brought to light; but causes reveal effects. To know effects from causes
is to be wise; but to search for causes from effects is not to be wise,
because fallacies then present themselves, which the investigator calls
causes, and this is to turn wisdom into foolishness. Causes are things
prior, and effects are things posterior; and things prior cannot be seen
from things posterior, but things posterior can be seen from things prior.
This is order. For this reason the spiritual world is here first treated
of, for all causes are there; and afterwards the natural world, where all
things that appear are effects.

120. The quarters in the spiritual world shall now be spoken of. There are
quarters there in like manner as in the natural world, but like that world
itself, they are spiritual; while the quarters in the natural world, like
that world itself, are natural; the difference between them therefore is
so great that they have nothing in common. In each world there are four
quarters, which are called east, west, south, and north. In the natural
world, these four quarters are constant, determined by the sun on the
meridian; opposite this is north, on one side is east, on the other, west.
These quarters are determined by the meridian of each place; for the sun's
station on the meridian at each point is always the same, and is therefore
fixed. In the spiritual world it is different. The quarters there are
determined by the sun of that world, which appears constantly in its own
place, and where it appears is the east; consequently the determination
of the quarters in that world is not from the south, as in the natural
world, but from the east, opposite to this is west, on one side is south,
and on the other, north. But that these quarters are not determined by
the sun, but by the inhabitants of that world, who are angels and spirits,
will be seen in what follows.

121. As these quarters, by virtue of their origin, which is the Lord as