that
that flaming radiance descended to the lower parts of the earth there
to a considerable depth, and then it appeared at one time in a flaming
[lustre] verging to luminosity, at another time in a luminosity
verging into obscurity, and at another in obscurity: and I was told by
the angels that that appearance is according to the reception of truth
from good, and of falsity from evil, with those who inhabit the lower
parts of that earth, and that the flaming radiance itself was subject
to no such variations. They also said, that the lower parts of that
earth were inhabited both by the good and by the evil; but that they
were thoroughly separated, to the end that the evil might be ruled
by the Lord through the good. They added, that the good are by turns
elevated thence into heaven by the Lord, and that others succeed in
their place, and so on perpetually. In that descent, the good were
separated from the evil in like manner, and all things were reduced
to order; for the evil, by various arts and cunning contrivances,
had intruded themselves into the dwellings of the good there, and had
infested them; and this was the cause of the present visitation. That
cloud, which in descending appeared by degrees full of light and in
the human form, and afterwards as a flaming radiance, was an angelic
society, in whose midst the Lord was. From this it was given me to
know what is meant by the Lord's words in the Gospels, where, speaking
of the Last Judgment, He says, "_That He would come with the angels
in the clouds of heaven, with glory and power_" [(Matt. xxiv. 30; Mark
xiii. 26; Luke xxi. 27)].

172. After this were seen some monkish spirits, those, namely,
who have already been spoken of as having been travelling monks or
missionaries in the world; and there was also seen a crowd of spirits
who were from that earth, most of them evil, whom they had drawn over
to their side, and led astray. These were seen on the eastern quarter
of that earth, from whence they had driven away the good, who betook
themselves to the northern side of the earth, and of whom we have
spoken above. That crowd, together with their seducers, were collected
together to the number of some thousands, and were separated; the evil
of that crowd were cast into the hells. It was also given me to speak
with one spirit who was a monk, and to ask him what he did there.
He replied that he taught them concerning the Lord. I asked, what
besides. He said, concernin