1221. The judgment of spirits
There are spirits who constitute the urinary province. The cruder among them examine every soul they come across, eager to thrash and punish them. But their judgment is such that whatever seems disagreeable to them or that they see as reproachable, they condemn and seek to punish without considering the circumstances.
For they go no deeper than the surface, not caring what the circumstances are. Even if the soul is not to blame, but only appears to be due to the company he is in, as can sometimes happen, they persist in attributing it to him. For this reason, nothing is committed to their judgment, unless unbeknownst to them the person is inwardly to blame.
So unless the Lord governed all people, and every detail, no one of mortals would escape this kind of judgment. They are above Gehenna, extending not far from the face and on its level, toward Gehenna, but above it. This, then, can be called the judgment of Gehenna [Matt. 23:33, see 852].
Their character can be evident from a comparison of their fantasies and life with the operation of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder. 1748, 8 March.
About angelic Language 1
It is not easy to describe angelic language, because one has to use words that signal bodily and earthly things, consequently bodily and earthly mental images, [variously] according to each individual's state of mind.
Angelic language is such that if angels were to dictate words, and then they were written, they would understand nothing but the sense of the words apart from any earthly and bodily mental image, while spirits and earthly humans would understand the same in an earthly and bodily way, as mental images corresponding [to the angelic ones] on the inward level.
I was surprised that I could neither think nor speak with the angels except...
Footnotes:
1. This unfinished and unnumbered article appears to be deleted in the original. See the next article, and also compare 1146-8.
1221. 1/2. About angelic Language
I was surprised that I could not think and speak with the angels except through spirits, beyond only being able to know to some extent that it was angelic. And from my innermost feeling, I could sometimes suppose that I was thinking angelically, yet this was not the case.
1221. THE JUDGMENT OF SPIRITS
There are spirits who constitute the urinary province. The grosser of them examine every soul they meet, and desire to castigate and punish him. But their judgment is of such a character that whatever appears to them as discordant and as reprehensible in their sight, they censure and strive to chastise without considering the circumstances, for they do not go beyond externals, nor do they care what the circumstances are. Even though the soul is not at fault, but the fault only appears as his from the society in which he is as can sometimes happen they attribute it to him, and fasten it upon him; wherefore nothing is submitted to their judgment unless the soul is inwardly of such a nature, a fact which these spirits do not know. And so it is that unless the Lord governed all souls and every single thing no mortal would escape such a judgment. These spirits are above Gehenna, and extend themselves not far from the face in the plane of which they are, towards Gehenna, but above. This therefore can be called the Judgment of Gehenna. 1Their nature can be evident from a comparison of their phantasies and life with the operation of the kidneys, ureters and bladder. 1748, Mar. 8.
Footnotes:
1. This is the literal translation from the Greek of the phrase in Matt. xxiii 33.
[1221a.] CONCERNING ANGELIC SPEECH
It is not easy to describe angelic speech because words have to be used which signify things that are corporeal and natural. As a result there are corporeal and natural ideas, and this according to the condition of each individual. For angelic speech is such that if angels were to dictate the words and they were so written down, they would understand nothing else than the sense of the words abstractly from every natural and corporeal idea, while spirits and men would understand them naturally and corporeally. As those things which are in the interior degree correspond, I wondered that I could neither think nor speak with angels, except... 1
1. This unfinished paragraph was left unnumbered in the manuscript.
1221 1/2. CONCERNING ANGELIC SPEECH
I wondered that I could not think and speak with angels, save by means of spirits; besides, it was only to some degree that it was granted to know that it was angelic, and according to my inmost perception I could sometimes suppose that I was thinking angelically, but still it was not so.
1221. Judicium spirituum
Sunt spiritus, qui urinariam 1
provinciam constituunt, crassiores eorum omnem animam, quam offendunt, examinant, ac mulctare et punire cupiunt, sed judicium eorum tale est, ut quicquid iis apparet disconveniens, et coram iis reprobum, hoc culpant et castigare student, absque circumspectione circumstantiarum, nam non longius quam ad externa vadunt, quales circumstantiae sunt, non curant; tametsi anima in culpa non sit, sed modo a societate apparet ut ejus, sicut quandoque fieri potest, id tribuunt ei, et inhaerent, quare nihil permittitur eorum judicio, nisi quod intus tale sit, quod ii ignorant; et sic nisi Dominus regeret omnes, et singula, tunc nullus mortalium evitaret tale judicium; supra Gehennam sunt, se extendunt non procul a facie, in cujus plano sunt, versus Gehennam, sed superne; hoc ideo potest vocari judicium Gehennae [Matth. XXIII: 33, vide 852]; quales sint ex comparatione phantasiarum et vitae eorum, cum operatione renum, ureterum, et vesicae constare potest. 1748, 8 Martius.
De Loquela angelica 2
Non facile est describere loquelam angelicam, quia vocibus utendum, quibus significantur ea quae corporea et naturalia sunt, inde ideae corporeae et naturales, et quidem secundum cujusvis conditionem, talis enim est, ut si angeli dictarent voces, et sic scriberentur, quod ii nihil intelligerent aliud quam sensum vocum, abstracte ab omni idea naturali et corporea, dum spiritus et homines, idem intelligerent naturaliter et corporee; sicut ea quae correspondent in gradu interiori.
Miratus sum, quod cum angelis nec cogitare nec loqui potuissem nisi 3
[...]
De Loquela angelica
1221a. Miratus sum quod non cogitare et loqui potuerim cum angelis, nisi per spiritus, praeter quod daretur aliquantum scire modo quod angelicum esset, et secundum intimam meam perceptionem quandoque putare potui, quod angelice cogitarem, sed usque non erat.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has urenariam
2. hoc caput cum non numeratis paragraphis deletum esse videtur
3. The Manuscript has ni