uently, every one that
is received into heaven will have a palace of his own, glittering with
gold and other costly materials, and will enjoy dignity and dominion,
each according to his quality and station: and since we find by
experience, that the joys and happiness arising from such things are
natural, and as it were, innate in us, and since the promises of God
cannot fail, we therefore conclude that the most happy state of heavenly
life can be derived from no other source than this." After this, the
Sixth Company, which was the second from the southern quarter, with a
loud voice spoke as follows: "The joy of heaven and its eternal
happiness consist solely in the perpetual glorification of God, in a
never-ceasing festival of praise and thanksgiving, and in the
blessedness of divine worship, heightened with singing and melody,
whereby the heart is kept in a constant state of elevation towards God,
under a full persuasion that he accepts such prayers and praises, on
account of the divine bounty in imparting blessedness." Some of the
company added further, that this glorification would be attended with
magnificent illuminations, with most fragrant incense, and with stately
processions, preceded by the chief priest with a grand trumpet, who
would be followed by primates and officers of various orders, by men
carrying palms, and by women with golden images in their hand.

4. The Seventh Company, which, from its superior light, was invisible to
the rest, came from the east of heaven, and consisted of angels of the
same society as the angel that had sounded the trumpet. When these heard
in their heaven, that not a single person throughout the Christian world
was acquainted with the true nature of heavenly joy and eternal
happiness, they said one to another, "Surely this cannot be true; it is
impossible that such thick darkness and stupidity should prevail amongst
Christians: let us even go down and hear whether it be true; for if it
be so, it is indeed wonderful." Then those angels said to the one that
had the trumpet, "You know that every one that has desired heaven, and
has formed any definite conception in his mind respecting its joys, is
introduced after death into those particular joys which he had imagined;
and after he experiences that such joys are only the offspring of the
vain delusions of his own fancy, he is led out of his error, and
instructed in the truth. This is the case with most of those in the
world of spi