604. Moreover, when I was in bed, before I fell asleep, I heard a general singing of heaven around me, by many angels of the inward heaven, 1and at the same time I was then in a visual glorification. That glorifying which came to my hearing, while it was audible, at the same time it was general, because what they were portraying and singing, I could not understand at all. I was told that the universal heavens continually ascribe glory to the Lord, and glorify Him in this way.
604. 1/2. That such glorification goes on and on, I was also able to infer from the fact that whenever I took a breath while humming a song, I would be following those who were likewise singing by means of gyres, so that I could tell that the glorification was perpetual.
604. 1:3. But this was just the glorification common to all; the angels have distinct spiritual and heavenly mental imagery, which no one can see except one who is in the heavens. I am told that it is most clear to those who are in heaven, that is, heavenly glorification, as well as spiritual; and that whatever of it comes forth in the realm of spirits, appears in such a way that they are able to know and learn nothing but what the Lord allows them to.
Footnotes:
1. See 262, footnote 3.
604. Moreover, when I was in bed, before sleep overtook me, I then heard a general singing of heaven around me consisting of very many angels of the interior heaven, and at the same time I was then in a visual glorying. I heard that glorying which became audible; at the same time it was general, because I could perceive nothing of what they were representing and singing. It was told me that the whole heaven in thus manner continually attributes glory to the Lord, and thus are glorying.
604 1/2. I could also conclude that such glorification was continual from the fact that as often as I respired with a kind of tacit song, just so often did I follow those who in like manner were singing in gyres, so that I could thence know that the glorying was continuous.
604 1/3. This was only the general: the angels are in distinct spiritual and celestial ideas which no one can perceive unless he be in heaven. It was said to me that this, namely, the heavenly glorification with the spiritual, is most distinct with those in the heavens, and that in this way do those things which exist in the sphere of spirits appear, so that they can know and be aware of nothing else than what the Lord grants them.
604. Praeterea cum essem in lecto, antequam somnum caperem, tunc audivi communem coeli circum me cantum, qui erat plurium angelorum interioris coeli, et simul tunc eram in gloriatione visuali; illa gloriatio, quae venit ad auditum, erat auditus, et simul communis, quia quid repraesentabant et cecinerunt, nihil potui percipere; mihi dicebatur, quod universum coelum sic continuo gloriam tribuunt Domino, et ita gloriantur.
604a. Quod continua esset talis glorificatio, etiam concludere potui inde, quod quoties respirabam cum tacito quodam cantu 1
, toties sequebar eos, qui similiter per gyros canebant ita ut inde scire posse 2
, quod perpetua esset gloriatio.
604b. Hoc erat commune tantum, angeli in distinctis ideis spiritualibus et coelestibus sunt, quod nemo nisi qui in coelis est, percipere potest, dicitur mihi quod distinctissimum sit iis qui in coelo, nempe glorificatio coelestis cum spirituali, et quod sic appareant ea, quae in sphaera spirituum existunt ut nihil aliud scire et nosse queant, quam quod Dominus iis concedit.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has tacita quadam cantu
2. sic manuscript; vide praefationem hujus editionis sub capite "Idiosyncrasies"