AE - Divine Wisdom III [3]
... love in a state of peace and tranquility co-operates with wisdom,
and wisdom with love, and produces and forms...
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
AE - DW II - an image & likeness of the Lord
AE - Divine Wisdom - II
As there are two things in the Lord,
love and wisdom,
and these two proceed from Him,
and as man was created to be a likeness and an image of the Lord,
a likeness trough love,
and an image through wisdom,
so two receptacles were created with man,
one for love and the other for wisdom;
the receptacle of live is what is called the will,
and the receptacle of wisdom is what is called the understanding.
As there are two things in the Lord,
love and wisdom,
and these two proceed from Him,
and as man was created to be a likeness and an image of the Lord,
a likeness trough love,
and an image through wisdom,
so two receptacles were created with man,
one for love and the other for wisdom;
the receptacle of live is what is called the will,
and the receptacle of wisdom is what is called the understanding.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
AE - DL XVII - acquiring the spiritual affection of use
AE - Divine Love - XVII
Every person has eternal life according to his affection of use, for the reason that affection is the person himself; consequently, such as the affection is, such is the person.
[5] The spiritual affection of use is both internal and external, and it is external or natural to the same extent that it is spiritual; for what is spiritual flows into what is natural, and arranges it in correspondence, thus into an image of itself.
Spiritual affection is acquired by shunning evils because they are sins; which is done by means of combat against them. The evils that a person must shun are all set forth written in the Decalogue. So far as person fights against them because they are sins, he becomes a spiritual affection, and thus he performs uses from spiritual life....
In this way one's spiritual mind is opened, through which the Lord enters into his natural mind and arranges it for performing spiritual uses which appear like natural uses. To these and no others is it granted by the Lord to love Him above all things and the neighbor as oneself.
If a person, by means of combat against evils as sins, has acquired anything spiritual in the world, be it ever so small, he is saved, and afterwards his uses grow like a grain of mustard seed into a tree.
Every person has eternal life according to his affection of use, for the reason that affection is the person himself; consequently, such as the affection is, such is the person.
[5] The spiritual affection of use is both internal and external, and it is external or natural to the same extent that it is spiritual; for what is spiritual flows into what is natural, and arranges it in correspondence, thus into an image of itself.
Spiritual affection is acquired by shunning evils because they are sins; which is done by means of combat against them. The evils that a person must shun are all set forth written in the Decalogue. So far as person fights against them because they are sins, he becomes a spiritual affection, and thus he performs uses from spiritual life....
In this way one's spiritual mind is opened, through which the Lord enters into his natural mind and arranges it for performing spiritual uses which appear like natural uses. To these and no others is it granted by the Lord to love Him above all things and the neighbor as oneself.
If a person, by means of combat against evils as sins, has acquired anything spiritual in the world, be it ever so small, he is saved, and afterwards his uses grow like a grain of mustard seed into a tree.
Monday, November 27, 2006
AE - DL XIII - love to the Lord & the neighbor
AE Divine Love XIII
To love the Lord means to do uses from Him and for His sake.
To love the neighbor means to do uses to the church, to one's country, to human society, and to the fellow-citizen.
To be in the Lord means to be a use.
And to be a man means to perform uses to the neighbor from the Lord for the Lord's sake.
To love the Lord means to do uses from Him and for His sake.
To love the neighbor means to do uses to the church, to one's country, to human society, and to the fellow-citizen.
To be in the Lord means to be a use.
And to be a man means to perform uses to the neighbor from the Lord for the Lord's sake.
AE - DL XI - There are degrees of affections and uses.
AE - Divine Love XI
There are continuous degrees and discrete degrees. Both of these are in every form in the spiritual world and in the natural world. All are acquainted with continuous degrees; few however, have any knowledge of discrete degrees....
Continuous degrees, which all know about, are like the degrees from light to shade, from heat to cold, from rarity to density....
[2] But discrete degrees are wholly different. These do not advance in one plane to the sides around, but from highest to lowest; and for this reason they are called descending degrees.
There are continuous degrees and discrete degrees. Both of these are in every form in the spiritual world and in the natural world. All are acquainted with continuous degrees; few however, have any knowledge of discrete degrees....
Continuous degrees, which all know about, are like the degrees from light to shade, from heat to cold, from rarity to density....
[2] But discrete degrees are wholly different. These do not advance in one plane to the sides around, but from highest to lowest; and for this reason they are called descending degrees.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
AE - DL VIII - creation & use
AE - DL VIII
...from creation nothing is found on the earth that is not for use.
...from creation nothing is found on the earth that is not for use.
Saturday, November 25, 2006
AE - DL IV - form of love
AE - The Divine Love IV
...form of love is a form of use;
for the subjects of love are uses,
because love wills to do goods,
and goods are nothing else than uses;
and since the Divine love infinitely transcends,
its form is a form of use in its whole complex.
...form of love is a form of use;
for the subjects of love are uses,
because love wills to do goods,
and goods are nothing else than uses;
and since the Divine love infinitely transcends,
its form is a form of use in its whole complex.
Friday, November 24, 2006
AE 1226 - a life of use
AE 1226 [6]
A life from a love of uses is a life of love
of the public good and of love to the neighbor,
and also a life of love to the Lord,
for the Lord performs uses to man through man,
consequently a life of the love of uses is the spiritual Divine life,
and everyone who loves a good use and does it from a love for it,
is loved by the Lord,
and is received with joy by the angels of heaven.
A life from a love of uses is a life of love
of the public good and of love to the neighbor,
and also a life of love to the Lord,
for the Lord performs uses to man through man,
consequently a life of the love of uses is the spiritual Divine life,
and everyone who loves a good use and does it from a love for it,
is loved by the Lord,
and is received with joy by the angels of heaven.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
AE 1223 - "For the fine linen is ... "
AE 1223
For the fine linen is the just deeds of the saints,
signifies that by means of truths from the Word
those who believe in the Lord have goods of life.
This is evident from the signification of "fine linen",
as being truths from the Word;
also from the signification of "saints",
as being those who are in truths from good from the Lord.
For the fine linen is the just deeds of the saints,
signifies that by means of truths from the Word
those who believe in the Lord have goods of life.
This is evident from the signification of "fine linen",
as being truths from the Word;
also from the signification of "saints",
as being those who are in truths from good from the Lord.
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
AE 1215 - fallacy is seeing appearance and not essence
AE 1215 [4]
...for a fallacy is an inversion of order;
it is the judgment of the eye,
not of the mind;
it is a conclusion from the appearance of a thing,
not from its essence.
...it is an eternal truth that influx is spiritual and not physical,
that is, influx is from the soul, which is spiritual,
into the body, which is natural,
or from the spiritual world into the natural world;
also that as the Divine from itself
and through that which proceeds from itself
created all things,
so it sustains all things...
...for a fallacy is an inversion of order;
it is the judgment of the eye,
not of the mind;
it is a conclusion from the appearance of a thing,
not from its essence.
...it is an eternal truth that influx is spiritual and not physical,
that is, influx is from the soul, which is spiritual,
into the body, which is natural,
or from the spiritual world into the natural world;
also that as the Divine from itself
and through that which proceeds from itself
created all things,
so it sustains all things...
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
AE 1210 - "To praise God"
AE 1210
"To praise God" signifies confession and worship,
because the Lord has no wish to be praised and glorified
from any love of Himself,
but only from His love for man,
for man must needs praise and glorify the Lord,
that is, give praise and glory to Him,
when he acknowledges in heart that there is nothing of good in himself,
and that he can do nothing of himself,
and on the other hand, that all good is from the Lord,
and that the Lord can do all things.
When man is in this acknowledgment,
he puts aside what is his own,
which belongs to the love of self,
and opens all things of his mind,
and thus gives room for the Divine to flow in with good and with power.
This is why it is necessary for man to be in humiliation before the Lord,
and why humiliation can be from no other source
than self-acknowledgment and acknowledgment of the Lord,
according to which reception is effected.
"To praise God" signifies confession and worship,
because the Lord has no wish to be praised and glorified
from any love of Himself,
but only from His love for man,
for man must needs praise and glorify the Lord,
that is, give praise and glory to Him,
when he acknowledges in heart that there is nothing of good in himself,
and that he can do nothing of himself,
and on the other hand, that all good is from the Lord,
and that the Lord can do all things.
When man is in this acknowledgment,
he puts aside what is his own,
which belongs to the love of self,
and opens all things of his mind,
and thus gives room for the Divine to flow in with good and with power.
This is why it is necessary for man to be in humiliation before the Lord,
and why humiliation can be from no other source
than self-acknowledgment and acknowledgment of the Lord,
according to which reception is effected.
AE 1206 - "falling down before God"
AE 1206
... by creation there are gestures corresponding to every affection, and a man falls into them spontaneously when he comes into the affection, provided he has not learned to counterfeit affections that are foreign to him; while one who has learned so to do takes on gestures from himself by which he depicts affections of the heart, although they do not belong at all to his heart. Such can fall down before God, but it is a purely counterfeit act. This has been said to make known that "falling down before God" means to act from inmost affection, which is called humiliation of heart; this precedes worship, which is an act of the lips.
... by creation there are gestures corresponding to every affection, and a man falls into them spontaneously when he comes into the affection, provided he has not learned to counterfeit affections that are foreign to him; while one who has learned so to do takes on gestures from himself by which he depicts affections of the heart, although they do not belong at all to his heart. Such can fall down before God, but it is a purely counterfeit act. This has been said to make known that "falling down before God" means to act from inmost affection, which is called humiliation of heart; this precedes worship, which is an act of the lips.
Monday, November 20, 2006
AE 1199 - For true and just are His judgments
AE 1199
For true and just are his judgments,
signifies that the laws of the Divine providence,
and all the works of the Lord,
are of the Divine wisdom and the Divine love.
For true and just are his judgments,
signifies that the laws of the Divine providence,
and all the works of the Lord,
are of the Divine wisdom and the Divine love.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
AE 1198 - Salvation, glory, honor, power
AE 1198
Salvation and glory and honor and power unto the Lord our God
signifies eternal life is from the Lord
through the Divine truth and the Divine good from His Divine omnipotence.
This is evident from the signification of salvation, as being eternal life;
also from the signification of "glory and honor,"
as being the Lord's Divine truth and Divine good;
also from the signification of "power,"
as being, in reference to the Lord, omnipotence;
and as the Lord is called in the Word "Jehovah" and "Lord"
from the Divine good,
and "God" from the Divine truth,
and Divine good and truth are signified by "glory and honor,"
so it is said, "the Lord our God".
In the sense of the letter, "salvation, glory, honor, and power," are mentioned separately, but in the spiritual sense they are joined into one meaning, which is, that eternal life is from the Lord through the Divine truth and the Divine good from the Divine omnipotence. The same is true of many other passages of the Word. Sometimes mere names of countries and cities are enumerated, that appear disconnected in the sense of the letter, but in the spiritual sense they combine into one continuous sense.
Salvation and glory and honor and power unto the Lord our God
signifies eternal life is from the Lord
through the Divine truth and the Divine good from His Divine omnipotence.
This is evident from the signification of salvation, as being eternal life;
also from the signification of "glory and honor,"
as being the Lord's Divine truth and Divine good;
also from the signification of "power,"
as being, in reference to the Lord, omnipotence;
and as the Lord is called in the Word "Jehovah" and "Lord"
from the Divine good,
and "God" from the Divine truth,
and Divine good and truth are signified by "glory and honor,"
so it is said, "the Lord our God".
In the sense of the letter, "salvation, glory, honor, and power," are mentioned separately, but in the spiritual sense they are joined into one meaning, which is, that eternal life is from the Lord through the Divine truth and the Divine good from the Divine omnipotence. The same is true of many other passages of the Word. Sometimes mere names of countries and cities are enumerated, that appear disconnected in the sense of the letter, but in the spiritual sense they combine into one continuous sense.
AE 1194 - being useful
AE 1194 [2]
Man was created to perform uses, and this is to love the neighbor, so all who come into heaven, however many there are, must do uses. All the delight and blessedness of these is according to uses and the love of uses. Heavenly joy is from no other source. He who believe that such joy is possible in idleness is much deceived.
Man was created to perform uses, and this is to love the neighbor, so all who come into heaven, however many there are, must do uses. All the delight and blessedness of these is according to uses and the love of uses. Heavenly joy is from no other source. He who believe that such joy is possible in idleness is much deceived.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
AE 1190 & AE 1193 - uses
AE 1190 [2]
To love wisdom is to love uses that are true uses,
and to love knowledge is to love the cognitions of good and truth
for the sake of such uses.
When uses are loved more than self and the world,
and the cognitions of good and truth are loved for the sake of uses,
uses have the first place and eminence and wealth the second place....
AE 1193 [2]
To love uses is nothing else than to love the neighbor,
for use in the spiritual sense is the neighbor.
This can be seen from the fact that everyone loves another
not because of his face and body,
but from his will and understanding....
And as a person is loved or not loved for these reasons,
it follows that the neighbor is that from which every one is a person,
and that is his spiritual.
cognitions - thoughts or beliefs
To love wisdom is to love uses that are true uses,
and to love knowledge is to love the cognitions of good and truth
for the sake of such uses.
When uses are loved more than self and the world,
and the cognitions of good and truth are loved for the sake of uses,
uses have the first place and eminence and wealth the second place....
AE 1193 [2]
To love uses is nothing else than to love the neighbor,
for use in the spiritual sense is the neighbor.
This can be seen from the fact that everyone loves another
not because of his face and body,
but from his will and understanding....
And as a person is loved or not loved for these reasons,
it follows that the neighbor is that from which every one is a person,
and that is his spiritual.
cognitions - thoughts or beliefs
Friday, November 17, 2006
AE 1184 - going astray
AE 1185 [2]
...by the Divine providence man is led only to such things as do not lead astray and as are serviceable to eternal life; for all things of the Divine providence with man look to what is eternal, since the life which is God, from which man is man, is eternal.... I have seen the eminent and the rich in the heavens and I have seen them in the hells; therefore, as has been said, when eminence and riches to not lead astray, they are from God, but when they do, they are from hell.
...by the Divine providence man is led only to such things as do not lead astray and as are serviceable to eternal life; for all things of the Divine providence with man look to what is eternal, since the life which is God, from which man is man, is eternal.... I have seen the eminent and the rich in the heavens and I have seen them in the hells; therefore, as has been said, when eminence and riches to not lead astray, they are from God, but when they do, they are from hell.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
AE 1175 - the Lord leads a person by their affections
AE 1175 [4]
Why a person is led by the Lord by means of affections and not by means of thoughts shall now be told. When a person is led by the Lord by means of affections, he can be led according to all the laws of His Divine providence, but not if he should be led by means of thoughts. Affections do not become evident to man, but thoughts do; also affections produce thoughts, but thoughts do not produce affections; there is an appearance that they do, but it is a fallacy. And when affections produce thoughts, they produce all things of a person, because these constitute his life. Moreover, this is known in the world. If you hold a person in his affection, you hold him bound, and lead him wherever you please, and a single reason is then stronger than a thousand. But if you do not hold a person in his affection, reasons are of no avail, for his affection, when not in harmony with them (reasons), and either perverts them or rejects them or extinguishes them. It would be similar if the Lord should lead a person by means of thoughts immediately, and not by means of affections. Again, when a person is led by the Lord by means of affections, it seems to the person as if he thought freely as if of himself, and spoke freely and acted freely as if of himself. And this is why the Lord does not teach a person immediately, but mediately by means of the Word, and by means of conversations and intercourse with others; for from these things man thinks free as if of himself.
Why a person is led by the Lord by means of affections and not by means of thoughts shall now be told. When a person is led by the Lord by means of affections, he can be led according to all the laws of His Divine providence, but not if he should be led by means of thoughts. Affections do not become evident to man, but thoughts do; also affections produce thoughts, but thoughts do not produce affections; there is an appearance that they do, but it is a fallacy. And when affections produce thoughts, they produce all things of a person, because these constitute his life. Moreover, this is known in the world. If you hold a person in his affection, you hold him bound, and lead him wherever you please, and a single reason is then stronger than a thousand. But if you do not hold a person in his affection, reasons are of no avail, for his affection, when not in harmony with them (reasons), and either perverts them or rejects them or extinguishes them. It would be similar if the Lord should lead a person by means of thoughts immediately, and not by means of affections. Again, when a person is led by the Lord by means of affections, it seems to the person as if he thought freely as if of himself, and spoke freely and acted freely as if of himself. And this is why the Lord does not teach a person immediately, but mediately by means of the Word, and by means of conversations and intercourse with others; for from these things man thinks free as if of himself.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
AE 1174 - as of self
AE 1174 [2]
... it is according to a law of the Divine providence that man shall go whithersoever his affection wills....
And yet the Lord leads him as if by the hand, permitting and withholding as far as man is willing to follow in freedom....
[3]
This the Lord does without the man's knowing it, because if man knew it he would disturb the continuity of that process by leading himself. It is enough for man to learn truths from the Word, and by means of truths to know what good is, and from truths and goods what evils and falsities are, in order that he may be affected by truths and goods, and not be affected by falsities and evils.
... it is according to a law of the Divine providence that man shall go whithersoever his affection wills....
And yet the Lord leads him as if by the hand, permitting and withholding as far as man is willing to follow in freedom....
[3]
This the Lord does without the man's knowing it, because if man knew it he would disturb the continuity of that process by leading himself. It is enough for man to learn truths from the Word, and by means of truths to know what good is, and from truths and goods what evils and falsities are, in order that he may be affected by truths and goods, and not be affected by falsities and evils.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
AE 1166 - Divine omnipotence, Divine omniscience, Divine providence
AE 1166 [2]
The Lord alone resists the evils with man by Himself and not through any angels of heaven, because to resist evils with man is a work o f Divine omnipotence, Divine omniscience, and Divine providence.
It is a work of Divine omnipotence, because to resist one evil is to resit many, and even to resist the hells. For every evil is joined with innumerable other evils, and they cling together like the hells with each other; for as evils make one so do the hells, and as the hells make one so do evils, and no one but the Lord is able to resit the hells so united.
It is a work of Divine omniscience, because the Lord alone knows what man is and what his evils are, and what their connection is with other evils, thus in what order they must be removed that man may be inwardly or radically cured.
It is a work of Divine providence, that nothing may be done contrary to the laws of order, and that what is done may promote man's eternal good; for Divine omnipotence, Divine omniscience, and Divine providence have respect in every least particular to what is eternal.
[3]
All this makes clear that no angel is able to resist the evils with man, but the Lord only. The Lord carries on this work in man both immediately from Himself, and mediately through heaven, and yet in such a way that no angel knows anything about it.
The Lord alone resists the evils with man by Himself and not through any angels of heaven, because to resist evils with man is a work o f Divine omnipotence, Divine omniscience, and Divine providence.
It is a work of Divine omnipotence, because to resist one evil is to resit many, and even to resist the hells. For every evil is joined with innumerable other evils, and they cling together like the hells with each other; for as evils make one so do the hells, and as the hells make one so do evils, and no one but the Lord is able to resit the hells so united.
It is a work of Divine omniscience, because the Lord alone knows what man is and what his evils are, and what their connection is with other evils, thus in what order they must be removed that man may be inwardly or radically cured.
It is a work of Divine providence, that nothing may be done contrary to the laws of order, and that what is done may promote man's eternal good; for Divine omnipotence, Divine omniscience, and Divine providence have respect in every least particular to what is eternal.
[3]
All this makes clear that no angel is able to resist the evils with man, but the Lord only. The Lord carries on this work in man both immediately from Himself, and mediately through heaven, and yet in such a way that no angel knows anything about it.
AE 1160 - the profanation of what is holy
AE 1160 [3]
Moreover, the Lord by His Divine providence guards with the greatest care against this kind of profanation; and lest this exist, He separates the holy things with man from those that are not holy, and stores up the holy things in the interiors of his mind, and raises them up to Himself; while the things not holy He stores up in the exteriors, and turns them to the world. Thus holy things can be separated from the unholy, and thus man can be saved. But this cannot be done when goods and evils are mixed together.
Moreover, the Lord by His Divine providence guards with the greatest care against this kind of profanation; and lest this exist, He separates the holy things with man from those that are not holy, and stores up the holy things in the interiors of his mind, and raises them up to Himself; while the things not holy He stores up in the exteriors, and turns them to the world. Thus holy things can be separated from the unholy, and thus man can be saved. But this cannot be done when goods and evils are mixed together.
Monday, November 13, 2006
AE 1159 - a law of order relating to reformation which is a law of providence
AE 1159 [5]
... man is not let into the truths of faith and the goods of love except so far as he can be withheld from evils and held in goods even to the end of life, and that it is better for a man to be permanently evil than that he be good and afterwards evil, for thus he becomes profane. It is for this reason that the Lord, who provides all things and foresees all things, hides the operations of His providence....
... man is not let into the truths of faith and the goods of love except so far as he can be withheld from evils and held in goods even to the end of life, and that it is better for a man to be permanently evil than that he be good and afterwards evil, for thus he becomes profane. It is for this reason that the Lord, who provides all things and foresees all things, hides the operations of His providence....
Sunday, November 12, 2006
AE 1153 - the operation of the Divine Providence
AE 1153 [6]
Man does not perceive the operation of the Divine providence within himself, because that would take away his freedom, and thus his ability to think as if of himself, and with it every delight of life; thus man would be like an automaton, in which there is no reciprocal, and consequently no conjunction; also he would be a slave and not free. The Divine providence moves so secretly that scarcely a trace of it is seen, although it acts upon the most minute things of man's thought and will, which regard his eternal state....
[7]
If a man should learn anything of these arcana, he could not be withheld from leading himself; and in this he would be continually led from heaven into hell, while the Lord's leading is continually from hell towards heaven. For from himself man constantly acts against order, while the Lord acts constantly according to order; for man, from the nature derived from his parents, is in the love of self and the love of the world, and consequently perceives from a feeling of delight everything belonging to those loves as good; nevertheless, those loves as ends must be removed; and this is done by the Lord in infinite ways, that appear like a labyrinth even before the angels of the third heaven.
[8]
All this makes clear that man would find no help at all in knowing anything about this from sense or perception, but it would do him harm instead, and would destroy him forever. It is sufficient for man to know truths, and by means of truths to know what is good and what is evil, and to acknowledge the Lord and His Divine auspices in every least thing. Then so far as he knows truths, and by means of them what is good and evil, and does what is good as if from himself, so far the Lord leads him from love into wisdom, conjoining love to wisdom and wisdom to love, and making them to be one, because they are one in Himself.
Man does not perceive the operation of the Divine providence within himself, because that would take away his freedom, and thus his ability to think as if of himself, and with it every delight of life; thus man would be like an automaton, in which there is no reciprocal, and consequently no conjunction; also he would be a slave and not free. The Divine providence moves so secretly that scarcely a trace of it is seen, although it acts upon the most minute things of man's thought and will, which regard his eternal state....
[7]
If a man should learn anything of these arcana, he could not be withheld from leading himself; and in this he would be continually led from heaven into hell, while the Lord's leading is continually from hell towards heaven. For from himself man constantly acts against order, while the Lord acts constantly according to order; for man, from the nature derived from his parents, is in the love of self and the love of the world, and consequently perceives from a feeling of delight everything belonging to those loves as good; nevertheless, those loves as ends must be removed; and this is done by the Lord in infinite ways, that appear like a labyrinth even before the angels of the third heaven.
[8]
All this makes clear that man would find no help at all in knowing anything about this from sense or perception, but it would do him harm instead, and would destroy him forever. It is sufficient for man to know truths, and by means of truths to know what is good and what is evil, and to acknowledge the Lord and His Divine auspices in every least thing. Then so far as he knows truths, and by means of them what is good and evil, and does what is good as if from himself, so far the Lord leads him from love into wisdom, conjoining love to wisdom and wisdom to love, and making them to be one, because they are one in Himself.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
AE 1145 - "wood" and "stone"
AE 1145 [2]
"Wood" signifies good, because it is from a tree from which are fruits; also because wood can be burned and be useful in keeping the body warm, and in building houses and marking various articles of convenience and use; also because an oil, which signifies the good of love, may be expressed from wood; it also contains in it that which gives heat.
"Stone" on the hand signifies here (Rev. 18:12) the truth of the natural man, because it is cold and cannot be burned.
"Wood" signifies good, because it is from a tree from which are fruits; also because wood can be burned and be useful in keeping the body warm, and in building houses and marking various articles of convenience and use; also because an oil, which signifies the good of love, may be expressed from wood; it also contains in it that which gives heat.
"Stone" on the hand signifies here (Rev. 18:12) the truth of the natural man, because it is cold and cannot be burned.
Friday, November 10, 2006
AE 1144 - love of the neighbor, love of uses
AE 1144
Love towards the neighbor in the spiritual sense is the love of uses;
and when uses are for the sake of self,
it is not a love of uses but a love of self.
Love towards the neighbor in the spiritual sense is the love of uses;
and when uses are for the sake of self,
it is not a love of uses but a love of self.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
AE 1139 - the union of the Lord with a person
AE 1139 [2]
... the light of life and the heat of life move and fill their recipient in the exact measure of the quality of his acknowledgment that they are not his but are the Lord's, and the quality of acknowledgment is in exact accord with the quality of love in doing the commandments, which are uses.
... the light of life and the heat of life move and fill their recipient in the exact measure of the quality of his acknowledgment that they are not his but are the Lord's, and the quality of acknowledgment is in exact accord with the quality of love in doing the commandments, which are uses.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
AE 1127 - life from the Lord
AE 1127
Life from the Lord is love and wisdom;
consequently,
such as the reception of love and wisdom from the Lord is
such is the person.
Life from the Lord is love and wisdom;
consequently,
such as the reception of love and wisdom from the Lord is
such is the person.
Monday, November 06, 2006
AE 1115 - spirit & body
AE 1115 [4]
A man is in the idea of his spirit when he thinks abstractly,
and in the idea of his body when he does not think abstractly.
A man is in the idea of his spirit when he thinks abstractly,
and in the idea of his body when he does not think abstractly.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
AE 1112 - civil truth is truth from law, civil equity is the good
AE 1112
"The just" is truth from good because civil justice is nothing else than civil truth, which is of the law, and civil equity is the good that is also of the law, since as the law wills justice so it wills equity; for as all truth must be from good so all justice must be from equity; and as all truth must be of good so all justice must be of equity, and conversely. The two cannot be separated, for if they are separated equity is no longer equity, nor is so-called justice justice; as good and truth cannot be separated, of if they are separated, good is not good, nor is truth truth.
"The just" is truth from good because civil justice is nothing else than civil truth, which is of the law, and civil equity is the good that is also of the law, since as the law wills justice so it wills equity; for as all truth must be from good so all justice must be from equity; and as all truth must be of good so all justice must be of equity, and conversely. The two cannot be separated, for if they are separated equity is no longer equity, nor is so-called justice justice; as good and truth cannot be separated, of if they are separated, good is not good, nor is truth truth.
Saturday, November 04, 2006
AE 1104 - the Lord as Man who is God
AE 1104 [3]
In a word, those who separate the Divine from His Human, and do not think that the Divine is in His Human as the soul is in the body, and that the two are one Person, may fall into strange ideas about the Lord, even into an idea like that of a man separated from his soul. Take heed, therefore, not to think of the Lord as a man like yourself, but think of the Lord as Man who is God.
In a word, those who separate the Divine from His Human, and do not think that the Divine is in His Human as the soul is in the body, and that the two are one Person, may fall into strange ideas about the Lord, even into an idea like that of a man separated from his soul. Take heed, therefore, not to think of the Lord as a man like yourself, but think of the Lord as Man who is God.
Friday, November 03, 2006
AE 1100 - the truths of the Word can be understood
AE 1100 [24]
If what is not understood must be believed,
a man might be taught like a parrot to speak and to remember....
But be it known that all the truths of the Word,
which are the truths of heaven and of the church,
can be seen by the understanding,
in heaven spiritually,
in the world rationally;
for a truly human understanding is the sight itself of these truths,
for it is separated from what is material
and when separated
it sees truths as clearly as the eye sees objects;
it sees truths as it loves them,
for as it loves them it is enlightened.
The angels have wisdom in consequence of seeing truths....
If what is not understood must be believed,
a man might be taught like a parrot to speak and to remember....
But be it known that all the truths of the Word,
which are the truths of heaven and of the church,
can be seen by the understanding,
in heaven spiritually,
in the world rationally;
for a truly human understanding is the sight itself of these truths,
for it is separated from what is material
and when separated
it sees truths as clearly as the eye sees objects;
it sees truths as it loves them,
for as it loves them it is enlightened.
The angels have wisdom in consequence of seeing truths....
Thursday, November 02, 2006
AE 1096 - thought of God
AE 1096 [4]
As thought about God is what primarily opens heaven,
so thought against God is what primarily closes heaven.
As thought about God is what primarily opens heaven,
so thought against God is what primarily closes heaven.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
AE 1092, 1094 - our thoughts
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.
... 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.
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