Page:Heaven Revealed.djvu/367

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—instruments in the hands of others. Thus they represent the extremities, the hands and feet, which are moved by the body under the direction of the head; and they are as necessary to the completeness of this larger or collective man, as the hands and feet are to the completeness of the individual. We have in this class, therefore, an illustration of the first or lowest heaven, whose denizens are described by Swedenborg as mere "obediences," and are said to be in the thought of effects.

To see how naturally and necessarily people arrange themselves into this triple order in an advanced state of society, we will take a case by way of illustration. Let us look at a country as a single individual in larger form. A government is therein instituted for a definite purpose. And when duly organized and its machinery is in successful operation, what do we find? One class of men whose special function it is to conceive, plan and direct in the affairs of state, and who therefore constitute its head. And in well-organized governments this head must consist of a deliberative and an executive department—a law-making and a law-executing power—functions corresponding perfectly to those of the cerebrum and cerebellum in the head of every individual. This head of the government or state, too, is in the thought of ends. It conceives, plans, points out, directs. It decides what the country will do; when it will go to war and when make peace; when and where it will purchase or sell territory; what foreign nations it will hold intercourse with, and what it will not; when and where it will erect fortifications, improve harbors, construct lighthouses, negotiate treaties, make internal improve-