of, is signified that
life for man is God in him, and that in this case he has heaven and
eternal life; but that death for man is the persuasion and belief, that
life for him is not God but self; whence he has hell and eternal death,
which is condemnation."

136. After this they looked into the paper left by the angels upon the
table, and saw written underneath, COLLECT YOUR OPINIONS ON THESE THREE
QUESTIONS INTO ONE DECISION. Then they collected them, and saw that they
cohered in one series, and that the series or decision was this, "That
man is created to receive love and wisdom from God, and yet to all
appearance as from himself; and this for the sake of reception and
conjunction: and that therefore a man is not born into any love, or into
any knowledge, and also not into any ability of loving and growing wise
from himself; therefore if he ascribes all the good of love and truth of
wisdom to God, he becomes a living man; but if he ascribes them to
himself, he becomes a dead man." These words they wrote on a new piece
of paper, and placed it on the table: and lo! on a sudden the angels
appeared in bright light, and carried the paper away into heaven; and
after it was read there, those who sat on the seats heard these words
from thence, "Well, well;" and instantly there appeared a single angel
as it were flying from heaven, with two wings about his feet, and two
about his temples, having in his hand prizes, consisting of robes, caps,
and wreaths of laurel; and he alighted on the ground, and gave those who
sat on the north robes of an opaline color; those who sat on the west
robes of scarlet color; those who sat on the south caps whose borders
were ornamented with bindings of gold and pearls, and which on the left
side upwards were set with diamonds cut in the form of flowers; but to
those who sat to the east he gave wreaths of laurel, intermixed with
rubies and sapphires. Then all of them, adorned with their respective
prizes, went home from the school of wisdom; and when they shewed
themselves to their wives, their wives came to meet them, being
distinguished also with ornaments presented to them from heaven; at
which the husbands wondered.

137. THE SECOND MEMORABLE RELATION. On a time when I was meditating on
conjugial love, lo! there appeared at a distance two naked infants with
baskets in their hands, and turtledoves flying around them; and on a
nearer view, they seemed as if they were naked, handsomely ornamente