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 who constituted the first heaven, and were of the kind above described.

There were many reasons why such societies or heavens were tolerated; the principal of which was, that by external sanctity, sincerity and justice, they were conjoined with the simple-good who were either in the lowest heaven, or were still in the world of spirits and not yet introduced into heaven. For in the spiritual world there is a communication and thence conjunction of all with their like; and the simple-good in the lowest heaven and in the world of spirits, look principally to externals, yet are not inwardly evil. Therefore if these spirits had been forcibly removed from them before the appointed time, heaven would have suffered in its ultimates; and yet it is the ultimate upon which the superior heaven subsists as upon its own basis.

That these spirits were tolerated until the last time on this account, the Lord teaches in Matt. xiii. 27-30, 37-40. The consummation of this Age is the last time of the church; the tares are those who are inwardly evil; the wheat are those who are inwardly good; the gathering the tares together and binding them in bundles to burn, is the last judgment. (Also verses 47-49.) (L. J. n. 66-70.)