from the Lord, how they are separated from
each other. They placed one near the other, almost contiguous, but
still distinct, yet as if bound in an inexpressible manner, so that
the good led the evil, and restrained it, insomuch that it was not
allowed to act at pleasure; and that thus the good bent the evil in
whatever direction it desired, without the evil knowing anything of
it. In this manner they exhibited the dominion of good over evil,
and at the same time a state of freedom. They then asked how the Lord
appeared amongst the angels from our Earth. I said that He appeared
in the sun as a Man, encompassed therein with a fiery solar [sphere],
from which the angels in the heavens derive all light; and that the
heat which proceeds thence is the Divine Good, and that the light
which proceeds thence is the Divine Truth, both from the Divine Love,
which is the fiery [sphere] appearing around the Lord in that sun;
but that that sun only appears to the angels in heaven, and not to
the spirits who are beneath, since the latter are more remote from
the reception of the good of love and of the truth of faith, than the
angels who are in the heavens (see above, no. 40). It was given them
thus to inquire concerning the Lord, and concerning His appearance
before the angels from our Earth, because it pleased the Lord then to
become present among them, and to reduce into order the things which
had been disturbed there by the evil spirits of whom they complained.
The reason also why I was led thither, was in order that I might be an
eye-witness of these things.

171. There was then seen a dark cloud towards the east descending from
on high, which in its descent appeared by degrees full of light and
in the human form. At length this [human form] appeared in a flaming
radiance, encompassed with small stars of the same colour. Thus the
Lord presented Himself before the spirits with whom I was conversing.
At His presence all the spirits who were there were instantly
gathered together from every side; and when they were come, they were
separated, the good from the evil, the good to the right and the evil
to the left, and this in an instant as of their own accord. Those on
the right were arranged in order according to the quality of the good,
and those on the left according to the quality of the evil, with
them: they who were good remained to form among themselves a heavenly
society; but the evil were cast into the hells. Afterwards I saw