(TCR) - True Christian Religion: Containing the Whole Theology of the New Church Predicted by the Lord in Daniel 7:13-14 and Revelation 21:1-2

TCR 746

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746. While they were speaking a servant ran to them and announced the arrival of eight wise men, who had been sent by the prince's command, and who wished to enter; hearing which the angel went out, received, and conducted them in. And the wise men, as soon as the usual and proper forms of introduction were over, first spoke with them about the beginning and growth of wisdom, mingling with their conversation various observations respecting its progress, as that wisdom with the angels has no limit or end, but grows and increases to eternity.
Hearing this the angel who had charge of the strangers said to the wise men, "Our prince spoke at table with these men about the seat of wisdom as being in use; will you too, if you please, talk with them upon the same subject."
And they said, "Man as first created was imbued with wisdom and its love, not for his own sake, but that he might communicate it from himself to others. Therefore it is written in the wisdom of the wise that no one is wise or lives for himself alone, but for others also; whence comes society, which otherwise could not exist. Living for others is being useful. Uses are the bonds of society; these bonds are as many as there are good uses, and in number uses are infinite. There are spiritual uses, which pertain to love of God and love to the neighbor; there are moral and civil uses, which pertain to love of the society and community in which a man lives, and of the companions and citizens with whom he lives. There are natural uses, which pertain to the love of the world and its necessities; and there are bodily uses, which pertain to the love of self-preservation for the sake of higher uses. [2] All these uses are inscribed on man, and follow in order one after another, and when they exist simultaneously one is within the other. Those who are in the first mentioned uses, which are spiritual, are also in those that follow, and such are wise; but those who are not in the first, but are in the second and from these in the subsequent ones, are not so wise, but only seem to be so because of their outward morality and right civil life. Those who are not in the first and second, but are in the third and fourth, are anything but wise, for they are satans, loving the world only, and loving themselves because of the world. Those who are only in the fourth class of uses are the least wise of all, for they are devils, since they live for themselves alone, or if for others, it is solely on account of themselves. [3] Furthermore, every love has its own delight, for thereby love lives; and the delight of the love of uses is a heavenly delight, which enters the subsequent delights in order, and according to their order of succession exalts them and renders them eternal." They then enumerated some heavenly delights that proceed from the love of use, saying, that there were myriads of myriads of them, and that those who entered heaven entered into them. Afterwards they spent the day with them, until evening, in wise conversations about the love of use.
[4] About evening-time there came a footman clothed in linen to the ten visitors who accompanied the angel, and invited them to a wedding to be celebrated the next day. The visitors were much pleased that they were also to see a wedding in heaven. After this they were conducted to a certain privy counselor, and supped with him; and after supper they returned and separated from one another, each going to his own chamber, where they slept until morning.
When they awoke they heard the singing of the girls and maidens from the houses round about the square, as spoken of above. It was the affection of conjugial love that they were singing; and being deeply stirred and affected by its sweetness, they perceived a blessed charm pervading their joys by which they were exalted and renewed. When it was time the angel said, "Make yourselves ready; put on the garments of heaven which our prince has sent to you." And they put them on; and behold, the garments shone as if with a flaming light. And they asked the angel, "Whence is this?" He replied, "It is because you are going to a wedding; with us our garments then shine and become wedding garments."

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