1656. From this circumstance a general principle can be inferred applying to the whole of heaven and earth: A spirit is sent ahead to prepare the way for angels who are to come, and he inspires fear, and warns that people should receive the coming angels kindly. Also, that messenger spirit speaks rather harshly, and says that he did not understand what the angels were saying, and later, brought back into a better state of mind, he said that he does understand. And he is constantly at hand, and is thus constantly preparing the mind and trying to turn away everything unkind, or unworthy.
This shows plainly how the case is in the universal heaven and earth, namely, that a messenger is sent ahead, as also John the Baptist was sent ahead, announcing the coming of the Lord. The same relationship existed with him and the Lord, as did with this spirit and the angels. And John too doubted, because, as we read, he did not understand what the Lord had said, and afterwards, being better instructed, he understood [Matt. 3:14-5], just as that spirit, who then moved to my left ear [1655]. The same applies to the Lord's speaking, namely, that it contained inward things, and then very inward things, as we read in the Gospel of John, and that finally He spoke things which they did not understand, thus even very inward things, comparable to those which appeared to me like atmospheres and auras, as mentioned [1653]. But still there was outer speech, that is, imparted through the outer way. 1748, 23 March.
1656. From this it may be inferred how the case is in the universal heaven, and the whole orb of the earth, viz. that before the approach of angels a spirit is dispatched to prepare the way, to inspire [a salutary] fear, and to admonish that the angelic visitants be courteously received; and moreover, that such messenger-spirit often speaks somewhat harshly, saying that he does not understand what the angels may communicate, though he is afterwards reduced to a better state, and then says that he does understand, that he is continually present, and continually preparing the mind, and endeavoring to avert whatever may be unkind or unbecoming. Hence it may appear that in the universal heaven, and the whole world, the custom obtains of a forerunner being employed, and that John the Baptist acted in this capacity as an announcer of the Lord's Advent, and that the case was the same with John in respect to the Lord as it was with this spirit in respect to the angels, to wit, that John also was in doubt from not understanding what the Lord declared, as we read, and that being afterwards better instructed, his mind was opened to receive it, as was the case with the spirit who was in contact with my ear. The similarity holds, too, in regard to the discourses of our Lord, which were such as to contain things more and more interior, as we read in the Evangelist John, until at length he uttered things which they could not understand, from being still more interior, and which, therefore, were brought into close resemblance with what appeared to me as atmospheres and auras, as described above. Still there was at the same time an external speech insinuated through an external way. - 1728, March 23.
1656. Exinde constare potest, quomodo se res habet in universo coelo, et terrarum orbe, quod praemittatur spiritus, qui praeparat viam, angelis venturis, quodque is timorem incutiat, atque moneat, ut humaniter excipiant angelos venturos, tum quod spiritus iste interloquatur durius, quodque is dicat, se non intelligere quid loquerentur angeli, et postea in meliorem statum redactus, quod diceret se intelligere, et quod jugiter adsit, et sic jugi {a} animum praeparet, atque avertere conetur ea, quae inhumana sunt, seu indigna. Exinde manifeste constare potest, quod sicut in universo coelo et terrarum orbe, talis mos sit, ut praenuntius sit, quod sic etiam Johannes Baptista praemissus, annuntians adventum Domini, et quod res se similiter habuerit cum illo, ac Domino, ac se habuit cum hoc spiritu et angelis, tum quod Johannes quoque dubitaverit, quia non intellexit quid dixisset Dominus, ut legitur, et quod postea melius instructus esset, sic perciperet, sicut spiritus dum auri admotus est [1655]. Similiter quod sermo Domini talis esset-nempe 1
quod interiora contineret, et sic magis interiora, sicut in Evangelista Johanne legitur, et quod tandem ea loquutus, quae 2
non intellexerant, sic adhuc interiora, quae erant sicut ea, quae atmosphaerae et aurae, ut dictum [1653]-mihi 3
apparuit. Sed usque erat loquela externa, nempe per viam externam insinuata. 1748, 23 Martius.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has esset, nempe
2. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has quod
3. The Manuscript has dictum, mihi