Page:Heaven Revealed.djvu/92

 ter. And many adults have not advanced beyond this natural childish thought. Now why is it that a state of angelic love and bliss, should be designated in Holy Scripture by a word which, in its strictly literal sense, means a high place? Swedenborg furnishes a satisfactory answer to this question in his doctrine concerning the Scripture, teaching us that it contains both a natural and spiritual sense which correspond like body and soul. Accordingly there is natural height and spiritual height; or elevation in space, and elevation of state. Whenever a high place, therefore, is mentioned in the Word, a high mental or spiritual state is what is denoted in the spiritual and true sense.

But what is a high spiritual state? Is it any other than a state of elevated thought, affection and purpose?—a state of pure and unselfish love?—a state in which we think of and seek after, not merely our own good, but the highest good of our neighbor also, in the largest as well as the smallest form. Persons of this character are spiritually near the Lord, and may well be said to dwell on high. They are spiritually on high, for they live above the world while in it. Hence it is often said of such, whose lives are devoted to lofty and beneficent ends, that they are superior persons—persons of elevated desires, exalted views, lofty aims, etc. And the Scripture saith, "He that humbleth himself, shall be exalted." Every one perceives that spiritual exaltation is what is here meant, or that elevation of state which comes from subduing our selfish and infernal propensities—from humbling self, and permitting the Lord alone to be exalted to the supreme place in the soul.