s a conjunction of the
heavens: for in consequence of conjunction all the heavens would so far
fall to decay that the angels would not be able to subsist; for an
unchaste and lascivious principle would flow from the Mahometans into
the Christian heaven, which in that heaven could not be endured; and a
chaste and pure principle would flow from the Christians into the
Mahometan heaven, which again could not be there endured. In such case,
in consequence of communication and thence of conjunction, the Christian
angels would become natural and thereby adulterers; or if they remained
spiritual, they would be continually sensible of a lascivious principle
about them, which would intercept all the blessedness of their life. The
case would be somewhat similar with the Mahometan heaven: for the
spiritual principles of the Christian heaven would continually encompass
and torment them, and would take away all the delight of their life, and
would moreover insinuate that polygamy is sin, whereby they would be
continually eluded. This is the reason why all the heavens are
altogether distinct from each other, so that there is no connection
between them, except by an influx of light and heat from the Lord out of
the sun, in the midst of which he is: and this influx enlightens and
vivifies everyone according to his reception; and reception is according
to religion. This communication is granted, but not a communication of
the heavens with each other.

* * * * *

353. To the above I shall add TWO MEMORABLE RELATIONS. FIRST. I was once
in the midst of the angels and heard their conversation. It was
respecting intelligence and wisdom; that a man perceives no other than
that each is in himself, and thus that whatever he thinks from his
understanding and intends from his will, is from himself; when
nevertheless not the least portion thereof is from the man, but only the
faculty of receiving the things of the understanding and the will from
God: and as every man (_homo_) is by birth inclined to love himself, it
was provided from creation, to prevent man's perishing by self-love and
the conceit of his own intelligence, that that love of the man (_vir_)
should be transferred into the wife, and that in her should be implanted
from her birth a love for the intelligence and wisdom of her husband,
and thereby a love for him; therefore the wife continually attracts to
herself her husband's conceit of his own intellige