Heaven and its Wonders and HellSwedenborg, Emanuel
Religion
Heaven and its Wonders and Hell
Swedenborg, Emanuel
Future life -- Christianity -- Early work to 1800; Heaven -- Christianity; Hell -- Christianity
155. Angels are not constantly in the same state in respect to love,
and in consequence in the same state in respect to wisdom; for all
their wisdom is from their love and in accordance with their love.
Sometimes they are in a state of intense love, sometimes in a state
of love not so intense. The state decreases by degrees from its
greatest degree to its least. When in their greatest degree of love
they are in the light and warmth of their life, or in a clear and
delightful state; but in their least degree they are in shade and
cold, or in an obscure and undelightful state. From this last state
they return again to the first, and so on, these alternations
following one after another with variety. There is a sequence of
these states like the varied states of light and shade, or of heat
and cold, or like morning, noon, evening, and night, day after day in
the world, with unceasing variety throughout the year. There is also
a correspondence, morning corresponding to the state of their love in
its clearness, noon to the state of their wisdom in its clearness,
evening to the state of their wisdom in its obscurity, and night to a
state of no love or wisdom. But it must be understood that there is
no correspondence of night with the states of life of those in
heaven, although there is what corresponds to the dawn that precedes
morning; what corresponds to night is with those in hell.{1} From
this correspondence "day" and "year" signify in the Word states of
life in general; "heat" and "light" signify love and wisdom;
"morning" the first and highest degree of love "noon" wisdom in its
light; "evening" wisdom in its shade; "dawn" the obscurity that
precedes the morning; and "night" the absence of love and wisdom.{2}
{Footnote 1} In heaven there is a state corresponding to the
dawn that precedes morning, but no state corresponding to night
(n. 6110). The "dawn" signifies a middle state between the last
and the first (n. 10134).
{Footnote 2} Alternations of state in respect to enlightenment
and perception occur in heaven, like the times of day in the
world (n. 5672, 5962, 6110, 8426, 9213, 10605). In the Word
"day" and "year" signify all states in general (n. 23, 487,
488, 493, 893, 2788, 3462, 4850, 10656). "Morning" signifies
the beginning of a new state, and a state of love (n. 7218,
8426, 8427, 10114, 10134). "Evening" signifies a state of
declining light and love (n. 10134, 10135). "Night" signifies a
state of no love or faith (n. 221, 709, 2353, 6000, 6110, 7870,
7947).
156. Together with the state of the angels' interiors which pertain
to their love and wisdom, the states of various things that are
outside of them and that they see with their eyes are changed; for
the things outside of them take on an appearance that is in accord
with the things within them. But what things these are, and what kind
of things they are, shall be told presently in the chapter on
Representatives and Appearances in Heaven.
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