NOTE

The marginal figures in this edition indicate the subdivisions of the paragraphs arranged for the "Concordance to the Theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg by the Rev. John Faulkner Potts."

GENESIS.

CHAPTER TWELFTH.

PERCEPTION OF SPIRITS AND OF ANGELS; ALSO SPHERES IN THE OTHER LIFE.

1383. AMONG the wonderful things in the other life are perceptions, of which there are two kinds. One, that of angels, consists in perceiving what is true and good, and what is from the Lord and what from themselves; and also in perceiving the source and quality of their thoughts, words, and actions, when these proceed from themselves. The other kind is common to all, to angels in the highest perfection, and to spirits according to their respective qualities, and consists in knowing what another is as soon as he comes near.

1384. As regards the first kind of perception, which is that of angels, by which they perceive what is true and good, also what is from the Lord and what from self; also the source and quality of their thoughts, words, and actions, when they proceed from themselves-it has been granted me to converse with sons of the Most Ancient Church concerning their perception. They said that of themselves they neither think nor can think anything, nor of themselves will anything; but that in all things whatsoever which they think and will, they perceive what comes

from the Lord and what from other sources; and they perceive not only how much is from the Lord and how much as from themselves, but also, when it is as from themselves, they perceive whence it is, or from what angels, and likewise the quality of the angels and what their thoughts are, distinguishing every difference; thus they perceive what their influx is, and numberless other particulars. Perceptions of this kind exist in much variety. With celestial angels, who are in love to the Lord, there is perception of good, and from this, of all things of truth; and as from good they perceive truth, they do not admit conversation, still less reasoning, about truth; but they say that it is so, or is not so. Spiritual angels however, who likewise have perception, though not such as the celestial have, talk about truth and good; but still they perceive them, though with a difference; for there are innumerable varieties of this perception, the varieties having reference to perception whether a thing is from the will of the Lord, or from leniency, or from permission; and these are very distinct one from another.

1385. There are spirits who belong to the province of the skin, especially the scarfskin, who wish to reason about everything- having no perception of what is good and true; and indeed the more they reason, the less do they perceive, placing wisdom in reasoning-and this, that they may seem to be wise. They were told that it is of angelic wisdom to perceive whether a thing is good and true, without reasoning; but they have no apprehension that such perception can be given. They are those who in the life of the body had confused truth and good by things scientific and philosophical, thence seeming to themselves more learned than others, though they had not previously adopted any principles of truth from the Word; consequently they have less common sense.

1386. So long as spirits are of the opinion that they are under their own guidance and think from themselves, and

have knowledge, understanding, and wisdom from themselves, they cannot have perception, but believe it to be all a fable.

1387. I have several times conversed about perception with those in the other life who, while they lived in the world, regarded themselves as able to penetrate and understand all things; saying that angels perceive that they think and speak, will and act from the Lord. But still they could not conceive what perception is, thinking that if all things thus flowed in, they would be deprived of all life; as they would think nothing from themselves, or from what is their own, in which they placed life; and that it would then be another, and not themselves, who thought; and thus that they would be organs without life. But it was told them that between having perception and not having it, the difference of life is like that between light and darkness; and that men find that they then first live when they receive such perception; for they then live from the Lord, having what is their own also, which is given them with every happiness and enjoyment. It was also shown them by varied. experience how the case is with perception, and they acknowledged at the time that it can be given; but after waiting a little while, they again did not know, doubted, and denied. From this it might be manifest how hard it is for man to comprehend what perception is.

1388. The second kind of perception, as was said, is what is common to all, in the highest perfection to angels, and to spirits according to their quality. It consists in knowing what another is as soon as he comes near, even if he says nothing. He manifests himself forthwith by a certain wonderful influx. It is known of a good spirit, not only of what goodness he is, but also of what faith; and when he speaks, this is known from every word. Of an evil spirit it is known of what evil he is and of what unbelief; and when he speaks, this is known from every word, and so manifestly that there can be no mistake. Something

similar appears with men, who likewise can sometimes know from another's gesture, looks, or speech, what he is thinking, though what he says testifies otherwise; and this knowledge is natural to man, deriving the origin of its being such, from the nature of spirits, and thus from the spirit of the man himself and its communication with the world of spirits. This communicative perception has its beginning in this, that the Lord wills that all things good may be communicable and that all may be affected by mutual love and so be happy. Hence such perception reigns universally also among spirits.

1389. Souls that have come into the other life have wondered that there is such communication of another's thoughts, and that they knew immediately not only of what disposition another was, but of what faith. But they were told that the spirit receives much more excellent faculties when it has been separated from the body. In the life of the body the objects of the senses flow in, and also fantasies from those things which thence inhere in the memory; besides anxieties for the future, various lusts excited by external things, cares for food, clothing, place of abode, children, and other things, of which they take no thought in the other life; wherefore on the removal of these obstacles and hindrances, together with the corporeal parts that are of gross sensation, they cannot but be in a more perfect state. The same faculties remain, but much more perfect, clearer, and more free; especially with those who have lived in charity and faith in the Lord, and in innocence. Their faculties are immensely elevated above those which they had in the body, at last even to the angelic faculties of the third heaven.

1390. Nor is there a communication of another's affections and thoughts only, but also of his knowledge, to such an extent that one spirit thinks he has known what another knows, although he had no knowledge of such things before. Thus there is a communication of all the other's