of Mercury heard this, they asked whether such could become angels? And it was given to answer, that those become angels who have lived in the good of faith and in charity; and that then they are no longer in external and material things, but in internal and spiritual; and that when they come to that state, they are in a light above that in which the spirits from Mercury are. To convince them that it was so, an angel was allowed to converse with them who was in heaven from our earth, having so lived in the world. Of his conversation with them something will be said hereafter.

6930. Afterward there was sent to me from the spirits of Mercury a long irregular piece of paper composed of several sheets, which appeared as if printed with type as on this earth. I asked whether they had such printing among them? They answered that they had not, but they knew that on our earth we had such printed papers. They would not say more, but it was given to perceive that they thought that knowledges with us were on our paper, thus separate from the man himself, unless when the man kept his eye and thus his mind on the paper. Thus they ridiculed among themselves the men of this earth, as if they knew nothing but on paper; but they were instructed how this was. After some time they returned and sent to me another paper, which appeared also printed like the former, yet not so rudely stuck together, but neat and comely. They said that they were further informed that on our earth there are such papers, and books made of them.

6931. From what has been now said of the spirits of the earth Mercury, it is very manifest that spirits retain what they see and hear in the other life, and can be instructed as when they were men, thus in what is of faith, and so be perfected. The purer spirits and angels are, the more readily and fully do they take in, and the more perfectly retain in the memory, what they hear. And as this continues for ever, it is plain that they grow in wisdom contin

ually. But the spirits of Mercury grow continually in the knowledge of things, yet not in wisdom from it, because they love knowledges, which are means, but not uses which are ends as was related of them above (n. 6814, 6815). 6932. The subject of the spirits of the earth Mercury will be continued at the close of the following chapter.

CHAPTER FOURTH.

THE DOCTRINE OF CHARITY.

6933. It is a common saying that every one is neighbor to himself, that is, that one should consult first for himself. The doctrine of charity teaches how this is. Every one is neighbor to himself, not in the first, but in the last place. In a higher place are others who are in good; in a still higher is a society of many; in a yet higher is one's country; and in a still higher the church; higher still is the Lord's kingdom; and above all men and all things is the Lord.

6934. The saying that every one is neighbor to himself, and that he should first consult for himself, is thus to be understood: every one must look out for himself to have the necessaries of life, as food, raiment, habitation, and other things which the necessities of civil life where he is, require; and this not only for himself, but also for his family; and not only for the present time, but also for the future. Unless any one thus procures for himself the necessaries of life, he cannot be in a state to exercise charity toward his neighbor, being in want of all things.

6935. The end regarded declares plainly how every man must be neighbor to himself, and how he must first consult for himself. If this end be to grow richer than others, merely for the sake of riches, pleasure, eminence, and the like, the end is evil. He therefore who from such an end believes he should be neighbor to himself, harms himself eternally. But if the end be to get wealth for the sake of the necessaries of life, for himself and for his family, that he may be in a state of doing good according to the precepts of the doctrine of charity, he provides for himself to

eternity. The end itself makes the man, for the end is his love, since every one has for an end that which he loves.

6936. How this is, may be further evident from this example. Every one is bound to provide food and raiment for his body; this must be first, but to the end that a sound mind may be in a sound body. And every one is bound to provide food for his mind, namely, what is of intelligence and wisdom, to the end that his mind may thus be in a state to serve the Lord; he who does this, provides for his eternal welfare. But he who provides for his body merely for the sake of the body, nor thinks of soundness of mind, and who does not provide for his mind what is of intelligence and wisdom, but what is contrary thereto, provides for his eternal injury. From this it is plain in what way every one ought to be his own neighbor, namely, not in the first place but in the last; for the end must not be for himself, but for others; and where the end is, there is the first.

6937. This is as it is with a man who builds a house: the first thing is to lay the foundation, but the foundation must be for the house, and the house for a place to dwell in. Thus every man must first provide for himself, yet not for himself, but that he may be in a condition for serving his neighbor, thus his country, the church, and above all the Lord. He who believes that he is neighbor to himself in the first place, is like one who regards the foundation as the end, not the house and dwelling in it; when yet the dwelling is the very first and last end, and the house with the foundation is only a means to the end.

6938. As with wealth, so also with honors in the world: every one may also seek them for himself, yet not for the sake of self, but for the sake of his neighbor; he who provides them for the sake of self, provides ill for himself; but he who provides them for the sake of his neighbor, provides well for himself. For he who turns his ends to self, turns himself toward hell; but he who turns his ends from self to his neighbor, turns himself toward heaven.

CHAPTER IV.

1. And Moses answered, and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, Jehovah hath not appeared unto thee.

2. And Jehovah said unto him, What is that in thy hand? And he said, A rod.

3. And He said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.

4. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Put forth thy hand, and take it by the tail: (and he put forth his hand, and laid hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand :)

5. That they may believe that Jehovah hath appeared unto thee, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

6. And Jehovah said furthermore unto him, Put now thy hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom : and he took it out, and, behold, his hand was leprous, as

snow.

7. And He said, Put thy hand into thy bosom again. (And he put his hand into his bosom again; and he took it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his flesh.)

8. And it shall come to pass, if they do not believe thee, and do not hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.

9. And it shall come to pass, if they do not believe also these two signs, and do not hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the waters of the river, and pour it upon the dry land, and the waters which thou hast taken out of the river, they shall become blood upon the dry land.

10. And Moses said unto Jehovah, Indeed, my Lord, I am not a man of words, either yesterday, or the third day, or since Thou hast now spoken unto Thy servant: for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.