SD 1509
. . . the Lord wills that each and all things should happen according to order,
so that they should proceed, as it were, spontaneously.
For the Lord is Order
and thus establishes it,
such as order in the body,
wherein each and all things flow as of themselves.
SD 1531
. . . the inhabitants and spirits of our earth are the external sense,
and that they are corporeal
and thus approach the nature of brutes rather than the human nature.
. . . But although those on this earth are such,
yet they possess the knowledges of the truths of faith
which are serviceable for a ground, as it were,
in which spiritual and celestial truths of faith can be sown.
Without such a ground
the truths of faith are not easily implanted so that they may grow.
For this reason also the spirits of our earth
more easily enter the interior and more interior heaven
after the exteriors have been devastated;
and because they take with them something from the life of the body,
they also may serve as ministering means for instructing others
who do not possess such knowledges from Revelation.
For this reason the Lord loved our earth above others,
since for perfect order to exist,
celestial and spiritual truths must be take root in natural truths.
It is also to be observed
that while the knowledges and ideas of the angels
are indefinitely more profound than the ideas of people,
still they are rooted in natural truths.
So do truths mutually succeed and correspond to each other.
(March 18,1748)
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2 comments:
The excellent question arose:
. . . the inhabitants and spirits of our earth are the external sense
. . . confused as to what this means.
Here is a response from Bill that will help:
If you don't mind, I am going to come at this question indirectly.
In Earths in the Universe it is is revealed that one of the reasons why the Lord chose to be born on our earth and not some other, is that our earth from ancient times had the art of writing. The art of writing allowed the Lord's revelation of Divine truth to be revealed, preserved, and passed on to others with much greater accuracy than oral tradition could provide. See EU 113-122, SD 4663. Written revelation exists only on our earth (EU 120, SD 4781). For some reason having a written revelation allows for that Divine revelation to be communicated not only us and to the gentiles on our earth, but also to the spirits and angels from other earths (See EU 118, 113).
But not only is our earth the only one to have writing, it appears to be that we alone also have various means of travel that other earths do not (SD 4781). In a conversation Swedenborg had with some spirits from another earth, he explains:
> that such things are known in our earth; and that, so far as is yet known, it is not so in other earths; also, that in this earth are sciences, which are increased by being capable of inscription in writings, and so left to others and to posterity, and that hence are many arts in this earth, as for example, the art of constructing ships, and many other things. It was granted me to tell them the reason; [namely], that, from the earliest times, those in this earth wished to be wise in such things, and that this was represented by the tree of knowledge in paradise; and that, because they had eaten thereof, therefore they cannot be made healthy [spiritually] by other means than by sciences, thus by the scientifics which are of faith. . . . (In this earth, more than in other earths, there are sciences and arts quite unknown elsewhere: [the following] sciences, to wit, the physical sciences in general, chemistry, medicine, optics, astronomy, geometry, and philosophy, whereof they know nothing at all elsewhere; [the following] arts, for example, the smeltings of metals, the art of sculpture, of painting, music, the art of constructing ships, carriages, magnificent buildings and palaces out of stone and marble, and mirrors; besides very many arts, which are for use and pleasure. Not only are they [in this earth] skilful in these, but they also have communication, by means of ships, with distant regions; and the gains of different regions are distributed to others. Similarly with the arts, and also with the sciences. These, when invented and known by one person, are communicated, by means of books and writings, to all others; and the things which are known in one region are likewise communicated to those who are in another; and those things which the ancients knew, are also known to posterity; for writings remain. For which reason also, and especially, the Word and the truths of faith, could be given in this earth, because [they could be known] in many [places] at the same time, and successively through the ages; and so could be multiplied, which could not happen elsewhere. (SE 4663)
Spiritual Diary 1531 says:
> From this it can be evident that the inhabitants and spirits of our earth are the external sense, and that they are corporeal and thus approach the nature of brutes rather than the human nature.
My understanding of this is that we, on this earth, are the most external, materialistic, and bodily oriented or focused people in creation. It is this external focus allowed us to invent writing, travel, and the other arts and sciences which are only known on this earth.
(Continued in Part 2)
Part 2
This external nature of ours is a two edged sword. On the one hand we when we only look to this external we become more like brutes than people.
On the other hand, when we look to the Lord and apply His spiritual truths to our external, material uses the Lord conjoins the spiritual and the natural in a very special way. All power, holiness, and fulness of the Divine truth is in its most external expressions. Since we are the most external earth, the Lord loves our earth more than others because His Good and Truth can descend more fully into external here than elsewhere. Of course, for this to happen, we must look to the Lord and shun evils as sins.
This is what I think is meant by SD 4782 by the people of our earth corresponding to the sciences, not abstracted from material things but conjoined with them. Or as SD 1531 puts it, "spiritual truths must be inrooted in natural truths."
They called the spirits from this earth, sciences; for they correspond to sciences, not abstracted from material things but conjoined with them. Thus, in this earth, it is known, from science, that God is a man: elsewhere, not from science. The difference is like that between angels who know from perception and communication, and [those who know] from themselves. (SD 4782)
I suspect that we are ones who know from ourselves that the Lord is a man, while it those on other earths who know this from perception and communication.
Our external nature also acts as a ground for the truths of faith, which in turn make it easier for us enter into interior things. And these externals can serve as a means of instruction, nor only for us, but also for others who do not have such knowledges.
From this it can be evident that the inhabitants and spirits of our earth are the external sense, and that they are corporeal and thus approach the nature of brutes rather than the human nature. The spirits of Saturn also said this concerning the spirits of our earth. But although those on this earth are such, yet they possess the cognitions of the truths of faith which are serviceable for a ground, as it were, in which spiritual and celestial truths of faith can be sown. Without such a ground the truths of faith are not easily inseminated so that they may grow. For this reason also the spirits of our earth more easily enter the interior and more interior heaven after the exteriors have been devastated; and because they take with them something from the life of the body, they also may serve as ministering means for instructing others who do not possess such cognitions from Revelation. Wherefore the Lord loved our earth above others, since for perfect order to exist, celestial and spiritual truths must be inrooted in natural truths. It is also to be observed that while the cognitions and ideas of the angels are indefinitely more profound than the ideas of man, still they are rooted in natural truths. Thus do truths mutually succeed and correspond to each other. SD 1531)
I have often wondered if one of the reasons we are so scientifically inclined is so that eventually we may carry the Lord's Word to the inhabitants of other planets.
Bill
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