AC 2362 [5]
From the things contained in this verse
it can be seen how pure is the Word
in the internal sense,
although it may not so appear in the letter;
for when these words are read:
"Behold I pray I have two daughters
who have not known man;
let me I pray bring them out unto you,
and ye may do unto them as is good in your eyes,
only unto these men do not anything,"
(Genesis 19:8)
nothing but what is impure enters the ideas,
especially the ideas of those who are in a life of evil.
And yet how chaste these words are
in the internal sense,
is manifest from the explanation,
by which it is shown that they signify
the affections of good and of truth,
and the blessedness which they
who do no violence to the Lord's Divine and Holy
perceive from the enjoyment of them.
AC 2367
While a man is in corporeal things
(that is, while he is living in the body),
the affections, like the perceptions,
are of a very general nature,
and consequently are very obscure,
no matter how much the man may suppose
that such is not the case.
There are myriads of myriads of particulars
in every little affection,
and even in every idea of his perception,
that appear to him as all one,
as of the Lord's Divine mercy
will be shown hereafter,
when affections and ideas are treated of.
Sometimes it is possible for a man
by reflection
to explore and describe
a few of the things that are in him,
but there lie hidden innumerable other things,
things without limit or measure,
that never come to his knowledge,
nor can come
so long as he is living in the body,
but which become manifest after
corporeal and worldly things have been abolished --
as may be sufficiently evident from the fact
that when a man who has been
in the good of love and of charity
passes into the other life,
he passes from an obscure life into a clearer one,
as from a kind of night into day;
and in proportion as he passes into the Lord's heaven,
in the same proportion does he pass into a light
that is more and more clear,
until he arrives at the light in which are the angels,
a light of intelligence and wisdom that is unutterable.
In comparison with this the light in which is man,
is darkness.
Hence it is here said that they
"came under the shadow of his roof;"
by which is signified that those signified by "Lot"
are in their obscure general [perception];
that is, that they know but little
concerning the Lord's Divine and Holy;
but that nevertheless they acknowledge
and have faith in the existence of these,
and that these are in the good of charity,
that is, present with those who are in this good.
No comments:
Post a Comment