AC 10099 - Soul and Body

AC 10099 [3-5]

The ancients also knew
that when a person is withdrawn from
the sensuous things that belong to the body,
he is withdrawn or raised into the light of his spirit,
thus into the light of heaven.
For this reason the learned ancients also knew
that when the body was dispersed,
they would live an interior life
which they called their spirit;
and as they regarded that life
as the very human life itself,
they also knew from this
that they should live under the human form.
Such was the idea which they had
of the soul of a person;
and as that life was akin to life Divine,
they consequently perceived
that their soul was immortal;
for they knew that
that part of a person which was akin to life Divine,
and thus conjoined with it,
could not possibly die.

But after those ancient times
this idea of the soul and of the spirit of a person
disappeared, by reason, as said above,
of the want of a just idea of successive order.
It is from this also,
that they who think from modern learning
do not know that there is what is spiritual,
and that this is distinct from what is natural.
For they who have an idea of successive order
as of what is continuous,
cannot conceive of the spiritual otherwise
than as of a purer natural,
when yet they are as distinct from each other
as are the prior and the posterior,
thus as that which begets and that which is begotten.
From this it is
that the distinction between
the internal or spiritual person,
and the external or natural,
thus between a person's internal thought and will,
and his external thought and will,
is not apprehended by such learned people.
As a consequence
neither can they comprehend anything
of faith and love,
of heaven and hell,
and of the life of a person after death.

But those who have
a just and distinct idea of successive order
are able in some degree to comprehend
that with a person who is being regenerated
the interiors are successively opened,
and that as they are opened
they are also raised into interior light and life,
and nearer to the Divine;
and that this opening and consequent elevation
is effected by means of truths Divine,
which are vessels recipient of
the good of love from the Divine.
The good of love is that which immediately
conjoins a person with the Divine,
for love is spiritual conjunction.
For this reason it follows
that a person can thus be
more and more interiorly opened
and raised in proportion
as he is in the good of love from the Divine;
and that conversely
there is no opening and consequent elevation
with the person who does not receive truths Divine;
as is the case if a person is in evil.