DLW 218
Endeavor, force and motion operate in conjunction
only in accordance
with discrete degrees,
which are conjoined
not through a continuous
connection of them,
since they are discrete,
but through
correspondences.
For endeavor is not force,
and force is not motion.
Rather force is produced by endeavor -
force being endeavor awakened -
and motion is produced by force.
Consequently no power exists in
endeavor alone,
nor in force alone,
but in motion, which is their
product.
DLW 220
Since the whole organism or body directs its powers
principally
into the arms and hands,
which are its extremities,
therefore arms and
hands in the Word
symbolize power,
and the right hand a superior power.
Since
the evolution and emergence of degrees
into a state of power is as
stated,
therefore the angels who are present with a person
and in
correspondence with all his constituents
know merely from any action
done through the hands
what the person is like in regard to his
intellect and will,
and so in regard to his charity and faith,
thus in
regard to the inner life
which is the life of his mind,
and in regard to
the outward life
which results from that in the body.
Such a recognition gained by angels
simply from the action of the
body through the hands
has often astonished me,
but I have nevertheless
had it shown me
a number of times through personal experience.
I have
also been told that it is for this reason
that inaugurations into the
ministry
are performed by the laying on of hands,
and that to touch with
the hand
symbolically means to communicate,
in addition to many other
like things.
I have concluded from this
that everything pertaining
to charity and faith
exists in works,
and that charity and faith
without works
are like halos around the sun
which fade or are dispelled
by a cloud.
That is why the Word so often mentions works
and tells us to
do them,
saying that a person's salvation depends on them.
Moreover,
the person who does them is called wise,
while the person who does not
do them
is called foolish.
One should know, however,
that by works here are meant
useful
services which are actually done.
For it is in these and in accordance
with these
that everything pertaining to charity and faith exists.
Charity and faith
have this correspondence with useful services,
because
although their correspondence
is a spiritual one,
it is effected by
means of
substances and materials which are its vessels.
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