Page:The Swedenborg Library Vol 1.djvu/50



HEN a man passes from the natural into the spiritual world, he takes with him all things belonging to him as a man except his terrestrial body, as has been proved to me by manifold experience. For when he enters the spiritual world, or the life after death, he is in a body as he was in the natural world; and to all appearance in the same body, since neither touch nor sight can detect any difference. But his body is spiritual, and therefore is separated or purified from things terrestrial. And when what is spiritual touches aud sees what is spiritual, it is just the same to sense as when what is natural touches and sees what is natural.

Therefore when a man first becomes a spirit, he is not aware that he has deceased; and he thinks that he is still in the body which he had when he was in the world. A human spirit also enjoys every external and internal sense which he possessed in the world. He sees as before; he hears and speaks as before; he smells and tastes as before; and when he is touched he feels as before. He also longs, desires, wishes, thinks, reflects, is affected, loves, and wills, as