Spiritual Diary

Emanuel Swedenborg

• Publisher: Youcanprint
• Year: 2019
• eBook ISBN: 9788831633383
• Topic: Theologie & Religion
• Subtopic: Christentum

The Spiritual Diary of Emanuel Swedenborg is a work containing the private account of Emanuel Swedenborg's spiritual experiences in heaven and hell, which he experienced in full waking visions over a 27 year period. The Diary contains a chronological account of what he saw and experienced, his dialogue with angelic beings, and discussions concerning the theology of true Christianity.

1851-1900

1851

Another [a male] was represented lying in a bed, and deeming himself innocent; wherefore he was supplicating with his body naked. - 1748, April 8.

1852

THAT SPIRITS KNOW NO OTHERWISE THAN THAT THEY ARE MAN. Apart from numerous other proofs, the truth of the above proposition may be evinced beyond doubt from the fact that a spirit who spoke with me positively affirmed that he did not know otherwise than that he was I myself, especially when he did not reflect upon the subject; but my own reflections were that spirits did know themselves to be spirits separate from men. In a word, without reflection they know nothing else, nor is reflection given except with those who converse with them and give responses, and then converse with others also. Reflection is indeed given without the speech of man with spirits, but this is effected by the Lord. - 1748, April 6.

1853

THAT SPIRITS FROM EXTERNALS ARE PERSUADED CONCERNING INTERNALS. Whatever there is in the phantasy of man comes also into the phantasy of spirits, and, they are persuaded that the fact is so and so; as now I have learned by experience, namely, when I only supposed that I had a fur cap upon my head by which they were prevented from seeing the interiors of the brain, or its thoughts. They immediately said that there was nothing apparent, thus that their vision was impeded. Presently after, however, good spirits, from thinking that they were shut in between the fur hat and the head, and that they then grew warm, said that they did, as it were, perceive [what was within], but still saying that phantasy thus bore sway; so also, in very many other things; whence they were persuaded from external concerning internal things.

1854

Similar is the case of certain spirits who were induced to believe that Aaron and his sons, however really defiled, were holy when they washed their feet and hands, and were clothed with the priestly robes. The idea of sanctity in this case was a mere persuasion concerning internals drawn from externals. Indeed, everything [in that dispensation] was thus externally instituted that spirits might [if they would] be persuaded by them. - 1748, April 6. There was in everything which was done, whether in respect to the garments or other things, a representation of the Lord.

1855

CONCERNING THE HEAT OF SPIRITS AND ANGELS. I have before spoken of the chills of evil spirits, which I have often experienced to the life. It was also given me, by a living sense, to experience the heat of good spirits and angels.

1856

Spirits who in their lifetime took delight in the Word of the Lord, and who had a somewhat vivid perception of that delight, enjoy in the other life a certain celestial and pleasant heat, which it was given me to perceive by the essential approximation of kindred spirits. The heat of spirits is indeed external, but still radiating from internals not veryc learly perceived. It warmed me very much, after the manner of summer heat, beginning from the region of the lips, and diffusing itself round to the cheeks, even to the ears, and ascending thence to the eyes. Below it spread itself downward over the breast, to the mid-region of the body. The higher parts of the head, and the lower parts of the body, had thence some degree of heat, but not so sensible; wherefore the true province of the heat is from the mouth upwards to just below the eyes, and downwards to the middle of the body.

1857

As to those who are delighted with the interior things of the Word, it was given to perceive their heat also, and it was interior, beginning from the breast, and proceeding upwards towards the chin, and downwards toward the loins; but it was still interior, and perceived as such.

1858

Those, again, who are delighted with the inmost things of the Word, their heat is yet more interior, or inmost, which it was given me indeed to perceive, but very slightly, inasmuch as my sense, in relation to these things, is too obtuse to allow of their being perceived as they are; for it was said that if I should perceive that heat, I could not subsist in the body, as it takes possession of the inmosts of the marrow, and because such is its quality I perceived rather a slight degree of cold externally, but within I had at the same time some kind of idea of heat. Its region is from the loins, or from the middle of the body between the loins, and thence extending upwards towards the breast and the left arm to the hand, and downwards into the left foot.

1859

When it was given me to perceive these heats, which I did to the life, angels meanwhile spoke with me through spirits, and they instructed me as to the true state of the case, saying that it was their approach which insinuated these heats, because they had it in them, though they were no more conscious of it than is one who does not possess it.

1860

Hence it may appear that man is an organ, for he is affected by heat as to his interiors and inmosts while yet it flows from love, as here from the love of the Divine Word, and this love which produces such heats in organic substances is virtually a principle of life, and thus from the Lord alone.

1861

It was moreover given me to perceive also the heat of those who are delighted in the Word of the Lord, but care little about understanding it; it was perceived only in the left arm.

1862

There were spirits also who would fain counterfeit such a heat, and there was a certain degree of it above the eyes, but I could not perceive it, for it was given me to know that they were able by their art to feign or pretend something of the kind, as they had done in former instances in regard to delights, but it was merely an external sensation, having no origin in internals; and such a heat, because simulated, is noxious, and is a mere tepid something which causes vomiting. It was given me to say, that in such a heat, as in spurious delight, worms are engendered, for it becomes putrid. - 1748, April 7.

1863

CONCERNINGTHOSE WHO IN THEIR LIFETIME TREACHEROUSLY SLAY MEN. There are those who, living their earthly life without conscience, are guilty during the life in the body of murdering their fellow-men, as with daggers or ether deadly weapons, and that, too, by attacking them from behind.

1864

One of this class came to me, clothed like a nobleman, though I could not see his face. At his first approach, he insinuated, by suggestions and simulated faces, that he had many things which he wished to communicate to me, and inquiring whether I was a Christian. Upon my reply that I was, which he said he knew, he asked if he could be alone with me, for he had something to impart to me which he did not wish others to hear. But when I answered him that in the other life there was no such thing as one’s being alone [with another], as one man may be with another on earth, and that one could not speak without many spirits being present to hear, he approached nearer, and entered under the occiput behind, whence it could be perceived, as infact it was said, that he was an assassin. While he was there I perceived, as it were, a stroke through the heart, and then afterwards in the brain also, such as would cause speedy death to any man living. By what art he effected his purpose I know not, as I only perceived something deadly. He supposed I was dead; but as such was not the case, he said he had just come from a man whom he had killed in that manner, that is, by a poignard from behind, saying that he was skilled in the art [of taking life in such a way] that a man should not know that anything had hurt him before he fell down dead, and that he should be reputed no otherwise than as innocent, nay, that not even a wound should appear. But inasmuch as I was safe, being preserved by the Lord from all such assaults, I feared nothing [from his malice].

1865

I afterwards inquired of those who spoke with me what kind of punishments such persons underwent in the other life; for I am now able to know that the individual in question had recently departed from life, and soon after having perpetrated such a deed, which was indicated by the fact of his saying that he had come from the man he had killed, in consequence of which something of a murderous taint still adhered to him, which it was proper should be divulged. Of this the other spirits had a perception, wherefore there was some delay before they were willing to admit him to me, they withholding him in the meantime. But as to the punishments, it was said that such wandered about in deserts and forests, like the homicides before mentioned, and that it was not permitted them to be with others.

1866

What they eventually become was shown me, namely, that their faces become loathsome, not having, in fact, the appearance of faces, but of something emaciated, of hideous hue, resembling woody fiber, having scarcely any sign of a face, and so exceedingly monstrous, that they could never be recognized as having been the faces of a man. Around the cheeks was a kind of woolly appendage. They at length assume, it was said, such a face that everyone is horror-struck who beholds them; for such as they are in society, or towards their fellow-creatures, such they are in themselves, so that they do deadly violence to themselves, or to their own interiors.

1867

Indeed, it may be set down as a rule, that such as a man is in his life among his associates, such he is in himself; whence vices and atrocities carry their own punishments with them. - 1748, April 7.

1868

CONCERNING THE IMPUTATION OF JUSTICE [OR RIGHTEOUSNESS] BY FAITH. Since such is the condition of all in the heavens and the earth that they live in society, and there is no life without associates, that is to say, everyone lives from the life of all in general and from that of his associates in particular, it thence follows that the life of everyone is by others, which in fact is so manifest in the heavens that no one will deny it. Only spirits not yet made angels, especially evil ones, deny it, attributing their life to themselves, a point concerning which I have often disputed with them, and the truth has been shown them to the life; for while they doubt and deny, their associates sometimes confessed that it was they who spoke through them, and so in other cases.

1869

Since such is the condition of life both with spirits and with men, it follows that to those who are in faith towards the Lord evil is not imputed, because such a one is held by the Lord in the faith that evil is excited by evil spirits, which is most true, and thus he is in the verity of faith. Whatever, therefore, enters, does not defile the man. In like manner, though a particular act is sometimes excited by the evil, yet it is not imputed for the same reason. But this is a case of very rare occurrence, owing to causes which, by the Divine permission, I shall treat of elsewhere.

1870

Whatever of good is done by the man who is in faith, as he does not believe it to be his own, inasmuch as everything true and good is of the Lord, so neither does he believe that the genuine good which he thinks and does is imputed to him simply from his doing the good, because he does not recognize it as his own, but as of the Lord’s mercy, consequently that he is no otherwise saved than from pure mercy. For the Lord, has need of no one; He possesses all things; and if it should please Him to create a new innumerable heavens and stock them anew with countless hosts of angels, what should hinder Him, seeing He is omnipotent? Wherefore all is of mercy alone. - 1748, April 7.

1871

There are three things which constitute the principal heads of faith, to wit, that the Lord rules the universe; that the Lord is the life of the universe; and that all salvation is of mercy.

1872

These three contain within themselves indefinite particulars; this is the faith of the heavens.

1873

A fourth is, that it is acknowledged in the universal heaven that in man, spirit, and angel the proprium - what is especially his own - is nothing but evil, while whatever is good with all, that is, all of the Lord alone.

1874

Evil spirits deny all these things; some do not know the truth; and some who do know it are unwilling to acknowledge it. Good spirits believe all these things with an intellectual faith; angels perceive them, and with a more manifest perception the more interior they themselves are.

1875

The principal intellectual point which it is given to the angels to understand is, that the universal heaven forms a Grand Man, with all its parts, to which angels, spirits, and men correspond, and of which the Lord is the only life.

1876

THAT SPIRITSCONVERSE AMONG THEMSELVES. Certain spirits confessed that they conversed together as men do with each other, but with the difference, that it is permitted to no one to speak in any other than his true character, as otherwise he has to undergo a penalty. -1748, April 8.

1877

CONCERNING THE WORD OF THE LORD. The Word of the Lord is in itself dead, as it is bare letter, but in reading it becomes vivified by the Lord according to the faculty of intelligence and perception granted to each one by the Lord; thus, it lives according to the life of the man who reads, on which account it is marked by an endless variety. This is written in the presence of angels. - 1748, April 9.

1878

CONCERNING LIBERATION FROM EVIL. The Lord is never the cause of evil, consequently He never expels evil by evil, but does away evil by good. This law, which is acknowledged in heaven, is difficult of comprehension to those who are not celestial. This was given to me while engaged this day in praying the Lord’s Prayer. - 1748, April 8.

1879

CONCERNING THOSE WHO LIVE ONLY IN EXTERNALS. It was vividly represented to me in sleep that I was in some other place, to wit, in Sweden, when yet I knew that I was at Amsterdam, which caused me much wonder that I could be in both places at once, and could appear before the eyes of others as being there when I was here. This fact, however, I detected in sleep.

1880

There appeared as if at Upsal a theater formed consisting of statues of brown color, which were placed around in the fashion of a theater having a somewhat handsome appearance. While looking upon the scene, one or two of them, as if they had been brown colored skeletons, moved themselves, and made a beginning as if they would have instituted a theatrical play, and I wondered whether all the statues would be made thus movable and enter upon the play.

1881

While I was there in a somewhat elevated position, where the statues stood in front, and being about to witness the performance, I seemed to myself to be ordered to go out, which I did, and awoke.

1882

Being awakened, I spoke with the spirits respecting the dream then so vividly impressed upon me that evening seemed as if it happened in a waking state, nor could I believe otherwise. At this the spirits marveled, because they in like manner supposed that they had been in a wakeful state, and some of them acknowledged the parts which they had acted. It was then said that such spirits appear [thus] at times to the eyes of certain ones, both those who are of a pretty good life, and those who have lived in external things as in theatricals. They supposed also that those who are devoted to the theater, and love that kind of life. and those who are of a kindred spirit with them, inasmuch as there is very little in man’s externals, and consequently the case is the same with them after death. - 1748, April 9.

1883

CONCERNING THE PUNISHMENT OF CERTAIN ONES WHO ARE PLUNGED, AS IT WERE, INTO DEEP CLOUDS. I beheld the punishment of one who said he was tempted as to whether he could, by means of evils, obtain power for himself so that by evil doing he might strike a terror into others, and thus rule, as such is the opinion of many, to wit, that it is the best way to rule among fellows and over subjects by fear, and not by love. Inasmuch as this one was of such a quality, he began to perpetrate evil, which was represented by an axe wherewith he would strike a beam, but his intention was to strike men, the beam being substitute. While engaged in this atrocity he was suddenly let down into a cloud, as a kind of cloudy sea without a bottom. Such, it was said, was the punishment of this kind of offenders when possessed of but a feeble degree of life. - 1748, April 9.

1884

CONCERNING A CERTAIN SPECIES OF PERCEPTION BY WHICH IT IS KNOWN HOW MUCH AND WHAT KIND OF LIFE PERTAINS TO ANY ONE. There is a certain kind of sensation, or sensitive perception, which cannot be described - for it is a something granted in a spiritual way by the Lord alone - by which it is perceived how much of life is present [to any one]. There is [with some] a certain non-vital principle, not unlike a mass of chalky substance, from which it is inferred that a similar kind of life inheres; thus, when it seems good to the Lord He grants to the angels to know how much of life pertains to a spirit or a soul, and that with much variety. - 1748, April 10.

1885

CONCERNING PROVIDENCE. Conversing with spirits concerning Providence some would have it that it was predestinated that they should live as they did in the world, and that afterwards they should undergo such punishments as they did, as also that some should be inferior to others. But the case is this, that nothing occurs but what is provided to happen just as it does, because man is of such a quality as he is, it being foreseen that if the case were otherwise he would perish; wherefore it is provided that that should be permitted, in order that the Lord might bend [everything] to a universal end, or to the greatest good. This also I have learned by lively experience. - 1748, April 10.

1886

CONCERNING THE SPHERE OF HEARING. Certain angels and spirits who were withi...

Table of contents

• 1539 -1550
• 1851-1900
• 2201-2250
• 2401-2450
• 2651-2700
• 2901-2950
• 3151-3200
• 3401-3450
• 3651-3700
• 3901-3950
• 4151-4200
• 4401-4450
• 4651-4700
• 4801-4850
• 4901-4950
• 5151-5200
• 5401-5450
• 5651-5700
• 5901-5950
• 6051-6100