Logopraxis

Arcana Coelestia

6179. Put I pray thy hand under my thigh. That this signifies a sacred binding, is evident from the signification of “putting the hand under the thigh,” as being a binding, with all power, by means of that which belongs to conjugial love; for by the “hand” is signified power (see n. 878, 3091, 4931-4937, 5328, 5544), and by the “thigh” that which is of conjugial love (n. 3021, 4277, 4280, 4575, 5050-5062).

In the supreme sense the conjugial is the union of the Divine and the Divine Human In the Lord; and from this it is the union of the Divine good and the Divine truth in heaven; for that which proceeds from the Lord is the Divine truth from the Divine good.

From this, heaven is heaven, and is called a “marriage,” for it is the conjunction of the good and the truth there, which proceed from the Lord, that makes it. And as the Lord is the good there, and heaven is the truth thence derived, therefore in the Word the Lord is called the “bridegroom,” and heaven and also the church are called the “bride;” for good and truth make a marriage, and their conjunction is what is meant by the conjugial.

Hence it is plain how sacred a thing it was to be bound by means of what is conjugial, which was signified by “putting the hand under the thigh.” From this marriage of good and truth descends genuine conjugial love, In regard to which and its sanctity see what was said above (n. 2727-2759).

 

Conjugial Love

66 ... It must be clearly recognized that there is no good nor any truth which is not in a substance as its subject. Abstract goods and truths, being nowhere because they have no abode, are not possible. They certainly cannot be seen as things floating in the air. Therefore they are mere entities, of which reason seems to think abstractly but of which, nevertheless, it cannot think unless they are in subjects. For all man's ideas, even though sublimated, are substantial, that is, are attached to substances. It must further be recognized that there can be no substance unless it be a form. A substance not formed is not anything, for nothing can be predicted of it, and a subject without predicates is also an entity of no reason. 

 

Arcana Coelestia

5110 [3] Nevertheless, as man is such that he can have no idea of thought whatever about abstract things unless he adjoins something natural which has entered from the world through the senses (for without some such natural thing his thought perishes as in an abyss and is dissipated),

 therefore lest what is Divine should perish in man when he is wholly immersed in bodily and earthly things, and with whomsoever it remained it should be defiled by an unclean idea, and together with what is Divine everything celestial and spiritual thence derived should also perish, it pleased Jehovah to present Himself such as He actually is, and such as He appears in heaven, namely, as a Divine Man. 

For everything of heaven conspires to the human form, as may be seen from what has been shown at the end of the chapters concerning the correspondence of all things of man with the Grand Man, which is heaven. This Divine, or this of Jehovah in heaven, is the Lord from eternity.

The same the Lord took also upon Him when He glorified or made Divine the human in Himself, as is very evident from the form in which He appeared before Peter, James, and John, when He was transfigured (Matthew 17:1-2); and also in which He at times appeared to the prophets. It is from this that everyone is able to think of the Divine Itself as of a Man, and at the same time of the Lord, in whom is all the Divine, and a perfect Trinity, for in the Lord the Divine Itself is the Father, this Divine in heaven is the Son, and the Divine thence proceeding is the Holy Spirit. That these are a one, as He Himself teaches, is hence manifest.

 

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

6183. 'And you are to carry me out of Egypt' means so that there may be a raising up from factual knowledge. This is clear from the meaning of 'carrying me' as a raising up (for when people pass from Egypt to the land of Canaan they are said 'to go up , which means a raising up, 3084, 4539, 4969, 5406, 5817, 6007; and the same is meant by 'carrying someone there out of Egypt'); and from the meaning of 'Egypt' as factual knowledge, dealt with already. A brief statement must be made to explain what a raising up from factual knowledge is.

The regeneration of the natural is effected by an instilling of spiritual life from the Lord through the internal man into the known facts residing in the natural (this instilling has been the subject in the present chapter). But once a person has been regenerated thus far, and if he is the kind whose regeneration can go further, he is raised up from the exterior to the interior natural, which is subject to the direct control of the internal man. But if he is not that kind of person, his spiritual life exists in the exterior natural. The raising up is effected by a withdrawal from sensory impressions and factual knowledge and so by a raising up above them, and then the person comes into a state of interior thought and affection; thus interiorly he is raised into heaven.

People who attain this state are in the internal Church, whereas those who attain only the first state are in the external Church. The latter are represented by 'Jacob', the former by 'Israel'. It was therefore so that Jacob might be Israel, and so that spiritual good present in the interior natural - thus the internal spiritual Church - may thereby be represented by him as Israel, that these words were uttered by Jacob.

 

Heaven and Hell

284. He who has not experienced the peace of heaven cannot perceive what the peace is in which the angels are. As man is unable, as long as he is in the body, to receive the peace of heaven, so he can have no perception of it, because his perception is in what is natural. To perceive it he must be able, as to thought, to be raised up and withdrawn from the body and kept in the spirit, and at the same time be with angels. In this way has the peace of heaven been perceived by me, and therefore I am able to describe it. Yet because human words are inadequate, I cannot describe in words that peace in itself but only as it is in comparison with that rest of mind experienced by those who are content in God.

 

Arcana Coelestia

1259. There is something further to be said about 'nations' meaning goods and evils within worship: In most ancient times people dwelt distinguished into separate nations, families, and houses, as stated already, in order that the Church on earth might represent the Lord's kingdom where all people are distinguished into communities, those communities into larger ones, and these into still larger, all these distinctions existing according to general and specific differences of love and faith, about which see 684, 685. Thus the Lord's kingdom is similarly distinguished so to speak into houses, families, and nations. This is why 'houses, families, and nations' in the Word means the goods that stem from love and its derivative faith, where also a careful distinction is made between nations and people. 'Nation' means good or evil, but 'people' truth or falsity.

 

 

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

6168. Genesis 47: Verses 27-31. And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen; and they had a possession therein, and were fruitful, and multiplied exceedingly. And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; and the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were seven years, and a hundred and forty years. And the days of Israel drew near to die; and he called his son Joseph, and said to him, If I pray I have found grace in thine eyes, put I pray thy hand under my thigh, and do mercy and truth with me; bury me not I pray in Egypt; and I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their sepulcher. And he said, I will do according to thy word. And he said, Swear to me; and he sware to him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed’s head.

6183. And thou shalt carry me out of Egypt.

That this signifies that there may be elevation out of memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of “carrying me,” as being elevation; for “going up” is said of passing from Egypt to the land of Canaan, whereby is signified elevation (see n. 3084, 4539, 4969, 5406, 5817, 6007), and the same by “carrying there out of Egypt;” and from the signification of “Egypt,” as being memory-knowledges (of which above).

What elevation from memory-knowledges is, shall be briefly stated. The regeneration of the natural is effected by means of the insinuation by the Lord of spiritual life through the internal man into the memory-knowledges in the natural. This insinuation has been treated of in this chapter. But if when the man has been regenerated thus far, he is of such a character that he can be further regenerated, he is elevated thence to the interior natural, which is under the immediate auspices of the internal; whereas if the man is not of such a character, in this case his spiritual life is in the exterior natural. The elevation is effected by a withdrawing from things of sense and memory-knowledge, thus by elevation above them, and then the man comes into a state of interior thought and affection, thus interiorly into heaven.

They who are in this latter state are in the internal church; but they who are in the former state are in the external church, and are represented by Jacob, whereas they who are in the latter state are represented by Israel. To the end therefore that “Jacob” may be “Israel,” and thus by him as “Israel” may be represented the spiritual good which is in the interior natural, thus the internal spiritual church, these words were said by Jacob.

 

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.

Heaven and Hell

517(3) The affection of truth that is suited to the use is insinuated by various means, most of which are unknown in the world; chiefly by representatives of uses which in the spiritual world are exhibited in a thousand ways, and with such delights and pleasures that they permeate the spirit from the interiors of his mind to the exteriors of his body, and thus affect the whole. In consequence, the spirit becomes as it were his use. Therefore, when he comes into his society, into which he is initiated by instruction, he is in his life by being in his use.  ​

 

True Christian Religion

The man who thus practises charity, becomes more and more charity in form; for justice and fidelity form his mind, and the practice of these forms his body; and because of his form he gradually comes to will and think only such things as pertain to charity. Such at length come to be like those of whom it is said in the Word, that they have the law written on their hearts.

Nor do they place merit in their works, because they do not think of merit but of duty-that it becomes a citizen so to act. But a man can by no means of himself act from spiritual justice and fidelity; for every man inherits from his parents a disposition to do what is good and just for the sake of himself and the world; but no man inherits a disposition to do it for the sake of what is good and just; consequently, only he who worships the Lord, and acts from Him when acting from himself, attains to spiritual charity, and becomes imbued with it by the practice of it.

 

Apocalypse Revealed

601 [2] Every church appears before the Lord as a man; if it is in truths from the Word, it appears as a beautiful man, but if it is in truths falsified, it appears as a man-monster. The church so appears from its doctrine and from a life according to it; from which it follows, that the doctrine of a church is its image.

This may also be seen from this: Every man is his own good and truth, or his own evil and falsity, from this and from no other source man is a man. Consequently it is doctrine and life according to it which makes the image of the man of the church, the image being that of a beautiful man, if the doctrine and the life according to it is from the genuine truths of the Word; but it is the image of a man-monster, if from falsified truths of the Word.

 

 

 

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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

6119 ... Spiritual life consists in activities according to truths, consequently in uses; for they who are in spiritual life have an appetite and a longing for truths with a view to life, that is, that they may live according to them, thus with a view to uses. So far therefore as they are able to receive truths in accordance with which uses may be done, so far they are in spiritual life, because so far they are in the light of intelligence and of wisdom.

 

6125 ... It is here necessary to state what these memory-knowledges from the intellectual are. Man has an intellectual, and he has a will, and this not only in his internal man, but also in his external. The intellectual in a man grows and increases from his infancy to his maturity, and consists in viewing things from what belongs to experience and to memory-knowledge; and also in viewing causes from effects; and in viewing consequences in connection with their causes. Thus the intellectual consists in the comprehension and perception of such things as are of civic and moral life. It comes into existence from the influx of light from heaven; and therefore every man can be perfected in respect to the intellectual. The intellectual is given to everyone according to his application, according to his life, and according to his nature; nor is it lacking in anyone, provided he is of sound mind. It is given to man to the end that he may be in freedom and in choice, that is, in the freedom of choosing good or evil. Unless man has such an intellectual as has been described, he cannot do this of himself, thus neither could anything be appropriated to him.

[2] Be it known further, that it is man’s intellectual which receives what is spiritual, so as to be a recipient of spiritual truth and good. For nothing of good, that is, of charity, and nothing of truth, that is, of faith, can be insinuated into anyone who has not an intellectual, but they are insinuated according to his intellectual; and therefore also man is not regenerated by the Lord until in adult age and possessed of an intellectual, before which period the good of love and truth of faith fall as seed into ground that is quite barren. But when a man has been regenerated, his intellectual performs the use of seeing and perceiving what is good, and thereby what is true; for the intellectual carries over those things which are of the light of heaven into those which are of the light of nature, whereby the former appear in the latter as do the interior affections of man in a face free from pretence.

 

Matthew 23: 25-26

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!

For you make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter,

but inside they are full of extortion and intemperance.

Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and platter,

that the outside of them may become clean also.

 

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

6138... By receptacles are meant the very forms of men;  for men are nothing else than forms receptive of life from the Lord, and these forms are such by inheritance and by actual life that they refuse to admit the spiritual life which is from the Lord. But when these receptacles have been so far renounced that they no longer have any freedom from the man’s own, there is total submission. 

9334... When a man is being regenerated, which is effected by the implanting of spiritual truth and good, and by the removal at the same time of falsity and evil, he is not regenerated hastily, but slowly. The reason is that all things the man, from his infancy, has thought, intended, and done, have added themselves to his life, and have made it, and likewise have formed such a connection among themselves that no one thing can be taken away unless all are taken away at the same time. For an evil man is an image of hell, and a good man is an image of heaven; and the evils and falsities with an evil man have such a connection among themselves as there is among the infernal societies, of which he is a part; and the goods and truths with a good man have such a connection among themselves as there is among the heavenly societies, of which he is a part.

From this it is evident that the evils and falsities with an evil man cannot be removed from their place suddenly; but only in proportion as goods and truths are implanted in their order, and interiorly; for heaven in a man removes hell from him. If this were done suddenly, the man would fail; for each and all things that are in connection and form would be disturbed, and would take away his life.

 

True Christian Religion

763. It is according to order that a first should go forth to its last both in general and in particular, in order that variety may exist in all things, and through varieties every quality; for quality is perfected by means of differences relating to what is more or less opposite.

Who cannot see that truth takes on its quality through the existence of falsity, and good likewise through the existence of evil, as light takes on its quality through the existence of darkness, and heat through the existence of cold?

What would color be if there were no black and nothing but white? If it were otherwise the quality of intermediate colors could not but be imperfect.

What is sensation apart from relation; and what is relation except to things opposite?

Is not the sight of the eye obscured by looking at white only, and quickened by a color that inwardly derives something from black, such, for example, as green?

Is not the sense of bearing dulled by the continued strain of one tone upon its organs, and stimulated by a modulation that is varied by relative sounds?

What is the beautiful without relation to the unbeautiful? So in some pictures in order to present vividly the beauty of a virgin, an ugly face is placed beside the handsome one.

What are joy and happiness without relation to what is joyless and unhappy?

Will not one become insane by dwelling upon one idea only, uninterrupted by a variety that tends to things opposite?

It is the same with the spiritual things of the church, the opposites of which have relation to evil and falsity, which, nevertheless, are not from the Lord, but from man who has freedom of choice which he can turn either to a good use or an evil use; comparatively as it is with darkness and cold, which are not from the sun but are from the earth, which by its revolutions in turn withdraws from the sun and returns to it; and without its turning from and to the sun there would be neither day nor year, consequently no person and no thing on the earth.

I have heard that churches which are in different goods and truths, provided their goods relate to love to the Lord, and their truths to faith in Him, are like so many gems in a king's crown.

 

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 Text Is The Means Given For Our Regeneration

For anyone who enters this work there is a level of acknowledgement that the Heavenly Doctrines are the texts that have been provided by the Lord to support the regeneration of the human mind. With this as our starting principle we can then surmise that the Text is what is given for us to hear what the Lord needs us to hear with regards to His divine truth and in how to apply it to our life. In this way the Text can be seen as the meeting place where our outer self which is reading it, is able to meet with the Lord’s inflowing life in what is of His church within us. So, the Text is the means by which we can become more conscious of the thoughts and affections that are present for us that are heavenly, ie. of the Lord, and in consequence of that, of those thoughts and affections that are in opposition to what is heavenly, ie. are of the hellish proprium.

If we can approach the Text with an openness to receiving what it is the Lord has to say to us in this way, then what we observe, what is reflected back, what catches our attention, what we are drawn to... will give us an indication about where our specific work lies in terms of our spiritual regeneration.

We open then to the idea that instead of it being a one-way dialogue of us studying the Text - we find that the Text is in fact studying us and is the means by which we may study ourselves.

 

Center Yourself Before You Start

If possible, spend a little time (5 or 10 minutes) centering yourself. There is no set way of doing this, but whatever you do, it should be something that steadies the inner activity of your mind and lifts your awareness out of external life concerns.

Meditation, reading some Scripture, focused breathing, playing quiet music are some examples that might do this for you.

 

Learning To Observe The Two Competing Authorities

1st State - Truths

Listen for what the Text is saying with regards to principles or truths or ideas about the spiritual life.

2nd State - What Seeks To Distract

Watch for thoughts in your mind that seek to distract you from listening to what the Text is saying and thoughts that try to judge:

seek to distract or pull your attention away from what's being said

that seek to analyse the Text or insist on you making sense of it or understanding it

that seek to judge you when you struggle to pay attention or struggle to understand or just criticise you in general

that seek to affirm or praise you - another form of judging

any other thoughts that feel like they are making it difficult for you to hear what the Text is saying with regards to Divine truth/ spiritual life.

To begin with . . .

You could try reading your chosen piece of Text twice. The first time watching your thoughts for truths that it hears and the second time watching for thoughts that seek to distract you from hearing these truths.

You may want to read the Text in this way for a while so that you can learn to make distinctions between the two different types of information that is being offered to you as you observe your thoughts. ( ie. thoughts that are about the Lord and of spiritual life and alternatively those that seek to distract you from this.).

But over time. . .

Like any skill that is practiced, you’ll find that you’ll learn to read these two states of minds within you simultaneously in that your ability to move back and forth between them will become more fluid.

 

Why Should We Practise This Way of Reading The Text?

It frees us from the idea that we must understand everything

Approaching the Text in this way offers a different type of experience to the traditional way of approaching it where we have read to understand it intellectually. If we approach the Text reading it instead to understand our own spiritual states ( ie. the thoughts and affections that are being brought into awareness when we engage with the Text), then this frees us from the need to have to understand every single thing that we read. And so in this way whether we’re drawn to a whole chapter, or a few pages or simply one paragraph, it loosens us from thought that we must gather as much information as possible and instead draws us into trusting in the idea that what we’ve been offered is what the Lord needed us to hear. As little as little is needed or as much as much is needed. It thus builds trust in the Text.

It offers us revelation about where our specific work lies

Approaching the Text in this way also affirms the idea that the Text is given for the revelation of our own internal spiritual processes and the specific work the Lord requires of us in regards to the regeneration of our mind. It offers a real life application of seeing the Text as something that is relevant specifically to the reformation of how we engage in our day to life because it seeks to challenge the structures of how our sense of self thinks. It seeks to change what truth authority our sense of self turns to and thinks from... ie- It asks it- does it believe that the Text can offer to highlight states that need to be looked at or does it think from the idea that it is its own authority of truth? For this is the very function of Divine truth... it seeks to show us what isn't of the Lord so that we may know the truth that counters it more deeply.

It shows us what must be seen and called out and named

To read and listen consciously is about watching for the thoughts and affections that want to judge, condemn, criticise, praise, analyse and solve rather than simply listening for spiritual principles or truths found within what’s being described. When these self- crediting qualities and condemning tendencies of the proprium are observed and acknowledged it affirms that what the Text teaches us about the nature of the hellish proprium is true. We see it as something active in our direct experience. In the moment that we truly recognise that what the Text has called out and named is the hellish proprium, it is effectively shunned. The act of shunning the evils of this infernal proprium as sins against the Lord is the true meaning of charity.

It will extend out into all aspects of our daily life

You will find that eventually you will start to pay attention to your inner chatter not just when you are reading the Text but in your interactions with others too. This is a natural progression that occurs when any skill is practiced frequently – it starts to become part of our baseline thinking. As the truth about what the Text says about the nature of the hellish proprium becomes more and more seen as real in application to our own mind then it also more often acts as a reminder to us to watch for the two competing states of mind or authorities of truth within.

It allows us to know the truth more deeply and hence the Lord more deeply

It's not that the sense of self or proprium is destroyed ... but it instead becomes vivified or made living when it is seen as a function of use. This is because it is the presence of the obstructions that it is to the Lord's light which allows the varieties of colour to be seen. As finite beings we will never be able to see the Lord as He is in Himself in its pure white light but we may eternally grow in the discovery of the unlimited variations of colours.

 

Arcana Coelestia 731 (Potts)

Every substance that I have made will I destroy from off the faces of the ground.

That this signifies man’s proprium, which is as if destroyed when vivified, is evident from what has been said before respecting this proprium.

Man’s proprium is entirely evil and falsity. So long as this continues, the man is dead; but when he comes into temptations it is dispersed, that is, loosened and tempered by truths and goods from the Lord, and thus is vivified and appears as if it were not present.

That it does not appear and is no longer hurtful, is signified by “destroyed;” and yet it is not destroyed, but remains.

It is almost as with black and white, which when variously modified by the rays of light are turned into beautiful colours—such as blue, yellow, and purple—whereby, according to their arrangement are presented lovely and agreeable tints, as in flowers, yet remaining radically and fundamentally black and white.

Arcana Coelestia

6144 . . .  Despair causes those who feel it to acknowledge in an effectual and feeling manner that there is nothing of truth and good from themselves, and that from themselves they are condemned; but that they are delivered from condemnation by the Lord; and that salvation flows in by means of truth and good. Despair also causes them to feel the happiness of life which is from the Lord; for when they come out of that state, they are like those who have been condemned to death, and are set free from prison.

Moreover by means of desolations and temptations, states contrary to heavenly life are felt, the result of which is the implantation of a sense and perception of the satisfaction and happiness of heavenly life; for a sense and perception of what is satisfying and happy is impossible without comparison with the opposites. To the end therefore that full comparisons may be made, desolations and temptations are brought to their utmost, that is, to despair.

 

 

Heaven and Hell

289. As the Divine peace comes into existence from the conjunction of the Lord with heaven, and specially from the conjunction of the good and truth with any one angel, so when the angels are in a state of love they are in a state of peace; for then, with them good is conjoined to truth. (That the states of angels undergo successive changes may be seen above, 154-160.) This is true also of a man who is being regenerated. As soon as, in his case, a conjunction of good and truth comes about, which takes place especially after temptations, he comes into a state of delight from heavenly peace.  This peace may be likened to morning or dawn in springtime, when, the night being passed, with the rising of the sun all things of the earth begin to live anew, the fragrance of growing vegetation is spread abroad as a result of the dew that descends from heaven, and the mild vernal temperature gives fertility to the ground and imparts pleasure to the minds of men, and this because morning or dawn in springtime corresponds to the state of peace of angels in heaven (see 155).

 

 

Arcana Coelestia

 

6140. That we may live, and not die. That this signifies spiritual life from this source and no longer any fear of damnation, is evident from the signification of “living,” as being spiritual life (see n. 5890); and from the signification of “dying,” as being damnation (n. 6119), here the fear of damnation; because in a state of desolation, when a man is being regenerated, there is no damnation, but fear of damnation.

 

6138...[2] In order that He may make a man blessed and happy, the Lord wills a total submission, that is, that he be not partly his own and partly the Lord’s, for then there are two lords, which no one can serve at the same time.

 

 

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

6115... [2] In regard to true and adaptable memory-knowledges being brought into relation to what is general, be it known that in order to be anything, all memory-knowledges and also all truths whatsoever, must be brought into relation to their generals, and must be placed and contained in and under a general, as otherwise they are at once dissipated. For in order that memory-knowledges and truths may be anything, they must be brought into a form in which they shall mutually regard each other, which cannot be effected unless they are consociated under a general; and therefore it is this general which holds them together in form, and causes that each constituent therein may have its own quality. The general itself, together with other generals, must also be brought into relation under things more general; and the more general things again, under the most general; for otherwise the general things, and likewise the more general things, would be dissipated.

[3] The most general universal, by virtue of which all things are held together, is the Lord Himself, and that which holds together is the Divine truth proceeding from Him.

6122. If silver fail. That this signifies if truth is no longer visible to them, is evident from the signification of “silver failing,” as being a lack of truth, thus that truth is no longer visible (of which above, n. 6116, 6119). Truth is said to be not visible, because in a state of desolation truth appears as if it had fled away. Yet it is present, for all the truth and good which have at any time been given by the Lord to man, spirit, and angel, remain, and nothing of them is taken away; but in a state of desolation they are obscured by what is their own, so as not to appear; but when a state of light returns, they become present and visible. From this it is plain what is meant by truth not being visible.

6156 ... What remains are may be seen above , namely, that they are goods and truths from the Lord stored up in the interior man. These are let down into the exterior or natural man when he is in a state of good; but the moment he comes into a state of evil they are drawn back and stored up again. The reason of their being drawn back and stored up again, is to prevent their being mingled with evils, and thus perishing. When a man cannot be regenerated, the remains in him are carefully preserved in his interiors. But when a man is being regenerated, then, Insofar as this is the case, the remains are let down from the interiors into the exteriors, for the reason that by regeneration the interiors are conjoined with the exteriors and act as a one. Remains are then first let down to generals, and afterward successively to particulars. As the subject here treated of in the internal sense is the regeneration of the natural, it may be known from what has been said what is meant by remains being for what is general in the natural.

 

6119. For why should we die beside thee because the silver faileth? That this signifies that otherwise by reason of the lack of truth there would be spiritual death, is evident from the signification of “dying,” as being spiritual death (of which in what follows); and from the signification of “silver failing,” as being a lack of truth (that “silver” denotes true and adaptable memory-knowledge may be seen above, n. 6112). In regard to the fact that there is spiritual death when there is a lack of truth, the case is this. Spiritual life consists in activities according to truths, consequently in uses; for they who are in spiritual life have an appetite and a longing for truths with a view to life, that is, that they may live according to them, thus with a view to uses. So far therefore as they are able to receive truths in accordance with which uses may be done, so far they are in spiritual life, because so far they are in the light of intelligence and of wisdom.

When therefore truths fail, as is the case when a state of shade comes, which is signified in the Word by “evening” (n. 6110), the spiritual life labors; for such things present themselves as belong to shade, that is, to spiritual death; for in this case they are not as before kept in the light, but are in part let back into their own; and hence there arises from the shade an image of spiritual death, that is, of damnation.

 

6159... where good universally reigns, it reigns in each and all things; and it is the same with evil. For that which reigns universally comes into existence for the first time when each and all things are of the same nature; and the universal is according to the quality and quantity of these; for that which is called universal is universal from the fact that it is in all things individually.

 

 

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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346. XXXVIII. THE WISE AND THE SIMPLE IN HEAVEN.

It is believed that in heaven the wise will have more glory and eminence than the simple, because it is said in Daniel:

They that are intelligent shall shine as with the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever (12 verse 3).

But few know who are meant by the intelligent and by those that turn many to righteousness. The common belief is that they are such as are called the accomplished and learned, especially such as have taught in the church and have surpassed others in acquirements and in preaching, and still more such among them as have converted many to the faith. In the world all such are regarded as the intelligent; nevertheless such are not the intelligent in heaven that are spoken of in these words, unless their intelligence is heavenly intelligence. What this is will now be told.

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347. Heavenly intelligence is interior intelligence, arising from a love for truth, not with any glory in the world nor any glory in heaven as an end, but with the truth itself as an end, by which they are inmostly affected and with which they are inmostly delighted. Those who are affected by and delighted with the truth itself are affected by and delighted with the light of heaven; and those who are affected by and delighted with the light of heaven are also affected by and delighted with Divine truth, and indeed with the Lord Himself; for the light of heaven is Divine truth, and Divine truth is the Lord in heaven (see above, n. 126-140). This light enters only into the interiors of the mind; for the interiors of the mind are formed for the reception of that light, and are affected by and delighted with that light as it enters; for whatever flows in and is received from heaven has in it what is delightful and pleasant. From this comes a genuine affection for truth, which is an affection for truth for truth's sake. Those who are in this affection, or what is the same thing, in this love, are in heavenly intelligence, and shine in heaven as with the brightness of the firmament. They so shine because Divine truth, wherever it is in heaven, is what gives light (see above, number 132); and the firmament of heaven signifies from correspondence the intellectual faculty, both with angels and men, that is in the light of heaven. [2] But those that love the truth, either with glory in the world or glory in heaven as an end, cannot shine in heaven, since they are delighted with and affected by the light of the world, and not with the very light of heaven; and the light of the world without the light of heaven is in heaven mere thick darkness.[1] For the glory of self is what rules, because it is the end in view; and when that glory is the end man puts himself in the first place, and such truths as can be made serviceable to his glory he looks upon simply as means to the end and as instruments of service. For he that loves Divine truths for the sake of his own glory regards himself and not the Lord in Divine truths, thereby turning the sight pertaining to his understanding and faith away from heaven to the world, and away from the Lord to himself. Such, therefore, are in the light of the world and not in the light of heaven. [3] In outward form or in the sight of men they appear just as intelligent and learned as those who are in the light of heaven, because they speak in a like manner; and sometimes to outward appearance they even appear wiser, because they are moved by love of self, and are skilled in counterfeiting heavenly affections; but in their inward form in which they appear before the angels they are wholly different. All this shows in some degree who those are that are meant by the intelligent that will shine in heaven as with the brightness of the firmament. Who are meant by those that turn many to righteousness, who will shine as the stars, shall now be told.

[1] The light of the world is for the external man, the light of heaven for the internal man (numbers 3222-3224, 3337).

The light of heaven flows into the natural light, and so far as the natural man receives the light of heaven he becomes wise (see numbers 4302, 4408).

The things that are in the light of heaven can be seen in the light of heaven but not in the light of the world, which is called natural light (see number 9755).

Therefore those who are solely in the light of the world do not perceive those things that are in the light of heaven (see number 3108).

To the angels the light of the world is thick darkness (see numbers 1521, 1783, 1880).

348. By those who turn many to righteousness are meant those who are wise, and in heaven those are called wise who are in good, and those are in good that apply Divine truths at once to the life; for as soon as Divine truth comes to be of the life it becomes good, since it comes to be of will and love, and whatever is of will and love is called good; therefore such are called wise because wisdom is of the life. But those that do not commit Divine truths at once to the life, but first to the memory, from which they afterwards draw them and apply them to the life, are called the intelligent. What and how great the difference is between the wise and the intelligent in the heavens can be seen in the chapter that treats of the two kingdoms of heaven, the celestial and the spiritual (numbers 20-28), and in the chapter that treats of the three heavens (numbers 29-40). Those who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom, and consequently in the third or inmost heaven, are called the righteous because they attribute all righteousness to the Lord and none to themselves. The Lord's righteousness in heaven is the good that is from the Lord.[1] Such, then, are here meant by those that turn to righteousness; and such are meant also in the Lord's words,

The righteous shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father (Matthew 13 verse 43).

Such shine forth as the Sun because they are in love to the Lord from the Lord, and that love is meant by the sun (see above, n. 116-125). The light of such is flame-colored; and the ideas of their thought are so tinged with what is flaming because they receive the good of love directly from the Lord as the sun in heaven.

[1] The merit and righteousness of the Lord is the good that rules in heaven (see numbers 9486, 9983).

He that is righteous or made righteous is one to whom the merit and righteousness of the Lord is ascribed; and he is unrighteous who holds to his own righteousness and merit (see numbers 5069, 9263).

The quality of those in the other life who claim righteousness to themselves (see numbers 942, 2027).

In the Word righteousness is predicated of good and judgment of truth; therefore doing righteousness and judgment is doing good and truth (see numbers 2235, 9857).

349. All who have acquired intelligence and wisdom in the world are received in heaven and become angels, each in accordance with the quality and degree of his intelligence and wisdom. For whatever a man acquires in the world abides, and he takes it with him after death; and it is further increased and filled out, but within and not beyond the degree of his affection and desire for truth and its good, those with but little affection and desire receiving but little, and yet as much as they are capable of receiving within that degree; while those with much affection and desire receive much. The degree itself of affection and desire is like a measure that is filled to the full, he that has a large measure receiving more, and he that has a small measure receiving less. This is so because man's love, to which affection and desire belong, receives all that accords with itself; consequently reception is measured by the love. This is what is meant by the Lord's words,

To him that hath it shall be given, that he may have more abundantly (Matthew 13 verse 12; 25 verse 29).

Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, shall be given into your bosom (Luke 6 verse 38).

350. All are received into heaven who have loved truth and good for the sake of truth and good; therefore those that have loved much are called the wise, and those that have loved little are called the simple. The wise in heaven are in much light, the simple in less light, everyone in accordance with the degree of his love for good and truth. To love truth and good for the sake of truth and good is to will and do them; for those love who will and do, while those who do not will and do do not love. Such also love the Lord and are loved by the Lord, because good and truth are from the Lord. And inasmuch as good and truth are from the Lord the Lord is in good and truth; and He is in those who receive good and truth in their life by willing and doing. Moreover, when man is viewed in himself he is nothing but his own good and truth, because good is of his will and truth of his understanding, and man is such as his will and understanding are. Evidently, then, man is loved by the Lord just to the extent that his will is formed from good and his understanding from truth. Also to be loved by the Lord is to love the Lord, since love is reciprocal; for upon him who is loved the Lord bestows ability to love.

351. It is believed in the world that those who have much knowledge, whether it be knowledge of the teachings of the church and the Word or of the sciences, have a more interior and keen vision of truth than others, that is, are more intelligent and wise; and such have this opinion of themselves. But what true intelligence and wisdom are, and what spurious and false intelligence and wisdom are, shall be told in what now follows. [2] True intelligence and wisdom is seeing and perceiving what is true and good, and thereby what is false and evil, and clearly distinguishing between them, and this from an interior intuition and perception....