, which was a sign of an illumination mere-
3

34 ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [63  65
ly natural, and of none spiritual, consequently tnat by the sci
ences he had not opened, but closed his way to the light of
heaven. 64. Inasmuch as the inhabitants of the earth Jupiter pro
cure intelligence for themselves by a different way from the
inhabitants of our earth, and are moreover of a different ge
nius and temper, as grounded in the life, therefore they cannot
abide long together, but either shun or remove each other.
There are spheres which may be called spiritual spheres, which
continually flow forth, yea, overflow from every spirit ; they
flow from the active principle of the affections and consequent
thoughts, thus from the life itself;" all consociations in another
life are regulated according to these spheres, those which agree
being joined together according to their agreement, and those
which disagree being separated according to their disagree
ment. The spirits and angels, who are from the earth Jupiter,
in the Grand Man, have relation to the imaginative principle
of thought, and consequently to an active state of the interior
parts ; but the spirits of our earth have relation to the various
functions of the exterior parts of the body, and when these are
desirous to have dominion, the active or imaginative principle
of thought from the interior cannot flow in: hence come the
oppositions between the spheres of the life of each.
65. As to what concerns their divine worship, it is a princi
pal characteristic thereof, that they acknowledge our Lord as
the Supreme, Who governs heaven and earth, calling Him the
only Lord ; and inasmuch as they acknowledge and worship
Him during their life in the body," they hence seek Him after
death, and find Him : He is the same with our Lord. They
were asked, whether they know that the only Lord is a man?
They replied, that they all know that He is a Man, because in
their world He has been seen by many as a Man ; and that
He instructs them concerning the truth, preserves them, and
also gives eternal life to those, who worship him from a'prin-
ciple of good. They said further, that it is revealed to them
from Him, how they should live, and how believe ; and that
what is revealed, is handed down from parents to children, and
hence there flows forth doctrine to all the families, and thereby
to the whole nation which is descended from one father. They
added, that it seems to them as if they had the doctrine writ
ten on their minds, and they conclude so from this circum
stance, because they perceive instantly, and acknowledge as
of themselves, whether it be true or not what is said by others
" That a spiritual sphere, which is the sphere of Hie life, Hows forth and over
flows from every man, spint, and angel, and encompasses them about, n. 4464 5179
nO«q ««<''« "£" tI f°m theflUfe vr thei1' affecti™8 a»d consequent thoughts;
n. 2489 4464, 6206. That, n another life consociations and also dissociations are
regulated according to spheres, n. 6206, 9606, 9607. 10312. uciauuns are

65  66] OF THE PLANET JUPITER. 35
concerning the life of heaven in man. They do not know that
their only Lord was born a Man on our earth ; they said, that
it is of no concern to them to know it, only that He is a Man,
and governs the universe. When I informed them, that on our
earth He is named Jesus Christ, and that Christ signifies
Anointed or King, and Jesus, Saviour, they said, that they do
not, worship Him as a king, because king suggests the idea of
what is worldly, but that they worship Him as a Saviour. On
this occasion a doubt was injected from the spirits of our
earth, whether their only Lord was the same with our Lord,
but they removed it by the recollection that they had seen Him
in the sun, and had acknowledged that it was He Himself,
Whom they saw on their earth, see above, n. 40. On a time
also the spirits of Jupiter who were with me, were seized with
a momentary doubt, whether their only Lord was the same
with our Lord ; but this doubt, which was instantaneously in
jected, was also instantaneously dispersed ; it was suggested
by an influx from some spirits of our earth ; and what sur
prised me much on this occasion, the spirits of Jupiter were so
ashamed of themselves, for having doubted herein, though but
for a moment, that they requested me not to publish it, lest
they should be charged with any incredulity, when yet they
were now convinced of the truth more than others. They
were most exceedingly affected and rejoiced when they heard •
it declared, that the only Lord is alone Man, and that all have
from Him what entitles them to be called men ; but that they
are only so far men, as they are images of Him, that is, as
they love him, and love their neighbour, consequently, as they
are principled in good; for the good of love and faith is an
image of the Lord.
66. There were with me some spirits of the earth Jupiter,
while I was reading the seventeenth chapter in John, concern
ing the Lord's Love, and concerning His Glorification ; and
when they heard the contents, a holy influence seized them,
and they confessed that all things therein were divine ; but at
that instant, some spirits of our earth, who were infidels, sug
gested various scandals, saying, that He was born an infant,
lived as a man, appeared as another man, was crucified, with
other circumstances of a like nature: but the spirits of the
earth Jupiter paid no attention to these suggestions ; they
said, that such are their devils, whom they abhor ; adding,
that nothing of a celestial principle has any place in their
minds, but only an earthly principle, which they called dross ;
and which they said they had discovered from this circum
stance, that when mention was made of going naked on their
earth, obscene ideas immediately occupied their thoughts, and
they paid no attention to their celestial life, which was also
spoken of at the same time.

36 ON THE EARTHS IN l'HE UNIVERSE. [67  70
67. The clear perception which the spirits of Jupiter have
concerning spiritual things, was made manifest to me from
their manner of representing how the Lord converts depraved
affections into good affections : they represented the intellectual
mind as a beautiful form, and impressed upon it an activity
suitable to the form answering to the life of affection ; this
they executed in a manner which no words can describe, and
with such dexterity that they were commended by the angels.
There were present on this occasion some of the learned from
our earth, who had immersed the intellectual principle in
scientific terms, and had thought and written much about
form, about substance, about materiality and immateriality,
and the like, without applying such things to any use ; these
could not even comprehend that representation.
68. They are exceedingly cautious on their earth, lest any
one should fall into wrong opinions concerning the only Lord ;
and if they observe that, any begin to think not rightly con
cerning Him, they first admonish, then use threats, and lastly
deter by punishment. They said, that they had observed, if
any such wrong opinions insinuate themselves into any family,
that family is taken from amongst them, not by the punishment
of death inflicted by their fellows, but by being deprived of
respiration, and consequently of life, by spirits, when they
have first threatened them with death : for in that earth
spirits speak with the inhabitants, and chastise them if they
have done evil, and even if they have intended to do evil, of
which we shall say more presently ; hence if they think evil
concerning the only Lord, and do not repent, they are threat
ened with death : in this manner the worship of the Lord, Who
to the inhabitants of that earth is the Supreme Divinity, is pre
served pure.
69. They said, that they have no particular days set apart
for divine worship, but that every morning at sun-rise, and
every evening at sun-setting, they perform holy worship to
their only Lord in their tents : and that they also sing psalms
after their manner.
70. I was further informed, that in that earth there are also
some who call themselves saints, and who command their ser
vants, of whom they wish to have great numbers, to give them
the title of lords, threatening them with punishment if they
omit it : they likewise forbid their servants to adore the Lord
of the universe, saying that themselves are lords-mediators,
and that they will present the supplications of others to the
Lord of the universe. They call the Lord of the universe,
Who is our Lord, not only the Lord, as the rest do, but the
supreme Lord, by reason that they call themselves also lords.
The sun of the world they call the Face of the supreme Lord,
and believe that His abode is there, wherefore they also adore

70] OF THE PLANET JUPITER. 37
the sun. The rest of the inhabitants hold them in aversion,
and are unwilling to converse with them, as well because they
adore the sun, as because they call themselves lords, and are
worshipped by their servants as mediatory gods. There was
shewn me by spirits the covering of their head, which was a
tufted cap of a darkish colour. In the other life such appear
to the left in a certain altitude, and there sit as idols, and for
some time are also worshipped by the servants who have
attended upon them, but are afterwards held in derision by the
same servants. What surprised me was, that their faces
shine there as by the light of a fire, which is in cojisequence
of their having believed that they were saints ; but notwith
standing this fiery appearance of their faces, they are never
theless cold, and have an intense desire to be made warm ;
' hence it is evident that the fire, whereby they seem to shine, is
the fire of self-love, and a false fire. In order to make them
selves warm, they seem to themselves to cut wood, and whilst
they are thus employed, there appears underneath the wood
something of a man, whom at the same time they attempt to
strike ; this appearance is in consequence of their attributing
to themselves merit and sanctity, for all who do so in this life,
seem to themselves in another life to cut wood, as was the
case, likewise with some spirits from our earth, who have been
spoken of elsewhere : for the further illustration of this sub
ject, I shall here adduce what has been experimentally made
known to me : " In the lower earth, beneath the soles of the
feet, are those who have placed merit in their good deeds and
works ; several of them appear to themselves to cut wood ;
the place where they are collected is very cold, and they seem
to themselves to acquire warmth by their labour: I have also
discoursed with them, and it was given me to ask them.
Whether they had any inclination to leave that place 1 They
replied, that as yet they had not merited it by their labour :
when that state however is finished and past, they are taken
away thence ; all such spirits are in a mere natural state,
inasmuch as in the desire of meriting salvation there is nothing
of a spiritual principle, such desire originating in self, and not
in the Lord ; moreover such prefer themselves above others,
and in some cases despise others ; and if in another life they
do not receive more bliss than others, they have indignation
against the Lord, wherefore whilst they are cutting wood, it
appears as if somewhat of the Lord was underneath the
wood ; this is in consequence of their indignation."dd
Ja That the Lord alone has merit and righteousness, n. 9715, 9975, 9979, 9981,
9982. That such as place merit in their works, or wish to merit heaven by their
g od deeds, in another life wish to be served, and are in no wise contented, n. 6393.
That they despise their neighbour, and are angry at the Lord Himself, if they do
i!>r receive a reward, n. 9976. What their lot is in another life, n. 942, 1774, 1877,
i.027. That they are of those who in the lower earth appear to cut wood, n
1110. 4943.

38 ON THE EARTHS IN I'HE UNIVERSE. [71  72
71. It is common in the earth Jupiter for spirits to discourse
with the inhabitants, to instruct them, and also to chastise
them if they have done evil ; on which subject I wish to be
more particular, as several things were related to me by their
angels concerning it. The reason why spirits in that earth
discourse with men is, because they think much about heaven
and a life after death ; and because respectively they are
little solicitous about the present life ; for they know that they
shall live after their decease, and in a happy state according
to the state of their internal man, formed in the world. To
discourse with spirits and angels was also common on this
earth in ancient times, and for the same reason, viz. because
they then thought much of heaven and little of the world: but
that living communication with heaven in process of time was
closed, as man from internal became external, or what is the
same thing, as he began to think much about the world and
little about heaven ; and especially when he ceased to believe
in the existence of heaven or hell, and that in himself there
was a spiritual man which would live after death ; for at this
day it is believed, that the body lives by a virtue of its own,
and not by virtue of its spirit ; wherefore "unless man now
entertained a belief that he should rise again with his natural
body, he would have no belief at all about a resurrection.
72. As to what particularly concerns the presence of spirits
with the inhabitants of Jupiter, there are some spirits who
chastise, some who instruct, and some who rule over them.
The spirits who chastise apply themselves to the left side, and
incline themselves towards the back, and when they are there,
they press forth from man's memory all that he has done or
thought ; for this is an easy thing to spirits, inasmuch as when
they come to man, they enter into all his memory.' If they
find that he has done evil, or has thought evil, they reprove
him, and also chastise him by pain in the joints of his feet or
hands, or about the region of the belly ; this also spirits can
effect with much dexterity when they are permitted ; on the
approach of such spirits to man, he is struck with horror
attended with fear, and hence he is aware of their coming :
fear may be excited in any person by evil spirits, on their
approach, especially by those, who. during their abode in the
world, have been thieves and robbers. In order that I might
know how those spirits act, when they come to a man of their
own earth, it was permitted that such a spirit should also
come to me ; when he was near, horror attended with fear
manifestly affected me, yet it was not an interior but exterior
horror, because I was aware of the spirit from whom it pro
ceeded ; he was also seen by me, and appeared as a darkish
cloud with moveable stars in it: (moveable stars signify
falsities, but fixed stars truths :") he applied himself to my left

72  74] OF THE PLANET JUPITER. 39
side towards the back, and likewise began to reprove me on
account of things done and thought, which he produced from
my memory, and also interpreted unfavourably, but he
was checked by the angels. When he perceived that he
was with a man who did not belong to his own earth,
he began to discourse with me, saying, that when he came
to any man, he knew all and singular the things which
the man was doing and thinking ; also that he severely
reproved him, and likewise chastised him by various pains.
At another time again such a chastising spirit came to me,
and applied himself to my left side below the middle of the
body, like the former, and also desired to punish me ; but he
likewise was restrained by the angels : he shewed me however
the kinds of punishment which they are permitted to inflict on
the men of their earth, if they do evil, or intend to do evil ;
besides pains of the joints, they cause also a painful compres
sion about the middle of the belly, which seems as if it
proceeded from a tight sharp belt ; likewise a cessation of
respiration at times even to apparent suffocation ; another
kind of punishment is that of prohibition, whereby the person
punished is forbid eating anything but bread for a time ; lastly,
death is denounced, in case the offender does not cease from
his evil acts and intentions, and at the same time he is
deprived of all satisfaction arising from the company of his
wife, his children, and associates ; grief is also insinuated on
such occasions by reason of such deprivation.
73. The spirits who instruct, apply themselves also to the
left side of the persons instructed, but more to the front ; they
reprove, likewise, but mildly, and presently teach them how
they ought to live : they appear also of a darkish hue, yet not
like clouds as the former, but as if they were clad in sackcloth :
these are called instructors, but the former chastisers. When
the instructing spirits are present, angelic spirits are present
also, sitting close to the head, and filling it in a peculiar man
ner ; their presence likewise is perceived there like a mild and
gentle aspiration, for they are afraid of man's perceiving the
least pain or anxiety from their approach and influx : they
govern the chastising and instructing spirits, preventing the
former from putting man to more pain than is permitted by
the Lord, and prompting the latter to teach what is true. Du
ring the time that a chastising spirit was with me, there were
present also angelic spirits, who kept my countenance in a
constant smile and cheerfulness, and the region about the lips
prominent, and my mouth a little open ; this the angels easily
effect by influx, when it is permitted of the Lord ; they said,
that with the inhabitants of their earth, they induce such a
countenance when they are present.
74. If man, after chastisement and instruction, again does

40 ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [74  77
evil, or thinks to do evil, and does not check himself by the
precepts of truth, when the chastising spirit returns he is
punished more severely ; but the angelic spirits moderate the
punishment, according to the intention in what was done, and
according to the will-principle in what was thought. Hence it
may appear, that their angels, who sit at the head, exercise a
species of judicatory power over man, inasmuch as they per
mit, moderate, restrain, and operate by influx ; but it was de
clared, that they do not judge, but that the Lord alone is Judge,
and that from Him into them flow all things which they enjoin
to the chastising and instructing spirits, and that it appears as
if it was from them.
75. In the earth Jupiter, spirits speak with man, but man in
his turn does not speak with spirits, only these words when he
is instructed, — / will do so no more : nor is it allowed him to
tell any one that a spirit has spoken with him, for if he does
this, he is afterwards punished. Those spirits of Jupiter, when
they were with me, supposed at first that theyr were with a
man of their own earth ; but when I spake with them again,
and when they perceived that I had thoughts of publishing
what passed between us, and thus of telling it to others, and
that it was not allowed them either to chastise or instruct me
for so doing, they then discovered that they were with a stran
ger. 76. There are two signs which appear to those spirits, du
ring their abode with man ; they see an elderly man (virum)
of a fair countenance, which is a sign to them to speak nothing
but what is true, and to do nothing but what is just : they see
also a face in a window, which is a sign to them to depart
thence. Such an elderly man also appeared to me, and like
wise a face was seen in a window, and on seeing the face
those spirits immediately departed from me.
77. Besides the spirits above mentioned, there are also spi
rits who suggest contrary persuasions ; these are they who,
during their abode in the world, were banished from -the socie
ty of the rest on account of their wickedness : when they ap
proach, there appears as it were a flying fire, which passes
downwards near the face : they place themselves beneath near
man's back parts, and speak thence towards the upper parts
What they say is directly contrary to the instructions which
the instructor spirit gave from the angels, and is to this pur
port, that they need not live according to instruction, but ac
cording to their own will and pleasure, without any check or
restraint. They generally make their approach as soon as the
former spirits are departed ; but the men on that earth are
aware who and what those spirits are, and therefore are un
concerned about them ; nevertheless they are taught hereby
what is evil, and consequently what is good, for by evil is

77  79] OF THE PLANET JUPITER. 41
learnt what good is, the quality of good being discerned by its
opposite ; for all perception in every case is according to re
flection, in relation to differences and distinctions suggested
by opposites. in various manners and various degrees.
78. The chastising and instructing spirits do not approach
those who call themselves saints and lords-mediators, (con
cerning whom see above, n. 70,) because these do not suffer
themselves to be instructed, nor are amended by discipline, be
ing inflexible in consequence of being under the influence of
self-love : the chastising and instructing spirits say, that they
discern such by their coldness, and that when they perceive
cold they depart from them.
79. There are also spirits amongst those from the earth
Jupiter, whom they call sweepers of chimneys, because they
appear in like garments, and likewise with sooty faces ; who
they are, and what is their nature and quality, I shall also
describe. One of these spirits came to me, and anxiously re
quested that I would intercede for him to be admitted into
heaven ; he said, that he was not conscious of having done
any evil, only that he had reprimanded the inhabitants of his
earth, and that after reprimanding, he instructed them : he ap
plied himself to my left side, a little lower than the elbow, and
spake as it were with a divided faith : he had also the power
of exciting pity ; but all I could say in reply was, that it was
not in my power to help him, for that all help was from the
Lord alone ; nor could I intercede for him, because I did not
know whether it was useful or not ; but that if he was deserv
ing, he might have hope : at that instant he was remanded
back amongst some upright spirits from his own earth, but they
said that he could not be in consort with them, because he dif
fered in quality ; still, however, he requested with an intense
desire to be let into heaven, and in consequence thereof he
was introduced to a society of upright spirits of this earth ;
'mt these also declared that he could not abide with them : he
ivas likewise of a black colour in the light of heaven ; but he
himself said that he was not a black colour, but of a darkish
brown. I was informed that they are such at first, who are
afterwards received amongst those who constitute the province
of the seminal vessels in the Grand Man, or heaven ; for in
those vessels the semen is collected, and is encompassed with
a covering of suitable matter, fit to preserve the prolific prin
ciple of the semen from being dissipated, but which may be
put off in the neck of the uterus, that thus what is reserved
within may serve for conception or the impregnation of the
ovulum ; hence also that seminal matter has a strong tendency
and as it were a burning desire to put itself off, and leave the
semen to accomplish its end: somewhat similar to this appear
ed likewise in this spirit. He came again to me, in vile rai

42 ON THE EARTHS IN I'HE UNIVERSE. [79  80
ment, and again said, that he had a burning desire to be ad
mitted into heaven, and that now he perceived himself to be
qualified for that purpose ; it was given me to tell him, that
possibly this was a token that he would shortly be admitted :
at that instant the angels called to him to cast off his raiment.
which he did immediately with inconceivable quickness, from
the vehemence of his desire ; whereby was represented what
is the nature of their desires, who are in the province to which
the seminal vessels correspond. I was informed that such,
when they are prepared for heaven, are stripped of their own
garments, and are clothed with new shining raiment, and be
come angels. They are likened unto caterpillars, which hav
ing passed through that vile state of their existence, are
changed into nymphs, and thus into butterflies, in which last
state they are gifted with new clothing, and also with wings
of various colours, as blue, yellow, silver, or golden ; at the
same time they have liberty to fly in the open air as in their
heaven, and to celebrate their marriages, and to lay their eggs,
and thus to provide for the propagation of their kind ; and then
also sweet and pleasant food is allotted them from the juices
and odours of various flowers.
80. Hitherto nothing has been said concerning the nature
and quality of the angels who are from the earth Jupiter ;
for they who come to the men of their earth, and sit at the
head, (concerning whom see n. 73,) are not angels in their
interior heaven, but are angelic spirits, or angels in their
exterior heaven ; and inasmuch as the nature and quality of
the former angels have been made known to me, I shall here
relate what has been discovered on that subject. A certain
spirit, belonging to those of the earth Jupiter who inspire
terror, approached to my left side beneath the elbow, and
thence spake to me, but his speech was harsh, nor were his
expressions very distinct, so that I was obliged to wait some
time before I could collect his meaning ; and whilst he was
speaking, he injected somewhat of terror, admonishing me
hereby to give a kind reception to the angels when they
came : but it was given me to reply, that this did not depend
on myself, for that all were received by me according to what
they were in themselves. Presently the angels of that earth
approached, and it was given to perceive from their discourse
that they differed altogether from the angels of our earth ; for
they did not discourse by verbal expressions, but by ideas
which diffused themselves through every part of my interiors :
and hence also they had an influx into the face, so that the
face concurred in every particular, beginning from the lips
and proceeding towards the circumference in every direction ;
the ideas, which were instead of verbal expressions, were
discrete, but in a small degree. Afterwards they discoursed

80  82] OF THE PLANET JUPITER. 43
with me by ideas still less discrete, so that scarce anything of
interstice was perceivable : it appeared in my perception like
the meaning of verbal expressions with those who attend only
to the meaning abstracted from the expressions ; this discourse
was more intelligible to me than the former, and was also
more full ; it flowed, in like manner as the former, into the
face ; but the influx was more continuous according to the
quality of the discourse ; it did not, however, begin as the
former, from the lips, but from the eyes. Afterwards they
discoursed in a manner still more continuous and full ; and
then the face could not concur by a suitable motion, but the
influx was made sensible on the brain, which was acted upon
in lil?,e manner. Lastly, they discoursed so, that the discourse
fell only on the interior intellect ; its volubility was like that
of an attenuated atmosphere. I was made sensible of the
influx, but not distinctly of the particulars discoursed on.
These several kinds of discourse may be compared with
different fluids, the first kind with fluent water, the second
with water more attenuated, the third with the atmospherical
air, and the fourth with attenuated air. The spirit above-
mentioned, who was on the left side, sometimes interrupted
the discourse, admonishing me particularly to behave modestly
with his angels ; for there were attendant spirits from our
earth who suggested things which gave displeasure : he said,
that he did not understand at first what the angels discoursed
about, but that he did afterwards when he removed to my left
ear ; then also his speech was not harsh as before, but like
that of other spirits.
81. I afterwards discoursed with the angels concerning
some extraordinary particulars on our earth, especially con
cerning the art of printing, concerning the Holy Word, and
concerning the doctrinals of the Church derived from the
Word ; and I informed them, that the Word and the doctrinals
of the Church were printed and published, and were thus
learnt ; they wondered exceedingly that things of such a
nature could be made public by writing and printing.
82. It was given to see how the spirits of that earth, when
they are prepared, are taken up into heaven, and become
angels ; on such occasions there appear chariots and bright
horses as of fire, by which they are carried away in like
manner as Elias : the reason of this appearance of chariots
and bright horses as of fire, is, because thus it is represented
that they are instructed and prepared to enter heaven,' inas
much as chariots signify the doctrinals of the Church, and
bright horses signify an enlightened understanding."
« That chariots signify the doctrinals of the Church, n. 2760, 5321, 8°15. That
horses signify the intellectual principle, n. 2760, 2761, 2762, 3217, 5321, 6125,
6400, 6534, 7024, 8136, 8148, 8381. That the White Horse in the Apocalypse

44 ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [83  85
83. The heaven, into which they are carried away, appears
on the right to their earth, consequently separate from the
heaven of the angels of our earth. The angels who are in
that heaven, appear clothed in shining blue raiment spotted
with little stars of gold, and this by reason of their having
loved that colour in the world, and having believed also that
it was the very essential celestial colour, and especially because
they are principled in such good of love as that colour corres
ponds to/f
84. There appeared to me a bald head, but only the upper
part thereof, which was bony ; and I was told, that such an
appearance is seen by those who are to die within a year, and
that they instantly prepare themselves. The inhabitants of
that earth do not fear death, except on this account, that they
leave their conjugial partner, their children, or parents, for
they know that they shall live after death, and that in dying
they do not quit life, because they go to heaven ; wherefore
they do not call it dying, but being heaven-made. Such
amongst them as have lived in true conjugial love, and have
taken such care of their children as becomes parents, do not
die of diseases, but in tranquillity as in sleep ; and thus they
emigrate from the world to heaven. The age to which the
inhabitants live, is, on an average, about thirty* years, estimated
according to years on our earth : it is by the providence of the
Lord that they die at so early an age. lest their numbers
should increase beyond what that earth is capable of support
ing ; and whereas, when they have fulfilled those years, they
do not suffer themselves to be guided by spirits and angels,
like those who are not so far advanced in age, therefore spirits
and angels seldom attend them when arrived at their thirtieth
year ; they come to maturity sooner than on our earth ; even
in the first flower of youth they connect themselves in marriage,
and then it is their chief delight to love the partner of such
connexion, and to take care of their children ; other delights
they indeed call delights, but respectively external.

OF THE EARTH OR PLANET MARS. ITS SPIRITS AND
INHABITANTS.
85. THE spirits of Mars are amongst the best of all spirits
who come from the earths of this solar system, being for the
signifies the understanding of the Word, n. 2760. That by Elias in a representative
sense is meant the Word n. 2762, 5247. And whereas all doctrine of the Church
and the understanding thereof are from the Word, Elias is called the chariots ol
Israel and the horsemen thereof, n. 2762. That on this account he was taken up
by a fiery chariot and fiery horses. e
"That blue originating in red or flame-colour, corresponds to the good of celes
tial love ; and hat blue grounded in white or lightish colour, corresponds to the
good ol spiritual love, n. 9868. '

£5  87] OF THE PLANET MARS. 45
most part celestial men, not unlike those who were of the
most ancient church on this earth/* When they are repre
sented according to their true nature and quality, they are
represented with the face in heaven, and the body in the
world of spirits ; and such of them as are angels, are repre
sented with the face towards the Lord, and with the body in
heaven. 86. The planet Mars appears in the idea of spirits and
angels, (like all the other planets,) in its place constantly,
which place is to the left in front, at some distance in the
plane of the breast, and thereby out of the sphere where the
spirits of our earth are. Spirits of one earth are separate
from the spirits of another earth, by reason that the spirits of
each particular earth have relation to some particular province
in the Grand Man ;" and consequently they are each in other
and different states ; and it is owing to this diversity of state,
that they appear separate from each other, either to the righ'
or to the left, at a greater or lesser distance/11
87. Spirits came thence to me, and applied themselves tt
my left temple, where they breathed upon me with their dis
course, but I did not understand it ; as to its flow, it was soft
beyond what I had ever before perceived, being like the softest
breeze ; it breathed first upon the left temple and upon tho
upper part of the left ear ; and the breathing proceeded thence
to the left eye, and by degrees to the right, and flowed down
afterwards, especially from the left eye, to the lips ; and when
it was at the lips, it entered through the mouth, and by a way
within the mouth, and thus through the eustachian tube into
the brain ; when the breathing arrived thither, then I under
stood their speech, and it was given to discourse with them ; I
observed, whilst they were speaking with me, that my lips
were put in motion, and also my tongue in a slight degree,
and this by reason of the correspondence of interior speech
with the exterior : exterior speech is that of articulate sound
conveyed to the external membrane of the ear, and thence to
the brain by means of the small organs, membranes, and fibres,
which are within the ear. Hence it was given to know, that
the speech of the inhabitants of Mars was different from that
of the inhabitants of our earth, in that it was not sonorous,
but almost tacit, insinuating itself into the interior hearing and
sight by a shorter way ; and, consequently, that it was more
ss That the first and most ancient Church on this earth was a celestial Church,
which is the chief of all, concerning which see n. 607, 895, 920, 1121, 1122, 1123,
1124, 2896, 4493, 8891, 9942, 10545. That, a Church is called celestial, wherein
love to the Lord is the ruling principle, but spiritual, wherein the ruling principle
is charity and faith, n. 3691, 643,5, 9468, 9680, 9683, 9780.
hh That distances in another life are real appearances, which are presented visi
ble by the Lord, according to the states of the interiors of angels and spirits, n. 5604
9104, 9440, 10146.

46 ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [87
perfect, fuller of ideas, and thereby approaching nearer to the
speech of spirits and angels. The essential affection also of
the speech is represented amongst them in the face, and the
thought thereof in the eyes ; for the thought and the speech,
and likewise the affection and the face, with them act in unity;
they account it wicked to think one thing and speak another,
and to will or desire one thing whilst the features of the face
express the contrary ; they are altogether unacquainted with
hypocrisy, and likewise with fraudulent pretence and deceit.
That the same kind of speech prevailed amongst the most
ancient people on our earth, was given me to know by conver
sation with some of them in another life ; and for the further
elucidation of this subject, I shall here relate the following
particulars, communicated to me on the occasion : " It was
shewn me by an influx which I cannot describe, what was the
nature and quality of the speech which prevailed amongst the
men of the most ancient Church ; that it was not articulate,
like the verbal speech of our time, but tacit, being effected not
by external respiration, but by internal, thus it was speech cogi
tative ; it was also given to perceive the nature of their inter
nal respiration, how it proceeded from the navel towards the
heart, and thus through the lips without anything of sound
whilst they were speaking ; and that it did not enter into the
ear of another by an external way, and beat on what is called
the drum of the ear, but by a certain internal way, and by
what is called at this day the tuba eustachiana. It was further
shewn me, that by such speech they were enabled to express
more fully the purposes of the mind, and the ideas of the thought,
than could possibly be done by articulate sounds, or expres
sions of the outward voice, which speech is in like manner
directed by respiration, but such as is external, for there is not
a single expression, nor any constituent of expression, which is
not directed by applications of the respiration ; this however
was effected with the Antediluvians more perfectly, as being
directed by internal respiration, which being of a more interior
nature, is also more perfect, and more applicable and conform
able to the ideas of thought : moreover they were enabled to
express their meaning by slight motions of the lips, and by
corresponding changes of the countenance ; for being celestial
men, whatsoever was the object of their thoughts shone forth
from their faces and their eyes, which underwent a conform
able variation, the face as to its form according to the life of
the affection, and the eyes as to light ; it was not possible for
them on any account to express with the countenance what
they did not think in their hearts ; and whereas their speech
was effected by internal respiration, which is that of the spirit
of man, therefore they were enabled to hold concert and dis
course with angels." The respiration of the spirits of Mars

°7  90] OF THE PLANET MARS. 47
was also communicated to me," and it was perceivable that
their respiration proceeded from the region of the thorax
towards the navel, and thence flowed upwards through the
breast with an imperceptible breathing towards the mouth ;
from which circumstances it was manifest to me, as also from
other experimental proofs, that they were of a celestial genius,
consequently not unlike those who were of the most ancient
Church on this earth.
88. I was instructed that the spirits of Mars, in the Grand
Man, have relation to the middle principle between the intel
lectual and the will-principle, consequently that they have re
lation to THOUGHT grounded in affection, and the best of them
to the affection of thought : hence it is that their faces act in
unity with their thoughts, nor can they in any case play the
hypocrite. And inasmuch as this is their relation in the Grand
Man, therefore the middle province, which is between the cere
brum and the cerebellum, corresponds to them : for where the
cerebrum and the cerebellum are joined together as to spiritual
operations, with such persons the face acts in unity with the
thoughts, so that the very affection of thought beams forth
from the face, and the general principle of the thought beams
forth from the affection, which is discoverable also by certain
signs from the eyes : wherefore whilst the spirits of Mars were
with me, I had a sensible perception of a drawing-back of the
fore-part of the head towards the hind-part, consequently of
the cerebrum towards the cerebellum/k
89. On a time whilst the spirits of Mars were with me, and
occupied the sphere of my mind, there came some spirits from
our earth, and desired also to infuse themselves into that sphere :
but instantly the spirits of our earth became as it were insane,
by reason of the utter disagreement between them and the
spirits of Mars ; for the spirits of our earth, in the Grand Man,
have relation to external sense ; hence they were in idea turn
ed to the world and to self, whereas the spirits of Mars were
in idea turned from self to heaven and their neighbour ; hence
came the contrariety ; but at that instant there approached
some angelic spirits of Mars, and at their approach the com
munication was closed, and thus the spirits of our earth re
tired. 90. The angelic spirits discoursed with me concerning the
life of the inhabitants on their earth, informing me, that they
are not under any forms of government, but that they live ar-
¦' That spirits and angels have respiration, n. 3884, 3885, 3891. 3893.
*k That human faces on our earth in ancient times received influx from the cere
bellum, and that then faces acted in unity with men's interior affections; but that
afterwards they received influx from the cerebrum, when man began to pretend to
affections which were not his own, and to fashion his countenance falsely according
to such pretence ; concerning the changes hereby occasioned in faces in process of
time, see u. 4325 to 4328.

48 on the earths in the universe. [90 — 91
ranged into greater and lesser societies, and that they are asso
ciated with each other according to their agreement in mind,
which agreement they discover instantly by the face and speech,
being seldom deceived in their judgment herein, and that then
they are instantly united in friendship. They informed me
further, that their consociations are delightful, and that they
discourse with each other about what passes in their societies,
and especially about what passes in heaven, for several of them
have manifest communication with the angels of heaven. Such
amongst them as begin to think perversely in their societies,
and thereby to incline to evil, are dissociated, and left to them
selves alone, in consequence whereof they lead a most wretched
life out of all society, in dens or other places, being no longer
regarded by the rest. Certain societies endeavour to compel
such persons to repentance by various methods, but if they
cannot succeed herein, they separate themselves from all con
nexion with them. Thus they are careful to provide against
the contagion of the lust of dominion and the lust of gain, that
is, against any persons, under the influence of the lust of do
minion, subjecting to themselves any society, and by degrees
several societies ; and against any. under the influence of the
lust of gain, depriving others of their possessions ; every one
on that earth lives content with his own property, and every
one with his own share of honour, accounting it enough to be
reputed upright and a lover of his neighbour ; this delightful
and tranquil principle of mind would perish, unless such as
incline to evil thoughts and dispositions were banished from
the rest, and unless a prudent but severe check was given to
the first encroachments of self-love and the love of the world ;
for it was owing to these loves that empires and kingdoms were
first established, under which establishments there are few but
what desire to have dominion, and to possess the property of
others, there being few who do what is just and right out of a
real love thereto, and still fewer who do good from a real prin
ciple of charity, being rather influenced by other motives, such
as the fear of the law, and a regard to gain, honour, reputa
tion, and the like.
91. In regard to divine worship, as practised by the inhabit
ants of that earth, they informed me, that they acknowledge
and adore our Lord, saying, that He is the only God, and that
He governs both heaven and the universe ; and that every good
thing is from Him, an! that He leads and directs them; also
that He often appears amongst them on their earth : it was
then given me to tell them, that Christians also on our earth
know that the Lord governs heaven and earth, agreeably to
His own words in Matthew, " All power is given to Me in hea
ven anil in earth," xxviii. 18 ; but that they do not believe it like
the inhabitants of the earth Mars. They acquainted me fur-

91  93] OF THE PLANET MARS. 49
ther, that on their earth the inhabitants believe, that with
themselves there is nothing but what is filthy and infernal,
and that all good is of the Lord ; yea, they added further, that
of themselves they are devils, and that the Lord draws them
out of hell, and continually keeps them from falling into it
again. On a certain occasion, when the name of the Lord
was mentioned, I observed that those spirits humbled them
selves in such inward and profound abasement as no words
can describe ; for in their humiliation it was suggested to
them, that of themselves they were in hell, and that thus they
were altogether unworthy to look to the Lord, Who is essential
Holiness ; and so deeply was this suggestion implanted in
them, being grounded in a true faith, that they were in a
measure out of themselves, and remained in that state on
their knees, until the Lord elevated them, and at the same
time, as it were, drew them out of hell ; when they emerge
thus from humiliation, they are full of goodness and love, and
thereby replenished with joy of heart. During their abase
ment they do not turn their faces to the Lord, for this they dare
not do, but turn them in a contrary direction. The spirits who
were about me said, that they never before were witnesses to
such humiliation.
92. It was a matter of surprise to some spirits, who were
from that earth, that there were about me so many spirits
from hell, and that they also discoursed with me ; but it was
given to reply, that this was permitted them to the intent that
I might know their natures and qualities, and why they were
in hell, and that their infernal state was in consequence of and
according to their evil lives : it was given further to declare.
that there were several amongst them, whom I had been
acquainted with during their abode in the world, and that
some of them had lived in high stations of dignity and pre
eminence, at which time the world alone, had possession of
their hearts ; but it was not in the power of any evil spirit,
even the most infernal, to hurt me, being continually under the
Lord's protection.
93. There was presented before me an inhabitant of that
earth ; he was not indeed an inhabitant, but like one ; his face
resembled the faces of the inhabitants of our earth, but the
lower region of the face was black, not owing to his beard,
for he had none, but to blackness instead of a beard : this
blackness extended itself underneath the ears on both sides ;
the upper part of the face was yellowish, like the faces of the
inhabitants of our earth who are not perfectly fair. They said
moreover, that on that earth they feed on the fruits of trees,
especially on a kind of round fruit, which buds forth from the
ground ; and likewise on pulse ; and that they are clothed
with garments wrought from the fibrous bark of certain trees,
4 o

50 ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [93  94
which has such a consistence that it may be woven, and also
stiffened by a kind of gum which they have amongst them.
They related further, that they are acquainted with the art of
making fluid fires, whereby they have light during evening
and night.
94. I observed on a time a sort of flaming principle most
beautiful ; it was of various colours, as purple, and also a
palish red, and the colours likewise sparkled beautifully by
reason of the flame : I saw also a kind of hand to which
that flaming principle adhered, at first on the back part, after
wards on the palm, and thence it played round the hand on
all sides : this continued for some time : presently the hand
with the flaming principle was removed at- a distance, and
where it rested there was a bright lucid appearance ; in that
bright lucid appearance the hand retired from view, and
instantly the flaming principle was changed into a bird, which
at first was of like colours with the flaming principle, the
colours sparkling in like manner, but they successively
changed, and as the colours changed, the vigour of life in the
bird changed also : it flew all around, and at first about my
head, afterwards in a direction in front into a kind of a
narrow chamber, which appeared like some consecrated place,
and as it flew more in a front direction its life in proportion
departed, till at length it was changed into a stone, at first of
the colour of a pearl, but afterwards of an obscure colour ;
but notwithstanding its being without life, it still continued
flying. During the flight of this bird around my head, and
whilst it was still in the vigour of life, there appeared a spirit
from beneath rising through the legion of the loins to the
region of the breast, who thence desired to take away the
bird ; but inasmuch as it was so beautiful, he was prevented
by the spirits around me, who all kept their eyes fixed atten
tively upon it: but the spirit who rose from below, powerfully-
persuaded them that the Lord was with him, and consequent iv
that what he did was from the Lord ; although most of them
did not believe this, still they no longer hindered him from
taking away the bird : he was not able, however, to retain it,
by reason of an influx from heaven at that instant, and there
fore presently let it fly out of his hand at perfect liberty.
When this had passed, the spirits around me, who had been
exceedingly attentive to the bird and its successive changes,
began to discourse with each other concerning it, and continued
their discourse for a considerable time : they had a perception
that such appearance must needs signify somewhat celestial ;
they knew that a flaming principle signifies celestial love and
its affections ; that hand to which the flaming principle adhered,
signifies life and its power ; that changes of colour signify the
varieties of life as to wisdom and intelligence ; that bird has

94  95] OF THE PLANET MARS. 51
also a similar signification, but with this difference, tl.at a
flaming principle signifies celestial love and the things apper
taining to that love, whereas bird signifies spiritual love and
the things appertaining to that love; (celestial love is love to
the Lord, and spiritual love is charity towards our neigh
bour ;ss) and that the changes of colours and at the same time
of life in the bird, till at length it became a bird of stone,
signify the successive changes of spiritual life as to intelli
gence : they knew further that the spirits, who ascend from
beneath, through the region of the loins to the region of the
breast, are in a principle of strong persuasion that they are in
the Lord, and hence believe that whatever they do, howsoever
evil it may be, is done by them agreeably to the Lord's Will.
But though they knew all this, yet they could not hence know
who were meant by this appearance : at length they were
instructed from heaven, that the inhabitants of Mars were.
meant ; that their celestial love, wherein as yet several are
principled, was signified by the flaming principle which
adhered to the hand; and that the bird in the beginning,
whilst it was in the beauty of its colours and in the vigour of
its life, signified their spiritual love ; but that by the bird's
becoming as it were a bird of stone and void of life, and at
length of an obscure colour, were signified such of the inhabi
tants as had removed themselves from the good of love, and
were in evil, and yet still believe that they are in the Lord ;
the like was signified by the spirit, who rose up and was
desirous to take away the bird.
95. By a bird of stone were also represented the inhabitants
of that earth, who after a strange manner transmute the life
of their thoughts and affections into almost no life, concerning
which circumstance I received the following information.
There was a certain spirit above my head, who discoursed
with me, and from the sound of his voice it seemed as if he
was in a state of sleep : in this state he spake many things,
and all with a prudence equal to that of a person awake ; it
was given to perceive that he was a subject by which the
angels spake, and he in that state perceived and produced
what was said by them" ; for he spake, nothing but what was
true ; if anything flowed in from another source, he admitted
it indeed, but did not bring it forth. I questioned him concern
ing his state ; he said, that that state was to him a peaceable
state ; and that it was free from all solicitude respecting the
future ; and that at the same time he was fruitful in producing
uses, whereby he had communication with heaven. I was told
that such, in the Grand Man, have relation to the longitudinal
11 That communications are effected by means of spirits sent forth from societies
of spirits aid angels to other societies, and th.it those emissary spirits are called
subjects, n. 4403 58>G, 5983 5)85 to 5980.

ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE.

[95

sinus, which lies in the brain between the two hemispheres
thereof, and is there in a quiet state, howsoever the brain be
disturbed on each side. During my conversation with this
spirit, some spirits introduced themselves towards the forepart
of the head where he was, and pressed upon him, wherefore he
retired to one side, and gave them place. The stranger spirits
discoursed with each other, but their discourse was unintel
ligible both to myself and to the spirits about me: I was
instructed by the angels, that they were spirits from the earth
Mars, who had the art of discoursing with each other in such
a manner, that the spirits present could neither understand or
perceive what they said : I wondered how such discourse
could possibly be contrived, because all spirits have one
speech, which flows from the thinking principle, and consists
of ideas, which are heard as expressions in the spiritual world :
but I was informed, that those spirits by a certain method form
ideas expressed by the lips and the countenance, unintelligible to
others, and that, in the same instant they artfully withdraw tho
thoughts, being particularly cautious lest anything of affection
should manifest itself, because in such case the thought would
appear, inasmuch as thought flows from affection, and is as it
were in it. I was further instructed, that the inhabitants of
the earth Mars, who make heavenly life to consist in know
ledges alone, and not in a life of love, contrived such speech.
but not all ; and that the contrivers thereof, when they become
spirits, retain the same kind of speech. These are they, who
were particularly signified by the bird of stone ; for to form a
speech by modifications of the countenance and foldings of the
lips, with a removal of the affections, and a withdrawing of
the thoughts from others, is to deprive speech of its life and
soul, and to make it like a dead image, and by degrees to do
the like also to themselves. But although they suppose that
their discourse is not understood by others, yet angelic spirits
have a perception of all and singular the things which they
discourse about ; the reason is, because it is not possible for
any thought to be withdrawn from angelic spirits. This was
also proved to them by living evidence. 1 was thinking
concerning this circumstance, that the wicked spirits of our
earth are not affected with shame when they infest others ;
this thought entered into me by influx from some angelic
spirits who had a perception of their discourse ; those spirits
of Mars instantly acknowledged that that was the subject of
their discourse, and they were much surprised : moreover
several things, which they both spake and thought, were
discovered by an angelic spirit, notwithstanding all their
endeavours to withdraw their thoughts from him. Afterwards
those spirits entered by influx from above into my face : the
influx felt like small striated rain, which was a sign that those

95  96] OF THE PLANET MARS. 53
spirits were not in the affection of truth and of good, for
this is represented by what is striated (striatum :) they then
spake plainly with me, saying, that the inhabitants of their
earth discourse in like manner with each other. They were
then told that this is evil, because hereby they obstruct the
influence of things internal, and recede from them to things
external, which external things also they deprive of their
proper life ; and particularly, because to speak in such a
manner is not sincere : for they who are sincere, are never
disposed to speak or even to think anything but what others
may know, not caring if the whole world, yea if the whole.
heaven, was acquainted with their words and thoughts ; but
they who are otherwise disposed, judge and think evil of
others, and well of themselves, and at length are betrayed
through habit to think and speak evil of the Church, of
heaven, yea, and of the Lord Himself. I have been informed,
that they who love knowledges, and not so much a life accord
ing to knowledges, in the Grand Man, have relation to the
interior membrane of the skull ; but that they who accustom
themselves to speak without affection, and to draw the thought
to themselves and withdraw it from others, have relation to
that membrane when become bony, because from having some
spiritual life, they come at length to have none.
96. Inasmuch as by a bird of stone are also represented
those who are principled in knowledges alone, and in no life
of love, and inasmuch as hence they have no spiritual life,
therefore, by way of appendix, we shall take this opportunity
of shewing, that they alone have spiritual life who are prin
cipled in celestial love, arid thence in knowledges ; and that
each kind of love contains in itself every principle of know
ledges appertaining thereto. This may be exemplified by the
case of all living creatures, whether they be the inhabitants
of earth or of air ; each is in possession of the science of all
things appertaining to its particular love, which love has
respect to nourishment, a safe habitation, the propagation of
their kind, the care of their young, and with some to providing
for themselves during winter ; wherefore each is in possession
of all science that is requisite, such science being implanted in
its love, and flowing into each animal as into its proper
receptacle, and in some cases being of such an extraordinary
nature, that man cannot but be amazed at it; with the
animals, however, science is connate, and is called instinct ;
nevertheless it appertains to the natural love in which they
are principled : and if man was principled in his proper love,
which is love to God and towards his neighbour, (this is man's
proper love, as distinguishing him from the beasts, being
heavenly love,) then man would not only be principled in all
requisite science, but likewise in all intelligence and wisdom,

54 ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [96  98
for intelligence and wisdom would flow from heaven into
those two kinds of love, that is, through heaven from the
Divine [principle or being.] But inasmuch as man is not
born to those two kinds of love, but to their contraries, viz. to
self-love and the love of the world, therefore he must needs be
born in all ignorance, and want of knowledge ; nevertheless
by divine means he is brought to somewhat of intelligence
and wisdom, but still not actually so, unless the love of self
and of the world be removed, and thus a way be opened for
love to God and towards his neighbour. That love to God
and neighbourly love contain in them all intelligence and
wisdom, may appear from the case of those in another life,
who, during their abode in this world, have been principled in
such love ; when these after death are admitted into heaven,
they there come into such knowledge and wisdom as they
before had no conception of; yea, they think and speak there,
like the rest of the angels, such things as ear has not heard,
neither has it entered into the heart of man to conceive, which
are ineffable ; the reason is, because those two kinds of love
have the faculty of receiving in themselves such things.

OF THE EARTH OR PLANET SATURN, ITS SPIRITS AND
INHABITANTS.
97. THE spirits from the. earth Saturn appear in front at a
considerable distance, beneath in the plane of the knees, where
the earth itself is ; and when the eye is opened to see thither,
a multitude of spirits come into view who are all from that
earth ; they are seen on this part of that earth, and to the right
of it. It was given, also, to discourse with them, and thereby
to discover their natures and qualities in respect to others ;
they are upright, and they are modest ; and inasmuch as they
esteem themselves little, therefore they also appear little in
another life.
98. In acts of divine worship they are exceedingly humble,
for on such occasions they account themselves as nothing.
They worship our Lord, and acknowledge Him as the only
God : the Lord also appears to them at times under an Angelic
Form, and thereby as a Man, and at such times the Divine
[nature or principle] beams forth from the face and affects the
mind. The inhabitants, also, when they arrive at a certain
age, discourse with spirits, by whom they are instructed con
cerning the Lord, how He ought to be worshipped, and likewise
how they ought to live. When any attempt is made to seduce
the spirits who come from the earth Saturn, and to withdraw
them from faith in the Lord, or from humiliation towards Him
and from uprightness of life, they say that they would rather

98  102] OF THE PLANET SATURN. 55
die ; on such occasions there appear in their hands little knives
with which they seem desirous to strike their bosoms ; on be
ing questioned why they do so, they say, that they would ra
ther die than be drawn aside from the Lord ; the spirits of our
earth sometimes deride them on this account, and infest them
with reproaches ; but their reply is, that they are well aware
they do not kill themselves, and that this is only an appearance
flowing from their will-principle, inclining them rather to die
than to be withdrawn from the worship of the Lord.
99. They said, that sometimes spirits from our earth come
to them, and ask them what God they worship ; and that the
answer they give them is, that they are out of their senses,
and that there cannot be a greater proof of insanity than to
ask what God any one worships, when there is but one only
God for all in the universe to worship ; and that they are still
more beside themselves in this, that they do not acknowledge
the Lord to be that one only God, and that He rules the univer
sal heaven, and thereby the universal world ; for Whosoever
rules heaven rules also the world, inasmuch as the world is
ruled by and through heaven.
100. They said, that on their earth there are also some who
call the nocturnal light, which is great, the Lord, but that they
are separated from the rest, and are not tolerated by them.
That nocturnal light comes from the great belt, which at a dis
tance encompasses that earth, and from the moons which are
called Saturn's satellites.
101. They related further, that another kind of spirits, who
go in companies, frequently come to them, desiring to know all
particulars relative to their circumstances, and that by various
methods they extract from them whatever they know ; they
observed concerning these spirits, that they were not beside
themselves, only in this, that they desire to know so much for
no other intent than to possess knowledge. They were after
wards instructed that these spirits were from the planet
Mercury, or the earth nearest the sun, and that they are
delighted with knowledges alone, and not so much with the
uses thence derived.
102. The inhabitants and spirits of the planet Saturn have
relation, in the Grand Man, to the middle sense between the
spiritual and the natural man, but to that which recedes from
the natural and accedes to the spiritual : hence it is that those
spirits appear to be carried or snatched away into heaven, and
presently to be let back again ; for whatever appertains to
spiritual sense is in heaven, but whatever appertains to natural
sense is beneath heaven. Inasmuch as the spirits of our earth,
in the Grand Man, have relation to natural and corporeal
sense, it was given to know by manifest experience how the
spiritual man and the natural fight and strive with each other,

56 on the earths in i'he universe. [102 — 103
when the latter is not principled in faith and charity. The
spirits of the earth Saturn came from afar into view, and
instantly there was opened a living communication between
them and such spirits of our earth as were not principled in
faith and charity ; the latter, on thus perceiving the former,
became like persons insane, and began to infest them, by
infusing unworthy suggestions concerning faith, and also
concerning the Lord ; and whilst they were busied in these
invectives and abuses, they also cast themselves into the midst
of them, and in the spirit of insanity by which they were
possessed, endeavoured to do them mischief: but the spirits of
Saturn were not at all afraid, because they were secure and
in tranquillity ; whereas the spirits of our earth, when they
were in the midst of them, began to be tortured, and to
respire with difficulty, and in consequence thereof made their
escape with all precipitation, one this way and another that, till
they all disappeared. The spirits who were present perceived
from this circumstance, what is the nature and quality of the
natural man when separate from the spiritual, and when he
comes into a spiritual sphere, viz. that he is insane ; for the
natural man separate from the spiritual is wise only with a
wisdom that originates in the world, and not with the wisdom
that is from heaven ; and he who is wise only with the wis
dom that originates in the world, believes nothing but what he
can apprehend with his senses, and the things which he
believes are grounded in the fallacies of the senses, which,
unless they are removed by an influx from the spiritual world,
produce false principles and persuasions : hence it is that
spiritual things are things of naught to such persons, insomuch
that they can scarce bear to hear mention made of anything
spiritual ; wherefore they become insane when they are kept
in a spiritual sphere ; it is otherwise during their abode in the
world, where they either think naturally concerning spiritual
things, or avert their ears that they may not hear them, that is,
they hear and do not attend. It was also manifest from this
experimental evidence, that the natural man cannot introduce
itself into the spiritual, that is, ascend ; but when man is
principled in faith, and thereby in spiritual life, in this case
the spiritual man flows into the natural, and thinks therein :
for there is given a spiritual influx, that is, an influx from the
spiritual world into the natural, but not the reverse, or from
the natural into the spiritual. mm
103. I was further informed by the spirits of that earth
respecting the consociations of the inhabitants, with several
mm That influx is spiritual, and not physical or natural, consequently that influx
is from the spiritual world into the natural, and not from the natural into the
spiritual, ... 3214, 5119. 5259, 5427, 5428, 5477, 6322. That it appears as if influx is
from externals into man's internals, but this is a fallacy, n. 3721.

-3" 107] OF THE FLANET VENUS. 57
other particulars. They said, that they live divided into
families, every family apart by itself; each family consisting
of a man and his wife with their children ; and that the
children, when they enter the married state, are separated
from the house, and have no further care about it ; wherefore
the spirits from that earth appear two and two : that they are
little solicitous about food and raiment ; that they feed on the
fruits and pulse which their earth produces, and that they are
clothed slightly, being encompassed with a coarse skin or coat,
which repels the cold : moreover, that all on that earth know
that they shall live after death ; and that on this account also
they make light of their bodies, only so far as regards that
life, which they say is to remain and serve the Lord ; it is for
this reason likewise they do not bury the bodies of the dead,
but cast them forth, and cover them with branches of forest
trees. 104. Being questioned concerning that great belt, which
appears from our earth to rise above the horizon of that
planet, and to vary its situations, they said, that it does not
appear to them as a belt, but only as somewhat whitish like
snow in the heaven in various directions.

OF THE EARTH OR PLANET VENUS, ITS SPIRITS AND
INHABITANTS.
105. THE planet Venus, in the idea of spirits and angels,
appears to the left a little backwards, at some distance from
our earth : it is said, " in the idea of spirits," because neither
the sun of this world, nor any planet, appears to any spirit,
but spirits have only an idea that they exist ; it is in conse
quence of such idea that the sun of this world is presented
behind as somewhat darkish, and the planets not moveable as
in the world, but remaining constantly in their several places.
see above, n. 42.
106. In the planet Venus there are two kinds of men, of
tempers and dispositions opposite to each other ; the first mild
and humane, the second savage and almost brutal ; they who
are mild and humane appear on the further side of the earth,
they who are savage and almost brutal appear on the side
looking this way. But it is to be observed, that they appear
thus according to the states of their life, for in the spiritual
world the state of life determines every appearance of space
and of distance.
107. Some of those who appear on the further side of the
planet, and who are mild and humane, came to me, and were
presented visibly above my head, and discoursed with me on
various subjects ; amongst other particulars they said, that

58 ON THE EARTHS IN 1'HE UNIVERSE. [107  110
during their abode in the world, and more so since they were
become spirits, they acknowledged our Lord as their only
God ; they added, that on their earth they had seen Him, and
they represented also how they had seen Him. These spirits
in the Grand Man have relation to the memory of things
MATERIAL, AGREEING WITH THE MEMORY OF THINGS IMMATERIAL, to
which the spirits of Mercury have relation : wherefore the
spirits of Mercury have the fullest agreement with these
spirits of Venus, and on this account, when they were together.
a remarkable change, and a powerful operation in my brain,
was perceivable from their influx, see above, n. 43.
108. I did not however discourse with those spirits who are
on the side that looks this way, and who are savage and
almost brutal, but I was informed by the angels concerning
their nature and quality, and whence it comes that they are so
brutal ; the cause is this, that they are exceedingly delighted
with rapine, and more especially with eating their booty : the
delight thence arising, when they think about eating their
booty, was communicated 1o me, and was perceived to be
most extraordinary. That on this earth there have been
inhabitants of a like brutal nature, appears from the histories
of various nations ; also from the inhabitants- of the land of
Canaan, 1 Sam. xxx. 16 ; and likewise from the Jewish and
Israelitish nation, even in the time of David, in that they made
yearly excursions, and plundered the Gentiles, and rejoiced in
feasting on the spoils. I was informed further, that those
inhabitants are for the. most, part giants, and that the men of
our earth reach only to their navels : also that they are stupid,
making no inquiries concerning heaven or eternal life, but
immersed solely in earthly cares, and the care of their cattle.
109. In consequence of this their nature and quality, when
they come into another life, they are exceedingly infested there
by evils and false persuasions. The hells, which appertain
to them, appear near their earth, and have no communication
with the hells of the wicked of our earth, by reason of their
different tempers and dispositions ; hence also their evils and
false persuasions are. totally of a different sort.
110. Such, however, amongst them, as are in the capacity
of being saved, are in places of vastation, and are there
reduced to the last state of desperation ; for there is no other
method whereby evils and false persuasions of that kind can
be subdued and removed : when they are in a state of despera
tion, they cry out that they are beasts, that they are abomi
nations, that they are hatreds, and that thereby they are
damned : some of them, when they are in this state, exclaim
even against heaven, but as this proceeds from desperation, it
is forgiven them ; the Lord moderates on these occasions, and
restrains within proper limits their harsh and bitter expressions.

110  111] OF THE MOON. 59
These, when they have passed through extreme suffering, are
finally saved, inasmuch as the corporeal principles are hereby
brought to a kind of death. It was further declared concerning
these spirits, that during their life on their earth, they believed
in some great Creator without a Mediator, but when they are
saved, they are also instructed that the Lord Alone is God, the
Saviour and Mediator. I have seen some of them, after they
have passed through extreme suffering, taken up into heaven,
and when they were received there, I have been made sensible
of such a tenderness of joy from them, as drew tears from my
eyes.

OF THE SPIRITS AND INHABITANTS OF THE MOON.
111. CERTAIN spirits appeared over my head, and thence
were heard voices like thunder, for the thunder of their voices
exactly resembled the sound of thunder from the clouds after
lightning : I at first conjectured that it was owing to a great
multitude of spirits, who had the art of uttering voices attended
with so loud a noise. The more simple spirits, who were with
me, smiled on the occasion, at which I was much surprised ;
but the cause of their smiling was presently discovered to be
this, that the spirits who thundered were not many, but few,
and were also as little as children ; and that on former occa
sions they had terrified them by such noises, and yet were
unable to do them any hurt. In order that I might know their
nature and quality, some of them descended from on high
where they were thundering, and what surprised me, one
carried another on his back, and thus two of them approached
me : their faces appeared not unhandsome, but longer than
the faces of other spirits ; in regard to stature, they appeared
like children of seven years old, but more robust ; thus they
were dwarfs (homunciones). It was told me by the angels,
that they were from the Moon. He who was carried on the
other's back, on coming to me, applied himself to my left side
under the elbow, and thence discoursed with me, saying, that
whenever they utter their voices, they thus thunder ; and that
thereby they terrify the spirits who are inclined to do them
mischief, and put some to flight, and that thus they go with
security whithersoever they are disposed. To convince me
that the noise they make was of such a sort, he retired from
me to some other spirits, but not entirely out of sight, and
thundered in like manner. They shewed moreover, that the
voice being uttered from the abdomen, like an eructation,
made this thundering sound. It was perceived that this was
owing to this particular circumstance, that the inhabitants of
the Moon do not speak from the lungs, like the inhabitants

60 ON ThE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [Ill  114
of other earths, but from the abdomen, and thus from a certain
quantity of air there collected, by reason that the Moon is not
encompassed with an atmosphere like that of other earths. 1
was instructed, that the spirits of the Moon, in the Grand
Man, have relation to the ensiform cartilage or xiphoides, to
which the ribs in front are joined, and from which descends
the fascia alba, which is the fulcrum of the abdominal muscles.
112. That there are inhabitants in the moon, is well known
to spirits and angels, and in like manner that there are inha
bitants in the moons or satellites which revolve about Jupiler
and Saturn. They who have not seen and discoursed with
spirits coming from those moons, still entertain no doubt but
there are men inhabiting them, because they are earths alike
with the planets, and wherever an earth is, there are men in
habitants ; for man is the end for which every earth was cre
ated, and nothing was made by the Great Creator without an
end : that the human race, as constituent of heaven, is the end
of creation, may appear to every one who thinks from a ra
tional principle at all enlightened.

THE REASONS WHY THE LORD WAS WILLING TO BE BORN ON OUR
EARTH, AND NOT ON ANOTHER.
113. THERE are several reasons, concerning which I had
information from heaven, why it pleased the Lord to be born,
and to assume a humanity, on our earth, and not on another.
The principal reason was because of the Word, in that it might
be written on our earth; and when written be af 'terwards published
throughout the whole earth ; and when once published be preserved
to all posterity ; and that thus it might be made manifest, even to
all in unother life, that God was made man.
114. That the principal reason was because of the Word, is
in consequence of the Word being essential Divine Truth,
which teaches man that there is a God, that there is a heaven
and a hell, and that there is a life after death ; and teaches
moreover how man ought to live and believe, in order to his
admission into heaven, and thereby to eternal happiness. All
these things would have been altogether unknown without a
revelation, consequently on this earth without the Word, and
yet man is so created, that as to his interiors he cannot die/°
»- That by mere natural light nothing can be known concerning the Lord, con
cerning heaven and hell, concerning the life of man after death, and concerning Di
vine Truths, by which man has spiritual and eternal life, n. 8944, 10318, 10319,
10320. That this may appear from this consideration, that several, and amongst
them the learned, do not believe those things, although they are born where tho
Word is, and where there is instruction by the Word concerning those things, n.
10319. That therefore it was necessary there should be a revelation from heaven,
because man was born for heaven, n. 1775.

115  120] WHY THE LORD WAS BORN ON OUR EARTH. 61
115. That the Word might be written on our earth, is in con
sequence of the art of writing having existed here from the
most ancient time, first on the rind or bark of trees, next on
skins or parchment, afterwards on paper, and lastly by types,
as in printing. This was provided of the Lord for the "sake
of the Word.
116. That the Word, might afterwards be published throughout
the whole earth, is in consequence of the communication opened
here amongst all nations, both by land and water, to all parts
of the globe ; hence the Word once written might be conveyed
from one nation to another, and be taught in all places.
1 17. That the Word once written might be preserved to all pos
terity, consequently for thousands and thousands of years ;
and that it has been so preserved, is well known.
118. That thus it might be made manifest that God was made
man; for it was with a view to this chief and most essential
object that the Word was revealed, inasmuch as no one can
believe in a God, and love a God, Whom he cannot comprehend
under some Appearance ; wherefore they who acknowledge an
invisible and thus incomprehensible principle, in thought sink
into nature, and consequently believe in no God: wherefore it
pleased the Lord to be born on this earth, and to make this
manifest by the Word, that it might not only be known on this
globe, but that also it might be made manifest thereby to spirits
and angels even from other earths, and likewise to the Gentiles
from our own earth.'"'
119. It is to be observed, that the Word on our earth given
through heaven from the Lord, is the union of heaven and the
world ; for which end there is a correspondence of all things
contained in the letter of the Word with divine things in hea
ven ; and the Word in its supreme and inmost sense treats of
the Lord, of His kingdom in the heavens and the earths, and
of love and faith from Him and in Him, consequently of life
from Him and in Him ; such things are presented to the angels
in Heaven, when the Word of our earth is read and preached/p
120. In every other earth Divine Truth is manifested by
word of mouth by spirits and angels, as was said above in
speaking of the inhabitants of the earths in this solar system,
00 That the Gentiles in another life are instructed by angels, and that they who
have lived good lives according to their religious principles, receive the truths of
faith, and acknowledge the Lord; n. 2049, 2595, 2598, 2600, 2601, 2603, 2661, 2863,
3263. r?' That the Word is understood by the angels in the heavens after a different
manner from what it is understood by men on the earths, and that the internal or
spiritual sense is for the angels, but the external or natural sense for men, u. 1769
to 1772, 1887, 2143, 2333, 2396, 2540, 2541, 2545, 2551. That the Word is conjunc
tive of heaven and earth, n. 2310, 2495, 9212, 9216, 9357, 10357. That the Word,
therefore, was written by mere correspondences, n. 1404, 1408. 1409, 1540, 1619,
1659 1709, 1783, 8615, 10687. That in the inmost sense of the Word, the Lord
alone and His kingdom are treated of, n. 1873, 2249, 2523. 7014, 9357.

62 ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [120  122
but this manifestation is confined to families ; for mankind in
most earths live distinct according to families ; wherefore Di
vine Truth, thus revealed by spirits and angels, is not convey-
ed far beyond the limits of families, and unless a new revelation
constantly succeeds, truth is either perverted or perishes : it is
otherwise on our earth, where Divine Truth, which is the
Word, remains for ever in its integrity.
121. It is to be observed, that the Lord acknowledges and
receives all, of whatsoever earth they be, who acknowledge and
worship God under a Human Form, inasmuch as God, under a
Human Form, is the Lord : and whereas the Lord appears to
the inhabitants in the earths in an Angelic Form, which is a
Human Form, therefore when the spirits and angels from those
earths are informed by the spirits and angels of our earth that
God is actually Man, they receive that Word, acknowledge it,
and rejoice that it is so.
122. To the reasons above adduced, may be added, that the
inhabitants and spirits of our earth, in the Grand Man, have
relation to natural and external sense, which sense is the ulti
mate wherein the interiors of life close, and rest as in their
common basis; the case is similar in regard to Divine Truth
in the letter, which is called the Word, and which for this rea
son also was given on this earth, and not on any other :'iq and
whereas the Lord is the Word, and is the First and the Last
thereof, therefore, that all things might exist according to
order, He was willing to be born on this earth, and be made
the Word, according to what is written in John, " In the begin
ning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was
the Word; this was in the beginning with God: all things
were made by Him, and without Him was not any thing made
which was made : and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt
among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the Only-be
gotten of the Father. No one hath seen God at any time ; the
Only-begotten Son, Who is in the bosom of the Father, He
hath exposed Him to view," i, 1, 2, 3, 4, 14. 18. The Word is
the Lord as to Divine Truth, consequently Divine Truth from
the Lord." But this is an arcanum which will be intelligible
only to very few.
im That the Word in the sense of the letter is natural, n. 8783. By reason that
what is natural is the ultimate, wherein spiritual and celestial things close, and on
which they subsist as on their foundation, and that otherwise the internal or spirit
ual sense of the Word would be as a house without a foundation n 9430 9433
9824, 10044, 10436.
' r That the Word is the Lord as to Divine Truth, consequently Divine Truth from
the Lord, ... 2859, 4692, 5075, 9987. That by Divine Truth all things were created
and made, ... 2803, 2884, 5272, 7835. D

123  124] OF THE EARTHS IN THE STARRY HEAVEN. 6S

OF THE EARTHS IN THE STARRY HEAVEN
123. THEY who are in heaven can discourse and converse
with angels and spirits, who are not only from the earths in
this solar system, but also from other earths in the universe
out of this system ; and not only with the spirits and angels
there, but also with the inhabitants themselves, only however
with those whose interiors are open, so that they can hear such
as speak from heaven : the same is the case with man, during
his abode in the world, to whom it has been given of the Lord
to discourse with spirits and angels ; for man is a spirit as to
his interiors, the body which he carries about in the world
only serving him for performing functions in this natural or
terrestrial sphere, which is the ultimate of all spheres. But it
is given to no one to discourse as a spirit with angels and spi
rits, unless he be such that he can consociate with angels as
to faith and love ; nor can he so consociate, unless he have
faith and love to the Lord, for man is joined to the Lord by
faith and love to Him, that is by truths of doctrine and good
principles of life derived from Him ; and when he is joined to
the Lord, he is secure from the assaults of evil spirits from
hell : with others the interiors cannot be so far opened, since
they are not in the Lord. This is the reason why there are
few at this day, to whom it is given to speak and converse
with angels ; a manifest proof whereof is, that the existence
of spirits and angels is scarcely believed at this day, much less
that they are attendant on every man, and that by them man
has connexion with heaven, and by heaven with the Lord ; still
less is it believed, that man. when he dies, as to the body, lives
a spirit, even in a human form as before.
124. Inasmuch as there are many at this day in the Church
who have no faith concerning a life after death, and scarce any
concerning heaven, or concerning the Lord as being the God
of heaven and earth, therefore the interiors appertaining to my
spirit are open by the Lord, so that I am enabled, during my
abode in the body, to have commerce with the angels in heaven,
and not only to discourse with them, but also to see the aston
ishing things of their kingdom, and to describe the same, in
order to check from henceforth the cavils of those who urge,
' Did ever any one come from heaven and assure us that such
a place exists, and acquaint us with what is doing there ?"
Nevertheless I am aware, that they who in heart have hereto
fore denied a heaven and a hell, and a life after death, will
even still continue in the obstinacy of unbelief and denial ; for
it is easier to make a raven white, than to make those believe,
who have once in heart rejected faith ; the reason is, because
such persons always think about matters of faith from a ne-

64 ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [124  126
gative principle, and not from an affirmative. May the things,
however, which have been hitherto declared, and which we
have further to declare, concerning angels and spirits, be for
the use of those few who are principled in faith ! whilst it is
permitted, in order to bring others to somewhat of acknow
ledgment, to relate such particulars as delight and engage the
attention of persons desirous of knowledge ; for which pur
pose we shall now proceed to give an account of the earths in
the starry heaven.
125. He who is unacquainted with the arcana of heaven,
cannot believe that man is capable of seeing earths so remote,
and of giving any account of them from sensible experience :
but let such a one know, that the spaces and distances, and
consequent progressions, which exist in the natural world, are,
in their origin and first cause, changes of the state of interior
things, and that with angels and spirits they appear according
to such changes ;" and that therefore angels and spirits may
by such changes be apparently translated from one place to
another, and from one earth to another, even to earths at the
extreme boundaries of the universe. The case is the same
also with man as to his spirit, and therefore he also may be so
translated, whilst his body still continues in its own place.
This has been the case with myself, since by the Divine Mercy
of the Lord it has been given me to converse with spirits as a
spirit, and at the same time with men as a man. The sensual
man is not capable of conceiving that man as to his spirit can
be thus translated, inasmuch as the sensual man is immersed
in space and in time, and measures his progressionsN accord
ingly- 126. That there are several worlds or systems, may appear
to every one from this consideration, that so many stars appear
in the universe, and it is well known to the learned, that every
star is like a sun in its own place, remaining fixed as the sun
of our earth in its place ; and that it is owing solely to dis
tance that it appears in a small form like a star ; consequently,
that each star has planets revolving around it, which are so
many earths, in like manner as the sun of our system has ;
and that the reason why those planets, or earths, do not
appear, is, because of their immense distance, and of their
having no light but what they receive from their own star,
which light cannot be reflected so far as to reach us. For
what other end or purpose, shall we say, was so large a firma
ment created with so many stars ? The end of the creation
of the universe is man, in order that an angelic heaven might
be formed of men : but what would mankind and an angelic
¦¦ That motions, progressions, and changes of place, in another life, are changes
of the states of the interiors of life, and that nevertheless it really appears to spirits
and angels as if they actually existed, n. 1273 to 1277, 1377, 3356, 5606. 10734*

126  127] OF A FIRST EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN. 65
heaven from one single earth avail to answer the purposes of
an Infinite Creator, for which a thousand, yea ten thousand
earths would not suffice 1 By calculation it appears, that
supposing there were in the universe a million earths, and on
every earth three hundred millions of men, and two hundred
generations within six thousand years, and that to ever}' man
or spirit was allotted a space of three cubic ells, in this case
the sum of men or spirits collectively would not occupy a
space equal to a thousandth part of this earth, consequently
not more than the space possessed by one of the satellites of
Jupiter or Saturn, which would be a space so diminutive in
respect to the universe, that it would be scarce discernible, for
a satellite of Jupiter or Saturn is scarce visible to the naked
eye : and what would this be in regard to the purposes of the
Creator of the universe, to answer which, the whole universe,
though filled with earths, would be inadequate, for He is
Infinite 1 In discoursing on this subject with the angels, they
have told me, that they have a like idea concerning the
fewness of the human race in respect to the Infinity of tho
Creator, but that their thoughts on the subject originate not
from spaces, but from states, and that according to their idea,
supposing the number of earths to be as many myriads as
could be conceived in thought, they would still be as nothing
to the Lord. The information which I am going to give
concerning the earths in the starry heaven, is from experi
mental testimony, whereby it will likewise appear, how I was
translated thither as to my spirit, whilst my body continued in
its own place.

OF THE FIRST EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN, ITS SPIRITS
AND INHABITANTS.
127. I WAS led by angels from the Lord to a certain earth in
the starry heaven, where it was given to take a view of the earth
itself, yet not to speak with the inhabitants, but with spirits whc
came from thence (for all the inhabitants or men of every earth,
after finishing their course of life in the world, become spirits,
and remain near their own earth) ; from these however I received
information concerning the earth, and concerning the state of
the inhabitants thereof; for men, when they leave the body, car
ry with them all their former life, and all their memory/' To
be led to earths in the universe, is not to be led and trans
lated thither as to the body, but as to the spirit, and the spirit
is led by variations of the state of interior life, which appear
" That man after death retains the memory of all his concerns in the world
n 2476 to 9 »86.
5

60

ON THE EARTHS IN I'HE UNIVERSE. [127  128

to it as progressions through spaces. Approaches, or near
advancements, are also effected according to agreements or
resemblances of states of life, for agreement or resemblance
produces conjunction, whereas disagreement and dissimilitude
produces disjunction. Hence it may appear how translation
is effected as to the spirit,' and its approach or near advance
ment to things remote, whilst the man still remains in his own
place. But to lead a spirit, by variations of the state of his
interiors, out of his own orb, and to cause the variations
successively to advance even to a state agreeing with or like
to those to whom he is led. is in the power of the Lord alone :
for there must be a continual direction and foresight from first to
last, both in advancing and in returning back again ; especially
when the translation is to be effected with a man, who is still,
as to the body, in the natural world, and thereby in space.
That such a translation has been effected, will appear incredible
to those who are immersed in the sensual-corporeal life, and
whose thoughts originate in sensual-corporeal things, nor can
they be induced to believe it ; the reason is, because the
sensual-corporeal life cannot conceive of progression without
space ; but they who think from the sensual principle of their
spirit, somewhat removed or withdrawn from the sensual
principle of the body, consequently who think from an interior
principle in themselves, may be induced to believe and to
conceive it, since in the idea of interior thought there is
neither space nor time, but instead thereof the original
principles whence spaces and times had birth. For the use
of these latter the following account is written respecting the
earths in the starry heaven, and not for the former, (viz. such
as are immersed in the sensual-eorporeal-life,) unless they be
in a state to suffer themselves to be instructed.
128. At a time when I was broad awake, I was led as to
the spirit by angels from the Lord to a certain earth in the
universe, accompanied by some spirits from this orb ; our
progression was in a direction to the right, and continued for
two hours. Near the boundary of our solar system there
appeared first a whitish cloud, but thick ; and behind it a fiery
smoke ascending from a great chasm ; it was a vast gulph
separating, on that side, our solar system from some other
systems of the starry heaven ; the fiery smoke appeared at a
considerable distance. I was conveyed through the midst of
it, and instantly there appeared beneath in the chasm or gulph
several men who were spirits (for spirits appear all in a
human form, and are actually men) ; I also heard them
discoursing with each other, but whence they were, or of what
sort, it was not given me to know ; one of them, however, told
me that they were guards, to prevent spirits passing from this
world to any other in the universe without having obtained

128 131] OF A FIRST EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN.
leave. That such was the -case, was also confirmed by this
circumstance, that some Spirits, who were in company, to
whom it was not permitted to pass, when they came to that
great gulph or interstice, began to cry out vehemently that
they were lost and undone ; for they were as persons strug
gling in the agonies of death, wherefore they halted on that
side of the gulph. nor could they be conveyed further ; for the
fiery smoke exhaling from the gulph affected them powerfully
with its influence, and thus put them to torture.
129. After I was conveyed through that great chasm, I at
length arrived at a place where I stopped; and immediately
there appeared to me spirits from above, with whom it was
given to discourse ; from their discourse, and their particular
manner of apprehending and explaining things, I clearly per
ceived that they were from another earth, for they differed
altogether from the spirits of our solar system ; they also per
ceived from my discourse that I came from afar.
130. After discoursing for some time on various subjects, I
asked what God they worshipped ; They said, that they wor
shipped some angel, who appeared to them as a divine man,
being bright and shining with' light ; and that he instructed
them, and gave them to perceive what they ought to do. They
said further, that they knew that the Most High God is in the
Sun of the angelic heaven, and that He appears to His angel,
and not to them ; and that He is too great for them to dare
to adore Him. The angel, whom they worshipped, was an
angelic society, to which it was granted by the Lord to preside
over them, and to teach them the way of what is just and
right ; therefore they have light from a kind of flame, which
appears like a torch, fiery and yellow to a considerable degree ;
the reason is, because they do not adore the Lord, consequently
they have not light from the Sun of the angelic heaven, but
from an angelic society, for an angelic society, when it is
granted of the Lord, can exhibit such a light to spirits who
are in an inferior region. That angelic society was also seen
by me, and was on high above them ; there was also seen the
flaming principle whence the light proceeded.
131. As to the rest of their character, they were modest,
somewhat simple, but still under tolerably good influence as
to their thoughts. From the light which was amongst them
might be concluded what was the nature and quality of their
intellectual principle, for the intellect is according to the
reception of the light which is in the heavens, inasmuch as
Divine Truth, proceeding from the" Lord as a Sun, is what
shines there, and enables the angels not only to see but also to
understand."" "" That there is great light in the heavens, n. 1117, 1521, 1522, 1533, 1619 tq
1632, 4527 5400, 8644- That all light in the heavens is from the Lord as a Sim

68 ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [132  135
132. I was instructed that the inhabitants and spirits of that
earth, in the Grand Man, have relation to somewhat in the
spleen, in which I was confirmed by an influx into the spleen
whilst they were discoursing with me.
133. Being questioned concerning the sun of their system,
which enlightens their earth, they said, that the sun there has
a flaming appearance, and when I represented the size of the
sun of our earth, they said, that theirs was less ; for their sun
to our eyes is a star, and I was told by the angels that it was
one of the lesser stars. They said also, that from their earth
is likewise seen the starry heaven, and that a star larger than
the rest appears to them westward, which was declared from
heaven to be our sun.
134. After this my sight was opened, so that I could look in
some degree upon their earth ; and there appeared several
green fields and forests with trees in full foliage, and also
fleecy sheep. Afterwards I saw some of the inhabitants, who
were of the meaner class, clothed nearly like the country
people in Europe. There was seen also a man with his wife |
she appeared of handsome stature and a graceful mien, so
likewise did the man; but what surprised me, he had a stately
carriage, and a deportment which had a semblance of haugh
tiness, but the woman's deportment was humble : I was
informed by the angels, that such is the fashion on that earth,
and that the men, who are such, are beloved, because they are
nevertheless well disposed. I was informed likewise, that it is
not allowed them to have more wives than one, because it is
contrary to the laws. The woman whom I saw, had before
her bosom a cloak or covering, broad enough to conceal
herself behind it, which was so contrived that she could put
her arms in it, and use it as a garment to cover her, and so
walk about her business ; it might be tucked up as to the
lower part, and when tucked up, and applied to the body, it
appeared like a stomacher, such as are worn by the women of
our earth, but the same also served the man for a covering,
and he was seen to take it from the woman, and apply it to
his back, and loosen the lower part, which thus flowed down
to his feet like a gown, and clothed in this manner he walked
off. The things seen on that earth were not seen with the
eyes of my body, but with the eyes of my spirit, for a spirit
may see the things which are on any earth, when it is granted
by the Lord.
135. Being well aware that many will doubt the possibility
there, n. 1053, 1521, 3195, 3341, 3630, 4415, 9548, 9684, 10809. That Divine Truth
proceeding from the Lord appears in the heavens as light, n. 3195, 3222, 5400,
8644, 9399, 9548, 9084. That that light illuminates both the sight and the under
standing of angels and spirits. ... 2776, 3138. That the light of heaven also illumi
nates the understanding of man. n. 1520. 3138. 3167, 4403, 6608. 8707 91->(> 0390
10569.

135] OF A FIRST EARTH IN THE STARRY HKAVEN. 69
of man's being able to see, with the eyes of his spirit, anything
on so distant an earth, it may be expedient to declare how the
matter is : distances in another life are not like distances here
on earth ; in another life they are altogether according to the
states of the interiors of every particular person ; they who
are in a similar state, are together in one society and in one
place ; every thing is present by virtue of a similitude of state,
and every thing is distant by virtue of a dissimilitude of state ;
hence it was, that I was near to the above earth, when I was
brought by the Lord into a state similar to the state of the spi
rits and inhabitants thereof, and that in this case being present
I discoursed with them : hence it is evident, that earths in the
spiritual world are not distant as in the natural world, but
only apparently according to the states of life of the inhabi
tants and spirits of each: the state of life is the state of the
affections as to love and faith. In regard to a spirit, or what
is the same thing, a man as to his spirit, seeing things on any
earth, we shall also explain how this is ; neither spirits nor
angels, by their own proper sight, can see any thing that is in
the natural world ; for the light of the natural world, or the
solar light, is to them as gross darkness : in like manner man,
by his bodily sight, cannot see any thing that is in the other
life, for the light of heaven is to him as gross darkness: never
theless, both spirits and angels, when it pleases the Lord, may
see things in the natural world through the eyes of man : but
this is not granted of the Lord except with those to whom He
gives to discourse with spirits and angels, and to be in consort
with them : it has been given them to see through my eyes
the things of this world, and as plainly as I myself did ; and
also to hear men discoursing with me : sometimes it has hap
pened, that through me they saw their friends, with whom they
had been intimate when in the body, altogether present as be
fore, at which they were amazed ; wives have in this manner
seen their husbands and children, and have wished me to tell
i hem that they were present and looking on them, and that I
would mention the particulars of their state in the other life ;
but this, I said, was not allowed, by reason that they would
have called me mad, or would have pronounced my informa
tion to be all a delirium of the imagination, inasmuch as I was
well aware, that although they gave assent with their lips to
the doctrine of the existence of spirits, and of the resurrection
of the dead, and of their being amongst spirits, and that spi
rits can see and hear by means of man, yet they did not be
lieve these things in their hearts. When my interior sight was
first opened, and they who are in another life saw through my
eyes the world and the things contained therein, they were so
amazed, that they called it the miracle of miracles, and were
affected with a new joy, to think that a communication was

70 ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [135-^] 38
thus opened of earth with heaven, and of heaven with earth :
this joy continued for some months, but afterwards the circum
stance which occasioned it became so familiar, that now the
wonder has ceased. I am informed, that spirits and angels at
tendant on other men see not the least of the things of this
world, but only perceive the thoughts and affections of those
on whom they attend. Hence it may appear, that man was
so created, that during his life here amongst men in the world,
he might at the same time live in heaven amongst angels, and
vice versa, so that heaven and the world might be united toge
ther, and act in unity in man, and men might know what pass
es in heaven, and angels what passes in the world ; and that
when men depart this life, they might pass thus from the Lord's
kingdom on the earths into the Lord's kingdom in the heavens,
not as into another, but as into the same, in which also they
were during their life in the body ; but in consequence of bo •
coming so corporeal, man closed heaven against himself.
136. Lastly, I discoursed with the spirits, who were from the
above earth, concerning various particulars on our earth, es
pecially concerning this circumstance, that there are sciences
cultivated on our earth which are not cultivated on other
earths, as astronomy, geometry, mechanics, physics, chemistry,
medicine, optics, and natural philosophy ; and likewise arts,
which are not known elsewhere, as the art of ship-building,
of smelting metals, of writing, and of printing, and thus of
communicating with others in distant parts of the earth, and
also of preserving what is communicated for thousands of
years, and that this art has been practised in regard to the
Word which was revealed by the Lord, and that consequently
revelation is for ever permanent on our earth.
137. At length there was presented to my view the hell of
those who are from that earth, and very terrible was the ap
pearance of the infernals seen therein, insomuch that I dare
not describe their monstrous faces. There were seen also fe
male magicians, who practice direful arts ; they appeared clad
in green, and struck me with horror.

OF A SECOND EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN, ITS SPIRITS AND
INHABITANTS.
138. I WAS afterwards led of the Lord to an earth in the
universe, which was further distant from our earth than ihe
foregoing, of which- we have been just speaking; that, it was
further distant was plain from this circumstance, that I was
two days in being led thither, as to my spirit : this earth was
to the left, whereas the former was to the right. Inasmuch as
remoteness in the spiritual world does not arise from distance

138  141] OF A SECOND EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN. 71
of place, but from difference of state, as was said above, there
fore from the tediousness of my progression thither, which
lasted two days, I might conclude, that the state of the inte
riors with the inhabitants of that earth, which is the state of
affections and of consequent thoughts, differed proportionably
from the state of the interiors with spirits from our earth. Be
ing conveyed thither as to the spirit by changes of the state of
the interiors, it was given to observe the successive changes
themselves before I arrived thither : this was done whilst I
was awake
139. When 1 arrived thither, the earth was not seen by me,
but only the spirits who were from that earth ; for, as was
said above, the spirits of every earth appear about their own
particular earth, by reason that they are of a genius and tem
per similar to that of the inhabitants, and in order that they
may serve them. Those spirits were seen at a considerablt
height above my head, whence they beheld me as I approach
ed : it is to be observed, that they who stand on high in ano
ther life, can behold those who are beneath them, and the high
er they stand, the greater is the extent of their vision, and they
can not only behold those who are beneath them, but likewise
discourse with them. From their state of elevation they ob
served, that I was not from their earth, but from some other at
a greater distance ; wherefore they accosted me in questions
concerning various particulars, to which it was given me to
reply ; and amongst other things I related to them to what
earth I belonged, and what kind of earth it was ; and after
wards I spake to them concerning the other earths in our solar
system ; and at the same time also concerning the spirits of
the earth or planet Mercury, in that they wander about to seve
ral earths for the purpose of procuring for themselves know
ledges of various matters ; on hearing this they said, that they
had likewise seen those spirits amongst them.
140. It was told me by the angels from our earth, that the
inhabitants and spirits of that earth, in the Grand Man, have
relation to keenness of vision, and therefore they appear on
high; and that they are also remarkably clear-sighted. In
consequence of their having such relation, and of their seeing
Nearly and distinctly what was beneath them, in discoursing
with them I compared them to eagles, which fly aloft, and en
joy a clear and extensive view of objects beneath ; but at this
they expressed indignation, supposing that I compared them to
eagles as to their rapaciousness, and consequently that I thought
them wicked ; but I replied, that I did not liken them to eagles
as to rapaciousness, but as to sharp-sightedness.
141. Being questioned concerning the God Whom they wor
shipped, they replied, that they worshipped a God visible and
invisible, a God visible under a Human Form, and a God, in-

72 ON THE EARTHS IN I'HE UNIVERSE. [141  144
visible not under any form ; and it was discoverable from their
discourse, and also from the ideas of their thought as commu
nicated to me, that the visible God was our Lord Himself, and
they also called Him Lord. To this it was given me to reply,
that on our earth also there is worshipped a God invisible and
visible, and that the invisible God is called Father, and the vi
sible is called Lord ; and that both are One, as He Himself
taught, saying, that no one had ever seen the appearance of
the Father, but that the Father and He are One, and that who
so seeth Him seeth the Father, and that the Father is in Him
and He in the Father ; consequently that each divine principle
is in One Person. That these are the Lord's own Words, may
be seen, John v. 37, chap. x. 30, chap. xiv. 7, 9, 10, 11.
142. Presently I saw other spirits from the same earth, who
appeared in a place beneath the former, with whom also I dis
coursed ; but they were idolaters, for they worshipped an idol
of stone, like to a man, but not handsome. It is to be observed,
that all who come into another life have at first a worship like
what they practised in the world, but that they are successive
ly separated from it ; the reason is, because all worship re
mains implanted in a man's interior life, from which it cannot
be removed and eradicated but by degrees. On seeing this, it
was given me to tell them that they ought not to worship what
was dead, but what was living ; to which they replied, that
they knew that God lives and not a stone, but that they thought
of the living God when they looked on a stone like a man, and
that otherwise the ideas of their thought could not be fixed
upon and determined to the invisible God ; it was then given
me to tell them, that the ideas of thought may be fixed upon
and determined to the invisible God, when they are fixed upon
and determined to the Lord. Who is God visible in thought un
der a Human Form ; and thus that man may be joined with
i he. invisible God in thought and affection, consequently in faith
tnd love, when he is joined with the Lord, but not otherwise.
143. The spirits who were seen on high were questioned,
whether on their earth they live under the rule of princes or
kings ? to which they replied, that they know not what such
rule is, and that they live under themselves, being distinguish
ed into nations, families, and houses: they were questioned
further, whether they are thus in a state of security ? they
replied in the affirmative, inasmuch as one family never envies
another in any respect, or desires to deprive another of its just
rights. They expressed a degree of indignation at being asked
these questions, as arguing a suspicion of their hostility, or of
their want of protection against robbers. What, said they,
have we need of but food and raiment, and thus to live content
and quiet one under another.
144. Being further questioned concerning their earth and its

1±4.  148] OF A THIRD EARTH IN TUB STARRY HEAVEN. 73
produce, they said, that they had green fields, flower-gardens,
forests full of fruit trees, and also lakes abounding with fish ;
and that they had birds of a blue colour, with golden feathers.
and also greater and lesser animals ; amongst the lesser they
mentioned one sort, which had the back elevated like camels
on our earth ; nevertheless that they did not feed on their flesh,
but only on the flesh of fishes, and besides on fruits of trees
and pulse of the earth. They said, moreover, that they did
not live in houses regularly built, but in groves, in which
amongst the leaves they made to themselves shelter against
rain and the heat of the sun.
145. Being questioned concerning their sun, which appears
as a star from our earth, they said, that it has a fiery appear
ance, and not. larger to look at than a man's head. I was told
by the angels, that the star, which was their sun, was amongst
the lesser stars, not far distant from the equator.
146. There were seen some spirits, who were like what thev
had been during their abode on their earth as men ; they had
faces not unlike those of the men of our earth, except that
their eyes and noses were less ; this appearing to me somewhat
of deformity, they said, that little eyes and a little nose were
accounted marks of beauty with them. A female was seen,
clad in a gown ornamented with roses of various colour ; I
asked, whence they were supplied with materials for clothing
on their earth ? they answered, that they gathered from certain
plants a substance which they spun into thread ; and that im
mediately afterwards they laid the threads in double and
triple rows moistening them with a glutinous liquor, and thus
giving them consistence; afterwards they colour the cloth thus
prepared with a substance procured from the juices of herbs.
It was also shewn me how they prepare the thread ; the
women sit down on the ground, and wind it by means of their
toes ; and when wound they draw it towards them, and with
the hand spin it out to any fineness they please.
147. They said also, that on that earth every husband has
no more than one wife ; and that the number of children in a
family is from ten to fifteen. They added, that there are found
likewise harlots amongst them, but that all such, after the life
of the body, when they become spirits, are magicians, and are
cast into hell.

OF A THIRD EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN, ITS SPIRITS
AND INHABITANTS.
148. THERE appeared some spirits from afar, who were
not willing to approach ; the reason was because they could
not be together with the spirits of our earth, who were then

74 ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [148  150
about me ; hence I perceived that they were from another
earth ; and I was afterwards informed that they were from a
certain earth in the universe ; but where that earth is, was
not made known to me. Those spirits were unwilling to think
at all about the body, or even about anything corporeal and
material, contrary to the spirits of our earth ; hence it was
that they were not willing to approach ; nevertheless after the
removal of some of the spirits of our earth, they came nearer
and discoursed with me. But instantly there was felt an
anxiety arising from the collision of spheres ; for spiritual
spheres encompass all spirits and societies of spirits/" and
inasmuch as they issue from the life of the affections and
consequent thoughts, therefore where the affections are con
trary, collision takes place, and hence comes anxiety. The
spirits of our earth related, that they even durst not approach
those other spirits, since on their approach, they were not only
seized i with anxiety, but also appeared to themselves as if
they were bound hand and foot with serpents, from which
they could not be loosed but by retiring ; this appearance had
its ground in correspondence ; for the spirits of our earth, in
the Grand Man, have relation to the external sense, conse
quently to the sensual corporeal principle, and this sensual
principle is represented in another life by serpents."
149. Such being the nature and quality of the spirits of that
earth, they appear in the eyes of other spirits not as others, in
a distinct human form, but as a cloud, in many cases like a
dusky cloud, with whitish tints, resembling somewhat human ;
but they said, that within they are white, and that when they
become angels, that duskiness is changed into a beautiful blue,
which was also shewn me. I asked whether they entertained
such an idea concerning their bodies during their abode in the
world as men ? They replied, that the men of their earth
make no account of their bodies, but only of the spirit in the
body, as knowing that the spirit will live forever, but that the
body must perish ; they said also, that several on their earth
believe that the spirit of the body has existed from eternity,
and was infused into the body when they were conceived in
the womb ; but they added, that now they know that it is not
so, and that they repent for having even entertained so false
an opinion.
1 50. When I asked them whether they were willing to see
any objects on our earth, informing them that it was possible
to do so through my eyes, (see above n. 135,) they answered
" That the Bensual external principle of man in the spiritual world is repre
sented by serpents, as being in the lowest principles, and in respect to interior
things in man, lying on the ground, and as it were creeping ; and that hence thev
were called serpents who reasoned from that sensual principle, u. 195 196 197
6398, 6949.

150  152] OF A THIRD EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN. 75
first, that they could not, and afterwards that they would not,
inasmuch as they were merely terrestrial and material objects,
from which they remove their thoughts as far as possible.
Nevertheless, there were represented to their view magnificent
palaces, resembling those in which kings and princes dwell on
our earth ; for such things may be represented before spirits,
and when they are represented, they appear exactly as if they
existed ; but the spirits from that earth made light of them,
calling them marble images ; and then related that they have
more magnificent objects with them, which are their sacred
temples, not built of stone, but of wood. When it was objected
that these were still terrestrial objects, they replied, that they
were not terrestrial, but celestial, because in beholding them
they conceived not a terrestrial but a celestial idea ; believing
that they should see like objects in heaven after death.
151. They then represented their sacred temples before the
spirits of our earth, who declared, that they never saw any
thing more magnificent ; and as they were seen also by
myself, therefore I can describe them. They are constructed
of trees not cut down, but growing in the place where they
were first planted : on that earth, it seems, there are trees of
an extraordinary size and height ; these they set in rows when
young, and arrange them in such order, that they may serve as
they grow up, to form porticos and galleries ; in the mean
while, by cutting and pruning the tender shoots, they fit and
prepare them to entwine one with another, and join together
so as to form the ground- work and floor of the temple to be
constructed, and by a side elevation to serve as walls, and,
being bended into an arch above, to make the roof; in this
manner they construct the temple with admirable art, elevating
it high above the ground ; they prepare also an ascent into it,
by continuous branches of the trees extended from the trunk,
and firmly connected together. Moreover they adorn the
temple without and within in various ways, by disposing the
leaves into particular forms : thus they build entire groves.
But it was not given to see the nature of the construction of
these temples within, only I was informed, that the light
of their sun is let in by apertures amongst the branches, and
is everywhere transmitted through crystals, whereby the light
falling on the walls is refracted in divers colours like those of
the rainbow, particularly the colours of blue and orange,
which they are most fond of. Such is the nature of their
architecture, the works whereof they prefer to the most mag
nificent palaces of our earth.
152. They said further, that the inhabitants do not dwell in
high places, but on the earth in low cottages, by reason that
high places are for the Lord, Who is in heaven, and low places
for men, who are on earth. Their cottages were also shewn

76 ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [152  155
me ; they were oblongs having within along the walls a
continued couch or bed, on which they lie one next to another;
on the side opposite to the door was a kind of alcove, before
which was a table, and behind it a fire-place, by which the
whole chamber is enlightened ; in the fire-place there is not a
burning fire, but a luminous wood, from which issues as much
light as from the flame of a common fire ; they said, that in an
evening this wood appeared as if it contained in it lighted
charcoal. 153. They informed me further, that they do not live in
societies, but in houses apart by themselves : and that they
are joined in societies when they meet at divine worship ; and
that on these occasions they who are teachers walk beneath in
the temple, and the rest in piazzas at the sides ; and that at
their meetings they experience interior joys, arising from the
sight of the temple, and from the worship therein celebrated.
154. In respect to divine worship they said, that they ac
knowledge God under a Human Form, consequently our Lord ;
for whosoever acknowledge the God of the universe under a
Human Form, are accepted and led by our Lord ; the rest
cannot be so led. because they think without a determination
of the thought to some specific appearance. They added, that
the inhabitants of their earth are instructed concerning the
things of heaven by some immediate commerce with angels
and spirits, which may be more easily opened to them than to
others, by reason of their rejecting corporeal things from their
thoughts and affections. I asked, what became of those
amongst them who are wicked ? They replied, that on their
earth it was not allowed that a wicked person should exist :
but if any one gave in to evil thoughts or evil actions, he was
reprimanded by a certain spirit, and threatened with death if
he persisted therein ; and in case he still persisted, he was
taken off by a swoon ; and that by this means the men of that
earth are preserved from the contagion of evils. A certain
spirit, of this kind was sent to me ; he spake with me. as with
them ; moreover he occasioned somewhat of pain in the region
of my abdomen, informing me that this was the method he
uses with those who give in to evil thoughts and evil actions,
and to whom he threatens death if they persist. I was given
to understand, that they who profane holy things are griev
ously punished ; and that before the punishing spirit comes,
there appear to them in vision the jaws of a lion, wide open'
of a livid colour, who seems as if he would swallow their
head, and tear it asunder from the body, and hence they are
seized with horror : they call the punishing spirit the devil.
155. Inasmuch as they were desirous to know how we are
circumstanced on our earth in regard to revelation, I informed
them, that it is effected by writing and preaching from the

155  157] OF A FOURTH EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN. 77
Word, and not by immediate commerce with spirits and
angels, and that what is written may be printed and pub
lished, and thus be read and comprehended by whole societies,
whereby the life may be corrected and amended : they were
exceedingly surprised, that such an art. as writing and printing,
utterly unknown in other places, could exist on our earth ; but
they comprehended, that on this earth, where corporeal and
terrestrial things are so much loved, divine things from heaven
could not otherwise flow in and be received; and that it would
be dangerous for persons in such circumstances to discourse
with angels.
156. The spirits of that earth appear upwards in the plane
of the head towards the right : all spirits are distinguished by
their situation in respect to the human body, which is in
consequence of the universal heaven corresponding with all
things appertaining to man ; these spirits keep themselves in
that plane, and at that distance, because their correspondence
is not with the externals but with the interiors of man. Their
action is upon the left knee, a little above and beneath, with a
kind of vibration very sensibly felt ; this is a sign that thej
correspond with the conjunction of things natural anl>
THINGS CELESTIAL.

OF THE FOURTH EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN, ITS SPIRITS
AND INHABITANTS.
157. I WAS further conducted to another earth which is in
the universe, out of our solar system, which was effected by
changes of the state of my mind, consequently as to the spirit ;
for, as has been frequently observed above, a spirit is conducted
from place to place no otherwise than by changes of the state
of his interiors, which changes appear to him in all respects
like advancements from place to place, or like journeyings ;
these changes continued without intermission for about ten
hours, before I came from my own life to the state of life
peculiar to the spirits of that earth, consequently before I
arrived there as to my spirit. I was carried towards the east,
to the left, and seemed to be gradually elevated from an
horizontal plane ; it was also given to observe clearly a
progression and promotion from a former place, till at length
the spirits from whom I departed no longer appeared ; and in
the mean time I discoursed on various subjects with the spirits
who were with me. A certain spirit was also with us, who,
during his abode in the world, had been a prelate, and a
preacher, and likewise a very pathetic writer : from the idea
concerning him in me, the attendant spirits supposed that he

78 ON THE EARTHS IN I'HE UNIVERSE. [157  158
was a Christian in heart superior to the rest ; for in the world
an idea is conceived, and judgment formed, from preaching
and writing, and not from the life, if it is not attended with
some extraordinary circumstances ; and in case anything in
the life appears which does not agree with the preaching and
writing, it is nevertheless excused ; for the idea, or thought
and perception concerning any particular person, gives a bias
to the judgment in all things, inclining it in favour of such
idea, thought, and perception;
158. After this I observed that I was in the starry heaven,
as to my spirit, far out of our solar system ; for this may be
observed from the changes of state, and consequent apparent
continued progression, which lasted nearly ten hours ; at length
I heard spirits discoursing near some earth, which was after
wards also seen by me ; when I was come near them, after some
discourse together, they said that strangers sometimes come to
them from a distance, who discourse with them concerning
God, and confuse the ideas of their thought : they pointed also
at the way by which such strangers came, whereby it was
perceivable, that they were from the spirits of our earth : on
questioning them as to the confusion caused in their ideas, they
said that it arose from those strangers asserting, that they
ought to believe on a Divine Principle distinguished into three.
persons, which they nevertheless call one God ; and on exa
mining the idea of their thoughts, it is presented as a threefold
principle (trinum) not continuous but discrete, and with some,
as three persons discoursing with each other, and with some,
as two seated together, one near the other, and a third heark
ening to them, and going from them ; and although they call
each person God, and form a different idea concerning each,
Still they declare them but one God: they complained exceed
ingly, that hereby their ideas were confused, in that these
strangers conceived three in thought, and in speech profess
one, when nevertheless, thought and speech ought ever to be
in agreement with each other. The spirit, Who in the world
had been a prelate and a preacher, and who also was with me,
was then examined as to the idea he entertained respecting
one God, and three persons, when it was discovered, that he
represented to himself three gods, but making one by continu
ity ; he conceived, however, this threefold unity as invisible,
because it was divine ; and from this conception it, was per
ceivable, that he thought only of the Father, and not of the,
Lord, and that his idea concerning the invisible God was no
other than as of nature in her first principles, the result, of
Which idea was, that the inmost principle of nature was his
Divine Principle, and thus that he might easily be hence led to
acknowledge nature as God. It is well to be observed, that
the idea which any person entertains concerning any thin'"', in

J 53  159] OF A FOURTH EARTH IN THE SPARRY HEAVEN. 79
another world is presented to the life, and thereby every one
is examined as to the nature of his thought and perception
respecting the things of faith ; and that the idea of the thought
concerning God is the chief of all others, inasmuch as by that
idea, if it be genuine, conjunction is effected with the Divine
Being, and consequently with heaven. They were afterwards
questioned concerning the nature of their idea respecting God ?
They replied, that they did not conceive God as invisible, but
as visible under a Human Form ; and that they knew Him to
be thus visible, not only from an interior perception, but also
from this circumstance that He has appeared to them as a man ;
they added, that if, according to the idea of some strangers,
they should conceive God as invisible, consequently without
form and quality, they should not be able in anywise to think
about God, inasmuch as such an invisible principle falls not
upon any idea of thought. On hearing this, it was given to
tell them, that they do well to think of God under a Human
Form, and that many on our earth think in like manner, espe
cially when they think of the Lord; and that the ancients also
thought according to this idea. I then told them concerning
Abraham, Lot, Gideon, Manoah, and his wife, and what is le-
lated of them in our Word, viz. that they saw God under a
Human Form, and acknowledged Him thus seen to be the Cre
ator of the Universe, and called Him Jehovah, and this also
from an interior perception ; but that at this day that interior
perception was lost in the Christian world, and only remains
with the simple who are principled in faith.
159. Previous to this discourse, they believed that our com
pany also consisted of those, who are desirous to confuse them
in their thoughts of God by an idea of three ; wherefore on
hearing what was said, they were affected with joy, and repli
ed, that there were also sent from God (whom they then called
the Lord) those who teach them concerning Him, and that they
are not willing to admit strangers, who perplex them, especial
ly by the idea of three persons in the Divinity, inasmuch as
they know that God is One, consequently that the Divine Prin
ciple is One, and not consisting of three in unanimity, unless
such threefold unanimity be conceived to exist in God as in
an angel, in whom there is an inmost principle of life, which
is invisible, and which is the ground of his thought and wis
dom, and an external principle of life which is visible under a
human form, whereby he sees and acts, and a proceeding prin
ciple of life, which is the sphere of love and of faith issuing
from him (for from every spirit and angel there proceeds a
sphere of life whereby he is known at a distance) ;" which
proceeding principle of life, when considered as issuing from
the Lord, is the essential Divine principle which fills and
constitutes the heavens, because it proceeds from the very

80 ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [159
Esse of the life of love and of faith ; they said, that in this.
and in no other manner, they can perceive and apprehend a
threefold unity. When they had thus expressed themselves, it
was given me to inform them, that such an idea concerning a
threefold unity agrees with the idea of the angels concerning
the Lord, and that it is grounded in the Lord's own doctrine
respecting Himself; for He teaches that the Father and
Himself are One ; that the Father is in Him and He in the
Father ; that whoso seeth Him seeth the Father ; and whoso
believeth on Him believeth on the Father and knoweth the
Father ; also that the Comforter, Whom He calls the Spirit of
Truth, and likewise the Holy Ghost, proceeds from Him, and
doth not speak from Himself but from Him, by which Com
forter is meant the Divine Proceeding Principle. It was given
me further to tell them, that their idea concerning a threefold
unity agrees with the Esse and Existere of the life of the Lord
when in the world ; the Esse of His life was the Essential
Divine Principle, for He was conceived of Jehovah, and tho
Esse of every one's life is that whereof he is conceived ; the
Existere of life derived from that Esse is the Human Principle
in form ; the Esse of the life of every man, which he has from
his father, is called soul, and the Existere of life thence derived
is called body ; soul and body constitute one man ; the likeness
between each resembles that which subsists between a prin
ciple which is in effort [conatus~\, and a principle which is in
act derived from effort, for act is in effort acting, and thus two
-ire'one: effort, in man is called will, and effort acting is called
action ; the body is the instrumental part, whereby the will,
which is the principal, acts, and the instrumental and principal
in acting are one ; such is the case in regard to soul and body,
and such is the idea which the angels in heaven have respect
ing soul and body ; hence they know, that the Lord made His
Human Principle Divine by virtue of the Divine Principle in
Himself, which was to Him a Soul from the Father. This is
agreeable also to the creed received throughout the Christian
world, which teaches that " Although Christ is God and Man,
yet He is not two but one Christ ; yea, He is altogether One and
a single Person ; for as body and soul are one man, so also God
and man is one Christ''1'' Inasmuch as there was such an
union, or such a oneness in the Lord, therefore He rose again,
" not only as to Soul, but also as to Body, which is not the case
with any man ; concerning which circumstance He also in
structed His disciples in these words, "Handle Me and see, for
a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have."" Those
"" From the Athanasian Creed.
¦» That immediately after death man rises again as to his spirit; and that he is in
a human form, and that he is a man in all and every respect, n. 4527, 5006 5078
8939, 8991, 10594. 10597. 10758. That a man rises again only as to spirit, and not
as to body, n. 10593. 10594 That the Lord alone rose again as to body also
n. 1729, 2083. 5078. 10825. '

59  161 | OF A FOURTH EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN. 81
spirits understood clearly this discourse, such things being
suited to the understanding of angelic spirits ; they instantly
added, that the Lord alone has power in the heavens, and that
the heavens are His ; to which it was given to reply, that this
is known also to the Church on our earth from the Lord's
declaration before He ascended into heaven, for He then said,
" All power is given to Me in heaven and in earth."
160. Afterwards I discoursed with those spirits concerning
their earth ; for all spirits have knowledge of the things
relating to the earth they came from, when their natural or
external memory is opened by the Lord ; inasmuch as this
memory remains with them after death, but it is not opened
except at the Lord's good pleasure. Then they related con
cerning their earth from which they came, that when it is
allowed them, they appear to the inhabitants, and discourse
with them as men ; and that this is effected by their being let
into their natural or external memory, and consequently intr
the thoughts which they had during their abode in the world •
and that on such occasions the inhabitants have their interioi
sight, or sight of their spirits opened, whereby they are seen j
they added, that the inhabitants at such times know no other
than that they are men of their earth, and that they then firsl
perceive them not to be men, when they are suddenly taken
away from their sight. I told them, that this was the case
also on our earth in ancient times, as when angels appeared to
Abraham, Sarah, Lot, the inhabitants of Sodom, Manoah and
his wife, Joshua, Mary, Elizabeth, and the prophets in general ;
and that the Lord appeared in like manner, and they who saw
Him knew no other than that He was a man of ihe earth
before He revealed Himself: but that at this day such appear
ances are seldom exhibited, the reason whereof is, lest men by
such things should be compelled to believe, for faith wrought
by compulsion, such as is the faith which enters by miracles,
is not inherent, and would also be hurtful to those in whom
faith may be implanted by the Word in a state without com
pulsion. 161. The spirit, who had been prelate and a preacher in the
world, was altogether indisposed to believe, that any other
earths existed besides our own, in consequence of having
thought in the world, that the Lord was born on this earth
alone, and that none could be saved without the Lord, where
fore he was reduced into a state similar to that which spirits
are reduced into, when they appear on their own earth as
men, concerning which state see above : and thus he was let
into that earth, so that he not only saw it, but also discoursed
with its inhabitants : hereupon a communication was also
thereby granted me, so that I in like manner saw the inhabi
tants and likewise some particular things on that earth. (See
6 L

82 ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [161  162
above, n. 135). There appeared then four kinds of men, but
one kind after the other in succession : at first there were seen
men clothed ; next to them, in order of succession, men naked
of a human flesh colour ; afterwards men naked, but with
inflamed bodies ; and lastly, black men.
162. Whilst the spirit, who had been a prelate and preacher,
was with those who were clothed, there appeared a woman of
a very beautiful countenance, in a plain simple dress ; her
gown flowing gracefully behind her, with sleeves also for the
arms ; her head-dress was beautiful, in the form of a chaplet
of flowers : that spirit was exceedingly delighted at the sight
of this virgin ; he discoursed with her, and also took her by
the hand ; but inasmuch as she perceived that he was a spirit,
and not of that earth, she rushed hastily away from him ;
afterwards there appeared to him on the right several other
women, who had the care of sheep and lambs, which at that
time they were leading to a watering-trough, which was
supplied with water by a small drain from a certain lake ;
these women were clothed in like manner with the former ;
they had in their hands shepherd's crooks, by which they led
the sheep and lambs to drink ; they said, that which way
soever they pointed with their crooks, thither the sheep went :
the sheep which we saw were large, with broad woolly tails.
The faces of the women, when viewed more closely, were full
and handsome. There were seen also men ; their complexion
was like that of the men of our earth, but with this difference,
that the lower part of the face was black instead of a beard,
and the nose was more of a snowy white than a flesh colour.
Afterwards the spirit, who, as was said, had been a preacher
in the world, was led on further, but reluctantly, because his
thoughts were still engaged about the woman with whom he
was delighted, as was evident from this circumstance, that
there still appeared somewhat of his shadow in the former place.
Then he came to those who were naked ; they were seen walk
ing together two and two, husband and wife, having a cover
ing about the loins, and also around the head : that spirit,
when he was with these inhabitants, was led into the state in
which he was in the world when he was disposed to preach,
and instantly said, that he would preach before them the Lord
crucified ; but they said, that they were not willing to hear
any such thing, because they knew not what was meant by the
Lord crucified, but knew that the Lord is living. He then
said, that he would preach the living Lord, but this also they
refused to hear, saying, that they perceived in his discourse
somewhat not celestial, because it had much respect to him
self, his own fame, and reputation ; and that they could
distinguish from the tone of voice, whether the discourse came
from the heart, or not ; and that hence they pronounced him

162  165] OF A FOURTH EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN. H3
incapable of teaching them ; wherefore he was silent. During
his life in the world he had been a very pathetic preacher, so
that he could excite in his hearers very holy influences : but
this pathetic manner had been acquiredby art, consequently it
was derived from self and the world, and not from heaven.
163. They said, moreover, that they had a perception whe
ther there be any conjugial principle with those of their nation
who are naked; and it was shewn, that they perceive this by
virtue of a spiritual idea concerning marriage, which idea be
ing communicated to me was to this effect, that a likeness of
interiors was formed by the conjunction of goodness and truth,
consequently of love and faith, and that conjugial love existed
from that conjunction descending by influx into the body ; for
all things appertaining to the mind are presented in some na
tural appearance in the body, consequently in the appearance
of conjugial love, when the interiors of two persons mutually
love each other, and also by virtue of that love are desirous
to will and to think the one as the other, and thus to abide and
be joined together as to the interiors of the mind ; hence spi
ritual affection, which appertains to the mind, becomes natu
ral affection in the body, and clothes itself with the sense of
conjugial love: spiritual affection appertaining to the mind is
the affection of goodness and truth, and of their conjunction,
for all things appertaining to the mind, or to the thinking-prin
ciple and the will-principle, have relation to truth and good.
They said further, that it is altogether impossible for any con
jugial principle to exist between one man and several wives,
inasmuch as the marriage of goodness and truth, which apper
tains to the mind, can exist only between two.
164. After this the above spirit came to those who were
naked, but whose bodies were inflamed ; and lastly, to those
who were black, some of whom were naked, and some clothed ;
but both the latter and the former dwelt in a distant part of
the same earth; for a spirit may be led in an instant to places
far asunder, inasmuch as he does not proceed and advance like
man by spaces, but by changes of state, see above, n. 125, 127."
165. I lastly discoursed with the spirits of that earth con
cerning the belief of the inhabitants of our earth in regard to
a resurrection, in that they cannot conceive that men come
into another life immediately after death, and then appear like
men as to the face, the body, the arms, the feet, and all the ex
ternal and internal senses; still less can they conceive that
they are then clothed in raiment ; and that they have places
of abode and habitations ; and this solely by reason that the
thoughts of the generality of persons on this earth are ground
ed in the things of sens"e, which appertain to the body, and
therefore they believe in the existence of nothing but what they
see and touch ; and few can be, withdrawn from external and

84 ON THE EARTHS IN 1'HE UNIVERSE. [165
sensible things to things of an interior nature, and thus be ele
vated into the light of heaven, in which such interior things
are perceived ; hence it is, that in regard to the soul or spirit,
they cannot form any idea of it as of a man, but as of wind,
of air, or of a phantom without form, in which notwithstand
ing there is some vital principle : this is the reason why they
do not believe that they shall rise again till the end of the
world, which they call the last judgment, at which time they
suppose that the body, although mouldered into dust, and dis
sipated by every wind, will be brought back again and joined
to its soul or spirit : I added, that it is permitted they should
thus believe, inasmuch as it cannot otherwise be conceived by
those, whose thoughts, as was said, are grounded in things of
sense, that the soul or spirit can live as a man in a human
form, unless it receives again that body with which it was
clothed in the world ; wherefore unless it was asserted that
that body is to rise again, they would reject in heart the doc
trine concerning a resurrection and eternal life as incompre
hensible. But still this thought concerning a resurrection has
this advantage attending it, that it leads them to believe in a
life after death, the consequence of which belief is, that when
they come to lie on a sick bed, and their thoughts are not in
fluenced as before, by worldly and corporeal things, that is, by
things of sense, they then believe that they shall live imme
diately after their decease ; they then also speak about heaven,
and about the hope of living there immediately after death,
with ideas very different from those suggested by their doctrine
concerning the last judgment. I related further, that it had
sometimes been matter of surprise to me, that when they who
are principled in faith speak of a life after death, and of their
friends and relatives who are deceased, and at such times do
not think about the last judgment, they then believe that their.
friends and relatives live as men immediately on their decease ;
but this idea, as soon as ever a thought concerning the last
judgment flows in, is changed into a material idea, concerning
their terrestrial body, that it is again to be joined to their soul ;
for they do not know that every man is a spirit as to his inte
riors, and that it is this spirit which lives in the body, and in
all its parts, and not the body which lives of itself; and that it
is from the spirit of every one that the body has its human
form, consequently it is the spirit of every one which is prin
cipally man, and in like form as man, but invisible to the eyes
of the body, yet visible to the eyes of spirits ; hence also, when
the sight of man's spirit is opened, which is effected by the
removal of the bodily sight, angels appear as men : thus angels
appeared to the ancients, according to what is written in°the
Word. In my discourse also with "spirits, whom I had been
acquainted with during their abode in the world, I have occa-

165  168] OF A FIFTH EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN. 85
sionally asked them, whether they had any inclination to be
clothed again with their terrestrial bodies, as they had once
thought would be the case ? But they started at the very idea
of such a conjunction, being full of confusion and amazement
to think, that whilst they were in the world, they should be
uuder the influence of so blind a belief, void of all understand
ing. 166. Moreover on that earth were seen the habitations of
the inhabitants, which were low houses of a considerable
length, with windows on the sides according to the number of
the rooms or chambers into which they were divided ; the
roof was round, and there was a door on both sides at each
end ; we were told that they were built of common soil, and
covered with turf; and that the windows were constructed of
threads of grass, so entwined together, that the light was
transparent. Little children were also seen, and we were told
that their neighbours visit them, especially for the sake of
their children, that they may be in company with other
children in the presence and under the control of their
parents. There appeared also fields full of growing corn
which was at that time nearly ripe for harvest ; the seeds or
grains of their corn was shown us, which were like those of
Chinese wheat ; we saw likewise some bread made thereof,
which was in small square loaves. There appeared also
plains of grass adorned with flowers, and trees laden with
fruits like pomegranates, besides shrubs, which were not vines,
but still produced berries of which they made wine.
J 67. The sun of that earth, which is to us a star, appears
there flaming, in size about a fourth part of our sun ; their
year is nearly two hundred days, and each day fifteen hours,
computed according to the length of days on our earth : the
earth itself is one of the least in the starry heaven, being
scarcely five hundred German miles in circumference ; this
information we had from the angels, who made a comparison
in all these particulars with things of a like nature on our
earth, according to what they saw in me, or in my memory ;
their conclusions were formed by angelic ideas, whereby are
instantly known the measures of spaces and times, in a just
proportion with respect to spaces and times elsewhere ; angelic
ideas, which are spiritual, in such calculations infinitely excel
human ideas.

OF A FIFTH EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN, ITS SPIRITS AND
INHABITANTS.
168. I WAS led at another time to another earth, which is
in the universe out of our solar system, and on this occasion

86 ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [168  169
also by changes of state, continued nearly for twelve hours.
There were in company with me several spirits and angels
from our earth, with whom I discoursed in the way or pro
gress thither. I was carried at times obliquely upwards and
obliquely downwards, continually towards the right, which in
another life is towards the South ; only in two places I saw
spirits, and in one I discoursed with them. In this journey or
progress it was given to observe how immense the Lord's
heaven is, which is designed for angels and spirits ; for from
the parts uninhabited it was given to conclude, that it was so
immense, that in case there were several myriads of earths,
and on each earth a multitude of men equal in number to the
inhabitants of our earth, there would still be a place of abode
for them to eternity, and it would never be filled : this I was
enabled to conclude from a comparison made with the extent
of the heaven which is about our earth and designed for it.
which extent was respectively so small, that, it did not. equal
one. ten thousandth thousandth part of the extent uninhabited.
169. When the angelic spirits, who were from that earth,
came into view, they accosted us, asking who we were, and
what we wanted ? We said, that we came for the sake of
journeying, and that we were directed thither, and that they
had nothing to fear from us ; for they were afraid we were
of those who disturb them in regard to God, to faith, and
things of a like nature, on account of whom they had betaken
themselves to that quarter of their earth, shunning them as
much as possible. We asked them in what particulars they
were disturbed? They replied, by an idea of three, and by an
idea of a Divine principle without a human, in God, when they
yet knew and perceived that God is One, and that He is a Man.
It was then perceived by us, that they who disturb them, and
whom they shunned, were from our earth ; this was manifest
also from this consideration, that there are spirits from our
earth, who thus wander about in another life, in consequence
of their fondness for, and delight in travelling, which they
have contracted in the world ; for on other earths there is no
such custom of travelling as on ours. It was afterwards
discovered that they were monks, who had travelled on our
globe from a desire of converting the gentiles ; wherefore we
told them, that they did well to shun such spirits, because their
intention was not to teach, but to secure gain and dominion ;
and that they study by various arts first to captivate men's
minds, but afterwards to subject them to themselves as slaves :
moreover, that they did well in not suffering their ideas
concerning God to be disturbed by such. They informed us
further, that the above spirits confuse them by asserting, that
they ought to have faith and to believe the things they
declare ; but their reply to this was, that they Knew not what

169] OF A FIFTH EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN. 87
faith or believing meant, since they perceive in themselves
whether a thing be true or not. They were of the Lord's
celestial kingdom, where all know by an interior perception
the truths, which with us are called the truths of faith.
for they are in illumination from the Lord ; but it is other
wise with those who are in the spiritual kingdom. That
the angelic spirits of that earth were of the Lord's celes
tial kingdom, it was given also to see from the flaming
principle, whence their ideas flowed ; for the light in the
celestial kingdom is flaming, and in the spiritual kingdom it is
white. They who are of the celestial kingdom, when the
discourse is about truths, say no more than yea, yea, or nay,
nay, and never reason about truths whether they be so or not ;
these are they of whom the Lord speaks in these words,
" Let your discourse be yea, yea, and nay, nay, for whatsoever if
more than this cometh of evil :" hence it was that those spirit)*
said, that they did not know what is meant by having faith or
believing ; they consider an exhortation to believe, like a
person's saying to his companion who sees houses or trees
with his own eyes, that he ought to have faith or to believe
that they are houses and trees, when he sees clearly that they
are so ; such are they who are of the Lord's celestial kingdom,
and such were these angelic spirits/" We told them, that
there are few on our earth who have interior perception, by
reason that they learn truths in their youth, and do not practise
them: for man has two faculties, which are called understand
ing and will ; they who admit truths no further than into the
memory, and thence in some small degree into the under
standing, and not into the life, that is, into the will, these,
inasmuch as they are not capable of any illumination or
interior sight from the Lord, say that those truths are to be
believed, or that they are objects of faith, and also reason
concerning them whether they be truths or not ; yea, they are
not willing that they should be perceived by any interior sight,
or by a kind of illumination in the understanding ; they say
this, because truths with them are without light from heaven,
and to those who see without light from heaven, what is false
may appear like what is true, and what is true like what is
false ; hence so great blindness has seized several on our
earth, that although they do not practise truths, or live
*** That heaven is distinguished into two kingdoms, one of which is called the
celestial kingdom, the other the spiritual kingdom, n. 3887, 4138. That the angels
in the celestial kingdom have vastly more knowledge and wisdom than the angels
in the spiritual kingdom, n. 2718. That the celestial angels do not think and speak
from a ground of faith, like the spiritual angels, but from an internal perception that
a, thing is so, n. 202, 597, 607, 784, 1121, 1387, 1398. 1442, 1919, 7680, 7877, 8780,
That the celestial angels say only concerning the truths of faith yea yea, or nay nay
but that the spiritual angels reason whether it be so or not so, n. 202, 337. 2715
3246, 4448, 9196.

88 ON THE EARTHS IN l'HE UNIVERSE. [169  170
according to them, still they say that they may be saved by
faith alone, as if it was the mere knowledge of things
appertaining to faith which constituted man, and not a life
according to that knowledge. We afterwards discoursed with
them concerning the Lord, concerning love to Him, concerning
neighbourly love, and concerning regeneration: in regard to
the Lord we said, that to love Him is to love the command
ments which are from Him. which is from a principle of love
to do those commandments ;bLb in regard to neighbourly love,
that it consists in willing good and thence doing good to a
fellow-citizen, to a man's country, to the Church, or to the
Lord's kingdom, not with a view to vain applause, or to
establish self-merit, but from an affection of good/" Con
cerning regeneration we observed, that they who are* regen
erated by the Lord, and commit truths immediately to life,
come into an interior perception concerning them ; but that
they who receive truths first in the memory, and afterwards
will them and do them, are they who are principled in faith,
for they act from a principle of faith, which is then called
conscience. They said that they perceived these things to bo
so, and thus perceived also what faith is. I discoursed with
them by spiritual ideas, whereby such things may be exhibited
and comprehended in light.
170. The spirits, with whom I now discoursed, were from the
northern part of their earth ; I was afterwards led to those
who were on the western part ; these also being desirous to
discover who and what I was, immediately said, that there
was nothing in me but evil, thinking thus to deter me from ap
proaching nearer ; it was given me to perceive, that this was
their manner of accosting all who come to them ; and it was
given me to reply, that I well knew it to be so, and that in
them also there was nothing but evil, by reason that every one
is born to evil, and therefore whatever comes from man, spirit,
or angel, as from what is his own, or from his selfhood, is no
thing but evil, inasmuch as all good in every one is from the
Lord : hence they perceived that I was in the truth, and I was
admitted to discourse with them. They then showed me their
idea concerning evil in man, and concerning good from the
Lord, how they are separated from each other ; they placed
one near the other, almost contiguous, but still distinct, yet as
it were bound in a manner inexpressible, so that the good led
the evil, and restrained it, insomuch that it was not allowed it
"M That to love the Lord is to live according to His commandments ,, 1 01 43
10153,10310,10578,10648. ' '
-'« That neighbourly love consists in doing what is good, just, and right in everv
work and m every function, from an affection of what is good iust and richt
n. 8120, 8121. 8122, 10310, 10336. That a life of neighbourly love is a'liieaccord.'
iug to iho Lord's commandments. ... 3249.

170  171] OF A FIFTH EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN.

89

to act at pleasure, and thus the good bended the evil in what
ever direction it desired, without the evil knowing any thing
of it ; in this manner they exhibited the dominion of good over
evil, and at the same time a state of freedom. They then
asked, how the Lord appeared amongst the angels from our
earth ? I said, that He appeared in the sun as a Man, encom
passed therein with a fiery solar principle, whence the angels
in the heavens derive all light, and that the heat which pro
ceeds thence is Divine Good, and that the light which proceeds
thence is Divine Truth, each originating in the Divine Love,
which is the fiery principle appearing around the Lord in that
sun ; but that that sun only appears to the angels in heaven,
and not to the spirits who are beneath, since they are more
removed from the reception of the good of love and of the
truth of faith, than the angels who are in the heavens, see
above, n. 40. It was given them thus to enquire concerning
the Lord, and concerning His appearance before the angels
from our earth, inasmuch as it pleased the Lord at that instant
to present Himself before them, and to reduce into order the
things which had been disturbed by the evil spirits, of whom
they complained ; this also was the reason why I was led thi
ther, that I might be an eye-witness of these things.
171. There was then seen an obscure cloud towards the east
descending from on high, which in its descent appeared by de
grees bright and in a Human Form ; at length the Human
Form appeared in beams of flaming lustre, encompassed with
small stars of the same radiance ; thus the Lord presented
Himself before the spirits with whom I was discoursing. At
His Presence all the spirits thereabouts were instantly gather
ed together from all sides, and when they were come, they were
separated, the good from the evil, the good to the right and the
evil to the left, and this in an instant as of their own accord;
and those on the right were arranged in order according to the
nature and quality of their good, and those on the left accord
ing to the nature and quality of their evil ; and they who were
good were left to form amongst themselves a celestial society,
but the evil were cast into the hells. Afterwards I saw that
those beams of flaming lustre descended to the lower parts of
the earth thereabouts to a considerable depth, and then they
appeared at one time in a flaming lustre verging to lucidity,
at another time in a lucidity verging to obscurity, and lastly
in obscurity ; and I was told by the angels, that that appear
ance is according to the reception of truth from good, and of
the false principle from evil, with those who inhabit the lower
parts of that earth, and that the beams of flaming lustre them
selves were subject to no such variableness. I was told, also,
that the lower parts of that earth were inhabited both by the
good and by the evil, but that they were carefully separated,

90 ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [171  172
to the intent that the evil might be ruled by the good from the
Lord ; the angels added, that the good were by turns elevated
thence into heaven by the Lord, and that others succeeded in
their place, and so on perpetually. In that descent, the good
were separated from the evil in like manner as above, and all
things were reduced to order ; for the evil, by various arts and
cunning contrivances, had insinuated themselves into the dwell
ings of the good there, and had infested them; and this was
the cause of the present visitation. That cloud, which in des
cending appeared by degrees bright and in a Human Form.
and afterwards as beams of flaming lustre, was an angelic so
ciety with the Lord in the midst. Hence was shewn the mean
ing of the Lord's words in the Gospels, where, speaking of the
last judgment, He says, ¦' That He should come with the angels
in the clouds of heaven, with glory and power."
172. Afterwards there were seen some monkish spirits, viv
such as had been travelling monks or missionaries in the world,
of whom mention was made above ; and there was also seen
a crowd of spirits, who were from that earth, several of them
evil, whom the monkish spirits had seduced and drawn over to
favour their opinions : these were seen on the eastern side of
that earth, from whence they drove away the good, who betook
themselves to the northern side of the earth, of whom we have
spoken above ; that crowd with their seducers was collected
into one body, amounting to some thousands, and was separa
ted when the evil were cast into the hells. It was given me
to discourse with one spirit who was a monk, and to ask him
what he did there ? He replied, that he taught them concerning
the Lord ; I asked, what besides 1 He said, concerning heaven
and hell : I asked, what further ? He said, concerning a belief
in all that he should say : I asked again, if he taught anything
else ? He said, concerning the power of remitting sins, and of
opening and shutting heaven. He was then examined as to
what he knew concerning the Lord, concerning the truths of
faith, concerning the remission of sins, concerning man's salva
tion, and concerning heaven and hell, and it was discovered that
he knew scarce anything, and that he was in an obscure and
false principle concerning all and singular the truths appertain
ing to the above subjects ; and that he was possessed solely by
the lust of gain and dominion, which he had contracted in the
world, and brought with him thence ; wherefore he was told
that inasmuch as he had travelled so far as that earth under
the instigation of that lust, and was so very ignorant in points
of doctrine, he must needs deprive the spirits of that earth of
celestial light, and cause in them the darkness of hell, and thus
bring them under the dominion of hell, and not of the Lord.
Moreover he was cunning and crafty to seduce others, but dull
and stupid in heavenly things ; wherefore he was cast thence

*72 174] OF A FIFTH EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN. 91
into hell. Thus the spirits of that earth were freed from those
monkish spirits.
173. The spirits of that earth mentioned also, amongst other
particulars, that those strangers, who, as has been said, were
monkish spirits, used all their endeavours to persuade them to
live in society, and not separate and solitary : for spirits and
angels dwell and cohabit in like manner as in the world ; they
who have dwelt in a collected state in the world, dwell also in
a collected state in another life, and they who have dwelt in a
separate state, divided into houses and families, dwell also in a
separate state in another life ; these spirits, on their earth.
whilst they lived there as men, had dwelt in a separate slate,
house and house, families and families, and thus nation and na
tion apart, and hence they knew not what it was to dwell to
gether in society ; wherefore when it was told them that those
strangers wished to persuade them to dwell in society, to thf
intent that they might reign and rule over them, and that thej
could not otherwise subject them to themselves, and make them
slaves, they replied, that they were totally ignorant what was
meant by reigning and ruling. That they fly away at the very
idea of rule and dominion, was made manifest to me from this
circumstance, that one of them, who accompanied us back
again, when I showed him the city in which I dwelt, at the
first sight of it fled away, and was no more seen.
174, I then discoursed with the attendant angels concerning
dominion, observing that there were two kinds of dominion,
one of neighbourly love, and the other of self-love ; and that
the dominion of neighbourly love has place amongst those
who dwell separated into houses, families, and nations ; where
as the dominion of self-love has place amongst those who
dwell together in society ; amongst those who live separated
into houses, families and nations, he has dominion who is the
father of the nation, and under him the father of families, and
under these the fathers of each particular house : he is called
the father of the nation in whom the families originate, from
which families the houses are derived ; but all these exercise
a dominion of love, like that of a father towards his children,
who teaches them how they ought to live, provides for their
good to the utmost of his power, and distributes amongst them
all that he possesses ; whilst it never enters into his mind to sub
ject them to himself, as subjects or as servants, but he loves
that they should obey him as children obey their father : and
inasmuch as this love increases in descending, as is generally
known, therefore, the father of the nation acts from a principle
of more inward love than the father himself from whom the
children are next descended : such also is the dominion which
has place in the heavens, inasmuch as such is the Lord's do
minion; for His dominion is grounded in a principle of Divine

92 ON THE EARTHS IN l'HE UNIVERSE. [174—175
Love towards the whole human race. But the dominion of
self-love, which is opposite to the dominion of neighbourly love,
began when man alienated himself from the Lord ; for in pro
portion as man does not love and worship the Lord, in the same
proportion he loves and worships himself, and in the same pro
portion also he loves the world : then it was, that compelled by
motives of self-preservation and security from injustice, nations,
consisting of families and houses, cemented themselves into one
body, and established governments under various forms ; for
in proportion as self-love increased, in the same proportion
all kinds of evil, as enmity, envy, hatred, revenge, cruelty, and
deceit, increased with it, being exercised towards all who
opposed that love ; for from man's selfhood, which has rule in
those who are principled in self-love, -nothing but evil springs,
inasmuch as man's selfhood is nothing else but mere evil, and
of consequence is not receptive of any good from heaven :
hence self-love, whilst it has dominion, is the father of all such
evils ;ddd and it is also a love of such a nature, that where it is
left without restraint, it grasps at an universal dominion over
the whole earth, and wishes to possess the property of all ;
nay, it is not even content with this, but would have dominion
over heaven also, as may appear from the example of modern
Babylon. Such then is the dominion of self-love, from which
the dominion of neighbourly love differs as much as heaven
does from hell. But notwithstanding the dominion of self-love
is such in societies, or in kingdoms and empires, there is still
existing a dominion of neighbourly love, even in those collec
tive bodies of men, with those who are wise from a principle
of faith and love towards God, for such love their neighbour :
that such also in the heavens dwell distinct as to nations,
families and houses, although in societies together, but accord
ing to spiritual affinities, which have relation to the good of
love and the truth of faith, by the divine mercy of the Lord
will be shewn elsewhere.
175. I afterwards questioned those spirits concerning various
particulars in regard to the earth from whence they came, and
first, concerning their divine worship, and concerning revela
tion : in regard to divine worship, they said, that nations with
their families, every thirtieth day, meet together in one place,
<]Ji That man's selfhood, which he derives from his parents, is nothin" but dense
evil, n. 210, 215, 731, 874, 876, 987, 1047, 2307, 2318, 3518, 3701, 3812 8480 8550
10283, 10284, 10286, 10731. That man's selfhood consists in loving himself more
than God, and the world more than heaven, and in making light of his neighbour
in respect to himself, except it be for the sake of himself, and thus from motives of
self-love and the love of the world, n. 694, 731, 4317, 5660. That all evils flow
from self-love and the love of the world, when they have dominion n 1307 1308
1321, 1594, 1691, 3413, 7255, 7376, 7480, 7488, 8318, 9335, 9348', 10038, 'l074a'
These evils are contempt of others, enmity, hatred, revenge, cruelty and deceit
n. 6667, 7372, 7373, 7374, 9348, 10038, i0742. And that from these evils everv
false principle flows, n. 1047, 10283, 10284, 10286.

!75  178] OF A FIFTH EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN.

93

and hear preaching; and that the preacher on those occasions,
from a pulpit a little raised from the ground, teaches them
Divine Truths which lead to the good of life. In regard to
revelation, they said, that it is communicated early in the
morning in a state between sleeping and waking, when they
are in an interior light not as yet disturbed by the bodily
senses and by worldly things ; and that on such occasions
they hear the angels of heaven discoursing concerning
Divine Truths, and concerning a life in conformity thereto ;
and that when they are awake, an angel appears to them in a
white garment by the bed-side, and then suddenly vanishes out
of sight ; and that hereby they know that what they heard
was from heaven ; thus divine vision is distinguished from
vision not divine, for in vision not divine no angel appears :
they added, that in this manner revelations are made to their
preachers, and sometimes also to others.
176. On questioning them concerning their houses, they said,
thai they were low, being built of wood, with a flat roof
having a cornice sloping downwards : and that in front dweb
the husband and wife, in the next chamber the children, and
the men-servants and maid-servants to the back. In regard to
food, they said, that they drink milk with water, and have it
from cows, which are woolly like sheep. Of their manner of
life, they said, that they go naked, and are not ashamed of it ;
also that their connexions are with those of their own families.
177. In regard to the sun of that earth, they related that it
appears to the inhabitants of a flaming colour ; that the length
of their years is two hundred days, and that a day equals nine
hours of our time, which they could conclude from the length
of the days of the earth perceivable in me ; and further, that
they have a perpetual spring and summer, and consequently
that the fields are ever green, and the trees ever bearing fruit ;
the reason of this is, because their year is so short, being
equal only to seventy-five days of our time ; and when this is
the case, the cold does not continue long in winter, nor the
heat in summer, and of consequence the ground is in a con
tinual state of vegetation.
178. Concerning the ceremonies preparatory to and attend
ing marriage, they related, that a daughter, when she arrives
at a marriageable age, is kept at home, nor is she allowed to
leave the house till the day she is to be married ; and that then
she is conducted to a certain connubial house, where there are
also several other young women arrived at the same age,
brought together, and there they are placed behind a screen,
which reaches to the middle of the body, so that they appear
naked as to the breast and face : and that on such occasions
the young men come thither to choose for themselves a wife ;
and when a young man sees a young woman that seems to

94 ON THE EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE. [173
suit him, and to whom his mind inclines him, he takes her by
the hand ; and if she then follows him, he leads her to a house
prepared for the purpose, and she becomes his wife ; for they
discover from the face whether they agree in mind, inasmuch
as every one's face on that earth is an index of the mind, being
free from deceit and dissimulation. For the preservation of de
cency, and to suppress lasciviousness, an old man is seated be
hind the young women, and an old woman at the side of them, to
make their observations. There are several such places to which
the young women are conducted : and also stated times for the
young men to make their choice ; for if they do not find a
young woman to suit them in one place, they go to another :
and if not at one time, they return again at a future time.
They said further, that a husband has only one wife, and in no
case more than one, because to have more than one is contrary
to Divine Order.

INDEX.

The figures refer to the numbers, including the notes, and not tc the pages.

Act.— Act Is an effort acting, 159. See Effort.
Adore, — They who adore the Divine under a human
?orm are all accepted of the Lord. Man may adore
what he has some idea of, but not what he has no idea
<!¦
Affection. — Spiritual affection appertaining to the
mind is the affection of goodness and truth, and of their
conjunction, 163.
Age. — Description of the golden or Saturnian ages.
49. Ancients. — The most ancient people on our earth ;
their ways, 49.
Angels. — All angels whatsoever were once men, 1,
30. Difference between celestial angels and spiritual
angels, 169.
Animal.?. — Of all the animals, each is in possession
of the science of all things appertaining to its particu
lar love, 96.
Appearances. — Concerning the appearances of spir
its and angels upon our earth, 160. Why they are not
exhibited at this day. 160.
Architecture, 151.
Aristotle, 38.
Art of Writing. — This art existed on our earth
from the most ancient time, 115.
Atmosphere of the Moon, 111.
Babylon.— The modern Babylon, 174.
Birds.— Birds signify things rational, things intel
lectual, thoughts, ideas, and knowledges ; and this with
a variety according to the genera and species of birds,
33, 94, 95.
Blue. — Blue, originating in red or flame color, cor
responds to the good of celestial love ; and blue
grounded in white or lightish color, corresponds to
the good of spiritual love, 83.
Bright Horses signify an enlightened understand
ing, 82.
Body. — The exixtere of the life of every man from
the exxe or soul, is called the body, 159. The body is
the instrumental part, whereby the will, which is the
principal, acts, 159.
Cerebellum. 88.— See Face.
Cerebrum, 88.— See Face.
Changes. — Changes of color signify the varieties of
life as to wisdom and intelligence, 94. Changes of
place in the other life are changes of the state of inte
rior things, 125, 164.
Chariots. — Chariots signify the doctrinals of the
Church, 82.
Chastising Spirits. 72-76, 78, 154.
Choir.— That is called a choir where several spirits
Bpeak together, or unanimously, 61. Angelic choirs, 61.
Church. — A Church is called celestial wherein love
to the Lord is the ruling principle, but spiritual wherein
the ruling principle is charity and faith, 85.
Cloud. — Of a cloud in a human form, 171.
Comforter. — By the Comforter is meant the Divine
Proceeding Principle, 159.
Communications. — Communications in the other life
are effected by means of spirits Bent forth from socie
ties of spirits and angels to other societies, 95. In the
heavens there is a communication of all good things, 15.
Conjugal Love.— Whence it exists, 163.
Consociations.— All consociations in another life
are regulated according to the spheres, 64.
Correspondence of man, and all things appertain
ing to him, with the Greatest Man, which is heaven,
5, 156.
Creation.— Man is the end for rinch every earth
was created, for the human race is the constituent of
he ven, 112, 126.
Crystals.— In the other life, the knowledges of
things immaterial are represented by crystals, 19.
Dancer, 38.
Disagreement.— All consociations Id the other life

are regulated according to their spheres, those which
disagree being separated according to their disagree
ment, 64.
Distances. — Distances in another life are real ap
pearances, which are presented visible according to
the states of the interiors of angels and spirits, 86, 125,
135. Distances, there, are so by virtue of the dissimili
tude of state, 135.
Divine Truth.— The Word is the Lord as to Divine
Truth. By Divine Truth all things were created and
made, 122.
Divine Worship of the inhabitants of the other
earths, 7, 65, 68, 69. 91, 98, 107, 130, 141, 142. 154, 158, 175.
Doctrine. — All doctrine of the Church and the un
derstanding thereof are from the Word, 82.
Dominion.— The dominion of good over evil ; how
this is exhibited by the angels, 170. The dominion of
neighborly love; the dominion of self-love; the do
minion of the heavens, 174.
Earth.— Where there is an earth, there are men in
habitants, 112. The reasons why the Lord was willing
to be born on our earth, and not on another, 113-122.
The spirits of this earth in the Orand Man, have rela
tion to the various functions of the exterior parts of the
body, 64 ; and to the natural and corporeal sense, 102 ;
the natural and external sense, 122 ; the sensual cor
poreal principle, 148. The immense number of the
earths in the universe, 2, 3, 6, 26. The inhabitants of
all the earths adore the Divine under a human form —
consequently the Lord, 7. In the universe there are
many earths ; each star in the starry heaven in its
place, or in its world, is a sun, and like our sun, iu
various magnitude, 4, 126.
Effort.— Effort in man is called will, and effort act
ing is called action, 159.
Elias. — By Elias, in a representative sense, is meaut
the Word, 82.
Esse.— The esse of the life of the Lord when he was
in the world was the essential Divine Principle, 159.
The ewe of every one's life is that whereof he is con
ceived, 159.
Evil. — By evil is learnt what good is ; the quality of
good being discerned by its opposite, 77.
Evils. — All evils flow from self-love and the love of
the world, 174.
Externals. — The externals of life are kept closed
after death, and the internals opened, 30.
Eve.— The eye corresponds to the understanding;
the sight of the left eye corresponds to truths, conse
quently to intelligence ; and the sight of the right eye
to the goods of truth, consequently to wisdom, 22.
Face. — Where the cerebrum and the cerebellum are
joined together as to epi ritual operations, with such
persons the face acts in unity with the thoughts, so that
the very affection of thought beams forth from the face,
88. The difference between the human faces on our
earth in ancient times and afterwards, 88.
Faith. — They who make profession of faith agreea
ble to doctrine, and do not live the life of faith, have
no faith, 39. Faith wrought by compulsion, such as U
the faith which enters by miracles, is not inherent, 160.
Fire. — The fiery principle appearing around the
Lord in the spiritual sun is divine Love, 170. Fire, in
the Word, signifies love in both senses ; sacred and ce
lestial fire is divine love, and infernal fire is self-love
and the love of the world, 52.
Flame. — A flaming principle signifies celestial love,
and the things appertaining to that love, 94.
Food. — The food which is wholesome is also savory,
58. Food should be prepared, not with a view to grat
ify the palate, but with a view to wholesomeness, 58.
Forests represented in the other life, 32,
Form. — The human form !b the form of the Divins
of heaven, of every angel, and of every spirit, 1, 6, *
123, 159.

90

LAM

INDEX.

MIN

Gardens represented in the other life, 32, 33.
Genii's.— The genius and character of the men of
cjvery earth may be known from the genius and char
acter of the spirits who come from thence, 30.
Gentilks.— The Gentiles in another life are instruct
ed by angels ; and they who have lived good lives, ac
cording to their religions principles, receive the truths
of faith and acknowledge the Lord, 118.
God.— God, under a human form, is the Lord, 121.
No one can believe in a God and love a God whom he
cannot comprehend under some existence, 118. It is
Impossible to think of God except in a human form, 7-
See Adore.
Governments. — Origin of governments, 174, 49.
Gulf.— A vast gulf separating our solar system from
some other systems of the starry heaven, 128.
Hash. — The hand signifies power, 94.
Heat.— Heat signifies love, 41. The heat which
proceeds from the spiritual sun is divine good,
170. Heaven.— Heaven corresponds to the Lord; it is.
before the Lord, a man in large effigy, and is called
the Grand Man, 5. All the heaven resembles one
man, 9. How immense the Lord's heaven is, 168.
Heaven is distinguished info two kingdoms, one of
which is called the celestial kingdom, and the other
the spiritual kingdom, 169.
Holy Ghost.— Bv the Holy Ghost is meant the Di
vine Proceeding Principle, 159.
Horse. — Horses signify the intellectual principle ;
in the Revelation, the white horse signifies the under
standing of the Word, 60. 82. Why Elias was taken
up by a fiery chariot and fiery horses, 82.
Human.— The Lord made his human principle divine
by virtue of the divine principle in himself, which was
to him a soul from the Father, 159.
Human Race.— The human race is the seminary of
Leaven, 3, 30.
Humiliation. — Extraordinary humiliation of the
spirits of the planet Mars, 91.
Idea. — The idea which any person entertains con
cerning any thing in another world is presented to the
life, 158. Angelic ideas, which are spiritual, infinitely
excel human ideas, 167. Material ideas, 38.
Immensity of Heaven, 168.
Influx. — In another life the quality of every spirit
manifests itself by an influx, which is the communica
tion of its affection, 50. Influx is spiritual, and not
physical or natural, 102. Influx appears as if it were
from externals into man's internals, but this is a fal
lacy, 102.
Inhabitants. — The inhabitants of all the other
earths adore the Divine under a human form, conse
quently the Lord, 7. Dwellers in houses, families,
nations, and societies, 174.
Instinct.— What instinct is, 96.
Instructors. — Concerning spirits who instruct, 73-
76. 78.
Instrumental.— The body is the instrumental part
whereby the will, which is the principal, acts ; and
the instrumental and the principal, in acting, are
one, 159.
Internals. — The internals of the liFe are opened
after death, 30.
Jesuits, 61.
Judgment.— The last judgment not the end of the
world, as is falsely believed, 165. The last Judgment
In one of the earths in the starry heaven, 171.
Jupiter. — Concerning the planet Jupiter, 46-84.
Population and fertility, 46. Probity and wisdom of
us inhabitants. 49, 62. Their faces, 53, 54. Their
manner of walking, 55. Their nuditv, 56. Their po
sition in bed, 57. Their repasts, 58. Their habitations.
59. Their divine worship, 65, 68, 69. The spirits and
the angels from the earth Jupiter in the Grand Man
have relation to the imaginative principle, and conse
qnently lo an active state of the interior parts, 64.
Their clear perception concerning spiritual things, 67.
Of inhabitants of Jupiter who consider themselves
, saints and lords-mediators, and how they are treated
by spirits, 70, 78. Their instructing mid chastising
spirits, 72-76, 78. The angels of their interior heaven,
and of their discourse, which differs from that of the
angels of our earth. 80. How the spirits of Jupiter,
when they are prepared, are taken up into heaven and
become angels, 82, 83. The age to which the inhabl
tantB of Jupiter live, and how they die. 84.
Knee. — Tho knee signifies the conjunction of things
natural and things celestial, 156.
Knowledges. — In heaven, the knowledges of each
are communicated with all, and the knowledges of all
with each, 25.
Lambs.— Lambs signify innocence, 34.
Lamps.— Lamps, with lights, signify truths which.
are lucid b.v virtue of good, 33.

Learned.— Experiences concerning the learned m
the other life, 38, 67.
Life. — Every one's life remains with hira and fol
lows him after death, 30. The state of life is the state
of the affections as to love and faith, 135.
Light. — Light signifies wisdom, 41. The light
which proceeds from the spiritual sun is Divine Heat,
170. The light of heaven illuminates both the sight
and the understanding of angels, 41.
Lights. — Lamps with lights signify truths which
are lucid by virtue of good, 33.
Lips. — The lips were especially used in the discourse
by the face ; results of an examination of the fibres *>'
the lips, 53, 54.
Logicians, 38.
Loud.— The Lord is the only God, 98, 99. The Lord
s the sun of heaven : he appears at a middle distance
above the plane of the right eye, 40. The Lord seen
'n the midst of the sun of heaven by the spirits of our
earth, of Mercury, and of Jupiter, 40, 170. He is seen
by the spirits of Mars often, 91. He is seen at times
under an angelic form, and thereby as a man by the
spirits of Saturn, 98.
Love. — Love is the fire of life, 52. Celestial love is
love to the Lord, and spiritual love is charity towards
our neighbor, 94. Self-love is the father of evils, 174.
The love of a father for children increases in descend
ing, 174. Conjugal love, 163. To love the Lord is to
"ve according to the commandments which are from
him. To love the neighbor is to do what is good, just, -
and right, in every work and in every function, from
an affection of what is good, just, and right, 169.
Man. — Man is a spirit as to his interiors, 123. "When
man dies as to the body he lives a spirit, even in a hu
man form, as before, 123. 159. Man, after death, re
tains the memory of all his concerns in the world, 127.
Man, becoming a spirit after death, remains near his.
respective earth. 47. 139. Man is, as to his interiors.
the midst of spirits and angels, of a nature ana
quality agreeing with his own ; he is capable of speak
ing with them, but at this day it is dang-erous, 1.
How the natural man fights and strives with the spir-
"tnal man, 102.
Marriage. — Of marriage in one of the earths In th«
starry heaven, 178.
Mars. — The spirits of Mars are among the best of all
who come from the earths of this solar system, 85.
Speech and genius of the inhabitants of Mars, 87. The
ipirits of Mars in the Grand Man have relation to
bought grounded in affection, and the best of them tj
the affection of thought, 88. The middle province,
which is between the cerebrum and the cerebellum,
corresponds to them, 88. Life of the inhabitants, 90.
Their divine worship, 91. Their profound humilia
tion, 91. Their face, their food, and their garments,
93. Meadows represented in the other life, 32.
Membrane. — They who love knowledges and not 60
much a life according to knowledges, in the Grand
Man, have relation to the interior membrane of the
skull, 95.
Memory.— Man after death retains the memorv of
all his concerns in the world, 127- Spirits, when tuey
come to man, see in his memory all things contained
therein, 11 ; they enter into all bis memory, and read
the things contained therein, as out of a book, 13. The
natural or external memory remains with spirits, but
it is not opened, except at the Lord's good pleasure,
160. Mercury.— Of the earth or planet Mercury, its
spirits and inhabitants, 9 to 45. The spirits of Mer
cury In the Grand Man have relation to the memory
of things abstracted from what is material and terres
trial, 11. Their eagerness to acquire knowledges, 13.
Their self-conceit in consequence of their knowledges,
16, 37. They are little distinguished for their Judg
ment ; bare knowledges alone are the things whicl'
give them pleasure, 17. They think that knowledges
to them are uses, 18. Their judgment is, as it were,
instantaneous. 22. They wander through the uni
verse. 24. They go in companies and phalanxes, 25.
How they perfect their memory, 35. Kow they in-
struct the inhabitants of their earth, 35. They 'have
exquisite perception, 39. Form and dress or the in
habitants ot Mercury, 44. How the sun of our solar
system appears from the planet Mercury, 45. Tem
perature of that earth, 45.
Merit —The Lord alone has merit and righteous
ness. The lot ol those who place merit in their works.
in the other life, 70.
Metaphvsicians. 38.
Mind.— The exertions of tho mind depend on the in
terior state of the recipient bodily parts, 58 All
things appertaining to the mind, or to the thinking
principle and the will principle, have relation to truth

SEL

INDEX.

TEI

97

and good, 163. All the things appertaining to the
mind are presented in some natural appearance in the
body, 163.
Miracles. — The faith which enters by miracles is
wrought by compulsion, and is not inherent ; it would
be hurtful to those in whom faith may be implanted
by the Word in a state without compulsion, 160. Mir
acle of miracles, 135.
Monks and monkish spirits, 169, 172, 173.
Moon. — Of the spirits and inhabitants of the moon,
111, 112. Stature and robustness of the inhabitants of
the moon ; their speech ; their relation in the Grand
Man to the ensifoxm cartilage, or ¦xnphnidex. 111. All
the moons or satellites are inhabited hymen, 112.
Motions. — In another life, motions, progressions,
and changes of place are changes of the states of the
interiors of life, 125. The spirit is led by variations of
the state of the interior life, which appear to it as pro
gressions through spaces, 127.
Nakedness. — Nakedness gives no occasion either of
shame or of scandal to such as live iu chastity and a
state of innocence, 56.
Natural. — The natural and external sense is the
ultimate, wherein the interiors of life close, and rest
as in their common basis, 122.
Opposites. — All truth is made manifest by relation
to its opposites, 35.
Palaces represented to the view of spirits, 150.
Palate. — When at meals the gratification of the
palate is the chief thing attended to, the body is dis
ordered. That food should be dressed not with a view
to gratify the palate, but chiefly to wholesomeness,
58. Pallas, 38.
Perception. — Interior perception is lost in the
Christian world, and remains only with the simple
who are principled in faith, 158.
Planets. — The planets are earths inhabited by men,
3. Situation of the planets in the ideas of spirits and
angels, 42, 86, 105. Spirits appear near their respec-
uve planets, but out of them, 42, 47.
Plurality of Worlds, 2.
Preacher. — Concerning one who had been a pre
late and' a preacher, and likewise a very pathetic
writer, 157, 158, 161, 162.
Principal. — The instrumental and principal in act
are one, 159.
Printing.— The art of printing, 81, 115, 155 ; un
known in the other earths, 155. Printed papers among
spirits of Mercury, 28.
Progressions.— In another life, progressions and
changes of place are changes of the states of the inte
riors of life, 125. The spirit is led by variations of the
state of the interior life, which appear to it as progres
sions through spaces, 127.
Quality. — In another life the quality of every spirit
manifests itself by an influx, which is the communica
tion of its affection, 50.
Reasons why the Lord was willing to be born on
our earth, and not on another, 113 to 122.
Represent. — To represent objects is imaginatively
to exhibit them before another, in which case, in an
other world, they appear to the life, 32.
¦ Respiration.— Spirits and angels have respiration,
87. Resurrection. — Man rises again only as to spirit,
and not as to body. The Lord alone arose again as to
body also, 159. Why the false belief of the present
day as to the resurrection is permitted, 165.
Revelation. — It was necessary there should be a
revelation from heaven, 114. How revelation is ef
fected on our earth, 155. How it is made in one of the
earths in the Btarry heaven, 175.
Right. — The right in the other life is towards the
south, 168.
Righteousness. — The Lord alone has merit and
righteousness, 70.
Rings of Saturn, 3, 104.
Rivers represented in the other life, 32.
Satellites, 3, 42, 126. The satellites are earths in
habited by men, 112.
Saturn.— The planet Saturn, its spirits and inhab
itants, 97 to 104. Character of the spirits of Saturn,
97. Their wunmip, 98. They represent in the Grand
Man the middle sense between the spiritual and the
natural man, 102. Manners of the inhabitants, their
food and clothing, 103. Rings of Saturn, 3, 104.
Schoolmen, 38.
Sciences. — The sciences are means of opening the
intellectual sight, which sight is in the light of heav
en ; but they are also the means of becoming unwise,
or of confirming men iu favor of nature against the
divine agency, 62. Analytic science, 38.
Selfhoop.— Sjau's Belfhood is nothing else but mere
evil, 174.

Seminal Vessels.— By what spirits these are repre
sented in the Grand Man, 79. F
Sense.— The natural and external sense is the ulti
mate wherein the interiors of life close, and rest as in
their common basis, 122. The internal or spiritual
sense of the Word, without an external or natural
sense, would be as a house without a foundation, 122.
Sensual. — Sensual principle of the body ; sensual
principle of the spirit, 127. The sensual corporeal
principle is represented in another life by serpents, 148.
Serpents,— Serpents signify the sensual external
principle of man. The reason, 148.
Sight.— The sight of man's spirit is opened by the
removal of the bodily sight, 165. By what spirits
keenness of vision is represented in the Grand Man, 140.
Sinus Longitudinalis.— What spirits have relation
to the sinus lonqttndinaUs in the Grand Man, 95.
Soul.— The soul, which lives after death, is the spirit
of man, which is the real man in him, and also ap
pears in another life in a perfect human form, 1.
Speech. — The most ancient people on this earth
used to discourse by the face and lips, by means of in
ternal aspiration, 54. Excellence of this kind ot dis
course over vocal discourse, 54. Such discourse only
remained so long as man continued to be influenced
by a principle of sincerity and rectitude, 54.
Sphere. — A spiritual sphere, which is the sphere ot
the life, flows forth and overflows from every man,
spirit, and angel, and encompasses them about, 64, 148.
That which produces collision of spheres, 148.
Spirit. — Man in his essence is a spirit, and together
with spirits as to his interiors, 1. The soul, which
lives after death, is the spirit of man, which is the real
man in him, and appears in another life in a perfect
huniarf form, 1. All spirits and angels whatsoever
were once men, and are altogether such, as to affec
tions and inclinations, as they were during their life
in the world while men, 30. They appear all in a hu
man form, and are actually men, 128. The spirits who
are attendant on man are in possession of all things
appertaining to his memory, 13. Spirits, when it
pleases the Lord, may see things in the natural world
through the eyes of man, 135. The spirits of each
earth appear about their own particular earth, 139.
Why the spirits of one earth are separated from the
spirits of another earth, 86. All spirits are distin
guished by their situation in respect to the human
body, 156. The spirits of our earth are cunning,
prompt, and ingenious in the contrivance of evil, 61,
At this day it is dangerous to discourse with spiritB
and angels, unless man be in a true faith, and be led
of the Lord, 1.
Spleen.— Spirits that have relation to somewhat in
the spleen in the Grand Man, 132.
Spring and summer perpetual in one of the earths
in the Btarry heavens, and why, 177.
Stars. — Each star is a sun, the centre of a planetary
system, 4. Stars, in the Word, signify the knowledges
of good and truth, consequently truths, 50. In another
life truths are represented by fixed stars, butfalses by
wandering stars, 50, 72.
State. — The state of life is the state of the affections
as to love and faith, 135. It is owing to diversity ol
state that spirits appear separate from each other, 86.
Striatum. — What is represented by that which is
striated, 95.
Subjects. — Communications in heaven are effected
by means of spirits sent forth from societies of spirits
and angels to other societies, and those emissary spir
its are called subjects, 95.
Sun. — By the sun, in the Word, is signified the Lord
as to Divine Love, 40. The sun of this world does not
appear either to spirits or angels, 40, 42.
Swedenborg. — His interiors opened by the Lord, 1,
124, 125, 135 It was given to him to converse with
spirits as aspirit, aud at the same time with men as a
man, 125.
Temples. — Sacred temples of one of the earths in
the starry heaven, 150; described, 151.
Thought. — Thought flows from affection, and is, as
it were, in it, 95. Confusion in the idea of spirita,
produced by others conceiving three gods in thought.
and professing one in speech, when nevertheless
thought and speech ought ever to be in agreement
with each other, 158. The thoughts of the generality
of persons on this earth are grounded iu the things of
sense, which appertain to the body, and therefore they
believe in the existence of nothing but what they see
and touch, 165.
Threefold Unity in the Lord, 159.
Translation. — How translation is effected as to the
spirit, and its approach or near advancement to things
remote, 127, 164. Translation to other earths iu tht
universe, 125, 127. 138, 157, 168.
Trine. — The 'true doctrine concerning the Lord, 159

WHI

INDEX

WRI

Understanding.— The understanding is internal
sight, and the sight of things immaterial, 22.
Universe. — In the universe there are an immense
number of earths, and these earths are inhabited by
men, 3, 26.
Venus. — The earth Venus, its spirits and inhabit
ants, 105 to 110. In Venus there are two kinds of
men, of tempers and dispositions opposite to each
Jther, 106. One class acknowledge our Lord as their
only God ; these in the Grand Man have relation to
the memory of things material agreeing with the
memory of things immaterial, 43, 107. The other class
are savage and almost brutal, 108, 109.
White Horse. — The white horse in the Revelation
signifies the understanding of the Word, 60, 82.

Wisdom. — The first step in the ladder of wisdom 1,
to know, acknowledge, and perceive that what is
known in little and scarce any thing in comparison
with what is unknown, 37.
Wolf. — Interview between the spirits of Mercury
and Christian Wolf, 38.
Word. — The Word is the Lord as to divine truth,
consequently divine truth from the Lord, 122. The
Word is conjunction of heaven and earth, 119. The
Word was written by mere correspondences, 119.
Worship. — Divine worship of the inhabitants of
other earths, 7, 65, 68, 69, 91,98, 107, 130, 141, 142. 154,
158, 175.
Weiting. — The art of writing existed on our earth
from the most ancient time, 115.

GENEKAL ItfDEX.

Concerning the Earths in the Universe  1 — 8
Concerning the Earth or Planet Mercury  9 — 45
Concerning the Earth or Planet Jupiter  46—84
Concerning the Earth or Planet Mars  85 — 96
Concerning the Earth or Planet Saturn  97 — 104
Concerning the Earth or Planet Venus  105 — 1 1 0
Concerning the Spirits and Inhabitants of the Moon  Ill — 112
The reasons why the Lord was willing to be born on our Earth and not on
another  113—122
Concerning the Earths in the Starry Heaven  128 — 126
Concerning the Eirst Karth in the Starry Heaven  127 — 137
Concerning the Second Earth in the Starry Heaven  138— 147
Concerning the Third Earth in the Starry Heaven  148 — 156
Concerning the Fourth Earth in the Starry Heaven  157  157
Concerning the Fifth Earth in the Starry Heaven  168—178

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