|
|
138. I was afterwards led by the Lord to an earth in the universe which was at a much greater distance from our Earth than the first one that has just been treated of. That it was at a much greater distance, 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. As remoteness in the spiritual world does not, as already observed, arise from distance of place, but from difference of state, the long-continuance of my progression thither, which lasted two days, enabled me to conclude that the state of the interiors which prevailed with them, which is the state of the affections and of the consequent thoughts, differed proportionately from the state of the interiors which prevails with the spirits from our Earth. As I was conveyed thither as to the spirit by means of changes of the state of the interiors, I was enabled to observe the successive changes themselves before I arrived there. This took place while I was awake.
139. When I arrived there, I did not see the earth, but only the spirits who were from that earth; for, as has already been stated, the spirits of every earth appear about their own earth, because they are of a similar genius with the inhabitants, for they are of them, and are serviceable to them. Those spirits appeared at a considerable height over my head, and from thence they saw me coming. It must be borne in mind that they who stand on high in the other life can behold those who are below them, and the higher they stand the wider is the extent of their vision; and that not only can they behold them, but also speak with them. They observed from there that I was not from their earth, but from some other at a distance; wherefore, addressing me from thence, they questioned me on various subjects, and to these questions it was also permitted me to reply. Among other things, I told them from what earth I came, and what kind of earth it was; and afterwards I told them about the earths in our solar system; and then also about the spirits of the earth or planet Mercury, that they wander about to many earths for the purpose of procuring for themselves knowledges about various things. On hearing [pg 75] this, they said that they had also seen those spirits among themselves.
140. I was told 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 that therefore they appear on high; and that they have a most penetrating keenness of sight. In consequence of their having this relation, and of their seeing clearly the things that were below, in the course of our conversation I compared them to eagles, which fly aloft, and enjoy a piercing and extensive view of surrounding things. At this they became indignant, supposing that I considered them like eagles as to their rapacity, and consequently that I thought them evil; but I replied, that I did not liken them to eagles as to rapacity, but as to keenness of vision.
141. Being questioned concerning the God whom they worshipped, they replied that they worshipped a God visible and invisible; a God visible under the Human Form, and an invisible God, under no form at all; and I learned from their discourse, and likewise from the ideas of their thoughts which were communicated 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, an invisible and a visible God is worshipped; and that the invisible God is called the Father, and the visible, the Lord; but that both are One, as He Himself taught, saying, that no one had ever seen the form of the Father, that the Father and He are One, that whoso seeth Him seeth the Father, and that the Father is in Him and He in the Father; consequently, that both Divine [Essences] are in One Person. That these are the words of the Lord Himself, see John v. 37; x. 30; xiv. 7, 9-11.
142. Afterwards I saw other spirits from the same earth, who appeared in a place beneath the former: with these also I conversed; but they were idolaters, for they worshipped an idol of stone, like a man, but an unhandsome one. It is to be observed, that all who come into the other life, in the beginning have a worship which is like their worship in the world, but that by degrees they are removed from it. The reason why this takes place is, that all worship remains implanted in man's interior life, from which it cannot be removed and eradicated except by degrees. On seeing this, it was given me to tell them that they ought not to worship what is dead, but what is living; to which they replied, that they knew that God lives, and that a stone does not, but that they thought of the living God while looking on a stone resembling 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 can 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 under the Human Form; and thus that man can be conjoined with the invisible God in thought and affection, consequently in faith and love, when he is conjoined 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 this they replied, that they do not know what governments are, and that they live under themselves, distinguished into clans, families, and households. They were questioned whether they were thus in security. They said they were secure, since one family never envies another, nor desires to deprive another of anything. They were indignant at being asked such questions, as if they had been charged with being at enmity, or with needing protection against robbers. What, said they, does anyone need but food and raiment, and thus to live content and quiet under one's own management?
144. Being further questioned concerning their earth, they said that they have meadows, flower-gardens, orchards full of fruit-trees, and also lakes containing fish; and that they have birds of a blue colour, with golden feathers; and large and small animals. Amongst the smaller, they mentioned one sort which had the back raised like the camels on our Earth; nevertheless, they do not feed on their flesh, but only on the flesh of fishes, and besides on the fruits of trees, and on the leguminous plants of the earth. They said, moreover, that they do not live in artificial houses, but in groves, amongst the leafy boughs of which they make roofs to shelter them from rain and the heat of the sun.
145. Being questioned respecting their sun, which appears as a star from our Earth, they said that it has a fiery appearance, and that it is not larger to the sight than a man's head. I was told by the angels that the star which is their sun is one of the smaller stars, not far distant from the equator.
146. There were seen some spirits who were like what they had been during their abode as men on their earth. They had faces not unlike the faces of the men of our Earth, except that their eyes and nose were small. As this appeared to me something of a deformity, they said that with them small eyes and a small nose are considered a beauty. A female was seen, clothed in a gown ornamented with roses of various colours. I asked whence they procured for themselves materials for clothing on [pg 7] that earth. They answered that they gather from certain plants substances which they spin into thread; and that they then at once lay the threads in double and triple rows, moistening them with a glutinous water to give them consistence. Afterwards they colour the cloth, thus prepared, with the juices of herbaceous plants. It was also shown me how they prepare the thread. The women sit down on a seat, with their backs bent, and twist the threads with their toes; and when twisted they draw the threads towards them, and work them with their hands.
147. They said also, that on that earth a husband has only one wife, and no more; and that they beget from ten to fifteen children. They added, that there are likewise found harlots on that earth; but that these, after the life of the body, when they become spirits, are sorceresses, and are cast into hell.
Index | Next: Chapter 12. The Third Earth in the Starry Heaven