HH 512 - The Third State After Death

HH 512

The third state of a person after death,
that is, of his spirit, is a state of instruction.
This state is for those
who come into heaven and become angels.
It is not for those who come into hell,
because such are incapable of being taught,
and therefore their second state is also their third . . ..

Good spirits, on the other hand,
are led from the second state into the third,
which is the state of their preparation for heaven
by means of instruction.
For one can be prepared for heaven
only by means of knowledges of good and truth,
that is, only by means of instruction,
since one can know what spiritual good and truth are,
and what evil and falsity are,
which are their opposites,
only by being taught.
One can learn in the world
what civil and moral good and truth are,
which are called justice and honesty,
because there are civil laws in the world
that teach what is just,
and there is interaction with others
whereby a person learns to live
in accordance with moral laws,
all of which have relation to what is honest and right.
But spiritual good and truth are learned from heaven,
not from the world.
They can be learned from the Word
and from the doctrine of the church
that is drawn from the Word
and yet unless a person in respect to his interiors
which belong to his mind
is in heaven
spiritual good and truth cannot flow into his life;
and a person is in heaven
when he both acknowledges the Divine
and acts justly and honestly
for the reason that he ought so to act
because it is commanded in the Word.
This is living justly and honestly
for the sake of the Divine,
and not for the sake of self and the world,
as ends.

But no one can so act until he has been taught,
for example, that there is a God,
that there is a heaven and a hell,
that there is a life after death,
that God ought to be loved supremely,
and the neighbor as oneself,
and that what is taught in the Word,
ought to be believed because the Word is Divine.
Without a knowledge and acknowledgment
of these things
a person is unable to think spiritually;
and if he has no thought about them
he does not will them;
for what a person does not know he cannot think,
and what he does not think he cannot will.
So it is when a person wills these things
that heaven flows into his life,
that is, the Lord through heaven,
for the Lord flows into the will
and through the will into the thought,
and through both into the life,
and the whole life of a person is from these.
All this makes clear that spiritual good and truth
are learned not from the world but from heaven,
and that one can be prepared for heaven
only by means of instruction.

Moreover, so far as the Lord
flows into the life of any one
He instructs him,
for so far He kindles the will
with the love of knowing truths
and enlightens the thought to know them;
and so far as this is done
the interiors of person are opened
and heaven is implanted in them;
and furthermore,
what is Divine and heavenly
flows into the honest things pertaining to moral life
and into the just things pertaining to civil life
in a person,
and makes them spiritual,
since a person then does these things
from the Divine,
which is doing them for the sake of the Divine.
For the things honest and just
pertaining to moral and civil life
which a person does from that source
are the essential effects of spiritual life;
and the effect derives its all
from the effecting cause,
since such as the cause is such is the effect.

 

HH 499, HH 505-506 - The Second State After Death

HH 499  

The second state of a person after death
is called the state of his interiors,
because he is then let into the interiors of his mind,
that is, of his will and thought;
while his exteriors,
which he has been in during his first state,
are laid asleep.

HH 505

When the spirit is in the state of his interiors
it becomes clearly evident
what the person was in himself
when he was in the world,
for at such times he acts from what is his own.
He that had been in the world interiorly in good
then acts rationally and wisely,
and even more wisely than in the world,
because he is released
from connection with the body,
and thus from those earthly things
that caused obscurity
and interposed as it were a cloud.
But he that was in evil in the world
then acts foolishly and insanely,
and even more insanely than in the world,
because he is free and under no restraint.
For while he lived in the world
he was sane in outward appearance,
since by means of externals
he made himself appear to be a rational man;
but when he has been stripped of his externals
his insanities are revealed.

HH 506

All that have lived a good life in the world
and have acted from conscience,
who are such as have acknowledged the Divine
and have loved Divine truths,
especially such as have applied those truths to life,
seem to themselves,
when let into the state of their interiors,
like one aroused from sleep into full wakefulness,
or like one passing from darkness into light.
They then think from the light of heaven,
thus from an interior wisdom,
and they act from good,
thus from an interior affection.
Heaven flows into their thoughts and affections
with an interior blessedness and delight
that they had previously had no knowledge of;
for they have communication with
the angels of heaven.
They then acknowledge the Lord
and worship Him from their very life,
for being in the state of their interiors
they are in their proper life;
and as freedom pertains to interior affection
they then acknowledge
and worship the Lord from freedom.
Thus, too, they withdraw from external sanctity
and come into that internal sanctity
in which worship itself truly consists.

But the state of those
that have lived an evil life in the world
and who have had no conscience,
and have in consequence denied the Divine,
is the direct opposite of this.
For everyone who lives an evil life,
inwardly in himself denies the Divine,
however much he may suppose
when in external thought
that he acknowledges the Lord
and does not deny Him;
for acknowledging the Divine
and living an evil life are opposites.
When such in the other life
enter into the state of their interiors,
and are heard speaking and seen acting,
they appear foolish;
for from their evil lusts they burst forth
into all sorts of abominations,
into contempt of others,
ridicule and blasphemy, hatred and revenge;
they plot intrigues,
some with a cunning and malice
that can scarcely be believed
to be possible in any person.
For they are then in a state of freedom
to act in harmony with the thoughts of their will,
since they are separated from the outward conditions
that restrained and checked them in the world.
In a word, they are deprived of their rationality,
because their reason while they were in the world
did not have its seat in their interiors,
but in their exteriors;
and yet they seemed to themselves
to be wiser than others.

This being their character,
while in the second state
they are let down by short intervals
into the state of their exteriors,
and into a recollection of their actions
when they were in the state of their interiors;
and some of them then feel ashamed,
and confess that they have been insane;
some do not feel ashamed;
and some are angry
because they are not permitted
to remain permanently in the state of their exteriors.
But these are shown what they would be
if they were to continue in that state,
namely, that they would attempt to accomplish
in secret ways the same evil ends,
and by semblances of goodness, honesty, and justice,
would mislead the simple in heart and faith,
and would utterly destroy themselves;
for their exteriors would at length burn
with the same fire as their interiors,
and their whole life would be consumed.

 

HH 493, 498 - The First State After Death

HH 493

The first state of a person after death
resembles his state in the world,
for then he is still in externals,
having a like face, like speech, and a like disposition,
thus a like moral and civil life;
and in consequence
he is made aware that he is not still in the world
only by giving attention to what he encounters,
and from his having been told
by the angels when he was resuscitated
that he had become a spirit.
Thus is one life continued into the other,
and death is merely transition.

HH 498

This first state of a person after death
continues with some for days, with some for months,
and with some for a year;
but seldom with any one beyond a year;
for a shorter or longer time with each one
according to the agreement or disagreement
of his interiors with his exteriors.
For with everyone the exteriors and interior
must make one and correspond.
In the spiritual world no one is permitted
to think and will in one way
and speak and act in another.
Everyone there must be an image
of his own affection or his own love,
and therefore such as he is inwardly
such he must be outwardly;
and for this reason a spirit's exteriors
are first disclosed and reduced to order
that they may serve the interiors
as a corresponding plane.

HH 487 - Accepting Instruction; HH 489 - The Sight of the Inmost Heaven

HH 487 [2]

On the other hand,
those who are in heavenly love accept instruction,
and as soon as they are brought
into the evils into which they were born,
they see them from truths,
for truths make evils manifest.
From truth which is from good
any one can see evil and its falsity;
but from evil none can see what is good and true;
and for the reason that falsities of evil are darkness
and correspond to darkness;
consequently those that are in falsities from evil
are like the blind,
not seeing the things that are in light,
but shunning them instead like birds of night.
But as truths from good are light,
and correspond to light,
so those that are in truths from good
have sight and open eyes,
and discern the things that pertain to light and shade.

HH 489 [3]

Those that have applied the doctrinals of the church
which are from the Word immediately to life,
are in the inmost heaven,
and surpass all others in their delights of wisdom.
In every object they see what is Divine;
the objects they see indeed with their eyes;
but the corresponding Divine things
flow in immediately into their minds
and fill them with a blessedness
that affects all their sensations.
Thus before their eyes
all things seem to laugh, to play, and to live.

HH 479 - Every Love; HH 483-484 - Love in Act

HH 479 [5]

. . . every love wishes to be nourished on
what belongs to it,
evil love by falsities
and good love by truths.

I have sometimes been permitted to see
certain simple good spirits desiring to instruct
the evil in truths and goods;
but when the instruction was offered them
they fled far away,
and when they came to their own
they seized with great pleasure upon the falsities
that were in agreement with their love.
I have also seen good spirits
talking together about truths,
and the good who were present
listened eagerly to the conversation,
but the evil who were present paid no attention to it,
as if they did not hear it.

HH 483-484

Love in act is work and deed.

It must be understood that all works and deeds
pertain to moral and civil life,
and therefore have regard to what is honest and right,
and what is just and equitable,
what is honest and right pertaining to moral life,
and what is just and equitable to civil life.
The love from which deeds are done
is either heavenly or infernal.
Works and deeds of moral and civil life,
when they are done from heavenly love, are heavenly;
for what is done from heavenly love
is done from the Lord,
and everything done from the Lord is good.
But the deeds and works of moral and civil life
when done from infernal love are infernal;
for what is done from this love,
which is the love of self and of the world,
is done from the person himself,
and everything that is done
from a person himself is in itself evil;
for a person regarded in himself,
that is, in regard to what is his own (proprium),
is nothing but evil.

HH 475 - The Value of the Action

HH 475

Everyone can know that willing and not doing,
when there is opportunity,
is not willing;
also that loving and not doing good,
when there is opportunity,
is not loving,
but mere thought that one wills and loves;
and this is thought separate,
which vanishes and is dissipated.
Love and will constitute
the soul itself of a deed or work,
and give form to its body
in the honest and just things that the person does.
This is the sole source of a person's spiritual body,
or the body of his spirit;
that is, it is formed solely out of the things
that the person does from his love or will.
In a word, all things of person and his spirit
are contained in his deeds or works.

HH 468 - Cultivating the Rational Faculty

HH 468

The genuine rational consists of truths
and not of falsities;
whatever consists of falsities is not rational.
There are three kinds of truths,
civil, moral, and spiritual.
Civil truths relate to matters of judgment
and of government in kingdoms,
and in general to what is just and equitable in them.
Moral truths pertain to the matters of everyone's life
which have regard to
companionships and social relations,
in general to what is honest and right,
and in particular to virtues of every kind.
But spiritual truths relate to
matters of heaven and of the Church,
and in general to the good of love and the truth of faith.

In every person there are three degrees of life.
The rational is opened to the first degree by civil truths,
to the second degree by moral truths,
and to the third degree by spiritual truths.
But it ought to be known
that the rational that consists of these truths
is not formed and opened by person's knowing them,
but by his living according to them;
and by living according to them
is meant loving them from spiritual affection;
and to love truths from spiritual affection
is to love what is just and equitable
because it is just and equitable,
what is honest and right
because it is honest and right,
and what is good and true
because it is good and true;
while living according to them and loving them
from the bodily affection
is to love them for the sake of self
and for the sake of one's reputation, honor or gain.
Consequently, so far as a person loves these truths
from a bodily affection
he fails to become rational,
for he loves, not them, but himself;
and the truths are made to serve him as servants
serve their lord;
and when truths become servants
they do not enter the person
and open any degree of his life, not even the first,
but merely rest in the memory
as knowledges under a material form,
and there conjoin themselves with the love of self,
which is a bodily love.

From these things it can be confirmed
how person becomes rational,
namely, that he becomes rational to the third degree
by a spiritual love of the good and truth
which pertain to heaven and the Church,
to the second degree
by a love of what is honest and right,
and to the first degree
by a love of what is just and equitable.
These two latter loves also become spiritual
from a spiritual love of good and truth,
because that love flows into them
and conjoins itself to them
and forms in them, as it were, its own semblance.

 

HH 457 - Facial Appearance in the Spiritual World

HH 457

When the spirit of a person first enters the world of spirits,
which takes place shortly after his resuscitation . . .
his face and his tone of voice
resemble those he had in the world,
because he is then in the state of his exteriors,
and his interiors are not as yet uncovered.
This is a person's first state after death.
But subsequently his face is changed,
and becomes entirely different,
resembling his ruling affection or ruling love,
in conformity with which
the interiors of his mind had been
while he was in the world
and his spirit while it was in the body.
For the face of a person's spirit differs greatly
from the face of his body.
The face of his body is from his parents,
but the face of his spirit is from his affection,
and is an image of it.
When the life of the spirit in the body is ended,
and its exteriors are laid aside
and its interiors disclosed,
it comes into this affection.
This is a person's second state.

I have seen some
that have recently arrived from the world,
and have recognized them from their face and speech;
but seeing them afterwards
I did not recognize them.
Those that had been in good affections
appeared with beautiful faces;
but those that had been in evil affections
with misshapen faces;
for a person's spirit, viewed in itself,
is nothing but his affection;
and the face is its outward form.
Another reason why faces are changed is
that in the other life
no one is permitted to counterfeit affections
that are not his own,
and thus assume looks that are contrary to his love.
All in the other life are brought into such a state
as to speak as they think,
and to manifest in their looks and gestures
the inclinations of their will.
And because of this the faces of all become
forms and images of their affections;
and in consequence
all that have known each other in the world
know each other in the world of spirits,
but not in heaven nor in hell.

HH 445, 447, 450, 452 - When Our Soul Leaves Our Body

HH 445

When the body is no longer able
to perform the bodily functions in the natural world
that correspond to the spirit's thoughts and affections,
which the spirit has from the spiritual world,
A person is said to die.
This takes place when the respiration of the lungs
and the beatings of the heart cease.
But the person does not die;
he is merely separated from the bodily part
that was of use to him in the world,
while the person himself continues to live.

HH 447

After the separation
the spirit of a person
continues in the body for a short time,
but only until the heart's action has wholly ceased,
which happens variously
in accord with the diseased condition
that causes death,
with some the motion of the heart
continuing for some time,
with others not so long.
As soon as this motion ceases
the person is resuscitated;
but this is done by the Lord alone.
Resuscitation means
the drawing forth of the spirit from the body,
and its introduction into the spiritual world;
this is commonly called the resurrection.
The spirit is not separated from the body
until the motion of the heart has ceased,
for the reason
that the heart corresponds to the affection of love,
which is the very life of a person,
for it is from love that everyone has vital heat;
consequently as long as this conjunction continues
correspondence continues,
and thereby the life of the spirit in the body.

HH 450

The celestial angels
who are with the one that is resuscitated
do not withdraw from him,
because they love everyone;
but when the spirit comes into such a state
that he can no longer be affiliated with celestial angels,
he longs to get away from them.
When this takes place
angels from the Lord's spiritual kingdom come,
through whom is given the use of light;
for before this he saw nothing,
but merely thought.
. . . The angels are extremely careful
that only such ideas as savor of love
shall proceed from the one resuscitated.
They now tell him that he is a spirit.
When he has come into the enjoyment of light
the spiritual angels render to the new spirit
every service he can possibly desire in that state;
and teach him about the things of the other life
so far as he can comprehend them.
But if he has no wish to be taught
the spirit longs to get away from
the company of the angels.
Nevertheless, the angels do not withdraw from him,
but he separates himself from them;
for the angels love everyone,
and desire nothing so much as to render service,
to teach, and to lead into heaven;
this constitutes their highest delight.
When the spirit has thus withdrawn
he is received by good spirits,
and as long as he continues in their company
everything possible is done for him.
But if he had lived such a life in the world
as would prevent
his enjoying the company of the good
he longs to get away from the good,
and this experience is repeated
until he comes into association with such
as are in entire harmony with his life in the world;
and with such he finds his own life,
and what is surprising,
he then leads a life like that which he led in the world.

HH  452

. . . so far as any one confirms himself
against the eternal life of his soul
he confirms himself also against
whatever pertains to heaven and the church.

HH 422 - The World of Spirits: HH 424 - Thinking

HH 422

The world of spirits is
an intermediate place between heaven and hell
and also an intermediate state of a person after death.
. . . it is an intermediate place,
having the hells below it and the heavens above it,
but also that it is in an intermediate state,
since so long as a person is in it
he is not yet either in heaven or in hell.
The state of heaven in a person
is the conjunction of good and truth in him;
and the state of hell
is the conjunction of evil and falsity in him.
Whenever good in a human-spirit is conjoined to truth
he comes into heaven,
because that conjunction,
as just said, is heaven in him;
but whenever evil in a human-spirit
is conjoined with falsity
he comes into hell,
because that conjunction is hell in him.
That conjunction is effected in the world of spirits,
a person then being in an intermediate state.
It is the same thing whether you say
the conjunction of the understanding and the will,
or the conjunction of good and truth.

HH 424

This ability to think from the understanding
and not at the same time from the will is provided
that a person may be capable of being reformed;
for reformation is effected by means of truths,
and truths pertain to the understanding, as just said.
For in respect to his will
a person is born into every evil,
and therefore of himself
wills good to no one but himself;
and one who wills good to himself alone
delights in the misfortunes that befall another,
especially when they tend to his own advantage;
for his wish is to divert to himself
the goods of all others, whether honors or riches,
and so far as he succeeds in this he inwardly rejoices.
To the end that this will of a person
may be corrected and reformed,
an ability to understand truths,
and an ability to subdue by means of truths
the affections of evil that spring from the will,
are given to a person.
This is why a person has this ability
to think truths with his understanding,
and to speak them and do them.
But until a person is such
that he wills truths and does them from himself,
that is, from the heart,
he is not able to think truths from his will.
When he becomes such,
whatever he thinks from his understanding
belongs to his faith,
and whatever he thinks from his will
belongs to his love;
and in consequence his faith and his love,
like his understanding and his will,
are conjoined in him.

HH 416 - The Immensity of Heaven and Little Children

HH 416

The immensity of the heaven of the Lord
is confirmed also by this,
that all little children,
whether born within the Church or out of it,
are adopted by the Lord and become angels;
and the number of these
amounts to a fourth or fifth part
of the whole human race on the earth.
. . . every little child, wherever born,
whether within the Church or out of it,
whether of pious or impious parents,
is received by the Lord when they die,
and is brought up in heaven,
and is taught and imbued with affections for good,
and through these with cognitions of truth,
in accordance with Divine order,
and as he becomes perfected
in intelligence and wisdom
is brought into heaven and becomes an angel.
From all this a conclusion may be formed
of the multitude of angels of heaven,
derived from this source alone,
from the first creation to the present time.

HH 402 - Delights of Use and the Five Bodily Senses

HH 402

That all the delights of heaven are delights of use
can be seen by a comparison
with the five bodily senses of a person.
There is given to each sense
a delight in accordance with its use;
to the sight, the hearing, the smell, the taste,
and the touch, each its own delight;
to the sight a delight from beauty and from forms,
to the hearing from harmonious sounds,
to the smell from pleasing odors,
to taste from fine flavors.
These uses which the senses severally perform
are known to those who study them,
and more fully to those
who are acquainted with correspondences.
Sight has such a delight
because of the use it performs to the understanding,
which is the inner sight;
the hearing has such a delight
because of the use it performs
both to the understanding and to the will
through giving attention;
the smell has such a delight
because of the use it performs to the brain,
and also to the lungs;
the taste has such a delight
because of the use it performs to the stomach,
and thus to the whole body by nourishing it.
The delight of marriage,
which is a purer and more exquisite delight of touch,
transcends all the rest because of its use,
which is the procreation of the human race
and thereby of angels of heaven.
These delights are in these senses
by an influx of heaven,
where every delight pertains to use
and is in accordance with use.

HH 397 - The Lord's Love; HH 399, 400 - Our Love to the Lord and the Neighbor

HH 397

Heaven in itself is so full of delights
that viewed in itself
it is nothing else than blessedness and delight;
for the Divine good
that flows forth from the Lord's Divine love
is what makes heaven in general and in particular
with everyone there,
and the Divine love is a longing for the salvation of all
and the happiness of all from inmosts and in fullness.
Thus whether you say heaven or heavenly joy
it is the same thing. 

HH 399

Love to the Lord is such
because the Lord's love
is a love of sharing everything it has with all,
since it wills the happiness of all.
There is a like love in every one of those who love Him,
because the Lord is in them.
From this comes the mutual sharing
of the delights of angels with one another.

HH 400 [4]

. . . that love to the Lord and love to the neighbor
wish to share with others all that is their own,
for this is their delight,
while the loves of self and of the world
wish to take away from others what they have,
and take it to themselves;
and just to the extent that they are able to do this
they are in their delight.

HH 387, 391, 394 - Occupations of the Angels

HH 387

. . . with all in the heavens
goods are goods in act,
which are uses.
Everyone there performs a use,
for the Lord's kingdom is a kingdom of uses.

HH 391

As all the societies in the heavens are distinct
in accordance with their goods
so they are distinct in accordance with their uses,
goods being goods in act,
that is, goods of charity which are uses.
There are societies employed
in taking care of little children;
others in instructing and educating them
as they grow up;
others in instructing and educating in like manner
the boys and girls
who have acquired a good disposition
from their education in the world,
and in consequence have come into heaven.
There are other societies that teach
the simple good from the Christian world,
and lead them into the way to heaven;
there are others that in like manner
teach and lead the various heathen nations.
There are some societies
that protect from infestations by evil spirits
novitiate spirits newly arrived from the world;
there are some that attend upon the spirits
who are in the lower earth;
also some that attend upon spirits
who are in the hells,
and restrain them from tormenting each other
beyond prescribed limits;
and there are some that attend upon those
who are being raised from the dead.
In general, angels from each society
are sent to people to watch over them
and to lead them away from
evil affections and consequent thoughts,
and to inspire them with good affections
so far as they will receive them in freedom;
and by means of these they also control
the deeds or works of people
by removing as far as possible evil intentions.
When angels are with men they dwell,
as it were, in their affections;
and they are near to a person just in the degree
in which he is in good from truths,
and are distant from him just in the degree
in which his life is distant from good. 
But all these employments of angels
are employments of the Lord through the angels,
for the angels perform them
not from themselves
but from the Lord.
For this reason,
in the Word in its internal sense "angels" mean,
not angels, but something of the Lord;
and this is why angels are called "gods" in the Word.

HH 394

In heaven each one is in his own occupation
in accordance with correspondence,
and the correspondence is not with the occupation
but with the use of each occupation.
He who in heaven
comes into the employment or occupation
corresponding to his use
is in exactly the same state of life
as when he was in the world,
since what is spiritual and what is natural
make one by correspondences.
Yet there is this difference,
that he is then in an interior delight,
because in a spiritual life, which is an interior life,
and therefore more receptive of heavenly blessedness.

HH 371, 372, 375 - Three Short Quotes on Heavenly Marriage Love

HH 371

As truth is the sole receptacle of good
nothing can be received from the Lord
and from heaven
by any one who is not in truths;
therefore just to the extent that the truths in a person
are conjoined to good
is a person conjoined to the Lord and to heaven.
This, then, is the very origin of marriage love,
and for this reason
that love is the very plane of Divine influx.

HH 372

Good and truth conjoined in an angel or a person
are not two but one,
since good is then good of truth
and truth is truth of good.
This conjunction may be likened to
a person's thinking what he wills
and willing what he thinks,
when the thought and will make one, that is, one mind;
for thought forms, that is, presents in form
that which the will wills,
and the will gives delight to it;
and this is why a married pair in heaven
are not called two, but one angel.

HH 375

Let it be known
that no two things mutually love each other
more than truth and good do;
and therefore it is from that love
that true marriage love descends.

HH 369 - Mutually and Reciprocally

HH 369

Everyone, whether man or woman,
possesses understanding and will;
but with the man the understanding predominates,
and with the woman the will predominates,
and the character is determined by
that which predominates.
Yet in heavenly marriages there is no predominance;
for the will of the wife is also the husband's will,
and the understanding of the husband
is also the wife's understanding,
since each loves to will and to think like the other,
that is mutually and reciprocally.
Thus are they conjoined into one.
This conjunction is actual conjunction,
for the will of the wife
enters into the understanding of the husband,
and the understanding of the husband
into the will of the wife,
and this especially
when they look into one another's faces;
for, as has been repeatedly said above,
there is in the heavens a sharing
of thoughts and affections,
more especially with husband and wife,
because they reciprocally love each other.
This makes clear what the conjunction of minds is
that makes marriage
and produces marriage love in the heavens,
namely, that one wishes what is his own
to be the others,
and this reciprocally.

HH 351 - Looking to the Divine; HH 352 - If We Were Born Into Order; HH 363 - The "Rich" and the "Poor"

HH 351 [2]

. . . a person looks to the Divine
when he believes in the Divine,
and believes that all truth and good
and consequently all intelligence and wisdom
are from the Divine;
and a person believes in the Divine
when he is willing to be led by the Divine.
In this way and none other
are the interiors of a person opened.

HH 352 [3]

. . . if a person were born into the order of his life,
which is to love God above all things
and his neighbor as himself,
he would be born into intelligence and wisdom,
and as knowledges are acquired
would come into a belief in all truth.

HH 365

In the Word those that have an abundance
of knowledges of good and truth,
thus who are within the church where the Word is,
are meant in the spiritual sense by the "rich;"
while those who lack these knowledges,
and yet desire them,
thus who are outside of the church
and where there is no Word,
are meant by the "poor."

HH 350 - Loving, Willing, Doing

HH 350

To love truth and good for the sake of truth and good
is to will and do them;
for those love
who will and do,
while those who do not will and do
do not love.
Such also love the Lord and are loved by the Lord,
because good and truth are from the Lord.
And inasmuch as good and truth are from the Lord
the Lord is in good and truth;
and He is in those
who receive good and truth in their life
by willing and doing.
Moreover, when a person is viewed in himself
he is nothing but his own good and truth,
because good is of his will
and truth of his understanding,
and a person is such as his will and understanding are.
Evidently, then, a person is loved by the Lord
just to the extent that his will is formed from good
and his understanding from truth.
Also to be loved by the Lord is to love the Lord,
since love is reciprocal;
for upon him who is loved
the Lord bestows ability to love.

~ The Lord's Great Love Is New Every Morning ~

I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness and the gall.
I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.
Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:

Because of the Lord's great love
we are not consumed,
for His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
Great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for Him."

The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him,
to the one who seeks Him;
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.

(Lamentations 3:19-26)

HH 347 - Reception of the Light of Heaven That Is Divine Truth

HH 347 [1-2]

Heavenly intelligence is interior intelligence,
arising from a love for truth,
not with any glory in the world
nor any glory in heaven as an end,
but with the truth itself as an end,
by which they are inmostly affected
and with which they are inmostly delighted.
Those who are affected by and delighted with
the truth itself
are affected by and delighted with
the light of heaven;
and those who are affected by and delighted with
the light of heaven
are also affected by and delighted with Divine truth,
and indeed with the Lord Himself;
for the light of heaven is Divine truth,
and Divine truth is the Lord in heaven.
This light enters only into the interiors of the mind;
for the interiors of the mind
are formed for the reception of that light,
and are affected by and delighted with
that light as it enters;
for whatever flows in and is received from heaven
has in it what is delightful and pleasant.
From this comes a genuine affection for truth,
which is an affection for truth for truth's sake.
Those who are in this affection,
or what is the same thing, in this love,
are in heavenly intelligence,
and "shine in heaven
as with the brightness of the firmament."
They so shine because Divine truth,
wherever it is in heaven,
is what gives light;
and the "firmament" of heaven
signifies from correspondence
the intellectual faculty,
both with angels and people,
that is in the light of heaven.

But those that love the truth,
either with glory in the world
or glory in heaven as an end,
cannot shine in heaven,
since they are delighted with and affected by
the light of the world,
and not with the very light of heaven;
and the light of the world without the light of heaven
is in heaven mere thick darkness.
For the glory of self is what rules,
because it is the end in view;
and when that glory is the end
a person puts himself in the first place,
and such truths as can be made
serviceable to his glory
he looks upon simply as means to the end
and as instruments of service.
For he that loves Divine truths
for the sake of his own glory
regards himself and not the Lord in Divine truths,
thereby turning the sight
pertaining to his understanding and faith
away from heaven to the world,
and away from the Lord to himself.
Such, therefore, are in the light of the world
and not in the light of heaven.

 

HH 329, 340, 345 - Little Children in Heaven

HH 329

It is a belief of some that only such children as are born within the church go to heaven, and that those born out of the church do not, and for the reason that the children within the church are baptized and by baptism are initiated into faith of the church. Such are not aware that no one receives heaven or faith through baptism; for baptism is merely for a sign and memorial that man should be regenerated, and that those born within the church can be regenerated because the Word is there, and in the Word are the Divine truths by means of which regeneration is effected, and there the Lord who regenerates is known.  Let them know therefore that every child, wherever he is born, whether within the church or outside of it, whether of pious parents or impious, is received when he dies by the Lord and trained up in heaven, and taught in accordance with Divine order, and imbued with affections for what is good, and through these with knowledges of what is true; and afterwards as he is perfected in intelligence and wisdom is introduced into heaven and becomes an angel. Everyone who thinks from reason can be sure that all are born for heaven and no one for hell, and if person comes into hell he himself is to blame; but little children cannot be held blameable.

HH 340

Many may suppose that in heaven little children remain little children, and continue as such among the angels. Those who do not know what an angel is may have had this opinion confirmed by paintings and images in churches, in which angels are represented as children. But it is wholly otherwise. Intelligence and wisdom are what constitute an angel, and as long as children do not possess these they are not angels, although they are with the angels; but as soon as they become intelligent and wise they become angels; and what is wonderful, they do not then appear as children, but as adults, for they are no longer of an infantile genius, but of a more mature angelic genius. Intelligence and wisdom produce this effect. The reason why children appear more mature, thus as youths and young adults, as they are perfected in intelligence and wisdom, is that intelligence and wisdom are essential spiritual nourishment; and thus the things that nourish their minds also nourish their bodies, and this from correspondence; for the form of the body is simply the external form of the interiors. But it should be understood that in heaven children advance in age only to early adulthood, and remain in this to eternity.

HH 345

Moreover, these children do not know that they were born in the world, but believe that they were born in heaven. Neither do they know about any other than spiritual birth, which is effected through knowledges of good and truth and through intelligence and wisdom, from which a person is a person; and as these are from the Lord they believe themselves to be the Lord's own, and love to be so. Nevertheless it is possible for the state of people who grow up on the earth to become as perfect as the state of children who grow up in heaven, provided they put away bodily and earthly loves, which are the loves of self and the world, and receive in their place spiritual loves.

HH 318, 321 - The Lord's Love Is to Save Everyone

HH 318

Any one who thinks from any enlightened reason
can see that no person is born for hell,
for the Lord is love itself
and His love is to will the salvation of all.
Therefore He has provided a religion for everyone,
and by it
acknowledgment of the Divine and interior life;
for to live in accordance with one's religion
is to live interiorly,
since one then looks to the Divine,
and so far as he looks to the Divine
he does not look to the world
but separates himself from the world,
that is, from the life of the world,
which is exterior life.

HH 321

It is a Divine truth
that apart from the Lord there is no salvation;
but this is to be understood to mean
that there is no salvation except from the Lord.
There are many earths in the universe,
and all of them full of inhabitants,
scarcely any of whom know
that the Lord took on the Human on our earth.
Yet because they worship
the Divine under a human form
they are accepted and led by the Lord.

HH 312, 313-314 - The Focus of the Mind, Natural and Spiritual

HH 312

. . . when matters
relating to the body and the world are loved,
as they are at the present day,
nothing but darkness flows into the mind . . .

HH 313 - 314

. . . to the extent that a person's interiors are opened
he looks towards heaven,
but to the extent that his interiors are closed
and his exteriors opened
he looks towards hell,
because the interiors of a person are formed
for the reception of all things of heaven,
but the exteriors
for the reception of all things of the world;
and those who receive the world,
and not heaven also,
receive hell.

That heaven is from the human race
can be seen also from the fact
that angelic minds and human minds are alike,
both enjoying the ability to understand,
perceive and will,
and both formed to receive heaven;
for the human mind
is just as capable of becoming wise
as the angelic mind;
and if it does not attain to such wisdom in the world
it is because it is in an earthly body,
and in that body its spiritual mind thinks naturally.
But it is otherwise when the mind is loosed
from the bonds of that body;
then it no longer thinks naturally, but spiritually,
and when it thinks spiritually
its thoughts are incomprehensible and ineffable
to the natural person;
thus it becomes wise like an angel,
all of which shows
that the internal part of a person, called his spirit,
is in its essence an angel;
and when loosed from the earthly body is,
equally with the angel,
in the human form.
When, however, the internal of a person
is not open above but only beneath,
it is still, after it has been loosed from the body,
in a human form,
but a horrible and diabolical form,
for it is able only to look downwards towards hell,
and not upwards towards heaven.

HH 304, 305, 306, 310 (portions) - The Most Important Means the Lord Uses to Talk to Us

HH 304 [2]

But a person has, in addition,
what angels do not have,
that he is not
only in respect of his interiors
in the spiritual world,
but also at the same time
in respect of his exteriors
in the natural world.
His exteriors which are in the natural world
are all things of his natural or external memory
and of his thought and imagination therefrom;
in general, cognitions and knowledges
with their delights and pleasures
so far as they savor of the world,
also many pleasures pertaining to
the sensual things of the body,
together with his senses themselves,
his speech, and his actions.
And all these are the ultimates
in which the Lord's Divine influx terminates;
for that influx does not stop midway,
but goes on to its ultimates.
All this shows
that the ultimate of Divine order is in a person;
and being the ultimate
it is also the basis and foundation.

HH 305

But humankind has severed
this connection with heaven
by turning his exteriors away from heaven,
and turning them to the world and to self
by means of his love of self and of the world,
thereby so withdrawing himself
that he no longer serves
as a basis and foundation for heaven;
therefore the Lord has provided
a medium to serve in place
of this base and foundation for heaven,
and also for the conjunction of heaven
with humankind.
This medium is the Word.

HH 306

. . . when a person reads the Word
and perceives it according to
the sense of the letter or the outer sense
the angels perceive it according
to the internal or spiritual sense;
for all the thought of angels is spiritual
while the thought of a person is natural.
These two kinds of thought appear diverse;
nevertheless they are one because they correspond.
Thus it was that when humankind
had separated himself from heaven
and had severed the bond
the Lord provided a medium of conjunction
of heaven with humankind
by means of the Word.

HH 310

. . . without such a Word
there would be no light of heaven
with the people of our earth,
nor would there be
any conjunction of heaven with them;
for there is conjunction only so far
as the light of heaven is present with a person,
and that light is present
only so far as
Divine truth is revealed to a person
by means of the Word.

HH 302 - If We Only Believed . . .

HH 302

If a person only believed,
as is really true,
that all good is from the Lord
and all evil from hell,
he would neither make
the good in him a matter of merit
nor would evil be imputed to him;
for he would then look to the Lord
in all the good he thinks and does,
and all the evil that flows in would be cast down
to hell from which it comes.
But because a person does not believe
that anything flows into him
either from heaven or from hell,
and therefore supposes that all things
that he thinks and wills are in himself
and therefore from himself,
he appropriates the evil to himself,
and the good that flows in
he defiles with merit.

HH 285, 286 - Divine Peace

HH 285

There are two inmost things of heaven,
namely, innocence and peace.
These are said to be inmost things
because they proceed directly from the Lord.
From innocence comes every good of heaven,
and from peace every delight of good.
Every good has its delight;
and both good and delight spring from love,
for whatever is loved is called good,
and is also perceived as delightful.
From this it follows that these two inmost things,
innocence and peace,
go forth from the Lord's Divine love
and move the angels from what is inmost.

HH 286

The origin of peace shall be first considered.
Divine peace is in the Lord;
it springs from the union of
the Divine Itself and the Divine Human in Him.
The Divine of peace in heaven is from the Lord,
springing from His conjunction with the angels of heaven,
and in particular
from the conjunction of good and truth in each angel.
These are the origins of peace.
From this it can be seen that peace in the heavens
is the Divine inmostly affecting with blessedness
everything good therefrom,
and from this is every joy of heaven;
also that it is in its essence
the Divine joy of the Lord's Divine love,
resulting from His conjunction with heaven
and with everyone there.
This joy, felt by the Lord in angels
and by angels from the Lord, is peace.
By derivation from this
the angels have everything that is
blessed, delightful, and happy,
or that which is called heavenly joy.
__________

[Swedenborg's footnote to HH 286]
By peace in the highest sense the Lord is meant,
because peace is from Him,
and in the internal sense heaven is meant,
because those are in a state of peace.
(Arcana Coelestia 3780, 4681)

Peace in the heavens is the Divine
inmostly affecting with blessedness
everything good and true there,
and this peace is incomprehensible to a person.
(AC 92, 3780, 5662, 8455, 8665)

Divine peace is in good,
but not in truth apart from good.
(AC 8722)

 

HH 278 - The Innocence of Wisdom

HH 278

The innocence of wisdom is genuine innocence,
because it is internal,
for it belongs to the mind itself,
that is, to the will itself
and from that to the understanding.
And when there is innocence in these
there is also wisdom,
for wisdom belongs to the will and understanding.
This is why it is said in heaven
that innocence has its abode in wisdom,
and that an angel has
just so much of innocence as he has of wisdom.
This is confirmed by the fact
that those who are in a state of innocence
attribute nothing of good to themselves,
but regard all things as received
and ascribe them to the Lord;
that they wish to be led by Him and not by themselves;
that they love everything that is good
and find delight in everything that is true,
because they know and perceive
that loving what is good,
that is, willing and doing it,
is loving the Lord,
and loving truth is loving the neighbor;
that they live contented with their own,
whether it be little or much,
because they know
that they receive just as much as is good for them --
those receiving little for whom a little is useful,
and those receiving much for whom much is useful;
also that they do not themselves
know what is good for them,
the Lord alone knowing this,
who looks in all things that He provides
to what is eternal.

HH 272 - Becoming Wise in Divine Things

HH 272

. . . to the extent that any one
is without the love of self
he can become wise in Divine things.
It is that love that closes up the interiors
against the Lord and heaven,
and opens the exteriors
and turns them toward itself;
and in consequence
all in whom that love rules
are in thick darkness in respect to the things of heaven,
however much light they may have in worldly matters.
The angels, on the other hand,
are in the light of wisdom
because they are without the love of self,
for the heavenly loves in which they are,
which are love to the Lord and love towards the neighbor,
open the interiors,
because these loves are from the Lord
and the Lord Himself is in them.
 

HH 259, 263, 264 - The Written Word in Heaven

HH 259

The existence of writings in the heavens
is a provision by the Lord for the sake of the Word,
the Word in its essence being Divine Truth,
from which is all heavenly wisdom,
both for people and for angels;
for the Word is dictated by the Lord,
and what is dictated by the Lord
passes through all the heavens in order
and terminates with people.
Thereby it is adapted
both to the wisdom in which angels are
and to the intelligence in which people are.
Thereby, too, the angels have a Word,
and read it just as people do on earth.
From it they draw their doctrinals,
and from it preaching takes place.
It is the same Word;
but its natural sense,
which is the sense of the letter with us,
does not exist in heaven,
but the spiritual sense,
which is its internal sense.

HH 263

I have also seen writings from heaven
made up of mere numbers
set down in order and in a series,
just as in writings made up of letters and words.
I have been instructed, too,
that this writing is from the inmost heaven,
and that their heavenly writing,
when the thought from it flows down,
is presented to the angels of the lower heavens
in numbers,
and that this numerical writing likewise involves arcana,
some of which
can neither be comprehended by thought
nor expressed by words.
For all numbers correspond,
and have a meaning, as words have,
in accordance with the correspondence;
yet with the difference t
hat numbers involve generals,
and words particulars.
As one general involves innumerable particulars,
so numerical writing involves more arcana
than writing composed of letters.
. . . a number is always prefixed
on which those following in a series depend
as on their subject.
For that number is, as it were,
an index to the matter dealt with,
and from it
is the determination of the numbers following
in relation to the particular point.

HH 264

. . . the writings in heaven
have as real an existence as those in the world,
and the angels there have every thing
that is useful for life and useful for wisdom.

HH 247, 252 - The Angels and Spirits Around Us

HH 247

. . . there is such conjunction between
the spiritual world and the natural world in a person
that the two are seemingly one.
But inasmuch as a person
has separated himself from heaven
the Lord has provided that there should be
angels and spirits with each individual,
and that a person should be ruled
by the Lord through these.
This is the reason for such close conjunction.
It would have been otherwise
if a person had not separated himself;
for in that case
he might have been ruled by the Lord
through the general influx from heaven,
without spirits and angels being adjoined to him.

HH 252

Because this race (those of the Golden Age)
acknowledged the Divine under a human form,
that is, the Lord,
they talked with the angels of heaven
as with their friends,
and angels of heaven talked with them
as with their friends;
and in them heaven and the world made one.
But after those times
mankind gradually separated himself from heaven
by loving himself more than the Lord
and the world more than heaven,
and in consequence began to feel
the delights of the love of self and the world
as separate from the delights of heaven,
and finally to such an extent
as to be ignorant of any other delight.
Then his interiors that had been open into heaven
were closed up,
while his exteriors were open to the world;
and when this takes place a person is in light
in regard to all things of the world,
but in thick darkness in regard to all things of heaven.

HH 238-239, 242 - The Harmony of Angelic Speech Is Angelic Love

HH 239 - 239

As the speech of angels corresponds to their affection,
and their affection belongs to their love,
and as the love of heaven is love to the Lord
and love towards the neighbor,
it is evident how choice and delightful their talk must be,
affecting not only the ears
but also the interiors of the mind of those who listen to it.
There was a certain hard-hearted spirit
with whom an angel spoke.
At length he was so affected by what was said
that he shed tears,
saying that he had never wept before,
but he could not refrain, for it was love speaking.

The speech of angels is likewise full of wisdom
because it proceeds from their interior thoughts,
and their interior thought is wisdom,
as their interior affection is love,
and in their speech their love and wisdom unite.
For this reason their speech is so full of wisdom
that they can express in a single word
what a person cannot express in a thousand words;
also the ideas of their thought include things
that are beyond a person's comprehension,
and still more his power of expression.
This is why the things
that have been heard and seen in heaven
are said to be ineffable,
and such as ear has never heard nor eye seen.

HH 242

In angelic speech there is a kind of symphony
that cannot be described;
which comes from the pouring forth
and diffusion of the thoughts and affections
from which speech flows,
in accordance with the form of heaven,
and all affiliation and all communication in heaven
is in accordance with that form.

HH 22 - Divine Worship In the Heavens; HH 230 - The Source of Angelic Power

HH 222

Divine worship itself in the heavens does not,
consist in going to church and in listening to sermons,
but in a life of love, charity and faith
in accordance with doctrines.
Preachings in churches serve solely
as means of instruction in matters of life.
I have talked with angels about this,
and have told them that it is believed in the world
that Divine worship consists solely in attending church,
listening to sermons,
observing the sacrament of the Supper
three or four times a year,
and performing other acts of worship
prescribed by the Church,
also finding time for prayers,
and then behaving devoutly.
The angels said that these are outward acts
that ought to be done,
but are of no avail
unless there is an internal from which they proceed,
which is a life in accordance
with the precepts that doctrine teaches.

HH 230

But it must be understood that the angels
have no power whatever from themselves,
but that all their power is from the Lord;
and that they are powers
only so far as they acknowledge this.
Whoever of them believes
that he has power from himself
instantly becomes so weak
as not to be able to resist even a single evil spirit.
For this reason
angels ascribe no merit whatever to themselves,
and are averse to all praise and glory
on account of any thing they do,
ascribing all the praise and glory to the Lord.

HH 214-215, 217 - Heaven Is Under the Auspices of the Lord

Auspices - kindly patronage and guidance
(Merriam-Webster)

HH 214

Government in the Lord's celestial kingdom
is called righteousness
because all in that kingdom are in the good of love
to the Lord from the Lord,
and whatever is from that good is called righteous.
Government there belongs to the Lord alone.
He leads them and teaches them in the affairs of life.
The truths that are called truths of judgment
are written on their hearts;
everyone knows them, perceives them, and sees them;
and in consequence
matters of judgment there never come into question,
but only matters of righteousness,
which belong to the life.
About these matters
the less wise consult the more wise,
and these consult the Lord and receive answers.
Their heaven, that is, their inmost joy,
is to live rightly from the Lord.

HH 215

In the Lord's spiritual kingdom
the government is called judgment;
because those in that kingdom are in spiritual good,
which is the good of charity towards the neighbor,
and that good in its essence is truth;
and truth pertains to judgment,
as good pertains to righteousness.
These, too, are led by the Lord, but mediately;
and in consequence they have governors,
few or many according to the need
of the society in which they are.
They also have laws
according to which they live together.
The governors administer all things
in accordance with the laws,
which they understand because they are wise,
and in doubtful matters
they are enlightened by the Lord.

HH 217

In the Lord's spiritual kingdom
there are various forms of government,
differing in different societies,
the variety being in accord with
the functions performed by the societies . . ..
But all these forms of government agree in this,
that they look to the public good as their end,
and in that good to the good of the individual.
And this is so because
everyone in the whole heaven
is under the auspices of the Lord,
who loves all,
and from Divine love
ordains that there shall be a common good,
from which each individual
shall receive his own good.
Each one, moreover, receives good
according as he loves the common good;
for so far as he loves the common good
he loves all and everyone;
and as that love is love of the Lord
he is to that extent loved by the Lord,
and good comes to him.

HH 197 -Length, Breadth, and Height

HH 197 [2-3]

In this world,
that is called long or broad is
what is long or broad in relation to space,
and the same is true of height.
But in heaven,
where there is no thought from space,
length means a state of good,
breadth a state of truth,
and height the distinction between them
in accordance with degrees.
Such is the meaning of these three dimensions,
because length in heaven is from east to west,
and those that dwell there are in good of love;
while breadth in heaven is from south to north,
and those that dwell there are in truth from good;
while height in heaven applies to both of these
in respect to degrees.

This is why length, breadth, and height
have these meanings in the Word,
as in Ezekiel (from chap. 40 to 48),
where the new temple and the new earth,
with the courts, chambers, gates, doors, windows,
and surroundings are described by measures
giving the length, breadth, and height,
by which a new church,
and the goods and truths that are in it are meant.
Otherwise to what purpose
would be all those measures?

In like manner the New Jerusalem is described
in the Apocalypse in these words:

The city lies foursquare,
and the length thereof is as great as the breadth;
and he measured the city with the reed,
twelve thousand furlongs;
the length, the breadth, and the height are equal.
(Revelation 21:16)

because "the New Jerusalem" here
means a new church
these measures mean the things of the church,
"length" its good of love,
"breadth" truth from that good,
"height" good and truth in respect to degrees,
"twelve thousand furlongs"
all good and truth in the complex.
Otherwise, how could there be said to be
a height of twelve thousand furlongs,
the same as the length and the breadth?

 

HH 185-187 - The Architecture of Heaven

HH 185 -187

Such is the architecture of heaven
that you would say that art there is in its art;
and no wonder, because the art itself is from heaven.
The angels said that such things
and innumerable others still more perfect
are presented before their eyes by the Lord;
and yet these things are more pleasing
to their minds than to their eyes,
because in everyone of them
they see a correspondence,
and through the correspondences what is Divine.

As to these correspondences
I have also been told
that not only the palaces and houses,
but all things and each thing,
both inside and outside of them,
correspond to the interior things
which they have from the Lord,
the house itself in general corresponding to their good,
the particular things inside of a house
to the various things of which their good consists,
and the things outside to truths derived from good,
and also to their perceptions and knowledges
and as these things correspond to the goods and truths
they have from the Lord they correspond to their love,
and to their wisdom and intelligence from love,
since love belongs to good,
wisdom to good and truth together,
and intelligence to truth from good.
These are what the angels perceive
when they behold what is around them,
and thus their minds
are more delighted and moved by them than their eyes.

This makes clear why the Lord called Himself
the temple at Jerusalem:

Jesus answered and said to them,
Destroy this temple,
and in three days I will raise it up.
But He spoke of the temple of his body.
(John 2:19, 21)

namely, because the temple represented
His Divine Human;
also why the New Jerusalem
was seen to be of pure gold,
its gates of pearls,
and its foundations of precious stones:

And the foundations of the wall of the city
were garnished with all manner of precious stones.
The first foundation was jasper;
the second, sapphire;
the third, a chalcedony;
the fourth, an emerald;
The fifth, sardonyx;
the sixth, sardius;
the seventh, chrysolite;
the eighth, beryl;
the ninth, a topaz;
the tenth, a chrysoprasus;
the eleventh, a jacinth;
the twelfth, an amethyst.
And the twelve gates were twelve pearls;
every several gate was of one pearl:
and the street of the city was pure gold,
as it were transparent glass.
(Revelation 21:19-21)

namely, because the New Jerusalem
means the church
which was afterwards to be established,
the twelve gates
its truths leading to good,
and the foundations
the truths on which the church is founded.

HH 181 - What the Angels Wear

HH 181

That the garments of angels
do not merely appear as garments
but really are garments
is confirmed by the fact
that angels not only see them but actually feel them,
that they have many garments,
and that they take them off and put them on,
that they care for those that are not in use,
and put them on again when they need them.
That they are clothed with a variety of garments
I have seen a thousand times.
When I asked where they got their garments,
they said from the Lord,
and that they receive them as gifts,
and sometimes are clothed with them unconsciously.
They said also that their garments are changed    
in accordance with their changes of state,    
that in the first and second state,    
their garments are shining and glistening white,    
and in the third and fourth states, a little dimmer,        
and this also from correspondence, 
because they have changes of state
as to intelligence and wisdom.

HH 163-164 - Worldly Time, Spiritual States

HH 163 164

Angels do not know what time is,
although with them
there is a successive progression of all things,
as there is in the world,
and this so completely
that there is no difference whatever;
and the reason is that in heaven
instead of years and days there are changes of state;
and where there are years and days there are times,
but where there are changes of state there are states.

In the world there are times
because the sun of the world seemingly advances
in succession from one degree to another,
producing times that are called seasons of the year;
and besides, it revolves about the earth,
producing times that are called times of day;
both of these by fixed alternations.
With the sun of heaven it is different.
This does not mark years and days
by successive progressions and revolutions,
but in its appearance it marks changes of state;
and this, as has been shown in the preceding chapter,
is not done by fixed alternations.
Consequently no idea of time is possible to angels;
but in its place they have an idea of state.

HH 158 - Why the Angels Have Changes of State in Heaven

HH 158

The angels said that there are many reasons --
first, the delight of life and of heaven,
which they have from love and wisdom from the Lord,
would gradually lose its value
if they were in it continually,
as happens with those
that are in allurements and pleasures without variety.
A second reason is that angels,
as well as people,
have what is their own [proprium],
which is loving self;
and all that are in heaven are withheld
from what is their own,
and so far as they are withheld from it by the Lord
are in love and wisdom;
but so far as they are not withheld
they are in the love of self;
and because everyone loves what is his own
and is drawn by it ¹
they have changes of state or successive alternations.
A third reason is that they are in this way perfected,
for they thus become accustomed
to being held in love to the Lord
and withheld from love of self;
also that by alternations
between delight and lack of delight
the perception and sense of good
becomes more exquisite. ²
The angels added that their changes of state
are not caused by the Lord,
since the Lord as a sun is unceasingly flowing in
with heat and light, that is, with love and wisdom;
but the cause is in themselves,
in that they love what is their own (proprium),
and this continually leads them away.
This was illustrated by comparison
with the sun of the world,
that the cause of the changes of state
of heat and cold and of light and shade,
year by year and day by day,
is not in that sun, since it stands unchanged,
but the cause is in the earth.
__________


Footnotes:

1. [Swedenborg's footnote]
Man's own [proprium] is loving self
(Arcana Coelestia 694, 731, 4317, 5660).
The Lord cannot be present
unless what is man's own is set aside (1023, 1044).
It is actually set aside
when one is held in good by the Lord
(9334-9336, 9447, 9452-9454, 9938).

2. [Swedenborg's footnote]
The angels are being perfected to eternity (4803, 6648).
In the heavens one state is never just like another,
and from this there is
an unceasing process of perfection (10200).

 

HH 155 - Angels Have Changes of State

HH 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.
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.

HH 143, 145 - The Sight of the Angels

HH 143

As the Lord is constantly before the faces of the angels,
so it is said in the world
of those who believe in the Lord and love Him
that they have God before their eyes and their face,
and that they look to God, and see God.
These expressions have their origin in the spiritual world,
from which are many things in human speech,
although their source is unknown to people.

HH 145

The Lord is seen by the angels,
and the angels are seen by the Lord in another way.
Angels see the Lord through their eyes;
but the Lord sees the angels in the forehead,
and this for the reason
that the forehead corresponds to love,
and it is through love
that the Lord flows into their will,
while it is through the understanding,
to which the eyes correspond,
that He causes Himself to be seen.
__________

[Swedenborg's footnote]

--- The forehead corresponds to heavenly love;
therefore in the Word the "forehead" means that love
(9936).
--- The eye corresponds to the understanding,
because the understanding is internal sight
(2701,4410,4526,9051,10569).
--- For this reason "to lift up the eyes" and "to see"
means to understand, perceive, and observe
(2789, 2829, 3198, 3202, 4083, 4086, 4339, 5684).

 

AC 139, 140 - The Divine Good and Truth

HH 139

It should be known
that the Divine Good and the Divine Truth
that are from the Lord as a Sun in the heavens,
are not in the Lord
but from the Lord.
In the Lord there is only Divine Love,
which is the Being (Esse) from which that
Divine good and truth come into existence.
Existing (existere) from being (esse)
is meant by going forth (procedens).
This, too, can be made clear by comparison
with the sun of the world.
The heat and light that are in the world
are not in the sun but from it. In the sun,
there is fire only,
and it is from this that heat and light
come into existence and go forth.

HH 140

Since the Lord as a Sun is Divine Love,
and Divine Love is Divine Good Itself,
so the Divine that goes forth from the Lord
which is His Divine in heaven,
is called, for the sake of distinction, Divine Truth,
although it is Divine Good united to Divine Truth.
This Divine Truth is what is called
the Holy going forth from Him.

HH 117-121 (portions) - The Lord Is the Sun of Heaven

HH 117

In heaven the Lord is seen as a sun,
for the reason that He is Divine love,
from which all spiritual things,
and by means of the sun of the world
all natural things,
have their existence.
That love is what shines as a sun.

HH 118

. . . every person sees the Lord in accordance with
the quality of his reception of the Lord,
thus He is seen in one way by those
that receive Him with the good of love,
and in another by those
that receive Him with the good of faith.

HH 119

. . . in the Word the Lord in respect to love
is likened to the sun,
and in respect to faith to the moon;
also that the "sun" means
love from the Lord to the Lord,
and the "moon"
means faith from the Lord in the Lord . . ..

HH 120

How great the Divine love is
and what it is
can be seen by comparison with the sun of the world,
that it is most ardent,
if you will believe it,
much more ardent than that sun.
For this reason the Lord as a sun
does not flow without mediums into the heavens,
but the ardor of His love
is gradually tempered on the way.
These temperings appear
as radiant belts about the sun;
furthermore, the angels are veiled
with a thin adapting cloud
to prevent their being harmed by the influx.

HH 121

When, however, the Lord appears in heaven,
which often occurs,
He does not appear encompassed with a sun,
but in the form of an angel,
yet distinguished from angels
by the Divine shining through from His face,
since He is not there in person,
for in person
the Lord is constantly encompassed by the sun,
but He is present by look.
For it is a common occurrence in heaven
for persons to appear to be present in a place
where their look is fixed or is terminated,
even when this place is far away
from where they really are.
This presence is called the presence of internal sight . . ..

HH 107, 112, 113 - Divine Order Is Correspondence

HH 107

Everything in nature that springs forth and subsists
in accordance with Divine order
is a correspondence.
Divine order is caused by the Divine good
that flows forth from the Lord.
It begins in Him,
goes forth from Him through the heavens
in succession into the world,
and is terminated there in outmosts;
and everything there
that is in accordance with order
is a correspondence.
Everything there is in accordance with order
that is good and perfect for use,
because everything good
is good in the measure of its use;
while its form has relation to truth,
truth being the form of good.
And for this reason everything in the whole world
and of the nature thereof that is in Divine order
has reference to good and truth.

HH 112

. . . so far as (a person) is in accordance
with Divine order,
that is, so far as he is in love to the Lord
and in charity towards the neighbor,
are his acts uses in form,
and correspondences,
and through these he is conjoined to heaven.
To love the Lord and the neighbor
means in general to perform uses.
Furthermore, it must be understood
that a person is the means
by which the natural world and the spiritual world
are conjoined,
that is, a person is the medium of conjunction,
because in him there is a natural world
and there is a spiritual world;
consequently to the extent that a person is spiritual
he is the medium of conjunction;
but to the extent
that a person is natural, and not spiritual,
he is not a medium of conjunction.
Nevertheless,
apart from this mediumship of a person,
a Divine influx goes on into the world
and into the things pertaining to
a person that are of the world,
but not into the person's rational faculty.

HH 113

As all things that are in accord with Divine order
correspond to heaven,
so all things contrary to Divine order
correspond to hell.
All things that correspond to heaven
have relation to good and truth;
but those that correspond to hell
have relation to evil and falsity.

HH 102 - The Divine Creator

HH 102
Angels are amazed when they hear
that there are people
who attribute all things to nature
and nothing to the Divine,
and who also believe that their body,
into which so many wonders of heaven are gathered,
is a product of nature.
Still more are they amazed
that the rational part of a person
is believed to be from nature,
when, if people will but lift their minds a little,
they can see
that such effects are not from nature
but from the Divine;
and that nature has been created
simply for clothing the spiritual
and for presenting it in a correspondent form
in the outmost of order.