Page:A Compendium of the Theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg.djvu/212

116 judgment is predicated of truth, and justice of good, is that the government of the Lord in the spiritual kingdom is called judgment, and the government of the Lord in the celestial kingdom is called justice. . . . That these repetitions, as it were of the same thing, in the Word, are on account of the marriage of good and truth, may be more clearly seen in places where nations and peoples are mentioned; as in the following: "Ah! sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity" (Isa. i. 4). . . . "Jehovah will destroy . . . the covering over all peoples and the vail over all nations" (Isa. xxv. 7). "Come near, ye nations, . . . and hearken, ye people" (Isa. xxxiv. 1). "I have called thee, . . . for a covenant of the people, for a light of the nations" (Isa. xlii. 6). "Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled" (Isa. xliii. 9). "Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and set up my standard to the people" (Isa. xlix. 22). . . . The reason why nations and peoples are mentioned together is that by nations are meant those who are in good, and in the opposite sense those who are in evil, and by people those who are in truths, and in the opposite sense those who are in falsities. For this reason they who are of the Lord's spiritual kingdom are called peoples, and they who are of his celestial kingdom are called nations. For in the spiritual kingdom all are in truths, and thence in wisdom; and in the celestial kingdom all are in good, and thence in love. It is the same with the other expressions, as that where joy is mentioned, gladness also is mentioned; as in these passages: "Behold joy and gladness, slay the ox" (Isa. xxii. 13). "They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away" (Isa. xxxv. 10; li. 11). . . . "Joy and gladness shall be found in Zion, thanksgiving and the voice of melody" (Isa. li. 3). "And thou shall have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice at His birth" (Luke i. 14). "Then will I cause to cease, . ., the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride" (Jer. vii. 34; xvi. 9; xxv. 10). "Again there shall be heard in this place . . . the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride" (Jer. xxxiii. 10, 11). And in other places. Both joy and gladness are spoken of because joy is of good, and gladness of truth; or joy is of love, and gladness of wisdom. For joy is of the heart, and gladness of the spirit; or joy is of the will, and gladness of the understanding. It is also evident that there is a marriage of the Lord and the church in these expressions, from the fact that it is said, "The voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride" (Jer. vii. 34; xvi. 9; xxv. 10; xvxiii. 10, 11); and