2049. About a spirit who was upset, because he so wished for heaven
A spirit like the one spoken of previously [1962] addressed me at the left side, beneath the arm, saying that he longed for heaven more than anything-a spirit capable of quite fine understanding. He was saying that he often longed for heaven, but that they did not want to let him in, begging me to tell him, if I knew, how he might come into heaven.
I was prompted to tell him that he would not be able to come into heaven before he had lost that desire to come into heaven. That longing would, if he were in the highest happiness, prevent him from feeling it; so that he would not be able to come into heaven before he had gotten rid of that desire.
This was all the more the case because he did not know what heaven is, and upon being asked he said that it was unutterably great joy and gladness. Besides this, that spirit, like people on earth, did not know anything about heaven except the most general fact, that it is joy. But as to what that joy consists of, and thus what it is like, he was entirely ignorant. 1748, 22 May.
2049. CONCERNING A SPIRIT WHO WAS DISQUIETED FROM ARDENTLY DESIRING HEAVEN.
A spirit like-minded to the one before spoken of, and capable of quite a subtle perception, addressed me on the right side, under the arm, saying that there was nothing he so much longed for as heaven; that he had often desired [the enjoyment of] heaven, but that they were unwilling to admit him; and begging that if I knew by what means he could gain entrance thither, I would inform him. It was given me to say in reply that he could not come into heaven till he had laid aside the cupidity of entering it; for such an engrossing desire, even if he was in the height of felicity, would hinder his perceiving it; and thus he could not enter heaven till he had got rid of that cupidity; and all the more because he did not know what heaven really was, as to which being interrogated, he said that it was a joy and felicity greater than could be expressed; he resembling in this respect the mass of men who have no other than a most general idea of heaven, as being a state of joy; but in what it consists, and what is its nature, they are utterly ignorant. 1748, May 22.
2049. De spiritu qui inquietabatur, quia optabat coelum
Similis spiritus ac qui prius [1962] sinistrum latus sub brachio me alloquebatur, dicens, quod nihil magis averet quam coelum, qui spiritus erat capax perceptionis satis subtilioris; is dicens, quod saepius desideraret coelum, sed quod eum admittere nollent, petens [ut] si nossem, quomodo in coelum venire posset, dicerem, dabatur mihi [ei] dicere, quod non prius in coelum venire posset, quam eam cupiditatem amiserit, venire in coelum, desiderium illud impediret, si in summa laetitia esset, ut {a} eam perciperet, sic non potuisset venire in coelum, priusquam 1
ea cupiditate privatus, eo magis, quia nesciret quid coelum, de quo interrogatus dixit, quod esset gaudium et laetitia major quam dicere posset; ac praeterea is spiritus sicut homines nihil aliud sciunt de coelo, quam communissime, quod sit gaudium, sed in quo consistit, et sic quale, prorsus ignorant. 1748, 22 Maj.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has priusque