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Memorable Occurrences in Swedenborg's Writings

This list of Memorable Occurrences in Swedenborg's Writings was originally compiled by W. C. Henderson in 1960 but has since been updated.

来自斯威登堡的著作

 

Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture#101

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101. Before the Current Word in the World Today, There Was a Word That Has Been Lost

Before the Word in the Israelite nation given through Moses and the Prophets, worship employing sacrifices was known, and people prophesied in the name of Jehovah, as can be seen from reports in the books of Moses.

That worship employing sacrifices was known: This can be seen from its being commanded to the children of Israel to overturn the altars of the gentiles, break in pieces their pillars, and cut down their groves (Exodus 34:13, Deuteronomy 7:5, 12:3).

It can be seen from the time when Israel in Shittim began to commit harlotry with the daughters of Moab, that the daughters invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods, and especially that Israel joined itself to Baal-Peor, and Jehovah’s anger was inflamed therefore against Israel (Numbers 25:1-3).

It can also be seen from the altars that Balaam, who came from Syria, caused to be built, and from his sacrificing oxen and flocks (Numbers 22:40, 23:1-2, 14, 29-30).

[2] That people prophesied in the name of Jehovah: This can be seen from the prophecies of Balaam (Numbers 23:7-10, 18-24, 24:3-9, 15-24). His prophesying concerning the Lord, that a Star would arise out of Jacob and a scepter out of Israel (Numbers 24:17). His prophesying in the name of Jehovah (Numbers 22:13, 18, 23:3, 5, 8, 16, 26, 24:1, 13). It is apparent from this that a Divine worship like the worship in the Israelite nation instituted by Moses existed among gentiles.

[3] That such worship existed also before the time of Abram: A glimmer of this is reflected in Moses’ words in Deuteronomy 32:7-8. But it is still more plainly apparent from the action of Melchizedek, king of Salem, who brought out bread and wine and blessed Abram, and from Abram’s giving him tithes of everything (Genesis 14:18-20). Melchizedek, moreover, represented the Lord, for he is called the priest of God Most High (Genesis 14:18). Regarding the Lord, we are also told in the book of Psalms, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek” (Psalms 110:4). That is why Melchizedek brought out bread and wine as holy elements of the church, like the holy elements in the sacrament of Holy Supper, and why he could bless Abram, and why Abram gave him tithes of everything.

  
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Thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.

来自斯威登堡的著作

 

Conjugial Love#261

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261. To this I will append three narrative accounts. Here is the first:

In the upper northern zone in the spiritual world, over to the east, there are places of instruction, some for boys, some for adolescents, some for men, and some also for older men. All who have died as little children and are being raised in heaven are sent to these places. So, too, are all those newly arrived from the world who wish to learn about heaven and hell.

This district is over to the east in order that they may all be instructed by means of influx from the Lord. For the Lord is the east, since He is there in the sun, which is pure love emanating from Him. The warmth from that sun consequently in its essence is love, and the light from it in its essence is wisdom. These two are infused by the Lord into the people there from that sun, and they are infused in accordance with their reception of them, which in turn depends on their love of becoming wise.

When their periods of instruction are over, those who have become intelligent are sent out from there and are called disciples of the Lord. They are sent first to the west, and if they do not remain there, to the south, and some through the south to the east. And so they are introduced into the societies where their dwellings are to be.

[2] Once, when I was thinking about heaven and hell, I began to wish to have a universal concept of the state of each, knowing that a person who is acquainted with the universals of a thing can afterwards comprehend the particulars, since the particulars are contained in the universals, like the parts in a whole.

With this wish I looked in the direction of that district in the northern zone over to the east, where the places of instruction were; and going there by a way then opened to me, I went into one of the colleges in which the students were young men. There I approached the senior teachers who were doing the instructing, and I asked them whether they knew any universal characteristics relating to heaven and hell.

[3] They replied that they knew a little something; "but," they said, "if we look eastward to the Lord, we will be enlightened and then we will know." They proceeded to do this, and then said:

"The universal characteristics of [both heaven and] hell are three, but the universal characteristics of hell are diametrically opposite to the universal characteristics of heaven. The universal characteristics of hell are the following three loves: a love of governing stemming from a love of self; a love of possessing the goods of others stemming from a love of the world; and licentious love.

"The universal characteristics of heaven opposite to these are the following three loves: a love of governing stemming from a love of being useful; a love of possessing the goods of the world stemming from a love of performing useful services by means of them; and truly conjugial love."

Their having said this, after wishing them peace, I departed and returned home.

When I got home, I was told from heaven, "Examine these three universal characteristics, above and below, and afterwards we will see them on your hand." They said, "on your hand," because everything a person examines mentally appears to angels as though written on his hands.

  
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Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.

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