Divine Love and Wisdom (Harleys) n. 411

Previous Number Next Number Next Translation See Latin 

411. Love calls all those things which are favourable to it its goods, and all those that as means lead to goods it calls its truths; and because they are means they are loved and become the property of its affection, and thus become affections in form; on which account truth is nothing else than a form of love's affection. The human form is nothing else than a form of all love's affections; beauty is its intelligence which it procures through truths received either by external and internal sight or hearing. These are the things that love disposes into the form of its affections. These forms exist in great variety, but all derive a resemblance from their general form, which is the human. All of these appear to love beautiful, and worthy to be loved, but the rest ugly and unlovable. From these things it is evident also that love conjoins Itself to the understanding, and not the reverse, and that the reciprocal conjunction also comes from love. This is what is meant by love or the will causing wisdom or the understanding to be reciprocally conjoined to it.


This page is part of the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church