309. Unless such a Word had been given on this earth, the man of this earth would have been separated from heaven, and if separated from heaven he would have ceased to be rational, for the human rational comes into existence from an influx of the light of heaven. Again, the man of this earth is such that he is not capable of receiving immediate revelation and of being taught about Divine truths by such revelation, as the inhabitants of other earths are, who have been described in a special little work.* For the man of this earth is more sn worldly things, that is, in externals, than the men of other earths, and it is internal things that are receptive of revelation; if it were received in external things the truth would not be understood. That such is the man of this earth is clearly evident from the state of those who are within the Church, which is such that, while they know from the Word about heaven, about hell, about the life after death, still in heart they deny these things, although among them there are some who have eagerly sought a pre-etninent reputation for learning, and who might for that reason be supposed to be wiser than others. * EARTHS IN THE UNLVERSE. Editor.