AC 9832 - Gold, that is Good, Reigns Universally

AC 9832

And they shall take the gold.
(Exodus 28:5)

That this means good reigning universally,
is evident from the meaning of "gold,"
as being the good of love;
that this reigns universally,
is meant by the gold
being interwoven everywhere in the ephod . . ..
That which reigns universally is that which rules,
thus is in each and all things.
The reason why gold was interwoven everywhere,
was that by the garments of Aaron
was represented the spiritual heaven,
and good reigns in this heaven,
as it does in the other heavens also.
In the inmost heaven reigns
the good of love to the Lord;
in the middle heaven,
the good of charity toward the neighbor;
and in the ultimate heaven,
the good of faith.
But the truth which is of faith
leads people into good,
and afterward is produced from good.
From this it is evident
that a person is not in heaven until he is in good.
If he is only in the truths
which are called matters of faith,
he merely stands before the door;
and if from these truths he looks to good,
he enters into the vestibule;
but if from these truths he does not look to good,
he does not see heaven,
not even from afar.
It is said that a person is not in heaven
until he is in good,
because while a person is in the world
he ought to have heaven in himself,
in order that he may enter into it after death.
For heaven is in a person,
and is in mercy given to those who,
while they live in the world,
suffer themselves to be
brought through the truths of faith
into charity toward the neighbor
and into love to the Lord;
that is, into good.