Conjugial Love

on their faces. When I inquired about the cause of their trouble, they replied, "The doors of this house are kept shut against everyone who wishes to go out. This is the third day since we entered to be entertained, according to our desire, with company and conversation. Now we have grown so weary of continual talking that we can scarcely bear to hear the sound of a human voice. Therefore, out of sheer boredom, we have come to this door. But when we knocked to have it opened, we were told that the doors of this house are never opened to let people out, but only to let them in, and that we must stay here and enjoy the delights of heaven. From this information, we conclude that we are to remain here forever; this is the cause of our sorrow and low spirits. Now we are also beginning to feel a weight in our chests and to be overwhelmed with anxiety."

The angel then addressed them, saying: "These things in which you imagined the true joys of heaven to consist prove, as you have found, to be the destruction of all happiness. They do not constitute true heavenly joys by themselves, but only contribute to them."

"In what, then," they asked the angel, "does heavenly joy consist?"

The angel replied briefly, "In the delight of doing something that is useful In Swedenborg’s philosophy, "use" refers to performing a service or productive work that benefits others, which he believes is the foundation of heavenly life. to ourselves and others. This delight derives its essence from love and its existence from wisdom. The delight of being useful, originating in love and operating through wisdom, is the very soul and life of all heavenly joys. In the heavens, there are frequent occasions for cheerful socializing and conversation, which invigorate the higher minds original: "mentes" of the angels, entertain their lower minds original: "animi", delight their hearts, and refresh their bodies. However, such occasions do not occur until they have fulfilled their appointed uses in the discharge of their respective business and duties. It is this fulfillment of uses that gives soul and life to all their delights and entertainments. If this soul and life are taken away, the secondary joys gradually cease, first exciting indifference, then disgust, and lastly sorrow and anxiety."

As the angel finished speaking, the door was thrown open. Those who were sitting near it burst out in haste and went home to their respective labors and employments, and so found relief and refreshment for their spirits.

6. After this, the angel addressed those who fancied that the joys of heaven and eternal happiness consisted of partaking in feasts with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, followed by sports and public exhibitions, and then by more feasts, and so on forever. He said, "Follow me, and I will introduce you into the possession of your enjoyments." Immediately, he led them through a grove into a plain floored with planks, where tables were set—fifteen on one side and fifteen on the other. They then asked, "What is the meaning of so many tables?"