Spiritual Experiences (Buss) n. 3523

Previous Number Next Number Next Translation See Latin 

3523. At length it was said to them through me, and, if I mistake not, by some of the same nation, that inasmuch as they had been persons of so much intelligence during life, and knew what truth was, they were able to know this also, that love to the neighbor is the principal law, without which no one can enter heaven, for heaven or the heavenly societies are made up of love, because from the Lord alone; hence they might know whether they possessed this love, and could thus be admitted into heaven. But they objected that those who were devoted to business could not attend to thoughts of this nature; to which it was replied, that there were rich men of business in heaven, and much richer than they, who spoke with them through me, confirming what I said, and saying, at the same time, that they had had the common good for an end, and love to the neighbor, and that they had carried on their mercantile pursuits for the sake of performing a use in the world, and had not set their hearts upon them, nor acquired a life from riches and trade. That they had actually become richer than the others, was shown by a spiritual idea. They said, moreover, that in the other life there was no respect of persons. - 1748, October 10. This only is to be added, that [the impression with these spirits that] the rich would remain [rich] that they would pertinaciously hold on [in their ruling character,] and would practice their multifarious wicked arts - these were perhaps the illusions of spirits respecting things to come.


This page is part of the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church