Heaven and Hell (Harley) n. 155

Previous Number Next Number Next Translation See Latin 

155. Angels are not constantly in the same state as to love, and consequently not in the same state as to wisdom for all their wisdom is from, and according to love. Sometimes they are in a state of intense love, sometimes in a state of love not intense. The state decreases by degrees from its greatest to its least intensity. When in their greatest degree of love, they are then in the light and warmth of their life, or in a clear and delightful state, but when in their least degree, they are in shade and cold, or in their 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, 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 and wisdom. But it should be known that there is not correspondence of night with the states of life of those in heaven, although there is what corresponds to the dawn that precedes morning. The correspondence of night is with those who are in hell.# From this correspondence, "day" and "year" in the Word signify 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, while "night" signifies the deprivation of love and wisdom.## # In heaven there is no state corresponding to night, but there is one corresponding to the dawn that precedes morning (n. 6110). The "dawn" signifies a middle state between the last and the first (n. 10134). ## Alternations of state in respect of 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 and faith (n. 221, 709, 2353, 6000, 6110, 7870, 7947).


This page is part of the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church