revive and draw
breath through heaven from the Lord. They inquired whether by that
science it is at this day discovered what are signified by baptism and
the holy supper, which have heretofore given birth to so many various
conjectures about their true meaning. I replied, that it is. 3. I said
further, that a revelation has been made at this day by the Lord
concerning the life of man after death? The angels said, "What
concerning the life after death? Who does not know that a man lives
after death?" I replied, "They know it, and they do not know it: they
say that it is not the man that lives after death, but his soul, and
that this lives a spirit; and the idea they have of a spirit is as of
wind or ether, and that it does not live a man till after the day of the
last judgement, at which time the corporeal parts, which had been left
in the world, will be recollected and again fitted together into a body,
notwithstanding their having been eaten by worms, mice, and fish; and
that thus men will rise again." The angels said, "What a notion is this!
Who does not know that a man lives a man after death, with this
difference alone, that he then lives a spiritual man, and that a
spiritual man sees a spiritual man, as a material man sees a material
man, and that they know no distinction, except that they are in a more
perfect state?" 4. The angels inquired, "What do they know concerning
our world, and concerning heaven and hell?" I said, "Nothing at all; but
at this day it has been revealed by the Lord, what is the nature and
quality of the world in which angels and spirits live, thus what is the
quality of heaven and of hell; and further, that angels and spirits are
in conjunction with men; besides many wonderful things respecting them."
The angels were glad to hear that it has pleased the Lord to reveal such
things, that men may no longer be in doubt through ignorance respecting
their immortality. 5. I further said, that at this day it has been
revealed from the Lord, that in your world there is a sun, different
from that of our world, and that the sun of your world is pure love, and
the sun of our world is pure fire; and that on this account, whatever
proceeds from your sun, since it is pure love, partakes of life, and
whatever proceeds from our sun, since it is pure fire, does not partake
of life; and that hence is the difference between spiritual and natural,
which difference, heretofore unknown, has been also revealed: hereby