Angelic Wisdom Concerning the Divine Love and the Divine WisdomSwedenborg, Emanuel
Religion
Angelic Wisdom Concerning the Divine Love and the Divine Wisdom
Swedenborg, Emanuel
God (Christianity) -- Love; God (Christianity) -- Wisdom
141. Since the subject now under consideration is the turning of angels
and spirits to their own loves by reason of these loves, something shall
be said also about loves. The whole heaven is divided into societies
according to all the differences of loves; in like manner hell, and in
like manner the world of spirits. But heaven is divided into societies
according to the differences of heavenly loves; hell into societies
according to the differences of infernal loves; and the world of spirits,
according to the differences of loves both heavenly and infernal. There
are two loves which are the heads of all the rest, that is, to which all
other loves are referable; the love which is the head of all heavenly
loves, or to which they all relate, is love to the Lord; and the love
which is the head of all infernal loves, or to which they all relate, is
the love of rule springing from the love of self. These two loves are
diametrically opposed to each other.
142. Since these two loves, love to the Lord and love of rule springing
from love of self, are wholly opposed to each other, and since all who
are in love to the Lord turn to the Lord as a sun (as was shown in the
preceding article), it can be seen that all who are in the love of rule
springing from love of self, turn their backs to the Lord. They thus face
in opposite directions, because those who are in love to the Lord love
nothing more than to be led by the Lord, and will that the Lord alone
shall rule; while those who are in the love of rule springing from love
of self, love nothing more than to be led by themselves, and will that
themselves alone may rule. This is called a love of rule springing from
love of self, because there is a love of rule springing from a love of
performing uses, which is a spiritual love, because it makes one with
love towards the neighbor. Still this cannot be called a love of rule,
but a love of performing duties.
143. Every spirit, of whatever quality, turns to his own ruling love,
because love is the life of every one (as was shown in Part I., n. 1-3);
and life turns its receptacles, called members, organs, and viscera, thus
the whole man, to that society which is in a love similar to itself, thus
where its own love is.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account