The Delights of Wisdom Pertaining to Conjugial Love. Emanuel Swedenborg
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wife?" The wise one answered, "Because we to-day are numbered among the virgins; and the number six signifies all and what is complete." But they said, "Explain your meaning." He replied, "Virgins signify the church; and the church consists of both sexes: therefore also we, with respect to the church, are virgins. That this is the case, is evident from these words in the Revelation: 'These are those who were not defiled with women; for they are Virgins: and they follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth,' chap. xiv. 4. And as virgins signify the church, therefore the Lord likened it to ten Virgins invited to a marriage, Mat. xxv. And as Israel, Zion, and Jerusalem, signify the church, therefore mention is so often made in the Word, of the Virgin and Daughter of Israel, of Zion, and of Jerusalem. The Lord also describes his marriage with the church in these words: 'upon thy right hand did stand the Queen in gold of Ophir: her clothing is of wrought gold: she shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the Virgins her companions that follow her shall enter into the king's palace.' Psalm xlv. 9–16." Lastly they asked, "Is it not expedient that a priest be present and minister at the marriage ceremony?" The wise one answered, "This is expedient on the earth, but not in the heavens, by reason of the representation of the Lord himself and the church. On the earth they are not aware of this; but even with us a priest ministers in whatever relates to betrothings, or marriage contracts, and hears, receives, confirms, and consecrates the consent of the parties. Consent is the essential of marriage; all succeeding ceremonies are its formalities."
22. After this the conducting angel went to the six virgins, and gave them an account of his companions, and requested that they would vouchsafe to join company with them. Accordingly they came; but when they drew near, they suddenly retired, and went into the ladies' apartment to the virgins their companions. On seeing this, the conducting angel followed them, and asked why they retired so suddenly without entering into conversation? They replied. "We cannot approach:" and he said, "Why not?" They answered, "We do not know; but we perceived something which repelled us and drove us back again. We hope they will excuse us." The angel then returned to his companions, and told them what the virgins had said, and added, "I conjecture that your love of the sex is not chaste. In heaven we love virgins for their beauty and the elegance of their manners; and we love them intensely, but chastely." Hereupon his companions smiled and said, "You conjecture right: who can behold such beauties near and not feel some excitement?"
23. After much entertaining conversation the marriage-guests departed, and also the ten strangers with their attendant angel; and the evening being far advanced, they retired to rest. In the morning they heard a proclamation, TO-DAY IS THE SABBATH. They then arose and asked the angel what it meant: he replied, "It is for the worship of God, which returns at stated periods, and is proclaimed by the priests. The worship is performed in our temples and lasts about two hours; wherefore if it please you, come along with me, and I will introduce you." So they made themselves ready, and attended the angel, and entered the temple. It was a large building capable of containing about three thousand persons, of a semicircular form, with benches or seats carried round in a continued sweep according to the figure of the temple; the hinder ones being more elevated than those in front. The pulpit in front of the seats was drawn a little from the centre; the door was behind the pulpit on the left hand. The ten strangers entered with their conducting angel, who pointed out to them the places where they were to sit; telling them, "Every one that enters the temple knows his own place by a kind of innate perception; nor can he sit in any place but his own: in case he takes another place, he neither hears nor perceives anything, and he also disturbs the order; the consequence of which is, that the priest is not inspired."
24. When the congregation had assembled, the priest ascended the pulpit, and preached a sermon full of the spirit of wisdom. The discourse was concerning the sanctity of the Holy Scriptures, and the conjunction of the Lord with both worlds, the spiritual and the natural, by means thereof. In the illustration in which he then was, he fully proved, that that holy book was dictated by Jehovah the Lord, and that consequently He is in it, so as to be the wisdom it contains; but that the wisdom which is Himself therein, lies concealed under the sense of the letter, and is opened only to those who are in the truths of doctrine, and at the same time in goodness of life, and thus who are in the Lord, and the Lord in them. To his discourse he added a votive prayer and descended. As the audience were going out, the angel requested the priest to speak a few words of peace with his ten companions; so he came to them, and they conversed together for about half an hour. He discoursed concerning the divine trinity—that it is in Jesus Christ, in whom all the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily, according to the declaration of the apostle Paul; and afterwards concerning the union of charity and faith; but he said, "the union of charity and truth;" because faith is truth.
25. After expressing their thanks they returned home; and then the angel said to them, "This is the third day since you came into the society of this heaven, and you were prepared by the Lord to stay here three days; it is time therefore that we separate; put off therefore the garments sent you by the prince, and put on your own." When they had done so, they were inspired with a desire to be gone; so they departed and descended, the angel attending them to the place of assembly; and there they gave thanks to the Lord for vouchsafing to bless them with knowledge, and thereby with intelligence, concerning heavenly joys and eternal happiness.
26. "I again solemnly declare, that these things were done and said as they are related; the former in the world of spirits, which is intermediate between heaven and hell, and the latter in the society of heaven to which the angel with the trumpet and the conductor belonged. Who in the Christian world would have known anything concerning heaven, and the joys and happiness there experienced, the knowledge of which is the knowledge of salvation, unless it had pleased the Lord to open to some person the sight of his spirit, in order to shew and teach them? That similar things exist in the spiritual world is very manifest from what were seen and heard by the apostle John, as described in the Revelation; as that he saw the Son of Man in the midst of seven candlesticks; also a tabernacle, temple, ark, and altar in heaven; a book sealed with seven seals; the book opened, and horses going forth thence; four animals around the throne; twelve thousand chosen out of every tribe; locusts ascending out of the bottomless pit; a dragon, and his combat with Michael; a woman bringing forth a male child, and flying into a wilderness on account of the dragon; two beasts, one ascending out of the sea, the other out of the earth; a woman sitting upon a scarlet beast; the dragon cast out into a lake of fire and brimstone; a white horse and a great supper; a new heaven and a new earth, and the holy Jerusalem descending described as to its gates, wall, and foundation; also a river of the water of life, and trees of life bearing fruits every month; besides several other particulars; all which things were seen by John, while as to his spirit he was in the spiritual world and in heaven: not to mention the things seen by the apostles after the Lord's resurrection; and what were afterwards seen and heard by Peter, Acts xi.; also by Paul; moreover by the prophets; as by Ezekiel, who saw four animals which were cherubs, chap i. and chap x.; a new temple and a new earth, and an angel measuring them, chap. xl.-xlviii.; and was led away to Jerusalem, and saw there abominations: and also into Chaldea into captivity, chap. viii. and chap. xi. The case was similar with Zechariah, who saw a man riding among myrtles; also four horns, chap. i. 8, and following verses; and afterwards a man with a measuring-line in his hand, chap. ii. 1, and following verses; likewise a candlestick and two olive trees, chap. iv. 2, and following verses; also a flying roll and an ephah, chap. v. 1, 6; also four chariots going forth between two mountains, and horses, chap. vi. 1, and following verses. So likewise with Daniel, who saw four beasts coming up out of the sea, chap. vii. 1, and following verses; also combats of a ram and he-goat, chap. viii. 1, and following verses; who also saw the angel Gabriel, and had much discourse with him, chap. ix.: the youth of Elisha saw chariots and horses of fire round about Elisha, and saw them when his eyes were opened, 2 Kings vi. 15, and following verses. From these and several other instances in the Word, it is evident, that the things which exist in the spiritual world, appeared to many both before and after the Lord's coming: is it any wonder then, that the same things should now also appear when the church is commencing, or when the New Jerusalem is coming down from the Lord out of heaven?"
ON MARRIAGES IN HEAVEN.
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