Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Sidor ...
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
168 SWEDENBORG’S TRAVELS AND DIARIES. [Doc. 209.
51. April 9X10. The whole day of the 9th I spent in
prayer, in songs of praise, in reading God’s Word, and fasting ;
except in the morning when I was otherwise occupied, until
the same kind of temptation came, and I was compelled to
think on subjects contrary to my own will.
52. This night I slept very tranquilly. At three or four
o’clock I awoke and lay awake, but in a kind of vision. I
could look up and be observant whenever I chose, so that I
was not otherwise than awake, and yet in the spirit there was
an inward gladness which diffused itself over the whole body.
All seemed in a wonderful and transcendent manner (på
öfwerswinnerligit sett) to approach and conspire (abouterade);
to rise up as it were and nestle in infinitude as a centre,
where Love itself was ; thence it seemed to extend itself
around and thus down again. In this manner it moved in
an incomprehensible circle [spire?] whose centre was Love,
around and thus hither again ; that Love moved towards
and into a mortal body, so that I became filled with it.
I likened that inward feeling of gladness to what is felt
by a chaste husband who is in an actual state of love,
and enjoys its supreme delight with his spouse. Such a
supreme feeling of bliss was shed over my whole body, and
indeed, for a long time, even during the whole time before I
fell asleep, and after I awoke for a half, nay for a whole hour.†
Now, when I was in the spirit and yet awake-for I could
lift up my eyes and be awake -and when I came into the
same state again, I saw and perceived that that supreme
Love* was the source of that inmost and real feeling of
gladness; and that in proportion as I could be in that Love,
in the same proportion I was in a state of bliss ; but as soon
as I came into another love which did not centre in it, I
was beyond its influence. When there was thus an affection
for self, or some other affection, which did not centre in that
supreme Love, I was no longer in that state of gladness ; a
slight chill crept over me, I shivered and felt a pain, whence
I found that that was the source of my pains sometimes, and
also of that great pain and sorrow when the spirit is troubled ;
* See Note 165, ii and iv. See Note 162, ii.
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
