Page:Swedenborg, Harbinger of the New Age of the Christian Church.djvu/161

 of it; for it was all heavenly, clear to me at the time, but afterward inexpressible. In short I was in heaven, and I heard a language which no human tongue can utter with its inherent life, nor the glory and inmost delight resulting from it. Besides, while I was awake I was in a heavenly ecstasy which is also indescribable. . . . Praise and honor and glory be to the Highest! hallowed be His Name! Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts!"

"By this means," he says, "I learned by experience the meaning of this, not to love the angels more than God; as they had nearly overthrown the whole work. In comparison with our Lord no attention must be paid to them, that is, to them in respect to the help they can render, since their love is far lower than His. By some rays of light in me I found that it would be the greatest happiness to become a martyr; for, on beholding inexpressible grace combined with love to God, a desire was kindled in me to undergo this torture, which is nothing compared with eternal torment; and [a sense] that the least of the things that one can offer is his life. . . . This took place in the night between Easter Sunday and Easter Monday."