Heaven and Hell - Swedenborg Foundation

HEAVEN AND HELL 159
come into question, but only matters of righteousness, which
belong to the life. About these matters the less wise consult the
more wise, and these consult the Lord and receive answers.
Their heaven, that is, their inmost joy, is to live rightly from
the Lord.
215. In the Lord’s spiritual kingdom the government is
called judgment; because those in that kingdom are in spiritual
good, which is the good of charity toward the neighbor, and
that good in its essence is truth; 155
and truth pertains to
judgment, as good pertains to righteousness. 156
These, too, are
led by the Lord, but mediately (n. 208); and in consequence
they have governors, few or many according to the need of the
society in which they are. They also have laws according to
which they live together. The governors administer all things in
accordance with the laws, which they understand because they
are wise, and in doubtful matters they are enlightened by the
Lord.
216. As government from good, which is the kind of
government that exists in the Lord’s celestial kingdom, is called
righteousness, and government from truth, which is the kind
of government that exists in the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, is
called judgment, so the terms “righteousness and judgment”
3246, 4448, 9166, 10786, where the Lord’s words, “Let your speech be Yea,
yea, Nay, nay; what is beyond these is from evil” [Matt. 5:37] are explained).
155. Those in the spiritual kingdom are in truths, and those in the
celestial kingdom are in good (n. 863, 875, 927, 1023, 1043, 1044, 1555,
2256, 4328, 4493, 5113, 9596).
The good of the spiritual kingdom is the good of charity toward the
neighbor and this good in its essence is truth (n. 8042, 10296).
156. In the Word “righteousness” is predicated of good, and
“judgment” of truth, therefore “to do righteousness and judgment” means
good and truth (n. 2235, 9857).
“Great judgments” means the law of Divine order, thus Divine truths
(n. 7206).