Conjugial Love

"Goodness is the same thing as use original: "use"; in Swedenborg’s writing, this refers to performing a useful function or service for others. And as the Lord promotes goodness or use through the mediation of angels in heaven and of men on earth, he communicates a love for that service and its reward—which is internal blessedness—to those who faithfully perform it. This is true eternal happiness. In the heavens, as on earth, there are distinctions of dignity and status, along with an abundance of the richest treasures; for there are governments and forms of administration, and consequently a variety of ranks and orders of power and authority. Those of the highest rank have courts and palaces to live in, which in splendor and magnificence exceed everything that the kings and princes of the earth can boast of. They derive honor and glory from the number and magnificence of their courtiers, ministers, and attendants. However, these persons of high rank are chosen from those whose heartfelt delight consists in promoting the public good, and who are only externally pleased with the distinctions of rank for the sake of order and obedience. Since the public good requires that every individual, as a member of the common body, should be an instrument of use in the society to which he belongs—a service which comes from the Lord and is carried out by angels and men as if by their own effort—it is plain that this is what is meant by 'reigning with the Lord.'”

As soon as the angels had finished, the kings and princes got down from their thrones and seats and threw away their scepters, crowns, and robes. The mist which contained the aura of fantasy original: "aura of phantasy"; a spiritual atmosphere of self-delusion or false imagination was dispersed, and a bright cloud containing the aura of wisdom surrounded them; thus, they were immediately restored to their sober senses.

8. After this, the angel returned to the assembly hall and called to him those who had imagined the joys of heaven and eternal happiness to consist of "paradisiacal delights" original: "paradisiacal delights"; the physical pleasures of a literal garden-paradise. To them he said, “Follow me, and I will introduce you into your paradise-heaven, so that you may begin the blessings original: "beatitudes" of your eternal happiness.”

He immediately led them through a lofty portal made of the branches and shoots of the finest trees interwoven with each other. After they were admitted, he led them through a variety of winding paths in different directions. The place was a real paradise on the borders of heaven, intended for the reception of those who, during their life on earth, had imagined the whole of heaven to be a single paradise because it is called by that name. They had been led to believe that after death there would be a perfect rest from all kinds of labor—a rest consisting of a continual feast of pleasures, such as walking among roses, being refreshed with the most exquisite wines, and participating in constant mirth and festivity. They believed that this kind of life could only be enjoyed in a heavenly paradise. As they followed the angel, they saw a great number of old and young people of both sexes, sitting in groups of threes and tens in a...