Page:The Swedenborg Library Vol 1.djvu/47

 to what he had in the world, because he is then in the state of his exteriors, and his interiors are not yet disclosed. This is the first state of man after death.

But afterwards his face is changed and becomes entirely different, assuming the likeness of his ruling affection or love in which the interiors of his mind were in the world, and in which his spirit was in the body,—for the face of a man's spirit differs exceedingly from that of his body.

The face of one's body is derived from his parents, but the face of his spirit is derived from his affection, of which it is the image. Into this his spirit comes after his life in the body, when the exteriors are removed and the interiors are revealed. This is the third state of man.

I have seen some spirits shortly after their arrival from the world, and knew them by their faces and speech; but when I saw them afterwards, I did not know them. They who were principled in good affections appeared with beautiful faces, but they who were principled in evil affections, with faces deformed; for the spirit of man, viewed in itself, is nothing but his affection, whereof the face is the external form.

The reason also why the face is changed, is, that in the other life no one is allowed to counterfeit affections which are not properly his own; nor, consequently, to put on looks which are contrary to his real love.