Selection from Heaven and Hell ~ Emanuel Swedenborg
He who has not experienced the peace of heaven cannot perceive what the peace is in which the angels are. As man is unable, as long as he is in the body, to receive the peace of heaven, so he can have no perception of it, because his perception is in what is natural. To perceive it, he must be able, as to thought, to be raised up and withdrawn from the body and kept in the spirit, and at the same time be with angels. In this way has the peace of heaven been perceived by me, and therefore I am able to describe it. Yet because human words are inadequate, I cannot describe in words that peace in itself but only as it is in comparison with that rest of mind experienced by those who are content in God.There are two inmost things of heaven, namely, innocence and peace. These are said to be inmost things because they proceed directly from the Lord. From innocence comes every good of heaven, and from peace every delight of good. Every good has its delight; both good and delight are of love, for whatever is loved is called good, and is also perceived as delightful. From this it follows that these two inmost things, innocence and peace, go forth from the Lord's Divine Love and affect the angels from what is inmost. That innocence is the inmost of good — the state of innocence of the angels of heaven.
It will now be explained that peace is the inmost of delight from the good of innocence.
First, the origin of peace will be considered. Divine peace is in the Lord. It comes into existence from the union of the Divine Itself and the Divine Human in Him. The Divine of peace in heaven is from the Lord, coming into existence from His conjunction with the angels of heaven, and in particular from the conjunction of the good and truth with any one angel. These are the origins of peace. From this it can be established that peace in the heavens is the Divine inmostly affecting with blessedness everything good therefrom, and from this is every joy of heaven; also that it is in its essence the Divine joy of the Lord's Divine Love, resulting from His conjunction with heaven and with every one there. This joy, perceived by the Lord in angels and by angels from the Lord, is peace. By derivation from this the angels have everything that is blessed, delightful, and happy, or that which is called heavenly joy.
• By peace in the highest sense the Lord is meant, because peace is from Him, and in the internal sense heaven is meant, because those who are there are in a state of peace.
• Peace in the heavens is the Divine inmostly affecting with blessedness everything good and true there, and this peace is incomprehensible to man.
• Divine peace is in good, but not in truth apart from good.
Because these are the origins of peace the Lord is called "the Prince of peace", and He declares that from Him is peace and in Him is peace; and the angels are called angels of peace, and heaven is called a habitation of peace, as in the following passages:
Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, God, Mighty One, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end. (Isa. 9:6, 7).
Jesus said, Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth give I unto you. (John 14:27).
These things have I spoken unto you that in Me ye may have peace. (John 16:33).
Jehovah lift up His countenance upon thee and give thee peace. (Num. 6:26).
The angels of peace weep bitterly, the highways are wasted. (Isa. 33:7, 8).
The work of justice shall be peace; and My people shall dwell in a habitation of peace. (Isa. 32:17, 18)That it is Divine and heavenly peace that is meant in the Word by "peace" can be confirmed also from other passages where it is mentioned (as Isa. 3:7; 54:10; 69:8; Jer. 16:5; 25:37; 29:11; Hag. 2:9; Zech. 8:10; Psalm 37:37; and elsewhere.) Because "peace" signifies the Lord and heaven, and also heavenly joy and the delight of good, "Peace be with you" was an ancient form of salutation that is still in use; and it was approved by the Lord in His saying to the disciples whom He sent forth:
Into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house; and if a son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it. (Luke 10:5, 6).And when the Lord Himself appeared to the apostles, He said:
Peace be with you. (John 20:19, 21, 26).A state of peace is also meant in the Word where it is said that:
Jehovah smelled an odour of rest. (as Exod. 29:18, 25, 41; Lev. 1:9, 13, 17; 2:2, 9; 6:15, 21; 23:12, 13, 18; Num. 15:3, 7, 13; 28:6, 8, 13; 29:2, 6, 8, 13, 36).An "odour of rest" in the heavenly sense signifies a perception of peace.
• Since peace signifies the union of the Divine Itself and the Divine Human in the Lord, also the conjunction of the Lord with heaven and with the Church, and with all who are in heaven, as well as in the Church, who receive Him, so the Sabbath was instituted as a reminder of these things, its name meaning rest or peace, and was the most holy representative of the Church. For the same reason, the Lord called Himself "Lord of the Sabbath" (Matt. 22:8; Mark 2:27, 28; Luke 6:5).
• In the Word an "odour" signifies the perception of agreeableness or disagreeableness, according to the quality of the love and faith of which it is predicated.
• An "odour of rest", in reference to Jehovah, means a perception of peace.
This is why frankincense, incense, and odours in oils and ointments, became representative.
• The "Sabbath" signifies in the highest sense the union of the Divine Itself and the Divine Human in the Lord; in the internal sense the conjunction of the Divine Human of the Lord with heaven and with the Church; in general, the conjunction of good and truth, thus the heavenly marriage.
• Therefore "rest on the Sabbath day" signified the state of that union, because then the Lord had rest, and thereby there is peace and salvation in the heavens and on the earth; and in a relative sense it signified the conjunction of the Lord with man, because man then has peace and salvation.
Because the peace of heaven is the Divine inmostly affecting with blessedness the good itself with the angels, it can be clearly perceived by them only as a delight of heart when they are in the good of their life, as the pleasure with which they hear truth that agrees with their good, and as a cheerfulness of mind when they perceive the conjunction of good and truth. Nevertheless, from this it flows into all the acts and thoughts of their life, and there presents itself as joy, even in outward aspect. But peace in the heavens differs in quality and quantity in agreement with the innocence of those who are there, since innocence and peace walk hand in hand; for every good of heaven, as said above, is from innocence, and every delight of that good is from peace. Thence it can be confirmed that the same that has been said in the foregoing section about the state of innocence in the heavens may be said here of the state of peace there, since innocence and peace are conjoined like good and its delight; for good is felt by means of its delight, and delight is known from its good. This being so, it is evident that angels of the inmost or third heaven are in the third or inmost degree of peace, because they are in the third or inmost degree of innocence; and that angels of the lower heavens are in a less degree of peace, because they are in a less degree of innocence.
That innocence and peace are together like good and its delight can be seen in little children, who, because they are in innocence, are also in peace, and because they are in peace are, in their whole nature, full of play.Yet the peace experienced by little children is external peace; while internal peace, like internal innocence, is possible only in wisdom, and therefore only in the conjunction of good and truth, since wisdom is from that conjunction.
Heavenly or angelic peace is also possible with men who are in wisdom from the conjunction of good and truth, and who in consequence have a sense of contentment in God; nevertheless, while they live in the world this peace lies hidden in their interiors, but it is revealed when they leave the body and enter heaven, for their interiors are then opened.As the Divine peace comes into existence from the conjunction of the Lord with heaven, and specially from the conjunction of the good and truth with any one angel, so when the angels are in a state of love they are in a state of peace; for then, with them good is conjoined to truth — the states of angels undergo successive changes. This is true also of a man who is being regenerated. As soon as, in his case, a conjunction of good and truth comes about, which takes place especially after temptations, he comes into a state of delight from heavenly peace.
• This peace may be likened to morning or dawn in springtime, when, the night being passed, with the rising of the sun all things of the earth begin to live anew, the fragrance of growing vegetation is spread abroad as a result of the dew that descends from heaven, and the mild vernal temperature gives fertility to the ground and imparts pleasure to the minds of men, and this because morning or dawn in springtime corresponds to the state of peace of angels in heaven.
• The conjunction of the good and truth with a man who is being regenerated is effected in a state of peace.
• The state of peace in the heavens is like a state of dawn or springtime on the earth.
I have also spoken with the angels about peace, saying that it is called peace in the world when wars and hostilities cease between kingdoms, and when enmities or discords cease among men; also that internal peace is believed to consist in rest of mind when cares are removed, especially in tranquillity and delight due to success in business.
But the angels said that rest of mind and tranquillity and delight due to the removal of cares, and success in business appear to be peace, but really are peace only with those who are in heavenly good, for only in that good is peace possible. For peace flows in from the Lord into the inmost of such, and from their inmost descends and flows down into the lower faculties, producing rest of the interior mind (mens), tranquillity of the exterior mind (animus), and joy therefrom.But to those who are in evil, peace is impossible. It appears indeed as if they had rest, tranquillity, and delight when things succeed according to their wishes. But it is external and not at all internal, for inwardly they burn with enmity, hatred, revenge, cruelty, and many evil lusts, into which their exterior mind (animus) is carried whenever any one is seen to be unfavourable to them, and which burst forth when they are not restrained by fear. Consequently, the delight of such dwells in insanity, while the delight of those who are in good dwells in wisdom. The difference is like that between hell and heaven.
• The lusts that originate in love of self and of the world wholly take away peace. There are some who think to find peace in restlessness, and in such things as are contrary to peace. There can be no peace unless the lusts of evil are removed.
(from Heaven and Hell 284-290)