2672. About life
I had a conversation with spirits about life, because it had been said that they have no life from themselves, but only seem to themselves to have it, and that [to them] this is enough, for then the spirits, thinking as they do, suppose that they nevertheless live. Therefore it was inspired to tell them that there is life in wisdom, for not to grow wise cannot be called having life, and that truths, notably the truths of faith, are what constitute life.
Since this is undeniably so, one can therefore imagine what life there could be in insanity, or things contrary to wisdom, which are consequently not truths of faith. Being the opposite of wisdom, it follows that there is no life in them.
But still they kept on thinking, people may be insane, as is well known, and they still live, in fact, think they live more than others and take much pleasure in that life, which they consider much more excellent than the pleasure of a life devoted to the truths of faith. So I was inspired to tell them and to portray to them by a spiritual mental image, that the life they have is like that of a dim fire, like a coal fire, glowing in the darkness. The dimness from this fire appearing by the spiritual mental image looked sad.
2672. CONCERNING LIFE.
I have been discoursing with spirits, concerning life, because it is said that they have nothing of life from themselves, but only seem to themselves to have it; and that it is sufficient, for they then think so. Spirits were thus conceiving that yet they are alive. Wherefore it was granted to tell them life is in wisdom for not to be wise cannot be said to have [called having] life, and that truths, and the truths of faith are what constitute life. Since it is so, as cannot be denied, hence it may be conceived [cogitari] what life can be in insanity, or the opposites to wisdom, therefore in those things which do not belong to the truth of faith: and because [these are] contrary, it follows that [there is in them] no life. But still they [so] conceived, since men are insane, as is known, and that yet they are alive, yea, supposed themselves to be alive before [above] others, yea have much pleasantness in that life, which they regard as much more excellent than the pleasantness of life in the truths of faith; therefore it was granted me to tell them, and to represent to them by spiritual idea, that they have such a life, as a dim [obscuro] fire, for instance, a charcoal [fire] shining in the dark.
2672. De vita
Cum spiritibus in sermone fui de vita, quia dictum quod nihil vitae ex se habeant 1
, sed modo videantur sibi habere, quodque id satis sit, nam sic tunc putant, spiritus 2
sic cogitantes, quod usque vivant; quare iis dicere dabatur, quod sapientiae insit vita, nam non sapere, non dici potest vitam habere, et quod veritates, et veritates fidei sint, quae constituunt vitam; cum ita est, quod negari non potest, inde cogitari potest, quid vitae inesse possit insaniae, seu contrariis sapientiae, proinde iis quae non veritates fidei sunt 3
, et quia contrarium sequitur quod nulla vita; sed usque cogitabant, [quod] homines sint insani {a}, sicut notum est, et quod usque vivant, imo se vivere prae aliis putant, imo jucunditatem vitae istius multam habent, quam aestimant multo excellentiorem jucunditate vitae in veritatibus fidei; quare datum mihi iis dicere, et per ideam spiritualem iis repraesentare, quod talis vita iis sit, qualis igni obscuro, sicut carbonico, lucenti in obscuro, qui ignis seu inde obscurum
(2673.) apparens apparebat idea spirituali triste; talis vita iis inest, et quum adsuescunt tali vitae putant non solum quod nulla alia lux vitae detur quam talis, praeferentes eam ipsi luci, ut et {b} jucunditatem inde, praeferunt felicitati coelesti, quia non aliter percipiunt, quin 4
{c} in tali sunt; sicut etiam tineae in sua caligine putant lucem et jucunditatem summam esse 5
; dabatur quoque repraesentare, qualis futura vita eorum, per abstractionem jucunditatis a tali vita, quod fit spirituali idea, tunc remanet coram iis tale quod tetrum, deformissimum est, secundum qualitatem istius vitae, et tales fiunt in altera vita, dum jucunditas talis vitae iis aufertur, sic mortis effigies sunt, tam deformes, ut deformitas non describi alicui possit.
Footnotes:
1. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has habeantur
2. The Manuscript has putant; spiritus
3. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has est
4. in J.F.I. Tafel's edition quia
5. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has est