Of the New Jerusalem and its heavenly doctrine as revealed from Heaven : to which are prefixed some observations concerning the new heaven and the new earth

Front matter

2 *

LTBRAEY

OF THE

Introduction to the Doctrine 12

Of Good and Truth 14

Of Will and Understanding 10

Of the Internal and External Man 17

Of Love in general 20

Of the Loves of Self and of the World 22

Of Love towards the Neighbour, or Charity 26

Of Faith 33

Of Piety 3G

Of Conscience 38

Of Freedom 40

Of Merit 43

Of Repentance and the Remission of Sins 44

Of Regeneration 47

Of Temptation 49

Of Baptism 51

Of the Holy Supper 52

Of the Resurrection 54

Of Heaven and Hell 5G

Of the Church 58

Of the Sacred Scripture, or the Word 58

Of Providence 60

Of the Lord 62

Of Ecclesiastical and Civil Government 66

OF

THE NEW JERUSALEM,

AND ITS

HEAVENLY DOCTRINE.

Of the New Heaven and New Earth, and what is

MEANT BY THE New JERUSALEM.

1. It is written in the Apocalypse, "I saw a new heaven and a new earth ; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. The city had a wall great and high, which had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And the city lieth four square, and the length is as large as the breadth. And he measured the city with the reed twelve thousand furlongs ; and the length, and the breadth, and the height of it were equal. And he measured the wall thereof, a hundred and forty and four cubits, the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. And the wall of it was of jasper ; but the city itself was pure gold, like unto pure glass ; and the foundations of the wall of the city were of every precious stone. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls ; and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. The glory of God enlightened it, and its lamp was the Lamb. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it, and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour into it." Ch. xxi. ver. 1,2, 12 to 24. When man reads these words, he does not understand them otherwise than according to the sense of the letter, thus, that the visible heaven and earth will be dissolved, and a new heaven be created, and that the holy city Jerusalem will descend upon the new earth, and that it will be, as to its measures, according to the description.

But the angels understand these tilings very differently ; that is, what man understands naturally, they understand spiritually. And as the angels understand them, such is their signification ; and this is the internal or spiritual sense of the AVord. .According to this internal or spiritual sense, in which the angels are, by a new heaven and a new earth is meant a new church, both in the heavens and the earths, which shall be spoken of hereafter ; by the city Jerusalem descending from God out of heaven, is signified its heavenly doctrine ; by the length, breadth and height, which are equal, are signified all the goods and truths of that doctrine, in the complex ; by its wall are meant the truths which protect it ; by the measure of the wall, which is a hundred and forty-four cubits, which is the measure of a man, that is, of an angel, are meant all those defending truths in the complex, and their quality ; by the twelve gates which are of pearls, are meant introductive truths ; which are likewise signified by the twelve angels at the gates; by the foundations of the wall, which are of every precious stone, are meant the knowledges whereupon that doctrine is founded ; by the twelve tribes of Israel, and also by the twelve apostles, are meant all things of the church in general and in particular ; by gold like unto pure glass, whereof the city and its streets were built, is signified the good of love, from which the doctrine and its truths are made transparent; by the nations who are saved, and the kings of the earth who bring glory and honour into the city, are meant all from the church who are in goods and truths ; by God and the Lamb is meant the Lord, as to the essential Divine and the Divine Human. Such is the spiritual sense of the Word, to which the natural sense, which is that of the letter, serves as a basis ; nevertheless these two senses, the spiritual and the natural, make one by correspondences. It is not, however, the design of the present work to prove, that such a spiritual meaning is involved in the fore-mentioned passages, but it may be seen proved at large in the Arcana Ccelestia, in the following places. That by earth, in the Word, is meant the church, particularly when it is applied to signify the land of Canaan, n. G62, 10G6, 10G7, 1202, 1413, 1607, 2928, 3355, 4447, 4535, 5577, 801 1, 9325, 9(543. Because by earth, in the spiritual sense, is signified the nation inhabiting it, and its worship, n. 12G2. That the people of the land signify those who belong to the spiritual church, n. 2928. That a new heaven and new earth signify something new in the heavens and the earths, with respect

AND ITS HEAVENLY DOCTRINE.

to goods and truths, thus with respect to those things that relate to the church in each, n. 173:3, 1850, 2117, 2118, 3355, 4535, 10373. What is meant by the first heaven and the first earth, which passed away, may be seen in the small Treatise on the last Judgment and the Destruction of Babylon, throughout, but particularly from n. 05 to 72. That by Jerusalem is signified the church with regard to doctrine, n. 402, 3054, 9100. That by cities [urbes] and cities [eivitates] are signified the doctrines which belong to the church and religion, n. 402, 2450, 2712, 2943, 3210, 4492, 4493. That by the wall of a city is signified the defensive truth of doctrine, n. 0419. That by the gates of a city are signified Buch truths as are introductory to doctrine, and thereby to the church, n. 2943, 4478, 4492, 4493. That by the twelve tribes of Israel were represented and thence signified all the truths and goods of the church, in general and in particular, thus all things of faith and love, n. 3858, 3920, 4000, 0335. That the same is signified by the Lord's twelve apostles, n. 2129, 2329, 3354, 3488, 3858, 0397. That when it is said of the apostles, that they shall sit upon twelve thrones, and judge the twelve tribes of Israel, it is signified that all are to be judged according to the goods and truths of the church, and of consequence by the Lord, from whom those truths and goods proceed, n. 2129, 0397. That by twelve are signified all things in their complex, n. 577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 3272, 3858, 3913. The same is also signified by a hundred and forty-four, inasmuch as that number is the product of twelve multiplied by twelve, n. 7973. That twelve thousand has likewise the same signification, n. 7973. That all numbers in the Word signify things, n. 482, 487, 047, 048, 755, 813, 1903, 1988, 2075, 2252, 3252, 4204, 0175, 9488, 9059, 10217, 10253. That the products arising from numbers multiplied into each other have the same signification with the simple numbers so multiplied, n. 5291, 5335, 5708, 7973. That by measure is signified the quality of a thing with respect to truth and good, n. 3104, 9003, 10202. That by the foundations of a wall are signified the knowledges of truth whereupon doctrinals are founded, n. 9042. That by a quadrangular figure, or square, is signified what is perfect, n. 9717, 9861. That by length is signified good and its extension, and by BREADTH is signified truth and its extension, n. 1613, 9487. That by precious stones are signified truths from good, n. 114, 9803, 9805. What is signified, both in general and particular, by

OF TIIE NEW JERUSALEM, the precious stones in the urim and thummim, may be seen, n. 3802, 1)864, 9800, 9905, 9891, 9895. What is signified by the jasper, of which the wall was built, may be seen, n. 9872. That by the street of the city is signified the truth of doctrine from good, n. 2330. That by cold is signify] the good of love, n. 113, 1551, 1552, 5058, 0914, 0917, 9519, 98";4, 9S81. That by glory is signified divine truth, such as it is in heaven, with the intelligence and wisdom thence derived, n. 4809, 5292, 5922, 8207, 8427, 9429, 10574. That by nations are signified those in the church who are in good, and in an abstract sense the goods of the church, n. 1059, 1159, 1258, 1200, 1288, 1410, 1849, 4574, 7830, 9255, 9250. That by kings are signified those in the church who are in truths, and in an abstract sense the truths of the church, n. 1072, 2015, 2009, 4575, 5044. That the rites at the coronations of kings involve such things as are of divine truth, but that the knowledge of them at this day is lost, n. 4581, 4900.

2. Before the new Jerusalem and its doctrine are treated of, some account shall be given of the new heaven and new earth. It was shown in the small Treatise concerning the last Judgment and the Destruction of Babylon, what is meant by the first heaven, and the first earth, which have passed away. After this event, that is, when the last judgment was finished, a new heaven was created or formed by the Lord; which heaven was formed of all those who, from the advent of the Lord even to this time, had lived a life of faith and charity ; as these alone are forms of heaven. For the form of heaven, according to which all consociations and communications there exist,. is the form of divine truth from divine good, proceeding from the Lord ; and man puts on this form, as to his spirit, by a life according to divine truth. That the form of heaven is thence derived, may be seen in the Treatise concerning Heaven and Hell, n. 200 to 212, and that all the angels arc forms of heaven, n. 51 to 58, and 73 to 77. Hence it may be known of whom the new heaven is formed, and thereby what is its quality, viz. that it is altogether unanimous. For he that lives a life of faith and charity loves another as himself, and by love conjoins him with himself, and this reciprocally and mutually ; for love is conjunction in the spiritual world. Wherefore when all act in like manner, then from many, yea, from innumerable individuals, consociated according to the form of heaven, unanimity exists, and they become as one; for there is then nothing

AND ITS HEAVENLY DOCTRINE.

which separates and divides, but every thing conjoins and unites.

3. Inasmuch as this heaven was formed of all those who had been of such a quality from the coming of the Lord until the present time, it is plain that it is composed as well of Christians as of Gentiles, but chiefly of infants, from all parts of the world, who have died since the Lord's coining ; for all these were received by the Lord, and educated in heaven, and instructed by the angels, and then reserved, that they, together with the others, might constitute a new heaven ; whence it may be concluded how great that heaven is. That all who die infants are educated in heaven, and become angels, may be seen in the Treatise concerning Heaven and Hell, n. 329, to 345. And that heaven is formed as well of Gentiles as of Christians, n. 318, to 328.

4. Moreover, with respect to this new heaven, it is to be observed, that it is distinct from the ancient heavens which were formed before the coming of the Lord ; and yet there is such an orderly connexion established between them, that they form together but one heaven. The reason why this new heaven is distinct from the ancient heavens is, because in the ancient churches there was no other doctrine than the doctrine of love and charity, and at that time they were unacquainted with any doctrine of faith separated from those principles. Hence also it is that the ancient heavens constitute superior expanses, whilst the new heaven constitutes an expanse below them ; for the heavens are expanses one above another. In the highest expanses are they who are called celestial angels, many of whom were of the most ancient church ; they are called celestial angels from celestial love, which is love towards the Lord : in the expanses below them are they who are called spiritual angels, many of whom were of the ancient church ; they are called spiritual angels, from spiritual love, which is charity towards the neighbour : below these are the angels who are in the good of faith, who are they that have lived a life of faith ; to live a life of faith, is to live each according to the doctrine of his particular church ; and to live is to will and to do. All these heavens, however, make one by a mediate and immediate influx from the Lord. But a more full idea concerning these heavens may be obtained from what is shown in the Treatise concerning Heaven and Hell, and particularly in the article which treats of the two kingdoms into which the heavens in general are divided, n. 20 to 28 ; and in the article concerning the three heavens, n. 29 to 40; concerning mediate and immediate influx in the extracts from the Arcana Ccelestia, after n. (303 ; and concerning the ancient and most ancient churches in a small Treatise on the last Judgment and the Destruction of Babylon, n. 40.

5. This may suffice concerning the new heaven : now something shall be said concerning the new earth. By the new earth is understood a new church upon earth ; for when a former church ceases to be, then a new one is established by the Lord. For it is provided by the Lord that there should always be a church on earth, as by means of the church there is a conjunction of the Lord with mankind, and of heaven with the world ; there the Lord is known, and therein are divine truths, by which man is conjoined to him. That a new church is at this time establishing, may be seen in the small Treatise concerning the last Judgment, n. 74. That a new church is signified by a new earth, is from the spiritual sense of the Word ; for in that sense no particular earth is understood by earth, but the nation therein, and its divine worship ; this being the spiritual thing whereof earth is representative. Moreover by earth in the Word, without the name of any particular country affixed, is signified the land of Canaan; and in the land of Canaan a church had existed from the earliest ages, which was the reason why all the places therein, and in the adjacent countries, with their mountains and rivers, which are mentioned in the Word, are made representative and significative of those things which are the internals of the church, which are what are called its spiritual things ; hence it is, as was observed, that by earth in the Word, inasmuch as the land of Canaan is understood, is signified the church, and in like manner here by a new earth. It is therefore usual in the church to speak of the heavenly Canaan, and by it to understand heaven. That by the land of Canaan, in the spiritual sense of the Word, is understood the church, was shown in the Arcana Ccelestia in various places, of which the following shall be adduced : That the most ancient church which was before the flood, and the ancient church which was after the flood, were in the land of Canaan, n. 567, 3086, 4447, 4454, 4516, 4517, 5136, 6516, 9327. That then all places therein became representative of such things as are in the kingdom of the Lord and in the church, n. 1505, 3080, 4447, 5136. That therefore Abraham was commanded to go thither, to the intent that amongst his posterity, from Jacob, a representative

AND ITS HEAVENLY DOCTRINE.

church might be established, and the Word might be written, whose ultimate should consist of representatives and significatives existing in that land, n. 3686, 4447, 5136, 6516. Hence it is that by earth and the land of Canaan, in the Word, is signified the church, n. 3038, 3481, 3705, 4447, 4517, 5757, 10658.

6. What is understood by Jerusalem in the Word, in its spiritual sense, shall also be briefly declared. By Jerusalem is understood the church with respect to doctrine, inasmuch as at Jerusalem in the land of Canaan, and in no other place, there were the temple, the altar, the sacrifices, and of consequence all divine worship; wherefore also three festivals were celebrated there every year, to which every male throughout the whole land was commanded to go: this, then, is the reason why by Jerusalem in its spiritual sense is signified the church with respect to worship, or, what is the same thing, with respect to doctrine ; for worship is prescribed in doctrine, and is performed according to it. The reason why it is said the holy city, new Jerusalem, descending from God out of heaven, is, because, in the spiritual sense of the Word, by a city [civitas] and a city [urbs] is signified doctrine, and by a holy city the doctrine of divine truth, inasmuch as divine truth is what is called holy in the Word. It is called the New Jerusalem for the same reason that the earth is called new, because, as was observed above, by earth is signified the church, and by Jerusalem the church with respect to doctrine ; and it is said to descend from God out of heaven, because all divine truth, from whence doctrine is, descends out of heaven from the Lord. That by Jerusalem is not understood a city, although it was seen as a city, appears manifestly from hence, that it is said that its height was as its length and breadth, 12000 furlongs, ver. 16; and that the measure of its wcdl, which was 144 cubits, was the measure of a man, that is, of an angel, ver. 17; and also from its being said to be prepared as a bride before her husband, ver. 2 ; and afterwards, the angel said, Come hither, I will shcio thee the. bride, the Lamb's wife, and he shewed me the holy city, that Jerusalem, ver. 9. The church is what is called in the Word the bride and the wife of the Lord ; the bride before conjunction, and the wife after conjunction, as may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia, n. 3103, 3105, 3164, 3165, 3207, 7022, 9182.

7. As to what particularly concerns the following doctrine, that also is from heaven, inasmuch as it is from the spiritual sense of the Word ; and the spiritual sense of the Word 19 the same with the doctrine which is in heaven. For there is a church in heaven as well as on earth ; for in heaven there is the Word, and doctrine from theWord ; there are temples there and preaching in them ; there are also both ecclesiastical and civil governments there : in short, there is no other difference between the things which are in heaven, and the things which are on earth, except that all things in the heavens are in a more perfect state ; inasmuch as all who dwell there are spiritual, and things that are spiritual immensely exceed in perfection those that are natural. That such things exist in heaven may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell throughout, particularly in the article concerning governments in heaven, n. 213 to 220, and also in the article on divine worship in heaven, n. 221 to 227. Hence it may plainly be seen what is meant by the holy city, New Jerusalem, being seen to descend from God out of heaven. But I proceed to the doctrine itself, which is for the new church, and which is called Heavenly Doctrine, because it was revealed to me out of heaven ; for to deliver this doctrine is the design of this work.

Introduction To The Doctrine

8. That the end of the church takes place when there is no faith because there is no charity, was shown in the little work concerning the last Judgment and the Destruction of Babylon, n. 33 to 39. Now forasmuch as the churches throughout Christendom have distinguished themselves solely by such things as relate to faith, and yet there is no faith where there is no charity, therefore I will here premise something concerning the doctrine of charity amongst the ancients, before I proceed to deliver the doctrine of the New Jerusalem. It is said the Churches in Christendom, and by them are understood the reformed or evangelical churches, but not the popish or Roman Catholic church, inasmuch as that is no part of the Christian church ; because wherever the church is, there the Lord is worshipped, and the Word is read ; whereas, amongst the Roman Catholics, they worship themselves instead of the Lord, forbid the Word to be read by the neople, and affirm the pope's decree to be equal, yea, superior fO it

AND ITS HEAVENLY DOCTRINE.

9. The doctrine of charity, which is the doctrine of life, was the essential doctrine in the ancient churches ; concerning which churches the reader may see more in the Arcana Co2Lestia, n. 1*238, 2385 ; and that doctrine conjoined all churches, and thereby formed one church out of many. F01 they acknowledged all those to he members of the churcK who lived in the good of charity, and called them brothers, howsoever they might differ in truths, which at this day are called matters of faith. In these they instructed one another, which was amongst their works of charity ; nor were they angry if one did not accede to another's opinion, knowing that every one receives truth in such proportion as he is in good. Forasmuch as the ancient churches were of such a quality, therefore the members of them were interior men, and forasmuch as they were interior men, they were wiser men. For they who are in the good of love and charity, are, with respect to the internal man, in heaven, and in an angelic society there which is in similar good ; whence there is an elevation of their mind to interior things, and consequently they are in wisdom : for wisdom cannot come from any other source than from heaven, that is, through heaven from the Lord ; and in heaven there is wisdom because those who are there are in good : wisdom consists in seeing truth from the light of truth, and the light of truth is the light which is in heaven. But in process of time that ancient wisdom decreased ; for so far as mankind removed themselves from the good of love to the Lord, and the good of love towards the neighbour, which love is called charity, so far also they removed themselves from wisdom, because they so far removed themselves from heaven.

Hence it was that man from internal became external, and this successively; and when man became external, he also became worldly and corporeal ; and when this is his quality, he little cares for the things which are of heaven ; for the delights of earthly loves, and the evils which are delightful to man from those loves, then occupy him entirely ; and the things which he hears concerning a life after death, concerning heaven and hell, and concerning spiritual subjects in general, are then as it were without him, and not within him, as nevertheless they ought to be. Hence it is that the doctrine of charity, which was of such estimation amongst the ancients, is at this day amongst the things which are lost ; for who at this day knows what charity is, in a genuine sense, and what our neighbour is, in a genuine sense 1 when nevertheless that doctrine not only teaches this, but innumerable things beside, of which not a thousandth part is known at this day. The whole sacred scripture is nothing else than the doctrine of love and charity, which the Lord also teaches, saying, " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God from thy whole heart, and in thy whole soul, and in thy whole mind; this is the primary a7id great commandment; the second is like unto it; thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself : on these two commandments liang all the law and the prophets." Matt. xxii. verses 37, 38, 39. The law and the prophets are the Word in general and in particular.

OF GOOD AND TRUTH.

11. All things in the universe, which are according to divine order, have relation to good and truth. Nothing exists in heaven, and nothing in the world, which does not relate to these two. The reason is, because both, as well good as truth, proceed from the Divine, from whom are all things.

12. Hence it appears, that nothing is more necessary for man than to know what good and truth are, and how each regards the other, and in what manner they are mutually conjoined. But it is most necessary for the man of the church; for as all things of heaven have relation to good and truth, so also have all things of the church, inasmuch as the good and truth of heaven are also the good and truth of the church. It is on this account that good and truth are first treated of.

13. It is according to divine order that good and truth should be conjoined, and not separated ; thus that they should be one and not two : for they proceed in conjunction from the Divine, and they are in conjunction in heaven, and therefore they should be in conjunction in the church. The conjunction of good and truth is called in heaven celestial marriage, for all therein are in this marriage. Hence it is, that, in the Word, heaven is compared to marriage, and the Lord is called Bridegroom and Husband, but heaven bride and wife ; in like manner the church. That heaven and the church are so called, is because they who are therein receive divine good in truths.

14. All the intelligence and wisdom which angels possess i6 from that marriage, and not any of it from good separate

AND ITS HEAVENLY DOCTRINE.

from truth, nor from truth separate from good. It is the same with men of the church.

15. Inasmuch as the conjunction of good and truth bears resemblance to marriage, it is plain that good loves truth, and that truth, in its turn, loves good, and that each desires to be conjoined with the other. The man of the church, who has not such love and such desire, is not in celestial marriage, consequently the church as yet is not in him ; for the conjunction of good and truth constitutes the church.

16. Goods are manifold ; in general there is spiritual good and natural good, and both conjoined in genuine moral good. As goods are manifold, so also are truths, inasmuch as truths are of good, and are the forms of good.

17. As is the case with good and truth, so it is in the opposite with evil and the false ; for as all things in the universe, which are according to divine order, have relation to good and truth, so all things which are contrary to divine order have relation to evil and the false. Again, as good loves to be conjoined to truth, and vice versa, so evil loves to be conjoined to the false, and vice versa. And again, as all intelligence and wisdom are born of the conjunction of good and truth, so all insanity and folly are born of the conjunction of evil and the false. This conjunction of evil and the false is called infernal marriage.

18. From the circumstance that evil and the false are opposite to good and truth, it is plain that truth cannot be conjoined to evil, nor good to the false of evil ; if truth be adjoined to evil, it becomes truth no longer, but the false, inasmuch as it is falsified ; and if good be adjoined to the false of evil, it becomes good no longer, but evil, inasmuch as it is adulterated. Nevertheless the false which is not of evil may be conjoined to good.

19. No one who is in evil, and thence in the false from confirmation and life, can know what good and truth is,* for he believes his own evil to be good, and thence he believes his own false to be truth ; but every one who is in good and thence in truth may know what evil and the false is. The reason of this is, because all good and its truth is, in its essence, celestial, and what is not celestial in its essence is * still from a celestial origin; but evil and its false is in its