attributing merit and holiness to themselves: those who do this in the world, in the other life seem to themselves to cut wood, as was likewise the case with some from our Earth, who have been spoken of elsewhere. To illustrate this subject, I may here adduce my experience concerning these:[A] "In the lower earth, under the soles of the feet, are also those who have placed merit in good acts and works. Many of them appear to themselves to cut wood. The place where they are is very cold, and they seem to themselves to acquire warmth by their labour. With these also I have spoken, and it was given me to ask them whether they had any desire to get out of that place: to this they replied, that they had not as yet merited it by their labour. But when this state has been accomplished they are taken out from thence. These [spirits] are natural, because wishing to merit salvation is not spiritual, for it comes from the proprium and not from the Lord; and besides, they prefer themselves to others, and some of them despise others; and if they do not receive more joy than others in the other life, they are indignant against the Lord; wherefore when they are cutting wood, it appears as if something of the Lord were under the wood. This arises from their indignation."[dd] [Footnote A: _Arcana_, no. 4943. See also nos. 1110, 8740.--TR.] [Footnote dd: Merit and righteousness belong to the Lord alone, nos. 9715, 9975, 9979, 9981, 9982. Those who place merit in works, or want to merit heaven by the good deeds which they do, in the other life want to be served, and are never contented, no. 6393. They despise their neighbour, and are angry with the Lord Himself if they do not receive reward, no. 9976. What their lot in the other life is, nos. 942, 1774, 1877, 2027. They are of those who in the lower earth appear to cut wood, nos. 1110, 4943.]