Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 1631

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1631. On entering the next life people who have been rich during their lifetime and have dwelt in magnificent palaces, fixing their heaven in such things, and who, devoid of conscience or charity, have under various pretexts robbed others of their goods, are first led, as stated already, into the selfsame life that was theirs in the world. And sometimes they are allowed to dwell in palaces, just as they had done in the world. For all initially are received in the next life as guests and newcomers; and so that their interiors and aims in life may not yet be disclosed, angels from the Lord are sent to give them pleasure and treat them kindly. The scene however changes - the palaces slowly fade away and become small houses, becoming successively poorer until at length they cease to exist. At that point they go around like people begging for alms, and asking to be taken in. But being what they are, they are rejected from the communities At length they become as excrement, and give off a stink like that of bad teeth.


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