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without Prayer； they are the four fronts of a solid square。 'One
virtue missing；' he said； 'and the Spiritual Angel is like a broken
pearl。' Each of these existences is therefore a circle in which
revolves the celestial riches of the inner being。 The perfection of
the Spiritual Angels comes from this mysterious progression in which
nothing is lost of the high qualities that are successfully acquired
to attain each glorious incarnation； for at each transformation they
cast away unconsciously the flesh and its errors。 When the man lives
in Love he has shed all evil passions： Hope； Charity； Faith； and
Prayer have； in the words of Isaiah； purged the dross of his inner
being； which can never more be polluted by earthly affections。 Hence
the grand saying of Christ quoted by Saint Matthew； 'Lay up for
yourselves treasures in Heaven where neither moth nor rust doth
corrupt；' and those still grander words： 'If ye were of this world the
world would love you； but I have chosen you out of the world； be ye
therefore perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect。'
〃The second transformation of man is to Wisdom。 Wisdom is the
understanding of celestial things to which the spirit is brought by
Love。 The Spirit of Love has acquired strength； the result of all
vanquished terrestrial passions； it loves God blindly。 But the Spirit
of Wisdom has risen to understanding and knows why it loves。 The wings
of the one are spread and bear the spirit to God； the wings of the
other are held down by the awe that comes of understanding： the spirit
knows God。 The one longs incessantly to see God and to fly to Him； the
other attains to Him and trembles。 The union effected between the
Spirit of Love and the Spirit of Wisdom carries the human being into a
Divine state during which time his soul is WOMAN and his body MAN； the
last human manifestation in which the Spirit conquers Form； or Form
still struggles against the Spirit；for Form； that is； the flesh； is
ignorant； rebels； and desires to continue gross。 This supreme trial
creates untold sufferings seen by Heaven alone；the agony of Christ
in the Garden of Olives。
〃After death the first heaven opens to this dual and purified human
nature。 Therefore it is that man dies in despair while the Spirit dies
in ecstasy。 Thus； the NATURAL； the state of beings not yet
regenerated； the SPIRITUAL； the state of those who have become Angelic
Spirits； and the DIVINE； the state in which the Angel exists before he
breaks from his covering of flesh； are the three degrees of existence
through which man enters heaven。 One of Swedenborg's thoughts
expressed in his own words will explain to you with wonderful
clearness the difference between the NATURAL and the SPIRITUAL。 'To
the minds of men；' he says； 'the Natural passes into the Spiritual；
they regard the world under its visible aspects； they perceive it only
as it can be realized by their senses。 But to the apprehension of
Angelic Spirits； the Spiritual passes into the Natural； they regard
the world in its inward essence and not in its form。' Thus human
sciences are but analyses of form。 The man of science as the world
goes is purely external like his knowledge； his inner being is only
used to preserve his aptitude for the perception of external truths。
The Angelic Spirit goes far beyond that； his knowledge is the thought
of which human science is but the utterance； he derives that knowledge
from the Logos； and learns the law of CORRESPONDENCES by which the
world is placed in unison with heaven。 The WORD OF GOD was wholly
written by pure Correspondences； and covers an esoteric or spiritual
meaning； which according to the science of Correspondences； cannot be
understood。 'There exist；' says Swedenborg （'Celestial Doctrine' 26）；
'innumerable Arcana within the hidden meaning of the Correspondences。
Thus the men who scoff at the books of the Prophets where the Word is
enshrined are as densely ignorant as those other men who know nothing
of a science and yet ridicule its truths。 To know the Correspondences
which exist between the things visible and ponderable in the
terrestrial world and the things invisible and imponderable in the
spiritual world； is to hold heaven within our comprehension。 All the
objects of the manifold creations having emanated from God necessarily
enfold a hidden meaning； according； indeed； to the grand thought of
Isaiah； 'The earth is a garment。'
〃This mysterious link between Heaven and the smallest atoms of created
matter constitutes what Swedenborg calls a Celestial Arcanum； and his
treatise on the 'Celestial Arcana' in which he explains the
correspondences or significances of the Natural with； and to； the
Spiritual； giving； to use the words of Jacob Boehm； the sign and seal
of all things； occupies not less than sixteen volumes containing
thirty thousand propositions。 'This marvellous knowledge of
Correspondences which the goodness of God granted to Swedenborg；' says
one of his disciples； 'is the secret of the interest which draws men
to his works。 According to him； all things are derived from heaven；
all things lead back to heaven。 His writings are sublime and clear； he
speaks in heaven； and earth hears him。 Take one of his sentences by
itself and a volume could be made of it'； and the disciple quotes the
following passages taken from a thousand others that would answer the
same purpose。
〃'The kingdom of heaven；' says Swedenborg （'Celestial Arcana'）； 'is
the kingdom of motives。 ACTION is born in heaven； thence into the
world； and； by degrees； to the infinitely remote parts of earth。
Terrestrial effects being thus linked to celestial causes； all things
are CORRESPONDENT and SIGNIFICANT。 Man is the means of union between
the Natural and the Spiritual。'
〃The Angelic Spirits therefore know the very nature of the
Correspondences which link to heaven all earthly things； they know；
too； the inner meaning of the prophetic words which foretell their
evolutions。 Thus to these Spirits everything here below has its
significance； the tiniest flower is a thought；a life which
corresponds to certain lineaments of the Great Whole； of which they
have a constant intuition。 To them Adultery and the excesses spoken of
in Scripture and by the Prophets； often garbled by self…styled
scholars； mean the state of those souls which in this world persist in
tainting themselves with earthly affections； thus compelling their
divorce from Heaven。 Clouds signify the veil of the Most High。
Torches； shew…bread； horses and horsemen； harlots； precious stones； in
short； everything named in Scripture； has to them a clear…cut meaning；
and reveals the future of terrestrial facts in their relation to
Heaven。 They penetrate the truths contained in the Revelation of Saint
John the divine； which human science has subsequently demonstrated and
proved materially； such； for instance； as the following （'big；' said
Swedenborg； 'with many human sciences'）： 'I saw a new heaven and a new