). What man is, such are his uses (n. 1568, 3570,
4054, 6571, 6935, 6938, 10284).
518. There were some spirits who had convinced themselves, by
thinking about it in the world, that they would go to heaven and be
received before others because of their learning and their great
knowledge of the Word and of the doctrines of their churches,
believing that they were wise in consequence, and were such as are
meant by those of whom it is said that
They shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and
as the stars (Daniel 12:3).
But these were examined to see whether their knowledges resided in
the memory or in the life. Such of them as had a genuine affection of
truth, that is, who had uses separated from what pertains to the body
and the world as their end, which are essentially spiritual
uses--these, when they had been instructed, were received into
heaven; and it was then given them to know what it is that shines in
heaven, namely, Divine truth (which is the light of heaven) in use,
which is a plane that receives the rays of that light and turns them
into various splendors. But those in whom knowledges resided merely
in the memory, and who had acquired therefrom an ability to reason
about truths and to prove what they had already accepted as
principles, seeing such principles, after they had confirmed them, as
truths, although they were falsities, these, as they were in no
heavenly light, and yet were in a belief derived from the conceit
that usually adheres to such intelligence that they were more learned
than others, and would for that reason enter heaven and be served by
the angels, in order that they might be withdrawn from their delusive
faith, were taken up to the first or outmost heaven to be introduced
into an angelic society. But at the very threshold their eyes began
to be darkened by the inflowing of the light of heaven, and their
understanding to be disturbed, and at length they began to gasp as if
at the point of death; and as soon as they felt the heat of heaven,
which is heavenly love, they began to be inwardly tormented. They
were therefore cast down, and afterwards were taught that knowledges
do not make an angel, but the life itself, which is gained by means
of knowledges, for knowledges regarded in themselves are outside of
heaven; but life acquired by means of knowledges is within heaven.
519. When spirits have been prepared for heaven by instruction in the
places above descri
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