Page:Heaven Revealed.djvu/118

 from those of light, for heat and light exist in equal degrees. As to the spiritual light in which the angels dwell. I have been permitted to see it with my own eyes; and among the angels of the higher heavens it is so bright and yet so glowing as to surpass description even by the radiance of the natural sun. In a word, it exceeds a thousand-fold the noonday light of the world."—D. L. W, n. 182.

"The heat of heaven in its essence is love. It proceeds from the Lord as a sun, and is the divine love in Him and from Him. Hence it is evident that the heat of heaven is spiritual as well as its light; for it is from the same origin. The heat of heaven, like its light, is everywhere various. That in the celestial kingdom differs from that in the spiritual; and it differs also in every society. And not only does it differ in degree, but even in kind. It is more intense and pure in the Lord's celestial kingdom, because the angels there are more receptive of the divine good. It is less intense and pure in the Lord's spiritual kingdom, because the angels there are more receptive of divine truth. And it differs also in every society according to reception.

"There is heat also in the hells, but it is unclean. The heat in heaven is what is meant by sacred and celestial fire, and the heat of hell is what is meant by profane and infernal fire; and by both is meant love. Celestial fire means love to the Lord and love toward the neighbor, and every affection derived from these loves; and infernal fire means the love of self and the world, and every lust derived from these loves."—H. H. n. 133, '4. See also A. C, n. 1053, 2196, 2776, 3636, 4415.

Scores of passages similar to the foregoing, might be quoted from Swedenborg's writings. And he nowhere teaches anything at variance with this, though enjoying open intercourse with the angels, and daily writing of