also is made known the source of the light which enlightens the human
understanding with wisdom, and the source of the heat which kindles the
human will with heat. 6. It has been further discovered, that there are
three degrees of life, and that hence there are three heavens; and that
the human mind is distinguished into those degrees, and that hence man
(_homo_) corresponds to the three heavens. The angels said, "Did not
they know this heretofore?" I answered, "They were acquainted with a
distinction of degrees in relation to greater and less, but not in
relation to prior and posterior." 7. The angels inquired whether any
other things have been revealed? I replied "Several; namely, concerning
the last judgement: concerning the Lord, that he is God of heaven and
earth; that God is one both in person and essence, in whom there is a
divine trinity; and that he is the Lord: also concerning the new church
to be established by him, and concerning the doctrine of that church;
concerning the sanctity of the sacred scripture; that the Apocalypse
also has been revealed, which could not be revealed even as to a single
verse except by the Lord; moreover concerning the inhabitants of the
planets, and the earths in the universe; besides several memorable and
wonderful relations from the spiritual world, whereby several things
relating to wisdom have been revealed from heaven."

533. The angels were exceedingly rejoiced at this information; but they
perceived that I was sorrowful, and asked the cause of my sorrow. I
said, because the above arcana, at this day revealed by the Lord,
although in excellence and worth exceeding all the knowledges heretofore
published, are yet considered on earth as of no value. The angels
wondered at this, and besought the Lord that they might be allowed to
look down into the world: they did so, and lo! mere darkness was
therein: and they were told, that those arcana should be written on a
paper, which should be let down to the earth, and they would see a
prodigy: and it was done so; and lo! the paper on which those arcana
were written, was let down from heaven, and in its progress, while it
was in the world of spirits, it shone as a bright star; but when it
descended into the natural world, the light disappeared, and it was
darkened in the degree to which it fell: and while it was let down by
the angels in companies consisting of men of learning and erudition,
both clergy and laity, there was heard a mu