s, which cannot be described by any
language, or delineated by any art; for they surpassed the ideas of
language and the notions of art. On seeing these things he again
exclaimed, "These are the very essence of whatever is wonderful, such as
no eye had ever seen." But instantly, as before, his internal sight was
opened, the external being closed, and he was asked what he then saw? He
replied, "Nothing but decayed piles of bulrushes in this place, of straw
in that, and of fire brands in a third." Once again he was brought into
an external state of mind, and some maidens were introduced, who were
extremely beautiful, being images of celestial affection; and they, with
the sweet voice of their affection, addressed him; and instantly, on
seeing and hearing them, his countenance changed, and he returned of
himself into his internals, which were adulterous; and since such
internals cannot endure any thing of celestial love, and neither on the
other hand can they be endured by celestial love, therefore both parties
vanished,--the maidens out of sight of the man, and the man out of sight
of the maidens. After this, the angel informed him concerning the ground
and origin of the changes of the state of his sights; saying, "I
perceive that in the world, from which you are come, you have been
two-fold, in internals having been quite a different man from what you
were in externals; in externals you have been a civil, moral, and
rational man; whereas in internals, you have been neither civil, moral,
nor rational, because a libertine and an adulterer: and such men, when
they are allowed to ascend into heaven, and are there kept in their
externals, can see the heavenly things contained therein; but when their
internals are opened, instead of heavenly things they see infernal.
Know, however, that with every one in this world, externals are
successively closed, and internals are opened, and thereby they are
prepared for heaven or hell; and as the evil of adultery defiles the
internals of the mind above every other evil, you must needs be conveyed
down to the defiled principles of your love, and these are in the hells,
where the caverns are full of stench arising from dunghills. Who cannot
know from reason, that an unchaste and lascivious principle in the world
of spirits, is impure and unclean, and thus that nothing more pollutes
and defiles a man, and induces in him an infernal principle? Wherefore
take heed how you boast any longer of yo