AN ACCOUNT OF MOUNTAINS AND SEAS, AND OF WHAT OCCURS UPON THE EARTH OF THE LAST JUDGMENT.

It should be known, that a mountain can be the emblem of a body, which is as overgrown with wool, and the seas can signify the elements; or it may be proper to call the mountains “elements, which are opaque,” and the seas “the skies.” Besides, from a mountain, bodies can be desired; as it may be the station of angels, and from the sea angels proceed. Attempting to investigate the nature of God we meet with a veil, and this veil is darkness. The only light we find is, that whoever travels over the stages of materiality and spirituality, attains rest in the seat of purity,

“Near the mighty King.”

The veils of darkness are like colored wool raised up.

“The mountains shall become like carded wool of various colors driven by the wind.”*

He lifts up the immense veil before the light, as then the contradiction, the mutual opposition, and the unsuitableness of conduct which arises from the sensuality of the body, vanish at the passing away of the body; conformity and concord, which belong to unity and harmony, manifest themselves; certainly nothing of repugnancy and no sort of apprehension remains; the poison of serpents and of scorpions is no more; the wolf associates with the sheep, the falcon with the little partridge, and confidence between those who feared each other, appears;

“When the animals will unite;”

When there is no body, there is no death. This is what the prophet declared: “On the day of resur­rection death will be summoned and annihi­lated;” he likewise said: “On the day of the last judgment hell will be made visible:

“Hell manifests itself to whosoever looks.”

On no other day but this, hell, as it is, can be seen; because one who is plunged in the ocean, how can he see the ocean? It is when he rises above the waves that he can distinguish them:

“A spirit appears better on the border of an expanse.”

I have now given an explanation about the streams of heaven and hell; the pleasures and pains during the time of the soul's progress and regress. The running streams signify life, which the celestial com­munity enjoys; milk is the cause of nourishment in early infancy, and is more excellent than water; because, although its use be at times salutary for all, yet, in different circumstances, it is not so for all. Rivers of milk signify rivers of knowledge for noble persons; they proceed from the origin and develop­ment of sciences, and from these rivers is derived the enjoyment of the celestial beings, whose state may be compared to that of infancy. Honey is the cause of recovery to the sick and afflicted, and is more excellent than milk, because its advantage is reserved to a certain number only; and rivers of honey in heaven are emblematical of rivers of noble sciences; and the enjoyment of the select in heaven is derived from these rivers. Wine is the cause of the removal of terror, and fear, and sadness; and is more excellent than honey, because it is prohibited to the people of the world, and permitted and legal to the inhabitants of heaven; and it is a purifying draught of the water of Paradise:

“Their lord made them drink a purifying beverage.”

And rivers of wine in heaven signify rivers of knowledge, for the nobles, among noble personages, and their enjoyment in heaven is derived from these rivers:

“There will be rivers of limpid water, and rivers of milk,

The savor of which shall not be altered; rivers of wine

Will be a delight to those who drink of them;

And there will be rivers of purified honey.”

For the inhabitants of hell are four rivers, in oppo­sition to those in heaven; they are called “that of heat; that of water, blood, and matter; that of liquid pitch: and that of poison;” that is to say: death, ignorance, simple ignorance, and compound ignorance; for it is said:

“These are the similes which we propose to men; the wise only under­stand their explanation.”