Heaven and Hell (Harley) n. 266

Previous Number Next Number Next Translation See Latin 

266. What the wisdom of the angels is can be inferred from the fact that they are in the light of heaven, and the light of heaven in its essence is Divine Truth or Divine Wisdom; and this light enlightens at the same time their inner sight, or sight of the mind (mens), and their outer sight, or sight of the eyes. That the light of heaven is Divine Truth or Divine Wisdom may be seen above (n. 126-133). The angels are also in heavenly heat, which in its essence is Divine Good or Divine Love, from which they have the affection and longing to become wise. That the heat of heaven is Divine Good or Divine Love may be seen above (n. 133-140). That the angels are in wisdom, even to the extent that they may be called wisdoms, can be concluded from the fact that their thoughts and affections all flow in accordance with the heavenly form, which form is that of Divine Wisdom, and that their interiors, which are recipients of wisdom, are arranged according to that form. That the thoughts and affections of angels flow in accordance with the form of heaven, and consequently their intelligence and wisdom, may be seen above (n. 201-212). [2] That angels have super-eminent wisdom can be confirmed by the fact that their speech is the speech of wisdom, for it flows immediately and spontaneously from thought, and from this affection, thus their speech is thought from affection in outward form. Consequently, there is nothing to withdraw them from the Divine influx, and nothing from without such as enters into the speech of man from other thoughts. That the speech of angels is the speech of their thought and affection may be seen above (n. 234-245). Also in harmony with such angelic wisdom is the fact that all the things that they see with their eyes and perceive by their senses agree, since they are correspondences of it, and thus objects of a form representative of such things as belong to their wisdom. That all things seen in the heavens are correspondences with the interiors of angels and representations of their wisdom may be seen above (n. 170-182). [3] Besides, the thoughts of angels are not limited and confined by ideas from space and time, as human thoughts are, for spaces and times belong to nature, and the things that belong to nature withdraw the mind from spiritual things, and deprive intellectual sight of its range. That the ideas of angels are apart from time and space, and thus less limited than human ideas, may be seen above (n. 162-169 and 191-199). Neither are the thoughts of angels brought down to earthly and material things, nor interrupted by any cares about the necessities of life. Thus they are not withdrawn by such things from the delights of wisdom, as are the thoughts of men in the world. For all things come to them gratuitously from the Lord. They are clothed, fed, and housed all gratuitously (n. 181-190), and besides this they are given delights and pleasures in accordance with their reception of wisdom from the Lord. These things have been said that it may be known whence the angels have so great wisdom.# # The wisdom of angels, that it is incomprehensible and ineffable (n. 2795, 2796, 2802, 3314, 3404, 3405, 9094, 9176).


This page is part of the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church