Das Obras de Swedenborg

 

Divine Love and Wisdom # 63

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63. What has been cited thus far tells us that there is some reference to the human form in everything in the created universe, but it enables us to see this fact only obscurely. In the spiritual world, though, people see this clearly. Everything in the three kingdoms exists there as well, surrounding each angel. Angels see these things around themselves and also are aware that they are pictures of their own selves. In fact, when the very heart of their understanding is opened, they recognize themselves and see their own image in their surroundings, almost like a reflection in a mirror.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for the permission to use this translation.

Das Obras de Swedenborg

 

Divine Love and Wisdom # 322

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322. That the universe of the spiritual world resembles in an image the human being can be plainly seen from the fact that all the phenomena just enumerated in no. 321 vividly appear and take form around an angel and around angelic societies as effects seemingly produced or created by them - effects that remain around them and do not go away. Their being effects seemingly produced or created by them follows from the fact that when an angel leaves, or when a society transfers elsewhere, the phenomena no longer appear. Moreover, when other angels come in their stead, the appearance of all their surroundings changes. Parks change in respect to the trees and fruits they contain. Flower gardens change in respect to the kinds of roses and seeds found in them. Fields change as well in respect to their herbs and grasses, and the species of animals and birds change, too.

[2] These phenomena take form and change as described because they all exist in accordance with the affections and consequent thoughts of the angels. For they are correspondent forms. And because forms that correspond accord with that to which they correspond, therefore they are a representative image of it.

This image is not apparent when any of these phenomena are viewed in terms of their forms, but it is seen when they are viewed in terms of their uses.

I have been given to see that when angels have their eyes opened by the Lord and view these phenomena from the perspective of their corresponding uses, they recognize and see themselves in them.

  
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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.