4711. About one God and nature
That states make distance, denial makes absence, and so confirmation presence
Faith which conjoins
I was in the state like that of spirits and was then entirely as they are, with a human body and human senses, in a room. And there were many in another room, and books appeared there too. I looked at one book that was written in what seemed to be ancient Hebrew letters, but I soon closed it and looked at another. Then I spoke with one of those at the table. The rest sat at the walls. I said that I was in the world and nevertheless at the same time in the other life, I touched him and he felt it, and I said that within a person is the person who lives after death.
[2] He, because he believed this, appeared to be completely present, but the rest who sat at the walls faded away as to their heads so that finally they did not appear except as a shadow in place of them. I heard afterwards that they had not believed what I said and that therefore they appeared to be fading away or absent. For the idea of one person enters fully into that of another in the place where it is affirmatively received. Consequently individuals appear present in the degree there is agreement and affirmation. But the ideas of thought that are not received cause absence, that is, denial of another's existence.
4711. CONCERNING ONE GOD, AND NATURE. THAT STATES PRODUCE DISTANCE - NEGATION ABSENCE; AND, SO, CONFIRMATION PRESENCE. THAT FAITH CONJOINS.
In such a state as that in which spirits are, and then wholly like them with a human body and human senses, I was in an apartment; and there were many in another apartment; and there also appeared books. I looked at one book, which was written with letters like the ancient Hebrew; but I immediately closed it and looked at another. Then I spoke with one of those at the table. The rest lay down by the walls. I said that I am in the world, and, yet, at the same time, in the other life. I touched him, and he felt it; I also said that the man that lives after death is within the man [that lives in the world.] Because he believed this, he appeared entirely present; but the rest, who lay down by the walls, banished as to their heads; so that there was no appearance, at last, except like a shadow in their place. I afterwards heard that they did not believe what I said, and that therefore they appeared as though they had vanished, or were absent; for the idea of one man enters fully into [the mind] of another, where it is affirmatively received; and thus they appear present according to agreement and affirmation: so that the ideas of thought which are not received produce absence; that is, negation does.
4711. De uno Deo et natura
Quod status faciant distantiam, negatio absentiam, et sic confirmatio praesentiam
Fides quod conjungat
Fui in statu in quali sunt spiritus, et tunc prorsus sicut illi, humano corpore, et humanis sensibus, in conclavi, et erant in altero conclavi plures, et quoque apparebant libri, inspexi unum librum, qui scriptus literis quasi hebraicis antiquis fuit, sed eum mox clausi, et inspexi alium; tunc loquutus sum cum uno illorum ad mensam, reliqui ad parietes discumbebant, dicebam quod sim in mundo, et tamen simul in altera vita, tetigi illum et sensit, et quod in homine sit homo qui vivit post mortem, ille quia credebat, apparebat praesens prorsus, at reliqui qui discumbebant ad parietes quoad capita sua evanescebant, sic ut non apparerent tandem, nisi sicut umbra loco eorum; audivi postea quod non crediderint, quae dixi, et quod ideo apparerent ut evanescentes vel ut absentes; nam idea unius hominis intrat plene in alterius ubi affirmative recipitur, et sic apparent praesentes secundum consensum et affirmationem, at ideae cogitationis quae non recipiuntur faciunt absentiam hoc est negationem.