Page:The Other Life.djvu/60

 After death, during the processes of exploration and judgment by which the good and evil elements in our characters are for ever separated, the spiritual body undergoes remarkable changes. In our final spiritual state two faces are impossible. When we die, we drop the natural face which sometimes is a mask concealing the spiritual face from the view of others. Freed from the imperfections of the natural life, and from the limitations of time and space, the soul develops rapidly. The external nature is dropped or becomes quiescent, and the interior good or evil comes to the surface, and stamps itself ineffaceably on the open countenance. Swedenborg says that some persons he had known in their earth-life changed after death beyond the possibility of recognition. These changes were outgrowths of their genuine spiritual characters.

The beauty of the spiritual bodies of those who are principled in mutual love which is the life of heaven, is altogether indescribable. Swedenborg says he saw celestial angels of such ineffable beauty, that the greatest painter on earth could not portray the thousandth part of it. And this beauty goes on increasing perpetually with the additions to their goodness and truth, which are the secret springs of all spiritual beauty.