AE 1092 [3]
... all the thoughts of a person pour themselves forth into the spiritual world in every direction, much the same as rays of light from a flame. As the spiritual world consists of heaven and hell, and as heaven as well as hell consists of innumerable societies, the thoughts of a person must needs pour themselves forth into societies; spiritual thoughts, which relate to the Lord, to love and faith in Him, and to the truths and goods of heaven and the church, into heavenly societies; but merely natural thoughts, which relate to self and the world and the love of these, and not at the same time to God, into infernal societies.
AE 1094 [2]
Here let it be said that a person lets himself more and more into the societies of heaven successively according to the increase of wisdom, and into more and more interior societies successively according to the increase of the love of good; also that so far as heaven is opened to him hell is closed. But it is man who opens hell to himself, while it is the Lord who opens heaven to man.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
AE 1088 - "cherubim" guard & protect
AE 1088 [5]
The "cherubim" mean in the Word a guard and protection that the holy things of heaven not be violated, and that the Lord be approached only through love; consequently these signify the sense of the letter of the Word, because that is what guards and protects.
The "cherubim" mean in the Word a guard and protection that the holy things of heaven not be violated, and that the Lord be approached only through love; consequently these signify the sense of the letter of the Word, because that is what guards and protects.
AE 1085 - our Word, Its holiness, and the angels
AE 1085 [2]
As the angels of the three heavens receive their wisdom from the Lord through the Word with them, and as their Words make one with our Word by correspondences, it also follows that the sense of the letter of our Word is the basis, support, and foundation of the wisdom of the angels of heaven. For the heavens rest upon the human race as a house rests upon its foundation; so the wisdom of the angels of heaven rests in like manner upon the knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom of men from the sense of the letter of the Word, for as been said above, communication and conjunction with the heavens are effected through the sense of the letter of the Word. So it is, that of the Lord's Divine Providence it has come to pass, that the Word as to the sense of the letter from its first revelation has not been mutilated, not even as to an expression and letter in the original text, for every expression is a support, and in some measure the letters. From all this it is clear what a profanation it is to falsify the truths and adulterate the goods of the Word, and how infernal it is to deny or weaken its holiness. As soon as that is done, for that man of the church heaven is closed. The blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which cannot be forgiven, is the blasphemy of the Word by those who deny its holiness.
As the angels of the three heavens receive their wisdom from the Lord through the Word with them, and as their Words make one with our Word by correspondences, it also follows that the sense of the letter of our Word is the basis, support, and foundation of the wisdom of the angels of heaven. For the heavens rest upon the human race as a house rests upon its foundation; so the wisdom of the angels of heaven rests in like manner upon the knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom of men from the sense of the letter of the Word, for as been said above, communication and conjunction with the heavens are effected through the sense of the letter of the Word. So it is, that of the Lord's Divine Providence it has come to pass, that the Word as to the sense of the letter from its first revelation has not been mutilated, not even as to an expression and letter in the original text, for every expression is a support, and in some measure the letters. From all this it is clear what a profanation it is to falsify the truths and adulterate the goods of the Word, and how infernal it is to deny or weaken its holiness. As soon as that is done, for that man of the church heaven is closed. The blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which cannot be forgiven, is the blasphemy of the Word by those who deny its holiness.
Monday, October 30, 2006
AE 1083 - "Thou shalt not steal"
AE 1083 [4]
When... "Thou shalt not steal" is read, by "stealing" a man understands stealing, defrauding, and taking away under any pretense his neighbor's goods. But an angel of the spiritual kingdom by "stealing" understands depriving another of his truths and goods by means of falsities and evils, while an angel of the celestial kingdom by "not to steal" understands not to attribute to himself the things that are the Lord's as the good of life and the truth of faith; for thereby good becomes not good, and truth not truth, because they are from men.
When... "Thou shalt not steal" is read, by "stealing" a man understands stealing, defrauding, and taking away under any pretense his neighbor's goods. But an angel of the spiritual kingdom by "stealing" understands depriving another of his truths and goods by means of falsities and evils, while an angel of the celestial kingdom by "not to steal" understands not to attribute to himself the things that are the Lord's as the good of life and the truth of faith; for thereby good becomes not good, and truth not truth, because they are from men.
Sunday, October 29, 2006
AE 1077 - a source of wisdom & intelligence
AE 1077 [2]
The Word of the Lord is wonderful in this,
that in every particular of it
there is a reciprocal union of good and truth
which testifies that the Word is the Divine proceeding from the Lord
which is the Divine good and the Divine truth reciprocally united . . ..
There is a marriage of good and truth, also of truth and good,
in every particular of the Word,
in order that it may be a source of wisdom
to angels and of intelligence to mankind . . .
The Word of the Lord is wonderful in this,
that in every particular of it
there is a reciprocal union of good and truth
which testifies that the Word is the Divine proceeding from the Lord
which is the Divine good and the Divine truth reciprocally united . . ..
There is a marriage of good and truth, also of truth and good,
in every particular of the Word,
in order that it may be a source of wisdom
to angels and of intelligence to mankind . . .
Saturday, October 28, 2006
AE 1072 - the Word is like a garden
AE 1072 [2]
That the Word is holy and Divine from inmosts to outermosts
is not evident to the man who leads himself,
but is evident to the man whom the Lord leads.
For the man who leads himself sees only the external of the Word,
and judges from its style;
but the man whom the Lord leads
judges of the external of the Word from the holiness that is in it.
The Word is like a garden,
that may be called a heavenly paradise,
in which are dainties and delightful things of every kind,
dainties from the fruits,
and delightful things from the flowers;
and in the middle of it trees of life,
and near them fountains of living water,
and round about trees of the forest,
and near them rivers.
The man who leads himself judges of that paradise,
which is the Word,
from its circumference, where the trees of the forest are;
but the man whom the Lord leads judges of it from the middle of it,
where the trees of life are.
The man whom the Lord leads is actually in the middle of it,
and looks to the Lord;
but the man who leads himself actually sits down at the circumference,
and looks away from it to the world.
That the Word is holy and Divine from inmosts to outermosts
is not evident to the man who leads himself,
but is evident to the man whom the Lord leads.
For the man who leads himself sees only the external of the Word,
and judges from its style;
but the man whom the Lord leads
judges of the external of the Word from the holiness that is in it.
The Word is like a garden,
that may be called a heavenly paradise,
in which are dainties and delightful things of every kind,
dainties from the fruits,
and delightful things from the flowers;
and in the middle of it trees of life,
and near them fountains of living water,
and round about trees of the forest,
and near them rivers.
The man who leads himself judges of that paradise,
which is the Word,
from its circumference, where the trees of the forest are;
but the man whom the Lord leads judges of it from the middle of it,
where the trees of life are.
The man whom the Lord leads is actually in the middle of it,
and looks to the Lord;
but the man who leads himself actually sits down at the circumference,
and looks away from it to the world.
Friday, October 27, 2006
AE 1066 - the Word
AE 1006 [3]
The Word is Divine truth itself,
which gives wisdom to angels and enlightens men.
... as the Word is the Divine truth, it is also the Lord....
The rest of this number gives a beautiful explanation of the senses of the Word, and then gives a detailed look at the sense of the letter of the Word. You can find it if you click on the word "comments" under this passage.
The Word is Divine truth itself,
which gives wisdom to angels and enlightens men.
... as the Word is the Divine truth, it is also the Lord....
The rest of this number gives a beautiful explanation of the senses of the Word, and then gives a detailed look at the sense of the letter of the Word. You can find it if you click on the word "comments" under this passage.
AE 1064 - the fifth kind of profanation
AE 1064 [3]
This kind is not like the others that have been treated of, for it consists in jesting from the Word and about the Word. For those who make jokes from the Word do not regard it as holy, and those who joke about it hold it in no esteem. And yet the Word is the very Divine truth of the Lord with men, and the Lord is present in the Word, and heaven also; for every particular of the Word communicates with heaven, and through heaven with the Lord; therefore to jest from the Word and about the Word is to bespatter the holy things of heaven with the dust of the earth.
This kind is not like the others that have been treated of, for it consists in jesting from the Word and about the Word. For those who make jokes from the Word do not regard it as holy, and those who joke about it hold it in no esteem. And yet the Word is the very Divine truth of the Lord with men, and the Lord is present in the Word, and heaven also; for every particular of the Word communicates with heaven, and through heaven with the Lord; therefore to jest from the Word and about the Word is to bespatter the holy things of heaven with the dust of the earth.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
AE 1061 - the Word serves heaven
AE 1061
... the Word in the letter must be natural,
in every particular of which the spiritual sense must be stored up;
otherwise the Word would not serve the heavens as a basis;
nor would it serve the church as the means for its conjunction with heaven.
... the Word in the letter must be natural,
in every particular of which the spiritual sense must be stored up;
otherwise the Word would not serve the heavens as a basis;
nor would it serve the church as the means for its conjunction with heaven.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
AE 1050 - the light of heaven
AE 1050 [2]
A person has two minds, the natural and the spiritual. The natural mind is opened to him by the knowledges and cognitions of truth and good, and the spiritual mind is opened by a life according to these; and this is effected in those who know, acknowledge, and believe the truths of the Word and live according to them.... When the spiritual mind has been opened, the light of heaven, which is Divine truth, flows through it into the natural mind, and there arranges truths in corresponding order.
[cognitions - thinking, remembering, learning, using language)
A person has two minds, the natural and the spiritual. The natural mind is opened to him by the knowledges and cognitions of truth and good, and the spiritual mind is opened by a life according to these; and this is effected in those who know, acknowledge, and believe the truths of the Word and live according to them.... When the spiritual mind has been opened, the light of heaven, which is Divine truth, flows through it into the natural mind, and there arranges truths in corresponding order.
[cognitions - thinking, remembering, learning, using language)
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
AE 1043 - equilibrium
AE 1043 [3]
All angels, spirits, and men are kept by the Lord in equilibrium between good and evil, and thus between truth and falsity, in order that they may be in freedom; and thus may be led from evil to good and from falsity to truth easily and as if by themselves, although in fact they are led by the Lord.
All angels, spirits, and men are kept by the Lord in equilibrium between good and evil, and thus between truth and falsity, in order that they may be in freedom; and thus may be led from evil to good and from falsity to truth easily and as if by themselves, although in fact they are led by the Lord.
Monday, October 23, 2006
AE 1038 - beasts
AE 1038 [2]
The divine Word can be signified by a "beast," because many of the holy things of the church are signified in the Word by "beasts".... Moreover, all beasts that were sacrificed, as oxen, bullocks, goats, she-goats, kids, rams, sheep, and lambs, signified the holy things of the church.... And this is why men because of charity are called "sheep," and even the Lord Himself because of the Divine innocence is called a "Lamb," and because of Divine power is called a "Lion."
The divine Word can be signified by a "beast," because many of the holy things of the church are signified in the Word by "beasts".... Moreover, all beasts that were sacrificed, as oxen, bullocks, goats, she-goats, kids, rams, sheep, and lambs, signified the holy things of the church.... And this is why men because of charity are called "sheep," and even the Lord Himself because of the Divine innocence is called a "Lamb," and because of Divine power is called a "Lion."
Sunday, October 22, 2006
AE 1032 - heaven or hell?
AE 1032 [2]
Man is either led from heaven or he is led from hell;
he cannot be led by both at the same time;
and he is led from heaven when he is led by the Lord,
and from hell when he is led by self.
... when man thinks in that elevated state
he thinks truth from the Lord
and does good from Him.
Man is either led from heaven or he is led from hell;
he cannot be led by both at the same time;
and he is led from heaven when he is led by the Lord,
and from hell when he is led by self.
... when man thinks in that elevated state
he thinks truth from the Lord
and does good from Him.
Saturday, October 21, 2006
AE 1029a - Babylon
AE 1029a
"Babylon (or Babel)" means the church consisting of those who by means of the holy things of the church strive to gain dominion over the whole world, and this by dominion over the souls of men, claiming to themselves authority to save whomsoever they will; and these finally seek dominion over heaven and hell and make it their own. And to this end they draw and transfer to themselves all the Lord's authority, as if it had been given them by Him. The church consisting of such is very different in the beginning from what it becomes in process of time. In the beginning they are as it were in zeal for the Lord, for the Word, for love and faith, and especially for the salvation of men. But in that zeal the fire of domineering lies hidden; and in process of time as dominion increases this breaks forth; and so far as it comes into act the holy things of the church become the means, and dominion itself the end; and when dominion becomes the end the holy things of the church are applied to that end, and thus to themselves; and then they not only ascribe the salvation of souls to their own authority, but they also appropriate to themselves all the Lord's Divine power. And when they do this they pervert every good and every truth of the church, and thus profane the holy things of the church. These things are "Babylon."
"Babylon (or Babel)" means the church consisting of those who by means of the holy things of the church strive to gain dominion over the whole world, and this by dominion over the souls of men, claiming to themselves authority to save whomsoever they will; and these finally seek dominion over heaven and hell and make it their own. And to this end they draw and transfer to themselves all the Lord's authority, as if it had been given them by Him. The church consisting of such is very different in the beginning from what it becomes in process of time. In the beginning they are as it were in zeal for the Lord, for the Word, for love and faith, and especially for the salvation of men. But in that zeal the fire of domineering lies hidden; and in process of time as dominion increases this breaks forth; and so far as it comes into act the holy things of the church become the means, and dominion itself the end; and when dominion becomes the end the holy things of the church are applied to that end, and thus to themselves; and then they not only ascribe the salvation of souls to their own authority, but they also appropriate to themselves all the Lord's Divine power. And when they do this they pervert every good and every truth of the church, and thus profane the holy things of the church. These things are "Babylon."
Friday, October 20, 2006
AE 1027 - we can be in the Lord, and the Lord in us
AE 1027 [3]
... a person does not conjoin himself to the Lord, but that the Lord alone conjoins a person to Himself, and that conjunction is effected by doing...
AE 1027 [4]
... when a person through the last six commandments conjoins himself to the Lord as if of himself, the Lord then conjoins Himself to a person through the first three commandments, which are that man must acknowledge God, must believe in the Lord, and must keep His name holy. This a person does not believe, however much he man think that he does, unless the evils forbidden in the other table, that is, in the last six commandments, he abstains from as sins. These are the things pertaining to the covenant on the part of the Lord and on the part of man, through which there is reciprocal conjunction, which is that a person may be in the Lord and the Lord in a person.
... a person does not conjoin himself to the Lord, but that the Lord alone conjoins a person to Himself, and that conjunction is effected by doing...
AE 1027 [4]
... when a person through the last six commandments conjoins himself to the Lord as if of himself, the Lord then conjoins Himself to a person through the first three commandments, which are that man must acknowledge God, must believe in the Lord, and must keep His name holy. This a person does not believe, however much he man think that he does, unless the evils forbidden in the other table, that is, in the last six commandments, he abstains from as sins. These are the things pertaining to the covenant on the part of the Lord and on the part of man, through which there is reciprocal conjunction, which is that a person may be in the Lord and the Lord in a person.
AE 1022 - Thou shalt not covet
AE 1022 [3]
... all lusts are of love, for it is love that covets; and as there are two evils loves to which all lusts have reference, namely, the love of the world and the love of self, it follows that the lust of the ninth commandment has reference to the love of the world, and the lust of this (the tenth) commandment to the love of self, especially to the love of ruling. (... all evils and the falsities therefrom flow from these two loves...)
... all lusts are of love, for it is love that covets; and as there are two evils loves to which all lusts have reference, namely, the love of the world and the love of self, it follows that the lust of the ninth commandment has reference to the love of the world, and the lust of this (the tenth) commandment to the love of self, especially to the love of ruling. (... all evils and the falsities therefrom flow from these two loves...)
Thursday, October 19, 2006
AE 1014, 1017 - "Thou shalt not kill"
AE 1012 [4]
The more remote sense of this commandment, "Thou shalt not kill," which is called the celestial spiritual sense, is that one shall not take away from man the faith and love of God, and thus his spiritual life. This is murder itself, because from this life man is a man, the life of the body serving this life as the instrumental cause serves its principal cause. Moreover, from this spiritual murder, moral murder is derived; consequently he who is in the one is also in the other; for he who wills to take away a man's spiritual life is in hatred against him if he cannot take it away, for he hates the faith and love with him, and thus the man himself. These three, namely, spiritual murder, which pertains to faith and love, moral murder, which pertains to reputation and honor, and natural murder, which pertains to the body, follow in a series one from the other, like cause and effect.
AE 1017
When a man abstains from hatred and turns away from it and shuns it as diabolical, then love, charity, mercy and clemency flow in through the heaven from the Lord, and then first the works which he does are works of love and charity.... So long as hatred is not put away, so long man is merely natural...nor can he become spiritual before hatred, with its root, which is the love of ruling over all, is removed; for the fire of heaven, which is spiritual love, cannot flow in so long as the fire of hell, which is hatred, stands in the way and shuts it out.
The more remote sense of this commandment, "Thou shalt not kill," which is called the celestial spiritual sense, is that one shall not take away from man the faith and love of God, and thus his spiritual life. This is murder itself, because from this life man is a man, the life of the body serving this life as the instrumental cause serves its principal cause. Moreover, from this spiritual murder, moral murder is derived; consequently he who is in the one is also in the other; for he who wills to take away a man's spiritual life is in hatred against him if he cannot take it away, for he hates the faith and love with him, and thus the man himself. These three, namely, spiritual murder, which pertains to faith and love, moral murder, which pertains to reputation and honor, and natural murder, which pertains to the body, follow in a series one from the other, like cause and effect.
AE 1017
When a man abstains from hatred and turns away from it and shuns it as diabolical, then love, charity, mercy and clemency flow in through the heaven from the Lord, and then first the works which he does are works of love and charity.... So long as hatred is not put away, so long man is merely natural...nor can he become spiritual before hatred, with its root, which is the love of ruling over all, is removed; for the fire of heaven, which is spiritual love, cannot flow in so long as the fire of hell, which is hatred, stands in the way and shuts it out.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
AE 1006 - Happy is he that is awake
AE 1006
Happy is he that is awake, (Rev. 16:15)
signifies the happy state of those who look to the Lord.
This is evident from the signification of "happy,"
as being to be in a happy state;
also from the signification of "being awake,"
as being to acquire for oneself spiritual life;
and this is acquired by man's looking to the Lord,
because the Lord is Life itself,
and from Him alone is life eternal.
Happy is he that is awake, (Rev. 16:15)
signifies the happy state of those who look to the Lord.
This is evident from the signification of "happy,"
as being to be in a happy state;
also from the signification of "being awake,"
as being to acquire for oneself spiritual life;
and this is acquired by man's looking to the Lord,
because the Lord is Life itself,
and from Him alone is life eternal.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
AE 1003 - faith alone
AE 1003 [2]
... faith involves that a thing must be believed,
however it may appear to the understanding;
and when the understanding is taken away from faith
enlightenment also is taken away....
... faith involves that a thing must be believed,
however it may appear to the understanding;
and when the understanding is taken away from faith
enlightenment also is taken away....
Monday, October 16, 2006
AE 997 [4] - Peace
AE 997 [4]
Peace is happiness of heart and soul
arising from the conjunction of the Lord with heaven and the church,
as well as from the conjunction of good and truth,
when all conflict and combat of evil and falsity
with good and truth has ceased....
Peace is happiness of heart and soul
arising from the conjunction of the Lord with heaven and the church,
as well as from the conjunction of good and truth,
when all conflict and combat of evil and falsity
with good and truth has ceased....
AE 997 - the influx of Divine Truth
AE 997 [2]
Something shall now be said about the influx into men of Divine truth from the Lord. From the Lord as a sun both heat and light proceed; but the heat is Divine good, and the light is Divine truth. The light, which is Divine truth, flows into and enters into every angel of heaven, and also into every man in the world, and gives internal sight, which is the sight of the understanding. For every man, not as to his body but as to his spirit, has a faculty for receiving that light, that is, for understanding the Divine truth. And that faculty is opened as the man grows up, and cultivates and forms his rational according to order, by the knowledges [scientifica] and by the cognitions [cognitiones] of good and truth. But the heat, which is Divine good, does not flow into an angel or a man as the light, which is Divine truth, does, for the reason that man is born into evils of every kind, and evils obstruct; consequently evils must first be removed before the heat, which is Divine good, can flow in; and evils are removed by looking upon them as sins against God and shunning them, by praying to the Lord for help; and so far as a man thus receives Divine good so far he comes into the light of understanding Divine truth. For the way of Divine truth into a man who is reformed is through the good of the will, and of the life therefrom with him.
Something shall now be said about the influx into men of Divine truth from the Lord. From the Lord as a sun both heat and light proceed; but the heat is Divine good, and the light is Divine truth. The light, which is Divine truth, flows into and enters into every angel of heaven, and also into every man in the world, and gives internal sight, which is the sight of the understanding. For every man, not as to his body but as to his spirit, has a faculty for receiving that light, that is, for understanding the Divine truth. And that faculty is opened as the man grows up, and cultivates and forms his rational according to order, by the knowledges [scientifica] and by the cognitions [cognitiones] of good and truth. But the heat, which is Divine good, does not flow into an angel or a man as the light, which is Divine truth, does, for the reason that man is born into evils of every kind, and evils obstruct; consequently evils must first be removed before the heat, which is Divine good, can flow in; and evils are removed by looking upon them as sins against God and shunning them, by praying to the Lord for help; and so far as a man thus receives Divine good so far he comes into the light of understanding Divine truth. For the way of Divine truth into a man who is reformed is through the good of the will, and of the life therefrom with him.
AE 995 - the angels of the third heaven
AE 995 [2]
The genuine conjugial is given especially in the third heaven,
because the angels there are in love to the Lord,
they acknowledge Him alone as God,
and they do His commandments.
To them doing the commandments is loving the Lord.
To them the Lord's commandments are the truths in which they receive Him.
There is conjunction of the Lord with them,
and of them with the Lord;
for they are in the Lord because they are in good,
and the Lord is in them because they are in truths.
This is the heavenly marriage, from which true conjugial love descends.
The genuine conjugial is given especially in the third heaven,
because the angels there are in love to the Lord,
they acknowledge Him alone as God,
and they do His commandments.
To them doing the commandments is loving the Lord.
To them the Lord's commandments are the truths in which they receive Him.
There is conjunction of the Lord with them,
and of them with the Lord;
for they are in the Lord because they are in good,
and the Lord is in them because they are in truths.
This is the heavenly marriage, from which true conjugial love descends.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
AE 985 - the love of marriage
AE 985 [3]
The love of marriage is so holy and heavenly because
it has its beginning in the inmosts of a person from the Lord Himself,
and it descends according to order to the ultimates of the body,
and thus fills the whole person with heavenly love
and brings him into a form of the Divine love,
which is the form of heaven,
and is an image of the Lord....
The love of marriage is so holy and heavenly because
it has its beginning in the inmosts of a person from the Lord Himself,
and it descends according to order to the ultimates of the body,
and thus fills the whole person with heavenly love
and brings him into a form of the Divine love,
which is the form of heaven,
and is an image of the Lord....
Saturday, October 14, 2006
AE 979 & 980, 982 - good works & loving the Lord vs. love of self
AE 979 [2]
When a man shuns evils as sins, he daily learns what a good work is, and the affection of doing good grows with him, and the affection of knowing truths for the sake of good; for so far as he knows truths he can perform works more fully and more wisely, and thus his works become more truly good. Cease, therefore, from asking in thyself, "What are the good works that I must do, or what good must I do to receive eternal life?" Only cease from evils as sins and look to the Lord, and the Lord will teach and lead you.
AE 981
Love to the Lord means the love or affection of doing His commandments, thus the love of keeping the commandments of the Decalogue. For so far as a man from love or from affection keeps and does these, so far he loves the Lord, and for the reason that these are the Lord with man.
AE 982 [2]
In the world it is scarcely known that all who are in the love of self, according to the delight of that love, are in the delight of injuring others who do not make one with them.
When a man shuns evils as sins, he daily learns what a good work is, and the affection of doing good grows with him, and the affection of knowing truths for the sake of good; for so far as he knows truths he can perform works more fully and more wisely, and thus his works become more truly good. Cease, therefore, from asking in thyself, "What are the good works that I must do, or what good must I do to receive eternal life?" Only cease from evils as sins and look to the Lord, and the Lord will teach and lead you.
AE 981
Love to the Lord means the love or affection of doing His commandments, thus the love of keeping the commandments of the Decalogue. For so far as a man from love or from affection keeps and does these, so far he loves the Lord, and for the reason that these are the Lord with man.
AE 982 [2]
In the world it is scarcely known that all who are in the love of self, according to the delight of that love, are in the delight of injuring others who do not make one with them.
Friday, October 13, 2006
AE 973 - to love the Lord
AE 973 [2]
For when a man shuns and turns away from unlawful gains through fraud and craft he so far wills what is sincere, right, and just, and at length begins to love what is sincere because it is sincere, what is right because it is right, and what is just because it is just. He begins to love these things because they are from the Lord, and the love of the Lord is in them. For to love the Lord is not to love the Person, but to love the things that proceed from the Lord for these are the Lord with man; thus it is to love sincerity itself, right itself, and justice itself. And as these are the Lord, so far as a man loves these, and thus acts from them, so far he acts from the Lord and so far the Lord removes insincerity and injustice as to the very intentions and volitions in which they have their roots, and always with less resistance and struggle, and therefore with less effort than in the first attempts.
For when a man shuns and turns away from unlawful gains through fraud and craft he so far wills what is sincere, right, and just, and at length begins to love what is sincere because it is sincere, what is right because it is right, and what is just because it is just. He begins to love these things because they are from the Lord, and the love of the Lord is in them. For to love the Lord is not to love the Person, but to love the things that proceed from the Lord for these are the Lord with man; thus it is to love sincerity itself, right itself, and justice itself. And as these are the Lord, so far as a man loves these, and thus acts from them, so far he acts from the Lord and so far the Lord removes insincerity and injustice as to the very intentions and volitions in which they have their roots, and always with less resistance and struggle, and therefore with less effort than in the first attempts.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
AE 969 - Why 8 of the 10 commandments are "You shall not"
AE 969 [2]
Man is an image of the world as to his natural mind, and he is an image of heaven as to his spiritual mind. The natural mind, which is the world, is beneath; and the spiritual mind, which is heaven is above.
[3]
... before the Lord can flow in with heaven out of heaven and form man to the image of heaven, those evils that lie heaped up in the natural mind must needs be removed. Moreover, as the removal of evils must come first before man can be taught and led by the Lord, the reason is evident why in eight commandments of the Decalogue the evil works that must not be done are recounted, but not the goods that must be done. Good does not exist together with evil, nor does it exist before evils have been removed; for until then there is no way possible for heaven to enter man.
Man is an image of the world as to his natural mind, and he is an image of heaven as to his spiritual mind. The natural mind, which is the world, is beneath; and the spiritual mind, which is heaven is above.
[3]
... before the Lord can flow in with heaven out of heaven and form man to the image of heaven, those evils that lie heaped up in the natural mind must needs be removed. Moreover, as the removal of evils must come first before man can be taught and led by the Lord, the reason is evident why in eight commandments of the Decalogue the evil works that must not be done are recounted, but not the goods that must be done. Good does not exist together with evil, nor does it exist before evils have been removed; for until then there is no way possible for heaven to enter man.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
AE 966 - the Lord gives
AE 966 [2]
For the Lord gives life from Himself,
and through the church He gives nourishment.
For the Lord gives life from Himself,
and through the church He gives nourishment.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
AE 960b - 'the name of God'
AE 960b [10]
As the Lord's "blood," and likewise "wine," signify the Divine truth that proceeds from Him ... it is said therefore "this is My blood;" and as it is by means of the Divine truth that the Lord is conjoined with the church, it is called "that of the new Testament or the new Covenant."
[14]
Since "the name of God" means that which is from God and which is God, and this is called the Divine truth, and with us the Word, this must not be profaned, because it is in itself Divine and most holy; and it is profaned when its holiness is denied, which is done when it is despised, rejected, and treated contemptuously. When this is done heaven is closed and man is left to hell. For the Word is the only medium of conjunction of heaven with the church; therefore when the Word is cast out of the heart that conjunction is dissolved; and because man is then left to hell he no longer acknowledges any truth of the church.
As the Lord's "blood," and likewise "wine," signify the Divine truth that proceeds from Him ... it is said therefore "this is My blood;" and as it is by means of the Divine truth that the Lord is conjoined with the church, it is called "that of the new Testament or the new Covenant."
[14]
Since "the name of God" means that which is from God and which is God, and this is called the Divine truth, and with us the Word, this must not be profaned, because it is in itself Divine and most holy; and it is profaned when its holiness is denied, which is done when it is despised, rejected, and treated contemptuously. When this is done heaven is closed and man is left to hell. For the Word is the only medium of conjunction of heaven with the church; therefore when the Word is cast out of the heart that conjunction is dissolved; and because man is then left to hell he no longer acknowledges any truth of the church.
Monday, October 09, 2006
AE 957 - the primary of all ideas
AE 957 [3]
The idea of God is the primary of all ideas; for such as this idea is, such is man's communication with heaven and his conjunction with the Lord, and such is his enlightenment, his affection of truth and good, his perception, intelligence, and wisdom; for these are not from man but from the Lord according to conjunction with Him. The idea of God is the idea of the Lord....
The idea of God is the primary of all ideas; for such as this idea is, such is man's communication with heaven and his conjunction with the Lord, and such is his enlightenment, his affection of truth and good, his perception, intelligence, and wisdom; for these are not from man but from the Lord according to conjunction with Him. The idea of God is the idea of the Lord....
Saturday, October 07, 2006
AE 949 - so far as evils are removed as sins
AE 949 [3]
So far as evils are removed as sins,
so far goods flow in,
and so far does man afterwards do good,
not from self, but from the Lord.
So far as evils are removed as sins,
so far goods flow in,
and so far does man afterwards do good,
not from self, but from the Lord.
Friday, October 06, 2006
AE 943 - heavenly joy is in these affections
AE 943
Man has the affection of truth
when he loves truth and turns away from falsity.
He has the affection of good
when he loves good uses and turns away from evil uses.
He has the affection of bringing forth fruit
when he loves to do goods and to be serviceable.
All heavenly joy is in these affections and from them,
and this joy cannot be described by comparisons,
for it is supereminent and eternal.
Man has the affection of truth
when he loves truth and turns away from falsity.
He has the affection of good
when he loves good uses and turns away from evil uses.
He has the affection of bringing forth fruit
when he loves to do goods and to be serviceable.
All heavenly joy is in these affections and from them,
and this joy cannot be described by comparisons,
for it is supereminent and eternal.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
AE 934 - the necessary two things
AE 934 [2]
... for works to be done by the Lord, and not by man, two things are necessary: First, the Lord's Divine must be acknowledged, also that He is the God of heaven and earth even as to the Human, and that every good that is good is from Him; and secondly, that man must live according to the commandments of the Decalogue by abstaining from those evils that are there forbidden, that is, from worshiping other gods, from profaning the name of God, from thefts, from adulteries, from murders, from false witness, from coveting the possessions and property of others. These two things are requisite that the works done by man may be good. The reason is that every good comes from the Lord alone, and the Lord cannot enter into man and lead him so long as these evils are not removed as sins; for they are infernal, and in fact are hell with man, and unless hell is removed the Lord cannot enter and open heaven.
... for works to be done by the Lord, and not by man, two things are necessary: First, the Lord's Divine must be acknowledged, also that He is the God of heaven and earth even as to the Human, and that every good that is good is from Him; and secondly, that man must live according to the commandments of the Decalogue by abstaining from those evils that are there forbidden, that is, from worshiping other gods, from profaning the name of God, from thefts, from adulteries, from murders, from false witness, from coveting the possessions and property of others. These two things are requisite that the works done by man may be good. The reason is that every good comes from the Lord alone, and the Lord cannot enter into man and lead him so long as these evils are not removed as sins; for they are infernal, and in fact are hell with man, and unless hell is removed the Lord cannot enter and open heaven.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
AE 927 - great and wonderful
AE 927
Great and wonderful (Revelation 15:1),
signifies from Divine omnipotence and providence.
This is evident from the signification of "great,"
as being in reference to the Lord His Divine omnipotence;
also from the signification of "wonderful,"
as being in reference to the Lord His Divine providence.
For when man looks to what is great in the Lord
he looks to His Divine omnipotence,
and when he looks to what is wonderful in the Lord
he looks to His Divine providence.
Great and wonderful (Revelation 15:1),
signifies from Divine omnipotence and providence.
This is evident from the signification of "great,"
as being in reference to the Lord His Divine omnipotence;
also from the signification of "wonderful,"
as being in reference to the Lord His Divine providence.
For when man looks to what is great in the Lord
he looks to His Divine omnipotence,
and when he looks to what is wonderful in the Lord
he looks to His Divine providence.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
AE 923 - enlightenment, perception, stupidy, foolishness
AE 923 [3]
... spiritual good...which is the good of charity from the Lord,
is what alone opens the spiritual mind,
through which the Lord flows in and enlightens;
and without the opening of that mind
no enlightenment is possible,
and thus no understanding of truth.
AE 923 [4]
I will put my hook in thy nose... (Isaiah 37:29)
... which signifies that stupidity and foolishness should possess him;
for the "nose" signifies perception,
and a "hook" signifies taking it away,
or properly, immersing it in the corporeal sensual,
and when this is separated from the rational it is stupid.
... spiritual good...which is the good of charity from the Lord,
is what alone opens the spiritual mind,
through which the Lord flows in and enlightens;
and without the opening of that mind
no enlightenment is possible,
and thus no understanding of truth.
AE 923 [4]
I will put my hook in thy nose... (Isaiah 37:29)
... which signifies that stupidity and foolishness should possess him;
for the "nose" signifies perception,
and a "hook" signifies taking it away,
or properly, immersing it in the corporeal sensual,
and when this is separated from the rational it is stupid.
Monday, October 02, 2006
AE 918 - What is charity?
AE 918 [2]
What charity is, which is the same as spiritual good, shall be told briefly.
Charity or spiritual good is to do good because it is true;
thus it is to do truth,
and to do truth is to do what the Lord has commanded in His Word.
For spiritual good is from the Lord, but moral good is from man,
consequently unless the good that man does is from the Lord,
that is, through man from the Lord, it is not good...
[10]
The good of charity means justice, sincerity, and uprightness in every work
and in every function from a love of justice, sincerity, and uprightness,
which love is solely from the Lord.
What charity is, which is the same as spiritual good, shall be told briefly.
Charity or spiritual good is to do good because it is true;
thus it is to do truth,
and to do truth is to do what the Lord has commanded in His Word.
For spiritual good is from the Lord, but moral good is from man,
consequently unless the good that man does is from the Lord,
that is, through man from the Lord, it is not good...
[10]
The good of charity means justice, sincerity, and uprightness in every work
and in every function from a love of justice, sincerity, and uprightness,
which love is solely from the Lord.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
AE 911c - the Lord's gift to man
AE 911c [17]
For it is to be known, that, although the Lord works all things, and man nothing from self, yet He wills that man should work as if from self in all that comes to his perception. For without man's co-operation, as if from self, there can be no reception of truth and good, thus no implantation and regeneration. For to will is the Lord's gift to man....
For it is to be known, that, although the Lord works all things, and man nothing from self, yet He wills that man should work as if from self in all that comes to his perception. For without man's co-operation, as if from self, there can be no reception of truth and good, thus no implantation and regeneration. For to will is the Lord's gift to man....
Saturday, September 30, 2006
AE 907 - Divine Truth
AE 907 [4]
For the real truth is,
that the Divine truth never fights against falsity from evil,
but falsity fights against truth;
and thus heaven does not fight against hell,
but hell against heaven.
For the real truth is,
that the Divine truth never fights against falsity from evil,
but falsity fights against truth;
and thus heaven does not fight against hell,
but hell against heaven.
Friday, September 29, 2006
AE 902 - the commandments in the Word
AE 902
Spiritual life is acquired solely by a life
according to the commandments in the Word.
These commandments are given in a summary in the Decalogue, namely,
Thou shalt not commit adultery,
Thou shalt not steal,
Thou shalt not kill,
Thou shalt not bear false witness,
Thou shalt not covet the goods of others.
These commandments are the commandments that are to be done,
for when a man does these his works are good and his life becomes spiritual,
because so far as a man shuns evils and hates them,
so far he wills and loves goods.
AE 902 [6]
... for to do these commandments from religion purifies the internal man,
opens heaven,
admits the Lord,
and makes man as to his spirit an angel of heaven.
And this is why the nations outside the church
who do these commandments from religion are all saved,
but not any one who does them merely from civil and moral law.
Spiritual life is acquired solely by a life
according to the commandments in the Word.
These commandments are given in a summary in the Decalogue, namely,
Thou shalt not commit adultery,
Thou shalt not steal,
Thou shalt not kill,
Thou shalt not bear false witness,
Thou shalt not covet the goods of others.
These commandments are the commandments that are to be done,
for when a man does these his works are good and his life becomes spiritual,
because so far as a man shuns evils and hates them,
so far he wills and loves goods.
AE 902 [6]
... for to do these commandments from religion purifies the internal man,
opens heaven,
admits the Lord,
and makes man as to his spirit an angel of heaven.
And this is why the nations outside the church
who do these commandments from religion are all saved,
but not any one who does them merely from civil and moral law.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
AE 898 - Write
AE 898
Write, signifies certainty....
"To write" signifies certainty because writing is the ultimate act of thought and of speech therefrom, and thus it means what is certain, because what is terminated. This may be compared with all things that a man wills, thinks, and speaks therefrom, and does not terminate by doing them; such things are not yet in man's life, for the ultimate in which prior things exist together is lacking.
Write, signifies certainty....
"To write" signifies certainty because writing is the ultimate act of thought and of speech therefrom, and thus it means what is certain, because what is terminated. This may be compared with all things that a man wills, thinks, and speaks therefrom, and does not terminate by doing them; such things are not yet in man's life, for the ultimate in which prior things exist together is lacking.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
AE 888 [3] - the Word communicates & conjunctions
AE 888 [3]
How infernal and thus how injurious it is to falsify the Word
even to the destruction of the Divine truth and the Divine good in the heavens
can be seen from the fact
that all things of the sense of the letter of the Word,
which are Divine truths for the natural man,
communicate through the spiritual sense with the angels of heaven,
to the extent that men and the angels of heaven are conjoined
by means of the Word;
consequently the sense of the letter of the Word,
with the man who falsifies it,
is perceived in heaven in a two-fold manner,
namely as genuine truth from the sense of the letter
according to correspondences,
and as destroyed according to falsifications.
From this it comes that truth and falsity are presented together as conjoined,
from which the angels of heaven are exasperated,
and turn themselves entirely away.
How infernal and thus how injurious it is to falsify the Word
even to the destruction of the Divine truth and the Divine good in the heavens
can be seen from the fact
that all things of the sense of the letter of the Word,
which are Divine truths for the natural man,
communicate through the spiritual sense with the angels of heaven,
to the extent that men and the angels of heaven are conjoined
by means of the Word;
consequently the sense of the letter of the Word,
with the man who falsifies it,
is perceived in heaven in a two-fold manner,
namely as genuine truth from the sense of the letter
according to correspondences,
and as destroyed according to falsifications.
From this it comes that truth and falsity are presented together as conjoined,
from which the angels of heaven are exasperated,
and turn themselves entirely away.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
AE 887 - falsifying the Word
AE 887
...those who falsify the Word are spiritually drunken, that is,
are in a state of delirium in respect to truths...
...those who falsify the Word are spiritually drunken, that is,
are in a state of delirium in respect to truths...
Monday, September 25, 2006
AE 874 - "Fear God and give glory to Him"
AE 874
Fear God and give glory to Him (Rev. 16:7),
signifies to worship the Lord from His Divine truth
by a life according to it.
Fear God and give glory to Him (Rev. 16:7),
signifies to worship the Lord from His Divine truth
by a life according to it.
Sunday, September 24, 2006
AE 866 - all who are in the Lord
AE 866
For the Lord is Divine truth united to Divine good;
and all who are in the Lord,
who are those who acknowledge His Divine Human
and do His commandments,
are in the Divine truth and in the Divine good...
For the Lord is Divine truth united to Divine good;
and all who are in the Lord,
who are those who acknowledge His Divine Human
and do His commandments,
are in the Divine truth and in the Divine good...
Saturday, September 23, 2006
AE 864 - to follow the Lord
AE 864
"To follow the Lord" has a similar signification as "to go or to walk after Him."
That "to go or walk after the Lord,"
signifies to acknowledge, to obey,
and to act and live from Him and with Him....
For the Lord so operates with man that man may follow Him as if of himself;
thus does the Lord flow into man's freedom;
and this He does for the sake of the reception and implantation
of truth and good with man and consequent reformation and regeneration.
"To follow the Lord" has a similar signification as "to go or to walk after Him."
That "to go or walk after the Lord,"
signifies to acknowledge, to obey,
and to act and live from Him and with Him....
For the Lord so operates with man that man may follow Him as if of himself;
thus does the Lord flow into man's freedom;
and this He does for the sake of the reception and implantation
of truth and good with man and consequent reformation and regeneration.
Friday, September 22, 2006
AE 863a - spiritual affections of truth
AE 863a
...spiritual affections of truth...are such as have for their end eternal life and the uses of that life. Those who are in such affections love truths because they are truths, thus apart from the world's glory, honors, and gains; and those who love truths apart from such considerations love the Lord; for the Lord is with man in the truths that are from good.
...spiritual affections of truth...are such as have for their end eternal life and the uses of that life. Those who are in such affections love truths because they are truths, thus apart from the world's glory, honors, and gains; and those who love truths apart from such considerations love the Lord; for the Lord is with man in the truths that are from good.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
AE 852a - foreheads and eyes
AE 852a
Having the name of His Father written on their foreheads,
... means the full acknowledgment of the Divine of the Lord,
because the Lord turns towards Himself all who acknowledge His Divine,
and looks at them in the forehead,
while they look at the Lord with the eyes;
and this for the reason that the "forehead" signifies love,
and the "eye" the understanding of truth;
therefore to be looked at by the Lord in the forehead
signifies to be looked at by the Lord from the good of love;
and on the other hand their looking at the Lord with the eyes
signifies to look from truths from that good,
consequently from the understanding of truth.
Having the name of His Father written on their foreheads,
... means the full acknowledgment of the Divine of the Lord,
because the Lord turns towards Himself all who acknowledge His Divine,
and looks at them in the forehead,
while they look at the Lord with the eyes;
and this for the reason that the "forehead" signifies love,
and the "eye" the understanding of truth;
therefore to be looked at by the Lord in the forehead
signifies to be looked at by the Lord from the good of love;
and on the other hand their looking at the Lord with the eyes
signifies to look from truths from that good,
consequently from the understanding of truth.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
AE 850a - the presence of the Lord
AE 850a
The presence of the Lord is perpetual in the whole heaven
and in the whole church;
for heaven is not heaven from what is the angels' own,
nor is the church a church from what is men's own,
but from the Divine of the Lord with them.
... it is a presence that is peaceful, tranquil, preserving, and sustaining,
by which all things in the heavens and on the earth
are held constantly in their order and connection....
The presence of the Lord is perpetual in the whole heaven
and in the whole church;
for heaven is not heaven from what is the angels' own,
nor is the church a church from what is men's own,
but from the Divine of the Lord with them.
... it is a presence that is peaceful, tranquil, preserving, and sustaining,
by which all things in the heavens and on the earth
are held constantly in their order and connection....
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
AE 847 - every religion
AE 847 [3]
... every religion has life as its end;
for it teaches the evils that must be shunned,
and the goods that are to be done.
... every religion has life as its end;
for it teaches the evils that must be shunned,
and the goods that are to be done.
Monday, September 18, 2006
AE 840 - the treasure hidden in a field
AE 840 [10]
The treasure hidden in a field,
which a man having found hid,
and for joy he went and sold all things
whatsoever that he had
and bought the field. (Matthew 13:44)
The "treasure" signifies the Divine truth that is in the Word;
and the "field" signifies the church and its doctrine;
and "to sell all things whatsoever that he had and buy the field"
signifies to set aside what is one's own
and to acquire for oneself the Divine truth that is in the Lord's church.
The treasure hidden in a field,
which a man having found hid,
and for joy he went and sold all things
whatsoever that he had
and bought the field. (Matthew 13:44)
The "treasure" signifies the Divine truth that is in the Word;
and the "field" signifies the church and its doctrine;
and "to sell all things whatsoever that he had and buy the field"
signifies to set aside what is one's own
and to acquire for oneself the Divine truth that is in the Lord's church.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
AE 834 - doing for the neighbor
AE 834
... while every man is a neighbor, every man is a neighbor from his quality,
and consequently that it is the quality of a man from which he is a man
that is meant in the spiritual sense by "neighbor;"
for otherwise a bad man would be as much a neighbor as a good man;
and yet to do good to the evil is sometimes doing evil to the good.
... while every man is a neighbor, every man is a neighbor from his quality,
and consequently that it is the quality of a man from which he is a man
that is meant in the spiritual sense by "neighbor;"
for otherwise a bad man would be as much a neighbor as a good man;
and yet to do good to the evil is sometimes doing evil to the good.
Saturday, September 16, 2006
AE 832 - spiritual truths & understanding in the world
AE 832 [4]
... he who loves truth from truth, that is, because it is truth, can see spiritual truths; and those which he does not see in the world he sees afterwards in heaven. For it is the love itself of truth that receives the light of heaven, which enlightens the understanding.
... he who loves truth from truth, that is, because it is truth, can see spiritual truths; and those which he does not see in the world he sees afterwards in heaven. For it is the love itself of truth that receives the light of heaven, which enlightens the understanding.
AE 832 - spiritual angels & their heaven
AE 832 [4]
... spiritual angels admit no truth into the memory and from that into the understandingwith themsleves unless they see it; for the angels in that heaven see truths from the light of truth, thus by enlightenment from the Lord...
... spiritual angels admit no truth into the memory and from that into the understandingwith themsleves unless they see it; for the angels in that heaven see truths from the light of truth, thus by enlightenment from the Lord...
AE 826 & 828 - the celestial angels & their heaven
AE 826 [2]
... with them all truths are written on their affections, and these derive their essence from celestial love, which is love to the Lord.
... with them all truths are written on their affections, and these derive their essence from celestial love, which is love to the Lord.
Friday, September 15, 2006
AE 825 - the laws of our religion & the leading of the Lord
AE 825 [3]
The lawns of our religion are that one God is to be worshiped;
that adulteries, thefts, murders, false witness, must be shunned;
thus also frauds, unlawful gains, hatreds, revenge, lies, blasphemies,
and many other things that are mentioned not alone in the Decalogue
but everywhere else in the Word,
and are called sins against God and also abominations.
When man shuns these because they are opposed to the Word,
and so opposed to God,
and because they are from hell,
then man lives according to the laws of his religion,
and so far as he lives according to his religion he is led by the Lord;
for so far as he is led by the Lord and his works good;
he is then led to do goods and to speak truths
for the sake of goods and the sake of truths,
and not for the sake of self and the world;
uses are his enjoyments, and truths his delight.
Moreover, he is daily taught by the Lord
what he must do and what he must say,
also what he must preach or what he must write;
for when evils are removed he is continually under
the Lord's guidance and in enlightenment.
Yet he is not led and taught immediately by any dictate,
or by any perceptible inspiration,
but by an influx into his spiritual delight,
from which he has perception according to the truths
of which his understanding consists.
When he acts from this influx,
he appears to be acting as if from himself,
and yet he acknowledges in heart that it is from the Lord.
The lawns of our religion are that one God is to be worshiped;
that adulteries, thefts, murders, false witness, must be shunned;
thus also frauds, unlawful gains, hatreds, revenge, lies, blasphemies,
and many other things that are mentioned not alone in the Decalogue
but everywhere else in the Word,
and are called sins against God and also abominations.
When man shuns these because they are opposed to the Word,
and so opposed to God,
and because they are from hell,
then man lives according to the laws of his religion,
and so far as he lives according to his religion he is led by the Lord;
for so far as he is led by the Lord and his works good;
he is then led to do goods and to speak truths
for the sake of goods and the sake of truths,
and not for the sake of self and the world;
uses are his enjoyments, and truths his delight.
Moreover, he is daily taught by the Lord
what he must do and what he must say,
also what he must preach or what he must write;
for when evils are removed he is continually under
the Lord's guidance and in enlightenment.
Yet he is not led and taught immediately by any dictate,
or by any perceptible inspiration,
but by an influx into his spiritual delight,
from which he has perception according to the truths
of which his understanding consists.
When he acts from this influx,
he appears to be acting as if from himself,
and yet he acknowledges in heart that it is from the Lord.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
AE 821d - thunder and celestial good
AE 821d [4]
... in the spiritual world thunders are also heard,
and these are produced by truths that are from celestial good
when these are descending from the higher heavens into the lower....
Celestial good is the same thing as the good of love in will and in act.
... in the spiritual world thunders are also heard,
and these are produced by truths that are from celestial good
when these are descending from the higher heavens into the lower....
Celestial good is the same thing as the good of love in will and in act.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
AE 819 & AE 820a - goods of love & good in truth
AE 819 [3] (2)
... goods that are of life are what gives life to faith, and make it spiritual.
For love is the very soul of faith, and love is doing,
for a what a man loves he wills, and what he wills he does.
And this the Lord teaches in John 14:21, 24:
He that has My commandments and does them,
he it is that loves Me;
but he that loves Me not, does not keep My words.
AE 820a [4]
Moreover, as soon as good is implanted in truths with man
he is conjoined with the angels....
... goods that are of life are what gives life to faith, and make it spiritual.
For love is the very soul of faith, and love is doing,
for a what a man loves he wills, and what he wills he does.
And this the Lord teaches in John 14:21, 24:
He that has My commandments and does them,
he it is that loves Me;
but he that loves Me not, does not keep My words.
AE 820a [4]
Moreover, as soon as good is implanted in truths with man
he is conjoined with the angels....
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
AE 817d - the Philistines
AE 817d [6]
All the wars that the sons of Israel waged against the Philistines
represented the combats of the spiritual man with the natural man,
and so also the combats of truth conjoined with good
against truth separated from good,
which in itself is not truth but falsity.
All the wars that the sons of Israel waged against the Philistines
represented the combats of the spiritual man with the natural man,
and so also the combats of truth conjoined with good
against truth separated from good,
which in itself is not truth but falsity.
Monday, September 11, 2006
AE 815c - "To believe in the Lord"
AE 815c [11]
"To believe in the Lord"
signifies not only to adore and worship Him,
but also to live from Him,
and one lives from Him
when he lives according to the Word
which is from Him . . .
"To believe in the Lord"
signifies not only to adore and worship Him,
but also to live from Him,
and one lives from Him
when he lives according to the Word
which is from Him . . .
Sunday, September 10, 2006
AE 813 - faith & truth
AE 813
"Faith" signifies the implantation of truth
because faith with man is truth acknowledged in the heart;
for unless it is acknowledged in the heart it cannot be one's own faith;
and this is why "faith" is nowhere mentioned in the Old Testament,
but "truth" instead;
...the ancient people with whom was the church
were wholly ignorant that faith was anything else than truth;
and when they said that they believed in God
they meant by it knowing and understanding truths,
and willing and doing them,
and this from the Lord.
"Faith" signifies the implantation of truth
because faith with man is truth acknowledged in the heart;
for unless it is acknowledged in the heart it cannot be one's own faith;
and this is why "faith" is nowhere mentioned in the Old Testament,
but "truth" instead;
...the ancient people with whom was the church
were wholly ignorant that faith was anything else than truth;
and when they said that they believed in God
they meant by it knowing and understanding truths,
and willing and doing them,
and this from the Lord.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
AE 810 - to those who are in truths
AE 810 [4]
To those who are in truths the imputation of the Lord's merit
means simply an entreaty to the Lord that He will have mercy ....
The Lord's merit
means that by His own Power He will save those who believe in Him,
and who do what He has commanded.
This merit cannot be imputed, but it can be prayed for.
Intercession means the perpetual remembrance of man by the Lord.
Trust and confidence mean trust and confidence in the Lord
that out of pure mercy He will teach man the way
and lead him to heaven.
impute, imputation - to lay the responsibility or blame for;
to credit a person or cause
To those who are in truths the imputation of the Lord's merit
means simply an entreaty to the Lord that He will have mercy ....
The Lord's merit
means that by His own Power He will save those who believe in Him,
and who do what He has commanded.
This merit cannot be imputed, but it can be prayed for.
Intercession means the perpetual remembrance of man by the Lord.
Trust and confidence mean trust and confidence in the Lord
that out of pure mercy He will teach man the way
and lead him to heaven.
impute, imputation - to lay the responsibility or blame for;
to credit a person or cause
Friday, September 08, 2006
AE 808 - What is saving faith?
AE 808 [2]
Saving faith is to believe that the Lord is the Saviour of the world,
and that He is the God of heaven and the God of the earth,
and that by His coming into the world
He entered into the power to save all
who receive truths from Him through the Word,
and who live according to them.
Who those are that are able to receive truths from Him
and to live according to them...
those who shun sins because they are sins against the Word
and thus against God,
since by so doing man's internal is purified,
and when this is purified man is led by the Lord and not by self;
and so far as man is led by the Lord he loves truths,
and receives them and wills them and does them.
This faith is saving faith.
Saving faith is to believe that the Lord is the Saviour of the world,
and that He is the God of heaven and the God of the earth,
and that by His coming into the world
He entered into the power to save all
who receive truths from Him through the Word,
and who live according to them.
Who those are that are able to receive truths from Him
and to live according to them...
those who shun sins because they are sins against the Word
and thus against God,
since by so doing man's internal is purified,
and when this is purified man is led by the Lord and not by self;
and so far as man is led by the Lord he loves truths,
and receives them and wills them and does them.
This faith is saving faith.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
AE 803a - So far as man detests these sins so far good affections enter:
AE 803a [2] (5)
Then so far as he detests adulteries
so far chastity enters;
so far as he detests frauds and unlawful gains
so far sincerity and justice enter;
so far as he detests hatred and revenge
so far charity enters;
so far as he detests lies and blasphemies
so far truth enters;
and so far as he detests elation of mind
so far humility before God and the love of the neighbor enter;
and so on.
From this it follows that to shun evils is to do goods.
Then so far as he detests adulteries
so far chastity enters;
so far as he detests frauds and unlawful gains
so far sincerity and justice enter;
so far as he detests hatred and revenge
so far charity enters;
so far as he detests lies and blasphemies
so far truth enters;
and so far as he detests elation of mind
so far humility before God and the love of the neighbor enter;
and so on.
From this it follows that to shun evils is to do goods.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
AE 802b - predestination & the elect
AE 802b [4]
... yet all are predestined for heaven,
and those are called the elect who learn truths and do them.
... yet all are predestined for heaven,
and those are called the elect who learn truths and do them.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
AE 799b - the shelter of His wings
AE 799b [8]
I will abide in Your tabernacle for ever,
I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. (Psalm 61:4)
"To abide in a tabernacle forever"
signifies to be in the Divine good of love;
"to trust in the shelter of Your wings"
signifies to be in Divine truths,
"the wings of Jehovah"
signifying spiritual truths.
I will abide in Your tabernacle for ever,
I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. (Psalm 61:4)
"To abide in a tabernacle forever"
signifies to be in the Divine good of love;
"to trust in the shelter of Your wings"
signifies to be in Divine truths,
"the wings of Jehovah"
signifying spiritual truths.
Monday, September 04, 2006
AE 798b - with everyone who is being reformed
AE 789b [3]
...with everyone who is being reformed,
he first forms doctrine for himself out of the Word,
and distinguishes in it between the things that are to be believed
and the things that are to be done.
The things that are to be believed he calls faith,
and the things that are to be done he calls charity;
but as the order with every one has been reversed from birth
he looks to faith in the first place
and charity in the second.
Yet if he lives the life of faith, which is charity,
the order is by degrees turned about and restored;
and from charity he lives faith.
...with everyone who is being reformed,
he first forms doctrine for himself out of the Word,
and distinguishes in it between the things that are to be believed
and the things that are to be done.
The things that are to be believed he calls faith,
and the things that are to be done he calls charity;
but as the order with every one has been reversed from birth
he looks to faith in the first place
and charity in the second.
Yet if he lives the life of faith, which is charity,
the order is by degrees turned about and restored;
and from charity he lives faith.
Sunday, September 03, 2006
AE 794 - from the Lord
AE 794 [3]
He who does good for the sake of good does good from good;
and he who speaks truth for the sake of truth speaks truth from truth,
thus from the Lord, who is Truth itself and from whom is all truth.
The like is true of him who acts sincerely for the sake of sincerity,
and does what is just for the sake of justice;
for sincerity is moral good and truth,
and justice is civil good and truth;
and all good and truth are from the Lord and not from man,
because they are done from the internal through the external.
He who does good for the sake of good does good from good;
and he who speaks truth for the sake of truth speaks truth from truth,
thus from the Lord, who is Truth itself and from whom is all truth.
The like is true of him who acts sincerely for the sake of sincerity,
and does what is just for the sake of justice;
for sincerity is moral good and truth,
and justice is civil good and truth;
and all good and truth are from the Lord and not from man,
because they are done from the internal through the external.
Saturday, September 02, 2006
AE 790b - a storehouse for the formation of the spiritual man
AE 790b [5]
That the spiritual mind may be opened and formed
it must have a storehouse from which it may draw its supplies;
since unless man has such a storehouse he is empty,
and in emptiness there can be no Divine operation.
This storehouse is in the natural man and it is its memory,
in which everything knowable can be stored up
and can be drawn forth from it.
In this storehouse for the formation of the spiritual man
there must be truths that are to be believed
and goods that are to be done, both of them from the Word
and from doctrine and preaching from the Word.
These man must learn even from infancy.
[14]
... but still it is the Lord who works all these arcana,
while man knows nothing about it;
all that man needs to do is to learn truths from the Word
and to live according to them.
That the spiritual mind may be opened and formed
it must have a storehouse from which it may draw its supplies;
since unless man has such a storehouse he is empty,
and in emptiness there can be no Divine operation.
This storehouse is in the natural man and it is its memory,
in which everything knowable can be stored up
and can be drawn forth from it.
In this storehouse for the formation of the spiritual man
there must be truths that are to be believed
and goods that are to be done, both of them from the Word
and from doctrine and preaching from the Word.
These man must learn even from infancy.
[14]
... but still it is the Lord who works all these arcana,
while man knows nothing about it;
all that man needs to do is to learn truths from the Word
and to live according to them.
Friday, September 01, 2006
AE 785b - faith, charity, good works & the church
AE 785b [5]
... the twelve disciples of the Lord represented the church in respect to all things of faith and charity in the complex; and of them, Peter, James, and John represented faith, charity and good works in their order, Peter faith, James charity, and John good works.... Because John represented the church in respect to good works, he reclined at the Lord's breast. That the church is with those who do good works is also signified by the Lord's words from the cross to John:
Jesus saw His mother, and spoke to the disciple whom He loved, who was standing by; and He said to His mother, Woman, behold thy son; and He said to that disciple, Behold thy mother: and from that hour that disciple took her unto himself. (John 16: 26,27)
This signifies that where good works are, there the church will be, for in the Word "woman," like as "mother," signifies the church.
... the twelve disciples of the Lord represented the church in respect to all things of faith and charity in the complex; and of them, Peter, James, and John represented faith, charity and good works in their order, Peter faith, James charity, and John good works.... Because John represented the church in respect to good works, he reclined at the Lord's breast. That the church is with those who do good works is also signified by the Lord's words from the cross to John:
Jesus saw His mother, and spoke to the disciple whom He loved, who was standing by; and He said to His mother, Woman, behold thy son; and He said to that disciple, Behold thy mother: and from that hour that disciple took her unto himself. (John 16: 26,27)
This signifies that where good works are, there the church will be, for in the Word "woman," like as "mother," signifies the church.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
AE 781d - the Lord came
AE 781d [16]
... the Lord came into the world
not for the sake of any kingdom on earth,
but for the sake of a kingdom in heaven...
... the Lord came into the world
not for the sake of any kingdom on earth,
but for the sake of a kingdom in heaven...
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
AE 780b - "and a little boy shall lead them"
AE 780b [6]
In Isaiah 6:5-6:
Righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins,
and truth the girdle of His hips;
therefore the wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
and the leopard with the kid,
the calf and the young lion and the fatling together,
and a little boy shall lead them.
This is said of the Lord and of His kingdom,
and of the state of innocence and peace therein.
"And a little boy shall lead them"
signifies the state of innocence and love to the Lord in which they will be;
'boy" signifying innocence together with love to the Lord,
for love to the Lord makes one with innocence....
In Isaiah 6:5-6:
Righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins,
and truth the girdle of His hips;
therefore the wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
and the leopard with the kid,
the calf and the young lion and the fatling together,
and a little boy shall lead them.
This is said of the Lord and of His kingdom,
and of the state of innocence and peace therein.
"And a little boy shall lead them"
signifies the state of innocence and love to the Lord in which they will be;
'boy" signifying innocence together with love to the Lord,
for love to the Lord makes one with innocence....
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
AE 778b - heaven is removed
AE 778b [4]
... heaven is removed from man when the Lord and His Divine are denied....
... heaven is removed from man when the Lord and His Divine are denied....
Monday, August 28, 2006
AE 774 - doing the law from what is good, sincere & just
AE 774 [5]
The spiritual man knows that doing the law and fulfilling it in external form does not save; but that so far as man does the law in the external form from the internal, it does save. The internal form, or the internal of the law, is to love what is good, sincere, and just; and its external is to do this. This the Lord teaches in Matthew 23:26:
Cleanse first the inside of the cup and the platter,
that the outside of them may become clean also.
Man fulfills the law so far as he does it from the internal, but not so far as he does it from the external apart from the internal. The internal of man is his love and will. But to love what is good, sincere, and just, and from love to will it, is from the Lord alone. Therefore to fulfill the law is to be led by the Lord.
The spiritual man knows that doing the law and fulfilling it in external form does not save; but that so far as man does the law in the external form from the internal, it does save. The internal form, or the internal of the law, is to love what is good, sincere, and just; and its external is to do this. This the Lord teaches in Matthew 23:26:
Cleanse first the inside of the cup and the platter,
that the outside of them may become clean also.
Man fulfills the law so far as he does it from the internal, but not so far as he does it from the external apart from the internal. The internal of man is his love and will. But to love what is good, sincere, and just, and from love to will it, is from the Lord alone. Therefore to fulfill the law is to be led by the Lord.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
AE 769 - living a life of faith
AE 769
Who keep the commandments of God, (Rev. 12:17)
... signifies to live the life of faith, which is charity,...
[2]
... neither persuasive faith nor historical faith is a spiritual faith,
thus not a saving faith,
for such faith has as yet no life from the Lord in it.
That a man may receive that life
he must live according to the Lord's commandments in the Word,
because the Lord is the Word and is in the Word.
Such a life is the life of faith, which is charity....
Who keep the commandments of God, (Rev. 12:17)
... signifies to live the life of faith, which is charity,...
[2]
... neither persuasive faith nor historical faith is a spiritual faith,
thus not a saving faith,
for such faith has as yet no life from the Lord in it.
That a man may receive that life
he must live according to the Lord's commandments in the Word,
because the Lord is the Word and is in the Word.
Such a life is the life of faith, which is charity....
Saturday, August 26, 2006
AE 768a - with the Lord
AE 768a
... in the Word the expressions "going with the Lord,"
and "walking with Him" and "after Him," are used,
and these signify to live from the Lord...
... in the Word the expressions "going with the Lord,"
and "walking with Him" and "after Him," are used,
and these signify to live from the Lord...
Friday, August 25, 2006
AE 763 - spiritual light
AE 763 [2]
But let it be known that only he who is in enlightenment from the Lord,
and so in the spiritual affection of truth, thinks and reasons spiritually,
for these are in the light of truth,
and the light of truth is the light of heaven
from which the angels have intelligence and wisdom;
that light is what is called spiritual light,
and consequently those who are in that light are spiritual.
But let it be known that only he who is in enlightenment from the Lord,
and so in the spiritual affection of truth, thinks and reasons spiritually,
for these are in the light of truth,
and the light of truth is the light of heaven
from which the angels have intelligence and wisdom;
that light is what is called spiritual light,
and consequently those who are in that light are spiritual.
AE 759- "the wings of an eagle"
And there were given to the woman two wings of a great eagle,
that she might fly into the wilderness into her place,
where she is nourished a time, and times, and half a time,
from the face of the serpent. (Rev. 12:14)
AE 759 [5]
... what is signified by "the wings of an eagle," namely,
the understanding of truth;
and as "the woman" means the New Jerusalem,
therefore the wings being given to her signifies
that the understanding of truth was given, and will be given,
to those who will be of that church.
that she might fly into the wilderness into her place,
where she is nourished a time, and times, and half a time,
from the face of the serpent. (Rev. 12:14)
AE 759 [5]
... what is signified by "the wings of an eagle," namely,
the understanding of truth;
and as "the woman" means the New Jerusalem,
therefore the wings being given to her signifies
that the understanding of truth was given, and will be given,
to those who will be of that church.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
AE 754 - equilibrium
AE 754 [2]
... hatreds of various kinds are unceasingly ascending from the hells;
while on the other hand,
spiritual loves also of various kinds descend from the heavens,
and between the hatreds of the hells and the loves of the heavens
there is an equilibrium, in which the men in the world are held,
in order that they may be able to act from freedom according to reason.
... hatreds of various kinds are unceasingly ascending from the hells;
while on the other hand,
spiritual loves also of various kinds descend from the heavens,
and between the hatreds of the hells and the loves of the heavens
there is an equilibrium, in which the men in the world are held,
in order that they may be able to act from freedom according to reason.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
AE 750a - eternal life
AE 750a
... life in the world, which is only for some years,
is as nothing compared with the life in heaven, which is eternal life.
... life in the world, which is only for some years,
is as nothing compared with the life in heaven, which is eternal life.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
AE 748 - the Holy Spirit
AE 748
The Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord's Divine Human
is what is called "the Holy Spirit."
The Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord's Divine Human
is what is called "the Holy Spirit."
Monday, August 21, 2006
AE 746c - two
AE 746c [6]
... there are two things, namely, charity and faith, that constitute the church,
as there are two things that make up the life of man, will and understanding;
so there are two parts that act as one,
as the two eyes, two ears, two nostrils,
two hands, two feet,
two lobes of the lungs, two chambers of the heart,
two hemispheres of the brain, and so on,
of which the one has reference to good from which is truth,
and the other to good.
... there are two things, namely, charity and faith, that constitute the church,
as there are two things that make up the life of man, will and understanding;
so there are two parts that act as one,
as the two eyes, two ears, two nostrils,
two hands, two feet,
two lobes of the lungs, two chambers of the heart,
two hemispheres of the brain, and so on,
of which the one has reference to good from which is truth,
and the other to good.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
AE 741a - doing what the Lord commands
AE 741a [2]
When a man does good from the Word, that is,
because it is commanded by the Lord in the Word,
he does it not from himself but from the Lord,
for the Lord is the Word. (John 1:1,14)
He that keeps My word,
I will come unto him
and will make my abode with him. (John 14:23)
When a man does good from the Word, that is,
because it is commanded by the Lord in the Word,
he does it not from himself but from the Lord,
for the Lord is the Word. (John 1:1,14)
He that keeps My word,
I will come unto him
and will make my abode with him. (John 14:23)
Saturday, August 19, 2006
AE 739b - the sensual vs. the celestial man
AE 739 b [10]
For the sensual man supposes that he knows everything
and that nothing escapes him;
but it is not so with the celestial man,
who is convinced that he knows nothing from himself
but from the Lord,
and that, what he does know
is so insignificant as to be scarcely anything
compared with what he does not know.
For the sensual man supposes that he knows everything
and that nothing escapes him;
but it is not so with the celestial man,
who is convinced that he knows nothing from himself
but from the Lord,
and that, what he does know
is so insignificant as to be scarcely anything
compared with what he does not know.
Friday, August 18, 2006
AE 735 - Michael
Michael and his angels fought with the dragon (Revelation 12:7)
AE 735 [2]
Angels, in the heavens, do not have such names as men on earth have, but they have names expressive of their functions, and in general, to every angel a name is given according to his quality; this is why "name" signifies in the Word the quality of a thing and state. The name Michael means, from its derivation in the Hebrew, who is like God; therefore Michael signifies the Lord in relation to that Divine truth that the Lord is God even as to the Human, and that man must live from Him, that is, in love to Him and from Him, and in love towards the neighbor.
AE 735 [2]
Angels, in the heavens, do not have such names as men on earth have, but they have names expressive of their functions, and in general, to every angel a name is given according to his quality; this is why "name" signifies in the Word the quality of a thing and state. The name Michael means, from its derivation in the Hebrew, who is like God; therefore Michael signifies the Lord in relation to that Divine truth that the Lord is God even as to the Human, and that man must live from Him, that is, in love to Him and from Him, and in love towards the neighbor.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
AE 734c - the Lord protects us
AE 734c [8]
Because Jehovah, that is, the Lord, protects man from the hells, that is, from the evils and falsities that continually rise up out of the hells, therefore He is call "Jehovah Zebaoth," that is, Jehovah of Hosts, and "hosts" signify the truths and goods of heaven, and thus of the church in the whole complex, by which the Lord removes the hells in general, and with each one individually....
Because Jehovah, that is, the Lord, protects man from the hells, that is, from the evils and falsities that continually rise up out of the hells, therefore He is call "Jehovah Zebaoth," that is, Jehovah of Hosts, and "hosts" signify the truths and goods of heaven, and thus of the church in the whole complex, by which the Lord removes the hells in general, and with each one individually....
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
AE 732 - first with a few
AE 732 [2]
There are several reasons why this New Church that is called the Holy Jerusalem will first begin with a few, afterwards to be with more, and finally to reach fullness.
First, its doctrine, which is the doctrine of love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbor, can not be acknowledged and thus received except by those who are interiorly affected by truths, and those only can be interiorly affected by truths who have the ability to see them, and those only see truths who have cultivated their intellectual faculty, and have not destroyed it in themselves by the loves of self and of the world.
A second reason is that the doctrine of that church can not be acknowledged and then received but by those who have not confirmed themselves by doctrine and at the same time by life in faith alone; confirmation by doctrine alone does not prevent reception, but confirmation by life also does prevent, for such do not know what love to the Lord is, nor what charity towards the neighbor is, nor are they willing to know.
[3]
A third reason is that the New Church on the earth grows according to its increase in the world of spirits, for spirits from that world are with men, and they are from such as while they lived on earth, were in the faith of their church, and none of these receive the doctrine but those who have been in the spiritual affection of truth; these only are conjoined to heaven where that doctrine is, and they conjoin heaven to man. The number of these in the spiritual world now increases daily, therefore according to their increase does that church that is called the New Jerusalem increase on earth.
There are several reasons why this New Church that is called the Holy Jerusalem will first begin with a few, afterwards to be with more, and finally to reach fullness.
First, its doctrine, which is the doctrine of love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbor, can not be acknowledged and thus received except by those who are interiorly affected by truths, and those only can be interiorly affected by truths who have the ability to see them, and those only see truths who have cultivated their intellectual faculty, and have not destroyed it in themselves by the loves of self and of the world.
A second reason is that the doctrine of that church can not be acknowledged and then received but by those who have not confirmed themselves by doctrine and at the same time by life in faith alone; confirmation by doctrine alone does not prevent reception, but confirmation by life also does prevent, for such do not know what love to the Lord is, nor what charity towards the neighbor is, nor are they willing to know.
[3]
A third reason is that the New Church on the earth grows according to its increase in the world of spirits, for spirits from that world are with men, and they are from such as while they lived on earth, were in the faith of their church, and none of these receive the doctrine but those who have been in the spiritual affection of truth; these only are conjoined to heaven where that doctrine is, and they conjoin heaven to man. The number of these in the spiritual world now increases daily, therefore according to their increase does that church that is called the New Jerusalem increase on earth.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
AE 730d - wandering in the wilderness for 40 years
AE 730d [31]
Every man is born natural, and lives naturally until he becomes rational; and when he has become rational he can be led by the Lord and become spiritual; and this is effected by the implanting of the knowledges of truth from the Word, and at the same time by the opening of the spiritual mind which receives the things of heaven, and by calling forth these knowledges and elevating them out of the natural man and conjoining them with the spiritual affection of truth. This opening and conjunction is possible only through temptations, because in temptations man fights interiorly against the falsities and evils that are in the natural man. In a word, man is introduced into the church and becomes a church through temptations.
[32] ( ** New International Version translation shown at asterisks below)
Thou shalt remember all the way which Jehovah thy God hath led thee these forty years in the wilderness, that He might afflict thee and try thee, and know what was in thine heart whether thou wouldst keep His commandments or no; and He afflicted thee and made thee to hunger, and made thee to eat manna, which thou knewest not neither did the fathers know; that He might teach thee that man doth not live by bread only, but all that goeth forth from the mouth of Jehovah doth man live; they raiment waxed not old upon thee, and thy foot swelled not, these forty years. (Deuteronomy 8:2-4)
[33]
He who knows what spiritual temptations are knows that when a man is in them he is so infested by evils and falsities as scarcely to know otherwise than that he is in hell; he knows, too, that the Lord with man fights against temptations from the interior; as also that He sustains man in the meantime with spiritual food and drink, which are the goods and truths of heaven...
**From the New International Version for Deuteronomy 8:2-4:
Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years.
Every man is born natural, and lives naturally until he becomes rational; and when he has become rational he can be led by the Lord and become spiritual; and this is effected by the implanting of the knowledges of truth from the Word, and at the same time by the opening of the spiritual mind which receives the things of heaven, and by calling forth these knowledges and elevating them out of the natural man and conjoining them with the spiritual affection of truth. This opening and conjunction is possible only through temptations, because in temptations man fights interiorly against the falsities and evils that are in the natural man. In a word, man is introduced into the church and becomes a church through temptations.
[32] ( ** New International Version translation shown at asterisks below)
Thou shalt remember all the way which Jehovah thy God hath led thee these forty years in the wilderness, that He might afflict thee and try thee, and know what was in thine heart whether thou wouldst keep His commandments or no; and He afflicted thee and made thee to hunger, and made thee to eat manna, which thou knewest not neither did the fathers know; that He might teach thee that man doth not live by bread only, but all that goeth forth from the mouth of Jehovah doth man live; they raiment waxed not old upon thee, and thy foot swelled not, these forty years. (Deuteronomy 8:2-4)
[33]
He who knows what spiritual temptations are knows that when a man is in them he is so infested by evils and falsities as scarcely to know otherwise than that he is in hell; he knows, too, that the Lord with man fights against temptations from the interior; as also that He sustains man in the meantime with spiritual food and drink, which are the goods and truths of heaven...
**From the New International Version for Deuteronomy 8:2-4:
Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years.
Monday, August 14, 2006
AE 730a - the Lord flows into our will
AE 730a [2]
... the Lord never flows immediately into truths with man,
but mediately through his good;
for good is of the will,
and the will is the man himself;
from the will the understanding is produced and formed;
for the understanding is adjoined to the will
so that what the will loves the understanding sees,
and also brings forth into light;
consequently if the will is not in good, but is in evil,
then the influx of truth from the Lord into the understanding
has no effect, for it is dissipated, because it is not loved,
yea, it is perverted, and the truth is falsified.
... the Lord never flows immediately into truths with man,
but mediately through his good;
for good is of the will,
and the will is the man himself;
from the will the understanding is produced and formed;
for the understanding is adjoined to the will
so that what the will loves the understanding sees,
and also brings forth into light;
consequently if the will is not in good, but is in evil,
then the influx of truth from the Lord into the understanding
has no effect, for it is dissipated, because it is not loved,
yea, it is perverted, and the truth is falsified.
Sunday, August 13, 2006
AE 727a - old men & old women
AE 727a [9]
There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem,
and a man in whose hand is a staff because of the multitude of days.
(Zechariah 8:4)
"Old men and old women"
signify those who are intelligent from doctrine and from the affection of truth;
"the man in whose hand is a staff because of the multitude of days"
signifies the wise who trust in the Lord alone and not at all in themselves;
that these will be in the church that has the doctrine of genuine truth
is signified by "in the streets of Jerusalem,"
"Jerusalem" meaning the church in respect to doctrine,
and "streets" the truths of doctrine, here genuine truths.
There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem,
and a man in whose hand is a staff because of the multitude of days.
(Zechariah 8:4)
"Old men and old women"
signify those who are intelligent from doctrine and from the affection of truth;
"the man in whose hand is a staff because of the multitude of days"
signifies the wise who trust in the Lord alone and not at all in themselves;
that these will be in the church that has the doctrine of genuine truth
is signified by "in the streets of Jerusalem,"
"Jerusalem" meaning the church in respect to doctrine,
and "streets" the truths of doctrine, here genuine truths.
Saturday, August 12, 2006
AE 725b - truths
AE 725b [4]
... without truths man does not know what is good,
or what is the nature of good,
thus does not know the way to heaven...
... without truths man does not know what is good,
or what is the nature of good,
thus does not know the way to heaven...
Friday, August 11, 2006
AE 725a - doctrine & life
AE 725a [3]
... doctrine teaches how one must live and do,
and life lives the doctrine and does it.
... doctrine teaches how one must live and do,
and life lives the doctrine and does it.
Thursday, August 10, 2006
AE 724b - regeneration
AE 724b [8]
... regeneration is the conjunction of goods with truths
and of truths with goods,
and it is the Lord who regenerates,
and the Word that teaches.
... regeneration is the conjunction of goods with truths
and of truths with goods,
and it is the Lord who regenerates,
and the Word that teaches.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
AE 721b & c - women, giving birth, the New Church, gardens, & regeneration
AE 721b [10]
... "the woman with child" those who receive truths,
and "she who is bringing forth" those who do them.
(from Jeremiah 31:8)
[11]
That those who will be of that church will acknowledge the Lord,
and will receive love to Him and thence wisdom,
is signified by
"her wilderness shall be made like Eden,
and her solitude like the garden of Jehovah",
"Eden" signifying love to the Lord,
and "the garden of Jehovah" wisdom therefrom.
[16]
Since a "mother" signifies the church,
and "sons and daughters" its truths and good,
and in the ancient churches, and afterwards the Jewish church,
all things were representative and thence significative,
it was a reproach and disgrace for women to be barren..."
AE 721c
That a woman being with child, cried out, travailing,
and pained to be delivered;
(Revelation 12:2)
which signifies that spiritual truths and goods,
which are from the Word,
can be received only with the greatest difficulty and distress,
because of the opposing evils and falsities
that then exist in the church
and occupy the minds of those who are devoted to religion.
... "the woman with child" those who receive truths,
and "she who is bringing forth" those who do them.
(from Jeremiah 31:8)
[11]
That those who will be of that church will acknowledge the Lord,
and will receive love to Him and thence wisdom,
is signified by
"her wilderness shall be made like Eden,
and her solitude like the garden of Jehovah",
"Eden" signifying love to the Lord,
and "the garden of Jehovah" wisdom therefrom.
[16]
Since a "mother" signifies the church,
and "sons and daughters" its truths and good,
and in the ancient churches, and afterwards the Jewish church,
all things were representative and thence significative,
it was a reproach and disgrace for women to be barren..."
AE 721c
That a woman being with child, cried out, travailing,
and pained to be delivered;
(Revelation 12:2)
which signifies that spiritual truths and goods,
which are from the Word,
can be received only with the greatest difficulty and distress,
because of the opposing evils and falsities
that then exist in the church
and occupy the minds of those who are devoted to religion.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
AE 717d & 718 - the Word
AE 717d [15]
... with the evil the same as with the good,
the Word is still the Word and its truths are truths in themselves;
and when the evil pervert and falsify the truths of the Word
it yet does not change their essence.
[17]
... those who are in charity, which is the life of faith,
have the light of intelligence from the Word.
AE 718
... the Word ... from beginning to end
is the doctrine of love of love to the Lord
and of charity towards the neighbor.
... with the evil the same as with the good,
the Word is still the Word and its truths are truths in themselves;
and when the evil pervert and falsify the truths of the Word
it yet does not change their essence.
[17]
... those who are in charity, which is the life of faith,
have the light of intelligence from the Word.
AE 718
... the Word ... from beginning to end
is the doctrine of love of love to the Lord
and of charity towards the neighbor.
Monday, August 07, 2006
AE 716 - man and the mercy of the Lord
AE 716 [2]
...at the end of the church every one wishes to live for himself, for the world,
and according to his own bent,
and few wish to live for the Lord, for heaven and eternal life;
and the principle of faith alone, which is faith separated from charity,
favors the former life,
and like the current of a river draws in and carries away
all to thus believing and living.
[3]
The Lord by His Divine truth
might instantly cast out the falsities of evil that are with man,
but this would be to cast the man instantly into hell;
for these falsities must first be removed,
and so far as they are removed,
so far there is a place of implanting truths from good,
and man is reformed.
...at the end of the church every one wishes to live for himself, for the world,
and according to his own bent,
and few wish to live for the Lord, for heaven and eternal life;
and the principle of faith alone, which is faith separated from charity,
favors the former life,
and like the current of a river draws in and carries away
all to thus believing and living.
[3]
The Lord by His Divine truth
might instantly cast out the falsities of evil that are with man,
but this would be to cast the man instantly into hell;
for these falsities must first be removed,
and so far as they are removed,
so far there is a place of implanting truths from good,
and man is reformed.
Sunday, August 06, 2006
AE 714b - "the dragon"
AE 714b [4]
In general, it (the dragon) signifies those who are more or less natural, and yet are in a knowledge of spiritual things from the Word. But in particular, it signifies those who have confirmed themselves, by doctrine and life, in a faith separated from charity. These constitute the head of the dragon. But those who from self-intelligence hatch out for themselves dogmas from the Word constitute its body; while those who study the Word without doctrine constitute its external parts. All these also falsify and adulterate the Word, since they are in the love of self, and thence in the pride of self-intelligence, from which they become merely natural, yea, even sensual, and the sensual man is unable to see the genuine truths of the Word...
[5]
For the Word itself is spiritual, because it is in itself Divine, and is therefore in heaven. But since the mere knowledge of spiritual things from the Word does not make man spiritual, but a life according to those that that are in the Word; therefore all those who are in knowledge from the Word and are not in a life according to that knowledge are natural and even sensual.
In general, it (the dragon) signifies those who are more or less natural, and yet are in a knowledge of spiritual things from the Word. But in particular, it signifies those who have confirmed themselves, by doctrine and life, in a faith separated from charity. These constitute the head of the dragon. But those who from self-intelligence hatch out for themselves dogmas from the Word constitute its body; while those who study the Word without doctrine constitute its external parts. All these also falsify and adulterate the Word, since they are in the love of self, and thence in the pride of self-intelligence, from which they become merely natural, yea, even sensual, and the sensual man is unable to see the genuine truths of the Word...
[5]
For the Word itself is spiritual, because it is in itself Divine, and is therefore in heaven. But since the mere knowledge of spiritual things from the Word does not make man spiritual, but a life according to those that that are in the Word; therefore all those who are in knowledge from the Word and are not in a life according to that knowledge are natural and even sensual.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
AE 714a - knowing and living
AE 714a [2]
... one who knows the things taught in the Word or in doctrine or by a preacher, and does not live according to them, however learned and erudite he may appear, is nevertheless not spiritual but natural, and even sensual, for knowledge and the ability to reason do not make man spiritual, but life itself.
... to love truths and from love to will them and from that will to do them is from heaven, that is, through heaven from the Lord, and is in its nature celestial and Divine....
... one who knows the things taught in the Word or in doctrine or by a preacher, and does not live according to them, however learned and erudite he may appear, is nevertheless not spiritual but natural, and even sensual, for knowledge and the ability to reason do not make man spiritual, but life itself.
... to love truths and from love to will them and from that will to do them is from heaven, that is, through heaven from the Lord, and is in its nature celestial and Divine....
Friday, August 04, 2006
Thursday, August 03, 2006
AE 707 - spheres
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
AE 706b - the Lord Himself
AE 706b [10]
... the Lord Himself, from whom is every thing of doctrine and every thing of spiritual nourishment....
... the Lord Himself, from whom is every thing of doctrine and every thing of spiritual nourishment....
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
AE 706a - dreams
AE 706a [3]
... when a man dreams, his natural understanding is laid asleep and his spiritual sight is opened, which draws its all from the affection.
... when a man dreams, his natural understanding is laid asleep and his spiritual sight is opened, which draws its all from the affection.
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