1313. The Lord God Alone lives
Spirits grow very angry when I say that the Lord God Alone lives, and that no man, spirit or angel lives on his own, or has life on his own, and is merely an instrument of life. Because spirits cannot grasp this, I demonstrated it by several points:
1. ) That the senses of the body, or the body itself does not live on its own but from the spirit, neither does the spirit on its own, but from its soul, then neither does the soul from itself, but from the Lord.
2. ) Next that a person assumes nothing else but that his or her body lives, and yet souls after death, or spirits, with whom I have spoken, are still living, even though their body is gone. They had not believed this in life. Also a soul thinks itself living due to the bodily parts of which alone it considers life to consist, when yet souls are familiar with the fact that the bodily element of a soul can be removed and it can still go on living in the same way in an inward life. This was shown before their very eyes, so they do not deny it.
3. ) [I asked] how they would conceive of the life of man or spirit, whether as anything but an organic form, or whether as a live flame within that keeps sparking life. And as no one can conceive of the latter by a spiritual sight, they could not but agree with [the former]. Whatever people may raise to contradict it is nothing but empty words, as that life produces [a second,] thus independent life.
4. ) Then also, the better spirits live a more inward life than newly arrived souls, angels of the inward heaven a more inward one than the better spirits, having shed the former life, angels of the very inward heaven a still more inward one, having shed inward life - something which those lower down cannot conceive of, but which all higher up well understand. 1748, 12 March.
No one is able now to utter a single word; they are silent.
1313. 1/2. Angels of the inward heaven, then angels of the very inward heaven, then also angels of the innermost heaven, were just now affirming that this is the very truth. A voice came to me through spirits from the heavens, one after another, affirming it. 1748, 12 March.
1313. THAT THE LORD GOD ALONE LIVES
Spirits were very indignant when I said that the Lord God alone lives, and that no man, spirit, or angel lives from himself or has life from himself, but is only an organ of life. Because the spirits cannot comprehend this I have demonstrated it in various ways:
(1) That the senses of the body or the body does not live from itself but from the spirit, neither does the spirit live from itself but from its soul, so neither does the soul live from itself but from the Lord.
(2) Further, that man supposes no otherwise than that his body lives, and yet the souls after death, or spirits, with whom I have conversed are still living even though their body is lacking, a fact they had not believed in their lifetime. Also, that a soul supposes that he lives from the corporeal things in which alone he places life, when yet souls know that the corporeal life of the soul can be removed and they can still live in an interior life in a similar manner. This was shown before their very eyes so that it is not denied.
(3) In what way did they want to conceive of the life of a man or spirit? In any other manner than as a form or organ? As a vital flame dwelling within and kindling life? Since no one can conceive of these things in spiritual sight they could not but agree. Whatever men may say to the contrary as that life is from life, thus something separate is nothing but words.
(4) Thus, also, the better spirits live a more interior life than recently arrived souls; the angels of the interior heaven a life still more interior, having laid to the side their former life; the angels of the more interior heaven, having laid to the side the interior life, lead a more interior life of which the lower angels can have no conception, but which all the higher angels well understand. 1748, Mar. 12. None of them can now say a word; they are silent.
1313 1/2. The angels of the interior heaven, following those of the more interior heaven and also those of the inmost heaven, now affirm that this is the very truth. A voice from the heavens by means of spirits came to me in successive order affirming this. 1748, Mar. 12.
1313. Quod Dominus Deus Solus vivat
Spiritus valde indignantur, cum dixi, quod Solus Dominus Deus vivat, et quod nullus homo, spiritus ac angelus vivat ex se, seu habeat vitam ex se, et quod modo sit organum vitae; hoc quia spiritus non comprehendere possunt, variis demonstravi, sicut
1) quod sensus corporis seu corpus non vivat ex se sed ex spiritu, spiritus nec ex se sed ex ejus anima, sic anima nec a semet, sed a Domino,
2) tum quod homo non aliter putet, quam quod corpus ejus vivat, et usque animae post mortem, seu spiritus, cum quibus loquutus, usque vivant, tametsi corpus abest, quod in vita non crediderunt, tum quod anima putet se vivere ex corporeis, in quibus solam vitam ponit, cum tamen iis notum est, quod corporeum animae, et auferri possit, et [is] usque vivere interiori vita, et hoc similiter, quod iis ad oculum ostensum est, sic non denegatur;
3) [quaesivi,] quomodo velint concipere vitam hominis seu spiritus, num aliter ac formam seu organum, [vel] 1
num sicut vitalis flamma intus manens et accendens vitam-quod 2
{a} quia concipere nullus spirituali visione potest, hinc non potuerunt non consentire; quicquid ab hominibus potest contradici 3
, sunt nihil praeter voces, sicut quod vita ex vita, sic separatima {b};
4) ita quoque spiritus meliores interiorem vitam vivunt quam animae recentes, angeli interioris coeli, adhuc interiorem, deposita priori, angeli intimioris coeli intimiorem, deposita interiori, quod concipere inferiores nequeunt, sed omnes superiores bene. 1748, 12 Martius.
Nullus potest nunc unum verbum dicere; silent.
1313a. Affirmabant nunc angeli interioris coeli, dein angeli intimioris coeli, tum quoque angeli intimi coeli, quod hoc veritas ipsa sit. Vox ad me successive per spiritus venit, a coelis, affirmantibus. 1748, 12 Martius.
Footnotes:
1. vide annotationem mox infra
2. The Manuscript has vitam, quod
3. The Manuscript has condradici