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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/18507.txt b/18507.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7135f1e --- /dev/null +++ b/18507.txt @@ -0,0 +1,12494 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Angelic Wisdom about Divine Providence, by +Emanuel Swedenborg + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Angelic Wisdom about Divine Providence + +Author: Emanuel Swedenborg + +Translator: William Wunsch + +Release Date: June 5, 2006 [EBook #18507] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ANGELIC WISDOM *** + + + + +Produced by William J. Rotella + + + + + +Angelic Wisdom about DIVINE PROVIDENCE + +by + +Emanuel Swedenborg + +Translation By + +WILLIAM FREDERIC WUNSCH + +_Standard Edition_ + +SWEDENBORG FOUNDATION +INCORPORATED +NEW YORK +ESTABLISHED IN 1850 + +Originally published in Latin at Amsterdam 1764 +First English translation published in U.S.A. 1851 +51st Printing, 1975 +(5th Printing Wunsch Translation). + +ISBN 0-87785-059-3 (Student) +0-87785-060-7 (Trade) + +_Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 74-30441_ + +Manufactured in the United States of America + +CONTENTS[1] + + + +Translator's Preface + +I. What Divine Providence Is + +II. The Goal of Divine Providence + +III. The Outlook of Divine Providence + +IV. Providence has its Laws + +V. Its Regard for Human Freedom and Reason + +VI. Even in the Struggle against Evil + +VII. The Law of Noncompulsion + +VIII. The Law of Overt Guidance + +IX. The Law of Hidden Operation + +X. Divine Providence and Human Prudence + +XI. Binding Time and Eternity + +XII. The Law Guarding against Profanation + +XIII. Laws of Tolerance in the Laws of Providence + +XIV. Why Evil is Permitted + +XV. Providence Attends the Evil and the Good + +XVI. Providence and Prudence in the Appropriation of Good and Evil to Man + +XVII. The Salvation of All the Design of Providence + +XVIII. The Steadfast Observance of its Laws by Providence + +Index of Scripture Passages + +Subject Index + +[1]Swedenborg gave neither numbers nor brief captions to the chapters of +the book. Nor did he prefix a recital of all the propositions and +subsidiary propositions to come in the book; this was the work of the +Latin editor. For this the above, giving the reader a succinct idea of +the book's contents, is substituted. _Tr._ + + +TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE + +THE Book + +The reader will find in this book a firm assurance of God's care of +mankind as a whole and of each human being. The assurance is rested in +God's infinite love and wisdom, the love pure mercy, the wisdom giving +love its ways and means. It is further grounded in an interpretation of +the universe as a spiritual-natural world, an interpretation fully set +forth in the earlier book, _Divine Love and Wisdom_, on which the present +work draws heavily. As there is a world of the spirit, no view of +providence can be adequate which does not take that world into account. +For in that world must be channels for the outreach of God's care to the +human spirit. There also any eternal goal--such as a heaven from the human +race--must exist. A view of providence limited to the horizons of the +passing existence can hardly resemble the care which the eternal God +takes of men and women who, besides possessing perishable bodies, are +themselves creatures of the spirit and immortal. The full title of the +book, _Angelic Wisdom about Divine Providence_, implies that its author, +in an other-world experience, had at hand the knowledge which men and +women in heaven have of God's care. Who should know the divine guidance +if not the men and women in heaven who have obviously enjoyed it? "The +laws of divine providence, hitherto hidden with angels in their wisdom, +are to be revealed now" (n. 70). + +As it is presented in this book, providence seeks to engage man in its +purposes, and to enlist all his faculties, his freedom and reason, his +will and understanding, his prudence and enterprise. It acts first of all +on his volitions and thinking, to align them with itself. That it falls +directly on history, its events and our circumstances, is a superficial +view. It is man's inner life which first feels the omnipresent divine +influence and must do so. If we cannot be lifted to our best selves and +if our aims and outlook cannot be modified for the better, how shall the +world be bettered which we affect to handle? Paramount in God's presence +with all men, if only in their possibilities, is His providential care. + +This care, to which man's inner life is open, is alert every moment, not +occasional. It is gentle and not tyrannical, constantly respecting man's +freedom and reason, otherwise losing him as a human being. It has set +this and other laws for itself which it pursues undeviatingly. The larger +part of the book is an exposition of these laws in the conviction that by +them the nature of providence is best seen. Is it not to be expected in a +universe which has its laws, and in which impersonal forces are governed +by laws, that the Creator of all should pursue laws in His concern with +the lives of conscious beings? To fit a world of laws must not the divine +care have its laws, too? Adjustment of thought about divine providence to +scientific thought is not the overriding necessity, for scientific +thought must keep adjusting to laws which it discerns in the physical +world. In consonance, religious thought seeks to learn the lawful order +in the guidance of the human spirit. + +Do not each and all things in tree or shrub proceed constantly and +wonderfully from purpose to purpose according to the laws of their order +of things? Why should not the supreme purpose, a heaven from the human +race, proceed in similar fashion? Can there be anything in its progress +which does not proceed with all constancy according to the laws of divine +providence? (n 332) + +Respecting the laws of providence, it is to be noted that there are more +laws than those, five in number, which are stated at the heads of as many +chapters in the book. Further laws are embodied in other chapters. At +n. 249(2) we are told that further laws were presented in nn. 191-213, +214-220, and 221-233. In fact, at n. 243. there is a reference to laws +which follow in even later chapters. In nn. 191-213 the law, partly +stated in the heading over the chapter, comes to full sight particularly +at n. 210(2), namely, that providence, in engaging human response, shall +align human prudence with itself, so that providence becomes one's +prudence (n. 311e). In nn. 214-220 the law is that providence employ the +temporal goals of distinction and wealth towards its eternal goals, and +perpetuate standing and wealth in a higher form, for a man will then have +sought them not for themselves and handled them for the use they can be. +To keep a person from premature spiritual experience, nn. 221-233, is +obviously a law of providence, guarding against relapse and consequent +profanation of what had become sacred to him. + +The paradox of divine foreknowledge and human freedom, regularly +discussed in studies of providence, receives an explanation which becomes +more and more enlightening in the course of the book. The paradox, +probably nowhere else discussed, of man's thinking and willing to all +appearance all by himself, and of the fact that volition and thought come +to him from beyond him, receives a similar, cumulative answer. The +tension between the divine will and human self-will is a subject that +pervades the book; to that subject the profoundest insights into the +hidden activity of providence and into human nature are brought. On the +question, "Is providence only general or also detailed?" the emphatic +answer is that it cannot be general unless it takes note of the least +things. On miracle and on chance conclusions unusual in religious thought +meet the reader. The inequalities, injustices and tragedies in life which +raise doubts of the divine care are faced in a long chapter after the +concept of providence has been spread before the reader. What would be +the point in considering them before what providence is has been +considered? Against what manner of providence are the arguments valid? A +chapter such as this, on doubts of providence and on the mentality which +cherishes them, becomes a monograph on the subject, as the chapter on +premature spiritual experience, with the risk of relapse and profanation, +becomes a monograph on kinds of profanation. + +Coming by revelation and by a lengthy other-world experience on +Swedenborg's part (in which he learned of the incorrectness of some of +his own beliefs, nn. 279(2), 290) the book, like others of his, +nevertheless has for an outstanding feature a steady address to the +reason. The profoundest truths of the spiritual life, among them the +nature of God and the laws and ways of providence, are not beyond grasp +by the reason. Sound reason Swedenborg credits with lofty insights. + +_Divine Providence_ is a book to be studied, and not merely read, and +studied slowly. By its own way of proceeding, it extends an invitation to +read, not straight through, but something like a chapter at a time. In a +new chapter Swedenborg will recall for the reader what was said in the +preceding chapter, as though the reader had mean-while laid the book +down. The revelator proceeds at a measured pace, carries along the whole +body of his thought, and places each new point in this larger context, +where it receives its precise significance and its full force. It is an +accumulation of thought and not a repetition of statements merely that +one meets. "What has been written earlier cannot be as closely connected +with what is written later as it will be if the same things are recalled +and placed with both in view" (n. 193 (1)). + +THE TRANSLATION + +This volume has been translated afresh from the Latin; it is not a +revision of any earlier edition. Greater readableness has been striven +for. In the past, it is generally recognized, Latin sentence structure +and word order were clung to unnecessarily. "The defects in previous +translations of Swedenborg have arisen mainly from too close an adherence +to cognate words and to the Latin order of words and phrases." So wrote +the Rev. John C. Ager in 1899 in his translator's note in the Library +Edition of _Divine Providence_. Why, indeed, should English not be +allowed its own sentence structure and word order? In addition, in this +translation, long sentences, readily followed in an inflected language +like Latin, have been broken up into short ones. English also uses fewer +particles of logical relation than are at home in Latin. There is more +paragraphing, aiding the eye, which both British and American translators +have been doing for some years. Latin has neither a definite article nor +an indefinite article, and a translator into English must decide when to +use either or neither. The definite article, the present translator +thinks, has been overused, perhaps in a dogmatic tendency to be as +precise as can be. When, for instance, one is admitted into "truths of +faith" he is certainly not admitted into "the truths of faith," as though +he could comprehend them all. The very title of the book changes the +impression which it makes as the definite article is inserted or omitted +in it. "The divine providence" seems to single out a theological concept; +"divine providence" seems more likely to lead the thought to God's actual +care. + +Swedenborg has his carefully chosen terms, of course, like "proprium," +which are best kept, although in the present translation that term is +sometimes rendered by an explanatory word and one which, in the +particular context, is an equivalent. The verb "appropriate" presents a +difficulty, but has been kept, partly because of the noun "proprium." One +could translate rather wordily "make"--something good or evil--"one's own." +The English word now means "take exclusive possession of," which one can +hardly do of good or evil. Assimilation is the thought and the act, and +with that in mind the verb "appropriate" and the noun "appropriation" can +be retained. The unusual locution "affection of truth" or "of good," +which Mr. Ager abandoned, translating "for truth" and "for good," has +been returned to. Much is implied in that phrase which is not to be found +in the other wording, namely, that we are affected by truth and by good, +and that there is an influx of these into the human spirit. Similarly +meaningful is another unusual way of speaking in English, of a person's +being "in" faith or "in" charity, where we say that he has faith or +exercises charity. The thought is that faith and charity, truth and +goodness beckon to us, to be welcomed and entered into. + +Latin sometimes has a number of words for an idea or an entity, and the +English has not, but when English has the richer vocabulary, why not +avail oneself of the variety possible? The Latin word "finis," for +example, used in so many connections, can be rendered by one word in one +connection and by another in another connection. The "goal" or the +"object" of providence is plainer than the "end" of providence. The +"close" of life is common speech. "Meritorious" has been kept in our +translations, for in a restricted field of traditional theology it does +mean that virtue, for example, _earns_ a reward. To most readers the word +will be misleading, for they will understand it in its usual meaning, +that some act is well-deserving. The former is Swedenborg's meaning, +which is that an act is done to earn merit, or is considered to have +earned merit. We translate variously according to context to make that +meaning clear (nn. 321(11), 326(8), 90). + +As it is what Swedenborg has written that is to be translated, the +Scripture passages which he quotes are translated without an effort to +follow the Authorized Version, which he did not know. This is also done +when he refers to the book which stands last in our Bibles; the name he +knew it by, the Apocalypse, is retained. + +THE SUBJECT INDEX + +The rewording in this translation would have necessitated revision of the +index long used in editions of _Divine Providence_, which goes back to an +index in French done by M. Le Boys des Guays. The opportunity was seized +to compile a subject instead of a word index. It is based on an analysis +of the contents of the book, and can serve as a reading guide. It does +not usually quote the text, but sends the reader to it. Definitions of a +number of terms are embodied in it. + +The appearance that man thinks, wills, speaks and acts all of his own +doing is the subject of much of the book, and this the index shows. The +"life's love" deserves to be a separate entry, for little of a +psychological nature in the book becomes more prominent than the love +which forms in the way one actually lives, and which embodies one's +actual belief and thought. Single words which have been scattered entries +in the index long used--usually Scripture words of which the +correspondential meaning is given--are assembled alphabetically under the +entry "Correspondences." + +A signal feature of Swedenborg's thought is the unities he perceives. Of +love and wisdom he says that they can only be perceived as one (4(5)). So +good and truth do not exist apart, nor charity and faith, nor affection +and thought. These and other pairs of terms are therefore entered in the +index; after references on the two together, references follow on each +term alone. + +The index, it is hoped, will do more than introduce the reader to +statements made in the book, but will carry him into its stream of +thought. + +WM. F. WUNSCH + +Angelic Wisdom about DIVINE PROVIDENCE + +DIVINE PROVIDENCE + +I. DIVINE PROVIDENCE IS GOVERNMENT BY THE LORD'S DIVINE LOVE AND WISDOM + +1. To understand what divine providence is--namely, government by the +Lord's divine love and wisdom--one needs to know what was said and shown +earlier about divine love and wisdom in the treatise about them: "In the +Lord divine love is of divine wisdom, and divine wisdom of divine love" +(nn. 34-39); "Divine love and wisdom cannot but be in, and be manifested +in, all else, created by them" (nn. 47-51); "All things in the universe +were created by them" (nn. 52, 53, 151-156); "All are recipients of that +love and wisdom" (nn. 55-60); "The Lord appears before the angels as a +sun, the heat proceeding from it being love, and the light wisdom" (nn. +83-88, 89-92, 93-98, 296-301); "Divine love and wisdom, proceeding from +the Lord, make one" (nn. 99-102); "The Lord from eternity, who is +Jehovah, created the universe and everything in it from Himself, and not +from nothing" (nn. 282-284, 290-295). This is to be found in the treatise +entitled _Angelic Wisdom about Divine Love and Wisdom._ + +2. Putting with these propositions the description of creation in that +treatise, one may indeed see that what is called divine providence is +government by the Lord's divine love and wisdom. In that treatise, +however, creation was the subject, and not the preservation of the state +of things after creation--yet this is the Lord's government. We now treat +of this, therefore, and in the present chapter, of the preservation of +the union of divine love and wisdom or of divine good and truth in what +was created, which will be done in the following order: + +i. The universe, with each and all things in it, was created from divine +love by divine wisdom. +ii Divine love and wisdom proceed as one from the Lord. +iii. This one is in some image in every created thing. +iv. It is of the divine providence that every created thing, as a whole +and in part, should be such a one, and if it is not, should become such a +one. +v. Good of love is good only so far as it is united to truth of wisdom, +and truth of wisdom truth only so far as it is united to good of love. +vi. Good of love not united to truth of wisdom is not good in itself but +seeming good, and truth of wisdom not united to good of love is not truth +in itself but seeming truth. +vii. The Lord does not suffer anything to be divided; therefore it must +be either in good and at the same time in truth, or in evil and at the +same time in falsity. +viii. That which is in good and at the same time in truth is something; +that which is in evil and at the same time in falsity is not anything. +ix. The Lord's divine providence causes evil and the attendant falsity to +serve for equilibrium, contrast, and purification, and so for the +conjunction of good and truth in others. + +3. (i) _The universe, with each and all things in it, was created from +divine love by divine wisdom._ In the work _Divine Love and Wisdom_ we +showed that the Lord from eternity, who is Jehovah, is in essence divine +love and wisdom, and that He created the universe and all things in it +from Himself. It follows that the universe, with each and all things in +it, was created from divine love by means of divine wisdom. We also +showed in that treatise that love can do nothing without wisdom, and +wisdom nothing without love. For love apart from wisdom, or the will +apart from understanding, cannot think anything, indeed cannot see, feel +or say anything, so cannot do anything. Likewise, wisdom apart from love, +or understanding apart from will, cannot think, see, feel, or speak, +therefore cannot do, anything. For if love is removed from wisdom or +understanding, there is no willing and thus no doing. If this is true of +man, for him to do anything, it was much more true of God--who is love +itself and wisdom itself--when He created and made the world and all that +it contains. + +[2] That the universe, with each and all things in it, was created from +divine love by divine wisdom may also be established from objects to be +seen in the world. Take a particular object, examine it with some wisdom, +and you will be convinced. Take the seed, fruit, flower or leaf of a +tree, muster your wisdom, examine the object with a strong microscope, +and you will see marvels. Even more wonderful are the more interior +things which you do not see. Note the unfolding order in the growth of a +tree from seed to new seed; reflect on the continuous effort in all +stages after self-propagation--the end to which it moves is seed in which +its reproductive power arises anew. If then you will think spiritually, +as you can if you will, will you not see wisdom in all this? Furthermore, +if you can think spiritually enough, you will see that this energy does +not come from the seed, nor from the sun of the world, which is only +fire, but is in the seed from God the Creator whose wisdom is infinite, +and is from Him not only at the moment of creation but ever after, too. +For maintenance is perpetual creation, as continuance is perpetual coming +to be. Else it is quite as work ceases when you withdraw will from +action, or as utterance fails when you remove thought from speech, or as +motion ceases when you remove impetus; in a word, as an effect perishes +when you remove the cause. + +[3] Every created thing is endowed with energy, indeed, but this does +nothing of itself but from Him who implanted it. Examine any other +earthly object, like a silkworm, bee or other small creature. View it +first naturally, then rationally, and at length spiritually, and if you +can think deeply, you will be astounded at all you see. Let wisdom speak +in you, and you will exclaim in astonishment, "Who does not see the +divine in such things? They are all of divine wisdom." Still more will +you exclaim, if you note the uses of all created things, how they mount +in regular order even to the human being, and from man to the Creator +whence they are, and that the connection, and if you will acknowledge it, +the preservation also of them all, depend on the conjunction of the +Creator with man. That divine love created all things, but nothing apart +from the divine wisdom, will be seen in what follows. + +4. (ii) _Divine love and wisdom proceed as one from the Lord._ This, too, +is plain from what was shown in the work _Divine Love and Wisdom,_ +especially in the propositions: "Esse and existere are distinguishably +one in the Lord" (nn. 14-17); "Infinite things are distinguishably one in +Him" (nn. 17-22); "Divine love is of divine wisdom, and divine wisdom of +divine love" (nn. 34-39); "Love not married to wisdom cannot effect +anything" (nn. 401-403); "Love does nothing except in union with wisdom" +(nn. 409, 410); "Spiritual heat and light, proceeding from the Lord as a +sun, make one as divine love and wisdom make one in Him" (nn. 99-102). +The truth of the present proposition is plain from these propositions, +demonstrated in that treatise. But as it is not known how two distinct +things can act as one, I wish now to show that there is no "one" apart +from form, and that the form itself makes it a unit; then, that a form +makes a "one" the more perfectly as the elements entering into it are +distinctly different and yet united. + +[2] _There is no "one" apart from form, and the form itself makes it a +unit._ Everyone who brings his mind to bear on the matter can see clearly +that there is no "one" apart from form, and if a thing exists at all, it +is a form. For what exists at all derives from form what is known as its +character and its predicates, its changes of state, also its relevance, +and so on. A thing without form has no way of affecting us, and what has +no power of affecting, has no reality. It is form which enables to all +this. And as all things have a form, then if the form is perfect, all +things in it regard each other mutually, as link does link in a chain. It +follows that it is form which makes a thing a unit and thus an entity of +which character, state, affection or anything else can be predicated; +each is predicated of it according to the perfection of the form. + +[3] Such a unit is every object which meets the eye in the world. Such, +too, is everything not seen with the eye, whether in interior nature or +in the spiritual world. The human being is such a unit, human society is, +likewise the church, and in the Lord's view the whole angelic heaven, +too; in short, all creation in general and in every particular. For each +and all things to be forms, He who created all things must be form +itself, and all things made must be from that form. This, therefore, was +also demonstrated in the work _Divine Love and Wisdom,_ as that "Divine +love and wisdom are substance and form" (nn. 40-43); "Divine love and +wisdom are form itself, thus the one Self and the single independent +existence" (nn. 44-46); "Divine love and wisdom are one in the Lord" (nn. +14-17, 18-22), "and proceed as one from Him" (nn. 99-102, and elsewhere). + +[4] _A form makes a one the more perfectly as the elements entering into +it are distinctly different and yet united._ This hardly falls into a +comprehension not elevated, for the appearance is that a form cannot make +a one except as its elements are quite alike. I have spoken with angels +often on the subject. They said that this is a secret perceived clearly +by their wiser men, obscurely by the less wise. They said it is the truth +that a form is the more perfect as its constituents are distinctly +different and yet severally united. They established the fact from the +societies which in the aggregate constitute the form of heaven, and from +the angels of a society, for as these are different and free and love +their associates from themselves and from their own affection, the form +of the society is more perfect. They also illustrated the fact from the +marriage of good and truth, in that the more distinguishably two these +are, the more perfectly do they make a one; similarly, of love and +wisdom. The indistinguishable is confusion, they said, whence comes +imperfection of form. + +[5] In various ways they went on to establish the manner in which +perfectly distinct things are united and thus make a one, especially by +what is in the human body, in which are innumerable things quite distinct +and yet united, held distinct by coverings and united by ligaments. It is +so with love, they said, and all its things, and wisdom and all its +things, for love and wisdom are not perceived except as one. See further +on the subject in _Divine Love and Wisdom_ (nn. 14-22) and in the work +_Heaven and Hell_ (nn. 56 and 489). This has been adduced as part of +angelic wisdom. + +5. (iii) _This "one" is in some image in every created thing._ It can be +seen from what was demonstrated throughout the treatise _Divine Love and +Wisdom_ and especially at nn. 47-51, 55-60, 282-284, 290-295, 313-318, +319-326, 349-357, that divine love and wisdom which are one in the Lord +and proceed as one from Him, are in some image in each created thing. It +was shown that the divine is in every created thing because God the +Creator, who is the Lord from eternity, produced the sun of the spiritual +world from Himself, and all things of the universe through that sun. That +sun, which is from Him and in which He is, is therefore not only the +first but the sole substance from which are all things. As this is the +one substance, it is in everything made, but with endless variety in +accord with uses. + +[2] In the Lord, then, are divine love and wisdom, and in the sun from +Him divine fire and radiance, and from the sun spiritual heat and light; +and in each instance the two make one. It follows that this oneness is in +every created thing. All things in the world are referable, therefore, to +good and truth, in fact to the conjunction of them. Or, what is the same, +they are referable to love and wisdom and to the union of these; for good +is of love and truth of wisdom, love calling all its own, "good," and +wisdom calling all its own, "truth." It will be seen in what follows that +there is a conjunction of these in each created thing. + +6. Many avow that there is a single substance which is also the first, +from which are all things, but what that substance is, is not known. The +belief is that it is so simple nothing is more so, and that it can be +likened to a point without dimensions, and that dimensional forms arose +out of an infinite number of such points. But this is a fallacy, +springing from an idea of space. To such an idea there seems to be such a +least thing. The truth is that the simpler and purer a thing is, the more +replete it is and the more complete. This is why the more interiorly a +thing is examined, the more wonderful, perfect, and well formed are the +things seen in it, and in the first substance the most wonderful, perfect +and fully formed of all. For the first substance is from the spiritual +sun, which, as we said, is from the Lord and in which He is. That sun is +therefore the sole substance and, not being in space, is all in all, and +is in the greatest and least things of the created universe. + +[2] As that sun is the first and sole substance from which all things +are, it follows that in it are infinitely more things than can possibly +appear in substances arising from it, called substantial and lastly +material. This infinity cannot appear in derivative substances because +these descend from that sun by degrees of two kinds in accord with which +perfections decline. For that reason, as we said above, the more +interiorly a thing is regarded, the more wonderful, perfect and well +formed are the things seen. This has been said to establish the fact that +the divine is in some image in every created thing, but is less and less +manifest with the descent over degrees, and still less when a lower +degree, parted from the higher by being closed, is also choked with +earthy matter. These concepts cannot but seem obscure unless one has read +and understood what was shown in the treatise _Divine Love and Wisdom_ +about the spiritual sun (nn. 83-172), about degrees (nn. 173-281) and +about the creation of the world (nn. 282-357). + +7. (iv) _It is of the divine providence that every created thing as a +whole and in part should be such a one or should become such a one,_ or +that there be in it something of the divine love and wisdom, or what is +the same, that there be good and truth in it, or a union of them. +(Inasmuch as good is of love and truth is of wisdom, as was said above +(n. 5), in what follows we shall at times say good and truth instead of +love and wisdom, and marriage of good and truth instead of union of love +and wisdom.) + +8. It is evident from the preceding proposition that divine love and +wisdom, which are one in the Lord and proceed as one from Him, are in +some image in everything created by Him. Something shall be said now +specifically of the "one" or the union called the marriage of good and +truth. 1. This marriage is in the Lord Himself--for, as we said, divine +love and wisdom in Him are one. 2. This marriage is from Him, for in all +that proceeds from Him love and wisdom are fully united. The two proceed +from Him as a sun, divine love as heat, and divine wisdom as light. 3. +These are received as two, indeed, by angels, likewise by men of the +church, but are made one in them by the Lord. 4. In view of this influx +of love and wisdom as one from the Lord with angels of heaven and men of +the church, and in view of their reception of it, the Lord is spoken of +in the Word as bridegroom and husband, and heaven and the church are +called bride and wife. 5. An image and a likeness of the Lord are +therefore to be found in heaven and in the church in general, and in an +angel of heaven and a man of the church in particular, so far as they are +in that union or in the marriage of good and truth. For good and truth in +the Lord are one, indeed are the Lord. 6. Love and wisdom in heaven and +in the church as a whole, and in an angel of heaven and a man of the +church, are one when will and understanding, thus when good and truth, +make one; or what is still the same, when doctrine from the Word and life +according to doctrine make one. 7. How the two make one in man and in all +that pertains to him was shown, moreover, in Part V of the treatise +_Divine Love and Wisdom,_ where the creation of man, and especially the +correspondence of will and understanding with heart and lungs, were +treated of (nn. 358-432). + +9. How good and truth, however, make one in what is below or outside man, +in both the animal and the vegetable kingdom, shall be told from time to +time in what follows. Three points are premised. _First,_ in the universe +and in each and all things of it as created by the Lord, there was a +marriage of good and truth. _Second,_ after creation this marriage was +severed in man. _Third,_ it is the work of divine providence to unite +what was severed, and so to restore the marriage of good and truth. As +all three points were established by many things in the work _Divine Love +and Wisdom,_ there is no need to substantiate them further. Anyone can +see from reason, moreover, that if there was a marriage of good and truth +in each created thing and later it was severed, the Lord must be working +constantly to restore it, and that the restoration of it, and hence the +conjunction of the created world with the Lord through man, are of divine +providence. + +10. (v) _Good of love is good only so far as it is united to truth of +wisdom, and truth of wisdom is truth only so far as it is united to good +of love._ Good and truth have this from their origin, the one and the +other originating in the Lord, who is good itself and truth itself and in +whom the two are one. Hence in angels in heaven and men on earth, good is +not good basically except so far as it is joined to truth, and truth is +not truth basically except so far as it is joined to good. Granted that +all good and truth are from the Lord, then inasmuch as good makes one +with truth and truth with good in Him, good to be good in itself and +truth to be truth in itself must make one in the recipient, that is, the +angel in heaven or the man on earth. + +11. It is indeed known that all things in the world are referable to good +and truth. For by good is meant what universally embraces and involves +all things of love; and by truth what universally embraces and involves +all things of wisdom. Still it is not known that good is nothing except +when it is joined to truth, and truth nothing unless it is joined to +good. Good apart from truth and truth apart from good still seem to be +something; yet they are not. For love (to which all that is called good +pertains) is the _esse_ of a thing, and wisdom (to which all things +called truths pertain) is a thing's _existere_ from that _esse_ (as was +shown in the treatise _Divine Love and Wisdom,_ nn. 14-16). Therefore, as +_esse_ is nothing apart from _existere,_ or _existere_ apart from _esse,_ +good is nothing apart from truth or truth from good. What, again, is good +which has no relation to anything? Can it be called good if it is without +affection and perception? + +[2] That which is associated with good, permitting it to affect and to be +perceived and felt, is referable to truth, since it has relation to what +is in the understanding. Tell someone, not that a given thing is good, +but simply say "good"--is good anything? It becomes something from what is +perceived along with it. This is united with good only in the +understanding, and all understanding has relation to truth. It is the +same with willing. Apart from knowing, perceiving and thinking what one +wills, to will is nothing actual; together with them it becomes +something. All volition is of love and is referable to good; and all +knowing, perceiving and thinking is of the understanding, and is +referable to truth. It is clear, then, that to will is nothing actual, +but to will this or that means something. + +[3] So also with a use, inasmuch as a use is a good. Unless a use is +addressed to something which makes one with it, it is not a use, and thus +not anything. A use derives its something from the understanding, and +what is thence conjoined or adjoined to it, has relation to truth. So a +use gets its character. + +[4] From these few things it is plain that good is nothing apart from +truth, nor truth anything apart from good. But if good together with +truth and truth together with good are something, evil with falsity and +falsity with evil are not, for the latter are opposite to the former and +the opposition destroys--that is, destroys the something. But of this in +what follows. + +12. Marriage of good and truth may, however, be found either in a cause +or from the cause in an effect. In a cause the marriage of good and truth +is one of will and understanding, or of love and wisdom. Such a marriage +is in all that a man wills and thinks and in all his ensuing +determinations and purposes. This marriage enters into and in fact +produces the effect. But in producing the effect, good and truth seem +distinct, for then the simultaneous turns successive. When, for example, +a man wills and thinks about food, clothing, shelter, business or +employment, or about his relationship to others, first he wills and +thinks or comes to his conclusions and intentions all at the same time; +but when these are determined to effects, truth follows on good, though +in will and thought they continue to make one. In the effects the uses +pertain to love or good, and the ways of performing the uses pertain to +understanding or truth. Anyone can confirm these general truths by +particular instances provided he perceives what is referable respectively +to good of love and to truth of wisdom, and also how differently it is +referable in cause and in effect. + +13. We have said often that love constitutes man's life. This does not +mean, however, love separate from wisdom or good from truth in the cause, +for love separate or good separate is not an actuality. The love which +makes man's inmost life--the life he has from the Lord--is therefore love +and wisdom together; neither is the love which makes his life as a +recipient being separate in the cause, but only in the effect. For love +cannot be understood except from its quality, which is wisdom; and the +quality or wisdom can exist only from its own _esse,_ which is love; +thence it is that they are one; it is the same with good and truth. Since +truth is from good as wisdom is from love, it is the two taken together +that are called good or love. For love has wisdom for its form, and good +for its form truth, and form is the source, and the one source, of +quality. It is plain from all this that good is good only so far as it +has become one with its truth, and truth truth only so far as it has +become one with its good. + +14. (vi) _Good of love not united to truth of wisdom is not good in +itself but seeming good; and truth of wisdom not conjoined with good of +love is not truth in itself but seeming truth._ The fact is that no good, +in itself good, can exist unless joined with its truth, and no truth, in +itself truth, can exist unless it has become joined with its good. And +yet good separate from truth is possible, and truth separate from good. +They are found in hypocrites and flatterers, in evil persons of every +sort, and in such as are in natural but not spiritual good. These can all +do well by church, country, society, fellow-citizens, the needy, the +poor, and widows and orphans. They can also comprehend truths, from +understanding think them, and from thought speak and teach them. But the +goods and truths are not interiorly such, that is, basically goods and +truths, but only outwardly and seemingly such. For such good and truth +look to self and the world, not to good itself and truth itself; they are +not from good and truth; they are of the mouth and body only, therefore, +and not of the heart. + +[2] They may be likened to gold or silver which is spread on dross, +rotten wood or mire. When uttered the truths may be likened to a breath +exhaled and gone, or to a delusive light which dies away, though they +appear outwardly like genuine truths. They are seeming truths in those +who utter them; to those hearing and assenting, and unaware of this, they +may be altogether different. For everyone is affected by what is external +according to his internal. A truth, by whomsoever uttered, enters +another's hearing and is taken up by his mind in keeping with the state +or character of his mind. + +Of those in natural good by inheritance, but in no spiritual good, nearly +the same is true as of those described above. The internal of every good +or truth is spiritual. The spiritual dispels falsities and evils, but the +natural left to itself favors them. To favor evil and falsity does not +accord with doing good. + +15. Good can be separated from truth, and truth from good, and then still +appear as good or truth, for the reason that the human being has a +capacity to act which is called liberty, and a capacity of understanding +called rationality. By abuse of these powers a man can appear in +externals other than he is in internals; an evil man can do good and +speak truth, and a devil feign himself an angel of light. But on this see +the following propositions in the treatise _Divine Love and Wisdom:_ "The +origin of evil is in the abuse of faculties proper to man, called liberty +and rationality" (nn. 246-270); "These two faculties are to be found with +the evil as well as with the good" (n. 425); "Love not married to wisdom, +and good not married to truth, can effect nothing" (n. 401); "Love does +nothing except in conjunction with wisdom or understanding, and it brings +wisdom or the understanding reciprocally into conjunction with itself" +(nn. 410-412); "From power given it by love, wisdom or understanding can +be elevated and can perceive and receive the things of light from heaven" +(n. 413); "Love can be raised similarly to receive the things of heat +from heaven if it loves its mate, wisdom, in that degree" (nn. 414, 415); +"Else love pulls wisdom or the understanding down from its elevation to +act at one with itself" (nn. 416-418); "If the two are elevated, love is +purified in the understanding" (nn. 419-421); "Purified by wisdom in the +understanding, love becomes spiritual and celestial, but defiled in the +understanding it become sensuous and corporeal" (nn. 422-424); "What is +true of love and wisdom and their union is true of charity and faith and +their conjunction" (nn. 427-430). What charity in heaven is, see n. 431. + +16. (vii) _The Lord does not suffer anything to be divided; it must be +either in good and at the same time in truth, or in evil and at the same +time in falsity._ The Lord's divine providence has for its goal, and to +this end it labors, that man shall be in good and at the same time in +truth. For then he is his own good and love and his own truth and wisdom; +thereby the human being is human, for he is then an image of the Lord. +But while he lives in the world he can be in good and at the same time in +falsity, likewise in evil and at the same time in truth, indeed in evil +and at the same time in good, and thus be double. As the cleavage +destroys the Lord's image in him and thus the man, the Lord's divine +providence takes care in every least act that this division shall not be. +And as it is better for man to be in evil and at the same time in falsity +than to be in good and at the same time in evil, the Lord permits it, not +as one willing it, but as one unable to resist because of the end sought, +which is salvation. + +[2] A man can be simultaneously in evil and in truth and the Lord be +unable to prevent it in view of the end, which is salvation, for the +reason that man's understanding can be raised into the light of wisdom +and see truths, or acknowledge them when he hears them, while his love +remains below. Thus a man can be in heaven as to understanding, while as +to his love he is in hell. This is not denied him, because the two +faculties of liberty and rationality, by virtue of which he is a human +being and distinguished from beasts and by which alone he can be +regenerated and thus saved, cannot be taken away. By means of them, he +can act according to wisdom and at the same time according to an unwise +love. From wisdom above he can view the love below and also the thoughts, +intentions and affections, therefore the evils and falsities as well as +the goods and truths of his life and doctrine, without a knowledge and +recognition of which he cannot be reformed. We spoke of the two faculties +before and shall say more in what follows. What has been said explains +how man can be simultaneously in good and truth, or in evil and falsity, +or in mixtures of them. + +17. In this world a man can hardly come into one or the other conjunction +or union, that is, of good and truth or of evil and falsity, for during +his life in the world he is kept in a state of reformation or +regeneration. After death, however, every man comes into the one union or +the other, because he can then no longer be reformed or regenerated. He +remains such as his life was in the world, that is, such as his reigning +love was. If therefore his was a life of an evil love, all the truth +acquired by him in the world from teacher, pulpit or Word is taken away. +On the removal of it, he absorbs the falsity agreeing with his evil as a +sponge does water. On the other hand, if his was the life of a good love, +all the falsity is removed which he may have picked up in the world by +hearing or from reading but did not confirm in himself, and in its place +truth congruous with his good is given him. This is meant by the Lord's +words: + +Take . . . the talent from him, and give it to him that has ten talents. +For to everyone who has, shall be given until he abounds but from him +who has not, even what he has shall be taken away (Mt 25:28, 29; 13:12; +Mk 4:25; Lu 8:18; 19:24-26). + +18. After death everyone must be either in good and at the same time in +truth or in evil and at the same time in falsity, for the reason that +good and evil cannot be united, nor can good and the falsity of evil, nor +evil and the truth of good. For these are opposites, and opposites +contend until one destroys the other. Those who are at the same time in +evil and in good are meant in the Apocalypse in these words of the Lord +to the church of the Laodiceans: + +I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot; would that you were +cold or hot; but because you are lukewarm, I will spue you out of my +mouth (3:15, 16): + +also in these words of the Lord: + +No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love +the other, or cleave to the one and not heed the other (Mt 6:24). + +19. ( viii) _That which is in good and at the same time in truth is +something; that which is in evil and at the same time in falsity is not +anything._ See above (n. 11) that what is in good and at the same time in +truth is something. It follows that what is at once evil and false is not +anything. By not being anything is meant that it is without power and +without spiritual life. Those at once in evil and in falsity (all of whom +are in hell) have power indeed among themselves, for an evil man can do +evil and does so in a thousand ways. Yet he can do evil to the evil only +by reason of their evil; he cannot harm the good at all; if, as sometimes +happens, he does, it is by conjunction with their evil. + +[2] In this way temptations arise; they are infestations by evil spirits +who are with a man; so combats ensue by which the good are freed from +their evils. Since the wicked have no power, all hell in the Lord's sight +is not only nothing, but nothing at all in point of power, as I have seen +proved by much experience. But it is remarkable that the evil all deem +themselves powerful, and the good all think themselves powerless. This is +because the evil ascribe everything to their own power or shrewdness and +malice, and nothing to the Lord; whereas the good ascribe nothing to +their own prudence, but all to the Lord who is almighty. Evil and falsity +together are not anything for the further reason that they have no +spiritual life. The life of the infernals is therefore called death, not +life. Since life holds everything, death has nothing. + +20. Men in evil and at the same time in truths may be likened to eagles +flying aloft which, deprived of their wings, fall. For after death, on +becoming spirits, men do the like who have understood and spoken and +taught truths and yet have not looked to God in their lives. By means of +things of the understanding they raise themselves aloft and even enter +heaven at times and feign themselves angels of light. But when they are +deprived of truths and are cast out, they fall down to hell. Eagles also +signify rapacious men with intellectual acumen, and wings signify +spiritual truths. Such, we said, are those who have not looked to God in +their lives. To look to God in life means simply to think that a given +evil is a sin against God, and for that reason not to commit it. + +21. (ix) _The Lord's divine providence causes evil and its falsity to +serve for equilibrium, contrast, and purification, and so for the +conjunction of good and truth in others._ It is obvious from the +preceding that the Lord's divine providence continually operates in order +that truth may be united in man with good and good with truth, because +that union is the church and heaven. For that union is in the Lord and in +all that proceeds from Him. From that union, heaven and the church are +called a marriage, and the kingdom of God is likened in the Word to a +marriage. Again, the Sabbath signified that union and was the holiest +observance in the worship of the Israelitish Church. From that union also +there is a marriage of good and truth in the Word and in each and all +things of it (on this see _Doctrine of the New Jerusalem about Sacred +Scripture,_ nn. 80-90). The marriage of good and truth is from the +marriage of the Lord with the church, and this in turn from the marriage +of love and wisdom in Him, for good is of love, and truth of wisdom. It +is plain, then, that it is the constant aim of divine providence to unite +good to truth and truth to good in a man, for so he is united to the +Lord. + +22. But many have severed and do sever this marriage, especially by +separating faith from charity (for faith is of truth and truth is of +faith, and charity is of good and good is of charity), and in so doing +they conjoin evil and falsity in themselves and thus come into and +continue in the opposite to good and truth. The Lord therefore provides +that they shall nevertheless serve for uniting good and truth in others, +through equilibrium, contrast and purification. + +23. Conjunction of good and truth in others is provided by the Lord +through _equilibrium_ between heaven and hell. From hell evil and at the +same time falsity constantly exhale, and from heaven good and at the same +time truth. In equilibrium between them, and so in freedom to think, +will, speak and act in which he can be reformed, every man is kept while +he lives in the world. On the spiritual equilibrium from which the human +being has freedom, see the work _Heaven and Hell,_ nn. 589-596, 597-603. + +24. Conjunction of good and truth is provided by the Lord through +_contrast._ For the nature of good is not known except by contrast with +what is less good and by its contrariety to evil. All perceptiveness and +sensitivity arise so; their quality is thence. All pleasantness is +perceived and felt over against the less pleasant and the unpleasant; all +the beautiful by reference to the less beautiful and the unbeautiful; +similarly all good of love by reference to lesser good and to evil; all +truth of wisdom by a sense of lesser truth and of falsity. Everything +inevitably varies from greatest to least, and with the same variation in +its opposite and with equilibrium between them, there is contrast degree +by degree, and the perception and sensation of a thing increase or +diminish. But be it known that an opposite may either lower or exalt +perceptions and sensitivities. It lowers them when it mingles in and +exalts them when it does not mingle in, for which reason the Lord +separates good and evil with man that they shall not mingle, as +exquisitely as He does heaven and hell. + +25. Conjunction of good and truth in others is provided by the Lord +through _purification_ in two ways; one through temptations, and the +other through fermentations. _Spiritual temptations_ are nothing else +than combats against the evils and falsities exhaled from hell and +affecting man. By these combats a man is purified from evils and +falsities, and good and truth are united in him. _Spiritual +fermentations_ take place in many ways, and in heaven as well as on +earth; but in the world it is not known what they are or how they come +about. For evils and their falsities, let into societies, act as ferments +do in meal or in must, separating the heterogeneous and conjoining the +homogeneous until there is clarity and purity. Such fermentations are +meant in the Lord's words: + +The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three +measures of meal until the whole was leavened (Mt 13:33; Lu 12:21). + +26. The Lord provides these uses through the united evil and falsity of +those in hell. The Lord's kingdom, which extends over hell as well as +over heaven, is a kingdom of uses. It is the Lord's providence that there +shall be no creature and no thing whereby a use is not performed. + +II. THE LORD'S DIVINE PROVIDENCE HAS FOR ITS OBJECT A HEAVEN FROM THE +HUMAN RACE + +27. Heaven does not consist of angels created such to begin with, nor +does hell come from any devil created an angel of light and cast down +from heaven. Both heaven and hell are from mankind, heaven consisting of +those in the love of good and consequent understanding of truth, and hell +of those in the love of evil and consequent understanding of falsity. +This has been made known and sure to me by long-continued intercourse +with angels and spirits. See what was said on the subject in the work +_Heaven and Hell_ (nn. 311-316); also in the little work _The Last +Judgment_ (nn. 14-27), and in _Continuation about the Last Judgment and +the Spiritual World_ (throughout). + +[2] As heaven is from mankind and is an abiding with the Lord to +eternity, it must have been the Lord's purpose in creation; being the +purpose in creation, it is the purpose of His providence. The Lord +created the world not for His own sake but for the sake of those with +whom He would be in heaven. Spiritual love by nature desires to give its +own to another, and so far as it can do so is in its _esse,_ peace, and +blessedness. Spiritual love derives this from the Lord's divine love +which is such infinitely. It follows that the divine love and hence +divine providence has for its object a heaven consisting of human beings +who have become or are becoming angels, on whom the Lord can bestow all +the blessings and felicities of love and wisdom and do so from Himself in +men. It must be in this way, for the Lord's image and likeness are in men +from creation, the image in them wisdom and the likeness love. +Furthermore, the Lord in them is love united to wisdom and wisdom united +to love or (what is the same) is good united to truth and truth united to +good (this union was treated of in the preceding chapter). + +[3] What heaven is in general or with a number, and in particular or with +an individual, is not known. Nor is it known what heaven is in the +spiritual world and what it is in the natural world. Yet this knowledge +is important, for heaven is the purpose of providence. I therefore desire +to set the subject in some light in this order: + +i. Heaven is conjunction with the Lord. +ii. By creation the human being is such that he can be conjoined more and +more closely to the Lord. +iii. The more closely one is conjoined to the Lord the wiser one becomes. +iv. The more closely one is conjoined to the Lord the happier one +becomes. +v. The more closely one is conjoined to the Lord the more distinctly does +he seem to himself to be his own, and the more plainly does he recognize +that he is the Lord's. + +28. (i) _Heaven is conjunction with the Lord._ Heaven is heaven, not from +the angels but from the Lord. For the love and wisdom in which angels are +and which make heaven are not theirs, but the Lord's, indeed are the Lord +in them. And as love and wisdom are the Lord's, and are the Lord in +heaven, and make the life of angels, it is plain that their life is the +Lord's, indeed is the Lord. The angels themselves avow that they live +from the Lord. Hence it is evident that heaven is conjunction with the +Lord. But conjunction with Him is various and one man's heaven is not +another's; therefore heaven is also according to the conjunction with the +Lord. In the following proposition it will be seen that conjunction is +more and more close or more and more remote. + +[2] Here let something be said about how the conjunction takes place and +what the nature of it is. It is a conjunction of the Lord with the angels +and of the angels with Him, therefore is reciprocal. The Lord flows into +the life's love of the angels, and they receive Him in wisdom, thus in +turn conjoining themselves with Him. It must be said, however, that it +seems to the angels that they conjoin themselves to the Lord by wisdom; +actually the Lord conjoins them to Himself by their wisdom, for the +wisdom is also from the Lord. It is the same thing if we say that the +Lord conjoins Himself to the angels by good and they in turn conjoin +themselves to the Lord by truth, for all good is of love, and truth, of +wisdom. + +[3] This reciprocal conjunction is an arcanum, however, which few can +understand unless it is explained. I want therefore to unfold it so far +as it can be done by things within one's grasp. We showed in the treatise +_Divine Love and Wisdom_ (nn. 404, 405) how love unites itself with +wisdom, namely, through affection for knowing from which comes an +affection for truth, through affection for understanding from which comes +perception of truth, and through affection for seeing what is known and +understood, from which comes thought. Into all these affections the Lord +flows, for they are all derivatives of one's life's love, and the angels +receive the influx in perception of truth and in thought, for in these +the influx becomes apparent to them, but not in the affections. + +[4] As the perceptions and thoughts appear to the angels to be their own, +although they arise from affections which are from the Lord, the +appearance is that the angels reciprocally conjoin themselves to the +Lord, when nevertheless the Lord conjoins them to Himself. The affection +itself produces the perceptions and thoughts, for the affection, which is +of love, is their soul. Apart from affection no one can perceive or think +anything, and every one perceives and thinks according to his affection. +It is evident that the reciprocal conjunction of the angels with the Lord +is not from them, but as it were from them. Such, too, is the conjunction +of the Lord with the church and of the church with Him, a union called +celestial and spiritual marriage. + +29. All conjunction in the spiritual world is effected by intent regard. +When anyone there thinks of another with a desire to speak with him, the +other is at once present, and the two come face to face. Likewise, when +one thinks of another from an affection of love; by this affection, +however, there is conjunction, but by the other only presence. This is +peculiar to the spiritual world; for there all are spiritual beings. It +is otherwise in the natural world where all are physical beings. In the +natural world something similar takes place in the affections and +thoughts of the spirit; but as there is space here, while in the +spiritual world space is appearance only, what takes place here in one's +spirit occurs outwardly there. + +[2] We have said so much to make known how conjunction of the Lord with +angels and their seemingly reciprocal conjunction with Him is effected. +All angels turn the face to the Lord; He regards them in the forehead, +and they regard Him with the eyes. The reason is that the forehead +corresponds to love and its affections, and the eyes correspond to wisdom +and its perceptions. Still the angels do not of themselves turn the face +to the Lord, but He faces them toward Himself, doing so by influx into +their life's love, by this entering the perceptions and thoughts, and so +turning the angels to Him. + +[3] There is such a circuit from love to thoughts and under love's +impulse from thoughts to love in all the mind's activity. It may be +called the circling of life. On these subjects see some things also in +the treatise _Divine Love and Wisdom:_ as that "Angels constantly turn +the face to the Lord as a sun" (nn. 129-134); "All the interiors of both +the mind and the bodies of the angels are likewise turned to the Lord as +a sun" (nn. 135-139); "Every spirit, whatever his character, turns +himself likewise to his ruling love" (nn. 140-145); "Love conjoins itself +to wisdom and causes wisdom to be conjoined reciprocally with it" (nn. +410-412); "Angels are in the Lord and He in them; and as the angels are +only recipients, the Lord alone is heaven" (nn. 113-118). + +30. The Lord's heaven in the natural world is called the church; an angel +of this heaven is a man of the church who is conjoined to the Lord; on +departure from this world he also becomes an angel of the spiritual +heaven. What was said of the angelic heaven is evidently to be +understood, then, of the human heaven also which is called the church. +The reciprocal conjunction with the Lord which makes heaven in the human +being is revealed by the Lord in these words in John: + +Abide in Me, and I in you; ... he who abides in Me, and I in him, bears +much fruit; for without Me ye can do nothing (15:4, 5, 7). + +31. It is plain from this that the Lord is heaven not only in general +with all in heaven, but in particular with each one there. For each angel +is a heaven in least form; of as many heavens as there are angels, does +heaven in general consist. In substantiation see _Heaven and Hell_ (nn. +51-58). Since this is so, let no one cherish the mistaken idea, which +first visits the thought of so many, that the Lord dwells in heaven among +the angels or is among them like a king in his kingdom. To the sight He +is above them in the sun there; He is in them in their life of love and +wisdom. + +32. (ii) _By creation the human being is such that he can be conjoined +more and more closely to the Lord._ This becomes evident from what was +shown about degrees in the treatise _Divine Love and Wisdom,_ Part III, +especially in the propositions: "By creation there are three discrete +degrees or degrees of height in the human being" (nn. 230-235); "These +three degrees are in man from birth, and as they are opened, the man is +in the Lord, and the Lord in him" (nn. 236-241); "All perfection +increases and mounts with and according to the degrees" (nn. 199-204). +Evidently, then, man is such by creation that he can be conjoined with +the Lord more and more closely according to these degrees. + +[2] But one must know well what degrees are and that there are two kinds +--discrete degrees or degrees of height, and continuous degrees or degrees +of breadth; also how they differ. It must be known, too, that every human +being has by creation and hence from birth three discrete degrees or +degrees of height, and that he comes at birth into the first degree, +called natural, and can grow in this degree continuously until he becomes +rational. He comes into the second degree, called spiritual, if he lives +according to spiritual laws of order, which are divine truths. He can +also come into the third degree, called celestial, if he lives according +to the celestial laws of order, which are divine goods. + +[3] These degrees are opened in a person by the Lord according to his +life and actually opened in the world, but not perceptibly and sensibly +until after his departure from the world. As they are opened and later +perfected a man is conjoined to the Lord more and more closely. This +conjunction can grow to eternity in nearness to God and does so with the +angels. And yet no angel can attain or touch the first degree of the +Lord's love and wisdom, for the Lord is infinite and an angel is finite, +and between infinite and finite no ratio obtains. Man's state and the +state of his elevation and nearness to the Lord cannot be understood +without a knowledge of these degrees; they have been specifically treated +of, therefore, in the treatise Divine _Love and Wisdom,_ nn. 173-281, +which see. + +33. We shall say briefly how man can be more and more closely conjoined +to the Lord, and then how the conjunction seems closer and closer. _How +man is more and more closely conjoined to the Lord:_ this is effected not +by knowledge alone, nor by intelligence alone, nor even by wisdom alone, +but by a life conjoined to them. A man's life is his love, and love is +manifold. In general there are love of good and love of evil. Love of +evil is love of committing adultery, taking revenge, defrauding, +blaspheming, depriving others of their possessions. In thinking and doing +such things the love of evil finds its pleasure and joy. Of this love +there are as many derivatives, which are affections, as there are evils +in which it can find expression. And there are as many perceptions and +thoughts of this love as there are falsities favoring and confirming such +evils. The falsities make one with the evils as understanding makes one +with will; they are mutually inseparable; the one is of the other. + +[2] Inasmuch as the Lord flows into one's life's love and by its +affections into the perceptions and thoughts, and not the other way +about, as we said above, it follows that the Lord can conjoin Himself +more closely to a man only as the love of evil is removed along with its +affections, which are lusts. These lusts reside in the natural man. What +a man does from the natural man he feels that he does of himself. For his +part, therefore, a man should remove the evils of that love; so far as he +does, the Lord comes nearer and conjoins Himself to him. Anyone can see +from reason that lusts with their pleasures block and close the door to +the Lord and cannot be cast out by the Lord as long as the man himself +keeps the door shut and presses and pushes from outside to keep it from +being opened. It is plain from the Lord's words in the Apocalypse that a +man must himself open the door: + +Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens +the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with Me (3:20). + +[3] Plainly, then, so far as one shuns evils as diabolical and as +obstacles to the Lord's entrance, he is more and more closely conjoined +to the Lord, and he the most closely who abhors them as so many dusky and +fiery devils. For evil and the devil are one and the same, and the +falsity of evil and satan are one and the same. As the Lord's influx is +into the love of good and into its affections and by these into the +perceptions and thoughts, which have it from the good in which a man is +that they are truths, so the influx of the devil, that is of hell, is +into the love of evil and its affections, which are lusts, and by these +into the perceptions and thoughts, which have it from the evil in which +the man is that they are falsities. + +[4] _How the conjunction seems closer and closer._ The more the evils in +the natural man are removed by shunning and turning away from them, the +more closely a man is conjoined to the Lord. Love and wisdom, which are +the Lord Himself, are not in space, as affection which is of love, and +thought which is of wisdom, have nothing in common with space. In the +measure of the conjunction by love and wisdom, therefore, the Lord seems +nearer; and, contrariwise, in the measure of the rejection of love and +wisdom, more distant. There is no space in the spiritual world; distance +and presence there are appearances according to similarity or +dissimilarity of the affections. For, as we said, affections which are of +love, and thoughts which are of wisdom, in themselves spiritual, are not +in space (on this see what was shown in the treatise _Divine Love and +Wisdom,_ nn. 7-10, 69-72, and elsewhere). + +[5] The Lord's conjunction with a man in whom evils have been put away is +meant by the Lord's words: + +The pure in heart shall see God (Mt 5:8); + +and by the words: + +He who has my commandments and does them . . . with him will I make an +abode (Jn 14:21, 23). + +"To have the commandments" is to know and "to do them" is to love, for it +is also said: "he who does my commandments, he it is that loves Me." + +34. (iii) _The more closely one is conjoined to the Lord the wiser one +becomes._ As there are three degrees of life in man by creation and so +from birth (see just above, n. 32), there are specifically three degrees +of wisdom in him. These degrees it is that are opened in man according to +conjunction, that is, according to love, for love is conjunction itself. +Love's ascent by degrees, however, is only obscurely perceived by man; +but wisdom's ascent is clearly perceived by those who know and see what +wisdom is. The degrees of wisdom are perceived because love by its +affections enters the perceptions and thoughts, and these present +themselves to the internal mental sight, which corresponds to the +external bodily sight. Thus wisdom appears, but not the affection of love +which produces it. It is the same with all a man's deeds; he is aware how +the body does them, but not how the soul does them. So he perceives how +he meditates, perceives and thinks, but not how the soul of these mental +activities, which is an affection of good and truth, produces them. + +[2] There are three degrees of wisdom: natural, spiritual, and celestial. +Man is in the natural degree of wisdom during his life in the world. This +degree can be perfected in him to its height, but even so cannot pass +into the spiritual degree, for the latter is not continuous with it, but +conjoined to it by correspondences. After death man is in the spiritual +degree of wisdom. This degree also is such that it can be perfected to +its height, and yet cannot pass into the celestial degree of wisdom, +because neither is this continuous with the spiritual but conjoined to it +by correspondences. Plainly, then, wisdom can be raised threefold, and in +each degree can be perfected but only to its peak. + +[3] One who understands the elevation and perfecting of these degrees can +see to an extent why angelic wisdom is said to be ineffable. So +ineffable, indeed, is it, that a thousand ideas in the thought of angels +in their wisdom can present only a single idea in the thought of men in +their wisdom, the other nine hundred and ninety-nine ideas being +unutterable, because they are supernatural. Many a time have I been given +to know this by living experience. But, as was said, no one can enter +into the ineffable wisdom of the angels except by and according to +conjunction with the Lord, for He alone opens spiritual and celestial +degrees, and only in those who are wise from Him. Those are wise from the +Lord who cast the devil, that is, evil, out of themselves. + +35. But let no one believe that he has wisdom because he knows many +things, perceives them in some light, and is able to talk intelligently +about them, unless his wisdom is conjoined to love. For it is love that +through its affections produces wisdom. Not conjoined to love, wisdom is +like a meteor vanishing in the air and like a falling star. Wisdom united +to love is like the abiding light of the sun and like a fixed star. A man +has the love of wisdom when he is averse to the diabolical crew, that is, +to the lusts of evil and falsity. + +36. Wisdom that comes to perception is perception of truth from being +affected by it, especially perception of spiritual truth. For there is +civil, moral, and spiritual truth. Those who have some perception of +spiritual truth from affection by it also have perceptions of moral and +civil truth, for the affection of spiritual truth is the soul of those +perceptions. I have spoken with angels at times about wisdom who said +that wisdom is conjunction with the Lord because He is wisdom itself, and +that the man who rejects hell comes into this conjunction and comes into +it so far as he rejects hell. They said that they picture wisdom to +themselves as a magnificent and highly ornate palace into which one +mounts by twelve steps. No one arrives at even the first step, they said, +except from the Lord by conjunction with Him; and according to the +measure of conjunction one ascends; also as one ascends, one perceives +that no man is wise from himself but from the Lord. Furthermore, they +said that the things in which one is wise are to those in which one is +not wise like a few drops of water to a large lake. By the twelve steps +into the palace of wisdom are meant goods united to truths and truths +united to goods. + +37. (iv) _The more closely one is conjoined to the Lord the happier one +becomes._ The like can be said of degrees of happiness as was said (nn. +32 and 34) of degrees of life and of wisdom according to conjunction with +the Lord. Happiness, that is, blessedness and joy, also are heightened as +the higher degrees of the mind, called spiritual and celestial, are +opened with man. After his life in the world these degrees grow to +eternity. + +38. No one who is in the pleasures of the lusts of evil can know anything +of the joys of the affections of good in which the angelic heaven is. +These pleasures and joys are opposites in internals and hence inwardly in +externals, though superficially they may differ little. Every love has +its enjoyments; the love of evil with those in lusts also has, such as +the love of committing adultery, of taking revenge, of defrauding, of +stealing, of acting cruelly, indeed, in the worst men, of blaspheming the +holy things of the church and of inveighing against God. The fountainhead +of those enjoyments is the love of ruling from self-love. They come of +lusts which obsess the interiors of the mind, from these flow into the +body, and excite uncleannesses there which titillate the fibers. The +physical pleasure springs from the pleasure which the mind takes in +lusts. + +[2] After death everyone comes to know in the spiritual world what the +uncleannesses are which titillate the body's fibers in such persons and +comes to know the nature of them. In general they are things cadaverous, +excrementitious, filthy, malodorous, and urinous; for their hells teem +with such uncleannesses. These are correspondences, as may be seen in the +treatise _Divine Love and Wisdom_ (nn. 422-424). After one has entered +hell, however, these filthy delights are turned into wretchedness. This +has been told in order that it may be understood what heaven's felicity +is and its nature, of which we are now to speak; for a thing is known +from its opposite. + +39. It is impossible to describe in words the blessedness, satisfaction, +joy and pleasure, in short, the felicity of heaven, so sensibly perceived +there. What is perceived solely by feeling, cannot be described, for it +does not fall into ideas of thought nor, therefore, into words. For the +understanding sees only and sees what is of wisdom or truth, but not what +is of love or good. Those felicities are therefore inexpressible, but +still they ascend in like degree with wisdom. They are infinitely +various, and each is ineffable. I have heard this, also perceived it. + +[2] These felicities enter when a man, of himself and yet from the Lord, +casts out the lusts of the love of evil and falsity. For these felicities +are the happinesses of the affections of good and truth, the opposites of +the lusts of the love of evil and falsity. Those happinesses begin from +the Lord, thus from the inmost, diffuse themselves thence into things +lower even to lowermost things, and thus fill the angel, making him a +body of delight. Such happinesses are to be found in infinite variety in +every affection of good and truth, and eminently in the affection of +wisdom. + +40. There is no comparing the joys of the lusts of evil and the joys of +the affections of good. Inwardly in the former is the devil, in the +latter the Lord. If comparisons are to be ventured, the pleasures of the +lusts of evil can only be compared to the lewd pleasures of frogs in +stagnant ponds or to those of snakes in filth, while the pleasures of the +affections of good must be likened to the delights which the mind takes +in gardens and flower beds. For things like those which affect frogs and +snakes affect those in the hells who are in lusts of evil; and things +like those which affect the mind in gardens and flower beds affect those +in the heavens who are in affections of good. For, as was said above, +corresponding uncleannesses affect the evil, and corresponding +cleannesses the good. + +41. Plainly, then, the more closely one is conjoined with the Lord the +happier one is. This happiness rarely shows itself in the world, however; +for man is then in a natural state, and the natural does not communicate +with the spiritual by continuity, but by correspondence. The +communication is felt only in a certain repose and peace of mind, +especially after struggles against evil. But when a person puts off the +natural state and enters the spiritual state, as he does on leaving the +world, the happiness described above gradually manifests itself. + +42. (v) _The more closely one is conjoined to the Lord the more +distinctly does he seem to himself to be his own, and the more plainly +does he recognize that he is the Lord's._ The appearance is that the more +closely one is conjoined to the Lord the less one is one's own. This +appearance prevails with all the evil. It also prevails with those who +from religion believe that they are not under the yoke of the law and +that no one can of himself do good. All these inevitably think that to be +free only to do good and not to think and will evil is not to be one's +own. Inasmuch as a man who is conjoined to the Lord does not will and +cannot think or will evil, they conclude from the look that this is not +to be one's own. Yet that is the opposite of the truth. + +43. There is infernal freedom, and there is heavenly freedom. Thinking +and willing evil and also speaking and doing it so far as civil and moral +laws do not prevent, is from infernal freedom. But thinking and willing +good and speaking and doing it so far as opportunity offers, is from +heavenly freedom. A man perceives as his own what he thinks, wills, +speaks and does in freedom. The freedom anyone has always comes from his +love. The man in an evil love cannot but deem infernal freedom to be real +freedom, and a man in love of the good perceives that heavenly freedom is +real freedom; consequently each regards the opposite of his freedom as +bondage. No one can deny that one or the other must be freedom, for two +kinds of freedom opposed to each other cannot both be freedom. +Furthermore it cannot be denied that to be led by good is freedom and to +be led by evil is bondage. For to be led by good is to be led by the +Lord, but to be led by evil is to be led by the devil. + +[2] Inasmuch as all he does in freedom appears to a man to be his own, +coming as it does from what he loves, and to act from one's love, as was +said, is to act freely, it follows that conjunction with the Lord causes +a man to seem free and also his own, and the more closely he is conjoined +to the Lord, to seem so much freer and so much more his own. He seems the +more distinctly his own because it is the nature of the divine love to +want its own to be another's, that is, to be the angel's or the man's. +All spiritual love is such, preeminently the Lord's. The Lord, moreover, +never coerces anyone. For nothing to which one is coerced seems one's +own, and what seems not one's own cannot be done from one's love or be +appropriated to one as one's own. Man is always led in freedom by the +Lord, therefore, and reformed and regenerated in freedom. On this much +more will be said in what follows; also see some things above, n. 4. + +44. The reason why the more distinctly a man seems to be his own the more +plainly he sees that he is the Lord's, is that the more closely he is +conjoined to the Lord the wiser he becomes (as was shown, nn. 34-36), and +wisdom teaches and recognizes this. The angels of the third heaven, as +the wisest angels, perceive this and call it freedom itself; but to be +led by themselves they call bondage. They give as the reason for this +that the Lord does not flow immediately into the perceptions and thoughts +of wisdom, but into the affections of the love of good and by these into +the former, and this influx they perceive in the affection by which they +have wisdom. Hence, they say, all that they think from wisdom seems to be +from themselves, thus seemingly their own, and this gives reciprocal +conjunction. + +45. As the Lord's divine providence has for its object a heaven from +mankind, it has for its object the conjunction of the human race with Him +(see nn. 28-31). It also has for its object that man should be more and +more closely conjoined to Him (nn. 32, 33); for thus man possesses a more +interior heaven. Further, it has for its object that by the conjunction +man should become wiser (nn. 34-36) and happier (nn. 37-41), for he has +heaven by and according to wisdom, and happiness by wisdom, too. Finally, +providence has for its object that man shall seem more distinctly his +own, yet recognize the more clearly that he is the Lord's (nn. 42-44). +All these are of the Lord's divine providence, for all are heaven and +heaven is its object. + +III. IN ALL THAT IT DOES THE LORD'S DIVINE PROVIDENCE LOOKS TO WHAT IS +INFINITE AND ETERNAL + +46. Christendom knows that God is infinite and eternal. The doctrine of +the Trinity which is named for Athanasius says that God the Father is +infinite, eternal and omnipotent, so also God the Son, and God the Holy +Spirit, and that nevertheless there are not three who are infinite, +eternal and omnipotent, but One. As God is infinite and eternal, only +what is infinite and eternal can be predicated of Him. What infinite and +eternal are, finite man cannot comprehend and yet can comprehend. He +cannot comprehend them because the finite is incapable of what is +infinite; he can comprehend them because there are abstract ideas by +which one can see _that_ things are, though not _what_ they are. Of the +infinite such ideas are possible as that God or the Divine, being +infinite, is _esse_ itself, is essence and substance itself, wisdom and +love themselves or good and truth themselves, thus is the one Self, +indeed is veritable Man; there is such an idea, too, in speaking of the +infinite as "all," as that infinite wisdom is _omniscience_ and infinite +power _omnipotence._ + +[2] Still these ideas turn obscure to thought and may meet denial for not +being comprehended, unless what one's thought gets from nature is removed +from the idea, especially what it gets from the two properties of nature, +space and time. For these are bound to restrict the ideas and to make +abstract ideas seem to be nothing. But if such things can be removed in a +man, as they are in an angel, what is infinite can be comprehended by the +means just mentioned. Then also it will be grasped that the human being +is something because he was created by infinite God who is all; also that +he is a finite substance, having been created by infinite God who is +substance itself; further that man is wisdom inasmuch as he was created +by infinite God who is wisdom itself; and so on. For were infinite God +not all, and were He not substance and wisdom themselves, man would not +be anything actual, thus would either be nothing or exist only in idea, +as those visionaries think who are called idealists. + +[3] It is plain from what was shown in the treatise _Divine Love and +Wisdom_ that the divine essence is love and wisdom (nn. 28-39); that +divine love and wisdom are substance itself and form itself, the one Self +and the sole underived being (nn. 40-46); and that God created the +universe and its contents from Himself, and not from nothing (nn. 282-284 +). It follows that every creature and above all the human being and the +love and wisdom in him, are real, and do not exist only in idea. For were +God not infinite, the finite would not be; were the infinite not all, no +particular thing would be; and had not God created all things from +Himself, nothing whatever would be. In a word, we are because God is. + +47. We are considering divine providence and at this point how it regards +what is infinite and eternal in all that it does. This can be clearly +told only in some order. Let this be the order: + +i. The infinite and eternal in itself is the same as the Divine. +ii. What is infinite and eternal in itself cannot but look to what is +infinite and eternal from itself in finite things. +iii. Divine providence looks to the infinite and eternal from itself in +all that it does, especially in saving mankind. +iv. An image of the infinite and eternal offers in an angelic heaven +formed from a redeemed mankind. +v. The heart of divine providence is to look to what is infinite and +eternal by fashioning an angelic heaven, for it to be like one human +being before the Lord, an image of Him. + +48. (i) _The infinite and eternal in itself is the same as the Divine._ +This is plain from what was shown in many places in the work _Divine Love +and Wisdom._ The concept comes from the angelic idea. By the infinite, +angels understand nothing else than the divine _esse_ and by the eternal +the divine _existere._ But men can see and cannot see that what is +infinite and eternal in itself is the Divine. Those can see this who do +not think of the infinite from space and of the eternal from time; those +cannot see it who think of infinite and eternal in terms of space and +time. Those, therefore, can see it who think at some elevation, that is, +inwardly in the rational mind; those cannot who think in a lower, that is, +more external way. + +[2] Those by whom it can be seen reflect that a spatial infinite is an +impossibility, so likewise a temporal eternity or an eternity from which +the world has been. The infinite has no first or final limit or +boundaries. They also reflect that there cannot be another infinite from +it, for "from it" implies a boundary or beginning, or a prior source. +They therefore think that it is meaningless to speak of an infinite and +eternal from itself, for that is like talking of an _esse_ from itself, +which is a contradiction. An infinite from itself could only be an +infinite from an infinite, and _esse_ from itself only _esse_ from +_esse._ Such an infinite or _esse_ would either be the same with the +infinite or be finite. From these and like considerations, inwardly seen +in the rational mind, it is plain that there is what is infinite in +itself and eternal in itself, and that they are the Divine whence are all +things. + +49. I know that many will say to themselves, "How can anybody grasp +anything inwardly and rationally apart from space and time, and think +that it not only exists, but is also the all and the self from which are +all things?" But think deeply whether love or any affection of love, or +wisdom or any perception of wisdom, yes, whether thought is in space and +time, and you will grasp the fact that they are not. The Divine, +therefore, being love itself and wisdom itself, cannot be conceived of in +space and time; neither, then, can the infinite. To see this more clearly +ponder whether thought is in time and space. Suppose thought is sustained +for ten or twelve hours; may not the length of time seem like one or two +hours? May it not seem like one or two days? The seeming duration is +according to the state of affection from which the thought springs. If +the affection is a joyous one, in which time is not noticed, thought over +ten or twelve hours seems as though it were one or two hours. The +contrary is true if the affection is a sorrowful one, in which one +watches the passage of time. It is evident from this that time is only an +appearance according to the state of affection from which the thought +springs. The same is true of one's thought of the distance on a walk or a +journey. + +50. Since angels and spirits are affections of love and thoughts thence +they are not in space or time, either, but only in an appearance of them. +Space and time appear to them in keeping with the states of their +affections and their thoughts thence. When one of them, therefore, thinks +with affection of another, intently desiring to see or speak with him, +the other is at once present. + +[2] Hence, too, present with every man are spirits who are in an +affection like his--evil spirits with a man in an affection of similar +evil, and good spirits with the man in an affection of similar good. They +are as fully present as though he was one of their society. Space and +time have nothing to do with their presence, for affection and thought +therefrom are not in space and time, and spirits and angels are +affections and thoughts therefrom. + +[3] I have been given to know this by living experience over many years. +For I have spoken with many on their death, some in different kingdoms of +Europe, and some in different kingdoms of Asia and Africa, and all were +near me. If space and time existed for them, a journey and time to make +it would have intervened. + +[4] Indeed, every man knows this by some instinct in him or in his mind, +as has been verified to me by the fact that nobody has thought of +distances when I have reported that I had spoken with some person who +died in Asia, Africa or Europe, for example with Calvin, Luther, or +Melancthon, or with some king, governor or priest in a far region. The +thought occurred to no one, "How could he speak with those who had lived +there, and how could they come and be present with him, when lands and +seas lay between?" So it was plain to me that in thinking of those in the +spiritual world a man does not think of space and time. For those there, +however, there is an appearance of time and space; see the work _Heaven +and Hell,_ nn. 162-169, 191-199. + +51. From these considerations it may now be plain that the infinite and +eternal, thus the Lord, are to be thought of apart from space and time +and can be so thought of; plain, likewise, that they are so thought of by +those who think interiorly and rationally; and plain that the infinite +and eternal are identical with the Divine. So think angels and spirits. +In thought withdrawn from space and time, divine omnipresence is +comprehended, and divine omnipotence, also the Divine from eternity, but +these are not at all grasped by thought to which an idea of space and +time adheres. Plain it is, then, that one can conceive of God from +eternity, but never of nature from eternity. So one can think of the +creation of the world by God, but never of its creation from nature, for +space and time are proper to nature, but the Divine is apart from them. +That the Divine is apart from space and time may be seen in the treatise +_Divine Love and Wisdom_ (nn. 7-10, 69-72, 73-76, and other places). + +52. (ii) _What is infinite and eternal in itself cannot but look to what +is infinite and eternal from itself in finite things._ By what is +infinite and eternal in itself the Divine itself is meant, as was shown +in the preceding section. By finite things are meant all things created +by the Lord, especially men, spirits, and angels. By looking to the +infinite and eternal from itself is meant to look to the Divine, that is +to Himself, in these, as a person beholds his image in a mirror. This was +shown in several places in the treatise _Divine Love and Wisdom,_ +particularly where it was demonstrated that in the created universe there +is an image of the human being and that this is an image of the infinite +and eternal (nn. 317, 318), that is, of God the Creator, namely, the Lord +from eternity. But be it known that the Divine-in-itself is in the Lord; +whereas the divine-from-itself is the divine from the Lord in things +created. + +53. But for better comprehension let this be illustrated. The Divine can +look only to the divine, and can do so only in what has been created by +it. This is evident from the fact that no one can regard another except +from what is his own in himself. One who loves another regards him from +his own love; a wise man regards another from his own wisdom. He can note +whether the other loves him or not, is wise or not; but this he does from +the love and wisdom in himself. Therefore he unites himself with the +other so far as the other loves him as he loves the other, or so far as +the other is wise as he is wise; for thus they make one. + +[2] It is the same with the Divine-in-itself. For the Divine cannot look +to itself from another, that is, from man, spirit, or angel. For there is +nothing in them of the Divine-in-itself from which are all things, and to +look to the Divine from another in whom there is nothing of the Divine +would be to look to the Divine from what is not divine, which is an +impossibility. Hence the Lord is so conjoined to man, spirit, or angel +that all which is referable to the Divine is not from them but from the +Lord. For it is known that all good and truth which anyone has are not +from him but from the Lord; indeed that no one can name the Lord or speak +His names Jesus and Christ except from Him. + +[3] Consequently the infinite and eternal, which is the same as the +Divine, looks to all things in finite beings infinitely and conjoins +itself with them in the degree in which they receive love and wisdom. In +a word, the Lord can have His abode and dwell with man and angel only in +His own, and not in what is solely theirs, for this is evil; if it is +good, it is still finite, which in and of itself is incapable of the +infinite. Plainly, the finite cannot possibly look to what is infinite, +but the infinite can look to the infinite-from-itself in finite beings. + +54. It seems as if the infinite could not be conjoined to the finite +because no ratio is possible between them and because the finite cannot +compass the infinite. Conjunction is possible, nevertheless, both because +the Infinite created all things from Himself (as was shown in the work +_Divine Love and Wisdom,_ nn. 282-284), and because the Infinite cannot +but look in things finite to what is infinite from Him, and this +infinite-from-Him in finite beings can appear as if it were in them. +Thereby a ratio is possible between finite and infinite, not from the +finite, indeed, but from the infinite in the finite. Thereby, too, the +finite is capable of the infinite, not the finite being in himself, but +as if in himself from the infinite-from-itself in him. But of this more +in what follows. + +55. (iii) _Divine providence looks to the infinite and eternal from +itself in all that it does, especially in saving mankind._ The infinite +and eternal in itself is the Divine itself, or the Lord in Himself; the +infinite and eternal _from_ itself is the proceeding Divine or the Lord +in others created by Him, thus in men and angels. This Divine is +identical with divine providence, for by the divine from Himself the Lord +provides that all things shall be held together in the order in which and +into which they were created. This the Divine in the act of proceeding +accomplishes and consequently all this is divine providence. + +56. That divine providence in all that it does looks to what is infinite +and eternal from itself is evident from the fact that every created thing +proceeds from a first, which is the infinite and eternal, to things last, +and from things last to the first whence it is (as was shown in the work +_Divine Love and Wisdom,_ in the part in which the creation of the world +is treated of). But the first whence anything is, is inmostly in all the +progression, and therefore the proceeding Divine or divine providence in +all that it does has in view some image of the infinite and eternal. It +does so in all things, in some obviously so that it is perceptible, in +others not. It makes that image evident to perception in the variety, and +in the fructification and multiplication, of all things. + +[2] _An image of the infinite and eternal is apparent in the variety of +all things,_ in that no one thing is the same as another nor can be to +eternity. The eye beholds this in the variety of human faces ever since +creation; in the variety of minds, of which faces are types; and in the +variety of affections, perceptions and thoughts, for of these the mind +consists. In all heaven, therefore, no two angels or spirits are the +same, nor can be to eternity. The same is true of every object to be seen +in either the natural or the spiritual world. Plainly, the variety is +infinite and eternal. + +[3] _An image of the infinite and eternal is manifest in the +fructification and multiplication of all things,_ in the vegetable +kingdom in the capacity implanted in seeds, and in the animal kingdom in +reproduction, especially in the family of fishes. Were the seeds to bear +fruit and the animals to multiply in the measure of ability, they would +fill all the world, even the universe, in a generation. Obviously there +is latent in that ability an endeavor after self-propagation to infinity. +And as fructification and multiplication have not failed from the +beginning of creation and never will, plainly there is in that ability an +endeavor after self-propagation to eternity also. + +57. The like is true of human beings as to their affections, which are of +love, and their perceptions, which are of wisdom. The variety of either +is infinite and eternal; so, too, is their fructification and +multiplication, which is spiritual. No person enjoys an affection and +perception so like another's as to be identical with it, nor ever will. +Affections, moreover, may be fructified and perceptions multiplied +without end. Knowledge, it is well known, is inexhaustible. This capacity +of fructification and multiplication without end or to infinity and +eternity exists in natural things with men, in spiritual with the +spiritual angels, and in celestial with the celestial angels. Affections, +perceptions and knowledges have this endless capacity not only in +general, but in every least particular. They have it because they exist +from the infinite and eternal in itself through what is infinite and +eternal from itself. But as the finite has in it nothing of the Divine, +nothing of the kind, not the least, is in the human being as his own. Man +or angel is finite and only a receptacle, by itself dead. Whatever is +living in him is from the proceeding Divine, joined to him by contact, +and appearing in him as if it were his. The truth of this will be seen in +what follows. + +58. Divine providence regards what is infinite and eternal from itself +especially in saving mankind because its object is a heaven from mankind +(as was shown, nn. 27-45), and therefore it is man's reformation and +regeneration or salvation to which it especially looks, since heaven +consists of the saved or regenerate. To regenerate man, moreover, is to +unite good and truth or love and wisdom in him, as they are united in the +Lord's proceeding Divine; to this especially, therefore, providence looks +in saving the race. The image of the infinite and eternal is not to be +found elsewhere in man than in the marriage of good and truth. This +marriage the proceeding Divine effects. Men filled by the proceeding +Divine, which is called the Holy Spirit, have prophesied, as we know from +the Word; men enlightened by it see divine truths in heaven's light; +above all, angels sensibly perceive the presence, influx and conjunction, +though they are aware that the conjunction is no more than can be termed +adjunction. + +59. It has not been known that divine providence in all its procedure +with man looks to his eternal state. It can look to nothing else because +the Divine is infinite and eternal, and the infinite and eternal or the +Divine is not in time; therefore all future things are present to it. It +follows that there is eternity in all that the Divine does. But those who +think from time and space perceive this with difficulty, not only because +they love temporal things, but also because they think from what is on +hand in the world and not from what is at hand in heaven; this is as +remote to them as the ends of the earth. Those, however, who are in the +Divine, inasmuch as they think from the Lord, think from what is eternal +as well as from what is at present, asking themselves, "What is that +which is not eternal? Is not the temporal relatively nothing and does it +not become nothing when it is past?" The eternal is not so; it alone +_is;_ its _esse_ has no end. To think thus is to think both from the +present and the eternal, and when a man not only thinks so but lives so, +the proceeding Divine with him or divine providence looks in all its +procedure to the state of his eternal life in heaven and guides to it. In +what follows it will be seen that the Divine looks to the eternal in +everybody, in an evil as well as in a good person. + +60. (iv) _An image of the infinite and eternal offers in an angelic +heaven._ Among things we need to know about is the angelic heaven. +Everyone who has any religion thinks about heaven and wishes to go there. +Yet heaven is granted only to those who know the way to it and walk in +that way. We can know the way to an extent by knowing the character of +those who constitute heaven and by knowing that no one becomes an angel +or comes into heaven unless he brings with him from the world what is +angelic. In what is angelic there is a knowledge of the way from walking +in it, and a walking in the way through a knowledge of it. In the +spiritual world, moreover, there are actually ways leading to every +society of heaven or of hell. Each sees his own way as if for himself. He +does so because a way is there for every love; the love discloses the way +and takes a man to his fellows. No one sees other ways than the way of +his love. Plain it is from this that angels are nothing but heavenly +loves; otherwise they would not have seen the ways tending to heaven. +This will be plainer still when heaven is described. + +61. Every man's spirit is affection and thought therefrom. And as all +affection is of love, and thought is of the understanding, every spirit +is his own love and his own understanding therefrom. When a man is +thinking solely from his own spirit, therefore, as he does in private +meditation at home, he thinks from the affection belonging to his love. +It is clear, then, that when a man becomes a spirit, as he does after +death, he is the affection of his own love and has no other thought than +that of his affection. If his love has been one of evil, he is an evil +affection, which is a lust; if his love has been one of good, he is a +good affection. Everyone has a good affection so far as he has shunned +evils as sins, and an evil affection so far as he has not shunned evils +as sins. As all spirits and angels, then, are affections, the whole +angelic heaven is nothing but the love of all the affections of good and +the attendant wisdom of all the perceptions of truth. Since all good and +truth are from the Lord and He is love itself, the angelic heaven is an +image of Him. Furthermore, as divine love and wisdom are human in form, +it also follows that the angelic heaven must be in that form. Of this we +shall say more in the following section. + +62. The angelic heaven is an image of the infinite and eternal, then, +because it is an image of the Lord, who is infinite and eternal. The +image of His infinity and eternity is manifest in heaven's being +constituted of myriads and myriads of angels, and in its consisting of as +many societies as there are general affections of heavenly love; +manifest, again, in every angel's being distinctly his own affection; +manifest further in that the form of heaven--a unit in the divine sight +just as man is a unit--is assembled from so many affections, general and +particular; also manifest in that this form is perfected to eternity with +the increase in numbers, the greater the number of those entering into +the form of the divine love which is the form of forms, the more perfect +the resulting unity. It is plain from all this that the angelic heaven +presents an image of the infinite and eternal. + +63. From the knowledge of heaven to be had from this brief description it +is evident that it is an affection of the love of good that makes heaven +in a man. But who knows this today? Who knows even what an affection of +the love of good is, or that these affections are innumerable, in fact, +infinite? For, as was said, each angel is his own particular affection; +and the form of heaven is the form of all the affections of the divine +love there. Only one Being can combine all affections into this form--only +He who is love and wisdom itself and who is at once infinite and eternal. +For throughout that form is what is infinite and eternal; the infinite is +in its unity and the eternal in its perpetuity; were they removed the +form would instantly collapse. Who else can combine affections into a +form? Who else can bring about this unity? The unity can be accomplished +only in an idea of the total, and the total realized only in thought for +each single part. Myriads on myriads compose that form; annually myriads +enter it and will do so to eternity. All infants enter it and all adults +who are affections of the love of good. Again from all this the image of +the infinite and eternal in the angelic heaven is to be seen. + +64. (v) _The heart of divine providence is to look to what is infinite +and eternal by fashioning an angelic heaven for it to be like one human +being before the Lord, an image of Him._ See in the work _Heaven and +Hell_ (nn. 59-86) that heaven as a whole is like one man in the Lord's +sight; that each society of heaven also is; that as a result each angel +is a human being in perfect form; and that this is because God the +Creator, who is the Lord from eternity, is Man; also (nn. 87-102) that as +a result there is a correspondence of all things of heaven with all +things in the human being. The entire heaven as one man has not been seen +by me, for only the Lord can so behold it; but that an entire society, +whether large or small, can appear as one man, I have seen. I was then +told that the largest society of all, which is heaven in its entirety, so +appears, but to the Lord alone; and that this causes every angel to be in +full form a human being. + +65. As all heaven is like one man in the Lord's view, it is divided into +as many general societies as there are organs, viscera and members in +man, and each general society into as many less general or particular +societies as there are larger divisions in each of the viscera and +organs. This makes evident what heaven is. Because the Lord is very Man +and heaven is His image, to be in heaven is called "being in the Lord." +See in the work _Divine Love and Wisdom_ that the Lord is very Man +(nn. 11-13, 285-289). + +66. From all this the arcanum, well called angelic, can in a measure be +seen, that each affection of good and at the same time of truth is human +in form. For whatever proceeds from the Lord gets from His divine love +that it is an affection of good and from His divine wisdom that it is an +affection of truth. An affection of truth proceeding from the Lord +appears in angel and man as perception and consequent thought of truth. +For we are aware of perception and thought, but little aware of the +affection whence they are, although all come as one from the Lord. + +67. Man, then, is by creation a heaven in least form and hence an image +of the Lord; heaven consists of as many affections as there are angels; +and each affection in its form is man. It must then be the constant +striving of divine providence that a man may become a heaven in form and +an image of the Lord, and as this is effected by means of an affection of +the good and true, that he may become such an affection. This is +therefore the unceasing effort of divine providence. But its inmost aim +is that a man may be here or there in heaven or in the divine heavenly +man, for so he is in the Lord. But this is accomplished with those whom +the Lord can lead to heaven. As He foresees who can be led He also +provides continually that a man may become amenable; for thus everyone +who suffers himself to be led to heaven is prepared for his own place +there. + +68. We have said that heaven is divided into as many societies as there +are organs, viscera and members in man; and in these no part can be in +any place but its own. As angels are the parts in the divine heavenly +man, and none become angels who were not men in the world, the man who +suffers himself to be led to heaven is continually prepared by the Lord +for his own place there. This is done by the affection of good and truth +which corresponds with that place. To this place every angel-man is also +assigned on his departure from the world. This is the inmost of divine +providence touching heaven. + +69. On the other hand, a man who does not permit himself to be led to +heaven and allotted a place there is prepared for his own place in hell. +Of himself a man tends constantly to the depths of hell but is +continually withheld by the Lord. He who cannot be withheld is prepared +for a given place in hell, to which he is assigned on departure from the +world. This place is opposite one in heaven; for hell is the opposite of +heaven. So, as the angel-man according to his affection of good and truth +is allotted his place in heaven, the devil-man according to his affection +of evil and falsity is allotted his in hell. The two opposites, set +exactly over against each other, are kept in connection. This is the +inmost of divine providence touching hell. + +IV. THERE ARE LAWS OF PROVIDENCE THAT ARE UNKNOWN TO MEN + +70. Men know there is divine providence, but not what its nature is. This +is not known because its laws are arcana, hitherto hidden in the wisdom +of angels. These laws are to be revealed now in order that what belongs +to the Lord may be ascribed to Him, and nothing ascribed to man that is +not man's. For very many in the world attribute everything to themselves +and their prudence, and what they cannot so attribute they call +fortuitous and accidental, not knowing that human prudence is nothing and +that "fortuitous" and "accidental" are idle words. + +[2] We say that the laws of divine providence are arcana "hidden until +now in the wisdom of the angels." They have been hidden because the +understanding has been closed in Christendom in religion's name on divine +things, and has been rendered so dull and averse in these matters that +man has not been able because he has not been willing, or has not been +willing because he has not been able, to understand anything about +providence beyond the mere fact that it exists, or to do more than argue +whether it exists or not, also whether it is only general or also +detailed. Closed up on divine things in the name of religion, +understanding could advance no further. + +[3] But it is acknowledged in the church that man cannot of himself do +good which is in itself good or of himself think truth which is in itself +truth. This acknowledgment is at one with divine providence; these are +interdependent beliefs. Lest therefore one be affirmed and the other +denied and both fail, what divine providence is must by all means be +revealed. It cannot be revealed unless the laws by which the Lord +oversees and governs the volitions and thoughts of the human being are +disclosed. The laws enable one to know the nature of providence, and only +one who knows its nature can acknowledge providence, for then he beholds +it. The laws of divine providence, hitherto hidden with angels in their +wisdom, are therefore to be revealed now. + +V. IT IS A LAW OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE THAT MAN SHALL ACT FROM FREEDOM +ACCORDING TO REASON + +71. As is known, man is free to think and will as he wishes, but not to +speak whatever he thinks or to do whatever he wills. The freedom meant +here, therefore, is spiritual freedom and natural freedom only as they +make one; for thinking and willing are spiritual, and speaking and acting +are natural. The two are readily distinguishable in man, for he can think +what he does not utter and will what he does not do; plainly, spiritual +and natural are discriminated in him. He can pass from the former to the +latter therefore only on a decision to do so--a decision which can be +likened to a door that must first be unfastened and opened. This door, it +is true, stands open, as it were, in those who think and will from reason +in accord with the civil laws of the land and the moral laws of society, +for they speak what they think and do what they will to do. But in those +who think and will contrary to those laws, the door stands shut, as it +were. One who watches his volitions and subsequent deeds knows that such +a decision intervenes, sometimes more than once in a single utterance or +action. This we have premised for it to be understood that by acting from +freedom according to reason is meant to think and will freely _and_ +thence to speak and do freely what is according to reason. + +72. Since few know, however, that the law above can be a law of divine +providence, principally because a man is also free then to think evil and +falsity (still divine providence is continually leading him to think and +will what is good and true), for clearer perception we must proceed step +by step and shall do so in this order: + +i. The human being has reason and freedom or rationality and liberty, and +has these two faculties from the Lord. +ii. Whatever a man does in freedom, whether with reason or not, provided +it is according to his reason, seems to him to be his. +iii. Whatever a man does in freedom according to his thought, is +appropriated to him as his and remains. +iv. A man is reformed and regenerated by the Lord by means of the two +faculties and cannot be reformed and regenerated without them. +v. A man can be reformed and regenerated by means of the two faculties so +far as he can be led by them to acknowledge that all truth and good which +he thinks and does are from the Lord and not from himself. +vi. The conjunction of the Lord with man, and man's reciprocal +conjunction with the Lord, is effected by means of these two faculties. +vii. In all the procedure of His divine providence the Lord safeguards +the two faculties in man unimpaired and as sacred. +viii. It is therefore of the divine providence that man shall act in +freedom according to reason. + +73. (i) _The human being has reason and freedom or rationality and +liberty, and has these two faculties from the Lord._ Man has a faculty of +understanding, which is rationality, and a faculty of thinking, willing, +speaking and doing what he understands, which is liberty; and he has +these two faculties from the Lord (see the work _Divine Love and Wisdom,_ +nn. 264-270, 425, and above, nn. 43, 44). But many doubts may arise about +either of the two faculties when thought is given to them; therefore I +want to say something at this point just about man's freedom to act +according to reason. + +[2] First, it should be known that all freedom is of love, so much so +that love and freedom are one. As love is man's life, freedom is of his +life, too. For man's every enjoyment is from some love of his and has no +other source, and to act from the enjoyment of one's love is to act in +freedom. Enjoyment leads a man as the current bears an object along on a +stream. But loves are many, some harmonious, others not; therefore +freedoms are many. In general there are three: natural, rational, and +spiritual freedom. + +[3] _Natural freedom_ is man's by heredity. In it he loves only himself +and the world: his first life is nothing else. From these two loves, +moreover, all evils arise and thus attach to love. Hence to think and +will evil is man's natural freedom, and when he has also confirmed evils +in himself by reasonings, he does them in freedom according to his +reason. Doing them is from his faculty called liberty, and confirming +them from his faculty called rationality. + +[4] For example, it is from the love into which he is born that he +desires to commit adultery, to defraud, to blaspheme, to take revenge. +Confirming these evils in himself and by this making them allowable, he +then, from his love's enjoyment in them, thinks and wills them freely and +as if according to reason, and so far as civil laws do not hinder, speaks +and does them. It is of the Lord's divine providence that man is allowed +to do so, for freedom or liberty is his. This natural freedom is man's by +nature because by heredity, and those are in this freedom who have +confirmed it in themselves by reasonings from enjoyment in self-love and +love of the world. + +[5] _Rational freedom_ is from the love of good repute for the sake of +standing or gain. The delight of this love is to seem outwardly a moral +person. Loving this reputation, the man does not defraud, commit +adultery, take revenge, or blaspheme; and making this his reasoned +course, he also does in freedom according to reason what is sincere, +just, chaste, and friendly; indeed from reason can advocate such conduct. +But if his rational is only natural and not spiritual, his freedom is +only external and not internal. He does not love these goods inwardly at +all, but only outwardly for reputation's sake, as we said. The good deeds +he does are therefore not in themselves good. He can also say that they +should be done for the sake of the general welfare, but he speaks out of +no love for that welfare, but from love of his own standing or gain. His +freedom therefore derives nothing from love of the public good, nor does +his reason, which complies with his love. This rational freedom, +therefore, is inwardly natural freedom. The Lord's divine providence +leaves everyone this freedom too. + +[6] _Spiritual freedom_ is from love of eternal life. Into this love and +its enjoyment only he comes who regards evils as sins and therefore does +not will them, and who also looks to the Lord. Once a man does this he is +in this freedom. One can refuse to will and do evils for the reason that +they are sins, only from an interior or higher freedom, belonging to his +interior or higher love. This freedom does not seem at first to be +freedom, yet it is. Later it does seem freedom, and the man acts in real +freedom according to true reason, thinking, willing, speaking and doing +the good and the true. This freedom grows as natural freedom decreases +and serves it; and it unites with rational freedom and purifies it. + +[7] Anyone can come into this freedom if he is willing to think that +there is a life eternal, and that the joy and bliss of life in time and +for a time is like a passing shadow to the joy and bliss of life in +eternity and for eternity. A man can think so if he will, for he has +rationality and liberty, and the Lord, from whom he has the two +faculties, constantly enables him to do so. + +74. (ii) _Whatever a man does in freedom, whether with reason or not, +provided it is according to his reason, seems to him to be his._ Nothing +makes so clear what rationality and liberty are, which are proper to the +human being, as to compare man and beast. Beasts do not have any +rationality or faculty of understanding, or any liberty or faculty of +willing freely. They do not have understanding or will, therefore, but +instead of understanding they have knowledge and instead of will +affection, both of these natural. Not having the two faculties, animals +do not have thought, but instead an internal sight which makes one with +their external sight by correspondence. + +[2] Every affection has its mate, its consort, so to speak. An affection +of natural love has knowledge, one of spiritual love has intelligence, +and one of celestial love, wisdom. Without its mate or consort an +affection is nothing, but is like esse apart from existere or substance +without form, of which nothing can be predicated. Hence there is in every +created thing something referable to the marriage of good and truth, as +we have shown several times. In beasts it is a marriage of affection and +knowledge; the affection is one of natural good, and the knowledge is +knowledge of natural truth. + +[3] Affection and knowledge in beasts act altogether as one. Their +affection cannot be raised above their knowledge, nor the knowledge above +the affection; if they are raised, they are raised together. Nor have +animals a spiritual mind into which, or into the heat and light of which, +they can be raised. Thus they have no faculty of understanding or +rationality, or faculty of freely willing or liberty, and nothing more +than natural affection with its knowledge. Their natural affection is +that of finding food and shelter, of propagating, of avoiding and +guarding against injury, together with the knowledge needed for this. As +this is their kind of existence, they cannot think, "I will this but not +that," or "I know this but not that," still less, "I understand this" or +"I love that." They are borne along by affection and its knowledge +without rationality and liberty. It is not from the natural world that +they are borne along so, but from the spiritual world. Nothing can exist +in the natural world that does not have its connection with the spiritual +world: thence is every cause that accomplishes an effect. On this see +also some things below (n. 96). + +75. It is otherwise with man, who has affections not only of natural +love, but also of spiritual and celestial loves. For man's mind is of +three degrees, as was shown in Part III of the treatise _Divine Love and +Wisdom._ Man can be raised therefore from natural knowledge into +spiritual intelligence and on into celestial wisdom. From the two, +intelligence and wisdom, he can look to the Lord, be conjoined with Him, +and thereby live to eternity. This elevation as to affection would not be +possible did he not from rationality have the power to raise the +understanding, and from liberty the power to will this. + +[2] By means of the two faculties man can think in himself about what he +perceives outside him through the senses, and can also think on high +about what he thinks below. Anyone can say, "I have thought and I think +so and so," "I have willed and I will so and so," "I understand that this +is a fact," "I love this for what it is," and so on. Obviously, man +thinks above his thought, and sees it, as it were, below him. This comes +to him from rationality and liberty; from rationality he can think on +high, and from liberty he can will so to think. Unless he had liberty to +think so, he would not have the will, nor the thought from it. + +[3] Those, therefore, who will to understand only what is of the world +and nature and not what moral and spiritual good and truth are, cannot be +raised from knowledge into intelligence, still less into wisdom, for they +have stifled those faculties. They render themselves no longer men except +that they can understand if they wish, and can also will, by virtue of +the implanted rationality and liberty; from the two capacities it is that +one can think and from thought speak. In other respects, they are not men +but beasts, and some, in their abuse of those faculties, are worse than +beasts. + +76. From an unclouded rationality anyone can see or grasp that without +the appearance that it is his own a man cannot be in any affection to +know or to understand. Every joy and pleasure, thus everything of the +will, is from an affection of some love. Who can wish to know or to +understand anything except that an affection of his takes pleasure in it? +Who can feel this pleasure unless what he is affected by seems to be his? +Were it not his, but another's altogether, that is, if another from his +affection should infuse something into his mind when he himself felt no +affection for knowing or grasping it, would he receive it? Indeed, could +he receive it? Would he not be like one called a dullard or a clod? + +[2] It should be manifest then that although everything that a man +perceives, thinks, knows and, according to perception, wills and does, +flows into him, nevertheless it is of the Lord's divine providence that +it seems to be the man's. Otherwise, as we said, a man would not receive +anything and so could be given no intelligence or wisdom. It is known +that all good and truth are the Lord's and not man's, and yet appear to +be man's. As good and truth so appear, so do all things of the church and +of heaven, and all things of love and wisdom, and all things of charity +and faith; yet none of them is man's. No one can receive them from the +Lord unless it seems to him that he perceives them for himself. Plainly, +the truth of the matter is that whatever a man does in freedom, whether +with reason or not, provided only that it accords with his reason, seems +to him to be his. + +77. Who cannot from his faculty called rationality understand that a +given good is serviceable to society, and a given evil harmful to +society? That, for example, justice, sincerity, the chastity of marriage +are serviceable to it, and injustice, insincerity, and misconduct with +the wives of others, harmful? Consequently that these evils are in +themselves injuries, and those goods in themselves benefits? Who then +cannot make this a matter of his reason if only he will? He has +rationality and he has liberty; the two faculties are bared, show, take +charge and enable him to perceive and do in the measure that he avoids +those evils because they are evils. So far as a man does this he looks on +those goods as a friend looks on friends. + +[2] By his faculty called rationality a man can conclude from this what +goods are useful to society in the spiritual world and what evils are +hurtful there, if instead of evils he sees sins and instead of goods +works of charity. This he can also make a matter of his reason if he +will, since he has liberty and rationality. His rationality and liberty +emerge, become manifest, take charge and give him perception and power so +far as he shuns evils as sins. So far as he does this he regards the +goods of charity as neighbor regards neighbor in mutual love. + +[3] For the sake of reception and union the Lord wills that whatever a +man does freely according to reason shall seem to him to be his; this +agrees with reason itself. It follows that a man can from his reason will +something on the ground that it means his eternal happiness and can +perform it by the Lord's divine power, implored by him. + +78. (iii) _Whatever a man does in freedom according to his thought is +appropriated to him as his and remains._ The reason is that a man's own +and his freedom make one. His proprium is of his life, and what he does +from his life he does in freedom. His proprium is also of his love, for +love is one's life, and what he does from his life's love he does in +freedom. We speak of his acting in freedom "according to his thought" +because what is of his life or love he also thinks and confirms by +thought, and what is so confirmed he does in freedom then according to +thought. What a man does, he does from the will by the understanding; +freedom is of the will and thought is of the understanding. + +[2] A man can also act freely contrary to reason, likewise not freely in +accord with reason: then nothing is appropriated to him--what he does is +only of the mouth and body, not of the spirit or heart; only what is of +the spirit and heart, when it is also of the mouth and body, is +appropriated. The truth of this can be illustrated by many things, but +this is not the place. + +[3] By being appropriated to man is meant entering his life and becoming +part of it, consequently becoming his own. It will be seen in what +follows that there is nothing, however, which is man's very own; it only +seems to him as if it were. Only this now: all the good a man does in +freedom according to reason is appropriated to him as if it were his +because it seems to be his in that he thinks, wills, speaks and does it. +Good is not man's, however, but the Lord's with man (above, n. 76). How +evil is appropriated to man will appear in a section of its own. + +79. We said that what a man does in freedom in accord with his thought +also remains. For nothing that a man has appropriated to himself can be +eradicated; it has been made part of his love and at the same time of his +reason, or of his will and at the same time of his understanding, and so +of his life. It can be put aside indeed, but not cast out; put aside, it +is borne from center to periphery, where it stays; this is what we mean +by its remaining. + +[2] If, for example, in boyhood or youth, a man appropriated an evil to +himself by doing it with enjoyment from love of it--a fraud, blasphemy, +revenge, or fornication--having done it freely with the assent of thought, +he made it his; but if later he repents, shuns it and considers it a sin +to be averse from, and so desists from it freely according to reason, +then the opposite good is appropriated to him. Good then takes the center +and removes evil to the periphery, farther according to his aversion and +abhorrence for it. Still the evil cannot be so thrust out that one can +say it is extirpated; it may indeed in that removal seem extirpated. What +occurs is that the man is withheld from the evil by the Lord and held in +good. This can happen with all inherited evil and all a man's actual +evil. + +[3] I have seen this verified by the experience of some in heaven who +thought they were without evil, being held in good as they were by the +Lord. Lest they should believe that the good in which they were was their +own, they were let down from heaven and let into their evils until they +acknowledged that of themselves they were in evil, and in good only from +the Lord. Upon this acknowledgment they were returned to heaven. + +[4] Be it known, therefore, that goods are appropriated to man only in +that they are constantly with him from the Lord, and that as a man +acknowledges this the Lord grants that good shall seem to be the man's, +that is, that it shall seem to him that he loves the neighbor or has +charity, believes or has faith, does good and understands truth, thus is +wise, of himself. From this an enlightened person may see the nature and +the strength of the appearance in which the Lord wills man to be. The +Lord wills it for salvation's sake, for without that appearance no one +can be saved. Also see what was shown above on the subject (nn. 42-45). + +80. Nothing that a person only thinks, not even what he thinks to will, +is appropriated to him unless he also wills it so that he does it when +opportunity offers. For when a man then does it, he does it from the will +by the understanding or from affection of the will by thought of the +understanding. If it is something thought only, it cannot be +appropriated, for the understanding does not conjoin itself to the will, +or the thought of the understanding to the affection of the will, but the +latter with the former, as we have shown many times in the treatise +_Divine Love and Wisdom,_ Part V. This is meant by the Lord's words, + +Not that which enters the mouth renders a man unclean, but that which +goes forth from the heart by the mouth renders a man unclean ( Mt 15:11, +17, 18, 19). + +In the spiritual sense thought is meant by "mouth," for thought is spoken +by it; affection which is of love is meant by "heart"; if the man thinks +and speaks from this he makes himself unclean. In Luke 6:45 also by +"heart" an affection of love or of the will is meant, and by "mouth" the +thought of the understanding. + +81. Evils which a man believes are allowable, though he does not do them, +are also appropriated to him, for the licitness in thought is from the +will, as there is assent. When a man deems an evil allowable he loosens +the internal bond on it and is kept from doing it only by external bonds, +which are fears. As his spirit favors the evil, he commits it when +external bonds are removed as allowable, and meanwhile is committing it +in spirit. But on this see _Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem,_ nn. +108-113. + +82. (iv) _A man is reformed and regenerated by the Lord by means of the +two faculties and cannot be reformed or regenerated without them._ The +Lord teaches that, + +Unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God (Jn 3:3,5,7). + +Few know what it is to be born anew or regenerated. For most do not know +what love and charity are, therefore what faith is, either. One who does +not know what love and charity are cannot know what faith is because +charity and faith make one as good and truth do, and as affection which +is of the will, and thought which is of the understanding, do. On this +union see the treatise _Divine Love and Wisdom,_ nn. 427-431; also +_Doctrine for the New Jerusalem,_ nn. 13-24; and above, nn. 3-20. + +83. No one can enter the kingdom of God unless he has been born anew for +the reason that by heredity from his parents he is born into evils of +every kind, with the capacity of becoming spiritual through removal of +the evils; unless he becomes spiritual, then, he cannot enter heaven. To +become spiritual from being natural is to be born again or regenerated. +Three things need to be considered if one is to know how man is +regenerated: the nature of his first state, which is one of damnation; +the nature of his second state, which is one of reformation; and the +nature of his third state, which is one of regeneration. + +[2] Man's first state, which is one of damnation, is every one's state by +heredity from his parents. For man is born thereby into self-love and +love of the world, and from these as fountains into evils of every kind. +By the enjoyments of those loves he is led, and they keep him from +knowing that he is in evil, for the enjoyment of any love is felt to be +good. Unless he is regenerated, therefore, a man knows no otherwise than +that to love himself and the world above all things is good itself, and +to rule over others and possess their riches is the supreme good. So +comes all evil. For only oneself is regarded with love. If another is +regarded with love it is as devil loves devil or thief thief when they +are in league. + +[3] Those who confirm these loves with themselves and the evils flowing +from them, from enjoyment in them, remain natural and become +sensuous-corporeal, and in their own thinking, which is that of their +spirit, are insane. And yet, as long as they are in the world they can +speak and act rationally and wisely, for they are human beings and so +have rationality and liberty, though they still do this from self-love +and love of the world. After death and on becoming spirits, they can +enjoy nothing that they did not enjoy in the world. Their enjoyment is +that of an infernal love and is turned into the unpleasant, sorrowful +and dreadful, meant in the Word by torment and hell-fire. Plain it is, +then, that man's first state is one of damnation and that they are in it +who do not suffer themselves to be regenerated. + +[4] Man's second state--of reformation--is his state when he begins to +think of heaven for the joy there, thus of God from whom he has heaven's +joy. But at first the thought comes from the enjoyment of self-love; to +him heaven's joy is that enjoyment. While the enjoyments of that love and +of the evils flowing from it rule, moreover, he cannot but think that to +gain heaven is to pour out prayers, hear sermons, observe the Supper, +give to the poor, help the needy, make offerings to churches, contribute +to hospitals, and the like. In this state a man is persuaded that merely +to think about what religion teaches, whether this is called faith or +called faith and charity, is to be saved. He is so minded because he +gives no thought to the evils in the enjoyments of which he is. While +those enjoyments remain, the evils do. The enjoyments of the evils are +from the lust for them which continually inspires them and, when no fear +restrains, brings them to pass. + +[5] While evils remain in the lusts of love for them and so in one's +enjoyments, there is no faith, piety, charity or worship except in +externals, which seem real in the world's sight, but are not. They may be +likened to waters flowing from an impure fountain, which one cannot +drink. While a man is such that he thinks about heaven and God from +religion but gives no thought to evils as sins, he is still in the first +state. He comes into the second state, which is one of reformation, when +he begins to think that there is such a thing as sin and still more when +he thinks that a given evil is a sin, explores it somewhat in himself, +and does not will it. + +[6] Man's third state, which is one of regeneration, sets in and +continues from the former. It begins when a man desists from evils as +sins, progresses as he shuns them, and is perfected as he battles against +them. Then as he conquers from the Lord he is regenerated. The order of +his life is changed; from natural he becomes spiritual; the natural +separated from the spiritual is in disorder and the spiritual is in +order. The regenerated man acts from charity and makes what is of his +faith a part of his charity. But he becomes spiritual only in the measure +in which he is in truths. Everyone is regenerated by means of truths and +of a life in accord with them; by truths he knows life and by his life he +does the truths. So he unites good and truth, which is the spiritual +marriage in which heaven is. + +85.* Man is reformed and regenerated by means of the two faculties called +rationality and liberty, and cannot be reformed or regenerated without +them, because it is by means of rationality that he can understand and +know what is evil and what is good, and hence what is false and true, and +by means of liberty that he can will what he understands and knows. But +while the enjoyment of an evil love rules him he cannot will good and +truth freely or make them a matter of his reason, and therefore cannot +appropriate them to him. For, as was shown above, what a man does in +freedom from reason is appropriated to him as his, and unless it is so +appropriated, he is not reformed and regenerated. He acts from the +enjoyment of a love of good and truth for the first time when the +enjoyment of love for the evil and false has been removed. Two opposite +kinds of enjoyments of love at one and the same time are impossible. To +act from the enjoyment of love is to act freely and is also to act +according to reason, inasmuch as the reason favors the love. + +* This number must be kept though there is no number 84; long established +references to Swedenborg's books make it necessary to keep the numbering +in the Latin original. + +86. Because an evil man as well as a good man has rationality and +liberty, the evil man as well as the good can understand truth and do +good. The evil man cannot do this in freedom according to reason, while a +good man can; for the evil man is in the enjoyment of a love of evil, the +good man in the enjoyment of a love of good. The truth which an evil man +understands and the good he does are therefore not appropriated to him, +as they are to the good man, and aside from appropriation there is no +reformation or regeneration. With the evil man evils with their falsities +occupy the center, as it were, and goods with their truths the +circumference, but goods with their truths the center with the good man +and evils with their falsities the periphery. In each case what is at the +center is diffused to the circumference, as heat is from a fiery center +and cold from an icy one. Thus with the wicked the good at the +circumference is defiled by evils at the center, and with the good evils +at the circumference grow mild from the good at the center. For this +reason evils do not condemn a regenerating man, nor do goods save the +unregenerate. + +87. (v) _A man can be reformed and regenerated by means of the two +faculties so far as he can be led by them to acknowledge that all truth +and good which he thinks and does are from the Lord and not from +himself._ What reformation and regeneration are has been told just above, +likewise that man is reformed and regenerated by means of the two +faculties of rationality and liberty. Because it is done by those +faculties, something more is to be said of them. From rationality a man +can understand and from liberty he can will, doing each as of himself. +Yet he does not have the ability to will good in freedom and to do it in +accord with reason unless he is regenerated. An evil man can will only +evil in freedom and do it according to his thinking, which by +confirmations he has made to be his reasoning. For evil can be confirmed +as well as good, but is confirmed by fallacies and appearances which then +become falsities; evil so confirmed seems to accord with reason. + +88. Anyone thinking from interior understanding can see that the power to +will and the power to understand are not from man, but from Him who has +power itself, that is, power in its essence. Only think whence power is. +Is it not from Him who has it in its full might, that is, who possesses +it in and from Himself? Power in itself, therefore, is divine. All power +must have a supply on which to draw and direction from an interior or +higher self. Of itself the eye cannot see, nor the ear hear, nor the +mouth speak, nor the hand do; there must be supply and direction from the +mind. Nor can the mind of itself think or will this or that unless +something more interior or higher determines the mind to it. The same is +true of the power to understand and the power to will. These are possible +only from Him who has in Himself the power of willing and understanding. + +[2] It is plain, then, that the two faculties called rationality and +liberty are from the Lord and not from man. Man can therefore will or +understand something only as if of himself, and not of himself. Anyone +can confirm the truth of this for himself who knows and believes that the +will to good and the understanding of truth are wholly from the Lord, and +not from man. The Word teaches that man can take nothing of himself and +do nothing of himself (Jn 3:27; 15:5). + +89. As all willing is from love and all understanding is from wisdom, the +ability to will is from divine love, and the ability to understand is +from divine wisdom; thus both are from the Lord who is divine love itself +and divine wisdom itself. Hence to act in freedom according to reason has +no other source. Everyone acts in freedom because, like love, freedom +cannot be separated from willing. But there is interior and exterior +willing, and a man can act upon the exterior without acting at the same +time on the interior willing; so hypocrite and flatterer act. Exterior +willing, however, is still from freedom, being from a love of appearing +other than one is, or from love of an evil which the person intends in +the love of his inner will. An evil man, however, as has been said, +cannot in freedom according to reason do anything but evil; he cannot do +good in freedom according to reason; he can do good, to be sure, but not +in the inner freedom which is his own, from which the outer freedom has +its character of not being good. + +90. A person can be reformed and regenerated, we have said, in the +measure in which he is led by the two faculties to acknowledge that all +good and truth which he thinks and does are from the Lord and not from +himself. A man can make this acknowledgment only by means of the two +faculties, because they are from the Lord and are the Lord's in him, as +is plain from what has been said. Man can make this acknowledgment, +therefore, only from the Lord and not from himself; he can make it as if +of himself; this the Lord gives everyone to do. He may believe that it is +of himself, but when wiser acknowledge that it is not of himself. +Otherwise the truth he thinks and the good he does are not in themselves +truth and good, for the man and not the Lord is in them. Good in which +the man is and which is done by him for salvation's sake is +self-righteous, but not that in which the Lord is. + +91. Few can grasp with understanding that acknowledgment of the Lord, and +acknowledgment that all good and truth are from Him, cause one to be +reformed and regenerated. For a person may think, "What does the +acknowledgment effect when the Lord is omnipotent and wills the salvation +of all? This He wills and can accomplish if only He is moved to mercy." +One is not thinking then from the Lord, nor from the interior sight of +the understanding, that is, from enlightenment. Let me say briefly what +the acknowledgment accomplishes. + +[2] In the spiritual world where space is appearance only, wisdom brings +about presence and love union, or the contrary happens. One can +acknowledge the Lord from wisdom, and one can acknowledge Him from love. +The acknowledgment of Him from wisdom (viewed in itself this is only +knowledge) is made by doctrine; acknowledgment from love is made in a +life according to doctrine. This effects union, the other, presence. +Those, therefore, who reject instruction about the Lord remove themselves +from Him, and as they also refuse life they part from Him. Those who do +not reject instruction, but do refuse life, are present but still +separated--like friends who converse but do not love each other, or like +two one of whom speaks as a friend with the other, although as his enemy +he hates him. + +[3] The truth of this is commonly recognized in the idea that one who +teaches and lives well is saved but not one who teaches well but lives +wickedly, and in the idea that one who does not acknowledge God cannot be +saved. This makes plain what kind of religion it is only to think about +the Lord from faith, so called, and not to do something from charity. +Therefore the Lord says, + +Why do you call Me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say? Everyone who +comes to Me and hears my words and does them .. . is like a house-builder +who has placed the foundation on a rock, but the man who hears and does +not do, is like a man building a house on the ground without a foundation +(Lu 6:46-49). + +92. (vi) _The conjunction of the Lord with man and man's reciprocal +conjunction with the Lord is effected by these two faculties._ +Conjunction with the Lord and regeneration are one and the same thing, +for a man is regenerated in the measure that he is conjoined with the +Lord. All that we have said above about regeneration can be said +therefore of the conjunction, and all we said about conjunction can be +said about regeneration. The Lord Himself teaches in John that there is a +conjunction of the Lord with man and a reciprocal conjunction of man with +the Lord. + +Abide in Me, and I in you. . . . He that abides in Me and I in him, +brings forth much fruit (15:4, 5). + +In that day you will know that you are in Me and I in you (14:20). + +[2] From reason alone anyone can see that there is no conjunction of +minds unless it is reciprocal, and that what is reciprocal conjoins. If +one loves another without being loved in return, then as he approaches, +the other withdraws; but if he is loved in return, as he approaches, the +other does also, and there is conjunction. Love also wills to be loved; +this is implanted in it; and so far as it is loved in return it is in +itself and in its delight. Thence it is plain that if the Lord loves man +and is not in turn loved by man, the Lord advances but man withdraws; +thus the Lord would be constantly willing to meet with man and enter him, +but man would be turning back and departing. So it is with those in hell, +but with those in heaven there is mutual conjunction. + +[3] Since the Lord wills conjunction with man for salvation's sake, He +also provides something reciprocal with man. This consists in the fact +that the good a man wills and does in freedom and the truth he thinks and +speaks from the will according to reason seem to be from himself, and +that the good in his will and the truth in his understanding seem to be +his--indeed they seem to the man to be from himself and to be as +completely his as though they really were; there is no difference; does +anyone perceive otherwise by any sense? See above (nn. 74-77) on the +appearance as of self, and (nn. 78-81) on appropriation as of oneself. +The only difference is the acknowledgment which a man ought to make, that +he does good and thinks truth not of himself but from the Lord, and hence +that the good he does and the truth he thinks are not his. So to think +from some love of the will because it is the truth makes conjunction; for +then a man looks to the Lord and the Lord looks on the man. + +93. I have been granted both to hear and see in the spiritual world what +the difference is between those who believe that all good is from the +Lord and those who believe that good is from themselves. Those who +believe that good is from the Lord turn their faces to Him and receive +the enjoyment and blessedness of good. Those who think that good is from +themselves look to themselves and think they have merit. Looking to +themselves, they perceive only the enjoyment of their own good which is +the enjoyment not of good but of evil, for man's own is evil, and +enjoyment of evil perceived as good is hell. Those who have done good but +believed it was of themselves, and who after death do not receive the +truth that all good is from the Lord, mingle with infernal spirits and +finally join them. Those who receive that truth, however, are reformed, +though no others receive it than those who have looked to God in their +life. To look to God in one's life is nothing else than to shun evils as +sins. + +94. The Lord's conjunction with man and man's reciprocal conjunction with +the Lord is effected by loving the neighbor as one's self and the Lord +above all. To love the neighbor as one's self consists simply in not +acting insincerely or unjustly with him, not hating him or avenging one's +self on him, not cursing and defaming him, not committing adultery with +his wife, and not doing other like things to him. Who cannot see that +those who do such things do not love the neighbor as themselves? Those, +however, who do not do such things because they are evils to the neighbor +and at the same time sins against the Lord, deal sincerely, justly, +amicably and faithfully by the neighbor; as the Lord does likewise, +reciprocal conjunction takes place. And when conjunction is reciprocal, +whatever a man does to the neighbor he does from the Lord, and what he +does from the Lord is good. The neighbor to him then is not the person, +but the good in the person. To love the Lord above all is to do no evil +to the Word, for the Lord is in the Word, or to the holy things of the +church, for He is in these, too, and to do no evil to the soul of +another, for everyone's soul is in the Lord's hand. Those who shun these +evils as monstrous sins against the Lord love Him above all else. None +can do this except those who love the neighbor as themselves, for the two +loves are conjoined. + +95. In view of the fact that there is a conjunction of the Lord with man +and of man with the Lord, there are two tables of the Law, one for the +Lord and the other for man. So far as man as of himself keeps the laws of +his table, the Lord enables him to observe the laws of the Lord's table. +A man, however, who does not keep the laws of his table, which are all +referable to love for the neighbor, cannot do the laws of the Lord's +table, which are all referable to love for the Lord. How can a murderer, +thief, adulterer, or false witness love God? Does reason not insist that +to be any of these and to love God is a contradiction? Is not the devil +such? Must he not hate God? But a man can love God when he abhors murder, +adultery, theft and false witness, for then he turns his face away from +the devil to the Lord; turning his face to the Lord he is given love and +wisdom--these enter him by the face, and not by the back of the neck. As +conjunction is accomplished only so, the two tables are called a +covenant, and a covenant exists between two. + +96. (vii) _In all the procedure of His divine providence the Lord +safeguards the two faculties in man unimpaired and as sacred._ The +reasons are that without those two faculties man would not have +understanding and will and thus would not be human; likewise that without +them he could not be conjoined to the Lord and so be reformed and +regenerated; and because without them he would not have immortality and +eternal life. The truth of this can be seen from what has been said about +the two faculties, liberty and rationality, but not clearly seen unless +the reasons just given are brought forward as conclusions. They are, +therefore to be clarified. + +[2] _Without those two faculties man would not have understanding and +will and thus would not be human._ Man has will only in that he can will +freely as of himself, and to will freely as of oneself is from the +faculty called liberty, steadily imparted by the Lord. Man has +understanding only in that he can understand as of himself whether a +thing is of reason or not, and so to understand is from the other +faculty, called rationality, steadily imparted to him by the Lord. These +faculties unite in man as will and understanding do, for because a man +can will, he can also understand; willing is impossible without +understanding; understanding is its partner and mate apart from which it +cannot exist. With the faculty called liberty there is therefore given +the faculty called rationality. If, too, you take willing away from +understanding, you understand nothing. + +[3] In the measure that you will, you can understand provided the helps, +called knowledges, are present or available, for these are like tools to +a workman. We say, in the measure you will you can understand, meaning, +so far as you love to understand, for will and love act as one. This +seems like a paradox, but it appears so to those who do not love or hence +will to understand. They say they cannot understand, but in the following +section we shall tell who cannot understand, and who can hardly +understand. + +[4] It is plain without confirmation that unless man had will from the +faculty called liberty, and understanding from the faculty called +rationality, he would not be human. Beasts do not have these faculties. +Beasts seem to be able to will and to understand, but cannot do so. They +are led and moved to do what they do solely by a natural affection, in +itself desire, which has knowledge for its mate. Something civil and +moral there is in their knowledge, but it does not transcend the +knowledge, for they have nothing spiritual enabling them to perceive or +to think analytically of what is moral. They can indeed be taught to do +something, but this is natural only, is assimilated to their knowledge +and at the same time to their affection, and reproduced through sight or +hearing, but never becomes with them anything of thought, still less of +reason. On this see some things above, n. 74. + +[5] _Without those two faculties man could not be con-joined to the Lord +or reformed and regenerated._ This has been shown above. The Lord resides +with men, whether evil or good, in these two faculties and conjoins +Himself by them to every man. Hence an evil man as well as a good man can +understand and has the will of good and the understanding of truth +potentially--that he does not possess them actually is owing to abuse of +those faculties. The Lord resides in those faculties in everyone by the +influx of His will, namely, to be received by man and to have an abode +with him, and to give him the felicities of eternal life; all this is of +the Lord's will, being of His divine love. It is this will of the Lord +which causes what a man thinks, speaks, wills and does, to seem to be his +own. + +[6] That the influx of the Lord's will effects this can be confirmed by +much in the spiritual world. Sometimes the Lord fills an angel with His +divine so that the angel does not know but that he is the Lord. Thus +inspired were the angels who appeared to Abraham, Hagar, and Gideon, and +who therefore spoke of themselves as Jehovah; of whom the Word tells. So +also one spirit may be filled by another so that he does not know but +that he is the other; I have seen this often. In heaven it is general +knowledge that the Lord operates all things by willing, and that what He +wills takes place. + +From all this it is plain that it is by those two faculties that the Lord +conjoins Himself to man and causes the man to be reciprocally conjoined. +We told above and shall say more below about how man is reciprocally +conjoined by the two faculties and how, consequently, he is reformed and +regenerated by means of them. + +[7] _Without those two faculties man would not have immortality or +eternal life._ This follows from what has been said: that by the two +faculties there is conjunction with the Lord and also reformation and +regeneration. By conjunction man has immortality, and through reformation +and regeneration he has eternal life. As every man, evil as well as good, +is conjoined to the Lord by the two faculties every man has immortality. +Eternal life, or the life of heaven, however, only that man has with whom +there is reciprocal conjunction from inmosts to outmosts. + +The reasons may now be clear why the Lord, in all the procedure of His +divine providence, safeguards the two faculties in man unimpaired and as +sacred. + +97. ( viii) _It is therefore [a law] of divine providence that man shall +act in freedom from reason._ To act in freedom according to reason, to +act from liberty and rationality, and to act from will and understanding, +are the same. But it is one thing to act in freedom according to reason, +or from liberty and rationality, and another thing to act from freedom +itself according to reason itself or from liberty and rationality +themselves. The man who does evil from love of evil and confirms it in +himself acts indeed from freedom according to reason, but his freedom is +not in itself freedom or very freedom, but an infernal freedom which in +itself is bondage, and his reason is not in itself reason, but is either +spurious or false or plausible through confirmations. Still, either is of +divine providence. For if freedom to will evil and do it as of the reason +through confirmation of it were taken from the natural man, liberty and +rationality and at the same time will and understanding would perish, and +he could not be withdrawn any longer from evils, be reformed or united +with the Lord, and live to eternity. The Lord therefore guards man's +freedom as a man does the apple of his eye. Through that freedom the Lord +steadily withdraws man from evils and so far as He can do this implants +goods, thus gradually putting heavenly freedom in place of infernal +freedom. + +98. We said above that every man has the faculty of volition called +liberty and the faculty of understanding called rationality. Those +faculties, moreover, it should be known, are as it were inherent in man, +for humanness itself is in them. But as was just said, it is one thing to +act from freedom in accord with reason, and another thing to act from +freedom itself and according to reason itself. Only those do the latter +who have suffered themselves to be regenerated by the Lord; others act in +freedom according to thought which they make seem like reason. Unless he +was born foolish or supremely stupid, every person can attain to reason +itself and by it to liberty itself. Many reasons why all do not do so +will be disclosed in what follows. Here we shall only tell to whom +freedom itself or liberty itself, and at the same time reason itself or +rationality itself cannot be given and to whom they can hardly be given. + +[2] True liberty and rationality cannot be given to those foolish from +birth or to those who become foolish later, while they remain so. Nor can +they be given to those born stupid and dull or to any made so by the +torpor of idleness, or by a disease which perverts or entirely closes the +interiors of the mind, or by love of a bestial life. + +[3] Genuine liberty and rationality cannot be given to those in +Christendom who utterly deny the Divine of the Lord and the holiness of +the Word, and have kept that denial confirmed to life's close. For this +is meant by the sin against the Holy Spirit which is not forgiven in this +world or in the world to come (Mt 12:31, 32). + +[4] Liberty itself and rationality itself cannot be given to those who +ascribe all things to nature and nothing to the Divine, and have made +this a conviction by reasonings from visible things; for these are +atheists. + +[5] True liberty and rationality can hardly be given to those who have +confirmed themselves much in falsities of religion; for a confirmer of +falsity is a denier of truth. But they can be given to those, in whatever +religion, who have not so confirmed themselves. On this see what is +adduced in _Doctrine for the New Jerusalem about Sacred Scripture,_ +nn. 91-97. + +[6] Infants and children cannot attain to essential liberty and +rationality before they grow up. For the interiors of the mind of man are +opened gradually, and meanwhile are like seeds in unripe fruit, without +ground in which to sprout. + +99. We have said that true liberty and rationality cannot be given to +those who have denied the Divine of the Lord and the holiness of the +Word; to those who have confirmed themselves in favor of nature and +against the Divine; and hardly to those who have strongly confirmed +themselves in falsities of religion; still none of these have destroyed +the faculties themselves. I have heard atheists, who had become devils +and satans, understand arcana of wisdom quite as well as angels, but only +while they heard them from others; on returning into their own thought, +they did not understand them, for the reason that they did not will to do +so. They were shown that they could also will this, did not the love and +enjoyment of evil turn them away. This they understood, too, when they +heard it. Indeed they asserted that they could but did not will to be +able to do so, for then they could not will what they did will, namely, +evil from enjoyment in the lust of it. I have often heard such +astonishing things in the spiritual world. I am fully persuaded therefore +that every man has liberty and rationality, and that every man can attain +true liberty and rationality if he shuns evils as sins. But the adult who +has not come into true liberty and rationality in the world can never do +so after death, for the state of his life remains to eternity what it was +in the world. + +VI. IT IS A LAW OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE THAT MAN SHALL REMOVE EVILS AS SINS +IN THE EXTERNAL MAN OF HIMSELF, AND ONLY SO CAN THE LORD REMOVE THE EVILS +IN THE INTERNAL MAN AND AT THE SAME TIME IN THE EXTERNAL + +100. Anyone can see from reason alone that the Lord who is good itself +and truth itself cannot enter man unless the evils and falsities in him +are removed. For evil is opposed to good, and falsity to truth, and two +opposites cannot mingle, but as one approaches the other, combat arises +which lasts until one gives way to the other; what gives way departs and +the other takes its place. Heaven and hell, or the Lord and the devil, +are in such opposition. Can anyone reasonably think that the Lord can +enter where the devil reigns, or heaven be where hell is? By the +rationality with which every sane person is endowed, who cannot see that +for the Lord to enter, the devil must be cast out, or for heaven to +enter, hell must be removed? + +[2] This opposition is meant by Abraham's words from heaven to the rich +man in hell: + +Between us and you a great gulf is fixed, so that those who would cross +from us to you cannot, nor those over there cross to us (Lu 16:26). + +Evil is itself hell, and good is itself heaven, or what is the same, evil +is itself the devil, and good itself the Lord. A person in whom evil +reigns is a hell in least form, and one in whom good reigns is a heaven +in least form. How, then, can heaven enter hell when a gulf is fixed +between them so great that there is no crossing from one to the other? It +follows that hell must by all means be removed for the Lord to enter with +heaven. + +101. But many, especially those who have confirmed themselves in faith +severed from charity, do not know that they are in hell when they are in +evils. In fact, they do not know what evils are, giving them no thought. +They say that they are not under the yoke of the law and so the law does +not condemn them; likewise, that as they cannot contribute to their +salvation, they cannot remove any evil of themselves and furthermore +cannot do any good of themselves. It is these who neglect to give some +thought to evil and therefore keep on in evil. They are meant by the Lord +under "goats" in Matthew 25:32, 33; 41-46, as may be seen in _Doctrine of +the New Jerusalem on Faith,_ nn. 61-68; to them it is said in verse 41, +"Depart from Me, you accursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the +devil and his angels." + +[2] Persons who give no thought to the evils in them, and who do not +examine themselves and then desist from the evils, cannot but be ignorant +what evil is, and cannot but love it then from delighting in it. For one +who is ignorant of it loves it, and one who fails to give it thought, +goes on in it, blind to it. Thought sees good and evil as the eye sees +beauty and ugliness. One who thinks and wills evil is in evil, and so is +a person who thinks that it does not come to God's sight, or if it does +is forgiven by Him; he supposes then that he is without evil. If such +persons refrain from doing evil, they do so not because it is a sin +against God, but for fear of the law and for their reputation's sake. In +spirit they still do evil, for it is man's spirit that thinks and wills. +As a result, what a man thinks in his spirit in the world, he commits +when he becomes a spirit on his departure from the world. + +[3] In the spiritual world, into which everyone comes after death, the +question is not asked what your belief has been or your doctrine, but +what your life has been. Was it such or such? For, as is known, such as +one's life is, such is one's belief, yes, one's doctrine. For life +fashions a doctrine and a belief for itself. + +102. From all this it is plain that it is a law of divine providence that +evils be removed by man, for without the removal of them the Lord cannot +be conjoined to man and from Himself lead man to heaven. But it is not +known that man ought to remove evils in the external man as of himself +and that unless he does so the Lord cannot remove the evils in his +internal man. This is to be presented, therefore, to the reason in light +of its own in this order: + +i. Every man has an external and an internal of thought. +ii. His external of thought is in itself such as his internal is. +iii. The internal cannot be purified from the lusts of evil as long as +the evils in the external man have not been removed, for these impede. +iv. Only with the man's participation can evils in the external man be +removed by the Lord. +v. Therefore a man ought to remove evils from the external man as of +himself. +vi. The Lord then purifies him from the lusts of evil in the internal man +and from the evils themselves in the external. +vii. The continuous effort of the Lord in His divine providence is to +unite man to Himself and Himself to man, in order to be able to bestow +the felicities of eternal life on him, which can be done only so far as +evils, along with their lusts, are removed. + +103. (i) _Every man has an external and an internal of thought._ By +external and internal of thought the same is meant here as by external +and internal man, and by this nothing else is meant than external and +internal of will and understanding, for will and understanding constitute +man, and as they both manifest themselves in thoughts, we speak of +external and internal of thought. And as it is man's spirit and not his +body which wills and understands and consequently thinks, external and +internal are external and internal of his spirit. The body's activity in +speech or deed is only an effect from the external and internal of man's +spirit, for the body is so much obedience. + +104. As he grows older, every person has an external and an internal of +thought, or an external and an internal of will and understanding or of +his spirit, identical with external and internal man. This is evident to +anyone who observes another's thoughts and intentions as they are +revealed in speech or deed, or who observes his own when he is in company +and when he is by himself. For from the external thought one can talk +amicably with another and yet in internal thought be hostile. From +external thought and from its affection, too, a man can talk about love +for the neighbor and for God when in his internal thought he cares +nothing for the neighbor and does not fear God. From external thought +together with its affection he can talk about the justice of civil laws, +the virtues of the moral life, and matters of doctrine and the spiritual +life, and yet in private and from his internal thought and its affection +speak against the civil laws, the moral virtues, and matters of doctrine +and spiritual life. So those do who are in lusts of evil but want to +appear to the world not to be in them. + +[2] Many also, as they listen to others, think to themselves, "Do those +speaking think inwardly in themselves as they think in utterance? Are +they to be believed or not? What do they intend?" Flatterers and +hypocrites notoriously possess a twofold thought. They can be +self-restrained and guard against the interior thought's being disclosed, +and some can hide it more and more deeply and bar the door against its +appearing. That a man possesses external and internal thought is also +plain in that from his interior thought he can behold the exterior +thought, can reflect on it, too, and judge whether or not it is evil. The +human mind is such because of the two faculties, called liberty and +rationality, which one has from the Lord. Unless he possessed internal +and external of thought from these faculties, a man could not perceive +and see an evil in himself and be reformed. In fact, he could not speak +but only make sounds like a beast. + +105. The internal of thought comes out of the life's love, its affections +and the perceptions from them. The external of thought is from what is in +the memory, serving the life's love for confirmation and as means to its +end. From childhood to early manhood a person is in the external of +thought from an affection for knowledge, which is then his internal; from +the life's love born in one from parents something of lust and hence of +disposition issues, too. Later, however, his life's love is as he lives, +and its affections and the perceptions from them make the internal of his +thought. From his life's love comes a love of means; the enjoyments of +these means and the information drawn thereby from the memory make his +external of thought. + +106. (ii) _Man's external of thought is in itself such as his internal +is._ We showed earlier that from head to foot a man is what his life's +love is. Something must be said about his life's love, for until this is +done nothing can be said about the affections which together with +perceptions make the internal of man, or about the enjoyments of the +affections together with thoughts which make his external. Loves are +many, but two--heavenly love and infernal love--are like lords or kings. +Heavenly love is love to the Lord and the neighbor; infernal love is love +of self and the world. These are opposite to each other as heaven and +hell are. For a man in love of self and the world wishes well only to +himself; a man in love to the Lord and the neighbor wishes well to all. +These two are the loves of man's life, though with much variety. Heavenly +love is the life's love of those whom the Lord leads, and infernal love +the life's love of those whom the devil leads. + +[2] No one's life's love can be without derivatives, called affections. +The derivatives of infernal love are affections of evil and falsity +--lusts, properly speaking; and those of heavenly love are affections of +good and truth--loves, strictly. Affections, or strictly lusts, of +infernal love are as numerous as evils are, and affections, or properly +loves, of heavenly love are as many as there are goods. Love dwells in +its affections like a lord in his domain and a king in his realm; its +domain or realm is over the things of the mind, that is, of the will and +understanding and thence of the body. By its affections and the +perceptions from them and by its enjoyments and the thoughts therefrom, +the life's love of man rules him completely, the internal of the mind by +the affections and perceptions from them, and the external by the +enjoyments of the affections and of the thoughts from them. + +107. The manner of this rule may be seen to some extent from comparisons. +Heavenly love with its affections of good and truth and the perceptions +from them, together with the enjoyments of such affections and the +thoughts from these, may be compared to a tree, notable for its branches, +leaves and fruit. The life's love is the tree; the branches with their +leaves are the affections of good and truth with their perceptions; and +the fruits are the enjoyments of the affections with their thoughts. +Infernal love, however, with its affections or lusts of evil and falsity, +together with the enjoyments of the lusts and the thinking from those +enjoyments, may be compared to a spider and the web spun about it. The +love itself is the spider; the lusts of evil and falsity together with +their subtle cunning are the net of threads nearest the spider's post; +and the enjoyments of the lusts together with their crafty schemes are +the more remote threads where flies are snared on the wing, enveloped +and eaten. + +108. These comparisons may help one to see the connection of all things +of the will and understanding or of man's mind with his life's love, and +yet not to see it rationally. Rationally it may be seen in this way. +Everywhere there are three which make one, called end, cause and effect. +Here the life's love is end; the affections with their perceptions are +cause; and the enjoyments of the affections and consequent thoughts are +effect. For as an end passes into effect through a cause, love passes by +its affections to its enjoyments and by its perceptions to its thoughts. +The effects are in the enjoyments of the mind and the thoughts thence +when the enjoyments are from the will and the thoughts from the attendant +understanding, that is, when all fully agree. The effects are then part +of man's spirit and although they do not come into bodily act are still a +deed there when there is this agreement. At the same time they are in the +body, dwelling there with man's life's love and longing for the deed, +which occurs when nothing hinders. The same is true of lusts of evil and +evil deeds with those who make evils allowable in spirit. + +[2] As an end unites itself with a cause and by the cause with an effect, +the life's love unites itself with the internal of thought and by this +with its external. It is plain then that man's external of thought is in +itself what his internal is, for an end imparts all of itself to the +cause and through the cause to the effect. Nothing essential is present +in an effect which is not in the cause and through the cause in the end, +and as the end is what essentially enters cause and effect, these are +called "mediate end" and "final end" respectively. + +109. Sometimes the external of thought seems to be different in itself +from the internal. This is because the life's love with its internals +about it sets a vicar under it called the love of means, and directs it +to watch and guard against anything of its lusts appearing. This vicar, +with the cunning of its chief, the life's love, therefore speaks and acts +in accordance with the laws of a kingdom, the ethical demands of reason, +and the spiritual requirements of the church, so cunningly, too, and +cleverly that no one sees that persons are other than they say and act, +and finally the persons themselves, so disguised, scarcely know +otherwise. Such are all hypocrites. Such are priests, also, who at heart +care nothing for the neighbor and do not fear God, yet preach about love +of the neighbor and of God. Such are judges who judge by gifts and +friendships while affecting zeal for justice and speaking with reason +about judgment. Such are traders who at heart are insincere and +fraudulent while dealing honestly for the sake of profit. Such are +adulterers when, from the rationality every man possesses, they talk +about the chastity of marriage; and so on. + +[2] The same persons, when they strip the love of means, the vicar of +their life's love, of the purple and linen which they have thrown around +it and put its house dress on it, then think exactly the contrary, and +exchanging thought with their best friends who are in a similar life's +love, they speak so. It may be believed that when they have spoken so +justly, honestly and piously from the love of means, the character of the +internal of thought was not in the external of their thought; yet it was; +hypocrisy is in them, and love of self and the world is in them, the +cunning of which aims to capture a reputation for the sake of standing or +gain through just the outward appearance. This, the nature of the +internal, is in the external of their thought when they speak and act so. + +110. With those in a heavenly love, however, internal and external of +thought or internal and external man make one when they speak, and they +are aware of no difference. Their life's love, with its affections of +good and the perceptions of truth from these, is like a soul in what they +think and then say and do. If they are priests, they preach out of love +to the neighbor and to the Lord; if judges, they judge from justice +itself; if tradesmen, they deal with honesty; if they are husbands, they +love the partner with true chastity; and so on. Their life's love also +has a love of the means for vicar, which it teaches and leads to act with +prudence and clothes with garments of a zeal for both truths of doctrine +and goods of life. + +111. ( iii) _The internal cannot be purified from the lusts of evil as +long as evils in the external man are not removed, for these impede._ +This follows from what has been said above, that the external of man's +thought is in itself what the internal of his thought is and that they +cohere as what is not only in the other but also from the other; one +cannot be removed, therefore, unless the other is at the same time. This +is true of any external which is from an internal, and of anything +subsequent from what is prior, and of every effect from a cause. + +[2] As lusts together with slynesses make the internal of thought with +evil persons, and the enjoyments of the lusts together with scheming make +the external of thought in them, and the two are joined into one, it +follows that the internal cannot be purified from the lusts as long as +the evils in the external man are not removed. It should be known that +man's internal will is in the lusts; his internal understanding in the +slynesses; his external will in the enjoyments of the lusts; and his +external understanding in the sly scheming. Anyone can see that lusts and +their enjoyments make one, that slynesses and scheming also do, and that +the four are one series and as it were make a single bundle. From this +again it is evident that the internal, consisting of lusts, cannot be +cast out except on the removal of the external, consisting of evils. +Lusts produce evils by their enjoyments, and when evils are deemed +allowable, as they are when will and understanding agree on it, the +enjoyments and the evils make one. It is well known that assent is deed; +this is also what the Lord said: + +If anyone looks on the woman of another to lust after her, he has already +committed adultery with her in his heart (Mt 5:28).* + +The same is true of all other evils. + +* The Greek is simply "on a woman" and does not have the word here +rendered "of another." Though Swedenborg quotes the verse several times +in his works he seems not to have checked as he usually did beyond the +rendering of the Schmidius Latin Bible which he used. + +112. From this it may now be evident that for a person to be purified +from the lusts of evil, evils must by all means be removed from the +external man, for the lusts have no way out before. If no outlet exists, +they remain within and breathe out enjoyments and so incite man to +consent, thus to deed. Lusts enter the body by the external of thought; +when there is consent, therefore, in the external of thought they are +instantly in the body; the enjoyment felt is bodily. See in the treatise +_Divine Love and Wisdom_ (nn. 362-370) that the body, thus the whole man, +is what the mind is. This can be illustrated by comparisons, and by +examples. + +[2] By _comparisons:_ lusts with their enjoyments can be compared to a +fire which blazes the more, the more it is nursed; the freer its way the +more widely it spreads until in a city it consumes houses and in a woods +the trees. In the Word, moreover, lusts are compared to fire, and the +evils from them to a conflagration. The lusts of evil with their +enjoyments also appear as fires in the spiritual world; hellfire is +nothing else. Lusts may also be compared to floods and inundations as +dikes or dams give way. They may also be likened to gangrene and +abscesses which bring death to the body as they run their course or are +not healed. + +[3] By _examples:_ it is obvious that when evils are not removed in the +external man, the lusts with their enjoyments grow and flourish. The more +he steals the more a thief lusts to steal until he cannot stop; so with a +defrauder, the more he defrauds; it is the same with hatred and +vengeance, luxury and intemperance, whoredom and blasphemy. It is +notorious that the love of ruling from the love of self increases when +left unbridled; so also the love of possessing things from love of the +world; they seem to have no limit or end. Plain it is then that so far as +evils are not removed in the external man, lusts for them intensify; also +that in the degree that evils are given free rein, the lusts increase. + +113. A person does not see the lusts of his evil; he sees their +enjoyments, to be sure, but still he reflects little on them, for they +divert thought and drive off reflection. Unless he learned from elsewhere +that they are evils he would call them goods and give them expression +freely according to his thought's reasoning; doing so, he appropriates +them to himself. So far as he confirms them as allowable he enlarges the +court of his ruling love, which is his life's love. Lusts constitute its +court, being its ministers and retinue, as it were, by which it governs +the exteriors of its realm. But such as is the king, such are the +ministers and retinue, and such is the kingdom. If the king is diabolic, +his ministers and the retinue are insanities, and the people of his realm +are falsities of every kind. The ministers (who are called wise although +they are insane) cause these falsities to appear as truths by reasonings +from fallacies and by fantasies and cause them to be acknowledged as +truths. Can such a state in a man be changed except by the evils being +removed in the external man? Then the lusts which cling to the evils are +also removed. Otherwise no outlet offers for the lusts; they are shut in +like a besieged city or like an indurated ulcer. + +114. (iv) _Only with man's participation can evils in the external man be +removed by the Lord._ In all Christian churches it is an accepted point +of doctrine that before coming to the Holy Communion a person should +examine himself, see and confess his sins, and do penitence, desisting +from his sins and rejecting them because they are from the devil; and +that otherwise the sins are not forgiven him and he is damned. The +English, despite the fact that they are in the doctrine of faith alone, +nevertheless in the exhortation to the Holy Communion openly teach +self-examination, acknowledgment, confession of sins, penitence and +renewal of life, and warn those who do not do these things with the words +that otherwise the devil will enter into them as he did into Judas, fill +them with all iniquity, and destroy both body and soul. Germans, Swedes +and Danes, who are also in the doctrine of faith alone, teach the same in +the exhortation to the Holy Communion, also warning that otherwise the +communicants will make themselves liable to infernal punishments and +eternal damnation for mixing sacred and profane together. These words are +read out by the priest in a deep voice to all who are about to observe +the Holy Supper, and are listened to by them in full acknowledgment that +they are true. + +[2] Nevertheless, after hearing a sermon on the same day about faith +alone and to the effect that the law does not condemn them because the +Lord has fulfilled it for them, and that of themselves they cannot do any +good which is not self-righteous and thus that one's works have nothing +saving in them, only faith alone has, these same persons return home +completely forgetting their earlier confession and rejecting it so far as +they think along the lines of the sermon. But which is true, the latter +or the former? Contrary to each other, both cannot be true. Which is? +That there can be no forgiveness of sins, thus no salvation but only +eternal damnation, apart from self-examination, the knowledge and +acknowledgment, confession and breaking off of sins, that is, apart from +repentance? Or that such things effect nothing towards salvation inasmuch +as full satisfaction for all the sins of men has been made by the Lord +through the passion of the cross for those who have faith, and that those +in faith alone with trust that it is so and with confidence in the +imputation of the Lord's merit, are sinless and appear before God like +men with shining faces for having washed? + +[3] It is plain from this that the religion common to all churches in +Christendom is that one shall examine himself, see and acknowledge his +sins and then desist from them, and that otherwise there is no salvation, +but damnation. This, moreover, is divine truth itself, as is plain from +passages in the Word in which man is bidden to do penitence, as from the +following: + +John said, Do . . . fruits worthy of repentance . . . this moment the axe +is at the root of the tree; every tree not giving good fruit will be cut +down and cast into the fire (Lu 3:8, 9). + +Jesus said, Unless you do repentance, you shall all . . . perish +(Lu 13:3,5). + +Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom of God; . . . do repentance, and +believe the gospel (Mk 1:14, 15). + +Jesus sent out the disciples who on going out were to preach that men +should repent (Mk 6:12). + +Jesus told the apostles that they were to preach repentance and the +remission of sins to all peoples (Lu 24:27). + +John preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins (Mk +1:4; Lu 3:3). + +Think about this also with some degree of understanding; if you have +religion, you will see that repentance of one's sins is the way to +heaven, that faith apart from repentance is not faith, and that those in +no faith for lack of repenting are in the way to hell. + +115. Those in faith severed from charity who have confirmed themselves in +it by Paul's saying to the Romans that a man is justified by faith +without the works of the law (3:28) worship that saying quite like men +who worship the sun. They become like those who fix their gaze steadily +on the sun with the result that the blurred vision sees nothing in normal +light. For they fail to see what is meant in the passage by "works of the +law," namely, the rituals described by Moses in his books, called "law" +in them everywhere, and not the precepts of the Decalog. Lest it be +thought these are meant, Paul explains, saying at that point, + +Do we not then make the law void through faith? Far from it, rather we +establish the law (verse 31 of the same chapter). + +Those who have confirmed themselves by that saying in faith severed from +charity, looking on it as on the sun, do not see the passages in which +Paul lists the laws of faith and that these are the very works of +charity. What indeed is faith without its laws? Nor do they see the +passages in which he lists evil works, declaring that those who do them +cannot enter heaven. What blindness has been brought about by this one +passage badly understood! + +116. Evils in the external man cannot be removed without man's +cooperation for the reason that it is by divine providence that whatever +a man hears, sees, thinks, wills, speaks and does shall seem to him to be +his own doing. Apart from that appearance (as was shown above, nn. 71-95 +ff.) there would be no reception of divine truth on man's part, nor +determination to do what is good, nor any appropriation of love and +wisdom or of charity and faith, hence no conjunction with the Lord, no +reformation therefore or regeneration, and thus no salvation. Without +that appearance, repentance for sins would clearly be impossible and in +fact faith would; without that appearance, likewise, man is not man but +is devoid of rational life like the beasts. Let him who will, consult his +reason whether it appears otherwise than that man thinks from himself +about good and truth, spiritual as well as moral and civil; then accept +the doctrine that all good and truth are from the Lord and none from man. +Must he not then acknowledge as a consequence that man is to do good and +think truth of himself, yet always acknowledge that these are from the +Lord? And acknowledge further that man is to remove evils of himself, but +still acknowledge that he does so from the Lord? + +117. Many are unaware that they are in evils since they do not do them +outwardly, fearing the civil law and the loss of reputation. Thus by +custom and habit they practice to avoid evils as detrimental to their +standing and interests. But if they do not shun evils on religious +principle, because they are sins and against God, the lusts of evil with +their enjoyments remain in them like impure waters stopped up or +stagnant. Let them probe their thoughts and intentions and they will come +on the lusts provided they know what sins are. + +[2] Many such, who have confirmed themselves in faith separated from +charity and who believe that the law does not condemn, pay no attention +to sins. Some doubt there are sins, or if so, that they exist in God's +sight, having been pardoned. Such also are natural moralists, who believe +that civil and moral life with its prudence accomplishes all things and +divine providence nothing. Such are those, also, who strive with great +care after a reputation and a name for honesty and sincerity for the sake +of standing and preferment. But those who are such and who at the same +time have spurned religion become lustful spirits after death, appearing +to themselves like men indeed, but to others at a distance like _priapi;_ +and they see in the dark and not at all in the light, like night-owls. + +118. Proposition v, that _a man ought to remove evils from the external +man of himself,_ is substantiated then. Further explanation may be seen +in _Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem_ under three propositions: 1. +No one can flee evils as sins so as to be averse to them inwardly except +by combats against them (nn. 92-100); 2. A man ought to shun evils as +sins and fight against them as of himself (nn. 101-107); and 3. If he +shuns evils for any other reason than that they are sins, he does not +shun them, but only keeps them from appearing to the world. + +119. (vi) _The Lord then purifies man from the lusts of evil in the +internal man and from the evils themselves in the external._ The Lord +purifies man from the lusts of evil only when man as of himself removes +the evils because He cannot do so before. For the evils are in the +external man and the lusts in the internal man, and they cling together +like roots and a trunk. Unless the evils are removed, therefore, no +outlet offers; they block the way and shut the door, which the Lord can +open only with a man's participation, as was shown just above. When the +man as of himself opens the door, the Lord then roots out the lusts. + +[2] A second reason why the Lord cannot do so sooner is that He acts upon +man's inmost and by that on all that follows even to outmosts where man +himself is. While outmosts, therefore, are kept closed by man, no +purification can take place, but only that activity of the Lord in +interiors which is His activity in hell, of which the man who is in lusts +and at the same time in evils is a form--an activity which is solely +provision lest one thing destroy another and lest good and truth be +violated. It is plain from words of the Lord in the Apocalypse that He +constantly urges and prompts man to open the door to Him: + +Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if anyone hears my voice and +opens the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with Me +(3:20). + +120. Man knows nothing at all of the interior state of his mind or +internal man, yet infinite things are there, not one of which comes to +his knowledge. His internal of thought or internal man is his very +spirit, and in it are things as infinite and innumerable as there are in +his body, in fact, more numerous. For his spirit is man in its form, and +all things in it correspond to all things of his body. Now, just as man +knows nothing by any sensation about how his mind or soul operates on all +things of the body as a whole or severally, so he does not know, either, +how the Lord works on all things of his mind or soul, that is, of his +spirit. The divine activity is unceasing; man has no part in it; still +the Lord cannot purify a man from any lust of evil in his spirit or +internal man as long as the man keeps the external closed. Man keeps his +external closed by evils, each of which seems to him to be a single +entity, although in each are infinite things. When a man removes what +seems a single thing, the Lord removes infinite things in it. So much is +implied in the Lord's purifying man from the lusts of evil in the +internal man and from the evils themselves in the external. + +121. Many believe that a person is purified from evils merely by +believing what the church teaches; some, by doing good; others by +knowing, speaking and teaching what is of the church; others by reading +the Word and books of devotion; others by going to church, hearing +sermons and especially by observing the Holy Supper; still others, by +renouncing the world and devoting oneself to piety; others still by +confessing oneself guilty of all sins; and so on. And yet none of these +things purifies man at all unless he examines himself, sees his sins, +acknowledges them, condemns himself on account of them, and repents by +desisting from them, and does all this as of himself, yet with the +acknowledgment in heart that he does so from the Lord. + +[2] Until this is done, the things mentioned above do not avail, being +either self-righteous or hypocritical. Such persons appear to the angels +in heaven either like pretty courtesans smelling badly of their +corruption, or like unsightly women painted to appear handsome, or like +masked clowns and mimics in the theater, or like apes in men's clothes. +But when evils have been removed, then all that has just been mentioned +becomes the expression of love in such persons, and they appear as +beautiful human beings to the sight of the angels in heaven and as +partners and companions of theirs. + +122. But it should be rightly known that in repenting a man ought to look +to the Lord alone. He cannot be purified if he looks to God the Father +alone, or to the Father for the sake of the Son, or to the Son as a man +only. For there is one God and the Lord is He, for His Divine and Human +is one Person, as we have shown in _Doctrine of the New Jerusalem about +the Lord._ In order that the intending penitent may look to Him alone, +the Lord instituted the Holy Supper, which confirms the remission of sins +in those who repent, and does so because everyone is kept looking to the +Lord alone in it. + +123. (vii) _The perpetual effort of the Lord in His divine providence is +to conjoin man with Himself and Himself with man, in order to be able to +bestow the felicities of eternal life on him, which can be done only so +far as evils with their lusts have been removed._ It was shown above +(nn. 27-45) that it is the unceasing effort of the Lord in His divine +providence to conjoin man to Himself and Himself to man; that this +conjunction is what is called reformation and regeneration; and that by +it man has salvation. Who does not see that conjunction with God is life +eternal and salvation? Everyone sees this who believes that men by +creation are images and likenesses of God (Ge 1:26, 27) and +who knows what an image and likeness of God is. [2] What man of sound +reason, thinking from his rationality and wanting to think in freedom, +can believe that there are three Gods equal in essence and that divine +being or essence can be divided? One can conceive and comprehend a Trine +in the one God, however, just as soul, body and outgoing life in angel +and man are comprehensible. As this Trine in One exists only in the Lord, +conjunction must be with Him. Use your power of reason together with your +liberty of thought, and you will see this truth in its own light; but +admit first that God is, and heaven, and eternal life. + +[3] As, then, God is one, and the human being was made by creation an +image and likeness of Him, and inasmuch as by infernal love and its lusts +and enjoyments man has come into a love of all evils and thus destroyed +the image and likeness of God in him, it follows that it is the +continuous effort of the Lord's divine providence to conjoin man to +Himself and Himself to man and thus make him an image of Himself. It also +follows that this is to the end that the Lord may be able to bestow on +him the felicities of eternal life, for such is divine love. + +[4] He cannot bestow them, however, nor make man an image of Himself, +unless man removes sins in the external man as of himself, because the +Lord is not only divine love but also divine wisdom, and divine love does +nothing except by its divine wisdom and in consonance with it. It is +according to divine wisdom that man cannot be conjoined to the Lord and +thus reformed, regenerated and saved unless he is allowed to act in +freedom according to reason, for so man is man. Whatever is according to +the Lord's divine wisdom is also of His divine providence. + +124. To this let me append two arcana of angelic wisdom showing further +what divine providence is like. One is that the Lord never acts on one +thing by itself in man, but on all things at the same time, and the +other is that He acts at once from inmosts and outmosts. He never acts +on some one thing by itself but on all things together because all +things in man are in such connection and from this in such form that +they act not as a number but as one. We know that there is such +connectedness and by it such organization in man's body. The human mind +is in similar form as a result of the connection of all things, for the +mind is the spiritual man and truly the man. Hence man's spirit or the +mind in the body in its entire form is man. Consequently man is man +after death equally as he was in the world with the sole difference that +he has thrown off the clothing which made up his body in the world. + +[2] As the human form, then, is such that all its parts form a community +which acts as a whole, some one thing cannot be moved out of place or +altered in state except with adaptation of the rest, for if it were, the +form which acts as a whole would suffer. Hence it is plain that the Lord +never acts on any one thing without acting on all. So He acts on the +total angelic heaven since in His view it is like one man; so He acts on +each angel, for each angel is heaven in least form; so He acts also on +each man, most nearly on all things of man's mind and by these on all +things of his body; for man's mind is his spirit and in the measure of +conjunction with the Lord is an angel, and the body is obedience. + +[3] It is to be well noted, however, that the Lord does act on each +particular thing in man singly, singularly so, when acting on all things +in man's organization; even so He does not alter the state of any part or +of any one thing except suitably to the whole form. But more will be said +of this in following numbers where we shall show that divine providence +is general because it extends to particulars, and particular because it +is general. + +[4] The Lord acts from inmosts and outmosts at the same time because only +in this way are all things held in connection, for the intermediate +things depend one upon another from inmosts to outmosts and are assembled +in outmosts (it was shown in Part III of the treatise _Divine Love and +Wisdom_ that all things from the inmost onward are present simultaneously +in what is outmost ). For this reason the Lord from eternity or Jehovah +came into the world and assumed and bore human nature in outmosts. He +could thus be at once from firsts in lasts, and from firsts by lasts +govern the whole world and so save whom He could save according to the +laws of His divine providence, which are also the laws of His divine +wisdom. For it is true, as Christendom knows, that no mortal could have +been saved had the Lord not come into the world (see _Doctrine for the +New Jerusalem on Faith,_ n. 35). For the same reason the Lord is called +"The First and the Last." + +125. These angelic arcana have been premised in order that it may be +comprehended how the Lord's divine providence operates to unite man to +Him and Himself to man. It does not act upon a particular thing by itself +in man, but on all things together and from man's inmost and outmosts +simultaneously. Man's inmost is his life's love; the outmosts are in the +external of thought; what is intermediate is in the internal of thought +(what external and internal are like with the wicked was shown earlier); +from which it is plain again that the Lord cannot act by inmosts and +outmosts simultaneously except together with man, for in the outmosts man +and the Lord are together. Wherefore, as the man acts in outmosts, which +are in his determination, being within the range of his freedom, so the +Lord acts from man's inmosts and in what follows from them to the +outmosts. Man does not know at all what is in the inmosts and in what +follows to the outmosts, therefore is unaware of how the Lord acts there +or what He effects there. But as all these things cohere as one with the +outmosts, man does not need to know more than that he should shun evils +as sins and look to the Lord. Only so can his life's love, which by birth +is infernal, be removed by the Lord and a heavenly life's love be +implanted in its place. + +126. When a heavenly life's love has been implanted by the Lord in place +of an infernal life's love, affections of good and truth are implanted in +place of lusts of evil and falsity; enjoyments of affections of good are +implanted instead of enjoyments of lusts of evil and falsity, and goods +of heavenly love in place of evils of infernal love; prudence is +implanted in place of cunning, wise thinking in place of malevolent. So a +man is born again and becomes a new man. What goods replace evils you may +see in _Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem,_ nn. 67-73, 74-79, 80-86, +87-91; likewise that so far as man shuns and is averse to evils as sins +so far he loves truths of wisdom, nn. 32-41, and has faith and is +spiritual, nn. 42-52. + +127. From the exhortations read aloud in all Christian churches before +Holy Communion we showed that it is the common religion of all +Christendom that a man should examine himself, see his sins, avow them, +confess them before God, and desist from them; and that this is +repentance, remission of sins and hence salvation. This is also evident +from the Creed named after Athanasius and received throughout Christendom +which concludes with the words: + +The Lord will come to judge the living and the dead; at whose coming +those who have done good will enter into life eternal, and those who have +done evil, into everlasting fire. + +128. Who does not know from the Word that everyone is allotted a life +after death according to his deeds? Open the Word, read it, and you will +see this clearly, but the while remove the thoughts from faith and +justification by faith alone. The few passages following are testimony +that the Lord teaches so everywhere in His Word: + +Every tree which does not yield good fruit shall be cut down and cast +into the fire. By their fruits therefore shall you know them (Mt 7:19, +20). + +Many will say to Me in that day, Lord . . . have we not prophesied in +your name, . . . and in your name done many mighty things? But I shall +confess to them then, I know you not, depart from Me, you who work +iniquity (Mt 7:22, 23). + +Everyone who hears my words and does them I shall liken to a prudent man +who built a house on a rock: . . . but everyone who hears my words but +does not do them shall be likened to a foolish man who built his house on +the ground without a foundation (Mt 7:24, 26; Lu 6:46-49). + +[2] The Son of man will come in the glory of His Father .. . and render +then to everyone according to his deeds (Mt 16:27). + +The kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and given to a people +bringing forth its fruits (Mt 21:43). + +Jesus said, These are My mother and brothers who hear the Word of God and +do it (Lu 8:21). + +Then shall you begin to stand . . . and knock at the door, saying, Lord, +. . . open to us, but replying He will say to them, I know not whence you +are; depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity (Lu 13:25-27). + +Those who have done good shall go out into the resurrection of life, but +those who have done evil into the resurrection of judgment (Jn 5:29). + +[3] We know . . . that God does not hear sinners, but if a man worships +God and does His will, him He hears (Jn 9:31). + +If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them (13:17). + +He who has My commandments and does them, he it is who loves Me, ... and +I will love him, . . . and I will come to him, and make an abode with him +(14:15, 21-24). + +You are My friends, if you do whatsoever I command you... . I have chosen +you . . . that you may bear fruit and that your fruit may remain (15:14, +16). + +[4] The Lord said to John, Write to the angel of the Ephesian church, I +know your works: . . . I have against you that you have left an earlier +charity; . . . repent, and do the former works; else . . . I shall remove +your candlestick from its place (Apoc 2:1, 2, 4, 5). + +To the angel of the church of the Smyrneans write, I know your works +(2:8, 9). + +To the angel of the church in Pergamos write, . . . I know your works, +repent (2:12, 13, 16). + +To the angel of the church in Thyatira write, . . . I know your works and +charity, . . . and your later works are more than the first (2:18, 19). + +To the angel of the church in Sardis write, . . . I know your works, that +you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead; . . . I have not +found your works perfect before God; . . . repent (3:1-3). + +To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, I know your works (3:7, +8). + +To the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, I know your works; +. . . repent (3:14, 15, 19). + +I heard a voice from heaven saying, Write, blessed are the dead who die +in the Lord from now on; ... their works follow them (14:13). + +A book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged, +... all according to their works (20:12, 13). + +Lo, I come quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone +according to his work (22:12). + +These are passages in the New Testament; + +[5] there are still more in the Old, from which I shall quote only this +one: + +Stand in the gate . . . of Jehovah, and proclaim this word there: Thus +says Jehovah Zebaoth the God of Israel, Make your ways good, and your +works; . . . put not your trust in lying words, saying, The temple, the +temple, the temple of Jehovah is this. . . . Thieving and killing and +committing adultery and swearing falsely . . . will you then come to +stand before Me in this house which is called by My name and say, We are +delivered? When you do those abominable things? Has not this house been +made a den of robbers? Even I, lo, I have seen it, is the word of Jehovah +(Je 7:2-4, 9-11). + +VII. IT IS A LAW OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE THAT MAN SHALL NOT BE COMPELLED BY +EXTERNAL MEANS TO THINK AND WILL, THUS TO BELIEVE AND LOVE WHAT PERTAINS +TO RELIGION, BUT BRING HIMSELF AND AT TIMES COMPEL HIMSELF TO DO SO + +129. This law of divine providence follows from the preceding two, +namely: man is to act in freedom according to reason (nn. 71-99); and is +to do this of himself and yet from the Lord, thus as of himself (nn. +100-128). Inasmuch as being compelled is not to act in freedom according +to reason and also not to act of oneself, but to act from what is not +freedom and from someone else, this law of divine providence follows in +due order on the first two. Everyone knows that no one can be forced to +think what he is unwilling to think or to will what he decides not to +will, thus to believe what he does not believe, least of all what he +wills not to believe, or to love what he does not love and still less +what he wills not to love. For the spirit or mind of man enjoys complete +freedom in thinking, willing, believing and loving. It does so by influx +which is not coercive from the spiritual world (for the human spirit or +mind is in that world); and not by influx from the natural world, +received only when the two agree. + +[2] A man can be driven to say that he thinks and wills, believes and +loves what is religious, but if this is not a matter of his affection and +reasoning or does not become so, he does not think, will, believe or love +it. A man may also be compelled to speak in favor of religion and to act +according to it, but he cannot be compelled to think in its favor from +any faith or to will in its favor out of love for it. In countries in +which justice and judgment are guarded, one is indeed compelled not to +speak or act against religion, but still no one can be compelled to think +and will in its favor. For everyone has freedom to think and to will +along with, and in favor of, hell or along with, and in favor of, heaven. +Reason, however, teaches what either course is like and what lot awaits +it, and by reason the will has the choice and decision. + +[3] Plainly, then, what is external cannot coerce what is internal; +nevertheless it happens sometimes, but that it works harm will be shown +in this order: + +i. No one is reformed by miracles and signs, for they coerce. +ii. No one is reformed by visions and communication with the dead, for +they coerce. +iii. No one is reformed by threats and penalties, as these coerce. +iv. No one is reformed in states of no rationality or no freedom. +v. Self-compulsion is not contrary to rationality and freedom. +vi. The external man is to be reformed through the internal, and not the +other way about. + +130. (i) _No one is reformed by miracles and signs, for they coerce._ We +have shown above that man has an internal and an external of thought, and +that the Lord acts into the external by the internal in man and so +teaches and leads him; also that it is of the Lord's divine providence +that man is to act in freedom according to reason. Either action would +perish in man if miracles were done and he were driven by them to +believe. That this is so can be seen rationally in this way: undeniably +miracles induce belief and powerfully persuade a person that what the +miracle-doer says and teaches is true, and at first this engages man's +external of thought, virtually holding it spellbound. But one is deprived +by this of the two faculties called rationality and liberty, thus cannot +act in freedom according to reason, nor can the Lord then inflow into the +external of man's thought through the internal save only to leave man to +confirm from his rationality what has been made a matter of his belief by +the miracle. + +[2] The state of man's thought is such that from the internal of thought +he can see a piece in the external of his thought as in a mirror--for as +was said above, one can behold one's own thought, which is possible only +from more interior thought. Beholding the item as in a mirror he can turn +it this way and that and shape it to look attractive to him. If there is +truth in it, it may be likened to an attractive and animated maiden or +youth. But if a man cannot turn it this way and that and shape it, but +only believe it persuaded of it by a miracle, then if there is truth in +it, it may be likened to a maiden or youth carved in stone or wood, in +which is nothing alive. It may also be compared to an object which is +constantly in view and looked at alone, keeps one from seeing what is to +either side and behind it. It can also be compared to a continual sound +in the ear, which does away with perceiving the harmony of many sounds. +Such are the blindness and deafness induced on the mind by miracles. It +is the same with anything confirmed but not regarded from rationality +before it is confirmed. + +131. Plain it is from this that a faith induced by miracles is not faith, +but persuasion. For it has nothing rational in it, still less anything +spiritual, as it is only external without an internal. This is true of +everything a man does from such persuasive faith, whether he is +acknowledging God, worshiping Him at home or in church, or doing good +deeds. When only a miracle leads a person to acknowledgment of God and to +adoration and piety, he acts from the natural and not the spiritual man. +For a miracle infuses belief by an external and not an internal way, thus +from the world and not from heaven. The Lord enters man by an internal +way, by the Word and by doctrine and preaching from it. As miracles close +this way, no miracles are done today. + +132. That miracles are of this nature can be clearly established from +those performed in the presence of the people of Judah and Israel. +Although they beheld many miracles in the land of Egypt and later at the +Red Sea and others in the Wilderness and particularly on Mt. Sinai when +the Law was promulgated, nevertheless, in a month's time while Moses +tarried on that mountain, they made themselves a golden calf and hailed +it as Jehovah who had led them out of the land of Egypt (Ex 32:4-6). +Again, it is plain from the miracles done later in the land of Canaan; +nevertheless the people fell away time and again from the prescribed +worship. It is equally plain from the miracles which the Lord did before +their eyes when He was in the world; yet they crucified Him. + +[2] Miracles were done among the Jews and Israelites because they were +altogether external men and had been brought into the land of Canaan +merely to represent a church and its eternal verities by the +externalities of worship--something a bad man as well as a good man can +do. For the externals are rituals which with that people signified +spiritual and celestial things. Indeed Aaron, although he made the golden +calf and ordered worship of it (Ex 32:2-5, 35 ), could still represent +the Lord and His work of salvation. As the people could not be brought by +the internal things of worship to represent them, they were brought to do +so by miracles--in fact, were driven and forced to it. + +[3] They could not be led by internals of worship because they did not +acknowledge the Lord although the entire Word which they had treats of +Him alone. One who does not acknowledge the Lord cannot receive anything +internal in worship. But miracles ceased after the Lord had manifested +Himself and was received and acknowledged as eternal God in the churches. + +133. The effect of miracles on the good and on the evil differs, however. +The good do not desire miracles, but believe those in the Word. If they +hear of some miracle, they regard it only as a slight indication +confirming their faith; for they draw their thought from the Word and +thus from the Lord, and not from a miracle. It is different with the +evil. They can be driven and compelled, of course, to belief, to worship, +too, and to piety, but only for a little while. For their evils are +enclosed, and the lusts of those evils and the enjoyments of the lusts +continually press against the outward worship and piety; and in order +that the evils may come out of their confinement and burst forth, the +wicked ponder the miracle, finally call it ridiculous and a ruse or a +natural phenomenon, and so return to their evils. One who returns to his +evils after having worshiped profanes the truths and goods of worship, +and the lot of profaners after death is the worst of all fates. They are +meant by the Lord's words in Matthew (12:43-45) about those whose last +state is worse than the first. Besides, if miracles were to be done for +those who have no faith from the miracles in the Word, they would have to +be done constantly and before their eyes. It may be plain from all this +why miracles are not done at this day. + +134. (ii) No one is reformed by visions or by communication with the +dead, for they coerce. Visions are of two kinds, divine and diabolic. +Divine visions are effected by representations in heaven; diabolic by +magic in hell. There are also phantasmal visions, which are illusions of +an estranged mind. Divine visions, produced as we said by representative +things in heaven, are such as the prophets had who at the time were not +in the body but in the spirit, for visions cannot appear to anyone in +bodily wakefulness. When these came to the prophets, therefore, it is +remarked that they were "in the spirit," as is plain from the following: + +Ezekiel said, The Spirit picked me up and carried me to Chaldea to the +captivity in a vision of God, in the spirit of God; so the vision rose +over me which I saw (11:1, 24). + +Again that the Spirit bore him between earth and heaven and brought him +to Jerusalem in visions of God (8:3, 4). + +He was likewise in visions of God or in the spirit when he saw four +beasts which were cherubim (1 and 10). + +So, too, when he saw a new temple and a new earth, and an angel measuring +them (40-48 ). + +That he was in "visions of God" then, he says at 40:2, 26, and that he +was "in the spirit" at 43:5. + +[2] Zechariah was in a similar state when he saw + +a horseman among myrtle trees (1:8 ff) + +four horns (1:18) and a man with a measuring line in his hand (2:1-3 ff ) + +a candlestick and two olive trees (4:1 ff) + +a flying roll and an ephah (5:1, 6) + +four chariots coming out between two mountains, and horses (8:1 ff). + +In a like state was Daniel when he saw + +four beasts coming up from the sea (7:1 ff ) + +a combat between a ram and a he-goat (8:1 ff). + +That he saw these things "in the vision of his spirit" is stated at 7:1, +2, 7, 13; 8:2; 10:1, 7, 8, and that the angel Gabriel was seen by him in +a "vision" at 9:21. + +[3] John was also in the vision of the spirit when he beheld what he has +described in the Apocalypse, as when he saw + +seven candlesticks and the Son of man in the midst of them (1:12-16) + +a throne in heaven, and One sitting on the throne, and around it four +beasts, which were cherubim (4) + +the book of life taken by the Lamb (5) + +horses coming out from the book (6) + +seven angels with trumpets (8) + +the pit of the abyss opened, and locusts coming out a dragon, and its +battle with Michael (12) + +two beasts, rising, one from the sea and the other from the land (13) + +a woman seated on a scarlet beast (17) + +Babylon destroyed (18) + +a white horse, and One seated on it (19) + +a new heaven and a new earth, and the holy Jerusalem descending from +heaven (21) + +the river of the water of life (22). + +That he saw these "in the vision of the spirit" is said 1:10; 4:2; 5:1; +6:1; 21:1, 2. + +[4] Such were the visions which appeared from heaven to the sight of the +spirit of these men, but not to their bodily sight. Such visions do not +occur at this day because if they did, they would not be understood +inasmuch as they are produced by representations the details of which +signify internal things of the church and arcana of heaven. Daniel also +foretold (9:24) that they would cease when the Lord came into the world. + +Diabolic visions, however, have occurred at times, incited by fanatical +and visionary spirits who in their delirium called themselves the Holy +Spirit. But those spirits have now been gathered together by the Lord and +cast into a hell separate from the hells of others. There are also +phantasmal visions which are merely the illusions of an estranged mind. + +All this makes clear that no one can be reformed by any visions other +than those in the Word. + +134 r. The fact that no one is reformed by communication with the dead is +plain from the Lord's words about the rich man in hell and Lazarus in +Abraham's bosom. + +For the rich man said, I ask you, father Abraham, to send Lazarus to my +father's house, for I have five brothers, to testify to them lest they +also come into this place of torment. Abraham said to him, They have +Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. But he said, No, father +Abraham, but if some one will go to them from the dead, they will repent. +He replied, If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, they will not be +persuaded either if one should arise from the dead (Lu 16:27-31). + +Communication with the dead would have the same result as miracles (of +which just above), namely, that a man would be influenced and driven into +worship for a short time. But as this deprives a man of rationality and +at the same time shuts his evils in, as was said above, the captivation +or the inward bond is undone, and the imprisoned evils break out, with +blasphemy and profanation; this last occurs, however, only when spirits +introduce something dogmatic from religion, which is never done by a good +spirit, still less by an angel of heaven. + +135. Nevertheless, speech with spirits--rarely with angels of heaven--is +possible and has been granted to many for ages. When it is granted, +spirits speak with a man in his native tongue and briefly. And those who +speak with the Lord's permission never say anything that takes away the +freedom of the reason, nor do they instruct, for the Lord alone teaches +man, doing so by means of the Word to the man's enlightenment (of this in +numbers to come). I have been given to know this in my own experience. I +have spoken with spirits and angels for many years now. No spirit has +dared and no angel has wished to tell me, still less to instruct me, +about things in the Word or about any of its doctrine. The Lord alone has +taught me, who revealed Himself to me and afterwards continued to appear +to me as He does now, as the Sun in which He is, as He appears to the +angels, and He has enlightened me. + +136. (iii) _No one is reformed by threats or penalties, as these coerce._ +It is known that the external cannot compel the internal, but the +internal can compel the external; also that the internal refuses to be +coerced by the external and turns away. It is likewise known that +external enjoyments entice the assent and love of the internal; and it +may also be known that there is a forced internal and a free internal. +But all this, though known, needs to be lighted up, for much on being +heard is perceived at once to be so, because it is truth and hence is +affirmed, but if it is not confirmed by reasons, it can be weakened by +arguments from fallacies and finally denied. What we have said is known, +is therefore to be taken up afresh and established rationally. + +[2] First: _The external cannot compel the internal, but the internal can +compel the external._ Who can be forced to believe or love? One can no +more be compelled to believe than he can be compelled to think that +something is so when he thinks it is not so, or to love than to will +something that he does not will; belief attaches to thought, and love to +the will. The internal can be compelled, however, by what is external not +to speak improperly against the laws of a kingdom, the morals of life or +the sanctities of the church. The internal can be compelled to this by +threats and penalties and is compelled and should be. But this is not the +specifically human internal, but one which the human being shares with +beasts; they can also be compelled. The human internal resides above this +animal internal. Here the human internal which cannot be coerced is +meant. + +[3] Second: _The internal refuses to be coerced by the external and turns +away._ The reason is that the internal wills to be in freedom and loves +freedom. For, as was shown, freedom attaches to man's love and life. When +the internal feels it is being subjected to compulsion, therefore, it +withdraws as it were into itself, averts itself, and regards the +compulsion as its enemy. For the love which makes man's life is irritated +and causes him to think that he is then not himself and has no life of +his own. The internal of the human being is of this nature by the law of +the Lord's divine providence that he shall act from freedom in accord +with reason. + +[4] Plainly, then, it does harm to compel men to divine worship by +threats and penalties. Some permit themselves to be forced to religion, +some do not. Many who do are adherents of Catholicism; but this is the +case with those in whom there is nothing internal in worship, but all is +external. Among those who do not allow themselves to be coerced are many +of the English nation, and as a result there is what is internal in their +worship and what is external is from the internal. Their interiors in +respect to religion appear in the light of the spiritual world like +bright clouds, but those of the former like dark clouds. The one and the +other appearance is to be seen in that world, and one who wishes may see +it when he enters that world on death. Furthermore, enforced worship +shuts one's evils in, which are hidden then like fire in wood under ashes +which keeps stirring and spreading until it bursts into flame. But +worship, not enforced but spontaneous, does not shut evils in; these are +therefore like a fire that flares up and goes out. Thence it is plain +that the internal refuses to be forced by the external and turns away. +The internal can compel the external because it is like a master and the +external like a servant. + +[5] Third: _External enjoyments entice assent and love from the +internal._ Enjoyments are of two kinds, of the understanding or of the +will. Enjoyments of the understanding are also enjoyments of wisdom, and +those of the will also enjoyments of love; for wisdom belongs to the +understanding and love to the will. Enjoyments of the body or of the +senses, which are external pleasures, act as one with the internal +enjoyments, which are enjoyments of the understanding and the will. +Therefore, just as the internal is so averse to compulsion by the +external as to turn away, it looks so kindly on enjoyment in the external +that it turns to it. Assent follows on the part of the understanding, and +love on the part of the will. + +[6] In the spiritual world all children are introduced by the Lord into +angelic wisdom and through this into heavenly love by delightful and +charming means, first by pretty things in the home and the charms of a +garden; then by representations of spiritual things affecting the +interiors of their minds with pleasure; and finally by truths of wisdom +and goods of love. Thus they are steadily led by enjoyments in due order, +first by the enjoyments of a love of the understanding and of its wisdom, +and then by the enjoyments of the love of the will which is their life's +love, to which all else that has entered through enjoyment is kept +subordinate. + +[7] This is done because the will and understanding must all be formed by +what is external before they are formed by what is internal, for they are +formed first by what enters by the physical senses, chiefly the sight and +the hearing; then when a first will and understanding have been formed, +the internal of thought regards them as the externals of its thinking, +and either joins itself to them or separates itself from them, as they +are or are not enjoyable to it. + +[8] It should be well understood, however, that the internal of the +understanding does not unite itself to the internal of the will, but it +is the latter that unites itself to the former and causes reciprocal +union. This is done by the internal of the will, not at all by the +internal of the understanding. Hence it is that man cannot be reformed by +faith alone, but by the love of the will which makes a faith for itself. + +[9] Fourth: _There is a forced internal and a free one._ A forced +internal is found in those who are in external worship only and in none +that is internal. Their internal consists of thinking and willing what +the external is coerced to. Such are persons who worship living or dead +men or idols, or who rest their faith on miracles. No internal is +possible with them which is not at the same time external. And yet a +forced internal is possible with persons in internal worship; it may be +forced by fear or compelled by love. That forced by fear is found in +those who worship for fear of the torment and fire of hell. This internal +is not the internal of thought of which we have treated, however, but an +external of thought called internal here because it partakes of thought. +The internal of thought of which we have treated cannot be forced by any +fear; it can be compelled by love and by fear of failing to love. In the +true sense fear of God is nothing else. To be compelled by love and by +the fear of failing in it is self-compulsion, and self-compulsion, it +will be seen in what follows, is not contrary to freedom and rationality. + +137. It is plain then what forced worship and unforced worship are like. +Forced worship is corporeal, inanimate, obscure and sad--corporeal because +it is of the body and not of the mind; inanimate because it has no life +in it; obscure for lack of understanding in it; and sad because it does +not have the joy of heaven in it. But worship not forced and real is +spiritual, living, seeing and joyful--spiritual, because spirit from the +Lord is in it; living, because life from Him is in it; seeing because +wisdom from Him is in it; and joyful because heaven from Him is in it. + +138. (iv) _No one is reformed in states of no liberty or rationality._ We +showed above that only what a man does in freedom according to reason is +made his. This is because freedom belongs to the will and reason to the +understanding; acting in freedom in accord with reason a man acts from +the will by the understanding and what is done in the union of the two is +appropriated. Now, since the Lord wills that a man be reformed and +regenerated in order that eternal life or the life of heaven may be his, +and none can be reformed or regenerated unless good is appropriated to +his will and truth to his understanding as if they were his, and only +that can be appropriated which is done in freedom of the will and in +accord with the reason of the understanding, no one is reformed in states +of no freedom or rationality. There are many such states, but they may be +summarized as states of fear, misfortune, mental illness, physical +disease, ignorance, and intellectual blindness. Something will be said of +each. + +139. No one is reformed in a _state of fear_ because fear takes away +freedom and reason or liberty and rationality. Love opens the mind's +interiors but fear closes them, and when they are closed man thinks +little and only what comes to the lower mind or to the senses. All fears +that assail the lower mind have this effect. + +[2] We showed above that man has an internal and an external of thought. +Fear can never invade the internal of thought; this is always in freedom, +being in a man's life-love. But it can invade the external of thought. +When it does, the internal of thought is closed and thereupon man can no +longer act in freedom in accord with his reason, nor be reformed. + +[3] The fear which invades the external of thought and closes the +internal is chiefly fear of losing standing or profit. Fear of civil +penalties or of outward ecclesiastical penalties does not close the +internal, for the laws respecting them pronounce penalties only on those +who speak and act contrary to the civil requirements of the kingdom and +the spiritual of the church, but not on those who think contrary to them. + +[4] Fear of infernal punishment invades the external of thought, to be +sure, but only for some moments, hours or days; it is soon restored to +its freedom by the internal of thought, which is man's spirit and +life-love and is called thought of the heart. + +[5] Fear of losing one's standing or wealth, however, does invade man's +external of thought, and when it does, closes the internal of thought +above to influx from heaven and makes it impossible for man to be +reformed. This is because everyone's life-love from birth is love of self +and the world, and self-love is at one with the love of position, and +love of the world with the love of wealth. When a man has position or +wealth, therefore, for fear of losing them he strengthens the means at +hand--whether civil or churchly and in either case means to power--which +serve him for position and wealth. The man who does not yet have standing +or wealth but aspires to them, does the same, but for fear he will lose +the reputation they give. + +[6] It was said that this fear seizes on the external of thought and +closes the internal above to heaven's inflowing. The internal is said to +be closed when it makes one completely with the external, as it is then +not in itself but in the external. + +[7] But as the loves of self and the world are infernal loves and the +fountain-heads of all evils, it is plain what the internal of thought in +itself is like with men in whom those loves reign and are their life's +loves, namely, that it is full of lusts of evils of every kind. + +[8] This men do not know who fear loss of place and opulence and are +strongly persuaded of their special religion, most particularly if this +promises that they may be worshiped as holy and also as governors of +hell; they can blaze, as it were, with zeal for the salvation of souls +and yet this is from infernal fire. As this fear especially takes away +rationality itself and liberty itself, which have a heavenly origin, +plainly it makes against the possibility that a man may be reformed. + +140. No one is reformed in a _state of misfortune_ if he thinks about God +and implores help only then, for it is a coerced state; wherefore, on +coming into a free state he returns to his former state when he thought +little if at all about God. It is different with those who feared God in +a state of freedom previously. For by "fearing God" is meant fearing to +offend Him, and by "offending Him" to sin, and this comes not from fear +but from love. Does not one who loves another fear to hurt him? And the +more he loves him, the more he fears hurting him? Lacking this fear, love +is insipid and superficial, of the mind only and not of the will. By +states of misfortune states of despair in danger are meant, in battles, +for example, duels, shipwreck, falls, fires, threatening or unexpected +loss of property, also of office or standing, and similar mishaps. To +think about God only then is not to think from God but from self. For +then the mind is as it were imprisoned in the body, so is not in freedom +nor possessed then of rationality, and without these reformation is +impossible. + +141. No one is reformed in _a state of mental illness_ because such +illness takes away rationality and thus the liberty of acting in accord +with reason. The whole mind is sick and not sane; the sane mind is +rational, but not a sick one. Such disorders are melancholy, a spurious +or a false conscience, fantasies of different kinds, mental grief over +misfortune, anxiety and anguish of the mind over a bodily defect. +Sometimes these are regarded as temptations, but they are not. Genuine +temptations have spiritual objects in view and in them the mind is wise, +but these states are concerned with natural objects and in them the mind +is disordered. + +142. No one is reformed in _a state of bodily sickness_ because his +reason is not then in a state of freedom; the state of the mind depends +on that of the body. When the body is sick, the mind is also, if for no +other reason because it is withdrawn from the world. Withdrawn from the +world it thinks indeed about God but not from Him, for it is not +possessed of freedom of the reason. Man has this freedom in being midway +between heaven and the world, thus can think from heaven and from the +world, likewise from heaven about the world and from the world about +heaven. So when he is ill and thinks about death and the state of his +soul after death, he is not in the world but is withdrawn in spirit. In +this state by itself no one can be reformed, but he can be strengthened +in it if he was reforming before he fell ill. + +[2] It is similar with those who renounce the world and all occupation in +it and give themselves only to thoughts about God, heaven and salvation; +on this further elsewhere. If those of whom we were speaking have not +been reformed before their illness, then if they die they become such as +they were before their illness. It is vain, therefore, to suppose that +one can repent or receive some faith in illness; for no deed accompanies +the repentance, and there is no charity in the faith; each is oral only +and not at all from the heart. + +143. No one is reformed in _a state of ignorance,_ for all reformation is +by truths and a life according to them. Therefore those who do not know +truths cannot be reformed, but if they long for them with affection for +them, after they die they undergo reformation in the spiritual world. + +144. Nor can one be reformed in _a state of blindness of the +understanding._ These also have no knowledge of truths or consequently of +life, for the understanding must teach truths and the will must do them; +when the will does what the understanding teaches, a man has life in +accord with truths. When the understanding is blind, however, the will +also is indifferent and acts in freedom according to one's reason only to +do the evil confirmed in the understanding, and the confirmation is +falsity. Besides ignorance, a religion which teaches a blind faith also +blinds the understanding; so does a false doctrine. For just as truths +open the understanding, falsities close it. They close it above and open +it below, and opened only below, the understanding cannot see truths but +only confirm what a man wills, falsity especially. The understanding is +also blinded by lusts of evil. As long as the will is in these, it moves +the understanding to confirm them, and so far as they are confirmed, the +will cannot be in affections of good, from these see truths, and so be +reformed. + +[2] Take, for instance, one who is in the lust of adultery: his will, +which is in the enjoyment of his love, moves his understanding to confirm +it, saying, "What is adultery? Is there any evil in it? Does not the like +occur between husband and wife? Cannot offspring be born of it, too? +Cannot a woman receive more than one without harm? How does anything +spiritual enter into this?" So thinks the understanding which is then the +courtesan of the will. So stupid is it made by debauchery with the will +that it is unable to see that marital love is spiritual and heavenly love +itself, a reflection of the love between the Lord and the church from +which it is derived; is in itself sacred and chastity itself, purity and +innocence; causes men to be forms of love, since partners can love each +other from inmosts and so form themselves into loves; nor can it see that +adultery destroys this form and with it the Lord's image; and what is +abhorrent, that the adulterer mingles his life with that of the husband +in the wife, for a man's life is in the seed. + +[3] Because this is profane, hell is called adultery, and heaven on the +other hand is called marriage. Furthermore, the love of adultery +communicates with the lowest hell, but true marital love with the inmost +heaven; the reproductive organs of both sexes also correspond to +societies of the inmost heaven. These things are adduced so that it may +be known how blinded the understanding is when the will is in the lust of +evil, and that no one can be reformed in a state of blindness of the +understanding. + +145. (v) _Self-compulsion is not contrary to rationality and liberty._ We +have shown that man has an internal and an external of thought; that they +are distinguishable as prior and subsequent or higher and lower; and that +being so distinct they can act separately and also jointly. They act +separately when a man speaks and acts from the external of his thought +otherwise than he thinks and wills inwardly; they act jointly when he +speaks and acts as he thinks and wills. The latter is common with the +sincere, the former with the insincere. + +[2] Inasmuch as the internal and the external of the mind are so +distinct, the internal can even fight with the external and by combat +drive it to compliance. Conflict arises when the man deems evils to be +sins and resolves to desist from them. When he desists, a door is opened +and the lusts of evil which have occupied the internal of thought are +cast out by the Lord and affections of good are implanted in their place. +This occurs in the internal of thought. But the enjoyments of evil lust +which occupy the external of thought cannot be cast out at the same time; +conflict arises therefore between the internal and the external of +thought. The internal wants to cast out those enjoyments because they are +enjoyments of evil and do not agree with the affections of good in which +the internal now is, and wants to introduce in their place enjoyments of +good which do agree. These are what are called goods of charity. From the +disagreement comes the conflict which, if it grows severe, is called +temptation. + +[3] Now as man is man by virtue of the internal of his thought, for this +is his very spirit, obviously he compels himself when he compels the +external of his thought to comply or to receive the enjoyments of his +affections or the goods of charity. Plainly this is not contrary to +rationality and liberty but in accord with them; rationality starts the +combat and liberty follows it up; liberty itself resides with rationality +in the internal man and from that in the external. + +[4] Accordingly, when the internal conquers, which it does when it has +reduced the external to compliance and obedience, man is given liberty +itself and rationality itself by the Lord, for he is delivered by the +Lord then from infernal freedom which in itself is enslavement, is +brought into heavenly freedom which is freedom in itself, and is given +association with angels. The Lord Himself teaches ( John 8:31-36) that +those who are in sins are enslaved and that He delivers those who receive +truth from Him through the Word. + +146. Let an example serve for illustration. A man who has taken pleasure +in defrauding and deceiving sees and inwardly acknowledges it to be sin +and resolves to desist from it; with this a battle begins of his internal +with the external. The internal man is in an affection for honesty, but +the external still in the enjoyment of defrauding. This enjoyment, +utterly opposed to enjoyment in honesty, does not give way unless forced +to do so and can be forced to do so only by combat with it. When the +fight is won, the external man comes into the enjoyment of a love of +honesty, which is charity. Then the pleasure of defrauding gradually +turns unpleasant to him. It is the same with all other sins, with +adultery and whoredom, revenge and hatred, blasphemy and lying. The most +difficult battle of all is with the love of ruling from self-love. A +person who subdues this love, easily subdues all other evil loves, for +this is their summit. + +147. Let it be told briefly how the Lord casts out lusts of evil +occupying the internal man from birth and in their place bestows +affections of good when a man on his part removes the evils as sins. It +was shown earlier that man possesses a natural, a spiritual and a +celestial mind, that he is only in the natural mind as long as he is in +lusts of evil and their enjoyments, and that during this time the +spiritual mind is closed. But as soon as a man on self-examination +confesses evils to be sins against God because they are contrary to +divine laws and accordingly resolves to desist from them, the Lord opens +the spiritual mind, enters the natural by affections of truth and good, +enters the reason, and by the reason puts into order what is disordered +below in the natural. It is this that strikes the man as a battle, and +strikes those who have indulged much in enjoyments of evil as temptation, +for when the order of its thinking is inverted the lower mind suffers +pain. + +Inasmuch as the battle is against what is in the man himself and what he +feels to be his, and no one can fight against himself except from a more +interior self and from freedom in it, it follows that the internal man +fights against the external and does so from freedom, and compels the +external to obey. This, then, is compelling oneself, and, clearly, it is +not contrary to liberty and rationality, but in accord with them. + +148. Everyone desires to be free, moreover, and to be rid of the unfree +or servitude. The boy under a master wishes to be his own master and thus +free; so every man-servant under his master or maid under her mistress. +Every girl wishes to leave the paternal home and marry, to do freely in a +home of her own; and every boy who desires to work, enter business, or +hold some position wishes to be released from his subordination to others +and to be at his own disposal. All of these who serve willingly in order +to be free compel themselves, and in doing so act from freedom according +to reason but from an inner freedom, by which outward freedom is regarded +as servant. We add this to confirm the fact that self-compulsion is not +contrary to rationality and liberty. + +149. One reason why man does not wish in like manner to come out of +spiritual servitude into spiritual freedom is that he does not know what +either is; he does not have the truths to teach this, and without them +spiritual servitude is believed to be freedom and spiritual freedom to be +servitude. A second reason is that the religion of Christendom has closed +the understanding, and "faith alone" has sealed it shut. Each has built +an iron wall around itself in the dogma that theological matters +transcend and cannot be approached by the reason, but are for the blind +and not the seeing. So truths that would teach what spiritual liberty is +have been hidden. A third reason is that few examine themselves and see +their sins, and one who does not see and quit them is in the freedom that +sins have, which is infernal freedom, in itself enslavement. To view +heavenly freedom, which is genuine freedom, from that freedom is like +trying to see daylight in pitch darkness or sunshine from under a black +cloud. So it happens that it is not known what heavenly freedom is, or +that the difference between it and infernal freedom is like the +difference between what is living and what is dead. + +150. (vi) The external man is to be reformed by the internal, and not the +other way about. By internal and external man the same is meant as by +external and internal of thought, of which frequently before. The +external must be reformed by the internal because the internal flows into +the external and not the reverse. The learned world knows that what is +spiritual flows into what is natural and not the reverse, for reason +dictates it; the church knows that the internal man must first be +cleansed and made new and the external by it then, because the Lord +teaches it. He does so in the words: + +Woe to you . . . hypocrites, for you make the outside of the cup and +platter clean, but the inside is full of extortion and excess. Blind +Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and platter that the +outside may also be made clean (Mt 23:25, 26). + +We have shown in a number of places in the treatise _Divine Love and +Wisdom_ that reason dictates this. For what the Lord teaches He grants +man to see rationally. This a man does in two ways: in one, he sees in +himself that something is so upon hearing it; in the other, he grasps it +by reasons for it. Seeing in oneself takes place in the internal man, and +understanding through reasoning in the external man. Who does not +perceive it within himself when he hears that the internal man is to be +purified first and the external by it? But one who does not receive the +general idea of this by influx from heaven may go astray when he consults +the external of this thought; from it alone no one sees but that outward +works of charity and piety are saving apart from the internal. It is so +in other things, as that sight and hearing flow into thought, and smell +and taste into perception, that is, that the external flows into the +internal, when the contrary is true. The appearance that what is seen and +heard flows into the thought is a fallacy, for the understanding does the +seeing in the eye and the hearing in the ear, and not the other way +about. So it is in all else. + +151. But something should be said here on how the internal man is +reformed and by it the external. The internal man is not reformed solely +by knowing, understanding and being wise, consequently not by thinking +only; but by willing what these teach. When a person knows, understands +and has the wisdom to see that heaven and hell exist and that all evil is +from hell and all good from heaven, and if he then does not will evil +because it is from hell but good because it is from heaven, he has taken +the first step in reformation and is on the threshold from hell to +heaven. When he advances farther and resolves to desist from evils, he is +at the second step in reformation and is out of hell but not yet in +heaven; this he beholds above him. There must be this internal for man to +be reformed, but he is not reformed unless the external is reformed as +well as the internal. The external is reformed by the internal when the +external desists from the evils which the internal sets its will against +because they are infernal, and still further reformed when the external +shuns and fights against the evils. Thus the internal provides the will, +the external the deed. For unless a man does the deed he wills, inwardly +he does not will it, and finally he wills not to do it. + +[2] One can see from these few considerations how the external man is +reformed by the internal. This is also meant by the Lord's words to +Peter: + +Jesus said, If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me. Peter said to +Him, not my feet only but my hands and head. Jesus said to him, he who +has been washed has no need except to have his feet washed, and is +entirely clean (Jn 13:8-10). + +By "washing" spiritual washing is meant, which is purification from +evils; by "washing head and hands" purifying the internal man is meant, +and by "washing the feet" purifying the external. That when the internal +man has been purified, the external must be, is meant by this: "He who +has been washed has no need except to have his feet washed." That all +purification from evils is the Lord's doing, is meant by this, "If I do +not wash you, you have no part with Me." We have shown in many places in +_Arcana Caelestia_ that with the Jews washing represented purification +from evils, that this is signified by "washing" in the Word, and that +purification of the natural or external man is signified by the "washing +of feet." + +152. Since man has an internal and an external and each must be reformed +for the man to be reformed, and since no one can be reformed unless he +examines himself, sees and admits his evils, and then quits them, not +only the external is to be examined, but the internal as well. If a man +examines only the external he sees only what he has committed to deed, +and that he has not murdered or committed adultery or stolen or borne +false witness, and so on. He examines bodily evils and not those in his +spirit; yet evils of the spirit are to be examined if one is to be +capable of reformation. Man lives as a spirit after death and all the +evils in his spirit persist. The spirit is examined only when a man +attends to his thoughts, above all to his intentions, for these are +thoughts from the will. There the evils exist at their source and roots, +that is, in their lusts and enjoyments. Unless they are seen and +acknowledged, a man is still in evils though he may not have committed +them outwardly. That to think with intention is to will and do, is plain +from the Lord's words: + +If any one has looked on another's woman to lust after her, he has +already committed adultery with her in his heart (Mt 5:28).* + +* See footnote at n. 111. + +Such self-examination is of the internal man, and from it the external +man is truly examined. + +153. I have often marveled that although all Christendom knows that evils +must be shunned as sins and otherwise are not forgiven, and that if they +are not forgiven there is no salvation, yet scarcely one person among +thousands understands this. Inquiry was made about this in the spiritual +world, and it was found to be so. Anyone in Christendom knows it from the +exhortations, read out to those who attend the Holy Supper, in which it +is publicly stated; and yet when asked whether they know it, they reply +that they do not know it and have not known it. The reason is that they +have paid no attention to it, and most say they have thought only about +faith and salvation by faith alone. I have also marveled that "faith +alone" has closed their eyes so that those who have confirmed themselves +in it do not see anything in the Word when they read it about love, +charity and works. It is as though they spread "faith" all over the Word, +as red lead is spread over writing so that nothing underneath shows; if +anything does show, it is absorbed by faith and declared to be faith. + +VIII. IT IS A LAW OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE THAT MAN SHALL BE LED AND TAUGHT +BY THE LORD OUT OF HEAVEN BY MEANS OF THE WORD AND DOCTRINE AND PREACHING +FROM IT, AND THIS TO ALL APPEARANCE AS OF HIMSELF + +154. The appearance is that man is led and taught by himself; in reality +he is led and taught by the Lord alone. Those who confirm the appearance +in themselves and not the reality at the same time are unable to remove +evils from themselves as sins, but those who confirm the appearance and +at the same time the reality can do so; for evils are removed as sins +apparently by the man, but really by the Lord. The latter can be +reformed, but the former cannot. + +[2] All who confirm the appearance in themselves and not the reality +also, are idolaters inwardly, for they are worshipers of self and the +world. If they have no religion they become worshipers of nature and thus +atheists; if they have some religion they become worshipers of men and of +images. Such are meant now in the first commandment of the Decalog under +those who worship other gods. Those, however, who confirm in themselves +the appearance and also the reality become worshipers of the Lord, for He +raises them out of what is their own, in which the appearance is, +conducts them into the light in which the reality is and which is the +reality, and gives them to perceive inwardly that they are not led and +taught by themselves but by Him. + +[3] The rational capacity of the two may seem much the same to many, but +it differs. In those who are at once in the appearance and the reality, +it is a spiritual reasoning ability, but in those in the appearance but +not at the same time in the reality it is a natural reasoning ability; +this can be likened to a garden in winter light, and the spiritual +reasoning capacity to a garden in springtime light. But If these things +more in what follows, in this order: + +i. Man is led and taught by the Lord alone. +ii. He is led and taught by the Lord alone through and from the angelic +heaven. +iii. He is led by the Lord through influx and taught through +enlightenment. +iv. Man is taught by the Lord through the Word and doctrine and preaching +from it, thus immediately by Him alone. +v. Man is led and taught in externals by the Lord to all appearance as of +himself. + +155. (i) _Man is led and taught by the Lord alone._ This flows as a +general consequence from all that was demonstrated in the treatise +_Divine Love and Wisdom;_ from what was said in Part I about the Lord's +divine love and wisdom; in Part II about the sun of the spiritual world +and the sun of the natural world; in Part III about degrees; in Part IV +about the creation of the universe; and in Part V about the creation of +the human being. + +156. Man is led and taught by the Lord alone in that he lives from the +Lord alone; for his life's will is led, and his life's understanding is +taught. But this is contrary to the appearance, for it seems to man that +he lives of himself, and yet the truth is that he lives from the Lord and +not from himself. Man cannot, however, be given a sense-perception of +this while he is in the world (the appearance that he lives of himself is +not taken away, for without it man is not man). This must be established +by reasons, therefore, which are then to be confirmed from experience and +finally from the Word. + +157. That the human being has life from the Lord alone and not of himself +is established by these considerations: 1. There is an only essence, +substance and form from which all the essences, substances, and forms +exist that have been created. 2. The one essence, substance and form is +divine love and wisdom from which is all that is referable to love and +wisdom in man. 3. It is also good itself and truth itself to which all +things are referable. 4. Likewise it is life, from which is the life of +all and all things of life. 5. Again the only One and very Self is +omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. 6. This only One and very Self is +the Lord-from-eternity or Jehovah. + +[2] 1. _There is an only essence, substance and form from which all the +essences, substances, and forms exist that have been created._ This was +demonstrated in the treatise _Divine Love and Wisdom_ (nn.44-46). In Part +II it was shown that the sun of the angelic heaven, which is from the +Lord and in which He is, is the one sole substance and form from which +all that has been created exists, also that nothing can exist or come +into existence except from it. In Part III it was shown that all things +arise from that sun by derivations according to degrees. + +[3] Who does not perceive by the reason and acknowledge that there is +some one essence from which is all essence, or one being from which is +all being? What can exist apart from being, and what can being be from +which is all other being except being itself? Being itself is also unique +and is being in itself. Since this is so (and anyone perceives and +acknowledges it by reason, or if not, can do so), what else follows than +that this Being, the Divine itself, Jehovah, is all in all in what is or +comes to be? + +[4] It is the same if we say there is an only substance from which all +things are, and as there is no substance without form there is a single +form from which all things are. We have shown in the treatise mentioned +above that the sun of the angelic heaven is that substance and form, also +shown how that essence, substance and form is varied in things created. + +[5] 2. _The one essence, substance and form is divine love and wisdom +from which is all that is referable to love and wisdom in man._ This also +was fully demonstrated in the treatise _Divine Love and Wisdom._ Whatever +appears to live in man is referable to will and understanding in him; +any-one can perceive by the reason and acknowledge that these two +constitute his life. What else is "This I will," or "This I understand," +or "I love this," or "I think this"? And as man wills what he loves, and +thinks what he understands, all things of the will relate to love and +those of the understanding to wisdom. As no one has love or wisdom from +himself but only from Him who is love itself and wisdom itself, they are +from the Lord-from-eternity or Jehovah. If they were not, man would be +love itself and wisdom itself, thus God-from-eternity, at which the human +reason itself is horrified. Can anything exist except from a prior self? +Or the prior self exist except from one prior to it? And finally from a +first or from underived being? + +[6] 3. _It is also good itself and truth itself, to which all things are +referable._ Everyone possessed of reason agrees and acknowledges that God +is good itself and truth itself, likewise that all good and truth are +from Him, therefore that any good and truth can come only from good +itself and truth itself. All this is acknowledged by every rational +person when he first hears it. When it is said, then, that everything of +the will and understanding, of love and wisdom, or of affection and +thought in a man who is led by the Lord relates to good and truth, it +follows that all that such a man wills and understands or loves and has +for his wisdom, or is affected by and thinks, is from the Lord. Hence +anyone in the church knows that whatever good and truth a man has in +himself is not good and truth except as it is from the Lord. Since this +is true, all that such a man wills and thinks is from the Lord. It will +be seen in following numbers that an evil man can will and think from no +other source. + +[7] 4. _The one essence, substance and form is likewise life, from which +is the life of all and all things of life._ This we have shown in many +places in the treatise _Divine Love and Wisdom._ At the first hearing the +human reason also agrees and acknowledges that all man's life is that of +the will and understanding, for if these are taken away he ceases to +live, or what is the same, that all his life is one of love and thought, +for if these are taken away he does not live. Inasmuch as all of the will +and understanding or all of love and thought in man is from the Lord, all +of his life, as we said above, is from Him. + +[8] 5. _This only One and very Self is omnipresent, omniscient and +omnipotent._ This also every Christian acknowledges from his doctrine and +every gentile from his religion. In consequence, wherever he is, a man +thinks that God is there and that he prays to God at hand; thinking and +praying so, men cannot but think that God is everywhere, that is, +omnipresent; likewise omniscient and omnipotent. Everyone praying to God, +therefore, implores Him from the heart to lead him because He can lead +him; thus he acknowledges the divine omnipresence, omniscience and +omnipotence, doing so in turning his face to the Lord; thereupon the +truth flows in from the Lord. + +[9] 6. This only One and very Self is the Lord-from-eternity or Jehovah. +In Doctrine of the New Jerusalem about the Lord it was shown that God is +one in essence and in person and that He is the Lord, and that the Divine +itself, called Jehovah Father, is the Lord-from-eternity; that the Divine +Human is the Son conceived by His Divine from eternity and born in the +world; and that the proceeding Divine is the Holy Spirit. He is called +"very Self" and "only One" because, as was said, the Lord-from-eternity +or Jehovah is life itself, being love itself and wisdom itself or good +itself and truth itself, from which are all things. That the Lord created +all things from Himself and not from nothing may be seen in the treatise +_Divine Love and Wisdom_ nn. 282-284, 349-357. So the truth that the +human being is led and taught by the Lord alone is established by +reasons. + +158. This same truth is established in angels not only by reasons but +also by living perceptions, especially with angels of the third heaven. +They perceive the influx of divine love and wisdom from the Lord. +Perceiving it and in their wisdom aware that love and wisdom are life, +they declare that they live from the Lord and not of themselves, and not +only say so but love and will it so. Yet they are in the full appearance +that they live of themselves, yes, more strongly in the appearance than +other angels. For as was shown above (nn. 42-45) the more nearly one is +united with the Lord, the more distinctly does he seem to himself to be +his own, and the more plainly is he aware that he is the Lord's. For many +years now it has been granted me to be in a similar simultaneous +perception and appearance, and I am fully convinced that I will and think +nothing from myself but that it only appears to be from myself; it has +also been granted to love and will it so. The same truth may be +established by much else from the spiritual world, but these two +references must suffice now. + +159. It is plain from the following passages in the Word that life is the +Lord's alone. + +I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me, though he die, +shall live (Jn 11:25). + +I am the way and the truth and the life (Jn 14:6). + +The Word was God . . . and in Him was life; and the life was the light of +men (Jn 1:1, 4). + +"The Word" in this passage is the Lord. + +As the Father has life in Himself, so has he given the Son to have life +in Himself (Jn 5:26). + +From the following it is clear that man is led and taught by the Lord +alone: + +Without Me you can do nothing (Jn 15:5). + +A man cannot receive anything unless it is given him from heaven (Jn +3:27). + +A man cannot make one hair white or black (Mt 5:36). + +By "hair" in the Word the least of all is signified. + +160. It will be shown in what follows in an article of its own that the +life of the wicked has the same source; now this will merely be +illustrated by a comparison. Heat and light flow in from the sun of the +world alike to trees bearing bad fruit and to trees bearing good fruit, +and they are alike quickened and grow. The forms into which the heat +flows make the difference, not the heat in itself. It is the same with +light, which is turned into various colors according to the forms into +which it flows. The colors are beautiful and gay or ugly and sombre, and +yet it is the same light. It is so with the influx of spiritual heat +which in itself is love, and with spiritual light which in itself is +wisdom, from the sun of the spiritual world. The forms into which they +flow cause diversity, but not in itself that heat which is love or that +light which is wisdom. The forms into which these flow are human minds. +It is clear from these considerations that man is led and taught by the +Lord alone. + +161. What the life of animals is, however, was shown above (nn. 74, 96), +namely that it is a life of merely natural affection with its attendant +knowledge, and a mediated life corresponding to the life of human beings +in the spiritual world. + +162. (ii) _Man is led and taught by the Lord alone through the angelic +heaven and from it._ We say "through" the angelic heaven and from it, but +that He does so "through" the angelic heaven is the apparent fact, while +"from it" is the reality. The Lord seems to lead and teach through the +angelic heaven because He appears above that heaven as a sun, but the +reality is that He does so from heaven because He is in heaven as the +soul is in man. For the Lord is omnipresent and not in space, as was +shown above. Therefore distance is an appearance according to conjunction +with Him, and the conjunction is according to the reception of love and +wisdom from Him. Since no one can be conjoined to the Lord as He exists +in Himself He appears to angels at a distance as a sun; nevertheless He +is in the angelic heaven as the soul is in man. He is similarly in every +society of heaven and in every angel, for man's soul is not only the soul +of man as a whole but also of every part of him. + +[2] It is according to the appearance that the Lord governs all heaven +and through it the world from the sun which is from Him and in which He +is (about the sun see Part II of the treatise _Divine Love and Wisdom_), +and everyone is allowed to speak according to the appearance, cannot, in +fact, do otherwise. Everyone who is not in wisdom itself is also allowed +to think that the Lord rules each and all things from His sun and rules +the world through the angelic heaven. Angels of the lower heavens think +from the appearance, but those of the higher heavens speak indeed in +keeping with the appearance but think from the reality, namely, that the +Lord rules the universe from the angelic heaven, that is, from Himself. + +[3] One can illustrate by the sun of the world that simple and wise speak +alike but do not think alike. All speak from the appearance that the sun +rises and sets. Despite speaking so the wise think it stands still, which +is again the reality, as the other is the appearance. The same thing can +be illustrated from appearances in the spiritual world, for space and +distance appear there but are dissimilarities of affections and of +resulting thoughts. The same is true of the Lord's appearing in His sun. + +163. We shall say briefly how the Lord leads and teaches everyone from +the angelic heaven. In the treatise _Divine Love and Wisdom_ and above in +the present treatise, also in the work _Heaven and Hell,_ published in +London in the year 1758, it has been made known from things seen and +heard that the angelic heaven appears before the Lord as one man, and +each society of heaven likewise, and it is from this that each angel or +spirit is a human being in complete form. It was also shown in the +treatises mentioned that heaven is not heaven from anything belonging to +the angels but from their reception of divine love and wisdom from the +Lord. Hence it may be evident that the Lord rules the whole angelic +heaven as one man, and since heaven is itself man, it is the very image +and likeness of the Lord and the Lord rules it as the soul rules its +body. Since all mankind is ruled by the Lord, it is ruled by the Lord not +through heaven, but from heaven, consequently by Him, for He is heaven, +as we have said. + +164. This is an arcanum of angelic wisdom, however, and therefore cannot +be comprehended by man unless his spiritual mind has been opened; for +such a man, who is united with the Lord, is an angel. From what has +preceded he can comprehend the following: + +1. Men as well as angels are in the Lord and the Lord in them according +to their conjunction with Him, or, what is the same, according to their +reception of love and wisdom from Him. +2. Each of them has a place allotted to him in the Lord, thus in heaven, +according to the nature of the conjunction or the reception of Him. +3. Each in his place has a state of his own distinct from that of others +and draws his portion from what is had in common according to his +situation, function and need, quite as each part does in the human body. +4. Everyone is brought into his place by the Lord according to his life. +5. Every human being is introduced from infancy into this divine man +whose soul and life is the Lord, and within it and not outside of it is +led and taught from His divine love according to His divine wisdom; but +as a man is not deprived of freedom, he can be led and taught only in the +measure of his receptiveness as of himself. +6. Those who are receptive are conducted to their places through an +infinite maze by winding paths, much as the chyle is carried through the +mesentery and the lacteal vessels there to its cistern, and from this +into the blood by the thoracic duct, and so to its place. +7. Those who are not receptive are parted from those within the divine +man, as excrement and urine are removed from man. + +These are arcana of angelic wisdom which man can comprehend to some +extent; there are many more which he cannot. + +165. (iii) _Man is led by the Lord through influx and taught through +enlightenment._ Man is led through influx by the Lord because "being +led" and "flowing in" are spoken of love and the will; and he is +taught by the Lord through enlightenment because "being taught" and +"enlightened" are spoken of wisdom and the understanding. It is known +that every person is led by himself from his own love and according to +it by others, and not by his understanding. He is led by his +understanding and according to it only as his love or his will prompts +the understanding, and then it can be said that his understanding is +led also. Even then the understanding is not led, but the will which +prompts it. + +The term "influx" is used because it is commonly said that the soul flows +into the body; influx is spiritual and not physical, as we showed above, +and man's soul or life is his love or will. For another reason, influx is +comparatively like the flow of the blood into the heart and from the +heart into the lungs. We showed in the treatise Divine Love and Wisdom +that the heart corresponds to the will and the lungs correspond to the +understanding, and that the conjunction of the will with the +understanding is like the flowing of the blood from the heart to the +lungs. + +166. Man is taught, however, through enlightenment; being taught and +being enlightened are said of the understanding. For the understanding or +man's internal sight is enlightened by spiritual light quite as the eye +or man's external sight is by natural light. The two are also taught +similarly; the internal sight, however, which is that of the +understanding, by spiritual objects, and the external sight or the sight +of the eye by natural objects. There is spiritual light and natural +light, one like the other in outward appearance, but dissimilar in +internal appearance. For natural light comes from the sun of the natural +world and so is in itself dead, but spiritual light, which is from the +sun of the spiritual world, is in itself living. This light, not +nature's, enlightens the human intellect. Natural and rational light +comes from it and not from nature's light, and is here called natural and +rational because it is spiritual-natural. + +[2] There are three degrees of light in the spiritual world: celestial, +spiritual and spiritual-natural. Celestial light is a flaming, ruddy +light and is the light of those who are in the third heaven; spiritual +light is a gleaming white light and is the light of those in the middle +heaven; and spiritual-natural light is like daylight in our world. This +is the light of those who are in the lowest heaven and of those in the +world of spirits, which is intermediate between heaven and hell; with the +good in that world it is like the light of summer on earth and with the +evil like winter's light. + +It should be known, however, that light in the spiritual world has +nothing in common with light in the natural world; they are as different +as what is living and what is lifeless. It is plain, then, from what has +been said that it is spiritual light and not the natural light before our +eyes that enlightens the understanding. Man does not know this, not +having known anything hitherto about spiritual light. In the work _Heaven +and Hell_ we have shown (nn. 126-140) that spiritual light has its origin +in divine wisdom and truth. + +167. Having spoken about the light of heaven, we should say something +about the light of hell. This also is of three degrees. The light in the +lowest hell is like that from fiery coals; in the middle hell like that +from the flame of a hearth; and in the highest hell like that from +candles and to some like moonlight at night. All this is spiritual light +and not natural, for all natural light is dead and extinguishes the +understanding. As has been shown, those in hell possess the faculty of +understanding called rationality; rationality itself comes from spiritual +light and not from natural light. The spiritual light which they have in +rationality is turned, however, into infernal light, as the light of day +is into the dark of night. + +[2] Nevertheless, all those in the spiritual world, whether in the +heavens or the hells, see in their own light as clearly as man sees in +his by day. This is because everyone's eyesight is formed to receive the +light in which it finds itself. Thus the eyesight of the angels of heaven +is formed to receive the light in which they see, and the sight of the +spirits of hell is formed to receive their light; this is comparatively +like that of birds of night and bats, which see objects at night and in +the evening as clearly as other birds see them by day, for their eyes are +formed to receive their light. + +[3] The difference between the one light and the other appears very +clearly, however, to those who look from one to the other. When, for +instance, an angel of heaven looks into hell he sees only thick darkness, +and when a spirit of hell looks into heaven he sees only thick darkness +there. For heavenly wisdom is like thick darkness to those in hell; in +turn, infernal insanity is like thick darkness to those in heaven. It is +plain from all this that such as a man's understanding is, such is the +light he has, and that after death everyone comes into his own light, for +he sees in no other. In the spiritual world, moreover, where all are +spiritual even to the body, the eyes of all are formed to see by their +own light. Everyone's life-love fashions an understanding for itself and +thus a light, also, for love is like the fire of life and from this comes +the light of life. + +168. As few know anything about the enlightenment in which the +understanding of a man is who is taught by the Lord, something will be +said of it. There is inner and outer enlightenment from the Lord, and +inner and outer enlightenment from oneself. Inner enlightenment from the +Lord consists in man's perceiving on first hearing something whether it +is true or not; outer enlightenment consists in thought from this. Inner +enlightenment from oneself is simply from confirmation and outer +enlightenment merely from information. We will say something of each. + +[2] By inner enlightenment from the Lord a rational person perceives +about many things the moment he hears them whether they are true or not; +for example, that love is the life of faith or that faith lives by love. +By interior enlightenment a person also perceives that a man wills what +he loves and does what he wills, consequently that to love is to do; +again, that a man wills and does whatever he believes from love, and +therefore to have faith is also to do; and that the impious man cannot +have love for God or faith then in Him. By inner enlightenment a rational +man also perceives the following truths at once on hearing them: God is +one; He is omnipresent; all good is from Him; all things have relation to +good and truth; all good is from good itself and all truth from truth +itself. A man perceives these and other similar truths inwardly in +himself on hearing them and does so because he possesses a rationality +which is in heaven's enlightening light. + +[3] Outer enlightenment is enlightenment of one's thought from this inner +enlightenment. One's thought is in this enlightenment so far as it +remains in the perception it has from inner enlightenment and so far as +it possesses knowledge of good and truth, for it gets from this +knowledge reasons confirming it. Thought from outer enlightenment sees a +matter on both sides; on the one, it sees reasons which confirm it, and +on the other, the appearances that weaken it; it dispels these and +assembles the reasons. + +[4] Inner enlightenment from oneself, however, is quite different. By it +one regards a matter on one side only, and having confirmed it sees it in +light apparently like that just spoken of, but it is a wintry light. For +example, a judge who judges unjustly in view of gifts or gain, once he +has confirmed the judgment by law and reason sees in it nothing but +justice. Some judges see the injustice but not wanting to see it, they +keep it out of sight and blind themselves and so do not see. The same is +true of a judge who renders judgments out of friendship, or to gain +favor, or on account of relationship. + +[5] Such persons act in the same way in anything they have from a man in +authority or from the mouth of a celebrity or have hatched from +self-intelligence; they are blind reasoners, for they see from the +falsities which they confirm; falsity closes the sight, just as truth +opens it. They do not see any truth in the light of truth nor justice +from a love for it but from the light of confirmation, which is an +illusory light. They appear in the spiritual world like headless faces or +like faces resembling human faces on wooden heads, and are called +reasoning animals for rationality is potential in them. Those have outer +enlightenment from themselves who think and speak solely from information +impressed on the memory; of themselves they can hardly confirm anything. + +169. Such are the differences in enlightenment and consequently in +perception and thought. There is actual enlightenment by spiritual light, +but it is not manifest to one in the natural world because natural light +has nothing in common with spiritual light. This enlightenment has +sometimes been manifested to me in the spiritual world, however, visible +in those enlightened by the Lord as a luminosity around the head, aglow +with the color of the human face. With those in enlightenment from +themselves the luminosity was not around the head but around the mouth +and over the chin. + +170. Besides these kinds of enlightenment there is another in which it is +revealed to one in what faith, intelligence and wisdom he is; he +perceives this in himself, such is the revelation. He is admitted into a +society where there is genuine faith and true intelligence and wisdom. +There his interior rationality is opened, from which he sees the nature +of his own faith, intelligence and wisdom, even to avowing it. I have +seen some as they returned and heard them confessing that they had no +faith although in the world they had believed they had much faith and +markedly more than others; they said the same of their intelligence and +wisdom. Some were in faith alone and in no charity, and some in +self-intelligence. + +171. (iv) _Man is taught by the Lord through the Word and doctrine and +preaching from it, thus immediately by the Lord alone._ We said and +showed above that man is led and taught by the Lord alone, and from +heaven but not through heaven or any angel there. As it is by the Lord +alone, it is done immediately and not mediately. How this takes place +will be told now. + +172. It was shown in _Doctrine of the New Jerusalem about the Sacred +Scripture_ that the Lord is the Word and that all the doctrine of the +church is to be drawn from the Word. Inasmuch as the Lord is the Word the +man who is taught from the Word is taught by the Lord alone. This is +comprehended with difficulty and will be clarified in this order: + +1. The Lord is the Word because the Word is from Him and about Him. +2. Also because the Word is divine truth together with divine good. +3. To be taught from the Word is to be taught from Him, therefore. +4. That this is done mediately through preaching does not take away its +immediacy. + +[2] First: _The Lord is the Word because it is from Him and about Him._ +No one in the church denies that the Word is from the Lord, but that it +is about Him alone, while not denied, is not known. This was shown in +_Doctrine of the New Jerusalem about the Lord,_ nn. 1-7, 37-44, and in +_Doctrine of the New Jerusalem about the Sacred Scripture,_ nn. 62-69, +80-90, 98-100. Inasmuch as the Word is from the Lord alone and treats of +Him alone, a man is taught by the Lord when he is taught from the Word, +for it is the divine Word. Who can communicate what is divine and implant +it in the heart except the Divine Himself from whom it is and of whom it +treats? Therefore, in speaking of His union with His disciples He says +that they are to abide in Him and His words in them (Jn 15:7 ), that His +words are spirit and life (Jn 6:63), and that He makes His abode with +those who keep His words (Jn 14:20-24). To think from the Lord therefore +is to think from the Word, and as it were, through the Word. It was shown +in _Doctrine of the New Jerusalem about the Sacred Scripture_ from +beginning to end that all things of the Word have communication with +heaven, and as the Lord is heaven, this means that all things of the Word +have communication with the Lord Himself. The angels of heaven indeed +have communication; this, too, is from the Lord. + +[3] Second: _The Lord is the Word because it is divine truth together +with divine good._ The Lord teaches that He is the Word by these words in +John: + +In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word +was God . . . and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (1:1, 14). + +This passage has been understood hitherto to mean only that God teaches +men through the Word and has been explained as an hyperbole, with the +implication that the Lord is not the Word itself. This is because +expositors did not know that the Word is divine truth together with +divine good or, what is the same, divine wisdom together with divine +love. That these are the Lord Himself was shown in the treatise _Divine +Love and Wisdom,_ Part I, and that they are the Word in _Doctrine of the +New Jerusalem about the Sacred Scripture,_ nn. 1-86. + +[4] We will say briefly in what way the Lord is divine truth together +with divine good. Each human being is human not because of face and body +but from the good of his love and the truths of his wisdom; and because a +man is a man from these, he is also his own good and his own truth or his +own love and his own wisdom; without these he is not a human being. But +the Lord is good itself and truth itself or, what is the same, love +itself and wisdom itself; and these are the Word which in the beginning +was with God and was God and which was made flesh. + +[5] Third: _To be taught from the Word, then, is to be taught by the Lord +Himself._ For it means that one is taught from good itself and truth +itself or from love itself and wisdom itself, and, as we have said, these +are the Word. But everyone is taught according to an understanding +agreeing with his love; what goes beyond this does not remain. All who +are taught by the Lord in the Word are instructed in a few truths while +in the world but in many when they become angels. For the interiors of +the Word, which are divine spiritual and divine celestial, are implanted +at the time, but are not consciously possessed until a man on his death +is in heaven where he is in angelic wisdom which, compared with human +wisdom, thus his earlier wisdom, is ineffable. That divine spiritual and +divine celestial things which constitute angelic wisdom are present in +each and all things of the Word see _Doctrine of the New Jerusalem about +the Sacred Scripture,_ nn. 5-26. + +[6] Fourth: _That this teaching is done mediately through preaching does +not take away the immediacy._ Inevitably the Word is taught mediately by +parents, teachers, preachers, books and particularly by reading. Still it +is not taught by them but by the Lord through them. Preachers, aware of +this, say that they speak not from themselves but from the spirit of God +and that all truth like all good is from God. They can speak it and bring +it to the understanding of many, but not to anyone's heart; and what is +not in the heart passes away from the understanding; by "heart" a man's +love is meant. From this it is plain that man is led and taught by the +Lord alone and immediately by Him when he is taught from the Word. This +is a supreme arcanum of angelic wisdom. + +173. We have shown in _Doctrine of the New Jerusalem about the Sacred +Scripture_ (nn. 104-113) that those outside the church who do not have +the Word still have light by means of it. Man has light by means of the +Word and from the light has understanding, and both the wicked and the +good have understanding. It follows that from light in its origin there +is light in its derivatives which are perceptions and thoughts on +whatever subject. The Lord says that without Him men can do nothing (Jn +15:5); that a man can receive nothing unless it is given him from heaven +(Jn 3:27); and that the Father in the heavens makes His sun to rise on +the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust (Mt +5:45). In the Word in its spiritual sense by "sun" here, as elsewhere, is +meant the divine good of divine love and by "rain" the divine truth of +divine wisdom. These are extended to the evil and the good, to the unjust +and the just, for if they were not, no one would possess perception and +thought. It was shown above that there is only one Life from which all +have life. But perception and thought are part of life; they are +therefore from the same fountain from which life springs. It has been +shown many times before that all the light which forms the understanding +is from the sun of the spiritual world, which is the Lord. + +174. (v) _Man is led and taught in externals by the Lord to all +appearance as of himself._ This is so of man's externals, but not +inwardly. No one knows how the Lord leads and teaches man inwardly, just +as no one knows how the soul operates so that the eye sees, the ear +hears, the tongue and mouth speak, the heart circulates the blood, the +lungs breathe, the stomach digests, the liver and the pancreas +distribute, the kidneys secrete, and much else. These processes do not +come to man's perception or sensation. The same is true of what the Lord +does in the infinitely more numerous interior substances and forms of the +mind. The Lord's activity in these is not apparent to man, but many of +the effects are, as well as some of the causes producing the effects. It +is in the externals that man and the Lord are together, and as the +externals make one with the internals, cohering as they do in one series, +no disposition can be made by the Lord except in keeping with the +disposition made in the externals with man's participation. + +[2] Everyone knows that man thinks, wills, speaks and acts to all +appearance as of himself, and everyone can see that without this +appearance man would have no will and understanding, thus no affection +and thought, also no reception of any good and truth from the Lord. It +follows that without this appearance there would be no rational +conception of God, no charity and no faith, consequently no reformation +and regeneration, and therefore no salvation. Plainly, this appearance is +granted to man by the Lord for the sake of all these uses and +particularly that he may have the power to receive and reciprocate so +that the Lord may be united to him and he to the Lord, and that through +this conjunction the human being may live forever. This is "appearance" +as it is meant here. + +IX. IT IS A LAW OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE THAT MAN SHALL NOT PERCEIVE OR FEEL +ANY OF THE ACTIVITY OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE, AND YET SHOULD KNOW AND +ACKNOWLEDGE PROVIDENCE + +175. The natural man who does not believe in divine providence thinks to +himself, "What can divine providence be when the wicked are promoted to +honors and gain wealth more than the good, and many such things go better +with those who do not believe in divine providence than with the good who +believe in it? Indeed, infidels and the impious can inflict injuries, +loss, misfortune and sometimes death on the believing and pious, doing +so, too, by cunning and malice." He thinks therefore, "Do I not see in +full daylight, as it were, in actual experience that crafty schemes +prevail over fidelity and justice if only a man can make them seem +trustworthy and just by a clever artfulness? What is left except +necessities, consequences and the fortuitous in which there is no +semblance of divine providence? Does not nature have its necessities, and +are not consequences causes arising from natural or civil order, while +the fortuitous comes, does it not, from unknown causes or from none?" So +the natural man thinks to himself who attributes all things to nature and +nothing to God, for one who ascribes nothing to God ascribes nothing to +divine providence either; God and divine providence make one. + +[2] But the spiritual man speaks and thinks within himself quite +otherwise. Although he does not perceive the course of divine providence +by any thought or feel it from any sight of it, he still knows and +acknowledges providence. Inasmuch as the appearances and resulting +fallacies just mentioned have blinded the understanding, and this can +receive sight only when the fallacies which have induced the blindness +and the falsities which have induced the darkness are dispelled, and +since this can be done only by truths which have the power to dispel +falsities, these truths are to be disclosed, and for distinctness let it +be in this order: + +i. If man perceived or felt the activity of divine providence he would +not act in freedom according to reason, nor would anything appear to be +his own doing. It would be the same if he foreknew events. +ii. If man saw divine providence plainly, he would inject himself into +the order and tenor of its course, and pervert and destroy them. +iii. If man beheld divine providence plainly he would either deny God or +make himself god. +iv. Man can see divine providence on the back and not in the face; also +in a spiritual, not a natural state. + +176. (i) _If man perceived or felt the activity of divine providence he +would not act in freedom according to reason, nor would anything appear +to be his own doing. It would be the same if he foreknew events._ In +given articles we made evident to the understanding that it is a law of +providence that man should act in freedom according to reason; also that +all which a man wills, thinks, speaks and does shall seem to be his own +doing; that without this appearance a man would have nothing of his own +nor be his own man. He would thus have no selfhood and nothing could be +imputed to him, and in that case whether he did good or evil would not +matter, and whether he believed in God or was under the persuasion of +hell would be immaterial; in a word, he would not be a human being. + +[2] We have now to show that man would have no liberty to act according +to reason and there would be no appearance of self-activity if he +perceived or felt the activity of divine providence, for if he did he +would also be led by it. The Lord leads all men by His divine providence +and man only seemingly leads himself, as was shown above. If, therefore, +man had a lively perception or sense of being led, he would not be +conscious of living life and would be moved to make sounds and act much +like a graven image. If he were still conscious of living he would be led +like one bound in manacles and fetters or like a yoked animal. Who does +not see that man would have no freedom then? And without freedom he would +be without reason, for one thinks from and in freedom; whatever he does +not so think seems to him to be not from himself but from someone else. +Indeed if you consider this interiorly you will perceive that he would +not possess thought, still less reason, and hence would not be a human +being. + +177. The Lord's divine providence is constantly seeking to withdraw man +from evils. If a man perceived or felt this constant activity and yet was +not led like one bound, would he not struggle against it continually and +then either quarrel with God or mingle himself in divine providence? If +he did the latter he would also make himself God; if he did the former he +would free himself from constraint and deny God. Manifestly two forces +would constantly be acting then against each other, the force of evil +from man and the force of good from the Lord. When two opposites act +against each other, one of them conquers or they both perish. In this +instance if one conquers they both perish. For the evil, which is man's, +does not let in good from the Lord in a moment, nor does good from the +Lord cast out evil from man in a moment; if either was done in a moment +no life would be left to man. These and many other harmful results would +follow if man manifestly perceived or felt the operation of divine +providence. This will be demonstrated clearly by examples in what +follows. + +178. Man is not given a foreknowledge of events for the same reason, +namely, that he may be able to act in freedom according to reason. It is +well known that man wants what he loves effected, and he guides himself +to this end by reasoning. It is also known that what a man meditates in +his reason comes from his love of giving it effect through thought. If, +then, he knew the effect or the eventuality by divine prediction, his +reason would become inactive and with it his love; for love along with +reasoning ends with the effect, to begin anew. It is reason's very +enjoyment to envision with love the effect in thought, not after it is +attained but before it is, not in the present but as future. So man has +what is called hope, which rises and declines in the reason as he beholds +or awaits the event. The enjoyment is fulfilled in the event and then is +forgotten along with thought about the event. The same thing would occur +with an event that was foreknown. + +[2] The human mind dwells always in the trine called end, cause and +effect. If one of these is lacking, the mind is not possessed of its +life. An affection of the will is the initiating end; the thought of the +understanding is the efficient cause; and bodily action, utterance or +external sensation is the effect from the end by means of the thought. +Anyone sees that the human mind is not possessed of its life when it is +only in an affection of the will and in naught besides, or when it is +only in an effect. The mind has no life from one of these separately, +therefore, but from the three together. The life of the mind would +diminish and depart if an event were foretold. + +179. As a foreknowledge of future events takes away humanness itself, +which is action in freedom in accord with one's reason, no one is given +to know the future; but everyone is allowed to form conclusions by the +reason about the future; the reason is then fully in its own life. +Accordingly man does not know his lot after death or know any event until +he is on it. For if he knew, he would no longer think from his inner self +how he should act or live so as to meet it, but would think only from his +exterior self that he was meeting it. This state closes the interiors of +his mind where the two faculties of his life, liberty and reason, +especially reside. A desire to know the future is born with most persons +but has its origin in a love of evil. It is taken away, therefore, from +those who believe in divine providence; and trust that the Lord disposes +their lot is given them. Therefore they do not desire to know it +beforehand lest they inject themselves in some way into divine +providence. The Lord teaches this in many sayings in Luke (12:14-48). + +[2] Much from the world of the spirit can confirm that this is a law of +divine providence. On entering that world after death most persons desire +to know their lot. The answer they receive is that if they have lived +well their lot is in heaven and if wickedly it is in hell. But as all, +including the wicked, fear hell they ask what they should do and believe +to get into heaven. They are answered that they are to do and believe as +they will, but know that one does not do good or believe truth in hell, +only in heaven. "As you can, seek what is good and true, thinking truth +and doing good." Everyone is thus left to act in freedom according to +reason in the spiritual world as he is in the natural world; but as one +has acted in this world he acts in that, for everyone's life remains to +him and so his lot awaits him, for this is his life's lot. + +180. (ii) _If man saw divine providence plainly he would inject himself +into the order and tenor of its course and pervert and destroy them._ To +bring this distinctly to the perception of the rational man and also of +the natural man, it will be illustrated by examples in this order: + +1. External things are so connected with internal things that they make +one in all that is done. +2. The human being joins the Lord only in some external things and if he +did in internal things also, he would pervert and destroy the whole order +and tenor of the course of divine providence. + +As we said, these points will be illustrated by examples. + +[2] First: _External things are so connected with internal things that +they make one in all that is done._ Let this be illustrated by examples +from several things in man's body. Everywhere in it are things external +and internal. The external are called skins, membranes and coverings; the +internal are forms variously composed and woven of nerve fibres and blood +vessels. The covering over these enters into them by extensions from +itself even to the inmost, so that the external or the covering unites +with the internals or the organic forms of fibres and vessels. It follows +that the internals act and are acted on as the external acts or is acted +on. For they are all constantly bound up together. + +[3] Take such a common covering in the body as the pleura, for example, +which covers the chest cavity and the heart and lungs. Examine it in an +anatomical view, or if you do not know anatomy consult anatomists, and +you will learn that this general covering by various circumvolutions and +finer and finer extensions from itself enters into the inmost parts of +the lungs, even into the smallest bronchial branches and into the sacs +themselves which are the beginnings of the lungs, not to mention its +subsequent progress by the trachea into the larynx and toward the tongue. +From this it is plain that there is a constant connection of the outmost +with inmosts; the interiors from the inmosts on therefore act and are +acted upon as the external acts or is acted on. For this reason when that +outmost covering, the pleura, is congested, inflamed or ulcerated, the +lungs labor from their inmost parts; if the disease grows worse, all +action of the lungs ceases and the man dies. + +[4] The same is true everywhere else in the body. For instance it is true +of the peritoneum, the general covering of all the abdominal viscera, +also of the coverings on such organs severally as the stomach, liver, +pancreas, spleen, intestines, mesentery, kidneys, and the organs of +generation in both sexes. Choose any one of these viscera, examine it +yourself or consult those skilled in the science, and you will see or +hear. Take the liver, for example; you will find there is a connection +between the peritoneum and that organ and by its covering with its inmost +parts. For the covering puts out constant extensions from itself and +insertions towards the interiors and thus continues to inmosts and as a +result the whole is bound together. The entire form acts or is acted upon +in such manner as the covering acts or is acted upon. The same is true of +the rest of the organs. For what is general and what is particular or the +universal and the singular in a form act together by a marvelous +connection. + +[5] You will see below that what occurs in natural forms and their +processes, which relate to motion and actions, occurs similarly in +spiritual forms and in the changes and variations of their state, which +relate to activities of the will and the understanding. Inasmuch as man +joins the Lord in certain external activities and no one is deprived of +the liberty of acting according to reason, the Lord can act in internals +only as, together with man, He does in externals. If man does not shun +and turn away from evils as sins, therefore, the external and at the same +time the internal of his thought and will are infected and destroyed, +comparatively as the pleura is by the disease in it called pleurisy, of +which the body dies. + +[6] Second: _If man were in internals at the same time he would pervert +and destroy the whole order and tenor of divine providence._ Examples +from the human body will illustrate this also. If man knew all the +workings of the two brains into the fibres, of the fibres into the +muscles and of the muscles into actions, and by this knowledge were to +have the disposition of them as he disposes his deeds, would he not +pervert and destroy all? + +[7] If man knew how the stomach digests, and how the surrounding organs +take their portion, work the blood and distribute it where needed for +life, and if he had the disposing of these as he has of external +activities, such as eating and drinking, would he not pervert and destroy +all? When he cannot handle the external, seemingly a single thing, +without destroying it by luxury and intemperance, what would he do if he +had the disposal of the internals, infinite in number? Lest man enter +into them by any volition and have control of them, things internal are +therefore taken entirely away from the will except for the muscles, which +are a covering; moreover, how these act is not known, only that they do. + +[8] The same can be said of other organs. To give examples: if man had +the disposing of the interiors of the eye for seeing, those of the ear +for hearing, or the tongue for tasting, those of the skin for feeling, +those of the heart for systolic action, of the lungs for breathing, of +the mesentery to distribute the chyle, or of the kidneys for secretion, +the interiors of the organs of generation for propagation, or those of +the womb for perfecting an embryo, and so on, would he not pervert and +destroy the ordered course of the divine providence in them in +innumerable ways? As we know, man is in externals, for example sees with +the eye, hears with the ear, tastes with the tongue, feels with the skin, +breathes with the lungs, impregnates a wife, and so on. Is it not enough +for him to know the externals and dispose them for health of body and +mind? When he cannot do this, what would happen if he disposed internals +also? It may be plain from this that if man saw divine providence +plainly, he would inject himself into the order and tenor of its course +and pervert and destroy them. + +181. The like occurs in the spiritual things of the mind to what occurs +in the natural things of the body for the reason that all things of the +mind correspond to all things of the body. For the same reason the mind +actuates the body in externals and generally does so completely. It moves +the eyes to see, the ears to hear, the mouth and tongue to eat and drink, +also to speak, the hands to do, the feet to walk, the generative organs +to propagate. The mind not only moves the externals in these ways but the +internals, too, in their whole series, outmosts from inmosts and inmosts +from outmosts. Thus while moving the mouth to speak, it moves lungs, +larynx, glottis, tongue and lips at the same time, each separately to its +especial function, and the face suitably also. + +[2] It is clear then that the same can be said of the spiritual forms of +the mind as was said of the natural forms of the body, and the same can +be said of the spiritual activities of the mind as was said of the +natural activities of the body. Consequently the Lord orders the +internals as a man does the externals, in one way if the man orders the +externals of himself and in another if he orders them under the Lord and +at the same time as of himself. The mind of man is also in its total +organization a man, for it is his spirit which appears after death +altogether as a human being as in the world; hence there are similar +things in mind and body. Thus what has been said about the conjunction of +externals with internals in the body is to be understood of the +conjunction of externals with internals in the mind, with the sole +difference that the latter is spiritual and the former is natural. + +182. ( iii) _If man beheld divine providence plainly he would either deny +God or make himself god._ The merely natural man says to himself, "What +is divine providence? Is it anything else or more than an expression +which people get from a priest? Who sees anything of it? Is it not by +prudence, wisdom, cunning and malice that all things are done in the +world? Is not all else necessity or consequence? And does not much happen +by chance? Does divine providence lie concealed in this? How can it do so +in deceptions and schemes? Yet it is said that divine providence effects +all things. Then let me see it and I will believe in it. Can one believe +in it until he sees it?" + +[2] So speaks the merely natural man, but the spiritual man speaks +differently. Acknowledging God he also acknowledges divine providence and +sees it, too. He cannot make it manifest, however, to anyone whose +thought is on nature only and from nature, for such a person cannot raise +his mind above nature, see anything of divine providence in its +phenomena, or come to conclusions about providence from nature's laws, +which are also laws of divine wisdom. If, therefore, he beheld divine +providence plainly, he would sink it in nature and thus not only enshroud +it in fallacies but profane it. Instead of acknowledging it he would deny +it, and one who denies divine providence in his heart denies God also. + +[3] Either one thinks that God governs all things or that nature does. He +who thinks that God does thinks that they are ruled by love itself and +wisdom itself, thus by life itself; but he who thinks that nature governs +all, thinks that all things are ruled by nature's heat and light, +although these in themselves are dead, coming as they do from a dead sun. +Does not what is itself alive govern what is lifeless? Can what is dead +govern anything? If you think that what is lifeless can give life to +itself, you are mad; life must come from life. + +183. It does not seem likely that if a man saw divine providence and its +activity plainly he would deny God; it would seem that he could not but +acknowledge it and thus acknowledge God. Yet the contrary is true. Divine +providence never acts in keeping with the love of man's will, but +constantly against it. For the human being by force of his hereditary +evil is ever panting for the lowest hell, but the Lord in His providence +is constantly leading him away and withdrawing him from it, first to a +milder hell, then away from hell, and finally to Himself in heaven. This +activity of divine providence is perpetual. If, then, man saw or felt +this withdrawing and leading away, he would be angered, consider God his +enemy, and deny Him on account of the evil of his selfhood. In order that +man may not know of it, therefore, he is held in freedom and thereby does +not know but that he leads himself. + +[2] But let examples serve for illustration. By heredity man wants to +become great and also rich. In the measure in which these loves are not +checked he wants to become still greater and richer and finally the +greatest and richest; even so he would not rest, but would want to become +greater than God Himself and possess heaven itself. This lust is hidden +deep in hereditary evil and consequently in man's life and in the nature +of his life. Divine providence does not remove this evil in a moment; if +it were removed in a moment man would cease to live; but divine +providence removes it quietly and gradually without man's knowing of it. +It does this by letting man act according to the thinking which he deems +rational; then by various means, rational and also civil and moral, it +leads him away and withdraws him so far as he can be withdrawn in +freedom. Nor can evil be removed from anyone unless it comes out and is +seen and acknowledged; it is like a wound which heals only when opened. + +[3] If, therefore, man knew and saw that the Lord in His divine +providence works in this way against his life's love, the source of his +highest enjoyment, he could not but go in the opposite direction, be +enraged, rebel, say harsh things, and finally, on account of his evil, +brush aside the activity of divine providence, denying it and so denying +God. He would do this especially if he saw success thwarted or saw +himself lowered in standing or deprived of wealth. + +[4] But it is to be known that the Lord in no wise leads man away from +seeking position and acquiring wealth, but leads him away from the lust +of seeking position solely for the sake of eminence or for his own sake, +and also from acquiring wealth for its own sake or just to have it. +Leading the man away, He introduces him into the love of uses so that he +may regard eminence not for his own sake but for the sake of uses, thus +as attached to uses and only so to himself, and not as attached to him +and then to the uses; the same applies to wealth. At many places in the +Word the Lord Himself teaches that He continually humbles the proud and +exalts the humble; what He teaches in it is also of His divine +providence. + +184. Any other evil in which man is by heredity is dealt with in like +manner, such as adultery, fraud, vengeance, blasphemy and other similar +evils, none of which can be removed except as freedom to think and will +them is left to man for him to remove them as if of himself. Nevertheless +he can do this only as he acknowledges divine providence and prays that it +may be done by it. Apart from this freedom and from divine providence at +the same time, the evils would be like poison shut in and not driven out, +which would spread quickly and consign all parts to death, or would be +like disease of the heart itself, from which the whole body soon dies. + +185. The truth of what has been said cannot be better known than from +human lives after death in the spiritual world. Very many who had become +great or wealthy in the natural world and in their eminence or riches had +regarded themselves alone, at first speak of God and divine providence as +though they had acknowledged them at heart, but seeing divine providence +clearly then and their final lot under it, namely, for them to enter +hell, they unite with devils there and not only deny God then but also +blaspheme Him. Finally they reach such madness that they acknowledge the +more powerful among devils as their gods and desire nothing more ardently +than to become gods themselves. + +186. Man would go contrary to God and also deny Him if he saw the +activities of God's divine providence plainly, for the reason that man is +in the enjoyment of self-love and this enjoyment constitutes his very +life. Therefore when man is held in the enjoyment of his life he is in +his freedom, for freedom and the enjoyment make one. If, then, he should +perceive that he is continually being led away from his enjoyment, he +would be enraged as against one who wanted to destroy his life and would +hold him to be an enemy. Lest it happen, the Lord in His divine +providence does not appear manifestly, but leads man by it as silently as +a hidden stream or favorable current does a vessel. Consequently man does +not know but that he is steadily in his own, for his freedom and his +proprium make one. Hence it is plain that freedom appropriates to him +what divine providence introduces, which would not take place if +providence were manifest. To be appropriated means to become of one's +life. + +187. (iv) _Man can see divine providence on the back and not in the face; +also in a spiritual state but not in a natural._ To see divine providence +on the back but not in the face means after it acts and not before. To +see it in a spiritual state and not in a natural is to see it from heaven +and not from the world. All who receive influx from heaven and +acknowledge divine providence, especially those who have become spiritual +through reformation, on beholding events taking a wonderful course see +providence as it were from an interior acknowledgment and confess it. +These do not wish to see it in the face, that is, before it eventuates, +fearing that their volition may intrude on something of its order and +tenor. + +[2] It is otherwise with those who do not admit any influx from heaven +but only from the world, especially with those who have become natural by +confirming appearances in themselves. They do not see anything of divine +providence on the back, that is, after it eventuates, but wish to behold +it in the face or before it eventuates; and as divine providence works by +means, and these are provided through man or the world, they attribute +providence, whether they look it in the face or on the back, to man or to +nature, and so confirm themselves in the denial of it. They make this +ascription of it because their understanding is closed above, that is, to +heaven, and open only below, that is, to the world; one cannot see divine +providence in a worldly outlook, only in a heavenly. I have wondered +sometimes whether they would acknowledge divine providence if their +understanding was opened above and they were to see as in the light of +day that nature in itself is dead, and human intelligence in itself +nothing, and that it is by influx that either appears to have being. I +perceived that those who have confirmed themselves in favor of nature and +of human prudence would not make the acknowledgment because the natural +light flowing in from below would immediately extinguish the spiritual +light flowing in from above. + +189.* The man who has become spiritual by acknowledgment of God, and wise +by rejection of the proprium, sees divine providence in the world as a +whole and in each and all things in it. Looking at natural things, he +sees it; at civil things, he sees it; at spiritual things, he sees it; +and in things simultaneous as well as successive. He sees it in ends, +causes, effects, uses, forms, things great and small. Above all he sees +it in the salvation of men, as that Jehovah gave the Word, taught men by +it about God and about heaven and hell and eternal life, and Himself came +into the world to redeem men and save them. Man sees these and many other +things and divine providence in them from spiritual light in natural +light. + +* The Latin original has no number 188. + +[2] The merely natural man, however, sees none of these things. He is +like a man who sees a magnificent temple and hears a preacher enlightened +in divine things, but once home asserts that he saw only a stone building +and heard nothing but sounds made. Again, he is like a near-sighted man +who steps into a garden remarkable for fruits of every sort and who +reports on getting home that he saw only woods and trees. Moreover, when +such persons, having become spirits after death, are taken up into the +angelic heaven where all objects are in forms representative of love and +wisdom, they see none of them, not even that they exist. I have seen this +happen with a number who denied the Lord's divine providence. + +190. Many constant things exist, created that inconstant things may +exist. Such constants are the ordained changes in the rising and setting +of sun, moon and stars; their obscurations by interpositions called +eclipses; the heat and light from them; the seasons of the year, called +spring, summer, autumn and winter; the times of the day, morning, noon, +evening and night; also atmospheres, waters and lands, viewed in +themselves; the vegetative force in the plant kingdom, that and the +reproductive in the animal kingdom; likewise what is constantly produced +when these forces are set in action in accord with the laws of order. +These and many more things existing from the creation are provided so +that infinitely varying things may exist, for what varies can exist only +in what is constant, fixed and certain. + +[2] Examples will illustrate this. The varieties of vegetation would not +be possible unless sunrise and sunset and the resulting heat and light +were constant. Harmonies are infinitely varied, and would not exist +unless the atmospheres were constant in their laws and the ear in its +form. Varieties of vision, which are also infinite, would not exist +unless the ether in its laws and the eye in its organization were +constant; equally so, colors, unless light was constant. The same is true +of thoughts, words and actions, which are of infinite variety too; they +could not exist, either, unless the organic forms of the body were +constant. Must not a house be steady for a variety of things to be done +in it by a person? So must a temple be for the various acts of worship, +preaching, instruction and devout meditation to be possible in it. So in +much else. + +[3] As for the varieties found in the constant, fixed and certain, they +go on to infinity and have no end; no one thing in the whole universe or +in any part of it is ever precisely the same as another, nor can be in +the progress of things to eternity. Who disposes these varieties which +proceed to infinity and eternity so that they have order unless it is He +who created what is constant to the end that they may exist in it? And +who can dispose the infinite varieties of life among men but He who is +life itself, that is, love itself and wisdom itself? Except by His divine +providence, which is like a continual creation, can the infinite +affections of men and their thoughts thence and thus the men themselves +be disposed so as to make one? Evil affections and the thoughts from them +to make one devil which is hell, and good affections and the thoughts +from them one Lord in heaven? We have said and shown several times before +that the whole angelic heaven is like one man in the Lord's sight, an +image and likeness of Him, and all hell over against it like one +monstrous man. This has been said because some natural men seize on +arguments for their madness in favor of nature and of one's own prudence +from even the constant and fixed which must exist for the variable to +exist in it. + +X. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS ONE'S OWN PRUDENCE; THERE ONLY APPEARS TO BE +AND IT SHOULD SO APPEAR; BUT DIVINE PROVIDENCE IS UNIVERSAL BY BEING IN +THE LEAST THINGS + +191. That there is no such thing as one's own prudence is contrary to +appearances and therefore to the belief of many. Because it is, one who +believes, on the strength of the appearance, that human prudence does all +things, cannot be convinced except by reasons to be had from a more +profound investigation and to be gathered from causes. The appearance is +an effect, and causes disclose how it arises. By way of introduction +something will be said about the common faith on the subject. Contrary to +the appearance the church teaches that love and faith are not from man +but from God, so also wisdom and intelligence, therefore prudence also, +and in general all good and truth. When this teaching is accepted, one +must also agree that there is no such thing as one's own prudence, but +there only appears to be. Prudence comes only from intelligence and +wisdom and both of these only from the understanding and its grasp of +truth and good. All this is accepted and believed by those who +acknowledge divine providence, but not by those who only acknowledge +human prudence. + +[2] Now, either what the church teaches is true, that all wisdom and +prudence are from God, or what the world teaches, that they are from man. +Can these views be reconciled in any other way than this, that what the +church teaches is the truth, and what the world teaches is the +appearance? For the church establishes its teaching from the Word, but +the world its teaching from the proprium; and the Word is God's, and the +proprium is man's. Because prudence is from God and not from man a +Christian in his devotions, prays God to lead his thoughts, purposes and +actions, and also adds that by himself he cannot. Again, seeing someone +doing good, he says the person has been led to it by God; and so about +much else. Can anyone speak so unless he inwardly believes it? To believe +it inwardly comes from heaven. But when a man deliberates and gathers +arguments in favor of human prudence he can believe the contrary, and +this is from the world. The internal faith prevails with those who +acknowledge God in their hearts; the external faith with those who do not +acknowledge Him at heart, however much they may with the lips. + +192. We said that a person who believes, on the strength of the +appearance, that human prudence does all things, can be convinced only by +reasons to be had from a more profound investigation and gathered from +causes. In order, then, that the reasons gathered from causes may be +plain to the understanding, let them be put forward in due order as +follows: + +i. All man's thoughts are from affections of his life's love; there are +and can he no thoughts apart from them. +ii. The affections of the life's love are known to the Lord alone. +iii. Through His divine providence the Lord leads the affections of the +life's love of man and at the same time the thoughts, too, from which +human prudence comes. +iv. By His divine providence the Lord assembles the affections of all +mankind into one form--the human form. +v. Heaven and hell, which are from mankind, are therefore in such a form. +vi. Those who have acknowledged nature alone and human prudence alone +make up hell, and those who have acknowledged God and His divine +providence make up heaven. +vii. All this can be effected only as it appears to man that he thinks +from himself and disposes by himself. + +193. ( i ) _All man's thoughts are from affections of his life's love; +there are and can be no thoughts apart from them._ It has been shown +above in this treatise and also in the one entitled _Angelic Wisdom about +Divine Love and Wisdom,_ Parts I and V particularly, what the life's love +and the affections and the thoughts from them are essentially, and what +the sensations and actions arising from them in the body are. Inasmuch as +these are the causes from which human prudence issues as an effect, +something needs to be said about them here also. For what has been +written earlier elsewhere cannot be as closely connected with what is +written later as it will be if the same things are recalled and placed +with both in view. + +[2] Earlier in this treatise, and in that just mentioned about _Divine +Love and Wisdom,_ it was shown that in the Lord are divine love and +wisdom; that these two are life itself; that from the two man has will +and understanding, will from the divine love and understanding from the +divine wisdom; that heart and lungs in the body correspond to these two; +that this may make plain that as the pulsation of the heart along with +the respiration of the lungs rules the whole man as to the body, so the +will together with the understanding rules him as to his mind; that thus +there are two principles of life in everyone, one natural and the other +spiritual, and that the natural principle of life is the heartbeat, and +the spiritual is the will of the mind; that each adjoins a consort to +itself with which it cohabits and performs the functions of life; and +that the heart joins the lungs to itself, and the will the understanding +to itself. + +[3] Now, as the soul of the will is love, and the soul of the +understanding is wisdom, both of them from the Lord, love is the life of +everyone and is such life as it has in union with wisdom; or what is the +same, the will is the life of everyone and is such life as it has in +conjunction with the understanding. More on the subject may be seen above +in this treatise and especially in _Angelic Wisdom about Divine Love and +Wisdom,_ Parts I and V. + +194. It was also demonstrated in the treatises mentioned that the life's +love produces subordinate loves from itself, called affections; that +these are exterior and interior; and that taken together they make one +dominion or kingdom as it were, in which the life's love is lord or king. +It was also shown that these subordinate loves or affections adjoin +consorts to themselves, each its own, the interior affections consorts +called perceptions, and the exterior consorts called knowledges, and each +cohabits with its consort and performs the functions of its life. In each +instance, it was shown, the union is like that of life's very being with +life's coming forth, which is such that the one is nothing without the +other; for what is life's being unless it is active and what is life's +activity if it is not from life's very being? The conjunction in life, it +was likewise shown, is like that of sound and harmony, of sound and +utterance, too, in general like that of the heart's pulsation and the +respiration of the lungs, a union, again, such that one without the other +is nothing and each becomes something in union with the other. Union must +either be in them or come about by them. + +[2] Consider, for example, sound. One who thinks that sound is something +if there is nothing distinctive in it is much mistaken. It also +corresponds to affection in man, and as something distinctive is always +in it the affection of a person's love is known from the sound of his +voice in speaking, and his thought is known from the varied sounds which +speech is. Hence the wiser angels perceive just from the sound of his +voice a man's life's love together with some of the affections which are +its derivatives. This has been remarked that it may be known that no +affection is possible without its thought, and no thought without its +affection. More on the subject can be seen above in this treatise and in +_Angelic Wisdom about Divine Love and Wisdom._ + +195. Inasmuch as the life's love has its enjoyment, and its wisdom its +pleasure, and likewise every affection, which is essentially a lesser +love derived from the life's love like a stream from its source or a +branch from a tree or an artery from the heart, therefore every affection +has its enjoyment and the perception or thought from it its pleasure. +Consequently these enjoyments and pleasures make man's life. What is life +without joy and pleasure? It is not animated at all, but inanimate. +Reduce enjoyment and pleasure and you grow cold and torpid; take them +away and you expire and die. Vital heat comes from the enjoyments of the +affections and the pleasures of the perceptions and thoughts. + +[2] As every affection has its enjoyment and the thought thence its +pleasure, it may be plain whence good and truth are and what they are +essentially. Whatever is the enjoyment of one's affection is one's good, +and one's truth is what is pleasant to the thought from that affection. +For everyone calls that good which he feels in the love of his will to be +enjoyable, and calls that truth which he then perceives in the wisdom of +his understanding to be pleasant. The enjoyable and the pleasant both +flow out from the life's love as water does from a spring or blood from +the heart; together they are like an element or the atmosphere in which +man's whole mind is. + +[3] The two, enjoyment and pleasure, are spiritual in the mind and +natural in the body, and in each make man's life. From this it is plain +what it is in man that is called good, and what it is that is called +truth; likewise what it is in man that is called evil and false; whatever +destroys the enjoyment of his affection is evil to him, and what destroys +the pleasure of his thought thence is false to him. It is plain, +moreover, that evil on account of the enjoyment in it and falsity on +account of the pleasure in it may be called good and truth and believed +to be good and truth. Goods and truths are indeed changes and variations +of state in the forms of the mind, but they are perceived and have life +only through the enjoyments and pleasures they have to give. This is +noted to make known what affection and thought are in their life. + +196. Inasmuch as it is not the body but man's mind that thinks and that +does so from the enjoyment of one's affection, and inasmuch as man's mind +is his spirit which lives after death, man's spirit is nothing else than +affection and thought therefrom. It is altogether plain from spirits and +angels in the spiritual world that thought cannot exist apart from +affection, for they all think from the affections of their life's love; +the enjoyments of these affections attend each as his atmosphere, and all +are united by these spheres exhaled from the affections by their +thoughts. The character of each one is known also by the sphere of his +life. It may be seen from this that all thought is from an affection and +is the form of that affection. The same applies to the relationship +between will and understanding, good and truth, and charity and faith. + +197. (ii) _The affections of the life's love of man are known to the Lord +alone._ Man knows his thoughts and his intentions in them because he sees +them in himself, and as all prudence is from them, he sees this, too, +within him. Then if his life's love is self-love, he comes to take pride +in his own intelligence, ascribes prudence to himself, gathers arguments +in support of it, and thus recedes from acknowledging divine providence. +Much the same happens if love of the world is his life's love, but he +does not then recede to the same extent. It is plain from this that these +two loves ascribe all things to man and to his prudence and when +interiorly examined ascribe nothing to God and to His providence. When +persons who do this happen to hear that the reality is that there is no +such thing as human prudence, but that divine providence alone governs +all things, they laugh at this if they are outright atheists; if they +hold something of religion in remembrance and are told that all wisdom is +from God, they assent on first hearing it, but inwardly in their spirit +deny it. Such especially are priests who love themselves more than God, +and the world more than heaven, or what is the same, worship God for +position's or riches' sake, and yet have been preaching that charity and +faith, all good and truth, all wisdom, too, and in fact prudence are from +God and none of them from man. + +[2] In the spiritual world I once heard two priests debating with a +certain royal ambassador about human prudence whether it is from God or +from man, and the debate was heated. The three believed alike at heart, +namely, that human prudence does all and divine providence nothing, but +the priests in their theological zeal at the moment asserted that there +was nothing of wisdom and prudence from man. When the ambassador retorted +that there was nothing of thought then, either, they said "yes, nothing +of thought." But as angels perceived that the three believed alike, they +bade the ambassador, "Put on priestly robes, believe yourself to be a +priest, and then speak." He robed himself, believed he was a priest, and +thereupon declared in a deep voice that never could there be wisdom or +prudence in man save from God. He defended this with the customary +eloquence filled with rational arguments. Then the two priests were told, +"Put off your robes, put on those of political ministers, and believe +that that is what you are." They did so, thought then from their interior +selves, and gave voice to the arguments they had entertained inwardly +before in favor of human prudence and against divine providence. Upon +this the three, believing alike, became warm friends and set out together +on the path of one's own prudence, which leads to hell. + +198. It was shown above that man can have no thought except from some +affection of his life's love and that the thought is nothing other than +the form of the affection. Now, man sees his thought but cannot see his +affection, which he feels; it is therefore from sight which dwells on the +appearance, and not from affection which does not come into sight but +into feeling, that he concludes that one's own prudence does all things. +For affection shows itself only in a certain enjoyment of thought and in +pleasure ever reasoning about it. This pleasure and enjoyment make one +with the thought in those who, from self-love or love of the world, +believe in one's own prudence. The thought glides along in its enjoyment +like a ship in a river current to which the skipper does not attend, +attending only to the sails he spreads. + +199. Man can indeed reflect on what his external affection finds +enjoyable when it is also an enjoyment of a bodily sense, but he still +does not reflect that that enjoyment comes from the enjoyment of his +affection in thought. For example, when a lecher sees a lewd woman his +eyes light with a lascivious fire and from this he feels a physical +pleasure; he does not, however, feel his affection's enjoyment or that of +the lust in his thought, only a strong desire more nearly physical. The +same is true of the robber in a forest at sight of travelers and of the +pirate at sea on sighting vessels, and so on. Obviously a man's +enjoyments govern his thoughts, and the thoughts are nothing apart from +them; but he thinks he has only the thoughts, when nevertheless these are +affections put into forms by his life's love so that they appear in the +light; for all affection has heat for its element and thought has light. + +[2] The external affections of thought manifest themselves in bodily +sensation, and sometimes in the thought of the mind, but the internal +affections of the thought from which the external exist never make +themselves manifest to man. Of these he knows no more than a rider asleep +in a carriage does of the road or than one feels the rotation of the +earth. Now, when man knows nothing of the things beyond number that take +place in the interiors of his mind, and the few external things which +come to the sight of his thought are produced from the interiors, and the +interiors are governed by the Lord alone through His divine providence +and the few external by the Lord also together with man, how can anyone +assert that one's own prudence does all things? Were you to see just one +idea laid open, you would see astounding things, more than tongue can +tell. + +[3] It is clear from the endless things in the body that there are so +many things in the mind's interiors that the number cannot be given, and +nothing of them comes to sight or sense except only a much simplified +action. Yet to the action thousands of motor or muscular fibres +contribute, and thousands of nerve fibres, thousands of blood-vessels, +thousands of cells in the lungs which must cooperate in every action, +thousands in the brains and in the spinal cord, and many more things +still in the spiritual man which is the human mind, in which all things +are forms of affections and of perceptions and thoughts from the +affections. Does not the soul, which disposes the interiors, dispose the +actions also which spring from them? Man's soul is nothing else than the +love of his will and the resulting love of his understanding; such as +this love is the whole man is, becoming so according to the disposition +he makes of his externals in which he and the Lord are together. +Therefore, if he attributes all things to himself and to nature, +self-love becomes the soul; but if he attributes all things to the Lord, +love to the Lord becomes the soul; this love is heavenly, the other +infernal. + +200. Inasmuch as the enjoyments of his affections, from inmosts down +through interiors to exteriors and finally to outermost things in the +body, bear man along as wave and wind bear a ship; and inasmuch as +nothing of this is apparent to man except what takes place in the +outermost things of the mind and the body, how can he claim for himself +what is divine on the strength merely of the fact that those few +outermost things seem to be his own? Even less should he claim what is +divine for himself, knowing from the Word that a man can receive nothing +of himself unless it is given by heaven; and knowing from reason that +this appearance has been granted him in order to live as a human being, +see what is good and evil, choose between them, and appropriate his +choice to himself that he may be united reciprocally with the Lord, be +reformed, regenerated and saved, and live forever. It has been stated and +shown above that this appearance has been granted to man in order that he +may act in freedom according to reason, thus as of himself, and not drop +his hands and await influx. From all this it follows that proposition iii +to be demonstrated has been confirmed: _Through His divine providence the +Lord leads the affections of the life's love of man and at the same time +the thoughts, too, from which human prudence comes._ + +201. (iv) _By His divine providence the Lord assembles the affections of +all mankind into one form--the human form._ In a subsequent paragraph it +will be seen that this is the universal effort of divine providence. +Those who ascribe everything to nature deny God at heart, and those who +ascribe everything to human prudence, at heart deny divine providence; +the one cannot be separated from the other. Yet both groups for their +reputation's sake and for fear of losing it profess in words that divine +providence is universal, but say its details fall to man and in their +aggregate are grasped by human prudence. + +[2] But consider: what is universal providence when the details are taken +from it? Is it anything but just an expression? For that is called +universal which consists of the total of details as what is general does +of particulars. If, then, you remove details, what is the universal +except something empty, thus like a surface with nothing underneath or an +aggregate without content? If it should be said that divine providence is +a universal government but nothing is governed but only held in +connection and items of the government are handled by others, can this be +called a universal government? No king has such a government. For if a +king gave his subjects the government of everything in his kingdom, he +would no longer be king, but would only be called king; he would have the +standing in name only and not in fact. In the case of such a king one +cannot speak of government, still less of universal government. + +[3] God's providence is called man's prudence. As universal prudence +cannot be said of a king who has only kept the name so that the kingdom +may be called a kingdom and be held together, so one cannot speak of +universal providence if human beings provide everything by their own +prudence. The same is true of the terms "universal providence" and +"universal government" in reference to nature when they mean that God +created the universe but endowed nature to produce everything from +herself. What is "universal providence" then but a metaphysical term, and +nothing but a term? Many of those who attribute everything produced to +nature and everything accomplished to human prudence and yet profess +orally that God created nature, regard divine providence as an empty +expression. But the reality is that divine providence is in the least +things of nature and of human prudence also and is thereby universal. + +202. The Lord's divine providence is universal by being in the least +things in that He created the universe in order that an infinite and +eternal creation might come about from Him, and it does as He forms a +heaven from mankind which in His sight is like one humanity, His image +and likeness. We showed above (nn. 27-45) that heaven formed of human +beings is such in His sight; that this was the purpose of creation; and +that the divine regards what is infinite and eternal in all that it +does (nn. 46-69). The infinite and eternal to which the Lord looks in +forming His heaven from mankind is the growth of it to infinity and +eternity and thus His dwelling constantly in the purpose of His creation. +This infinite and eternal creation the Lord provided for in creating the +universe and He pursues it steadily in His divine providence. + +[2] Can anyone who knows and believes from the church's doctrine * that +God is infinite and eternal be so lacking in reason that he does not +agree on hearing it that God can then regard only what is infinite and +eternal in the great work of His creation? To what else can He look from +His infinite being? To what else in mankind of which He forms His heaven? +What else can divine providence then have for its end than the +reformation and salvation of mankind? No one can be reformed by himself +through his prudence; he is reformed by the Lord through His divine +providence. Consequently, unless the Lord leads man every least moment +the man lapses from the way of reformation and perishes. + +* It is the doctrine of all churches in Christendom that God the Father, +God the Son and God the Holy Spirit is infinite, eternal, uncreated and +omnipotent, as may be seen in the Athanasian Creed. + +[3] Every change or variation in the state of the human mind means a +change or variation in a series of things present and to come; what then +of progress to eternity? The situation is like that of an arrow shot from +a bow, which if it deviated from the target in the least on being aimed +would deviate widely at a thousand feet or more. The like would happen if +the Lord did not lead the states of the human mind every least moment. +The Lord does so according to the laws of His divine providence; it is +according to them that it seems to man he leads himself; but the Lord +foresees how he leads himself and constantly acts in adaptation. In what +follows it will be seen that laws of tolerance are also laws of divine +providence, that every man can be reformed and regenerated, and that no +other predestination is possible. + +203. Since every man lives forever after death and is allotted a place +either in heaven or in hell according to his life, and heaven and hell +must each be in a form to act as a unit, as we said before, and since no +one can be allotted a place in that form other than his own, humanity in +all the world is under the Lord's guidance and everyone is led by the +Lord from infancy to the close of life in the least things, and his place +is foreseen and provided. + +[2] Clearly then, the Lord's divine providence is universal by being in +the least things, and it is an infinite and eternal creation that He has +provided for Himself in creating the world. Man does not espy this +universal providence, and if he did, it would look to him like scattered +heaps and collections of material for building a house such as passersby +see, while the Lord beholds rather a magnificent palace, constantly +building and enlarging. + +204. (v) _Heaven and hell are in the form described._ That heaven is in +the human form has been made known in the work _Heaven and Hell,_ +published in London in 1758 (nn. 59-102), also in the treatise _Divine +Love and Wisdom,_ and here and there in the present treatise. I therefore +omit further confirmation. Hell is said to be in the human form also, but +it is in a monstrous human form, like that of the devil, by whom hell in +its entirety is meant. Hell is in the human form inasmuch as those who +are in it were born human beings too; they also possess the two human +faculties of liberty and rationality, though they have misused liberty by +willing and doing evil, and rationality by thinking and confirming evil. + +205. (vi) _Those who have acknowledged nature alone and human prudence +alone make up hell, and those who have acknowledged God and His divine +providence make up heaven._ All who lead an evil life, inwardly +acknowledge nature and human prudence alone. This acknowledgment lies +hidden in all evil, however the evil may be veiled by good and truth, +which are borrowed raiment, or like wreaths of perishable flowers, put +around the evil lest it appear in its nakedness. That all who lead an +evil life, inwardly acknowledge nature and human prudence alone is not +known because of this general covering hiding it from view. The source +and cause of their acknowledgment, however, may make clear that they +acknowledge nature and one's own prudence. We shall say, therefore, +whence man's own prudence is and what it is; then whence divine +providence is and what it is; next who they are respectively, and of what +character, who acknowledge divine providence and who acknowledge man's +own prudence; and lastly show that those who acknowledge divine +providence are in heaven and that those who acknowledge man's own +prudence are in hell. + +206. _Whence man's own prudence is and what it is._ It is from man's +proprium, which is his nature and is called his soul from his parent. +This proprium is self-love and the accompanying love of the world, or it +is love of the world and the accompanying self-love. Self-love by nature +regards self only and others as cheap or of no account. If it regards any +it does so as long as they honor and do it homage. Inmostly in that love, +like the endeavor in seed to fructify and propagate, there lies hidden +the desire to become great and if possible a king and then possibly a +god. A devil is such, for he is self-love itself; he adores himself and +favors no one unless he also adores him; another devil like himself he +hates, because he in turn wants alone to be adored. Since no love is +possible without its consort and the consort of love or of the will in +man is called the understanding, when self-love breathes itself into its +consort, the understanding, it becomes pride there, which is the pride of +self-intelligence, and from this comes man's own prudence. + +[2] Inasmuch as self-love wants to be the one lord of the world and thus +a god, the lusts of evil which are derived from it have their life from +it, so have the perceptions of the lusts, which are schemes; likewise +the enjoyments of the lusts, which are evils, and the thoughts of the +lusts, which are falsities. All these are like slaves and ministers of +their lord, responding to his every nod, unaware that they do not act +but are acted upon; they are actuated by self-love through the pride of +self-intelligence. Hence man's own prudence because of its origin lies +concealed in every evil. + +[3] The acknowledgment of nature alone is also hidden in it, for +self-love has closed the window overhead through which heaven is plain +and the side windows, too, in order not to see or hear that the Lord +alone governs all things, that nature in herself is lifeless, and that +man's proprium is infernal and consequently love of it is diabolical. +With the windows shuttered, self-love is in darkness, builds itself a +hearth fire at which it sits with its consort, and the two reason +amicably in favor of nature as against God and in favor of man's own +prudence as against divine providence. + +207. _Whence and what divine providence is._ It is the divine activity in +the man who has removed self-love. For, as was said, self-love is the +devil, and lusts with their enjoyments are the evils of his kingdom, +which is hell. On the removal of self-love the Lord enters with the +affections of neighborly love, opening the overhead window and then the +side windows, thus enabling man to see that there is a heaven, a life +after death and eternal happiness. By the spiritual light and at the same +time the spiritual love which then flow in, the Lord causes him to +acknowledge that God governs all things by His divine providence. + +208. _Who and of what nature those in each group are._ Those who +acknowledge God and His divine providence are like the angels of heaven, +who are averse to being led by themselves and love to be led by the Lord. +It is a sign that they are led by the Lord that they love the neighbor. +Those, however, who acknowledge nature and one's own prudence are like +the spirits of hell, who are averse to being led by the Lord and love to +be led by themselves. If they were powerful persons in a kingdom or +prelates in the church they want to dominate all things. If they were +judges, they pervert judgment and exercise power over the laws. If they +were learned, they apply scientific information to confirm nature and +man's proprium. If they were merchants they act like robbers, and if +husbandmen like thieves. All are enemies of God and scoffers at divine +providence. + +209. It is amazing that when heaven is opened to such men and they are +told that they are insane, and this is made plain to their very +perception by influx and enlightenment, still they angrily shut heaven +away from them and look to the earth beneath which is hell. This is done +with such men while they are still outside hell. It makes plain how +mistaken those are who think, "If I see heaven and hear angels speaking +with me, I shall acknowledge." Their understanding makes the +acknowledgment, but if the will does not at the same time, they still do +not acknowledge. For the love of the will inspires in the understanding +what it wills (it is not the other way about); indeed, it destroys +everything in the understanding which is not from itself. + +210. _All this can be effected only as it appears to man that he thinks +from himself and disposes by himself._ In what precedes we have shown +fully that unless it seemed to man that he lives of himself and thus +thinks and wills, speaks and acts of himself, he would not be man. +Consequently, unless he could in his own prudence make the disposition of +all pertaining to his function and life, he could not be led and guided +by divine providence. He would be like one with his hands hanging limp, +his mouth open, his eyes shut, holding his breath in expectation of +influx. He would divest himself of the human which he has from the +perception and sensation that he thinks, wills, speaks and acts as it +were of himself. At the same time he would divest himself of the two +faculties, liberty and rationality, distinguishing him from the beasts. +Above in this treatise and in the treatise _Divine Love and Wisdom_ it +was shown that without this appearance a man would not have the power to +receive or reciprocate nor have immortality then. + +[2] If then you desire to be led by divine providence, use prudence as a +servant and minister that faithfully dispenses his master's goods. This +prudence is the talent given to the servants to trade with, of which they +were to give account (Lu 19:13-28; Mt 25:14-31). It seems to man to be +his own, and he believes it is his own as long as he holds shut up within +him the bitterest enemy God and divine providence have, the love of self. +This dwells in the interiors of every man by birth; if you do not +recognize it (and it wishes not to be recognized), it dwells securely and +guards the door lest man open the door and the Lord cast it out. The door +is opened by man through shunning evils as sins as if of himself with the +acknowledgment that he does so from the Lord. With this prudence divine +providence acts as one. + +211. Divine providence operates so secretly that scarcely anyone is aware +it exists in order that man may not perish. For man's proprium, which is +his will, never acts at one with divine providence, against which it has +an inborn enmity. The proprium is the serpent which seduced the race's +parents of which it is said, + +I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and +her Seed, and It shall bruise your head (Ge 3:15). + +The serpent is evil of every sort; its head is self-love. The seed of the +woman is the Lord, and the enmity set is between the love of man's +proprium and the Lord, thus between man's own prudence and the Lord's +divine providence. For man's own prudence is constantly exalting that +head, and divine providence is constantly abasing it. + +[2] If man felt this, he would be enraged and wrought-up against God and +would perish. While he does not feel it, he may be enraged and wrought-up +against others or himself or against fortune without perishing. Therefore +the Lord leads man by His divine providence in freedom always, and the +freedom seems to man to be utterly his own. To lead a man freely in +opposition to himself is like raising a heavy and resisting weight from +the ground by means of screws through the power of which weight and +resistance are not felt. And it is as though someone is unknowingly with +an enemy who means to kill him and a friend leads him away quietly and +only afterwards tells him the enemy's intention. + +212. Who does not talk of fortune? Who does not acknowledge it by +speaking of it and know something of it by experience? Yet who knows what +it is? One cannot deny that it is something, for it exists and occurs, +and a thing cannot exist and occur without being caused; but the cause of +this something, fortune, is not known. Lest fortune be denied merely +because the cause is unknown, consider dice or playing cards and play +yourself or ask the players; do any deny that fortune exists? For they +play with it and it plays with them surprisingly. Who can repulse it if +it opposes him? Does it not laugh then at prudence and wisdom? When you +shake the dice or shuffle the cards, does fortune not seem to know and +direct the turns and twists of the wrists in favor of one player rather +than another for some cause? Can the cause have any other source than +divine providence in outermost things where it works along with human +prudence in a wonderful way, constant or changeful, concealing itself at +the same time? + +[2] We know that pagans of old acknowledged Fortune and built a temple to +her, as Italians did at Rome. It has been granted me to learn many things +which I am not permitted to make public about this fortune, which, as was +said, is divine providence in outmosts. These made it plain to me that +fortune is not an illusion of the mind nor a sport of nature nor +something without a cause, for this has no reality, but is visible +evidence that divine providence is over the least things in human thought +and action. As divine providence occurs in these least things which are +insignificant and trifling, why should it not in the significant and +important matters of peace and war in the world and of salvation and life +in heaven? + +213. I know, however, that human prudence bears the rational faculty its +way more than divine providence does its way, for the latter does not +show itself and the former does. It can be accepted more readily that +there is only one life, namely God, and that all men are recipients of +life from Him, as we have shown many times, yet this amounts to saying +that prudence is from Him, for prudence is part of life. What man, +speaking in favor of nature and of human prudence in his reasoning, is +not speaking from the natural or external man? And what man, speaking in +favor of divine providence and of God in his reasoning, is not speaking +from the spiritual or internal man? But, "Pray, write two books," I say +to the natural man, "and fill them with plausible, likely and lifelike +reasons which in your judgment are solid ones, the one book in favor of +one's own prudence, and the other in favor of nature. Then hand them to +any angel. I know he will write down on them these few words: `All this +is appearance and fallacy.'" + +XI. DIVINE PROVIDENCE LOOKS TO WHAT IS ETERNAL, AND TO THE TEMPORAL ONLY +AS THIS ACCORDS WITH THE ETERNAL + +214. That divine providence looks to what is eternal and to the temporal +only so far as this makes one with the eternal, will be demonstrated in +this order: + +i. The temporal has to do with distinction and wealth, thus with standing +and gain, in the world. +ii. The eternal has to do with spiritual standing and abundance, of love +and wisdom, in heaven. +iii. The temporal and the eternal are separated by man, but are united by +the Lord. +iv. The uniting of temporal and eternal is the Lord's divine providence. + +215. (i) _The temporal has to do with distinction and wealth, thus with +standing and gain, in the world._ Many things are temporal, but they are +all related to distinction and wealth. By the temporal is meant all that +either perishes in time or at least comes to an end with man's life in +the world. By the eternal is meant all that does not perish or come to an +end in time and thus not with life in the world. Since, as we said, all +that is temporal concerns distinction and wealth, it is important to know +the following: what, and whence, distinction and wealth are; the nature +of the love of them for themselves and the nature of the love of them for +the sake of use; that these two loves are distinct from each other, as +hell and heaven are; and that man hardly knows the difference between +them. But of these points one by one. + +[2] _First: What, and whence, distinction and wealth are._ Distinction +and wealth in the most ancient times were quite different from what they +gradually became later. Distinction in those times existed only in the +relation of parents and children and was one of love, a love full of +respect and veneration, accorded the parents not because of birth from +them, but because of the instruction and wisdom received from them, which +was a second birth of the children, in itself spiritual, being of their +spirit. This was the sole distinction in most ancient days because +tribes, families, and households dwelt separately and not like today +under governments. The distinction attached to the head of the family. +Men of old called the times golden ages. + +[3] But after those times the love of ruling, just out of enjoyment of +that love, crept in by stages, and as enmity and hostility did so at the +same time towards those who were unwilling to submit, tribes, families, +and households congregated of necessity in communities and set over +themselves one whom they called judge at first, then prince, and finally +king and emperor. They also began to protect themselves by towers, +earthworks and walls. The lust of ruling spread like a contagion to many +from the judge, prince, king or emperor as from the head into the body, +and as a result degrees of distinction arose and prestige according to +them, and self-love also and pride in one's own prudence. + +[4] The same thing happened with the love of riches. In the most ancient +days when tribes and families lived by themselves, there was no other +love of riches than to possess the necessaries of life which they +provided for themselves from flocks and herds and from the lands, fields +and gardens which supplied their food. Suitable houses, furnished with +useful articles of every kind, and clothing were also among their +necessities of life. Parents, children and male and female servants, +making up the household, engaged in the care and labor for all these +necessities. + +[5] But after the love of dominion entered and destroyed this state of +society, the love of having means beyond what was needed crept in also +and grew to the extreme of wanting to possess the wealth of all other +men. The two loves are like blood relatives, for one who wants to rule +over all things, also wants to possess all things; for then all others +become servants, and they alone masters. This is clearly evident from +those in the papist world who have exalted their dominion even into +heaven, to the Lord's throne, on which they have placed themselves, and +who at the same time seek the wealth of the whole earth and want to +enlarge their treasury endlessly. + +[6] Second: _The nature of the love of distinction and wealth for their +own sake and for usefulness' sake respectively._ The love of distinction +and standing for their own sake is self-love--strictly, the love of ruling +from self-love; and the love of riches and wealth for their own sake is +love of the world--more precisely, the love of possessing the goods of +others by whatever device. But the love of distinction and riches for +usefulness' sake is love of the use, which is the same as love to the +neighbor; for that for the sake of which a man acts is the purpose from +which he acts, and is first or primary, and all else is means and +secondary. + +[7] As for the love of distinction and standing, identical with self-love +and strictly with the love of ruling from self-love, it is the love of +the proprium; and man's proprium is all evil. Hence it is said that man +is born into all evil and that what he has by heredity is nothing but +evil. What he has by heredity is his proprium in which he is and into +which he comes through self-love and especially through the love of +ruling from self-love; for one who is in that love regards only himself +and thus immerses his thoughts and affections in his proprium. Hence a +love of evil-doing is present in self-love. The reason is that he does +not love the neighbor but only himself; and one who loves himself only, +sees others as outsiders or as mean or nothing worth, despises them, and +does not hesitate to do them injury. + +[8] For this reason one who is in the love of ruling from the love of +self thinks nothing of defrauding his neighbor, committing adultery with +his wife, slandering him, breathing vengeance on him even to the death, +treating him cruelly, and other such deeds. This a man gets from the fact +that the devil himself, with whom he is conjoined and by whom he is led, +is nothing else than the love of ruling from self-love. One who is led by +the devil, that is, by hell, is led into all these evils and is +constantly led by enjoyments of these evils. Hence all who are in hell +want to do evil to all, but those in heaven want to do well by all. From +this opposition there results the intermediate state in which man is and +in it is in equilibrium, as it were, so that he can turn towards hell or +towards heaven. So far as he favors the evils of self-love he turns +towards hell, and so far as he removes them from him he turns towards +heaven. + +[9] It has been granted me to feel the nature and also the strength of +the enjoyment of ruling from the love of self. I was let into it that I +might know. It was such as to exceed all worldly enjoyments. It was an +enjoyment of the whole mind from its inmosts to its outmosts, but felt in +the body only as pleasure and gratification, making the chest swell. It +was also granted me to perceive that there issued from this enjoyment as +from their fountainhead the enjoyments of evils of all kinds, such as +adultery, revenge, fraud, slander, and evil-doing in general. There is a +similar enjoyment in the love of possessing the wealth of others by +whatever ruse, and from this love in the lusts derived from it; yet not +the same degree of enjoyment unless this love is conjoined with +self-love. As for distinction and riches sought not for themselves but +for usefulness' sake, this is not love of them but love of uses; +distinction and wealth serve it as means. This love is heavenly. But of +it more in what follows. + +[10] Third: _These two loves are distinct from each other, as heaven and +hell are._ This is plain from what has just been said, to which I will +add the following. All who are in the love of ruling from self-love, +whoever they are and whether they are great or small, are in hell in +spirit. They are also in the love of all evils. If they do not commit +them, still in their spirit they believe that they are allowable, and +when honor, standing, or fear of the law do not deter, they commit them +physically. What is more, the love of ruling from self-love hides hatred +of God deeply within itself, consequently of divine things which are of +the church and especially of the Lord. If such men acknowledge God it is +with the lips only, and if they acknowledge the divine things of the +church, it is for fear of losing standing. This love hides hatred of the +Lord deeply within it because deep in it is the desire to be God, for it +worships and adores itself alone. Hence if anyone honors it, even to +saying that it possesses divine wisdom and is the god of the world, it +loves him with all the heart. + +[11] It is otherwise with the love of distinction and wealth for +usefulness' sake; this love is heavenly, for, as was said, it is the same +as love of the neighbor. By uses goods are meant, and by doing uses doing +good is meant, and by doing uses or good, serving and helping others is +meant. Although those doing so may possess distinction and wealth, they +regard these only as means for doing uses, thus for serving and helping. +They are meant in these words of the Lord: + +Whoever would be great among you, must be your minister; and whoever +would . . . be first, must be your servant (Mt 20:26, 27). + +It is these also whom the Lord entrusts with ruling in heaven. For ruling +is to them the means of doing uses or good, thus of serving; and when +uses or good deeds are their purpose and their love, they do not rule; +the Lord does, from whom is all that is good. + +[12] Fourth: _Man hardly knows the difference between the two loves._ For +most men of distinction and wealth also perform uses, yet do not know +whether they do so for their own sake or for the sake of usefulness. They +know this the less because love of self and the world has more fire and +ardor for doing uses than have those who are not in love of self and the +world. The former do uses, however, for the sake of fame or gain, thus +for their own benefit; but the latter, doing so for the sake of +usefulness and what is beneficial, act not from themselves but from the +Lord. + +[13] The difference between the two loves can scarcely be recognized by +man, for he is ignorant whether he is being led by the devil or by the +Lord. Led by the devil he does uses for his own sake or the world's; led +by the Lord, he does them for the sake of the Lord and of heaven. All who +shun evils as sins do uses from the Lord; all who do not shun evils as +sins do uses from the devil, for evil is the devil, and use or good is +the Lord. Only so is the difference in question recognizable. Outwardly +the two loves look the same; inwardly they are wholly unlike. One is like +gold with dross in it, the other like gold with pure gold in it. One is +like artificial fruit, looking outwardly like the fruit of a tree, but is +colored wax with dust or pitch in it; the other is like noble fruit, +flavorsome and fragrant, with seeds in it. + +216. (ii) _The eternal has to do with spiritual standing and wealth, of +love and wisdom, in heaven._ As the natural man calls the enjoyments of +self-love, which are also the enjoyments of the lusts of evil, good, and +confirms that they are goods, he calls distinction and wealth divine +blessings. But when the natural man sees the wicked as well as the good +raised to distinction and prospered, and still more when he beholds the +good despised and poorly off and the wicked honored and affluent, he +thinks to himself, "Why is this? It cannot be by divine providence. For +if providence governed everything, it would lavish distinction and wealth +on the good and inflict contempt and poverty on the wicked, and thus +drive the wicked to acknowledge there is a God and divine providence." + +[2] But unless he is enlightened by the spiritual man, that is, is at the +same time spiritual, the natural man does not see that distinction and +wealth can be blessings but also curses, and that when they are from God +they are blessings, and when they are from the devil they are curses. It +is well known, moreover, that the devil bestows distinction and wealth; +it is on this account that he is called the prince of the world. As it is +not known when distinction and wealth are blessings and when they are +curses, let it be told in this order: 1. Distinction and wealth are +blessings and are curses. 2. When they are blessings they are spiritual +and eternal; when they are curses they are temporal and ephemeral. 3. +Distinction and wealth which are curses, compared with those which are +blessings, are as nothing compared with everything or as that which has +no existence in itself compared with that which has. + +217. The three points are now each to be clarified. 1. _Distinction and +wealth are blessings and are curses._ Common experience attests that both +the pious and the impious, or the just and the unjust, that is, the +wicked and the good, gain distinction and wealth, and yet it is +undeniable that the impious and unjust, that is, the wicked, enter hell, +and the pious and just, that is, the good, enter heaven. As this is true, +distinction and wealth or standing and means are either blessings or +curses, blessings with the good and curses with the evil. It was shown in +the work _Heaven and Hell,_ published in London in the year 1758, that +rich and poor and great and small are found in both heaven and hell (nn. +357-365). It is plain from this that distinction and wealth with those +now in heaven were blessings in the world, and with those now in hell +were curses in the world. + +[2] If he will think about the matter with reason, anyone can know when +distinction and wealth are blessings or curses, namely, that they are +blessings with those who do not set their heart on them, and curses with +those who do. One sets the heart on them in loving oneself in them, and +one does not set the heart on them when he loves uses and not himself in +them. Above (n. 215) we told what the difference between the two loves, +and the nature of it, is. It is to be added that distinction and wealth +seduce some and not others. They do so when they excite the loves in +man's proprium, that is, self-love, which is the love found in hell and +is called the devil (as remarked above), and they do not seduce if they +do not excite that love. + +[3] Both the wicked and the good come to distinction and are prospered in +means because the wicked as well as the good perform uses. The wicked +perform uses for the sake of their personal standing and gain; the good +do so for the sake of the standing and profit of the work which they do. +The good regard the standing and profit of their work as principal causes +of action, and personal standing and gain as instrumental causes; but the +wicked regard their personal standing and gain as the main incentives and +the standing and gain of their work as the instrumental. Yet who does not +see that a person, whatever his function or standing, is to serve the +affairs which he administers, and not they him? Who does not see that a +judge is to serve justice, a magistrate the common welfare, a king his +kingdom, and that it is not to be the other way around? According to the +laws of a kingdom, a man is invested therefore with distinction and +standing in keeping with the eminence of the work he does. Moreover, who +does not see that the difference between the two loves is like that +between what is principal and what is instrumental? One who ascribes to +himself personally the eminence of a position appears in the spiritual +world, when this inversion is pictured, as himself inverted, feet up and +head down. + +[4] Second: _When distinction and wealth are blessings they are spiritual +and eternal, but when they are curses they are temporal and ephemeral._ +There are distinction and wealth in heaven as there are in the world. For +governments and hence administrations and functions exist there, trade +also and hence wealth, for there are societies and communities. All +heaven is divided into two kingdoms, one called the celestial kingdom and +the other the spiritual kingdom. Each kingdom is divided into innumerable +societies, larger and smaller, all of which with all in them are arranged +according to differences of love and of wisdom thence, the societies of +the celestial kingdom according to differences of celestial love, which +is love to the Lord, and the societies of the spiritual kingdom according +to differences of spiritual love, which is love to the neighbor. Inasmuch +as there are such societies, and all who are in them were men in the +world and hence retain the loves they cherished in the world, with the +one difference that they are spiritual beings now, and that distinction +and wealth are spiritual in the spiritual kingdom and celestial in the +celestial kingdom, therefore those have greater distinction and abundance +than others who have greater love and wisdom. And to them distinction and +wealth in the world were blessings. + +[5] The nature of spiritual distinction and wealth may then be plain--they +attach to one's function and not to one's person. The distinguished +person in the spiritual world indeed enjoys magnificence and glory like +those of kings on earth, yet does not regard the distinction itself as +anything but rather the uses in the administration and discharge of which +he is engaged. Each also receives the honors of his high post but +ascribes them not to himself but to the uses, and as all uses are from +the Lord, he ascribes the honors to the Lord as their source. Such are +the spiritual distinction and wealth which are eternal. + +[6] It is quite otherwise with those to whom eminence and wealth were +curses in the world. Having attributed these to themselves and not to +uses, and not wanting the uses to control them but wanting to control the +uses, which they regarded as uses only as they served their own standing +and honor, they are in hell and are base slaves, despised and wretched. +Their distinction and wealth are gone, therefore are called temporal and +fleeting. The Lord teaches about both sorts in the words: + +Do not lay up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moth and rust +corrupt and thieves break through and steal; but lay up treasures for +yourselves in heaven, where neither moth nor rust corrupts and where +thieves do not break through and steal; for where your treasure is . . . +your heart also is (Mt 6:19-21). + +[7] Third: _The distinction and wealth which are curses, compared with +those which are blessings, are as nothing compared with everything or as +that which has no existence in itself compared with that which has._ +Everything that perishes and comes to nothing is inwardly nothing in +itself. Outwardly, indeed, it is something and appears to be much and to +some everything while it lasts; but inwardly in itself it is not. It is +like a surface with nothing beneath or like an actor in kingly robes when +the play is over. But what remains to eternity is something in itself +perpetually, thus everything, and it truly is, for it does not cease to +be. + +218. (iii) _The temporal and the eternal are separated by man, but are +united by the Lord._ For all that is man's is temporal, and he may +therefore be called temporal, but all things that are the Lord's are +eternal, and so the Lord is called eternal. Temporal things are such as +come to an end and perish, eternal things are such as do not. Anyone can +see that the two can be united only by the infinite wisdom of the Lord, +thus by Him and not by man. To make it known, however, that the two are +separated by man and united by the Lord, this is to be demonstrated in +the following order: + +1. What temporal things are and what eternal are. +2. The human being is in himself temporal and the Lord in Himself +eternal, and only the temporal can proceed from man, and only the eternal +from the Lord. +3. Temporal things separate eternal things from themselves, while eternal +things join temporal things to themselves. +4. The Lord joins man to Himself by means of appearances. +5. He does so by correspondences also. + +219. These points will be clarified and established one by one. First: +_What temporal things are and what eternal are._ The temporal are all +things that are proper to nature and from nature proper to man. Space and +time especially are proper to nature, both of them having a limit or +termination. Things thence derived and proper to man are all things of +his own will and understanding, thus of his affection and thought and +especially of his prudence; it is well known that these are finite and +limited. Eternal things, however, are all that are proper to the Lord and +from Him seemingly proper to man. What is proper to the Lord is all of it +infinite and eternal, thus timeless, endless and without limit; what is +seemingly proper to man thence is also infinite and eternal; but nothing +of this is actually proper to man, but the Lord's alone in him. + +[2] Second: _The human being is in himself temporal and the Lord in +Himself eternal, and only the temporal can proceed from man, and from the +Lord only the eternal._ Man, we said, is in himself temporal and the Lord +in Himself eternal. Since only what is in a person can proceed from him, +nothing can proceed from man except what is temporal, and nothing from +the Lord except what is eternal. For the infinite cannot proceed from the +finite; that it can is a contradiction. The infinite, however, can +proceed from the finite, still not from the finite but from the infinite +by the finite. In turn, what is finite cannot proceed from the infinite; +this is also a contradiction; it can be produced from the infinite and +this is creation and not proceeding. On this subject see _Angelic Wisdom +about Divine Love and Wisdom,_ from beginning to end. If then the finite +proceeds from the Lord, as it does in many ways with man, it proceeds not +from the Lord but from man, and can be said to do so from the Lord by +man, because it so appears. + +[3] This may be clarified by these words of the Lord: + +Let your communication be, Yea, yea, Nay, nay, what is more than these +comes of evil (Mt 5:37). + +Such is the speech of all in the third heaven. For they never reason +about divine things whether a thing is so or not, but see in themselves +from the Lord whether or not it is. To reason about divine things whether +they are so or not comes from the reasoner's not seeing them from the +Lord, but wanting to see them from himself, and what one sees from +oneself is evil. But still the Lord desires man to think and speak about +things divine, also to reason about them, in order that he may see +whether or not they are so. Such thought, speech and reasoning may be +said to be from the Lord in man provided the end is to see the truth, +although they are from the man until he sees and acknowledges the truth. +Meanwhile it is from the Lord alone that he can think, speak and reason; +for he does so from the two faculties, called liberty and rationality, +which are his from the Lord alone. + +[4] Third: _Temporal things separate eternal things from themselves, +while eternal things join temporal things to themselves._ That temporal +things separate eternal things from themselves means that man, who is +temporal, does so from the temporal in himself; and that eternal things +join temporal things to themselves means that the Lord, who is eternal, +does so from what is eternal in Himself, as was said above. In what +precedes we showed that there is a conjunction of the Lord with man and a +conjunction in turn of man with the Lord, but the reciprocal conjunction +of man with the Lord is not man's doing but the Lord's; also that man's +will goes counter to the Lord's will or, what is the same, man's own +prudence goes counter to divine providence. From these circumstances it +follows that man puts the eternal things of the Lord aside by force of +the temporal things in him, but the Lord joins His eternal things to +man's temporal, that is, Himself to man and man to Him. As these points +have been treated many times in what precedes, there is no need to +confirm them further. + +[5] Fourth: _The Lord joins man to Himself by means of appearances._ For +it is an appearance that of himself man loves the neighbor, does good, +and speaks truth. Unless this appeared to man to be so, he would not love +the neighbor, do good, or speak truth, and therefore would not be +conjoined with the Lord. Since love, good and truth are from the Lord, +plainly the Lord joins man to Himself by means of the appearance. This +appearance, and the Lord's conjunction with man and man's with the Lord, +have been treated above at length. + +[6] Fifth: _The Lord unites man to Himself by means of correspondences._ +He does this by means of the Word, the sense of the letter of which +consists wholly of correspondences. In _Doctrine of the New Jerusalem +about Sacred Scripture,_ from beginning to end, it was shown that by +means of that sense there is a conjunction of the Lord with man and a +reciprocal conjunction of man with the Lord. + +220. (iv) _The conjunction of the temporal and the eternal in man is the +Lord's divine providence._ As this cannot come at once to the perception +of the understanding or before being reduced to order and then unfolded +and demonstrated according to that order, let this be the order in +considering it: + +1. It is by divine providence that man puts off the natural and temporal +through death and puts on the spiritual and eternal. +2. Through His divine providence the Lord joins Himself with natural +things by means of spiritual and to temporal by means of eternal in +accordance with uses. +3. The Lord joins Himself to uses by means of correspondences, and so by +means of appearances according as man confirms these. +4. This conjunction of temporal and eternal is divine providence. + +All this will be placed in clearer light by explanation. + +[2] First: _It is of divine providence that man puts off the natural and +temporal through death and puts on the spiritual and eternal._ Natural +and temporal things are the outermost and lowest things which man first +enters, as he does on being born, to the end that he may be introduced +then into interior and higher things; for the outmost and lowest things +are containants, and these are in the natural world. For this reason no +angel or spirit was created such at once, but all were born as men first +and then were introduced into interior and higher things. Thus they have +an outmost and lowest which in itself is fixed and stable, within and by +which the interiors can be held in connection. + +[3] Man first puts on the grosser substances of nature; his body consists +of them; but he puts these off by death, retaining the purer substances +of nature nearest to the spiritual, which then are his containants. +Moreover, all interior or higher things are together in the outmost and +lowermost, as was shown earlier in passages on the subject. Every +activity of the Lord is therefore from topmost and outmost simultaneously +and so is in fullness. But as the farthest and outmost things of nature as +they are in themselves cannot receive the spiritual and eternal things +for which the human mind was formed, and yet man was born to become +spiritual and live forever, man puts them off and retains only those +interior natural things which suit and harmonize with the spiritual and +celestial and serve to contain them. This is effected by the rejection of +the temporal and natural outmosts, which is the death of the body. + +[4] Second: _Through His divine providence the Lord joins Himself with +natural things by means of spiritual things and to temporal by means of +eternal in accordance with uses._ Natural and temporal things are not +only those proper to nature, but also those proper to men in the natural +world. At death man puts off both of these and puts on the spiritual and +eternal things corresponding to them. That he puts these on according to +uses has been shown in much that precedes. The natural things proper to +nature relate in general to time and space and in particular to things +visible on earth. These man leaves behind at death and instead receives +spiritual things which are similar in outward aspect or appearance but +not in their inward aspect and actual essence. This also was considered +above. + +[5] Temporal things proper to men in the natural world in general are +related to distinction and wealth and in particular to human needs such +as food, clothing and habitation. These are also put off at death and +left behind; things are put on and received that are similar in outward +aspect or appearance but not in their internal aspect and essence. All +these get their inward aspect and essence from the uses made of temporal +things in the world. Uses are the goods which are called goods of +charity. It is evident, then, that the Lord through His divine providence +unites spiritual and eternal things to natural and temporal things +according to uses. + +[6] Third: _The Lord joins Himself to uses by means of correspondences, +and thus by means of appearances according as man confirms these._ As +this must seem obscure to those who have not yet acquired a clear idea of +correspondence and appearance, what these are must be illustrated by +examples and explained. All the sayings of the Word are outright +correspondences of spiritual and celestial things, and being +correspondences are also appearances, that is, are all divine goods of +divine love and divine truths of divine wisdom which in themselves are +naked, but are clothed upon by the Word's literal meaning. They therefore +appear as a man would clothed, if his clothing corresponded to the state +of his love and wisdom. Obviously, then, if one confirms appearances in +himself, he mistakes the clothing for the man, whereupon appearance +becomes fallacy. It is otherwise if he seeks truths and sees them in the +appearances. + +[7] Inasmuch as all uses or truths and goods of charity, which a man +renders to the neighbor may be rendered either according to the +appearance or according to the verities of the Word, he is in fallacies +if he renders them according to the appearances he has confirmed, but +renders them as he should if he does so in accord with the verities. This +may make plain what is meant when the Lord is said to join Himself to +uses through correspondences and thus through appearances according to +the confirmation of these by man. + +[8] Fourth: _This conjunction of temporal and eternal is divine +providence._ This is to be illustrated by two instances in order to bring +it before the understanding in some light. The one instance is that of +eminence and standing, and the other that of riches and wealth. These are +all natural and temporal in outward form but spiritual and eternal in +inward form. Distinction with its standing is natural and temporal when a +man has regard in them only to himself personally and not to the common +welfare and to the uses. For he is bound then to think inwardly that the +community exists for his sake and not he for its sake. It is like a +king's thinking that the kingdom and all its members exist for his sake, +and not he for the sake of kingdom and people. + +[9] The identical distinction, however, along with the standing it +brings, is spiritual and eternal when man considers that he exists for +the sake of the common well-being and for uses, and not these for his +sake. Doing this, he is in the truth and essence of the distinction and +of the standing it brings. But doing as described above, he is in the +correspondence and appearance; if then he confirms these, he is in +fallacies and has conjunction with the Lord only as those have who are in +falsities and evils therefrom, for fallacies are falsities with which +evils unite themselves. Such men have indeed done uses and good but from +themselves and not from the Lord, thus have put themselves in the Lord's +place. + +[10] The same is true of riches and wealth; for these also are natural +and temporal, and spiritual and eternal. They are natural and temporal +with those who have regard only to them and to themselves in them and who +find all their pleasure and enjoyment in them. But they are spiritual and +eternal with those who regard good uses in them and take an interior +pleasure and enjoyment in uses. The outward pleasure and enjoyment in +such men also becomes spiritual, and the temporal becomes eternal. They +are therefore in heaven after death and in palaces there, the useful +designs of which are resplendent with gold and precious stones. They look +on these things, however, as the shining and translucent external of +inward things, namely, of uses, in which they take a pleasure and +enjoyment which are the happiness and joy of heaven. The opposite is the +lot of those who have looked on riches and wealth just for the sake of +riches and wealth and for their own sake, thus on the externalities and +on nothing inward; thus on appearance and not on the essential reality. +When they put off the externalities, as they do on dying, they come into +their internals, and as these are not spiritual, they cannot but be +infernal; they must be one or the other and cannot be spiritual and +infernal at the same time. The lot of these men then is poverty instead +of riches and wretchedness instead of wealth. + +[11] By uses not only the necessities of life are meant, such as food, +raiment and habitation for oneself and one's own, but also the good of +one's country, community and fellow-citizens. Business is such a good +when it is the end-love and money is a mediate, subservient love, as it +is only when the businessman shuns and is averse to fraud and bad +practices as sin. It is otherwise when money is the end-love and business +the mediate, subservient love. For this is avarice, which is a root of +evils (on this see Lu 12:15 and the parable on it, verses 16-21). + +XII. MAN IS NOT ADMITTED INWARDLY INTO TRUTHS OF FAITH AND GOODS OF +CHARITY EXCEPT AS HE CAN BE KEPT IN THEM TO THE CLOSE OF LIFE + +221. It is well known in Christendom that the Lord wills the salvation of +all, and also is almighty. From this many conclude that He can save +everyone and saves those who implore His mercy, especially those who +implore it by the formula of the received faith that God the Father may +be merciful for the sake of the Son, particularly if they pray at the +same time that they may receive this faith. That it is quite otherwise, +however, will be seen in the last chapter of this treatise where it will +be explained that the Lord cannot act contrary to the laws of His divine +providence because that would be acting against His divine love and +wisdom, thus against Himself. There, too, it will be seen that such +immediate mercy is impossible, for man's salvation is effected by means, +and he can be led in accordance with these means only by Him who wills +the salvation of all and is at the same time almighty, thus by the Lord. +These means are what are called laws of divine providence. Among them is +this, that man is not admitted inwardly into truths of wisdom and goods +of love except as he can be kept in them to the close of life. To make +this plain to the reason, it is to be explained in this order: + +i. Man may be admitted into wisdom about spiritual things and also +into love of them and still not be reformed. +ii. If he recedes from them afterwards and turns to what is the contrary, +he profanes holy things. +iii. There are many kinds of profanation, but this kind is the worst of +all. +iv. The Lord therefore does not admit man interiorly into truths of +wisdom and at the same time into goods of love except as man can be kept +in them to the very close of life. + +222. (i) _Man may be admitted into wisdom about spiritual things and also +into love of them and still not be reformed._ This is because he +possesses rationality and liberty; by rationality he can be raised into +an almost angelic wisdom, and by liberty into love not unlike angelic +love. But such as the love is, such is the wisdom; if the love is +celestial and spiritual, the wisdom becomes so, but if the love is +diabolical and infernal, the wisdom is likewise. Outwardly, and so to +others, it may seem to be celestial and spiritual, but in inward form, +namely in its essence, it is diabolical and infernal; not as manifested, +but as it is within one. That it is of this nature men do not see, for +they are natural, see and hear naturally, and the outward form is +natural; but angels do see it, for they are spiritual, see and hear +spiritually, and the inward form is spiritual. + +[2] From this it is plain that man can be admitted into wisdom about +spiritual things and also into love of them and still not be reformed; he +is admitted only into a natural love of them, not into a spiritual. This +is for the reason that man can admit himself into a natural love, but the +Lord alone can admit him into a spiritual love, and those admitted into +this are reformed, but those admitted only into the natural love are not. +For the most part the latter are hypocrites, and many are of the Order of +Jesuits who inwardly do not believe in the divine at all, but play +outwardly with divine things like actors. + +223. It has been granted me by much experience in the spiritual world to +know that man possesses in himself the faculty of apprehending arcana of +wisdom like the angels themselves. For I have seen fiery devils who not +only understood arcana of wisdom when they heard them, but who spoke +them, too, out of their rationality. But the moment they returned to +their diabolical love they did not understand them, but in place of them +the contrary, which was insanity, and this they called wisdom. In fact, I +was allowed to hear them laugh at their insanity when they were in a +state of wisdom, and at wisdom when they were in an insane state. One who +has been of this character in the world, on becoming a spirit after death +is usually brought into states of wisdom and insanity by turns, for him +to distinguish the one from the other. But although such men see from the +wisdom that they are insane, when the choice is given them, as it is to +each, they betake themselves into the state of insanity, love it and feel +hatred for the state of wisdom. The reason is that their inward nature +has been diabolical and their outward seemingly divine. They are meant by +devils who affect to be angels of light, and by the man in the house of +the nuptials who was not dressed in a wedding garment and was cast into +outer darkness (Mt 22:11-13). + +224. Who cannot see that it is the internal from which the external +exists and that consequently the external has its essence from the +internal? And who does not know by experience that the external can +appear out of accord with the essence it has from the internal? It does +so obviously with hypocrites, flatterers and dissemblers. That a person +can outwardly feign to be other than himself is manifest from actors and +mimics. They know how to represent kings, emperors and even angels in +tone of voice, speech, face and gesture as though they were really such, +when they are nevertheless only actors. We allude to this because man can +similarly act the deceiver in spiritual things as well as civil and +moral, and that many do is well known. + +[2] When the internal in its essence is infernal, and the external in its +form appears to be spiritual and yet has its essence, as we said, from +the internal, the question arises where in the external that essence is +hidden. It does not show in gesture, voice, speech or face, yet is +interiorly hidden in all four. That it is, is plain from the same in the +spiritual world. For when man passes from the natural world to the +spiritual, as he does at death, he leaves his externals behind along with +his body and retains his internals, which he has stored up in his spirit. +If his internal was infernal, he then appears as a devil, such as he was +as to his spirit during life in the world. Who does not acknowledge that +everyone leaves external things behind with the body and enters into +internal things on becoming a spirit? + +[3] To this I will add that in the spiritual world there is a +communication of affections and of thoughts from them, which results in +no one's being able to speak except as he thinks; likewise, everyone +changes facial expression and reflects his affection, and thus shows in +his face what he is. Hypocrites are allowed sometimes to speak otherwise +than they think, but the tone of the voice sounds utterly out of harmony +with their interior thoughts, and they are recognized by the discord. It +may be evident from this that the internal lies hidden in the tone of +voice, the speech, the face and gesture of the external, and that it is +not perceived by men in the world, but plainly by angels in the spiritual +world. + +225. It is plain from this that while he lives in the natural world man +may be admitted into wisdom about spiritual things and into love of them +also, and that this happens or can happen with the merely natural as well +as with those who are spiritual, with this difference, however, that the +latter are reformed by these means and the former are not. It may seem, +also, that the former love wisdom, but they do so only as an adulterer +loves a noble woman, that is, as mistress, speaking caressingly to her +and giving her beautiful garments, but saying of her privately to +himself, "She is only a vile harlot whom I will make believe that I love +because she gratifies my lust; if she should not, I would cast her away." +The internal man of the unreformed lover of wisdom is this adulterer; his +external man is the woman. + +226. (ii) _If man recedes from these later and turns to what is contrary, +he profanes holy things._ There are many kinds of profanation of what is +holy, of which in the following section, but this is the gravest of all. +Those who profane in this way become no longer human beings after death; +they live indeed, but are continually in wild fantasies. They seem to +themselves to soar aloft and while they remain there they sport with +fantasies which they see as realities. No longer human, they are referred +to not as "he" or "she" but "it." In fact, when they come to view in +heaven's light they look like skeletons, some like skeletons of the color +of bone, others like fiery skeletons, and still others like charred ones. +The world does not know that profaners of this kind become like this +after death, and the reason is that the cause is unknown. The real cause +is that when man first acknowledges and believes divine things and then +lapses and denies them, he mixes the holy with the profane. Once they are +mixed, they cannot be separated without destroying the whole. That these +things may be perceived more clearly, they are to be disclosed in due +order as follows: 1. Whatever a man thinks, speaks and does from the +will, whether good or evil, is appropriated to him and remains. 2. The +Lord in His divine providence constantly foresees and disposes that evil +shall be by itself and good by itself, and thus may be separated. 3. This +cannot be done, however, if man first acknowledges and lives according to +truths of faith and afterwards recedes and denies them. 4. Then he mixes +good and evil to the point that they cannot be separated. 5. Since good +and evil in anyone must be separated, and in such a person cannot be, he +is destroyed in all that is truly human. + +227. These are the causes that lead to such enormity, but as they are +obscure as a result of ignorance of them, they are to be explained so +that they will be plain to the understanding. 1. _Whatever man thinks, +speaks and does from the will, whether good or evil, is appropriated to +him and remains._ This was explained above (nn. 78-81); for man has an +external or natural memory and an internal or spiritual memory. On the +latter memory are written each and all things that he thought, spoke or +did from his will in the world, so fully that nothing is lacking. This +memory is his book of life, which is opened after death and according to +which he is judged. Much more about this memory is reported from +experience in the work _Heaven and Hell_ (nn. 461-465). + +[2] 2. _The Lord in His divine providence constantly foresees and +disposes that evil shall be by itself and good by itself, and thus may be +separated._ Everyone is both in evil and in good, for he is in evil from +himself and in good from the Lord; he cannot live without being in both. +If he were in himself alone and thus in evil alone, he would not possess +anything living; nor would he if he were in the Lord alone and thus in +good alone. In the latter case he would be like one suffocated and +gasping for breath or like one dying in agony; in the former case he +would be devoid of life, for evil apart from good is dead. Therefore +everyone is in both, with the difference that in the one instance he is +inwardly in the Lord and outwardly as if in himself, and in the other +inwardly in himself and outwardly as if in the Lord. The latter man is in +evil, the former in good, and yet each is in good and evil both. The +wicked man is in both because he is in the good of civil and moral life +and outwardly, in some measure, in the good of spiritual life, too, +besides being kept by the Lord in rationality and liberty, making it +possible for him to be in good. This is the good by means of which +everyone, even a wicked man, is led by the Lord. It may then be seen that +the Lord keeps evil and good apart, so that one is interior and the other +exterior, and thus provides against their being mingled. + +[3] 3. _This cannot be done, however, if man first acknowledges and lives +according to truths of faith and then later recedes and denies them._ +This is plain from what has just been said, that all which a man thinks, +speaks and does from the will is appropriated to him and remains; and +that the Lord in His divine providence constantly foresees and disposes +that good shall be by itself and evil by itself, and so can be separated. +They are also separated by the Lord after death. Those who are inwardly +evil and outwardly good are deprived of the good and left to their evil. +The reverse occurs with the inwardly good who outwardly like other men +have acquired wealth, sought distinction, delighted in the mundane, and +indulged some lusts. Good and evil have not been commingled by them, +however, but are separate, like internal and external; they have +resembled the evil in many ways outwardly but not inwardly. Evil is +separate from good in the evil, too, who have appeared outwardly like the +good for piety, worship, speech and deeds, although wicked inwardly. With +those, however, who have first acknowledged and lived by truths of faith +and then lived contrary to them and rejected them and particularly if +they have denied them, good and evil are no longer separate, but mixed. +Such a person has appropriated both good and evil to himself, and thus +combined and mixed them. + +[4] 4. _He then mixes good and evil to a point where they cannot be +separated._ This follows from what has just been said. And if evil cannot +be separated from good and good from evil, a person can be neither in +heaven nor in hell. Everyone must be in one or the other; he cannot be in +both; for so he would be now in heaven and now in hell; and in heaven he +would act in hell's favor and in hell act in heaven's favor. He would +thus destroy the life of all around him, heavenly life among the angels +and infernal life among the devils; as a result everyone's life would +perish. For everyone must live his own life; no one lives a life foreign +to his own, still less one opposed to it. Hence, in every man after +death, when he becomes a spirit or a spiritual being, the Lord separates +good from evil and evil from good, good from evil in those who are +inwardly in evil, and evil from good in those inwardly in good. This +accords with His own words: + +To every one who has, shall be given, that he may abound, and from him +who has not, shall even what he has be taken away (Mt 13:12; 25:29; Mk +4:25; Lu 8:18; 19:26). + +[5] Fifth: _Since good and evil in anyone must be separated and in such a +person cannot be, he is destroyed in all that is truly human._ As was +shown earlier, everyone has what is truly human from rationality, in that +he can see and know what is true and good if he wishes, and from liberty, +enabling him to will, think, speak and do it. But this liberty has been +destroyed along with their rationality in those who have commingled good +and evil in themselves, for they cannot from good see evil, nor from evil +recognize good; the two make one in them. Hence they no longer possess +rationality in any efficacy or power, nor any liberty. For this reason +they are like the sheerest wild fantasies, as we said above, and no +longer look like men but like bones covered with skin, and therefore when +mentioned are referred to not as "he" or "she" but "it." Such is the lot +of those who have commingled sacred and profane in the manner we have +described. There are several kinds of profanation which are not of this +character, however; of them in a later section. + +228. No one can profane holy things in the way described who is ignorant +of them. For one who is ignorant of them cannot acknowledge them and then +deny them. Those, therefore, who are outside Christendom and know nothing +of the Lord or of redemption and salvation at His hands do not profane +the holiness of this in not accepting it or even by speaking against it. +The Jews do not profane its sanctity, for from infancy they have no +desire to receive and acknowledge it. It would be otherwise if they +received and acknowledged it and afterwards denied it. This seldom +occurs, however; for many among them acknowledge it outwardly but deny it +inwardly and are like hypocrites. But those who first accept and +acknowledge and later lapse and deny, are the ones who profane holy +things by mingling them with profane. + +[2] It is beside the point here that holy things are accepted and +acknowledged in infancy and childhood, as they are by every Christian. +For what pertains to faith and charity is not accepted and acknowledged +at that age from any rationality and liberty, that is, in the +understanding from the will, but only by the memory and from confidence +in the teacher; and if the life is in accord it is so by blind obedience. +If, however, on coming into the exercise of his rationality and freedom, +which one does gradually in growing up to youth and manhood, a man +acknowledges truths and lives by them only later to deny them, he does +mingle the holy with the profane and (as was said above) from being human +becomes a monster. On the other hand, if a man is in evil after attaining +rationality and freedom, that is, after becoming his own master, even in +his early manhood, but later acknowledges truths of faith and lives by +them and remains in them also to the close of life, he does not commingle +the holy and the profane. The Lord then severs the evils of his earlier +life from the good of his later life, as is done with all who repent. Of +this more will be said in what follows. + +229. (iii) _There are many kinds of profanation of what is holy, but this +kind is the worst of all._ In the widest sense by profanation all impiety +is meant, and by profaners, therefore, all the impious who at heart deny +God, the holiness of the Word, and consequently the spiritual things of +the church which are essentially holy, and who also speak of them +impiously. We are not now treating of such profaners but of those who +profess God, uphold the holiness of the Word, and acknowledge the +spiritual things of the church (yet most persons do so with the lips +only). These commit profanation for the reason that holiness from the +Word is in them and with them, and this which is in them, part of their +understanding and will, they profane. But in the impious who deny the +Divine and divine things, there is nothing holy which they can profane; +they are profaners, of course, but still not profane as the others are. + +230. The profanation of what is holy is meant in the second precept of +the Decalog, "You shall not profane the name of your God," and that it +ought not to be profaned is meant in the Lord's Prayer by "Hallowed be +Thy name." Hardly anyone in Christendom understands what is meant by +God's name. The reason for this is that in the spiritual world names are +not what they are in this world; everyone has a name in accord with the +character of his love and wisdom. As soon as he enters a society or into +fellowship with others he is named according to his character. This can +be done in spiritual language, which is such that it can give a name to +everything, for each letter in the alphabet signifies some one thing, and +the several letters combined in a word, making a person's name, involve +the whole state of the subject. This is among the wonders in the +spiritual world. + +[2] From this it is plain that by "the name of God" in the Word, God with +all the divine in Him and proceeding from Him is signified. And as the +Word is the divine proceeding, it is God's name, and as all the divine +things which are called the spiritual things of the church are from the +Word, they, too, are God's name. It may be seen then what is meant in the +second commandment of the Decalog by + +You shall not profane the name of God (Ex 20:7); + +and in the Lord's Prayer by + +Hallowed be Thy name (Mt 6:9). + +The name of God and of the Lord has a like signification in many passages +in the Word of either Testament, as in Mt 7:22; 10:22; 18:5, 20; 19:29; +21:9; 24:9, 10; Jn 1:12; 2:23; 3:17, 18; 12:13, 28; 14:14-16; 16:23, 24, +26, 27; 17:6; 20:31; besides other passages, and in very many in the Old +Testament. + +[3] One who knows this significance of "name" can know what is signified +by these words of the Lord: + +Whoever receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a +prophet's reward; whoever receives a righteous man in the name of a +righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward . . . and whoever +will give one of these little ones to drink a cup of cold water only in +the name of a disciple . . . shall not lose a reward (Mt 10:41, 42). + +One who understands by the name of a prophet, of a righteous man and of a +disciple only a prophet, a righteous man and a disciple knows only the +sense of the letter in that passage. Nor does he know what is signified +by a prophet's reward, a righteous man's reward, or by the reward given a +disciple for a cup of cold water, when yet by the name and reward of a +prophet the state and happiness of those who are in divine truths is +meant; by the name and reward of a righteous man is meant the state and +happiness of those in divine goods; by a disciple is meant the state of +those who are in a measure of the spiritual things of the church, and by +a cup of cold water is meant a measure of truth. + +[4] That the nature of a state of love and wisdom or of good and truth is +meant by "name" is also made evident by these words of the Lord: + +He who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep; the porter +opens to him, and the sheep hear his voice; he calls his own sheep by +name, and leads them out (Jn 10:2, 3). + +To "call the sheep by name" is to teach and lead everyone who is in the +good of charity according to the state of his love and wisdom; by the +"door" the Lord is meant, as verse 9 makes plain: + +I am the door; if a man enters by Me, he will be saved (Jn 10:9). + +It is clear from this that for one to be saved the Lord Himself is to be +approached; one who does so is a "shepherd of the sheep" and one who does +not is a "thief"' and a "robber" (so the first verse of the chapter). + +231. Profanation of what is holy is predicated of those who know truths +of faith and goods of charity from the Word and also acknowledge them in +some measure, not of those who do not know them, nor of those who +impiously reject them altogether. Therefore what now follows is said of +the former, not of the latter; by the former many kinds of profanation, +lighter and graver, are committed, but they may be summed up in the seven +following. + +A first kind of profanation on their part is making jokes from the Word +or about the Word, or of and about the divine things of the church. Some +do this from a bad habit, picking names or expressions from the Word and +mingling them with unseemly and sometimes filthy speech. This cannot be +done without some contempt being added for the Word. Yet the Word in each +and all things is divine and holy; every expression in it stores in its +bosom something divine and by means of it gives communication with +heaven. This kind of profanation is lighter or more grave according to +one's acknowledgment of the sacredness of the Word and to the +unseemliness of the comment into which it is brought by those who jest +about it. + +[2] A second kind of profanation by those under discussion is that while +they understand and acknowledge divine truths, they live contrary to +them. Those who only understand profane more lightly, and those who also +acknowledge profane more seriously; for the understanding only teaches +quite as a preacher does, but does not of itself unite with the will, but +acknowledgment does, for one cannot acknowledge anything without the +consent of the will. Still this union with the will varies and the +profanation is according to the measure of it in living contrary to +acknowledged truths. Thus if one acknowledges that revenge and hatred, +adultery and fornication, fraud and deceit, blasphemy and lying are sins +against God and yet commits them, he is therefore in the more grievous of +this kind of profanation. For the Lord says: + +The servant who knows his lord's will and does not do it, shall be beaten +with many strokes (Lu 12:47). + +And again, + +If you were blind, you would not have sin, but you say, We see; therefore +your sin remains (In 9:41). + +But it is one thing to acknowledge apparent truths and another to +acknowledge genuine truths. Those who acknowledge genuine truths and yet +do not live by them appear in the spiritual world to be without the light +and warmth of life in voice and speech, as though they were so much +inertness. + +[3] A third kind of profanation is committed by those who apply the sense +of the letter of the Word to confirm evil loves and false principles. +This is because the confirmation of falsity is the denial of truth, and +the confirmation of evil is a rejection of good. In its bosom the Word is +nothing but divine truth and good. But this does not appear in the lowest +sense or sense of the letter in genuine truths, except where the Lord and +the very way of salvation are taught, but in clothed truths, called +appearances of truth. + +That sense can therefore be seized upon to confirm heresies of many +kinds. But one who confirms evil loves does violence to divine goods, and +one who confirms false principles does violence to divine truths. The +latter violence is called falsification of truth and the former +adulteration of good; both are meant by "bloods"* in the Word. For a +spiritual holiness, which is also the spirit of truth proceeding from the +Lord, is in every particular of the sense of the letter of the Word. This +holiness is injured when the Word is falsified and adulterated. It is +plain that this is profanation. + +* Plural in the Hebrew, especially of blood that has been shed. "Both" is +emphatic here, and for the significance of the plural see Arcana +Caelestia, n. 374e and Apocalypse Explained, n. 329(27). + +[4] A fourth kind of profanation is committed by those who utter pious +and holy things and also counterfeit affections of a love for them in +tone and manner, and yet at heart do not believe and love them. Most of +these are hypocrites and Pharisees who are deprived after death of all +truth and good and thereupon are sent into outer darkness. Those who have +confirmed themselves by this kind of profanation against the Divine and +against the Word and thus against the spiritual things of the Word, sit +in outer darkness dumb, unable to speak, wanting to babble pious and holy +things as they did in the world, but unable to do so. For in the +spiritual world everyone is compelled to speak as he thinks. A hypocrite, +however, wants to speak otherwise than he thinks, but there is impediment +in the tongue as a result of which he can only mumble. Hypocrisies are +lighter or more grave in the measure of the confirmation against God and +of the outward rationalizing in favor of God. + +[5] A fifth kind of profanation is committed by those who ascribe to +themselves what is divine. These are meant by Lucifer in Isaiah 14; and +by Lucifer Babylon is meant, as is plain from verses 4 and 24 of that +chapter, where the fate, too, of such profaners is described. The same +profaners are also meant and described in the Apocalypse (chapter 17) +under the harlot seated on the scarlet beast. Babylon and Chaldea are +mentioned at many places in the Word; by Babylon profanation of good is +meant and by Chaldea profanation of truth; the one and the other +committed by those who ascribe to themselves what is divine. + +[6] A sixth kind of profanation is committed by those who acknowledge the +Word but deny the divine of the Lord. In the world they are called +Socinians and some Arians. The lot of both is that they invoke the Father +and not the Lord and keep praying the Father, some of them for the sake +of the Son, that they may be admitted to heaven, but in vain, until they +lose hope of salvation. They are then sent down to hell among deniers of +God. They are meant by those who blaspheme the Holy Spirit and who will +not be forgiven in this world or that to come (Mt 12:32). For God is one +in person and essence, in Him is the Trinity, and this God is the Lord. +Since the Lord is heaven also and thus those in heaven are in the Lord, +those who deny the divine of the Lord cannot be admitted to heaven and be +in the Lord. It was shown above that the Lord is heaven and that those in +heaven are therefore in Him. + +[7] The seventh kind of profanation is committed by those who first +acknowledge and live by divine truths and then recede from them and deny +them. This is the worst kind of profanation because holy things are mixed +by them with profane to the point where they cannot be separated. Yet +they must be separated for one to be either in heaven or in hell, and as +this cannot be accomplished with them, all that is human, either of the +understanding or of the will, is rooted out, and they become, as we said, +no longer human beings. Almost the same occurs with those who acknowledge +the divine things of the Word and of the church at heart but immerse them +entirely in their proprium, which is a love of ruling over all things, of +which much has been said before. After death, when they become spirits, +they do not want to be led by the Lord but by themselves. When loose rein +is given their love, they want to rule not only over heaven but over the +Lord, too; and as they cannot do this, they deny the Lord and become +devils. It should be known that the life's love, which is one's reigning +love, remains with everyone after death and cannot be taken away. + +[8] Profaners of this class are meant by the lukewarm, of whom it is +written in the Apocalypse: + +I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot; would that you were +cold or hot; but because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I +will spue you out of my mouth (3:14, 15, 16). + +This manner of profanation is also described by the Lord in Matthew: + +When the unclean spirit goes out from a man, he walks through dry places, +seeking rest but finds none. Then he says, I will return to the house +whence I came out. When he returns and finds it empty, swept and +garnished for him, he goes and gathers to him seven other spirits worse +than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of the +man is worse than the first (12:43-45). + +The conversion of the man is described by the unclean spirit's going out +of him; his reverting to his former evils when things good and true have +been cast out, is described by the return of the unclean spirit with +seven worse than himself into the house garnished for him; and the +profanation of the holy by what is profane is described by the last state +of that man being worse than the first. The same is meant by this passage +in John, + +Jesus said to the man healed in the pool of Bethesda: Sin no more, lest +something worse befall you (5:14). + +[9] That the Lord provides that man shall not acknowledge truths inwardly +and afterwards leave them and become profane, is meant by these words: + +He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, that they should not +see with their eyes and understand with their heart, and be converted, +and I should heal them (Jn 12:40). + +"Lest they should be converted, and I should heal them" signifies lest +they should acknowledge truths and then depart from them and thus become +profane. For the same reason the Lord spoke in parables, as He Himself +says (Mt 13:13). The Jews were forbidden to eat fat and blood (Lev 3:17, +7:13, 25 ); this signifies that they were not to profane holy things, for +"fat" signifies divine good and "blood" divine truth. In Matthew the Lord +teaches that once converted a man must continue in good and truth to the +close of life: + +Jesus said: Whosoever perseveres to the end, shall be saved (10:20; +similarly Mk 13:13). + +232. (iv) _The Lord therefore does not admit man interiorly into truths +of wisdom and at the same time into goods of love except as man can be +kept in them to the close of life._ To demonstrate this we must proceed +by steps for two reasons; one, because it concerns human salvation, and +the other, because a knowledge of the laws of permission (to be +considered in the next chapter) depends on a knowledge of this law. It +concerns human salvation, because, as has just been said, one who first +acknowledges what is divine in Word and church and subsequently departs +from them profanes what is holy most grievously. In order, then, that +this arcanum of divine providence may be revealed so that the rational +man can see it in his own light, it is to be unfolded as follows: + +1. Evil and good cannot exist together in man's interior being, +consequently neither can the falsity of evil and the truth of good. +2. Good and the truth of good can be introduced into man's interior being +only so far as evil and the falsity of evil there have been removed. +3. If good with its truth were introduced there before or further than +evil with its falsity is removed, man would depart from the good and go +back to his evil. +4. When man is in evil many truths may be introduced into his +understanding and kept in memory, and yet not be profaned. +5. But the Lord in His divine providence takes the greatest care that +they are not received from the understanding by the will sooner or more +largely than man as of himself removes evil in the external man. +6. Should it welcome them sooner or in larger measure, the will would +adulterate good and the understanding would falsify truth by mingling +them with evils and falsities. +7. The Lord therefore admits man inwardly into truths of wisdom and goods +of love only so far as man can be kept in them to the close of life. + +233. In order, then, that this arcanum of divine providence may be +disclosed so that the rational man will see it in his light, the points +made will be explained one by one. 1. _Evil and good cannot exist +together in man's interior being, consequently neither can the falsity of +evil and the truth of good._ By man's interiors the internal of his +thought is meant. Of this he knows nothing until he comes into the +spiritual world and its light, which happens on death. In the natural +world it can be known only by the enjoyment of his love in the external +of his thought, and from evils themselves as he examines them in himself. +For the internal of thought in man is so closely connected with the +external of thought that they cannot be separated (of this more may be +seen above). We say "good and truth of good," and "evil and falsity of +evil" because good cannot exist apart from its truth nor evil apart from +its falsity. They are bedfellows or partners, for the life of good is +from its truth and the life of truth is from its good; the same is to be +said of evil and its falsity. + +[2] The rational man can see without explanation that evil with its +falsity and good with its truth cannot exist in man's interiors at the +same time. For evil is the opposite of good and good the opposite of +evil; two opposites cannot coexist. Implanted in all evil, moreover, is a +hatred for good, and implanted in all good the love of protecting itself +against evil and removing it from itself. Consequently one cannot be +where the other is. If they were together conflict and combat would start +and destruction ensue, as the Lord teaches also in these words: + +Every kingdom divided against itself is desolated, and every city or +house divided against itself does not stand . . . Whoever is not with me +is against me, and whoever does not gather with me disperses (Mt 25:30); + +and in another place, + +No one can serve two masters at the same time: for either he will hate +the one and love the other . . . (Mt 6:24). + +Two opposites are impossible in one substance or form without its being +torn apart and destroyed. If one should advance and approach the other, +they would keep apart like two enemies, one retiring to his camp or fort, +and the other posting himself outside. This happens with evil and good in +a hypocrite; he harbors both, but the evil is inside and the good outside +and so the two are separate and not mingled. It is plain then that evil +with its falsity and good with its truth cannot coexist. + +[3] 2. _Good and the truth of good can be introduced into man's interiors +only so far as evil and the falsity of evil there have been removed._ +This is a necessary consequence from what has preceded, for as evil and +good cannot exist together, good cannot be introduced before evil has +been removed. We say man's "interiors" and mean by these the internal of +thought; and in these, now being considered, either the Lord or the devil +must be present. The Lord is there after reformation and the devil before +reformation. So far as man suffers himself to be reformed, therefore, the +devil is cast out, but so far as he does not suffer himself to be +reformed the devil remains. Anyone can see that the Lord cannot enter as +long as the devil is there, and he is there as long as man keeps the door +closed where man acts together with the Lord. The Lord teaches in the +Apocalypse that He enters when that door is opened by man's mediation: + +I stand at the door, and knock; if anyone hears my voice, and opens the +door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with Me (3:20). + +The door is opened by man's removing evil, fleeing and turning away from +it as infernal and diabolical. Whether one says "evil" or "the devil," it +is one and the same, in turn whether one says "good" or "the Lord," for +within all good is the Lord and within all evil is the devil. From these +considerations the truth of this proposition is plain. + +[4] 3. _If good with its truth were introduced before or further than evil +with its falsity is removed, man would depart from the good and go back +to his evil._ This is because evil would be the stronger, and what is +stronger conquers, eventually if not then. As long as evil is stronger, +good cannot be introduced into the inner chambers but only into the entry +hall; for evil and good, as we said, cannot exist together, and what is +in the entry hall is removed by its enemy in the chamber. Thus good is +receded from and evil is returned to, which is the worst kind of +profanation. + +[5] Furthermore, it is the enjoyment of man's life to love himself and +the world above all else. This enjoyment cannot be removed in a moment, +but only gradually. In the measure in which it remains in man, evil is +stronger in him and can be removed only as self-love becomes a love of +uses, or as the love of ruling is not for its own sake but for the sake +of uses. Uses then make the head, and self-love or the love of ruling is +at first the body under the head and finally the feet, on which to walk. +Who does not see that good should be the head, and that when it is, the +Lord is there? Good and use are one. Who does not see that when evil is +the head, the devil is there? As civil and moral good and, in its +external form, spiritual good, too, are still to be received, who does +not see that these then constitute the feet and the soles of the feet, +and are trodden on? + +[6] Inasmuch, then, as man's state of life is to be inverted so that what +is uppermost may be lowermost, and the inversion cannot be instantaneous, +for the chief enjoyment of his life, coming of self-love and the love of +ruling, can be diminished and turned into a love of uses only gradually, +the Lord cannot introduce good sooner or further than this evil is +removed; done earlier or further, man would recede from good and return +to his evil. + +[7] 4. _When man is in evil many truths may be introduced into his +understanding and kept in memory, and still not be profaned._ This is +because the understanding does not flow into the will, but the will into +the understanding. As the understanding does not flow into the will, many +truths can be received by the understanding and held in memory and still +not be mingled with the evil in the will, and the holy thus not profaned. +Moreover, it is incumbent on everyone to learn truths from the Word or +from preaching, to lay them up in the memory and to think about them. For +by truths held in the memory and entering into the thought, the +understanding is to teach the will, that is, the man, what he should do. +This is therefore the chief means of reformation. Truths that are only in +the understanding and thence in the memory are not in man but outside +him. + +[8] Man's memory may be compared to the ruminatory stomach of certain +animals in which they put their food; as long as it is there, it is not +in but outside their body; as they draw it thence and consume it, it +becomes part of their life, and their body is nourished. The food in +man's memory is not material but spiritual, namely truths, rightly +knowledges; so far as he takes them thence by thinking, which is like +ruminating, his spiritual mind is nourished. It is the will's love that +has the desire and the appetite, so to speak, and that causes them to be +taken thence and to be nourishing. If that love is evil, it desires or +has an appetite for what is unclean, but if good, for what is clean, and +sets aside, rejects and casts out what is unsuitable; this is done in +various ways. + +[9] 5. _But the Lord in His divine providence takes the greatest care +that truths are not received from the understanding by the will sooner or +more largely than man as of himself removes evil in his external man._ +For what is from the will enters man, is appropriated to him, and becomes +part of his life, and in that life, which is man's from the will, evil +and good cannot exist together, for so he would perish. The two may, +however, be in the understanding, where they are called falsities of evil +and truths of good, and without being mingled; else man could not behold +evil from good or know good from evil; but there they are distinguishable +and separated like the inner and outer sections of a house. When a wicked +man thinks and speaks what is good, he is thinking and speaking +externally to himself, but inwardly when he thinks and speaks what is +evil; his speech, therefore, when he speaks what is good, comes off a +wall, as it were. It can be likened to fruit fair outside but wormy and +decayed inside, or to the shell, especially, of a serpent's egg. + +[10] 6. _Should the will welcome truths sooner or in larger measure, it +would adulterate good and the understanding would falsify truth by +mingling them with evils and falsities._ When the will is in evil, it +adulterates good in the understanding, and good adulterated in the +understanding is evil in the will, for it confirms that evil is good and +good is evil. So evil deals with all good, which is its opposite. Evil +also falsifies truth, for truth of good is the opposite of the falsity of +evil; this is done in the understanding by the will, and not by the +understanding alone. Adulterations of good are depicted in the Word by +adulteries and falsifications of truth by whoredoms. These adulterations +and falsifications are effected by reasonings from the natural man which +is in evil, and also by confirmations of appearances in the sense of the +letter of the Word. + +[11] The love of self, the head of all evils, surpasses other loves in +the ability to adulterate goods and falsify truths, and it does this by +misuse of the rationality which every man, wicked as well as good, enjoys +from the Lord. By confirmations it can in fact make evil look exactly +like good and falsity like truth. What can it not do when it can prove by +a thousand arguments that nature created itself and then created human +beings, animals and plants of every kind, and also prove that by influx +from within itself nature causes men to live, to think analytically and +to understand wisely? Self-love excels in ability to prove whatever it +desires because a certain glamour of varicolored light overlays it. This +glamour is the vainglory of that love in being wise and thus also of +being eminent and dominant. + +[12] And yet, when self-love has proved such things, it becomes so blind +that it sees man only as a beast, and that man and beast both think, and +if a beast could also speak, conceives it would be man in another form. +If it were induced by some manner of persuasion to believe that something +of the human being survives death, it then is so blind as to believe that +the beast also survives; and that the something which lives after death +is only a subtle exhalation of life, like a vapor, constantly falling +back to its corpse, or is something vital without sight, hearing or +speech, and so is blind, deaf and dumb, soaring about and cogitating. +Self-love entertains many other insanities with which nature, in itself +dead, inspires its fantasy. Such is the effect of self-love, which +regarded in itself is love of the proprium. Man's proprium, in respect of +its affections which are all natural, is not unlike the life of a beast, +and in respect of its perceptions, inasmuch as they spring from these +affections, is not unlike a bird of night. One who constantly immerses +his thoughts in his proprium, therefore, cannot be raised out of natural +light into spiritual light and see anything of God, heaven or eternal +life. Since the love of the proprium is of this nature and yet excels in +the ability to confirm whatever it pleases, it has a similar ability to +adulterate the goods of the Word and falsify its truths, even while it is +constrained by some necessity to confess them. + +[13] 7. _The Lord therefore does not admit man inwardly into truths of +wisdom and goods of love except as man can be kept in them to the close +of life._ The Lord does this lest man fall into that most serious kind of +profanation of which we have treated in this chapter. In view of that +peril the Lord also tolerates evils of life and many heresies in worship, +the tolerance of which will be the subject of the following chapter. + +XIII. LAWS ON PERMISSION ARE ALSO LAWS OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE + +234. There are no laws of permission per se or apart from the laws of +divine providence; rather they are the same. Hence to say that God +permits something does not mean that He wills it, but that He cannot +avert it in view of the end, which is salvation. Whatever is done for the +sake of that end is in accord with the laws of divine providence. For +divine providence, as was said, constantly travels in a different +direction from that of man's will and against his will, always intent on +its objective. At each moment of its activity or at each step in its +progress, as it perceives man straying from that end, it directs, turns +and disposes him according to its laws, leading him away from evil and to +good. It will be seen in what follows that this cannot be done without +the tolerance of evil. Furthermore, nothing can be permitted for no +cause, and the cause can only be in some law of divine providence, +explaining why it is permitted. + +235. One who does not acknowledge divine providence at all does not +acknowledge God at heart, but nature instead of God, and human prudence +instead of divine providence. This does not appear to be so because man +can think and speak in two ways. He can think and speak in one way from +his inner self and in another from his outer self. This capability is +like a hinge that lets a door swing either way, in one direction as one +enters, in the other as one leaves; or like a sail which can take a ship +one way or the other as the skipper spreads it. Those who have confirmed +themselves in favor of human prudence to the denial of divine providence +see nothing else as long as they are in this way of thinking, no matter +what they see, hear or read, nor can they, for they accept nothing from +heaven but only from themselves. As they draw their conclusions from +appearances and fallacies alone and see nothing else, they can swear that +prudence is all. If they also recognize nature only, they become enraged +at defenders of divine providence, except that they think when these are +priests they are simply pursuing their teaching and office. + +236. We will enumerate now some things that are tolerated and yet are in +accord with laws of divine providence, by which, however, the merely +natural man confirms himself in favor of nature and against God and in +favor of human prudence and against divine providence. For instance he +reads in the Word that: + +1. Adam, wisest of men, and his wife allowed themselves to be led astray +by the serpent, and God did not avert this in His divine providence. +2. Their first son, Cain, killed his brother Abel, and God did not speak +to him and dissuade him but only afterwards cursed him. +3. The Israelites worshiped a golden calf in the wilderness and +acknowledged it as the god that had brought them out of Egypt, yet +Jehovah saw this from Mt. Sinai near by and did not warn against it. +4. David numbered the people and as a consequence a pestilence befell +them in which so many thousands of them perished; God sent the prophet +Gad to him not before but after the deed and denounced punishment. +5. Solomon was allowed to establish idolatrous worship. +6. After him many kings were allowed to profane the temple and the sacred +things of the church. +7. And finally that nation was permitted to crucify the Lord. + +One who hails nature and human prudence sees nothing but what contradicts +divine providence in these and many other passages of the Word. He can +use them as arguments in denial of providence, if not in his outward +thought nearest to speech, still in his inner thought, remote from it. + +237. Every worshiper of self and nature confirms himself against divine +providence: + +1. When he sees such numbers of wicked in the world and so many of their +impieties and how some glory in them, and sees the men go unpunished by +God. +2. He confirms himself the more against divine providence when he sees +plots, schemes and frauds succeed even against the devout, just and +sincere, and injustice triumph over justice in the courts and in +business. +3. He confirms himself especially on seeing the impious advanced to +honors and becoming leaders in the state or in the church, abounding, +too, in riches and living in luxury and magnificence, and on the other +hand sees worshipers of God despised and poor. +4. He also confirms himself against divine providence when he reflects +that wars are permitted and the slaughter of so many in them and the +looting of so many cities, nations and families. +5. Furthermore, he reflects that victories are on the side of prudence +and not always on the side of justice, and that it is immaterial whether +a commander is upright or not. + +Besides many other things of the kind, all of which are permissions +according to laws of divine providence. + +238. The same natural man confirms himself against divine providence when +he observes how religion is circumstanced in various nations. + +1. Some are totally ignorant of God; some worship the sun and moon; +others idols and monstrous graven images, dead men also. +2. He notes especially that the Mohammedan religion is accepted by so +many empires and kingdoms. +3. He notes that the Christian religion is found only in a very small +part of the habitable globe, called Europe, and is divided there. +4. Also that some in Christendom arrogate divine power to themselves, +want to be worshiped as gods, and invoke the dead. +5. And there are those who place salvation in certain phrases which they +are to think and speak and not at all in good works which they are to do; +likewise there are few who live their religion. +6. Besides there are heretical ideas; these have been many and some exist +today, like those of the Quakers, Moravians and Anabaptists, besides +others. +7. Judaism also persists. + +As a result, one who denies divine providence concludes that religion in +itself is nothing, but still is needed to serve as a restraint. + +239. To these more arguments can be added today by which those who think +interiorly in favor of nature and of human prudence alone can still +further confirm themselves. For example: + +1. All Christendom has acknowledged three Gods, not knowing that God is +one in essence and in person and that He is the Lord. +2. It has not been known before this that there is a spiritual sense in +each particular of the Word from which it derives its holiness. +3. Again, Christians have not known that to avoid evils as sins is the +Christian religion itself. +4. It has also been unknown that the human being lives as such after +death. + +For men may ask themselves and one another, "Why does divine providence, +if it exists, reveal such things for the first time now?" + +240. All the points listed in nn. 236-239 have been put forward in order +that it may be seen that each and all things which take place in the +world are of divine providence; consequently divine providence is in the +least of man's thoughts and actions and thereby is universal. But this +cannot be seen unless the points are taken up one by one; therefore they +will be explained briefly in the order in which they were listed, +beginning with n. 236. + +241. _The wisest of human beings, Adam and his wife, allowed themselves +to be led astray by the serpent, and God in His divine providence did not +avert this._ This is because by Adam and his wife the first human beings +created in the world are not meant, but the people of the Most Ancient +Church, whose new creation or regeneration is described thus: their +creation anew or regeneration in Genesis 1 by the creation of heaven and +earth; their wisdom and intelligence by the Garden of Eden; and the end +of that church by their eating of the tree of knowledge. For the Word in +its bosom is spiritual, containing arcana of divine wisdom, and in order +to contain them has been composed throughout in correspondences and +representations. It is plain then that the men of that church, who at +first were the wisest of men but finally became the worst through pride +in their own intelligence, were led astray not by a serpent but by +self-love, meant in Genesis by "the serpent's head," which the Seed of +the woman, namely, the Lord, was to trample. + +[2] Who cannot see from reason that other things are meant than those +recorded literally like history? For who can understand that the world +could be created as there described? The learned therefore labor over the +explanation of the things in the first chapter, finally confessing that +they do not understand them. So of the two trees placed in the garden or +paradise, one of life and the other of knowledge, the latter as a +stumbling-block. Again, that just by eating of this tree they +transgressed so greatly that not only they but their posterity--the whole +human race--became subject to damnation; further, how any serpent could +lead them astray; besides other things, as that the woman was created out +of a rib of her husband; that they recognized their nakedness after the +fall and covered it with fig leaves; that coats of skin were given them to +cover the body; and that cherubim with a flaming sword were stationed to +guard the way to the tree of life. + +[3] All this is representative, describing the establishment, state, +alteration and finally destruction of the Most Ancient Church. The arcana +involved, contained in the spiritual sense which fills the details, may +be seen explained in _Arcana Caelestia,_ on Genesis and Exodus, published +at London. There it may also be seen that by the tree of life the Lord is +meant as to His divine providence, and by the tree of knowledge man is +meant as to his own prudence. + +242. _Their first son, Cain, killed his brother Abel, and God did not +speak to him and dissuade him, but only afterwards cursed him._ As the +Most Ancient Church is meant by Adam and his wife, as we have just said, +the two essentials of a church, love and wisdom or charity and faith are +meant by their first sons, Cain and Abel. Love and charity are meant by +Abel, and wisdom and faith and in particular wisdom separate from love, +and faith separate from charity, are meant by Cain. Wisdom as well as +faith when separate is of such a nature that it not only rejects love and +charity, but also destroys them and thus kills its brother. It is well +known in Christendom that faith apart from charity does so; see _Doctrine +of the New Jerusalem about Faith._ + +[2] The curse on Cain portends the spiritual state into which those come +after death who separate faith from charity or wisdom from love. But lest +wisdom or faith should perish, a mark was put on Cain lest he be slain, +for love cannot exist without wisdom, nor charity without faith. As +almost the same thing is represented by this as by eating of the tree of +knowledge, it follows next after the account of Adam and his wife. +Moreover, those in faith separate from charity are in intelligence of +their own; those who are in charity and thence in faith are in +intelligence from the Lord, thus in divine providence. + +243. _The Israelites worshiped a golden calf in the wilderness and +acknowledged it as the god that had brought them out of Egypt, yet +Jehovah saw this from Mt. Sinai near by and did not warn against it._ +This occurred in the desert of Sinai near the mountain. It is in +accordance with all the laws of divine providence recounted so far and +with those to follow that Jehovah did not restrain the Israelites from +that atrocious worship. This evil was permitted them that they might not +all perish. For the children of Israel were brought out of Egypt to +represent the Lord's church; they could not represent it unless the +Egyptian idolatry was first rooted out of their hearts. This could not be +done unless it was left to them to act upon what was in their hearts and +then to remove it on being severely punished. What further is signified +by that worship, by the threat that they would be entirely rejected, and +by the possibility that a new nation might be raised from Moses, may be +seen in _Arcana Caelestia_ on Exodus 32, where these things are spoken +of. + +244. _David numbered the people and as a consequence a pestilence befell +them in which so many thousands of them perished; God sent the prophet +Gad to him not before but after the deed and denounced punishment._ One +who confirms himself against divine providence may have various thoughts +about this also and ponder especially why David was not admonished first +and why the people were so severely punished for the king's +transgression. That he was not warned first is in accord with the laws of +divine providence already adduced, especially with the two explained at +nn. 129-153 and 154-174. The people were so severely punished for the +king's transgression and seventy thousand smitten by the pestilence not +on account of the king but on account of themselves, for we read + +The anger of Jehovah kindled still more against Israel; therefore He +incited David against them saying, Go, number Israel and Judah (2 Sa +24:1). + +245. _Solomon was allowed to establish idolatrous forms of worship._ For +he was to represent the Lord's kingdom or church in all varieties of +religion in the world. For the church established with the Israelitish +and Jewish nation was a representative church; all of its judgments and +statutes represented the spiritual things of a church, which are its +internals. The people represented the church, the king the Lord, David +the Lord to come into the world, Solomon the Lord after His coming. As +the Lord after the glorification of His humanity had all power over +heaven and earth (as He said, Mt 28:18), Solomon as representative of Him +appeared in glory and magnificence, was wise beyond all earthly kings, +and also built the temple. Moreover, he permitted and set up the forms of +worship of many nations, by which the various religions of the world were +represented. His wives, who numbered seven hundred and his concubines who +numbered three hundred (1 Kgs 11:13), had a similar signification, for +"wife" in the Word signifies the church and "concubine" a form of +religion. Hence it may be evident why it was granted Solomon to build the +temple, by which the Divine Humanity of the Lord (Jn 2:19, 21) is +signified and the church, too; and why he was allowed to establish +idolatrous forms of worship and to take so many wives. See _Doctrine of +the New Jerusalem about the Lord_ (nn. 43, 44) that in many places in the +Word the Lord who was to come into the world is meant by David. + +246. _After Solomon many kings were allowed to profane the temple and the +sacred things of the church._ This was because the people represented the +church and the king was their head. The Israelitish and Jewish nation was +of such a nature that they could not represent the church for long, for +at heart they were idolaters; they therefore relapsed gradually from +representative worship, perverting all things of the church, even to +devastating it finally. This was represented by the profanations of the +temple by the kings and by the people's idolatries; the full devastation +of the church was represented by the destruction of the temple, the +carrying off of Israel, and the captivity of Judah in Babylon. Such was +the cause of this toleration; and what is done for some cause is done +under divine providence according to one of its laws. + +247. _That nation was permitted to crucify the Lord._ This was because +the church with that nation was entirely devastated and had become such +that they not only did not know or acknowledge the Lord, but hated Him. +Still, all that they did to Him was according to laws of His divine +providence. See in _Doctrine of the New Jerusalem about the Lord_ (nn. +12-14) and in _Doctrine of the New Jerusalem about Faith_ (nn. 34, 35) +that the passion of the cross was the last temptation or battle by which +the Lord fully conquered the hells and fully glorified His Humanity. + +248. So far the points listed at n. 236 have been explained, involving +passages in the Word by which the naturally minded reasoner may confirm +himself against divine providence. For, as was said, whatever such a man +sees, hears or reads he can make into an argument against providence. Few +persons, however, confirm themselves against divine providence from +incidents in the Word, but many do so from things before their eyes, +listed at n. 237. These are to be explained now in like manner. + +249. _Every worshiper of self and of nature confirms himself against +divine providence when he sees so many impious in the world and so many +of their impieties and how some glory in them, yet sees the impious go +unpunished by God._ All impieties and all gloryings in them are +permissions, of which the causes are laws of divine providence. Each +human being can freely, indeed very freely, think what he wills, against +God as well as in favor of God. One who thinks against God is rarely +punished in the natural world, for he is always in a state to be reformed +then, but is punished in the spiritual world, which is done after death, +for then he can no longer be reformed. + +[2] That laws of divine providence are the causes of tolerance is clear +from the laws set forth above, if you will recall and examine them. They +are: that man shall act in freedom according to reason (of this law +above, nn. 71-79); that he shall not be forced by external means to think +and will, thus to believe and love what is of religion, but bring himself +and sometimes compel himself to do so (nn. 129-153); that there is no +such thing as one's own prudence, but there only appears to be and it +should so appear, but divine providence is universal from being in the +least things (nn. 191-213); divine providence looks to what is eternal, +and to the temporal only as this makes one with the eternal (nn. +214-220); man is not admitted inwardly into truths of faith and goods of +charity except as he can be kept in them to the close of life (nn. +221-233). + +[3] That the laws of divine providence are the causes of tolerance will +also be evident from the following, for one thing from this: evils are +tolerated because of the end, which is salvation. Again from this: that +divine providence is continual with the wicked as well as with the good. +And finally from this: the Lord cannot act contrary to the laws of His +divine providence because to do so would be to act contrary to His divine +love and wisdom, thus contrary to Himself. Brought together, these laws +can make the causes manifest why impieties are tolerated by the Lord and +are not punished while they exist in the thought only and rarely, too, +while they exist in intention, thus in the will but not in act. Yet its +own punishment follows every evil; it is as if its punishment were +inscribed on an evil, and the impious man suffers it after death. + +[4] These considerations also explain the next point, listed at n. 237: +_The worshiper of self and of nature confirms himself still more against +divine providence when he sees plots, schemes and frauds succeed even +against the devout, just and sincere, and injustice triumph over justice +in the courts and in business._ All the laws of divine providence have +requirements; and as they are the causes why such things are permitted, +it is plain that for man to live as a human being and be reformed and +saved, these things can be removed from him by the Lord only through +means. The Word and, in particular, the precepts of the Decalog are the +means with those who acknowledge all kinds of murder, adultery, theft and +false witness to be sins. With those who do not acknowledge such things +as sins, they are removed by means of the civil laws and fear of their +penalties and by means also of the moral laws and fear of disrepute and +consequent loss of standing and wealth. By the latter means the Lord +leads the evil, but only away from doing such things, not from thinking +and willing them. But by the former means He leads the good, not only +away from doing them, but from thinking and willing them, too. + +250. _The worshiper of self and of nature confirms himself against divine +providence on seeing the impious advanced to honors and becoming leaders +in the state and in the church, abounding, too, in riches and living in +luxury and magnificence, and on the other hand sees worshipers of God +despised and poor._ A worshiper of self and of nature believes that +standing and riches are the greatest and the one felicity possible, thus +felicity itself. If he has some thought of God as a result of worship +begun in childhood, he calls them divine blessings, and as long as he is +not elated by them he thinks that there is a God and worships Him. But in +the worship there lurks a desire, of which he is unaware then, to be +advanced by God to still higher standing and to still greater wealth. If +he attains them, his worship tends more and more to externalities until +it slips away and at last he makes little account of God and denies Him. +The same thing occurs if he is cast down from the standing and loses the +riches on which he has set his heart. What, then, are standing and riches +to the wicked but stumbling blocks? + +[2] To the good they are not, for these do not set their heart on them, +but on the uses or goods for rendering which standing and wealth serve as +means. Hence only a worshiper of self and of nature can confirm himself +against divine providence because the impious are advanced to honors and +become leaders in the state and in the church. Moreover, what is greater +or less standing, or greater or less wealth? Is this not in itself +imaginary? Is one person more blessed and happier than another for it? Is +a great man's standing, or even a king's or an emperor's, not regarded in +a year's time as a commonplace, no longer exalting his heart with joy but +quite possibly becoming worthless to him? Have those with standing a +larger measure of happiness than those with little standing or even the +least standing, like farmers and their hands? May not these enjoy more +happiness when it is well with them and they are content with their lot? +What is more unquiet at heart, more often provoked, or more violently +enraged than self-love? It happens as often as it is not honored to suit +the haughtiness of its heart or as something does not succeed at its beck +and wish. What, then, is standing except an idea, unless it attaches to +the office or the use? Can the idea exist in any other thought than +thought about self and the world, and does it not really mean that the +world is all and eternity nothing? + +[3] Something shall be said now why divine providence permits the impious +at heart to be promoted to standing and to acquire wealth. The impious or +the evil can render services as well as the pious or good, indeed with +more fire, for they regard themselves in the use and their standing as +the use. As self-love mounts, therefore, the lust of doing service for +one's glory is fired. There is no such fire with the devout or good +unless it is kindled incidentally to their standing. Therefore the Lord +governs the impious at heart who have standing by their desire for a name +and arouses them to perform uses to the community or their country, their +society or city, and their fellow citizen or neighbor. With such persons +this is the Lord's government which is called divine providence, for the +Lord's kingdom is one of uses, and where only a few perform uses for +uses' sake providence brings it about that worshipers of self are raised +to higher offices, in which each is incited by his love to do good. + +[4] Suppose an infernal kingdom in the world (though there is none) where +self-love alone rules, which is itself the devil, would not everyone +perform uses with the zeal of self-love and for the enhancement of his +glory more than in another kingdom? The public good is borne on the lips +of them all, but their own benefit in the heart. And as each relies on +what rules him in order to become greater, and aspires to be greatest, +how can he see that God exists? A smoke like that of a conflagration +envelops him through which no spiritual truth can pass with its light. I +have seen that smoke around the hells of such men. Light a lamp and +inquire how many in present-day kingdoms aspire to eminence who are not +loves of self and the world. Will you find fifty in a thousand who are +loves of God, among whom, moreover, only a few aspire to eminence? Since +so few are loves of God and so many are loves of self and the world and +since the latter perform more uses by their ardor, how can one confirm +himself against divine providence because the evil surpass the good in +eminence and opulence? + +[5] This is borne out also by these words of the Lord: + +The lord praised the unjust steward because he had acted prudently; for +the sons of this age are more prudent in their generation than the sons +of light in their generation. So I say to you, Make friends for +yourselves of the unjust mammon that when you fail they may receive you +into eternal habitations (Lu 16:8, 9). + +The meaning in the sense of the letter is plain. But in the spiritual +sense by the "mammon of injustice" are meant knowledges of good and truth +which the evil possess and employ solely to acquire standing and wealth +for themselves. It is of these knowledges that the good or the children +of light are to make friends for themselves and it is these knowledges +that will conduct them into eternal homes. The Lord also teaches that +many are loves of self and the world, and few are loves of God, in these +words: + +Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, which leads to destruction, and +many there be who enter it, but narrow and strait is the way which leads +to life, and there are few who find it (Mt 7:13, 14). + +It may be seen above (n. 217) that eminence and riches are either curses +or blessings, and with whom they are the one or the other. + +251. _The worshiper of self and of nature confirms himself against divine +providence when he reflects that wars are permitted and the slaughter in +them of so many men and the plundering of their wealth._ It is not by +divine providence that wars occur, for they entail murder, plunder, +violence, cruelty, and other terrible evils which are diametrically +opposed to Christian charity. Yet they cannot but be permitted because +the life's love of mankind, since the time of the most ancient people, +meant by Adam and his wife (n. 241), has become such that it wants to +rule over others and finally over all, and also to possess the wealth of +the world and finally all wealth. These two loves cannot be kept in +fetters, for it is according to divine providence that everyone is +allowed to act in freedom in accordance with reason, as may be seen above +(nn. 71-97); and apart from permissions man cannot be led from evil by +the Lord and consequently cannot be reformed and saved. For unless evils +were allowed to break out, man would not see them, therefore would not +acknowledge them, and thus could not be induced to resist them. Evils +cannot be repressed, therefore, by any act of providence; if they were, +they would remain shut in, and like a disease such as cancer and +gangrene, would spread and consume everything vital in man. + +[2] For from birth man is like a little hell between which and heaven +there is perpetual discord. No one can be withdrawn from his hell by the +Lord unless he sees he is in it and desires to be led out of it. This +cannot be done apart from tolerations the causes of which are laws of +divine providence. As a result, minor and major wars occur, the minor +between owners of estates and their neighbors, and the major between +sovereigns of kingdoms and their neighbors. Except for size the only +difference is that the minor conflicts are held within limits by a +country's laws and the major by the law of nations; each may wish to +transgress its laws, but the minor cannot, and while the major can, still +the possibility has limits. + +[3] Hidden in the stores of divine wisdom are several causes why the +major wars of kings and rulers, involving murder, looting, violence and +cruelty as they do, are not prevented by the Lord, either at their +beginning or during their course, only finally when the power of one or +the other has been so reduced that he is in danger of annihilation. Some +of the causes have been revealed to me and among them is this: all wars, +although they are civil in character, represent in heaven states of the +church and are correspondences. The wars described in the Word were all +of this character; so are all wars at this day. Those in the Word are the +wars which the children of Israel waged with various nations, Amorites, +Moabites, Philistines, Syrians, Egyptians, Chaldeans and Assyrians. +Moreover, it was when the children of Israel, who represented the church, +departed from their precepts and statutes and fell into evils represented +by other peoples (for each nation with which the children of Israel waged +war represented a particular evil), that they were punished by that +nation. For instance, when they profaned the sanctities of the church by +foul idolatries they were punished by the Assyrians and Chaldeans because +Assyria and Chaldea signify the profanation of what is holy. What was +signified by the wars with the Philistines may be seen in _Doctrine of +the New Jerusalem about Faith_ (nn. 50-54). + +[4] Wars at the present day, wherever they may occur, represent similar +things. For all things which occur in the natural world correspond to +spiritual things in the spiritual world, and all spiritual things are +related to the church. It is not known in the world which kingdoms in +Christendom represent the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Syrians, the +Philistines, the Chaldeans and the Assyrians or others, with whom the +children of Israel waged war; yet there are nations that do so. Moreover, +the condition of the church on earth and what the evils are into which it +falls and for which it is punished by wars, cannot be seen at all in the +natural world, for only externals are manifest here and these do not +constitute the church. This is seen, however, in the spiritual world +where internal conditions appear and in these the church itself consists. +There all are united according to their various states. Conflicts between +them correspond to wars, which on both sides are governed by the Lord +correspondentially in accordance with His divine providence. + +[5] The spiritual man acknowledges that wars on earth are ruled by the +Lord's divine providence. The natural man does not, except that at a +celebration of a victory he may thank God on his knees for having given +the victory, and except for a few words on going into battle. But when he +returns into himself he ascribes the victory either to the prudence of +the general or to some counsel or incident in the midst of the fighting +which escaped notice and yet decided the victory. + +[6] It may be seen above (n. 212) that divine providence, which is called +fortune, is in the least things, even in trivial ones, and if you +acknowledge divine providence in these you will certainly do so in the +issues of war. Success and happy conduct of war, moreover, are in common +parlance called the fortune of war, and this is divine providence, to be +found especially in a general's judgments and plans, although he may at +the time and also afterwards ascribe all to his own prudence. This he may +do if he will, for he has full freedom to think in favor of divine +providence or against it, indeed in favor of God or against Him; but let +him know that no judgment or plan is from himself; it comes either from +heaven or from hell, from hell by permission, from heaven by providence. + +252. _A worshiper of self and of nature confirms himself against divine +providence when he thinks, as he sees it, that victories are on the side +of prudence and not always on the side of justice, and that it is +immaterial whether a commander is upright or not._ Victories seem to be +on the side of prudence and not always on the side of justice, because +man judges by the appearance and favors one side more than the other and +can by reasoning confirm what he favors. Nor does he know that the +justice of a cause is spiritual in heaven and natural in the world, as +was said just above, and that the two are united in a connection of +things past and of things to come, known only to the Lord. + +[2] It is immaterial whether the commander is an upright man or not +because, as was established above (n. 250), the evil as well as the good +perform uses, and by their zeal more ardently than the good. This is so +especially in war because the evil man is more crafty and cunning in +devising schemes than a good man, and in his love of glory takes pleasure +in killing and plundering those whom he knows and declares to be the +enemy. The good man has prudence and zeal for defense and rarely for +attacking. This is much the same as it is with spirits of hell and angels +of heaven; the spirits of hell attack and the angels of heaven defend +themselves. Hence comes this conclusion that it is allowable for one to +defend his country and his fellow-citizens against invading enemies even +by iniquitous commanders, but not allowable to make oneself an enemy +without cause. To have the seeking of glory for cause is in itself +diabolical, for it comes of self-love. + +253. The points made above (n. 237) by which the merely natural man +confirms himself against divine providence have now been explained. The +points which follow (n. 238) about the varieties of religion in many +nations, which also serve the merely natural man for arguments against +divine providence, are to be clarified next. For the merely natural man +says in his heart, How can so many discordant religions exist instead of +one world-wide and true religion when (as was shown above, nn. 27-45) +divine providence has a heaven from mankind for its purpose? But pray, +listen: all human beings who are born, however numerous and of whatever +religion, can be saved if only they acknowledge God and live according to +the precepts of the Decalog, which forbid committing murder, adultery, +theft, and false witness because to do such things is contrary to +religion and therefore contrary to God. Such persons fear God and love +the neighbor. They fear God inasmuch as they think that to do such things +is to act against God, and they love the neighbor because to murder, +commit adultery, steal, bear false witness and covet the neighbor's house +or wife is to act against one's neighbor. Heeding God in their lives and +doing no evil to the neighbor, they are led by the Lord, and those whom +He leads are also taught about God and the neighbor in accordance with +their religion, for those who live in this way love to be taught, but +those living otherwise have no such desire. Loving to be taught, they are +also instructed by angels after death when they become spirits, and +willingly receive such truths as the Word contains. Something about them +may be seen in _Doctrine of the New Jerusalem about Sacred Scripture_ +(nn. 91-97 and 104-113). + +254. _The merely natural man confirms himself against divine providence +when he observes the religious conditions in various nations and notes +that some people are totally ignorant of God, some worship the sun and +moon, and some worship idols and graven images._ Those who argue from +these facts against divine providence are ignorant of the arcana of +heaven; these arcana are innumerable and man is acquainted with hardly +any of them. Among them is this: man is not taught from heaven directly +but mediately (this may be seen treated above, nn. 154-174). Because he +is taught mediately, and the Gospel could not through the medium of +missionaries reach all who dwell in the world, but religion could be +spread in various ways to inhabitants of the remote corners of the earth, +this has been effected by divine providence. For a knowledge of religion +does not come to a man from himself, but through another who has either +learned it from the Word or by tradition from others who have learned it, +for instance that God is, heaven and hell exist, there is a life after +death, and God must be worshiped for man to be blessed. + +[2] See in _Doctrine of the New Jerusalem about Sacred Scripture_ (nn. +101-103) that religion spread throughout the world from the Ancient Word +and afterwards from the Israelitish Word, and (nn. 114-118) that unless +there had been a Word no one could have known about God, heaven and hell, +life after death, and still less about the Lord. Once a religion is +established in a nation the Lord leads that nation according to the +precepts and tenets of its own religion, and He has provided that there +should be precepts in every religion like those in the Decalog, that God +should be worshiped, His name not be profaned, a holy day be observed, +that parents be honored, murder, adultery and theft not be committed, and +false witness not be spoken. A nation that regards these precepts as +divine and lives according to them in religion's name is saved, as was +just said (n. 253). Most nations remote from Christendom regard these +laws not as civil but as divine, and hold them sacred. See in _Doctrine +of the New Jerusalem [about Life] from the Precepts of the Decalog,_ from +beginning to end, that a man is saved by a life according to these +precepts. + +[3] Also among the arcana of heaven is this: in the Lord's sight the +angelic heaven is like one man whose soul and life is the Lord. In each +particular of his form this divine man is man, not only as to the +external members and organs but as to the more numerous internal members +and organs, also as to the skins, membranes, cartilages and bones; but in +that man all these, both external and internal, are not material but +spiritual. Further, the Lord has provided that those who cannot be +reached by the Gospel but only by some form of religion shall also have a +place in this divine man, that is, in heaven, by constituting the parts +called skins, membranes, cartilages and bones, and like others should be +in heavenly joy. For it does not matter whether their joy is that of the +angels of the highest heaven or of the lowest heaven, for everyone +entering heaven comes into the highest joy of his own heart; joy higher +still he does not endure; he would suffocate in it. + +[4] A peasant and a king may serve for comparison. A peasant may reach +the height of joy when he steps out in a new suit of homespun wool or +seats himself at a table with pork, a piece of beef, cheese, beer and +fiery wine on it. He would feel constricted at heart if he was clothed +like a king in purple, silk, gold and silver, or if a table was set for +him on which were delicacies and costly viands of many kinds with noble +wine. It is plain from this that the last as well as the first find +heavenly happiness, each in his measure, those outside Christendom also, +therefore, provided they shun evils as sins against God because these are +contrary to religion. + +[5] Few are entirely ignorant of God. If they have lived a moral life +they are instructed after death by angels and receive what is spiritual +in their moral life (see _Doctrine of the New Jerusalem about Sacred +Scripture,_ n. 116). The same is true of those who worship sun and moon, +believing that God is there. They know no better, therefore it is not +imputed to them as a sin, for the Lord says, + +If you were blind (that is, if you did not know), you would have no sin +(Jn 9:41). + +But there are many who worship idols and graven images even in the +Christian world. This, to be sure, is idolatrous, yet not with all. There +are those for whom graven images serve as a means of exciting thought +about God, for by an influx from heaven one who acknowledges God desires +to see Him, and these, unable to raise the mind above the sensuous as +those do who are inwardly spiritual, rouse it by means of statue or +image. Those who do so and do not worship the image itself as God are +saved if they also live by the precepts of the Decalog from religious +principle. + +[6] It is plain, then, that as the Lord desires the salvation of all, He +has also provided that everyone who lives well may have a place in +heaven. See in the work _Heaven and Hell,_ published at London, 1758 (nn. +59-102 ), in _Arcana Caelestia_ (nn. 5552-5569) and above (nn. 201-204) +that heaven in the Lord's sight is like one man; that heaven accordingly +corresponds to each and all things in man; and that there are also those +who represent skin, membranes, cartilages and bones. + +255. _The merely natural man confirms himself against divine providence +when he sees the Mohammedan religion accepted by so many empires and +kingdoms._ The fact that this form of religion is accepted by more +kingdoms than Christianity is may be a stumbling-block to those who give +thought to divine providence and at the same time believe that no one can +be saved unless he has been born a Christian, thus where the Word is, by +which the Lord is known. That form of religion is no stumbling-block, +however, to those who believe that all things are of divine providence. +These ask in what the providence consists and find it is in this, that +Mohammedanism, acknowledges the Lord as Son of God, the wisest of men and +a very great prophet who came into the world to teach men; most +Mohammedans consider Him to be greater than Mohammed. + +[2] That form of religion was called forth in the divine providence to +destroy the idolatries of many nations. To make this fully known we will +pursue some order; first, something on the origin of idolatries. +Previously to that form of religion the worship of idols was general in +the world. This was because the churches before the Lord's advent were +all representative churches. The Israelitish church was of this +character. In it the tabernacle, Aaron's garments, the sacrifices, all +things of the temple in Jerusalem, the statutes also, were +representative. Moreover, the ancients had a knowledge of +correspondences, which is the knowledge of representations--it was the +chief knowledge of their wise men. This knowledge was cultivated +especially in Egypt and was the origin of Egyptian hieroglyphics. By that +knowledge the ancients knew what animals of every kind signified and what +trees of every kind signified, as they did what mountains, hills, rivers +and fountains signified, as well as sun, moon and stars. As all their +worship was representative, consisting of sheer correspondences, they +worshiped on mountains and hills and in groves and gardens, regarded +fountains as sacred, and in adoration of God faced the rising sun. +Furthermore, they made graven images of horses, oxen, calves and lambs, +and of birds, fish and serpents, and placed them in their houses and +elsewhere, arranged according to the spiritual things of the church to +which they corresponded or which they represented. They placed similar +objects in their temples, too, to put them in mind of the holy things +they signified. + +[3] Later, when the knowledge of correspondences had been lost, their +posterity began to worship the graven images themselves, as holy in +themselves, not knowing that their forefathers had seen no holiness in +them, but only that they represented holy things by correspondences and +thus signified them. So arose the idolatries which filled the whole +world, Africa and Europe as well as Asia with its adjacent islands. In +order that all these idolatries might be uprooted, of the Lord's divine +providence it was brought about that a new religion, adapted to the +genius of Orientals, should start up, in which there would be something +from each Testament of the Word, and which would teach that the Lord had +come into the world and was a very great prophet, wisest of all, and Son +of God. This was done through Mohammed, from whom the religion is called +the Mohammedan religion. + +[4] Of the Lord's divine providence this religion was raised up and, as +we said, adapted to the genius of Orientals, in order that it might +destroy the idolatries of so many peoples and give them some knowledge of +the Lord before they passed into the spiritual world. This religion would +not have been accepted by so many kingdoms or had the power to uproot +idolatries, had it not suited and met the ideas and thinking of them all. +It did not acknowledge the Lord as God of heaven and earth, for the +Orientals acknowledged God the Creator of the universe, but could not +comprehend that He came into the world and assumed human nature, quite as +Christians do not comprehend this, who therefore separate His divine from +His humanity in their thinking and place His divine near the Father in +heaven and His humanity they know not where. + +[5] Hence it may be seen that the Mohammedan religion arose under the +Lord's divine providence and that all adherents of it who acknowledge the +Lord as Son of God and live according to the precepts of the Decalog, +which they also have, shunning evils as sins, come into a heaven called +the Mohammedan heaven. This heaven, like others, is divided into three, +the highest, middle and lowest. Those who acknowledge the Lord to be one +with the Father and thus the one God are in the highest heaven; in the +next heaven are those who renounce a plurality of wives and live with +one; and in the lowest are those who are being initiated. More about this +religion may be seen in _Continuation about the Last Judgment and the +Spiritual World_ (nn. 68-72), where the Mohammedans and Mohammed are +treated of. + +256. _The merely natural man confirms himself against divine providence +when he sees that the Christian religion exists only in a small part of +the habitable world, called Europe, and there is divided._ The Christian +religion exists only in the small part of the habitable world called +Europe because it was not adapted to the genius of Orientals as was a +mixed one like the Mohammedan religion, as was just shown; and an +unadapted religion is not received. For example, a religion which ordains +that it is unlawful to take more than one wife is not received but +rejected by those who for ages have been polygamists. This is true of +other ordinances of the Christian religion. + +[2] Nor is it material whether a smaller or a larger part of the world +has received this religion, as long as there are people with whom the +Word is. For those who are outside the church and do not possess the Word +still have light from it, as was shown in _Doctrine of the New Jerusalem +about Sacred Scripture,_ nn. 104-113. It is a marvel that where the Word +is reverently read and the Lord is worshiped from it, He is present with +heaven. The reason is that He is the Word and the Word is divine truth +which makes heaven. The Lord therefore says: + +Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of +them (Mt 18:20). + +Europeans can bring this about with the Word in many parts of the +habitable globe, for they trade the world over and read or teach the Word +everywhere. This seems like fiction and yet is true. + +[3] The Christian religion is divided because it is from the Word and the +Word is written in sheer correspondences and these in large part are +appearances of truth in which, nevertheless, genuine truths lie +concealed. As a church's doctrine is to be drawn from the sense of the +letter of the Word which is of this character, disputes, controversies +and dissensions were bound to arise over the understanding of the Word, +but not over the Word itself or the Divine itself of the Lord. For it is +acknowledged everywhere that the Word is holy and that the Lord possesses +the divine, and these two are essentials of the church. Those, therefore, +who deny the Divine of the Lord and are called Socinians have been +excommunicated from the church, and those who deny the holiness of the +Word are not regarded as Christians. + +[4] To this let me add a remarkable item about the Word from which one +may conclude that inwardly the Word is divine truth itself and inmostly +the Lord. When a spirit opens the Word and touches his face or dress with +it, just from the contact his face or garment shines as brightly as the +moon or a star, in the sight of all, too, whom he meets. It is evidence +that there is nothing holier in the world than the Word. + +That the Word is written throughout in correspondences may be seen in +_Doctrine of the New Jerusalem about Sacred Scripture,_ nn. 5-26; that +the church's doctrine is to be drawn from the sense of the letter of the +Word and confirmed thereby, nn. 50-61; that heresies can be wrested from +the sense of the letter of the Word, but that it is harmful to confirm +them, nn. 91-97; that the church is from the Word and is such as is its +understanding of the Word, nn. 76-79. + +257. _The merely natural man confirms himself against divine providence +because in many kingdoms where the Christian religion is accepted there +are those who arrogate divine power to themselves, want to be worshiped +as gods, and also invoke dead men._ To be sure, they say that they have +not arrogated divine power to themselves and do not wish to be worshiped +as gods. Yet they say that they can open and close heaven, remit and +retain sins, and so save and condemn men, and this is what is divine +itself. Divine providence has no other purpose than reformation and hence +salvation; this is its unceasing activity with everyone. And salvation +can be effected only by acknowledgment of the divine of the Lord and by +confidence that He brings salvation as man lives according to His +commandments. + +[2] Who cannot see that the usurpation of divine power is the Babylon +described in the Apocalypse and the Babel spoken of here and there in the +Prophets? It is also Lucifer in Isaiah 14, as is plain from verses 4 and +22 of that chapter, where are the words: + +You shall speak this parable about the king of Babel (verse 4); + +(Then), I will cut off the name and remnant of Babel (verse 22); + +it is plain from this that this Babel is Lucifer, of whom it is said: + +How you have fallen from heaven, 0 Lucifer, son of the morning! ... For +you have said in your heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my +throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the +congregation, at the sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights +of the clouds; I will be like the Most High (Isa 14:12-14). + +It is well known that the same persons invoke the dead and pray to them +for help. We make the assertion because such invocation was established +by a papal bull, confirming the decree of the Council of Trent, in which +it is openly said that the dead are to be invoked. Yet who does not know +that only God is to be invoked, and not any dead person? + +[3] It shall be told now why the Lord has permitted such things. Can one +deny that He has done so for the sake of the end in view, namely +salvation? For men know that there is no salvation without the Lord. +Therefore it was necessary that the Lord should be preached from the Word +and that the Christian Church should be established by this means. This +could be done, however, only by leaders who would act with zeal and no +others offered than those who burned with zeal out of self-love. At first +this fire aroused them to preach the Lord and teach the Word. From this +their first state Lucifer is called "the son of the morning" (14:12). +But as they saw that they could dominate by means of the sanctities of +the Word and the church, the self-love by which they were first aroused +to preach the Lord broke out from within and finally exalted itself to +such a height that they transferred all the Lord's divine power to +themselves, leaving Him none. + +[4] This could not be prevented by the Lord's divine providence, for if +it had been they would have declared that the Lord is not God and that +the Word is not sacred and would have made themselves Socinians and +Arians, so would have destroyed the whole church. But, whatever its +rulers are, the church continues among the people submissive to them. For +all in this religion who approach the Lord and shun evils as sins are +saved; therefore many heavenly societies are formed from them in the +spiritual world. It has also been provided that there should be a nation +among them that has not bowed to the yoke of such domination and that +regards the Word as holy; this noble nation is the French nation. + +[5] But what was done? When self-love exalted its dominion even to the +Lord's throne, removing Him and setting itself on it, that love, which is +Lucifer, could not but have profaned all things of the Word and the +church. Lest this should happen, the Lord in His divine providence took +care that they should recede from worship of Him, invoke the dead, pray +to graven images of the dead, kiss their bones and kneel at their tombs, +should ban the reading of the Word, appoint holy worship in masses not +understood by the common people, and sell salvation for money. For if +they had not done this, they would have profaned the sanctities of the +Word and the church. For, as was shown in the preceding section, only +those profane holy things who know them. + +[6] Lest, too, they should profane the most Holy Supper it is of the +Lord's divine providence that they divide it, giving the bread to the +people and drinking the wine themselves. For the wine of the Supper +signifies holy truth and the bread holy good; but divided the wine +signifies truth profaned and the bread good adulterated. It is also of +the Lord's divine providence that they should render the Holy Supper +corporeal and material and give it the prime place in religion. Anyone +who gives these particulars his attention and reflects on them in some +enlightenment of his mind can see the amazing action of divine providence +for the protection of the sanctities of the church and for the salvation +of all who can be saved and are ready to be snatched from the fire, so to +speak, from which they must be snatched. + +258. _The merely natural man confirms himself against divine providence +because some among those who profess the Christian religion place +salvation in certain phrases which they are to think and speak and not at +all in good works which they are to do._ We showed in _Doctrine of the +New Jerusalem about Faith_ that these are such as make faith alone saving +and not the life of charity, thus such as separate faith from charity. It +was also shown that these are meant in the Word by "Philistines," +"dragon" and "goats." + +[2] That such doctrine has been permitted is also of divine providence +lest the divine of the Lord and the sanctity of the Word should be +profaned. The divine of the Lord is not profaned when salvation is placed +in these words: That God the Father may have mercy for the sake of the +Son, who suffered the Cross and made satisfaction for us. For men do not +then address the divine of the Lord but have in mind His human nature, +which they do not acknowledge to be divine. Nor do they profane the Word, +for they do not attend to the passages in which love, charity, deeds and +works are mentioned. All this, they say, is involved in the faith +expressed in the saying quoted. Those who confirm this tell themselves, +"The law does not condemn me, neither then does evil, and good does not +save because good done by me is not good." They are therefore like those +who do not know any truth from the Word and consequently cannot profane +it. Only those confirm the faith expressed in that saying who from +self-love are in the pride of their own intelligence. Nor are these +Christians at heart; they only desire to be looked on as such. + +[3] It shall now be shown that the Lord's divine providence is +nevertheless acting constantly to save those with whom faith separated +from charity has become an article of religion. Although this faith has +become an article of their religion, by the Lord's divine providence each +knows that it is not faith that saves, but a life of charity with which +faith makes one. For all churches in which that religion is accepted also +teach that there is no salvation unless man examines himself, sees and +acknowledges his sins, repents, desists from them, and begins a new life. +This is read out with much zeal in the presence of all who come to the +Holy Supper. In addition they are told that unless they do so, they +mingle the holy with the profane and cast themselves into eternal +condemnation. Indeed, in England they are told that unless they do so the +devil will enter them as he did Judas and destroy them soul and body. It +is plain, then, that everyone in the churches in which faith alone is +accepted is nevertheless taught that evils are to be shunned as sins. + +[4] Furthermore, everyone who is born a Christian is aware that evils are +to be shunned as sins because the Decalog is put into the hands of every +boy and girl and is taught by parents and teachers. The citizens of a +kingdom and especially the common people are examined by the priest on +the Decalog alone, which is recited from memory, for what they know of +the Christian religion, and are also admonished to do what is commanded +in it. At such times they are not told by the priest that they are not +under the yoke of that law, or that they cannot do what is commanded +because they cannot do anything good of themselves. Again, the Athanasian +Creed has been accepted throughout the Christian world and what is said +at its close is also acknowledged, namely, that the Lord will come to +judge the living and the dead, and then those who have done good will +enter everlasting life and those who have done evil will enter +everlasting fire. + +[5] In Sweden, where the religion of faith alone has been received, it is +also plainly taught that faith is impossible apart from charity or good +works. This is pointed out in an Appendix on things to be remembered, +inserted in all copies of the Psalms, and called "Impediments or +Stumbling Blocks of the Impenitent" (Obotferdigas Foerhinder), where are +these words, + +Those who are rich in good works thereby show that they are rich in +faith, because when faith is saving it acts through charity. For +justifying faith is never found alone and separate from good works, quite +as no good tree is without fruit, nor the sun without light and heat, nor +water without moisture. + +[6] These items have been adduced to make known that although a religious +formula about faith alone has been accepted, nevertheless goods of +charity, which are good works, are taught everywhere and that this is by +the Lord's divine providence, lest the common people be led astray by the +formula. I have heard Luther, with whom I have spoken at times in the +spiritual world, execrate faith alone and heard him say that when he +established it he was warned by an angel of the Lord not to do it; but +that he thought to himself that if he did not reject works, separation +from Catholicism would not be accomplished. Therefore, contrary to the +warning, he established that faith. + +259. _The merely natural man confirms himself against divine providence +in that there have been so many heresies in Christendom and still are, +such as Quakerism, Moravianism, Anabaptism, and more._ For he may think +to himself, If divine providence is universal in the least things and has +the salvation of all for its object, it would have seen to it that one +true religion should exist on the globe, not one divided and, still less, +one torn by heresies. But use reason and think more deeply if you can. +Can man be saved without being reformed first? For he is born into love +of self and the world, and as these loves do not have any love of God and +the neighbor in them except for the sake of self, he is also born into +evils of every kind. Is there love or mercy in those loves? Does the man +make anything of defrauding or defaming or hating another even to death, +or of committing adultery with his wife, or of being cruel to him out of +revenge, the while having the desire in mind to get the upper hand of all +and to possess the goods of all others, thus regarding others in +comparison with himself as insignificant and of little worth? To be +saved, must he not first be led away from these evils and thus be +reformed? As has been shown above in many places, this can be +accomplished only in accordance with many laws of divine providence. For +the most part these laws are unknown and yet they come of divine wisdom +and at the same time of divine love, and the Lord cannot act contrary to +them, for to do so would result in destroying man, not in saving him. + +[2] Look over the laws which have been set forth, bring them together, +and you will see. According to those laws there is no direct influx from +heaven but one mediated by the Word, doctrine and preaching; and since +the Word, to be divine, had to be composed wholly in correspondences, +inevitably there are dissensions and heresies. The tolerance of them is +also in accord with the laws of divine providence. Furthermore, when the +church itself has taken for essentials what pertains only to the +understanding, that is, to doctrine, and not what pertains to the will, +that is, to life, and what pertains to life is not made the essentials of +a church, then man is in complete darkness for understanding and wanders +like one blind, striking against things constantly and falling into pits. +For the will must see in the understanding and not the understanding in +the will, or what is the same, the life and its love must lead the +understanding to think, speak and act, and not the reverse. Were the +reverse true, the understanding might out of an evil and even diabolical +love seize on what comes by the senses and demand that the will do it. +What has been said may show whence dissensions and heresies come. + +[3] Yet it has been provided that everyone, in whatever heresy he may be +intellectually, may still be reformed and saved if he shuns evils as sins +and does not confirm heretical falsities in himself. For by shunning +evils as sins the will is reformed and through it the understanding is, +which emerges for the first time then out of obscurity into light. There +are three essentials of the church: acknowledgment of the divine of the +Lord, acknowledgment of the holiness of the Word, and the life which is +called charity. Everyone's faith is according to the life which is +charity; from the Word he has a rational perception of what life should +be; and from the Lord he has reformation and salvation. Had these three +been regarded as the church's essentials, intellectual differences would +not have divided it but only varied it as light varies colors in +beautiful objects and as various insignia of royalty give beauty to a +king's crown. + +260. _The merely natural man confirms himself against divine providence +in that Judaism still continues._ That is, after all these centuries the +Jews have not been converted although they live among Christians and do +not, in keeping with prophecies in the Word, confess the Lord and +acknowledge Him to be the Messiah, who, as they think, was to lead them +back to the land of Canaan; but they steadfastly persist in denying Him +and yet it is well with them. Those who take this view, however, and thus +call divine providence in question, do not know that by Jews in the Word +all who are of the church and acknowledge the Lord are meant, and by the +land of Canaan, into which it is said that they are to be led, the Lord's +church is meant. + +[2] But the Jews persist in denying the Lord because they are such that, +if they received and acknowledged the divine of the Lord and the holy +things of His church, they would profane them. Therefore the Lord said of +them: + +He has blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not +see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, +and I should heal them (Jn 12:40; Mt 13:14; Mk 4:12; Lu 8:10; Isa 6:9, +10). + +It is said, "lest they should be converted, and I should heal them" +because if they had been converted and healed they would have committed +profanation, and according to the law of divine providence treated above +(nn. 221-233) no one is admitted interiorly into truths of faith and +goods of charity by the Lord except so far as he can be kept in them to +the close of life; were he admitted, he would profane what is holy. + +[3] This nation has been preserved and dispersed over much of the earth +for the sake of the Word in its original language, which they hold more +sacred than Christians do. The Lord's divine is in every particular of +the Word, for it is divine truth joined with divine good coming from the +Lord. By it the Lord is united with the church, and heaven is present, as +was shown in _Doctrine of the New Jerusalem about Sacred Scripture_ (nn. +62-69). The Lord and heaven are present wherever the Word is read as +sacred. This is the end which divine providence has pursued in the +preservation and in the dispersal of the Jews over much of the world. On +the nature of their lot after death see _Continuation about the Last +Judgment and the Spiritual World_ (nn. 79-82). + +261. These then are the objections listed above at n. 238 by which the +natural man confirms himself against divine providence, or may do so. +Still other objections, listed at n. 239, may serve the natural man for +arguments against divine providence; they may occur to the minds of +others, too, and excite doubts. They are the following. + +262. _Doubt may be raised against divine providence in that the whole of +Christendom worships one God under three persons, that is, three Gods, +and has not known hitherto that God is one in person and in essence, in +whom is the Trinity, and that this God is the Lord._ One who reasons +about divine providence may ask, Are not three persons three Gods if each +person by himself is God? Who can think of it otherwise? In fact, who +does? Athanasius himself could not; therefore it is said in the Creed +which bears his name: + +Although in Christian verity we ought to acknowledge each Person as God +and Lord, yet by Christian faith it is not allowable to affirm or to name +three Gods or three Lords. + +This can only mean that we ought to acknowledge three Gods and Lords, but +it is not allowable to affirm or name three Gods and three Lords. + +[2] Who can possibly have a perception of one God unless He is one in +person? If it is said that such a concept is possible if one thinks of +the three as having one essence, does one, indeed can one, have any other +idea than that they are thus of one mind and agree, and yet are three +Gods? Thinking more deeply, one asks oneself, How can the divine essence, +which is infinite, be divided? Further, how can divine essence from +eternity beget another and produce still another who proceeds from them +both? It may be said that it is to be believed and not thought about; but +who does not think about what he is told must be believed? How else can +there be any acknowledgment which in its essence is faith? Was it not +because of the concept of God as three persons that Socinianism and +Arianism arose, which prevail in the hearts of more persons than you +suppose? Belief in one God and that this God is the Lord makes the +church, for in Him is the divine trinity. The truth of this may be seen +in _Doctrine of the New Jerusalem about the Lord,_ from beginning to end. + +[3] But what is thought of the Lord today? Is it not thought that He is +God and Man, God from Jehovah the Father of whom He was conceived and Man +from the Virgin Mary from whom He was born? Who thinks that God and Man +in Him, or His Divine and His Human, are one person, and are one as soul +and body are? Does anyone know this? Ask the learned in the church and +they will say that they have not known it. Yet it is part of the doctrine +of the church received throughout Christendom, as follows: + +Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; and although He is +God and Man yet there are not two, but there is one Christ. He is one +because the divine took to itself the human; indeed He is altogether one, +for He is one Person, since as soul and body make one man, so God and Man +is one Christ. + +This comes from the Faith or Creed of Athanasius. The learned have not +known it because on reading this they have thought of the Lord not as God +but only as Man. + +[4] When they are asked if they know from whom the Lord was conceived, +whether from God the Father or from His own Divine, they reply that He +was conceived from God the Father, for this is according to Scripture. +Are the Father and He not one then, like soul and body? Who can think +that He was conceived from two Divines, and if from His own that this was +His Father? If you ask them further what their idea of the Lord's Divine +and of His Human is, they will say that His Divine is from the essence of +the Father and His Human from the essence of His mother, and that His +Divine is with the Father. Then, when they are asked where His Human is, +they have no answer, for they separate His Divine and His Human in their +thinking and make His Divine equal to the Divine of the Father and His +Human like the human of another man, unaware that in doing this they +separate soul and body; nor do they see the flaw in this, that then a +rational man would have been born from a mother alone. + +[5] As a result of the fixed idea that the Lord's humanity was like that +of another man, it has come about that a Christian can with difficulty be +led to think of a Divine Human, even when it is said that the Lord's soul +or life from conception was and is Jehovah Himself. Now sum up the +reasons and consider whether there is any other God of the universe than +the Lord alone, in whom is the Divine itself, Source of all, called the +Father; the Divine Human, called the Son; and the proceeding Divine, +called the Holy Spirit; and thus that God is one in person and essence, +and that this God is the Lord. + +[6] You may persist and remark that the Lord Himself spoke of three in +Matthew: + +Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the +Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (28:19). + +But it is plain from the preceding verse and the one following that the +Lord said this in order to make it known that the Divine Trinity was in +Him, now glorified. For in the preceding verse He said that all power in +heaven and on earth was given Him, and in the following verse that He +would be with men to the end of the age, speaking of Himself alone and +not of three. + +[7] Now, why did divine providence permit Christians to worship the one +God under three persons, that is, worship three Gods, and not know until +now that God is one in essence and person, in whom is the Trinity and +that this God is the Lord? Man and not the Lord was the cause. The Lord +had taught it plainly in His Word, as is clear from all the passages +cited in _Doctrine of the New Jerusalem about the Lord,_ and has also +taught it in the doctrine of all the churches, in which it is said that +His Divine and His Human are not two but one Person united like soul and +body. + +[8] The first reason why men divided the Divine and the Human and made +the Divine equal to the Divine of Jehovah the Father and the Human equal +to the human of another man, was that the church after its rise fell away +into Babylonianism. This took to itself the Lord's divine power, and in +order that it should be called human and not divine power made the Lord's +human like that of another man. When later the church was reformed and +faith alone was received as the one means of salvation--faith that God the +Father has mercy for the sake of the Son--the Lord's Human could be viewed +in no other way. For no one can approach the Lord and acknowledge Him at +heart as God of heaven and earth unless he lives by His precepts. In the +spiritual world, where everyone is bound to speak as he thinks, no one +can so much as mention the name Jesus if he has not lived as a Christian +in the world; this is by divine providence lest His name be profaned. + +263. To make what has just been said clearer I will add what was set +forth in _Doctrine of the New Jerusalem about the Lord_ (towards the end, +nn. 60, 61), which is as follows: + +"That God and Man in the Lord, according to the Creed, are not two but +one Person, altogether one as soul and body are, appears clearly in many +sayings of the Lord, as that the Father and He are one; that all things +of the Father are His and all His the Father's; that He is in the Father +and the Father in Him; that all things are given into His hand; that He +has all power; that He is God of heaven and earth; that one who believes +on Him has eternal life; and that the wrath of God abides on one who does +not believe on Him; and further, that both the Divine and the Human were +taken up into heaven; and that as to both He sits at the right hand of +God, that is, is almighty; besides the numerous passages in the Word +about His Divine Human which were quoted abundantly above. They all +testify that God is one both in person and in essence, and in Him is the +Trinity, and that this God is the Lord. + +[2] "These things about the Lord are published now for the first time +because it is foretold in the Apocalypse, chapters 21 and 22, that at the +end of the former church a new church is to be established in which this +will be the chief doctrine. This church is meant in those chapters by the +New Jerusalem into which only one who acknowledges the Lord alone as God +of heaven and earth can enter; this church is therefore called `the +Lamb's wife'. I can also report that all heaven acknowledges the Lord +alone and that one who does not is not admitted to heaven, for heaven is +heaven from the Lord. This very acknowledgment made in love and faith +causes men to be in the Lord and Lord in them, as He teaches in John: + +In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me and I in +you (14:20); + +again in the same: + +Abide in me, and I in you; ... I am the vine, and you are branches; he +who abides in me and I in him, bears much fruit; for without me you can +do nothing; unless a man abides in me, he is cast out (15:4-6, also +17:22, 23). + +[3] "This has not been seen from the Word before, because if it had been, +it would not have been received. For the last judgment had not been +accomplished yet, and prior to it the power of hell prevailed over the +power of heaven. Man is in the midst between heaven and hell; had this +been seen before, therefore, the devil, that is, hell, would have plucked +it from men's hearts and furthermore would have profaned it. The +predominance of hell was completely broken by the last judgment which has +been accomplished now; since that judgment, thus today, every man who +wishes enlightenment and wisdom is able to have it." + +264. _A doubt may be raised against divine providence in that it has been +unknown hitherto that in each particular of the Word there is a spiritual +meaning from which it has its holiness._ One may raise this doubt about +divine providence, asking, "why has this been revealed for the first time +now, and why has it been revealed through any one at all and not through +a church leader?" But it is at the Lord's good pleasure whether it should +be a leader or a leader's servant; He knows the one and the other. +However, that sense of the Word has not been disclosed before because +1. If it had been, the church would have profaned it and thereby profaned +the holiness itself of the Word. 2. Neither were the genuine truths, in +which the spiritual sense of the Word resides, revealed by the Lord until +the last judgment was accomplished, and a new church, meant by the Holy +Jerusalem, was about to be established by the Lord. These reasons will be +examined separately. + +[2] 1. _The spiritual sense of the Word was not disclosed earlier because +if it had been, the church would have profaned it and thereby would have +profaned the holiness itself of the Word._ Not long after it was +established, the church was turned into Babylon, and later into +Philistia. Babylon acknowledges the Word, to be sure, and yet esteems it +lightly, asserting that the Holy Spirit inspires its own highest judgment +just as much as it did the prophets. They acknowledge the Word for the +vicarship founded on the Lord's words to Peter, but esteem it lightly +because it does not accord with their teaching. It is therefore taken +from the people also and hidden in monasteries where few read it. If, +therefore, the spiritual sense of the Word had been revealed, in which +the Lord is present together with all angelic wisdom, the Word would have +been profaned not only, as it is now, in its lowermost expression in the +sense of the letter, but in its inmosts, too. + +[3] Philistia, by which faith separated from charity is meant, would have +profaned the spiritual sense of the Word also, because, as we have shown +before, it puts salvation in certain formulas which are to be thought and +spoken, and not in good works which are to be done. It thus makes saving +what is not saving and also removes the understanding from what is to be +believed. What would they do with the light in which the spiritual sense +of the Word is? Would that not be turned into darkness? When the natural +sense is, why not the spiritual sense? Does any one of them who has +confirmed himself in faith separate from charity and in justification by +this faith alone, want to know what good of life is, what love to the +Lord and towards the neighbor is, what charity is and what the goods of +charity are, what good works are and what it is to do them, or in fact +what faith is essentially and what genuine truth is, constituting it? +They compose volumes, establish in them only what they call faith, and +declare that all the things just mentioned are present in that faith. It +is clear from this that if the spiritual sense of the Word had been +revealed earlier, it would come to pass according to the Lord's words in +Matthew: + +If your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then +the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness ( 6:23). + +In the spiritual sense of the Word by "eye" the understanding is meant. + +[4] 2. _Neither were the genuine truths in which the spiritual sense of +the Word resides, revealed by the Lord until after the last judgment was +accomplished, and a new church, meant by the Holy Jerusalem, was about to +be established by the Lord._ The Lord foretold in the Apocalypse that +after the last judgment was effected genuine truths were to be revealed, +a new church was to be established, and the spiritual sense of the Word +would be disclosed. In the small work, _The Last Judgment,_ and later in +the _Continuation_ of that work, it was shown that the last judgment has +been accomplished and that this is meant by the heaven and earth which +would pass away (Apoc 21:1). That genuine truths are then to be revealed +is foretold in these words in the Apocalypse: + +And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new +(11:5; also 19:17, 18; 21:18-21; 22:1, 2). + +At 19:11-16 it was predicted that the spiritual sense of the Word was to +be revealed; it is meant by "the white horse" on which He who sat was +called the Word of God and was Lord of lords and King of kings (on this +see the little work _The White Horse)._ That by the Holy Jerusalem a new +church is meant which was to be established then by the Lord may be seen +in _Doctrine of the New Jerusalem about the Lord_ (nn. 62-65). + +[5] It is clear, then, that the spiritual sense of the Word was to be +revealed for a new church which should acknowledge and worship the Lord +alone, hold His Word sacred, love divine truths and reject faith +separated from charity. More about this sense of the Word may be seen in +_Doctrine of the New Jerusalem about Sacred Scripture_ (nn. 5-26 and +following numbers); what the spiritual sense of the Word is (nn. 5-26); +that a spiritual sense exists in all of the Word in general and in detail +(nn. 9-17); that by virtue of the spiritual sense the Word is divinely +inspired and holy in every expression (nn. 18, 19); that until now the +spiritual sense has been unknown, and why it was not revealed before (nn. +20-25); and that henceforth that sense will be open only to one who is +in genuine truths from the Lord (n. 26). + +[6] It may be evident from these propositions that it is by the Lord's +divine providence that the spiritual sense has lain concealed from the +world until the present day and been kept meanwhile in heaven with the +angels, who draw their wisdom from it. This sense was known and treasured +among ancient peoples who lived before Moses, but when their descendants +converted the correspondences, of which their Word and hence their +religion solely consisted, into various idolatries, and the Egyptians +converted them into magic, by the Lord's divine providence this sense was +closed up, first with the Israelites and then with Christians for the +reasons given above, and is now opened for the first time for the Lord's +new church. + +265. _Doubt may arise against divine providence in that it has been +unknown hitherto that to shun evils as sins is the Christian religion +itself._ That this is the Christian religion itself was shown in +_Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem,_ from beginning to end; and as +faith separated from charity is the one obstacle to its being received, +that also was treated of. We say that it has not been known that to shun +evils as sins is the Christian religion itself, for it is unknown to +nearly everyone; yet everyone does know it, as may be seen above +(n. 258). Nearly all are ignorant of it because faith separate has +obliterated knowledge of it. For this faith declares that it alone saves +and not any good work, that is, any good of charity; also that men are no +longer under the yoke of the law, but are free. Those who have frequently +heard such teaching no longer give thought to any evil of life or any +good of life. Everyone, moreover, is inclined by nature to embrace such +teaching, and once he has done so he no longer thinks about the state of +his life. This is why it is not known that shunning evils as sins is the +Christian religion itself. + +[2] That this is unknown was disclosed to me in the spiritual world. I +have asked more than a thousand newcomers from the world whether they +knew that to shun evils as sins is religion itself. They said that they +did not and that it was a new idea which they had not heard before, but +had heard that they cannot of themselves do good and that they are not +under the yoke of the law. When I inquired whether they knew that a man +must examine himself, see his sins, repent and begin a new life and that +otherwise sins are not remitted, and if sins are not remitted, men are +not saved; and when I reminded them that this was read out in a deep +voice to them each time they observed the Holy Supper, they replied that +they paid no attention to that but only to this, that they have remission +of sins by the sacrament of the Supper and that faith effects the rest +without their knowing it. + +[3] I asked again, Why have you taught your children the Decalog? Was it +not that they might know what evils are sins to be shunned? Was it only +that they might know and believe, but do nothing? Why is it said that +this is new? To this they could only reply that they know and yet do not +know, and that they never think of the sixth* commandment when they +commit adultery, or about the seventh when they steal or defraud +secretly, and so on, and still less that such acts are contrary to divine +law, thus contrary to God. + +* Swedenborg follows the numbering of the Commandments customary with +Lutherans, as with Roman Catholics. + +[4] When I recalled to them many things from the teachings of the +churches and from the Word confirming the fact that to avoid and be +averse to evils as sins is the Christian religion's very self and that +one who does so has faith, they fell silent. They were convinced of it, +however, when they saw that all were examined as to their life and judged +according to their deeds, and no one was judged according to faith apart +from life, for everyone has faith according to his life. + +[5] Christendom in large part has not known this because by a law of +divine providence everyone is left to act in freedom according to reason +(on this, above, nn. 71-91 and nn. 101-128); and by another law no one is +taught directly from heaven but by means of the Word and by doctrine and +preaching from it; there are besides all the laws on permission which are +also laws of divine providence. On these see above, n. 258. + +274.* _A doubt may be raised against divine providence in that it has not +been known before that a man lives as a human being after death and that +this has not been disclosed before._ It has been unknown because with +those who do not shun evils as sins the belief lies hidden that man does +not live after death. It is of no moment therefore to them whether one +says that man lives after death or will rise again on the day of the last +judgment. If belief in resurrection happens to visit one, he tells +himself, "I shall fare no worse than others; if I go to hell I shall have +the company of many and also if I pass to heaven." Yet all in whom there +is any religion have an implanted recognition that they will live as +human beings after death. Only those infatuated with their own +intelligence think that they survive as souls but not as human beings. + +* So numbered in the Latin original. + +It may be seen from the following that anyone in whom is any religion has +an implanted recognition that he lives after death as a human being: + +1. Who thinks otherwise when he is dying? +2. What eulogizer, mourning the dead, does not exalt them to heaven and +place them among the angels conversing with them and sharing their joy? +Some men are deified. +3. Who among the common people does not believe that when he dies, if he +has lived well he will enter a heavenly paradise, be arrayed in white, +and enjoy eternal life? +4. What priest does not speak so to the dying? And when he speaks so he +believes it, provided he does not think of the last judgment at the time. +5. Who does not believe that his little ones are in heaven and that after +death he will see his wife, whom he has loved? Who thinks that they are +spectres, still less souls or minds hovering in the universe? +6. Who contradicts when something is said about the lot or state of those +who have passed from time into eternal life? I have told many what the +state or lot of various persons is and have never heard anyone protest +that their lot is not yet determined but will be at the time of the +judgment. +7. When one sees angels in paintings or statuary does he not recognize +them as such? Who thinks then that they are bodiless spirits or airy +entities or clouds, as do some of the erudite? +8. Papists believe that their saints are human beings in heaven and +others elsewhere are; so do Mohammedans of their dead; more than others +Africans do, and many other peoples do. Why then do not Reformed +Christians believe it, who know it from the Word? +9. Moreover, as a result of the recognition implanted in everyone, some +men aspire to the immortality of renown. The recognition is given that +turn in them and makes heroes and brave men of them in war. +10. Inquiry was made in the spiritual world whether this knowledge is +implanted in all men; it was found that it is in a spiritual idea +attached to their internal thought, not in a natural idea attached to +their external thought. + +It is plain from all this that doubt should not be thrown on the Lord's +divine providence on the supposition that only now has it been disclosed +that the human being continues such after death. It is only the sensuous +in man that wants to see and touch what is to be credited. One who does +not raise his thinking above it is in the dark of night about the state +of his own life. + +XIV. EVILS ARE TOLERATED IN VIEW OF THE END, WHICH IS SALVATION + +275. If man were born into the love for which he was created, he would +not be in evil, in fact would not know what evil is. For one who has not +been in evil and is not in it, cannot know what it is; told that this or +that is evil, he would not believe it. This is the state of innocence in +which Adam and his wife Eve were; that state was signified by the +nakedness of which they were not ashamed; the knowledge of evil +subsequent to the fall is meant by eating of the tree of the knowledge of +good and evil. The love for which the human being was created is love to +the neighbor, to wish him as well as one does oneself and even better. He +is in the enjoyment of this love when he serves his neighbor quite as +parents do their children. This is truly human love, for in it is what is +spiritual, distinguishing it from the natural love of brute animals. Were +man born into this love, he would not be born into the darkness of +ignorance as everyone is now, but into some light of the knowledge and +hence of the intelligence soon to be his. To be sure, he would creep on +all fours at first but come erect on his feet by an implanted striving. +However much he might resemble a quadruped, he would not face down to the +ground but forward to heaven and come erect so that he could look up. + +276. When love of the neighbor was turned into self-love, however, and +this love increased, human love was turned into animal love, and man, +from being man, became a beast, with the difference that he could think +about what he sensed physically, could rationally discriminate among +things, be taught, and become a civil and moral person and finally a +spiritual being. For, as was said, man possesses what is spiritual and is +distinguished by it from the brute animal. By it he can know what civil +evil and good are, also what moral evil and good are, and if he so wills, +what spiritual evil and good are also. When love for the neighbor was +turned into self-love, however, man could no longer be born into the +light of knowledge and intelligence but was born into the darkness of +ignorance, being born on the lowest level of life, called +corporeal-sensuous. From this he could be led into the interiors of the +natural mind by instruction, the spiritual always attending on this. Why +one is born on the lowest level of life known as corporeal-sensuous, +therefore into the darkness of ignorance, will be seen in what follows. + +[2] Anyone can see that love of the neighbor and self-love are opposites. +Neighborly love wishes well to all from itself, but self-love wishes +everyone to wish it well; neighborly love wants to serve everyone, but +self-love wants all to serve it; love of the neighbor regards everyone as +brother and friend, while love of self regards everyone as its servant, +and if one does not serve it, as its enemy; in short, it regards only +itself and others scarcely as human beings, esteeming them at heart less +than one's horses and dogs. Thinking so meanly of others, it thinks +nothing of doing evil to them; hence come hatred and vengeance, adultery +and whoredom, theft and fraud, lying and defamation, violence and +cruelty, and similar evils. Such are the evils in which man is by birth. +That they are tolerated in view of the end, which is salvation, is to be +shown in this order: + +i. Everyone is in evil and must be led away from it to be reformed. +ii. Evils cannot be removed unless they appear. +iii. So far as they are removed they are remitted. +iv. The toleration of evil is therefore for the sake of the end in view, +namely, salvation. + +277. (i) _Everyone is in evil and must be led away from it to be +reformed._ The church knows that there is hereditary evil in man and that +as a result he is in the lust of many evils. Thence it is that he cannot +do good of himself, for evil does only such good as has evil in it; the +evil inwardly in it is that one does good for one's own sake and thus +only for the sake of appearances. It is known that hereditary evil comes +from one's parents. It is said to come from Adam and his wife, but this +is an error; for everyone is born into hereditary evil from his parent, +and the parent from his parent, and so on; thus it is transmitted from +one to another, is augmented and becomes an accumulation, and is passed +to one's progeny. There is therefore nothing sound in man but all is +evil. Who feels that it is evil to love himself above others? Who, then, +knows that this is an evil, though it is the head of evils? + +[2] Inheritance from parents, grandparents and great-grandparents is +plain from much which is known in the world, from the fact, for instance, +that households, families and even nations are distinguishable by the +face; the face is also a type of the mind which in turn accords with the +affections of one's love. Sometimes, too, the features of a grandfather +recur in a grandson or a great-grandson. From the face alone I know +whether a person is a Jew or not; likewise of what stock certain persons +are; others no doubt know also. If the affections which spring from love +are thus derived from parents and transmitted by them, evils are, for +these spring from affections. But it shall be told how the resemblance +comes about. + +[3] Everyone's soul comes from his father and is only clothed with the +body by one's mother. That the soul is from the father follows not only +from what has been said above, but from many other indications, too; also +from this, that the child of a black man or Moor by a white or European +woman is black, and vice versa; and especially in that the soul is in the +seed, for impregnation is by the seed, and the seed is what is clothed +with a body by the mother. The seed is the primal form of the love in +which the father is--the form of his ruling love with its nearest +derivatives or the inmost affections of that love. + +[4] These affections are enveloped in everyone with the honesties of +moral life and with the goodnesses partly of civil and partly of +spiritual life, which are the external of life even with the evil. An +infant is born into this external life and is therefore lovable, but +coming to boyhood and adolescence he passes from that external to the +inner life and at length to his father's ruling love. If this has been +evil and not been moderated and bent by various means by his teachers, it +becomes his ruling love as it was his father's. Still the evil is not +eradicated, but put aside; of this in what follows. Plainly, then, +everyone is in evil. + +277 r. It is plain without explanation that man must be led away from +evil in order to be reformed. For one who is in evil in the world is in +evil after he has left the world. Not removed in the world, evil cannot +be removed afterwards. Where a tree falls, it lies. So, too, when a man +dies his life remains such as it has been. Everyone is judged according +to his deeds, not that these are recounted, but he returns to them and +acts as before. Death is a continuation of life with the difference that +man cannot then be reformed. For reformation is effected in full, that +is, in what is inmost and outmost, and what is outmost is reformed +suitably to what is inmost only while man is in the world. It cannot be +reformed afterwards because as it is carried along by the man after death +it falls quiescent and conforms to his inner life, that is, they act as +one. + +278. (ii) _Evils cannot be removed unless they appear._ This does not +mean that man must do evils in order for them to appear, but that he must +examine himself, his thoughts as well as his deeds, and see what he would +do if he did not fear the laws and disrepute--see especially what evils he +deems allowable in his spirit and does not regard as sins, for these he +still does. To enable him to examine himself, man has been given +understanding, and an understanding separate from his will, in order that +he may know, comprehend and acknowledge what is good and what is evil, +likewise see the character of his will or what it loves and desires. To +see this his understanding has been given higher and lower or interior +and exterior thought, so as to see from the higher or interior what his +will prompts in the lower or exterior thinking: he sees this quite as he +does his face in a mirror. When he does and knows what is sin, he is +able, on imploring the Lord's help, not to will it but to shun it, then +to act contrary to it, if not freely, then by overcoming it through +fighting it, and finally to become averse to it and abominate it. Then +first does he perceive and also sense that evil is evil and good is good. +This, now, is self-examination--to see one's evils, acknowledge them, +confess them and thereupon desist from them. + +[2] But as few know that this is the Christian religion itself, and these +alone have charity and faith and are led by the Lord and do good from +Him, something will be said of those who fail to examine themselves but +still think that they possess religion. They are 1. Those who confess +themselves guilty of all sins but do not search out any one sin in +themselves. 2. Those who neglect the search on religious principle. +3. Those who in absorption with the mundane give no thought to sins and +hence do not know them. 4. Those who favor them and therefore cannot know +them. 5. With all these, sins do not appear and therefore cannot be +removed. 6. Finally, the reason, so far unknown, will be made plain why +evils cannot be removed apart from their being searched out, appearing, +being acknowledged, confessed and resisted. + +278 r. But these points will be considered one by one, for they are +fundamentals of the Christian religion on man's part. + +First, _of those who confess themselves guilty of all sins, but do not +search out any one sin in themselves._ They say, "I am a sinner. I was +born in sin. From head to foot there is nothing sound in me. I am nothing +but evil. Good God, be gracious to me, pardon, cleanse and save me. Make +me to walk in purity and in a right path"; and more of the kind. And yet +the man does not examine himself and hence does not know any evil, and no +one can shun what he is ignorant of, still less fight against it. After +his confessions he also thinks that he is clean and washed, when +nevertheless he is unclean and unwashed from the head to the sole of the +foot. For the confession of all sins is the lulling of them all to sleep +and finally blindness to them. It is like a generality devoid of anything +specific, which amounts to nothing. + +[2] Second: _Those who omit the search in consequence of their religion._ +They are especially those who separate charity from faith. They say to +themselves, "Why should I search out evil or good? Why evil, when it does +not condemn me? Why good, when it does not save me? Faith alone, thought +and uttered with trust and confidence, justifies and purifies from all +sin, and when once I am justified, I am whole in the sight of God. I am +indeed in evil, but God wipes it away the moment it is committed and it +no longer appears"; and much else. But who does not see, if he opens his +eyes, that these are empty words, without reality because nothing of good +is in them? Who cannot think and speak so, with trust and confidence, +too, even when he is thinking of hell and eternal condemnation? Does he +want to know anything further about either truth or good? Of truth he +says, "What is truth except that which confirms this faith?" and of good, +"What is good except what is in me from this faith? And that it may be in +me I will not do it as from myself, for that would be self-righteous and +what is self-righteous is not good." So he neglects all until he does not +know what evil is; what then is he to search out and see in himself? Is +it not his state then that a pent-up fire of lusts of evil consumes the +interiors of his mind and lays them waste even to the entrance? He is on +guard only at the door to keep the fire from appearing. After death the +door is opened and the fire appears for all to see. + +[3] Third: _Those absorbed with the mundane give no thought to sins, +hence do not know of any._ These love the world above all things and +welcome no truth that would lead them away from any falsity in their +religion. They tell themselves, "What is this to me? It is not to my way +of thinking." So they reject truth on hearing it and if they listen to it +smother it. They do much the same on hearing sermons; they retain some +sayings but not any of the substance. Dealing in this way with truths +they do not know what good is, for truth and good act as one; and from +good which is not linked with truth one does not recognize evil except as +one calls it good also, which is done by rationalizing from falsities. It +is these who are meant by the seed which fell among thorns, of whom the +Lord said: + +Other seeds fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up and choked them +... These are they who hear the Word, but the cares of this world and the +deceitfulness of riches choke the Word so that it become unfruitful (Mt +13:7, 22; Mk 4:7, 18, 19; Lu 8:7, 14). + +[4] Fourth: _Those who favor sins and therefore cannot know them._ These +acknowledge God and worship Him with the usual ceremonials and assure +themselves that a given evil, which is a sin, is not a sin. For they +color it with fallacies and appearances and thus hide its enormity. Then +they indulge it and make it their friend and familiar. We say that those +who acknowledge God do this, for others do not regard an evil as a sin, +for one sins against God. But let examples illustrate this. A man makes +an evil not to be a sin when in coveting wealth he makes some kinds of +fraud allowable by reasoning which he devises. So does the man who +confirms himself in plundering those who are not his enemies in a war. + +[5] Fifth: _Sins do not appear in these men, therefore cannot be +removed._ All evil which does not come to sight nurses itself; it is like +fire in wood under ashes or like matter in an unopened wound; for all +evil which is repressed increases and does not stop until it destroys +all. Lest evil be repressed, therefore, everyone is allowed to think in +favor of God or against God and in favor of the sanctities of the church +or against them, without being punished for it in the world. Of this the +Lord says in Isaiah: + +From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness; wound, +and scar, and fresh bruise; they have not been pressed out, nor bound up, +nor softened with oil.... Wash you, make you clean, remove the evil of +your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good. . . . +Then if your sins have been as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; if +they have been red like crimson, they shall be like wool. . . . But if +you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword (Isa 1:6, 16, +17, 18, 20). + +To be devoured by the sword signifies to perish by falsity of evil. + +[6] Sixth: _The cause, hidden so far, why evils cannot be removed apart +from their being searched out, appearing, being acknowledged, confessed +and resisted._ In preceding pages we have mentioned the fact that all +heaven is arranged in societies according to affections of good, and all +hell in societies according to the lusts of evil opposite to the +affections of good. Each person as to his spirit is in some society, in a +heavenly one if in an affection of good, but in an infernal one if in +some lust of evil. While living in the world man does not know this and +yet as to his spirit he is in some society; otherwise he cannot live; and +by it he is governed by the Lord. If he is in an infernal society, he +cannot be led out of it by the Lord except according to the laws of +divine providence, among which is this also, that a man shall see that he +is there, want to leave, and make the effort himself to do so. One can do +this while in the world but not after death, for then he remains forever +in the society in which he put himself in the world. It is for this +reason that man is to examine himself, see and avow his sins, do +repentance, and thereupon persevere to the close of life. I might +substantiate this to full belief by much experience, but this is not the +place to document the experience. + +279. (iii) _So far as evils are removed they are remitted._ It is an +error of the age to believe + +1. That evils are separated and in fact cast out from man when they are +remitted; and +2. That the state of man's life can be changed in a moment, even to its +opposite, so that from wicked he becomes good, and consequently can be +led from hell and be transported straightway to heaven, and this by the +Lord's sheer mercy. +3. But those who believe and suppose so, do not know at all what evil and +good are and nothing at all about the state of man's life. +4. Moreover, they are wholly unaware that affections, which are of the +will, are nothing other than changes and variations of the state of the +purely organic substances of the mind; and that thoughts, which are of +the understanding, also are; and that memory is the permanent state of +these changes. + +When one knows these things, one can see clearly that an evil can be +removed only by successive stages, and that the remission of an evil is +not complete removal of it. But all this has been said in summary form +and unless the items are demonstrated may be assented to and yet not +comprehended. What is not comprehended is as indistinct as a wheel spun +around by the hand. The points made above are therefore to be +demonstrated one by one in the order in which they were set forth. + +[2] First: _It is an error of the age to believe that evils are separated +and in fact cast out when they are remitted._ It has been granted me to +learn from heaven that no evil into which man is born and which he has +made actual in him is separated from him, but is removed so as not to +appear. Earlier I shared the belief of most persons in the world that +when evils are remitted they are cast out and are washed and wiped away +as dirt is from the face by water. It is not like this with evils or +sins. They all remain. When they are remitted on repentance, they are +thrust from the center to the sides. What is in the center, being +directly under view, appears as in the light of day, and what is to one +side is in shadow and at times in the darkness of night. Inasmuch as +evils are not separated but only removed, that is, thrust to one side, +and as man can go from The center to the periphery, he can return, as it +may happen, to his evils, which he supposed had been cast out. For the +human being is such that he can go from one affection to another and +sometimes to the opposite, and thus from one center into another; the +affection in which he is at the time makes the center, for he is then in +the enjoyment and light of it. + +[3] Some who are raised after death into heaven by the Lord, for they +have lived well, have carried with them, however, the belief that they +are clean and rid of sins, therefore are not in a state of guilt. In +accord with their belief they are clothed at first in white garments, for +white garments signify a state purified from evils. But after a time they +begin to think, as they did in the world, that they are washed, as it +were, from all evil, and to glory that they are no longer sinners like +other men. This can hardly be kept from being an elation of mind and a +contempt of others in comparison with oneself. In order, therefore, that +they may be delivered from their imaginary belief, they are sent down +from heaven and let back into the evils which they pursued in the world; +they are also shown that they are in hereditary evils of which they had +not known. When they have been led in this way to realize that their +evils have not been separated from them but only put aside, thus that in +themselves they are impure, indeed nothing but evil, and that they are +withheld from evils and held in goods by the Lord, and that this only +seems to be their doing, they are raised again into heaven by the Lord. + +[4] Second: _It is an error of the age to believe that the state of man's +life can be changed in a moment, so that from wicked he can become good, +and consequently can be led from hell and transported at once to heaven, +and this by the Lord's direct mercy._ Those who separate charity and +faith and place salvation in faith alone, commit this error. For they +suppose that merely to think and speak formulas of that faith, if it is +done with trust and confidence, justifies and saves one. Many think it is +done instantly, too, and if not previously, can be done in the last hour +of one's life. These are bound to believe that the state of man's life +can be changed in a moment and that he can be saved by direct mercy. But +in the last chapter of this treatise it will be seen that the Lord's +mercy is mediated, that man cannot become good in a moment from being +wicked, and can be led from hell and transported to heaven only by the +continual activity of divine providence from infancy to the very close of +life. Here it need only be said that all the laws of divine providence +have the salvation and reformation of the human being for their object, +in other words, the inversion of his state, which by nativity is +infernal, into the opposite, which is heavenly. This can only be done +progressively as man recedes from evil and its enjoyment and comes into +good and its enjoyment. + +[5] Third: _Those who believe in an instantaneous change do not know at +all what evil and good are._ For they do not know that evil is the +enjoyment of the lust of acting and thinking contrary to divine order, +and good is the enjoyment of the affection for acting and thinking in +accord with divine order. They do not know, either, that myriads of lusts +enter into and compose each individual evil and myriads of affections +enter into and compose each individual good, and that these myriads are +in such order and connection in man's interiors that it is impossible to +change one without changing all at the same time. Those who are ignorant +of this may believe or suppose that evil, which seems to them to be a +single entity, can be easily removed, and that good, which also seems to +be a single entity, can be introduced in its place. Not knowing what evil +and good are, they cannot but suppose that there is such a thing as +instantaneous salvation and such a thing as direct mercy. That these are +not possible will be seen in the last chapter of this treatise. + +[6] Fourth: _Those who believe in instantaneous salvation and unmediated +mercy do not know that affections, which are of the will, are nothing +other than changes of state in the purely organic substances of the mind; +that thoughts, which are of the understanding, are nothing other than +changes and variations in the form of those substances; and that memory +is the persisting state of the changes and variations._ Everyone +acknowledges, on its being said, that affections and thoughts exist only +in substances and their forms, which are the subjects; existing in the +brain which is full of substances and forms, they are called purely +organic forms. No one who thinks rationally can help laughing at the +fancies of some that affections and thoughts do not have substantive +bases, but are exhalations given shape by heat and light, like images +apparently in the air or ether. For thought can no more exist apart from +a substantial form than sight can apart from its form, the eye, or +hearing apart from its form, the ear, or taste apart from its form, the +tongue. If you examine the brain, you will see innumerable substances and +fibres, also, and see, too, that everything in it is organized. What more +is needed than this ocular proof? + +[7] But one may ask, What are affection and thought then? A conclusion +can be reached from each and all things in the body. In it are many +viscera, each fixed in its place, and all performing their several +functions by changes and variations of state and form. It is well known +that they are engaged in their own activities--the stomach, the +intestines, the kidneys, the liver, the pancreas, the spleen, the heart +and the lungs, each in its particular activity. All the activities are +maintained from within, and to be actuated from within means that it is +by changes and variations of state and form. It may be plain then that +the activities of the purely organic substances of the mind are similar, +the one difference being that those of the organic substances of the body +are natural, but of the mind are spiritual; plainly, also, the two make +one by correspondences. + +[8] The nature of the changes and variations of state and form in the +organic substances of the mind, which are affections and thoughts, cannot +be shown to the eye. It may, however, be seen as in a mirror by the +changes of state in the lungs on speaking and singing. There is +correspondence, moreover; for the sound of the voice in speaking and +singing, and the articulations of the sound which are the words of speech +and the modulations of song, are produced by means of the lungs; sound +corresponds to affection, and speech to thought. Sound and speech are +produced also from affection and thought. This is done by changes and +variations in the state and form of the organic substances of the lungs, +and from the lungs through the trachea or windpipe in the larynx and +glottis, and then in the tongue, and finally in the lips. The first +changes and variations in the state and form of the sound occur in the +lungs, the second in trachea and larynx, the third in the glottis by the +different openings of its orifice, the fourth in the tongue by its +various positions against palate and teeth, and the fifth in the lips by +the various modifications of form in them. It may be evident, then, that +these consecutive changes and variations in the state of organic forms +produce the sounds and their articulations which are speech and song. +Inasmuch, then, as sound and speech are produced from no other source +than the affections and thoughts of the mind (for they exist from them +and are never apart from them), clearly the affections of the will are +changes and variations in the state of the purely organic substances of +the mind, and the thoughts of the understanding are changes and +variations in the form of those substances, quite like those in the +substances of the lungs. + +[9] Since affections and thoughts are simply changes of state in the +forms of the mind, memory is nothing other than the permanent state of +those changes. For all changes and variations of state in organic +substances are such that once they are habitual they become permanent. So +the lungs are habituated to produce certain sounds in the trachea, to +vary them in the glottis, articulate them by the tongue, and modify them +by the mouth; once these organic activities have become habitual, they +are settled in the organs and can be reproduced. These changes and +variations are infinitely more perfect in the organs of the mind than in +those of the body, as is evident from what was said in the treatise +_Divine Love and Wisdom_ (nn. 199-204), where we showed that all +perfections increase and ascend by and according to degrees. More on this +will be seen below (n. 319). + +280. _It is also an error of the age to suppose that when sins are +remitted they are taken away._ This is the error of those who believe +that their sins are pardoned by the sacrament of the Holy Supper although +they have not removed them from themselves by repentance. Those also +commit this error who believe that they are saved by faith alone; those +also who believe that they are saved by papal dispensations. All these +believe in unmediated mercy and instant salvation. But when the statement +is reversed it becomes truth, that is, when sins are removed they are +also remitted. For repentance precedes pardon, and aside from repentance +there is no pardon. Therefore the Lord bade His disciples: + +That they should preach repentance for the remission of sins (Lu 24:27, +47), + +and John preached + +The baptism of repentance for the remission of sins (Lu 3:3). + +The Lord remits the sins of all; He does not accuse and impute; but He +can take sins away only in accordance with laws of His divine providence. +For when Peter asked how often he was to forgive a brother sinning +against him, whether seven times, the Lord said to him: + +That he should forgive not only seven times, but seventy times seven (Mt +18:21, 22). + +What then will the Lord not do, who is mercy itself? + +281. (iv) _Thus the permission of evil is for the sake of the end, +namely, salvation._ It is well known that man has full liberty to think +and will but not to say and do whatever he thinks and wills. He may think +as an atheist, deny God and blaspheme the sanctities of Word and church. +He may even want to destroy them utterly by word and deed, but this is +prevented by civil, moral and ecclesiastical laws. He therefore cherishes +this impiety and wickedness inwardly by thinking, willing and even +intending to do it, but not doing it actually. The man who is not an +atheist also has full liberty to think many evil things, things +fraudulent, lascivious, revengeful and otherwise insane; he also does +them at times. Who can believe that unless man had full liberty, he not +only could not be saved but would even perish utterly? + +[2] Now let us have the reason for this. Everyone from birth is in evils +of many kinds. They are in his will, and what is in the will is loved. +For what a man wills inwardly he loves, what he loves he wills, and the +will's love flows into the understanding where it makes its pleasure felt +and thereupon enters the thoughts and intentions. If, therefore, he were +not allowed to think in accord with the love in his will, which is +hereditarily implanted in him, that love would remain shut in and never +be seen by him. A love of evil which does not become apparent is like an +enemy in ambush, like matter in an ulcer, like poison in the blood, or +corruption in the breast, which cause death when they are kept shut in. +But when a person is permitted to think the evils of his life's love, +even to intend doing them, they are cured by spiritual means as diseases +are by natural means. + +[3] It will be told now what man would be like if he were not permitted +to think in accord with the enjoyment of his life's love. No longer would +he be man, for he would lose his two faculties called liberty and +rationality in which humanness itself consists. The enjoyment of those +evils would occupy the interiors of his mind to such an extent that it +would burst open the door. He could then only speak and commit the evils; +his unsoundness would be manifest not only to himself but to the world; +and at length he would not know how to cover his shame. In order that he +may not come into this state, he is permitted to think and to will the +evils of his inherited nature but not to say and commit them. Meanwhile +he is learning civil, moral and spiritual things. These enter his +thoughts and remove the unsoundness and he is healed by the Lord by means +of them, only to the extent, however, of knowing how to guard the door +unless he also acknowledges God and implores His aid for power to resist +the unsoundness. Then, so far as he resists it, he does not let it into +his intentions and eventually not even into his thoughts. + +[4] Since man is free to think as he pleases to the end that his life's +love may emerge from its hiding-place into the light of his +understanding, and since he would not otherwise know anything of his own +evil and consequently would not know how to shun it, it is also true that +it would increase in him so much that recovery would become impossible in +him and hardly be possible in his children, were he to have children, for +a parent's evil is transmitted to his offspring. The Lord, however, +provides that this may not occur. + +282. The Lord could heal the understanding in every man and thus cause +him to think not evil but good, and this by means of fears of different +kinds, miracles, conversations with the dead, or visions and dreams. But +to heal the understanding alone is to heal man only outwardly, for +understanding with its thought is the external of man's life while the +will with its affection is the internal. The healing of the understanding +alone would therefore be like palliative healing in which the interior +malignity, closed in and kept from issuing, would destroy first the near +and then the remote parts till all would become mortified. The will +itself must be healed, not by the influx of the understanding into it, +for that is impossible, but by means of instruction and exhortation from +the understanding. Were the understanding alone healed, man would become +like a dead body embalmed or covered by fragrant spices and roses which +would soon get such a foul odor from the body that they could not be +brought near anyone's nostrils. So heavenly truths in the understanding +would be affected if the evil love of the will were shut in. + +283. Man is permitted, as was said, to think evils even to intending them +in order that they may be removed by means of what is civil, moral and +spiritual. This is done when he considers that they are contrary to what +is just and equitable, to what is honest and decorous and to what is good +and true, contrary therefore to the peace, joy and blessedness of life. +By these three means the Lord heals the love of man's will, in fear at +first, it is true, but with love later. Still the evils are not separated +from the man and cast out, but only removed in him and put to the side. +When they are and good has the center, evils do not appear, for whatever +has the central place is squarely under view and is seen and perceived. +It should be known, however, that even when good occupies the center man +is not for that reason in good unless the evils at the side tend downward +or outward. If they look upward or inward they have not been removed, but +are still trying to return to the center. They tend downward and outward +when man shuns his evils as sins and still more when he holds them in +aversion, for then he condemns them, consigns them to hell, and makes +them face that way. + +284. Man's understanding is the recipient of both good and evil and of +both truth and falsity, but not his will. His will must be either in evil +or in good; it cannot be in both, for it is the man himself and in it is +his life's love. But good and evil are separate in the understanding like +what is internal and what is external. Thus man may be inwardly in evil +and outwardly in good. Still, when he is being reformed, the two meet, +and conflict and combat ensue. This is called temptation when it is +severe, but when it is not severe a fermentation like that of wine or +strong drink occurs. If good conquers, evil with its falsity is carried +to the side, as lees, to use an analogy, fall to the bottom of a vessel. +The good is like wine that becomes generous on fermentation and like +strong drink which becomes clear. But if evil conquers, good with its +truth is borne to the side and becomes turbid and noisome like +unfermented wine or unfermented strong drink. Comparison is made with +ferment because in the Word, as at Hosea 7:4, Luke 12:1 and elsewhere, +"ferment" signifies falsity of evil. + + +XV. DIVINE PROVIDENCE ATTENDS THE EVIL AND THE GOOD ALIKE + +285. In every person, good or bad, there are two faculties one of which +makes the understanding and the other the will. The faculty making the +understanding is the ability to understand and think, therefore is called +rationality. The faculty making the will is the ability to do this +freely, that is, to think and consequently to speak and act also, +provided that it is not contrary to reason or rationality; for to act +freely is to act as often as one wills and according as one wills. The +two faculties are constant and are present from first to last in each and +all things which a man thinks and does. He has them not from himself, but +from the Lord. It follows that the Lord's presence in these faculties is +also in the least things, indeed the very least, of man's understanding +and thought, of his will and affection too, and thence of his speech and +action. If you remove these faculties from even the very least thing, you +will not be able to think or utter it as a human being. + +[2] It has already been shown abundantly that the human being is a human +being by virtue of the two faculties, enabled by them to think and speak, +and to perceive goods and understand truths, not only such as are civil +and moral but also such as are spiritual, and made capable, too, of being +reformed and regenerated; in a word, made capable of being conjoined to +the Lord and thereby of living forever. It was also shown that not only +good men but evil also possess the two faculties. These faculties are in +man from the Lord and are not appropriated to him as his, for what is +divine cannot be appropriated but only adjoined to him and thus appear to +be his, and this which is divine with the human being is in the least +things pertaining to him. It follows that the Lord governs the least +things in an evil man as well as in a good man. This government of His is +what is called divine providence. + +286. Inasmuch as it is a law of divine providence that man shall act from +freedom according to reason, that is, from the two faculties, liberty and +rationality; and a law of divine providence that what he does shall +appear to be from himself and thus his own; and also a law that evils +must be permitted in order that man may be led out of them, it follows +that man can abuse these faculties and in freedom according to reason +confirm whatever he pleases. He can make reasonable whatever he will, +whether it is reasonable in itself or not. Some therefore ask, "What is +truth? Can I not make true whatever I will?" Does not the world do so? +Anybody can do it by reasoning. Take an utter falsity and bid a clever +man confirm it, and he will. Tell him, for instance, to show that man is +a beast, or that the soul is like a small spider in its web and governs +the body as that does by threads, or tell him that religion is nothing +but a restraining bond, and he will prove any one of these propositions +until it appears to be truth. What is more easily done? For he does not +know what appearance is or what falsity is which in blind faith is taken +for truth. + +[2] Hence it is that a man cannot see this truth, namely, that divine +providence is in the very least things of the understanding and the will, +or what is the same, in the very least things of the thoughts and +affections of every person, wicked or good. He is perplexed especially +because it seems then that evils are also from the Lord, but it will be +seen in what follows that nevertheless there is not a particle of evil +from the Lord but that evil is from man in that he confirms in him the +appearance that he thinks, wills, speaks and acts of himself. In order +that these things may be seen clearly, they will be demonstrated in this +order: + +i. Divine providence is universal in the least things with the evil as +well as the good, and yet is not in one's evils. +ii. The evil are continually leading themselves into evils, but the Lord +is continually leading them away from evils. +iii. The evil cannot be fully withdrawn from evil and led in good by the +Lord so long as they believe their own intelligence to be everything and +divine providence nothing. +iv. The Lord rules hell through opposites; and rules the evil who are in +the world, in hell as to their interiors, but not as to their exteriors. + +287. (i) _Divine providence is universal in the least things with the +evil as well as the good, and yet is not in one's evils._ It was shown +above that divine providence is in the least things of man's thoughts and +affections. This means that man can think and will nothing from himself, +but that everything he thinks and wills and consequently says and does, +is from influx. If it is good, it is from influx out of heaven, and if +evil, from influx out of hell; or what is the same, the good is from +influx from the Lord and the evil from man's proprium. I know that it is +difficult to grasp this, because what flows in from heaven or from the +Lord is distinguished from what flows in from hell or from man's +proprium, and yet divine providence is said to be in the least of man's +thoughts and affections, even so far that he can think and will nothing +from himself. It appears like a contradiction to say that he can also +think and will from hell and from his proprium. Yet it is not, and this +will be seen in what follows, after some things have been premised which +will clarify the matter. + +288. All the angels of heaven confess that no one can think from himself +but does so from the Lord, while all the spirits of hell say that no one +can think from any other than himself. These spirits have been shown many +times that no one of them thinks or can think from himself, but that +thought flows in; it was in vain, however; they would not accept the +idea. But experience will teach, first, that everything of thought and +affection even with spirits of hell flows in from heaven, but that the +inflowing good is turned into evil there and truth into falsity, thus +everything into its opposite. This was shown in this way: a truth from +the Word was sent down from heaven, was received by those uppermost in +hell, and by them sent to lower hells, and on to the lowest. On the way +it was turned by stages into falsity and finally into falsity the direct +opposite of the truth. Those with whom it was so changed thought the +falsity of themselves seemingly and knew no otherwise; still it was +truth, flowing down from heaven on the way to the lowest hell, which was +thus falsified and perverted. I have heard of this several times. The +same thing occurs with good; as it flows down from heaven, it is changed +step by step into the evil opposite to it. Hence it was plain that truth +and good, proceeding from the Lord and received by those who are in +falsity and evil, are completely altered and so transformed that their +first form is lost. The like happens in every evil person, for as to his +spirit he is in hell. + +289. I have often been shown that no one in hell thinks from himself but +through others around him, and these do not, but through others still. +Thoughts and affections make their way from one society to another, but +no one is aware that they do not originate with himself. Some who +believed that they thought and willed of themselves were dispatched to +another society and held there, and communication was cut off with the +societies around to which their thoughts usually extended. Then they were +told to think differently from the spirits of this society, and compel +themselves to think to the contrary; they confessed that they could not. + +[2] This was done with a number and with Leibnitz, too, who was also +convinced that no one thinks from himself, but from others, nor do these +think from themselves, but all think by an influx from heaven, and heaven +by an influx from the Lord. Some, pondering this, said that it was +amazing, and that hardly anyone can be led to credit it, for it is +utterly contrary to the appearance, but that they still could not deny +it, for it was fully demonstrated. Nevertheless, astonished as they were, +they said that they are not in fault then in thinking evil; also that it +seems then as if evil is from the Lord; and, again, that they do not +understand how the one Lord can cause all to think so diversely. The +three points will be explained in what follows. + +290. To the experiences cited this is also to be added. When it was +granted me by the Lord to speak with spirits and angels, the foregoing +arcanum was at once disclosed to me. For I was told from heaven that like +others I believed that I thought and willed from myself, when in fact +nothing was from myself, but if it was good, it was from the Lord, and if +evil from hell. That this was so, was shown me to the life by various +thoughts and affections which were induced on me, and gradually I was +given to perceive and feel it. Therefore, as soon as an evil afterwards +entered my will or a falsity into my thought, I investigated the source +of it. I inquired from whom it came. This was disclosed to me, and I was +also allowed to speak with those spirits, refute them, and compel them to +withdraw, thus to take back their evil and falsity and keep it to +themselves, and no longer infuse anything of the kind into my thought. +This has occurred a thousand times. I have remained in this state for +many years, and still do. Yet I seem to myself to think and will from +myself like others, with no difference, for of the Lord's providence it +should so appear to everyone, as was shown above in the section on it. +Newly arriving spirits wonder at this state of mine, seeing as they do +only that I do not think and will from myself, and am therefore like some +empty thing. But I disclosed the arcanum to them, and added that I also +think more interiorly, and perceive whether what flows into my exterior +thought is from heaven or from hell, reject the latter and welcome the +former, yet seem to myself, like them, to be thinking and willing from +myself. + +291. It is not unknown in the world that all good is from heaven and all +evil from hell; it is known to everyone in the church. Who that has been +inaugurated into the church's priesthood does not teach that all good is +from God, and that man can receive nothing of himself except it be given +him from heaven? And also that the devil infuses evils into the thoughts +and leads astray and incites one to commit evils? Therefore a priest who +believes that he preaches out of a holy zeal, prays that the Holy Spirit +may teach him, and guide his thoughts and utterances. Some say that they +have sensibly perceived being acted upon, and when a sermon is praised, +reply piously that they have spoken not from themselves but from God. +Therefore when they see someone speak and act well, they remark he was +led to do so by God; on the other hand, seeing someone speak and act +wickedly, they remark he was led to do so by the devil. That there is +talk of the kind in the church is known, but who believes that it is so? + +292. Everything that a man thinks and wills, and consequently speaks and +does, flows in from the one Fountain of life, and yet that one Fountain +of life, namely, the Lord, is not the cause of man's thinking what is +evil and false. This may be clarified by these facts in the world of +nature. Heat and light proceed from the sun of the world. They flow into +all visible subjects and objects, not only into subjects that are good +and objects that are beautiful, but also into subjects that are evil and +objects that are ugly, producing varying effects in them. They flow not +only into trees that bear good fruit but into trees that bear bad fruit, +and into the fruits themselves, quickening their growth. They flow into +good seed and into weeds, into shrubs which have a good use and are +wholesome, and into shrubs that have an evil use and are poisonous. Yet +it is the same heat and the same light; there is no cause of evil in +them; the cause is in the recipient subjects and objects. + +[2] The same warmth that hatches eggs in which a screech-owl, a horned +owl, and a viper lie acts as it does when it hatches those in which a +dove, a bird of paradise and a swan lie. Put eggs of both sorts under the +hen and they will be hatched by her warmth, which in itself is innocent +of harm. What has the heat in common then with what is evil and noxious? +The heat flowing into a marsh or a dung-hill or into decaying or dead +matter acts in the same way as it does when it flows into things +flavorsome and fragrant, lush and living. Who does not see that the cause +is not in the heat but in the recipient subject? The same light gives +pleasing colors in one object and displeasing colors in another; indeed, +it grows brighter in white objects and becomes dazzling, and dims in +those verging on black and becomes dusky. + +[3] There is what is similar in the spiritual world. There are heat and +light in it from its sun, which is the Lord, and they flow from the sun +into their subjects and objects. Now the subjects and objects are angels +and spirits, in particular their volitional and mental life, and the heat +is divine love going forth, and the light is divine wisdom going forth. +The light and heat are not the cause of the different reception of them +by one and another. For the Lord says, + +He makes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the +just and the unjust (Mt 5:45). + +In the highest spiritual sense by the "sun" the divine love is meant, and +by the "rain" the divine wisdom. + +293. Let me add to this the view of the angels on will and understanding +in man. This is that there cannot be a grain of will or of prudence in +man that is his own. They say that if there were, neither heaven nor hell +would continue in existence, and all mankind would perish. The reason +they give is that myriads of human beings, as many as have been born +since the creation of the world, constitute heaven and hell, of which the +one is under the other in such an order that each is a unit, heaven one +comely humanity, and hell one monstrous humanity. If the individual had a +grain of will and intelligence of his very own, that unity could not +exist, but would be torn apart. Upon this that divine form would perish, +which can arise and remain only as the Lord is all in all and men are +nothing besides. A further reason, they say, is that to think and will +actually from one's own being is the divine itself, and to think and will +from God, is the truly human. The very divine cannot be appropriated to +anyone, for then man would be God. Bear the above in mind, and if you +wish you will have confirmation of it by angels when on death you come +into the spiritual world. + +294. It was stated above (n. 289) that when some were convinced that no +one thinks from himself but from others, nor the others from themselves, +but all by influx through heaven from the Lord, they remarked in their +astonishment that then they are not in fault when they do evil, also that +then it seems evil comes from the Lord, nor do they comprehend how the +Lord can cause them all to think so differently. Since these three +notions cannot but flow into the thoughts of those who regard effects +only from effects and not from causes, they need to be taken up and +explained by what causes them. + +[2] First: _They are not in fault then in doing evil._ For if all that a +person thinks flows into him from others, the fault seems to be theirs +from whom it comes. Yet the fault is the recipient's, for he receives +what inflows as his own and neither knows nor wants to know otherwise. +For everyone wants to be his own, to be led by himself, and above all to +think and will from himself; this is freedom itself, which appears as the +proprium in which every person is. If he knew, therefore, that what he +thinks and wills flows in from another, it would seem to him that he was +bound and captive and no longer master of himself. All enjoyment in his +life would thus perish, and finally his very humanness would perish. + +[3] I have often seen this evidenced. It was granted some spirits to +perceive and sense that they were being led by others. Thereupon they +were so enraged that they were reduced almost to mental impotence. They +said that they would rather be kept bound in hell than not to be allowed +to think as they willed and to will as they thought. This they called +being bound in their very life, which was harder and more intolerable +than to be bound bodily. Not being allowed to speak and act as they +thought and willed, they did not call being bound. For the enjoyment of +civil and moral life, which consists in speaking and acting, itself +restrains and at the same time mitigates that. + +[4] Inasmuch as man does not want to know that he is led to think by +others, but wants to think from himself and believes that he does so, it +follows that he himself is in fault, nor can he throw off the blame so +long as he loves to think what he thinks. If he does not love it, he +breaks his connection with those from whom his thought flows. This occurs +when he knows the thought is evil, therefore determines to avoid it and +desist from it. He is then also taken by the Lord from the society in +that evil and transferred to a society free of it. If, however, he +recognizes the evil and does not shun it, fault is imputed to him, and he +is responsible for the evil. Therefore, whatever a man believes that he +does from himself is said to be done from the man, and not from the Lord. + +[5] Second: _It then seems as if evil is from the Lord._ This may be +thought to be the conclusion from what was shown above (n. 288), namely, +that good flowing in from the Lord is turned into evil and truth into +falsity in hell. But who cannot see that evil and falsity do not come of +good and truth, therefore not from the Lord, but from the recipient +subject or object which is in evil and falsity and which perverts and +inverts what flows into it, as was amply shown above (n. 292). The source +of evil and falsity in man has been pointed out frequently in the +preceding pages. Moreover, an experiment was made in the spiritual world +with those who believed that the Lord could remove evils in the wicked +and introduce good instead, thus move the whole of hell into heaven and +save all. That this is impossible, however, will be seen towards the end +of this treatise, where instantaneous salvation and unmediated mercy are +to be treated of. + +[6] Third: _They do not comprehend how the one Lord can cause all to +think so diversely._ The Lord's divine love is infinite, likewise His +divine wisdom. An infinity of love and wisdom proceeds from Him, flows in +with all in heaven, thence with all in hell, and from heaven and hell +with all in the world. Thinking and willing therefore cannot lack in +anyone, for what is infinite is limitless. The infinite things that issue +from the Lord flow in not only universally but also in least things. For +the divine is universal by being in least things, and the divine in least +things constitutes what is called universal, as was shown above, and the +divine in something least is still infinite. Hence it may be evident that +the one Lord causes each person to think and will according to the +person's nature and does so in accordance with laws of His providence. It +was shown above (nn. 46-69) and also in the treatise _Divine Love and +Wisdom_ (nn. 17-22), that everything in the Lord, or proceeding from Him, +is infinite. + +295. (ii) _The evil are continually leading themselves into evils, but +the Lord is continually leading them away from evils._ The nature of +divine providence with the good is more readily comprehended than its +nature with the evil. As the latter is now under consideration, it will +be set forth in this order: + +1. In every evil there are innumerable things. +2. An evil man of himself continually leads himself more and more deeply +into his evils. +3. Divine providence with the evil is a continual tolerance of evil, to +the end that there may be a continual withdrawal from it. +4. Withdrawal from evil is effected by the Lord in a thousand most secret +ways. + +296. In order, then, that divine providence with the evil may be seen +clearly and therefore understood, the propositions just stated are to be +explained in the order in which they were presented. + +First: _In every evil there are innumerable things._ To man's sight an +evil appears to be a single thing. Hatred does, and revenge, theft and +fraud, adultery and whoredom, pride and presumption, and the rest. It is +unknown that in every evil there are innumerable things, exceeding in +number the fibres and vessels in the human body. For an evil man is a +hell in least form, and hell consists of myriads and myriads of spirits, +each of whom is in form like a man, but a monstrous one, in whom all the +fibres and vessels are inverted. A spirit himself is an evil which +appears to him as one thing, but in it are innumerable things, as +numerous as the lusts of that evil. For everyone, from head to foot, is +his own evil or his own good. Since an evil man is such, plainly he is +one evil composed of countless different evils, all severally evils, and +called lusts of evil. It follows that all these, one after another, must +be cured and changed by the Lord for man to be reformed, and that it can +be done only by the Lord's divine providence, step by step from man's +first years to his last. + +[2] Every lust of evil, when it is visually presented, appears in hell +like some noxious creature, a serpent, a cockatrice, a viper, a horned +owl, a screech-owl, or some other; so do the lusts of evil in an evil man +appear when he is viewed by angels. All these forms of lust must be +changed one by one. The man himself, who appears as to his spirit like a +monstrous man or devil, must be changed to appear like a comely angel, +and each lust of evil changed to appear like a lamb or sheep or pigeon or +turtle dove, as affections of good in angels appear in heaven when they +are visually represented. Changing a serpent into a lamb, or a cockatrice +into a sheep, or an owl into a dove, can be done only gradually, by +uprooting evil together with its seed and implanting good seed in its +place. This can only be done, however, comparatively as is done in the +grafting of trees, of which the roots with some of the trunk remain, but +the engrafted branch turns the sap drawn through the old root into sap +that produces good fruit. The branch to be engrafted in this instance is +to be had only from the Lord, who is the tree of life; this is also in +keeping with the Lord's words in John 15:1-7. + +[3] Second: _An evil man from himself continually leads himself more +deeply into his evils._ He does so "from himself" because all evil is +from man, for, as was said, he turns good, which is from the Lord, into +evil. He leads himself more and more deeply into evil for the reason, +essentially, that as he wills and commits evil, he enters more and more +interiorly and also more and more deeply into infernal societies. Hence +the enjoyment of evil increases, too, and occupies his thoughts until he +feels nothing more agreeable. One who has entered more interiorly and +deeply into infernal societies becomes like one bound by chains. So long +as he lives in the world, however, he does not feel his chains; they seem +to be made of soft wool or smooth silken threads. He loves them, for they +titillate; but after death, from being soft, those chains become hard, +and from being pleasant become galling. + +[4] That the enjoyment of evil grows is known from thefts, robberies, +plunderings, revenge, tyranny, lucre, and other evils. Who does not feel +a heightening of enjoyment in them as he succeeds in them and practices +them uninhibited? A thief, we know, feels such enjoyment in thefts that +he cannot desist from them, and, a wonder, he loves one stolen coin more +than ten that are given him. It would be similar with adultery, had it +not been provided that the power to commit this evil decreases with the +abuse, but with many there still remains the enjoyment of thinking and +talking about it, and if nothing more, there is still the lust of touch. + +[5] It is not known, however, that this heightening of enjoyment comes +from a man's entering into infernal societies more and more interiorly +and deeply as he perpetrates evils from the will as well as from thought. +If the evils are only in the thoughts, and not in the will, he is not yet +in an infernal society having that evil; he enters it when the evils are +also in the will. Then, if he also thinks the evil is contrary to the +precepts of the Decalog and regards these precepts as divine, he commits +the evil of set purpose and by so doing plunges to a depth from which he +can be brought out only by active repentance. It is to be understood that +everyone as to his spirit is in the spiritual world, in one of its +societies, an evil man in an infernal society and a good man in a +heavenly society; sometimes, when in deep meditation one also appears +there. Moreover, as sound and, along with it, speech spread on the air in +the natural world, affection and thought with it spread among societies +in the spiritual world; there is correspondence, too, affection +corresponding to sound and thought to speech. + +[7] Third: _Divine providence with the evil is a continual tolerance of +evil, to the end that there may be a continual withdrawal from it._ +Divine providence with evil men is continual permission because only evil +can issue from their life. For whether he is in good or in evil, man +cannot be in both at once, nor by turns in one and the other unless he is +lukewarm. Evil of life is not introduced into the will and through this +into the thought by the Lord but by man, and this is named permission. + +[8] Inasmuch as everything which an evil man wills and thinks is by +permission, the question arises, what in this case divine providence is, +which is said to be in the least things with every person, evil or good. +It consists in this, that it exercises tolerance continually for the sake +of its objective, and permits what helps to the end and nothing more. It +constantly observes the evils that issue by permission, separates and +purifies them, and rejects what is unsuitable and discharges it by +unknown ways. This is done principally in man's interior will and through +it in his interior thought. Divine providence also sees to it constantly +that what must be rejected and discharged is not received again by the +will, since all that is received by the will is appropriated to the man; +what is received by the thought, but not by the will, is set aside and +banished. Such is the constant divine providence with the evil; as was +said, it is a continual tolerance of evil to the end that there may be +continual withdrawal from it. + +[9] Of these activities man knows scarcely anything, for he does not +perceive them. The chief reason why he does not, is that the evils come +from the lusts of his life's love, and are not felt to be evils but +enjoyments, to which one does not give thought. Who gives thought to the +enjoyments of his love? His thought floats along in them like a skiff +carried along by the current of a stream; and he perceives a fragrant air +which he inhales with a deep breath. Only in one's external thought does +one have a sense of the enjoyments, but even in it he pays no attention +to them unless he knows well that they are evil. More will be said on +this in what follows. + +[10] Fourth: _Withdrawal from evil is effected by the Lord in a thousand +most secret ways._ Only some of these have been disclosed to me, and only +the most general ones. For instance, the enjoyments of lusts, of which +man knows nothing, are let by clusters and bundles into the interior +thoughts of his spirit and thence into his exterior thoughts, where they +appear in a feeling of pleasure, delight or longing, and mingle with his +natural and sensuous enjoyments. There the means to separation and +purification and the ways of withdrawal and unburdening are to be found. +The means are chiefly the enjoyments of meditation, thought and +reflection on ends that are uses. Such ends are as numerous as the +particulars and details of one's business or occupation. Just as numerous +are the enjoyments of reflection on such an end as that one shall appear +to be a civil and moral and also a spiritual person, no matter what +interposes which is unenjoyable. These enjoyments, being those of one's +love in the external man, are the means to the separation, purification, +expulsion and withdrawal of the enjoyments of the lusts in the internal +man. + +[11] Take, for example, an unjust judge who regards gain or friendship as +the end or use of his office. Inwardly he is constantly in those ends, +but outwardly must act as one learned in the law and just. He is +constantly in the enjoyment of meditation, thought, reflection and intent +to bend and turn a decision and adapt and adjust it so that it may still +seem to be in conformity with the laws and resemble justice. He does not +know that his inward enjoyment consists in craftiness, defrauding, +deceit, clandestine theft, and many other evils, and that this enjoyment, +made up of so many enjoyments of the lusts of evil, governs each and all +things of his external thought, in which he enjoys appearing just and +sincere. Into the external enjoyment the internal enjoyment is let down, +the two are mingled as food is in the stomach, and thereupon the internal +enjoyments are separated, purified, and withdrawn. Still this is true +only of the more grievous enjoyments of the lusts of evil. + +[12] For in an evil man the only separation, purification and withdrawal +possible is of the more grievous evils from the less grievous. + +In a good man, however, separation, purification and withdrawal is +possible not only of the more grievous evils but also of the less +grievous. This is effected by the enjoyments of the affections of what is +good and true, and of what is just and sincere, affections into which one +comes so far as he regards evils as sins and therefore avoids and is +averse to them, and still more as he fights against them. It is by these +means that the Lord purifies all who are saved. He purifies them by +external means also, such as fame and standing and sometimes wealth, but +put into these means by the Lord are the enjoyments of affections of good +and truth, by which they are directed and fitted to become enjoyments of +love for the neighbor. + +[13] If one saw the enjoyments of the lusts of evil assembled in some +form, or perceived them distinctly by some sense, he would see and +perceive that they are too numerous for definition. For hell in its +entirety is nothing but the form of all the lusts of evil, and no one +lust in it is quite similar to or the same as another, nor can be to +eternity. Of these countless lusts man knows scarcely anything, and even +less how they are connected with one another. Yet the Lord in His divine +providence continually allows them to come forth, for them to be drawn +away, and this is done in perfect order and sequence. For the evil man is +a hell in miniature, and the good man a heaven in miniature. + +[14] The withdrawal from evils, which the Lord effects in a thousand +highly secret ways, may best be seen and concluded about from the secret +activities of the soul in the body. Man knows that he examines the food +he is about to eat, perceives what it is by its odor, hungers for it, +tastes it, chews it, and by the tongue rolls it down into the esophagus +and so into the stomach. But then there are the hidden activities of the +soul of which he knows nothing, for he has no sensation of them. The +stomach rolls about the food it receives, opens and breaks it up by +solvents, that is, digests it, and offers fit portions to the little +mouths opening in it and to veins which imbibe it. Some it sends to the +blood, some to the lymphatic vessels, some to the lacteal vessels of the +mesentery, and some down to the intestines. Then the chyle, conveyed +through the thoracic duct from its cistern in the mesentery, is carried +to the vena cava, and so to the heart. From the heart it is carried into +the lungs, from them through the left ventricle of the heart into the +aorta, and from this by its branches to viscera throughout the body and +also to the kidneys. In each organ separation and purification of the +blood are effected and removal of the heterogeneous, not to mention how +the heart sends its blood up to the brain after purification in the +lungs, which is done by the arteries called carotids, and how the brain +returns the blood, now vivified, to the vena cava just above where the +thoracic duct brings in the chyle, and so back again to the heart. + +[15] These and countless other activities are secret operations of the +soul in the body. Man has no sense of them, and unless he is acquainted +with the science of anatomy, knows nothing of them. Yet similar +activities take place in the interiors of the human mind. Nothing can +take place in the body except from the mind, for man's mind is his +spirit, and his spirit is equally man; the sole difference being that +what is done in the body is done naturally, while what is done in the +mind is done spiritually; there is all similarity. Plainly, then, divine +providence operates with every man in a thousand hidden ways, and its +incessant care is to cleanse him, since its purpose is to save him. +Plainly, too, nothing more is incumbent on man than to remove evils in +the outward man; the Lord sees to the rest, when He is implored. + +297. (iii) _The evil cannot be fully withdrawn from evil and led in good +by the Lord so long as they believe their own intelligence to be +everything and divine providence nothing._ It would seem that man could +withdraw himself from evil provided he thought that this or that was +contrary to the common good, or to what is useful, or to national or +international law, and this an evil as well as a good man can do if by +birth or through practice he is such that he can think clearly within +himself, analysing and reasoning. But even then he is not capable of +withdrawing himself from evil. The faculty of understanding and of +perceiving, even abstractly, has indeed been given everyone by the Lord, +to the evil as well as to the good, as has been shown above in many +places, and yet man cannot deliver himself from evil by means of this +faculty. For evil comes of the will, and the understanding influences the +will only with light, enlightening and instructing. If the heat of the +will, that is, man's love, is hot with the lust of evil, it is cold +towards the affection of good, therefore does not receive the light but +either repels or extinguishes it, or by some fabricated falsity turns it +into evil. The light is then like winter light, which is as clear as the +light in summer and remains as clear even when it flows into frozen +trees. But this can be seen better in the following order: + +1. When the will is in evil, one's own intelligence sees only falsity, +and neither desires to see, nor can see, anything else. +2. If then one's own intelligence is confronted with truth, it either +turns away from it or falsifies it. +3. Divine providence continually causes man to see truth, and also gives +him affection for perceiving and receiving it. +4. Through this means man is withdrawn from evil, not by himself, but by +the Lord. + +298. For these things to be made apparent to the rational man, whether he +is evil or good, thus whether he is in the light of winter or in the +light of summer (for colors appear the same in them), they are to be +explained in due order. + +First: _When the will is in evil, one's own intelligence sees only +falsity, and neither desires nor is able to see anything else._ This has +often been demonstrated in the spiritual world. Everyone, on becoming a +spirit, which takes place after death when he puts off the material body +and puts on the spiritual, is introduced by turns into the two states of +his life, the external and the internal. In the external state he speaks +and acts rationally, quite as a rational and wise man does in the world; +he can also instruct others in much that pertains to moral and civil +life, and if he has been a preacher he can also give instruction in the +spiritual life. But when he is brought from this external state into his +internal state, and the external is put to sleep and the internal awakes, +the scene changes if he is evil. From being rational he becomes sensuous, +and from being wise he becomes insane. For he thinks then from the evil +of his will and its enjoyments, thus from his own intelligence, and sees +only falsity and does nothing but evil, believing that evil is wisdom and +that cunning is prudence. From his own intelligence he believes himself +to be a deity and with all his mind sucks up nefarious ways. + +[2] I have often seen instances of such insanity. I have also seen +spirits introduced into these alternating states two or three times +within an hour, and it was granted them to see and also acknowledge their +insanities. Nevertheless they were unwilling to remain in a rational and +moral state, but voluntarily returned to their internal sensuous and +insane state. They loved this more than the other because the enjoyment +of their life's love was in it. Who can believe that an evil man is such +beneath his outward appearance and that he undergoes such a +transformation when he enters on his internal state? This one experience +makes plain the nature of one's own intelligence when one thinks and acts +from the evil of one's will. It is otherwise with the good. When they are +admitted from their external state into their internal state, they become +still wiser and still more moral. + +[3] Second: _If then one's own intelligence is confronted with truth, it +either turns away from it or falsifies it._ The human being has a +volitional and an intellectual proprium. The volitional proprium is evil, +and the intellectual proprium is falsity derived from evil; the latter is +meant by "the will of man" and the former by "the will of the flesh" in +John 1:13. The volitional proprium is in essence self-love, and the +intellectual proprium is the pride coming of that love. The two are like +married partners, and their union is called the marriage of evil and +falsity. Into this union each evil spirit is admitted before he enters +hell; he then does not know what good is; he calls his evil good, because +that is what he feels to be enjoyable. He also turns away from truth then +and has no desire to see it, because he sees the falsity which accords +with his evil as the eye beholds what is beautiful, and hears it as the +ear hears what is harmonious. + +[4] Third: _Divine providence continually causes man to see truth and +also gives him affection for perceiving and receiving it._ For divine +providence acts from within and flows thence into the exteriors, that is, +flows from what is spiritual into what is in the natural man, by the +light of heaven enlightening his understanding and by the heat of heaven +quickening his will. The light of heaven in essence is divine wisdom, and +the heat of heaven in essence is divine love. From divine wisdom nothing +can flow but truth, and from divine love nothing but good. With good the +Lord bestows an affection in the understanding for seeing and also +perceiving and receiving truth. Man thus becomes man not only in external +aspect but in internal aspect, too. Everyone desires to appear a rational +and spiritual man, and knows he so desires in order that others may +believe him to be truly man. If then he is rational and spiritual in +external form only, and not at the same time in his internal form, is he +man? Is he different from a player on the stage or from an ape with an +almost human face? May one not know from this that only he is a human +being who is inwardly what he desires others to think he is? One who +acknowledges the one fact must admit the other. Man's own intelligence +can induce the human form only on externals, but divine providence +induces it on internals and thence on externals. When it has been so +induced, a man does not only appear to be a man; he is one. + +[5] Fourth: _Through this means man is withdrawn from evil, not by +himself, but by the Lord._ When divine providence gives man to see truth +and to be affected by it, he can be withdrawn from evil for the reason +that truth points the way and dictates; doing what truth dictates, the +will unites with truth and within itself turns it into good, for it +becomes something one loves, and what is loved is good. All reformation +is effected through truth, not without it, for without truth the will +continues in its evil, and should it consult the understanding, is not +instructed, rather the evil is confirmed by falsities. + +[6] With regard to intelligence, this seems to the good man as well as to +an evil man to be his and proper to him. Like an evil man, he is also +bound to act from intelligence as if it were his own. But one who +believes in divine providence is withdrawn from evil, and one who does +not believe in it is not withdrawn; he believes who acknowledges that +evil is sin and desires to be withdrawn from it, and he does not believe +who does not so acknowledge and desire. The difference between the two +kinds of intelligence is like that between what is believed to exist in +itself and what is believed not to exist in itself but to appear as if it +did. It is also like the difference between an external without an +internal similar to it and an external with a similar internal. Thus it +is like the difference between impersonations of kings, princes or +generals by mimes and actors through word and bearing, and actual kings, +princes or generals. The latter are such in fact as well as outwardly, +but the former only outwardly, and when the exterior is laid off, are +known only as comedians, actors or players. + +299. (iv) _The Lord governs hell by means of opposites, and those in the +world who are evil He governs in hell as to their interiors but not as to +their exteriors._ One who does not know the character of heaven and hell +cannot know at all that of man's mind; his mind is his spirit which +survives death. For the mind or spirit of man is altogether in form what +heaven or hell is. The only difference is that one is vast and the other +very small, or one is archetype and the other a copy. As to his mind or +spirit, accordingly, the human being is either heaven or hell in least +form, heaven if he is led by the Lord, and hell if he is led by his +proprium. Inasmuch as it has been granted me to know what heaven and hell +are, and it is important to know what the human being is in respect to +his mind or spirit, I will describe both heaven and hell briefly. + +300. All who are in heaven are nothing other than affections of good and +thoughts thence of truth, and all who are in hell are nothing other than +lusts of evil and imaginations thence of falsity. These are so arranged +respectively that the lusts of evil and the imaginings of falsity in hell +are precisely opposite to the affections of good and the thoughts of +truth in heaven. Therefore hell is under heaven and diametrically +opposite, that is, the two are like two men lying in opposite directions, +or standing, invertedly, like men at the antipodes, only the soles of +their feet meeting and their heels hitting. At times hell also appears to +be so situated or inverted relatively to heaven, for the reason that +those in hell make lusts of evil the head and affections of good the +feet, while those in heaven make affections of good the head and lusts of +evil the soles of the feet; hence the mutual opposition. When it is said +that in heaven there are affections of good and thoughts of truth from +them, and in hell lusts of evil and imaginations of falsity from them, +the meaning is that there are spirits and angels who are such. For +everyone is his affection or his lust, an angel of heaven his affection +and a spirit of hell his lust. + +301. The angels of heaven are affections of good and thoughts thence of +truth because they are recipients of divine love and wisdom from the +Lord; for all affections of good are from the divine love and all +thoughts of truth are from the divine wisdom. But the spirits of hell are +lusts of evil and the imaginations thence of falsity because they are in +self-love and their own intelligence, and all lusts of evil come of +self-love and imaginations of falsity from one's own intelligence. + +302. The ordering of affections in heaven and of lusts in hell is +marvelous, and is known to the Lord alone. They are each distinguished +into genera and species, and are so conjoined as to make a unit. As they +are distinguished into genera and species, they are distinguished into +larger and smaller societies, and as they are so conjoined as to make a +unit, they are conjoined as all things in man are. Hence in its form +heaven is like a comely man, whose soul is divine love and wisdom, thus +the Lord, and hell in its form is like a monstrous man, his soul +self-love and self-intelligence, thus the devil. No devil is sole lord +there; self-love is so called. + +303. But that the nature of heaven and of hell respectively may be better +known, instead of affections of good let enjoyments of good be +understood, and enjoyments of evil instead of lusts of evil, for no +affections or lusts are without their enjoyments, and enjoyments make +one's life. These enjoyments are distinguished and conjoined as we said +affections of good and lusts of evil are. The enjoyment of his affection +fills and surrounds each angel, the enjoyment common to a society of +heaven fills and surrounds each society, and the enjoyment of all the +angels together or the most widely shared enjoyment fills and envelops +heaven as a whole. Similarly, the pleasure of his lust fills and envelops +each spirit of hell, a common enjoyment every society in hell, and the +enjoyment of all or the most widely shared enjoyment fills and envelops +all hell. Since, as was said, the affections of heaven and the lusts of +hell are diametrically opposite to each other, plainly a heavenly joy is +so unenjoyable to hell that it is unbearable, and in turn an infernal joy +is so unenjoyable to heaven that it is unbearable, too. Hence the +antipathy, aversion and separateness. + +304. As these enjoyments constitute the life of each individual and of +all in general, they are not sensed by those in them, but the opposite +enjoyments are sensed when brought near, especially if they are turned +into odors; for every enjoyment corresponds to an odor and in the +spiritual world may be converted into it. Then the general enjoyment in +heaven is sensed as the odor of a garden, varied according to the +fragrance of flowers and fruits; the general enjoyment in hell is sensed +as the odor of stagnant water, into which filth of various sorts has been +thrown, the odor varied according to the stench of the things decaying +and reeking in it. While I have been given to know how the enjoyment of a +particular affection of good is sensed in heaven, and the enjoyment of +some lust of evil in hell, it would take too long to relate it here. + +305. I have heard many newcomers from the world complain that they had +not known that their destiny would be according to the affections of +their love. To these, they said, they had given no thought in the world, +much less to the enjoyments of the affections, for they loved what they +found enjoyable. They had believed that each person's lot would be +according to his thoughts from his intelligence, especially according to +thoughts of piety and of faith. But they were answered, that they could +have known, if they wished, that evil of life is unacceptable to heaven +and displeasing to God, but acceptable to hell and pleasing to the devil, +and the other way about, that good of life is acceptable to heaven and +pleasing to God, but unacceptable to hell and displeasing to the devil; +consequently that evil in itself is malodorous and good is fragrant. As +they might have known this if they wished, why did they not shun evils as +infernal and diabolical, but indulge in them merely because they were +enjoyable? Aware now that the enjoyments of evil smell so foully, they +might also know that those full of them cannot enter heaven. Upon this +reply they betook themselves to those who were in similar enjoyments, for +only there could they breathe. + +306. From the idea of heaven and hell just given, it may be evident what +the nature of man's mind is. For, as was said, man's mind or spirit is +either a heaven or a hell in least form, that is, his interiors are +nothing other than affections and thoughts thence, distinguished into +genera and species, like the larger and smaller societies of heaven or +hell, and so connected as to act as a unit. The Lord governs them as He +does heaven or hell. That the human being is either heaven or hell in +least form may be seen in the work _Heaven and Hell,_ published at London +in 1758. + +307. Now to the subject proposed, that the Lord governs hell by means of +opposites, and those in the world who are evil He governs in hell as to +their interiors but not as to their exteriors. On the first point, that +_the Lord governs hell through opposites,_ it was shown above (nn. 288, +289) that the angels of heaven are not in love and wisdom, or in the +affection of good and thence in thought of truth from themselves, but +from the Lord, likewise that good and truth flow from heaven into hell +where good is turned into evil and truth into falsity because the +interiors of the minds of those in heaven and in hell respectively are +turned in opposite directions. Inasmuch then as all things in hell are +the opposite of all things in heaven, the Lord governs hell by means of +opposites. + +[2] The second point, that _the Lord governs in hell those in the world +who are evil._ This is for the reason that the human being as to his +spirit is in the spiritual world and in some society there, in an +infernal society if he is evil, in a heavenly one if he is good. For his +mind, which in itself is spiritual, cannot be anywhere but among +spiritual beings, of whom he becomes one after death. This has also been +stated and demonstrated above. A man is not there, however, in the same +way as a spirit is who has been assigned to the society, for man is +constantly in a state to be reformed, and therefore, if he is evil, is +transferred by the Lord from one infernal society to another according to +his life and the changes in it. But if he permits himself to be reformed, +he is led out of hell and elevated to heaven, and there, too, he is +carried from one society to another until his death, after which this +does not take place as he is then no longer in a state to be reformed, +but remains in the state which is his from his life. When a person dies, +therefore, he is assigned his place. + +[3] Thirdly, _the Lord governs the evil who are in the world in this way +as to their interiors, but in another way as to their exteriors._ The +Lord governs the interiors of man's mind in the manner just stated, but +governs the exteriors in the world of spirits, which is between heaven +and hell. The reason is that commonly man is different in externals from +what he is in internals. He can feign outwardly to be an angel of light +and yet inwardly be a spirit of darkness. His external is therefore +governed in one way, and his internal in another; as long as he is in the +world, his external is governed in the world of spirits, and his internal +in either heaven or hell. On death one also enters the world of spirits +first, therefore, and comes into his external, which he puts off there; +having put it off, he is conducted to the place assigned as his. What the +world of spirits is and its nature may be seen in the work _Heaven and +Hell,_ published at London in 1758, nn. 421-535. + +XVI. DIVINE PROVIDENCE APPROPRIATES NEITHER EVIL NOR GOOD TO ANYONE, BUT +ONE'S OWN PRUDENCE APPROPRIATES BOTH + +308. Almost everyone believes that man thinks and wills, hence speaks and +acts, from himself. Who of himself can believe otherwise? For the +appearance that he does is so strong that it differs not at all from +actually thinking, willing, speaking and acting from oneself, which is +impossible. In _Angelic Wisdom about Divine Love and Wisdom_ it was shown +that there is only one life and that men are recipients of life; also +that the human will is the receptacle of love, and the human +understanding the receptacle of wisdom; love and wisdom are the one life. +It was also demonstrated that by creation and steadily therefore by +divine providence this life appears in the human being quite as though it +sprang from him and hence was his own, but that this is the appearance so +that man can be a receptacle. It was also shown above (nn. 288-294) that +no one thinks from himself but from others, nor the others from +themselves, but all from the Lord, an evil person as well as a good +person. We showed further that this is well known in Christendom, +especially to those who not only say but also believe that all good and +truth, all wisdom and thus all faith and charity are from the Lord, also +that all evil and falsity are from the devil or hell. + +[2] One can only conclude from all this that everything which a man +thinks and wills flows into him. And since all speech flows from thought +as an effect from its cause, and all action flows similarly from the +will, it follows that everything which one speaks and does also flows in, +albeit derivatively or indirectly. It is undeniable that all which one +sees, hears, smells, tastes or feels flows in; why not then what he +thinks and wills? Can there be any difference other than this, that +entities in the natural world flow into the organs of the external senses +or of the body, while entities in the spiritual world flow into the +organic substances of the internal senses or of the mind? Hence as the +organs of the external senses or of the body are receptacles of natural +objects, so the organic substances of the internal senses or of the mind +are receptacles of spiritual objects. As this is man's situation, what +then is his proprium? It cannot consist in his being such or such a +receptacle, for then it would only be the man's manner of reception, not +the life's proprium. No one understands by proprium anything else than +that he lives of himself and consequently thinks and wills of himself; +but that there is no such proprium and indeed cannot be with anyone +follows from what was said above. + +309. But let me relate what I have heard from some in the spiritual +world. They were of those who believe that one's own prudence is +everything and divine providence nothing. I remarked that man has no +proprium unless you want to call it his proprium that he is such or such +a subject or organ or form. This is not the proprium that is meant, +however, for it is only descriptive of the nature of man. No man, I said, +has any proprium as the word is commonly understood. At this those who +ascribed everything to their own prudence and who may be called the very +picture of proprietorship, flared up so that flames seemed to come from +their nostrils as they said, "You speak paradox and insanity! Would man +not be an empty nothing then? Or an idea or fancy? Or a graven image or +statue?" + +[2] To this I could only reply that it is paradox and insanity to believe +that man has life of himself, and that wisdom and prudence, likewise the +good of charity and the truth of faith, do not flow in from God but are +in man. To attribute them to oneself every wise person calls insane and +also paradoxical. Those who attribute them to themselves are like tenants +of another's house and property who persuade themselves by living there +that it is their own; or like stewards and administrators who consider +all that their master owns to be theirs; or like servants in business to +whom their master gave talents and pounds to trade with, but who rendered +no account to him but kept all as theirs and thus behaved like robbers. + +[3] It may be said of such that they are insane, indeed are nothing and +empty, likewise are idealists, since they do not have in them from the +Lord good which is the esse itself of life, thus do not have truth, +either. They are also called "dead" therefore and "nothing and empty" +(Isa 40:17, 23), and elsewhere "makers of images," "graven images" and +"statues." More about them in what follows, to be done in this order: + +i. What one's own prudence is, and what prudence not one's own is. +ii. By his own prudence man persuades himself and confirms in himself +that all good and truth are from him and in him; similarly all evil and +falsity. +iii. All that a man is persuaded of and confirms remains with him as his +own. +iv. If man believed, as is the truth, that all good and truth are from +the Lord, and all evil and falsity from hell, he would not appropriate +good to himself and consider it merited, nor appropriate evil to himself +and make himself responsible for it. + +310. (i) _What one's own prudence is, and what prudence not one's own +is._ Those are in prudence of their own who confirm appearances in +themselves and make them truths, especially the appearance that one's own +prudence is all and divine providence nothing--unless it is something +universal, which it cannot be without singulars to constitute it, as was +shown above. They are also in fallacies, for every appearance confirmed +as truth becomes a fallacy, and so far as they confirm themselves by +fallacies they become naturalists and to that extent believe nothing that +they cannot perceive by one of the bodily senses, particularly that of +sight, for this especially acts as one with thought. They finally become +sensuous. If they confirm themselves in favor of nature instead of God, +they close the interiors of their mind, interpose a veil as it were, and +then do their thinking below it and not at all above it. Such +sense-ridden men were called serpents of the tree of knowledge by the +ancients. It is also said of them in the spiritual world that as they +confirm themselves they at length close the interiors of their mind "to +the nose," for the nose signifies perception of truth, of which they have +none. What their nature is will be told now. + +[2] They are more cunning and crafty than others and are ingenious +reasoners. They call cunning and craftiness intelligence and wisdom, nor +do they know otherwise. They look on those who are not like themselves as +simple and stupid, especially those who worship God and acknowledge +divine providence. In respect of the interior principles of their minds, +of which they know little, they are like those called Machiavellians, who +make murder, adultery, theft and false witness, viewed in themselves, of +no account; if they reason against them it is only out of prudence not to +appear to be of that nature. + +[3] Of man's life in the world they think it is like that of a beast, and +of his life after death that it is like a vital vapor which, rising from +the body or the grave, sinks back again and dies. From this madness comes +the notion that spirits and angels are airy entities, and with those who +have been enjoined to believe in everlasting life that the souls of men +also are. They therefore do not see, hear or speak, but are blind, deaf +and dumb, and only cogitate in their particle of air. The sense-ridden +ask, "How can the soul be anything else? The external senses died with +the body, did they not? They cannot be resumed before the soul is +reunited with the body." Inasmuch as they could comprehend the state of +the soul after death only sensuously and not spiritually, they have fixed +upon the state described; otherwise their belief in everlasting life +would have perished. Above all, they confirm self-love in themselves, +calling it the fire of life and the incentive to various uses in the +kingdom. Being of this nature, they are their own idols, and their +thoughts, being fallacies and from fallacies, are images of falsity. +Indulging in the enjoyments of lusts, they are satans and devils; those +who confirm lusts of evil in themselves are satans, and those who live +them are called devils. + +[4] It has also been granted me to know the nature of the most crafty +sensuous men. Their hell is deep down at the back, and they want to be +inconspicuous. Therefore they appear to hover about there like spectres, +which are their fantasies, and they are called _genii._ Some were sent +out from that hell once for me to learn what they are like. They +immediately addressed themselves to my neck below the occiput and thus +entered my affections, not wanting to enter my thoughts, which they +adroitly avoided. They altered my affections one by one with a mind to +bend them imperceptibly into their opposites, which are lusts of evil; +and as they did not touch my thought at all they would have bent and +inverted my affections without my knowledge, had not the Lord prevented +it. + +[5] Such do they become who do not believe that there can be any divine +providence, and who search only for cupidities and cravings in others and +thus lead them along until they dominate them. They do this so secretly +and artfully that one does not know it, and they remain the same on +death; therefore they are cast down into that hell as soon as they enter +the spiritual world. Seen in heaven's light they appear to be without a +nose, and it is remarkable that although they are so crafty they are more +sense-ridden than others. + +[6] The ancients called a sensuous man a serpent, and such a man is more +cunning and crafty and a more ingenious reasoner than others; therefore +it is said, + +The serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field (Ge 3:1), and the +Lord said: + +Be prudent as serpents and simple as doves (Mt 10:16). + +The dragon, too, called "that old serpent" and the "devil" and "satin," +is described as + +Having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven crowns (Apoc +12:3, 9). + +Craftiness is signified by the seven heads; the power to persuade by +fallacies is meant by the ten horns; and holy things of the Word and the +church which have been profaned are signified by the seven crowns. + +311. From the description of one's own prudence and of those who are in +it, the nature of prudence not one's own and of those who are in it may +be seen. Those have prudence not their own who do not confirm in +themselves that intelligence and wisdom are from man. They ask, "How can +anyone be wise of himself or do good of himself?" When they speak so, +they see in themselves that it is so, for they think interiorly. They +also believe that others think similarly, especially the learned, for +they are unaware that any-one can think only exteriorly. + +[2] They are not in fallacies by any confirmation of appearances. They +know and perceive, therefore, that murder, adultery, theft and false +witness are sins and accordingly shun them on that account. They also +know that wickedness is not wisdom and cunning is not intelligence. When +they hear ingenious reasoning from fallacies they wonder and smile to +themselves. This is because with them there is no veil between interiors +and exteriors, or between the spiritual and the natural things of the +mind, as there is with the sensuous. They therefore receive influx from +heaven by which they see these things. + +[3] They speak more simply and sincerely than others and place wisdom in +life and not in talk. Relatively they are like lambs and sheep while +those who are in their own prudence are like wolves and foxes. Or they +are like those living in a house who see the sky through the windows +while those who are in prudence of their own are like persons living in +the basement of a house who can look out through the windows only on what +is down on the ground. Again they are like persons standing on a mountain +who see those who are in prudence of their own as wanderers in valleys +and forests. + +[4] Hence it may be plain that prudence not one's own is prudence from +the Lord, in externals appearing similar to prudence of one's own, but +totally unlike it in internals. In internals prudence not one's own +appears in the spiritual world as man, while prudence which is one's own +appears like a statue, which seems living only because those who are in +such prudence still possess rationality and freedom or the capacity to +understand and to will, hence to speak and act, and by means of these +faculties can make it appear that they also are men. They are such +statues because evils and falsities have no life; only goods and truths +do. By their rationality they know this, for if they did not they would +not feign goods and truths; hence in their simulation of them they +possess a vital humanness. + +[5] Who does not know that a man is what he is inwardly? Consequently +that he is a man who is inwardly what he wishes to appear to be +outwardly, while he is a copy who is a man outwardly only and not +inwardly. Think, as you speak, in favor of God and religion, of +righteousness and sincerity, and you will be a man, and divine providence +will be your prudence; you will perceive in others that one's own +prudence is insanity. + +312. (ii) _By his own prudence man persuades himself and confirms in +himself that all good and truth are from him and in him; similarly all +evil and falsity._ Rest the argument on the parallel between natural good +and truth and spiritual good and truth. Ask what truth and good are to +the sight of the eye. Is not what is called beautiful truth to it, and +what is called enjoyable good to it? For enjoyment is felt in beholding +what is beautiful. What are truth and good to the hearing? Is not what is +called harmonious truth to it, and what is called pleasing good to it? +For pleasure is felt in hearing harmonies. It is the same with the other +senses. What natural good and truth are is plain, then. Consider now what +spiritual good and truth are. Is spiritual truth anything other than +beauty and harmony in spiritual matters and objects? And is spiritual +good anything other than the enjoyment and pleasure of perceiving the +beauty and harmony? + +[2] Let us see now whether anything different is to be said of the one +from what is said of the other, that is, of the spiritual from what is +said of the natural. Of the natural we say that what is beautiful and +enjoyable to the eye flows in from objects, and what is harmonious and +pleasing to the ear flows in from musical instruments. Is something +different to be said in relation to the organic substances of the mind? +Of these it is said that the enjoyable and pleasing are in them, while it +is said of eye and ear that they flow in. If you inquire why it is said +that they flow in, the one answer possible is that distance appears +between the objects and the organs. But when one asks why it is said that +in the other case they are indwelling, the one possible answer is that no +distance appears between the two. Consequently, it is the appearance of +distance that results in believing one thing about what one thinks and +perceives, and another thing about what one sees and hears. But this +becomes baseless when one reflects that the spiritual is not in space as +the natural is. Think of sun or moon, or of Rome or Constantinople: do +you not think of them apart from distance (provided the thought is not +joined to the experience gained by sight or hearing)? Why then persuade +yourself that because there is no appearance of distance in thought, that +good and truth, as also evil and falsity, are indwelling, and do not flow +in? + +[3] Let me add to this an experience which is common in the spiritual +world. One spirit can infuse his thoughts and affections into another, +and the other not know that it is not his own thinking and affection. +This is called in that world thinking from and in another. I have +witnessed it a thousand times and also done it a hundred times; and it +seemed to occur at a considerable distance. As soon as the spirits +learned that another was introducing the thoughts and affections, they +were indignant and turned away, recognizing then, however, that to the +internal thought or sight no distance is apparent unless it is disclosed, +as it may be, to the external sight or the eye; as a result it is +believed that there is influx. + +[4] I will add to this experience an everyday experience of mine. Evil +spirits have often put into my thoughts evils and falsities which seemed +to me to be in me and to originate from me, or seemed to be my own +thought. Knowing them to be evils and falsities, I searched out the +spirits who had introduced them, and they were detected and driven off. +They were at a great distance from me. + +It may be manifest from these things that all evil with its falsity flows +in from hell and all good with its truth flows in from the Lord, and that +both appear to be in man. + +313. The nature of men who are in prudence of their own, and the nature +of those in prudence not their own and hence in the divine providence, is +depicted in the Word by Adam and his wife Eve in the Garden of Eden where +were two trees, one of life and the other of the knowledge of good and +evil, and by their eating of the latter tree. It may be seen above (n. +241) that in the internal or spiritual sense of the Word by Adam and Eve, +his wife, the Most Ancient Church of the Lord on this earth is meant and +described, which was more noble and heavenly than subsequent churches. + +[2] Following is what is signified by other particulars. The wisdom of +the men of that church is signified by the Garden of Eden; the Lord in +respect to divine providence is signified by the tree of life, and man in +respect to his own prudence is meant by the tree of knowledge; his +sensuous life and his proprium, which in itself is self-love and pride in +one's own intelligence, and thus is the devil and satan, is signified by +the serpent; and the appropriation of good and truth with the thought +that they are not from the Lord and are not the Lord's, but are from man +and are his, is signified by eating of the tree of knowledge. Inasmuch as +good and truth are what is divine with man (for everything of love is +meant by good, and everything of wisdom by truth), if man claims them as +his, he cannot but believe that he is as God. Therefore the serpent said: + +In the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be as +God, knowing good and evil (Ge 3:5). + +So do those in hell believe, who are in self-love and thence in the pride +of their own intelligence. + +[3] Condemnation of self-love and self-intelligence is meant by the +condemnation of the serpent; the condemnation of the volitional proprium +is meant by the condemnation of Eve and the condemnation of the +intellectual proprium by the condemnation of Adam; sheer falsity and evil +are signified by the thorn and thistle which the earth would produce for +Adam; the loss of wisdom is signified by the expulsion from the Garden; +the Lord's care lest holy things of the Word and the church be violated +is meant by guarding the way to the tree of life; moral truths, veiling +men's self-love and conceit, are signified by the fig leaves with which +Adam and Eve covered their nakedness; and appearances of truth, in which +alone they were, are signified by the coats of skin with which they were +later clothed. Such is the spiritual understanding of these particulars. +Let him who wishes remain in the sense of the letter, only let him know +that it is so understood in heaven. + +314. The nature of those who are infatuated with their own intelligence +can be seen from their fancies in matters of interior judgment, as, for +example, about influx, thought and life. Their thinking about influx is +inverted. They think that the sight of the eye flows into the internal +sight of the mind or into the understanding, and that the hearing of the +ear flows into the internal hearing, which also is the understanding. +They do not perceive that the understanding from the will flows into the +eye and the ear, and not only constitutes those senses but also employs +them as its instruments in the natural world. As this is not according to +the appearance, they do not perceive even if it is only said that the +natural does not flow into the spiritual, but the spiritual into the +natural. They still think, "What is the spiritual except a finer +natural?" And again, "When the eye beholds something beautiful or the ear +hears something melodious, of course the mind, which is understanding and +will, is delighted." They do not know that the eye does not see of +itself, nor the tongue taste, nor the nose smell, nor the skin feel of +itself, but that it is the man's mind or spirit which has the perceptions +in the sensation and which is affected according to its nature by the +sensation. Indeed, the mind or spirit does not sense things of itself, +but does so from the Lord; to think otherwise is to think from +appearances, and if these are confirmed, from fallacies. + +[2] Regarding thought, they say that it is something modified in the air, +varied according to topic, and widened by cultivation; thus that the +ideas in thoughts are images appearing, meteor-like, in the air; and that +the memory is a tablet on which they are imprinted. They do not know that +thought goes on in purely organic substances just as much as sight and +hearing do. Only let them examine the brain, and they will see that it is +full of such substances; injure them and you will become delirious; +destroy them and you will die. But what thought and memory are see above +at n. 279 end. + +[3] Regarding life, they know it only as an activity of nature, which +makes itself felt in different ways, as a live body bestirs itself +organically. If it is remarked that nature is alive then, they deny this, +and say it enables to life. If one asks, "Is life not dissipated then on +the death of the body?" they reply that life remains in a particle of air +called the soul. Asked "What then is God? Is He not life itself?" they +keep silence and do not want to utter what they think. Asked, "Would you +grant that divine love and wisdom are life itself?" they answer, "What +are love and wisdom?" For in their fallacies they do not see what these +are or what God is. + +These things have been adduced that it may be seen how man is infatuated +by prudence of his own because he draws all conclusions then from +appearances and thus from fallacies. + +316.* By one's own prudence one is persuaded and confirmed that all good +and truth are from man and in man, because a man's own prudence is his +intellectual proprium, flowing in from self-love, which is his volitional +proprium; proprium inevitably makes everything its own; it cannot be +raised above doing so. All who are led by the Lord's divine providence +are raised above the proprium and then see that all good and truth are +from the Lord, indeed see that what in the human being is from the Lord +is always the Lord's and never man's. He who believes otherwise is like +one who has his master's goods in his care and claims them himself or +appropriates them--he is no steward, but a thief. As man's proprium is +nothing but evil, he also immerses the goods in his evil, by which they +are destroyed like pearls thrown into dung or into acid. + +* So numbered in the Latin original. + +317. ( iii) _All that a man is persuaded of and confirms remains with him +as his own._ Many believe that no truth can be seen by man without +confirmations of it, but this is false. In civic and economic matters in +a kingdom or republic what is useful and good can be seen only with some +knowledge of its numerous statutes and ordinances; in judicial matters +only with knowledge of the law; and in natural subjects, like physics, +chemistry, anatomy, mechanics and others, only on acquaintance with those +sciences. But in purely rational, moral and spiritual matters, truths +appear in light of their own, if man has become somewhat rational, moral +and spiritual through a suitable education. This is because everyone as +to his spirit, which is what thinks, is in the spiritual world and is one +among those there, consequently is in spiritual light, which enlightens +the interiors of his understanding and, as it were, dictates. For +spiritual light in essence is the divine truth of the Lord's divine +wisdom. Thence it is that man can think analytically, form conclusions +about what is just and right in matters of judgment, see what is +honorable in moral life and good in spiritual life, and see many truths, +which are darkened only by the confirmation of falsities. Man sees them +almost as readily as he sees another's disposition from his face or +perceives his affections from the sound of his voice, with no further +knowledge than is implanted in one. Why should not man in some measure +see from influx the interiors of his life, which are spiritual and moral, +when there is no animal that does not know by influx all things necessary +to it, which are natural? A bird knows how to build its nest, lay its +eggs, hatch its young and recognize its food, besides other wonders which +are named instinct. + +318. How this state is changed, however, by confirmations and consequent +persuasions will be told now in this order: + +1. There is nothing that cannot be confirmed, and falsity is confirmed +more readily than truth. +2. Truth does not appear when falsity has been confirmed, but falsity is +apparent from confirmed truth. +3. The ability to confirm whatever one pleases is not intelligence but +only ingenuity, to be found in the worst of men. +4. Confirmation may be mental and not at the same time volitional, but +all volitional confirmation is also mental. +5. Confirmation of evil both volitional and intellectual causes man to +believe that one's own prudence is everything and divine providence +nothing, but not confirmation solely intellectual. +6. Everything confirmed by the will and at the same time by the +understanding, remains to eternity, but not what has been confirmed only +by the understanding. + +[2] Touching the first, that _there is nothing that cannot be confirmed, +and that falsity is confirmed more readily than truth._ What, indeed, +cannot be confirmed when atheists confirm that God is not the Creator of +the universe but that nature is her own creator; that religion is only a +restraint and is for simple and common folks; that man is like the beast +and dies like one; that adultery and secret theft, fraud and deceitful +schemes are allowable, and that cunning is intelligence and wickedness is +wisdom. Everyone confirms his heresy. Volumes are filled with +confirmations of the two heresies prevalent in Christendom. Assemble ten +heresies, however abstruse, ask an ingenious man to confirm them, and he +will confirm them all. If you regard them then solely from the +confirmations of them, will you not be seeing falsities as truth? Since +all that is false lights up in the natural man from its appearances and +fallacies, but truth lights up only in the spiritual man, plainly falsity +can be confirmed more readily than truth. + +[3] For it to be known that everything false and everything evil can be +confirmed even to the point that what is false seems true and what is +evil seems to be good, take for example the confirmation that light is +darkness and darkness is light. A man may ask: "What is light `in +itself'? Is not light only something which appears in the eye according +to the eye's condition? What is light when the eye is closed? Do not bats +and owls have eyes to see light as darkness and darkness as light? I have +heard it said that some persons see in like manner, and that infernal +spirits, despite being in darkness, see one another. Does one not have +light in his dreams in the middle of the night? Is darkness not light, +therefore, and light darkness?" It can be replied, "What of that? Light +is light as truth is truth, and darkness is darkness as falsity is +falsity." + +[4] Take a further example: confirmation that the crow is white. May its +blackness not be said to be only a shading which is not the real fact? +Its feathers are white inside, its body, too; and these are the stuff of +which the bird is made. As its blackness is a shading, the crow turns +white as it grows old--some such have been seen. What is black in itself +but white? Pulverize black glass and you will see that the powder is +white. When you call the crow black, therefore, you are speaking of the +shadow and not of the reality. The reply can be, "What of it? All birds +should be called white then." + +Contrary as they are to sound reason, these arguments have been recited +to show that it is possible to confirm falsity that is directly opposite +to truth and evil that is directly opposite to good. + +[5] Second: _Truth does not appear when falsity has been confirmed, but +falsity is apparent from truth confirmed._ All falsity is in darkness and +all truth in light. In darkness nothing is seen, nor indeed is it known +what anything is except by contact with it, but it is different in the +light. In the Word falsities are therefore called darkness, and those who +are in falsities are said to walk in darkness and in the shadow of death. +In turn, truths are called light in it, and those who are in truths are +said to walk in the light and to be the children of light. + +[6] There is much to show that when falsity has been confirmed, truth +does not appear, but when truth has been confirmed, falsity is apparent. +For instance, who would see a spiritual truth unless the Word taught it? +Would there not be darkness that could be dispelled only by the light in +which the Word is, and only with one who wishes to be enlightened? What +heretic can see his falsities unless he welcomes the genuine truth of the +church? Until then he does not see them. I have talked with those who +confirmed themselves in faith apart from charity and who were asked +whether they saw the frequent mention in the Word of love and charity, +works and deeds, and keeping the Commandments, and the declaration that +the man who keeps the Commandments is blessed and wise, but the man who +does not is foolish. They said that on reading these things they saw them +only as matters of faith, and passed them by with their eyes closed, so +to speak. + +[7] Those who have confirmed themselves in falsities are like men who see +streaks on a wall, and at twilight fancy that they see the figure of a +horseman or just of a man, a visionary image which is dissipated when the +daylight floods in. Who can sense the spiritual uncleanness of adultery +except one who is in the cleanliness of chastity? Who can feel the +cruelty of vengeance except one who is in good from love to the neighbor? +What adulterer or what avenger does not sneer at those who call enjoyment +in such acts as theirs infernal but the enjoyments of marital love and +neighborly love heavenly? And so on. + +[8] Third: _The ability to confirm whatever one pleases is not +intelligence but only ingenuity, to be found in the worst of men._ Some +show the greatest dexterity in confirmation, who know no truth and yet +can confirm both truth and falsity. Some of them remark, "What is truth? +Is there such a thing? Is not that true which I make true?" In the world +they are believed to be intelligent, and yet they are only daubing a +wall.* Only those are intelligent who perceive truth to be truth and who +confirm it by verities constantly perceived. Little difference may be +seen between the latter and the former because one cannot distinguish +between the light of confirmation and the light of the perception of +truth. Those in the light of confirmation seem also to be in the light of +the perception of truth. Yet the difference is like that between illusory +light and genuine. In the spiritual world illusory light is such that it +turns into darkness when genuine light flows in. There is such illusory +light with many in hell; on being brought out into genuine light they see +nothing at all. It is evident, then, that to be able to confirm whatever +one pleases is only ingenuity, which the worst of men may have. + +* Cf. Ezekiel 13:10, 11 and _Arcana Caelestia_ n. 739(2), Apocalypse +Explained nn. 237(5) and 644(25). Tr. + +[9] Fourth: _Confirmation may be mental and not at the same time +volitional, but all volitional confirmation is also mental._ Let an +example serve to illustrate this. Those who confirm faith separate from +charity and yet live the life of charity, and in general those who +confirm a falsity of doctrine and yet do not live according to it, are in +intellectual confirmation but not at the same time volitional. On the +other hand, those who confirm falsity of doctrine and live according to +it are in volitional and at the same time in intellectual confirmation. +For the understanding does not flow into the will, but the will into the +understanding. Hence it is plain what falsity of evil is, and what +falsity not of evil is. Falsity which is not of evil can be conjoined +with good, but falsity of evil cannot be. For falsity which is not of +evil is falsity in the understanding but not in the will, while falsity +of evil is falsity in the understanding which comes of evil in the will. + +[10] Fifth: _Confirmation of evil, both volitional and intellectual, but +not confirmation only intellectual, causes man to believe that his own +prudence is everything and divine providence nothing._ Many confirm their +own prudence in themselves on the strength of appearances in the world, +and yet do not deny divine providence; theirs is only intellectual +confirmation. But in others, who deny divine providence at the same time, +there is volitional confirmation; this, together with persuasion, is +found chiefly in worshipers of nature and also in worshipers of self. + +[11] Sixth: _Everything confirmed by the will and at the same time by the +understanding remains to eternity, but not what is confirmed only by the +understanding._ For what pertains to the understanding alone is not +within man but outside him; it is only in the thought. Nothing enters man +and is appropriated to him except what is received by the will; then it +comes to be of his life's love. This, it will be shown in the next +number, remains to eternity. + +319. Everything confirmed by both the will and the understanding remains +to eternity because everyone is his own love, and love attaches to the +will; also because everyone is his own good or his own evil, for that is +called good or evil which belongs to the love. Since man is his own love +he is also the form of his love, and may be called the organ of his +life's love. It was stated above (n. 279) that the affections of man's +love and his resulting thoughts are changes and variations of the state +and form of the organic substances of his mind. What these changes and +variations are and their nature will be explained now. Some idea of them +may be obtained from the alternating expansions and compressions or +dilations and contractions in the heart and lungs, called in the heart +systole and diastole, and in the lungs respirations. These are reciprocal +extensions and retractions or expansions and contractions of their lobes. +Such are the changes and variations in the state of the heart and lungs. +Such changes and variations occur in the other viscera of the body and in +their parts, too, by which the blood and the animal juices are received +and transmitted. + +[2] Similar changes and variations take place in the organic forms of the +mind, which, as we showed above, are the substances underlying man's +affections and thoughts. There is a difference. Their expansions and +compressions or reciprocal activities in comparison have so much greater +perfection that they cannot be described in words of natural language, +but only in words of spiritual language, which can sound only as saying +that the changes and variations are vortical gyrations in and out, after +the manner of perpetually winding spirals wonderfully massed into forms +receptive of life. + +[3] Now to tell the nature of these purely organic substances and forms +in the evil and in the good respectively: in the good the spiral forms +travel forward, in the evil backward; the forward-traveling are turned to +the Lord and receive influx from Him; the retrogressive are turned +towards hell and receive influx from hell. It should be known that in the +measure in which they turn backward these forms are open behind and +closed in front; and on the other hand in the measure in which they turn +forward, they are open in front and closed behind. + +[4] This can make plain what kind of form or organ an evil man is and +what kind of form or organ a good man is, and that they are turned in +opposite directions. As the turning once established cannot be twisted +back it is plain that man remains to eternity such as he is at death. +The love of man's will is what effects this turning, or is what either +converts or inverts, for, as was said above, each person is his own love. +Hence, on death, everyone goes the way of his love, the man in a good +love to heaven, and the man in an evil love to hell, nor does he rest +except in that society where his ruling love is. Marvelous it is that +each knows the way; it is as though he scents it. + +320. (iv) _If man believed, as is the truth, that all good and truth are +from the Lord and all evil and falsity from hell, he would not +appropriate good to himself and consider it merited, nor evil and make +himself responsible for it._ This is contrary to the belief of those who +have confirmed in themselves the appearance that wisdom and prudence come +from man and do not flow in according to the state of the organization of +the mind, treated of above (n. 319). It must therefore be demonstrated, +and to be done clearly, it will be done in this order: + +1. One who confirms in himself the appearance that wisdom and prudence +are from man and thus in him as his, must take the view that otherwise he +would not be a man, but either a beast or a statue; yet the contrary is +true. +2. To believe and think, as is the truth, that all good and truth are +from the Lord and all evil and falsity from hell, seems impossible, yet +is truly human and hence angelic. +3. So to believe and think is impossible to those who do not acknowledge +the divine of the Lord and that evils are sins, but possible for those +who make these two acknowledgments. +4. Those who make the two acknowledgments alone reflect on the evils in +themselves, and so far as they flee them and are averse to them, they +send them back to hell from which they come. +5. So divine providence appropriates neither evil nor good to anyone, but +one's own prudence appropriates both. + +321. These propositions will be explained in the order proposed. First: +_One who confirms in himself the appearance that wisdom and prudence are +from man and thus in him as his, must take the view that otherwise he +would not be a man, but either a beast or a statue; yet the contrary is +true._ It comes from a law of divine providence that man is to think as +it were from himself and act prudently as of himself, but still +acknowledge that he does so from the Lord. It follows that one who thinks +and acts prudently as of himself and acknowledges at the same time that +he does so from the Lord, is a man, but that person is not who confirms +in himself the idea that all he thinks and does is from himself. Neither +is he a man who, knowing that wisdom and prudence are from God, keeps +awaiting influx. This man becomes like a statue, the other like a beast. +One who waits for influx is obviously like a statue; he is sure to stand +or sit motionless, his hands dropped, his eyes closed or, if open, +unblinking, and neither thinking nor breathing. What life has he then? + +[2] Plainly, too, one who believes that everything he thinks and does is +from himself is not unlike a beast. For he thinks only from the natural +mind which man has in common with beasts, and not from the spiritual, +rational mind which is the truly human mind; for this mind acknowledges +that God alone thinks from Himself and that man does so from God. +Therefore one who thinks only from the natural mind knows no difference +between man and animal except that man speaks and a beast makes sounds, +and he believes they die alike. + +[3] Something further is to be said about those who await influx. They +receive none, except for a few who desire it with the whole heart. These +at times receive some response through a living perception in thought or +by tacit utterance but rarely by an explicit one, and this then is that +they should think and act as they determine and are able, and that one +who acts wisely is wise and one who acts foolishly is foolish. They are +never instructed what to believe or do, in order that human rationality +and liberty may not perish, that is, in order that everyone shall act in +freedom according to reason in all appearance as of himself. Those who +are told by influx what they are to believe or do are not being +instructed by the Lord, nor by any angel of heaven, but by some spirit, +an Enthusiast, Quaker or Moravian, and are being misled. All influx from +the Lord is effected by enlightenment of the understanding and by an +affection of truth, and passes by the latter into the former. + +[4] Second: _To believe and think, as is the truth, that all good and +truth are from the Lord and all evil and falsity from hell, seems +impossible, yet is truly human and hence angelic._ To believe and think +that all good and truth are from God seems possible, if no more is said, +for it falls in with a theological belief contrary to which it is not +allowable to think. But to believe and think also that all evil and +falsity are from hell seems impossible, for in that belief man would not +think at all. But man still thinks as from himself though it is from +hell, for the Lord grants to everyone that his thought, wherever it is +from, shall appear to be his own in him. Else man would not live as a +human being, nor could he be led out of hell and brought into heaven, +that is, be reformed, as we have shown many times. + +[5] Therefore the Lord also grants man to know and consequently to think +that when he is in evil he is in hell, and that if he thinks evil he +thinks from hell. He likewise grants him to think of the means by which +he can escape from hell and not think from hell, but enter heaven and in +heaven think from the Lord, and He grants man the freedom to choose. From +all this it may be seen that man can think evil and falsity as if from +himself and also think that this or that is evil or false; consequently +that it is only an appearance that he does so of himself, an appearance +without which he would not be man. To think from truth is what is human +itself and consequently angelic itself; it is a truth that man does not +think from himself, but is granted by the Lord to think from himself to +all appearance. + +[6] Third: _So to believe and think is impossible to those who do not +acknowledge the divine of the Lord and that evils are sins, but possible +to those who make the two acknowledgments._ It is impossible to those who +do not acknowledge the divine of the Lord, for the Lord alone gives man +to think and will; and those who do not acknowledge the divine of the +Lord, being separated from Him believe that they think for themselves. It +is impossible also to those who do not acknowledge evils to be sins, for +they think then from hell, and in hell everyone supposes that he thinks +from himself. That it is possible, however, to those who make the two +acknowledgments can be seen from what was set forth fully above (nn. +288-294). + +[7] Fourth: _Only those who live in the two acknowledgments reflect on +the evils in themselves, and so far as they shun and are averse to them, +they send them back to hell from which they come._ All know or can know +that evil is from hell and good is from heaven. Who then cannot know that +so far as man shuns and is averse to evil he shuns and is averse to hell? +He can know then, too, that so far as he shuns and is averse to evil, he +wills and loves what is good, and consequently is so far released from +hell by the Lord and led to heaven. Every rational person may see these +things provided he knows that heaven and hell exist, where good and evil +have their respective origins. If, now, he reflects on the evils in him, +which is the same thing as examining himself, and shuns them, he +disengages himself from hell, puts it behind him, and brings himself into +heaven, where he beholds the Lord before him. Man does this, we say, but +he does it as of himself and from the Lord now. When a man acknowledges +this truth out of a good heart and in a devout faith, it lies inwardly +hidden in all that he thinks and does afterwards as of himself. It is +like the prolific force in a seed which remains in it even until new seed +is produced, and like the pleasure in one's appetite for food the +wholesomeness of which one has learned; in a word, like heart and soul in +all he thinks and does. + +[8] Fifth: _So divine providence appropriates neither evil nor good to +anyone, but one's own prudence appropriates both._ This follows from all +that has been said. Good is the objective of divine providence; it +purposes good in all its activity, therefore. Accordingly, it does not +appropriate good to anyone, for then this would become self-righteous; +nor does it appropriate evil to anyone, for so it would make him +responsible for evil. But man does both by his proprium, for this is +nothing but evil. The proprium of the will is self-love and that of the +understanding is the pride of self-intelligence, and of these comes man's +own prudence. + +XVII. EVERY MAN CAN BE REFORMED, AND THERE IS NO PREDESTINATION [as +commonly understood*] + +* See n. 330 - Tr. + +322. Sound reason dictates that all are predestined to heaven and none to +hell, for all are born human beings and consequently God's image is in +them. God's image in them consists in their ability to understand truth +and to do good. The ability to understand truth comes from the divine +wisdom, and the ability to do good from the divine love. This ability, +which is God's image, remains in any sane person and is not eradicated. +Hence it is that he can become a civil and moral man, and one who is +civil and moral can also become spiritual, for the civil and moral is a +receptacle of what is spiritual. He is called a civil man who knows and +lives according to the laws of the kingdom of which he is a citizen; he +is called a moral man who makes those laws his ethics and his virtues and +from reason lives by them. + +[2] Let me say how civil and moral life is the receptacle of spiritual +life. Live these laws not only as civil and moral laws but also as divine +laws, and you will be a spiritual man. There is hardly a nation so +barbarous that it has not by law prohibited murder, adultery, theft, +false witness and damage to what is another's. The civil and moral man +keeps these laws that he may be, or seem to be, a good citizen. If he +does not consider them divine laws also he is only a civil and moral +natural man, but if he considers them divine also, he becomes a civil and +moral spiritual man. The difference is that the latter is a good citizen +both of an earthly kingdom and of a heavenly, while the former is a good +citizen only of the earthly kingdom and not of the heavenly. They are +distinguishable by the good they do. The good done by civil and moral +natural men is not in itself good, for man and the world are in it; the +good done by civil and moral spiritual men is in itself good, because the +Lord and heaven are in it. + +[3] From all this it may be seen that every person, because he is born +able to become a civil and moral natural being, is also born able to +become a civil and moral spiritual man. He has only to acknowledge God +and not commit evils because they are against God, but do good because +good is siding with God. Then spirit enters into his civil and moral +actions and they live; otherwise there is no spirit in them and hence +they are not living. Therefore the natural man, however much he acts like +a civil and moral being, is spoken of as dead, but the spiritual man is +spoken of as living. + +[4] Of the Lord's divine providence every nation has some religion, and +primary in every religion is the acknowledgment that God is, else it is +not called a religion. Every nation that lives its religion, that is, +does not do evil because this is contrary to its God, receives something +spiritual in its natural life. Who, on hearing a Gentile say he will not +do this or that evil because it is contrary to his God, does not say to +himself, "Is this person not saved? It seems, it cannot be otherwise." +Sound reason tells him this. On the other hand, hearing a Christian say, +"I make no account of this or that evil. What does it mean to say that it +is contrary to God?" one says to himself, "This man is not saved, is he? +It would seem, he cannot be." Sound reason dictates this also. + +[5] Should someone say, "I was born a Christian, have been baptized, have +known the Lord, read the Word, observed the Sacrament of the Supper," +what does this amount to when he does not count as sins murder, or the +revenge breathing it, adultery, stealing, false witness, or lying, and +different sorts of violence? Does such a person think of God or of +eternal life? Does he think they exist? Does sound reason not dictate +that such a man cannot be saved? This has been said of a Christian, for a +Gentile in his life gives more thought to God from religion than a +Christian does. But more is to be said on these points in what follows in +this order: + +i. The goal of creation is a heaven from mankind. +ii. Of divine providence, therefore, every man can be saved, and those +are saved who acknowledge God and live rightly. +iii. Man himself is in fault if he is not saved. +iv. Thus all are predestined to heaven, and no one to hell. + +323. (i) _The goal of creation is a heaven from mankind._ It has been +shown above and in the work, _Heaven and Hell_ (London, 1758), that +heaven consists solely of those who have been born as human beings. Since +heaven consists of no others, it follows that the purpose of creation is +a heaven from mankind. This has been shown above (nn. 27-45), it is true, +but will be seen more clearly still with explanation of the following: + +1. Everyone is created to live forever. +2. Everyone is created to live forever in a blessed state. +3. Thus every person has been created to enter heaven. +4. The divine love cannot but will this, and the divine wisdom cannot but +provide it. + +324. One can see from these points that divine providence is none other +than predestination to heaven and cannot be altered into anything else. +We must now demonstrate, therefore, in the order proposed, that the goal +of creation is a heaven from the human race. First: _Everyone has been +created to live to eternity._ In the treatise _Divine Love and Wisdom,_ +Parts III and V, it was shown that there are three degrees of life in +man, called natural, spiritual and celestial, that they are actually in +everyone, and that in animals there is only one degree of life, which is +like the lowest degree in man, called the natural. The result is that by +the elevation of his life to the Lord man is in such a state above that +of animals that he can comprehend what is of divine wisdom, and will what +is of divine love, in other words, receive what is divine; and he who can +receive what is divine, so as to see and perceive it within him, cannot +but be united with the Lord and by the union live to eternity. + +[2] What would the Lord do with all the created universe if He had not +also created images and likenesses of Himself to whom He could +communicate His divine? What would He exist for, otherwise, except to +make this and not that or bring something into existence but not +something else, and this merely to be able to contemplate from afar only +incidents and constant changes as on a stage? What would there be divine +in these unless they were for the purpose of serving subjects who would +receive the divine more intimately and see and sense it? The divine is of +an inexhaustible glory and would not keep it to itself, nor could. For +love wants to communicate its own to another, indeed to impart all it can +of itself. Must not divine love do this, then, being infinite? Can it +impart and then take away? Would that not be to give what will perish, +what in itself is nothing, coming to nothing when it perishes? What +really _is_ is not in it. But divine love imparts what really _is_ or +what does not cease to be, and this is eternal. + +[3] In order that a man may live forever, what is mortal with him is +taken away. This mortal of his is his material body, which is taken away +by its death. His immortal, which is his mind, is thus laid bare and he +becomes a spirit in human form; his mind is this spirit. Ancient sages +and wise men perceived that man's mind cannot die. They asked how the +mind could die when it is capable of wisdom. Few today know the interior +idea they had in this. It was the idea, slipping into their general +perception from heaven, that God is wisdom itself, of which man partakes, +and God is immortal or eternal. + +[4] Since it has been granted me to speak with angels, I will say +something from experience. I have spoken with those who lived many ages +ago, with some who lived before the Flood and some who lived after it, +with some who lived at the time of the Lord and with one of His apostles, +and with many who lived in the centuries since. They all seemed like men +of middle age and said that they do not know what death can be unless it +is condemnation. Further, all who have lived well, on coming into heaven, +come into the state of early manhood in the world and continue in it to +eternity, even those who had been old and decrepit in the world. Women, +too, although they had become shrunken and old, return into the bloom and +beauty of their youth. + +[5] That man lives after death to eternity is manifest from the Word, +where life in heaven is called eternal life, as in Mt 19:29, 25:46; Mk +10:17; Lu 10:25, 18:30; Jn 3:15, 16, 36, 5:24, 25, 39, 6:27, 40, 68, +12:50; also called simply life (Mt 18:8, 9; Jn 5:40, 20:31). The Lord +also told His disciples, + +Because I live, you will live also (Jn 14:19), + +and concerning resurrection said that + +God is God of the living and not God of the dead, and that they cannot +die any more (Lu 20:38, 36). + +[6] Second: _Everyone is created to live forever in a blessed state._ +This naturally follows. He who wills that man shall live forever also +wills that he shall live in a blessed state. What would eternal life be +without this? All love desires the good of another. The love of parents +desires the good of their children, the love of the bridegroom and the +husband desires the good of the bride and the wife, and love in +friendship desires the good of one's friends. What then must divine love +desire! What is good but enjoyment, and divine good but eternal +blessedness? All good is so named for its enjoyableness or blessedness. +True, anything one is given or possesses is also called good, but again, +unless it is enjoyable, it is a barren good, not in itself good. Clearly, +then, eternal life is also eternal blessedness. This state of man is the +aim of creation; that only those who come into heaven are in that state +is not the Lord's fault but man's. That man is in fault will be seen in +what follows. + +[7] Third: _Thus every person has been created to come into heaven._ This +is the goal of creation, but not all enter heaven because they become +imbued with the enjoyments of hell, the opposite of heavenly blessedness. +Those who are not in the blessedness of heaven cannot enter heaven, for +they cannot endure doing so. No one who comes into the spiritual world is +refused ascent into heaven, but when one ascends who is in the enjoyment +of hell his heart pounds, his breathing labors, his life ebbs, he is in +anguish and torment and writhes like a snake placed near a fire. This +happens because opposites act against each other. + +[8] Nevertheless, having been born human beings, consequently with the +faculties of thought and volition and hence of speech and action, they +cannot die, but they can live only with those in a similar enjoyment of +life and are sent to them, those in enjoyments of evil to their like, as +those in enjoyments of good are to their like. Indeed, everyone is +granted the enjoyment of his evil provided that he does not molest those +who are in the enjoyment of good. Still, as evil is bound to molest good, +for inherently it hates good, those who are in evil are removed lest they +inflict injury and are cast down to their own places in hell, where their +enjoyment is turned into joylessness. + +[9] But this does not alter the fact that by creation and hence by birth +man is such that he can enter heaven. For everyone who dies in infancy +enters heaven, is brought up there and instructed as one is in the world, +and by the affection of good and truth is imbued with wisdom and becomes +an angel. So could the man become who is brought up and instructed in the +world; the same is in him as in an infant. On infants in the spiritual +world see the work _Heaven and Hell,_ London, 1758 (nn. 329-345). + +[10] This does not take place, however, with many in the world because +they love the first level of their life, called natural, and do not +purpose to withdraw from it and become spiritual. The natural degree of +life, in itself regarded, loves only self and the world, for it keeps +close to the bodily senses, which are to the fore, also, in the world. +But the spiritual degree of life regarded in itself loves the Lord and +heaven, and self and the world, too, but God and heaven as higher, +paramount and controlling, and self and the world as lower, instrumental +and subservient. + +[11] Fourth: _Divine love cannot but will this, and divine wisdom cannot +but provide it._ It was fully shown in the treatise _Divine Love and +Wisdom_ that the divine essence is divine love and wisdom, and it was +also demonstrated there (nn. 358-370) that in every human embryo the Lord +forms two receptacles, one of the divine love and the other of the divine +wisdom, the former for man's future will and the latter for his future +understanding, and that in this way the Lord has endowed each human being +with the faculty of willing good and the faculty of understanding truth. + +[12] Inasmuch as man is endowed from birth with these two faculties by +the Lord, and the Lord then is in them as in what is His own with man, it +is manifest that His divine love cannot but will that man should come +into heaven and His divine wisdom cannot but provide for this. But since +it is of the Lord's divine love that man should feel heavenly blessedness +in himself as his own, and this cannot be unless man is kept in the +appearance that he thinks, wills, speaks and acts of himself, the Lord +can therefore lead man only according to the laws of His divine +providence. + +325. (ii) _Of divine providence, therefore, every man can be saved, and +those are saved who acknowledge God and live rightly._ It is plain from +what has been demonstrated above that every human being can be saved. +Some persons suppose that the Lord's church is to be found only in +Christendom, because only there is the Lord known and the Word possessed. +Still many believe that the Lord's church is general, that is, extends +and is scattered throughout the world, existing thus with those who do +not know the Lord or possess the Word. They say that those men are not in +fault and are without means to overcome their ignorance. They believe +that it is contrary to God's love and mercy that any should be born for +hell who are equally human beings. + +[2] Inasmuch as many Christians, if not all, have faith that the church +is common to many--it is in fact called a communion--there must be some +very widely shared things of the church that enter all religions and that +constitute this communion. These most widely shared factors are +acknowledgment of God and good of life, as will be seen in this order: + +1. Acknowledgment of God effects a conjunction of God and man; denial of +God causes disjunction. +2. Each one acknowledges God and is conjoined with Him in accord with the +goodness of his life. +3. Goodness of life, or living rightly, is shunning evils because they +are contrary to religion, thus to God. +4. These are factors common to all religions, and by them anyone can be +saved. + +326. To clarify and demonstrate these propositions one by one. First: +_Acknowledgment of God brings conjunction of God and man; denial of God +results in disjunction._ Some may think that those who do not acknowledge +God can be saved equally with those who do, if they lead a moral life. +They ask, "What does acknowledgment accomplish? Is it not merely a +thought? Can I not 'acknowledge God when I learn for certain that God +there is? I have heard of Him but not seen Him. Let me see Him and I will +believe." Such is the language of many who deny God when they have an +opportunity to argue with one who acknowledges God. But that an +acknowledgment of God conjoins and denial disjoins will be clarified by +some things made known to me in the spiritual world. In that world when +anyone thinks of another and desires to speak with him, the other is at +once present. The explanation is that there is no distance in the +spiritual world such as there is in the natural, but only an appearance +of distance. + +[2] A second phenomenon: as thought from some acquaintance with another +causes his presence, love from affection for another causes conjunction +with him. So spirits move about, converse as friends, dwell together in +one house or in one community, meet often, and render one another +services. The opposite happens, also; one who does not love another and +still more one who hates another does not see or encounter him; the +distance between them is according to the degree in which love is wanting +or hatred is present. Indeed, one who is present and recalls his hatred, +vanishes. + +[3] From these few particulars it may be evident whence presence and +conjunction come in the spiritual world. Presence comes with the +recollection of another with a desire to see him, and conjunction comes +of an affection which springs from love. This is true also of all things +in the human mind. There are countless things in the mind, and its least +parts are associated and conjoined in accord with affections or as one +thing attracts another. + +[4] This is spiritual conjunction and it is the same in things large and +things small. It has its origin in the conjunction of the Lord with the +spiritual world and the natural world in general and in detail. It is +manifest from this that in the measure in which one knows the Lord and +thinks of Him from knowledge of Him, in that measure the Lord is present, +and in the measure in which one acknowledges Him from an affection of +love, in that measure the Lord is united with him. On the other hand, in +the measure of one's ignorance of the Lord, in that measure He is absent; +and so far as one denies Him, so far is He separated from one. + +[5] The result of conjunction is that the Lord turns man's face towards +Himself and thereupon leads him; the disjunction results in hell's +turning man's face to it and it leads him. Therefore all the angels of +heaven turn their faces towards the Lord as the Sun, and all the spirits +of hell avert their faces from the Lord. It is plain from this what the +acknowledgment of God and the denial of God each accomplish. Those who +deny God in the world deny Him after death also; they have become +organized as described above (n. 319); the organization induced in the +world remains to eternity. + +[6] Second: _Everyone acknowledges God and is conjoined with Him +according to the goodness of his life._ All who know something of +religion can know God; from information or from the memory they can also +speak about God, and some may also think about Him from the +understanding. But this only brings about presence if a man does not live +rightly, for despite it all he can turn away from God and towards hell, +and this takes place if he lives wickedly. Only those who live rightly +can acknowledge God with the heart, and these the Lord turns away from +hell and towards Himself according to the goodness of their life. For +these alone love God; for in doing what comes from Him they love what is +divine. The precepts of His law are divine things from Him. They are God +because He is His own proceeding divine. As this is to love God, the Lord +says: + +He who keeps my commandments is he who loves me . . . But he who does not +keep my commandments does not love me (Jn 14: 21, 24). + +[7] Here is the reason why there are two tables of the Decalog, one +having reference to God and the other to man. God works unceasingly that +man may receive what is in His table, but if man does not do what he is +bidden in his own table he does not receive with acknowledgment of heart +what is in God's table, and if he does not receive this he is not +conjoined. The two tables were joined, therefore, to be one and are +called the tables of the covenant; covenant means conjunction. One +acknowledges God and is conjoined to Him in accord with the goodness of +his life because this good is like the good in the Lord and consequently +comes from the Lord. So when man is in the good of life there is +conjunction. The contrary takes place with evil of life; it rejects the +Lord. + +[8] Third: _Goodness of life, or living rightly, is shunning evils +because they are contrary to religion, thus to God._ That this is good of +life or living rightly is fully shown in _Doctrine of Life for the New +Jerusalem,_ from beginning to end. To this I will only add that if you do +good aplenty, build churches for instance, adorn them and fill them with +offerings, spend money lavishly on hospitals and hostels, give alms +daily, aid widows and orphans, diligently observe the sanctities of +worship, indeed think and speak and preach about them as from the heart, +and yet do not shun evils as sins against God, all those good deeds are +not goodness. They are either hypocritical or done for merit, for evil is +still deep in them. Everyone's life pervades all that he does. Goods +become good only by the removal of evil from them. Plainly, then, +shunning evils because they are contrary to religion and thus to God is +living rightly. + +[9] Fourth: _These are factors common to all religions, and anyone can be +saved by them._ To acknowledge God, and to refrain from evil because it +is contrary to God, are the two acts that make religion to be religion. +If one is lacking, it cannot be called religion, for to acknowledge God +and to do evil is a contradiction; so it is, too, to do good and yet not +acknowledge God; one is impossible apart from the other. The Lord has +provided that there should be some religion almost everywhere and that +these two elements should be in it, and has also provided that everyone +who acknowledges God and refrains from doing evil because it is against +God shall have a place in heaven. For heaven as a whole is like one man +whose life or soul is the Lord. In that heavenly man are all things to be +found in a natural man with the difference which obtains between the +heavenly and the natural. + +[10] It is a matter of common knowledge that in the human being there are +not only forms organized of blood vessels and nerve fibres, but also +skins, membranes, tendons, cartilages, bones, nails and teeth. These have +a smaller measure of life than those organized forms, which they serve as +ligaments, coverings or supports. For all these entities to be in the +heavenly humanity, which is heaven, it cannot be made up of human beings +all of one religion, but of men of many religions. Therefore all who make +these two universals of the church part of their lives have a place in +this heavenly man, that is, heaven, and enjoy happiness each in his +measure. More on the subject may be seen above (n. 254). + +[11] That these two are primary in all religion is evident from the fact +that they are the two which the Decalog teaches. The Decalog was the +first of the Word, promulgated by Jehovah from Mount Sinai by a living +voice, and also inscribed on two tables of stone by the finger of God. +Then, placed in the ark, the Decalog was called Jehovah, and it made the +holy of holies in the tabernacle and the shrine in the temple of +Jerusalem; all things in each were holy only on account of it. Much more +about the Decalog in the ark is to be had from the Word, which is cited +in _Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem_ (nn. 53-61). To that I will +add this. From the Word we know that the ark with the two tables in it on +which the Decalog was written was captured by the Philistines and placed +in the temple of Dagon in Ashdod; that Dagon fell to the ground before +it, and afterward his head, together with the palms of the hands, torn +from his body, lay on the temple threshold; that the people of Ashdod and +Ekron to the number of many thousands were smitten with hemorrhoids and +their land was ravaged by mice; that on the advice of the chiefs of their +nation, the Philistines made five golden hemorrhoids, five golden mice +and a new cart, and on this placed the ark with the golden hemorrhoids +and mice beside it; with two cows that lowed before the cart along the +way, they sent the ark back to the children of Israel and by them cows +and cart were offered in sacrifice (1 Sa 5 and 6). + +[12] To state now what all this signified: the Philistines signified +those who are in faith separated from charity; Dagon signified that +religiosity; the hemorrhoids by which they were smitten signified natural +loves which when severed from spiritual love are unclean, and the mice +signified the devastation of the church by falsification of truth. The +new cart on which the Philistines sent back the ark signified a new but +still natural doctrine (chariot in the Word signifies doctrine from +spiritual truths), and the cows signified good natural affections. +Hemorrhoids of gold signified natural loves purified and made good, and +the golden mice signified an end to the devastation of the church by +means of good, for in the Word gold signifies good. The lowing of the +kine on the way signified the difficult conversion of the lusts of evil +of the natural man into good affections. That cows and cart were offered +up as a burnt offering signified that so the Lord was propitiated. + +[13] This is how what is told historically is understood spiritually. +Gather all into a single conception and make the application. That those +who are in faith severed from charity are represented by the Philistines, +see _Doctrine of the New Jerusalem about Faith_ (nn. 49-54), and that the +ark was the most holy thing of the church because of the Decalog enclosed +in it, see _Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem_ (nn. 53-61). + +327. (iii) _Man himself is in fault if he is not saved._ As soon as he +hears it any rational man acknowledges the truth that evil cannot issue +from good nor good from evil, for they are opposites; consequently only +good comes of good and only evil of evil. When this truth is acknowledged +this also is: that good can be turned into evil not by a good but by an +evil recipient; for any form changes into its own nature what flows into +it (see above, n. 292). Inasmuch as the Lord is good in its very essence +or good itself, plainly evil cannot issue from Him or be produced by Him, +but good can be turned into evil by a recipient subject whose form is a +form of evil. Such a subject is man as to his proprium. This constantly +receives good from the Lord and constantly turns it into the nature of +its own form, which is one of evil. It follows that man is in fault if he +is not saved. Evil is indeed from hell but as man receives it from hell +as his and appropriates it to himself, it is the same whether one says +that evil is from man or from hell. But whence there is an appropriation +of evil until finally religion perishes will be told in this order: + +1. Every religion declines and comes to an end in the course of time. +2. It does so through the inversion of God's image in man. +3. This takes place through a continual increase of hereditary evil over +the generations. +4. Nevertheless the Lord provides that everyone may be saved. +5. It is also provided that a new church shall succeed in place of the +former devastated church. + +328. These points are to be demonstrated in the order given. First: +_Every religion declines and comes to an end in the course of time._ +There have been several churches on this earth, one after another, for +wherever mankind is, a church is. For, as was shown above, heaven, which +is the goal of creation, is from mankind, and no one can enter heaven +unless he is in the two universal marks of the church which, as was shown +just above (n. 326), are the acknowledgment of God and living aright. It +follows that there have been churches on this earth from the most ancient +times to the present. These churches are described in the Word, but not +historically except the Israelitish and Jewish church. There were +churches before it which are only described in the Word under the names +of nations and persons and in a few items about them. + +[2] The first, the Most Ancient Church, is described under the names of +Adam and his wife Eve. The next church, to be called the Ancient Church, +is described by Noah, his three sons and their posterity. This church was +widespread and extended over many of the kingdoms of Asia: the land of +Canaan on both sides of the Jordan, Syria, Assyria and Chaldea, +Mesopotamia, Egypt, Arabia, Tyre and Sidon. These had the Ancient Word +_(Doctrine of the New Jerusalem about Sacred Scripture,_ nn. 101-103). +That this church existed in those kingdoms is evident from various things +recorded about them in the prophetical parts of the Word. This church was +markedly altered by Eber, from whom arose the Hebrew church, in which +worship by sacrifices was first instituted. From the Hebrew church the +Israelitish and Jewish church was born and solemnly established for the +sake of the Word which was composed in it. + +[3] These four churches are meant by the statue seen by Nebuchadnezzar in +a dream, the head of which was of pure gold, the breast and arms of +silver, the belly and thighs of brass, and the legs and feet of iron and +clay (Da 2:32, 33). Nor is anything else meant by the golden, silver, +copper and iron ages mentioned by ancient writers. Needless to say, the +Christian church succeeded the Jewish. It can be seen from the Word that +all these churches declined in the course of time, eventually coming to +an end, called their consummation. + +[4] The consummation of the Most Ancient Church, brought about by the +eating of the tree of knowledge, meaning by the pride of one's own +intelligence, is depicted by the Flood. The consummation of the Ancient +Church is depicted in the various devastations of nations mentioned in +the historical as well as the prophetical Word and especially by the +expulsion of the nations from the land of Canaan by the children of +Israel. The consummation of the Israelitish and Jewish church is +understood by the destruction of the temple at Jerusalem and by the +carrying away of the people of Israel into permanent captivity and of the +Jewish nation to Babylon, and finally by the second destruction of the +temple and of Jerusalem at the same time, and by the dispersion of that +nation. This consummation is foretold in many places in the Prophets and +in Daniel 9:24-27. The gradual devastation of the Christian church even +to its end is pictured by the Lord in Matthew (24), Mark (13) and Luke +(21), but the end itself in the Apocalypse. Hence it may be manifest that +in the course of time a church declines and comes to an end; so does a +religion. + +[5] Second: _Every religion declines and comes to an end through the +inversion of God's image in man._ It is known that the human being was +created in the image and after the likeness of God (Ge 1:26), but let us +say what the image and the likeness of God are. God alone is love and +wisdom; man was created to be a receptacle of both love and wisdom, his +will to be a receptacle of divine love and his understanding a receptacle +of the divine wisdom. These two receptacles, it was shown above, are in +man from creation, constitute him, and are formed in everyone in the +womb. Man's being an image of God thus means that he is a recipient of +the divine wisdom, and his being a likeness of God means that he is a +recipient of the divine love. Therefore the receptacle called the +understanding is an image of God, and the receptacle called the will is a +likeness of God. Since, then, man was created and formed to be a +receptacle, it follows that he was created and formed that his will might +receive love from God and his understanding wisdom from God. He receives +these when he acknowledges God and lives according to His precepts, +receiving them in lesser or larger measure as by religion he has some +knowledge of God and of His precepts, consequently according to his +knowledge of truths. For truths teach what God is and how He is to be +acknowledged, also what His precepts are and how man is to live according +to them. + +[6] The image and likeness of God have not been destroyed in man, but +seem to have been; they remain inherent in his two faculties called +liberty and rationality, of which we have treated above at many places. +They seem to have been destroyed when man made the receptacle of divine +love, namely, his will, a receptacle of self-love, and the receptacle of +divine wisdom, namely, his understanding, a receptacle of his own +intelligence. Doing this, he inverted the image and likeness of God and +turned these receptacles away from God and towards himself. Consequently +they have become closed above and open below, or closed in front and open +behind, though by creation they were open in front and closed behind. +When they have been opened and closed contrariwise, the receptacle of +love, the will, receives influx from hell or from one's proprium; so does +the receptacle of wisdom, the understanding. Hence worship of men arose +in the churches instead of the worship of God, and worship by doctrines +of falsity instead of worship by doctrines of truth, the latter arising +from man's own intelligence, and the former from love of self. Thence it +is evident that religion falls away in the course of time and is ended by +the inversion of God's image in man. + +[7] Third: _This takes place as a result of a continual increase of +hereditary evil over the generations._ It was said and explained above +that hereditary evil does not come from Adam and his wife Eve by their +having eaten of the tree of knowledge, but is derived and transmitted +successively from parents to offspring. Thus it grows by continual +increase from generation to generation. When evil increases so among +many, it spreads to many more, for in all evil there is a lust to lead +astray, in some burning with anger against goodness--hence a contagion of +evil. When the contagion reaches leaders, rulers and the prominent in the +church, religion has become perverted, and the means of restoring it to +health, namely truths, become corrupted by falsifications. As a result +there is a gradual devastation of good and desolation of truth in the +church on to its end. + +[8] Fourth: _Nevertheless the Lord provides that everyone may be saved._ +He provides that there shall be religion everywhere and in it the two +essentials for salvation, acknowledgment of God and ceasing from evil +because it is contrary to God. Other things, which pertain to the +understanding and hence to the thinking, called matters of faith, are +provided everyone in accord with his life, for they are accessory to life +and if they have been given precedence, do not become living until they +are subsidiary. It is also provided that those who have lived rightly and +acknowledged God are instructed by angels after death. Then those who +were in the two essentials of religion while in the world accept such +truths of the church as are in the Word, and acknowledge the Lord as God +of heaven and of the church. This last they receive more readily than do +Christians who have brought with them from the world an idea of the +Lord's human nature parted from His divine. It is also provided by the +Lord that all are saved who die as infants, no matter where they have +been born. + +[9] Furthermore, every person is given the opportunity after death of +amending his life if possible. All are instructed and led by the Lord by +means of angels. Knowing now that they live after death and that heaven +and hell exist, they at first receive truths. But those who did not +acknowledge God and shun evils as sins when in the world soon show a +distaste for truths and draw back, and those who acknowledged truths with +the lips but not with the heart are like the foolish virgins who had +lamps but no oil and begged oil of others, also went off and bought some, +but still were not admitted to the wedding. "Lamps" signify truths of +faith and "oil" signifies the good of charity. It may be evident then +that divine providence sees to it that everyone can be saved and that man +is himself in fault if he is not saved. + +[10] Fifth: _It is also provided that a new church shall succeed in place +of a former devastated church._ It has been so from the most ancient days +that on the devastation of a church a new one followed. The Ancient +Church succeeded the Most Ancient; the Israelitish or Jewish Church +followed the Ancient; after this came the Christian Church. And this, it +is foretold in the Apocalypse, will be followed by a new church, +signified in that book by the New Jerusalem descending from heaven. The +reason why a new church is provided by the Lord to follow in place of a +former devastated church may be seen in _Doctrine of the New Jerusalem +about Sacred Scripture_ (nn. 104-113). + +329. (iv) _Thus all are predestined to heaven, and no one to hell._ In +the work _Heaven and Hell_ (London, 1758) we showed at nn. 545-550 that +the Lord casts no one into hell; the spirit himself does this. So it +happens with every evil and impious person after death and also while he +is in the world, with the difference that while he is in the world he can +be reformed and can embrace and avail himself of the means of salvation, +but not after departure from the world. The means of salvation are summed +up in these two: that evils are to be shunned because they are contrary +to the divine laws in the Decalog and that it be acknowledged that God +exists. Everyone can do both if he does not love evils. For the Lord is +constantly flowing into his will with power for shunning evils and into +his understanding with power to think that God there is. But no one can +do the one without doing the other; the two are joined together like the +two tables of the Decalog, one relating to God and the other to man. In +accordance with what is in His table the Lord enlightens and empowers +everyone, but man receives power and enlightenment so far as he does what +he is bidden in his table. Until then the two tables appear to be laid +face to face and to be sealed, but as man acts on the biddings in his +table they are unsealed and opened out. + +[2] Today is not the Decalog like a small, closed book or document, +opened only in the hands of children and the young? Tell someone farther +along in years, "Do not do this because it is contrary to the Decalog" +and who gives heed? He may give heed if you say, "Do not do this because +it is contrary to divine laws," and yet the precepts of the Decalog are +the divine laws themselves. Experiment was made with a number in the +spiritual world, who at mention of the Decalog or Catechism rejected it +with contempt. This is because in the second table, which is man's, the +Decalog teaches that evils are to be shunned, and one who does not do so, +whether from impiety or from the religious tenet that deeds effect +nothing, only faith does, hears mention of the Decalog or Catechism with +disdain, as though it was a child's book he heard mentioned, no longer +of use to adults. + +[3] These things have been said in order that it may be known that a +knowledge of the means by which one can be saved is not lacking to +anyone, nor power if he wants to be saved. It follows that all are +predestined to heaven and no one to hell. Since, however, a belief in a +predestination not to salvation but to damnation has prevailed with some, +and this belief is damaging and cannot be broken up unless one's reason +sees the insanity and cruelty in it, it is to be dealt with in this +order: + +1. Predestination except to heaven is contrary to divine love and its +infiniteness. +2. Predestination other than to heaven is contrary to divine wisdom and +its infiniteness. +3. That only those born in the church are saved is an insane heresy. +4. That any of mankind are condemned by predestination is a cruel heresy. + +330. That it may be apparent how damaging the belief is in predestination +as this is commonly understood, these four arguments are to be taken up +and confirmed. First: _Predestination except to heaven is contrary to +divine love and its infiniteness._ In the treatise _Divine Love and +Wisdom_ we demonstrated that Jehovah or the Lord is divine love, is +infinite, and is the esse of all life; also that the human being was +created in God's image after God's likeness. As everyone is formed in the +womb by the Lord into that image and after that likeness, as was also +shown, the Lord is the heavenly Father of all human beings and they are +His spiritual children. So Jehovah or the Lord is called in the Word, and +so human beings are. Therefore He says: + +Do not call your father on earth your father, for One is your Father, who +is in the heavens (Mt 23:9). + +This means that He alone is the Father with reference to the life in us, +and the earthly father is father of the covering on life, which is the +body. In heaven, therefore, no one but the Lord is called Father. And +from many passages in the Word it is clear that those who do not pervert +that life are said to be His sons and to be born from Him. + +[2] Plainly, then, the divine love is in every man, an evil man as well +as a good man, and the Lord who is divine love cannot act otherwise than +a father on earth does with his children, infinitely more lovingly +because divine love is infinite. Furthermore, He cannot withdraw from +anyone because everyone's life is from Him. He appears to withdraw from +those who are evil, but it is they who withdraw, while He still in love +leads them. Thus the Lord says: + +Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and you will find; knock and it +shall be opened to you . . . What man of you, if his son shall ask bread, +will give him a stone? If you, then, who are evil, know how to give good +things to your children, how much more shall your Father, who is in +heaven, give good things to those who ask Him (Mt 7:7-11), + +and in another place, + +He makes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the +just and unjust (Mt 5:45). + +It is also known in the church that the Lord desires the salvation of all +and the death of no one. It may be seen from all this that predestination +except to heaven is contrary to divine love. + +[3] Second: _Predestination other than to heaven is contrary to divine +wisdom, which is infinite._ By its divine wisdom divine love provides the +means by which every man can be saved. To say that there is any +predestination except to heaven is therefore to say that divine love +cannot provide means to salvation, when yet the means exist for all, as +was shown above, and these are of divine providence which is boundless. +The reason that there are those who are not saved is that divine love +desires man to feel the felicity and blessedness of heaven for himself, +else it would not be heaven to him, and this can be effected only as it +seems to man that he thinks and wills of himself. For without this +appearance nothing would be appropriated to him nor would he be a human +being. To this end divine providence exists, which acts by divine wisdom +out of divine love. + +[4] But this does not do away with the truth that all are predestined to +heaven and no one to hell. Were the means to salvation lacking, it would; +but, as was demonstrated above, the means to salvation have been provided +for everyone, and heaven is such that all of whatever religion who live +rightly have a place in it. Man is like the earth which produces fruits +of every kind, a power the earth has as the earth. That it also produces +evil fruits does not do away with its capability of producing good +fruits; it would if it could only produce evil fruits. Or, again, man is +like an object which variegates the rays of light in it. If the object +gives only unpleasing colors, the light is not the cause, for its rays +can be variegated to produce pleasing colors. + +[5] Third: _That only those who have been born in the church are saved is +an insane heresy._ Those born outside the church are human beings equally +with those born within it; they have the same heavenly origin, and like +them they are living and immortal souls. They also have some religion by +virtue of which they acknowledge God's existence and that they should +live aright. One who acknowledges God and lives aright becomes spiritual +in his measure and is saved, as we showed above. It may be protested that +they have not been baptized, but baptism does not save any who are not +washed spiritually, that is, regenerated, of which baptism is a sign and +reminder. + +[6] It is also objected that the Lord is not known to them and that there +is no salvation without Him. But salvation does not come to a person +because the Lord is known to him, but because he lives according to the +Lord's precepts. Moreover, the Lord is known to everyone who acknowledges +God, for He is God of heaven and earth, as He Himself teaches (Mt 28:18 +and elsewhere). Furthermore, those outside the church have a clearer idea +about God as Man than Christians have, and those who have a concept of +God as Man and live rightly are accepted by the Lord. They also +acknowledge God as one in person and essence, differently from +Christians. They also give thought to God in their lives, for they regard +evils as sins against God, and those who do this regard God in their +lives. Christians have precepts of religion from the Word, but few draw +precepts of life from it. + +[7] Roman Catholics do not read the Word, and the Reformed who are in +faith apart from charity do not attend to those utterances in it which +concern life, only to those which concern faith, and yet the Word as a +whole is nothing else than a doctrine of life. Christianity obtains only +in Europe; Mohammedanism and Gentilism are found in Asia, the Indies, +Africa and America, and the people in these parts of the globe are ten +times more numerous than those in the Christian part, and in this part +few put religion in life. What then is more mad than to believe that only +these latter are saved and the former condemned, and that a man has +heaven on the strength of his birth and not on the strength of his life? +So the Lord says: + +I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and recline with +Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; but the children of +the kingdom shall be cast out (Mt 8:11, 12). + +[8] Fourth: _That any of mankind are condemned by predestination is a +cruel heresy._ For it is cruel to believe that the Lord, who is love +itself and mercy itself, suffers so vast a throng of persons to be born +for hell or so many myriads of myriads to be born condemned and doomed, +that is, to be born devils and satans, and that He does not provide out +of His divine wisdom that those who live aright and acknowledge God +should not be cast into everlasting fire and torment. The Lord is still +the Creator and the Savior of all men and wills the death of no one. It +is cruel therefore to believe and think that a vast multitude of nations +and peoples under His auspices and care should be handed over as prey to +the devil by predestination. + +XVIII. THE LORD CANNOT ACT CONTRARY TO THE LAWS OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE +BECAUSE TO DO SO WOULD BE TO ACT CONTRARY TO HIS DIVINE LOVE AND WISDOM, +THUS CONTRARY TO HIMSELF + +331. It was shown in _Angelic Wisdom about Divine Love and Wisdom_ that +the Lord is divine love and wisdom, and that these are being itself and +life itself from which everything is and lives. It was also shown that +they proceed from Him, so that the proceeding divine is the Lord Himself. +Paramount in what proceeds is divine providence, for this is constantly +in the end for which the universe was created. The operation and progress +of the end through means is what is called divine providence. + +[2] Inasmuch as the proceeding divine is the Lord Himself and paramount +in it is divine providence, to act contrary to the laws of His divine +providence is to act contrary to Himself. One can also say that the Lord +is providence just as one says that God is order, for divine providence +is the divine order with reference primarily to the salvation of men. As +order does not exist without laws, for they constitute it, and each law +derives from order that it, too, is order, it follows that God, who is +order, is also the law of His order. Similarly it is to be said of divine +providence that as the Lord is providence Himself, He is also the law of +His providence. Hence it is clear that the Lord cannot act contrary to +the laws of His divine providence because to do so would be to act +contrary to Himself. + +[3] Furthermore, there is no activity except on a subject and on the +subject by means; action is impossible except on a subject and on it by +means. Man is the subject of divine providence; divine truths by which he +has wisdom, and divine goods by which he has love, are the means; and by +these means divine providence pursues its purpose, which is the salvation +of man. For he who wills the purpose, wills the means. Therefore when he +who wills the purpose pursues it, he does so through means. But these +things will become plainer on being examined in this order: + +i. The activity of divine providence to save man begins at his birth and +continues to the close of his life and afterwards to eternity. +ii. The activity of divine providence is maintained steadily out of pure +mercy through means. +iii. Instantaneous salvation by direct mercy is impossible. +iv. Instantaneous salvation by direct mercy is the flying fiery serpent +in the church. + +332. (i) _The activity of divine providence to save man begins at his +birth and continues to the close of his life and afterwards to eternity._ +It was shown above that a heaven from mankind is the very purpose of the +creation of the universe; that this purpose in its operation and progress +is the divine providence for the salvation of man; and that all which is +external to man and available to him for use is a secondary end in +creation--in brief, all that is to be found in the three kingdoms, animal, +vegetable and mineral. When all this constantly proceeds according to +laws of divine order fixed at the first of creation, how can the primary +end, which is the salvation of the human race, fail to proceed constantly +according to laws of its order, which are the laws of divine providence? + +[2] Observe just a fruit tree. It springs up first as a slender shoot +from a tiny seed, grows gradually into a stalk, spreads branches which +become covered with leaves, and then puts forth flowers and bears fruit, +in which it deposits fresh seed to provide for its perpetuation. This is +also true of every shrub and of every herb of the field. Do not each and +all things in tree or shrub proceed constantly and wonderfully from +purpose to purpose according to the laws of their order of things? Why +should not the supreme end, a heaven from the human race, proceed in +similar fashion? Can there be anything in its progress which does not +proceed with all constancy according to the laws of divine providence? + +[3] As there is a correspondence of man's life with the growth of a tree, +let us draw the parallel or make the comparison. His infancy is +relatively like the tender shoot of the tree sprouting from seed out of +the ground; his childhood and youth are like the shoot grown to a stalk +with its small branches; the natural truths with which everyone is imbued +at first are like the leaves with which the branches are covered +("leaves" signify precisely this in the Word); man's first steps in the +marriage of good and truth or the spiritual marriage are like the +blossoms which the tree puts forth in the springtime; spiritual truths +are the petals in these blossoms; the earliest signs of the spiritual +marriage are like the start of fruit; spiritual goods, which are goods of +charity, are like the fruit (they are also signified in the Word by +"fruits"); the procreations of wisdom from love are like the seed and by +them the human being becomes like a garden or paradise. Man is also +described in the Word by a tree, and his wisdom from love by a garden; +nothing else is meant by the Garden of Eden. + +[4] True, man is a corrupt tree from the seed, but still a grafting or +budding with shoots taken from the Tree of Life is possible, by which the +sap drawn from the old root is turned into sap producing good fruit. The +comparison was drawn for it to be known that when the progression of +divine providence is so constant in the growth and rebirth of trees, it +surely must be constant in the reformation and rebirth of human beings, +who are of much more value than trees; so the Lord's words: + +Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, yet not one of them is +forgotten by God? But even the hairs of your head are all numbered; fear +not therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Which of you +moreover can by taking thought add a cubit to his stature? .. . if then +you are unable to do what is least, why do you take thought for the rest? +Consider the lilies, how they grow . . . If then God so clothed the +grass, which is in the field today and is cast into an oven tomorrow, how +much more will he clothe you, 0 men of little faith? (Lu 12: 6, 7, +25-28). + +333. The activity of divine providence for man's salvation is said to +begin with his birth and continue to the close of his life. For this to +be understood, it should be known that the Lord sees what a man's nature +is and foresees what he wills to be and thus what he will be. For him to +be man and thus immortal, his freedom of will cannot be taken away. The +Lord therefore foresees his state after death and provides for it from +the man's birth to the close of his life. With the evil He makes the +provision by permitting and withdrawing from evils, in the case of the +good by leading to good. Divine providence is thus continually acting for +man's salvation, but more cannot be saved than are willing to be saved, +and those are willing who acknowledge God and are led by Him. Those are +not willing who do not acknowledge God and who lead themselves. The +latter give no thought to eternal life and to salvation, the former do. +The Lord sees the unwillingness but still He leads such men, and does so +in accordance with the laws of His divine providence, contrary to which +he cannot act, for to act contrary to them would be to act contrary to +His divine love and wisdom, and this is to act contrary to Himself. + +[2] Inasmuch as the Lord foresees the states of all after death, and also +foresees the places in hell of those who do not desire to be saved and +the places in heaven of those who do desire to be saved, it follows that +He provides their places for the evil by the permitting and withdrawing +of which we spoke, and their places for the good by leading them. Unless +this was done steadily from birth to the close of life neither heaven nor +hell would remain standing, for apart from this foresight and providence +neither would be anything but confusion. It may be seen above (nn. 202, +203) that everyone has his place provided for him by the Lord through +this foresight. + +[3] A comparison may throw light on this. If a javelin thrower or a +marksman should aim at a target, from which a line was drawn straight +back for a mile and should err in aim by only a finger's breadth, the +missile or the bullet at the end of the mile would have deviated very far +from the line. So would it be if the Lord did not, at every moment and +even the least fraction of a moment, look to what is eternal in +foreseeing and making provision for one's place after death. But this the +Lord does: the entire future is present to Him, and the entire present is +to Him eternal. That divine providence looks in all it does to what is +infinite and eternal, may be seen above, nn. 46-49, 214 ff. + +334. As was said also, the activity of divine providence continues to +eternity, for every angel is being perfected in wisdom to eternity, each, +however, according to the degree of affection of good and truth in which +he was when he left this world. It is this degree that is perfected to +eternity; what is beyond that is outside the angel and not in him, and +what is external to him cannot be perfected in him. This perfecting is +meant by the + +"Good measure, pressed down and shaken together and running over" which +will be given into the bosom of those who forgive and give to others (Lu +6:37, 38), + +that is, those who are in the good of charity. + +335. (ii) _The activity of divine providence is maintained steadily out +of pure mercy through means._ Divine providence has means and methods. +Its means are the things by which man becomes man and is perfected in +will and understanding; its methods are the ways this is accomplished. +The means by which man becomes man and is perfected in understanding are +collectively called truths. In the thought they become ideas, are called +objects of the memory, and in themselves are forms of knowledge from +which information comes. All these means, viewed in themselves, are +spiritual, but as they exist in what is natural, they seem by reason of +their covering or clothing to be natural and some of them seem to be +material. They are infinite in number and variety, and more or less +simple or composite, and also more or less imperfect or perfect. There +are means for forming and perfecting natural civil life; likewise for +forming and perfecting rational moral life; as there are for forming and +perfecting heavenly spiritual life. + +[2] These means advance, one kind after another, from infancy to the last +of man's life, and thereafter to eternity. As they come along and mount, +the earlier ones become means to the later, entering into all that is +forming as mediate causes. From these every effect or conclusion is +efficacious and therefore becomes a cause. In turn what is later becomes +means; and as this goes on to eternity, there is nothing farthest on or +final to make an end. For as what is eternal is without end, so a wisdom +that increases to eternity is without end. If there were an end to wisdom +for a wise man, the enjoyment of his wisdom would perish, which consists +in the perpetual multiplication and fructification of wisdom. His life's +enjoyment would also perish; in its place an enjoyment of glory would +succeed, in which by itself there is no heavenly life. The wise man then +becomes no longer like a youth but like an old man, and at length like a +decrepit one. + +[3] Although a wise man's wisdom increases forever in heaven, angelic +wisdom cannot approximate the divine wisdom so much as to touch it. It is +relatively like what is said of a straight line drawn about a hyperbola, +always approaching but never touching it, and like what is said about +squaring a circle. Hence it may be plain what is meant by the means by +which divine providence acts in order that man may be man and be +perfected in understanding, and that these means are called by the common +term truths. There are an equal number of means by which man is formed +and perfected as to his will. These are called collectively goods. By +them man comes to have love, by the others wisdom. The conjunction of +love and wisdom makes the man, for what he is is in keeping with the +nature of this conjunction. This conjunction is what is called the +marriage of good and truth. + +336. The methods by which divine providence acts on and through the means +to form and perfect the human being are also infinite in number and +variety. They are as numerous as the activities of divine wisdom from +divine love to save man, and therefore as numerous as the activities of +divine providence in accordance with its laws, treated of above. That +these methods are most secret was illustrated above by the activities of +the soul in the body, of which man knows so little it is scarcely +anything--how, for instance, eye, ear, nose, tongue and skin sense things; +how the stomach digests; how the mesentery elaborates the chyle and the +liver the blood; how the pancreas and the spleen purify the blood, the +kidneys separate it from impure humors, the heart collects and +distributes it, and the lungs purify it and pass it on; how the brain +refines the blood and vivifies it anew; besides innumerable other things +which are all secret, and of which one can scarcely know. Clearly, the +hidden activities of divine providence can be entered into even less; it +is enough to know its laws. + +337. Divine providence acts in all things out of pure mercy. For the +divine essence is itself pure love; this love acts through divine wisdom +and its activity is what is called divine providence. This pure love is +pure mercy because 1. It is active with all men the world over, who are +such that they can do nothing of themselves. 2. It is active with the +evil and unjust and the good and just alike. 3. It leads the former in +hell and rescues them from it. 4. It strives with them there perpetually +and fights for them against the devil, that is, against the evils of +hell. 5. To this end pure love came into the world and endured +temptations even to the last of them, which was the passion of the Cross. +6. It acts continually with the unclean to make them clean and with the +unsound to make them sound in mind. Thus it labors incessantly out of +pure mercy. + +338. (iii) _Instantaneous salvation by direct mercy is impossible._ We +have just shown that the activity of divine providence to save man begins +at his birth and continues to the close of his life and afterwards to +eternity; also that this activity is continually pursued out of pure +mercy through means. It follows that there is neither instantaneous +salvation nor unmediated mercy. But as many, not thinking from the +understanding about things of the church or of religion, believe that +they are saved by immediate mercy and hence that salvation is +instantaneous, and yet this is contrary to the truth and in addition is a +pernicious belief, it is important that it be considered in due order: + +1. Belief in instantaneous salvation by direct mercy has been assumed +from man's natural state. +2. This belief comes from ignorance of the spiritual state, which is +completely different from the natural state. +3. The doctrines of all churches in Christendom, viewed interiorly, are +opposed to instantaneous salvation by direct mercy, but external men of +the church nevertheless maintain the belief. + +[2] First: _Belief in instantaneous salvation by direct mercy has been +assumed from man's natural state._ From his state the natural man does +not know otherwise than that heavenly joy is like worldly joy and that it +flows in and is received in the same way; that, for example, it is like a +poor man's becoming rich and from a sad state of poverty coming into a +happy one of plenty, or like a lowly person's being raised to honors and +passing thus from contempt to renown; or like one's going from a house of +mourning to happy nuptials. As these states can be changed in a day and +as there is a like idea of man's state after death, it is plain whence it +comes that instantaneous salvation by direct mercy is believed in. + +[3] In the world, moreover, many can join in one group or in one civic +community and enjoy the same things, yet all differ in mind; this is true +of the natural state. The reason is that the external of one person can +be accommodated to that of another, no matter how unlike their internals +are. From this natural situation it is also concluded that salvation is +merely admission among angels in heaven, and that admission is by direct +mercy. It is also believed, therefore, that heaven can be given to the +evil as well as to the good, and that their association then is similar +to that in the world, with the difference that it is filled with joy. + +[4] Second: _This belief comes from ignorance of the spiritual state, +which is altogether different from the natural state._ The spiritual +state, which is man's state after death, has been treated of in many +places above. It has been shown that everyone is his own love, that no +one can live with others than those who are in a like love, and that if +he comes among others he cannot breathe his own life. For this reason +everyone comes after death into a society of his own people, that is, who +are in a like love, and recognizes them as relatives and friends, and +what is remarkable, on meeting and seeing them it is as if he had known +them from infancy. Spiritual relationship and friendship bring this +about. What is more, in a society no one can dwell in any other house +than his own. Everyone in a society has his own home, which he finds +prepared for him as soon as he enters the society. He may be in close +company with others outside his home, but he cannot dwell elsewhere. +Again, in somebody else's apartment one can sit only in his own place; +seated elsewhere he becomes frustrated and mute. And it is remarkable +that on entering he knows his own place. This is as true in temples he +enters and in any companies in which people gather. + +[5] It is plain from this that the spiritual state is altogether +different from the natural state, and is such that no one can be anywhere +but where his ruling love is to be found. For there the enjoyment of +one's life is, and everyone desires to be in the enjoyment of his life. A +man's spirit cannot be anywhere else because that enjoyment constitutes +his life, his very breathing, in fact, and his heartbeat. It is different +in the natural world; there man's external is taught from infancy to +simulate in look, speech and bearing other enjoyments than those of his +internal man. Accordingly, no conclusion can be formed about man's state +after death from his state in the natural world. For after death +everyone's state is spiritual and is such that he cannot be anywhere +except in the enjoyment of his love, an enjoyment that he has acquired in +the natural world by his life. + +[6] Hence it is quite plain that no one who is in the enjoyment of hell +can be admitted into the enjoyment of heaven, commonly called heavenly +happiness, or what is the same, no one who is in the enjoyment of evil +can be admitted into the enjoyment of good. This can be concluded still +more plainly from the fact that after death no one is denied going up to +heaven; he is shown the way, has the opportunity given him, and is +admitted, but as soon as he enters heaven and inhales its enjoyment, he +begins to feel constricted in his chest and racked at heart, and falls +into a swoon, in which he writhes as a snake does brought near a fire. +Then with his face turned away from heaven and towards hell, he flees +headlong and does not stop until he is in a society of his own love. +Hence it may be plain that no one reaches heaven by direct mercy. +Consequently, just to be admitted is not enough, as many in the world +suppose. Nor is there any instantaneous salvation, for this presupposes +unmediated mercy. + +[7] When some who had believed in the world in instantaneous salvation by +direct mercy became spirits, they wanted their infernal enjoyment or +enjoyment of evil changed by both divine omnipotence and divine mercy +into heavenly enjoyment or enjoyment in the good. As they ardently +desired this, permission was given for it to be done by angels, who +proceeded to remove their infernal enjoyment. But as this was the +enjoyment of their life's love and consequently their life, they +thereupon lay as if dead, devoid of all feeling and movement; nor could +any life be breathed into them except their own, because all things of +mind and body which had been turned backward could not be reversed. They +were therefore revived by letting in the enjoyment of their life's love. +They said afterwards that in that state they had experienced something +dreadful and horrible, which they did not care to divulge. There is a +saying in heaven, therefore, that it is easier to change an owl into a +turtle-dove or a serpent into a lamb than an infernal spirit into an +angel of heaven. + +[8] Third: _The doctrines of all churches in Christendom, viewed +interiorly, are opposed to instantaneous salvation by direct mercy, but +still some external men of the church maintain the idea._ Viewed +interiorly, the doctrines of all the churches teach life. Is there a +church whose doctrine does not teach that man ought to examine himself, +see and acknowledge his sins, confess them, repent and then live a new +life? Who is admitted to Holy Communion without this admonition and +precept? Inquire and you will be assured of it. Is there a church whose +doctrine is not based on the precepts of the Decalog? The precepts of the +Decalog are precepts of life. What man of the church, in whom there is +anything of the church, does not, on hearing it, acknowledge that he who +lives rightly is saved and he who lives wickedly is condemned? In the +Athanasian Creed, which is also the doctrine received in the whole +Christian world, it is therefore said: + +The Lord will come to judge the quick and the dead; and then those who +have done good will enter into eternal life, and those who have done evil +into everlasting fire. + +[9] It is clear, then, that the doctrines of all churches, when viewed +interiorly, teach life, and teaching life they teach that salvation is +according to the life. Man's life is not breathed into him in a moment +but is formed gradually, and it is reformed as the man shuns evils as +sins, consequently as he learns what sin is, recognizes and acknowledges +it, does not will it but desists from it, and also learns the helps that +come with a knowledge of God. By all these means man's life is formed and +reformed, and they cannot be given on the instant. For hereditary evil, +in itself infernal, has to be removed, and good, in itself heavenly, +implanted in its place. Because of his hereditary evil man may be +compared to an owl as to the understanding and to a serpent as to the +will, but when he has been reformed, he may be compared to a dove as to +the understanding and to a sheep as to the will. Instantaneous +reformation and hence salvation would be like changing an owl at once +into a dove or a serpent at once into a sheep. Who that knows anything +about man's life does not see the impossibility of this? Salvation is +impossible unless the owl and serpent nature is removed and the nature of +the dove and sheep implanted instead. + +[10] Moreover, it is common knowledge that every intelligent person can +become more intelligent than he is, and every wise man wiser than he is, +and that intelligence and wisdom in man may increase and do so in some +men from infancy to the close of life, and that man is thus continually +perfected. Why should not spiritual intelligence and wisdom increase as +well? These rise by two degrees above natural intelligence and wisdom, +and as they ascend become angelic intelligence and wisdom, which are +ineffable. These in turn increase to eternity with the angels. Who cannot +understand, if he will, that what is being perfected to eternity cannot +possibly be made perfect in an instant? + +339. Thence it is evident now that all who give thought to salvation for +their life's sake do not think of an instantaneous salvation by immediate +mercy. Their thought is about the means to salvation, on and by which the +Lord acts in accord with the laws of His divine providence, and thus by +which man is led by the Lord out of pure mercy. Those, however, who do +not think of salvation for their life's sake presume an instantaneousness +in salvation and an immediacy in mercy, as do those who, separating faith +from charity (charity is life), presume that faith can be instantaneous, +at the final hour of death, if not earlier. Those do this, too, who +believe remission of sins without any repentance to be absolution from +sins and thus salvation, when attending the Holy Supper. So again those +do who trust to indulgences of monks, their prayers for the dead, and the +dispensations they grant by the authority which they claim over the souls +of men. + +340. (iv) _Instantaneous salvation by unmediated mercy is the flying +fiery serpent in the church._ By a flying fiery serpent evil aglow with +infernal fire is meant, as it is by the flying fiery serpent in Isaiah: + +Rejoice not, all Philistia, that the rod which smote you is broken, for +out of the serpent's root shall come forth a basilisk, whose fruit is a +flying fiery serpent (14:29). + +Evil of the kind is flying about in the church when belief is put in +instantaneous salvation by immediate mercy, for this 1. abolishes +religion; 2. induces security; and 3. charges condemnation to the Lord. + +[2] First: _It abolishes religion._ Two things are the essentials and at +the same time the universals of religion, namely, acknowledgment of God, +and repentance. Neither has meaning for those who believe that they are +saved out of mercy alone no matter how they live. What need then to do +more than cry, "Have mercy on me, O God"? In all else pertaining to +religion they are in darkness, even loving the darkness. In regard to the +first essential of the church, which is an acknowledgment of God, they +only think, "What is God? Who has seen Him?" If told that God is, and is +one, they say that He is one; if told there are three, they also say +there are three, but the three must be called one. Such is their +acknowledgment of God. + +[3] Touching the church's second essential, namely, repentance, they give +this no thought, nor thought to any sin, and finally do not know that +there is such a thing as sin. Then they hear and drink in with pleasure +that the law does not condemn them because a Christian is not under its +yoke. If only you say, "Have mercy on me, 0 God, for the sake of the +Son," you will be saved. This is repentance in their life. If, however, +you take away repentance, or what is the same thing, separate life from +religion, what is left except the words, "Have mercy on me"? They are +therefore sure to maintain that salvation is instantaneous, accomplished +by these words, even if uttered at the hour of death, if not before. What +does the Word become to them then but an obscure and cryptic utterance +issuing from a tripod in a cave, or like an incomprehensible response +from the oracle of an idol? In a word, if you remove repentance, that is, +sever life from religion, what is human nature then but evil aglow with +infernal fire or a flying fiery serpent in the church? For without +repentance man is in evil, and evil is hell. + +[4] Second: _By the belief in instantaneous salvation out of pure mercy +alone security of life is induced._ Security of life arises either from +the belief of the impious man that there is no life after death, or from +the belief of one who separates life from salvation. Although the latter +may believe in eternal life, he still thinks, "whether I live rightly or +wickedly, I can be saved, for salvation is by outright mercy, and God's +mercy is universal, for He does not desire the death of anyone." If it +occurs to him that mercy should be implored in the words of the +traditional faith, he can think that this can be done, if not earlier, +just before death. Everyone who feels this security, makes light of +adultery, fraud, injustice, acts of violence, blasphemy and revenge, and +gives a free rein to body and spirit for committing all these evils; nor +does he know what spiritual evil, or the lust of evil, is. Should he hear +something about it from the Word, it is like something falling on ebony +and rebounding, or falling into a ditch and being swallowed up. + +[5] Third: _By this belief condemnation is charged to the Lord._ If the +Lord can save anybody out of pure mercy, who is not going to conclude +that if man is not saved, it is not he but the Lord who is in fault? If +it is asserted that faith is the medium of salvation, what man cannot +have this faith? For it is only a thought, and this can be imparted, +along with confidence, in any state of the spirit withdrawn from the +mundane. Man may also declare "I cannot acquire this faith of myself." +Hence if it is not vouchsafed him and he is condemned, what else can he +think except that the Lord is in fault who could have given him the faith +but would not? Would this not amount to calling the Lord unmerciful? +Moreover, in the fervor of his belief he may ask, "How can God see so +many condemned in hell when He can save them all in an instant from pure +mercy?" And more such things, which can only be called an atrocious +indictment of the Divine. From the above it may be evident that belief in +instantaneous salvation out of sheer mercy is the flying fiery serpent in +the church. + +[6] Excuse the addition of what follows to fill the remainder of the +sheet. + +Certain spirits were permitted to ascend from hell who said to me, "You +have written much from the Lord; write something from us, too." I asked, +"What shall I write?" They said, "Write that every spirit, good or evil, +has his own enjoyment; a good spirit is in the enjoyment of his good, and +an evil spirit in the enjoyment of his evil." I then asked, "What is your +enjoyment?" They answered that it was the enjoyment of committing +adultery, stealing, defrauding and lying. Again I inquired, "What is the +nature of those enjoyments?" They replied, "By others they are perceived +as offensive odors from excrement and as the putrid smell from dead +bodies and as the reeking stench from stagnant urine." I then said, "Do +you find them enjoyable?" "Most enjoyable," they said. I remarked, "Then +you are like unclean beasts which live in such filth." They replied to +this, "If we are, we are; but such things are delightful to our +nostrils." + +[7] I asked, "What more shall I write from you?" They said, "Write this. +Everyone is allowed to be in his own enjoyment, even the most unclean, as +it is called, provided he does not infest good spirits and angels, but as +we could not but infest them, we were driven off and cast into hell, +where we suffer fearful things." I asked, "Why did you infest the good?" +They replied that they could not help it; a fury seems to seize them when +they see an angel and feel the divine sphere around him. Then I said, "So +you are also like savage beasts!" On hearing this, a fury came over them +which appeared like the fire of hate, and lest they inflict some injury, +they were drawn back into hell. On enjoyments sensed as odors or as +stenches in the spiritual world, see above (nn. 303-305, 324). + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Angelic Wisdom about Divine Providence, by +Emanuel Swedenborg + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ANGELIC WISDOM *** + +***** This file should be named 18507.txt or 18507.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/8/5/0/18507/ + +Produced by William J. 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