2514. There is no respect of persons in the other life
Many who had been great in bodily life, either by the dignity of their office or their imagined scholarship, carry with them into the other life the haughty spirit they had acquired in the life of the body, and suppose that they are greater and more outstanding than the rest. For this remains with very many and is a great impediment to their coming into societies, where no such thing prevails, but where they love each other mutually as brothers, nor does one put himself above the other in dignity or learning, as I have been amply shown by experience. So I was prompted to tell them, and at the same time to discern clearly by a spiritual mental image, that there is no respect of persons in the other life, and the most lowly lad of a country person of the lowest sort can be in much greater regard than a prince among the greatest.
2514. THAT THERE IS NO RESPECT OF [FOR] PERSONS IN THE OTHER LIFE.
Many who have been great during the life of the body, either from the dignity of [their] office, or [their] imaginary learning, take with themselves into the other life a lofty spirit, which they had acquired to themselves in the life of the body, and suppose themselves to be greater and more eminent than the rest; for such [a principle] remains with them, and is much of a hindrance to their coming into societies where no such [principle] prevails, but where they only love each other mutually, and one does not prefer himself to another in dignity or learning, which was granted to be sufficiently evident to me by experience. Wherefore it was given to tell them, and at the same time to perceive plainly, in spiritual idea, that there is no respect of persons in the other life, and that the least boy of rustic or the lowest condition may [can] be in much greater consideration than a prince among his chief men [maximos].
2514. Quod nullus respectus personarum in altera vita
Plerique qui magni fuerunt in vita corporis, sive dignitate muneris, sive imaginariae eruditionis, secum trahunt in alteram vitam altum spiritum, quem sibi comparaverant in vita corporis, et putant se reliquis esse majores et eminentiores, nam tale apud plerosque remanet, quod iis multo impedimento est, ut in societates veniant, ubi nihil tale regnat, sed modo ibi se mutuo ut fratres amant, nec unus se alteri praefert dignitate vel eruditione, quod experientia satis mihi constare, datum est; quare dicere iis datum, et simul manifeste idea spirituali percipere, quod nullus respectus personarum in altera vita, et quod minimus puer rustici aut infimae sortis possit in multo majori
(2515.) consideratione esse quam princeps inter maximos; quia quisque secundum interiora ejus aestimatur, sicut etiam homo principes ex 1
interioribus suis, at vero propter subordinationem iis honor praestatur, qui honor moritur apud homines, cum eo {a}, dum moritur--modo 2
aestimatio interiorum ejus apud plerosque, qui intelligentes et sapientes sunt, manet; addere dabatur coram iis, quod regnum hoc tale sit, ut nullus aestimetur in regno Domini ex dignitate et eruditione in vita corporis, aliter ac in regnis mundi, quod fit subordinationis et regiminis gratia in societatibus. 1748, 4 Julius 3
.
Footnotes:
1. in J.F.I. Tafel's edition in
2. The Manuscript has moritur, modo
3. The Manuscript has Junius; vide annotationem ad 2306