3513. I heard some from the same realm speaking who had been instructed who the Lord is, Who rules the universe. They had been welcomed, and once they knew and were thoroughly convinced who the Lord is that rules the universe, they are more constant than others, and indeed, are almost wholely within that same aura, nor do they want to be among those in the world of spirits, nor listen to those who reason from visible things and such, and by so reasoning darken and confuse themselves. Instead, they laugh at them. When apart from visible things they abide in the truth, from which they do not allow themselves to be drawn away.
This characteristic they also bring from their life in the body - namely, for the reason above mentioned, that they do not reason about inward things because they claim that no one can know them; then also for the reason that in doing business, they seldom go along other avenues toward their objectives than safe and well tested ones, and seize only upon infallible methods and plans that they know both from experience, and from their finesse, which has become second nature to them. And they see how others are making mistakes, grasping at uncertain tactics and schemes, lacking experience and principle, which are seldom successful. That they have this character is well known to other nations.
3513. I heard some speaking from the same sphere, who had been instructed as to who the Lord is; who rules the universe; who are received [by him]; and when thus instructed were convinced and persuaded that the Lord alone is the ruler of the universe, from which they become more constant than others: 1and as they are then almost entirely in that sphere, they are unwilling to be among or to hear those in the world of spirits, who reason from visible things, and the like, and thus cloud and confound themselves. Indeed they rather deride all such, and renouncing all their speculations, abide in the truth, from which they do not suffer themselves to be drawn away. This character they contract from the life in the body, viz. from the cause above mentioned, that they do not reason concerning interior things, which they say no one can know; and from this also, that in their business transactions they rarely proceed through any other truths to their ultimate object than those that are certain and well-defined, and thus adopt such means and such a policy as they have learnt from experience will not deceive. Then again, being possessed of a subtlety of thought, which imbues their nature, they see how others err in adopting uncertain counsels and measures, without experience or principle, and thus generally fail of success. That they are of this character, may be known also to others; wherefore when in the other life they are confirmed and persuaded respecting whatever is true and truly good, they follow the same course, the Lord still upholding them in their peculiar nature, from which it is that they are confirmed and persuaded more strongly than others. It is for this reason that other spirits said they knew not where they were, or how they came into heaven. - 1748, October 10.
Footnotes:
1. Speaking in another place of the Hollanders in the other life, Swedenborg says, to the same effect, "These afterwards became more constant than others, so that they may be called CONSTANCIES: nor do they suffer themselves to be led away by any reasoning, fallacy, obscurity induced by sophistry, or by preposterous vision from confirmations alone; for they become more clear-sighted than before."- True Christian Religion 802.
3513. Quosdam ex eadem sphaera audivi loquentes, qui instructi, quis Dominus, Qui regit universum, qui recepti sunt, et cum semel norunt, et convicti et persuasi sunt, quis Dominus regit universum, quod tunc constantiores sint aliis, et quidem quod tunc in eadem sphaera fere toti sunt, nec velint esse inter eos in mundo spirituum, seu eos audire, qui ratiocinantur ex visibilibus, et talibus, seque ratiocinationibus obscurant et confundunt, quos potius rident, sed absque talibus manent in veritate, a qua se abstrahi non patiuntur: quod etiam trahunt a vita in corpore, nempe, ex causa ut dictum, quod non ratiocinentur de interioribus, quia ajunt neminem posse illa scire; tum etiam ex eo, quod raro alias vias ad fines suos, in negotiatione, eunt, quam certas et confirmatas, et talia media et consilia capiant, quae non fallunt, quae ab experientia sciunt, tum a subtili eorum cogitatione, quae naturam imbuit, et vident quomodo alii errant, quod incerta media et consilia capiant, absque experientia et principio, quibus raro succedit, quod tales sint, aliis quoque notum esse potest: quare in altera vita cum confir-