themselves lords.  They call the sun of the world the face of the Supreme Lord, and believe that He has His abode there; wherefore they also adore the sun.  The other inhabitants hold them in aversion, and are unwilling to have intercourse with them, both because they adore the sun, and because they call themselves lords, and are worshipped by their servants as mediatory gods.  Their head-dress was shown me by spirits:  it was a high crowned hat of a dark colour.  In the other life such appear to the left at some height, where they sit like idols, and at first are worshipped by the servants who had formerly been with them; but these, too, afterwards hold them in derision.  What surprised me, their faces there shine as from fire:  this arises from their having believed themselves to be saints; yet, notwithstanding this fiery appearance of their faces, they are cold, and intensely desire to become warm.  From this it is evident that the fire from which they shine is the fire of the love of self, and an ignis fatuus.  In order to acquire warmth they seem to themselves to cut wood, and while cutting, under the wood appears something of a man, whom at the same time they try to strike.  This arises from their attributing merit and holiness to themselves:  those who do this in the world, in the other life seem to themselves to cut wood, as was likewise the case with some from our Earth, who have been spoken of elsewhere.  To illustrate this subject, I may here adduce my experience concerning these:[A] “In the lower earth, under the soles of the feet, are also those who have placed merit in good acts and works.  Many of them appear to themselves to cut wood.  The place where they are is very cold, and they seem to themselves to acquire warmth by their labour.  With these also I have spoken, and it was given me to ask them whether they had any desire to get out of that place:  to this they replied, that they had not as yet merited it by their labour.  But when this state has been accomplished they are taken out from thence.  These [spirits] are natural, because wishing to merit salvation is not spiritual, for it comes from the proprium and not from the Lord; and besides, they prefer themselves to others, and some of them despise others; and if they do not receive more joy than others in the other life, they are indignant against the Lord; wherefore when they are cutting wood, it appears as if something of the Lord were under the wood.  This arises from their indignation."[dd]

[Footnote A:  Arcana, no. 4943.  See also nos. 1110, 8740.—­TR.]

[Footnote dd:  Merit and righteousness belong to the Lord alone, nos. 9715, 9975, 9979, 9981, 9982.  Those who place merit in works, or want to merit heaven by the good deeds which they do, in the other life want to be served, and are never contented, no. 6393.  They despise their neighbour, and are angry with the Lord Himself if they do not receive reward, no. 9976.  What their lot in the other life is, nos. 942, 1774, 1877, 2027.  They are of those who in the lower earth appear to cut wood, nos. 1110, 4943.]