And when he had taken
the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down
before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials
full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. (Revelation 5:8)
Apocalypse
Explained 325. Which
are the prayers of the saints, signifies from which is worship.
This is evident from the signification of the "prayers of the
saints," as being worship from spiritual good; "prayers," in the
internal sense, mean all things of worship; and "saints" things
spiritual; for those who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom are
called in the Word "saints" [or "holy"], and those who are in His
celestial kingdom are called "righteous" [or "just"]. But in the internal sense of the Word by "saints" are not
meant saints [holy men], but things holy, for the term "saints"
involves persons, and in the internal sense everything of person is
put off, for things solely make that sense; and
that the angels, because they are spiritual, think abstractly from
persons. This is what distinguishes the
internal sense of the Word from its external sense, which is the
sense of the letter; and as "saints" thus mean things holy, and
"holy" in the Word means the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord,
and making His spiritual kingdom, so
by "saints" things spiritual are meant, and by the "prayers of the
saints" worship from spiritual good. That worship from that good is
meant by the "prayers of the saints" is evident from this, that it
is said "they had golden bowls full of incense, which are the
prayers of the saints;" and "incense" signifies all things of
worship that are from spiritual good (as was shown in the preceding
paragraph); from which it follows that the "prayers of the saints"
has a like signification.
[2] As also in David:
Give ear unto my voice when I call unto Thee. Let my prayers be
received as incense before Thee; the lifting up of my hands as the
evening meal-offering. Guard the door of my lips; let not my heart
decline to evil, to do evil deeds in wickedness with the men who
work iniquity; for still my prayers are in their evils (Ps.
141:1-5).
Here also "prayers" are called "incense," and "the lifting up of
the hands" is called a "meal-offering;" and this because "prayers"
and "incense" have a similar signification, also "lifting up of the
hands" and "meal-offering." "Incense" signifies spiritual good,
which is the good of charity towards the neighbor; and
"meal-offering" signifies celestial good, which is the good of love
to the Lord; thus both signifying worship. And as prayers are not
from the mouth, but from the heart by the mouth, and all worship
that is from the heart is from the good of love and charity, for the
heart signifies that, so it is also said, "Guard the door of my
lips; let not my heart decline to evil, to do evil deeds in
wickedness." And because David is lamenting that evils still have
power against him, he says, "for still my prayers are in their
evils."
[3] That "prayers" have a similar meaning as "incense" is evident
also from other passages in Revelation:
Another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden
censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he might
offer it with the prayers of all the saints, upon the golden altar.
And the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints went up
before God (Rev. 8:3-4).
As "prayers" and "incense" have here similar significance,
namely, worship from spiritual good, it is said, "there was given
unto him much incense, that he might offer it with the prayers of
the saints;" likewise that "the smoke of the incense went up with
the prayers of the saints unto God." What is meant by worship from
spiritual good shall first be explained, and afterwards that prayers
signify such worship. Worship does not consist in prayers and in
external devotion, but in a life of charity; prayers are only its
externals, for they proceed from the man through his mouth,
consequently men's prayers are such as they themselves are in
respect to life. It matters not that a man bears himself humbly,
that he kneels and sighs when he prays; for these are externals, and
unless externals proceed from internals they are only gestures and
sounds without life. In each thing that a man utters there is
affection, and every man, spirit, and angel is his own affection,
for their affection is their life; it is the affection itself that
speaks, and not the man without it; therefore such as the affection
is such is the praying. Spiritual affection is what is called
charity towards the neighbor; to be in that affection is true
worship; praying is what proceeds. From this it can be seen that the
essential of worship is the life of charity, and that its
instrumental is gesture and praying; or that the primary of worship
is a life of charity, and its secondary is praying. From this it is
clear that those who place all Divine worship in oral piety, and not
in practical piety, err greatly.
[4] Practical piety is to act in every work and in every duty
from sincerity and right, and from justice and equity, and this
because it is commanded by the Lord in the Word; for thus man in his
every work looks to heaven and to the Lord, and thus is conjoined
with Him. But to act sincerely and rightly, justly and equitably,
solely from fear of the law, of the loss of fame or of honor and
gain, and to think nothing of the Divine law, of the commandments of
the Word, and of the Lord, and yet to pray devoutly in the churches,
is external piety; however holy this may appear, it is not piety,
but it is either hypocrisy, or something put on derived from habit,
or a kind of persuasion from a false belief that Divine worship
consists merely in this; for such a man does not look to heaven and
to the Lord with the heart, but only with the eyes; the heart
looking to self and to the world, and the mouth speaking from the
habit of the body only and its memory; by this man is conjoined to
the world and not to heaven, and to self and not to the Lord. From
this it can be seen what piety is, and what Divine worship is, and
that practical piety is worship itself. On this see also what is
said in the work on Heaven and Hell, (n. 222, 224, 358-360,
528-530):
|
222. Divine worship itself in the heavens does not,
however, consist in going to church and in listening to sermons, but
in a life of love, charity and faith in accordance with doctrines.
Preachings in churches serve solely as means of instruction in
matters of life. I have talked with angels about this, and have told
them that it is believed in the world that Divine worship consists
solely in attending church, listening to sermons, observing the
sacrament of the Supper three or four times a year, and performing
other acts of worship prescribed by the Church, also finding time
for prayers, and then behaving devoutly. The angels said that these
are outward acts that ought to be done, but are of no avail unless
there is an internal from which they proceed, which is a life in
accordance with the precepts that doctrine teaches.
224. Moreover, I talked with a preacher about the holy state in
which those are who listen to the preachings in the temples. He said
that every one is pious, devout and holy in accordance with his
interiors, and these interiors are [formed] of love and faith in
which is what is holy itself because the Divine of the Lord is in
them. He also declared that he knew nothing about outward holiness
apart from love and faith. When he thought of external holiness
separate from love and faith, he said that possibly it would be
something counterfeiting holiness in outward appearance, either
acquired by art or hypocritical, and that some spurious fire from
the love of self and the world may kindle it and keep it going.
***
358. It should be said to begin with that a man may
acquire riches and accumulate wealth as far as opportunity is given,
if it is not done by craft or fraud, that he may enjoy the
delicacies of food and drink if he does not place his life therein,
that he may have a palatial dwelling in accord with his condition,
have intercourse with others in like condition, frequent places of
amusement, talk about the affairs of the world, and need not go
about like a devotee with a sad and sorrowful countenance and
drooping head, but may be joyful and cheerful; nor need he give his
goods to the poor except so far as affection leads him; in a word,
he may live outwardly precisely as a man of the world; and all this
will be no obstacle to his entering heaven, provided that inwardly
in himself he thinks about God as he ought, and acts sincerely and
justly in respect of his neighbour. For a man is such as his
affection and thought are, or such as his love and faith are, and
from these all his outward acts derive their life, since acting is
willing, and speaking is thinking, for he acts from the will, and
speaks from the thought. So where it is said in the Word that man
will be judged according to his deeds, and will be rewarded
according to his works, it is meant that he will be judged and
rewarded in accordance with his thought and affection, which are the
source of his deeds, or which are in his deeds; for deeds are
nothing apart from these, and are precisely such as these are. It
is evident from this that man's external accomplishes nothing, but
only his internal, which is the source of the external. For example,
if a man acts honestly and does not defraud another solely because
he fears the laws and the loss of reputation and thereby of honour
or gain, and if that fear did not restrain him would defraud another
whenever he could, although such a man's deeds outwardly appear
honest, his thought and will are fraud; and because he is inwardly
dishonest and fraudulent he has hell in himself. But he who acts
honestly and does not defraud another because it is against God and
against the neighbour, would have no wish to defraud another if he
could; his thought and will are conscience, and he has heaven in
himself. The deeds of these two appear alike in outward form, but
inwardly they are entirely unlike.
359. Since a man can live outwardly as others do,
can grow rich, keep a plentiful table, dwell in an elegant house and
wear fine clothing according to his condition and function, can
enjoy delights and gratifications, and engage in worldly affairs for
the sake of his occupation and business and for the life both of the
mind and body, provided he inwardly acknowledges the Divine and
wishes well to the neighbour, it is evident that to enter upon the
way to heaven is not so difficult as many believe. The sole
difficulty lies in being able to resist the love of self and the
world, and to prevent their becoming dominant; for this is the
source of all evils. That this is not so difficult as is believed
is meant by these words of the Lord:
Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall
find rest to your souls; for My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
Matt. 11. 29, 30.
The Lord's yoke is easy and His burden light because a man is
led by the Lord and not by self just to the extent that he resists
the evils that flow forth from love of self and of the world, and
because the Lord then resists these evils with the man and removes
them.
360. I have spoken with some after death who, while
they lived in the world, renounced the world and gave themselves up
to an almost solitary life, in order that by an abstraction of the
thoughts from worldly things they might have opportunity for pious
meditations, believing that thus they might enter the way to heaven.
But these in the other life are of a sad disposition; they despise
others who are not like themselves; they are indignant that they do
not have a happier lot than others, believing that they have merited
it; they have no interest in others, and turn away from the duties
of charity by which there is conjunction with heaven. They desire
heaven more than others; but when they are taken up among the angels
they induce anxieties that disturb the happiness of the angels, and
in consequence they are sent away; and when sent away they betake
themselves to desert places, where they lead a life like that which
they lived in the world.
[2] Man can be formed for heaven only by
means of the world. In the world are the ultimate effects in which
everyone's affection must be terminated; for unless affection puts
itself forth or flows out into acts, which is done in association
with many, it is suffocated to such a degree finally that man has no
longer any regard for the neighbour, but only for himself. All this
makes clear that a life of charity towards the neighbour, which is
doing what is just and right in every work and in every employment,
leads to heaven, and not a life of piety apart from charity. From
this it follows that only to the extent that man is engaged in the
employments of life can charity be exercised and the life of charity
grow; and this is impossible to the extent that man separates
himself from those employments. On this subject I will speak now
from experience.
[3] Of those who, while in the world, were employed
in trade and
commerce and became rich through these pursuits, there are many in
heaven, but not so many of those who were in stations of honour and
became rich through their offices; and for the reason that these
latter by the gains and honours that resulted from their dispensing
justice and equity, and also by the lucrative and honourable
positions bestowed on them, were led into loving themselves and the
world and thereby separating their thoughts and affections from
heaven and turning them to themselves. For to the extent that a man
loves self and the world and looks to self and the world in
everything, he alienates himself from the Divine and removes himself
from heaven.
***
528. IT IS NOT
SO DIFFICULT TO LIVE THE LIFE THAT LEADS TO HEAVEN AS IS BELIEVED
There are some who believe that to live the life that leads to
heaven, which is called the spiritual life, is difficult, because
they have heard that man must renounce the world, must divest
himself of the lusts called the lusts of the body and the flesh, and
must live spiritually; and they take this to mean that they must
discard worldly things, which consist chiefly in riches and honours;
that they must walk continually in pious meditation about God,
salvation, and eternal life; and must spend their life in prayers
and in reading the Word and pious books. They suppose these things
to be renouncing the world, and living in the spirit and not in the
flesh. But that the fact is entirely different has been given me to
know by much experience and from conversation with the angels. I
have learned, indeed, that those who renounce the world and live in
the spirit in this manner acquire a sorrowful life that is not
receptive of heavenly joy, since everyone's life continues the same
after death. On the contrary, to receive the life of heaven a man
must needs live in the world and engage in the duties and
employments there, and by means of a moral and civil life receive
the spiritual life. In no other way can the spiritual life be formed
with man, or his spirit prepared for heaven; for to live an internal
life and not at the same time an external life is like dwelling in a
house that has no foundation, that gradually sinks or becomes
cracked and rent asunder, or totters till it falls.
529. If the life of man is scanned and explored by rational insight
it is found to be threefold, namely, spiritual, moral, and civil,
with these three lives distinct from each other. For there are men
who live a civil life and not as yet a moral and spiritual life; and
there are men who live a moral life and not as yet a spiritual life;
and there are those who live a civil life, a moral life, and a
spiritual life at the same time. These live the life of heaven; but
the former live the life of the world separated from the life of
heaven. From these things, in the first place, it can be established
that the spiritual life is not a life separated from natural life or
the life of the world, but is joined with it as the soul is joined
with its body, and if it were separated it would be, as just said,
like living in a house that has no foundation. For moral and civil
life is the activity of the spiritual life, since willing well
belongs to spiritual life, and acting well to moral and civil life,
and if the latter is separated from the former, the spiritual life
consists solely of thought and speech, and the will, left with no
support, recedes; and yet the will is the man's spiritual itself.
530. That it is not so difficult as some believe to live the life
that leads to heaven can be seen from the things that now follow.
Who cannot live a civil and moral life? For everyone from his
childhood is initiated into that life, and learns what it is by
living in the world. Moreover, everyone, whether evil or good, lives
that life; for who does not wish to be called honest, and who does
not wish to be called just? Almost everyone practises honesty and
justice in externals, so far as to seem to be honest and just at
heart, or to seem to act from real honesty and justice. The
spiritual man ought to live in like manner, and can do so as easily
as the natural man can, with this difference only, that the
spiritual man believes in the Divine, and acts honestly and justly,
not solely because so to act is in accord with civil and moral laws,
but also because it is in accord with Divine laws. As the spiritual
man, in whatever he is doing, thinks about Divine things, he has
communication with the angels of heaven; and so far as this takes
place he is conjoined with them; and thereby is opened his internal
man, which regarded in itself is the spiritual man. When man comes
into this state he is adopted and led by the Lord, although himself
unconscious of it, and then whatever he does that is honest and
just, pertaining to moral and civil life, is done from a spiritual
motive; and doing what is honest and just from a spiritual motive is
doing it from honesty and justice itself, or doing it from the heart.
[2] His justice and honesty appear in external form precisely the same as the justice
and honesty with natural men and even with evil and infernal men;
but in internal form they are wholly unlike. For evil men act justly
and honestly solely for the sake of themselves and the world; and
therefore if they had no fear of laws and penalties, or the loss of
reputation, of honour, of gain, and of life, they would act in every
respect insincerely and unjustly, since they fear neither God nor
any Divine law, and therefore are not restrained by any internal
bond; consequently, they would use every opportunity to defraud,
plunder, and spoil others, and this from delight. That inwardly they
are such can be clearly seen from those of the same character in the
other life, where everyone's externals are taken away, and his
internals in which he at last lives to eternity are opened. As such then act without external restraints,
which are, as said above, fear of the law, of the loss of
reputation, of honour, of gain, and of life, they act insanely, and
laugh at honesty and justice.
[3] But those who have acted honestly
and justly from regard to Divine laws, when their externals are
taken away and they are left to their internals, act wisely, because
they are conjoined to the angels of heaven, from whom wisdom is
communicated to them. From these things it can now first be
established, that when the internal man, that is, the will and
thought, are conjoined to the Divine, the civil and moral life of
the spiritual man may be wholly like the civil and moral life of the
natural man (see above, n. 358-360). |
and in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem (n. 123-129), where
also are these words:
|
Piety is to think and speak piously; to spend much time in
prayer; to bear oneself humbly at such times; to frequent churches,
and listen devoutly to discourses there; to observe the sacrament of
the Supper frequently every year, and likewise the other services of
worship according to the appointments of the church. But a life of
charity is to will well and do well to the neighbor; to act in every
work from justice and equity, from good and truth, and also in every
duty; in a word, the life of charity consists in performing uses.
Divine worship consists primarily in such a life, and secondarily in
a life of piety; he, therefore, who separates the one from the
other, that is, who lives a life of piety and not at the same time a
life of charity, does not worship God. For a life of piety is
valuable so far as a life of charity is joined with it; for the life
of charity is the primary thing, and such as this is, such is the
life of piety (n. 124, 128). |
[5] That the Lord insinuates heaven into man's practical piety,
but not into oral or external piety separate therefrom, has been
testified to me by much experience. For I have seen many who placed
all worship in oral and outward piety, while in their actual life
they gave no thought to the Lord's commandments in the Word,
believing that what is sincere and right, just and equitable, must
be done not from regard to religion, thus from a spiritual motive,
but merely from regard to civil law and also to moral law, that they
might appear sincere and just for the sake of reputation, and this
for the sake of honor and gain, believing that this would take them
into heaven before others. According to their belief, therefore,
they were raised up into heaven; but when the angels perceived that
they worshiped God with the mouth only, and not with the heart, and
that their external piety did not proceed from practical piety,
which is of the life, they cast them down; afterwards these became
associated with those who were in a life like their own, and were
there deprived of their piety and sanctity, since these were
interiorly defiled by evils of life. From this also it was made
clear, that Divine worship consists primarily in a life of charity
and secondarily in external piety.
[6] As Divine worship itself consists primarily in the life, and
not in prayers, the Lord said, that in praying there should not be
much speaking and repetition, in the following words:
In praying, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do; for they
think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Do not make
yourselves, therefore, like them (Matt. 6:7-8).
Now as Divine worship itself consists primarily in a life of
charity, and secondarily in prayers, by "prayers," in the spiritual
sense of the Word, worship from spiritual good, that is, from the
life of charity, is meant, for that which is primary is what is
meant in the spiritual sense, while the sense of the letter consists
of things secondary, which are effects, and which correspond.
[7] Prayers are mentioned, moreover, in many passages of the
Word; but as prayers proceed from the heart, and a man's heart is
such as is his life of love and charity, so "prayers," in the
spiritual sense, mean that life and worship from it, as in the
following. In Luke:
Be ye wakeful at every season, praying that ye may be accounted
worthy to escape the things that are to come, and so stand before
the Son of man (Luke 21:36; Mark 13:33).
"To be wakeful at every season" signifies to procure to oneself
spiritual life (see above, n. 187); therefore praying is also
mentioned, because "praying" is an effect of that life, or its
external, which is of avail so far as it proceeds from the life, for
these two are one like soul and body, and like internal and
external.
[8] In Mark:
Jesus said, All things that ye ask for, praying, believe that ye
are to receive, and then it shall be done for you. But when ye stand
praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any (Mark 11:24-25).
Here, also, in the spiritual sense, by "praying," "asking for,"
and "supplicating," a life of love and charity is meant; for to
those who are in a life of love and charity it is given from the
Lord what they are to ask; therefore they ask nothing but what is
good, and that is done for them; and as faith also is from the Lord,
it is said, "believe that ye are to receive;" and as prayers proceed
from a life of charity, and are according to it, in order that it
may be done according to the prayers, it is said, "When ye stand
praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any."
[9] "When ye stand praying" signifies when in Divine worship, as
is clear also from this, that the like as is here said of those who
pray is said also of those who offer a gift upon the altar, in
Matthew:
If thou offer a gift upon the altar, and rememberest that thy
brother hath aught against thee, leave the gift before the altar,
and first be reconciled to thy brother, and then coming offer the
gift (Matt. 5:23-24).
"Offering a gift upon the altar" signifies all Divine worship,
for the reason that Divine worship with that nation consisted
chiefly in offering burnt-offerings and sacrifices, by which
therefore all things of worship were signified. The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 214, 221
(see below).
From this it can be seen that
"praying," or "supplicating," and "offering a gift upon the altar,"
have a like meaning, namely, worship from the good of love and
charity.
|
214. Besides, the Holy Supper includes and comprehends the
whole of the Divine worship instituted in the Israelitish Church; for the
burnt-offerings and sacrifices, in which the worship of that church principally
consisted, in one expression were called "bread"; hence also the Holy Supper is
its completion.
FROM THE ARCANA COELESTIA.
Since what is involved in the Holy Supper cannot be known unless it is known
what its particulars signify, for they correspond to spiritual things, therefore
some passages shall be quoted respecting what is signified by "body" and
"flesh," by "bread" and "wine," and by "eating" and "drinking"; as also
concerning the sacrifices, wherein the worship of the Israelitish church
principally consisted, showing that they were called "bread."
221. Of Sacrifices.
"Burnt-offerings" and "sacrifices" signified all things of worship from the
good of love, and from the truths of faith (n. 923, 6905, 8680, 8936, 10042).
"Burnt-offerings" and "sacrifices" also signified Divine celestial things, which
are the internal things of the church, from which worship is derived (n. 2180,
2805, 2807, 2830, 3519). With a variation and difference according to the
varieties of worship (n. 2805, 6905, 8936). Therefore there were many kinds of
sacrifices, and various processes to be observed in them, and various beasts
from which they were (n. 2830, 9391, 9990). The various things which they
signified in general, may appear from unfolding the particulars by the internal
sense (n. 10042). What "the beasts" which were sacrificed signified in
particular (n. 10042). Arcana of heaven are contained in the rituals and
processes of the sacrifices (n. 10057). In general they contained the arcana of
the glorification of the Lord's Human; and in a respective sense, the arcana of
the regeneration and purification of man from evils and falsities; wherefore
they were prescribed for various sins, crimes, and purifications (n. 9990,
10022, 10042, 10053, 10057). What is signified by "the imposition of hands" on
the beasts which were sacrificed (n. 10023). What by "the inferior parts of the
slain beasts being put under their superior parts" in the burnt-offerings (n.
10051). What by "the meal-offerings" that were offered at the same time (n.
10079). What by "the drink-offering" (n. 4581, 10137). What by "the salt" which
was used (n. 10300). What by "the altar" and all the particulars of it (n. 921,
2777, 2784, 2811, 2812, 4489, 4541, 8935, 8940, 9388, 9389, 9714, 9726, 9963,
9964, 10028, 10123, 10151, 10242, 10245, 10344). What by "the fire of the altar"
(n. 934, 6314, 6832). What by "eating together of the things sacrificed" (n.
2187, 8682). Sacrifices were not commanded, but charity and faith, thus that
they were only permitted, shown from the Word (n. 922, 2180). Why they were
permitted (n. 2180, 2818).
The burnt-offerings and sacrifices, which consisted of lambs, she-goats,
sheep, kids, he-goats, and bullocks, were in one word called "Bread," is evident
from the following passages:
And the priest shall burn it upon the altar; it is the bread of the offering
made by fire unto Jehovah (Lev. 3:11, 16).
The sons of Aaron shall be holy unto their God, neither shall they profane
the name of their God; for the offerings of Jehovah made by fire, the bread of
their God, they do offer. Thou shalt sanctify him, for he offered the bread of
thy God. A man of the seed of Aaron, in whom there shall be a blemish, let him
not approach to offer the bread of his God (Lev. 21:6, 8, 17, 21).
Command the sons of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, My bread, for My
sacrifices made by fire for an odor of rest, ye shall observe, to offer unto Me
in its stated time (Num. 28:2).
He who shall have touched an unclean thing shall not eat of the holy things,
but he shall wash his flesh in water; and shall afterwards eat of the holy
things, because it is his bread (Lev. 22:6, 7).
They who offer polluted bread upon My altar (Mal. 1:7).
Hence now, as has been said above (n. 214), the Holy Supper includes and
comprehends all of the Divine worship instituted in the Israelitish Church; for
the burnt-offerings and sacrifices in which the worship of that church
principally consisted were called by the one word "bread." Hence, also, the Holy
Supper is its fulfilling.
From what has been observed, it may now be seen what is meant by bread in
John:
Jesus said to them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave them not that
bread from heaven, but My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven, for the
bread of God is He who came down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
They said unto Lord, evermore give us this bread. Jesus said unto them, I am the
bread of life; he that cometh to Me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on
Me shall never thirst. He that believeth on Me hath eternal life. I am the bread
of life. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven; that anyone may eat
thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if
anyone shall eat of this bread, he shall live forever (John 6:31-35, 47-51).
From these passages, and from what has been said above, it appears that
"bread" is all the good which proceeds from the Lord, for the Lord Himself is in
His own good; and thus that "bread and wine" in the Holy Supper are all the
worship of the Lord from the good of love and faith. |
[10] In the same:
Jesus said, It is written, My house shall be called a house of
prayer, but ye have made it a den of robbers (Matt. 21:13; Mark
11:17; Luke 19:46).
The Lord's "house" signifies the church, and "prayers" worship
therein; and a "den of robbers" the profanation of the church and of
worship; and from this contrary sense it is also evident that
prayers signify worship from the good of love and charity.
[11] In David:
I cried unto God with my mouth. If I had regarded iniquity in my
heart the Lord would not have heard; but God hath heard; He hath
attended to the voice of my prayer (Ps. 66:17-19).
Since prayers are such as the man's heart is, and thus are not
prayers of any worship when the heart is evil, it is said, "If I had
regarded iniquity in my heart the Lord would not have heard," which
signifies that He would not receive such worship. Man's "heart" is
his love, and man's love is his very life, consequently a man's
prayers are such as his love is, that is, such as his life is; from
which it follows that "prayers" signify the life of his love and
charity, or that this life is meant by "prayers" in the spiritual
sense.
[12] Many more passages might be cited; but as man does not know
that his life and his prayers make one, and therefore does not
perceive otherwise than that "prayers" where they are mentioned in
the Word mean merely prayers, these passages will be omitted here.
Moreover, when man is in a life of charity he is constantly praying,
if not with the mouth yet with the heart; for that which is of the
love is constantly in the thought, even when man is unconscious of
it (according to what is said in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 55-57
)
(see below)
from which also it is clear that "praying" in the
spiritual sense is worship from love. But those who place piety in
prayers and not in the life have no relish for this truth, in fact
their thought is contrary to it; such do not even know what
practical piety is.
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55. That which man loves above all things is continually present in his thought, and also in his will, and constitutes his most essential life. As for example, he who loves riches above all things, whether money or possessions, continually revolves in his mind how he may obtain them. He inmostly rejoices when he acquires them, he grieves inmostly when he loses them; his heart is in them. He who loves himself above all things regards himself in each thing: he thinks of himself, he speaks of himself, he acts for the sake of himself, for his life is the life of self.
56. Man has for an end that which he loves above all things; he regards it in each and all things. It is in his will like the latent current of a river, which draws and bears him away, even when he is doing something else; for it is this which animates him. It is such that one man explores and also sees it in another, and either leads him according to it, or acts with him.
57. Man is altogether of such a quality as the ruling principle of his life is; by this he is distinguished from others; according to this is his heaven if he be good, and his hell if he be evil. It is his will itself, his proprium, and his nature, for it is the very
esse of his life: this cannot be changed after death, because it is the man himself. |
[References,
other than from the Holy Scriptures referred to in this article, are
from the work entitled Apocalypse Explained penned by Emanuel Swedenborg. This material-Apocalypse
Explained- and the other referred to Heavenly Doctrines are available
online or in literature form. If you need assistance, feel free to contact us.]
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