rmur from many, in which were
these expressions, "What have we here? Is it any thing or nothing? What
matters it whether we know these things or not? Are they not mere
creatures of the brain?" And it appeared as if some of them took the
paper and folded it, rolling and unrolling it with their fingers, that
they might deface the writing; and it appeared as if some tore it in
pieces, and some were desirous to trample it under their feet: but they
were prevented by the Lord from proceeding to such enormity, and charge
was given to the angels to draw it back and secure it: and as the angels
were affected with sadness, and thought with themselves how long this
was to be the case, it was said, _For a time, and times, and half a
time_, Rev. xii. 14.

534. After this I conversed with the angels, informing them that
somewhat further is revealed in the world by the Lord. They asked,
"What?" I said, "Concerning love truly conjugial and its heavenly
delights." The angels said, "Who does not know that the delights of
conjugial love exceed those of all other loves? and who cannot see, that
into some love are collected all the blessednesses, satisfactions, and
delights, which can possibly be conferred by the Lord, and that the
receptacle thereof is love truly conjugial, which is capable of
receiving and perceiving them fully and sensibly?" I replied, "They do
not know this, because they have not come to the Lord, and lived
according to his precepts, by shunning evils as sins and doing goods;
and love truly conjugial with its delights is solely from the Lord, and
is given to those who live according to his precepts; thus it is given
to those who are received into the Lord's new church, which is meant in
the Apocalypse by the New Jerusalem." To this I added, "I am in doubt
whether in the world at this day they are willing to believe that this
love in itself is a spiritual love, and hence grounded in religion,
because they entertain only a corporeal idea respecting it." Then they
said to me, "Write respecting it, and follow revelation; and afterwards
the book written respecting it shall be sent down from us out of heaven,
and we shall see whether the things contained in it are received; and at
the same time whether they are willing to acknowledge, that that love is
according to the state of religion with man, spiritual with the
spiritual, natural with the natural, and merely carnal with adulterers."

535. After this I heard an outrageou