Page:Heaven Revealed.djvu/96

 And in the gospel by Matthew: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (xxii. 37-40.) The meaning of which is, that the sum and substance of all that the law and the prophets teach, is comprehended in these two commandments. In other words, that these are the comprehensive principles or leading ideas which the Scripture everywhere inculcates. And if these ought to be men's governing principles or ruling loves, then they must be the ruling loves of people in heaven. Again we read "God is love; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God and God in him. And this commandment have we from Him. That he who loveth God, love his brother also." (1 John iv. 16, 21.) And again: "All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets:" Again teaching us that love is the vital and pervading principle of the whole of the inspired Word. And if such be the revealed law of life for men on earth, must it not also be the law of life for those in heaven?

We thus see that the Bible affords abundant confirmation of the truth of what Swedenborg has told us in regard to the essential nature of heaven, or the kind of life that prevails there. And when love of the Lord and the neighbor is the ruling love in any mind, it is clear that all subordinate loves thence proceeding must needs be good. Those in whom this love bears rule,