5798. The way that leads to heaven is the same as far as to the cornerstone
I have spoken with angels about the fact that it is believed that it is difficult to walk the way to heaven, because so many things must be done and all desires renounced, besides much more. Therefore it was shown by a road, as happens in the spiritual world, that symbolizes the truth that leads [to heaven]. To the right appeared a road that both the good and evil were traveling. It was the same road, but when they had gone a distance, there was a large stone in the shade that the good saw, but not the evil. From this stone, called a cornerstone, there was a road that led to one side, and [a road] to the opposing side. The evil took the opposing road, which went backwards and stretched downwards; the good, however, took the other road, which stretched upward, this one to heaven, that one to hell. The stone symbolized the Lord and His Divine Human. The evil had not acknowledged [Him]; the good had. It appeared that the evil, because the stone was in the shade, fell there. From this it was shown that the moral life the evil and the good lead is the same but from different origins: the evil from a hellish origin, the good from a spiritual one. The evil who walked it were those who led a life similar to the moral life of the good. About the cornerstone may be seen Matt. 20:42, Mark 12:10, 11, Luke 20:17, 18. They who fall on the cornerstone say that when they fell, they lay as if unable to move. When they got up, they said that they had done equally many good things as others, they were granted to enumerate a certain [number] of them, and so they equally ought to come into heaven. But the things they did were good things of civil life in outward appearance, for their inward aspects were opened that pertained to thought and love, which were filthy and also scandalous things about God, especially about the Lord. From anger they said further that from themselves they had been incapable of doing what is good, how then could they have gone the way leading to heaven? But it was said to them that in their freedom had been present [the power] not think evil about God and about the Lord, and thus [the power] to flee such things as are contrary to the Word and contrary to [its] doctrine and contrary to the doctrine of their [church's] faith; and when they flee from a thought of evil, then from the Lord a good affection together with thought from it flows in, and in this way they are brought into a state of goodness by the Lord; and as much as they are brought into this, so much they come into the state in which they are affected by truth.
5798. THE WAY WHICH LEADS TO HEAVEN IS THE SAME WAY, AS FAR AS THE CORNER-STONE, [AS THAT WHICH LEADS TO HELL].
I conversed with angels respecting the fact that it is believed that it is difficult to tread the way to heaven, because so many things must be done and all lusts forsaken, besides many things more. Wherefore, as occurs in the spiritual world, the matter was shown by means of a road, which signifies truth which leads. A road appeared at the right, where both the good and the evil trode. It was the same road; but, when they reached to a certain distance, there was a great stone, in shadow, which the good saw but not the evil. From that stone, which is called the corner-stone, a road led to one side and another to the opposite. The evil went on the opposite side, which was behind and sloped downwards; but the good went the other way, which inclined upwards. The latter led to heaven, the former to hell. That stone signified the Lord and His Divine Human. The evil did not acknowledge it: the good did acknowledge. It appeared that the evil fell upon it, because the stone was in shadow. Hence was shown that the moral life which both evil and good lead is the same, but from a different source; the evil do it from an infernal source, the good from a spiritual source. The evil who traveled it, were those who led a moral life like the moral life of the good About the corner-stone, see Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10-11; Luke 20:17-18. They who fell upon the stone said, that, when they fell, they lay as if dazed. When they got up, they said that they did goods as much as the others - they were permitted to enumerate some of these - and that, therefore, they were equally entitled to enter heaven. But they were merely goods of civil life in external form; for the interiors, which were of the thought and of the love, were opened, and they were vile, and also defamatory about God, especially about the Lord. They angrily declared, also, that they were not able to do good of themselves; how, then, could they travel the way leading to heaven? But they were told that it was within their power, not to think evils about God and about the Lord, and thus to shun such things as are against the Word and against doctrine, and against the doctrine of their faith; and when they shun evils of thought, then, from the Lord, good affection and consequent thought inflows, and thus they are brought into good by the Lord; and so far as they are in this, so far they come into the affection of truth.
5798. Quod via quae ducit ad coelum sit eadem via usque ad lapidem angularem
Loquutus cum angelis de eo, quod credatur quod difficile sit ire viam ad coelum, quia tam multa facienda, et omnes concupiscentiae abdicandae, praeter plura; quare ostensum est per viam, ut fit in mundo spirituali, quae significat verum quod ducit, apparebat ad dextrum via, quam ibant tam boni quam mali, eadem via erat, sed cum ad aliquam distantiam venerant, erat magnus lapis in obscuro, quem boni videbant, sed mali non, ab illo lapide, qui vocatur lapis angularis, ducebat via ad unum latus et ad oppositum, mali ibant viam oppositam quae erat retro et tendebat deorsum, boni autem viam alteram quae tendebat sursum, haec ad coelum, illa ad infernum; lapis ille significabat Dominum et Divinum Humanum Ipsius, mali non agnoverunt, boni agnoverunt, apparebat quod mali, quia lapis in obscuro erat, caderent ibi; inde ostensum, quod vita moralis sit eadem quam agunt mali quam boni, sed ex diversa origine, mali ex origine infernali, boni ex origine spirituali, mali qui illam ibant, erant qui vitam moralem egerant similem vitae morali bonorum, de lapide angulari, videatur Matth. XXI: 42, Marc. XII: 10, 11, 11, Luc. XX: 17, 18, 18, qui cadebant super lapidem, dicebant quod cum ceciderunt, jacuerint sicut sui non compotes, cum surrexerunt, dixerunt quod illi aeque bona fecerint sicut alii, dabatur enumerare quaedam ex illis, et quod sic aeque in coelum deberent venire; sed erant bona vitae civilis in externa forma, nam aperiebantur interiora quae cogitationis et amoris erant, quae erant foeda, et quoque scandalosa de Deo, imprimis de Domino; dicebant porro ex ira, quod ex se facere bonum non potuerint, quomodo tunc possent ire viam ducentem ad coelum ? sed dictum illis est, quod in libero eorum fuerat mala de Deo et de Domino non cogitare, et sic fugere talia quae contra Verbum et contra doctrinam, ac contra fidei eorum doctrinam, et cum mali cogitationem fugiunt, tunc a Domino influit bona affectio et inde cogitatio, et sic ferantur in bonum a Domino, et quantum in hoc tantum veniant in affectionem veri.