“What have we here?  Is it any thing or nothing?  What matters it whether we know these things or not?  Are they not mere creatures of the brain?” And it appeared as if some of them took the paper and folded it, rolling and unrolling it with their fingers, that they might deface the writing; and it appeared as if some tore it in pieces, and some were desirous to trample it under their feet:  but they were prevented by the Lord from proceeding to such enormity, and charge was given to the angels to draw it back and secure it:  and as the angels were affected with sadness, and thought with themselves how long this was to be the case, it was said, For a time, and times, and half a time, Rev. xii. 14.

534.  After this I conversed with the angels, informing them that somewhat further is revealed in the world by the Lord.  They asked, “What?” I said, “Concerning love truly conjugial and its heavenly delights.”  The angels said, “Who does not know that the delights of conjugial love exceed those of all other loves? and who cannot see, that into some love are collected all the blessednesses, satisfactions, and delights, which can possibly be conferred by the Lord, and that the receptacle thereof is love truly conjugial, which is capable of receiving and perceiving them fully and sensibly?” I replied, “They do not know this, because they have not come to the Lord, and lived according to his precepts, by shunning evils as sins and doing goods; and love truly conjugial with its delights is solely from the Lord, and is given to those who live according to his precepts; thus it is given to those who are received into the Lord’s new church, which is meant in the Apocalypse by the New Jerusalem.”  To this I added, “I am in doubt whether in the world at this day they are willing to believe that this love in itself is a spiritual love, and hence grounded in religion, because they entertain only a corporeal idea respecting it.”  Then they said to me, “Write respecting it, and follow revelation; and afterwards the book written respecting it shall be sent down from us out of heaven, and we shall see whether the things contained in it are received; and at the same time whether they are willing to acknowledge, that that love is according to the state of religion with man, spiritual with the spiritual, natural with the natural, and merely carnal with adulterers.”

535.  After this I heard an outrageous murmur from below, and at the same time these words, “Do miracles; and we will believe you.”  And I asked, “Are not the things above-mentioned miracles?” Answer was made, “They are not.”  I again asked, “What miracles then do you mean?” And it was said, “Disclose and reveal things to come; and we will have faith.”  But I replied, “Such disclosures and revelation are not granted from heaven; since in proportion as a man knows things to come, in the same proportion his reason and understanding, together with his wisdom and prudence, fall into an indolence of inexertion,