477、对此，我补充以下记事：
我听见一个灵人，一个刚从尘世来的年轻人，竟然吹嘘自己的淫行，似乎渴望得到他比其他男人更男人的赞美。在厚颜无耻地炫耀中，他脱口说出下面的话：“还有什么比禁锢人的爱情，只与一个女人生活更令人沮丧的呢？还有什么比释放爱情更令人快乐的呢？只和一个女人在一起，谁不会厌倦？和多个女人在一起，谁不更有活力？还有什么比性自由、多样化、奸污处女、欺骗丈夫、淫乱的虚伪更甜美的呢？心灵最深处的快乐不就是通过狡诈、欺骗和偷窃所获得的奖赏吗？”
听到这里，旁观者说：“不要这么说。你不知道自己身在何处，和谁在一起。你不过刚到此处。你脚下是地狱，头上是天堂。如今，你正在这二者中间的一个世界，这个世界叫灵人界。所有离世之人都到这里来，在此聚集，接受对自己本性的检查，然后做好预备：恶者预备下地狱，善者预备上天堂。或许你还记得在世时牧师说过，嫖客和妓女都会被扔进地狱，而贞洁的已婚者则被提上天堂。”闻听此言，新来者嘲笑说：“什么是天堂？什么是地狱？自由自在的地方不就是天堂？自由不就是可以随心所欲爱许多女人吗？地狱不就是被奴役的地方吗？奴役不就是被迫忠于一个女人吗？”
一位从天上俯视的天使听到这些话后，为了不让这个年轻人继续亵渎婚姻，于是打断他说：“上到这里来，我会以活生生的方式向你说明什么是天堂，什么是地狱，以及等待执意淫乱之人的是哪类地狱。”于是，他向这人指明了上去的路。一到天堂，他先被带到一个天堂花园，那里满是果树和鲜花，其美丽、愉悦和芬芳以生气勃勃的快乐充满所有人的灵。看到这些景象，他大为惊讶；不过，此时他用的是外在视觉，也就是他在世观看类似事物时所用的视觉。处于这种视觉，他是理性的；但当他使用内在视觉，也就是淫乱在其中起主导作用，并占据其思维的每时每刻的视觉时，是不理性的。于是，他的外在视觉被关闭，内在视觉被打开。内在视觉一打开，他便说：“我现在看到的是什么呀？这不是稻草和干柴吗？我现在闻到的是什么呀？不是臭味吗？那个天堂哪去了？”“它近在咫尺，就在旁边，”天使说，“只是你那淫乱的内在视觉看不到罢了，因为这视觉将天堂之物转化成地狱之物，只能看到它们的对立面。每个人都有一个内在心智和一个外在心智，因而有一个内在视觉和一个外在视觉。恶者的内在心智是疯狂的，外在心智是明智的；而善者的内在心智是明智的，外在心智由此也是明智的。在灵界，人看待事物的方式取决于其心智的性质。”
之后，天使凭赋予他的能力关闭了这个年轻人的内在视觉，并打开他的外在视觉，然后领他出了大门，来到住宅中心。他在这里看到宏伟的宫殿，全是由雪花石膏、大理石和各种宝石建成的；旁边是门廊，四围有被令人惊叹的徽章和装饰所镶嵌和包裹的圆柱。看到这些，他奇道：“我看到的是什么？这是富丽堂皇的巅峰，是建筑艺术的极致。”不过，天使又关闭了他的外在视觉，打开了他那因充满污秽淫乱而邪恶的内在视觉。当这一切完成时，他叫喊说：“我现在看到的是什么呀？我在哪里？那些宫殿和壮丽美景都哪去了？我眼里尽是残垣断壁，岩石洞穴！”
过了一会儿，他又被带回其外在视觉，被引入其中一座宫殿，看到了门、窗、墙和天花板，尤其器具上的装饰图案；它们上面和周围全是黄金和宝石制成的天堂形状，无法用语言形容，也不是任何艺术所能描绘的，因为它们超出了语言的表达和艺术所能传达的观念。看到这些，这个年轻人再次惊呼：“这些是眼所未见的真正奇迹。”不过，这时，和以前一样，他的内在视觉被打开，外在视觉被关闭，并被问及，他现在看到的是什么，他回答说：“除了墙什么也没有，有些墙是用芦苇砌的，有些是用稻草砌的，有些是用柴禾围起来的。”
然后，他又被带回其心智的外在状态，一些少女被领到他面前。她们都是美的化身，因为她们描绘了天堂的情感。这些少女以其情感的甜美声音和他说话。一看见并听见她们，他的脸色就变了，并且他自动回到其淫乱的内在状态。由于他的内在受不了一丁点天堂之爱，反过来也无法被天堂之爱所容忍，于是他们双方都消失了；少女从这年轻人眼前消失，他也从少女眼前消失。
这事过后，天使指教他有关其视觉状态颠倒的缘由，说：“我发觉在你所来的那个世界，你是个双面人，内在是一种人，外在是另一种人。你外在是一个文明、道德和理性的人；而内在既不文明、道德，也不理性，因为你是一个嫖客和奸夫。这种男人若被允许升入天堂，在那里被保持在外在状态，就能看到那里的天堂景象；但是，一打开他们的内在，他们就看不到天堂的景象，取而代之的是地狱的景象。
“然而，要知道，在灵人界，每个人的外在都会逐渐被关闭，内在则被打开；他们以此或为天堂或为地狱做好准备。由于淫乱的罪恶比其它任何罪恶更能玷污心智的内在，所以你的心智必被带入你自己那爱的污秽；这些污秽可见于地狱，那里有充满粪臭味的洞穴。凭理性之光谁不知道，在灵界，不贞洁和放荡之物是不洁和肮脏的，因而没有比这更能败坏和玷污一个人，并给他招来地狱之物的了？所以，小心点，别再鼓吹你以之为比别人更男人的那些淫行了。我可以预见，你会变得衰弱无力，以至于几乎不知道你的男性气概在哪里。这就是等待那些吹嘘自己淫乱的性能力之人的命运。”听完这番话，这个年轻人下来了，回到灵人界和他以前的同伴那里。这时，他和他们说话显得谦虚、贞洁，只是并未持续多久。
477、在此做以下陈述：
一次我听到一个刚刚到达精神世界的精灵吹嘘他在世间时的淫荡行为。似乎他想让人觉得自己比其他人更是个男子汉，以下是他所说的。
“有什么比约束自己的爱而只与一个女人生活更令人沮丧呢？又有什么比将自己的爱放开来更令人高兴呢？有谁不怕只与一个人为伴，而喜欢得到多个人的注意呢？有什么会比没限制的自由，多样性和诱骗少女，欺骗丈夫更好呢？这些快乐不是通过偷偷摸摸才得来的吗？”
听到这些，旁边的人说，不要这么说你不知道你现在在哪。你刚刚来到这里。你的脚下是地狱，你的头上是天堂。你现在处于二者之间的精神世界。所有的人死后都会到这里来，在这里根据他的性质而被审察。善的人会进天堂，恶的人会进地狱，你也许还记得世间的牧师说过，淫荡的男女死后会进地狱，而有贞洁的婚姻的人则进入天国。”
新来者笑道：“天国是什么，地狱又是什么？天国不就是人要有自由，能自由地与许多女人交往吗？若人成为奴隶一样不是在地狱中吗？只与一个女人生活岂不是将自己奴役起来吗？”
但是正在天国中向下看的一个天使听到了他所说的，于是他限止他继续对婚姻恶言相击。天使对他们说：“过来，我带你看看什么是天国，什么是地狱。以及那些故意犯奸淫的人的地狱是什么样的。”
天使于是指出一条路，精灵飞上去了。天使首先带他到了一个天堂的花园。在那里有果树，花木，其香气使精灵感到非常高兴。
看到这些，精灵不禁赞叹起来。但此时他所用的是外在的视觉，即他在世间时看类似事物时所用的视觉，此时他是理性的。但当他用他的内在的视觉再看这些事物时，此时淫荡成份充满了他的头脑，这时他是不理性的。当他外在视觉被关闭而内在视觉被开启后，他偏差：“我看到的是什么东西啊！不就是些枯草和干木头吗？闻到的不就是臭气吗？天国里的东西都到哪里去了。”
天使说：“它们就在你周围。但你的内在视觉看不到它们。因为你的内在的和外在的思想，还有内在和外在的视觉。在罪恶的人身上，他的内在是疯狂的而外在是智慧的；而善的人的内在外在都是智慧的。人的思想的性质决定了人在精神世界将如何看到事物。”
之后，天使将精灵的内在视觉关闭，将他的外在视觉打开。带他通过花园走向他们居住的地方。在那里，精灵看到了理石及各种珍贵石料建的宫殿，周围有石柱，还有美得惊人的装饰。
看到这些后，年轻人吃惊地说：“我现在看到的是什么啊？我见到的真是建筑艺术的精品啊。”
此时天使将其外在视觉关闭，而将其内在视觉打开。这时精灵惊叹道：“我现在看到的是什么啊？我在哪里？那些壮观的宫殿都在哪里？我只能看到废虚，和空的洞。”
之后，他又被恢复了他的外在视觉，并被带到宫殿中去，他看到了门、窗、屋顶精美的装饰，看到了绝美的金和珍贵的石头。它们都是语言所无法形容的。
看到这些，年轻人喊道：“这真是奇观啊，我从未见过这些。”但此时他的外在视线被关闭了，而内在视线被开启。这时他又说我只看到废墟，枯草到处都是。”
又一次，他又被带到外在思想中。又有些少女被带到他面前。她们就象画一样美丽，因为她们是天国的情感的代表，她们与他亲切的交谈。此时，精灵的表情变了，他自动回到了他的内在性质中。因为这种性质无法接受天国之爱，他立刻看不见少女们了，少女们也看不到他了。
之后，天使告诉他这一切变化的原因。在你所来的的那个世界，你有双重性格。内在是一种，外在是一种。在外在上你是守法的，道德的，理性的；但在内在上却不是这样。你是淫荡的通奸者。当这样的人被允许进入到天国中并处于其外在中时，他们会看到属于天国的事物；但若他们的内在处于开启状态，则他们会看到地狱里的东西。
“但你应知道，在这里人的外在会渐渐被关闭，而内在将被打开。在此人会为天国或为地狱做好准备。另外，因为淫荡的罪恶会比其它任何罪恶更会污染思想的内在。不可避免地你会被带入属于你的爱的事物中去，它们存在于地狱之中。
“有谁不知道不贞洁的淫荡的东西在精神世界中是污秽的，所以它会带来地狱的性质。”
“所以，小心点，别再鼓吹你的淫荡。我可以断言你将会变得性无能并且不知道自己的阳刚之气何在。吹嘘淫荡的人的命运就是这样的。”
之后，精灵又回到了精神世界中，并开始谦虚地高雅地与人讲话。但是这并没有持续多长时间。
477. At this point I shall add this account of an experience.
I heard a spirit, newly arrived from the world while still young, boasting of his affairs and fishing for compliments on being more of a man than others. He went so far as to include among his insolent boasts the following: 'Is there anything more depressing than keeping one's love imprisoned, and living by oneself with one woman? Is there anything more pleasant than letting one's love go free? Surely everyone gets tired of one woman, and is reinvigorated by several? Is there anything sweeter than sexual freedom, a variety of partners, the deflowering of virgins, the cheating of husbands and hypocrisy about promiscuity? Do not the prizes of cunning, deception and theft give the most intimate mental delight?'
[2] On hearing this the bystanders began to tell him, 'Don't speak like that. You don't know where you are and with whom. You have only recently arrived here. Beneath your feet is hell, above your head is heaven. You are now in the world midway between these two, what is called the world of spirits. All who depart from the world come and are assembled here, to be tested for their natures and prepared for hell, if wicked, for heaven, if good. You may perhaps still retain what you heard from priests in the world, that promiscuous men and women are cast down into hell, and chaste married people are taken up to heaven.'
The newcomer laughed at this and said, 'What are heaven and hell? Isn't heaven where one is free, and isn't being free being allowed to have as many lovers as one wants? Isn't hell where one is a slave, and isn't being a slave being obliged to stick to one woman?'
[3] But an angel who was looking down from heaven heard this, and put a stop to the conversation, to prevent him going on to make profane remarks about marriage. 'Come up here,' he told him, 'and I will give you a practical demonstration of what heaven and hell are, and what sort of hell awaits those who are confirmed in their practice of promiscuity.' And he showed him the way to go up.
When he reached heaven, he was first taken to a paradise of a garden, full of fruit-trees and flowers, the beauty, pleasantness and fragrance of which made one think how delightful it was to be alive. When he saw these sights he was greatly surprised; but he was then using his outward sight, such as he had had in the world, when he saw similar sights. In this condition he was rational. But when he used his inward sight, in which promiscuity played the leading role and dominated every moment of his thinking, he was not rational. His outward sight was therefore shut off and his inward sight opened up. When this happened, he said, 'What is this I see now? Straw and dry wood? And what do I perceive now? A nasty smell? Where has that paradise gone?'
'It is close by and present,' said the angel, 'but invisible to your inward sight, which is promiscuous, since this turns what is heavenly into what is hellish, and can see only the opposites. Everyone has an inward and an outward mind, and so inward and outward sight. In the case of the wicked the inward mind is foolish and the outward mind is wise, but in the case of the good the inward mind is wise and this makes the outward mind wise too. In the spiritual world the way a person sees things depends upon how his mind is.'
[4] After this the angel used the power he had been given to shut off the spirit's inward sight and open his outward sight. He then led him through doorways towards the centre of their dwellings, and he saw magnificent palaces built of alabaster, marble and precious stones; and nearby a colonnade with columns around it encrusted and surrounded with an astounding display of badges and decorations. On seeing these he was amazed and said, 'What is this I see? It is the very height of magnificence and an example of architecture at its best.' But the angel shut off his outward sight again, and opened his inward sight, which being full of foul promiscuity was wicked. When this happened, he cried, 'What is this I see now? Where am I? Where have the palaces and magnificent sights gone? All I see are piles of stones, rubble and rocky caves.'
[5] A little later he was returned to his outward sight and taken into one of the palaces. There he saw the way the doors, windows, walls and ceilings were decorated, and above all the decorations of the furniture, on and around which were heavenly shapes made of gold and precious stones; there are no words to describe them, nor any art which can depict them, since they are beyond expression and beyond the ideas art can convey. On seeing these he cried out again, 'These are really magnificent sights, such as the eye has never before seen.' But then his inward sight was opened, and the outward one shut off as before, and when asked what he then saw, he replied, 'Nothing but walls, some made of reeds, some of straw and some of faggots.'
[6] But he was brought back again to his outward mental state, and some girls were brought to him, who were models of beauty, because they pictured heavenly affections. They spoke to him in the sweet tones of their affections. Then what he saw and heard made his face change, and of his own accord he returned to his inward state, which was promiscuous. Since this cannot abide any hint of heavenly love, and on the other hand neither can heavenly love abide that, they lost sight of each other, the girls vanishing from the man's view and the man from the girls'.
[7] After this the angel taught him what was the cause of the changes in how he saw things. 'I perceive,' he said, 'that in the world from which you come you were two-faced, one person inwardly, another outwardly. Outwardly you were a civil, moral and rational person, but none of these inwardly, because you were promiscuous and an adulterer. Such people, when allowed to come up into heaven and kept there in their outward state, can see the heavenly sights there. But when their inward state is opened up, hellish sights take the place of heavenly ones.
[8] 'But you should know that each individual has his outward levels shut off one after the other, and his inward levels opened, so that he is prepared either for heaven or for hell. Since the evil of promiscuity pollutes the inward levels of the mind more than any other, your mind cannot help gravitating towards the foulness of your love, and this is to be found in the hells, where there are caverns stinking of dung. Can anyone fail to know by the light of reason that unchastity and wantonness are in the spiritual world impure and unclean, so that there is nothing which befouls and pollutes a person more, bringing a hellish condition upon him? Take care then not to go on boasting about your affairs as showing yourself to be more of a man than others. I can foretell that you are going to be so weak that you will hardly know where your masculinity is. That is the fate that awaits those who boast of their promiscuous virility.'
After hearing this the young man came down and returned to the world of spirits, and rejoined his previous companions, speaking modestly and chastely with them, but not for long.
477. To this I will append the following narrative account:
I heard a certain spirit, a young man newly come from the world, boasting of his licentious activities and acting as though he wished to have the acclaim of being a man more manly than others. Then amid the effronteries of his boasting, he blurted out also the following:
"What is more dismal than to imprison one's love and to live alone with only one woman? And what is more delightful than to set one's love free? Who is not wearied by the companionship of one, and enlivened by the attentions of many? Is anything sweeter than unrestricted freedom, variety, the deflowering of virgins, the deceiving of husbands, and licentious charades? Do not those things delight the inmost elements of the mind which are obtained by wiles, subterfuges and theft?"
[2] On hearing this, the people standing by said, "Do not speak so! You do not know where you are and in whose company you are. You have only recently arrived here. Under your feet is hell, and above your head is heaven. You are now in the world which is midway between those two and is called the world of spirits. All people come here and are gathered here who pass away out of the world, and they are explored with respect to their character and prepared, evil people for hell and good people for heaven. Perhaps you recall still from priests in the world that licentious and wanton men and women are cast into hell, and that the chastely married are taken up into heaven."
The newcomer laughed at that, saying, "What is heaven, and what is hell? Is it not heaven wherever a person is free, and is he not free who is at liberty to make love to as many of the opposite sex as he pleases? And is it not hell wherever a person is enslaved, and is he not enslaved who must restrict himself to one?"
[3] But a certain angel looking down from heaven heard what he was saying and stopped him from speaking, to keep him from going any further and speaking profanely of marriage. And the angel said to him, "Come up here, and I will show you by actual experience what heaven is and what hell is, and what the latter is like for the deliberately licentious."
The angel then pointed out a path, by which the newcomer ascended. And after receiving the newcomer, he took him first to a garden paradise, containing fruit trees and flowers whose beauty, charm and fragrance filled their spirits with invigorating delights.
On seeing these sights, the newcomer marveled with great admiration; but he was then seeing with his external sight, of the kind he had had in the world when viewing like things there, and in that state of sight he was rational. However, when seeing with his internal sight, in which licentiousness predominated and occupied every particle of his thought, he was not rational. His external sight was closed up, therefore, and his internal sight opened. And when it was opened he said, "What is this I am seeing now? Are they not wisps of straw and dry sticks of wood? And what am I smelling now? Is it not a foul stench? Where now have the things of paradise gone?"
Whereupon the angel said, "They are close by and around you, but they are not visible to your internal sight, which is licentious; for licentiousness turns heavenly things into hellish ones and sees only their opposites. Every person has an inner mind and an outer mind, thus an internal sight and an external sight. In evil people the inner mind is insane and the outer one wise, while in good people the inner mind is wise and in consequence of it the outer one too; and the character of the mind determines how a person in the spiritual world sees objects."
[4] After that, by a power given him, the angel closed up the newcomer's internal sight and opened his external one; and he took him through some gates towards the central area of their residences, where the young man saw magnificent palaces of alabaster, marble, and various precious stones, with arcades adjoining them, and columns round about, covered and beset with stunning emblems and ornamentations.
When the young man saw these, he was overwhelmed with astonishment, and he said, "What am I seeing? I am seeing magnificent sights in the essence of their magnificence, and architecture in the essence of its art!"
But then the angel closed up his external sight again, and opened his internal one, which was evil because of its foully licentious character; and at that the young man cried out, saying, "What am I seeing now? Where am I? Where now have the palaces and magnificent sights gone? I am seeing ruins, rubble, and cavernous hollows!"
[5] He was, however, shortly restored to his external state and taken into one of the palaces; and he beheld the ornamentations of the doors, windows, walls and ceilings - especially of the implements, which were covered and beset with heavenly forms of gold and precious stones such as words cannot describe or any art portray; for they transcended the imagery of words and the conceptions of art.
Seeing these things, the young man cried out again, saying, "These are truly marvels, never seen by any eye before!"
But then as previously his external sight was closed up and his internal one opened; and on being asked what he saw now, he replied, "Nothing but walls of rushes here, of straw there, and of firebrands over there."
[6] Again, however, he was brought into his external state of mind, and maidens were presented to him who were pictures of beauty, because they were images of heavenly affection; and these spoke to him in the sweet voice of their affection. At that, then, on seeing and hearing them, the young man's expression changed, and he spontaneously slipped back into his internal qualities, which were licentious. And because these qualities cannot endure any element of heavenly love, and conversely cannot be endured by any heavenly love, they vanished on both sides - the maidens from the sight of the man, and the man from the sight of the maidens.
[7] After that the angel informed him of the reason for these changes in the state of his sight. "I perceive," he said, "that in the world from which you come, you had a dual character, being one person in your inner qualities and another in your outer ones; and that in your outer qualities you were a law-abiding, moral and rational person, but in your inner qualities not law-abiding, not moral, and not rational, because you were licentious and an adulterer. When people of this character are permitted to ascend into heaven and are kept there in their outer qualities, they can see the heavenly objects around them; but when their inner qualities are laid open, instead of heavenly objects they see hellish ones.
[8] "However, you should know that the outer qualities in everyone here are gradually closed up and the inner ones laid open, and thus they are prepared for heaven or for hell. Furthermore, because the evil of licentiousness defiles the inner qualities of the mind more than any other evil, it is inevitable that you be carried down to the foul depravities of your love, depravities which exists in the hells, in caverns which stink of excrement.
"Who cannot know from reason that unchasteness and lasciviousness in the spiritual world is impure and unclean, and thus that nothing pollutes and defiles a person more and induces on him a hellish character?
"Take care, therefore, not to boast any further of your licentiousness, thinking that in this you are a man more manly than others. I predict to you that you will become impotent, even so that you scarcely know where your masculinity lies. Such is the fate that awaits those who boast of the prowess of their licentiousness."
After hearing this the young man descended and went back to the world of spirits, and returning to his former companions, he spoke with them modestly and chastely - but yet not for long.
477. The following story is added to these articles.
I heard a young spirit, recently from the world, boasting about illicit affairs and wanting to win compliments for being more masculine than others, and among his arrogant boasts he poured out these words. "What's more dismal than to jail your love and live alone with one woman? And what's more delightful than to set love free? Who doesn't get tired of one woman and get excited by many women? What's sweeter than promiscuous freedoms, variety, deflorations, deceiving husbands, and the hypocrisies of an affair? Don't the things you get by cunning, tricks, and secrecy give deep - down satisfaction to your mind?"
When the bystanders heard that, they said, "Don't talk that way. You don't know where you are, and with whom. You just got here. Hell is under your feet, and heaven is over your head.
You're in the world halfway between the two now, called the world of spirits. All the people who leave the world come and are gathered here and are examined to find out what they are like, and are prepared - the bad ones for hell and the good for heaven.
Maybe you still remember from ministers in the world that fornicators and harlots are thrown down into hell and that chaste married people are taken up into heaven."
The newcomer laughed at these admonitions, saying, "What is heaven, and what is hell? Isn't heaven where someone is free, and isn't someone who is allowed to love as many women as he wants, free? And isn't hell where someone is a slave? And isn't a person who has to stick to one woman a slave?"
But an angel looking down out of heaven heard that, interrupted his speech to keep him from going any further in profaning marriage, and said, "Come up here, and I'll show you in real life what heaven is and what hell is, and what it is like for confirmed fornicators," and pointed out the way.
He went up. When he was let in, he was first led into a paradisal garden, where there were fruit trees and flowers that filled the mind with the joys of life due to their beauty, pleasantness, and fragrance. He admired them greatly when he saw them.
But he was using his outward sight that he had used in the world when he saw things like that, and in that sight he was rational. In his inner vision, however, where fornication had the leading role and occupied every bit of his thought, he was not rational. So his outer vision was closed and his inner opened. When it was, he said, "What do I see now? It's straw and dry wood, isn't it? And now what do I notice? It's a bad smell, isn't it? Where are the paradisal things now?"
The angel said, "They are nearby and present, but they don't appear before your inner vision, which is a fornicator's, so here it turns heavenly things into hellish ones and only sees their opposites.
Every person has an inner mind and an outer mind, thus inner vision and outer vision. In evil people the inner mind is foolish and the outer one is wise, and in good people the inner mind is wise, and on account of this the outer one is, too. And in the spiritual world a person sees objects according to the way his mind is."
After this, by a power given to him, the angel closed the young man's inner sight and opened his outer sight and led him through gates toward the center of population, and he saw magnificent palaces of alabaster, marble, and various precious stones with colonnades by them, and columns all around topped and covered with marvelous decorations and ornaments. When he saw it he was amazed and said, "What am I seeing? I see splendors of splendor and the very state of the art of architecture!"
And then the angel again closed his outer vision and opened his inner vision, which was evil because horribly given to fornication.
When that happened he cried out, saying, "Now what am I seeing? Where am I? Where are the palaces and splendors now? I see rubble, debris, and gaping holes!"
He was soon returned to his outer vision and taken into one of the palaces, and he saw the decorations on the doors, windows, walls, and ceilings - especially the furniture that had heavenly designs on it and around it made of gold and precious stones.
One could not describe it with any words or draw it with any art, for it was beyond spoken ideas and beyond the concepts of the arts. When he saw these he cried out again, saying, "These are splendor itself, which eyes have never seen!" But then his inner vision was opened, and his outer vision was closed, as before, and he was asked what he saw now.
"Just walls," he answered, "here of rushes, there of straw, and there of matchwood."
But he was brought into his outer state of mind once more, and young women were brought who were beauties because they were the images of heavenly feelings, and they talked to him in the gentle voice of their feelings. And then his face changed because of what he saw and heard, and he shifted back by himself from his outside to his inside - which was a fornicator's. This inside could not bear anything that had to do with heavenly love and, vice versa, nothing having to do with heavenly love could bear what was inside, so they disappeared for each other - the young women from the man's sight and the man from the young women's sight.
After this the angel informed him why the conditions of the things he saw had changed back and forth. "I can tell," he said, "that you were two - sided in the world you came from - - one person on the inside and another on the outside - a civil, moral, and reasonable person on the outside but neither civil nor moral nor reasonable on the inside, because you were a fornicator and an adulterer. That kind of people can see heavenly things when they go up into heaven, so long as they stick to their outer personalities there. But when the things inside them are opened up, they see hellish things in place of the heavenly ones. But you need to know that here everyone's outside is gradually closed off and what is inside is opened up. People are made ready for heaven or for hell in this way. The evil of illicit sex pollutes the insides of your mind more than any other evil, so you can't help being carried down to the filths of your love, and these are in hell, where the caverns stink of excrements.
"Who can't reason out that in the spiritual world anything unchaste and lascivious is impure and unclean, so that nothing fouls and pollutes a person more and brings something hellish into him? So be careful not to brag about your love affairs any more - that they make you more masculine than others. I'm warning you that you're going to be so impotent that you'll hardly know where your manhood is. That is what happens to people who boast about the potency of illicit sex."
When he heard this he went down and returned to the world of spirits and his former companions. And he talked modestly and chastely with them. But not for long.
477. To the above shall be added the following Memorable Relation:
I heard a certain spirit, a young man recently from the world, boasting of his whoredoms and eager to catch laudation as being masculine above other men. Among the extravagances of his boasting, he poured forth this: "What is more dismal than to imprison one's love and to live with one woman alone? and what more delightful than to set love free? Who is not wearied from being with one woman alone? and who is not enlivened from being with many? What is sweeter than promiscuous liberty, variety, deflorations, the deceiving of husbands, and scortatory hypocrisies? Do not things obtained by cunning, deception, and stealthy arts delight the inmost regions of the mind?"
[2] Hearing this, the bystanders said, "Speak not so; you know not where you are and with whom. You are but lately come hither. Under your feet is hell, and above your head is heaven. You are now in a world which is in the middle between these two and is called the world of spirits. Here come all who depart out of the world, and here they are gathered, explored as to their nature, and prepared, the evil for hell and the good for heaven. Perhaps, from hearing priests in the world, you still keep in mind that whoremongers and harlots are cast down into hell and that chaste partners are taken up into heaven."
At this the novitiate laughed and said: "What is heaven? and what is hell? Is it not heaven where one is free? and is not he free who is allowed to love as many women as he pleases? And is it not hell where one is a slave? and is not he a slave who is obliged to stick to one?"
[3] An angel, looking down from heaven, heard these words, and in order that the young man might go no further in profaning marriages, he interrupted him and said, "Come up hither and I will show you in a living way what heaven is, and what hell and the nature of the hell for confirmed whoremongers."
He then showed him the way, and the young man went up. After being received, he was led first into a paradisal garden where were fruit-trees and flowers which from their beauty, pleasantness and fragrance filled the animus of all with the delights of life. Seeing these, he expressed his great admiration; but he was then in the external sight in which he had been when seeing like things in the world. In this sight he was rational, but in his internal sight, wherein whoredom played the chief role and occupied every least thought, he was not rational. Therefore, his external sight was closed and his internal sight opened. With this opened, he said, "What do I see now? is it not straw and sticks of wood? And what do I smell now? are they not bad smells? Where now are the things of paradise?" The angel said: "They are near by and at hand, but they do not appear before your internal sight which is scortatory, for that sight turns heavenly things into infernal, seeing only their opposites. Every man has an internal mind and an external, and so an internal sight and an external. With the evil, the internal mind is insane, and the external wise, while with the good, the internal is wise and from this the external also; and in the spiritual world a man sees objects according to the nature of his mind."
[4] From power given him, the angel then closed the young man's internal sight and opened his external. He then led him through the gates towards the center of the dwellings. There he saw magnificent palaces of alabaster, marble, and various precious stones, and beside them porticos, and columns round about, overlaid and encompassed with stupendous insignia and adornments. On seeing these, he was amazed and said, "What do I see? I see magnificent things in their true magnificence, and architecture in its true art."
Thereupon the angel again closed his external sight and opened his internal sight, which was evil, being filthily scortatory. When this was done, he cried out, saying, "What do I see now? Where am I? Where now are the palaces? and the magnificent things? I see heaps, ruins, and places full of holes!"
[5] After this he was brought back into his external state, and, being introduced into one of the palaces, saw the decorations on its gates, windows, walls, and ceilings, especially on the utensils, upon and around which were heavenly forms of gold and precious stones such as no words can describe nor any art portray; for they were above the ideas expressed by words, and above the notions of art. On seeing these, the young man again cried out, saying, "These are truly marvels such as eye has never seen." But then his internal sight was opened and the external closed as before, and being asked what he saw now, he replied, "Nothing but walls, here of rushes, there of straw, and yonder of fire-brands."
[6] He was then brought once more into his external state of mind, and maidens who were beauties, being images of heavenly affection, Were brought to him and addressed him with the sweet voice of their affection. On seeing and hearing them, his face changed and he returned of himself to his internals which were scortatory; and because these cannot endure anything of heavenly love and, on the other hand, cannot be endured by heavenly love, they both vanished, the maidens from the sight of the man, and the man from the sight of the maidens.
[7] After this the angel instructed him as to whence these inversions of the state of his sight came. He said: "I perceive that in the world from which you have come you were twofold, being one man inwardly and another outwardly. Outwardly you were a civil, moral, and rational man, While inwardly you were neither civil nor moral nor rational because you were a whoremonger and an adulterer. When such men are allowed to ascend into heaven and are there kept in their externals, they are able to see the heavenly things there; but when their internals are opened, then, instead of heavenly they see infernal things.
[8] Know, however, that with every one in this world, his externals are successively closed and his internals opened. In this way they are prepared for heaven or for hell. And because the evil of whoredom defiles the internals of the mind more than any other evil, you must needs be brought down to the filthy things of your own love, and these are in hells where the caverns stink of excrement. Who cannot know from reason that in the spiritual world, what is unchaste and lascivious is impure and unclean, and thus that there is nothing which more pollutes and defiles a man and induces on him what is infernal. Take care, therefore, that you glory no more in your whoredom that therein you are a masculine man above others. I predict that you will become so feeble that you will scarcely know where your masculinity is. Such is the lot that awaits those who glory in the potency of whoredom."
After hearing this, the young man descended and returned to the world of spirits and to his former companions. He then spoke with them modestly and chastely, yet not for long.
477. I append the following Memorabilia:
I heard a certain spirit, a young man fresh from the world, boasting of his whoredoms and affecting praise because he was a more masculine man than others. Among other boastful insolences, he gave vent to this: "What is drearier than to imprison one's love and live with only one woman? What is more delightful than to emancipate the love? Who does not tire of one only? Who is not enlivened by many? What is sweeter than promiscuous liberty, variety, deflowerings, the deceiving of husbands, and scortatory hypocrisies? Do not these things, contrived by subtleties, craft and intrigues, delight the inmosts of the mind?"
[2] Bystanders, on hearing these things, said, "Better not talk so. You do not know where you are or with whom you are. You have only just come here. Under your feet is hell and above your head is heaven. You are now in the world which is intermediate between heaven and hell, called the world of spirits. All who die in the world arrive here, are mustered, explored as to their quality, and prepared, the evil for hell and the good for heaven. Perhaps you still recollect from what you were told by priests in the world that whoremongers and harlots are cast down into hell, and that chaste married partners are taken up into heaven."
The novitiate laughed at this and said, "What are heaven and hell? Is it not heaven where one is free? Is he not free who can love as many as he likes? And is it not hell where one is a slave? Is he not a slave who must cleave to one?"
[3] But a certain angel looking down from heaven heard all this, and cut him off, that he might not further profane marriage, and said to him, "Come up hither! I will show you to the life what heaven and hell are, and what hell is like to confirmed whoremongers."
The angel pointed out the way and the young man went up. He was received and taken first into a paradisaical garden where were fruit-trees and flowers, the beauty, pleasantness and fragrance of which filled the mind with the delights of life. On seeing them he greatly admired them. He was still in the external sight, however, in which he had been when he saw analogous things in the world. In this sight he was rational. But in his internal sight, in which whoredom was the chief instinct, filling every particle of thought, he was not rational. His external sight was closed, therefore, and his internal sight opened. Thereupon he cried, "What do I see! Only straw and dry wood? What do I perceive now? Is it not an evil odor? Where have those paradisaical objects gone?" The angel said, "They are right before you, but do not appear to your internal sight, which is scortatory, for this turns heavenly things into infernal and sees only the opposite. Every man has an internal and an external mind, and so an internal and an external sight. With evil men the internal mind is insane and the external is sane; but with the good the internal is sane and from it the external also. As the mind is, so in the spiritual world does one see objects."
[4] Thereupon the angel, by a power given him, closed the young man's internal sight and reopened his external, and conducted him through the portals into the very center of the habitations. Here he beheld magnificent palaces of alabaster, marble and various precious stones, with porticos and columns round about, overlaid and embellished with astonishing decorations and ornamentation. Seeing these, he was amazed and said:
"What do I see? I see magnificent things which are magnificence itself! and works of architecture done in the very art!"
Once more the angel closed his external sight and opened his internal sight, which was evil because it was foully scortatory. Whereupon he exclaimed:
"What is this I see? Where am I? What has become of the palaces, and of all those magnificent things? I see ruins, rubbish, places full of caverns!"
[5] But presently he was recalled to his external and was conducted into one of the palaces, where he saw the decorations of the gates, windows, walls and ceilings; especially of the utensils, with heavenly forms of gold and precious stones on and around them, such as no words can describe nor any art portray; they transcended all verbal grasp and artistic gift. Seeing them, he exclaimed again:
"These are marvels never before seen!"
Once more his internal sight was opened and the external closed. Asked what he saw now, he replied:
"Nothing but walls of rushes here, of straw there, and of firebrands yonder!"
[6] Yet again he was brought into his external state of
Mind, and young women, who were beauties, being images of heavenly affection, came and addressed him with the sweet voice of their affection. Just on seeing and hearing them, his countenance changed and he slipped back into his internals, which were scortatory, and because these could not endure anything of heavenly love, and on the other hand could not be endured by heavenly love, all vanished, the virgins from the man's sight and the man from their sight.
[7] Thereupon the angel informed him whence the inversions of his state of vision came, saying, "I perceive that in the world from which you have come you were double, one man in internals and another in externals. In externals you were a civil, moral and rational man, while in internals you were neither civil nor moral nor rational, because you were a whoremonger and adulterer. Such men as you, when they are allowed to ascend into heaven, are able, as long as they are kept in their externals, to see heavenly things there; but when their internals are opened, instead of heavenly things they see infernal things.
[8] Know then that externals are closed and internals opened by turns with them here; in this way they are prepared for heaven or for hell. The evil of whoredom befouls the internals of the mind more than any other evil, and therefore you are inevitably brought down to the filthy things of your love, which are to be found in hells where the caverns stink of ordure. Who cannot know from reason that the unchaste and lascivious is the impure and unclean of the spiritual world, and that nothing pollutes and befouls a man more, or so surely spreads the infernal in him? Take care therefore to glory no more in your whoredoms in the thought that you are a more masculine man than others. I predict that you will become so enfeebled, you will scarcely know where to turn for manhood. Such is the lot in store for those who glory in the potency of whoredom."
After hearing this, the young man descended and returned to the world of spirits and to his former associates there, with whom he spoke modestly and chastely, but not for long.
477. To this shall be added the following Relation: I heard a certain spirit, a young man recently from the world, boasting of his scortations, and desiring to gain praise because he was a man more masculine than others. And among the insolences of his boasting, he put forth this: 'What is more dismal than to imprison a man's love and live with only one? And what more delightful than to let the love go free? Who does not tire of one only? And who is not enlivened by many? What is sweeter than promiscuous liberty, variety, deflorations, deceiving husbands, and scortatory hypocrisies? Do not these, which are got by cunning, deception, and stealthy arts, delight the inmosts of the mind?'
Those standing by hearing these things said, 'Do not speak in this way. You know not where you are, and with whom you are. You are a new-comer here. Under your feet is hell, and above your head is heaven. You are now in a world that is intermediate between these two which is called the world of spirits. All who depart out of the world come into this, and are gathered together here and explored as to their quality; and the evil are prepared for hell and the good for heaven. Perhaps you still remember, from priests in the world, that whoremongers and harlots are cast down into hell; and that chaste married partners are taken up into heaven.'
The new-comer laughed at this, and said, 'What is heaven? And what is hell? Is it not heaven where one is free? And is he not free who can love as many as he pleases? And is it not hell where one is a slave? And is he not a slave who is obliged to cling to one?'
But a certain angel looking down from heaven heard these things and interrupted his speech, that he might go no further in profaning marriages, and said to him, 'Come up hither and I will show you to the life what heaven is, and what hell is, and of what kind the latter is to confirmed whoremongers?'
And he showed the way and the young man went up. And after reception he was led first into a paradisal garden where were fruit-trees and flowers, which with their beauty, pleasantness, and fragrance filled the mind with the delights of life, which when he saw he admired with great admiration. But he was then in the external sight in which he had been when he saw analogous things in the world, and in this sight he was rational. But in his internal sight, wherein scortation took the lead and occupied every point of thought, he was not rational. Therefore, his external sight was closed and his internal sight opened; which being opened he said, 'What do I see now? Is it not straw and dry wood? And what do I now perceive? Is there not a disgusting smell? Where now are the things of paradise?' The angel said, 'They are near and are even present, but they do not appear to your internal sight, which is scortatory, for this turns heavenly things into infernal, and sees only their opposites. Every man has an internal and an external mind, and so an internal and an external sight. With evil men the internal mind is insane, and the external is sane; but with the good the internal is sane, and from that the external also. And as the mind is, so man sees objects in the spiritual world.'
After this the angel, from power given him, closed the young man's internal sight and opened his external, and led him through the portals towards the very midst of the habitations; and he saw magnificent palaces of alabaster, of marble, and of various precious stones, and near them porticos, and columns round about, overlaid and embellished with decorations and ornaments, of marvelous beauty, which when he saw he was astonished, and said:
'What do I see? I see magnificent things, in their own magnificence! and works of architecture in their very art!'
But then the angel closed his external sight again and opened his internal sight, which was evil, because he was foully scortatory, which done he exclaimed, saying:
'What do I see now? Where am I? Where now are the palaces? and the magnificent things? I see heaps, ruins, and cavernous places!'
But presently he was brought back into his external, and was conducted into one of the palaces, and saw the decorations of the gates, of the windows, of the walls, and the ceilings; especially the things for use, upon which and about which were heavenly forms of gold and precious stones, such as no words can describe, nor any art portray; for they surpassed the ideas of words, and were beyond the conceptions of art. Seeing these he exclaimed again, saying:
'These things are very wonders, such as eye has never seen!' Then his internal sight was opened and the external closed, as before, and he was asked what he saw now, and replied: 'Nothing but walls of rushes here, of straw there, and of fire-brands yonder!'
But he was brought yet again into his external state of mind, and virgins were brought before him, who were beauties, because images of heavenly affection, and with the sweet voice of their affection they spoke to him; and then from the very sight and hearing of them, his countenance changed and of himself he returned into his internals, which were scortatory and because these could not bear anything of heavenly love, and on the other hand could not be endured by heavenly love, they both vanished, the virgins from the sight of the man and the man from the sight of the virgins.
After this the angel instructed him whence came these in versions of his state of vision, saying, ‘I perceive that in the world from which you have come you were double, one man in internals and another in externals, that in externals you were a civil, moral, and rational man, while in internals you were neither civil, nor moral, nor rational, because you were a whoremonger and adulterer. And such men, when it is permitted them to ascend into heaven and they are kept there in their externals, are able to see the heavenly things there; but when their internals are opened instead of the heavenly they see infernal things. And you must know that with everyone here the externals are successively closed and the internals opened, and in that way they are prepared for heaven or for hell. And because the evil of scortation more than any other evil, fouls the internals of the mind, you cannot but be brought down to the filthy things of your love, and these are in hells where the caverns stink with excrements. Who cannot know, from reason, that the unchaste and lascivious in the spiritual world is impure and unclean, and thus that nothing more pollutes and befouls a man and brings the infernal into him. Beware then that you glory no more in your scortations, that in them you are a man more masculine than others. I foretell you that you will become impotent to such a degree that you will scarcely know where your manhood is. Such a lot awaits those that glory in the potency of scortations.'
After hearing this the young man descended and returned to the world of spirits, and to his former associates there, and spoke modestly and chastely with them, but yet not long.
477. His adjicietur hoc Memorabile. Audivi quendam Spiritum e Mundo recentem, juvenem, jactantem se ex Scortationibus, et affectantem aucupium laudis, quod vir masculus prae aliis esset; et inter jactationis insolentias etiam effudit haec; "quid tristius est quam incarcerare amorem suum, et vivere solus cum sola, et quid jucundius quam manumittere amorem; quis non delassatur ex una, et exsuscitatur ex pluribus; quid dulcius quam promiscua libertas, varietas, deflorationes, maritorum elusiones, ac hypocrises scortatoriae; numne illa quae astutiis, dolis et furtis obtinentur delectent intima mentis."
[2] His auditis adstantes dicebant, "ne loquere ita; non scis ubi es, et cum quibus es; nuper huc venisti; est sub pedibus tuis Infernum, et super capite tuo Coelum; es nunc in Mundo, qui medius est inter illa duo, et vocatur Mundus Spirituum; hic adveniunt, et huc colliguntur omnes qui e Mundo decedunt, et explorantur quales sunt, ac praeparantur mali ad Infernum et boni ad Coelum; forte ex sacerdotibus in Mundo tenes adhuc, quod scortatores et meretrices dejiciantur in Infernum, et quod casti conjuges eleventur in Coelum:" ad haec Novitius ille risit, dicens, "quid Coelum et quid Infernum; estne Coelum ubi quis est liber, et estne ille liber cui licet amare quot lubet, et estne Infernum ubi quis est servus, et estne ille servus, quem oportet adhaerere uni."
[3] Sed quidam Angelus e Coelo despiciens audivit illa, et abrupit sermonem, ne ulterius progrederetur ad prophanandum conjugia; et dixit illi, "ascende huc, et ad vivum monstrabo quid Coelum et quid Infernum, et quale hoc est scortatoribus confirmatis;" et monstravit viam, et ascendit; et post receptionem ducebatur primum in Hortum paradisiacum, ubi erant arbores fructus et flores, quae ex pulchritudine, amaenitate et fragrantia implebant animos delitiis vitae; quae dum vidit, admirabatur admiratione magna, sed erat tunc in visu externo, in quali fuit in Mundo, cum parilia vidit, et in hoc visu erat rationalis; in visu autem interno, in quo scortatio primas agebat, et omne punctum cogitationis occupabat, non erat rationalis; quare claudebatur visus externus, et aperiebatur visus internus; quo aperto dixit, "quid nunc video; nonne stramenta et ligna arida; et quid nunc sentio; nonne maleolentia; ubi nunc paradisiaca;" et dixit Angelus, "in propinquo sunt et adsunt, sed non apparent coram visu tuo interno, qui est scortatorius, hic enim vertit coelestia in infernalia, et non videt nisi opposita: est cuivis homini mens interna et mens externa, sic visus internus et visus externus; apud malos mens interna insanit et externa sapit, at apud bonos interna sapit, et ex hac etiam externa; et sicut mens est, ita homo in Spirituali Mundo videt objecta."
[4] Post haec Angelus ex potentia sibi data occlusit ejus visum internum, et aperuit externum, et deducebat illum per portas versus meditullium habitationum, et vidit palatia magnifica ex alabastro, marmore, et vario lapide pretioso, et juxta illa porticus, et circum circa columnas superinductas et circumductas insignibus et decoribus stupendis; quae cum vidit, obstupuit, et dixit, "quid video; video magnifica in ipsa sua magnificentia, et architectonica 1in ipsa sua arte;" at tunc Angelus iterum occlusit ejus visum externum, et aperuit internum, qui malus quia foede scortatorius erat; quo facto exclamavit dicens, "quid nunc video; ubi sum; ubi nunc palatia et magnifica; video strues, rudera et cavernosa."
[5] At mox reductus est in externum, ac introductus in unum ex palatiis, et vidit decorationes portarum, fenestrarum, parietum, et tectorum, imprimis utensilium, super quibus et circum quae erant formae coelestes ex auro et lapidibus pretiosis, quae non possunt ullis vocibus describi, nec ulla arte delineari, erant enim supra ideas vocum, et supra notiones artis; his visis iterum exclamavit dicens, "haec ipsa mirifica sunt, quae oculus nusquam viderat;" at tunc aperiebatur visus ejus internus, clauso externo, ut prius, et interrogabatur quid nunc videret, et respondit, "non nisi quam macerias hic ex juncis, hic ex stramentis, et hic ex torribus."
[6] Sed perductus est adhuc in statum mentis externum, et adducebantur Virgines, quae erant formositates, quia coelestis affectionis imagines, et hae voce affectionis suae suavi illum alloquebantur, et tunc ex visis et auditis mutabatur facies ejus, et ex se in sua interna, quae erant scortatoria, rediit, quae quia non sustinent aliquid amoris coelestis, et vicissim nec sustinentur ab amore coelesti, utrinque evanuerunt, virgines e conspectu viri, et vir e conspectu virginum.
[7] Post haec Angelus instruxit illum, unde erant inversiones status visuum ejus, dicens, "percipio, quod in Mundo, e quo advenis, fueris duplex, alius in internis, et alius in externis; quod in externis fueris homo civilis, moralis et rationalis, at in internis non civilis, non moralis, nec rationalis, quia scortator et adulter; et tales, dum illis licet ascendere in Coelum, et ibi in externis suis tenentur, possunt videre coelestia ibi, at cum aperiuntur interna illorum, loco coelestium vident infernalia.
[8] At scias, quod apud unumquemvis hic successive claudantur externa, et aperiantur interna, et sic praeparentur ad Coelum aut ad Infernum; et quia malum scortationis foedat interna mentis prae omni alio malo, non potest non ad foeda amoris tui deferri, et haec sunt in infernis, ubi cavernae putent ex stercoribus: quis non ex ratione potest scire, quod incastum et lascivum in Mundo Spirituali sit impurum et immundum, et sic quod nihil plus conspurcet et foedet hominem, et inducat illi infernale. Cave itaque ne amplius glorieris ex scortatione tua, quod in illa sis vir masculus prae aliis; praedico tibi, quod futurus sis imbecillis, usque ut vix scias ubi tuum masculum est; talis sors gloriantes ex potentia scortationis manet." His auditis descendit, et rediit in Mundum Spirituum, et ad socios priores, et cum illis modeste et caste loquutus est, sed usque non diu.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: achitectonica