AC 2946 - the first state of reformation

AC 2946
Such is the first state of all who are being reformed and made spiritual,
namely, that they do not believe
that they are reformed by the Lord but by themselves,
that is, they believe all of the will of good
and of the thought of truth to be from themselves;
they are also left in this state by the Lord,
since in no other way can they be reformed.
For if before they have been regenerated it should be said to them
that they cannot do anything of good from themselves,
or think anything of truth from themselves,
they would then either fall into the error of thinking
that they must wait for influx into the will and influx into the thought,
and if this does not take place must attempt nothing . . ..
But after they are regenerate,
then by degrees the knowledge is insinuated into them
that the case is otherwise,
and that all good and truth are solely from the Lord;
and still further, when they are becoming more perfected,
that whatever does not come from the Lord is evil and false.
To the regenerate, if not in the life of the body still in the other life,
it is given not only to know this, but also to perceive it;
for all the angels are in the perception that it is so.  

SD 4272-4274 - influx: a river of general affections

SD 4272, 4273, 4274
. . . how the case is with influx,
that it is, as it were, a river of general affections, 

or rivers unceasingly flowing;
or it is a general affection flowing as if it were a continual stream,
and varying itself in a wonderful manner.
It resembles an atmospheric stream,
and all who are in that river, or in those rivers,
are affected each according to his peculiar genius,
for it is in this manner received,
and in that common river acts according to each one's genius,
somewhat like, for example, a wheel driven by a prevailing force,
but inwardly acted upon by various counter forces . . ..

These rivers of general affections exist in every degree;
in interiors flowing more gently, and constantly, and with a pleasing variety;
but in exteriors, incessantly and roughly, as it were,
from which it is that such various,
irregular and incoherent promptings appear in exteriors,
as if made up of pure activity,
though they are still directed by the general sphere,
according to reception and state in everyone.

Inasmuch as these influences thus resemble, as it were,
an atmospheric river or stream,
therefore the Lord says in regard to regeneration,
that it is as the wind blowing,
of which a person knows not where it comes nor where it goes.
. . . Consequently it also appeared 

that the influx of life is from the Lord alone,
and that it affects all so that they think they live of themselves;
and also that this influx is Divine mercy,
where from are all the affections of love and truth.
That all life is from affection, as from its general principle,
everyone may be convinced,
since if he is not affected by delight, or the like, he never [really] lives.
It was consequently given to know
what kind of an influx there is in all things from the Lord,
from whom everything in the universe [that lives] has life;
as also that order is from the same source,
and that the more agreement one is with that stream,
the more is he in order.
(May 16, 1749)

SD 4246-4249 - wandering minds & reading the Word

SD 4246 - 4249
. . . (angelic spirits) perceived the sense of what I read,
when I perceived almost nothing of it,
so that their perception of the interior sense of what was written
increased in proportion as mine decreased
 - a fact at which one may well wonder.
The case is similar with children when they read the Word,
as also with other pious people when they read.
The things are few which a person perceives,
but they are many which are perceived by the angels,
and they are all and singular in the interior and more interior sense;
thus they perceive things which have never come into the idea of the person,
since a person is in the literal sense,
which is comparatively obscure, and scarcely any sense at all;
but it was given to say to them
that it would be better if a person also were in light;
thus they would be one,
and the order would be complete.
It was also occasionally observed
that when angelic spirits desired to pray from me,
and to know what it was that I was reading,
they would surreptitiously take away my thought,
and direct my attention to surrounding objects,
so that my ideas would be obscured,
but when they were in light;
indeed they were in a greater light of intelligence
in proportion as I was in a less, and as it were in obscurity.
But the case is otherwise
with the angelic spirits who love the neighbor better than themselves,
for it is only the love of self,
of the existence of which in themselves they are ignorant,
that produces and makes clear the effects above described.
(April 30, 1749)

SD 4226 - reflection & life

SD 4226
. . .  with the person who is regenerated . . . 

in regard to matters of conscience,
conscientiousness is present in every particular 

of the person's thought and action,
though he is not aware of it;
with the pious man, piety is in everything;
with the obedient, obedience;
with the charitable, charity;
with the conjugial, conjugial love.
In all these cases the ruling principle is perpetually present
[in the minutest particulars],
though the person is not conscious of it.
In like manner is the presence of the Lord with the celestial angels;
they do not know it, still it is the Lord's presence.
Consequently when it is said that the Lord is continually to be thought of,
this that I have now described is what is meant by it;
not that person is to hold his thoughts 

perpetually and sensibly on that one theme,
which may, however, be done in the outset [and be persisted in]
until such a habit of unconscious continuity is acquired.
(April 17, 1749)
 

AC 2960 - our souls

AC 2930
In many passages of the Word it is said "from the heart and from the soul,"
or "from the whole heart and from the whole soul,"
and by this is signified that it is from all the will and all the understanding.
That a person has two faculties, namely, will and understanding,
may be known to everyone;
also that the will is a separate faculty from the understanding,
for we are able to understand good and truth
and yet will what is evil and false.


[5] It is said that "soul" signifies the affection of truth from the heart,
because there are affections of truth which are not from the heart;
as those which are from the love of self or of being eminent,
from the love of the world or of making gain,
also from the love of meriting;
from these in like manner there come forth affections of truth,
but they are not genuine;
being from the will of the flesh, and not from the heart:
that which is from the heart is from the Lord.
Moreover "soul" in the Word signifies in the universal sense all life
for in the universal sense
the soul is that from which another thing is, and lives;
so the soul of the body is its spirit,
for from this the body lives;
but the soul of the spirit is its still more internal life,
from which it has wisdom and understanding.

SD 4206 - what goes around . . .

SD 4206
It appears from the order in which all things are in heaven and in hell,
. . . that all evil shall punish itself . . ..
Such is order,
and this is called permission,
which nevertheless is a universal law;
as also that mutual love shall reward itself
and that it shall fare with everyone according to what he wills to another.
(April 13, 1749)

SD 4201 - the Lord foresees & provides

SD 4201
. . . the Lord's Providence extends to the most minute particulars,
but not in such a series as a person adopts and proposes to follow,
for the reason,
that all and singular things are disposed in their own order,
and future events are foreseen and provided for,
which do not happen as a person supposes.
(April 6, 1749) 

AC 2909 - a short history

AC 2909
In Kiriath-arba, the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan.
(Genesis 23:2)
That this signifies in the church,
is evident from the signification of "Kiriath-arba,"
as being the church as to truth;
and from the signification of "Hebron in the land of Canaan,"
as being the church as to good.
In the Word, and especially in the prophetical parts,
where truth is treated of, good is treated of also,
because of the heavenly marriage in everything of the Word . . ..

[2] In regard to Kiriath-arba which is Hebron,
it was the region where Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob dwelt.

[3] That every church in process of time decreases,
until it has nothing left of faith and charity,
and then is destroyed,
was also represented by Kiriath-arba which is Hebron,
in its being possessed by the Anakim . . ..

[4] . . . Hebron represented the Lord's spiritual church in the land of Canaan.
And likewise on this account
David was required by the command of Jehovah to go to Hebron,
and was there anointed to be king over the house of Judah;
and after he had reigned there seven years and six months,
he went to Jerusalem and took possession of Zion;
and then for the first time the spiritual church of the Lord
began to be represented by Jerusalem,
and the celestial church by Zion.

AC 2894 - "In the beginning was the Word"

AC 2894
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and God was the Word.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by Him,
and without Him was not anything made that was made.
 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
And the light appeared in the darkness,
but the darkness comprehended it not.
And the Word was made flesh and dwelt within us;
and we beheld His glory,
the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father,
full of grace and truth.
(John 1:1-5, 14)

Few know what is here meant by the "Word."
That it is the Lord, is evident from the several particulars;
but the internal sense teaches
that it is the Lord as to His Divine Human that is meant by the "Word,"
for it is said:
"the Word was made flesh and dwelt within us, and we beheld His glory."
And because the Divine Human is meant by the "Word,"
all that Truth also is meant which relates to Him,
and is from Him, in His kingdom in the heavens, 
and in His church on the earth.
So it is said that
"in Him was life, and the life was the light of men,
and the light appeared in the darkness."
And because Truth is meant by the "Word,"
all revelation is meant, 
and so also the Word itself or Holy Scripture.

AC 2874, 2875 - freedom; AC 2881 - compulsion

AC 2874, 2875
. . . freedom is . . . to think and will from affection,
and that the freedom is such as is the affection . . ..

The good of life, or the affection of good,
is insinuated by the Lord by an internal way,
without a person's knowing anything about it;
but the truth of doctrine, or faith,
by an external way, into the memory,
where it is called forth by the Lord
in His own time and according to His own order,
and is conjoined with the affection of good.
This is done in a person's freedom;
for as before said, a person's freedom is from affection.

AC 2881
If mankind could have been reformed by compulsion,
there would not be any person in the universe who would not be saved;
for nothing would be easier for the Lord
than to compel a person to fear Him, to worship Him,
and indeed as it were to love Him;
the means being innumerable.
But as that which is done under compulsion is not conjoined,
and thus is not appropriated,
it is therefore the furthest [thing] possible from the Lord to compel anyone. 

AC 2854 - temptations & salvation; AC 2861 - becoming spiritual

AC 2854
. . . the arcanum of the Lord's coming into the world
is that He united in Himself
the Divine to the Human
and the Human to the Divine;
which could not be done
except through the most grievous things of temptations;
and thus that by that union
it became possible for salvation to reach the human race,
in which no celestial and spiritual, or even natural good,
any longer remained;
and it is this union which saves those who are in the faith of charity.

AC 2861
By truths of doctrine conjoined with good of life,
a person becomes spiritual.
All spiritual quality is from this.
. . .  those who have lived in mutual charity and in obedience
are of the Lord's providence and mercy
instructed in the other life,
and then receive the truths of faith easily,
and become spiritual.

SD 4182 - an active life

SD 4182
. . . without an active life one cannot be in delight . . .
Consequently it appears that spirits are sent abroad
with a view to various uses.
(March 26, 1749) 

SD 4175 - the beauty of conjugial love

SD 4175
There was seen presented to my sight,
but in a very small degree, and veiled from full view,
as it were, by a kind of cloud, an exquisite beauty,
accompanied with a perception
that it was the beauty of conjugial love.
It was perceived to be such
by virtue of a certain affection imparted,
and scarcely anything else can be said of it
than that it was beauty itself;
for conjugial love,
that is to say, the very essential principle of this love,
gives itself the form of this superlative beauty
affecting the mind to its deepest recesses;
indeed all beauty is from this source.
I beheld also the quality of its representations,
which were various cerulean rainbows and golden showers.
(March 19, 1749)

cerulean - various blues

AC 2851 - gates to the city

AC 2851
. . . there are in general two gates with every person;
the one opens toward hell,
and is opened to the evils and falsities therefrom;
in this gate are infernal genii and spirits;
the other gate opens toward heaven,
and is opened to good and the truths therefrom;
in this gate are angels.
There is thus a gate which leads to hell,
and a gate which leads to heaven.

[3] For there are two ways which lead into person's rational mind
- a higher or internal one,
through which good and truth from the Lord enter,
and a lower or external one,
through which evil and falsity come up from hell.
The rational mind itself is in the middle, and to it these ways tend.
That mind, from the goods and truths which are in it,
is compared in the Word to a city, and is called a "city."
And because it is compared to a city,
and is called a "city," gates are attributed to it,
and it is often described as being besieged and stormed by enemies,
that is, by evil genii and spirits;
and as being defended by angels from the Lord,
that is by the Lord.

[15]  Moreover the gates to the New Jerusalem
and the gates to the new temple are much treated of in Ezekiel,
and also by John in Revelation,
by which nothing else is meant than the entrances to heaven

And he carried me away in the Spirit
to a mountain great and high,
and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God.
It shone with the glory of God,
and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel,
like a jasper, clear as crystal.
It had a great, high wall with twelve gates,
and with twelve angels at the gates.
(Revelation 21:10-12)

A blessed New Church Day to you all!

SD 4156 - the aura of conjugial love

SD 4156
Conjugial love was represented near the scene of Paradisaical joys,
by adamantine [or diamond-like] auras,
sparkling as from rubies or deep red garnets.
. . . I afterwards conversed with one that was present, saying,
that conjugial love flowing from the heavenly marriage,
thus from the Lord 
and from His compassion towards the human race,
was the principal and fundamental of all the loves
by which the celestial societies are distinguished,
and he could not but wonder that the human race is ignorant of it,
and cares scarcely at all about it.
(March 1, 1749)

AC 2839

AC 2839
. . . charity without faith is not genuine charity,
and faith without charity is not faith.
. . . From the conjunction of the two
 mutually and reciprocally
is the heavenly marriage, that is, the Lord's kingdom. 
 

AC 2832 - horns and rams

AC 2832
"Horns" are mentioned in many places in the Word;
and there signify the power of truth from good;
and in the opposite sense the power of falsity from evil;
here the meaning is
that the spiritual who are signified by the "ram"
are entangled in natural memory-knowledges
with all their might in regard to truth,
and consequently
that they are deprived of the power of perceiving truths.
For the more anyone consults natural memory-knowledges,
and sticks fast in them in his mind
in regard to the things which are truths of faith,
the more does he lose the light of truth,
and with the light, the life of truth.

[14] . . . the Lord's Word in its essence
does not treat of worldly and earthly (things),
but of spiritual and heavenly things.  

SD 4122 - it is a truth

SD 4122
. . .  it is a truth that no evil can exist without the Lord's permission.
It is a truth also that whatever He permits
takes place through the agency of evil spirits,
and that He would not permit it,
were not people so evil
that without evil we cannot be reformed.
It is moreover a truth, that there is no evil from the Lord.
(December 8,1748)

AC 2831 - thickets

AC 2831 [10]
The reason why in the Word facts are called 'thickets'
is that facts are by nature like thickets,
especially when the desires of self-love and love of the world,
and false assumptions, exert an influence on them.
Celestial and spiritual love is that which disposes into order
the knowledges which are of the exterior memory;
and the love of self and of the world is that which perverts the order,
and disturbs all things in it.
These things the person does not take notice of,
because he places order in perverted order,
good in evil, and truth in falsity.
On this account these things are in entanglement;
and also on this, that the things of the exterior memory,
where these knowledges are,
compared with those in the interior memory,
where rational things are,
are as in a thicket, or as in a dark forest. 

SD 4076,4077,4078 - living faith

SD 4076, 4077, 4078

. . . as the quality of the faith is,
such is the quality of the love of marriage.

. . . The doctrine of faith plainly declares
that the love of the neighbor is the principal law;
and since this is the principal law,
it is the principal point in the doctrine of faith;
wherefore unless one loves his neighbor,
he is destitute of faith.
Thus they cannot but rave
who would separate faith
from the life of love and good works,
and say that faith alone is saving
apart from loving our neighbor as himself
and thus apart from the life of love.

Faith is life,
and to live according to the principles of faith
is not [merely] to think;
for the tree is known by its fruit.
(November 26, 1748)