3223. As he was standing thus, suddenly there flew out from him a small spirit like a little child, with a body like the human body, who, after he had come toward the higher regions, spoke with me, nor did I perceive anything evil. Then I spoke about the same one with spirits, [asking] who he was, and where the body had been left that appeared like a cast-off garment, whether any life remained in it, since the interiors had thus been separated. It was said that this little one who came from him was his inward spirit, attended by just so much of the earthly element as could be of service or compliant.
So the question was discussed whether or not all evil ones can thus come forth, and then come into heaven. But it was said that it is contrary to the laws of order, for people to lose the outer elements; also, that such do appear as angels of the inward heaven, but that
3223. While he thus stood, suddenly there flew from him a little spirit, like an infant, with a similar human body, which afterwards came towards the upper [regions] over my head, and spoke with me, and I did not then perceive aught but evil [therein]. I then spoke, concerning the same, with spirits, [asking] who he was, and where [was] the body left which appeared like a cast-off garment: whether in this remained any life, inasmuch as interiors were thus separated. It was said that that little one which [came] from him was his interior spirit with whom so much of the natural [principle] followed as could have been serviceable or obedient. Wherefore it was asked [loquatum] whether or no all the evil can thus exist and so enter heaven; but it was said that this was contrary to order, or the laws of order, for a man to lose exteriors: also that such appear indeed [as] angels of the interior heaven,
3223. Cum sic staret subito ab eo evolabat spiritus parvus sicut infans, corpore humano simili, qui postquam versus superiora, super caput meum venit, mecum loquutus, nec tunc aliquid percepi quod malum: tum de eodem loquutum cum spiritibus, quis is esset, et ubi corpus relictum quod apparuit sicut exutus amictus, num in hoc residua esset vita, quia interiora sic separata; dictum quod parvus is, qui ab eo, esset spiritus ejus interior, cum quo tantum naturale sequeretur, quantum servum seu obsequens potuisset esse: quare loquutum numne 1
omnes mali ita possint existere, et sic venire in coelum, sed dictum quod hoc contra ordinem seu
(3224.) leges ordinis, ut homo amittat exteriora, tum quod tales quidem appareant angeli interioris coeli, sed quod usque retineant naturalia talia quae obsequuntur et serva sunt, considerantes sic mundum spirituum ut corpus, sicut mundus spirituum considerat 2
corpus hominum ut suum; sic ordine. Nunc insinuatum, quod ea quae relicta apparent ut amictus, similiter repraesententur 3
apud eos qui angeli interiores fiunt, sicut mihi quondam repraesentatum [vide 2692-2693] quod vestes relictae in oculo sinistro, ibi reconditae; sed [ex eo,] quod inde evocentur ordine ea, et naturalibus angelorum adjiciuntur, quae non obsequiosa sunt seu serva, inde fermentatio, et emissio e coelis, ut quoad ea quoque vastentur.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has numnes
2. The Manuscript has considerant
3. The Manuscript has repraesentetur