From spirits that have come from the world into the other
life I have been able to learn fully what idea they had of heaven and
heavenly joy; for when left to themselves, as they were in the world,
they think as they then did. There is this ignorance about heavenly
joy for the reason that those who have thought about it have formed
their opinion from the outward joys pertaining to the natural man,
and have not known what the inner and spiritual man is, nor in
consequence the nature of his delight and blessedness; and therefore
even if they had been told by those who are in spiritual or inward
delight what heavenly joy is, would have had no comprehension of it,
for it could have fallen only into an idea not yet recognized, thus
into no perception; and would therefore have been among the things
that the natural man rejects. Yet everyone can understand that when a
man leaves his outer or natural man he comes into the inner or
spiritual man, and consequently can see that heavenly delight is
internal and spiritual, not external and natural; and being internal
and spiritual, it is more pure and exquisite, and affects the
interiors of man which pertain to his soul or spirit.
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