5749. In a word, the heavens which were collected from the Christian world after the advent of the Lord, successively declined, as is customary on earth. At first those in them found heaven in themselves and worshipped the Lord, and so also had heaven outside of themselves; 1thus it was in its proper order. But successively the heaven in them began to darkened and at length to disappear, and then they wanted to have the heaven which they knew, outside themselves; and they called this heaven, and then it was no longer inward. It was also granted them to have heaven outside themselves; and this consisted in stupendous magnificence, which was indescribable, in palaces, in arcades, in beautiful decorations, in pleasure gardens, also in dignities and the like;
[2] and also in grandeur from multitudes of servants, thus in dignity alone and in external self-worship for the sake of these things. At length, when they were not able to have such things from the Lord, because they looked to themselves and not the Lord, from whom those things were, they provided these for themselves through fantasies, and arts unknown in the world, which are innumerable. Thus they still continued on. Not that those who were of the first resurrection were like this, but those who came afterwards, for as these came into heaven, the Lord, from Divine Providence, removed the former ones, or secreted them there, so that they should not be seen. Therefore, when they placed all things in nothing else than external splendors and pleasures, then, at last, this judgment came which has been spoken of.
Footnotes:
1. This paragraph is emphasized marginally by "N.B"
5749. In a word, the heavens which were collected from the Christian world after the Advent of the Lord, successively declined, as is customary on earth. At first, those in them procured heaven in themselves and worshipped the Lord, and thus also had heaven without themselves; thus, it was in its proper order. But, successively, the heaven in them began to be overshadowed and at length to be dispersed; and then they wanted to have the heaven which they knew, outside themselves; and they called this heaven, and then there was no longer any internal. It was also permitted them to have heaven outside themselves; and this consisted in amazing magnificence which was indescribable, in palaces, in colonnades, in galleries, in embellishments, in paradises, also in dignities and the like; and also in grandeur from multitudes of servants; thus, in dignity alone, and in external self-worship for the sake of these things. At length, when they were not able to have such things from the Lord, because they regarded themselves and not the Lord, from Whom those things were, they provided them for themselves, through phantasies and arts unknown in the world - which are innumerable. Thus they went on incessantly; not that those who were of the first resurrection were such, but those who [came] afterwards for as these came into heaven, the Lord, of Divine Providence, removed the former ones, or secreted them there, so that they should not be seen; wherefore, when they placed all things in nothing else than external splendors and pleasures, then, at last, this judgment came which has been spoken of.
5749. Verbo coeli qui post adventum Domini a Christiano orbe collecti successive declinaverunt sicut solet in terris, primum nacti sunt coelum in se, et coluerunt Dominum, et sic quoque habuerunt coelum extra se, ita in suo ordine, 1
sed successive coepit coelum quod in illis obfuscari et tandem disparari, et tunc voluerunt coelum, quod noverunt, habere extra se, et hoc vocaverunt coelum, et tunc non magis internum: etiam illis dabatur habere coelum extra se, quod consistebat in stupenda magnificentia, quae ineffabilis, in palatiis, in porticibus, in decoramentis, in paradisis, tum in dignitatibus, et similibus et tunc in magnificentia ex pluribus servitiis, ita in sola dignitate, et in cultu externo sui propter illa, tandem cum non potuerunt talia ex Domino habere, quia se spectabant et non Dominum a quo illa, tunc comparabant illa sibi per phantasias, et artes incognitas in mundo, quae innumerabiles sunt, ita usque continuabant, non quod illi qui a prima resurrectione tales essent, sed, qui postea; nam ut illi in coelum venerunt, tunc Dominus priores removit, aut abdidit ibi, ut non apparerent, ex Divina Providentia; quare cum amplius non nisi quam in lautitiis et voluptatibus externis posuerunt omnia, tunc ultimo venit judicium hoc, de quo dictum est.
Footnotes:
1. Sidebar: NB.