2836. Abraham called the name of that place. That this signifies the quality of their state (namely, of the spiritual) from the Lord’s Divine Human, is evident from the signification of “calling a name,” as being to know what the thing is, that is, its quality (see n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009); from the signification of “place,” as being state (see n. 1273-1277, 1376-1381, 2625); and from the representation of Abraham, as being the Lord as to His Divine Human (see n. 2833). Hence it is manifest that “Abraham called the name of that place,” signifies the quality of the state of the spiritual from the Lord’s Divine Human. That the spiritual are saved by the Lord’s coming into the world, was shown above (n. 2661, 2716); also that they have illumination from the Lord’s Divine Human (n. 2716); and that it is provided that those should be saved who are in the faith of charity, that is, in charity, follows in this verse. This is the state which is signified by these words.

1273. CHAPTER 1. CONCERNING THE SITUATION OF THE GRAND MAN; AND ALSO CONCERNING PLACE AND DISTANCE IN THE OTHER LIFE

Souls newly arrived from the world, when about to leave the company of the spiritual angels to go among spirits, and so at length to come into the society in which they had been while they lived in the body, are led about by angels to many mansions or abodes, that is, to societies which are distinct and yet conjoined with others; in some of which they are received, while in other cases they are led to still other societies, and this for an indefinite time, until they come to the society in which they had been while they lived in the body; and there they remain. From this moment they experience a new beginning of life. If the man is a dissembler, a hypocrite, or deceitful, who can assume a fictitious state, and a seemingly angelic disposition, he is sometimes received by good spirits; but after a short time he is dissociated, and then wanders about, without the angels, and begs to be received, but is rejected, and sometimes punished, and at last he is carried down among the infernals. Those who are taken up among angels after being vastated, also change their societies, and when they pass from one society to another they are dismissed with courtesy and charity, and this until they come into the angelic society which accords with the distinctive quality or genius of their charity, piety, probity, or sincere courtesy. I in like manner have been led through such “mansions,” and those who dwelt there conversed with me, that I might know how the case was in regard to this matter. It was given me at the time to reflect on the changes of place, and to see that they were nothing else than changes of state, my body remaining in the same place.