1684. More about spirits who do not like to have lived in the body
Spirits of a different earth
I asked them how they can treasure and love the things they have, such as houses and buildings formed of trees, when yet they are averse to bodily things to the point that they could not be among those who pay attention to their bodies. They hesitated a little, not knowing what to say in reply.
Finally they declared that the things mentioned were their heavenly things, and they therefore enjoy things like them in their heaven. For during their life they had revered buildings constructed above out of trees as heavenly, and they had known that there were such buildings in heaven. For since they are not carried along by any of the loves [that move] the inhabitants of our earth, namely for possessions, riches, fine mansions, ostentation, fancy living and showy dress, nor for the size of their societies - because each house lives by itself - therefore they cannot treasure and love anything other than the things mentioned, and this does not mean that they treasure their bodies. 1748, 25 March.
1684. CONTINUATION CONCERNING SPIRITS WHO ARE UNWILLING TO ADMIT THAT THEY HAVE LIVED IN THE BODY. SPIRITS OF ANOTHER EARTH.
(I inquired of them how they could so value and love the things by which they were surrounded, such as houses and buildings formed of trees, when yet they were so averse to corporeal things that they could have no interaction with such as were intent upon the interests of their bodies. They hesitated somewhat, scarcely knowing what to answer, but at length replied that the objects above mentioned are their celestial things, and that in their heaven they are delighted with similar things, for in the life of the body they had taken pleasure in these arboreal structures rising upwards from the earth as being celestial, because they knew there were such things in heaven. Since, moreover, they are not carried away, like the inhabitants of our earth, by any earthly loves, such as the love of possessions, wealth, fine mansions, pomps, luxurious living, and splendid garments; and since, too, they are not affected by the number of societies, as they live every family by itself, therefore they cannot value and love anything else than objects of the above kind, from whence it is not to be inferred that they place an undue estimate upon their bodies. - 1748, March 25.
1684. Continuatio de spiritibus, qui nolunt se vixisse in corpore Spiritus alius telluris 1
Quaesivi eos, quomodo ita aestimare et amare [possint] ea quae apud eos, sicut domos, et arboreas aedes, cum tamen aversentur corporea, usque adeo, ut interesse nequiverint iis, qui corporibus suis intendunt, aliquantum haesitabant, et nesciebant 2
quid responderent, tandem dixerunt, quod illa, de quibus dictum, eorum coelestia sint, et quod sic in coelo suo similibus delectentur, nam in vita corporis, aedes arboribus constructas superne, coluerint sicut coelestia, quodque noverint talia in coelo esse; nam cum nullis amoribus, sicut nostrae telluris incolae feruntur, nempe possessionibus, opibus, aedificiis, pompis, lauto victu, ac splendido vestitu, nec societatum numero, quia domus per se vivit, ideo, nihil aliud aestimare et amare possunt, quam talia {a}, et inde non sequitur, quod corpora sua aestiment. 1748, 25 Martius.
Footnotes:
1. fortiter in utroque margine in the Manuscript postscriptum
2. The Manuscript has nescibant