THE FOURTH EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN, AND ITS SPIRITS AND INHABITANTS.

157.  I was conducted to yet another earth which is in the universe beyond our solar system, which was effected by changes of the state of my mind, consequently as to the spirit; for, as has already been repeatedly observed, a spirit is conducted from place to place no otherwise than by changes of the state of his interiors, which changes appear to him in all respects as advancements from place to place, or as journeyings.  These changes lasted continuously for about ten hours before I came from the state of my life to the state of their life, thus before I arrived there as to my spirit.  I was conveyed towards the east, to the left, and seemed to be gradually elevated from a horizontal plane.  I was also permitted to observe clearly the progression and advance from my former place, till at length those from whom I had departed no longer appeared; and in the meantime I spoke on various subjects with the spirits who were with me.  A certain spirit was also with us who, during his life in the world, had been a prelate and a preacher, as well as a very pathetic writer.  From my idea concerning him, my spirit-companions supposed he was more a Christian at heart than the rest; for in the world an idea is conceived and a judgment formed from the preaching and writing, and not from the life, if this is not manifest; and if anything inconsistent appears in the life, it is nevertheless excused; for the idea or thought and perception concerning any one draws everything to its side.

158.  After this I observed that I was, as to my spirit, in the starry heaven, far beyond our solar system; for this can be observed from the changes of state and the consequent apparent continued progression, which had lasted nearly ten hours.  At length I heard spirits conversing near some earth, which also I afterwards saw.  When I had come near them, after some conversation they said that strangers sometimes come to them from other places, who converse with them concerning God, and confuse the ideas of their thought.  They also pointed out the way by which they came, from which it was perceived that they were of the spirits of our Earth.  On being questioned then as to the confusion caused in their ideas, they said it arose from those spirits saying that they ought to believe in a Divine Being distinguished into three persons, whom they nevertheless call one God; and on examining the idea of their thoughts, it is exhibited as a trine, not continuous hut discrete, with some as three persons conversing with each other, and with some as two seated together, one near the other, and a third listening to them and going from them; and although they call each person God, and have a different idea concerning each, they still say there is but one God.  They complained exceedingly, that they had thrown them into a confusion of ideas, by thinking