4330. About the Gentile nations
I spoke with certain peoples who had been gentiles, and who then had been sages, and they were able to discern clearly the inner qualities of thoughts, and many more qualities than Christians of this time ever could. The difference was almost as much as that between man and spirit. From a single mental image of thought they could discern the whole series, which was replete with everything pertaining to the enjoyments of wisdom. They delighted in the Word and the fact that all things therein down to the least detail were figurative and symbolic, because this had been their manner of thinking when they lived.
Christian spirits were surprised, and indignant, as a conversation with those peoples intervened that was all to this effect. They had appeared in front at some distance, some of them close to me, and from their aura I sensed their delight that there is such a symbolism is in the Word, and that the words were nothing but symbolic vessels. 1749, 20 July.
4330. CONCERNING THE GENTILE NATIONS.
I spoke with certain people who were Gentiles, and who had now become wise, as they were able to perceive the interiors of thought and other things more fully than any Christians of modern days; the difference was almost that between a man and a spirit. From a single idea of thought they knew the whole series which was filled with things that constitute the delights of wisdom. They were delighted with the Word, from its contents being all and singular representative and significative, inasmuch as their own mode of thought, while they lived was similar, though Christian spirits were both surprised and indignant at the fact. I held discourse with them which was altogether of this style. They appeared at some distance in front. Some also were near me, and a pleasantness was perceived in their sphere, arising from this quality of the Word, namely, from its being significative, and from the words being nothing else than the subjects of significatives. - 1749, July 20.
4330. De gentibus Ethnicis
Loquutus cum gentibus qui fuerunt Ethnici, et qui tunc sapientes fuerunt, et illi potuerunt percipere interiora cogitationum, et plura plene, quam usquam Christiani hoc tempore, erat paene differentia sicut inter hominem et spiritum; ex una idea cogitationis sciebant totam seriem, quae implebatur illis quae sunt jucunda sapientiae, delectabantur Verbo, quod repraesentativa essent omnia et singula, et significativa, quia modus eorum cogitandi talis fuit illis cum vixerunt; Christiani mirati sunt, et indignati, intercessit sermo cum iis, qui omnis talis fuit: visi antrorsum ad distantiam; quidam etiam fuerunt prope me, et ex sphaera eorum percepta jucunditas quod tale sit in Verbo, nempe significativum, et quod voces nihil aliud essent, quam subjecta significativorum. 1749, 20 Julius.