New Jerusalem Church -- Doctrinal and controversial works; Swedenborg, Emanuel, 1688-1772
When a spirit is in the state of his inward nature and life, it
appears plainly what manner of man he was in the world; for then he
acts from his very self. A man who was inwardly in good in the world,
then acts rationally and wisely--more wisely, in fact, than he did in
the world; for he has been loosed from connection with the body, and
so with worldly things, which caused obscurity and, as it were,
interposed a cloud. But a man who was in evil in the world, then acts
foolishly and insanely--more insanely, in fact, than he did in the
world, for now he is in freedom and not coerced. For when he lived in
the world, he was sane in his outward life, for so he assumed the
appearance of a rational man. When, therefore, his outward life is
laid off, his insanities reveal themselves.
--_Heaven and Hell, nn._ 502, 505
INSTRUCTED FOR HEAVEN
The third state of a man after death is a state of instruction. This
is a state in the experience of those who enter heaven and become
angels.
Instruction in heaven differs from instruction on earth, in that
knowledge is not committed to memory, but to life; for the memory of
spirits is in their life, inasmuch as they receive and become imbued
with everything that agrees with their life, and they do not receive,
still less do they become imbued with, anything that disagrees with
it; for spirits are affections, and are in a human form like their
affections. Being such, they have inspired in them continually an
affection for truth for the sake of the uses of life; for the Lord
provides that every one may love the uses which suit his genius, a
love that is exalted, too, by the hope of becoming an angel.... With
every one, therefore, the affection of truth is united to the
affection of use, so fully that they act as one. Thereby truth is
planted in service, so much so that the truths which angelic spirits
learn, are truths of use. Thus are they instructed and prepared for
heaven.
--_Heaven and Hell, nn._ 512, 517
HEAVEN
"Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may
have right to the tree of life; and may enter in through the
gates into the city."
--_Rev_., XXII, 14
"Thou wilt show me the path of life; In Thy presence is
fulness of joy; At Thy right hand there are pleasures
forevermore."
--_Psalm_, XVI, 11
"THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN YOU"
Heaven is in a man; and they who have heaven within themselves, come
into heaven. Heaven in a man is to acknowledge the Divine, and to be
led by the Divine.
Every angel receives the heaven which is around him according to the
heaven which is within him. Unless heaven is within a man, none of the
heaven around him flows in and is received.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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