they know nothing about the state of their life after death, nor about heaven and hell, except what they have learned from the sense of the letter of the Word, and preaching thence,—therefore after wondering at finding themselves in a body, and in the enjoyment of every sense which they had in the world, and at beholding similar objects, they are seized with a desire to know what heaven and hell are, and where they are situated.
Therefore they are instructed by their friends concerning the state of eternal life, and are likewise led about to various places, and into various companies. Some are taken into cities, and also into gardens and paradises, generally to magnificent things, since such things delight the externals in which they are. They are then brought by turns into their own thoughts, which they had entertained in the life of the body about the state of the soul after death, and about heaven and hell, until they feel indignant that they should have been entirely ignorant of such things, and likewise at the ignorance of the church.
Almost all are anxious to know whether they shall go to heaven. Most of them believe they shall, because in the world they have led a moral and civil life; not considering that the evil and the good lead a similar life in externals, alike doing good to others, frequenting churches, listening to sermons, and engaging in prayer; not being at all aware that external acts and the externals of worship are of no
