{Footnote 1} In the internal sense of the Word by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Lord in respect to the Divine itself and the Divine Human is meant (n. 1893, 4615, 6098, 6185, 6276, 6804, 6847).  In heaven Abraham is unknown (n. 1834, 1876, 3229).  By David the Lord in respect to the Divine royalty is meant (n. 1888, 9954).  The twelve apostles represented the Lord in respect to all things of the church, that is, all things pertaining to faith and love (n. 2129, 3354, 3488, 3858, 6397).  Peter represented the lord in respect to faith, James in respect to charity, and John in respect to the works of charity (n. 3750, 10087).  The twelve apostles sitting on twelve thrones and judging the twelve tribes of Israel, signified that the Lord will judge in accord with the truths and goods of faith and love (n. 2129, 6397).  The names of persons and of places in the Word do not enter heaven, but are changed into things and states; and in heaven these names cannot even be uttered (n. 1876, 5225, 6516, 10216, 10282, 10432).  Moreover, the angels think abstractedly from persons (n. 8343, 8985, 9007).

527.  I can testify from much experience that it is impossible to implant the life of heaven in those who in the world have lived a life opposite to the life of heaven.  There were some who had believed that when after death they should hear Divine truths from the angels they would readily accept them and believe them, and consequently live a different life, and could thus be received into heaven.  But this was tried with very many, although it was confined to those who held this belief, and was permitted in their case to teach them that repentance is not possible after death.  Some of those with whom the experiment was made understood truths and seemed to accept them; but as soon as they turned to the life of their love they rejected them, and even spoke against them.  Others were unwilling to hear them, and at once rejected them.  Others wished to have the life of love that they had contracted from the world taken away from them, and to have the angelic life, or the life of heaven, infused in its place.  This, too, was permitted to be done; but as soon as the life of their love was taken away they lay as if dead, with their powers gone.  By these and other experiments the simple good were taught that no one’s life can by any means be changed after death; and that an evil life can in no way be converted into a good life, or an infernal life into an angelic life, for every spirit from head to heel is such as his love is, and therefore such as his life is; and to convert his life into its opposite is to destroy the spirit completely.  The angels declare that it would be easier to change a night-owl into a dove, or a horned-owl into a bird of paradise, than to change an infernal spirit into an angel of heaven.  That man after death continues to be such as his life had been in the world can be seen above in its own chapter (n. 470-484).  From all this it is evident that no one can be received into heaven from mercy apart from means.