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 upon the mind in regard to what that world is, or how or where it exists. But the man who ventures to reason and reflect in regard to spiritual things, who asks himself where or what is that world in which good and evil angels live, and into which he is soon to go; such a man, if he has no source from whence he can obtain an answer to these questions, except from the light of natural science, or from the vague conjectures of the popular theology, will often find himself extremely perplexed. And it will not be strange, if, in his deep anxiety to find some way of solving such mysteries, he should sometimes be tempted to end the difficulty by denying the existence of such a world.

It is for such minds as these—minds which cannot rest without knowing something clearly and certainly in regard to the nature and form of the inner and upper world, that the spiritual truths of the New Jerusalem have descended from heaven. Those minds which are sunk so low in sensuality, that they cannot learn anything in regard to spiritual things, or who are elevated so high by the pride of their own self derived wisdom, that they do not suppose it possible for them to learn any thing more—such minds will, of course, take no interest in these truths, and will know nothing in regard to them. Such persons may even ridicule and pervert truths which are the admiration and delight of angelic minds. And yet while they ridicule the truths which the New Church teaches in regard to the spiritual world, they fail entirely to substitute any theory that can satisfy even themselves. To such minds these spiritual truths are not revealed; for they are not yet prepared to receive them.

But there are minds that are prepared to receive these spiritual principles; and into many such minds they are now descending. Such are they, who burdened with the difficulties and perplexities which cluster around every question in regard to the nature of spiritual beings, or that world in which spirits live, have become willing to receive light on