Conjugial Love

...had yet taken their turns with Peter and Paul; explaining to them the shame and impropriety of leaving before they had paid equal respect to the apostles. But the general reply was, "We are surfeited original: "surfeited"; meaning overfilled or disgusted by excess with our entertainment; our food has become tasteless to us, we have lost all relish for it, and the very sight of it is loathsome to us. We have spent many days and nights in such luxurious meals, and can endure it no longer; we therefore earnestly request leave to depart." Then the keepers dismissed them, and they made all possible haste to their respective homes.

After this, the angel called the company that attended him, and as they went along he gave them the following information respecting heaven: "There are in heaven," he said, "as in the world, both food and drink, both feasts and meals. At the tables of the great, there is a variety of the most exquisite food and all kinds of rich dainties and delicacies, by which their minds are cheered and refreshed. There are likewise sports and exhibitions, concerts of music—both vocal and instrumental—and all these things are in the highest perfection. Such things are a source of joy to them, but not of happiness; for happiness ought to be within external joys and flow from them. This inward happiness, abiding within external joys, is necessary to give them their proper relish and make them true joys; it enriches them and prevents them from becoming loathsome and disgusting. This happiness is derived by every angel from the use In this context, "use" refers to useful service, duty, or purposeful employment for the sake of others. he performs in his duty or employment.

"There is a certain hidden drive within the affection of the will of every angel which attracts his mind to the execution of some purpose or another, wherein his mind finds itself in tranquility and is satisfied. This tranquility and satisfaction form a state of mind capable of receiving from the Lord the love of uses; and from the reception of this love springs heavenly happiness, which is the life of the above-mentioned joys. Heavenly food in its essence is nothing but love, wisdom, and use united together; that is, use performed by wisdom and derived from love. Therefore, food for the body is given to everyone in heaven according to the use which he performs: sumptuous food to those who perform eminent uses; moderate food, but of an exquisite relish, to those who perform less eminent uses; and ordinary food to such as live in the performance of ordinary uses; but none at all to the slothful."

7. After this, the angel called to him the company of the so-called wise ones, who supposed heavenly joys and the eternal happiness derived from them to consist in supreme power and dominion, along with the possession of abundant treasures, attended with more than princely splendor and magnificence. They had been led into this belief by what is written in the Word original: "the Word"; refers to the Bible—that they should be kings and princes, and should reign forever with Christ, and should be served by...