41. Anything that is man's own has no life in it; and when depicted visually it looks like something hard as a bone and black. But anything that comes from the Lord does contain life. It has that which is spiritual and celestial within it, and when depicted visually it looks human and alive. It is perhaps incredible, but nevertheless absolutely true, that every expression, every idea, and every least thought of an angelic spirit is alive. In even the most detailed areas of his thought there is an affection that comes from the Lord, who is life itself. Consequently all that derives from the Lord has life within it, for it contains faith in Him, and is here meant by 'a living creature'. It then has the outward appearance of a body, meant here by that which is moving, or creeping. To man these matters remain arcana, but since the subject here is the living and moving creature, they ought at least to be mentioned here.

823. Whatever a person has done during his lifetime gradually reappears in the next life, and so does whatever he has thought. When enmity, hatred, and deceit reappear, so also do the persons against whom he has harboured hatred and plotted in secret. They are brought into his presence, and indeed in an instant. This kind of presence in the next life will in the Lord's Divine mercy be discussed later on. The thoughts too which he has harboured against those persons are plainly visible, for a perception of all thoughts exists there. This leads to states that are wretched. Concealed hatred there bursts out into the open. With people who are evil all their wicked deeds and their thoughts visibly reappear in this manner. But the same does not happen to those who are good. All their states are states of good, friendship, and love, accompanied by supreme delight and happiness.