155. As they were desirous to know how the case is on our Earth in regard to revelation, I told them that it is effected by means of writing and preaching from the Word, and not by immediate intercourse with spirits and angels; and that what is written can be published by printing, and thus be read and comprehended by whole societies, and that thus the life can be amended. They were exceedingly surprised that such an art, utterly unknown elsewhere, could exist on our Earth; but they comprehended that on this Earth, where corporeal and terrestrial things are so much loved, Divine things could not otherwise inflow from heaven and be received; and that it would be dangerous for such beings to converse with angels. 156. The spirits of that earth appear above, in the plane of the head, towards the right. All spirits are distinguished by their situation relatively to the human body; and this is a consequence of the universal heaven corresponding with all things of man[f]. These spirits keep themselves in that plane, and at that distance, because their correspondence is not with the externals, but with the interiors, belonging to man. Their action is upon the left knee, above and a little below, with a certain vibration very sensibly felt. This is a sign that they correspond with _the conjunction of natural things and heavenly things_. THE FOURTH EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN, AND ITS SPIRITS AND INHABITANTS. 157. I was conducted to yet another earth which is in the universe beyond our solar system, which was effected by changes of the state of my mind, consequently as to the spirit; for, as has already been repeatedly observed, a spirit is conducted from place to place no otherwise than by changes of the state of his interiors, which changes appear to him in all respects as advancements from place to place, or as journeyings. These changes lasted continuously for about ten hours before I came from the state of my life to the state of their life, thus before I arrived there as to my spirit. I was conveyed towards the east, to the left, and seemed to be gradually elevated from a horizontal plane. I was also permitted to observe clearly the progression and advance from my former place, till at length those from whom I had departed no longer appeared; and in the meantime I spoke on various subjects with the spirits who were with me. A certain spirit was also with us who, during his life in the world, had been a prelate and a preacher, as well as a very pathetic writer. From my idea concerning him, my spirit-companions supposed he was more a Christian at heart than the rest; for in the world an idea is conceived and a judgment formed from the preaching and writing, and not from the life, if this is not manifest; and if anything inconsistent appears in the life, it is nevertheless excused; for the idea or thought and perception concerning any one draws everything to its side.