10188. And thou shalt make for it two rings of gold from under its border. That this signifies the sphere of Divine good, through which are conjunction and preservation, is evident from the signification of “two,” as being conjunction (see n. 5194, 8423); from the signification of “gold,” as being good (n. 9874, 9881); and from the signification of a “border,” as being a bounding to prevent their being approached and injured by evils (of which just above, n. 10187). From all this it is evident that by “two rings of gold from under the border” is signified the sphere of Divine good through which is conjunction; and that preservation also is signified, is because the altar of incense was carried by staves inserted in the rings, and by “carrying” is signified preservation (n. 9900).

[2] What the sphere of Divine good is shall here be briefly told. The sphere of Divine good fills the universal heaven, and also extends itself into hell, for it is like the sphere of the sun’s heat in the world, which in summer penetrates even into dark places where the sun does not appear. This Divine sphere was likened by the ancients to radiant circles in the midst of which was God, and round about were angels. Accordingly those who suffer themselves to be led by the Lord, thus who receive the Divine from Him, are in the sphere of Divine good in proportion to their reception of it; while those who do not receive it are indeed in the same sphere, but their interiors have been so much closed up that they do not feel the influx. For those who are in hell are in externals and are not in internals, and from their externals there exhale evils and the derivative falsities, which appear around them like the smoke from a furnace; causing the external sphere of Divine good to be dulled there, while the internal sphere of it still remains; but it is not received because it has been closed to them; nevertheless the Lord rules the hells by means of it.

[3] The reason why there is a sphere of Divine good which proceeds from the Lord, is because the Sun of heaven, which is the Lord, is Divine love itself, for this so appears; the heat thence proceeding is the good of love, and the light thence proceeding is the truth of faith; hence in the Word by the “sun” is meant the Divine love; by “fire,” and “heat,” the good of love; and by “light,” the truth of faith.

[4] Moreover, from every angel proceeds a sphere from his love, also from every spirit good and evil according to his love; but the spheres proceeding from these do not extend themselves far, whereas the Divine sphere extends through the universe, for it proceeds from the inmost, and the inmost is the all in all the things that follow in succession from it. (Concerning these spheres, see what has already been shown, partly also from experience, n. 1048, 1053, 1316, 1504-1512, 1695, 2401, 4464, 5179, 6206, 7454, 6598-6613, 8063, 8630, 8794, 8797, 9490-9492, 9498, 9499, 9534, 9606, 9607.)

4464. Nevertheless in this will we consent to you, if ye be as we. That this signifies accession to their religiosity, is evident from the signification of “consenting,” as being accession; and from the signification of “to be as they,” as being that they should be in external things only and not in internal things, for then they would be like them (see just above, n. 4459, where it is shown what it is to be in external things alone, and what it is to be in internal things). It is necessary to state here why man ought to be in internal things. Everyone who reflects is able to know that it is by means of internal things that man has communication with heaven, for the whole heaven is in internal things, and unless a man is in heaven in respect to his thoughts and affections, that is, in respect to the things of his understanding and of his will, he cannot go to heaven after death, because he has no communication with it. This communication is acquired by a man during his bodily life by means of truths that belong to his understanding and goods that belong to his will, and unless he acquires it then he cannot do so afterwards, because after death his mind cannot be opened toward interior things unless it has been opened during the life of the body.

[2] A man is not aware that he is encompassed with a certain spiritual sphere that is in accordance with the life of his affections, and that to the angels this sphere is more perceptible than is the sphere of an odor to the finest sense on earth. If a man’s life has been passed in mere external things, that is to say in the pleasures that come from hatred against his neighbor, from the consequent revenge and cruelty, from adulteries, from the exaltation of self and the attendant contempt for others, from clandestine robberies, from avarice, from deceit, from luxury, and from other like evils, then the spiritual sphere which encompasses him is as foul as is in this world the sphere of the odor from carcasses, dung, stinking garbage, and the like. The man who has lived such a life carries with him after death this foul sphere, and as he is wholly in it he must needs be in hell, the place of spheres of this character. (Concerning the spheres in the other life, and whence they are, see n. 1048, 1053, 1316, 1504-1519, 1695, 2401, 2489)

[3] But those who are in internal things, that is to say those who have felt delight in benevolence and charity toward the neighbor, and above all those who have felt blessedness in love to the Lord, are encompassed with a grateful and pleasant sphere which is the heavenly sphere itself, and therefore they are in heaven. All the spheres which are perceived in the other life originate from the loves and the derivative affections in which the men have been, consequently from their life, for the loves and derivative affections make the life itself; and as the spheres in question originate from the loves and their derivative affections, they originate from the intentions and ends for the sake of which the man so wills and acts, for everyone has for his end that which he loves, and therefore a man’s ends determine his life and constitute its quality, and this is the main source of his sphere. This sphere is most exquisitely perceived in heaven, because the universal heaven is in the sphere of ends. We can now see of what quality is the man who is in internal things, and also of what quality is he who is in external things, and also the reason why it is necessary to be in internal things and not in external things only.

[4] But these are matters of perfect indifference to the man who is in external things only, no matter how clever he may be as regards the things of civil life, or what may be the reputation for learning he has acquired on account of what he knows, for he is the kind of man who believes in nothing that he cannot see with his eyes and feel with his touch, consequently not in heaven or hell; and if he were told that he will enter the other life immediately after death, and will then see, hear, speak, and enjoy the sense of touch more perfectly than in the body, he would reject the statement as a paradox or fancy, although such is actually the case; and it would be the same if he were told that the soul or spirit which lives after death is the man himself, and not so the body which he carries about in the world.

[5] It follows from this that they who are in external things alone care nothing for what is said of internal things, although it is these which make men blessed and happy in the kingdom into which they are about to come, and in which they will live to eternity. Most Christians are in such unbelief, as I am permitted to know from those who have come from the Christian world into the other life, and with whom I have spoken; for in the other life they cannot conceal what they have thought, because the thoughts there show themselves openly; nor can they conceal what they have had as their ends, that is, what they have loved, because this manifests itself by their sphere.