Logopraxis

On the Difference between the Spiritual and Natural

Arcana Coelestia 141. Innumerable things might be said about man’s Own in describing its nature with the corporeal and worldly man, with the spiritual man, and with the celestial man. With the corporeal and worldly man, his Own is his all, he knows of nothing else than his Own, and imagines, as before said, that if he were to lose this Own he would perish. With the spiritual man also his Own has a similar appearance, for although he knows that the Lord is the life of all, and gives wisdom and understanding, and consequently the power to think and to act, yet this knowledge is rather the profession of his lips than the belief of his heart. But the celestial man discerns that the Lord is the life of all and gives the power to think and to act, for he perceives that it is really so. He never desires his Own, nevertheless an Own is given him by the Lord, which is conjoined with all perception of what is good and true, and with all happiness. The angels are in such an Own, and are at the same time in the highest peace and tranquility, for in their Own are those things which are the Lord’s, who governs their Own, or them by means of their Own. This Own is the veriest celestial itself, whereas that of the corporeal man is infernal. But concerning this Own more hereafter.

The Obscurity of the Spiritual

Arcana Coelestia 7233 [2] In respect to this matter, be it known further that the doctrine of the spiritual church is not that of truth Divine itself, because those who are of the spiritual church have no perception of truth Divine, as have those who are of the celestial church; but instead of this perception they have conscience, which is formed from the truth and good which they have acknowledged within their own church, of whatever kind these may be. (That those who are of the spiritual church are relatively in obscurity in respect to the truths of faith, see n. 86, 2708, 2715, 2716, 2718, 2831, 2935, 2937, 3241, 3246, 3833, 6289, 6500, 6865, 6945.) Hence it is that everyone within the spiritual church acknowledges as the truth of faith that which its founders have dictated, nor do they search further from the Word whether it be the very truth; and moreover if they did search they would not find it unless they had been regenerated and at the same time enlightened in an especial manner; and this for the reason that their intellectual can indeed be enlightened, but the new will cannot be affected with any other good than that which has been formed by means of conjunction with the truth received within the church. For their own will has been destroyed, and a new will has been formed in the intellectual part (see n. 863, 875, 1023, 1043, 1044, 1555, 2256, 4328, 5113); and when their own will has been separated from the new will which is in the intellectual part, the light in this is feeble, such as is the nocturnal light from the moon and stars compared with the diurnal light from the sun. Hence also it is that by the “moon” in the Word, in the internal sense, is meant the good of spiritual love, and by the “sun” the good of celestial love (n. 30-38, 1529-1531, 2495, 4060).

[3] The case being so with the spiritual church, it is not to be wondered at that with most persons faith is the essential of the church, and not charity, and also that they have no doctrine of charity. Their doctrinal things being from the Word does not make them Divine truths, for from the sense of the letter of the Word any doctrinal thing whatever can be hatched, and that which favors the concupiscences can be readily learned; thus also what is false can be taken for what is true, as is the case with the doctrinal things of the Jews, of the Socinians, and of many others; but not so if doctrine is formed from the internal sense. The internal sense is not only that sense which lies concealed in the external sense, as has heretofore been shown, but is also that which results from a number of passages of the sense of the letter rightly collated, and which is discerned by those who are enlightened by the Lord in respect to their intellectual. For the enlightened intellectual discriminates between apparent truths and real truths, especially between falsities and truths, although it does not judge about real truths in themselves. But the intellectual cannot be enlightened unless it is believed that love to the Lord and charity toward the neighbor are the principal and essential things of the church. He who proceeds from the acknowledgment of these, provided he himself is in them, sees innumerable truths; nay, he sees very many secrets disclosed to him, and this from interior acknowledgment, according to the degree of the enlightenment from the Lord.

1044. [2] For man when regenerated is as to the intellectual part the Lord’s, but as to his will part is his own, these two parts in the spiritual man being opposed. But though the will part of man is opposed, yet it cannot but be present; for all the obscurity in his intellectual part, or all the density of his cloud, is from it. It continually flows in from it, and in proportion as it flows in, the cloud in his intellectual part is thickened; but in proportion as it is removed, the cloud is made thin...[3] This condition of things between the will and the understanding is as if two who were formerly conjoined by a covenant of friendship, as were the will and the understanding in the man of the Most Ancient Church, had their friendship broken, and enmity had arisen-as took place when man wholly corrupted his will part-and then when a covenant is again entered into, the hostile part is set forth as if the covenant were with it, but it is not with it, because it is utterly opposite and contrary, but it is with that which flows in from it—as already said-that is, with the Own of the understanding. The “token” or “sign” of the covenant is this, that in proportion as there is the presence of the Lord in the Own of the understanding, in the same proportion the Own of the will will be removed. The case herein is exactly as it is with heaven and hell. The intellectual part of the regenerated man, from charity, in which the Lord is present, is heaven; his will part is hell. So far as the Lord is present in this heaven, so far is this hell removed. For of himself man is in hell, and of the Lord is in heaven. And man is being continually uplifted from hell into heaven, and so far as he is uplifted, so far his hell is removed. The “sign” therefore, or indication, that the Lord is present, is that man’s will part is being removed. The possibility of its removal is effected by means of temptations, and by many other means of regeneration.

The Three Phases

AC 30 [2] The progression of faith with those who are being created anew is as follows. At first they have no life, for it is only in the good and the true that there is life, and none in the evil and the false; afterwards they receive life from the Lord by faith, first by faith of the memory, which is a faith of mere knowledge [fides scientifica]; next by faith in the understanding, which is an intellectual faith; lastly by faith in the heart, which is the faith of love, or saving faith. The first two kinds of faith are represented from verses 3-13, by things inanimate, but faith vivified by love is represented from verses 20-25, by animate things. For this reason love, and faith thence derived, are now here first treated of, and are called “luminaries;” love being “the greater luminary which rules by day;” faith derived from love “the lesser luminary which rules by night;” and as these two luminaries ought to make a one, it is said of them, in the singular number, “Let there be luminaries” [sint luminaria], and not in the plural [sint luminaria].

AC 7231...The reason why mention is here made of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and their sons, and not the rest of the fathers of the tribes with their sons in order, cannot be known except from the internal sense. That this enumeration was made in this chapter to make known the nativity of Aaron and Moses is evident; but for this the genealogy of Leviticus would have sufficed, for the genealogy of Reuben, Simeon, and their sons contributes nothing thereto. But the reason (which is seen from the internal sense alone) is that the subject treated of is the spiritual church, which is represented by the sons of Israel, which church begins with man by means of faith in knowledge and next in understanding, which faith is represented by Reuben and his sons afterward, when the church grows with man, this faith passes into the will, and from the will into act, and then the man wills the truth which is of faith and does it because it has been so commanded in the Word; this stage of faith is represented by Simeon; lastly, in his will, which is new, there is perceived the affection of charity, so that he wills to do what is good, not as before from faith, but from charity toward the neighbor; for when the man is being regenerated thus far, he is then a man of the spiritual church, for the church is then in him; this charity with its affection is what is represented by Levi. Hence then it is that the families of Reuben and also of Simeon are enumerated, and lastly the family of Levi, by whom as before said is represented charity, which is the very spiritual of the church. Aaron represents the external of this church, and Moses the internal; the internal of the church is called the law from the Divine, and the external is called the derivative doctrine. The law from the divine, which is the internal of the church, is also the Word in the internal sense; and the derivative doctrine is the Word in the external sense. (That these are represented by Moses and Aaron, see n. 7089)

The Awakening Series Papers

Awakening to Spiritual Life: Heaven and Hell 491 -520

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life

The spiritual church(state) is about warfare

Arcana Coelestia 7233. [2] In respect to this matter, be it known further that the doctrine of the spiritual church is not that of truth Divine itself, because those who are of the spiritual church have no perception of truth Divine, as have those who are of the celestial church; but instead of this perception they have conscience, which is formed from the truth and good which they have acknowledged within their own church, of whatever kind these may be. (That those who are of the spiritual church are relatively in obscurity in respect to the truths of faith, see n. 86, 2708, 2715, 2716, 2718, 2831, 2935, 2937, 3241, 3246, 3833, 6289, 6500, 6865, 6945.) Hence it is that everyone within the spiritual church acknowledges as the truth of faith that which its founders have dictated, nor do they search further from the Word whether it be the very truth; and moreover if they did search they would not find it unless they had been regenerated and at the same time enlightened in an especial manner; and this for the reason that their intellectual can indeed be enlightened, but the new will cannot be affected with any other good than that which has been formed by means of conjunction with the truth received within the church. For their own will has been destroyed, and a new will has been formed in the intellectual part (see n. 863, 875, 1023, 1043, 1044, 1555, 2256, 4328, 5113); and when their own will has been separated from the new will which is in the intellectual part, the light in this is feeble, such as is the nocturnal light from the moon and stars compared with the diurnal light from the sun.

AC 7236... But the goods of the spiritual church are in their essence nothing else than truths, for these are called goods when the life is according to them. Hence by “armies,” when said of the regenerate within the spiritual church, are signified the goods of truth, or goods in truths. The reason why it is said that the sons of Israel were to be “led forth according to their armies,” is that it is said of them when going out of Egypt; in the internal sense when they come out of combats with falsities, thus after they have waged spiritual warfare. 

The work of the spiritual states enable the Lord to instil what is of Himself into the understanding faculties - to create an 'own' that has life in it for us

AC 1044. [2] For man when regenerated is as to the intellectual part the Lord’s, but as to his will part is his own, these two parts in the spiritual man being opposed. But though the will part of man is opposed, yet it cannot but be present; for all the obscurity in his intellectual part, or all the density of his cloud, is from it. It continually flows in from it, and in proportion as it flows in, the cloud in his intellectual part is thickened; but in proportion as it is removed, the cloud is made thin. ... The “token” or “sign” of the covenant is this, that in proportion as there is the presence of the Lord in the Own of the understanding, in the same proportion the Own of the will will be removed.

AC 1937...there is more of freedom than is possible in any state out of temptations-although at the time the man cannot comprehend this-for there is an interior freedom, from which he wills to subjugate evil, and which is so great as to equal the force and strength of the evil that is assailing him, for otherwise he could not possibly wage the combat. This freedom is from the Lord, who insinuates it into the man’s conscience, and by means of it causes him to overcome the evil as from what is his own. Through this freedom man acquires an Own in which the Lord can work what is good. Without an Own acquired, that is, given, through freedom, no man can possibly be reformed, because he cannot receive the new will, which is conscience. The freedom thus given is the very plane into which there is an influx of good and truth from the Lord. Hence it is that they who in temptations do not resist from their own will, or in freedom, give way...(6) in this freedom, when the man is compelling himself to resist what is evil and false, and to do what is good, there is heavenly love, which the Lord then insinuates, and through which He creates the man’s Own; and therefore the Lord wills that it should appear to the man as his, although it is not his. This Own which man during his bodily life thus receives through what is apparently compulsory, is filled by the Lord in the other life with illimitable delights and happinesses...Such persons are also by degrees enlightened to see and even to be confirmed in the truth, that of themselves they have not compelled themselves one atom, but that all things of the effort of their will, even the smallest, had been from the Lord; and that the reason why it had appeared as if it was of themselves was in order that a new will might be given them by the Lord as their own, and that in this way the life of heavenly love might be appropriated to them. For the Lord wills to communicate to everyone what is His, and therefore He wills to communicate what is heavenly, so that it may appear as the man’s, and in him, although it is not his. The angels are in such an Own; and in proportion as they are in the truth that all good and truth are from the Lord, they are in the delight and happiness of this Own.

But this 'own' must then be given up - acknowledged (as in lived), as His

AC 4151[3] Speaking generally, the case is that no one ever has good and truth which is his own, but all good and truth flow in from the Lord, both immediately, and also mediately through angelic societies; and yet it appears as if the good and truth were the man’s, to the intent that they may be appropriated to him, until he comes into a state to know, and then to acknowledge, and at last to believe, that they are not his, but the Lord’s….

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

Arcana Coelestia 7186...But it is according to order that everyone carries with him his life which he had lived in the world, and his state in the other life is according to this, and that the mercy of the Lord flows in with all, but is diversely received, and by those who are in evil, is rejected; and as in the world they have imbued themselves with evil, they also retain it in the other life, nor is amendment possible in the other life, for the tree lies where it has fallen.

AC 7193. [2] That the Lord as to the human is here meant by these, not as to the Divine Itself, nor as to the Divine Human, is because the subject is temptations, and the Lord as to the human before it was made Divine could be tempted, but not as to the Divine Human, and still less as to the Divine Itself; for the Divine is beyond all temptations. The infernals who tempt cannot approach even the celestial angels, for when they approach them, they are seized with horror and anguish, and become as if half dead; and as they cannot approach the celestial angels, and this by reason of the Divine with them, much less can they approach the Divine which is infinitely above the angelic. From all this it can be seen that the Lord assumed an infirm human from the mother in order that He might be tempted, and by temptations reduce into order all things in heaven and in hell, and then at the same time glorify His Human, that is, make it Divine.

[3] (That by “God Shaddai” are signified temptations, and afterward consolations, see n. 1992, 3667, 4572, 5628.) It is said “afterward consolations,” because it is from Divine order that comfortings follow the pains of temptations, just as morning and dawn follow evening and night. There is also a correspondence between them, for there are alternations of states in the other life, as there are of the seasons in the world. States of temptations and of infestations, and also states of desolations, are in the other life evening and night; and states of consolations and festivities are morning and dawn. That by the same words, namely, “I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, in God Shaddai,” are also signified the temptations of the faithful, and afterward consolations, is because the regeneration of man, which is effected by means of temptations, is an image of the glorification of the the Lord, (n. 3138, 3212, 3296, 3490, 4402, 5688); therefore the things in the Word which are understood of the Lord in the supreme sense, are understood of the faithful in the relative internal sense.

Real appearances

AC 3485. The representations that come forth in the other life are appearances, but living ones, because they are from the light of life. The light of life is the Divine wisdom, which is from the Lord alone. Hence all things that come forth from this light are real; and are not like those things that come forth from the light of the world. Wherefore they who are in the other life have sometimes said that the things they see there are real things, and the things which man sees are in comparison not real; because the former things live, and thus immediately affect their life, while the latter things do not live, thus do not immediately affect the life, except insofar and in such a manner as the things in their minds which are of this world’s light conjoin themselves fitly and correspondently with the things of the light of heaven. 

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

Wanting the liberation from hell(the proprium) to happen all at once

Arcana Coelestia 7186[3] That those who are of the spiritual church, and who are in the lower earth, would be gradually liberated from infestations, and not immediately, is because the evils and falsities that cling to them cannot otherwise be removed, and goods and truths be instilled in their place; for this is effected by many changes of state, thus successively by degrees. They who believe that man can be immediately introduced into heaven, and that this is solely of the Lord’s mercy, are very much mistaken. If this were possible, all whatsoever who are in hell would be raised into heaven, for the Lord’s mercy extends to all. But it is according to order that everyone carries with him his life which he had lived in the world, and his state in the other life is according to this, and that the mercy of the Lord flows in with all, but is diversely received, and by those who are in evil, is rejected; and as in the world they have imbued themselves with evil, they also retain it in the other life, nor is amendment possible in the other life, for the tree lies where it has fallen. From all this it is evident that it is according to order that those who have lived in good, and with whom there are also gross and impure things which pertain to the love of the world and the love of self, cannot be associated with those who are in the heavens until these things have been removed. From all this it is evident that liberation from infestations is effected successively by degrees.

When the Word is what is induced on the soul

AC 5847. No man, spirit, or angel ever has any life from himself, thus neither can he think and will from himself; because in thinking and willing is the life of man, and speaking and acting is the life thence derived. For there is one only life, that of the Lord, which flows into all, but is variously received, and indeed according to the quality which a man has induced on his soul by his life. Hence with the evil, goods and truths are turned into evils and falsities, but with the good they are received-goods as goods, and truths as truths. This may be compared to the light of the sun flowing into objects, which is modified and varied in them diversely according to the form of the parts, and thus is turned into colors, some sad and some cheerful. While a man lives in the world he induces a form on the purest substances of his interiors, so that it may be said that he forms his soul, that is, its quality; and according to this form is received the life of the Lord, which is the life of His love toward the universal human race.

And I will redeem you with an outstretched arm

7190. Verses 2-8. And God spoke unto Moses, and said unto him, I am Jehovah; and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, in God Shaddai; and by My name Jehovah I was not known to them. And I also set up My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their sojournings, wherein they sojourned. And moreover I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, in that the Egyptians make them to serve; and I have remembered My covenant. Wherefore say to the sons of Israel, I am Jehovah, and I will lead you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will liberate you from their service; and I will redeem you with a stretched-out arm, and with great judgments; and I will take you to Me for a people, and I will be to you for God, and ye shall know that I am Jehovah your God, who leadeth you out from under the burdens of Egypt. And I will bring you unto the land where I lifted up My hand to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, and I will give it you for a heritage: I am Jehovah.

“And God spoke unto Moses” signifies what is new but continuous with what was before; “and said unto him, I am Jehovah” signifies confirmation from the Divine which is irrevocable; and “I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, in God Shaddai” signifies the temptations of the Lord as to the Human, and the temptations of the faithful, and afterward consolations; “and by My name Jehovah I was not known to them” signifies that they of the spiritual church in a state of temptations did not think of the Divine things of the church; “and I also set up My covenant with them” signifies even then conjunction through the Divine Human of the Lord; “to give them the land of Canaan” signifies by means of which conjunction they would be uplifted into heaven; “the land of their sojournings, wherein they sojourned” signifies where the things of faith and charity are, concerning which they have been instructed, and according to which they have lived; “and moreover I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel” signifies their grief from the combat; “in that the Egyptians make them to serve” signifies with those who are in falsities, who are endeavoring to subjugate; “and I have remembered My covenant” signifies release from them because of conjunction; “wherefore say to the sons of Israel” signifies that the law Divine shall give to those who are of the Lord’s spiritual kingdom to notice; “I am Jehovah” signifies confirmation from the Divine; “and I will lead you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians” signifies that the Lord will release them from the infestations of those who are in falsities; “and I will liberate you from their service” signifies fully from the endeavor to subjugate them; “and I will redeem you with a stretched-out arm” signifies leading forth from hell by virtue of Divine power; “and with great judgments” signifies according to the laws of order from the Divine Human of the Lord; “and I will take you to Me for a people” signifies that they shall be added to those in heaven who serve the Lord there; “and I will be to you for God” signifies that they shall also receive the Divine; “and ye shall know that I am Jehovah your God” signifies a noticing then that the Lord alone is God; “who leadeth you out from under the burdens of Egypt” signifies who has liberated from infestations by falsities; “and I will bring you unto the land where I lifted up My hand to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob” signifies an uplifting by the Divine power to heaven, where the Divine Human of the Lord is all; “and I will give it you for a heritage” signifies the Lord’s life there to eternity; “I am Jehovah” signifies confirmation from the Divine.

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

Arcana Coelestia 7190. Verses 2-8. And God spoke unto Moses, and said unto him, I am Jehovah; and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, in God Shaddai; and by My name Jehovah I was not known to them. And I also set up My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their sojournings, wherein they sojourned. And moreover I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, in that the Egyptians make them to serve; and I have remembered My covenant. Wherefore say to the sons of Israel, I am Jehovah, and I will lead you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will liberate you from their service; and I will redeem you with a stretched-out arm, and with great judgments; and I will take you to Me for a people, and I will be to you for God, and ye shall know that I am Jehovah your God, who leadeth you out from under the burdens of Egypt. And I will bring you unto the land where I lifted up My hand to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, and I will give it you for a heritage: I am Jehovah.

“And God spoke unto Moses” signifies what is new but continuous with what was before; “and said unto him, I am Jehovah” signifies confirmation from the Divine which is irrevocable; and “I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, in God Shaddai” signifies the temptations of the Lord as to the Human, and the temptations of the faithful, and afterward consolations; “and by My name Jehovah I was not known to them” signifies that they of the spiritual church in a state of temptations did not think of the Divine things of the church; “and I also set up My covenant with them” signifies even then conjunction through the Divine Human of the Lord; “to give them the land of Canaan” signifies by means of which conjunction they would be uplifted into heaven; “the land of their sojournings, wherein they sojourned” signifies where the things of faith and charity are, concerning which they have been instructed, and according to which they have lived; “and moreover I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel” signifies their grief from the combat; “in that the Egyptians make them to serve” signifies with those who are in falsities, who are endeavoring to subjugate; “and I have remembered My covenant” signifies release from them because of conjunction; “wherefore say to the sons of Israel” signifies that the law Divine shall give to those who are of the Lord’s spiritual kingdom to notice; “I am Jehovah” signifies confirmation from the Divine; “and I will lead you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians” signifies that the Lord will release them from the infestations of those who are in falsities; “and I will liberate you from their service” signifies fully from the endeavor to subjugate them; “and I will redeem you with a stretched-out arm” signifies leading forth from hell by virtue of Divine power; “and with great judgments” signifies according to the laws of order from the Divine Human of the Lord; “and I will take you to Me for a people” signifies that they shall be added to those in heaven who serve the Lord there; “and I will be to you for God” signifies that they shall also receive the Divine; “and ye shall know that I am Jehovah your God” signifies a noticing then that the Lord alone is God; “who leadeth you out from under the burdens of Egypt” signifies who has liberated from infestations by falsities; “and I will bring you unto the land where I lifted up My hand to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob” signifies an uplifting by the Divine power to heaven, where the Divine Human of the Lord is all; “and I will give it you for a heritage” signifies the Lord’s life there to eternity; “I am Jehovah” signifies confirmation from the Divine.

7193. And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, in God Shaddai. That this signifies the temptations of the Lord as to the Human, and the temptations of the faithful, and afterward consolations, is evident from the signification of “appearing,” or “being seen,” when said of Jehovah, as being perception from the Divine (see n. 2150, 3764, 4567, 5400); and from the representation of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, as being the Lord as to the Divine Itself, and as to the Divine Human (n. 6804, 6847); but here, as Jehovah speaks and says that “He appeared to them,” the Lord is signified as to the human, that is, the human before it was made Divine. By “Abraham” is signified the celestial in this human; by “Isaac,” the spiritual; and by “Jacob,” the natural.

[2] That the Lord as to the human is here meant by these, not as to the Divine Itself, nor as to the Divine Human, is because the subject is temptations, and the Lord as to the human before it was made Divine could be tempted, but not as to the Divine Human, and still less as to the Divine Itself; for the Divine is beyond all temptations. The infernals who tempt cannot approach even the celestial angels, for when they approach them, they are seized with horror and anguish, and become as if half dead; and as they cannot approach the celestial angels, and this by reason of the Divine with them, much less can they approach the Divine which is infinitely above the angelic. From all this it can be seen that the Lord assumed an infirm human from the mother in order that He might be tempted, and by temptations reduce into order all things in heaven and in hell, and then at the same time glorify His Human, that is, make it Divine.

[3] (That by “God Shaddai” are signified temptations, and afterward consolations, see n. 1992, 3667, 4572, 5628.) It is said “afterward consolations,” because it is from Divine order that comfortings follow the pains of temptations, just as morning and dawn follow evening and night. There is also a correspondence between them, for there are alternations of states in the other life, as there are of the seasons in the world. States of temptations and of infestations, and also states of desolations, are in the other life evening and night; and states of consolations and festivities are morning and dawn. That by the same words, namely, “I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, in God Shaddai,” are also signified the temptations of the faithful, and afterward consolations, is because the regeneration of man, which is effected by means of temptations, is an image of the glorification of the the Lord, (n. 3138, 3212, 3296, 3490, 4402, 5688); therefore the things in the Word which are understood of the Lord in the supreme sense, are understood of the faithful in the relative internal sense.

7206. And with great judgments. That this signifies according to the laws of order from the Divine Human of the Lord, is evident from the signification of “judgments,” as being truths (see n. 2235, 6397), and in the supreme sense, where it is said of the Lord, as being truths Divine; which truths are nothing but the laws of order from the Divine Human of the Lord, for all order is from Him, thus all the laws of order. The whole heaven, consequently also the universe, is in accordance with these laws. The laws of order, or the truths which proceed from the Lord, in accordance with which is the whole heaven, and the universe, are what are called “the Word by which all things were made” (John 1:1-3); for the “Word” denotes Divine truth proceeding from the Divine good of the Divine Human of the Lord; and hence it is that all things in the spiritual world and also in the natural world have relation to truth, as can be seen by him who reflects.

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

Arcana Coelestia 7298... Such dullness is also induced by magicians in the other life, and this by the abuse and perversion of order, for they know how to take away the influx of heaven, and when this is taken away there is dullness in the noticing of truth; and they also know how to induce fallacies, and to present them in a light like the light of truth, and at the same time to obscure the real truths; they likewise know how to inject what is persuasive, and thus to dull the noticing of truth; not to mention other methods. When there is dullness, falsities appear as truths, such falsities being signified by “sorceries” and “enchantments.” From all this it is evident how magicians can present what is in appearance the same.AC 7290...As regards the wonders and signs treated of in what follows, be it known that they were done among such as were in external worship, and did not desire to know anything about internal worship, for they who were in such worship had to be driven by external means. This is the reason why miracles were done among the Israelitish and Jewish people, for they were in external worship only. In the absence of their desire for internal worship they had to be in external, in order that they might represent holy things in outward ones, and that in this way there might be communication with heaven as by something of a church, for correspondences, representatives, and significatives conjoin the natural world with the spiritual. This is the reason why so many miracles were done in that nation.

[2] But miracles are not done among those who are in internal worship, that is, in charity and faith, because to these they are hurtful, for miracles compel belief, and what is compelled does not remain, but is dissipated. The inward things of worship, which are faith and charity, must be implanted in freedom, for then they are appropriated, and what is so appropriated remains; whereas that which is implanted in compulsion, remains outside the internal man in the external, because nothing enters into the internal man except by means of intellectual ideas, which are reasons; for the ground which there receives is an enlightened rational. Hence it is that no miracles are wrought at this day. That they would be hurtful, can be seen from what has been said; for they drive men to believe, and fix their ideas in the external man that the case is so; and if the internal man afterward denies that which the miracles have confirmed, there results an opposition and collision of the internal and external man; and finally when the ideas derived from miracles are dissipated, there is effected a conjunction of falsity and truth, and thus a profanation. From this it is evident how injurious at the present day are miracles in a church in which the inward things of worship have been disclosed. These moreover are the things signified by the Lord’s words to Thomas:

Because thou hast seen Me, Thomas, thou hast believed; blessed are they who see not, and believe (John 20:29); thus they are blessed who do not believe through miracles.

AC 7299... Moreover from the magicians in the other life there is taken away the power to abuse order and to pervert its laws. This is done in two ways, one being that by the Lord’s Divine power the angels annihilate their magical productions, and this when they employ them to do evil to the upright (the angelic power from the Lord being so great that it instantly dissipates all such things); and the other is that the magic is altogether taken away from them, so that they can no longer exhibit anything of the kind.

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

Arcana Coelestia 141. Innumerable things might be said about man’s Own in describing its nature with the corporeal and worldly man, with the spiritual man, and with the celestial man. With the corporeal and worldly man, his Own is his all, he knows of nothing else than his Own, and imagines, as before said, that if he were to lose this Own he would perish. With the spiritual man also his Own has a similar appearance, for although he knows that the Lord is the life of all, and gives wisdom and understanding, and consequently the power to think and to act, yet this knowledge is rather the profession of his lips than the belief of his heart. But the celestial man discerns that the Lord is the life of all and gives the power to think and to act, for he perceives that it is really so. He never desires his Own, nevertheless an Own is given him by the Lord, which is conjoined with all perception of what is good and true, and with all happiness. The angels are in such an Own, and are at the same time in the highest peace and tranquility, for in their Own are those things which are the Lord’s, who governs their Own, or them by means of their Own. This Own is the veriest celestial itself, whereas that of the corporeal man is infernal.

The desire for immediate liberation

7186. And Jehovah said unto Moses. That this signifies instruction about the law Divine, is evident from the signification of “Jehovah said,” as being instruction from the Divine (of which below); and from the representation of Moses, as being the law Divine (see n. 6723, 6752, 7014). That “Jehovah said unto Moses,” signifies instruction about the law Divine, is because at the end of the preceding chapter it was believed from the law Divine, that it would come to pass that those who are of the spiritual church would be immediately liberated from infestations; when yet it is according to order that the evil who infest should be removed by degrees, and that they who are of the spiritual church should be liberated by degrees; for such is the Divine order; and therefore such is the law Divine; for all law Divine is of order, insomuch that whether we say the law Divine, or the law of Divine order, it is the same.

[2] Concerning this law they who are of the spiritual church are now instructed, and that it is from this law that they are certain to be liberated when the time and state according to order arrives. That Moses (by whom is here represented the law Divine, such as it is with those of the spiritual church when they are in a state of infestations) believed from the law Divine that it would come to pass that they would be immediately liberated from infestations, is plain from what he said at the close of the preceding chapter, namely, “Wherefore hast Thou done evil unto this people? Why is this that Thou hast sent me? And liberating Thou hast not liberated Thy people;” by which words is signified that they were too much infested by falsities, when yet the law proceeding from the Divine seems to say otherwise, and that in this way they have not been released from a state of infestations (n. 7165, 7166, 7169).

[3] That those who are of the spiritual church, and who are in the lower earth, would be gradually liberated from infestations, and not immediately, is because the evils and falsities that cling to them cannot otherwise be removed, and goods and truths be instilled in their place; for this is effected by many changes of state, thus successively by degrees. They who believe that man can be immediately introduced into heaven, and that this is solely of the Lord’s mercy, are very much mistaken. If this were possible, all whatsoever who are in hell would be raised into heaven, for the Lord’s mercy extends to all. But it is according to order that everyone carries with him his life which he had lived in the world, and his state in the other life is according to this, and that the mercy of the Lord flows in with all, but is diversely received, and by those who are in evil, is rejected; and as in the world they have imbued themselves with evil, they also retain it in the other life, nor is amendment possible in the other life, for the tree lies where it has fallen. From all this it is evident that it is according to order that those who have lived in good, and with whom there are also gross and impure things which pertain to the love of the world and the love of self, cannot be associated with those who are in the heavens until these things have been removed. From all this it is evident that liberation from infestations is effected successively by degrees.

Unless we are working and thinking from the Word then the Lord's life lacks vessels to flow into

7191... But note well that the life which has heaven in it, is a life according to the truths and goods of faith about which the man has been instructed. Unless these are the rules and principles of his life, in vain does he look for heaven, no matter how he has lived; for without these truths and goods a man is like a reed which is shaken by every wind; for he is bent by evils equally as by goods, because he has nothing of truth and good made firm within him, whereby he may be kept by the angels in truths and goods, and be withdrawn from the falsities and evils which the infernals are continually injecting. In a word, the life of Christian good is what makes heaven; not a life of natural good.

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

Arcana Coelestia 7193. The infernals who tempt cannot approach even the celestial angels, for when they approach them, they are seized with horror and anguish, and become as if half dead; and as they cannot approach the celestial angels, and this by reason of the Divine with them, much less can they approach the Divine which is infinitely above the angelic. 

AC 7206[2] By “great judgments,” in the proximate sense, are here meant the truths according to which they shall be judged who have infested by means of injected falsities, and who are signified by the “Egyptians” and by “Pharaoh;” and there are also meant the truths according to which they shall be judged who will be released from the infestations, and who are signified by the “sons of Israel.” By these judgments they are condemned who are in falsities from evil, and by these judgments they are saved who are in truths from good. Not that the truths which proceed from the Lord condemn anyone, for all the truths which proceed from the Lord are from His Divine good, thus are nothing but mercies. But as men do not receive the mercy of the Lord, they expose themselves to condemnation, because they are then in evils, and evils condemn. Neither do the truths which proceed from the Lord save, if the man believes that he is saved by virtue of the truths of faith with him, and not by virtue of mercy; for man is in evils, and from himself is in hell, but by virtue of the mercy of the Lord he is withheld from evil and kept in good, and this by a strong force. 

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

And Jehovah said unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, When Pharaoh shall say unto you, saying, Give you a wonder, then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh; it shall become a water-serpent. And Moses and Aaron came unto Pharaoh; and they did so as Jehovah had commanded; and Aaron cast his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a water-serpent. And Pharaoh called also the wise men and the sorcerers; and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did so with their enchantments. And they cast forth every man his rod, and they became water-serpents; and Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. And Pharaoh’s heart was made firm, and he heard them not; as Jehovah had spoken.

Exodus 4: 8-13

Overview

Arcana Coelestia 7287. “And Jehovah said unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,” signifies instruction; “When Pharaoh shall say unto you,” signifies if they have doubt concerning the Divine; “saying, give you a wonder,” signifies and they therefore desire to be confirmed; “then thou shalt say unto Aaron,” signifies influx and communication; “Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh,” signifies the power which is shown; “it shall become a water-serpent,” signifies that thereby mere fallacies and the derivative falsities will reign among them; “and Moses and Aaron came unto Pharaoh, and they did so as Jehovah had commanded,” signifies the effect; “and Aaron cast his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a water-serpent,” signifies that mere fallacies and the derivative falsities would reign among them; “and Pharaoh called also the wise men and the sorcerers,” signifies abuse of Divine order; “and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did so with their enchantments,” signifies thus to appearance the same by perverting the ends of order; “and they cast forth every man his rod, and they became water-serpents,” signifies power from order that they became dull in respect to the noticing of truth; “and Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods,” signifies that this power was taken away from them; “and Pharaoh’s heart was made firm,” signifies obstinacy; “and he heard them not,” signifies that they who were in evils from falsities did not receive; “as Jehovah had spoken,” signifies prediction.

On miracles

AC 7290. Saying, Give you a wonder. That this signifies, and they therefore desire to be confirmed, is evident from the signification of “wonders and signs,” as being confirmations of truths (see n. 3900, 6870). As regards the wonders and signs treated of in what follows, be it known that they were done among such as were in external worship, and did not desire to know anything about internal worship, for they who were in such worship had to be driven by external means. This is the reason why miracles were done among the Israelitish and Jewish people, for they were in external worship only. In the absence of their desire for internal worship they had to be in external, in order that they might represent holy things in outward ones, and that in this way there might be communication with heaven as by something of a church, for correspondences, representatives, and significatives conjoin the natural world with the spiritual. This is the reason why so many miracles were done in that nation.

[2] But miracles are not done among those who are in internal worship, that is, in charity and faith, because to these they are hurtful, for miracles compel belief, and what is compelled does not remain, but is dissipated. The inward things of worship, which are faith and charity, must be implanted in freedom, for then they are appropriated, and what is so appropriated remains; whereas that which is implanted in compulsion, remains outside the internal man in the external, because nothing enters into the internal man except by means of intellectual ideas, which are reasons; for the ground which there receives is an enlightened rational. Hence it is that no miracles are wrought at this day. That they would be hurtful, can be seen from what has been said; for they drive men to believe, and fix their ideas in the external man that the case is so; and if the internal man afterward denies that which the miracles have confirmed, there results an opposition and collision of the internal and external man; and finally when the ideas derived from miracles are dissipated, there is effected a conjunction of falsity and truth, and thus a profanation. From this it is evident how injurious at the present day are miracles in a church in which the inward things of worship have been disclosed. These moreover are the things signified by the Lord’s words to Thomas: Because thou hast seen Me, Thomas, thou hast believed; blessed are they who see not, and believe (John 20:29); thus they are blessed who do not believe through miracles.

[3] But miracles are not injurious to those who are in external worship without internal, for with such there can be no opposition of the internal and external man, thus no collision, consequently no profanation. That miracles do not contribute anything to faith, may be sufficiently evident from the miracles wrought among the people of Israel in Egypt, and in the wilderness, in that they had no effect at all upon them. Although that people had recently seen so many miracles in Egypt, and afterward the sea Suph divided, and the Egyptians sunk therein; the pillar of a cloud going before them by day, and the pillar of fire by night; the manna daily raining down from heaven; and although they saw Mount Sinai smoking, and heard Jehovah speaking thence, besides other miracles, nevertheless in the midst of such things they fell away from all faith, and from the worship of Jehovah to the worship of a calf (Exodus 32); from which it is plain what is the effect of miracles.

[4] Still less would be their effect at this day, when it is not acknowledged that there is anything from the spiritual world, and when everything of the kind which takes place, and which is not attributed to nature, is denied; for denial universally reigns against the Divine influx and government in the earth. And therefore if the man of the church were at this day to see the veriest Divine miracles, he would first bring them down into nature, and there defile them, and afterward would reject them as phantasms, and finally would laugh at all who attributed them to the Divine, and not to nature. That miracles are of no effect is also evident from the Lord’s words in Luke: If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead (Luke 16:31).

Miracles 18. The Divine miracles which take place today are not manifest, but hidden. In the course of their occurrence there are many happenings which, because they do not appear as miracles, are ascribed to chance, to prudence, or to nature, except by those who acknowledge the Divine Providence in every single event. They are hidden, for the reason already stated, in order that those minds should not be influenced inopportunely, whose interiors the Lord is preparing for receiving good and truth; but that they should be in freedom, that is, that they should receive their faith from an interior affection. That is why the Lord said to Thomas: ‘Because thou hast seen Me, Thomas, thou hast believed; blessed are they who do not see, and yet believe.’ (John 20:29.) 

Conjugial Love 535. After this I heard a hostile murmur from the lower regions, and at the same time the words, “Do miracles and we will believe.”I asked, “Are these not miracles?”They answered, “No!”“What miracles will you have then?” I asked. “Discover and reveal things to come, and we will have faith.”“But,” I replied, “such things are not given from heaven. For as far as man knows the future, his reason and understanding, with his prudence and wisdom, fall into inaction, become torpid and decay.” I asked again, “What other miracles am I to do?”And they clamored, “Do miracles like those done by Moses in Egypt.”To this I replied, “You might harden your hearts at them like Pharaoh and the Egyptians.”They answered that they would not.Again I said, “Assure me that you will not dance around the golden calf and worship it, as the posterity of Jacob did within the space of a month after they had seen Mount Sinai all afire, and had heard Jehovah Himself speaking out of the fire, thus after the miracle which was the greatest of all.” The answer from below was, “We shall not be like the posterity of Jacob.”But I heard them being told from heaven, “If you believe not Moses and the Prophets, that is, the Word of the Lord, you will no more believe on account of miracles than the sons of Jacob did in the wilderness, no more indeed than they believed when they saw with their eyes the miracles which the Lord Himself wrought when He was in the world.”

On magic

AC 7297. And they also, the magicians of Egypt, did so with their enchantments. That this signifies the same in appearance by perverting the ends of order, is evident from the signification of “they also did,” when said of the magicians of Egypt, as being to present the like in appearance, for things that flow from order are not altered by abuse, but appear the same as to the external form, yet not as to the internal form, for they are contrary to the ends of order; and from the signification of “enchantments,” as being the very arts of perverting order. By “sorcerers,” and “enchantments,” when mentioned in the Word, is signified the art of presenting falsities so that they appear as truths, and of presenting truths so that they appear as falsities, which is especially done by means of fallacies.AC 7298. And they cast every man his rod, and they became water-serpents. That this signifies power from order that they became dull in respect to the noticing of truth, is evident from the signification of “casting a rod,” as being the exhibition of power (see n. 7292); and from the signification of “water-serpents,...

Divine Love and Wisdom 116. It will now be explained how it comes about that an angel perceives and feels as his own, and thus receives and retains that which yet is not his (for, as was said above, an angel is not an angel from what is his own, but from those things which are with him from the Lord). The essence of the matter is thus. Every angel has liberty and rationality. He has these two so that he may be capable of receiving love and wisdom from the Lord. Yet each of these, liberty as much as rationality, is the Lord's with him, and not his. But because these two are intimately conjoined to his life, so intimately that they may be said to be joined into his life, therefore they appear as if they were his own. From these he is able to think and will, also to speak and act. And what he thinks, wills, speaks and does from them, appears as if it were from himself. This causes reciprocity by which there is conjunction. In so far, however, as an angel believes that love and wisdom are in him, and thus claims them to himself as his own, so far the angelic is not in Him and therefore to that extent he has no conjunction with the Lord. For he is not in the truth; and because truth makes one with the light of heaven, to that extent he cannot be in heaven. For he thereby denies that he lives from the Lord, and believes that he lives from himself, consequently that the Divine essence is his. In these two, liberty and rationality, consists the life which is called angelic and human. From these things it can be established that an angel has reciprocity for the sake of conjunction with the Lord, but that this reciprocity viewed in its own aspect, is not his, but the Lord's. Hence it is that if he abuses this reciprocity by which he perceives and feels as his own what is the Lord's, which is done by appropriating it to himself, he falls away from the angelic state. The Lord Himself teaches in John (John 14:20-24; 15:4-6) that conjunction is reciprocal; also that conjunction of the Lord with man, and of man with the Lord, is in those things of the Lord which are called His words, John 15:7.

The nature of Divine Love

DLW 48. Divine Love must necessarily have being (esse) and have form (existere) in others whom it may love, and by whom it may be loved. For as there is such a need in all love, it must be to the fullest extent, that is, infinitely in Love Itself.

Love has to have what is other to fulfil its nature, it cannot love itself

DLW 49. With respect to God: it is impossible for Him to love others and to be loved reciprocally by others in whom there is anything of infinity, that is, anything of the essence and life of love in itself, or anything of the Divine. For if there were beings having in them anything of infinity, that is, of the essence and life of love in itself, that is, of the Divine, it would not be God loved by others, but God loving Himself; since the Infinite, that is, the Divine, is one only, and if this were in others, Itself would be in them, and would be the love of self Itself; and of that love not the least trace can possibly be in God, since it is wholly opposed to the Divine Essence. Consequently, for this relation to be possible there must be others in whom there is nothing of the Divine in itself. 

Only the Divine is form and substance itself, is infinite and uncreated

DLW 52… the created universe is an image representative of God-Man, and that it is His Love and Wisdom which are presented, in an image, in the universe. Not that the created universe is God-Man, but that it is from Him; for nothing whatever in the created universe is substance and form in itself, or life in itself, or love and wisdom in itself, yea, neither is man a man in himself, but all is from God, who is Man, Wisdom and Love, also Form and Substance, in itself. That which has Being-in-itself is uncreate and infinite; but whatever is from Very Being, since it contains in it nothing of Being-in-itself, is created and finite, and this exhibits an image of Him from whom it has being and has form.

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.