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The Delights of Wisdom Pertaining to Conjugial Love by Emanuel Swedenborg
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and drinks, both feasts and repasts; and at the tables of the great
there is a variety of the most exquisite food, and all kinds of rich
dainties and delicacies, wherewith their minds are exhilarated and
refreshed. There are likewise sports and exhibitions, concerts of music,
vocal and instrumental, and all these things in the highest perfection.
Such things are a source of joy to them, but not of happiness; for
happiness ought to be within external joys, and to flow from them. This
inward happiness abiding in external joys, is necessary to give them
their proper relish, and make them joys; it enriches them, and prevents
their becoming loathsome and disgusting; and this happiness is derived
to every angel from the use he performs in his duty or employment. There
is a certain vein latent in the affection of the will of every angel,
which attracts his mind to the execution of some purpose or other,
wherein his mind finds itself in tranquillity, and is satisfied. This
tranquillity and satisfaction form a state of mind capable of receiving
from the Lord the love of uses; and from the reception of this love
springs heavenly happiness, which is the life of the above-mentioned
joys. Heavenly food in its essence is nothing but love, wisdom, and use
united together; that is, use effected by wisdom and derived from love;
wherefore food for the body is given to every one in heaven according to
the use which he performs; sumptuous food to those who perform eminent
uses; moderate, but of an exquisite relish, to those who perform less
eminent uses; and ordinary to such as live in the performance of
ordinary uses; but none at all to the slothful."

7. After this the angel called to him the company of the so-called wise
ones, who supposed heavenly joys, and the eternal happiness thence
derived, to consist in exalted power and dominion, with the possession
of abundant treasures, attended with more than princely splendor and
magnificence, and who had been betrayed into this supposition by what is
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