24. [23.] All people whatsoever who come among spirits after death are prepared for heaven or for hell, everyone according to his life in conformity to doctrine. In most cases the preparation is accomplished by their being instructed by angels. The Dutch nation, however, cannot be prepared for heaven and for receiving the spiritual quality of heaven (which is the spiritual quality of angels) by information and instruction, for they do not accept it, inasmuch as they remain more steadfastly than all others in their own faith. When informed, they think still in accordance with their own conceptions in opposition to the information and instruction. Consequently they are prepared in a different way. They have described for them what heaven is like, following which it is granted them to ascend into heaven and see it, and whatever accords with their character is instilled in them, so that they return with a thorough desire to enter into heaven. But when they have been sent back, they are driven into states of misery, and their conduct of business is taken from them, until they see themselves reduced to extreme straits; and then they are taken to people who have an abundance of everything and who are rich, which occasions in them then to consider what those others are like, and how they can possess such an abundance and delight of life. Thus they reflect upon those people's life, seeing that it is a life of mutual love, and upon their doctrine, that it is a doctrine teaching that love, and that all their goods and felicities come from the Lord. At that point then they are not being informed but are themselves inquiring and informing themselves. And so of themselves they begin to think that to escape from their misery they, too, must believe likewise and do likewise; and as they accept that faith, but on their own, by living accordingly, so wealth is given to them, and this progressively. Thus they are prepared for heaven, not by others but by themselves, not realizing at the time that they are nevertheless not prepared in this way by themselves but by the Lord, because their character is such as it is, which they also after ward acknowledge. They also continue after that to be more stead fast than others, so that they may be called personifications of constancy, nor do they allow themselves to be led astray by any guile, or by any craft, or by reasoning, or because of confusion induced by the insinuation of doubts or sophistries, or by any illusion, appearance or fantasy-especially those whose life's love was the conduct of business and not money, and whose goal was not luxurious living.