Scientific discovery of Spiritual Laws given in Rational
Scientific Revelations
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51
THE REVIEW BY DR.
ALFRED ACTON throned
in his mind? Yet many of the criticisms against DE HEMELSCHE LEER would seem to
imply that this fundamental doctrine is not fully realized. By the above it is
not meant that a man who is in the falsity of ignorance in which is innocence,
is in communication with
hell, for with such a one the falsity is only in the external man and can
therefore be removed after death. Neither is it meant that there may not be
things adjoined to the Doctrine which are not genuine in themselves. The genuine
Doctrine is due to both immediate influx from the Lord and mediate influx from
the Lord through the Heavens. All things due to this twofold influx are purely
Divine. There may be things added by the Angels which Due
to a
misinterpretation of the above number some have thought that these things
which come from the Lord by mediate influx
through the Heavens are not
purely Divine; but that this is a misinterpretation is obvious from These
things which are adjoined to the Doctrine for the sake of introduction, but
which are not a permanent part of the Doctrine, are further treated of in the
ARCANA under the representation of Abimelech and Phicol when separated
from Abraham,
concerning which we read: "And they struck a covenant in Beersheba,
signifies that human rational things were adjoined to the Doctrine of faith; and
Abimelech rose up, and Phicol the captain of his army, and they returned into
the land of the Philistines, signifies
that these
things had
no part in
the Doctrine" (A. C. 2720). That
DE HEMELSCHE LEER contains genuine, that is, Divine Doctrine, for all genuine
Doctrine is Divine, can be seen at the present time, but what parts are of
purely Divine origin and what human rational things have been adjoined for the
sake of introduction and which are therefore not permanent, the future will
show. 52
REV. THEODORE PITCAIRN That
in the first states of the Church the Divine origin of the Doctrine that takes
its rise in the Church is not acknowledged and that in later states it is
acknowledged, is clearly shown in the ARCANA COELESTIA in treating of the third
and fifth days of creation. That
the Church passes through
the states represented by the seven days of creation is a well known truth.
Concerning the third day of creation we read: "The man who is being
regenerated is at first of such a quality that he thinks that the good which he
does, and the truth which he speaks, are from himself, when in reality all good
and all truth are from the Lord, This state is here represented by things inanimate, and the succeeding one by animate things" (A. C. 29). The fifth state is thus described: "After the great lights have been kindled and placed in the internal man, and the external receives light from them, then the man first begins to live. Heretofore he can scarcely be said to live, inasmuch as the good which he did, he supposed that he did from himself, and the truth which he spoke, that he spoke of himself; and since man of himself is dead, and there is nothing in him but what is evil and false, therefore whatever he produces from himself is not alive, in so much that he cannot do from himself what is good in itself. That
man cannot even think what is good, nor will what is good, consequently not do
what is good, except from the Lord, is plain to every one from the Doctrine of
faith; for the Lord says in Matthew: He that soweth the good seed is the Son of
Man (13 :37). Nor can any good come except from the very fountain itself, which
is the only one, as He also says: None is good save One, God (Luke, 18:19).
Nevertheless, when the Lord is resuscitating man to life, that is regenerating
him, He permits him at first to be in such an opinion, for at that time he is
incapable of conceiving otherwise, nor can he in any other way be led to
believe, and afterwards to perceive, that all good and truth are from the Lord
alone" (A. C. 39). Yet it is this very teaching, that all truth that a man
speaks is from 53
THE REVIEW BY DR. ALFRED ACTON the
Lord, that is most strongly objected to in the criticisms made against DE
HEMELSCHE LEER. It
is here clearly taught that before a man believes that the good which he does
and the truth which he speaks are from the Lord, he has not the life of true
faith; hence is evident the truth of the statement of DE HEMELSCHE LEER, that
before the Doctrine of the Church is acknowledged as Divine, the Lord is not
enthroned in the Church. On
page 22 of the review we further read: "What is new in the present view is,
that in the Writings the Heavenly Doctrine is covered with a veil and so is not
apparent; while in the doctrine of the Church drawn from those Writings and
formulated by men, it is openly revealed." It is not said in DE HEMELSCHE
LEER that the Doctrine of the Church is not veiled, in fact in one sense the
veil is even thicker than that of the Writings, for the cherubim are always
present, lest men enter and profane interior truths. That the veil is even
thicker than in the case of the Writings is evident from the review which
appeared in the January
number of
NEW CHURCH
LIFE, where Rev. H. Lj.
Odhner made it clear that it is possible to read DE HEMELSCHE LEER, and not
understand a word of what is read. The Doctrine of the Church is of assistance
to those only who are prepared by the Lord to enter into more interior things. The
review continues: "In other words, the men of the Church will be able to
supply a vehicle of words wherein the Heavenly Doctrine is clearly set forth to
view, while Swedenborg was unable to do this, or unwilling. And the question
will naturally arise, if Swedenborg was unable, by virtue of what superior
advantages shall others be able? On
page 22 we read: "If the Writings are not the Heavenly Doctrine because
their letter is expressed in a language incomprehensible to angels, does not the
same objection apply to the Doctrine of the Church which also
54
REV. THEODORE PITCAIRN has
its literal sense or natural text?" As is shown in DE HEMELSCHE LEER the
essential of the Doctrine of the Church is the spiritual vision by which men are
in. communion with the Angels, and not the natural text. That the Church without
a vision of Doctrine has no enlightenment from the letter of the Writings is
manifest from CONFERENCE and CONVENTION. The
function of the Writings is to lay an infinite foundation of Divine Rational
Truth fixed in ultimates, which will serve all men and Angels to eternity; the
function of the Doctrine of the Church is to open the spiritual eyes of the
Church so that it may see more and more of the infinite treasures that lie
hidden in the Writings; it thus acts as a ladder, on which the Angels descend
from and ascend to the Lord. On
page 23 we read: "But I cannot think that any New Churchman will ascribe
Divine authority to a human production." As quoted above, "every truth
that a man speaks is from the Lord"; what is from the Lord, is not a human
production. It is true that before a man sees that the Doctrine is genuine and
has been drawn from the Word according to order, it has no authority for him:
but when this is seen it has authority. Has not the essential position of the'
GENERAL CHURCH
in contradistinction
to that
of CONFERENCE and CONVENTION, Divine authority to those who see it in
enlightenment? If not, the GENERAL CHURCH is merely a sect based on human
opinion, and is unworthy of its name. Further
we read: "Yet there seems here to be some confusion of thought. Of course,
as to its origin, all truth is Divine, by whomsoever uttered; but that does not
give Divine authority to the utterances. A sermon, though it preaches the Divine
Truth, is still a human production, and its excellence consists in nothing more
than the pointing to the Truth as it stands in the Writings." It is obvious
that in so far as it teaches Divine Truth a sermon is not a human production,
and the excellency of a sermon to a large extent depends on its drawing forth
Doctrine from the Writings that has not been seen by the Church. The authority
of a sermon is not of course from the person who writes it, but is in the truth
itself which is manifested. 55 THE REVIEW BY DR. ALFRED ACTON Further
we read: "As far as man's work is concerned, a On
page 25 we read: "DE HEMELSCHE LEER itself speaks of the warning given in
the Writings against the arbitrary interpretation of those Writings by councils;
but it leaves us in uncertainty as to its meaning when it adds that the
only safeguard against this danger lies in the genuine Doctrine of the
Church." The New Church like all previous Churches would fall into false
doctrine and thus That non-genuine doctrines in regard to the essentials of the Church exist in the GENERAL CHURCH, is evident from the contradictory views that are held as to the Lord's G-lorification and other essential subjects. If such non-genuine doctrines were to increase beyond measure, it is evident that the Church would come to an end. Hence the only salvation for the Church is the manifestation from the Lord of genuine Doctrine; and because we are given to know that the New Church will not come to an end, we can rest confidently in the trust that the Lord will manifest Doctrine as needed. It is clearly evident that if the Lord had not manifested the Doctrine that is contained in the Principles of the ACADEMY at the time appointed, the New Church would have come to its end. But such manifestation of Doctrine does not rest on any authority of men or councils. Further on the same page we read: "Divine authority
56 can
attach only to an immediate revelation, that is, to a revelation not made by
means of spirits and Angels, but coming immediately from God; and the Writings
are such There
are various kinds of influx both immediate and mediate. There is the immediate
influx into the souls of all 57
THE REVIEW BY DR. ALFRED ACTON which
the Church received through
Swedenborg, the revelation which the man of the future celestial Church
will receive, although immediate, will nevertheless always be finite, because
limited by the limitations of those who will receive it, and, of course, the
latter will always remain dependent on the former. On
page 25 we read: "And here we cannot avoid the reflection that the Roman
Catholic church also appeals to the 'vision of the Church'
as the criterion of the interpretation of the Word". Had the
Catholic church had any vision of truth from the Word it would not have died.
"Where there is no vision, the people perish" (PROV. 29:18).
Concerning vision we read: "The external man On
page 26 we read;
"This mediate revelation, On
page 27 the review quotes the teaching that the Writings are "the Crown of
Revelations". The Writings The
review closes with the words: "Will not our minds, desirous of the guidance
of God, when men cry 'Lo here and lo there', be troubled with doubts? and thus
doubting, will we not ask of the Writings: Art thou the Christ or do
58 we
wait for another?" From all that is said concerning "the morning"
in the Writings, it is evident that every morning in the Church is a Coming of
the Lord; when the celestial Church is again set up and men will see, for the
first time, the Lord Himself in the Sun of Heaven, a vision not granted even the
spiritual Angels, will it not be a marvelous Coming of the Lord to the Church? The
Writings, as given, were the Second Coming of the Lord in fulness on the part of
the Lord, but the first simple acknowledgement of the Writings by the Church CONFIRMATORY
PASSAGES IN THE ARCANA COELESTIA 642.
These are the least and most general arcana which man does not know; if
the singular things were told him he would comprehend not even one of them. 771.
But what the singular things involve it would take too long to explain;
it is sufficient to give only a general idea of the most general things. 855.
These truths are perceived by the Angels in a wonderful variety and in
delightful order, that could man but be in one such idea, there would be
thousands and thousands of things in a manifold series that would enter and
affect him, and in fact such things as never could be described. 863.
No truth of faith is ever possible except from the good of love or
charity. 865.
Man can kno\v nothing of the truth of faith except from the revealed
things in the Word, where all things are said in a general way; generals are but
as the spots of a cloud, for every general contains thousands and thousands of
particulars, and each particular thousands and thousands 59
COMPILED BY THE REV. THEODORE PITCAIRN of
singulars. ... These have never been so revealed to
868. Man has nothing of good
and nothing of truth except from the Lord, and all evil and falsity man has from
his proprium.
876. And so the dove's
returning unto Noah to the ark, signifies that the good and truth meant by the
dove returned again to the man. For whatever of good a man supposes that he does
from himself, returns to him, since it regards himself. . . . The good and truth
of faith is inwardly good and true from the inmost, that is all the good and
truth of faith flows in from the Lord through man's inmost. 878.
"And he put forth his hand and took her and brought her to himself
into the ark". This signifies his
880. What man hears out of
the Word and holds in the memory is nothing but an insemination. . . . There are
three things with man which concur and unite together, namely the natural, the
spiritual, and the celestial. His natural never receives any life except from
the spiritual, and the spiritual never except from the celestial, and the
celestial from the Lord alone, who is Life itself.
904. The Lord speaks with
every man, for whatever a man wills and thinks that is good and true, is from
the Lord. ... Every good and true thing inspired by the, Angels is from the
Lord. .. . No one can ever think anything good and true except from the Lord. .
. . Man knows
1383. One ldnd of perception
which is angelic perception, consists in perceiving what is true and good, and
what is from the Lord and what is from themselves.
1384. The sons of the Most
Ancient Church said con- 60
CONFIRMATORY PASSAGES IN THE ARCANA cerning
their perception, that of themselves they neither think nor can think anything-
nor will anything; but that in all things whatever which they think and will,
they perceive what is from the Lord, and what from other
1385. They have been told
that it is of angelic wisdom to perceive without reasoning whether a thing is
good and true; but they do not apprehend that such perception is possible.
1408. In the internal sense
of the Word there are arcana of Heaven, which lie stored up and hidden there,
which
1807. He who is in Divine
things never regards the Lord's Word from the letter; but he regards the letter
and the literal sense as being representative and significative of the celestial
and spiritual things of the Church and of the Lord's Kingdom. To him the literal
sense is merely an instrumental means of thinking of these.
1869. How many things there
are in a single word of the Word, has been shown me by the opening of the ideas
of thought. . . . There then appeared beautiful things beyond number. .. . It
was said that the things which thus appear visible can be opened again as to
their interiors. . . . Such are all angelic ideas, for they are open from the
Lord Himself.
1936. It is only suggested
here how the Lord thought concerning the appearances that had engaged the
attention of the first rational with Him, namely that they were not to be
trusted, but Divine Truths themselves, however incredible they might appear
before that rational; such is the 61
COMPILED BY THE REV. THEODORE PITCAIRN the
arcana which are within can be presented before the Angels from the Lord with
perpetual variety to eternity.
1954. The interior sight
does not see from itself, but from a still more interior sight, or that of man's
rational. Nay neither does this see from itself, but does so from a still more
interior sight, which is that of the internal man. And even this does not see of
itself, but it is the Lord alone through the internal man who sees. ... Such is
the case with influx.
2004. From ;the Lord,
through man's internal, life continually flows into man's rational, and through
this into his external, and in fact, into his scientifics and cognitions, and
not only it adapts them to receive the life, but also disposes them into order,
and so enables the man to think, and finally to be rational. Such is the
conjunction of the Lord with man, without which man could not think at all,
still less be rational. ... There are in the thought of man numberless arcana of
science . . . which never flow in through the senses or through the external
man, but through the internal. Man however, on his part, by means of scientifics
and cognitions advances to meet this life which is from the Lord, and thereby
reciprocal ly conjoins himself.
2016. As
regards the
fact that
all good
and the derivative truth are from the Lord, this is a constant verity.
The Angels are in the perception of it to such a degree that they perceive that
in so far as any thing is from the Lord, it is good and true, and that in so far
as it is from themselves it is evil and false.
2093. The first rational is
conceived and born by the influx of the internal man into the life of the
affection of sciences in his external man; . . . but his second rational he
receives from the Lord when he is being regenerated: for he then perceives in
the rational what the good and the truth of faith are. In man the internal man
is above his rational, and is the Lord's.
2171. They who are in
perception as are the Angels, know very well in which perception they are:
whether in natural perception, in rational perception, or in still more interior
perception which to them is Divine.
2177. When, the man of the
Church so apprehended these things, he was then in an idea similar to the
perception of
62 the
Angels, thus he was in the Lord's kingdom itself in the Heavens, although he was
on earth.
2203. The human rational as
to truth is of such a, nature that it cannot understand what the Divine is, for
the reason that that truth is in appearances; and therefore that which it does
not understand it does not believe; . . . whereas heavenly affection is not in
appearances but in good and truth itself. As rational truth is of this nature,
it is pardoned.
2227. All good and all the
derivative truth will be from the Lord. . .. From celestial good comes spiritual
good.
2242. But the Angels are not
in appearances in the way that man is, and therefore while the Word as to the
sense of the letter is for man, as to the internal sense it
is for the
Angels, as
also for
those men
to whom
of the Lord's Divine mercy it is given, while living in the world, to be
like the Angels.
2657. With every man who is
being regenerated there are two rationals, one before regeneration, the other
after regeneration. The first which is before regeneration, is procured
through the
experiences of 'the
senses, by reflections upon
things of civic life and of moral life, and by means of the sciences and the
reasonings derived from them, and by means of them, also
by means of the cognitions of spiritual things from the Doctrine of faith Whatever
therefore it then thinks is from such things; or in order that what it thinks
may be comprehended at the same time by interior or intellectual sight, the
semblances of such things
63
COMPILED BY THE REV. THEODORE PITCAIRN thus
from the proprium. ...
This first
rational cannot apprehend
otherwise, even if it has been instructed that all the good of love and all the
truth of faith are from the Lord. But when man is being regenerated . . . he
begins to think that good and truth are not from himself or from •what is his
own. but; from the Lord. The more he is then confirmed in this, the more he is
led into the light of truth respecting these things, until at last he believes
that all good and all truth are from the Lord.
2719. Now the Doctrine of
faith is treated of, which is to
be serviceable
to the
[spiritual] Church;
namely that human rational things from scientifics are adjoined to it,
which are Abimelech and Phicol.. . . These rational things are appearances, not
from a Divine but from a human origin, which are adjoined for the reason that
without them the spiritual Church would not comprehend Doctrine, and thus would
not receive it; . .. and they are not discrepant to such a degree that the
Divine good cannot have in them some kind of receptacle.
2761. "Jehovah bowed
the heavens,
and He came down, and thick darkness was under His feet; and He rode upon
a cherub". Thick darkness here denotes clouds; to ride upon a cherub
represents the Lord's Providence lest man should of himself enter into the
mysteries of faith which are in the
Word.
3364. In the internal sense
the subject here treated of is the Lord, in that from His Divine are all the
doctrinal things of faith; for there is not any doctrinal, not the smallest part
of one, that is not from the Lord, because the Lord is Doctrine itself. Hence it
is that the Lord is called the Word because the Word is Doctrine; but as
3387. This signifies that he
could not open Divine Truths themselves; Divine Good would then not be received.
If Divine Truths themselves were to be opened, they would not be received by
those who are in the doctrinal things of 64 faith,
because they surpass all their rational apprehension, thus all their belief.
3438. In the internal sense
there are singulars, myriads of which together make one particular that is
presented in the literal sense.
3712. "I will bring
thee back to this ground", signifies conjunction with the Divine Doctrine.
The Divine Doctrine is the Divine Truth, and Divine Truth is all the Word of the
Lord; Divine Doctrine itself is the Word in the supreme
3786. The case is the same
in general with the Church while it is being established; the doctrinals of good
and truth must first be collected into a one, for it is on them that the
building is erected. The doctrinals have also a connection with one another, and
a mutual respect to each other, wherefore unless they are first collected into
one a deficiency will arise, and the things that are wanting would have to be
supplied by man's rational; and how blind and visionary this is in spiritual and
Divine things, when it draws conclusions from its own self, has been repeatedly
shown above. On this account the Word, which contains all the doctrinals of good
and truth, has been given to the Church. 65
COMPILED BY THE REV. THEODORE PITCAIRN
3798. That the Word is
opened by means of good is manifest. ... Such as the love or flame is, such is
the light of truth. They who are in the love of good are able to see the things
that belong to that love, consequently the truths that are in the Word, and this
according to the measure and quality of their love of good; for in this case,
light or intelligence flows in out of Heaven, that is through Heaven from the
Lord. Hence it is that, as was said above,
3812. All evil and
falsity thence flow in from hell; and all good and truth thence flow in
from the Lord. Man knows this from the Doctrine of faith, but scarcely one among
myriads believes it.
3813. This proprium is what
is called the heavenly proprium, which in itself is the Lord's alone,
appropriated to those wlio are in good and thence in truth.
3880. "And
she said:
This time will I
confess Jehovah", signifies in the supreme sense the Lord, in the
internal sense the Word, in the external sense Doctrine thence.
3900. "Then if any one
say to you: Lo, here is Christ,
3901. That
the face of an eagle denotes
circumspection and thus Providence, is evident, for the Cherubs which were
represented by the animals in Ezekiel, signify the Providence of the Lord, lest
man should enter into the mysteries of faith from himself and from his rational.
3969. From
this it
may appear
what the Divine Spiritual
is; and whence the spiritual
kingdom and the celestial kingdom; and that the spiritual kingdom is the good of
faith, that is charity which inflows from the Lord immediately, and also
mediately through the celestial kingdom. The Divine Spiritual which proceeds
from the Lord, is called in the Word "the Spirit of Truth" and it is
Holy Truth, and is not of any spirit, but is of the Lord through the Spirit sent
by the Lord, as may appear from the words of the Lord Himself in John:
"When He, the 66
CONFIRMATORY PASSAGES IN THE ARCANA Spirit
of Truth, shall have come, He shall lead you into all truth; for He shall not
speak from himself, but whatsoever He shall hear that shall He speak. He shall
also announce to you things to come. He
shall glorify Me, because He shall take of Mine, and shall announce it unto
you".
3993. The arcana that treat
of these subjects cannot easily be explained to the apprehension, because they
fall into the shade of the understanding, and
it is like a
4002. Stealing in the
internal sense denotes claiming to one's self that which is the Lord's, namely
good and truth, and whereas all do this in the beginning of regeneration, and
this is the first state of innocence, therefore the word is milder than it
sounds in the letter: consequently, "that is stolen by
me" signifies that it
was not his.
4027. The things which have
thus far been explained
4063. Man is led from the
Lord not in a natural but in a supernatural manner. 4247. "And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying: We came to thy brother, to Esau, and, moreover, he cometh to meet thee". This signifies that good flows in continually, to appropriate to itself, namely truths. . . . Good is continually flowing in, and truth receives it, for truths are the vessels of good. Divine good cannot be applied to any other vessel than genuine truths, for they correspond to each other.
67 COMPILED BY THE REV. THEODORE PITCAIRN When
man is in the affection of truth, as he is in
4249. When good is taxing
the first place and is subordinating truths to itself, which happens when man is
undergoing spiritual temptations, the good that then flows in from within is
accompanied by very many truths which have .been stored up in his interior man.
These cannot come to his observation and apprehension until good acts the
leading part, for then the natural begins to be enlightened by good, whence it
becomes apparent what things in it agree and what things disagree. ... While he
is thinking and willing goods, and is delighted with the truths from them, he
may know that they are from Heaven, that is, through Heaven from the Lord. . . .
These things cannot but appear to man
as paradoxes
because almost every man of the Church at this day believes that all the
truth, and all the good that he wills and does, are from himself, although he
says otherwise when he speaks from the doctrinal of faith.
4279. From this it is
manifest of what quality the Word is, and how the case is with the Word when it
is read by a man who is in what is holy, that is in good and truth. For then,
with him, it appears as worldly or as historical, in which there is nevertheless
what is holy; but in the first Heaven it appears as celestial and spiritual
natural, in which there is nevertheless what is Divine; in the second Heaven,
however, it is spiritual, and in the third Heaven it is celestial; and in the
Lord it is Divine. The sense of the Word is according to the Heavens; the
highest, sense . . . for the inmost Heaven etc.. but the lowest 68 sense
is for man while still living in the world, who nevertheless is such that the
interior sense, and even the internal
4301. As to the state of
truth in good, this can indeed be described, but yet it can only be apprehended
by those who have celestial perception. Others cannot even have an idea of the
conjunction of truth with good, because with them truth is in obscurity.
4302. Although these things
should be described, they still will not be evident except to those who are in
celestial perception, and by no means to those who are in natural perception
only. For those who are in celestial perception
4402. But although these
things are clear to those who
4964. "Was brought down
into Egypt". This signifies to the scientifics of the Church. . . . The
scientifics treated of the correspondences of the natural world with the
spiritual world, and of the representatives of spiritual and celestial things in
things natural and earthly. Such were the scientifics of those who were in the
Ancient Church. . . . As in Egypt it was chiefly scientifics that were handed
down, therefore the scientific in general is represented by 69
COMPILED BY THE REV. THEODORE PITCAIRN Egypt.
. . . Whereas they had such scientifics that taught correspondences, and also
representatives, and significatives, and as these were of service to the
doctrinal things of the Church, especially to the understanding of those things
which were said in their Word, ... therefore by "being brought down into
Egypt", is signified to the scientifics of the Church. . -. The Lord was
first imbued with the scientifics of
the Church,
and from
and by
them He advanced to things
more and more interior, and at last
4966. Be it known that the
scientifics of the Ancients were altogether different from those of the present
day. As before said the scientifics of the Ancients treated of the
correspondence of things in the natural world with things in the spiritual
world.
4967. Because Egypt is the
scientific it is also the natural, for all scientific with man is natural,
because it is in his natural man, even the scientific concerning spiritual and
celestial things. The reason of this is that man
4977. Man is sensible of
that which flows in by an external way, but not until he has been regenerated,
of that which flows in by an internal way; so that unless in the prior state a
sort of dominion were given to truth, or unless good so applied itself, truth
would never be appropriated to good.
4980. When Divine Good which
is in Divine Truth is received by the rational or internal man, it is called the
celestial in the rational; and when received by the natural
70
CONFIRMATORY PASSAGES IN THE ARCANA when
He was in the world it flowed in from Himself.
5121. "And Joseph said
unto him: This is the interpretation of it". This signifies revelation from
perception from the celestial in the natural as to what it had in itself. In
regard to revelations being either from perception, or from speech with Angels,
through whom the Lord speaks, it is to be known that they who are in good and
thence in truth, especially they who are in the good of love to the Lord, have revelation
from perception.
The Angels, especially the
celestial, have revelation from perception,
5207. As regards the matter
itself, that truths were banished from the natural by falsities in the
boundaries, be it known that this takes place at the beginning in all
regeneration; for 'the truths that are insinuated with man in the beginning, are
indeed in themselves truths; but they
5208. Truths are banished
from the natural, which is done in order that the natural may be enlightened in
a general manner from within, and that afterwards in the general illustration or
in the general light, truths may be replaced there in
their order,
wherein the
natural is enlightened in a particular manner.
The correspondence between the spiritual and the natural with man, or
between his internal and his external, is effected in this way: for truths are
first procured, next those truths are as if banished, yet they are not banished
but stored away. . . . What is general comes first; and afterwards things less
general, and finally particulars are inserted therein. 71
COMPILED BY THE REV. THEODORE PITCAIRN
5213. Scientifics are
vessels. ... The scientifics into which the things of faith and charity can be
applied are
5253. Hence the speech of
the Angels, which is relatively unlimited; and in consequence every thing of
their speech flows into the infinite and eternal, consequently into the Divine
of the Lord.
5280. Man has to learn from
the Word and from Doctrine there from what is good. The cognitions of good
from the Word or from Doctrine there from are called the truths of faith. ...
The truths previously insinuated
5288. It is also good and
truth that bring into order each and all things in the natural mind; for they
flow in from the interior, and thus arrange them. One who does not know how the
case is with man's intellectual faculty, and how man can mentally view things,
perceive them, think analytically, draw conclusions thence, and at last
5355. What the
multiplication of truth from good is shall be briefly stated. When man is in
good, that is in love towards the neighbor, he is also in the love of truth.
consequently in so far as he is in this good, so far he is affected by truth,
for good is in truth as the soul in its
72 body.
As therefore good multiplies truth, so it propagates itself in truth and by
truth indefinitely, for there is no limit to good or to truth. ... In the Church
to day there is rarely any
multiplication of truth. ...
It is believed sufficient to know the dogmas of faith of the church in
which man is born, and to confirm them by various means. But one who is in the
good of genuine charity and thence in the affection of truth,
is not content with this, but
desires to be enlightened from the Word. ... He also sees it from good,
because the apperception of truth is
from good; for the Lord is in good and gives the apperception. When a man
receives truth thence it increases indefinitely. In this respect it is like a
little seed which grows into a tree, and produces other little seeds, which in
turn produce a garden, and so on.
5428. But if they are told
that real freedom . .. is not at all like this, but consists in willing nothing
from self, but from the Lord, yea also in thinking nothing from self, but from
Heaven, and hence that the Angels are overwhelmed with sorrow and grief if
permitted to think from themselves and
to will from themselves,
this is
not acknowledged.
5478. That the truths of the
Church are apprehended by those who are in good, that is by those with whom
these truths are conjoined with good, quite differently from what they are by
those who are not in good, seems indeed like a paradox, but still it is the
truth.
5556. They are altogether
ignorant that the chief thing in wisdom is to perceive without reasoning, that a
thing is
5623. The capacities or
abilities for receiving truth
5637. The interior things of
scientifics are spiritual things in the natural mind, and spiritual
things are there when the scientifics there are enlightened by the light of
Heaven, and they are so enlightened when man has faith 5773.
Mourning over truths from the proprium that they 73
COMPILED BY THE REV. THEODORE PITCAIRN could
no longer claim to themselves, . . . signifies that they would be without
freedom from their proprium, thus without truths from themselves. . . . Be it
known that a turning about takes place with those who are being regenerated,
namely that they are led to good by means of truth, and afterwards from good
they are led to truth.
5951. What spiritual truths
in the natural are must be told. Truths of faith outside of man, spirit, and
Angel,
5952. It is said "as
seemed good", because the doctrinal things that are meant by the carts of
Egypt are from the literal sense of the Word, which, without the internal sense,
6167. When the Word is being
read by a man, those who are in the other life, being in the internal sense of
the Word, not only perceive all things, but see besides innumerable arcana
therein, and such as cannot be expressed in
any human speech.
Those which have been adduced are comparatively only a few.
6232. All things which
proceed from the Infinite, as do truths and goods, are capable of increasing and
of being multiplied indefinitely. That truths and goods can increase
indefinitely arises from the fact that they proceed from the Lord, who is
infinite.
6240. But the truly rational
man is none other than he 74 who
is called a celestial man, and who has perception of good, and from good
perception of truth; whereas he who has not this perception, but only the
cognition that a thing is true ... is not truly a rational man, but is an
interior natural man. Such are those who belong to the Lord's spiritual Church.
6338. "Assemble
yourselves". This signifies that they should set themselves in order. . . .
For the universal which proceeds from the Lord effects this, because it contains
within itself all the singulars down to the most minute ones; and it is all
these taken together which are the universal that reduces all things in the
Heavens into order. When the universal is doing this, it appears as if the
6398. "Dan shall be a
serpent upon the way". This signifies their reasoning about truth because
good does not
6430. "And He shall
bless you with the blessings of heaven above". That this signifies with the
good and truth from the interior, is evident from the signification of blessing
. .. and . . . of heaven. . . . The Heaven of man is in his interiors, because
the man who is in the good of life is as to his interiors in society with
Angels, thus in Heaven, and as to his exteriors in society vnth men, thus in the
world. Therefore when man receives the good and truth which flow in from the
Lord through Heaven from within, he is blessed with the blessings of Heaven
above.
6431. "With
the blessings of
the abyss that lieth beneath". This signifies the scientifics that
are in the natural. 75
COMPILED BY THE REV. THEODORE PITCAIRN
6434. The spiritual Church
should have good from the natural or external man, but not from the rational or
internal man: for the good of the man of the spiritual Church is in the natural,
nor does it go further.
6454. Whatever is in the
natural, and more so what is in the exterior natural, is obscure in comparison
to what is in the interior natural, and still more so in comparison with what is
in the rational. But this obscurity becomes clear in two ways; first, of the
exteriors are brought into compliance with the interiors, and thus into
correspondence-, secondly, if the man can be elevated from exterior to interior
things, and thus to see the exterior things from what is interior. This latter
is possible with those who are in the internal of the Church, and the former
with those who are in its external.; but neither the one nor the other is
obtained except
through regeneration
from the
Lord. From this it is plain what is meant by the obscurity being capable
of becoming clear.
6471. A certain spirit not
of the evil, but from those who suppose that they possessed the cognitions of
faith
6507. "And the
Egyptians wept over him". This signifies the sadness of the scientifics of
the Church. .., But sadness here means sadness because the good of the Church
which is represented by Israel, had left the scientifics, which are the
externals of the Church, when it ascended from them to the internal of the
Church, which is the good of truth; for in this case it no longer regards
scientifics as being with itself, as before, but beneath itself. For when the
truth of the spiritual Church becomes good, a reversal takes place, and then it
no longer looks at truths from truths, but from good. . . . From this comes
sadness, and it also comes from the fact that a different order is effected
76
CONFIRMATORY PASSAGES IN THE ARCANA
6564. Joseph is the
celestial and internal good, through which good and truth flow in from the Lord.
The Lord continually flows in through man's internal with good and truth.
6566. This is evident from
the representation of Joseph as being the internal celestial; and from the
signification of speaking, as being influx and thence reception: for the influx
is from the internal celestial, which is Joseph, and the reception is by the
truths in the natural, which are his brethren.
6617. A certain good spirit
was taken up into the first Heaven, and speaking with me from thence he said
that he saw infinite things in what T was then reading in the Word; when yet I
myself had only a simple thought on the subject. Afterwards he was taken up into
a more interior Heaven, and he said from thence that he now saw still
6686. The true scientifics
in the natural have all their life from the good which flows in through the
internal.
6690. From this scientifics
have their form. If heavenly love rules, then all things are disposed there by
the Lord into the heavenly form,
thus into the form of the good itself of love.
6750. Scientifics
are what
they who
are being regenerated must
first learn, because they are a plane for the things of the understanding, and
the understanding is the recipient of the truth of faith, and the truth of faith
is the recipient of the good of
charity. Hence it can be seen that the scientific is the first plane when a
man is being regenerated.
6865. It is false
scientifics which chiefly infest those of the spiritual Church, because they
have no perception of truth from good, but only the cognitions of truth from
Doctrine. ... For scientifics are the most general vessels, which sometimes
appear contrary to truths, until truths 77 COMPILED BY THE REV. THEODORE PITCAIRN being
let into them make them transparent, and thus not to be noticed.
Moreover scientifics
are full
of the fallacies
of the
senses, which
cannot be
dispelled by those who are
in the mere cognitions from Doctrine, and not in the perception of truth from
good. ... But those who are in the light of Heaven are in enlightenment from the
Lord. ... Hence it is evident that these latter have
6866. In genuine humiliation
a man divests himself of all ability to think and do any thing from himself, and
wholly leaves himself to the Divine, and thus draws near to the Divine.
6996. The things a man
speaks are presented quite differently with spirits; and the things spirits
speak, quite differently with the Angels. Aaron as Doctrine, see n. 6998—7012.
Immediate and mediate influx, see n. 7055—7058.
7191. Every thing of thought
and of the consequent discourse flows in through Heaven from the Lord.
7233. Hence it is that every
one within the spiritual Church acknowledges as the truth of faith that which
its founders have dictated, nor do they search further from the Word whether it
be the very truth; and moreover if they did search they would not find it unless
they had been regenerated, and at the same time enlightened in a special manner.
7750. It may be shown that
those only have spiritual life who are in celestial love, and from this in
cognitions; and that love contains within it all the cognitive that is of that
love. Take for example the animals of the earth and the animals of the heaven or
the birds. These have the science of all things of their love. . . . If man were
in his own love, which is love to G-od and towards the neighbor, this being
man's proper love, . . . he would then be not only in all requisite science, but
also in all intelligence and wisdom; neither would he have occasion to learn
them, for they would flow in from Heaven into these loves, that is through
Heaven from the Divine. But as man is not in these, but in contrary loves ... he
must be born into all ignorance, yet by Divine means he is brought into
something of intel-
78
COMFIRMATORY PASSAGES IN THE ARCANA ligence
and wisdom, but still not actually into any thing unless he removes the loves of
self and of the world and thus opens the way for love to the Lord and love
towards the neighbor. That love to the Lord and love towards the neighbor have
within them all intelligence and wisdom, can be seen from those who in the world
have been in these loves; when in the other life they come into Heaven, they
there know and are wise in such things as before they had
7757. The good itself which
flows in from the Lord adopts truth there, and appropriates it to itself, and
thereby causes the good with a man to be good, and the truth to be truth; or the
charity to be charity, and the faith to be faith. Without this conjunction
charity is not charity, but only natural goodness; neither is faith faith,
but-only the science of such things as are of faith.
7838. The truth of faith is
not the truth of faith unless it is with the good of charity, and especially
unless it is from it.
7840. Men of the internal
Church are they who have qualified their good by means of interior truths, such
as are those of the internal sense of the Word; but men of the external Church
are those who have qualified their good by means of exterior truths, such as are
those of the literal
7950. All spiritual light
comes through good from the Lord, thus through charity; for the good of charity
is like
7966. These are the two
states in which they who are of the spiritual Church, when in good, are kept by
the Lord: the first, that from the erood which is of the will 79
COMPILED BY THE REV. THEODORE PITCAIRN they
see and
think truth;
the second, that from this marriage of good and truth they produce
truths, which by willing them and doing them, again become goods and so
8042. "Sanctify to Me
all the firstborn". This signifies faith that it is from the Lord. When it
is said faith, there is meant all
the truth
that belongs
to the spiritual Church. ... When a man is being regenerated,
he is led by means of faith in the understanding, or in Doctrine, to faith in
the will or life, that is by means of the truth of faith to the good of charity.
When the man is in the good of charity, he has then been regenerated, and then
from this good he produces truths, which are called the truths of good. These
are the truths which are the veriest truths of faith, and which are meant by the
firstborn.
8078. Faith merely natural
is faith which is insinuated by an external and not by an internal way, such as
sensual faith which consists in
believing a thing to be so because the eye has seen. - . . But spiritual faith
is that which is insinuated by an internal and at the same time by an external
way; the insinuation by the internal way causes it to be believed, and then that
which is insinuated by the external way causes it to be confirmed. The
insinuation of faith by the internal way is effected by reading the Word, and by
enlightenment then from the Lord, which is granted according to the quality of
the affection.
8106. The literal sense of
the Word is called a cloud, because the internal sense, which is called glory,
cannot be comprehended by man, except by one who is regenerated and then
enlightened. If the internal sense of the Word, or truth Divine in its glory,
were to appear before a man who is not regenerated, it would be like thick
darkness, in which he would see nothing at all, and by which he would also be
blinded, that is he would believe nothing.
8301. "Who is like
Thee, 0 Jehovah, among the gods" signifies that all truth of good proceeds
from the Divine Human of the Lord. . . . That by these words is signified that
all the truth of good proceeds from the Divine Human of the Lord, is because
truths can proceed from everybody; but the truths of good only from the Lord,
consequently from those who are in good from the Lord. Truths separated from
good are indeed thought and spoken by those
80 who
are in persuasive faith and nevertheless in a life of evil,
and likewise
by many
others within the Church; but these truths are not of good, thus do not
proceed from the Lord, but from themselves. That truths from good proceed from
the Lord can be seen from the tact that the Lord is Good itself, because He is
Love itself; from this proceeds truth, like light from the flame of the sun.
8370. The truths of faith
were set in order by the good of love. . . . It is said by means of the good of
love, because all setting in order of truths is effected by means of the good of
love.
8420. This is evident from
the signification of the Law, as being the Word; and because it denotes the
Word, it denotes Divine Truth, thus also the Doctrine of good and truth.
'
8456. "And the deposit
of dew went up". ... The
deposit of this upon the manna signifies the insinuation of truth; for the truth
of peace is the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord in Heaven, which being the
inmost insinuates itself into the truth
which is beneath, and vivifies it. When the truth which is beneath has been vivified by it, then
the truth of peace goes up, that is, as to appearance ceases, and the truth
which had received life from it comes into view. Thus is born the truth of
faith. For no truth of Doctrine or of the Word becomes truth with man until it
has received life from the Divine, and it receives life through the insinuation
of the truth which proceeds from the Lord, which is called the truth of peace.
This truth is not the truth of faith, but it is the life or soul of the truth of
faith, and it disposes into the heavenly form all things which are in the truth
that is called the truth of faith, and afterwards it also disposes the truths
themselves one with another. From all this it can be seen how the case is with
the insinuation of truth with man by means of the truth of peace. Be it also
known that the lower or exterior things with the man who is being regenerated receive
life in succession from the higher or interior things; thus the truth of faith
from the truth of 81
COMPILED BY THE REV. THEODORE PITCAIRN exterior.
Consequently with the regenerate it is open even from the Lord: but with those
who are not regenerate the
8505. "To day ye shall
no longer find it in the field". This signifies that good shall no longer
be acquired by
8510. He who acts
from truth which is of
faith, is not yet in the order of Heaven.
8516. Every one ought to be
led to Christian good which is called charity, through the truth of faith; for
the truth of faith will not only teach what charity is, but also what its nature
must be; and unless he learns this from the doctrinal of his Church (for he
cannot possibly know it from himself), he cannot be prepared and thus adapted to
receive this .good. ... A man must know further that truths do not of themselves
enter into good, but that good adopts truths and adjoins them to itself; for the
truths of faith lie in the memory of a man as in a field extended beneath the
interior sight. Good from the Lord flows in through this sight, and chooses from
them, and conjoins to itself the truths which are in agreement with it. The
truths which lie beneath cannot flow into the good which is above, etc.
8685. "And Moses sat to
judge the people". That this signifies the disposing of Truth Divine with
those who 82 (see
II. 6472— 6478, 6982, 6985, 6996, 7054—7058, 7270). Immediate influx is
represented by Moses judging the people alone, but influx both immediate and
mediate, by princes of thousands, etc. ... But these are arcana which scarcely
any one can understand, except one who is in enlightenment from the Lord, and
through enlightenment in perception.
These influxes, and
also the consequent effects, can indeed be described, but
still they do
not rightly fall into the thought, unless there is perception from
Heaven; and perception from Heaven is not possible except with those who are in
the love of truth from good; and not even then unless they are in the love of
truth. from genuine good.
8686. "And.
the people stood over Moses". This signifies obedience then out of Truth
Divine. ... By these words in the internal sense is described the first state,
wherein the man who is being regenerated is led by means of truth from the Lord;
the truth by means of which he is led is the Word, for this is Truth Divine.
8689. "And
he said, why sittest thou alone?" That this signifies without influx of
truth from good from any other source is evident from the signification of
sitting alone, when said of Truth Divine proceeding immediately from the Lord,
which is represented by Moses, as being influx from Him alone, and not at the
same time from any other source.
8690. When
a man is in the former state, then the Lord flows in and leads immediately; but
the immediate influx of the Lord does not come to perception, because it is
into the
inmosts of
man; whereas
the influx
of the Lord which is
immediate and at the same time mediate, does come to perception, and gives
affection, for it is not only into man's inmosts, but also into his mediates and
outmosts.
8692. "And
the people cometh unto me to inquire of God". This signifies that they do
not will and act from
8694. "It
cometh unto me and I judge between a man and his companion". This signifies
that at this time they 83
COMPILED BY THE REV. THEODORE PITCAIRN for
they who are in good and long for truth are taught in this way from the Word;
but they who are not in good cannot be taught from the Word, but can only be
confirmed in such
things as
they have been instructed in
from infancy, whether true or false. The reason that those who
8698. "The
word that thou doest is not good" ... signifies that a change must be made.
8699. "Wearing
thou wilt wear away, both thou and this people that is with thee". This
signifies that thus the truth that has been inseminated would perish. . .. That
it denotes the truth that has been inseminated, is because by Moses is meant
truth from the Divine.
8700. "For
the word is too heavy for thee". This signifies that it is not possible
because not out of Divine order.
8701. "Thou
art not able to do it thou alone". This signifies without influx of truth
from good from some other source. ... When the influx is immediate, the Lord
indeed flows in with good and truth, yet the good is not 84 then
perceived, but truth; therefore the man. is then led by means of truth, not so
much by good. But when the influx is at the same time mediate, then good is
perceived, for mediate influx is into man's external sensual; hence it is that
the man is then led by the Lord by means of good.
8706. "And do thou
teach them the statutes and the laws". This signifies that from Truth
immediately from the Lord come the external and internal goods and truths of the
Church. 8709.
"And do thou see out of all the people". This signifies the
choosing of ministering truths ... here of truths that minister to the Truth
immediately from the Divine. 8711.
"Men of truth hating gain". This signifies because the truths
are pure without a worldly end. 8717.
"And it shall be that every great word let them bring unto
thee". This signifies that every thing is from the Truth that is
immediately from the Divine. ... It appears from the sense of the letter as if
every thing was to be brought to Divine Truth; but as every thing comes from the
Lord through the Truth proceeding from Him . . . therefore in the internal sense
it is not signified to this truth, but from it. . . . In itself the fact is that
by means of Truth proceeding from Himself the Lord directs all things down to
the veriest
singulars. ... His disposing is immediate through the Truth Divine from
Himself, and also mediate through Heaven. But the mediate disposing through
Heaven is also as it were immediate from Himself, for what comes out of Heaven
comes through Heaven from Him. That this is so the Angels in Heaven not only
know, but perceive in themselves. 8718.
"But every small word let them judge". This signifies the
appearance of some particulars and singulars
8719. "And devolve from
upon thee, and let them bear with thee". This signifies thus function and
office for them. ... The Lord does each and all things from Him- 85
COMPILED BY THE REV. THEODORE PITCAIRN
self
immediately and mediately through Heaven. That He acts mediately through Heaven
is not because He needs their aid. . . . There is an appearance to them that
they act from themselves, but a perception that it is from the Lord. 8726.
How this is can be seen from what has been before set forth, namely, that
the man who is being regenerated is first led by the truth which is of faith;
but when he has been regenerated he is led by means of the good which is of
charity; and that in this first state, namely, when he is led by means of truth,
the Lord flows in
through the
Truth Divine
that proceeds immediately
from Him; but in the second state, namely, when he is led by means of good, the
Lord flows in through both the truth which proceeds immediately, and that which
proceeds mediately from Him; and the mediate influx is equally from the Lord as
the immediate.
8728. As further concerning
this subject, be it known that some things also come
from the Angels themselves
who are with man; but all the good and truth which become the good of charity,
that is, of the new life with man, come from the Lord alone, also through the
Angels from Him. ... The things which come from the Angels themselves are such
as accommodate themselves to the affection of man, and in themselves are not
goods, but still serve for introducing goods and truths which are from the Lord.
8771. "A kingdom of
priests and a holy nation"; ... each expression signifies the spiritual
kingdom, but with a difference. A kingdom of priests signifies those who are in
good out of truth, but a holy nation signifies those who a.re in good and thence
in truth. They who are in good out of truth look through truths upwards to the
Lord; but they who are in good and thence in truth are in the Lord, and from Him
look at truths; they succeed each other with those who are being regenerated, in
whom the spiritual kingdom, that is the life of Heaven, is being implanted from
the Lord; for through truth they are introduced into good, thus into Heaven,
because Heaven is good, and when they are in Heaven, then there and thence they
look to truths. [On the same subject see also n. 8772, 8773, 8778.] 8780.
"And Jehovah said unto Moses". This signifies the influx of the
Divine through truth from the Divine concerning revelation.......By revelation
here in the internal 86
CONFIRMATORY PASSAGES IN THE ARCANA
8864. The Lord is the faith
with man, and if the faith, He is also every truth that is contained in the
Doctrine of faith, which is from the Word.
8865. Such a universally
regnant must the Lord be with man; for such a regnant is the Lord with the
Angels of Heaven, of whom it is therefore said that they are in the Lord. The
Lord becomes regnant when it is not only believed that all good and all truth
are from Him, but also when it is loved to be so. The Angels are not only in the
faith that it is so, but also in the perception of it. Hence it is that their
life is the Lord's life in them; the life of their will is the life of love from
the Lord, and the life of their understanding is the life of faith from the
Lord. From all this it is evident how it is that the Lord is the all in all of
Heaven, and that He Himself is Heaven. When the Lord universally reigns with a
man of the Church, as with the Angels of Heaven, then the Lord is in all the
truths and goods of faith with him.
8867. "Thou shalt have
no other gods before My faces". This signifies that truths must not be
thought of out of any other source than out of the Lord.
8861). "Thou
shalt not make unto thee a graven image". That this signifies not from self
intelligence, is evident from the signification of a graven image, as being what
is not out of the Lord, but out of what is man's own.
8899. But be it known that
the commandments of the 87
COMPILED BY THE REV. THEODORE PITCAIRN
Decalogue
are rules of life for -those who are in the world and for those who are in
Heaven, and consequently both senses, the external as well as the internal, are
for -those who while they are in the world are also in Heaven, that is, for
those who are in the good of life according to the truths of Doctrine.
8912. The internal sense is
for those who are in Heaven, also for those who are in the world, yet in so far
as they are at the same time in Heaven.
9034. How the truth of the
literal sense of the Word serves spiritual truths shall briefly be told. The man
of the Church first learns truth from the literal sense of the Word, which is
general truth accommodated to the apprehension of the external man, who is in
natural light. This truth is received by an external way, that is by hearing,
and is stored up in the memory of the external man, where are also various
scientifics derived from the world. Afterwards the things stored up in this
memory are subjected to the sight or view of the internal man, who sees from the
light of Heaven. The internal man calls forth therefrom by selection the truths
which agree with the good which flows in from the Lord by way of the soul, and
which the man had received. There the Lord conjoins truths with good. The truths
which are thus conjoined in the internal man are called spiritual truths, and
the good with which the truths are conjoined spiritual good. This good formed by
means of truths, is what makes the spiritual life of man. The truths themselves
there are called the truths of faith, and the good is called the good of
charity. The good in which truths have thus been implanted is the Church with
man. From this it is plain in what manner the truths of the literal sense of the
Word serve for the formation of spiritual truths.
9048. [English
Editions 9049.1 The laws of order in the other life are not taught from books,
and stored up therefrom in the memory, as with men in the world, but they are
inscribed on the hearts.
9086. They who believe that
the Holy Divine that is in the Word lies hidden there no deeper than in the
sense which appears in the letter, . . . see the holy from no other 88
CONFIRMATORY PASSAGES IN THE ARCANA .
. . These most holy things stand open before the Angels in Heaven, because these
do not apprehend the Word naturally according to the literal sense; but
spiritually according to the internal sense. Men also would apprehend the Word
according to this sense if they lived an angelic life, that is a life of faith
and love.
9094. How the case is with
the things contained in this verse in the internal sense can with difficulty be
unfolded to the apprehension. They are such as can be comprehended by the
Angels, and only in some measure by men. . . . The things which are of angelic
wisdom are for the most part unutterable and also incomprehensible.
9103. The natural of man
sees things in the light of the world, which
light is
called natural lumen. Man
procures for himself this lumen by means of objects which enter by the sight and
hearing. ... When light from Heaven
flows into these things, the man begins to see them spiritually. ... This influx
increases according to the influx
of the
light of Heaven,
until at
last he discriminates not
only between truths, but also between truths within these truths; and he does
this with greater clearness in proportion as
the communication is
better opened between the internal and the external man; for the light of
Heaven flows from the Lord through the internal man into the external. From this
man has perception; but still it is not yet spiritual perception. This
perception does not arise from natural truths, but from spiritual truths.
Spiritual truths are those which are called the truths of faith.
The reason why spiritual
perception arises from these truths, is that the light of Heaven is Divine Truth
proceeding from the Lord. ... Wherefore the cognitions of spiritual things must
be with man in his natural, in order that there
may exist
spiritual perception;
and cognitions of spiritual things must be from revelation. When the
light of Heaven flows into these things it flows into its own, for as before
said, this light is Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord. . . . There must be
an influx of living light through the internal man from the Lord.
9128. "If the sun has
arisen upon him". This signifies that if he shall see it clearly from
within ... It is said seen from within, because such a thing is seen by the
internal man. As this is an important matter, something 89
COMPILED BY THE REV. THEODORE PITCAIRN shall
be said about sight from within. A man sees in himself whether what he thinks
and wills, and consequently what he says and does, is good or evil, and
consequently whether it is true or false. This is quite impossible unless he
sees from within. Seeing from within is seeing from the sight of the internal
man in the external, etc. . . . But be it known that to see from within is to
see from the Lord; for it is the same with sight as with every thing that
exists, in that nothing exists from itself, but from something which is prior to
or higher than itself, thus finally from the First and Highest. The First and
Highest is the Lord. He who apprehends this can also apprehend that every thing
of life with man is from the Lord; and
9188. For he who shall be
taught in the truths and goods of faith must be taught from the Lord and by no
means from himself.
9222. "And a prince in
thy people thou shalt not execrate". That this signifies that neither is
the Doctrine of truth to be blasphemed, is evident from the signification of a
prince as being the primary truths of the Church; and from the signification of
the people as being those who are in the truths of Doctrine. ... Truth Divine is
the Word, and the Doctrine of the Church is truth thence derived. . . . Truth
Divine is the Word and is Doctrine out of the Word.
9223. "The first fruits
of thy grain and the first fruits of thy wine thou shalt not delay". This
signifies that as all the goods and truths of faith are from the Lord, they
90 an
acknowledgement of the goods and truths of faith, which are signified by the
harvest, etc.
9227. A few words more shall
be said of these two states with the man who is being regenerated. It has been
already shown in n. 9224 that the truths called the truths of faith enter into
man by an external way, and
that the good which is of charity and love enters by an internal The
good from the Lord meets there at the common boundary the truths which have
entered by the external way, and by conjunction with them causes the truths to
become good. In so tar
as this is effected, so far the order is inverted, that is, so far the man is
not led by truths, but by good; and consequently in so far he is led by the
Lord. From this it can be seen how a man when he is being regenerated is raised
from the world into Heaven. For all things which enter through the hearing enter
from the world; and those which are stored up in the memory, and appear in the
memory before the understanding, appear in the light of the world, which is
called natural lumen. But those things which enter the will, or which become of
the will, are in the light of Heaven; the light of Heaven is the truth of good
from the Lord. When these things
come forth
from the will into act, they
return into the light of the world; but they then appear in this light under a
totally different form; for previously the world was within every thing; whereas
afterwards Heaven is so. From this it is also evident why a man is not in Heaven
until he does truths from willing them, thus from the affection of charity.
9231. The internal of man
can be raised into Heaven even to the Lord, and thus can be conjoined with Him
in thought and affection, consequently in faith and love.
9274. In the latter state
the order has been inverted, and he is then led by the Lord, consequently he is
then in Heaven.
9300. "The first fruits
of thy ground thou shalt bring into the house of Jehovah thy God". This
signifies that 91
COMPILED BY THE REV. THEODORE PITCAIRN all
truths of good and goods of truth
are holy, because they are from the Lord alone. ... They are called truths of
good and goods of truth, because with the man who is being regenerated, and
still more so with him who has been regenerated, truths are of good and goods
are of truth; for truths make the life of the understanding and good makes the
life of the will. . . . So far as the ideas of thought concerning things
spiritual are formed independently of correspondences, so far they are formed
either from the fallacies of the
senses, or from what is inconsistent with such things. ... They who are
enlightened see and perceive within themselves whether a thing is true or not
true. But if it is genuine truth of faith in which they are enlightened, and it
is the genuine good of charity with which they are enkindled, then it is the
understanding of the internal man that is enlightened, and the will of the
internal man that is enkindled.
9337. The Lord flows into
man by means of good, and by means of it He disposes truth into order; but not
the
9340. The city of God
denotes the Doctrine of the truth of faith out of the Word.
9372. Moreover the Word in
the ultimate, or such as it is in the external form in which it appears before
man in the world, is described by the clothing and food of John the Baptist.
9375. "Nadab and Abihu".
That hereby is signified Doctrine drawn from both senses, is evident from the
fact that they were sons of Aaron; and therefore when by Aaron is signified the
Word, by his sons is signified Doctrine; by
the elder
son Doctrine
drawn from
the internal sense
of the Word; and
by the younger son Doctrine drawn from its external sense. Doctrine drawn
from the internal sense of the Word and Doctrine drawn from the external sense
of the Word is one Doctrine, because those who are
in the internal are also in the external.
9382. How the case is with
enlightenment and instruction from the Word, shall briefly be told. Every one is
enlightened and instructed from the Word according to his affection of truth,
and the degree of his longing for it, 92
CONFIRMATORY PASSAGES IN THE ARCANA and
according to his capacity of receiving it. They who
9391. "Making a king,
but not by Me; and making princes, and I knew it not", denotes to hatch
truths and primary truths from their own lumen and not from the Divine.
"Making their silver and their gold into idols", denotes to
pervert the scientifics of truth and good from the literal sense of the Word in
favor of their own cupidities, and
still to
worship them as
holy, although
being from their own intelligence, they are devoid of life; for silver
denotes the truth, and gold the good, that are from the Divine, thus that belong
to the Word; and idols denote doctrinal things from man's own intelligence; . .
. for those things which are from man's own are from evil and consequently are
falsities, although outwardly they appear like truths, because taken from the
literal sense of the Word. . - . The subject here treated of is the arrogance of
those who 93
COMPILED BY THE REV. THEODORE PITCAIRN wish
to enter from scientifics into the mysteries of faith.
9394. "And put it into
basins". This signifies with Yet
the internal sight, which is the understanding, sees nothing else in the fields
9407. When a man is in good
and from good in truths, he is then raised into this Divine light, and into its
interior 94
CONFIRMATORY PASSAGES IN THE ARCANA light
according to the amount and quality of his good. From this he has a general
enlightenment, in which from the Lord he sees innumerable truths, which he
perceives from good; and then he is led by the Lord to apperceive and be imbued
with those truths which are suitable to him'. and this with respect to the
veriest singulars in order, just as is conducive to his eternal life. 9424. Occasion again offering, it shall be briefly told how the case is with the support of the Word by Doctrine that is out of the Word. He who does not know the arcana of Heaven must needs believe that the Word is supported without Doctrine out of it; for he supposes that the Word in the letter or the literal sense of the Word, is the Doctrine itself. But be it known that all the Doctrine of the Church must be drawn out of the Word, and that a doctrine out of any other source than the Word is not Doctrine in which there is any thing of the Church, still less any thing of Heaven. But the Doctrine must be collected out of the Word, and while it is being collected, the man must be in enlightenment from the Lord; and he is in enlightenment when he is in the love of truth for the sake of truth, and not for the sake of self and the world. These
are they who are enlightened in the Word when they read it, and who see truth,
and from it make Doctrine for themselves. 'The reason is that such communicate
with Heaven, thus with the Lord; and being enlightened from the Lord in this way
they are led to see the truths of the Word such as they are in Heaven; for the
Lord inflows through Heaven into their understanding, because it is man's
interior understanding that is enlightened. And at the same time the Lord flows
in with faith, by
means of
the cooperation of the new
will, a feature of which is, to be affected with truth for the sake of truth.
From all this it can now be seen how the Doctrine of truth and good is given man
from the Lord. That this Doctrine supports the Word in respect to its literal or
external sense, is plain to every one who reflects; for every one in the Church
who thinks from Doctrine sees truths in the Word from his Doctrine and according
thereto, and explains those which do not coincide with it; and those which seem
to be opposed he passes by as though he did not see or understand them; that all
do so, even heretics, is known.
But they
who are in the genuine Doctrine of 95
COMPILED BY THE REV. THEODORE PITCAIRN truth
out of the Word. and in enlightenment when they read the Word, see
everywhere truths that agree, and nothing whatever that is opposed; for
they do not dwell
9549. "Of pure
gold". This signifies that it is from celestial good. ... By lampstand is
signified the Divine Spiritual, or the Divine Truth which is from the Lord in
Heaven and in the Church; and because this truth comes forth from Divine Good,
the lampstand was of gold. ... This is further manifest from the influx of the
Lord into the Heavens. The inmost or third Heaven is celestial; the middle or
second Heaven is spiritual. The Lord flows through the celestial Heaven which is
in the good of love to Him, into the spiritual Heaven which is in the truth of
faith in Him. From this it is evident why the whole lampstand was to be of pure
gold.
9550. "Solid
shall the lampstand be made". That this signifies that all is from good, is
evident from the signification of solid, as being wholly, thus all from good,
which is signified by gold. For all the spiritual, which is signified by the
lampstand, in so far as it illumines, comes forth from the celestial, and also
continually subsists through the same, as all truth does from good; for if good
is withdrawn, truth is extinguished in a moment, because good is the soul of
truth.
9568. By that which is
wholly from good, thus by what is entire and perfect, is meant when good is the
all in all, not only in truths which are signified by the reeds, but also in the
scientifics, which are signified by the pomegranates and flowers. . . . Good is
the source of truths, and truths from good are the source of scientifics. So is
the one derived and produced from the other. Nevertheless good is everything in
its products and derivatives, because these are from good. ... In like manner do
the celestial, the spiritual, and the natural succeed each other. . . . With
96 all
natural that is of the scientific. That the scientific is natural, is because
the scientific is truth appearing in the light of the world; whereas the truth
of faith, in so far as it is of faith with man, is in the light of Heaven. . . .
Consequently good from the Divine is in all the truths of faith, and if good is
not everything in them, and if the Divine of the Lord is not everything in good,
the man has in him nothing of Heaven, thus nothing of the Church. But the Divine
of the Lord is in all things of good, and from this in all things of truth with
man, when he wills from love, and believes from the consequent faith, that all
good and all truth are from the Lord, and absolutely nothing from himself; and
also that he possesses the truth of faith in the exact proportion of his
reception of good from the Lord; for, as before said, good is the all in all
things of truth, and truth without good is truth without life.
9594. These degrees of life
in man are opened successively; the first degree by a life in accordance with
what is equitable and just; the second degree by a life according to the truths
of faith from the Word, and in accordance with the consequent goods of charity
towards the neighbor: and the third degree in accordance with the good of mutual
love and the good of love to the Lord. These are the means whereby are
successively opened these three degrees of life in
man, thus the three Heavens in him. . . . With some the first Heaven is opened
and not the second; and with some the second Heaven is opened and not the third;
and the third Heaven is opened with those only who are in the good of life out
of the love to the Lord. ... Heaven is called the habitation of God from the
fact that the Lord dwells there; for it is the Divine Truth proceeding from the
Divine Good that makes Heaven, for this gives the life to an Angel who is there.
And because the Lord dwells with Angels in that which is from Himself, therefore
Heaven is called the habitation of God, and the Divine truths themselves from
the Divine good, of which the Angels or the angelic societies are the
receptions, are called habitations.
9636. For the good which is
with the Angels is that good itself, because all good is from the Lord; good
from
9688 Who does not see that
by fine linen, silk, and embroidery are not here meant fine linen,
silk, and embroidery? for the subject treated of is Jerusalem. But what
is meant the Christian world does not inquire, because it places the celestial
and spiritual things of the Word in its literal sense, and calls its interior
ones mystical things which it does not care for.
9707. It has been so
provided and ordained by the Lord that in so far as a man thinks and wills from
Heaven, that is through Heaven from the Lord, so far his internal man is opened;
the opening is unto Heaven, even unto the Lord Himself.
9723. From his infancy up to
the end of his life in the world, a man is being perfected as to intelligence
and wisdom; and if it is well with him, as to faith and love. Scientifics
chiefly conduce
to this use. Scientifics are
imbibed by hearing, seeing, and reading, and arc stored up in the external or
natural memory. These are serviceable to the internal sight or understanding as
a plane of objects, from which things it chooses and brings out such things from
which it is wise. For by virtue of its light which is from Heaven, the interior
sight or understanding looks into this plane, that is into this memory, which is
below itself; and from-various things which are there, it chooses and brings
out. such things as agree with its love. These it calls forth to itself from
thence, and stores them up in its own memory, which is the internal memory. From
this is the life of the internal man,
and its intelligence and wisdom. The case is the same with the things
which belong to spiritual intelligence and wisdom, which are those of faith and
love. Scientifics, that is to say, scientifics from the Word, or from the
Doctrine of the Church, which are called the cognitions of truth and good, are
in like manner of service for implanting in the internal man these things of
spiritual intelligence and wisdom. When these cognitions are stored up in the
memory of the external man, they are in like manner of service as objects to the
sight of the internal man, which sees from the light of Heaven, and from such
things chooses and brings out such things as are in agreement with its love; for
the internal man sees nothing else in the external man. For the things which
not
love he sees in the shade; -the latter he rejects, but the former he chooses.
From all this it can be seen how the
9744. This is evident from
the signification of fine linen, as being truth from a celestial origin; whence
fine twined linen denotes the intellectual, because this consists and is as it
were twined, or woven, of truths from a celestial origin.
9776. The Lord does these
things through man's Heaven, that is, through his internal; for all good and
truth are from the Lord, in so much that good and truth with man is the Lord
Himself.
9807. "No man hath ascended into heaven, but He that came down
from heaven, the Son of Man who is in the heavens" (John 3 : 13); from this
it is evident that the Son of Man denotes the Divine Truth in the Heavens; for
this comes down, and therefore ascends, because no one can ascend into Heaven
unless Divine Truth comes down into him from Heaven, because the influx is
Divine and not the other way about.
9818. Hence it can be known
what is meant by Spirit when said of the Lord, namely, the Divine Truth that
proceeds from His Divine Good, and that when this Divine Truth flows in with
man, and is received by him, it is the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of God, and
the Holy Spirit; for it flows in immediately from the Lord, and also mediately
through Angels and spirits. 99
COMPILED BY THE REV. THEODORE PITCAIRN
9832. But the truth which is
of faith leads man unto good, and afterwards is produced from good. From this it
is evident that a man is not in Heaven until he is in good. [Further concerning
the nature of truth from good, n. 9841, 9846.]
9918. By pomegranates are
signified scientifics of good.
9922. The reason why the
bells were placed in the midst of the pomegranates, was that scientifics which
are signified by pomegranates, are recipients, and are as it were vessels,' of
truth and good; and the Doctrine and worship which are signified by bells, must
be from the good and truth which are within the scientifics, as their vessels;
if the doctrine and worship are not from good and truth, but only from
scientifics, they have nothing of life. ... All things of the external or
natural memory
10028. When a man is being
purified, then first of all are learned such truths as can be apprehended by the
sensual man, such as are the truths in the sense of the letter of the Word;
afterwards are learned more interior truths, such as are collected from the Word
by those who
100 are
in enlightenment, which truths together with the former serve the Church for
Doctrine, the more interior truths for Doctrine to those who are men of the
internal Church, the less interior for Doctrine to those who are
10033. When interior things
were opened, then to those who were in them, that is, in faith and in love to
the Lord, would be appropriated Divine Truth and Divine Good. . . . This the
Lord Himself confirms when He says, that "His flesh is food indeed, and His
blood is drink indeed", and that "whoso eateth His flesh and drinketh
His blood, abideth in Him and He in him" ... by which is signified the
appropriation of Divine Good and Divine Truth from Him. ... When Heaven has been
closed, the science of the truths of faith out of the Word and out of the
Doctrine of the Church is indeed possible; but not
10047. As the Lord glorified
His Human, so also He regenerates man; for with man the Lord flows in. with good
through the soul, which is through the internal way, and with truth through the
hearing and the sight, which is through the external way; and in so far as a
man. desists from evils, so far the Lord conjoins the good with truth, and the
good becomes of charity towards the neighbor and of love to God, and the truth
becomes of faith.
10061. "They should
cast the net on the right side of the ship, and when they cast they took so many
that they were not able to draw the net by reason of the multitude
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