Heaven and Hell (Harley) n. 453

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453. MAN AFTER DEATH IS IN A COMPLETE HUMAN FORM

It can be confirmed from things already shown in several previous sections that the form of the spirit of man is the human form, that is, that the spirit is a man even in form, especially where it is shown that every angel is in a complete human form (n. 73-77); that in respect of his interiors every man is a spirit (n. 432-444); and that the angels in heaven are from the human race (n. 311-317). [2] This can be seen still more clearly from the fact that it is by virtue of his spirit, and not by virtue of his body, that man is a man, and that the corporeal form is added to the spirit in accordance with the spirit's form, and not the reverse, for it is in accordance with its own form that the spirit is clothed with a body. Consequently, the spirit of man acts into every part of the body, even the minutest, insomuch that if any part is not actuated by the spirit, or the spirit is not active in it, it does not live. Anyone can know that this is true from this fact alone, that thought and will actuate all things and each thing of the body with such entire command that everything concurs, and anything that does not concur is not a part of the body, but is cast out as something without life; and thought and will belong, not to the body, but to the spirit of man. [3] A spirit is not visible in the human form to man after it has been loosed from the body, nor does he see the spirit in another man, because the body's organ of sight, or its eye, so far as it sees in the world, is a material organ, and what is material can see only what is material, while what is spiritual sees what is spiritual. When, therefore, the material part of the eye becomes darkened and is deprived of its co-operation with the spiritual, then the spirits appear in their own form, which is the human form, not only the spirits who are in the spiritual world, but also the spirit of another man while it is yet in its body.


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