2180.
Afterwards it was announced from on high that this is the way the matter stands, namely, that societies must be broken up in order again to be brought together. Then it was observed that the [real] meaning of the words could not penetrate through the world of spirits to me, but that it was twisted. So the world of spirits is in such disharmony that the Word of the Lord is unable to flow down, through the world of spirits, to mankind, without being turned into a different meaning, and, in certain conditions, without being totally distorted.
a]
2180. 1/2. This is a sign that the last time is at hand [Matt. 24:14 {ign17}]. For human souls that die make up the largest part of the world of spirits. It is well known that the human being is a spirit, and becomes a spirit being, and that there are not, as some have thought, any spirits from eternity. But no others are allowed into the world of spirits than those who can be of use, especially to the human race, both to those living on earth, and to souls who are coming out of the body. In these there are still bodily elements joined together, or mixed in, with what is of nature, which must be separated. Therefore such spirits as are compatible with these souls also go to make up the world of spirits. 1748, 3 June.
b] Things that are spoken in heaven come down to people on earth into things on their level that correspond
[2180 1:3.] I have noticed that whatever I had thought, and whatever spirits had spoken and thought, streamed in from heaven, but still, in different ways, depending on what there is in the person's memory that interacts, and on what his thought is focussed at the time. For it is certainly true that the speech, or thought of the heavenly angels, contains many, many elements, being a chain of many, many distinct mental images. When these come down into the mind of a spirit, or of a person on earth, that whole chain of very many images becomes like one single image. The series of mental images in it are not apparent. This can also be supported by many other considerations.
Therefore, since so very many elements are contained in the speech or thought of the heavenly angels, and these stream into the mental imagery of spirits and men, they cannot but arouse whatever is suited to their diverse natures and states of mind, and of course, things that correspond.
[2180 1:4.] For this reason also there are things that correspond to very many things, that is, many items corresponding to one thing. Take, for example, only the love of self, which is symbolized by what is high, of whatever kind or description, thus countless things, such as mountains, in general, tall trees, and so on. 1748, 4 June.
2180. Afterwards it was spoken from on high that the matter was so, as, to wit, that societies are to be dissolved that they may again be associated. Then it was observed that the sense of speech could not penetrate, as was the case [with what came] through the world of spirits to me, but which was turned [into something else], and thus that the world of spirits was in such discord that the Word of the Lord cannot flow down to man through the world of spirits, but is changed into another sense, and in certain states is entirely perverted, which is a proof that the last times are at hand,
2180 1/2. for human souls which die constitute the greater part of the world of spirits, for it is known that man is a spirit and becomes a spirit; nor are there given any spirits from eternity, as some have thought. But no others are admitted into the world of spirits than such as can be of use, especially to the human race, not only to those living on earth, but to souls who come from the body, in whom are still corporeals conjoined or mingled with naturals which must be dissevered; wherefore those spirits who accord with such also constitute the world of spirits. - 1748, June 3.
(SUCH THINGS AS ARE SPOKEN IN HEAVEN AMONGST MEN FALL INTO SUCH THINGS AS CORRESPOND.)
(I have observed that those things which I thought, and such things as spirits spoke and thought, inflowed from heaven; but yet nevertheless variously, according to those things which correspond in man's memory, and which are then objects of his thought. For this is a truth, that the speech of angels or the thought of the celestials contain very many things, or is a series of very many distinct ideas. When these descend into the mind of either a spirit or man, the whole series of very many ideas becomes as it were a one or simple, nor appear there as a series of ideas. This, moreover, may be confirmed from many other things. Since therefore so very many things are contained in the speech or thought of celestials or angels, and these inflow into the ideas of spirits and men, they cannot but excite such things as agree with their nature and state, thus acting in diverse manners; and further, these are such as correspond.) (For this reason also are given correspondences of so very many things, to wit, that many may correspond to one thing, as to instance only self-love [which is represented], by all that is high of whatever quality it is, thus by innumerable things, as generally by mountains, by noble trees. It is so also in other things. - 1748, June 4.)
2180. Postea loquutum est ex alto, quod ita se res habeat, quod nempe dissolvendae sint societates, ut iterum consocientur, tunc observatum, quod sensus loquelae non potuit penetrare, sicut erat, per mundum spirituum ad me, sed quod verteretur, et sic quod mundus spirituum in tali disharmonia sit, ut Verbum Domini nequeat ad hominem per mundum spirituum defluere, quin vertatur in alium sensum, et in quibusdam statibus, prorsus pervertatur, quod indicium est, ultimum tempus instare; nam animae humanae, quae moriuntur, constituunt ad plurem partem mundum spirituum, nam notum est, quod homo est spiritus, et fiat spiritus, nec dantur, ut aliqui opinati, spiritus aliqui ab aeterno; sed in mundum spirituum non alii intromittuntur, quam qui possunt usus esse, cumprimis 1
generi humano, tam in terris viventi, quam animabus, quae e corpore veniunt, et adhuc in iis sunt corporea naturalibus conjuncta aut commixta, quae dissocianda, quare tales quoque spiritus mundum spirituum constituunt, qui talibus conveniunt. 1748, 3 Junius.
Quae loquuntur in coelo, cadunt in ea apud homines, quae correspondent apud eos
2180a. Observavi quod ea quae cogitavi, et [id] quod loquuti et cogitaverunt spiritus, a coelo influeret, sed usque tamen varie, secundum ea, quae correspondent in memoria hominis, et quae tunc cogitationis ejus objecta sunt; hoc enim verum est, quod loquela angelorum, seu cogitatio coelestium, permulta contineat, seu sit series distinctarum idearum perplurium, quae cum descendunt in mentem spiritus aut hominis, tota illa series perplurium idearum, fit quasi una seu simplex, nec apparent inibi series idearum, quod ex multis aliis quoque confirmari potest; cum itaque tam perplura contineantur in loquela seu cogitatione coelestium seu angelorum, et ea in ideas spirituum et hominum influant, non possunt non excitare ea, quae eorum naturae et statui conveniunt, sic diversimode; et quidem ea quae correspondent.
2180b. Quapropter etiam dantur 1
tam perplurium rerum correspondentiae, nempe quod plura correspondeant uni rei, sicut solum amori 2
sui, omne id quod altum est, quodcunque et qualecunque sit, sic innumerabilia, sicut in genere montes, arbores procerae 3
, ita in caeteris. 1748, 4 Junius.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has esse; cumprimis
1. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has datur
2. The Manuscript has amor
3. The Manuscript has proceras