Logopraxis

The three humans

Doctrine of the Lord 35. vi. By successive steps the Lord put off the human taken from the mother, and put on a Human from the Divine within Him, which is the Divine Human, and is the Son of God. That in the Lord were the Divine and the human, the Divine from Jehovah the Father, and the human from the virgin Mary, is known. Hence He was God and Man, having a Divine essence and a human nature; a Divine essence from the Father, and a human nature from the mother; and therefore was equal to the Father as to the Divine, and less than the Father as to the human. It is also known that this human nature from the mother was not transmuted into the Divine essence, nor commingled with it, for this is taught in the Doctrine of Faith which is called the Athanasian Creed. For a human nature cannot be transmuted into the Divine essence, nor can it be commingled therewith.

[2] In accordance with the same creed is also our doctrine, that the Divine assumed the Human, that is, united itself to it, as a soul to its body, so that they were not two, but one Person. From this it follows that the Lord put off the human from the mother, which in itself was like that of another man, and thus material, and put on a Human from the Father, which in itself was like His Divine, and thus substantial, so that the Human too became Divine. This is why in the Word of the Prophets the Lord even as to the Human is called Jehovah, and God; and in the Word of the Evangelists, Lord, God, Messiah or Christ, and the Son of God in whom we must believe, and by whom we are to be saved.

 

The human from the Father is NOT the son of Mary

True Christian Religion 94. In the Christian churches of the present day it is customary to call the Lord our Savior the son of Mary, and rarely the Son of God, except when a Son of God born from eternity is meant. This is because the Roman Catholics have made Mary the mother more holy than all others, and have exalted her as a goddess or queen over all their saints. When, however, the Lord glorified His Human He put off everything belonging to His mother, and put on everything belonging to His Father. This shall be fully shown in subsequent pages of this work. From this saying, so common with all, that the Lord is the son of Mary, many enormities have flowed into the church; especially with those who have not taken into consideration what is said of the Lord in the Word; as that the Father and He are one, that He is in the Father and the Father in Him, that all things of the Father are His, that He called Jehovah His Father, and that Jehovah the Father called Him His Son. These enormities that have flowed into the church as a result of His being called the son of Mary, and not the Son of God, are, that the idea of Divinity in respect to the Lord perishes, and with it all that is said of Him in the Word as the Son of God; also that through this, Judaism, Arianism, Socinianism, Calvinism, as it was at its beginning, gain entrance, and at length Naturalism, and with it the insane notion that He was the son of Mary by Joseph, and that His soul was from the mother; and therefore that He is not the Son of God, although He is so called. Let everyone, whether clergyman or layman, question himself whether he has conceived and cherishes any other idea of the Lord as the son of Mary than that He was merely man. Because even in the third century, when Arianism arose, such an idea had begun to prevail among Christians, the Nicene Council, for the purpose of maintaining the Divinity of the Lord, fabricated a Son of God born from eternity. By this fiction the Human of the Lord was then exalted, and with many is still exalted, to Divinity; but it is not so exalted with those who by the hypostatic union understand a union like that between two beings, one of whom is superior and the other inferior. Yet what else results from this than the destruction of the entire Christian church, which was founded solely upon the worship of Jehovah in the Human, consequently upon the God-Man? That no one can see the Father, or can know Him, or come to Him, or believe in Him, except through His Human, the Lord declares in many places. If He is not thus approached all the noble seed of the church is changed into ignoble, the seed of the olive into the seed of the pine, the seed of the orange, lemon, apple, and pear, into the seed of the willow, the elm, the linden, and the oak; the vine into the bulrush of the swamp, wheat and barley into chaff; in fact, all spiritual food becomes like dust on which serpents feed; for the spiritual light in man then becomes natural, and at length sensual-corporeal, which viewed in itself is a delusive light; man then becomes even like a bird that while flying on high, being deprived of its wings, falls to the ground, and walking there sees around it only what lies at its feet; and he then thinks about the spiritual things of the church, which should make for life eternal, no otherwise than as a soothsayer thinks. Such are the results, when man regards the Lord God, the Redeemer and Savior, as a mere son of Mary, that is, as a mere man.

TCR 92. (4) The Human whereby God sent Himself into the world is the Son of God. The Lord frequently says that the Father sent Him, and that He was sent by the Father (as in Matthew 10:40; 15:24; John 3:17, 34; John 5:23-24, 36-38; 6:29, 39-40, 44, 57; John 7:16, 18, 28-29; John 8:16, 18, 29, 42; John 9:4; and in many other places); and this He says, because being sent into the world means to descend and come among men; and this was done by means of a human which He took on through the virgin Mary. Moreover, the Human is actually the Son of God, because it was conceived from Jehovah God as its Father (according to Luke 1:32, 35). He is called the Son of God, the Son of man, and the son of Mary; the Son of God meaning Jehovah God in His Human; the Son of man the Lord in respect to the Word; while the son of Mary means strictly the human He took on. That this is the meaning of Son of God and Son of man will be shown in what follows. That the son of Mary means the mere human is clearly seen in the generation of man, in that the soul is from the father and the body from the mother; for the soul is contained in the semen of the father and is clothed with a body in the mother; or what is the same thing, all the spiritual that man has is from the father and all the material from the mother.

TCR 102. It is believed that the Lord as to His Human not only was, but still is, the son of Mary; but in this the Christian world is under a delusion. It is true that He was the son of Mary, but not true that He still is; for by the acts of redemption He put off the human from the mother and put on a Human from the Father; and this is why the Human of the Lord is Divine, and in Him God is Man, and Man is God.

Arcana Coelestia 10830. When the Lord had fully glorified His Human, He then put off the human from the mother, and put on the Human from the Father; and therefore He was then no longer the son of Mary, but the Son of God, from Whom He came forth.

 

When the historical sense of the letter is turned into the spiritual sense 

Arcana Coelestia 6884. Jehovah, the God of your fathers. That this signifies the Divine of the Ancient Church, is evident from what was said above (n. 6876), where are like words. In the external historic sense, by “the God of their fathers” is meant the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; but in the internal sense is meant the Divine of the Ancient Church. That the latter, and not the former, is meant in the internal sense, can be seen from the fact that the historicals of the Word cannot enter into heaven; for the historical of the Word is natural and worldly, and those who are in heaven are in no ideas but what are spiritual, so that they understand the Word spiritually; and what is worldly, which is of the sense of the letter of the Word, is at the very threshold of heaven turned into the spiritual sense. That this is so, can in some measure be seen from the fact that man also frequently turns those things which are said into such as engage his whole thought; thus he who is in unclean things, into what is unclean; and he who is in clean things, into what is clean. Hence then it is that they who are in heaven, by “the God of your fathers” do not perceive the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob (for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are not known in heaven), but the Lord who is represented by them

 

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 6872. [2] What the perception and acknowledgment of the Divine from love are, must be told. Every man’s quality is known from his love; for love is the being of the life of everyone, from it springing the veriest life itself; such therefore as the love is with a man, such is the man. If there is the love of self and of the world, consequently the love of revenge, of hatred, of cruelty, of adultery, and the like, the man is a devil as to his spirit, or as to the interior man which lives after death, however he may appear in the outward form. But if there is with a man the love of God and the love of the neighbour, and consequently the love of good and truth, also of what is just and honorable, then however he may appear in the outward form, he is an angel as to his spirit which lives after death. But He with whom there is Divine love, which was with the Lord alone, is God; thus His Human was made Divine when He received in the Human the love of His Father, which was the being of His life. From all this it can be seen what is meant by the perception and acknowledgment of the Divine from love.

...[4] From all this it can be seen that man is made altogether new when he is being regenerated, for then each and all things with him are so disposed as to receive celestial loves. Nevertheless with man the prior forms are not destroyed, but only removed; but with the Lord the prior forms, which were from the maternal, were completely destroyed and extirpated, and Divine forms were received in their place. For the Divine love does not agree with any but a Divine form; all other forms it absolutely casts out; hence it is that the Lord when glorified was no longer the son of Mary.

AC 6876. And say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you. That this signifies that the Divine of the Ancient Church will be with those of the spiritual church is evident from the signification of the “God of their fathers” as being the Divine of the Ancient Church (that “fathers” denote those who are of the Ancient Church, see n. 6050, 6075, 6846); from the representation of the sons of Israel, here meant by “you” as being those of the spiritual church (see n. 6875); and from the signification of “being sent” as being to proceed (n. 2397, 4710, 6831); here that he will be with them, for it is said of the Divine of the Ancient Church that this shall be in the spiritual church, which is represented by the sons of Israel.

[2] The Divine which was of the Ancient Church was the Lord as to the Divine Human; the Ancient Church had this from the Most Ancient, and also from the fact that Jehovah was seen by them in a human form. When therefore they thought of Jehovah, they did not think of a universal entity, of which they could have had no idea, but of the Human Divine, into which they could determine their thought; for in this way they could both think of Jehovah and be conjoined with Him by love. Those who were of the Ancient Church, and especially those of the Most Ancient, were much wiser than the men of our times, and yet they could not think otherwise of Jehovah than as of a Man, whose Human was Divine; nor did there then flow into their thought any unbecoming idea taken from the natural man, and his infirmity and evil, but that which flowed in concerning Him was all holy. The angels themselves, who so far excel men in wisdom, cannot think otherwise of the Divine, for they see the Lord in the Divine Human; they know that an angel, with whom all things are finite, can have no idea whatever of the Infinite, except by what is like the finite.

[3] That in ancient times they adored Jehovah under a human Divine is very evident from the angels seen by Abraham in human form, also afterward by Lot, and likewise by Joshua, by Gideon, and by Manoah, which angels were called “Jehovah,” and were adored as the God of the universe. At this day if Jehovah were to appear in the church as a man, men would take offence, and would think that He could not possibly be the Creator and Lord of the universe, because he was seen as a man; and moreover they would not have any other idea of Him than as of a common man. In this they believe themselves wiser than the ancients, not knowing that in this they are altogether removed from wisdom; for when the idea of the thought is directed to a universal entity altogether incomprehensible, the idea falls into nothing, and is totally dissipated; and then in its place comes the idea of nature, to which each and all things are attributed. Hence the worship of nature is at this day so common, especially in the Christian world.

AC 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.

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 6864. And now go, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh. That this signifies the holy proceeding from the Lord’s Human, by which infesting falsities would be dispersed, is evident from the representation of Moses, who was to go, and who was sent, as being the Lord as to the law Divine (see n. 6723, 6752, 6771, 6827), thus as to the Human; for when the Lord was in the world, He first made His Human Divine truth, which is the same as the law Divine; and afterward He completely glorified His Human, and made it Divine good (between Divine truth and Divine good there is a difference such as there is between the light from the sun and the fire in the sun); and from the signification of “to be sent” as being to proceed (n. 2397, 4710, 6831), here holy truth (that holy is predicated of truth see n. 6393-6788); and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being falsity (n. 6651, 6679, 6683, 6692). It is added that infesting falsities would be dispersed, namely, by the holy proceeding from the Lord’s Human, because in what follows the subject treated of is the liberation of the sons of Israel, that is, of those who were of the Lord’s spiritual church, from falsities; from which they can in no wise be liberated except by the holy which proceeds from the Lord.

For the holy proceeding from the Lord not only disperses infesting falsities, but also reduces all things into Divine order, both those which are in the heavens, and those which are in the hells; and causes the heavens to be most distinct according to goods and the derivative truths, and the hells also to be most distinct according to evils and the derivative falsities; and likewise causes evils to be opposite to goods, and falsities to truths, in order that a spiritual equilibrium may exist, and everything be in a free state.

The internal of the natural is regenerated first 

True Christian Religion 593. As to the division of the natural man into two forms, it is an actual division both of will and of thought therein; for every action of man goes forth from his will, and every word from his thought; consequently another will is formed by man beneath the first, and likewise another thought; but the two still constitute the natural man. This will which is being formed by the man, may be called a bodily will, because it impels the body to make a show of moral activities, and that thought may be called pulmonary thought, because it impels the tongue and lips to utter such things as belong to the understanding. This outer thought and will taken together may be likened to the inner bark that adheres to the outer bark of a tree, or to the membrane that adheres to the shell of an egg. Within these is the internal natural man, who, if evil, may be likened to a tree the wood of which is rotten, but about which the aforesaid outer and inner barks seem sound; as also to a rotten egg in a white shell.

But something shall also be said about what the internal natural man is by birth. Its will inclines to evils of every kind and the thought therefrom is inclined to falsities of every kind. This then is the internal man that is to be regenerated, for unless it is regenerated it is nothing but hatred against everything that belongs to charity, and consequent rage against all things belonging to faith. From this it follows that this natural internal man must first be regenerated, and by means of it the external; for this is according to order; while to regenerate the internal by means of the external would be contrary to order; for the internal is like a soul in the external, not only in general but also in every particular, consequently it is in every least word one speaks; it is present in these beyond what man knows. Because of this the angels, from a single action of a man, can perceive what his will is, and from a single word what his thought is, whether infernal or heavenly. Thus they know the entire man; from the tone of his voice they have a perception of his thought's affection, and from the gesture or the form of his action they have a perception of his will's love. And this they have, however he may simulate a Christian or a moral citizen.

Heaven and Earth as Internal and External

AC 10373. For in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth. That this signifies a state of combat and of labor while the church is being set up, is evident from the signification of “six days,” when the subject treated of is the setting up of the church and the regeneration of man, as being a state of combat against evils and falsities, thus the state which precedes and prepares for the conjunction of good and truth (see above, n. 10366, 10367); and from the signification of “heaven and earth;” as being the church. [2] By “making heaven and earth” in the Word is not meant the very first creation of the visible heaven and earth; but the setting up of the church and the regeneration of man therein; by “heaven” is meant his internal, and by “earth” his external.

AC 10396... For man has an internal and an external; his internal is for heaven, and his external is for the world. When the external reigns, then worldly, bodily, and earthly things reign; and when the internal reigns, then heavenly things reign. But man has been so created that the external in him may be subordinated to the internal, thus the world to heaven; for as before said, the external is for the world and the internal for heaven. When therefore the external reigns, the internal is closed, for the reason that the man then turns himself from heaven and from the Lord to the world and to himself, and his heart is where he turns himself, consequently his love, and with his love the whole of his life, because the life of man is his love.

TCR 784. It is in accordance with Divine order that a new heaven should be formed before a new church is established on earth, for the church is both internal and external, and the internal church makes one with the church in heaven, thus with heaven itself; and what is internal must be formed before its external, what is external being formed afterwards by means of its internal. This is well known in the world among the clergy. Just so far as this new heaven, which constitutes the internal of the church with man, increases, does the New Jerusalem, that is, the New Church, descend from it; consequently this cannot take place in a moment, but it takes place to the extent that the falsities of the former church are set aside. For where falsities have already been implanted what is new cannot enter until the falsities have been rooted out, and this will take place with the clergy, and so with the laity; for the Lord said: No one puts new wine into old wineskins, else the skins burst and the wine is spilled, but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved (Matthew 9:17; Mark 2:22; Luke 5:37-38).

Infernal/Hellish Freedom

The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine 148. FROM THE ARCANA COELESTIA. All freedom is of love or affection, for what a man loves, he does freely (n. 2870, 3158, 8987, 8990, 9585, 9591). As freedom is of love, it is the life of everyone (n. 2873). There is heavenly freedom and infernal freedom (n. 2870, 2873-2874, 9589-9590). Heavenly freedom is of the love of good and truth (n. 1947, 2870, 2872). And because the love of good and truth is from the Lord, that being led by the Lord is true freedom (n. 892, 905, 2872, 2886, 2890-2892, 9096, 9586, 9587-9591). Man by regeneration is introduced into heavenly freedom by the Lord (n. 2874-2875, 2882, 2892). Man ought to be in freedom, that he may be regenerated (n. 1937, 1947, 2876, 2881, 3145, 3158, 4031, 8700). Otherwise the love of good and truth cannot be implanted in and appropriated to man, so as to appear his own (n. 2877, 2879-2880, 2888). Nothing is conjoined to man which is done in compulsion (n. 2875, 8700). If man could be reformed by compulsion, all would be saved (n. 2881). Compulsion is hurtful in reformation (n. 4031).

...infernal freedom consists in being led by the loves of self and of the world, and their lusts (n. 2870, 2873). They who are in hell do not know any other freedom (n. 2871). Heavenly freedom is as far from infernal freedom as heaven is from hell (n. 2873-2874). Infernal freedom in itself regarded is slavery (n. 2884, 2890). Because it is slavery to be led by hell (n. 9586, 9589-9591).

All freedom is as the proprium, and according to it (n. 2880). Man receives a heavenly proprium from the Lord by regeneration (n. 1937, 1947, 2882-2883, 2891). The nature of the heavenly proprium (n. 164, 5660, 8480). This proprium appears to man as his own, but it is not his, but the Lord's with him (n. 8497). They who are in this proprium are in true liberty, because true liberty consists in being led by the Lord and His proprium (n. 892, 905, 2872, 2886, 2890-2892, 4096, 9586-9587, 9589-9591).

 

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.

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6994. Verses 13-17. And he said, In me, my Lord, send I pray by the hand of him whom Thou wilt send. And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Moses, and He said, Is there not Aaron, thy brother, the Levite? I know that speaking he will speak. And also behold he goeth forth to meet thee; and he will see thee, and he will be glad in his heart. And thou shalt speak unto him, and shalt put the words in his mouth; and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. And he shall speak for thee unto the people; and it shall be that he shall be to thee for a mouth, and thou shalt be to him for God. And thou shalt take in thy hand this rod, wherewith thou shalt do the signs. And he said, In me, my Lord, signifies asseveration; send I pray by the hand of him whom Thou wilt send, signifies that the Divine truth proceeding from the Divine Human will be mediately uttered; and the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Moses, signifies clemency; and He said, Is there not Aaron thy brother the Levite? signifies the doctrine of good and truth; I know that he will speak, signifies preaching; and also behold he goeth forth to meet thee, signifies reception; and he will see thee, signifies perception; and he will be glad in his heart, signifies the affection of love; and thou shalt speak unto him, signifies influx; and shalt put the words in his mouth, signifies that what he utters will proceed from the Divine Human; and I will be with thy mouth, signifies that truth Divine will proceed through the Divine Human from the Divine Itself; and with his mouth, signifies thus with the things thence derived; and will teach you what ye shall do, signifies thus the Divine in each and all things which shall be done; and he shall speak for thee unto the people, signifies that he will be doctrine to the spiritual church; and it shall be that he shall be to thee for a mouth, signifies truth Divine, which also proceeds mediately from the Lord; and thou shalt be to him for God, signifies the Divine truth which proceeds immediately from the Lord; and thou shalt take in thy hand this rod, signifies Divine power therein; wherewith thou shalt do the signs, signifies the consequent enlightenment and confirmation of truths.

6995. And he said, In me, my Lord. That this signifies asseveration, is evident from the fact that in me is a form of asseveration (as above, n. 6981).

6996. Send I pray by the hand of him whom Thou wilt send. That this signifies that the Divine truth proceeding from the Divine Human will be mediately uttered, is evident from the representation of Moses, who says this, as being the Lord as to the Word, that is, as to Divine truth (see n. 6752); from the signification of sending, when said of the Lord, as being to proceed (n. 2397, 4710); and from the signification of sending by the hand, as being by another to whom power will be given, namely, the power of uttering the Divine truth proceeding from the Divine Human of the Lord; and as it denotes by another to whom power is given, it denotes mediately. It was shown above (n. 6982, 6985), that the Divine truth proceeding immediately from the Lord's Divine Human cannot be heard and perceived by any man, nor even by an angel. Therefore in order that it may be heard and perceived, there must be mediation, which mediation is effected through heaven, and afterward through the angels and spirits with the man.

[2] This can be plainly known from the fact that man cannot even hear the spirits who are with him speaking with one another; and if he heard he could not perceive, because the speech of spirits is without human words, and is the universal speech of all languages. Moreover spirits cannot hear angels; and if they heard they could not perceive, because the angelic speech is still more universal. Nay, the angels of the inmost heaven can be still less heard and perceived, because their speech is not a speech of ideas, but of affections which are of celestial love. Seeing that since these kinds of speech are so far away from man, that they cannot possibly be heard and perceived by him, what then, so to speak, must be the Divine speech, which is infinitely above all the kinds of speech in the heavens! It is said the Divine speech, but the Divine truth proceeding from the Divine Human of the Lord is meant. This being so, it can be seen that the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, in order to be heard and perceived, must pass to man through mediations. The last mediation is through the spirit who is with the man, who inflows either into his thought, or by means of a living voice.

[3] That the Divine truth proceeding immediately from the Lord cannot be heard or perceived, is also evident from the correspondences and derivative representatives; namely, that the things a man speaks are presented quite differently with spirits; and the things spirits speak, quite differently with the angels. This can be seen from the spiritual sense of the Word and its literal sense, in that the literal sense, which is adapted to man, is significative and representative of the things which are in the spiritual sense; while this latter sense is not perceptible to man except insofar as it can be presented and expressed by such things as are of the world and of nature; and still less the angelic sense. What then must be the case with the Divine truth proceeding immediately from the Divine of the Lord, which is infinitely above the angelic understanding, and which is not perceptible in heaven except insofar as it passes through heaven, and so puts on a form adapted and suited to the perception of those who are there, which is effected by means of a wonderful influx, not at all comprehensible to anyone! These things have been said in order that it may be known that the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord cannot be heard or perceived by anyone, except through mediations.

6997. And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Moses. That this signifies clemency, is evident from the signification of the anger of Jehovah, as not being anger, but the opposite of anger, thus mercy, and here clemency. That Jehovah has not any anger is evident from the fact that He is love itself, good itself, and mercy itself; and anger is the opposite, and also is a weakness, which cannot be applicable to God; and therefore when in the Word anger is predicated of Jehovah or the Lord, the angels do not perceive anger, but either mercy or the removal of the evil from heaven; here clemency, because it is said to Moses, by whom is represented the Lord as to Divine truth when He was in the world.

[2] That in the Word anger is attributed to Jehovah or the Lord is because it is a most general truth that all things come from God, thus evil things as well as good. But this most general truth, which must be taught to children, youths, and the simple, should afterward be illustrated, that is, by showing that evils are from man, though they appear as if from God, and that it is so said in order that they may learn to fear God, lest they should perish by the evils which they themselves do; and afterward may love Him; for fear must precede love in order that in love there may be holy fear. For when fear is instilled in love, it becomes holy from the holy of love; and then it is not fear of the Lord's being angry and punishing, but lest they should act against good itself, because this will torment the conscience.

[3] Moreover, the Israelites and Jews were driven by punishments to observe the statutes and precepts in outward form; and from this they believed that Jehovah was angry and punished, when yet it was themselves who by idolatries brought such things upon them, and separated themselves from heaven; whence came punishments; as is also said in Isaiah:

It is your iniquities that have separated between you and your God; and your sins do hide His faces from you (Isa. 59:2).

And as the Israelites and Jews were solely in externals without an internal, they were therefore held in the opinion that Jehovah was angry and punished; for they who are in externals without an internal do all things from fear, and nothing from love.

[4] From all this it can now be seen what is meant in the Word by the anger and wrath of Jehovah, namely, punishments; as in these passages:

Behold the name of Jehovah cometh from far, burning with His anger, and the heaviness of a burden; His lips are full of indignation, and His tongue is as a burning fire (Isa. 30:27);

where anger denotes reproof and warning lest they should perish through evils. Again:

In an inundation of anger I hid My faces from thee for a moment (Isa. 54:8);

an inundation of anger denotes temptation, in which evils vex and torment. In Jeremiah:

I Myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand, and with a strong arm, and in anger, and in fury, and in great indignation; lest My fury go forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the wickedness of your works (Jer. 21:5, 12).

Again:

To fill with the carcasses of the men whom I have smitten in Mine anger, and in My wrath (Jer. 33:5).

Also:

I will pour out upon them Mine indignation, all the wrath of Mine anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of My zeal (Zeph. 3:8).

He sent on them the wrath of His anger, indignation, and fury, and distress, and a sending of evil angels (Ps. 78:49).

[5] Besides many other passages, in which, as in the above, by anger, wrath, fury, fire, are meant punishments and damnations, into which man casts himself when into evils; for it is of Divine order that goods are attended with rewards; and hence it is that evils are attended with punishments, because they are conjoined together. Punishment and damnation are also meant by the day of the anger of Jehovah (Isa. 13:9, 13; Lam. 2:1; Zeph. 2:3; Rev....

In order that they may believe that Jehovah hath been seen of thee, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Jehovah said further to him, Bring now thy hand into thy bosom. And he brought his hand into his bosom, and brought it out, and behold his hand was leprous as snow. And He said, Bring back thine hand unto thy bosom; and he brought back his hand unto his bosom; and brought it forth out of his bosom, and behold it was turned again as his flesh. And it shall be, if they do not believe thee, and hear the voice of the former sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. And it shall be, if they do not believe also these two signs, and do not hear thy voice, that thou shalt take of the waters of the river, and pour out on the dry land, and the waters which thou hast taken out of the river, they shall become blood in the dry land.

Exodus 4:5-9

The spiritual states are in an intellectual faith and so have to have signs (from experience in life) to believe and so that they can move into an 'as of self'

Arcana Coelestia 6956. In order that they may believe that Jehovah hath been seen of thee. That this signifies that they may have faith in respect to the Lord’s Divine Human, is evident from the signification of “believing,” as being to have faith—not faith that Jehovah or the Lord was seen with the eyes, but faith in the Lord in the spiritual sense of the term; and from the signification of “Jehovah seen,” as being the appearing of the Lord in His Divine Human (see n. 6945). Thus by “they may believe that Jehovah hath been seen of thee” is signified that they may have faith in respect to the Lord’s Divine Human.

AC 6959. And Jehovah said further to him. That this signifies foresight as to what would be the quality of those of the spiritual church if they did not have faith, is evident from the signification of “Jehovah said,” as being foresight (as above, n. 6946). The reason why these words denote what would be the quality of those of the spiritual church if they did not have faith, is that in what follows the subject treated of is what would be the further quality of those who are of the spiritual church (who are represented by the sons of Israel), if they did not have faith, namely, that they would be profaners of truth. For the first miracle of the rod becoming a serpent signifies their state, that they would become altogether sensuous and corporeal. This miracle of the hand becoming leprous signifies profanation, for this succeeds if the church persists in faithlessness. [2] In their childhood, and afterward in their youth, they of the spiritual church have faith in the doctrinal things of their church, but at that time they have faith from parents and masters, and not from themselves, and therefore if they afterward recede from faith, they profane the truth only slightly, which profanation can be removed by Divine means, and thus the man be freed from the guilt of it. But if a man has faith in the doctrine of the church, and in the Word, from himself, that is, by confirmations in himself, and if he then afterward recedes, and denies in himself what he had before believed, especially if he lives contrary to the truth which he had confirmed in himself, and either explains it in his own favor, or altogether rejects it, he profanes the truth; and this because he commingles and conjoins together within himself truth and falsity. As such persons have scarcely any remains of truth and good, in the other life they finally become like skeletons; and have as little life remaining as have the bones relatively to the organic life of the flesh. But still harder is the lot of those who profane good than that of those who profane truth, they who are of the Lord’s spiritual church can profane truth but not so much good. [3] As “leprosy” signifies the profanation of truth, and as this is the subject treated of in what follows, see first of all what has been before said and shown about profanation, namely: That they who are within the church can profane holy things, but not they who are without it (n. 2051, 3399): That holy things cannot be profaned, except by those who have previously acknowledged them (n. 1008, 1010, 1059, 3398, 3898, 4289): That it is also profanation to acknowledge and believe truths and goods, and yet to live contrary to them (n. 4601): That man is withheld from profanation as much as possible (n. 301-303vvv2, 1327-1328, 3398, 3402); that the lot of profaners is the worst of all in the other life (n. 6348).

 

The attachment of the spiritual states to the native proprium(own) versus the celestial states - moving from a 'self' to an 'as of self'

AC 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.

AC 6963...If the leprosy effloresce fully in the skin, and the leprosy cover the whole skin of him that hath the plague, from his head even to his heel, under every look of the priest’s eyes; and the priest see, and behold the leprosy hath covered all his flesh, then he shall pronounce the plague clean; it is all turned white, he is clean. But in the day that there shall appear in him living flesh, he shall be unclean (Leviticus 13:12-14). Unless it is known from the internal sense how the case herein is, namely, that he is clean who is all leprous from his head even unto his heel, it must appear like a paradox; but by “one leprous from his head to his heel” is meant one who knows internal truths, but does not acknowledge or believe them. Such a one is not inwardly in profanation, but outwardly, which profanation is removed, and therefore he is clean. But if he knows the truths of faith, and believes them, and yet lives contrary to them, he is in profanation inwardly, as is the case also with one who has once believed, and afterward denies. Therefore it is said, “in the day that there shall appear in him living flesh, he shall be unclean;” by “living flesh” is meant acknowledgment and faith (see what has been adduced above, n. 6959).

AC 6968. And behold it was turned again as his flesh. That this signifies that then it was the good of truth, is evident from the signification of “flesh,” as denoting the voluntary proprium of man , made alive by what is the Lord’s proprium of His Divine Human, or the celestial proprium/own (see n. 3813); and because this is signified by “flesh,” it is the good of love to the Lord and toward the neighbor which is signified. But with those who are of the spiritual church, it is the good of truth, because their good is from truth, and is according to the truth of the doctrine of their church. When this truth becomes of the life it is called 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 6884. Jehovah, the God of your fathers. That this signifies the Divine of the Ancient Church, is evident from what was said above (n. 6876), where are like words. In the external historic sense, by “the God of their fathers” is meant the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; but in the internal sense is meant the Divine of the Ancient Church. That the latter, and not the former, is meant in the internal sense, can be seen from the fact that the historicals of the Word cannot enter into heaven; for the historical of the Word is natural and worldly, and those who are in heaven are in no ideas but what are spiritual, so that they understand the Word spiritually; and what is worldly, which is of the sense of the letter of the Word, is at the very threshold of heaven turned into the spiritual sense.

 

6861. Verses 9-12. And now behold the cry of the sons of Israel is come unto Me, and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. And now go, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, and do thou bring forth My people the sons of Israel out of Egypt. And Moses said unto God, Who am I that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the sons of Israel out of Egypt? And he said, Because I will be with thee; and this shall be the sign to thee that I have sent thee: when thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall worship God near this mountain. “

 

And now behold the cry of the sons of Israel is come unto Me,” signifies pity for those who are of the spiritual church; “and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them,” signifies by reason of the endeavour of subjugation by those who were in falsities; “and now go, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh,” signifies the holy proceeding from the Lord’s Human, by which the infesting falsities would be dispersed; “and do thou bring forth My people the sons of Israel out of Egypt,” signifies the consequent liberation of those who were of the spiritual church from infesting falsities; “and Moses said unto God,” signifies perception from the Divine and humiliation; “who am I that I should go unto Pharaoh?” signifies not being yet in such a state as to seem to himself to be able to go to and remove the infesting falsities; “and that I should bring forth the sons of Israel?” signifies and thus to liberate those of the spiritual church; “and He said, Because I will be with thee,” signifies that the Divine will be in the Human; “and this shall be the sign to thee that I have sent thee,” signifies the knowledge that the Divine proceeded from Himself; “when thou has brought forth the people out of Egypt,” signifies when the spiritual are liberated from infestation by falsities; “ye shall worship God near this mountain,” signifies then perception and acknowledgment of the Divine from love.

 

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.

From the The Logopraxis Workbook

Step 6 - Preparing a Submission - Questions for Reflection 

The key to preparing a summary or submission for our group is to focus on how our task influenced our mental state:

What did we actually experience?

What did we learn about our self?

About the Lord?

About the inner activity of our mind?

Were there any insights related to the contents of the reading that illustrate what was experienced?

How can I frame this, so it supports others in my group?

Reflect Discuss

In what way is each submission the Lord’s Gift to the Group?

How does sharing too much personal stuff distract me, or the Group?

In what way do I experience the Life Group as a spiritual community?

The Lord’s Providence exists in what each person selects to work with.

The Life Group is an opportunity to share the Holy Supper. How might this be true? See Luke 22:14-20.

 

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.

The spiritual states in us need to confirm what they have learnt from 'others'

Doctrine of Faith 1. Faith is an internal acknowledgment of truth.By faith at the present day is understood nothing more than the mental presumption that a thing is so, because it is taught by the Church, and because it is not evident to the understanding. For it is said: Believe, and do not doubt. If you answer, I do not comprehend it, you are told that this is the reason why it must be believed. The faith of the present day, therefore, is a faith in what is not known, and may be called a blind faith; and as it is the dictate of one person passed on to another, it is an historical faith. That this is not spiritual faith will be seen in what follows.

Arcana Coelestia  6945(3)...And as there was no such force before the Lord’s coming, but only after His coming, when He had made the Human in Himself Divine, therefore they could not be taken out of the lower earth, where they were being infested by falsities, and be taken up into heaven, until after the Lord’s resurrection (n. 6914). From this then it is that it is said that they would not believe, thus neither would receive what the law Divine, that is, the truth Divine says, unless they saw that it is so, thus unless they saw signs.

AC 2831. Behind, caught in a thicket. That this signifies entangled in natural knowledge, is evident from the signification of being “caught,” as here being entangled; and from the signification of a “thicket” or “tangle” as being memory-knowledge-explained in what follows. That the spiritual are held entangled in natural knowledge in regard to the truths of faith, is as follows. The spiritual have not perception of good and truth, as the celestial have, but instead of it conscience formed from the goods and truths of faith which they have imbibed from infancy from their parents and masters, and afterwards from the doctrine of faith into which they were born. They who have no perception of good and truth have to be confirmed by knowledges. Everyone forms for himself some idea respecting the things he has learned, and also respecting the goods and truths of faith; for without an idea, nothing remains in the memory otherwise than as an empty thing. Confirmatory things are added thereto, and fill up the idea of the thing, from other knowledges, even from memory-knowledges. The confirmation of the idea itself by many things causes not only that it sticks in the memory, so that it can be called forth into the thought, but also that faith can be insinuated into it.

AC 6240...What the rational is shall be briefly told. The intellectual of the internal man is called “rational,” but the intellectual of the external man is called “natural;” thus the rational is internal, and the natural is external; and they are perfectly distinct from each other. But a truly rational man is no other than he who is called a celestial man, and who has perception of good, and from good perception of truth; whereas he who has not this perception, but only the knowledge that a thing is true because he is so instructed, and from this has conscience, is not truly a rational man, but is an interior natural man. Such are they who are of the Lord’s spiritual church. They differ from the celestial as the light of the moon differs from the light of the sun; and therefore the Lord appears to the spiritual as a moon, but to the celestial as a sun (see n. 1521, 1529-1531, 4060, 4696). [2] Many in the world suppose that a rational man is one who can reason acutely about many things, and so join his reasonings together that his conclusions may appear like truth; but this is found in the very worst of men, who are able to reason skillfully and persuade that evils are goods, and that falsities are truths; and the reverse. But he who reflects can see that this is vicious phantasy, and not what is rational. The rational consists in inwardly seeing and perceiving that good is good, and from this that truth is truth; for the sight and perception of such men are from heaven. That they who are of the Lord’s spiritual church are interiorly natural, is because they only acknowledge as truth that which they have received from their parents and masters, and afterward have confirmed in themselves; and do not see inwardly, and perceive, whether it is true from any other source than that they have confirmed it in themselves. It is otherwise with the celestial; and it is from this that the latter are rational, but the former interiorly natural.

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.

From The Logopraxis Workbook

Remaining Neutral 

When we meet, we try to adopt and maintain a state of neutrality in relation to others, by keeping facial and verbal responses to a minimum. This is not a social gathering, and everyday social and conversational cues tend to elicit habitual patterns of interacting with others that blunt our ability to remain consciously present to the inner spiritual content arising in the contact. And this is as true for a speaker as it is for a listener. Through practising the skill of inner and outer neutrality we seek to offer a space of respect for each other, that supports speakers and listeners in maintaining an awareness of the content of their inner states within the outer world of the group setting.

Normally when we are speaking, we look to have what we are saying affirmed through verbal and facial cues offered by those listening. Through the ‘silence’ of neutrality the speaker can experience the act of speaking in a different way to how they would in their normal everyday interactions. This encourages a greater capacity for attention and reflection on the spiritual quality behind one’s words, and whether what’s being said aligns with the principles of Logopraxis group life. In this way, the practice of neutrality creates a non-directive sphere that encourages us to actively attend to what is more interior and so become more conscious of what is being said, as well as what’s produced in us as they share.

As we work to stay neutral outwardly, we are also working to notice, but not act on, any tendencies in us to correct, criticise, affirm or praise arising from within. Whilst this applies to not judging what we are hearing others saying, it also applies to maintaining a state of neutrality toward the thoughts and feelings that are caused in our own awareness as we listen. The aim in this case is not to identify with what’s arising as something coming from us, but simply to observe this as something flowing in and passing through our mental landscape. So, as we listen to hear spiritual principles as truths being illustrated about the nature of self and the nature of the Lord, part of that illustration will be from our struggle to stay non-identified with what we are observing and hearing.

Examples in practise:

·      Remove cross-talking in Round One: Only one person speaks at a time when invited to by the facilitator.

·      Body and face: Work to maintain a state of neutrality concerning our facial expressions, body language, verbal cues and prompts.

·      Not owning our thoughts: Working to stay present to the group through not identifying with the internal chatter that inevitably arises. When this happens, we simply need to redirect our attention back to being present.

Questions For Reflection

1. Is it easier or more difficult to practise neutrality when listening if I know this person outside of my Life Group - ie. a shared history, a family or social connection, a friendship. Why do you think this might be?

2. Is it easier or more difficult to practise inner neutrality towards my thoughts in my Life Group as opposed to when I am with others outside of my Life Group? Why?

3. What conditions or prompts could you set up to encourage you to practise inner neutrality in your day to day life?

CLICK TO PRINT READING

6979. Verses 10-12. And Moses said unto Jehovah, In me, my Lord, I am not a man of words, even from yesterday, even from the day before yesterday, even from now in Thy speaking unto Thy servant; because heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue am I. And Jehovah said unto him, Who maketh man's mouth? Or who hath made him dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I Jehovah? And now go, and I will be with thy mouth, and I will teach thee what thou shalt speak. And Moses said unto Jehovah signifies perception from the Divine; In me, my Lord signifies what is certain; I am not a man of words signifies that he has no speech; even from yesterday, even from the day before yesterday signifies not from eternity; even from now in Thy speaking unto Thy servant signifies thus neither to eternity with the Divine flowing into the Human; because heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue am I signifies that the voice and speech from the Divine are not heard or perceived; and Jehovah said unto him signifies Divine influx; who maketh man's mouth? signifies utterance; or who hath made him dumb? signifies no utterance; or deaf? signifies no perception, and consequently no obedience; or seeing, or blind? signifies faith by means of knowledges, and no faith through lack of them; is it not I Jehovah? signifies that these things are by virtue of the influx of life from the Divine; and now go signifies life from the Divine; and I will be with thy mouth, and will teach thee what thou shalt speak signifies the Divine in each and all things which proceed from the Divine Human.

6980. And Moses said unto Jehovah. That this signifies perception from the Divine is evident from the signification of saying, in the historicals of the Word, as being to perceive (as frequently above); and from the representation of Moses as being the Lord in respect to the Divine law in the Human when He was in the world (see n. 6723, 6752, 6771, 6827). The Divine which is the source, is signified by Jehovah. Hence, it is plain that by Moses said unto Jehovah is signified that the Lord from His Divine had perception in His Human.

6981. In me, my Lord. That this signifies what is certain, is evident from the fact that in me is a form of assertion that a thing is so, consequently that it is certain.

6982. I am not a man of words. That this signifies that he has no speech, is evident from the signification of not a man of words, as being not to have the faculty of speaking, thus to have no speech. How this is shall be told. Here in the supreme sense the subject treated of is the Lord, for Moses represents the Lord as to the law Divine, thus as to truth Divine. The truth which proceeds immediately from the Divine cannot be heard by anyone, not even by any angel; for in order to be heard the Divine must first become human; and it becomes human when it passes through the heavens; and when it has passed through the heavens it is presented in human form, and becomes speech, which speech is uttered by spirits, who when they are in this state, are called the Holy Spirit, and this is said to proceed from the Divine, because the holy of the spirit, or the holy truth which the spirit then speaks, proceeds from the Lord. From this it can be seen that the truth which proceeds immediately from the Divine cannot be presented to anyone as discourse or speech, except through the Holy Spirit. This is meant in the supreme sense by the statement that Moses, who represents the Lord as to truth Divine, says that he is not a man of words; and by the fact that Aaron his brother was adjoined to him, who was to him for a mouth, and he to Aaron for God.

6983. Even from yesterday, even from the day before yesterday. That this signifies not from eternity, namely, having speech, is evident from the signification of yesterday and the day before yesterday, as being from eternity. That yesterday and the day before yesterday denotes from eternity, is because it signifies time, and indeed time past; and when spoken of the Lord, or of the Divine, time does not signify time, but eternity. There are two things which are proper to nature, and which do not exist in heaven, still less in the Divine, namely space and time. That these are not in heaven, but that instead of them there are states, instead of space state as to being, and instead of time state as to coming-forth, may be seen above (n. 2625, 3938); and also that spaces and times in heaven are states (n. 1274, 1382, 2625, 2788, 2837, 3254, 3356, 3387, 3404, 3827, 4321, 4814, 4882, 4901, 4916, 5605, 6110). But in the Divine which is above the heavens, still less are there space and time, and not even state, but instead of space there is infinity, and instead of time eternity; to these two correspond the times and spaces in the world; and also states as to being and as to coming-forth in the heavens.

[2] That by yesterday and the day before yesterday, in the Word, is not signified yesterday and the day before yesterday, but in general time past, is evident from the passages where they are mentioned:

The waters of the Jordan returned into their place, and went over all its banks, as yesterday and the day before yesterday (Josh. 4:18).

It came to pass, everyone who had known Saul yesterday and the day before yesterday, when they saw that behold he prophesied with the prophets (1 Sam. 10:11).

The tribes of Israel said unto David, Both yesterday and the day before yesterday, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel (2 Sam. 5:2).

In these passages and elsewhere yesterday and the day before yesterday denotes formerly, or time past. Now as by yesterday and the day before yesterday is signified time past, and the subject here treated of in the supreme sense is the Lord, who as to the Divine law or Divine truth is represented by Moses, it is evident that by yesterday and the day before yesterday is signified from eternity. The eternity which is signified by yesterday is thus expressed in David:

A thousand years in Thine eyes are as yesterday when it is past (Ps. 90:4).

6984. Even from now in Thy speaking unto Thy servant. That this signifies thus neither to eternity with the Divine flowing into the human, is evident from the signification of from now, or from today, as being eternity (see n. 2838, 3998, 4304, 6165), thus to eternity, because it involves time following; from the signification of speaking, as being influx (n. 2951, 5481, 5743, 5797), that it denotes influx from the Divine, is signified by in Thy (that is Jehovah) speaking; and from the signification of servant, as being the Lord's Human when as yet it was not made Divine (n. 2159); but when it was made Divine, because one with Jehovah, it was the Lord.

6985. Because heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue am I. That this signifies that the voice and speech from the Divine are not heard or perceived, is evident from the signification of mouth, as being voice; and from the signification of tongue, as being speech. By mouth, is signified voice, because it is the organ of the voice; and by tongue is signified speech, because it is the organ of speech. The difference between voice and speech is plain to everyone, also that to be heard is said of the voice, and to be perceived of speech. This cannot be expressed in the historic sense of the letter, where Moses is spoken of as a man, and who could speak, but with difficulty, otherwise than by being heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue. But when this passes into the internal sense, it is perceived by the angels as being said in respect to the subject treated of; and when it is said of the Divine, it is perceived that the voice proceeding thence cannot be heard nor the speech be perceived immediately, but mediately through spirits, according to what was said above (n. 6982).

6986. And Jehovah said unto him. That this signifies Divine influx, is evident from the signification of saying, as being influx (see n. 5743, 5797, 6152, 6291); that it denotes from the Divine, is because Jehovah said.

6987. Who maketh man's mouth? That this signifies utterance, is evident from the signification of mouth, as being the voice (of which above, n. 6985); and as it denotes the voice, it denotes utterance. What the mouth specifically signifies cannot be seen except from correspondence. The mouth together with the lips corresponds to the interior speech which is of the thought. The thought of man is active and passive; man has active thought when he speaks, and this may be called speaking thought; but his thought is passive when he does not speak; and the difference between the two can be seen by him who reflects. By the mouth of man is thus signified active or speaking thought, thus utterance.

[2] As regards active thought, which is signified by the mouth, be it known that this thought also is speaking thought in its own way, and that by the activity of this speech it excites the organs of the body corresponding thereto. It appears as if the words of the speech were in the thought, but this is a fallacy; it is only the sense of the speech which is there, the nature of which man can scarcely know, for it is the speech of his spirit, which speech is universal speech, such as is the speech of spirits in the other life. When this speech flows into the correspondent organs of the body, it presents the speech of words, which is vastly different from the thought that produces it, as is very evident from the fact that a man can think in one minute what takes him a long space of time to speak or write; and this would not be the case if this thought were composed of words, as is the speech of the mouth. It is from the correspondence of the speech of the thought and the speech of the mouth, that when a man comes after death among spirits, he knows how to speak in the universal language,...