# A Compendium of the Theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

S. A. Schoff. Eng.$^r$
EMANUELSWEDENBORG
Born Jan'y 29. 1688 Died Mar. 29. 1772.
A
COMPENDIUM
OF THE
THEOLOGICAL WRITINGS
OF
EMANUEL SWEDENBORG.
BY SAMUEL M. WARREN.
Third and Revised Edition,
WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL INTRODUCTION,
By HON. JOHN BIGELOW.
THE NEW CHURCH BOARD OF PUBLICATION, NEW YORK: 3 WEST TWENTY-NINTH STREET. 1904.
Copyright, 1888,
BY
THE NEW CHURCH BOARD OP PUBLICATION.
PREFACE.
This volume is constructed on the basis of the "Compendium" compiled by the late Rev. W. M. Fernald, which is long since out of print. The larger proportion of the extracts contained in that volume will be found also in this; together with many new extracts, and a number of new subjects, added by the present compiler; and the whole have been almost entirely rearranged. The book being made up of extracts, the reader will reasonably not expect the same continuity that would be looked for in an original and connected work. A constant effort has been made, however, in the arrangement of the chapters, as well as in the construction of them, to give the volume as much of the character of a continued treatise as was practicable. It is hoped that this object will be found to have been so far attained, that the volume will not be ill adapted to consecutive reading, by those who would obtain, in briefer compass, a general view of the theology and spiritual philosophy embodied in the author's voluminous writings.
The large number of volumes from which the extracts are taken having been translated from the original Latin by different persons, at widely different times, it was deemed important, in such a work, that there should be some attempt at uniformity of style and rendering,—apart from any consideration of the very great and acknowleged imperfections of most of the translations. The translation is therefore for the most part new; and the com- paratively small number of extracts that have not been re-translated have been more or less carefully revised.
​Some word of apology may be due to the reader who shall make his first acquaintance with the writings of Swedenborg through this volume, for the use of certain unfamiliar terms. The present condition of mankind being such that internal things are but dimly and generally perceived, the mind does not take cognizance of their plurality. It sees as an individual thing what in reality is very multiple. And therefore we have in common use in language only singular terms for many internal things. Thus we commonly speak of good, happiness, etc., which are of the will, and internal, only in the singular number; while to corresponding things that are more external, delights, joys, pleasures, enjoyments, etc., we ascribe plurality,—because we perceive their plurality. This is the reason why, to the unaccustomed mind, there appears a certain oddity of expression in the writings of Swedenborg, where internal things are the constant theme, and are described as they really are, and as they are discerned in heaven,—and, with less fulness, by some on earth. To modify the author's language in order to escape the oddity of unfamiliar expressions, would be to shut out from the reader's mind a large and most valuable part of the spiritual philosophy his writings contain; and would at least endanger his falling into great misapprehensions. The importance of rendering the author into pleasant and popular English as far as practicable has, however, not been out of mind; but the translator has not felt at liberty knowingly to sacrifice any shade of the author's meaning on account of it. The writings of Swedenborg embody a system of most profound philosophy, spiritual and natural; and, as with most philosophical writings, and perhaps more than most, it requires for exact expression language in some degree its own; which cannot be changed for more popular and current phraseology without, as was said, the loss of some part of the author's meaning, and while seeming to favour, really hindering the actual apprehension of the profound subjects treated of. What would be thought of the editor of any of the treatises on which systems of speculative philosophy are founded, if he ​should undertake to adapt and popularize his author, by doing away with his technical and philosophical terms? But these writings contain a system of philosophy more profound and vast than any and all systems of man's devising. How much less justifiable would it be, then, so to attempt to popularize the standard text of such a system. The place to adapt and apply the teaching of an author, especially such an author, is not in the translation of his writings, but in books and teachings in elucidation and exposition of them.
It may not be out of place to guard the reader against any supposition that the title " Compendium " is intended to involve the idea of condensation, and that the whole substance, or anything more than a general view, and example, of the author's teaching is here given. So far is this from being the case, that there are even very many topics of great interest that could not be included in a volume like this. He who is interested to know the scope and depth of these teachings should study the writings themselves. Nor let him be appalled at the magnitude of the undertaking. For they are as full of varied and most interesting matter everywhere as in the extracts given in this volume; and he will come to rejoice, more and more, that the field is so wide before him.
S. M. W.
Besides a somewhat extensive revision, and correction of errors that had escaped notice in the former edition, the present volume is enriched by a considerable number of important additional extracts appearing in nearly every chapter; by an interesting biographical sketch of Swedenborg from the pen of the Hon. John Bigelow; and an admirable likeness, engraved in his best manner, by Mr. S. A. Schoff, expressly for this work.
ABREVIATED TITLES OF THE WORKS REFERRED TO IN THIS VOLUME
CONTENTS.
CONCERNING GOD.
| Importance of a just Idea of God | 1 |
| God is One | 2 |
| God is very Man | 3 |
| God is not in Space | 4 |
| The very Divine Essence is Love and Wisdom | 5 |
| The Divine Love and the Divine Wisdom are Substance and Form | 5 |
| God is Love itself and Life itself | 7 |
| The Nature of the Divine Love | 8 |
| The Infinity and Eternity of God | 10 |
| The Omnipotence of God | 11 |
| The Omniscience of God | 12 |
| The Omnipresence of God | 13 |
| Knowledge Respecting God only possible by Revelation | 14 |
CREATION.
| God created the Universe from Himself, not out of Nothing | 15 |
| All things in the Universe were created from the Divine Love and the Divine Wisdom of God-Man | 15 |
| Two Worlds, the Spiritual and the Natural | 16 |
| Two Suns, by means of which all Things in the two Worlds were created | 16 |
| Atmospheres, Waters, and Earths, in the Spiritual and Natural Worlds | 18 |
| The Origin of Matter | 19 |
| The Divine Object in the Creation of the Universe | 20 |
| All Things of the Created Universe viewed from Uses, represent Man in an Image | 21 |
MAN.
| What Man is | 23 |
| What the Internal and External Man are | 24 |
| The very Inmost of Man | 24 |
| The Life of Man | 25 |
| The Origin of Vital Heat | 25 |
| The Primitive Condition of Man | 26 |
THE FALL OF MAN.
| The Nature of the Fall | 7 |
| Loss of Internal Perception by the Fall | 28 |
| The Image of God not actually Destroyed in Man | 29 |
| External Respiration, and the Origin of Verbal Language by the Fall | 29 |
| The Fall was Gradual and Successive | 30 |
| The Nature and Extent of Hereditary Evil | 31 |
THE DOCTRINE OF THE LORD.
| The Divine Human from Eternity | 32 |
| The Lord's Appearance on Earth before the Incarnation, as an Angel | 33 |
| The very Infinite cannot be manifested otherwise than by the Divine Human | 34 |
| The Incarnation | 35 |
| Jehovah God descended as to Divine Truth, and was said to be Born | 37 |
| Yet did not separate the Divine Good | 38 |
| Reasons for the Incarnation | 38 |
| Why it is said that Jesus proceeded forth and came from God, and was sent | 44 |
| The Lord's Hereditary Evil | 45 |
| The Lord made His Human Divine by His own Might | 46 |
| The Glorification | 47 |
| The Glorification was fully completed by the Passion of the Cross | 48 |
| The Lord, in Glorification, did not transmute or change His Human Nature into Divine, but put off the Human and put on the Divine | 49 |
| The Lord did not acknowledge Mary as His Mother, because He put off the Human derived from her | 49 |
| The Lord's Whole Life was a Continual Temptation and Victory | 51 |
| The Lord was Tempted even by Angels | 52 |
| How the Lord bore the Iniquities of All | 53 |
| The Use of the Lord's Temptations | 55 |
| The Lord's Glorification is imaged in Man's Regeneration | 58 |
| The Resurrection | 58 |
| The Redemption | 61 |
| The Lord thus redeemed not only Man, but the Angels | 63 |
| Without Redemption Wickedness would spread throughout all Christendom in both Worlds | 65 |
| Redemption could not be effected but by God Incarnate | 65 |
| False Views of the Atonement | 66 |
| The true meaning of Mediation, Intercession, Atonement, and Propitiation | 67 |
| How the Lord fulfilled the whole Law | 69 |
| All Power in the Heavens and on Earth given to the Lord | 71 |
| The Lord governs all Things from first Principles by means of Ultimates | 72 |
| Meaning of the Phrases Son of God and Son of Man | 72 |
| Various Names of the Lord | 73 ​ |
| Practical Use ot a correct Idea of the Lord | 73 |
| The Recognition of the Lord as God sheds Light upon every particular of the Word | 76 |
| Jehovah Himself, in His Divine Human, is the only Saviour | 76 |
| Why Jehovah is nowhere named in the Word of the New Testament, but the Lord instead | 77 |
| The Reason why these Things concerning the Lord are now first publicly made known | 79 |
| Why the Lord was Born on this Earth | 80 |
THE HOLY SPIRIT.
| General Doctrine | 82 |
| Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit | 84 |
| The Holy Spirit not mentioned in the Old Testament | 85 |
THE DIVINE TRINITY.
| General Doctrine | 86 |
| Before the World was created there was no Trinity of God but an ideal or potential One | 87 |
| A Memorable Narration concerning the Divine Trinity | 88 |
| Importance of a right idea of the Trinity | 94 |
THE SACRED SCRIPTURES.
SIGNIFICATION OF VARIOUS TERMS AND SUBJECTS IN THE WORD.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
| General Doctrine | 192 |
| The First Commandment | 194 |
| The Second Commandment | 195 |
| The Third Commandment | 197 |
| The Fourth Commandment | 199 |
| The Fifth Commandment | 200 |
| The Sixth Commandment | 201 |
| The Future State of Adulterers | 205 |
| The Seventh Commandment | 207 |
| The Eighth Commandment | 210 |
| The Ninth and Tenth Commandments | 211 |
| Offending in One Commandment offending in All | 213 |
FAITH
CHARITY AND GOOD WORKS.
| Who is the Neighbour? | 250 |
| The Degrees of the Relationship of Neighbour | 252 |
| What Charity is | 254 |
| The Delights of Charity are according to the greatness and importance of the Use performed | 257 |
| A Man is not of sound Mind unless Use be his Affection or Occupation | 258 |
| The Delight of doing Good without a Recompense | 259 |
| The Internal Blessedness of Love and Charity perceptible in this Life | 260 |
| The Angels appear in Heaven as Forms of Charity | 261 |
| The Criterion of Character | 261 |
| A Man has neither Faith nor Charity before they exist in Works | 262 |
| Love, Life, and Works, with every Man, make One | 262 |
| Love to the Lord and Love to the Neighbour distinguished | 264 |
| Love the Foundation of all Harmony and Order | 264 |
| Love to Enemies | 265 |
| The Presence of the Lord with Man is according to Neighbourly Love or Charity | 265 |
| Self-Love and Mutual Love contrasted | 266 |
FREE WILL.
| General Doctrine | 268 |
| What Free Will is | 269 |
| A something analogous to Free Will in all Created Things | 271 |
| How Man is in Freedom from the Lord alone | 272 |
| Why in Freedom Man feels and wills as of himself, when it is not of himself | 272 |
| Man ought to compel himself, and in this compulsion is the highest Freedom | 273 |
| Heavenly Freedom and Infernal Freedom | 276 |
REPENTANCE, REFORMATION, AND REGENERATION.
IMPUTATION.
| The common Doctrine of Imputation | 312 |
| The Origin of the Doctrine of Imputation | 313 |
| Imputation not known in the Apostolic Church | 314 |
| Imputation of the Merits and Righteousness of Christ Impossible | 315 |
| The True Doctrine of Imputation | 317 |
THE CHURCH.
THE FIRST, OR MOST ANCIENT CHURCH.
| General Character | 328 |
| The Worship of the Most Ancient Church | 329 |
| The Most Ancients performed Holy Worship in Tents | 330 |
| The Most Ancient Church composed of several Different Churches | 330 |
| Perception in the Most Ancient Church | 331 |
| Dignities and Riches among the Most Ancient Men | 332 |
| The Food of the Most Ancient Men | 333 |
| A Remnant of the Most Ancient Church in the Land of Canaan | 333 |
THE SECOND, OR ANCIENT CHURCH.
THE THIRD, OR ISRAELITISH CHURCH.
THE FOURTH, OR FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
| General Character | 372 |
| The Primitive Condition and subsequent Degeneration of this Christian Church | 373 |
| The present State of this Christian Church | 374 |
| The End of the First Christian Church | 377 |
THE SECOND COMING OF THE LORD.
| General Doctrine | 380 |
| This Second Coming of the Lord is not a Coming in Person, but in the Word, which is from Him, and is Himself | 381 |
| This Second Coming of the Lord is effected by means of a Man, to whom the Lord has manifested Himself in Person, and whom He has filled with His Spirit, to teach the Doctrines of the New Church from Himself, through the Word | 382 |
| How the Lord's Advent becomes effective in the Individual Man | 384 |
THE FIFTH, OR NEW CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
BAPTISM.
THE HOLY SUPPER.
THE PRIESTHOOD.
MARRIAGE.
| The Nature and Origin of Marriage | 440 |
| The Holiness of Marriage | 442 |
| The Distinction of Sex is in the Spirit | 443 |
| The Love of Sex, and with those who come into Heaven Conjugial Love, remains after Death | 444 ​ |
| Marriages in the Heavens | 445 |
| The Lord's Words concerning Marriage in the Heavenly World | 447 |
| No Procreation of Offspring in Heaven | 449 |
| A Marriage Ceremony in Heaven | 450 |
| A Conjugial Pair in Heaven | 451 |
| The State of Married Partners after Death | 454 |
| True Marriage looks to what is Eternal | 455 |
| Conjugial Love is perfected to Eternity | 456 |
| They who are in Love truly conjugial feel and see themselves to be a united Man | 457 |
| Marriages induce upon the Souls and Minds another Form | 458 |
| The Woman is actually formed into a Wife according to the Description in the Book of Genesis | 459 |
| Conjugial Love is Fundamental to all Loves, and the Treasury of all Joys and Delights | 460 |
| Wisdom and Intelligence are in Proportion to Conjugial Love | 462 |
| The Qualifications for receiving Conjugial Love | 463 |
| Obstacles to Conjugial Love | 464 |
| Difference of Religion incompatible with Conjugial Love | 466 |
| Conjugial Pairs are born for each other | 467 |
| True Conjugial Love is scarcely known at this day | 468 |
| Semblances of Conjugial Love | 469 |
| Second Marriages | 470 |
| The Nature of the Intelligence of Women and of Men | 472 |
| The Wife should be under the Guidance of the Husband | 473 |
| The Beauty of the Angels originates from Conjugial Love | 474 |
| A Likeness of Marriage in all Created Things | 475 |
| Origin of the Love of Infants | 476 |
| Different Quality of the Love of Infants and Children with the Spiritual and the Natural | 478 |
| The Recession of Infantile Innocence and hence of Parental Love | 479 |
DIVINE PROVIDENCE.
| General Doctrine | 480 |
| The Lord's Divine Providence has for its end a Heaven from the Human Race | 480 |
| Divine Foresight with the Divine Providence | 480 |
| Divine Providence is Universal and Particular | 481 |
| In all that it does the Divine Providence looks to what is Infinite and Eternal from itself, especially in the Salvation of the Human Race | 482 |
| The Law of Divine Providence respecting Man's Freedom and Reason | 485 |
| The Law of the Divine Providence respecting the Removal of Sins in the internal and external Man | 492 |
| The Law of the Divine Providence respecting Compulsion in matters of Faith and of Religion | 494 |
| The Divine Providence unseen and unfelt, yet is to be known and acknowledged | 502 |
| The Divine Providence seen from behind and not in the Face | 504 |
| The Divine Providence and Human Prudence | 505 ​ |
| The Divine Providence respecting temporal Things | 507 |
| The Divine Providence respecting the reception of Truth and Good | 509 |
| Permissions of the Divine Providence | 513 |
| Permissions of Providence with respect to Worldly Possessions and Honours | 515 |
| Permission of Providence with respect to Wars | 516 |
| Permission of Providence with respect to the Religions of the various Nations | 518 |
| Permission of Providence with respect to the Mahometan Religion | 520 |
| Permission of Providence with respect to the limited prevalence of the Christian Religion | 522 |
| Permission of Providence with respect to the Divisions and Corruptions of the Christian Religion | 523 |
| The Permission of Evils | 524 |
| The Divine Providence is equally with the Evil and the Good | 525 |
| The Particular Leading of the Good and the Evil by the Divine Providence | 527 |
| Why Divine Providence leads Man by Affection, not by Thought | 529 |
| The Divine Providence in Withdrawing Man from Evil | 530 |
| Every Man may be reformed, and there is no Predestination | 534 |
| The Operations of Providence for Man's Salvation are continual and progressive | 534 |
| Reason why the Divine Providence operates invisibly and incomprehensively | 536 |
| Fate | 536 |
| Fortune and Chance | 537 |
| Accidents | 538 |
| Divine Providence in respect to the Time of Man's Death | 538 |
| Care for the Morrow | 539 |
HUMAN SOUL.
| Prevailing Ignorance respecting the Soul | 541 |
| What the Soul is | 541 |
| Origin of the Soul | 543 |
| Discrete and Continuous Degrees | 543 |
| Successive and Simultaneous Order of Discrete Degrees | 546 |
| Three Discrete Degrees of the Mind | 547 |
| In each Degree there is a Will and an Understanding | 548 |
| A yet interior Region of the Understanding, above the Celestial, in the Inmost Man | 549 |
| The Rational and the Natural Mind | 550 |
| Evils and Falsities reside in the Natural degree of the Mind | 551 |
| The Action and Reaction of the Natural and Spiritual Mind | 552 |
| The Closing of the Spiritual Degree of the Mind | 552 |
| A Man is perfected in the other Life according to the Degree opened in the World | 553 |
| The Will and Understanding are Organic Forms | 553 |
| The Understanding can be elevated above the Will | 554 |
| The Will rather than the Understanding constitutes the Man | 555 |
| Thoughts and Affections are Variations of State and Form of the Organic Substances of the Mind | 556 ​ |
| Ideas of Thought | 558 |
| The Appearance of Understanding in Brutes—Difference between them and Man | 558 |
| How the Spirit dwells within the Body | 560 |
INFLUX, AND INTERCOURSE BETWEEN THE SOUL AND THE BODY.
| Former Hypotheses concerning the Intercourse between the Soul and the Body | 561 |
| There is one only Life which flows into and vivifies all Forms | 562 |
| Influx from the Lord is both Immediate and Mediate through the Heaven | 563 |
| General and Particular Influx | 566 |
| The Influx into and through the Heavens is in Successive Order, from the First to the Ultimate of Nature | 566 |
| The Influx into Man is also in Successive Order, according to the Discrete Degrees of the Mind | 567 |
| The Influx is into the Will and Understanding, and through these into the Body | 568 |
| Influx illustrated by the Sight of the Eye | 570 |
| In true order Spiritual Influx would guide Man into all Intelligence and Wisdom | 570 |
| The Influx into the World of Nature | 571 |
| Origin of Noxious Animals, Plants, and Minerals | 573 |
| How the Soul acts into and by means of the Body | 576 |
THE ETERNAL WORLD.
| All Angels and Spirits were once Men | 577 |
| The Immensity of the Spiritual World | 577 |
| Outward Aspect of the Spiritual World | 578 |
| The Book of Life | 579 |
| The Eternity of Heaven and Hell | 581 |
| Why the Wicked cannot be saved after death | 583 |
| Meaning of the Saying, "As the Tree falleth so it lies" | 583 |
| Scriptural Explanation of the final State | 584 |
| The Universals of Hell and of Heaven | 585 |
THE INTERMEDIATE STATE OR WORLD OF SPIRITS.
| General Doctrine | 586 |
| The Resurrection and Last Judgment of every one is immediately after death | 588 |
| The Dread of Death an Indication of the Quality of a Man's Life | 589 |
| The Process of Dying, Resurrection, etc. | 589 |
| Three Successive States of Man in the World of Spirits | 592 |
| The First State of Man after Death | 593 |
| The Second State of Man after Death | 595 |
| The Third State of Man after Death | 598 |
| Vastation | 601 |
| Indiscriminate earthly Friendships hurtful after Death | 601 |
| The Character of every one is perceived in the other Life from the Sphere that encompasses him | 603 |
| Conversation and Language of Spirits | 604 |
| The Case of those who have only Natural Hereditary Good | 605 ​ |
The Case of those who in the "World were Idiots • i •
The Delights of every one are changed into the corresponding
Delights after Death . , . . .
Unconscious Association of Angels and Spirits with Man . Why there are two Spirits and two Angels with every Man Such Spirits and Angels are subject Spirits of some Heavenly or
Infernal Society ....
The Angels Associated with Man, or Guardian Angels Only Good Spirits and Angels are with Infants The Lord's Providential Guardianship of Man from Evil Spirits in
Sleep ..... The Danger of conscious Intercourse with Spirits "When Angels or Spirits speak with Man they speak in his own
Language, from his Memory Man, not Enlightened by Intercourse with Spirits, but from
the Word .... - — Visions and Dreams . . ,
What is meant by being in the Spirit . What it is to be taken out of the Body, and to be carried by the
Spirit into another place The Difference between a State of Vision and direct Revela
tion from the Lord .... Extension of Man's Thought into the Spiritual World How Spirits can be enabled to see into this World How long Men remain in the World of Spirits Purgatory a Fiction . .
HEAVEN.
Heaven is Divided into Two Kingdoms • ,
There are three Heavens ....
The Heavens were not three before the Lord's Advent
In each Heaven there are Innumerable Societies
The Universal Heaven is in the Form of a Man
The Correspondence of Heaven with all things of Man
The Correspondence of Heaven with all things on Earth
The Sun and Moon in Heaven
The Heat and Light of Heaven , .
The Four Quarters in Heaven ,
Changes of State in Heaven .
Time in Heaven ....
Space and Distance in Heaven
Representatives and Appearances in Heaven
Tlie Garments of Angels
The Habitations and Mansions of the Angela
Governments in Heaven
Divine Worship in Heaven . ,
The Power of Angels . , ,
The Speech of Angels ,
"Writings in Heaven , ,
The Knowledge of the Angels
The "Wisdom of the Angels . . ,
The Innocence of Angels
PAOB
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