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The Delights of Wisdom

Pertaining To

Conjugial Love

_To Which is Added_

The Pleasures of Insanity

Pertaining To

Scortatory Love

By

Emanuel Swedenborg

_A Swede_

_Being a translation of his work_

"Delitiae Sapientiae de Amore Conjugiali; post quas sequuntur Voluptates
Insaniae de Amore Scortatorio" (Amstelodami 1768)


1892

_Published_ A.D. 1850




PRELIMINARY RELATIONS RESPECTING THE JOYS OF HEAVEN AND NUPTIALS THERE.


1. "I am aware that many who read the following pages and the Memorable
Relations annexed to the chapters, will believe that they are fictions
of the imagination; but I solemnly declare they are not fictions, but
were truly done and seen; and that I saw them, not in any state of the
mind asleep, but in a state of perfect wakefulness: for it has pleased
the Lord to manifest himself to me, and to send me to teach the things
relating to the New Church, which is meant by the New Jerusalem in the
Revelation: for which purpose he has opened the interiors of my mind and
spirit; by virtue of which privilege it has been granted me to be in the
spiritual world with angels, and at the same time in the natural world
with men, and this now (1768) for twenty-five years."

2. On a certain time there appeared to me an angel flying beneath the
eastern heaven, with a trumpet in his hand, which he held to his mouth,
and sounded towards the north, the west, and the south. He was clothed
in a robe, which waved behind him as he flew along, and was girt about
the waist with a band that shone like fire and glittered with
carbuncles, and sapphires: he flew with his face downwards, and alighted
gently on the ground, near where I was standing. As soon as he touched
the ground with his feet, he stood erect, and walked to and fro: and on
seeing me he directed his steps towards me. I was in the spirit, and was
standing in that state on a little eminence in the southern quarter of
the spiritual world. When he came near, I addressed him and asked him
his errand, telling him that I had heard the sound of his trumpet, and
had observed his descent through the air. He replied, "My commission is
to call together such of the inhabitants of this part of the spiritual
world, as have come hither from the various kingdoms of Christendom, and
have been most distinguished for their learning, their ingenuity, and
their wisdom, to assemble on this little eminence where you are now
standing, and to declare their real sentiments, as to what they had
thought, understood, and inwardly perceived, while in the natural world,
respecting Heavenly Joy and Eternal Happiness. The occasion of my
commission is this: several who have lately come from the natural world,
and have been admitted into our heavenly society, which is in the east,
have informed us, that there is not a single person throughout the whole
Christian world that is acquainted with the true nature of heavenly joy
and eternal happiness; consequently that not a single person is
acquainted with the nature of heaven. This information greatly surprised
my brethren and companions; and they said to me, 'Go down, call together
and assemble those who are most eminent for wisdom in the world of
spirits, (where all men are first collected after their departure out of
the natural world,) so that we may know of a certainty, from the
testimony of many, whether it be true that such thick darkness, or dense
ignorance, respecting a future life, prevails among Christians.'" The
angel then said to me, "Wait awhile, and you will see several companies
of the wise ones flocking together to this place, and the Lord will
prepare them a house of assembly." I waited, and lo! in the space of
half an hour, I saw two companies from the north, two from the west, and
two from the south; and as they came near, they were introduced by the
angel that blew the trumpet into the house of assembly prepared for
them, where they took their places in the order of the quarters from
which they came. There were six groups or companies, and a seventh from
the east, which, from its superior light, was not visible to the rest.
When they were all assembled, the angel explained to them the reason of
their meeting, and desired that each company in order would declare
their sentiments respecting Heavenly Joy and Eternal Happiness. Then
each company formed themselves into a ring, with their faces turned one
towards another, that they might recall the ideas they had entertained
upon the subject in the natural world, and after examination and
deliberation might declare their sentiments.

3. After some deliberation, the First Company, which was from the north,
declared their opinion, that heavenly joy and eternal happiness
constitute the very life of heaven; so much so that whoever enters
heaven, enters, in regard to his life, into its festivities, just as a
person admitted to a marriage enters into all the festivities of a
marriage. "Is not heaven," they argued, "before our eyes in a particular
place above us? and is there not there and nowhere else a constant
succession of satisfactions and pleasures? When a man therefore is
admitted into heaven, he is also admitted into the full enjoyment of all
these satisfactions and pleasures, both as to mental perception and
bodily sensation. Of course heavenly happiness, which is also eternal
happiness, consists solely in admission into heaven, and that depends
purely on the divine mercy and favor." They having concluded, the Second
Company from the north, according to the measure of the wisdom with
which they were endowed, next declared their sentiments as follows:
"Heavenly joy and eternal happiness consist solely in the enjoyment of
the company of angels, and in holding sweet communications with them, so
that the countenance is kept continually expanded with joy; while the
smiles of mirth and pleasure, arising from cheerful and entertaining
conversation, continually enliven the faces of the company. What else
can constitute heavenly joys, but the variations of such pleasures to
eternity?" The Third Company, which was the first of the wise ones from
the western quarter, next declared their sentiments according to the
ideas which flowed from their affections: "In what else," said they, "do
heavenly joy and eternal happiness consist but in feasting with Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob; at whose tables there will be an abundance of rich and
delicate food, with the finest and most generous wines, which will be
succeeded by sports and dances of virgins and young men, to the tunes of
various musical instruments, enlivened by the most melodious singing of
sweet songs; the evening to conclude with dramatic exhibitions, and this
again to be followed by feasting, and so on to eternity?" When they had
ended, the Fourth Company, which was the second from the western
quarter, declared their sentiments to the following purpose: "We have
entertained," said they, "many ideas respecting heavenly joy and eternal
happiness; and we have examined a variety of joys, and compared them one
with another, and have at length come to the conclusion, that heavenly
joys are paradisiacal joys: for what is heaven but a paradise extended
from the east to the west, and from the south to the north, wherein are
trees laden with fruit, and all kinds of beautiful flowers, and in the
midst the magnificent tree of life, around which the blessed will take
their seats, and feed on fruits most delicious to the taste, being
adorned with garlands of the sweetest smelling flowers? In this paradise
there will be a perpetual spring; so that the fruits and flowers will be
renewed every day with an infinite variety, and by their continual
growth and freshness, added to the vernal temperature of the atmosphere,
the souls of the blessed will be daily fitted to receive and taste new
joys, till they shall be restored to the flower of their age, and
finally to their primitive state, in which Adam and his wife were
created, and thus recover their paradise, which has been transplanted
from earth to heaven." The Fifth Company, which was the first of the
ingenious spirits from the southern quarter, next delivered their
opinion: "Heavenly joys and eternal happiness," said they, "consist
solely in exalted power and dignity, and in abundance of wealth, joined
with more than princely magnificence and splendor. That the joys of
heaven, and their continual fruition, which is eternal happiness,
consist in these things, is plain to us from the examples of such
persons as enjoyed them in the former world; and also from this
circumstance, that the blessed in heaven are to reign with the Lord, and
to become kings and princes; for they are the sons of him who is King of
kings and Lord of lords, and they are to sit on thrones and be
ministered to by angels. Moreover, the magnificence of heaven is plainly
made known to us by the description given of the New Jerusalem, wherein
is represented the glory of heaven; that it is to have gates, each of
which shall consist of a single pearl, and streets of pure gold, and a
wall with foundations of precious stones; consequently, every one that
is received into heaven will have a palace of his own, glittering with
gold and other costly materials, and will enjoy dignity and dominion,
each according to his quality and station: and since we find by
experience, that the joys and happiness arising from such things are
natural, and as it were, innate in us, and since the promises of God
cannot fail, we therefore conclude that the most happy state of heavenly
life can be derived from no other source than this." After this, the
Sixth Company, which was the second from the southern quarter, with a
loud voice spoke as follows: "The joy of heaven and its eternal
happiness consist solely in the perpetual glorification of God, in a
never-ceasing festival of praise and thanksgiving, and in the
blessedness of divine worship, heightened with singing and melody,
whereby the heart is kept in a constant state of elevation towards God,
under a full persuasion that he accepts such prayers and praises, on
account of the divine bounty in imparting blessedness." Some of the
company added further, that this glorification would be attended with
magnificent illuminations, with most fragrant incense, and with stately
processions, preceded by the chief priest with a grand trumpet, who
would be followed by primates and officers of various orders, by men
carrying palms, and by women with golden images in their hand.

