5151. Heaven cannot be opened to inhabitants of this earth
A certain spirit wondered why heaven is not open to the inhabitants on this earth as it is to others, that is to say, why it is that others speak with spirits and angels, are taught by them, and so at the least know that there is a heaven, that life is eternal, that people live after death, and many other things having to do with salvation. But the reason is that the inhabitants of this earth are immersed in lowest things into which they have sunk themselves through [desire for] positions of control, through loves of being more prestigious than others, of preeminence and of gaining all things of the world. As a consequence most of them are sensual and immersed the lowest things, for which reason heaven is closed. Were it opened they would perish immediately, because spirits from this earth who are like this yearn for nothing other than the death of another, and a person in whom the inner regions have been opened is led at the whim of spirits who are of such a nature. Consequently they would put themselves to death and also profane what is holy, for as soon as they turn themselves to the world, they deny, or rather ridicule, heavenly things as relatively nothing. On this account, even the angels, with whom they are in respect to their inner elements, suffer, and heaven as well. On this account the angels turn away, and so the inner person is closed. For this reason, if heaven had been opened to them after it had ceased to be associated, that is to say, after the angels had moved away, then the hells would lead not simply to wicked things, but to actual murder, because they breathe nothing else than the desire to murder one another. And people can die, but not a spirit, and people are led differently than spirits, because they have a [physical] body.
5151. THAT HEAVEN CANNOT BE OPENED TO THE INHABITANTs OF THIS EARTH.
A certain one wondered why heaven is not opened to the inhabitants of this earth, as to those of others; to wit, that the latter speak with spirits and angels, are taught by them, and thus know at least that there is a heaven, that there is eternal life, that man lives after death, and many things which relate to salvation. But the reason is, because the inhabitants of this earth are in ultimates, into which they have thrust themselves, by tyrannies, and by the loves of towering over others, and of acquiring possession of all things in the world; whence it happens that they are mostly sensual and in ultimates, and that, therefore, heaven is closed [to them]. If it were opened they would immediately perish, because spirits of this earth, being of such a character, breathe nothing else than the murder of another. And the man [of this earth] whose interiors are opened, is led at the pleasure of spirits who are of such a character. Thus they would kill each other, and would also profane holy things; for, as soon as they turn themselves to the world, they deny, yea ridicule, heavenly things as comparatively nothing; wherefore, the angels also, with whom they are, as regards interiors, and also heaven, are injured. For this reason the angels turn themselves away, and thus the internal man is closed. If, therefore, it were opened to them, then, after heaven had become alienated, or the angels had withdrawn, the infernals would lead them, not only to abominations but also to their own destruction; for they breathe nothing else than that one should destroy another. And a man can die, but a spirit cannot. A man, also, is led differently to a spirit, because he is in the body.
5151. Quod coelum non possit aperiri incolis hujus telluris
Miratus quidam cur coelum non in hac tellure sicut in aliis coram incolis apertum sit, nempe quod hi loquantur cum spiritibus et angelis, doceantur ab illis, et sic sciant ad minimum quod coelum sit, quod vita aeterna sit, quod homo vivat post mortem, et plura quae salutis; sed causa est, quia incolae hujus telluris in ultimis sunt, in quae se detruserunt per imperia, per amores eminendi super alios, et lucrandi omnia mundi, unde plerique sensuales sunt, ac in ultimis, ideo coelum clausum est, si aperiretur, perirent statim, quia spiritus ex hac tellure qui tales nihil aliud spirant quam necem alterius, et homo cui interiora sunt aperta, ducitur ad lubidinem spirituum qui tales sunt, sic se necarent ipsos; et quoque prophanarent sancta, nam ut primum se vertunt ad mundum, negant imo subsannant coelestia, sicut nihil respective, quare etiam angeli, cum quibus quoad interiora sunt, laeduntur, et coelum, quare angeli se avertunt, et sic clauditur internus homo. Si itaque apertum esset illis, postquam coelum se abalienaret seu angeli se removerent, tunc infernales ducerent, non modo ad nefanda, sed etiam ad internecionem propriam, nam aliud non spirant, quam ut unus alterum internecioni det, et homo potest mori, non spiritus, et homo ducitur aliter quam spiritus, quia in corpore est.