4294. About knowledge and doctrinals, that they are nothing, unless the person becomes such as they teach
I was conducted through the mansions of the heaven of spirits, from where I also saw those who are in the inward heaven, with whom I also spoke. This was at the right hand, where a restful state reigns - it was a restfulness such as evades description. As I conversed with them in their mansions, then there appeared spirits above me, some as if in a floating lucidity, where the dwellings of the most ancients are. I spoke with the spirits or angels, but whenever I brought up anything doctrinal or scientific, they were unwilling to allow it, saying they have no need of such things, that it would interrupt their rest, because they have those things, and that because they have them, they know all that.
From this and other experiences I was taught that those who are in heaven do not allow doctrinal matters except for some use, and that they have no other use than to make the person become such as they teach, being of service to people on earth and to souls who have recently arrived from the world. They rightly perceived whether I placed merit or gloried in such knowledge. So precise was their perception as to whether any such motive were present, that it could never be described. What the mental imagery of angelic spirits is like, which is of a universal nature, by which spirits are recognized in kind, was also given me to learn - which is likewise beyond description. 1749, 3 June.
4294. CONCERNING SCIENTIFICS AND DOCTRINALS, THAT THEY ARE OF NO ACCOUNT EXCEPT TO MAKE A MAN CONFORMABLE TO THEM.
I was led through the mansions of the heaven of spirits, from whence I perceived those that were in the interior heaven, and with whom also I conversed. It was at the right where there is a state of rest - such a state of rest as cannot be described. I spoke with them in their mansions, and there appeared spirits above me, some in a kind of pendant lucidity, where are the habitations of the men of the Most Ancient Church. I spoke with spirits and angels, but as often as I adduced anything doctrinal or scientific they were unwilling to admit it, saying there was no need of such things - that they disturbed their quiet - inasmuch as they were in them, and from being in them, they know [everything] of the kind. From this and other things I learned that they did not admit of doctrinals except on account of use, and that doctrinals were nothing else than the means of man's becoming such as doctrinals alone would make him, that is, means subservient to man's use on the earth, and to the use of souls recently arrived from the world. They clearly perceived whether I was disposed to place a glory in things of this kind, and their perception on this score was indescribably accurate. It was also given me to know the quality of the ideas of angelic spirits, which are universal, as are those of spirits in general, but it cannot be described. - 1749, June 3.
4294. De scientificis et doctrinalibus quod nihil sint, nisi ita fiat homo
Perductus sum per mansiones coeli spirituum, unde quoque percepi illos qui in coelo interiori, cum quibus quoque loquutus, erat ad dextram, ubi status quietis, erat quies talis ut describi nequeat, cum illis in suis mansionibus loquutus, tunc apparuerunt spiritus, supra me, quidam in lucido sicut pendente, ubi antiquissimorum habitationes; loquutus cum spiritibus seu angelis, sed quoties aliquid doctrinale aut scientificum adducerem, non volebant admittere, dicentes non opus esse talibus, interturbaret quietem, quia in iis sunt, et quia in illis, quod norint similia; inde et ex aliis doctus, quod qui in coelo non admittant doctrinalia, nisi ob usum; et quod doctrinalia nihil aliud sint, quam ut homo talis fiat, inservientia hominibus in terra, et animabus quae recens e mundo veniunt: probe percipiebant, num aliquid meriti, aut gloriae in similibus ponerem, tam accurata erat perceptio, num aliquid tale, ut describi nusquam possit. Quales ideae spirituum angelicorum, quae universales sunt, quibus distinguuntur spiritus in genere, quoque scire datum, quae nec describi possunt. 1749, 3 Junius.