The Spirits of the Church called Mercury
Rev. Paul Booth
Lessons: Psalm 67 | Luke 16: 19-31 | Earths in the Universe 14
Rev. Paul Booth
Lessons: Psalm 67 | Luke 16: 19-31 | Earths in the Universe 14
I was told that the life of the inhabitants of that earth is such, namely, that they do not concern themselves about terrestrial things and corporeal things, but only about statutes, laws, and governments of the nations there; and also about the things of heaven, which are innumerable. I was further informed, that many of the men (homines) of that earth converse with spirits, and that thence they have knowledges respecting spiritual things and the states of life after death, and that thence also they have a contempt for corporeal and terrestrial things; for those who know for a certainty, and believe that there is a life after death, are not about worldly things, except so far as the necessities of life require. Such being the character of its inhabitants, such also is that the spirits who are from it.
(Earths in the Universe 12)
(Earths in the Universe 12)
It is only from the Third Testament that we learn about the Grand or Greatest Man and that all things in man both in general and particular and both exterior and interior corresponds to that man or to heaven. Though some Christians probably still think that they are only who come into heaven.
The question before us is: are the spirits of the Church or 'earth' called Mercury from a far distant planet in a different galaxy or are they from the spiritual universe and as such a part of the Grand Man? Are they from a different Church from the world then any of the ones we are familiar with or even from some that exist today?
We learn that these spirits relate to the Grand Man to the memory, though to the memory of things separate from things earthy and material, but we need to know what conditions have affected them. First, we need to remember at that time Swedenborg was not a spirit, but a man. So, when these spirits approached him they sifted out from his memory what he knew. Now this is not peculiar to the spirits of Mercury; all spirits can do this. What these spirits did was to have an interest only in what things related to genius and manners of the inhabitants of the places Swedenborg had been not to the places and the objects there; these things - genius and manners of the man - being associated with a man's memory. As you can see such things are interior and that the material things they disregarded. From this we can know what relation these spirits have to the Grand Man.
These spirits had come from a church or 'earth' that concerned their selves about the things of the Word - rituals, representatives and significations of the internal sense and about the things of heaven. We learn that the men of that church spoke with spirits and learned knowledges of spiritual things and of the states after death. Thus we can understand why they had contempt for corporeal and terrestrial things. One might assume this church were those who developed from the Most Ancient Church. We learn that the things in the world - trees, animals, etc., or representatives and significations brought their minds towards heaven. Here, let us recall that those of the Most Ancient Church desired to have knowledge of spiritual things of their own not wanting to receive this knowledge from the Lord. Could this be the church or 'earth' that is meant and these spirits those who have come from? Now, it was before such a time of the Last Judgment and the spirits who were not immediately taken into heaven were still in societies and, in such, would appear in the spiritual universe as stars or suns.
These spirits only desired to acquire knowledge and enrich the memory, though we learn they had also the ability to do evil. They were found to be conceited from the knowledge they knew, however only excused their faults saying it was not conceit but a glorying on account of their capacity of their memory. Though they have a memory of interior knowledges of spiritual things which is of truths they do not have a principle of good and truth, thus they are not faithful being judged by a principle of truths only. Their delight is, in fact, in bare knowledges. From this we further find out they see no use in the knowledge they acquired. However, when these are shared with others they are uses to those shared with. There are many other things one may read about of these spirits in numbers 21 through 25.
We are informed that such spirits travel throughout the spiritual universe and so know more than others about the systems and earths beyond our solar system, thus about spiritual beliefs of churches and also natural beliefs, ours of the Christian being a natural belief. The number 26 in "Earths in the Universe" said about these spirits refer only to their ability to journey throughout the spiritual universe, not the physical universe. So, are they who they visit these throughout the spiritual universe coming from other 'earths' or churches in other natural universes then from the one 'earth' or church of this world? Is there only one 'earth' or church on this world in our universe?
Another thing that we learn about the spirits of Mercury is that they are in a 'light' less superior then those of our church who come into heaven. From this we see that the spirits of Mercury are of an inferior church or 'earth'; and that it had not reached to a higher state in its development. Though we had prior learned that they could accept the Divine Human if they were not idolaters, had acknowledged the Lord as One only God and adored the Divine. We will learn later that some did after seeing the Lord.
One thing we learn about these spirits that come the church called Mercury is that they did not have a written language and so also neither the people coming from the natural world. The spirits of Mercury from there journeys throughout the spiritual world or universe had learned that other churches had a written language. Now the question is: is there still a natural church which is called Mercury some where other than on our world that is still without a written language that continues to come into the spiritual world? It is from our written Word, the Word of the Divine Human, that one learns the written Word of the Old Testament is a covenant or conjunction of man with heaven and that before that the Word was through representatives and significations and these were inscribed on the hearts of the Most Ancient Church and later came was Ancient's Word and it had been collected from the prior. Now it is from the written Word or covenant of the Old Testament that it is learned that the Lord comes on this 'earth' or church of the Jews that a man can be saved.
Yet, at the time when a written Word was in the Christian World and Swedenborg was writing the Third Testament the spirits of the church or 'earth' called Mercury only knew of the written Word from their searching throughout the spiritual universe. We have learned that at that time the spirits called Mercury were in an inferior light or intelligence even though they acquired knowledges into their memory that were above the earthy and material things of the natural. Nonetheless, they knew only things affected through truths and yet not things affected by their uses or things of love. Question: since this was before the Last Judgment were these spirits taught and able to come into heaven and are there still men today coming into heaven which are of the same genius? If so, wouldn't one think because there is now a written Word of the Divine Human that those could read and learn even as anyone in our world though not in the New Church can also?
We see that the spirits of Mercury had been shown by spirits and angels of our earth that their knowledge was very little with what was possible to know. From this it was learned that some did humble themselves after learning of their conceit. Lest we begin to think those coming from our 'earth' or church were all more learned concerning the Lord and believed in Him it was the spirits from the church called Mercury that perceived many did no truly believe in the God. They had not lived a life of faith though they professed a faith, but only from the doctrine of their church on earth.
It was said that certain spirits from Mercury knew from heaven that a promise was given to them that they would see the Lord. Note, here, that this church or 'earth' of Mercury was not shown the Lord as the Christian Church sees Him today as a Man in history or as He is in His angelic form or even as the Sun of heaven. They had remembered the promise and said they were not sure the promise was made so as to have no doubt. At that event the Sun of heaven appeared to them, though they said it was not the Lord God because they saw no face. (Remember they believed Him to be a Man) Then the Sun appeared again but with a face in the midst of it and the spirits of Mercury humbled themselves, bowing down. At this event observed by Swedenborg were also spirits of our 'earth' or church - the Christian - who declared it was the Lord Himself and also some from the 'earth' or church called Jupiter also saw the Lord presented and declared it was the Lord Himself.
While the sun and its light of the world that men had lived when merely natural had lived in does not appear to any spirits, but is like thick darkness. Yet, it is in their perception from having seen it when they were in the world and is exhibited by an idea that is a dark something and behind them. Each 'earth' or men coming from each church is said to be in a fixed position to the sun of world. This is the idea that spirits and angels have of their 'earth'. A spirit appears near their planet though apart from it. They are near it because of their belief and doctrine. What we should notice here is that it is not said 'suns' of different universes, but only the sun of the world and that each 'earth' is in a fixed situation in respect to this sun. Perhaps from this the various 'earths' and their spirits coming from them should be seen as coming from our world on which our church is, since there was not shown of these planets having any human life on them.
The one thing we do learn about the spirits of Mercury is that they did not accumulate evil knowledge, not even wanting to hear it. Nonetheless, there is a relation of their memory of material things with immaterial things when their memory of material things is in relation with good.
We learn from their looks that they were similar to many tribes and nations that had lived on this world in earlier times; thus it is not possible to know from this whether their 'earth' or church was from a different planet than ours. At last we learn that the sun appeared larger then it does to other 'earths', or churches. Can this be that at the time those of this church which is called Mercury by Swedenborg are because while it on earth existed in more northerly latitude where the sun appears larger? We know of course that there have been different ages over time - the ice age.
Amen.
The question before us is: are the spirits of the Church or 'earth' called Mercury from a far distant planet in a different galaxy or are they from the spiritual universe and as such a part of the Grand Man? Are they from a different Church from the world then any of the ones we are familiar with or even from some that exist today?
We learn that these spirits relate to the Grand Man to the memory, though to the memory of things separate from things earthy and material, but we need to know what conditions have affected them. First, we need to remember at that time Swedenborg was not a spirit, but a man. So, when these spirits approached him they sifted out from his memory what he knew. Now this is not peculiar to the spirits of Mercury; all spirits can do this. What these spirits did was to have an interest only in what things related to genius and manners of the inhabitants of the places Swedenborg had been not to the places and the objects there; these things - genius and manners of the man - being associated with a man's memory. As you can see such things are interior and that the material things they disregarded. From this we can know what relation these spirits have to the Grand Man.
These spirits had come from a church or 'earth' that concerned their selves about the things of the Word - rituals, representatives and significations of the internal sense and about the things of heaven. We learn that the men of that church spoke with spirits and learned knowledges of spiritual things and of the states after death. Thus we can understand why they had contempt for corporeal and terrestrial things. One might assume this church were those who developed from the Most Ancient Church. We learn that the things in the world - trees, animals, etc., or representatives and significations brought their minds towards heaven. Here, let us recall that those of the Most Ancient Church desired to have knowledge of spiritual things of their own not wanting to receive this knowledge from the Lord. Could this be the church or 'earth' that is meant and these spirits those who have come from? Now, it was before such a time of the Last Judgment and the spirits who were not immediately taken into heaven were still in societies and, in such, would appear in the spiritual universe as stars or suns.
These spirits only desired to acquire knowledge and enrich the memory, though we learn they had also the ability to do evil. They were found to be conceited from the knowledge they knew, however only excused their faults saying it was not conceit but a glorying on account of their capacity of their memory. Though they have a memory of interior knowledges of spiritual things which is of truths they do not have a principle of good and truth, thus they are not faithful being judged by a principle of truths only. Their delight is, in fact, in bare knowledges. From this we further find out they see no use in the knowledge they acquired. However, when these are shared with others they are uses to those shared with. There are many other things one may read about of these spirits in numbers 21 through 25.
We are informed that such spirits travel throughout the spiritual universe and so know more than others about the systems and earths beyond our solar system, thus about spiritual beliefs of churches and also natural beliefs, ours of the Christian being a natural belief. The number 26 in "Earths in the Universe" said about these spirits refer only to their ability to journey throughout the spiritual universe, not the physical universe. So, are they who they visit these throughout the spiritual universe coming from other 'earths' or churches in other natural universes then from the one 'earth' or church of this world? Is there only one 'earth' or church on this world in our universe?
Another thing that we learn about the spirits of Mercury is that they are in a 'light' less superior then those of our church who come into heaven. From this we see that the spirits of Mercury are of an inferior church or 'earth'; and that it had not reached to a higher state in its development. Though we had prior learned that they could accept the Divine Human if they were not idolaters, had acknowledged the Lord as One only God and adored the Divine. We will learn later that some did after seeing the Lord.
One thing we learn about these spirits that come the church called Mercury is that they did not have a written language and so also neither the people coming from the natural world. The spirits of Mercury from there journeys throughout the spiritual world or universe had learned that other churches had a written language. Now the question is: is there still a natural church which is called Mercury some where other than on our world that is still without a written language that continues to come into the spiritual world? It is from our written Word, the Word of the Divine Human, that one learns the written Word of the Old Testament is a covenant or conjunction of man with heaven and that before that the Word was through representatives and significations and these were inscribed on the hearts of the Most Ancient Church and later came was Ancient's Word and it had been collected from the prior. Now it is from the written Word or covenant of the Old Testament that it is learned that the Lord comes on this 'earth' or church of the Jews that a man can be saved.
Yet, at the time when a written Word was in the Christian World and Swedenborg was writing the Third Testament the spirits of the church or 'earth' called Mercury only knew of the written Word from their searching throughout the spiritual universe. We have learned that at that time the spirits called Mercury were in an inferior light or intelligence even though they acquired knowledges into their memory that were above the earthy and material things of the natural. Nonetheless, they knew only things affected through truths and yet not things affected by their uses or things of love. Question: since this was before the Last Judgment were these spirits taught and able to come into heaven and are there still men today coming into heaven which are of the same genius? If so, wouldn't one think because there is now a written Word of the Divine Human that those could read and learn even as anyone in our world though not in the New Church can also?
We see that the spirits of Mercury had been shown by spirits and angels of our earth that their knowledge was very little with what was possible to know. From this it was learned that some did humble themselves after learning of their conceit. Lest we begin to think those coming from our 'earth' or church were all more learned concerning the Lord and believed in Him it was the spirits from the church called Mercury that perceived many did no truly believe in the God. They had not lived a life of faith though they professed a faith, but only from the doctrine of their church on earth.
It was said that certain spirits from Mercury knew from heaven that a promise was given to them that they would see the Lord. Note, here, that this church or 'earth' of Mercury was not shown the Lord as the Christian Church sees Him today as a Man in history or as He is in His angelic form or even as the Sun of heaven. They had remembered the promise and said they were not sure the promise was made so as to have no doubt. At that event the Sun of heaven appeared to them, though they said it was not the Lord God because they saw no face. (Remember they believed Him to be a Man) Then the Sun appeared again but with a face in the midst of it and the spirits of Mercury humbled themselves, bowing down. At this event observed by Swedenborg were also spirits of our 'earth' or church - the Christian - who declared it was the Lord Himself and also some from the 'earth' or church called Jupiter also saw the Lord presented and declared it was the Lord Himself.
While the sun and its light of the world that men had lived when merely natural had lived in does not appear to any spirits, but is like thick darkness. Yet, it is in their perception from having seen it when they were in the world and is exhibited by an idea that is a dark something and behind them. Each 'earth' or men coming from each church is said to be in a fixed position to the sun of world. This is the idea that spirits and angels have of their 'earth'. A spirit appears near their planet though apart from it. They are near it because of their belief and doctrine. What we should notice here is that it is not said 'suns' of different universes, but only the sun of the world and that each 'earth' is in a fixed situation in respect to this sun. Perhaps from this the various 'earths' and their spirits coming from them should be seen as coming from our world on which our church is, since there was not shown of these planets having any human life on them.
The one thing we do learn about the spirits of Mercury is that they did not accumulate evil knowledge, not even wanting to hear it. Nonetheless, there is a relation of their memory of material things with immaterial things when their memory of material things is in relation with good.
We learn from their looks that they were similar to many tribes and nations that had lived on this world in earlier times; thus it is not possible to know from this whether their 'earth' or church was from a different planet than ours. At last we learn that the sun appeared larger then it does to other 'earths', or churches. Can this be that at the time those of this church which is called Mercury by Swedenborg are because while it on earth existed in more northerly latitude where the sun appears larger? We know of course that there have been different ages over time - the ice age.
Amen.
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