lled spring, summer, autumn, and winter; the
four periods of the day, morning, noon, evening, and night; and the
four ages of man, infancy, youth, manhood, and old age; and all other
things that either exist from time or have a succession in accordance
with time. In thinking of these a man thinks from time, but an angel
from state; and in consequence what there is in them from time with
man is with the angels turned into an idea of state. Spring and
morning are turned into an idea of the state of love and wisdom such
as they are in angels in their first state; summer and noon are
turned into an idea of love and wisdom such as they are in the second
state; autumn and evening such as they are in the third state; night
and winter into an idea of such a state as exists in hell. This is
why these periods have a like significance in the Word (see above,
n. 155). This makes clear how natural things in the thought of man
become spiritual with the angels who are with man.

167. As angels have no notion of time so they have an idea of
eternity different from that which men on the earth have. Eternity
means to the angels infinite state, not infinite time.{1} I was once
thinking about eternity, and was able, with the idea of time, to
perceive what to eternity means, namely, without end, but not what
from eternity means, thus not what God did from eternity before
creation. When anxiety on this account arose in my mind I was raised
up into the sphere of heaven, and thus into the perception that
angels have in respect to eternity; and it was then made clear to me
that eternity must be thought of, not from time but from state; and
then the meaning of from eternity can be seen. This then happened to
me.

{Footnote 1} Men have an idea of eternity associated with time,
but angels apart from time (n. 1382, 3404, 8325).

168. When angels speak with men they never express themselves in
natural ideas proper to man, all of which are from time, space,
matter, and things analogous thereto, but in spiritual ideas, all of
which are from states and their various changes within the angels and
outside of them. Nevertheless, when these angelic ideas, which are
spiritual, flow into men, they are turned in a moment and of
themselves into natural ideas proper to man, that correspond
perfectly to the spiritual ideas. Neither angels nor men know that
this takes place; but such is all influx of heaven into man. Certain
angels were permitted to e