3. 属世、属灵、属天大体上的差异。
有三层天堂：底层天堂、中层天堂、高层天堂。在底层天堂，人们是属世的，不过他们的属世或源于中层天堂的属灵，或源自高层天堂的属天。中层天堂的人们是属灵的，高层天堂的人们是属天的；还有一些处于二者之间，称为属灵之属天，这些人当中有很多是高层天中的传道者。
[2] 属世、属灵、属天之间的差别在于他们之间没有任何可比性，因此属世无法以任何相似性来趋近属灵，属灵也不能这样趋近属世。因此各层天堂是截然不同的。我获准从大量的经历中了解此事。我经常被差遣到属灵的众天使之中，以他们属灵的谈话方式来交流，并将所说的内容记下来，当我返回到世人所处的属世状态时，尝试回想先前所记内容并写下来，但是怎么也做不到。这是不可能的；我找不到任何话语，甚至任何思想概念来表达它。属灵的思想概念和词语，与属世的思想概念和词语之间相差巨大，它们之间没有一丁点相似之处。令人惊奇的是，当我在该层天堂与天使交谈时，我完全不知道我交谈的方式不同于世间的方式。但后来我认识到思维与言语如此不同，它们之间无法相比，也没有比较的标准。
[3] 属灵与属天之间有类似的差异。我被告知，这样的差异类似属世与属灵的差异，之间也没有任何比例关系或相似性。只是我无法借着亲身经历来确证，中层天的天使也无法做到。于是中层天堂的一些天使获准与三层天的天使联系，在那里思考并与他们交谈，记下所思所言的内容，然后回到自己所在之天堂。他们告诉我，他们无法表达先前状态下的任何一个意念或词语，没有可能。最终，他们说两层天堂之间没有任何比例关系或可比性。
[4] 我获准多次与中层和高层天堂的天使相处，听他们相互间的谈话。那时我处于内在的属世状态，远离世俗与肉体牵挂，事实上就是刚睡醒时的状态。我听到一些难以言喻或不可言传的事情，正如保罗所经历的（哥林多后书12:4）；我有时被赐予能力，得以察觉和理解他们所说的事情。他们所论的谈话满是奥秘，这些奥秘是关于主、救赎、更新、天命以及相关内容。后来让我明白，我不能通过任何属灵或属天的话语来言说或描述它们，但尽管如此，它们可以用属世的语言来描述，以致于可以被理性地悟解。我还被告知，没有什么神性的奥秘不可以被理解、甚至以属世的方式表达出来，尽管较粗放和欠完美。人们以属世的方式，凭借他们理性的理解，出于对真理的渴慕而领受那些神性的奥秘，之后成为灵时，就能以属灵的方式领会和言说这同样的事情，当他们成为天使时，便能以属天的方式理解，其它人则不能。以属世方式领会和热爱神性真理，就好比一只水晶或瓷制酒杯，随后往杯中倒入葡萄酒，这酒的品质如真理的属性，对它的品尝犹如对真理的渴慕之情。
[5] 属世、属灵、属天之间的如此差别，可以说是无限的，这可清楚地从世人与天使的思想之别看得出来，还可从他们的言行以及他们的书写方式之别看出。从这一切证据可以显明他们各自的属性如何，以及万物如何从世间往天上、从低层天堂往高层天堂上升到达更高完美。
[6] 关于思维：世人的一切思维，包括彼此间相互隔离的想法，都在一定程度上受空间、时间、人性、事件的影响。这在自然光即世上之光中可以看的清楚，因为离了光，无人能思维，正如没有光什么也看不见一样。自然光或世上之光是死的，来自世间的太阳，这太阳不过是火。然而，天上之光从四面八方持续不断地流入那光，赋予其生命，才使事物能被感知和理解。单单世上之光无法赋予任何感知力和理解力，或带来任何属世的或理性的启示，它有此能力乃是出于天上的光，因为天上的光来自天上的太阳，就是主，因而是生命本身。天上的光流入世上的光就像原因流入结果，关于这种流入的性质，将在别处阐述。
由此可看出属世的思维是什么，或者世人里面的思想观念是怎样的。那就是，它们不可分割地粘附着空间、时间、个人、物质等因素，以致于这样的思想或思想观念是有限和受束缚限制的，因而是粗糙的，称之为“物性”。另一方面，中层天天使的思维完全脱离了时间、空间、个人和物质的观念，因此它们是无限的和不受束缚的；思维的对象如同思维本身一样，是灵性的，所以他们属灵地思考事物，而非属世地思考。至于最高层天的天使，他们无需思考，但对他们所见所闻的事物有洞见。他们的思维被各式各样的情感取代，其多样性如同属灵天使的思维。
[7] 关于言语的形式：世人言语的内容和表达方式取决于他们思维的意念，因为思维的意念从内往外传递并说出来，就变成话语。因此，世人的言语每个词都带有空间、时间、个人和物质的观念。出于同样的原因，中层天天使言语的内容和表达方式也如同他们思维的意念，因为思维的意念是由他们的话语来表达的。另一方面，高层天天使言语的内容和表达方式全都来自他们情感倾向的变化。不过，与属灵天使谈话时，他们会像属灵天使那样说话，但他们自己彼此交谈则不是这样。
天使与世人言语的形式区别如此之大，以致于没有什么共同之处，因而世人听不懂天使的话，哪怕一个词也听不懂，天使也听不懂世人的言语。我听过天使说话，记下内容，然后尝试看看那些话是否能与世人的言辞或语言有相符之处，结果一个也没有。
属灵的言语对所有人是一样的，内植于每个人之内，一成为灵就会属灵的言语。
至于写作的形式，和他们的语言相似。属灵天使书写的文字，类似世人书写的文字，不过每个字都有含意。如果你在属世状态下来看它，会说它只不过是文字而已。另外，最高层天使写作的文字截然不同，它们每个字由各种曲线构成，与希伯来文字区别并非很大，但是处处弯曲，绝无直线。每个字代表一个意义，他们依据来自情感而非思维的觉知来理解。
因此，属世者不明白属灵著作中任何内容；属灵者也不明白属世著作讲什么。同样地，属灵天使不明白属天著作；属天天使看不懂属灵著作，除非与属灵的天使在一起
[8] 他们做的事情很多，因为每个人都参与一些活动；彼此之间的差别也是类似。属灵者如何做他们所做的事情不能被描述给属世者，属世者也无法将他们所做的事情描述给属灵者。 它们之间的差异正如他们的思维、言语和写作上的不同。
[9] 从这些事可以看出，属世、属灵、属天之间存在着什么差异，除了藉着对应，彼此间无任何匹配之处。正因如此，世人不晓得他们与灵之间有交往，灵也不知道他们与世人有交往，而事实上他们之间存在持续不断的交流。就情感和思维而言每个人都身处诸灵之中，若非如此，他一分钟也活不了；灵和天使若不是和世人在一起，片刻也活不了。原因在于，从最起初的事物到最终端的事物有着持续不断的连接，因而从主到人类也是如此；从创世开始，这种连接就通过对应来起作用，通过天使和灵来流入。属天的一切流入属灵的事物，属灵的一切流向属世的事物，最终落实到这个连接的终端——属肉体的和属物质的事物，在此停留。若没有这个最终的居所提供给居间事物流入，就没有持续的存在，就好比建在空中的房屋没有基础。人类因此是诸天堂的基础和根基。
[10] 没有天使知道属世、属灵、属天之间存在着这样的差异。原因是天使不会改变他的状态，或者说从属灵的状态到属世的状态，以便能够探索其间的差异。我和他们谈过这件事，他们说他们不知道这些差异。他们以为自己以与世人相同的方式思考、说话、写作和做事。但是通过改变他们的状态向他们展示了真相，先在属灵状态下思考，然后在属世状态下思考，还分别在属灵和属世状态下说话、阅读和做事，最后发现两个状态下的思考、说话、写作和做事存在着无法描述的差异。在这一点上，我甚至获准指教天使，因为我已被容许在两个世界间交替生活，可以从一个世界探究另一个世界；他们后来都承认情况的确如此。
[11] 不过，属世、属灵和属天的相似之处在于他们的视觉、味觉、嗅觉、听觉，以及各种触觉所涉及的对象都是这类事物。每个人看起来都像世上的人一样。他们的衣服看起来也是一样，还有他们的房子、花园或公园，田野也是如此，同样也有土有水，还有各种食物和饮料，以及各从其类的地上动物、空中飞鸟、水中鱼类。像世上一样，也听到他们说话声，还有歌声和音乐。有类似的味道，气味也是如此。总而言之，以任何感觉见到或感受到的所有事物。然而这一切事物来自灵性的源头，因此他们属灵地思考它们并给予属灵的名字。但是所有这些事物，因为它们是在中层天堂和高层天堂中被看到或被感受到，在形式与和谐的卓越性方面，以及在其完美性方面，只能以不完美的方式来描述，正如世界上最完美的事物，与天上的那些事物相比，它们依然不完美。
3. The Difference in General between Natural, Spiritual and Celestial Things
There are three heavens: a lowest one, a middle one, and a highest. In the lowest heaven the people are natural, but their natural quality stems either from the spiritual quality that belongs to the middle heaven or from the celestial quality that belongs to the third heaven. In the second heaven the people are spiritual, and in the third heaven celestial. There are also some in between, who are called spiritual- celestial. Many of these are preachers in the highest heaven.
[2] The difference between natural, spiritual and celestial things is such that there is no proportional relation between them. Therefore natural things cannot in any way by any approximation approach in likeness spiritual things, nor spiritual things celestial things. That is why the heavens are distinct. I have been given to know this from much experience. Again and again I have been conveyed into the company of spiritual angels, and I then spoke with them in their spiritual way of speaking, and what I said I then made a point of remembering. When I returned into my natural state-the state every person in the world is in-I then tried to recall what I had said from my earlier remembrance and write it down, but I could not. It was impossible. No words were to be found and not even any mental concepts by which to express it. The spiritual mental concepts and words were so removed from natural mental concepts and words that there was not the least approximation. Surprisingly, when I was in that heaven and spoke with angels, I then knew no other than that I was speaking in the same way that I speak with people here. But afterward I found out that the thoughts and speech were so dissimilar that the one could not approximate the other, consequently that they have proportional relation.
[3] There is a similar difference between spiritual and celestial things. I have been told that there is a similar difference, and also that the difference is such that no proportional relation or approximation is possible. But I could not be given confirmation of this through personal experience without actually being an angel of the middle heaven. It was therefore granted some angels of the middle heaven to be together with angels of the third heaven, and while there to think and speak with them, and also to make a point of remembering what they thought and what they said, and afterward to return to their own heaven. And they told me then that they could not express any idea or any word from the earlier state, that it was impossible; and they said in conclusion that there is no proportional relation or approximation.
[4] For the same reason I have a number of times been given to be in the presence of angels of the middle and highest heaven, and to hear them talking together (whenever this happened I had been in an interior natural state, removed from worldly and bodily concerns specifically, upon first waking from sleep); and I heard indescribable and inexpressible things, as we read happened with Paul. 1And sometimes I was let into a perception and understanding of the things they talked about. The things they said were full of secrets having to do with the Lord, redemption, regeneration, providence, and other like things; and afterward I was given to see that I could not express or record those things using any spiritual or celestial term-but that they could nevertheless still be described in words of natural language, even to rational comprehension. I was also told that there are not any Divine mysteries that cannot be perceived and expressed naturally also, even though more generally and less perfectly; and that those who perceive such things naturally with their rational understanding from an affection for truth, are able afterward to both perceive and express the same things spiritually when they become spirits, and in a celestial way when they become angels; but not so others. For one Divine truth perceived and loved naturally is like a crystal or porcelain goblet which is afterward filled with wine, the nature of the wine being such as the nature of the truth was, and the quality of its taste, so to speak, such as was the quality of the affection for the truth.
[5] That there is such a difference, which may be called an unlimited one, between natural, spiritual and celestial things, can be seen from the difference in the thoughts of people and angels, and from the difference in their speech and also in the things they do, and from the difference in their forms of writing. From these things, as from so many proofs, it will become apparent what the one and the other are like, and how the perfections of all things ascend and pass from the world into heaven, and from one heaven into another.
[6] Regarding thoughts: All the thoughts of people, including each single idea in them, involve conceptions drawn from space, time, person, or material-things that appear in natural light or the light of the world. For no one can think anything apart from light, just as nothing can be seen without light. And natural light or the light of the world is lifeless, being from the sun of the world, which is nothing but fire. Nevertheless, the light of heaven flows into that light everywhere and continually, giving it life and making possible the perception and understanding of things. The light of the world by itself cannot impart any perceptive or intellectual ability or confer any natural or rational sight, but it does so from the light of heaven, because the light of heaven comes from the sun of heaven, which is the Lord and so is life itself. The influx of the light of heaven into the light of the world is like the influx of a cause into its effect-the nature of which will be explained elsewhere. It is apparent from this what natural thought is like, or ideas of thought in people, namely, that they are inseparably bound up with notions of space, time, personality and material. Because of this, those thoughts or ideas of thought are very limited and restricted, and so are crude, and must be called material. The thoughts of angels of the middle heaven, on the other hand, are all without notions of space, time, personality and material, so that they are unlimited and unrestricted. The objects of their thoughts are, like the thoughts themselves, spiritual, so that they think about them spiritually and not naturally. As for angels of the highest heaven, they do not have thoughts, but they have perceptions of the things they hear and see. Instead of thoughts they have affections, and these keep varying with them, just as thoughts keep varying in the case of spiritual angels.
[7] Regarding forms of speech: The things people say and the way they say them are like the ideas of their thoughts, for ideas of thought become words when they go out into speech. Consequently the speech of people in every word has something to do with space, time, personality, or material. By the same token, however, the things angels of the middle heaven say and the way they say them are like the ideas of their thoughts, for these are what the words of their speech express. On the other hand, the things angels of the highest heaven say and the way they say them all come from changes in their affections-though when they speak with spiritual angels, they speak as the spiritual do; but not so among themselves.
Since that is what the speech of angels is like, and what the speech of people is like, therefore their forms of speech are so different that they have nothing in common. They are so different that a person cannot understand any word an angel says, nor an angel any word a person says. I have listened to angels speaking and memorized the words, and have afterward tried to see whether any of those words matches any word in the expressions or languages of people, and there was not one. (Spiritual speech is the same for all; it is innate in everyone, and a person comes into it as soon as he becomes a spirit.)
Regarding forms of writing, this is like their speech. The writing of spiritual angels in its letters is similar to the writing of people in the world, but every letter has a meaning. Consequently if you saw it in a natural state, you would say it consisted only of letters. On the other hand, instances of writing in the highest heaven are not similar in their letters. They have letters formed by various curved strokes, not unlike the letters of Hebrew, but always rounded, with no straight lines anywhere. Each letter also carries some meaning, which they have a perception of from affection and not from thought. Because of all this, one who is natural does not comprehend a thing from spiritual writing, nor one who is spiritual a thing from natural writing. Neither does one who is spiritual comprehend anything from celestial writing, or one who is celestial anything from spiritual writing-unless he is with someone spiritual.
[8] It is similar with the things they do, which are many, for everyone is engaged in some activity. How the spiritual do what they do cannot be described to one who is natural, nor can how the celestial do what they do be described to one who is spiritual. For these differ as much as their thoughts, speech and writing.
[9] It can be seen from this what a difference there is between natural, spiritual and celestial things-that the difference is such that they have no accordance at all except by correspondences. This, too, is the reason that people do not know they have an association with spirits, and spirits that they have an association with people, when in fact there is a constant association. For a person could not live one minute without being in the midst of spirits in respect to his thoughts and affections, nor could spirits and angels live a moment without being with people. The reason is that there is a continual connection extending from first things to last things, thus from the Lord to mankind; and from creation the connection was established by correspondences, one that flows in through angels and spirits. Everything celestial flows into something spiritual, and everything spiritual into something natural, and it terminates in the last of this, which is physical and material, and there abides. Without such a final abode for intermediates to flow into, there would be no other permanence than that of a house built in the air. The human race is therefore the base and foundation of the heavens.
[10] No angel knows that there is such a difference between natural, spiritual and celestial things. The reason is that an angel does not change his state or go from a spiritual state into a natural one so as to be able to explore the differences. I have spoken with them about this, and they said they do not know the differences. They believed they thought, spoke, wrote and did things in the same way as in the world. But they were shown the truth by their changing their states so that they thought alternately now in the one, now in the other, and so that they likewise spoke alternately in the one and the other, and also read what they wrote in a spiritual state and in a natural state, and similarly did things; and they then found that there is such a difference that it cannot be described. It has been possible for me to instruct even angels on this point, because I have been given to be in both worlds alternately and to explore the one from the perspective of the other; and they have all admitted afterward that it is the case.
[11] Nevertheless, there is a similarity between the natural, spiritual and celestial states in regard to the various kinds of things that present themselves as objects of sight, taste, smell and hearing, and of the sense of touch. For to the sight angels all look like people in the world. Their clothes took similar, and their houses, also their gardens and parks, and their fields, likewise their bodies of land and water, as well as their various kinds of food and drink. So, too, do the animals of the land, the birds of the air, and the fishes in the waters, all of various kinds in their various species. Their speech sounds as it did in the world, also the rhythms and melodies of their vocal and instrumental music. Flavor is similar, and also the way things smell. In a word, everything that appears or makes itself perceptible to any sense does so similarly. But still the things in the other world are from a spiritual origin, and the angels therefore think of them spiritually and give them spiritual names.
Despite what has been said, however, even all these things as they appear and are perceived in the middle and highest heavens-in the excellence of their forms and harmonies and in their perfections, which are of a superior and surpassing preeminence-can only be described imperfectly. They can be described only as being like the most perfect things in the world, which are nevertheless imperfect in comparison to the things that are in heaven.
Footnotes:
1. See 2 Corinthians 12:1-4.
3. III. The difference in general terms between the natural, the spiritual and the celestial.
There are three heavens, the last, the middle and the highest. In the last heaven are the natural people, but their natural has a touch either of the spiritual, which belongs to the middle heaven, or of the celestial, which belongs to the third heaven. In the second heaven are the spiritual people, and in the third are the celestial people. There are also intermediate people who are called spiritual-celestial. Many of these are preachers in the highest heaven.
[2] The difference between the natural, spiritual and celestial is such that they have no standard of comparison between them; the natural therefore cannot in any way or by any approximation approach the spiritual, nor the spiritual the natural. This is why the heavens are distinct. I have been allowed to know this as the result of much experience. I have often been sent among spiritual angels, and I then talked with them in a spiritual manner. What I said I then retained in my memory, but when I returned to the natural state, that of everyone in the world, and wanted to recall it from my earlier memory and describe it, I was unable to do so. It was impossible; there were no words available, and not even ideas in my thinking, by means of which I could express it. The ideas of thinking and words were spiritual, so far removed from the ideas and words of natural thought that there was no similarity at all. The remarkable thing is that when I was in that heaven and talked with the angels, I was then quite unaware that I was speaking in any other way than when speaking with people on earth. But I learned later that thoughts and speech are so different that they cannot be compared, and consequently they have no standard of comparison.
[3] There is a similar difference between the spiritual and the celestial. I have been told that this difference is similar and such that no proportion or comparison can exist between them; but I have been unable to confirm this by personal experience, not being an angel of the middle heaven. Some angels therefore of the middle heaven have been allowed to associate with angels of the third heaven, to think there and speak with them, to retain in their memory what they thought and said, and then to return to their own heaven. These told me they were unable to express a single idea or a single word of their previous state, and that this would be impossible. Finally they said there is no proportion or comparison between them.
[4] So I have been allowed a number of times to be in the company of angels of the middle and highest heavens, and hear them talking to one another. I was then in an inward natural state, far removed from worldly and bodily concerns, in fact in the state of first waking after sleep. I heard things which cannot be said or expressed, as we read happened with Paul [2 Corinthians 12:4]; and at times I have been given the ability to perceive and understand the things they said. Their talk was full of secrets, about the Lord, redemption, regeneration, providence and other such matters. I was afterwards given to understand that these could not be spoken of or described in any spiritual or celestial words, but none the less they could be described by the words of a natural language so as to allow them to be grasped rationally. I was told that there do not exist any Divine secrets which cannot be perceived and expressed naturally too, although in a more generalised and imperfect form. Those who perceive them naturally by their rational intellect as a result of an affection for truth, can, when they later become spirits, perceive and speak about the same things in a spiritual or celestial manner, when they become angels, but no others can. For a single Divine truth perceived and loved naturally is like a crystal or porcelain vessel, which is later filled with wine, the wine having the quality of the truth, and its taste being the quality of the affection for truth.
[5] The existence of such a difference, which can be called limitless, between the natural, the spiritual and the celestial can be established from the difference between the thoughts of people on earth and those of angels, and from the difference in their speech, and also the kinds of work they do, as well as the difference between their scripts. All of these will be evident proofs of the nature of one and the other, and of the way in which everything reaches a higher degree of perfection, as it passes over from the world into heaven, and from one heaven to another.
[6] As regards thoughts, all the thoughts of people on earth, including the separate ideas in them, are to some extent affected by space, time, personality and matter. These are evident in natural light, that of the world; for nothing can be thought about without light, just as nothing can be seen without light. Natural light, the light of the world, is dead, since it comes from its sun, which is nothing but fire. Yet the light of the heavens everywhere and constantly flows into that light, and gives it life, so allowing a thing to be perceived and understood. The light of the world cannot by itself confer any power of perception or understanding, that is, bring about any natural or rational illumination; but the light of the world coming from the light of heaven confers this power and produces this result, because the light of heaven comes from its sun, which is the Lord and therefore life itself.
The influence of the light of heaven on the light of the world is like the influence of the cause on the effect; the nature of this will be discussed elsewhere [see 49-51]. These facts reveal the nature of natural thought or the ideas thought by people on earth. That is to say, they are indissolubly bound up with space, time, personality and matter. Consequently these thoughts, or ideas composing thoughts, are very limited and restricted, and are thus gross and to be called material. However, the thoughts of the angels of the middle heaven are all devoid of space, time, personality and matter. They are therefore limitless and unrestricted. The subjects of their thoughts are, like the thoughts themselves, spiritual, so that they think about them spiritually and not naturally. As for the angels of the highest heaven, they do not have thoughts but perceptions of things which they hear and see. The place of thoughts is for them taken by affections, which take various forms with them, just as thoughts do with spiritual angels.
[7] As regards speech, human speaking is like the ideas making up their thought, for these turn into words when converted into speech. Each word therefore in human speech has some share in space, time, personality and matter. However, the speech of the angels of the middle heaven is also like the ideas of their thought; for the words of their speech express these. But the speech of the angels of the highest heaven is entirely derived from variations in their affections. But when they talk with spiritual angels they speak like they do, differently, however, when they talk among themselves.
Such being the nature of the speech of angels and that of people on earth, their modes of speech are so different that they have nothing in common. The difference is such that a person cannot understand any word spoken by an angel, nor can an angel any word spoken by a person. I have heard the speech of angels and kept in mind the words, and afterwards checked whether that word was the same as any word in human speech or language; there was not one. There is one spiritual speech for all, which is innate in every person; and he acquires it as soon as he becomes a spirit.
As regards writing, this is like their speech. The writing of spiritual angels resembles the writing of people in the world as regards the use of letters; but every letter has a meaning. So you would say, if you saw it when in the natural state, that it is nothing but letters. But writings in the highest heaven are not similar as regards letters. Their letters are drawn with various curves, not unlike the letters of the Hebrew language, but everywhere bent so that there is never a straight line in them. Each letter refers to a thing, which they grasp by perceiving, not by thinking about it. This is why one who is natural understands nothing of spiritual writing, nor does one who is spiritual that of natural writing. Nor does one who is spiritual understand anything of celestial writing, nor does one who is celestial understand anything of spiritual writing, unless he is in the company of one who is spiritual.
[8] It is the same with their kinds of work, which are numerous, since everyone has some work to do. What sort of work the spiritual angels do cannot be described to a natural person, nor what the celestial do to one who is spiritual. The difference is as great as that between their thoughts, modes of speech and writing.
[9] These facts may establish that the difference between the natural, spiritual and celestial is such that they can only agree by means of correspondences. This too is the reason why people on earth are unaware of being in the company of spirits, and spirits are unaware of being in the company of people. Yet they are perpetually in each other's company. For a person cannot live for a minute without being among spirits as regards his thoughts and affections; nor can a spirit or an angel live for a moment without being present with people. The reason is that there is a perpetual link operating from first to last things, and so from the Lord to man. Linking by means of correspondences was established from creation, and the influence comes by way of angels and spirits. Everything celestial exerts an influence upon the spiritual, and the spiritual on the natural, and at the ultimate level of this, the bodily and material, it comes to an end and there remains. Nothing can continue in existence without such an ultimate level to be acted on by the intermediate levels. Otherwise it would be like houses built in the air. The human race is therefore the basis and foundation of the heavens.
[10] The reason why no angel knows that there is this difference between the natural, spiritual and celestial is that an angel does not change state; that is, he does not pass from the spiritual state into the natural one, so as to be able to check out the differences. I have talked with them on this subject, and they said they were unaware of the differences. They thought they were thinking, speaking, writing and working in the same way as in the world, but they were given a demonstration by undergoing changes of state, so that they did their thinking by turns, first in one and then in the other mode. Likewise they spoke by turns, first in one way and then in the other; and they also read their writings in the spiritual state and in the natural, and did their work likewise. Then they learned that the difference is indescribable. On this subject I was permitted to instruct even angels, since I am permitted to be by turns in either world, and to check out one against the other. Afterwards they all admitted this was so.
[11] However, the likeness of the natural, spiritual and celestial states lies in the kind of things which are the objects of sight, taste, smell and hearing, as well as the varieties of the sense of touch. Everyone appears to their sight like people in the world; their clothes are to be seen, their houses, and also gardens or parks, as well as fields, likewise well-watered grounds; also food and drink of various kinds, as well as terrestrial animals, the birds of the sky and in the waters fishes of various kinds and in various forms.
Their speech is to be heard as in the world, also singing and pieces of music. Taste is similar, and so is smell. In short, so is everything which is to be seen or perceived by any of the senses. But still these are of spiritual origin, and they therefore think spiritually about them and give them spiritual names. But all of these things, as they are to be seen or perceived in the middle and highest heavens, in respect of excellence of forms and harmonies, and in respect of perfections, which are outstanding and transcendental, are impossible to describe except imperfectly, only as resembling the most perfect things in the world, which are none the less imperfect compared with those in heaven.
3. III. THE DIFFERENCE IN GENERAL BETWEEN THE NATURAL, THE SPIRITUAL, AND THE CELESTIAL.
There are three heavens, the lowest, the middle, and the highest; in the lowest heaven they are natural, but their natural is derived either from the spiritual, which is of the middle heaven or from the celestial, which is of the third heaven. In the second heaven they are spiritual, and in the third heaven celestial; there are also intermediate angels who are called spiritual-celestial; many from these are preachers in the highest heaven.
[2] The difference between the natural, the spiritual, and the celestial is such, that there is no ratio between them, for which reason the natural can in no wise by any approximation approach towards the spiritual, nor the spiritual towards the natural; hence it is that the heavens are distinct. This it has been given me to know by much experience; I have often been sent among the spiritual angels, and I then spoke with them spiritually, and then, retaining in my memory what I had spoken, when I returned into my natural state, in which every man is in this world, I then wished to bring it forth from the former memory and describe it, but I could not, it was impossible; there were no expressions, nor even ideas of thought, by which I could express it; they were spiritual ideas of thought and spiritual expressions so remote from natural ideas of thought and natural expressions, that they did not approximate in the least. What is wonderful, when I was in that heaven and conversing with the angels, then I knew no otherwise than that I spoke in like manner as I speak with men; but afterwards I found that the thoughts and the discourses were so unlike that they could not be approximated, consequently that there is no ratio between them.
[3] There is a similar difference between the spiritual and the celestial. I was told that there is a similar difference, and that it is such, that there is given no ratio or approximation between them; but as I could not be confirmed in this by my own experience, unless I was altogether an angel of the middle heaven, therefore it has been granted to some angels of the middle heaven to be with angels of the third heaven, and then to think and speak there with them, also to retain in their memory what they had been thinking and speaking, and afterwards to return into their own heaven; and they told me from that heaven that they were not able to express a single idea or a single word of their former state, and that it was impossible, and lastly they said, that there is no ratio nor any approximation between them.
[4] It has accordingly been sometimes granted me to be among the angels of the middle and of the highest heaven, and to hear them conversing with one another, at which time I was in an interior natural state, removed from worldly and corporeal things, namely, when first waking after sleep; then I heard things unutterable and inexpressible, as we read happened with Paul; and sometimes I was let into the perception and understanding of the subjects they were conversing upon; the subjects they conversed upon were full of arcana concerning the Lord, redemption, regeneration, providence, and other similar things: after which it was given me to understand that I could not utter nor describe them by any spiritual or celestial expression, but that nevertheless they could be described even to their rational comprehension by words of natural language. And it was told me that there is not any Divine arcana which may not be perceived, and even expressed naturally, although more generally and imperfectly; and that they who, in a natural manner, by means of their rational understanding, perceive those things from the affection of truth, afterwards, when they become spirits, can perceive and speak of them in a spiritual manner, and when they become angels, in a celestial manner, but no others. For one Divine truth naturally perceived and loved, is like a crystal or porcelain vessel, which is afterwards filled with wine, and with such wine as the nature of the truth was, and as it were of such a taste as the affection of the truth was.
[5] That there is such a difference, which may be termed unlimited, between the natural, the spiritual, and the celestial, may clearly appear from the difference between the thoughts of men and angels, as well as from the difference of their speech and operations, and also from the difference of their writings; from all which, as from so many confirmations, it will appear what the quality is of each, and in what manner the perfections in everything ascend and pass from the world into heaven and from heaven to heaven.
[6] As regards thoughts: all the thoughts of man, together with the single ideas thereof, derive something from space, time, person, and matter, which appear in natural light or the light of the world, for nothing can be thought without light, in like manner as nothing can be seen without light, and natural light or the light of the world is dead, because it is from its sun, which is pure fire; nevertheless the light of heaven everywhere and constantly flows into and vivifies that light, communicating perception and understanding of the subject. The light of the world alone cannot give anything perceptive and intellectual, or present any natural or rational light [lumen]; but the light of the world gives and presents it from the light of heaven, because the light of heaven is from its sun, which is the Lord, and thence life itself. The influx of heavenly light into the light of the world is like the influx of the cause into the effect; the nature of this influx shall be explained elsewhere. From this it appears what the quality of natural thought is, or what quality the ideas of men's thoughts are, namely, that they inseparably cohere with space, time, with what is personal, and material; consequently, such thoughts or ideas of thoughts are very limited and bounded and thus gross, and to be called material. But the thoughts of the angels of the middle heaven are all without space, time, or what is personal, and material, for which reason they are unlimited and unbounded; the objects of their thoughts are spiritual like the thoughts themselves, for which reason they think concerning those objects spiritually and not naturally. But with regard to the angels of the highest heaven, they have no thoughts, but perceptions of the things which they hear and see; instead of thoughts they have affections, which with them are varied in like manner as thoughts are varied with the spiritual angels.
[7] As regards speech: the speech of men is according to their ideas of thoughts, for the ideas of thought become expressions when they pass into speech; for which reason the speech of man in every expression partakes of space, time, what is personal, and material. But the speech of the angels of the middle heaven is also like the ideas of their thought, for the words of speech express them. But the speech of the angels of the highest heaven is from the variation of their affections; but when they are speaking with the spiritual angels they speak in a similar manner, but not so when conversing with each other. Since such is the speech of angels, and such the speech of men, therefore their speech differs so much that they have nothing in common; their difference is such that a man cannot understand a single expression of an angel, nor an angel a single expression of a man. I have heard the speech of angels, and retained the expressions, and I afterwards examined whether any expression coincided with any word of the speech or languages of men, and there was not one. Spiritual speech is the same with all, and is implanted in every man, and he comes into it as soon as he becomes a spirit. As regards writing, it is similar to their speech.
The writing of the spiritual angels as to the letters resembles the writing of men in the world, but every letter signifies a thing, so that you would say if you saw it in a natural state, that it consisted merely of letters; but writings in the highest heaven have no resemblance as to letters, for with them letters are drawn in various curvatures, not unlike the letters of the Hebrew language, but everywhere inflected, and not consisting merely of lines. Every letter involves a thing, of which they have a perception from affection, and not from thought. Hence it is that the natural comprehends nothing of spiritual writing, nor the spiritual of natural writing; neither does the spiritual comprehend anything of celestial writing, nor the celestial of spiritual writing, unless he is with the spiritual.
[8] Their operations, which are many, are similar, for every one is in some work. How the spiritual work cannot be described to the natural; nor can it be described to the spiritual, how the celestial angels work; for they differ as much as in their thoughts, speech, and writings.
[9] From these things it is evident, what the difference is between the natural, the spiritual, and the celestial, that it is such that they do not at all agree except by correspondences; which is also the reason that men do not know that they are in consociation with spirits, and spirits that they are in consociation with men, when nevertheless the consociation is continual; for man cannot live a single instant, unless he is in the midst of spirits as to his thoughts and affections; neither can a spirit or an angel live a single moment unless he is with man; the reason is, because there is a perpetual conjunction from firsts to ultimates, thus from the Lord to man; and conjunction from creation is effected by correspondences, and flows in through angels and spirits. Everything celestial flows into the spiritual, and the spiritual into the natural, and terminates and subsists in the ultimate of this, which is the corporeal and material. Without such an ultimate, into which the intermediates flow, there is no subsistence, otherwise than like a house built in the air; wherefore the basis and the foundation of the heavens is the human race.
[10] No angel knows that there is such a difference between the natural, the spiritual, and the celestial; the reason is, because an angel does not change his state, nor pass from a spiritual into a natural state, and thus be able to explore the differences. I have spoken with them on this subject, and they said they did not know the differences. They believed that they thought, spoke, wrote, and worked in the same manner as in the world. But the difference was shown them by this, that they changed states, and thought first in one state, then in the other by turns, then in like manner that they spoke by turns in one state and then in another, and further that they read their writings in a spiritual state and in a natural state, and in like manner worked, then they found that there is such a difference as cannot be described. On this subject it was granted me to instruct the angels themselves, because it has been granted me to be alternately in both worlds, and from the one to explore the other, and they all afterwards confessed that it was so.
[11] But the similitude of the natural, spiritual, and celestial states is in such things as are objects of sight, taste, smell, and hearing, also the sense of touch of various kinds. In their sight they appear like men in the world. Their garments so appear, also their houses, and gardens, or paradises, as also fields, likewise land and water, food and drink of various kinds, besides animals of the earth, the flying things of heaven, and fishes in waters, of various kinds and of various species. Their speech is heard as in the world, likewise singing and musical modulations. Taste is similar, and also odor; in a word, everything that appears and is perceived by any of the senses. But still those things are from a spiritual origin, and therefore they think of them spiritually and give them spiritual names. But even all these things, in what manner they appear and are perceived in the middle and highest heaven, as to the excellence of their forms and harmonies, and as to their perfections, which are supereminent and transcendent, can only be described in an imperfect manner, only as it were by the most perfect things in the world, which nevertheless are imperfect, respectively to those things which are in heaven.
3. De differentia in genere inter naturale, spirituale et coeleste
[1] Sunt tres coeli, ultimum, medium et supremum; in ultimo coelo sunt naturales, sed naturale eorum trahit vel ex spirituali quod est coeli medii, vel ex coelesti quod est coeli tertii; in secundo coelo sunt spirituales, et in tertio coelo sunt coelestes; dantur etiam intermedii qui vocantur spirituales coelestes; plures ex his sunt praedicatores in supremo coelo.
[2] Differentia inter naturale, spirituale et coeleste talis est, ut non detur inter illa ratio, quare naturale non potest ullo modo per aliquam approximationem accedere ad spirituale, nec spirituale ad coeleste; inde est quod coeli distincti sint. Hoc datum est scire ex multa experientia; saepius missus sum inter angelos spirituales, et tunc loquutus sum cum illis spiritualiter, et quod loquutus sum, tunc memoria retinui; cum redii in statum naturalem, in quo est omnis homo mundi, tunc volui ex priori memoria depromere id, et describere, sed non potui; erat impossibile; non dabiles erant voces, et ne quidem ideae cogitationis, per quas possem exprimere; erant ideae cogitationis et voces spirituales, tam remotae ab ideis cogitationis et vocibus naturalibus, ut ne hilum approximarent. Quod mirabile est, cum eram in illo coelo et loquutus sum cum angelis, tunc non aliud scivi, quam quod similiter loquerer quemadmodum loquor cum hominibus; sed postea compertum est, quod cogitationes et loquelae tam dissimiles essent, ut non approximari possent, proinde quod nulla ratio sit.
[3] Similis differentia est inter spirituale et coeleste; quod similis differentia esset, dictum est mihi, et quod talis ut non detur ratio nec approximatio; sed quia in hoc non potui per propriam experientiam confirmari, nisi prorsus angelus coeli medii essem, quare datum est quibusdam angelis medii coeli una esse cum angelis tertii coeli, et tunc cogitare ibi, et loqui cum illis, et quoque retinere memoria, quae cogitaverunt et quae loquuti sunt, et postea redire in suum coelum, et dixerunt mihi inde quod non ullam ideam nec ullam vocem prioris status possent exprimere, et quod hoc impossibile esset, et tandem dixerunt, quod non sit ratio, nec approximatio.
[4] Datum itaque est mihi aliquoties interesse Angelis medii et supremi coeli, et audire illos inter se loquentes, et tunc fueram in statu interiori naturali, remotus a mundanis et corporeis, nempe in prima vigilia post somnum, et audivi ineffabilia et inexpressibilia, sicut factum legitur cum Paulo; et quandoque missus sum in perceptionem et in intellectum rerum, quas loquuti sunt; erant illa quae loquuti sunt plena arcanis de Domino, de Redemptione, de regeneratione, de Providentia, et de similibus aliis; et postea datum mihi est intelligere, quod illa non possem eloqui et describere aliqua voce spirituali et coelesti, sed quod usque possent describi vocibus linguae naturalis, usque ad captum rationalem, ac dictum est, quod non dentur aliqua arcana Divina, quae non possunt percipi et exprimi etiam naturaliter, tametsi communius et imperfectius; et quod illi qui intellectu rationali naturaliter ex affectione veri illa percipiunt, postea dum fiunt spiritus, possint eadem spiritualiter et coelesti modo, dum fiunt angeli, et percipere et loqui; sed non alii. Una enim veritas Divina naturaliter percepta et amata, est sicut vas chrystallinum seu porcellinum, quod postea vino impletur, ac tali vino quale fuit verum, ac talis ei quasi sapor qualis fuit affectio veri.
[5] Quod talis differentia, quae vocari potest illimitata, detur inter naturale, spirituale et coeleste, constare potest ex differentia cogitationum hominum et angelorum, exque differentia loquelae, et quoque operationum, tum ex differentia scriptionum eorum, ex quibus ut totidem confirmationibus patebit, quale est unum et alterum, et quomodo omnium rerum perfectiones ascendunt et transcendunt a mundo in coelum, et a coelo in coelum.
[6] Quod cogitationes attinet; omnes cogitationes hominis, cum singulis ideis illarum, trahunt aliquid ex spatio, ex tempore, ex persona, et ex materiali, quae apparent in luce naturali, seu mundi, nam nihil potest absque luce cogitari, sicut nihil potest absque luce videri, et lux naturalis seu lux mundi est mortua, quia ex sole ejus, qui est purus ignis; attamen in illam lucem influit ubivis et constanter lux coeli, et vivificat illam, et dat perceptionem et intellectum rei; lux sola mundi non potest aliquod perceptivum et intellectuale dare, seu aliquod lumen naturale aut rationale sistere, sed lux mundi a luce coeli dat et sistit, quia lux coeli est a Sole ejus, qui est Dominus, et inde ipsa vita. Influxus lucis coeli in lucem mundi est sicut influxus causae in effectum, quae qualis sit alibi dicetur. Ex his patet qualis est cogitatio naturalis seu quales sunt ideae cogitationis hominum, quod nempe indivulsae cohaereant cum spatio, tempore, personali et materiali; inde illae cogitationes seu cogitationum ideae sunt valde limitatae et terminatae, et sic crassae, et vocandae materiales. Cogitationes autem angelorum medii coeli sunt omnes absque spatio, tempore, personali et materiali, quare sunt illimitatae et interminatae; objecta cogitationum illorum sunt sicut ipsae cogitationes, spiritualia, quare de illis spiritualiter et non naturaliter cogitant. Quod autem angelos supremi Coeli concernit, non sunt illis cogitationes, sed sunt perceptiones rerum, quas audiunt et quas vident; loco cogitationum sunt illis affectiones, quae variantur apud illos, sicut apud spirituales variantur cogitationes.
[7] Quod loquelas attinet; loquelae hominum sunt sicut illorum cogitationum ideae, nam ideae cogitationum fiunt voces, dum abeunt in loquelam; quare loquela hominum in unaquavis voce participat ex spatio, tempore, personali et materiali. Loquelae autem angelorum medii coeli sunt quoque similes illorum cogitationis ideis, voces enim loquelae exprimunt illas. Loquelae autem angelorum supremi coeli sunt omnes ex variatione affectionum, sed dum loquuntur cum angelis spiritualibus, similiter loquuntur; non autem similiter cum inter se. Quoniam talis est loquela angelorum, et talis loquela hominum, ideo differunt loquelae ita, ut nihil commune habeant; ita differunt ut homo nullam vocem angeli posset intelligere, nec angelus ullam vocem hominis. Audivi loquelas angelorum et retinui voces, et postea exploravi, num illa vox coincidat cum aliqua voce loquelarum seu linguarum hominum, et non fuit una. Spiritualis loquela est una omnibus, estque insita cuivis homini, et in illam venit, ut primum fit spiritus. Quod scripturas attinet, est illa similis loquelae illorum; scriptura spiritualium angelorum quoad literas est similis scripturae hominum in mundo, sed unaquaevis litera significat rem, sic ut dicas, si illam videris in naturali statu, quod sint merae literae. At scripturae in supremo coelo non sunt similes quoad literas; sunt illis literae exaratae per varias curvaturas, non absimiles literis Linguae Hebraicae, sed ubivis inflexae, et non [est aliquid] mere lineare in illis: unaquaevis etiam litera involvit rem, cujus perceptionem ex affectione et non ex cogitatione habent. Inde est, quod naturalis nihil comprehendat ex scriptura spirituali, nec spiritualis ex naturali, nec spiritualis aliquid comprehendit ex scriptura coelesti, nec coelestis ex scriptura spirituali, nisi sit cum spirituali.
[8] Operationes illorum, quae plures sunt, nam unusquisque in aliquo opere est, sunt similes [ut supra]; quomodo operantur spirituales, non potest describi coram naturali; nec quomodo operantur coelestes, describi potest coram spirituali; differunt enim quantum cogitationes, loquelae et scripturae.
3a. [9] Ex his constare potest, quae differentia est inter naturale, spirituale et coeleste, quod sit talis, ut prorsus non concordent nisi per correspondentias, quae etiam causa est, quod homines non sciant quod sint in consociatione cum spiritibus, et spiritus quod sint in consociatione cum hominibus, cum tamen est perpetua consociatio, non enim potest homo unum minutum vivere nisi sit in medio spirituum quoad cogitationes et affectiones, nec potest spiritus et angelus vivere momento nisi sint apud homines; causa est, quia conjunctio perpetua est a primis ad ultima, ita a Domino ad hominem, et conjunctio a creatione facta est per correspondentias, ac influit per angelos et spiritus; omne coeleste influit in spirituale, et spirituale in naturale, et in hujus ultimum quod est corporeum et materiale desinit, et ibi subsistit: absque tali ultimo, in quod intermedia influant, non datur subsistentia, nisi qualis foret domus exstructae in aere, quare basis et fundamentum coelorum est genus humanum.
[10] Quod talis differentia inter naturale, spirituale et coeleste sit, non scit aliquis angelus; causa est, quia angelus non mutat statum, seu transit a statu spirituali in naturalem, et sic explorare differentias potest: loquutus cum illis de illa re sum, et dixerunt quod differentias nesciant; crediderunt se cogitare, loqui, scribere et operari similiter ut in mundo, sed ostensum est illis, per id, quod mutarent status, ac cogitarent nunc in uno, nunc in altero per vices, tum similiter ut loquerentur per vices in uno et altero, ut quoque legerent scripta sua in statu spirituali et in statu naturali, similiter ut operarentur, et tunc comperti sunt, quod talis differentia sit, ut describi non possit. De hac re datum est instruere ipsos angelos, quia datum est mihi in utroque mundo per vices esse, et ab uno explorare alterum: et confessi sunt postea omnes quod ita sit.
[11] Similitudo autem status naturalis, spiritualis et coelestis, est in talibus quae sunt objecta visus, gustus, olfactus et auditus, tum sensus tactus, varii generis, coram visu enim apparent omnes sicut homines in mundo; apparent vestes illorum [sicut in mundo], tum domus, et quoque horti seu paradisi, ut et campi, similiter terra aquea, ut et cibi et potus varii generis, praeter animalia terrae, volatilia coeli, et pisces in aquis varii generis sub varia specie: auditur loquela illorum sicut in mundo, etiam cantus et musicae modulationes; sapor est similis, et quoque odor, verbo, omnia quae apparent et percipiuntur coram aliquo sensu: sed usque illa sunt ex spirituali origine, et inde spiritualiter de illis cogitant, et illis nomina spiritualia indunt. Sed etiam haec omnia, qualia apparent et percipiuntur in medio et supremo coelo, quoad excellentiam formarum et harmoniarum, et quoad perfectiones quae supereminentes sunt et transcendunt, nec describi possunt, nisi imperfecte, solum sicut perfectissima in mundo, quae tamen imperfecta sunt respective ad illa quae in coelo.