seraphita-第12章

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of　detaching　himself　from　his　body；　and　he　sees　into　heaven　as　the

prophets　and　as　Swedenborg　himself　saw　into　it。　'In　this　state；'

writes　Swedenborg　（'True　Religion；'　136）；　'the　spirit　of　a　man　may

move　from　one　place　to　another；　his　body　remaining　where　it　is；a

condition　in　which　I　lived　for　over　twenty…six　years。'　It　is　thus　that

we　should　interpret　all　Biblical　statements　which　begin；　'The　Spirit

led　me。'　Angelic　Wisdom　is　to　human　wisdom　what　the　innumerable　forces

of　nature　are　to　its　action；　which　is　one。　All　things　live　again；　and

move　and　have　their　being　in　the　Spirit；　which　is　in　God。　Saint　Paul

expresses　this　truth　when　he　says；　'In　Deo　sumus；　movemur；　et

vivimus；'we　live；　we　act；　we　are　in　God。



〃Earth　offers　no　hindrance　to　the　Angelic　Spirit；　just　as　the　Word

offers　him　no　obscurity。　His　approaching　divinity　enables　him　to　see

the　thought　of　God　veiled　in　the　Logos；　just　as；　living　by　his　inner

being；　the　Spirit　is　in　communion　with　the　hidden　meaning　of　all

things　on　this　earth。　Science　is　the　language　of　the　Temporal　world；

Love　is　that　of　the　Spiritual　world。　Thus　man　takes　note　of　more　than

he　is　able　to　explain；　while　the　Angelic　Spirit　sees　and　comprehends。

Science　depresses　man；　Love　exalts　the　Angel。　Science　is　still

seeking；　Love　has　found。　Man　judges　Nature　according　to　his　own

relations　to　her；　the　Angelic　Spirit　judges　it　in　its　relation　to

Heaven。　In　short；　all　things　have　a　voice　for　the　Spirit。　Spirits　are

in　the　secret　of　the　harmony　of　all　creations　with　each　other；　they

comprehend　the　spirit　of　sound；　the　spirit　of　color；　the　spirit　of

vegetable　life；　they　can　question　the　mineral；　and　the　mineral　makes

answer　to　their　thoughts。　What　to　them　are　sciences　and　the　treasures

of　the　earth　when　they　grasp　all　things　by　the　eye　at　all　moments；

when　the　worlds　which　absorb　the　minds　of　so　many　men　are　to　them　but

the　last　step　from　which　they　spring　to　God？　Love　of　heaven；　or　the

Wisdom　of　heaven；　is　made　manifest　to　them　by　a　circle　of　light　which

surrounds　them；　and　is　visible　to　the　Elect。　Their　innocence；　of　which

that　of　children　is　a　symbol；　possesses；　nevertheless；　a　knowledge

which　children　have　not；　they　are　both　innocent　and　learned。　'And；'

says　Swedenborg；　'the　innocence　of　Heaven　makes　such　an　impression

upon　the　soul　that　those　whom　it　affects　keep　a　rapturous　memory　of　it

which　lasts　them　all　their　lives；　as　I　myself　have　experienced。　It　is

perhaps　sufficient；'　he　goes　on；　'to　have　only　a　minimum　perception　of

it　to　be　forever　changed；　to　long　to　enter　Heaven　and　the　sphere　of

Hope。'



〃His　doctrine　of　Marriage　can　be　reduced　to　the　following　words：　'The

Lord　has　taken　the　beauty　and　the　grace　of　the　life　of　man　and

bestowed　them　upon　woman。　When　man　is　not　reunited　to　this　beauty　and

this　grace　of　his　life；　he　is　harsh；　sad；　and　sullen；　when　he　is

reunited　to　them　he　is　joyful　and　complete。'　The　Angels　are　ever　at

the　perfect　point　of　beauty。　Marriages　are　celebrated　by　wondrous

ceremonies。　In　these　unions；　which　produce　no　children；　man

contributes　the　UNDERSTANDING；　woman　the　WILL；　they　become　one　being；

one　Flesh　here　below；　and　pass　to　heaven　clothed　in　the　celestial

form。　On　this　earth；　the　natural　attraction　of　the　sexes　towards

enjoyment　is　an　Effect　which　allures；　fatigues　and　disgusts；　but　in

the　form　celestial　the　pair；　now　ONE　in　Spirit　find　within　theirself　a

ceaseless　source　of　joy。　Swedenborg　was　led　to　see　these　nuptials　of

the　Spirits；　which　in　the　words　of　Saint　Luke　（xx。　35）　are　neither

marrying　nor　giving　in　marriage；　and　which　inspire　none　but　spiritual

pleasures。　An　Angel　offered　to　make　him　witness　of　such　a　marriage　and

bore　him　thither　on　his　wings　（the　wings　are　a　symbol　and　not　a

reality）。　The　Angel　clothed　him　in　a　wedding　garment　and　when

Swedenborg；　finding　himself　thus　robed　in　light；　asked　why；　the　answer

was：　'For　these　events；　our　garments　are　illuminated；　they　shine；　they

are　made　nuptial。'　（'Conjugial　Love；'　19；　20；　21。）　Then　he　saw　the　two

Angels；　one　coming　from　the　South；　the　other　from　the　East；　the　Angel

of　the　South　was　in　a　chariot　drawn　by　two　white　horses；　with　reins　of

the　color　and　brilliance　of　the　dawn；　but　lo；　when　they　were　near　him

in　the　sky；　chariot　and　horses　vanished。　The　Angel　of　the　East；

clothed　in　crimson；　and　the　Angel　of　the　South；　in　purple；　drew

together；　like　breaths；　and　mingled：　one　was　the　Angel　of　Love；　the

other　the　Angel　of　Wisdom。　Swedenborg's　guide　told　him　that　the　two

Angels　had　been　linked　together　on　earth　by　an　inward　friendship　and

ever　united　though　separated　in　life　by　great　distances。　Consent；　the

essence　of　all　good　marriage　upon　earth；　is　the　habitual　state　of

Angels　in　Heaven。　Love　is　the　light　of　their　world。　The　eternal

rapture　of　Angels　comes　from　the　faculty　that　God　communicates　to　them

to　render　back　to　Him　the　joy　they　feel　through　Him。　This　reciprocity

of　infinitude　forms　their　life。　They　become　infinite　by　participating

of　the　essence　of　God；　who　generates　Himself　by　Himself。



〃The　immensity　of　the　Heavens　where　the　Angels　dwell　is　such　that　if

man　were　endowed　with　sight　as　rapid　as　the　darting　of　light　from　the

sun　to　the　earth；　and　if　he　gazed　throughout　eternity；　his　eyes　could

not　reach　the　horizon；　nor　find　an　end。　Light　alone　can　give　an　idea

of　the　joys　of　heaven。　'It　is；'　says　Swedenborg　（'Angelic　Wisdom；'　7；

25；　26；　27）；　'a　vapor　of　the　virtue　of　God；　a　pure　emanation　of　His

splendor；　beside　which　our　greatest　brilliance　is　obscurity。　It　can

compass　all；　it　can　renew　all；　and　is　never　absorbed：　it　environs　the

Angel　and　unites　him　to　God　by　infinite　joys　which　multiply　infinitely

of　themselves。　This　Light　destroys　whosoever　is　not　prepared　to

receive　it。　No　one　here　below；　nor　yet　in　Heaven　can　see　God　and　live。

This　is　the　meaning　of　the　saying　（Exodus　xix。　12；　13；　21…23）　〃Take

heed　to　yourselves　that　ye　go　not　up　into　the　mountlest　ye　break

through　unto　the　Lord　to　gaze；　and　many　perish。〃　And　again　（Exodus

xxxiv。　29…35）；　〃When　Moses　came　down　from　Mount　Sinai　with　the　two

Tables　of　testimony　in　his　hand；　his　face　shone；　so　that　he　put　a　veil

upon　it　when　he　spake　with　the　people；　lest　any　of　them　die。〃　The

Transfiguration　of　Jesus　Christ　likewise　revealed　the　light

surrounding　the　Messengers　from　on　high　and　the　ineffable　joys　of　the

Angels　who　are　forever　imbued　with　it。　〃His　face；〃　says　Saint　Matthew

（xvii。　1…5）；　〃did　shine　as　the　sun　and　his　raiment　was　white　as　the

lightand　a　bright　cloud　overshadowed　them。〃'



〃When　a　planet　contains　only　those　beings　who　reject　the　Lord；　when

his　word　is　ignored；　then　the　Angelic　Spirits　are　gathered　together　by

the　four　winds；　and　God　sends　forth　an　Exterminating　Angel　to　change

the　face　of　the　refractory　earth；　which　in　the　immensity　of　this

universe　is　to　Him　what　an　unfruitful　seed　is　to　Nature。　Approaching

the　globe；　this　Exterminating　Angel；　borne　by　a　comet；　causes　the

planet　to　turn　upon　its　axis；　and　the　lands　lately　covered　by　the　seas

reappear；　adorned　in　freshness　and　obedient　to　the　laws　proclaimed　in

Genesis；　the　Word　of　God　is　once　more　powerful　on　this　new　earth；

which　everywhere　exhibits　the　effects　of　terrestrial　waters　and

celestial　flames。　The　light　brought　by　the　Angel　from　On　High；　causes

the　sun　to　pale。　'Then；'　says　Isaiah；　（xix。　20）　'men　will　hide　in　the

clefts　of　the　rock　and　roll　themselves　in　the　dust　of　the　earth。'

'They　will　cry　to　the　mountains'　（Revelation）；　'Fall　on　us！　and　to　the

seas；　Swallow　us　up！　Hide　us　from　the　face　of　Him　that　sitteth　on　the

throne；　and　from　the　wrath　of　the　Lamb！'　The　Lamb　is　the　great　figure

and　hope　of　the　Angels　misjudged　and　persecuted　here　below。　Christ

himself　has　said；　'Blessed　are　those　who　mourn！　Blessed　are　the

simple…hearted！　Blessed　are　they　that　love！'All　Swedenborg　is　there！

Suffer；　Believe；　Love。　To　love　truly　must　we　not　suffer？　must　we　not

believe？　Love　begets　Strength；　Strength　bestows　Wisdom；　thence

Intelligence；　for　Strength　and　Wisdom　demand　Will。　To　be　intelligent；

is　not　that　to　Know；　to　Wish；　and　to　Will；the　three　attributes　of

the　Angelic　Spirit？　'If　the　universe　has　a　meaning；'　Monsieur　Saint…

Martin　said　to　me　when　I　met　him　during　a　journey　which　he　made　in

Sweden；　'surely　this　is　the　one　most　worthy　of　God。'



〃But；　Monsieur；〃　continued　the　pastor　after　a　thoughtful　pause；　〃of

what　avail　to　you　are　these　shreds　of　thoughts　taken　here　and　there

from　the　vast　extent　of　a　work　of　which　no　true　idea　can　be　given

except　by　comparing　it　to　a　river　of　light；　to　billows　of　flame？　When

a　man　plunges　into　it　he　is　carried　away　as　by　an　awful　current。

Dante's　poem　seems　but　a　speck　to　the　reader　submerged　in　the　almost

Biblical　verses　with　which　Swedenborg　renders　palpable　the　Celestial

Worlds；　as　Beethoven　built　his　palaces　of　harmony　with　thousands　of

notes；　as　architects　have　reared　cathedrals　with　millions　of　stones。

We　roll　in　soundless　depths；　where　our　minds　will　not　always　sustain

us。　Ah；　surely　a　great　and　powerful　intellect　is　needed　to　bring　us

back；　safe　and　sound；　to　our　own　social　beliefs。



〃Swedenborg；〃　resumed　the　pastor；　〃was　particularly　attached　to　the

Baron　de　Seraphitz；　whose　name；　according　to　an　old　Swedish　custom；

had　taken　from　time　immemorial　the　Latin　termination　of　'us。'　The

baron　was　an　ardent　disciple　of　the　Swedish　prophet；　who　had　opened

the　eyes　of　his　Inner…Man　and　brought　him　to　a　life　in　conformity　with

the　decrees　from　On…High。　He　sought　for　an　Angelic　Spirit　among　women；

Swedenborg　found　her　for　him　in　a　vision。　His　bride　was　the　daughter

of　a　London　shoemaker；　in　whom；　said　Swedenborg；　the　life　of　Heaven

shone；　she　having　passed　through　all　anterior　trials。　After　the　death；

that　is；　the　transformation　of　the　prophet；　the　baron　came　to　Jarvis

to　accomplish　his　celestial　nuptials　with　the　observances　of　Prayer。

As　for　me；　who　am　not　a　Seer；　I　have　only　known　the　terrestrial　works

of　this　couple。　Their　lives　were　those　of　saints　whose　virtues　are　the

glory　of　the　Roman　Church。　They　ameliorated　the　condition　of　our

people；　they　supplied　them　all　with　means　in　return　for　work；little；

perhaps；　but　enough　for　all　their　wants。　Those　who　lived　with　them　in

constant　intercourse　never　saw　them　show　a　sign　of　anger　or

impatience；　they　were　constantly　beneficent　and　gentle；　full　of

courtesy　and　loving…kindness；　their　marriage　was　the　harmony　of　two

souls　indissolubly　united。　Two　eiders　winging　the　same　flight；　the

sound　in　the　echo；　the　thought　in　the　word；these；　perhaps；　are　true

images　of　their　union。　Every　one　here　in　Jarvis　loved　them　with　an

affection　which　I　can　compare　only　to　the　love　of　a　plant　for　the　sun。

The　wife　was　simple　in　her　manners；　beautiful　in　form；　lovely　in　face；

with　a　dignity　of　bearing　like　that　of　august　personages。　In　1783；

being　then　twenty…six　years　old；　she　conceived　a　child；　her　pregnancy

was　to　the　pair　a　solemn　joy。　They　prepared　to　bid　th