AUTHOR’S TABLE OF CONTENTS OF VOLUME 1.

The Heavenly Arcana which have been unfolded in the Holy Scripture or Word of the Lord are contained in the Explication, which is the INTERNAL SENSE of the Word. What the nature of this sense is may be seen in those things which have been shown concerning it from Experience in numbers 1767-1777, and 1869-1879; and also in the context (n. 1-5, 64-66, 167, 605, 920, 937, 1143, 1224, 1404, 1405, 1408, 1409, 1502 at the end, 1540, 1659, 1756, 1783, 1807).

The Wonderful Things which have been seen in the Word of Spirits and in the heaven of Angels, are prefixed and subjoined to the several chapters. In this volume are the following:—

Concerning the Resuscitation of man from the dead, and his entrance into eternal life (n. 168-181).

Continuation concerning the entrance of man into eternal life (n. 182-189; also 314-319).

What the next life of the Soul or Spirit then is (n. 320-323).

Some examples from Spirits of what they had thought in the life of the body about the Soul or Spirit (n. 443-448).

Concerning Heaven and Heavenly Joy (n. 449-459; also 537-546; and 547-553).

Concerning the Societies which constitute Heaven (n. 684-691).

Concerning Hell (n. 692-700).

Concerning the Hells of those who have passed their life in Hatred, Revenge, and Cruelty (n. 814-823).

Concerning the Hells of those who have passed their life in Adulteries and Lasciviousness; and also concerning the Hells of the Deceitful, and of Sorceresses (n. 824-831).

Concerning the Hells of the Avaricious; and concerning the Filthy Jerusalem, and the Robbers in the Desert; and also concerning the excrementitious Hells of those who have lived in mere pleasures (n. 938-946).

Concerning other Hells that are distinct from the former (n. 947-970).

Concerning Vastations (n. 1106-1113).

938. CONTINUATION CONCERNING THE HELLS.

HERE, CONCERNING THE HELLS OF THE AVARICIOUS, THE FILTHY JERUSALEM, AND THE ROBBERS IN A DESERT. ALSO CONCERNING THE EXCREMENTITIOUS HELLS OF THOSE WHO HAVE LIVED IN MERE PLEASURES.

The avaricious are of all men the most sordid, and think the least about the life after death, the soul, and the internal man. They do not even know what heaven is, because of all men they least elevate their thoughts, but sink them and immerse them wholly in corporeal and earthly things. Wherefore when they come into the other life they do not know for a long time that they are spirits, but suppose that they are still altogether in the body. The ideas of their thought which from their avarice have become as it were corporeal and earthly, are turned into direful phantasies. It seems incredible, yet is true, that in the other life the sordidly avaricious seem to themselves to be busy in cellars where their money is, and to be infested there by mice; yet however they may be infested they do not withdraw until they are wearied out, and so at last they work their way out of these tombs.