Logopraxis

CLICK TO PRINT READING CLICK TO GO TO COMMENTS 8127 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying. That this signifies instruction by the Divine by means of Divine truth, is evident from the signification of “Jehovah spake and said,” when concerning those things which shall be done and come to pass, as being instruction by the Divine (see n. 7186, 7241, 7267, 7304, 7380, 7517); and from the representation of Moses, as being the Lord as to Divine truth (n. 6723, 6752, 6771, 6827, 7010, 7014, 7089, 7382). It is said by means of Divine truth, because Moses, by whom Divine truth is represented, was to speak unto the people. The Divine Itself does not instruct and speak with men, nor indeed with angels, immediately; but mediately by means of Divine truth (n. 7009). This is meant by the Lord’s words in John:No one hath ever seen God; the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath set Him forth (John 1:18; 5:37).By “the only-begotten Son” is meant the Lord as to Divine truth; from this also the Lord calls Himself “the Son of man” (n. 2628, 2803, 2813, 3704). The Lord also, when in the world, was Divine truth; but afterward, when He was glorified, He became also as to the Human, Divine good; and then from this proceeded Divine truth, which is the “Spirit of truth” or “Holy Spirit.” 8128 Speak unto the sons of Israel. That this signifies the influx of truth Divine with those who are of the spiritual church, is evident from the signification of “speaking,” as being influx (see n. 2951, 5481, 5797, 7270), and from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being those who are of the spiritual church (n. 6426, 6637, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198, 7201, 7215, 7223). “To speak” denotes influx, because in the internal representative sense Moses is Divine truth, and Divine truth comes into perception and thought by influx. Thought from perception is internal speech, to which external speech corresponds; and therefore in the internal sense the former is meant by the latter. 8129 That they turn back. That this signifies that they were not yet prepared, is evident from the signification of “turning back,” namely, from the way of the land of the Philistines to the way of the wilderness at the sea Suph, as being that they were not yet prepared, namely for introduction into heaven, which is signified by their entrance into the land of Canaan. How the case herein is, and that “turning back” denotes that they were not prepared, can be seen from what was unfolded and shown at verse 18 of the preceding chapter (n. 8098, 8099); namely, that they could not be introduced into heaven until they had undergone temptations, and the Lord had thereby confirmed truths and goods and had conjoined them. This is here meant by “being prepared.” 8130 And encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal-zephon. That this signifies the beginning of a state for undergoing temptations, is evident from the signification of “encamping,” as being the setting in order of truth and good (see n. 4236, 8103), here for undergoing temptations. This state is what is signified by the places at which they were to encamp. That this state is signified is plain from what follows, in that Pharaoh with his army afterward pitched his camp there, and that at the sight of them the sons of Israel came into grievous anxiety, by which the first state of temptations is signified (see what follows at verses 9 to 12). 8131 Over against it shall ye encamp by the sea. That this signifies that the influx of temptation is thence, is evident from the signification of “over against it,” as being near, so as to be in sight, and in the internal sense so that there was influx thence; and from the signification of “encamping,” as being the setting in order of truth and good for the undergoing of temptations (as just above, see n. 8130); and from the signification of “the sea Suph,” as being the hell where are falsities from evils (n. 8099). How it is to be understood that the influx of temptation was from there shall be briefly told. Temptations with man are spiritual combats between evil and good spirits, which combats are from those things and concerning those things which the man has done and thought, and which are in his memory. The evil spirits accuse and attack; but the good excuse and defend. These combats appear as if in the man, for the things which flow in from the spiritual world with a man are not presented as being from that world, but in himself (n. 741, 751, 761, 1820, 3927, 4249, 4307, 4572, 5036, 6657, 6666). It is the same with spirits when they undergo temptations. Therefore when people are about to undergo temptations, the interior things in them, that is, the truths and goods, are arranged by the Lord into such a state that by immediate influx from Himself and mediate influx through heaven, the falsities and evils which are from the hells may be resisted, and thereby he who is in temptation may be protected. When a man is being tempted he is also near hell, especially near that hell which is signified by “the sea Suph,” for in this hell are they who have been in the memory-knowledge of truth but in a life of evil, and thereby in falsities derived from evil. From the hells, through spirits, those things flow in which bring anxiety upon man in temptations. From all this it can be seen what is meant by the influx of temptation from hell, which is signified by their “encamping over against it by the sea Suph.” 8132 And Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel. That this signifies the thought of those who are in damnation concerning the state of those who are of the spiritual church, is evident from the signification of “saying,” as being thought (see n. 7094, 7107, 7244, 7937); from the representation of Pharaoh, as being those who infest by means of falsities (n. 7107, 7110, 7126, 7142, 7220, 7228, 7317), here those who are in damnation, that is, in mere falsities from evil, for they who are merely in these, are in damnation (this state is signified by Pharaoh and the Egyptians after the firstborn were slain in Egypt, for by the slaying of the firstborn is signified damnation, n. 7766, 7778); and from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being those who are of the spiritual church (as just above, n. 8128). 8133 They are entangled in the land. That this signifies that they are in confusion in respect to the things of the church, is evident from the signification of “being entangled,” as being to be perplexed, thus to be in confusion (n. 2831); and from the signification of “land,” as being those things which are of the church. (That “land” denotes the church, see n. 8011.) 8134 The wilderness hath shut upon them. That this signifies that obscurity has taken possession of them, is evident from the signification of “shutting upon them,” when said of the obscurity which is signified by “the wilderness,” as being to take complete possession of them; and from the signification of “wilderness,” as being the obscurity of faith (see n. 7313). 8135 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart. That this signifies that they who were in falsities from evil would still be determined, is evident from the signification of “hardening the heart,” as being to be determined (see n. 7272, 7300, 7305); and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being those who are in falsities from evil, or what is the same thing, who are in damnation (n. 8132). It is said “Pharaoh’s heart,” because by “heart” in the genuine sense is signified the good of celestial love (n. 3313, 3635, 3883-3896, 7542), consequently in the opposite sense is signified evil; here the evil of those who have been in the memory-knowledge of faith and in a life of evil. 8136 And he shall follow after them. That this signifies that they would still endeavor to subjugate them, is evident from the signification of “following after them,” as being to endeavor to subjugate; for the intention of their pursuit was to reduce them into a state of servitude, and by “making to serve,” when said of the Egyptians, is signified the intention to subjugate (n. 6666, 6670, 6671). 8137 And I will be glorified. That this signifies that they should see a Divine effect from the Divine Human of the Lord in the dissipation of falsity, is evident from the signification of “to be glorified,” when said of Jehovah or the Lord, as being a Divine effect, here from His Divine Human, because by coming into the world and assuming the Human and making it Divine, the Lord cast into the hells all evils and falsities, and reduced the heavens into order, and also liberated from damnation those who were of the spiritual church (see n. 6854, 6914, 7091, 7828, 7932, 8018). These things are in general signified by “being glorified,” but here there is signified that they who had infested the well-disposed should be cast into hell, and there encompassed about with falsities as with waters of a sea, and this as a Divine effect from the mere presence of the Lord.[2] To show how the case herein is, it shall be further unfolded. There are as many hells as there are genera and species of evils, each hell being separated from others as it were by rain-storms, clouds, or waters. In the other life evils and falsities appear before the eyes of spirits as rain-storms and clouds, and also as waters; the falsities from evils of those who have been of the spiritual church and have lived evilly, appear as waters; but the falsities from evils of those who have been of the celestial church, appear as rain-storms. They who are in the hells appear to be thus encompassed, with a difference everywhere in respect to amount and kind, density and rarity, thick darkness and dimness, according to the genus and species of the falsity from evil. The hell where they are who have lived in faith separate from charity and in a life of evil, is encompassed as by the waters of a sea; the falsities of evil do not indeed appear as waters to those who are there, but to those who look from without. Above that sea, where these are, are the hells of adulterers; these are above, because in the internal sense adulteries denote adulterations of good and the consequent perversions of truth, thus they denote evils from which come falsities contrary to the truths and goods of faith (n. 2466, 2729, 3399), being such falsities as are with those who are in the hell beneath, and who have lived contrary to the truth of the church, and have made its good of no account, and therefore have also adulterated and perverted everything that is said in the Word about good, that is, about charity toward the neighbor and about love to God.[3] As regards the “glorification in Pharaoh and in his army,” this here denotes immersion in this hell and being encompassed by waters as of a sea at the mere presence of the Lord, as was said above. For the evil flee from the presence of the Lord, that is, the presence of the good and truth that are from Him, feeling horror and torment at their mere approach; and also by reason of this presence they become encompassed about with their own evils and falsities, for these then burst forth from them; and indeed these evils and falsities encompass and are interposed in order to prevent the Divine from flowing in and tormenting them. This is the Divine effect which is here signified by the “glorification in Pharaoh and in his army.” That this effect is from the Divine Human of the Lord, is because, as before said, by the Lord’s coming into the world and assuming the Human and making it Divine, He cast all falsities and evils into hell, and reduced truths and goods in the heavens into order, and liberated from damnation those who were of the spiritual church. 8138 In Pharaoh and in all his army. That this signifies the immersion in hell of those who were in falsities from evil, and an environment there by falsities as by waters, is evident from what has just been mentioned (n. 8137), namely, that by “Pharaoh” and also by “his army,” are signified those who were cast into hell; by “Pharaoh,” those who are in falsities from evil, and by “his army,” the falsities themselves. (That “armies” denote truths from good see n. 3448, 7236, 7988, and therefore in the opposite sense they signify falsities from evil n. 3448.) It is said “an environment by falsities as by waters,” because falsities from evil, such as belong to those of the church who have been in faith separate and in a life of evil, appear there like waters (n. 8137), and it is from this that inundations of waters signify vastations of truth, and the waters of them, falsities (n. 705, 739, 756, 6346, 6853, 7307). 8139 And the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah. That this signifies that from this it will be known that the Lord is the only God, is evident from what has been unfolded above (n. 7401, 7444, 7544, 7598, 7636), where like words occur. 8140 And they did so. That this signifies obedience, is evident without explication. 8141 Verses 5-9. And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled; and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us? And he harnessed his chariot, and took his people with him; and he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and tertian captains upon all of them. And Jehovah hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the sons of Israel; and the sons of Israel went out with a lofty hand. And the Egyptians pursued after them, and overtook them encamping by the sea, all the horses of the chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, beside Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-zephon. “And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled,” signifies the thought of those who were in mere falsities from evil, that they were completely separated; “and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people,” signifies a change of state into evil in the case of those who were in falsities from evil; “and they said, What is this we have done?” signifies chiding; “that we have let Israel go from serving us,” signifies that they have left and have not subjugated them; “and he harnessed his chariot,” signifies the doctrine of falsity, which is that of faith separate in general; “and took his people with him,” signifies with all falsities both in general and in particular; “and he took six hundred chosen chariots,” signifies all and each of the doctrinal things of falsity which are of faith separate in their order; “and all the chariots of Egypt,” signifies also the doctrinal things of falsity that are of service to them; “and tertian captains upon all of them,” signifies reduced into order under generals; “and Jehovah hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt,” signifies obstinacy from the falsity which is from evil; “and he pursued after the sons of Israel,” signifies an attempt to subjugate those who were in faith conjoined with charity; “and the sons of Israel went out with a lofty hand,” signifies when nevertheless they had been released by the Divine power from the endeavor to subjugate them; “and the Egyptians pursued after them,” signifies the effect from the endeavor to subjugate on the part of those who were in falsities from evil; “and overtook them encamping by the sea,” signifies communication around the region of hell where are falsities from evil; “all the horses of the chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army,” signifies all things which are of falsity from a perverted understanding; “beside Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-zephon,” signifies whence there was communication, and therefore the beginning of the state of undergoing temptations. 8142 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled. That this signifies the thought of those who were in mere falsities from evil, that they were completely separated, is evident from the signification of anyone’s being told, as being to think and reflect (see n. 2862, 5508); from the representation of Pharaoh, as being those who are in falsities from evil (n. 8132, 8135), and who when he is called “king of Egypt” denotes those who are in mere falsities (n. 7220, 7228), for by “king” are signified truths (n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 6148), consequently in the opposite sense falsities; and from the signification of “fleeing,” as being to be separated. 8143 And the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people. That this signifies a change of state into evil in the case of those who were in falsities from evil, is evident from the signification of “the heart being turned,” as being a change of state into evil; (that “to be turned,” denotes to be changed, here as to the mind, thus as to the state, is evident, and that “heart” denotes evil see above, n. 8135); from the representation of Pharaoh, as being those who are in falsities from evil (n. 8132); from the signification of “servants,” as being those who are of lower condition, and who minister, consequently all and each who are in falsities from evil (n. 7396), and from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being those who are of the spiritual church. Hence it is evident that by “the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants being turned against the people,” is signified a change of state into evil in the case of all those who are in falsities from evil, against those who are of the spiritual church. 8144 And they said, What is this we have done? That this signifies a chiding, namely, of themselves, is evident without explication. 8145 That we have let Israel go from serving us. That this signifies that they have left and have not subjugated them, is evident from the signification of “letting go,” as being to leave; and from the signification of “from serving us,” when said by the Egyptians concerning the sons of Israel, as being from assaulting by means of falsities and infesting (see n. 7120, 7129), and from subjugating thereby (n. 6666, 6670, 6671). 8146 And he harnessed his chariot. That this signifies the doctrine of falsity, which is that of faith separate in general, is evident from the signification of a “chariot,” as being doctrine (see n. 2760, 5321, 5945), here the doctrine of falsity which is of faith separate, because it is the chariot of Pharaoh, and by Pharaoh are represented the falsities which are of faith separate; for they who are in faith separate from charity and at the same time in a life of evil must needs be in falsities (n. 8094).[2] In what now follows, the subject treated of is the gathering together of all the falsities derived from evil with those who have been in faith separate from charity and in a life of evil. In what precedes, the vastation of the truths of faith with them was described, and their final reduction to the state of being in mere falsities from evil, thus in damnation. In this chapter their being cast down into hell is now treated of, for this follows damnation. With this state of being cast down into hell, the case is this. When this is to be done, all the falsities that appertain to them are gathered together into one, which is effected by the opening of all the hells with which they have had communication, and their being poured in upon them. Thence come the condensations around them of falsities from evil which appear as waters to those who look at them from without (n. 8137, 8138), for they are exhalations from their life; and when they are encompassed about with these, they are in hell. That the falsities from evil are gathered together into one and are poured in upon them, is done in order that they may be surrounded by such things as have been of their life, and may be afterward kept in them. Their kind of evil and its derivative falsity then distinguish them and their hell from other hells.[3] As the subject treated of is the gathering together of all the falsities from evil which appertain to them, therefore such frequent mention is made in this chapter of the chariots of Pharaoh, his horses, horsemen, army, and people, for by these are signified all things of falsity which appertain to them, as in this verse, “He harnessed his chariot, and took his people with him;” in the seventh verse, “He took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt;” in the ninth verse, “And the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army;” in verse seventeen, “I will be glorified in Pharaoh, in all his army, in his chariots, and in his horsemen;” in like manner in verse eighteen; again in verse twenty-three, “And the Egyptians pursued, and came after them, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen;” in verse twenty-five, “Jehovah removed the wheel of their chariots;” in verse twenty-six, “That the waters may return upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen;” in verse twenty-eight, “The waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, even to all the army of Pharaoh.” These things are repeated so many times because the subject treated of is falsities from evil, in that these were gathered together and poured in upon them; for by the things mentioned above are signified all things of falsity from evil; by “Pharaoh and the Egyptians,” the men themselves who are in falsities from evil; by “chariots,” the doctrinal things of falsity; by “horses,” false memory-knowledges from a perverted understanding; by “horsemen,” the derivative reasonings; by “army,” and “people,” the falsities themselves. 8147 And took his people with him. That this signifies with all falsities both in general and in particular, is evident from the signification of “people,” as being truths, and in the opposite sense falsities (see n. 1259, 1260, 3295, 3581), here falsities derived from evil, which are represented by Pharaoh and the Egyptians when it is said “Pharaoh and his servants,” or “Pharaoh and his people,” there are signified all, both in general and in particular, who are in these falsities, also all the falsities both in general and in particular (n. 7396). 8148 And he took six hundred chosen chariots. That this signifies all and each of the doctrinal things of falsity which are of faith separate, in their order, is evident from the signification of the number “six hundred,” as being each and all things of the truth and good of faith in one complex, thus in the opposite sense each and all things of the falsity and evil of faith separate from charity (that these are signified by “six hundred” can be seen from what has been shown concerning the number “six hundred thousand,” n. 7973); and from the signification of “chariots,” as being doctrinal things of faith, here of faith separate (see just above, n. 8146). By “chosen chariots” are signified the chief doctrinal things of this faith, on which the rest depend; those which depend on them, or serve them, being signified by “the chariots of Egypt” (of which presently).[2] Be it known that these falsities, which are here signified by “Pharaoh, his army, and his people,” also by his “chariots, horses, and horsemen,” are especially the falsities of those who are in persuasive faith, that is, who persuade themselves that the doctrinal things of the church in which they are, are true, and yet are in a life of evil. Persuasive faith exists together with evil of life, but not saving faith; for persuasive faith is a persuasion that all things that belong to the doctrine of the church are true, not for the sake of truth, nor for the sake of life, nor even for the sake of salvation, for in this they scarcely believe; but for the sake of self-advantage, that is, for the sake of getting honors and wealth, and for the sake of reputation with a view to these. They learn doctrinal things in order to acquire such things, thus not to the end that they may be of service to the church and the salvation of souls, but to serve themselves and those who belong to them; and therefore it is all the same to them whether these doctrinal things are true, or false; this they care nothing about, still less inquire into, for they are in no affection of truth for the sake of truth. No matter what kind of doctrinal things they may be, they confirm them; and when they have confirmed them, they persuade themselves that they are true, not considering that falsities can be confirmed equally as well as truths (n. 4741, 5033, 6865, 7012, 7680, 7950).[3] This is the source of persuasive faith, which, because it has not for its end, and does not regard, the neighbor and his good, thus not the Lord, but self and the world, that is, honors and self-advantage, is conjoined with evil of life, but not with good of life; for assuredly the faith that is conjoined with this is saving faith. This faith is given by the Lord, but the other is from the man himself. The one remains to eternity; the other is dissipated in the other life, and is also dissipated in the world if nothing is gained by it. But so long as men profit by it, they fight for it as for heaven itself, although it is not for that faith, but for themselves; for the things of faith, that is, of doctrine, are to them as means to an end; that is, to eminence and opulence. They who are in this faith in the world can with difficulty be distinguished from those who are in saving faith, for they speak and preach from an ardor as of zeal for the doctrine; but it is an ardor from the fire of the love of self and of the world.[4] These are they who are especially signified by “Pharaoh and the Egyptians,” and in the other life they are vastated in respect to this faith; and this being vastated, they are in mere falsities from evil, for falsities then burst forth from the evil. Every evil is attended with its falsity, for they are joined together; and the falsities appear when they are left to the evil of their life. The evil is then like a fire, and the falsities are like the light from it. This kind of evil and the consequent falsity is quite different from other kinds of evils and the consequent falsities, being more detestable than all others, because it is contrary to the goods and truths of faith, and therefore there is profanation in this evil. (Profanation is the acknowledgment of truth and good and yet a life contrary thereto, n. 593, 1008, 1010, 1059, 2051, 3398, 3898, 4289, 4601, 6959, 6963, 6971.) 8149 And all the chariots of Egypt. That this signifies also the doctrinal things of falsity that are of service to them, is evident from the signification of “the chariots of Pharaoh,” as being the chief doctrinal things of falsity on which the others depend; consequently by “the chariots of Egypt” are signified the doctrinal things of falsity which are of service to them (of which just above, n. 8148); for by a king and his chariots are signified principal things, but by the people, that is, “the Egyptians,” and their “chariots,” are signified secondary things. The doctrinal things of the church with those who are in evil of life are called doctrinal things of falsity, although it is possible that as to some part, greater or less, they are true. The reason is that with those who are in evil of life, truths, insofar as such people are concerned, are not truths, because by application to the evil which is of the life they put off the essence of truth, and put on the nature of falsity, for they look to evil, with which they conjoin themselves. Truths cannot be conjoined with evil unless they are falsified, which is done by means of wrong interpretations, and thus perversions. Hence it is that with such the doctrinal things of the church are called doctrinal things of falsity, even although they had been truths; for it is a canon that with those who are in evil of life truths are falsified, and with those who are in good of life falsities are made true. The reason why with these falsities are made true, is that they are applied so as to agree with good, and in this way the crudities of the falsity are wiped away (n. 8051). 8150 And tertian captains* upon all of them. That this signifies reduced into order under generals, is evident from the signification of “tertian captains,” as being generals under which are particulars. “Tertian captains” have this signification because “three,” from which they are called “tertian,” signifies what is complete and perfect (see n. 2788, 4495, 7715), and “captains” signify chief things; and these together with what is complete and perfect are generals, for each and all things that must be in a series are set in order under generals; the setting in order under the generals causes the several things to act as a one, and to be in a form, and to have a quality together. (Concerning generals, that under them are particulars, and under these singulars, see n. 920, 2384, 3739, 4325, 4329, 4345, 4383, 5208, 5339, 6115, 6146.) See 1 Kings 22:32. [Reviser.] 8151 And Jehovah hardened the heart of Pharaoh. That this signifies obstinacy from the falsity which is from evil, is evident from the signification of “hardening the heart,” as being to be determined (see n. 7272, 7300, 7305, 7616). Its being said that “Jehovah hardened Pharaoh’s heart” signifies, in the internal sense, that they who are in evil and falsity hardened themselves, thus that the evils and falsities themselves did this (see n. 2447, 6071, 6991, 6997, 7533, 7643, 7877, 7926). 8152 And he pursued after the sons of Israel. That this signifies an attempt to subjugate those who were in faith conjoined with charity, is evident from the signification of “pursuing,” as being an attempt to subjugate (n. 8136); and from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being those who are of the spiritual church (as frequently above), thus who are in faith conjoined with charity, for they who are of this church are in this faith both as to doctrine and as to life. The good of faith, or charity, is the essential, thus is in the first place, with those who are of the genuine spiritual church; whereas with those with whom faith is separate from its good, both as to doctrine and as to life, the truth of faith, or faith itself, is the essential, or in the first place. These do not belong to this church, for the life makes the church; but not doctrine, except insofar as it becomes of the life. For this reason it is plain that the church of the Lord is not here, nor there, but that it is everywhere, both within those kingdoms where the church is, and out of them, where men live according to the precepts of charity. Hence it is that the church of the Lord is scattered through the whole world, and yet that it is a one; for when the life makes the church, and not doctrine separate from life, then the church is a one; but when doctrine makes the church, then there are many. 8153 And the sons of Israel went out with a lofty hand. That this signifies when nevertheless they had been released by the Divine power from the endeavor to subjugate them, is evident from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being those who are of the spiritual church, or in faith conjoined with charity (as just above, n. 8152); from the signification of “to go out,” as being to be liberated, that is, to be released from the endeavor to subjugate them, which endeavor is signified by “to pursue” (n. 8152); and from the signification of “a lofty hand,” as being the Divine power, for by “hand” is signified power (see n. 878, 3387, 4931-4837, 5327, 5328, 5544, 6292, 6947, 7011, 7188, 7189, 7518, 7673, 8050, 8069); and by “lofty” is signified what is Divine. “Lofty” denotes what is Divine, because by it is meant heaven where the Divine is. Therefore in the Word it is said of Jehovah or the Lord that He “dwells on high,” and He Himself is called “the Most High,” as in these passages:Jehovah is exalted; for He dwelleth on high (Isa. 33:5).Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, and whose name is Holy: I dwell in the holy and high place (Isa. 57:15).Jehovah sent from on high, and He rescued me (Ps. 18:16).Therefore Jehovah is called “the Most High” (Deut. 32:8; Dan. 4:17, 32, 34; 7:18, 22, 25; Ps. 7:17; 9:2; 18:13; 46:4; 50:14; 57:2; 82:6). Because “high” signified heaven and the Divine therein, Divine worship was instituted on mountains and on high places by those who were of the representative church; and for this reason also it was performed in lofty places which they built for themselves, as frequently mentioned in the historical and prophetical portions of the Word, as in Ezekiel:Thou hast built unto thee a lofty place, and hast made thee a high place in every street. Thou hast built thy lofty place on every head of the way (Ezek. 16:24, 25, 31).That the Divine was signified by what is high, is because by the starry heaven was signified the angelic heaven, and it was also believed that it was there; although the wiser among them knew that heaven is not on high, but is where the good of love is, and this within man, wherever he may be. (That high things denote interior things, or the goods which are there, see n. 450, 1735, 2148, 4210, 4599.) 8154 And the Egyptians pursued after them. That this signifies the effect from the endeavor to subjugate on the part of those who were in falsities from evil, is evident from the signification of “pursuing,” as being an endeavor to subjugate (n. 8152), here the effect resulting from this endeavor, because it is said twice; and from the signification of “the Egyptians,” as being those who are in falsities from evil (as frequently above). 8155 And they overtook them encamping by the sea. That this signifies communication around the region of hell where are falsities from evils, is evident from the signification of “overtaking,” as being communication, for in the spiritual sense “to overtake” or come in contact with denotes influx, by which there is communication, here of the falsities from evil of those who are signified by “the Egyptians” with those who are signified by “Israel”-that there was communication there is evident from the temptation which they first underwent there, of which in what follows, for all temptation arises through influx from the hells, thus by communication (n. 8131)-from the signification of “encamping,” as being the setting in order of truth and good by the Lord for the undergoing of temptations (n. 8103, 8130, 8131) and from the signification of “the sea,” here the sea Suph, as being the hell where are the falsities from evil of those who are in faith separate from charity and in a life of evil (n. 8099, 8137, 8148). 8156 All the horses of the chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army. That this signifies all things which are of falsity from a perverted understanding, is evident from the signification of “horses,” as being the understanding (see n. 2761, 2762, 3217, 5321, 7024, 8029), here a perverted understanding, such as is that of those who are in evil and in the derivative falsity; from the signification of “chariots,” as being doctrinal things (n. 2761, 5321, 5945, 8146); from the signification of “horsemen,” as being those things which are of the understanding (n. 6534), here false reasonings from a perverted understanding; and from the signification of “army,” as being falsities (n. 8138). From all this it is evident that by “the horses of the chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army,” are signified memory-knowledges, reasonings, and falsities, from a perverted understanding, thus all things which are of falsity. 8157 Beside Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-zephon. That this signifies whence there was communication and therefore the beginning of the state of undergoing temptations, is evident from what was said above (n. 8130). —

The church is …. Arcana Coelesita 10761. The term ‘Church’ is appropriate wherever the Lord is acknowledged and the Word exists; for the essential constituents of the Church are love to the Lord and faith in the Lord, received from the Lord, and the Word teaches how a person must live in order to receive love and faith from the Lord. ( this is footnote 1 in HH 308 below) Heaven and Hell 308… The Lord’s church is everywhere and exists with everyone who acknowledges something divine and lives considerately. People like this are taught by angels after their decease and accept divine truths. 1 There will be more on this below in its proper chapter, where we discuss non-Christians. In the Lord’s sight, the universal church on earth is like a single individual just as heaven is (as noted above in 59-72). However, the church where the Word is and the Lord is known through it is like the heart and lungs of that person. It is common knowledge that the viscera and members of the whole body get their life from the heart and lungs by various routes.  The relationship between the outer and inner Heaven and Hell 304… when we talk about our union with heaven, we mean our union with the Lord and our association with angels, since heaven is not heaven because of anything that really belongs to the angels but because of the divine nature of the Lord. (On the fact that the Lord’s divine nature makes heaven, see 7-22 [7-12] above.) [2] Over and above what angels have, though, there is the fact that we are not just in a spiritual world by virtue of our inner natures but are at the same time in a natural world by virtue of our outward natures. These outward things that are in the natural world are all the contents of our natural or outer memory and the thinking and imaging we do on that basis. In general, this includes our insights and information together with their delights and charm to the extent that they have a worldly flavor, and all the pleasures that derive from our physical senses. Then too, there are those senses themselves and our words and actions. All these are ultimate things in which the Lord’s divine inflow comes to rest, since it does not stop in the middle but goes on to its very limit. Changes of states appear as if the Lord is leading us through different ‘places’ to be in Arcana Coelestia 1884. In the case of the second — described by ‘carried away by the spirit into another place’ – I have been shown what it is and what it is like through actual experience, but only two or three times, of which let merely one experience be described. Walking through the streets of a city and through countryside, and being at the same time engaged in conversation with spirits, I knew no other than that I was fully awake and seeing things as at other times, so that I walked on without going astray. Yet during all that time I was in a vision, seeing groves, rivers, palaces, houses, people, and many other things. But after I had walked for several hours in this fashion I suddenly found myself seeing with my physical eyes, and I realized that I was in another place. In my utter astonishment I recognized that I had been in the kind of state experienced by people who are said to have been ‘carried away by the spirit into another place’, for while it all lasts no thought is given to the route that is taken, even though it were one of many miles. Nor is any thought given to the time involved, even though it were a matter of many hours or days. Nor are there any feelings of tiredness. Furthermore that person is led along paths unknown to him until the destination is reached. This happened to me so that I might know that the Lord can lead a person without his knowing where he has come from or is going to. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

AC 8037. They who have the love of self or the love of the world as the end in view, cannot possibly be in charity and faith. They who are in these loves do not even know what charity is, and what faith is, and do not at all comprehend that to will good to the neighbor without any reward is heaven in man, and that in this affection there is happiness as great as is that of the angels, which is unutterable; for they believe that if they are deprived of the joy arising from the glory of honors and of wealth all joy ceases to be possible; when yet heavenly joy, which infinitely transcends every other joy, then first begins.  Trapped in the lower earth 8039. In the latter portion of the chapter, and thereafter, the subject treated of is the further preparation of those who were of the spiritual church and who before the coming of the Lord were detained in the lower earth until they could be introduced into heaven, and that for the sake of this end they were first sent through the midst of damnation in safety, and after this underwent temptations, the Lord being continually present. Transmission through the midst of damnation is signified by the passage through the sea Suph; temptations are signified by that life in the wilderness to which they were led; and the presence of the Lord is signified by the pillar of cloud by day, and of fire by night.  AC 6858 What is meant by the region occupied by evils from falsities, and also by the other kinds of evil and falsity, must be told. Before the coming of the Lord into the world, evil genii and spirits occupied all that region of heaven to which the spiritual were afterward taken up; for before the coming of the Lord many such roamed at large and infested the good, especially the spiritual who were in the lower earth; but after the coming of the Lord they were all thrust down into their hells, and that region was set free, and was given for an inheritance to those who were of the spiritual church. It has been frequently observed that as soon as any place is left by good spirits it is occupied by evil ones; and that the evil are driven out of it, and as soon as this is done it again passes to those who are in good. The reason is that the infernals continually burn to destroy the things of heaven, especially those to which they are in opposition; and therefore when any place is left, being then without protection, it is immediately occupied by the evil. As before said, this is especially meant by the region occupied by evils and falsities, which is signified by the place where the nations were that were to be driven out. This, together with what was said above (n. 6854) is a great mystery, which cannot be known without being revealed. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges. Learn More & Practice With Us: LP Institute & Resources: logopraxis-institute.online Member Practice Community: logopraxis.online Contact Us: [email protected]

Heaven and earth and levels of heaven Arcana Coelestia 8043[3] … also, as in Isaiah: Thus said Jehovah thy Redeemer, and thy Former from the womb: I am Jehovah, that doeth all things; that spreadeth out the heavens alone; and that stretcheth out the earth by Myself (Isa. 44:24); by “the heavens and the earth” is meant in the general sense the church internal and external (n. 82, 1411, 1733, 1850, 3355, 4535), and in the particular sense the internal and external of the church with the man who has been regenerated; and by “spreading out” and “stretching out” is signified to make or create by Divine power (n. 7673), for which reason the Lord, as the Regenerator, is called “the Maker,” and “the Creator,” and regeneration is called “a new creation.” AC8054. And it shall be when Jehovah shall have brought thee unto the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. That this signifies the region of heaven occupied by those who are in evil and falsity, is evident from the signification of “the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite,” as being heaven, here the region of heaven occupied by those who are in evil and falsity. (That “the land of Canaan” denotes the Lord’s kingdom in heaven and earth, or the church, see n. 1413, 1437, 1585, 1607, 1866, 3038, 3481, 3686, 3705, 4116, 4240, 4447, 4454, 4516, 4517, 5136, 5757, 6516.) Evils and falsities are signified by the nations here named-evil from the falsity of evil by “the Canaanite” (n. 4818); falsity from which is evil by “the Hittite” (n. 2913); evil and the derivative falsity by “the Amorite” (n. 1857, 6306); idolatry in which is something of good by “the Hivite” (n. 6860); and idolatry in which there is something of truth by “the Jebusite” (n. 6860). (That before the coming of the Lord the region of heaven into which they who were of the spiritual church would come, was occupied by evils and falsities, see n. 6858.) [2] As to what further concerns this subject, be it known that before the Lord’s coming heaven was not distinguished into three heavens, namely into the inmost or third, the middle or second, and the ultimate or first, as it was after the Lord’s coming; but was one. The spiritual heaven was not yet formed. The region where the spiritual heaven was to be, was occupied by those who were in falsity and evil, but who could be kept in some truth and good by external means, especially by means of ideas of eminence and dignity, just as is the case in the world, where they who are in evil and falsity are nevertheless obliged to as it were think and speak truths, and as it were will and do goods, by external means, which are honors and gains. The reason why this region of heaven was then occupied by such spirits, was that good ones were lacking, and they who were of the spiritual church had not as yet been prepared, and yet every place had to be filled by spirits, in order that there might be continuity from the Lord down to man, for without continuity man would have perished. At this day also there are some regions of heaven occupied by such; but they who are there are withheld by a strong force from the doing of evils. Immediately above the head are they who deceive and seduce by means of innocence; but above them are the celestial from the Most Ancient Church, who keep them in bonds with such force that they cannot possibly occasion what is evil to anyone. Behind the back part of the head there is also at this day a region which had been a region of heaven, that is occupied by the evil; and another in front toward the left. [3] There is also a continual endeavor on the part of the evil to invade the places where the good are, and they actually do invade them as soon as they are not filled by the good, which endeavor it has often been granted me to notice. These regions are thus occupied when the evil are increased and the good diminished in the world; for in this case evil spirits come near to man, and good spirits recede from him; and insofar as these recede, so far the regions nearest to man are occupied by the evil. When this condition becomes general, the inhabitants of these regions are completely changed. Much is the case when the church is near its end, for then evil and falsity prevail. But about the end of the church the evil are cast down, and the regions they had occupied are given to the good, who in the meantime have been prepared for heaven. This is meant by these words in John: There was war in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels; but they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven (Rev. 12:7, 8). This state of heaven was represented by the land of Canaan, in that the nations occupied it; and by the sons of Israel, in that they cast those nations out from it; for by the “land of Canaan” is signified the Lord’s kingdom, thus heaven and the church, as can be seen from the passages cited above.  On the rational mind Apocalypse Explained 644 [3] Moreover, there are in every man two minds, an interior which is called the spiritual mind, and another, the exterior which is called the natural mind. The spiritual mind is created for the reception of light from heaven, but the natural mind for the reception of light from the world. The spiritual mind, therefore, which is man’s interior mind, is heaven with him, and the natural mind, which is man’s exterior mind, is the world with him. The interior mind, which is heaven with man, is opened so far as man acknowledges the Divine of the Lord, and man so far acknowledges this as he is in the good of love and charity and in the truths of doctrine and faith. But this interior mind, which is heaven with man, is unopened so far as man does not acknowledge the Divine of the Lord, and does not live the life of love and faith; and that mind is shut so far as man is in evils and in falsities therefrom; and when it is shut then the natural mind with man becomes a hell; for in the natural mind are evil and its falsity, consequently when the spiritual mind which is heaven with man is shut, the natural mind which is hell rules. Divine Providence 321 [2] It is also clear that he who believes that everything he thinks and does is from himself is not unlike a beast, for he thinks only from the natural mind which man has in common with the beasts, and not from the spiritual rational mind which is the truly human mind; for this mind acknowledges that God alone thinks from Himself, and that man thinks from God. Therefore, one who thinks only from the natural mind knows no difference between a man and a beast except that a man speaks and a beast makes sounds, and he believes that they both die in a similar manner. The Word Explained 3640. [And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and Jehovah gave voices and hail, and fire came down to the earth; and Jehovah made hail to rain upon the land of Egypt], vs. 23. Here come various things which must be explained. By the rod in this text is meant power, which comes from God Messiah alone. Thus the rod is the same as the “hand” mentioned above [vs. 22] which also signifies power, but, relatively to Moses, an instrumental power or force, Moses being only the instrument or organ of the power of God Messiah. Toward heaven, that is, to the atmosphere, this being frequently called heaven, whence came the hail. Just as previously [it was stretched] to the dust of the land from which came the lice [chap. 8:16]; to the ash of the furnace, from which came the boils [chap. 9:8]; upon the streams and pools, from which came the frogs [chap. 853, etc.; so now it is stretched to the atmosphere. When, however, as above [n. 3637, 3639] these words are applied to man, his superior heaven is the rational mind, while his inferior heaven is the natural mind; but in the Egyptian man who blasphemes, they are atmospheres, being a superior and an inferior.  AE 569[7] It is one thing to be rational, and another to be spiritual; every spiritual man is also rational, but the rational man is not always spiritual, since the rational is in the natural man, that is, is its thought, while the spiritual is above the rational, and through the rational passes into the natural, into the cognitions and knowledges of its memory. [8] But it is to be known that the rational does not introduce anyone into the spiritual, but it is only said to do so because such is the appearance; for the spiritual flows into the natural through the rational as a medium, and in this way it introduces. For the spiritual is the inflowing Divine, since it is the light of heaven, which is the Divine truth proceeding, and this light through the higher mind, which is called the spiritual mind, flows into the lower mind, which is called the natural mind, and conjoins this to itself, and through that conjunction causes the natural mind to make one with the spiritual; thus introduction is effected. Since it is contrary to Divine order for man to enter through his rational into the spiritual, therefore in the spiritual world there are angel guards to prevent this from taking place. This makes evident the signification of “the four angels bound at the river Euphrates,” and afterwards the signification of “loosing” them. “The angels bound at the river Euphrates” signify the guard against man’s natural entering into the spiritual things of heaven and the church, for thence would result nothing but errors and heresies, and at length denial. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges. Learn More & Practice With Us: LP Institute & Resources: logopraxis-institute.online Member Practice Community: logopraxis.online Contact Us: [email protected]

And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, Sanctify to Me all the firstborn, that which openeth every womb among the sons of Israel, in man and in beast; it is Mine. And Moses said unto the people, Remember thou this day, in which ye went out from Egypt, out of the house of servants; because in strength of hand Jehovah led you forth from hence; and what is leavened shall not be eaten. This day ye go forth, in the month Abib. And it shall be when Jehovah shall have brought thee unto the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which He sware to thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt serve this service in this month. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened things, and in the seventh day is a feast to Jehovah. Unleavened things shall be eaten seven days; and that which is leavened shall not be seen with thee, leaven shall not be seen with thee in all thy border. And thou shalt tell thy son in that day, saying, It is because of that which Jehovah did for me, in my going forth out of Egypt. And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the law of Jehovah may be in thy mouth; because with a strong hand hath Jehovah led thee forth out of Egypt. And thou shalt keep this statute at the set time from year to year. And it shall be when Jehovah shall have brought thee in to the land of the Canaanite, as He sware to thee and to thy fathers, and shall have given it thee. Exodus 13:1-11 Arcana Coelestia 8033 CHAPTER 13.THE DOCTRINE OF CHARITY. What Charity is, and what Faith is, with man, must now be told. Charity is an internal affection which consists in a heartfelt desire to do the neighbor good, and in this being the delight of life; and this without any reward. AC 8034 On the other hand, Faith is an internal affection which consists in a heartfelt desire to know what is true and what is good, and this not for the sake of doctrine as the end in view, but for the sake of life. This affection conjoins itself with the affection of charity through the desire to do according to the truth, thus to do the truth itself. AC 8035 They who are in the genuine affection of charity and faith believe that from themselves they do not desire anything good, and that from themselves they do not understand anything true; but that the will of good and the understanding of truth are from the Lord. AC 8036 This then is charity, and this is faith. They who are in these have within them the kingdom of the Lord and heaven, and within them is the church; and these are they who have been regenerated by the Lord, and from Him have received a new will and a new understanding. AC 8037 They who have the love of self or the love of the world as the end in view, cannot possibly be in charity and faith. They who are in these loves do not even know what charity is, and what faith is, and do not at all comprehend that to will good to the neighbor without any reward is heaven in man, and that in this affection there is happiness as great as is that of the angels, which is unutterable; for they believe that if they are deprived of the joy arising from the glory of honors and of wealth all joy ceases to be possible; when yet heavenly joy, which infinitely transcends every other joy, then first begins. 8054 And it shall be when Jehovah shall have brought thee unto the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. That this signifies the region of heaven occupied by those who are in evil and falsity, is evident from the signification of “the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite,” as being heaven, here the region of heaven occupied by those who are in evil and falsity. (That “the land of Canaan” denotes the Lord’s kingdom in heaven and earth, or the church, see n. 1413, 1437, 1585, 1607, 1866, 3038, 3481, 3686, 3705, 4116, 4240, 4447, 4454, 4516, 4517, 5136, 5757, 6516.) Evils and falsities are signified by the nations here named-evil from the falsity of evil by “the Canaanite” (n. 4818); falsity from which is evil by “the Hittite” (n. 2913); evil and the derivative falsity by “the Amorite” (n. 1857, 6306); idolatry in which is something of good by “the Hivite” (n. 6860); and idolatry in which there is something of truth by “the Jebusite” (n. 6860). (That before the coming of the Lord the region of heaven into which they who were of the spiritual church would come, was occupied by evils and falsities, see n. 6858.) Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges. LP Institute & Resources: logopraxis-institute.online Member Practice Community: logopraxis.online Contact Us: [email protected]

CLICK TO PRINT READING CLICK TO GO TO COMMENTS 8101 Verse 19. And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him; for swearing he had called the sons of Israel to swear, saying, Visiting God will visit you; and ye shall bring up my bones with you from hence. “And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him,” signifies the representative of a church, which they had; “for swearing he had caused the sons of Israel to swear, saying,” signifies a binding; “Visiting God will visit you,” signifies when this last state and first state of the church would come; “and ye shall bring up my bones with you from hence,” signifies as above, the representative of a church with them, and not a church, which moreover is in what is internal. 8102 It is needless to unfold these words further, because they have been already unfolded at Gen. 50:24, 25, where like words occur (see n. 6590, 6952). 8102a. Verses 20-22. And they journeyed from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, at the end of the wilderness. And Jehovah went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them in the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and by night. The pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, departed not from before the people. “And they journeyed from Succoth, and encamped in Etham,” signifies the second state after they were liberated; “at the end of the wilderness,” signifies the first state of temptations; “and Jehovah went before them,” signifies the continuous presence of the Lord; “by day in a pillar of cloud,” signifies that when there was a state of enlightenment, it was tempered by obscurity of truth; “to lead them in the way,” signifies the Divine auspices; “and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light,” signifies that when there was a state of obscurity it was tempered by enlightenment from good; “to go by day and by night,” signifies thus life in both states; “the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, departed not from before the people,” signifies that the presence of the Lord was perpetual. 8103 And they journeyed from Succoth, and encamped in Etham. That this signifies the second state after they were liberated, is evident from the fact that the journeyings and encampments of the sons of Israel after they went forth from Egypt, signify the spiritual states of those who were liberated by the Lord (concerning whom see above). The changes of states are signified by the journeys from one place to another and the residing there; the second state is here signified by the journeying from Succoth to Etham, because the first state was signified by the journeying from Rameses to Succoth (see n. 7972). Moreover by “journeyings” in the internal sense of the Word are signified states and purposes of life (n. 1293, 3335, 5605), and by “encampments” the settings in order of truth and good which are of the life (n. 4236). 8104 At the end of the wilderness. That this signifies the first state of temptations, is evident from the signification of a “wilderness,” as being a state for the undergoing of temptations (of which above, n. 8098); and as this state began at the end of the wilderness, therefore by “the end of the wilderness” is signified the first state. 8105 And Jehovah went before them. That this signifies the continuous presence of the Lord, is evident without explication. (That “Jehovah” denotes the Lord, see above, n. 8046.) 8106 By day in a pillar of cloud. That this signifies that when there was a state of enlightenment it was tempered by obscurity of truth, is evident from the signification of “by day,” or “in the day,” as being in a state of enlightenment; for the times of day, as morning, noon, evening, and night, correspond to the various degrees of enlightenment which belong to intelligence and wisdom in the other life (see n. 5672, 5962, 6110); whence “day” denotes a state of enlightenment or clear perception, and “night” a state of no enlightenment, or of obscure perception (n. 7680); and from the signification of “cloud,” as being obscurity of truth, because a cloud takes away the brightness of light from the sun, and also tempers it.[2] In the Word throughout it is said that Jehovah appeared “in a cloud,” and that He was “girded with a cloud,” also that “beneath His feet was a cloud;” in which passages by “cloud” is meant obscurity of truth, specifically, the literal sense of the Word, for relatively to the internal sense this sense is obscurity of truth (see the preface to Gen. 18; also n. 4391, 5922, 6343, 6752). This was signified by the “cloud” when the Lord was seen by Peter, James, and John in glory (Luke 9:34); when from Mount Sinai by the people; and when by Moses upon his entering to Him there (Exod. 19:9; 20:18; 24:15-18; 34:5); and also by the circumstance that the Lord so often said that He “would come in the clouds of heaven” (Matt. 24:30; 26:63, 64; Mark 13:26; 14:61, 62; Luke 21:27).[3] The literal sense of the Word is called a “cloud,” because the internal sense, which is called “glory,” cannot be comprehended by man, except one who is regenerated, and is also enlightened. If the internal sense of the Word, or truth Divine in its glory, were to appear before a man who is not regenerated, it would be like thick darkness, in which he would see nothing at all, and by which he would also be blinded, that is, would believe nothing. From all this it can be seen what is signified by a “cloud by day,” namely, obscurity of truth; and when the Word is treated of, the literal sense.[4] It is said “in a pillar of cloud and of fire,” because by “a pillar” is signified a prop which supports (see Jer. 1:18; Ps. 75:3; Rev. 3:12; Job 9:6); and it is predicated of the natural, because the natural is like a prop or base to the spiritual; for the spiritual closes in the natural, and there rests. Hence it is that the feet of the angel descending from heaven appeared “as pillars of fire” (Rev. 10:1); for by “feet” is signified the natural (see n. 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952, 5327, 5328). 8107 To lead them in the way. That this signifies the Divine auspices, is evident from the signification of “leading in the way,” when said of Jehovah, as being Providence, and the Divine auspices (see n. 8093, 8098). 8108 And by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light. That this signifies that when there was a state of obscurity, it was tempered by enlightenment from good, is evident from the signification of “night,” as being a state of obscurity (see n. 1712, 6000); from the signification of “fire,” as being the good of love (n. 934, 4906, 5215, 6314, 6832, 6834, 6849, 7324, 7852); and from the signification of “giving light,” as being enlightenment. That Jehovah or the Lord appeared or went before in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night, was because thereby was represented the state of heaven, for in heaven there are never-ceasing variations and changes of state; for the angels are continually being perfected, which cannot possibly be done without unceasing changes of states. In general these variations and changes are like the changes of times in the world; namely, the changes of the times of the year; spring, summer, autumn, winter, and again spring; and the changes of the times of the day-morning, noon, evening, night, and again morning. When it is morning and noon in heaven, there is enlightenment of the understanding from the Lord, but this enlightenment is then tempered by obscurity of truth as by a cloud; and when it is evening and night there, they have obscurity of understanding, but this is tempered by the Lord by means of the good of love, as by a fire which gives light. These are the things which were represented by the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night with the sons of Israel in the wilderness. 8109 To go by day and by night. That this signifies life in both states, is evident from the signification of “going” and “journeying,” as being to live (see n. 3335, 3690, 4882, 5493, 5605); and from the signification of “day,” as being a state of enlightenment; and of “night,” as being a state of obscurity (of which just above, n. 8106, 8108); thus both states. 8110 The pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, departed not from before the people. That this signifies that the presence of the Lord was perpetual, is evident from what has now been unfolded; for so the angels, in whose midst was the Lord, appeared before the people. 8111 ON THE SPIRITS AND INHABITANTS OF THE PLANET JUPITER, CONTINUEDBy long continued interaction with the spirits of the earth Jupiter, it became evident that they are better disposed than the spirits of some other earths. Their approach when they came, their stay, and their influx at the time, were inexpressibly gentle and sweet. In the other life goodness manifests itself by gentleness and sweetness. These qualities could be very clearly distinguished from the gentleness and sweetness of the good spirits of our earth. 8112 When any slight disagreement arises among them, there appears to them as it were a slender ray of white light, such as usually is that of lightning; or a little band in which are sparkling stars. These are signs of disagreement; but the disagreement among them is quickly repaired. When the stars sparkle and at the same time wander, the sign is not good; but when the sparkling stars are fixed, the sign is good. 8113 I was able to recognize the presence of the spirits of Jupiter, not only from the gentleness and sweetness of their approach and influx, but also from the fact that they inflowed most especially into the face, and that they disposed it to be smiling and cheerful, and continually so while they were present. It was said that they so dispose the faces of the inhabitants of their earth, for they wish to inspire them with tranquillity and delight of heart. This tranquillity and delight with which they inspired me sensibly filled my chest and heart. The desires and anxieties about the future, which induce intranquility and unpleasantness, and excite and agitate the mind into various disturbances, were then removed. From this I could clearly see what was the quality of the life of the inhabitants of the planet Jupiter. They told me that they do not fear death, except a little on account of the loss of their married partner and children, because they know of a certainty that the death of the body is a continuation of life, and that after it they become more happy. 8114 I noticed that they had a still more interior state of happiness, and that they were susceptible of a state of happiness still more interior yet. This is discerned from the fact that their interiors are not closed, but are open to the Lord; for the more open the interiors are, the more susceptible men are of the Divine good and the Divine happiness. Very different is the case with those who do not live in the order of heaven. With such the interiors are closed and the exteriors are open to hell, whence flow in contempt for others, hatreds, revenges, and cruelties, which it is a delight for them to exercise against those who do not reverence them, or do not favor their desires. 8115 The spirits of the earth Jupiter cannot be together with the spirits of our earth, because these are of a wholly different genius, and do not love the delight of tranquillity as they do. It surprised them to hear that people from our earth who become angels are wholly different in heart, and retain scarcely anything that is like their state when they were spirits. To show them that such is the case there came in succession from heaven a number of choirs of angels from our earth. (There are choirs when many think, speak, and act all together as a one in an uninterrupted series: the celebration of the Lord in the heavens is for the most part effected by means of choirs: as to choirs, see n. 1648, 1649, 2595, 2596, 3350, 5182.) These choirs gave so much delight to the spirits of Jupiter who were with me that they seemed to themselves to be as it were transported into heaven. This glorification by means of choirs lasted about an hour. The delicious feelings excited thereby in the spirits, being communicated to me, I was enabled to feel them. They said that they would tell this to their people who were elsewhere. 8116 They reported that in the region of their earth where they had been, there is a great multitude of men, as great as the planet can feed; and that the planet is fertile, and abounds in all things; and that its inhabitants desire no more than will suffice for the necessaries of life, and that consequently the multitude of men is so great. 8117 They reported further that they are there distinguished into nations, families, and houses; that they all dwell separately with their own; that their interaction is mostly with their family connections; that no one ever desires the goods of another, and that it never comes into their minds to claim anything thereof for themselves, still less to attack and plunder, which they regard as a crime contrary to human nature, and horrible. When I desired to tell them that in this earth there are wars, plunderings, and slaughterings, they turned away, and were averse to hear. 8118 I have been told by the angels that the most ancient people on this earth dwelt in like manner, that is, distinguished into nations, families and houses; that they were all content with their own goods; and that to grow rich from the goods of others, and to exercise dominion, were then quite unknown. On this account, the ancient times, and especially the most ancient, were more acceptable to the Lord than the succeeding ones; and such being the state, innocence also then reigned, and with innocence, wisdom. Everyone then did what is good from good, and what is just from justice. They did not know what it is to do what is good and just with a view to self-honor, or for the sake of profit. They did not then speak anything but the truth; and this not so much from truth, as from good; that is, not from the understanding separate, but from the will conjoined. Such were the ancient times, and therefore angels could then have interaction with men, and lead their minds home to heaven in a state almost separated from bodily things, and could take them round, and show them the magnificent and happy things there, and likewise communicate to them their own happinesses and delights. Moreover those times were known to ancient writers, and were called by them the Golden and also the Saturnian Age.[2] Those times were of this nature, because, as before said, they lived distinguished into nations, and the nations into families, and the families into houses, and each house dwelt by itself; and because it never then came into anyone’s mind to attack the inheritance of another, and thereby get for himself wealth and dominion. Far removed then were the love of self and the love of the world, and everyone rejoiced at heart by reason of his own good, and not less by reason of another’s.[3] But in the succeeding time this scene was changed and turned into the opposite, when the lust of dominion and of possessing the goods of others invaded the mind. Then for the sake of self-defense, the human race gathered into kingdoms and empires. And as the laws of charity and conscience, which had been written on hearts, ceased to operate, it became necessary to enact laws to restrain acts of violence; in which laws, honors, and riches were the rewards, and the deprivation of these were the penalties. When the state was thus changed, heaven removed itself from man, and this more and more, even to the present age, when it is no longer known whether there is a heaven, and consequently whether there is a hell, and when it is even denied that these exist. These things have been stated, in order that by the parallelism there may be illustrated the quality of the state of those who are on the earth Jupiter, and whence comes their good disposition, and also their wisdom, of which more will be said in what follows. 8119 A continuation about the spirits and inhabitants of the earth Jupiter will be found at the end of the following chapter. 8120 Exodus 14 THE DOCTRINE OF CHARITY It is believed that charity toward the neighbor consists in giving to the poor, in helping the needy, and in doing good to everyone without exception. Nevertheless genuine charity consists in acting prudently, and to the end that good may come thereby. He who helps any poor or needy rogue, does evil to his neighbor through him, for by the help which he affords he confirms him in evil, and supplies him with the means of doing evil to others. It is otherwise with him who gives assistance to the good. 8121 But charity toward the neighbor extends much more widely than to the poor and needy. Charity toward the neighbor consists in doing right in every work, and one’s duty in every office. If a judge does what is just for the sake of justice, he exercises charity toward the neighbor; if he punishes the guilty and acquits the guiltless, he exercises charity toward the neighbor, for he thus consults the welfare of his fellow-citizen, of his country, and also of the Lord’s kingdom. By doing what is just for the sake of justice he consults the welfare of the Lord’s kingdom; by acquitting the guiltless, he consults that of his fellow-citizen; and by punishing the guilty, that of his country. The priest who teaches truth, and leads to good, for the sake of truth and good, exercises charity; but he who does such things for the sake of himself and the world does not exercise charity, because he does not love his neighbor, but himself. 8122 The case is the same in all other instances, whether men be in any employment or not; as with children toward their parents, and with parents toward their children; with servants toward their masters, and with masters toward their servants; with subjects toward their king, and with the king toward his subjects. In these cases he who does his duty from a sense of duty, and what is just from a sense of justice, exercises charity. 8123 That such things belong to charity toward the neighbor, is because every man is the neighbor, but in various ways (see n. 6818); a society smaller or larger is more the neighbor (n. 6819, 6820); our country is yet more the neighbor (n. 6819, 6821); the church still more (n. 6819, 6822); the Lord’s kingdom still more (n. 6819, 6823); and the Lord above all (n. 6819, 6824). In the universal sense the good which proceeds from the Lord is the neighbor (n. 6706, 6711), consequently so also are justice and right. And therefore he who does any good whatsoever for the sake of good, and anything just for the sake of justice, loves the neighbor and exercises charity, for he acts from the love of what is good, and the love of what is just, and thus from the love of those in whom these are. But he who does what is unjust for the sake of any self-advantage whatever, hates his neighbor. 8124 He who is in charity toward the neighbor from internal affection is a charity toward the neighbor in everything which he thinks and speaks, and which he wills and does. It can be said that as to his interiors a man or an angel is a charity when good is to him the neighbor. So widely does charity toward the neighbor extend. EXODUS 14 1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,2 Speak unto the sons of Israel, that they turn back and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal-zephon: over against it shall ye encamp by the sea.3 And Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut upon them.4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he shall follow after them; and I will be glorified in Pharaoh, and in all his army; and the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah. And they did so.5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled; and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?6 And he harnessed his chariot, and took his people with him:7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and tertian captains upon all of them.8 And Jehovah hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the sons of Israel; and the sons of Israel went out with a lofty hand.9 And the Egyptians pursued after them, and overtook them encamping by the sea, all the horses of the chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, beside Pi-hahiroth before Baal-zephon.10 And Pharaoh drew nigh, and the sons of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold the Egyptian marching after them, and they were sore afraid; and the sons of Israel cried unto Jehovah.11 And they said unto Moses, are there no graves in Egypt, that thou hast taken us to die in the wilderness? Why hast thou done this to us, to lead us forth out of Egypt?12 Is not this the word that we spake unto thee in Egypt, saying, Cease from us, and let us serve the Egyptians? because it is good for us to serve the Egyptians, rather than that we should die in the wilderness.13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of Jehovah, which He will do for you today; for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever.14 Jehovah shall wage war for you, and ye shall keep silence.15 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Why criest thou unto Me? speak unto the sons of Israel, that they set forward.16 And thou, lift up thy rod, and stretch out thy hand over the sea, and cleave it asunder; and the sons of Israel shall come into the midst of the sea on the dry.17 And I, behold I will harden the heart of the Egyptians, and they shall come after them; and I will be glorified in Pharaoh, and in all his army, in his chariots, and in his horsemen.18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah, when I am glorified in Pharaoh, in his chariots, and in his horsemen.19 And the angel of God set out, marching before the camp of Israel, and he went behind them; and the pillar of cloud set out from before them and stood behind them:20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness, and it lighted up the night; and the one came not near the other all the night.21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and Jehovah made the sea go away by a strong east wind all the night, and made the sea dry, and the waters were cleft asunder.22 And the sons of Israel came into the midst of the sea in the dry; and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left.23 And the Egyptians pursued, and came after them, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen, into the midst of the sea.24 And it was in the morning watch, and Jehovah looked forth to the camp of the Egyptians in the pillar of fire and of cloud, and troubled the camp of the Egyptians.25 And He took off the wheel of his chariots, and he drew it in heaviness; and the Egyptian said, I will flee before Israel; because Jehovah wageth war for them against the Egyptians.26 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Stretch out thy hand over the sea, and let the waters return upon the Egyptians, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.27 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned at the turn of the morning to the strength of its flow; and the Egyptians fled to meet it; and Jehovah shook out the Egyptians into the midst of the sea.28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, even all the army of Pharaoh that came after them into the sea; there was not left of them even one.29 And the sons of Israel went on the dry into the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left.30 And Jehovah saved Israel on this day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore.31 And Israel saw the great hand which Jehovah wrought on the Egyptians, and the people feared Jehovah; and they believed in Jehovah, and in His servant Moses. 8125 THE CONTENTS.In this chapter, in the internal sense, the subject treated of is the first temptation of those who are of the spiritual church, and the conducting of them through the midst of hell, and their protection then by the Lord; and also the immersion of those who were in faith separate from charity in hell, where are falsities from evils. They who are of the spiritual church are represented by the sons of Israel; they who are in faith separate from charity by the Egyptians. The first temptation is described by the murmuring of the sons of Israel when they saw the army of Pharaoh. Hell is signified by the “sea Suph” through which the sons of Israel were conducted in safety, and in which the Egyptians were immersed. Falsities from evils are signified by the waters which covered the latter. 8126 THE INTERNAL SENSEVerses 1-4. And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the sons of Israel, that they turn back and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal-zephon; over against it shall ye encamp by the sea. And Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut upon them. And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he shall follow after them; and I will be glorified in Pharaoh, and in all his army; and the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah. And they did so. “And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,” signifies instruction by the Divine by means of Divine truth; “Speak unto the sons of Israel,” signifies the influx of truth Divine with those who are of the spiritual church; “that they turn back,” signifies that they were not yet prepared; “and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal-zephon,” signifies the beginning of a state for undergoing temptations; “over against it shall ye encamp by the sea,” signifies that the influx of temptation is thence; “and Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel,” signifies the thought of those who are in damnation concerning the state of those who are of the spiritual church; “They are entangled in the land,” signifies that they are in confusion in respect to the things of the church; “the wilderness hath shut upon them,” signifies that obscurity has taken possession of them; “and I will harden Pharaoh’s heart,” signifies that they who were in falsities from evil would still be determined; “and he shall follow after them,” signifies that they would still endeavor to subjugate them; “and I will be glorified,” signifies that they should see a Divine effect from the Divine Human of the Lord in the dissipation of falsity; “in Pharaoh, and in all his army,” signifies the immersion in hell of those who were in falsities from evil, and an environment there by falsities as by waters; “and the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah,” signifies that from this it will be known that the Lord is the only God; “and they did so,” signifies obedience. —

CLICK TO PRINT READING CLICK TO GO TO COMMENTS 8071 Verses 11-16. And it shall be when Jehovah shall have brought thee into the land of the Canaanite, as He sware to thee and to thy fathers, and shall have given it thee, that thou shalt cause to pass over to Jehovah all that openeth the womb; and all that openeth of the offspring of a beast, which shall be to thee males, shall be for Jehovah. And all that openeth of an ass thou shalt redeem with one of the flock; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck: and every firstborn of man among thy sons shalt thou redeem. And it shall be when thy son shall ask thee tomorrow, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say, unto him, In strength of hand Jehovah led us forth from Egypt, from the house of servants. And it was that Pharaoh hardened himself against letting us go, and Jehovah slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt; from the firstborn of man and even to the firstborn of beast; therefore I sacrifice to Jehovah all that openeth the womb, being males; and all the firstborn of thy sons I redeem. And it shall be for a sign upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes; because in strength of hand Jehovah led us forth out of Egypt. “And it shall be when Jehovah shall have brought thee in to the land of the Canaanite,” signifies the region of heaven occupied by those who are in evil and falsity; “as He sware to thee and to thy fathers, and shall have given it thee,” signifies which was promised by the Divine to those who are in good and truth; “that thou shalt cause to pass over to Jehovah all that openeth the womb,” signifies that the faith of charity which is of regeneration is the Lord’s; “and all that openeth of the offspring of a beast,” signifies all charity which is of the new begetting; “which shall be to thee, males,” signifies which is of the truth of faith, “shall be for Jehovah,” signifies that it is the Lord’s; “and all that openeth of an ass thou shalt redeem with one of the flock,” signifies that faith merely natural must not be ascribed to the Lord, but the truth of innocence which is therein; “and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck,” signifies that if the truth of innocence is not therein, it must be separated and cast out; “and every firstborn of man among thy sons thou shalt redeem,” signifies that the truths of faith are not to be ascribed to the Lord, but the goods thereof; “and it shall be when thy son asketh thee,” signifies perception from the truth which is of conscience; “tomorrow,” signifies always when this takes place; “saying, What is this?” signifies inquiry why this is so; “that thou shalt say unto him,” signifies the answer; “In strength of hand Jehovah led us forth from Egypt, from the house of servants,” signifies that by the Divine power of the Lord they were liberated from spiritual captivity; “and it was that Pharaoh hardened himself against letting us go,” signifies when they who were infesting by means of falsities were determined that they should not he liberated; “and Jehovah slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt,” signifies that all were damned who were in faith separate from charity; “from the firstborn of man and even to the firstborn of beast,” signifies the falsity of faith separate interior and exterior; “therefore I sacrifice to Jehovah all that openeth the womb, being males,” signifies that therefore the faith of charity which is of the new begetting must be ascribed to the Lord; “and all the firstborn of my sons I redeem,” signifies that the truths of faith are not to be ascribed to the Lord, but the goods of faith; “and it shall be for a sign upon thine hand,” signifies that it must be constantly in the will; “and for frontlets between thine eyes,” signifies that it must be constantly in the understanding; “because in strength of hand Jehovah led us forth out of Egypt,” signifies that they were liberated by the Lord’s Divine power. 8072 And it shall be when Jehovah shall have brought thee in to the land of the Canaanite. That this signifies the region of heaven occupied by those who are in evil and falsity, is evident from what was stated above (n. 8054). 8073 As He sware to thee and to thy fathers, and shall have given it thee. That this signifies which was promised by the Divine to those who are in good and truth, is evident from what was said above (n. 8055), where like words occur. 8074 That thou shalt cause to pass over to Jehovah all that openeth the womb. That this signifies that the faith of charity which is of regeneration is the Lord’s, is evident from the signification of “causing to pass over,” as being to ascribe, in like manner as “to sanctify” (see above, n. 8042), and “to sacrifice” (below, n. 8088); and from the signification of “that openeth the womb,” as being faith from charity, which belongs to the regenerate man (as shown above, n. 8042, 8043). That “Jehovah” denotes the Lord, see n. 8046. 8075 And all that openeth of the offspring of a beast. That this signifies all charity which is of the new begetting, is evident from the signification of “that openeth the womb,” as being faith from charity, which belongs to the new begetting (as above n. 8043); and from the signification of “the offspring of a beast,” as being the affection of good (n. 45, 46, 142, 143, 246, 714, 715, 719, 776, 1823, 2179, 2180, 3218, 3519, 5198), thus the good of charity. 8076 Which shall be to thee, males. That this signifies which is of the truth of faith, is evident from the signification of “males,” as being the truth of faith (see n. 2046, 4005, 7838). 8077 Shall be for Jehovah. That this signifies that it is the Lord’s, is because by “Jehovah” in the Word no other is meant than the Lord (see n. 1343, 1736, 2921, 3023, 3035, 5041, 5663, 6281, 6303, 6905, 6945, 6956). The contents of these two verses are not further unfolded here, because they have been already unfolded in verse 2 of this chapter (n. 8042-8045). 8078 And all that openeth of an ass thou shalt redeem with one of the flock. That this signifies that faith merely natural must not be ascribed to the Lord, but the truth of innocence which is therein, is evident from the signification of “that openeth,” as being that which is born first from a regenerate one, that is, the firstborn, thus faith (that faith is the firstborn has been shown heretofore); and from the signification of “an ass,” as being the natural, for by “an ass” is signified memory-knowledge (n. 5492, 5741), also service (n. 5958, 6389), thus also the natural, for memory-knowledges belong to the natural, and relatively to the spiritual the natural is service, consequently now by “that which openeth of an ass” is signified faith merely natural (of which presently); and from the signification of “redeeming” as being to give something else in its place. That “redeeming” has this signification is clear from the full meaning of the words, namely, of these, “that which openeth of an ass thou shalt not cause to pass over to Jehovah, but shalt redeem with one of the flock.”[2] That “to cause to pass over to Jehovah” denotes to ascribe to the Lord, in like manner as “to sanctify,” and “to sacrifice,” has been shown just above (n. 8074); thus “not to cause to pass over, but to redeem” denotes not to ascribe, but to give something else in its place. And from the signification of “one of the flock,” as being the truth of innocence. That “one of the flock” denotes the truth of innocence, is because by “one of the flock” is meant a lamb or a kid, and by these is signified innocence (n. 3519, 3994, 7840), here, the truth of innocence, because it is not said “a lamb,” or “a kid,” but “one of the flock.” From all this it is evident that by “all that openeth of an ass thou shalt redeem with one of the flock” is signified that faith merely natural must not be ascribed to the Lord, but the truth of innocence which is therein.[3] Faith merely natural is faith which is insinuated by an external and not by an internal way, such as sensuous faith, which consists in believing a thing to be so because the eye has seen, and the hand has touched. This is the faith concerning which the Lord said to Thomas, “Because thou hast seen, Thomas, thou hast believed; blessed are they who do not see, and believe” (John 20:29); and also is like the faith of miracles, which consists in believing a thing to be so merely from the miracles, concerning which faith see above (n. 7290); as also the faith of authority, which consists in believing a thing to be so because another, in whom one has faith, has said it.[4] But spiritual faith is that which is insinuated by an internal and at the same time by an external way; the insinuation by the internal way causes it to be believed, and then that which is insinuated by the external way causes it to be confirmed. The spiritual of faith is the affection of charity, and from this the affection of truth for the sake of good use and for the sake of life; these make faith to be spiritual. The insinuation of faith by the internal way is effected by the reading of the Word, and by enlightenment then from the Lord, which is granted according to the quality of the affection, that is, according to the end sought in knowing the truth.[5] From all this it can now be seen what faith merely natural is; and that this faith, because it is not spiritual, cannot be ascribed to the Lord, that is, be acknowledged and believed to be from the Lord; for the Lord flows in through the affection of truth and good. (That faith is an internal affection, see n. 8034.) The truth of innocence, which can be in this faith and be accepted by the Lord, is that which from innocence is believed to be so. From all this it is now evident how it is to be understood that faith merely natural must not be ascribed to the Lord, but the truth of innocence which is therein. 8079 And if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck. That this signifies that if the truth of innocence is not therein, it must be separated and cast out, is evident from the signification of “not redeeming,” as being not to ascribe to the Lord, but to give something else in its place (as just above, n. 8078); and from the signification of “breaking the neck,” as being to separate and cast out. “Breaking the neck” has this signification because the “neck” signifies the conjunction of the interiors with the exteriors (see n. 3542, 3603, 3695, 3725, 5320, 5328, 5926, 6033), thus the breaking of the neck signifies separation and casting out, namely, of faith merely natural, if the truth of innocence is not therein. 8080 And every firstborn of man among thy sons shalt thou redeem. That this signifies that the truths of faith are not to be ascribed to the Lord, but the goods of faith, is evident from the signification of the “firstborn,” as being faith (see n. 352, 2435, 6344, 7035, 8042); from the signification of “sons,” as being truths (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373); and from the signification of “redeeming,” as being to give something else in its place (as above, n. 8074, 8078). That it denotes that these are not to be ascribed, follows from the full meaning of these words: “and every firstborn of man among thy sons thou shalt not cause to pass over (that is, shalt not sacrifice), but shalt redeem.” “Not to cause to pass over” denotes not to ascribe (as above, n. 8074, 8078.) From all this it is evident that by “every firstborn of man among thy sons thou shalt redeem” is signified that the truths of faith are not to be ascribed to the Lord, but something else in their place; that this is the good of faith can be seen from the fact that by the “firstborn” in general is signified the good of faith (as above, n. 8042, 8043); but that when it is said “the firstborn of man among his sons” it denotes the truth of faith; for there is the truth of faith, and there is the good of faith.[2] That the good of faith, or charity, is this something else which is to be ascribed to the Lord instead of the truths of faith, can also be seen from the fact that the firstborn of the sons of Israel were not accepted; but in their place the Levites, and this for the reason that by Levi was represented the good of faith, or charity (3875, 4497, 4502, 4503); that the tribe of Levi was accepted in place of all the firstborn, see Num. 3:12, 13, 40 to the end; 8:16-18. That the good of faith is this something else which is to be ascribed to the Lord, can also be seen from the fact that faith is not faith without charity (n. 654, 724, 1162, 1176, 2231, 2343, 2349, 2429, 2839, 2982, 3146, 3325, 3849, 3865, 4368, 5351, 7039, 7082-7084, 7342, 7950); and also from the fact that the good of faith is actually in the first place, but the truth of faith only apparently so (n. 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701, 4925, 4926, 4928, 4930, 4977, 5351, 6256, 6269, 6272, 6273); thus that charity is the firstborn (n. 3325, 3494, 4925, 4926, 4928, 4930).[3] That regarded in itself the truth of faith without its good is not to be ascribed to the Lord, that is, given to Him, or acknowledged to be from Him, is because no truth of faith has any life in it until it becomes the good of faith; and the truth of faith becomes the good of faith by willing it and doing it (n. 7835). When therefore it becomes the good of faith, then it is acknowledged by the Lord as being His, for the Lord gives faith mediately through its good. Moreover with the man of the spiritual church all the truth of faith becomes the good of faith when he is being regenerated, and then for the first time it becomes the Lord’s.[4] The law concerning the redemption of the firstborn of man was delivered to the end that they should not sacrifice their sons, which came into use among the nations with whom there remained the statutes of the Ancient Church, which was a representative church, but which in course of time were wholly adulterated. That the firstborn were to be sanctified to God was one of the statutes of the Ancient Church; but by “sanctifying” they began to understand sacrificing. The descendants of Jacob also inclined to do likewise; and therefore this law was unfolded before them; and to prevent their doing this the Levites were accepted in place of the firstborn, as has been said. In the spiritual world this law was unfolded according to its correspondent sense, which is that the truths of faith are not holy, thus are not to be sanctified or ascribed; but the goods of faith. Moreover sanctification was afterward understood in this manner-that they should give or present the firstborn to Jehovah, and offer a sacrifice for him, according to these words in Luke:When the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought Jesus up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord. As it was written in the law of the Lord, that every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord, and to offer a sacrifice (Luke 2:22-24). 8081 And it shall be when thy son asketh thee. That this signifies perception from the truth which is of conscience, is evident from the signification of “to ask,” as being knowledge from perception (see n. 5597, 5800, 6250); and from the signification of “son,” as being truth (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373); that it denotes perception from the truth which is of conscience, is evident from what has been unfolded above (see n. 7935), where like words occur. It is said “from the truth which is of conscience,” because the conscience of those who are of the spiritual church is a conscience of truth, for it is procured from the doctrinal things of the church which are believed to be true, whether they are true or not; but they then become truths of conscience when they become also of the life. 8082 Tomorrow. That this signifies always when this takes place, is evident from the signification of “tomorrow,” or “the day of the morrow,” as being what is eternal (n. 3998), thus also what is constant, or always, here always when this takes place. 8083 Saying, What is this? That this signifies inquiry why this is so; and that thou shalt say unto him signifies the answer, is evident without explication. 8084 In strength of hand Jehovah led us forth from Egypt, from the house of servants. That this signifies that by the Divine power of the Lord they were liberated from spiritual captivity, is evident from what was said above (n. 8049, 8050). 8085 And it was that Pharaoh hardened himself against letting us go. That this signifies when they who were infesting by means of falsities were determined that they should not be liberated, is evident from the signification of “to harden himself,” as being to be determined (see n. 7272, 7300, 7305); from the representation of Pharaoh, as being those who infested by means of falsities (n. 7107, 7110, 7126, 7142, 7220, 7228, 7317); and from the signification of “letting go,” as being to liberate. 8086 And Jehovah slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt. That this signifies that all were damned who were in faith separate from charity, is evident from the signification of “the firstborn of Egypt,” as being faith separate from charity (see n. 7039, 7779); that by their death is signified the damnation of those who were in this faith and in a life of evil, see n. 7766, 7778. 8087 From the firstborn of man and even to the firstborn of beast. That this signifies the falsity of faith separate, interior and exterior, is evident from the signification of “the firstborn of Egypt,” as being faith separate from charity (as just above, n. 8086), thus what is false of faith, for they who separate faith from charity both in doctrine and in life must needs be in falsity, because evil of life continually operates and persuades to falsity that is similar to itself, and if truth is brought forward it causes it by a wrong application to shape itself accordingly, and in this manner it falsifies it; and from the signification of “man and beast,” as being that which is interior and exterior (n. 4724, 7523). 8088 Therefore I sacrifice to Jehovah all that openeth the womb, being males. That this signifies that therefore the faith of charity which is of the new begetting must be ascribed to the Lord, is evident from the signification of “sacrificing to Jehovah,” as being to ascribe to the Lord (by “sacrificing” is here signified the like as by “sanctifying” in verse 2 of this chapter, and by “causing to pass over” in verse 12; that “to sacrifice to Jehovah” denotes to ascribe to the Lord, see n. 8042, and so does “to cause to pass over,” n. 8074); by “ascribing” is meant not to claim to oneself, but to confess and acknowledge that it is from the Lord from the signification of “that openeth the womb,” as being the things which are of faith from charity, n. 8043; (that these are of the new begetting, see above, n. 8042); and from the signification of “male” as being the truth of faith (of which, n. 2046, 4005, 7838). 8089 But all the firstborn of my sons I redeem. That this signifies that the truths of faith are not to be ascribed to the Lord, but the goods of faith, is evident from what was shown above (n. 8080), where similar words occur. 8090 And it shall be for a sign upon thine hand. That this signifies that it must be constantly in the will, and that “for frontlets between thine eyes” signifies that it must be constantly in the understanding, and that “because in strength of hand Jehovah led us forth out of Egypt” signifies that they were liberated by the Lord’s Divine power, is evident from what was unfolded above at the ninth verse of this chapter, where similar words occur (see n. 8066, 8067, 8069). 8091 Verses 17, 18. And it was in Pharaoh’s letting the people go, that God led them not by the way of the land of the Philistines, because that was near; for God said, Perchance the people will repent when they see war, and return to Egypt. And God led the people about, by the way of the wilderness, the sea Suph; and the sons of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt. “And it was in Pharaoh’s letting the people go,” signifies when they who had infested left those who were of the spiritual church; “that God led them not by the way of the land of the Philistines,” signifies that it was provided by the Divine that they should not pass to truth of faith which is not from good; “because that was near,” signifies that it first comes up; “for God said,” signifies the Divine foresight; “Perchance the people will repent when they see war,” signifies that they will turn aside from truth by reason of assaults; “and will return to Egypt,” signifies that from this there would be a fall into falsities, which are utterly contrary to the truths and goods of faith; “and God led the people about, by the way of the wilderness,” signifies that under the Divine auspices they were brought to confirm the truths and goods of faith through temptations; “the sea Suph,” signifies the damnation which they were first to pass through; “and the sons of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt,” signifies that they were taken away from a state of infestations, and thus prepared to undergo temptations. 8092 And it was in Pharaoh’s letting the people go. That this signifies when they who had infested left those who were of the spiritual church, is evident from the signification of “to let go,” as being to leave; from the representation of Pharaoh, as being those who had infested by means of falsities (n. 7107, 7110, 7126, 7142, 7220, 7228, 7317); and from the signification of the sons of Israel, who are here “the people,” as being those who were of the spiritual church (of which above, n. 8044). 8093 That God led them not by the way of the land of the Philistines. That this signifies that it was provided by the Divine that they should not pass to truth of faith which is not from good, is evident from the signification of “God led them not by the way,” as being that it was provided by the Divine that they should not pass, for by “leading,” when by God, is signified providence, and by “way” is signified truth (see n. 627, 2333), here to pass to the truth; and from the representation of the Philistines, as being those who are in the memory-knowledge of the knowledges of faith, and are not in a life of charity (n. 1197, 1198, 3412, 3413), thus those who are in truth of faith which is not from good. That this is signified by the “Philistines and their land” can be seen from the passages in the Word where they are mentioned, especially in Jer. 47, where they are described; and also in Joel 3:5, 6; and likewise from the historicals of the Word where are described the wars between the sons of Israel and the Philistines, and their subjugation by the Philistines, and then of the Philistines by the sons of Israel. By the Philistines are there represented those who are in faith separate, or to whom the memory-knowledge of the knowledges of faith is the main thing, but not a life according thereto; consequently those who teach and believe that faith alone saves.[2] The opinion concerning faith alone or separate is not new, or of this time only, but existed in the ancient churches, and came into use together with evil of life. It is also described in the Word throughout, but by names: first by “Cain,” in that he slew his brother Abel (see n. 337, 340, 1179); “Cain” there, in the internal representative sense, denotes such faith, and “Abel” denotes charity. It is also described by “Ham,” when he was cursed by his father (n. 1062, 1063); afterward by “Reuben,” in that he went up on his father’s bed (n. 3870, 4601); and by “Simeon and Levi,” in that they slew Hamor and the men of Shechem, and were therefore cursed by their father (n. 3870, 6352). This faith is also described by the “Egyptians,” and by their firstborn being slain (see n. 7766, 7778), and by the Egyptians being sunk in the sea Suph. It is also described by the “Philistines” (n. 3412, 3413), and likewise by “Tyre and Sidon” throughout the prophets, where by the “Philistines” is signified the memory-knowledge of the knowledges of faith, and by “Tyre and Sidon” the knowledges themselves, interior and exterior. Lastly it is also described by “Peter,” when he thrice denied the Lord (n. 6000, 6073). But see what has been already shown concerning this faith (n. 36, 379, 389, 916, 1017, 1076, 1077, 1162, 1176, 1798, 1799, 1834, 1844, 2049, 2116, 2228, 2231, 2261, 2343, 2349, 2364, 2383, 2385, 2401, 2435, 2982, 3146, 3242, 3325, 3412, 3413, 3416, 3427, 3773, 4663, 4672, 4673, 4683, 4721, 4730, 4766, 4783, 4925, 5351, 5820, 5826, 6269, 6272, 6273, 6348, 6353, 7039, 7097, 7127, 7317, 7502, 7545, 7623-7627, 7724, 7779, 7790, 7950). 8094 Because that was near. That this signifies that it first comes up, is evident from the signification of “near,” when said of faith separate, as being that it first comes up. How it is to be understood that the opinion concerning faith separate or alone first comes up, shall be briefly told. Evil of life is attended with its own falsity, which falsity lies hidden in the man who is in evil of life, and sometimes he is not aware that it is in him; but as soon as he thinks about the truths of the church, and especially when he thinks about salvation, then this falsity comes forth and clearly shows itself, and if it cannot deny the truth itself in respect to its general statement, it explains it in favor of its own evil, and thus falsifies it; consequently, when he is thinking about faith and charity, which are the essentials of the church and of salvation, faith at once comes up, but not charity, because charity is opposite to evil of life; and therefore he also sets charity aside, and chooses faith alone. From all this it is evident that the truths of faith are near, but not the goods of faith; that is, that the former come up first, and not the latter.[2] From this erroneous and false principle afterward follow many false and erroneous notions; as that good works effect nothing for salvation; that a man’s life does not follow him after death; that man is then saved by mercy alone through faith, howsoever he has lived in the world; that the most wicked is saved by faith in the last hour of his life; that evils are wiped away in a moment. These and the like things are thought out and established from this principle, and are consequently so many links in a chain. But they would be perceived to be utterly different if charity and life were the first principle. 8095 For God said. That this signifies the Divine foresight, is evident from the signification of “God said,” when of things future, as being the Divine foresight (see n. 5361, 6946). 8096 Perchance the people will repent when they see war. That this signifies that they will turn aside from truth by reason of assaults, is evident from the signification of “to repent,” as being to turn aside from truth (of which in what follows); and from the signification of “war,” as being spiritual combats (see n. 1664, 1788, 2686), thus assaults. That “to repent” denotes to turn aside from truth, is because by the departure of the sons of Israel from Egypt, and by their stay in the wilderness, and by their introduction into the land of Canaan, is signified that they were continually led to good, and so to heaven. Hence by “repenting and returning to Egypt” is signified to depart from good, thus to turn aside from truth; for by “Egypt” or “the Egyptians” are signified those who are in faith separate from charity, and who are opposed to the truths of the church (n. 6692, 7039, 7097, 7317, 7766, 7926).[2] As regards assaults by those who are in truth of faith which is not from good, who are signified by “the Philistines,” be it known that in the other life these infest the well-disposed, and continually assault the good of faith, that is, charity; for the principles which they have caught at in the world they carry with them into the other life, and retain them until they have been vastated, that is, are deprived of all the memory-knowledge of the knowledges of faith, and are let down into hell. There are at this day great numbers of such spirits, and they dwell to the right in front, in a plane beneath the sole of the foot; their dwelling-place is a kind of city. It has often been granted me to speak with them from there, and to hear their reasonings in favor of faith alone, which are acute; and their assaults against charity, which are stubborn. These then are the things which in the internal sense are meant by their not being led by the way of the land of the Philistines, and by their perchance repenting when they saw war. 8097 And return to Egypt. That this signifies that from this there would be a fall into falsities which are utterly contrary to the truths and goods of faith, is evident from the signification of “Egypt,” as being what is contrary to the truths and goods of faith (see n. 6692, 7039, 7097, 7317, 7766, 7926); that to return thither denotes to fall into falsities is evident. 8098 And God led the people about, by the way of the wilderness. That this signifies that under the Divine auspices they were brought to confirm the truths and goods of faith through temptations, is evident from the signification of “God led,” as being Providence (see n. 8093), or what is the same, the Divine auspices, and from the signification of “the way of the wilderness,” as being to undergo temptations, thus to confirm the truths and goods of faith, for they are confirmed by temptations. By “wilderness” is signified where there is what is uninhabited and uncultivated (see n. 2708), in the spiritual sense, where are no good and truth, and also where truth is not yet conjoined with good. Thus by “wilderness” is signified the state of those with whom conjunction will be effected; and as conjunction is not effected except through temptations, these also are signified, but only when the number “forty” is added, whether “forty years,” or “forty months,” or “forty days;” for “forty” signifies temptations and their duration, whatever this may be (n. 730, 862, 2272, 2273). These things are signified by the sojournings of the sons of Israel in the wilderness forty years; moreover the temptations which they underwent are described. That they were led into the wilderness in order that they might undergo these temptations and might thus represent them, is clear from these words in Moses:Thou shalt remember all the way in which Jehovah thy God hath led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to afflict thee, to tempt thee, to know what was in thy heart. He fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, to afflict thee, and to tempt thee, to do thee good in thy future time (Deut. 8:2, 6).As by “forty” were signified temptations and their duration, and by the “wilderness” the state of those who undergo them, therefore when the Lord was tempted, He also went out into the wilderness, and was there forty days (Matt. 4:1, 2, seq.; Luke 4:1, 2, seq.; Mark 1:12, 13). 8099 The sea Suph. That this signifies the damnation which they were first to pass through, is evident from the signification of “the sea Suph,” as being the hell where are those who are in faith separate from charity, and in a life of evil; and as “the sea Suph” denotes hell, it also denotes damnation. In regard to their having first to pass through damnation, the case is this. When those who had been of the spiritual church, and until the coming of the Lord had been detained in the lower earth, and there infested by those who had been in faith separate from charity (who have been treated of in the preceding chapters), were liberated, they were not at once taken up into heaven, but were first brought into a second state of purification, which is that of temptations; for the truths and goods of faith can neither be confirmed nor conjoined without temptations, and until these had been confirmed and conjoined, they could not be raised into heaven. These things were represented by the sons of Israel not being at once introduced into the land of Canaan, but being first led into the wilderness, where they remained forty years, and in the meantime underwent various temptations which are described in the books of Moses.[2] As regards the fact that they first passed through the sea Suph, by which is signified the hell of those who are in faith separate and in a life of evil, thus through the midst of damnation, be it known that this hell is in front deep down beneath the hells of adulterers, and spreads rather widely toward the left, being separated from the hells of adulterers by waters as of a sea. To the right there, but deeper, is where those are gathered together who are in the truth of faith, but not in the good of faith, who are signified by the “Philistines” (of whom just above, n. 8096); but the lower earth where those are who are being infested, is beneath the sole of the foot, a little in front. They who are liberated from infestations are not brought toward the right, for here are those who are signified by the “Philistines;” but they are brought to the left, through the midst of the hell above spoken of, and they emerge to the left, where there is as it were a wilderness. I have twice been allowed to see that those who are being delivered from infestations pass by this way. While they are passing through, they are so protected by the Lord that not the slightest evil can touch them, still less anything of damnation, for they are encompassed with a column of angels, with whom the Lord is present: this was represented by the passage of the sons of Israel through the sea Suph.[3] This was also meant by these words in Isaiah:Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of Jehovah. . . . Art Thou not it that dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep? that hath set the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass over? (Isa. 51:9, 10);the “arm of Jehovah” denotes the Lord as to the Divine Human; “the waters of the great deep,” and “the depths of the sea,” denote the hell where are those who are in faith separate from charity and in a life of evil; the waters as of a sea beneath which they are, are falsities, for in the other life falsities are seen as dense and dark clouds, and also as inundations of water (n. 739, 4423, 7307); “the redeemed who were to pass over” denote those who have been liberated by the Lord.[4] In the same:Jehovah hath remembered the days of old, Moses and His people, saying, where is He that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of His flock? where is He that put the spirit of His holiness in the midst of them? (Isa. 43:11).In this prophetic utterance by Moses is meant the Lord, who also is “the shepherd of the flock;” by “the people whom He brought up out of the sea,” are meant those who were liberated from damnation.[5] In Jeremiah:The earth trembled at the voice of their fall; there was a cry, the voice thereof was heard in the sea Suph (Jer. 49:21);“the sea Suph” denotes hell, for Edom and its damnation are here treated of, and it is said that “the voice thereof was heard from the sea Suph,” when yet not they, but the Egyptians were immersed in that sea, which shows that “the sea Suph” signifies hell and damnation. By “Edom” are here signified those who from the evil of the love of self reject the truths of doctrine, and embrace falsities (n. 3322). From all this it can now be seen what is signified by “the sea Suph” in the internal representative sense, and what by the passage through it of the sons of Israel, and by the immersion of the Egyptians therein, as described in the following chapter. 8100 And the sons of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt. That this signifies that they were taken away from a state of infestations, and thus prepared to undergo temptations, is evident from the signification of “going up armed,” as being that they were prepared, here, to undergo temptations, because they were led through the sea Suph into the wilderness (that “the wilderness” denotes a state of undergoing temptations, see above, n. 8098); from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being those who are of the spiritual church (of which frequently above); and from the signification of “the land of Egypt,” as being a state of infestations (see n. 7278). “To go up out of the land of Egypt” denotes to be taken away, or liberated. From all this it is evident that “the sons of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt” denotes that they were taken away from a state of infestations, and were thus prepared to undergo temptations. (For the difference between temptations and infestations see n. 7474.) —

CLICK TO PRINT READING CLICK TO GO TO COMMENTS 8033 THE BOOK OF EXODUS CHAPTER 13. THE DOCTRINE OF CHARITY. What Charity is, and what Faith is, with man, must now be told. Charity is an internal affection which consists in a heartfelt desire to do the neighbor good, and in this being the delight of life; and this without any reward. 8034 On the other hand, Faith is an internal affection which consists in a heartfelt desire to know what is true and what is good, and this not for the sake of doctrine as the end in view, but for the sake of life. This affection conjoins itself with the affection of charity through the desire to do according to the truth, thus to do the truth itself. 8035 They who are in the genuine affection of charity and faith believe that from themselves they do not desire anything good, and that from themselves they do not understand anything true; but that the will of good and the understanding of truth are from the Lord. 8036 This then is charity, and this is faith. They who are in these have within them the kingdom of the Lord and heaven, and within them is the church; and these are they who have been regenerated by the Lord, and from Him have received a new will and a new understanding. 8037 They who have the love of self or the love of the world as the end in view, cannot possibly be in charity and faith. They who are in these loves do not even know what charity is, and what faith is, and do not at all comprehend that to will good to the neighbor without any reward is heaven in man, and that in this affection there is happiness as great as is that of the angels, which is unutterable; for they believe that if they are deprived of the joy arising from the glory of honors and of wealth all joy ceases to be possible; when yet heavenly joy, which infinitely transcends every other joy, then first begins. EXODUS 13 1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,2 Sanctify to Me all the firstborn, that which openeth every womb among the sons of Israel, in man and in beast; it is Mine.3 And Moses said unto the people, Remember thou this day, in which ye went out from Egypt, out of the house of servants; because in strength of hand Jehovah led you forth from hence; and what is leavened shall not be eaten.4 This day ye go forth, in the month Abib.5 And it shall be when Jehovah shall have brought thee unto the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which He sware to thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt serve this service in this month.6 Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened things, and in the seventh day is a feast to Jehovah.7 Unleavened things shall be eaten seven days; and that which is leavened shall not be seen with thee, leaven shall not be seen with thee in all thy border.8 And thou shalt tell thy son in that day, saying, It is because of that which Jehovah did for me, in my going forth out of Egypt.9 And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the law of Jehovah may be in thy mouth; because with a strong hand hath Jehovah led thee forth out of Egypt.10 And thou shalt keep this statute at the set time from year to year.11 And it shall be when Jehovah shall have brought thee in to the land of the Canaanite, as He sware to thee and to thy fathers, and shall have given it thee:12 That thou shalt cause to pass over to Jehovah all that openeth the womb; and all that openeth of the offspring of a beast, which shall be to thee males, shall be for Jehovah.13 And all that openeth of an ass thou shalt redeem with one of the flock; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck; and every firstborn of man among thy sons shalt thou redeem.14 And it shall be when thy son shall ask thee tomorrow, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, In strength of hand Jehovah led us forth from Egypt, from the house of servants.15 And it was that Pharaoh hardened himself against letting us go, and Jehovah slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of man and even to the firstborn of beast; therefore I sacrifice to Jehovah all that openeth the womb, being males; and all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.16 And it shall be for a sign upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes; because in strength of hand Jehovah led us forth out of Egypt.17 And it was in Pharaoh’s letting the people go, that God led them not by the way of the land of the Philistines, because that was near; for God said, Perchance the people will repent when they see war, and will return to Egypt.18 And God led the people about, by the way of the wilderness, the sea Suph; and the sons of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt.19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him; for swearing he had caused the sons of Israel to swear, saying, Visiting God will visit you; and ye shall bring up my bones with you from hence.20 And they journeyed from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, at the end of the wilderness.21 And Jehovah went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them in the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and by night.22 The pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, departed not from before the people. 8038 THE CONTENTS.In this chapter the subject treated of in the internal sense is faith in the Lord, and the perpetual remembrance of having been liberated by Him from damnation. Faith in the Lord is signified by the sanctification of the firstborn, and the perpetual remembrance of liberation by the Lord is signified by the celebration of the passover. 8039 In the latter portion of the chapter, and thereafter, the subject treated of is the further preparation of those who were of the spiritual church and who before the coming of the Lord were detained in the lower earth until they could be introduced into heaven, and that for the sake of this end they were first sent through the midst of damnation in safety, and after this underwent temptations, the Lord being continually present. Transmission through the midst of damnation is signified by the passage through the sea Suph; temptations are signified by that life in the wilderness to which they were led; and the presence of the Lord is signified by the pillar of cloud by day, and of fire by night. 8040 THE INTERNAL SENSEVerses 1, 2. And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, Sanctify to Me all the firstborn, that which openeth every womb among the sons of Israel, in man and in beast; it is Mine. “And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,” signifies an informing by the Divine; “Sanctify to Me all the firstborn,” signifies faith, that it is from the Lord; “that which openeth every womb,” signifies which is from charity; “among the sons of Israel,” signifies in the spiritual church; “in man and in beast,” signifies the good of faith interior and exterior; “it is Mine,” signifies that it is the Lord’s. 8041 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying. That this signifies an informing by the Divine, is evident from the signification of “speaking” and “saying,” when by Jehovah about the things of the church which are to be observed, as being an informing (see n. 7769, 7793, 7825), and because it is by Jehovah, it denotes an informing by the Divine; and from the representation of Moses, as being truth Divine (n. 6771, 7014, 7382). Hence by “Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying” is signified an informing by the Divine through Divine truth. 8042 Sanctify to Me all the firstborn. That this signifies faith, that it is from the Lord, is evident from the signification of “sanctifying to Jehovah” or the Lord, as being to ascribe to Him, that is, to confess and acknowledge that it is from Him; and from the signification of “the firstborn,” as being faith (see n. 352, 2435, 6344, 7035). When it is said “faith,” there is meant all the truth that belongs to the spiritual church; and as there is meant all the truth of the church, the spiritual church itself is also meant, for truth is the essential of this church. Good is indeed the essential of the church, and is actually the firstborn (n. 2435, 3325, 4925, 4926, 4928, 4930); but the good which those have who belong to the spiritual church is in itself truth; for when they act according to the truth which is of their doctrine, then the truth is called good, having then passed from the understanding into the will and from the will into act, and that which is done from the will is called good. That in itself and in its essence this good is nevertheless truth, is because to them the doctrinal things of the church are truths, and the doctrinal things in churches differ, consequently so do the truths; and yet although they are so various, by willing them and doing them they become goods, as just now said.[2] While a man is being regenerated, he is led by means of faith in the understanding, or in doctrine, to faith in the will or life, that is, by means of the truth of faith to the good of charity; and when a man is in the good of charity, he has then been regenerated, and then from this good he produces truths, which are called the truths of good. These are the truths which are the veriest truths of faith, and which are meant by “the firstborn;” for it is with the begettings or births of truths from good, as it is with the begettings or births of sons and daughters from a parent, and afterward of grandsons and granddaughters, and thereafter of great-grandsons and great-granddaughters; and so on. The first or immediate begetting or birth, which is that of sons and daughters, is what is signified by “the firstborn,” however many these may be; but not the second and the third begettings or births, except relatively to their own parents. The reason why these are sanctified to Jehovah or the Lord, is that all derivative or descending truths and goods derive their essence from the primitive ones. In this spiritual thing is founded the right of the firstborn that is spoken of in the Word. 8043 That which openeth every womb. That this signifies which is from charity, is evident from the signification of “that which openeth the womb,” as being that which is born immediately of a regenerate one, thus that which is from charity (according to what was said just above, n. 8042). For he who is conceived anew, comes as it were again into the womb; and he who is born anew, goes forth as it were again from the womb; but that which is conceived in the womb and born from the womb is not man as man, but is the faith of charity, for this makes the spiritual of man, thus as it were makes the man himself anew, for then his life is derived from this. From all this it can be seen what is meant in the spiritual sense by “that which openeth the womb.” The angels, who are in spiritual ideas alone, understand nothing else by this. (What is meant by the “womb,” and also by “being in the womb,” and by “going forth from the womb,” see n. 3293e, 3294, 3967, 4904, 4918, 4931, 5052, 5054, 6433.)[2] As such things are signified by the “womb,” therefore in the Word the Lord is called “the Former from the womb,” that is, the Regenerator, as in Isaiah:Thus said Jehovah, thy Maker, and thy Former from the womb; He helpeth thee: Fear not, Jacob My servant, and Jeshurun whom I have chosen, because I will pour out water upon him that is thirsty, and rivulets upon the dry ground; I will pour out My spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thy children (Isa. 44:2, 3);the Lord is called “the Maker and Former from the womb,” because He regenerates man, and from natural makes him spiritual; and as regeneration is effected by means of truth and good, therefore it is said that He “will pour out water upon him that is thirsty, and His spirit upon his seed;” for by “water” is signified the truth which is of faith (see n. 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 7307), and by “spirit” the good which is of charity. In like manner by “water and spirit” in John:Jesus said unto Nicodemus, Verily, verily, I say to thee, Except anyone be begotten anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said unto Him, Now can a man be begotten when he is old? Can he come a second time into his mother’s womb? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say to thee, Except anyone be begotten from water and the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which has been born from the flesh is flesh; but that which has been begotten from the spirit is spirit. Art thou a teacher in Israel, and knowest thou not this? (John 3:3-6, 10)[3] The Lord is called “the Former from the womb” in other passages also, as in Isaiah:Thus said Jehovah thy Redeemer, and thy Former from the womb: I am Jehovah, that doeth all things; that spreadeth out the heavens alone; and that stretcheth out the earth by Myself (Isa. 44:24);by “the heavens and the earth” is meant in the general sense the church internal and external (n. 82, 1411, 1733, 1850, 3355, 4535), and in the particular sense the internal and external of the church with the man who has been regenerated; and by “spreading out” and “stretching out” is signified to make or create by Divine power (n. 7673), for which reason the Lord, as the Regenerator, is called “the Maker,” and “the Creator,” and regeneration is called “a new creation.”[4] In like manner in the same:Attend ye unto Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remains of the house of Israel, that have been carried from the belly, that have been borne from the womb (Isa. 46:31).And in David:Upon Thee, O Lord Jehovih, have I been laid from the womb; Thou art my Bringer-forth out of my mother’s bowels; Thou art my praise continually (Ps. 71:6).From all this it is now evident what is signified in the internal sense by “that which openeth the womb,” and consequently what by “the firstborn.” 8044 Among the sons of Israel. That this signifies in the spiritual church, is evident from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being the spiritual church (see n. 4286, 6426, 6637, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198, 7201, 7215, 7223). 8045 In man and in beast, signifies the good of faith interior and exterior (as above, n. 7424, 7523). 8046 It is Mine. That this signifies that it is the Lord’s is evident from the fact that in the Word “Jehovah” denotes the Lord (see n. 1343, 1736, 2921, 3023, 3035, 5041, 5663, 6281, 6303, 6905, 6945, 6956), for which reason “it is Mine” denotes that it is the Lord’s. (That all good and all truth, thus charity and faith, are from the Lord, and none at all from man, see n. 904, 2411, 3142, 3147, 4151, 5482, 5649, 6193, 6325, 6466-6495, 6613-6626, 6982, 6985, 6996, 7004, 7055, 7056, 7058, 7270, 7343.) 8047 Verses 3-10. And Moses said unto the people, Remember thou this day, in which ye went out from Egypt, out of the house of servants; because in strength of hand Jehovah led you forth from hence; and what is leavened shall not be eaten. This day ye go forth, in the month Abib. And it shall be when Jehovah shall have brought thee unto the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which He sware to thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt serve this service in this month. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened things, and in the seventh day is a feast to Jehovah. Unleavened things shall be eaten seven days; and that which is leavened shall not be seen with thee, and leaven shall not be seen with thee in all thy border. And thou shalt tell thy son in that day, saying, It is because of that which Jehovah did for me, in my going forth out of Egypt. And it shall be unto thee for a sign upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the law of Jehovah may be in thy mouth; because with a strong hand hath Jehovah led thee forth out of Egypt. And thou shalt keep this statute at the set time from year to year. “And Moses said unto the people,” signifies instruction by means of truth Divine; “Remember thou this day, in which ye went out from Egypt, out of the house of servants,” signifies that especially must that state be recollected in which they were when liberated from spiritual captivity by the Lord; “because in strength of hand Jehovah led you forth from hence,” signifies that they were liberated by the Divine power of the Lord; “and what is leavened shall not be eaten,” signifies that there shall not be appropriated anything falsified; “this day ye go forth,” signifies liberation to eternity; “in the month Abib,” signifies the beginning of a new state; “and it shall be when Jehovah shall have brought thee to the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite,” signifies into the region of heaven occupied by those who are in evil and falsity; “which He sware to thy fathers to give thee,” signifies which was promised from the Divine to those who are in good and truth; “a land flowing with milk and honey,” signifies where are gladness and joy; “that thou shalt serve this service in this month,” signifies unceasing worship of the Lord on account of liberation; “seven days thou shalt eat unleavened things,” signifies purification from falsities; “and in the seventh day is a feast to Jehovah,” signifies the holy worship of the Lord; “unleavened things shall be eaten seven days,” signifies that they must be wholly purified from falsities; “and that which is leavened shall not be seen with thee,” signifies that what is falsified must not be admitted at all; “and leaven shall not be seen with thee,” signifies that neither must any falsity be admitted; “in all thy border,” signifies so far as the truth which is from good extends itself; “and thou shalt tell thy son in that day, saying,” signifies interior perception of truth, which perception is of conscience; “It is because of that which Jehovah did for me, in my going forth out of Egypt,” signifies that they were liberated by the Lord from spiritual captivity and from damnation; “and it shall be unto thee for a sign upon thine hand,” signifies that it must be constantly in the will; “and for a memorial between thine eyes,” signifies that it must be constantly in the understanding; “that the law of Jehovah may be in thy mouth,” signifies that the Divine truth may be in everything which proceeds thence; “because with a strong hand hath Jehovah led thee forth out of Egypt,” signifies that they were liberated by Divine power; “and thou shalt keep this statute at the set time from year to year,” signifies that this law of order must be in this state continually. 8048 And Moses said unto the people. That this signifies instruction by means of truth Divine, is evident from the signification of “saying,” when by means of truth Divine concerning things to be observed in the church, as being instruction (see n. 7186, 7267, 7304, 7380, 7517); and from the representation of Moses, as being truth Divine (of which above, n. 8041). 8049 Remember thou this day, in which ye went out from Egypt, out of the house of servants. That this signifies that especially must that state be recollected in which they were when liberated from spiritual captivity by the Lord, is evident from the signification of “remember thou,” as being that it is to be recollected; from the signification of “day,” as being state (see n. 23, 487, 488, 493, 893, 2788, 3462, 3785, 4850, 5672, 5962, 7680); from the signification of “going out,” as being to be liberated, for by the “going out of the sons of Israel” is signified the liberation of those who are of the spiritual church by the Lord (of which liberation see n. 6854, 6914, 7091, 7828, 7932, 8018); and from the signification of “Egypt” and “the house of servants,” as being spiritual captivity; for by “Pharaoh and the Egyptians” were signified those who in the other life have infested the spiritual by means of falsities (n. 7097, 7107, 7110, 7126, 7142, 7220, 7228, 7317). Hence by “the land of Egypt” is signified infestation (n. 7278); nor is infestation by means of falsities anything else than spiritual captivity; for when they are being infested they are held as it were captive in falsities, from which they continually labor to be liberated; hence in the Word they are also called “the bound in the pit” (n. 6854). This spiritual captivity is signified also by “the house of servants.” (That servitude is an assault by falsities, that is, infestation, see n. 7120, 7129.) 8050 Because in strength of hand Jehovah led you forth from hence. That this signifies that they were liberated by the Divine power of the Lord, is evident from the signification of “strength of hand,” as being power, and when it is said of Jehovah, as being omnipotence (that “strength” denotes power is evident, as also that “hand” denotes power see n. 878, 3387, 4931-4937, 5327, 5328, 5544, 6947, 7188, 7189, 7518, 7673); and from the signification of “to lead forth,” as being to liberate. (That “Jehovah” denotes the Lord, see above, n. 8046.) 8051 And what is leavened shall not be eaten. That this signifies that there shall not be appropriated anything falsified, is evident from the signification of “eating,” as being to appropriate (see n. 3168, 3513, 3596, 4745); and from the signification of “leaven,” as being falsity (n. 2342, 7906); consequently “what is leavened” denotes what is falsified. As regards the appropriation of falsity and of that which is falsified, be it known that falsity and that which is falsified cannot be appropriated as such to anyone who is in good and from this desires to be in truth, but only to him who is in evil and from this does not desire to be in truth. That to him who is in good and from this desires to be in truth, falsity is not appropriated as falsity, is because he thinks well with respect to God, the kingdom of God, and spiritual life, and consequently he applies falsity so as not to be contrary to those things, but in some way to be in accord with them; thus he softens it, and the asperity and hardness of it does not come into his idea. Unless this were the case, scarcely anyone could be saved, for falsities are more prevalent than truths. But be it known that they who are in good are also in the love of truth, and therefore in the other life, when they are instructed by angels, they reject falsities and accept truths, and this according to the degree of the love of truth which they had in the world. 8052 This day ye go forth. That this signifies liberation to eternity, is evident from the signification of “this day,” as being eternity (on which see n. 2838, 3998, 4304, 6165, 6984); and from the signification of “going forth,” as being to be liberated (n. 8049). 8053 In the month Abib. That this signifies the beginning of a new state, is evident from the signification of “month,” as being the end of a former state and the beginning of a subsequent state, thus also a new state (see n. 3814). That “the month Abib” denotes the beginning from which are all following states, is plain from what is said of this month in the foregoing chapter, verse 2: “This month shall be unto you the head of the months; this is the first to you in the months of the year” (see n. 7827, 7828). 8054 And it shall be when Jehovah shall have brought thee unto the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. That this signifies the region of heaven occupied by those who are in evil and falsity, is evident from the signification of “the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite,” as being heaven, here the region of heaven occupied by those who are in evil and falsity. (That “the land of Canaan” denotes the Lord’s kingdom in heaven and earth, or the church, see n. 1413, 1437, 1585, 1607, 1866, 3038, 3481, 3686, 3705, 4116, 4240, 4447, 4454, 4516, 4517, 5136, 5757, 6516.) Evils and falsities are signified by the nations here named-evil from the falsity of evil by “the Canaanite” (n. 4818); falsity from which is evil by “the Hittite” (n. 2913); evil and the derivative falsity by “the Amorite” (n. 1857, 6306); idolatry in which is something of good by “the Hivite” (n. 6860); and idolatry in which there is something of truth by “the Jebusite” (n. 6860). (That before the coming of the Lord the region of heaven into which they who were of the spiritual church would come, was occupied by evils and falsities, see n. 6858.)[2] As to what further concerns this subject, be it known that before the Lord’s coming heaven was not distinguished into three heavens, namely into the inmost or third, the middle or second, and the ultimate or first, as it was after the Lord’s coming; but was one. The spiritual heaven was not yet formed. The region where the spiritual heaven was to be, was occupied by those who were in falsity and evil, but who could be kept in some truth and good by external means, especially by means of ideas of eminence and dignity, just as is the case in the world, where they who are in evil and falsity are nevertheless obliged to as it were think and speak truths, and as it were will and do goods, by external means, which are honors and gains. The reason why this region of heaven was then occupied by such spirits, was that good ones were lacking, and they who were of the spiritual church had not as yet been prepared, and yet every place had to be filled by spirits, in order that there might be continuity from the Lord down to man, for without continuity man would have perished. At this day also there are some regions of heaven occupied by such; but they who are there are withheld by a strong force from the doing of evils. Immediately above the head are they who deceive and seduce by means of innocence; but above them are the celestial from the Most Ancient Church, who keep them in bonds with such force that they cannot possibly occasion what is evil to anyone. Behind the back part of the head there is also at this day a region which had been a region of heaven, that is occupied by the evil; and another in front toward the left.[3] There is also a continual endeavor on the part of the evil to invade the places where the good are, and they actually do invade them as soon as they are not filled by the good, which endeavor it has often been granted me to notice. These regions are thus occupied when the evil are increased and the good diminished in the world; for in this case evil spirits come near to man, and good spirits recede from him; and insofar as these recede, so far the regions nearest to man are occupied by the evil. When this condition becomes general, the inhabitants of these regions are completely changed. Much is the case when the church is near its end, for then evil and falsity prevail. But about the end of the church the evil are cast down, and the regions they had occupied are given to the good, who in the meantime have been prepared for heaven. This is meant by these words in John:There was war in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels; but they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven (Rev. 12:7, 8).This state of heaven was represented by the land of Canaan, in that the nations occupied it; and by the sons of Israel, in that they cast those nations out from it; for by the “land of Canaan” is signified the Lord’s kingdom, thus heaven and the church, as can be seen from the passages cited above. 8055 Which He sware to thy fathers to give thee. That this signifies which was promised from the Divine to those who are in good and truth, is evident from the signification of “swearing,” when by Jehovah, as being irrevocable confirmation by the Divine (see n. 2842, 3375), whence “to swear to give” denotes a promise; and from the signification of “fathers,” as being those who are in good and truth, for by “fathers,” when the church is treated of, are signified the ancients, or the ancient churches, which were in good and truth (n. 6050, 6075, 6589, 6876, 6884, 7649). 8056 A land flowing with milk and honey. That this signifies where are gladness and joy, is evident from the signification of “a land flowing with milk and honey,” as being what is pleasant and what is delightful (see n. 5620, 6857), thus gladness and joy. It is said “gladness and joy,” because in the Word “gladness” is predicated of truth, and “joy” of good; in like manner “what is pleasant” and “what is delightful;” moreover “milk” is predicated of the truth of good, and “honey” of the good of truth. 8057 That thou shalt serve this service in this month. That this signifies unceasing worship of the Lord on account of liberation, is evident from the signification of “service” as being worship (see n. 7934); and from the signification of “month,” as being the end of a former state and the beginning of a new one; and of “the month Abib,” as being the beginning from which are all following states (n. 8053); consequently by “month” is signified also what is unceasing. 8058 Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened things. That this signifies purification from falsities, is evident from the signification of “seven days,” as involving what is holy (see n. 395, 433, 716, 881, 5265, 5268), and as being a full state (n. 6508); and from the signification of “eating unleavened things,” as being the appropriation of truth and purification from falsity, for “what is unleavened” denotes good purified from falsity, and “eating” denotes appropriation (n. 3168, 3513, 3596, 3832, 4745). That “what is unleavened” denotes good purified from falsity, is because “bread” denotes good, and “leaven” falsity. 8059 And in the seventh day is a feast to Jehovah. That this signifies the holy worship of the Lord, is evident from the signification of “the seventh day,” as being a holy state (that “day” denotes state, see n. 23, 487, 488, 493, 893, 2788, 3462, 3785, 4850, 5672, 5962; and that “seven” denotes what is holy, n. 395, 433, 716, 881, 5265, 5268); and from the signification of “a feast to Jehovah,” as being the worship of the Lord. (That a “feast” denotes worship from a glad mind, see n. 7093; and that “Jehovah” denotes the Lord, n. 8046.) 8060 Unleavened things shall be eaten seven days. That this signifies that they must be wholly purified from falsities, is evident from the signification of “eating unleavened things,” as being to appropriate good purified from falsities (as just above, n. 8058); and as this is repeated, it signifies that it shall be wholly done; and from the signification of “seven days,” as being what is holy, and also a full state (n. 8058). 8061 And that which is leavened shall not be seen with thee. That this signifies that what is falsified must not be admitted at all, that is to say, so as to be appropriated, is evident from what was unfolded above (n. 8051); that this must not be done at all, is signified by the words being repeated. 8062 And leaven shall not be seen with thee. That this signifies that neither must any falsity be admitted, is evident from the signification of “leaven,” as being falsity (see n. 7906). That which is falsified, which is signified by “what is leavened,” and falsity, which is signified by “leaven,” differ in the fact that what is falsified is truth applied to confirm evil, and falsity is everything that is contrary to truth. 8063 In all thy border. That this signifies so far as the truth which is from good extends itself, is evident from the signification of “border,” as being the extension of truth from good; for all truth has its extension, which is sometimes manifested by a sphere; and because it has extension, it has its borders. The sphere of the extension of truth is according to the quality and the amount of good; for good is like flame, and truth is like light. The sphere of extension in the spiritual world is to the societies which are round about; and so far as the sphere extends into them, so far there is communication (see n. 6598-6613). In heaven everyone has intelligence and wisdom, and has happiness, according to the sphere of extension; that is, according to its amount and at the same time its quality. From all this it can be seen what is signified in the spiritual sense by “in all thy border,” here, that in good there must not be any falsity; for falsities are outside of the sphere, because they begin where truths leave off; whereas if they enter the sphere, they are appropriated. That they must not enter is signified by its being said “there shall no leavened thing, or leaven, be seen with thee in all thy border.” 8064 And thou shalt tell thy son in that day, saying. That this signifies the interior perception which is of conscience, is evident from what was unfolded above (see n. 7935), where are like words. 8065 It is because of that which Jehovah did for me, in my going forth out of Egypt. That this signifies that they were liberated by the Lord from spiritual captivity and from damnation, is evident from the signification of “to go forth,” as being to be liberated; and from the signification of “Egypt,” as being spiritual captivity and damnation (see n. 8049). 8066 And it shall be unto thee for a sign upon thine hand. That this signifies that it must be constantly in the will, is evident from the signification of “a sign,” as being a constant recollection, for that which is for a sign and for a memorial is for the sake of constant remembrance; that the sign was to be upon the hand was in order that as often as they moved the hand, or did anything, they might be reminded of it; and that the memorial was to be between the eyes was in order that as often as they looked at anything, they might be reminded of it; and from the signification of the “hand,” as being power (see n. 878, 3387, 4931-4937, 5327, 5328, 5544, 6292, 6947, 7011, 7188, 7189, 7518, 7673), here the will, because all the action and power of action which are effected by means of the hand, proceed from the will. 8067 And for a memorial between thine eyes. That this signifies that it must be constantly in the understanding, is evident from the signification of “a memorial,” as also being a constant recollection (it is said “a memorial,” because in the Word this is predicated of the understanding, whereas “a sign” is predicated of the will); and from the signification of “eyes,” as being the understanding (see n. 2701, 3820, 4403-4421, 4523-4534), consequently by “a memorial between the eyes” is signified that it must be constantly in the understanding, that is, in the thought. How it is to be understood that it must be constantly in the understanding and constantly in the will, shall be briefly told. Those things with a man which have been impressed by means of faith and charity, or which the man fully believes and loves, are constantly in his thought and will; for he thinks them and wills them, even when he is thinking and busy about other things, and does not suppose them to be present in his mind; for they are among the things which constitute the mind’s quality. That this is so is clearly evident from the spiritual sphere which encompasses a spirit or an angel; for when he approaches, it is at once known from this sphere of what faith and of what charity he is, and many things he has at heart, although at the time he is not thinking about them. Such things constitute the mind’s life of everyone, and they always keep themselves there. These things could be illustrated by very many things with man; as by the various reflections, by the affections, and by the actions impressed from infancy, and the like, which are continually present and guide, even if nothing is manifestly thought about the matter. The case is the same with love to the neighbor, with love to God, with the love of good and truth, and with faith; they who are in these, constantly will them and think them; for these are in them, and when they are within they are said to be “universally regnant” (n. 6159, 6571, 7648). 8068 That the law of Jehovah may be in thy mouth. That this signifies that the Divine truth may be in everything which proceeds thence, is evident from the signification of “the law of Jehovah,” as being the Divine truth (see n. 7463); and from the signification of “being in the mouth,” as being to be in everything which proceeds thence, that is, from the understanding and the will; for “in the mouth” denotes in the discourse, and in the discourse there is each part of the mind, both its understanding and its will; the understanding in the sense of the words and things; the will in the affection which gives life to the discourse. 8069 Because with a strong hand hath Jehovah led thee forth out of Egypt. That this signifies that they were liberated by Divine power, is evident from the signification of the “strong hand” of Jehovah, as being the Divine power of the Lord; and from the signification of “to lead forth,” as being to liberate (see n. 8050). 8070 And thou shalt keep this statute at the set time from year to year. That this signifies that this law of order must be in this state continually, is evident from the signification of “statute,” as being a law of order (see n. 7884, 7995); from the signification of “time,” as being state (n. 2625, 2788, 2837, 3254, 3356, 3404, 3827, 3938, 4814, 4882, 4901, 4916, 6110, 7381); hence “at the set time” denotes in this state; and from the signification of “year,” as being an entire period from beginning to end (n. 2906); thus “from year to year” denotes continually. —

True Christian Religion (Ager) 20{2}. This One God is Substance itself and Form itself and angels and men are substances and forms from Him, and so far as they are in Him and He in them are images and likenesses of Him. As God is Esse He is also Substance; for unless Esse is substance it is a figment of the reason; for substance has subsistent being. Moreover, one who is a substance is also a form; for unless a substance is a form it is a figment of the reason. Wherefore both substance and form may be predicated of God, but in the sense that He is the only, the very, and the primal Substance and Form… this Form is the verily Human Form, that is, God is verily Man, infinite in every respect … angels and men are substances and forms created and organised for receiving what is Divine flowing into them through heaven. For this reason they are called in the Book of Creation “images and likenesses of God” (Genesis 1:26, 27); and elsewhere “His sons,” and “born of Him.” … so far as man lives under Divine direction, that is, suffers himself to be led by God, so far he becomes an image of God more and more interiorly. Unless an idea is formed of God as the primal Substance and Form, and of His Form as the verily Human Form, the human mind may easily involve itself in spectral fancies about God Himself, the origin of man, and the creation of the world. It would then have no other conception of God than as the nature of the universe in its first principles, that is, as its expanse, or else as emptiness or nothingness; nor any other conception of man’s origin than as a flowing together of elements into that form by mere chance; nor of the creation of the world than that its substances and forms originated in points, and afterwards in geometrical lines, which are essentially nothing, because nothing can be predicated of them.  Heaven and Hell 60. People who do not have an appropriate concept of spiritual and heavenly realities cannot grasp the fact that heavenly and spiritual realities are arranged and connected in this form and image. They think that the earthly and material elements that make up their outmost form really make them what they are, and that without them they would not be human. Let them know, though, that they are not human beings because of these elements but because they are able to understand what is true and will what is good. These are the spiritual and heavenly realities that make them human. Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) 9503. So it is that the Lord is heaven, for Divine Truth which emanates from Him and is received by the angels makes heaven. Consequently the more perfect the manner in which angels receive Divine Truth that comes from the Lord and accordingly receive the Lord, the more perfect the human forms they possess. Eventually they become so perfect that their beauty surpasses belief; anyone who sees them, as I have done, will be dumbfounded. For in their outward form angels are manifestations of heavenly love and charity, and that is the truly human form. The reason why angels possess human forms is that the Divine in heaven is the Lord, and those who receive Divine Truth within good from Him are images of Him.   Arcana Coelestia (Potts) 8988 . The angels themselves appear in a human form in the heavens absolutely according to the truths which pertain to them in good, with a beauty and brightness according to the quality of the good from truths. Use is how it manifests Conjugial Love (Gladish) 16. Into our souls three things flow as one from the Lord, and these three as one, or this ‘trine,’ are love, wisdom, and use. But love and wisdom do not emerge except as an idea, because they only reside in affection and thoughts of the mind, but in use they become real, because then they are in the action and work of your body. And where they become real they also become substantial. And because love and wisdom emerge and become substantial in doing things, it is use that excites us, and use is doing the work of your calling faithfully, sincerely, and industriously. “A love of use, and the devotion it brings to usefulness, keep the mind from branching out and wandering around soaking up all the desires that seep in enticingly from your body and the world through the senses, and that scatter to all the winds true religion and true morality, and the benefits of them. But a devotion to use wraps up religion and morality, binds them together, and puts the mind in a state to receive wisdom and its truth. And then it puts aside the illusions and mockeries of both falsities and aimlessness. True Christian Religion 67.  Previous to creation God was love itself and wisdom itself and the union of these two in the effort to accomplish uses; for love and wisdom apart from use are only fleeting matters of reason, which fly away if not applied to use. The first two separated from the third are like birds flying above a great ocean, which are at length exhausted by flying, and fall down and are drowned. Evidently, therefore, the universe was created by God to give existence to uses; and for this reason the universe may be called a theater of uses. And as man is the chief end of creation, it follows that each and all things were created for the sake of man; and therefore each and all things belonging to order were brought together and concentrated in him, to the end that through him God might accomplish primary uses. Love and wisdom apart from their third, which is use, may be likened to the sun’s heat and light; which, if they did not operate upon men, animals, and vegetables, would be worthless things; but by influx into and operation upon these they become real.  For there are three things that follow each other in order, namely, end, cause, and effect; and it is known in the learned world that the end is nothing unless it regards the effecting cause, and that the end and this cause are nothing unless an effect is produced. The end and cause may indeed be contemplated abstractly in the mind, but still only on account of some effect which the end purposes and the cause secures.  It is the same with love, wisdom, and use; use is the end which love purposes, and through the cause accomplishes; and when use is accomplished love and wisdom have a real existence; and in the use they make for themselves a habitation and foundation where they rest as in their home.  It is the same with the man who has in him the love and wisdom of God when he is performing uses; and to enable him to perform Divine uses he was created an image and likeness of God, that is, a form of Divine order. We are not human Conjugial Love (Chadwick) 315{10,11}. Is there anyone who does not believe the soul to be the most intimate and subtle essence of a person? But what is essence without form but a figment of the imagination? The soul then is a form, but what sort of form, I will tell you. It is the form of all the parts of love and all the parts of wisdom. All the parts of love are called affections, and all the parts of wisdom are called perceptions. The perceptions as a result of and so together with the affections make up a single form containing countless parts, but arranged in such order and so coherent that they can be called a unity; and they can be called a unity, because nothing can be taken away from it or be added to it, if it is to remain a unity. What is the human soul but such a form? All the parts of love and all the parts of wisdom are the essentials of such a form, and in the case of a person these essentials are in his soul, and from his soul in his head and body. ‘You are called spirits and angels; and you believed in the world that spirits and angels were like puffs of wind or particles of ether, and so were minds and characters. Now you see clearly that you are truly, really and actually people, who in the world lived and thought in a material body; and you knew that it is not the material body that lives and thinks, but the spiritual substance in that body. This you called the soul, whose form you did not know; yet now you have seen it and go on seeing it. You are all souls, about whose immortality you have heard, thought, talked and written so much; and since you are forms of love and wisdom coming from God, you cannot ever die. The soul then is a human form, from which nothing can be taken away, and to which nothing can be added, and it is the inmost of all the forms throughout the body. Since the forms which are outside receive from the inmost both essence and form, you are therefore souls, just as you appear to be to your sight and to ours. In short, the soul is the real person because it is the inmost person; its form therefore is the human form in full perfection. But it is not life, but it is the nearest receiver of life from God, and so God’s dwelling.’  Fractal idea of the repeating pattern of the human form Heaven and Hell (Dole) 73 . Therefore Every Angel Is in Perfect Human Form…as a whole reflects a single individual and that the same holds true for each community in heaven. From the chain of causes presented there, it follows that each single angel reflects the same as well. As heaven is a person in greatest form and a community of heaven is a person in lesser form, so an angel is a person in least form; for in the most perfect form, like the form of heaven, there is a likeness of the whole in the part and of the part in the whole.  Conjugial Love (Searle) 92. V. FROM THE INFLUX OF THE MARRIAGE OF GOOD AND TRUTH That good and truth are the universals of creation, and thus are in all created subjects ; and that they are in created subjects according to the form of each; and that good and truth proceed from the Lord not as two but as one, was shewn above, nos. 84 to 87. From these considerations it follows, that the UNIVERSAL CONJUGIAL SPHERE proceeds from the Lord, and pervades the universe from its primes to its ultimates, thus from angels even to worms. The reason why such a sphere of the marriage of good and truth proceeds from the Lord, is, that it is also the sphere of propagation, that is, of prolification and fructification ; and this sphere is the same with the Divine providence for the preservation of the universe by means of successive generations. Now, since this universal sphere, which is that of the marriage of good and truth, flows in into subjects according to the form of each (see no. 86), it follows that the male receives it according to his form, thus in the intellect, because he is an intellectual form ; and that the female receives it according to her form, thus in the will, because she is a voluntary form from the intellectual of the man; and since that sphere is also the sphere of prolification, it follows that the love of the sex is thence. Conjugial Love (Chadwick) 132. For a person cannot help feeling that he loves and is wise of himself, that is, he wills good and understands truth of himself, when in fact it is not in the least from himself, but from God. It is only God who loves of Himself and is wise of Himself, because God is love itself and wisdom itself. The likeness or appearance that love and wisdom, or good and truth, are present in a person as if they belonged to him is what makes him human, and capable of being linked to God and so living forever.  Spiritual Experiences (Buss) 1710. But now [it is to be affirmed] that the life of the Lord flows in into all in the universe, for they constitute the Grand Body [corpus maximum] and heaven, with the heaven of spirits, which is His body, because it lives from Him, as a man lives from his soul; i.e. from the Lord through the soul, wherefore all the members, and the parts of the members, cannot but live from Him; just as in man the members and parts of members depend exclusively upon his soul; and according to the forms of the members and the forms of the parts, so they live, and so do they perform their functions, however diverse, in the universal body; and yet in such a way that they are led to uses and ends, like each single organ in the body, for there is a consent of all to uses and to one end, which is the Lord; whence life [flows] into all and each, from one mediately into another, through a society of forms. The Lord = the Word = the Divine Human Apocalypse Explained (Whitehead) 151… the Word is the Lord in respect to the Divine Human and Divine truth proceeding therefrom. True Christian Religion 263. Few understand how the Lord is the Word; for they think that although the Lord can enlighten and teach men through the Word, He cannot on this account be called the Word. But let it be understood that every man is his own will and his own understanding, each man being thus distinct from every other; and as the will is the receptacle of love, and thus of all the goods of that love, and the understanding is the receptacle of wisdom, and thus of all things of truth belonging to that wisdom, it follows, that each man is his own love and his own wisdom, or what is the same thing, his own good and his own truth. For no other reason is man a man, and nothing else than this in man is man. In respect to the Lord, He is love itself and wisdom itself, thus good itself and truth itself; and this He became by fulfilling all the good and all the truth in the Word. For he who thinks and speaks nothing but truth becomes that truth; and he who wills and does only what is good becomes that good; and as the Lord fulfilled all the Divine truth and Divine good contained in the Word, both in its natural sense and in its spiritual sense, He became good itself and truth itself, that is, the Word. Arcana Coelestia 2859 . That the Lord is the Word is known, and therefore the Lord is doctrine (n. 2531), for all doctrine is from the Word.  The all of doctrine in the Word is from the Lord, and is concerning the Lord.  In the internal sense of the Word nothing but the Lord and His kingdom is treated of, as has been shown many times.  It is the Lord’s Divine Human of which the internal sense of the Word especially treats; and the all of doctrine in the Word as regards man is to worship Him and love Him. Arcana Coelestia (Potts) 5321. [2] From the Divine Itself nothing of doctrine can possibly proceed except through the Divine Human, that is, through the  Word, which in the supreme sense is the Divine truth from the Lord’s Divine Human. Not even the angels in the inmost  heaven can apprehend that which proceeds immediately from the Divine Itself, because it is infinite, and therefore  transcends all apprehension, even that of angels. But that which proceeds from the Lord’s Divine Human they can  apprehend, because it treats of God as a Divine Man, concerning whom some idea can be formed from the Human; and  any idea whatever formed about the Human is accepted, provided it flows from the good of innocence, and is in the good  of charity. True Christian Religion 778. Every man is his own love and his own intelligence, and whatever proceeds from him derives its essence from those two essentials or properties of his life. Therefore the angels, from a brief intercourse with a man, recognize what he is essentially; they know his love from the tone of his voice, and his intelligence from his speech. This is because there are two universals of life belonging to every man, the will and the understanding. The will is the receptacle and abode of his love, and the understanding the receptacle and abode of his intelligence.  Therefore all things whatever, whether action or speech, that proceed from man, constitute the man and are the man himself. In like manner, but in a pre-eminent degree the Lord is Divine love and Divine wisdom, or what is the same thing, Divine good and Divine truth; for His will is of the Divine love and the Divine love is of His will, while His understanding is of the Divine wisdom and the Divine wisdom is of His understanding; the Human form is their containant. From this some idea may be formed of how the Lord is the Word.  But on the contrary, he who is antagonistic to the Word, that is, to the Divine truth therein, consequently, to the Lord and His church, is his own evil and his own falsity, both in reference to his mind and in reference to the effects thereof, relating to actions and words, which proceed from the body. Arcana Coelestia 8864. I am Jehovah thy God. That this signifies the Lord as to the Divine Human universally reigning in each and all things of good and truth, is evident from the fact that in the Word no other than the Lord is meant by “Jehovah” (see n. 1343, 1736, 2921, 3023, 3035, 3448, 5663, 6280, 6281, 6303, 8274), in like manner by “Jehovah Zebaoth,” by “the Lord Jehovih,” by “Jehovah God” (n. 2921, 3023, 3448, 6303); and that the Lord is called “Jehovah” from the Divine good, which is the Divine Being, but “God” from the Divine truth, which is the Divine Coming-forth (n. 6905, also n. 709, 732, 1096, 2586, 2769, 2807, 2822, 3921, 4402). That it is the Divine Human of the Lord which is here meant by “Jehovah God,” is because the Lord as to this is meant in the Word both by “Jehovah” and by “God” — the Divine good, which He is even as to the Human, by “Jehovah;” and the Divine truth, which He is because it proceeds from Him, by “God.” [2] That the Divine Human of the Lord is meant by “Jehovah God,” is because the Divine Itself which is in the Lord cannot be seen in heaven, and not even perceived, thus cannot be received in faith and love, but the Divine Human only. That the Divine Itself cannot be communicated to the angels in heaven, and still less to men on earth, except through the Divine Human, is known in the churches from the words of the Lord in the Evangelists, where He says that He is the “door,” that He is the “mediator,” that “no one can come to the Father but through Him,” that “no one knoweth the Father but He,” and that “no one hath seen the Father,” not even any “shape” of Him. From this it is plain that it is the Lord who is here meant by “Jehovah God.” That it is He also who redeemed the human race and liberated it from hell is likewise known. This is signified by the words which follow: “who brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of servants.” From all this it is now plain that Jehovah God who spoke from Mount Sinai denotes the Lord as to the Divine Human. [3] That this is the first thing which is said by the Lord from Mount Sinai, is because this ought to reign universally in each and all things that follow; for what is said first must be kept in the memory in the things that follow, and must be regarded as the universal thing that is in them. What is meant by “universally reigning” shall be seen in what follows. The things said by the Lord are all of this nature, namely, that the things said first are to reign in the things which follow, and are to involve them, and so successively the things that follow in the series. The things which follow in this chapter are the commandments of the Decalogue, which are internal truths, and then the statutes, which are external truths. In both of these the Lord must reign as to the Divine Human, for they are from Him, and are Himself, because all truths that are truths proceed from Him, and the things which proceed from Him are Himself. That the Lord as to the Divine Human must reign in each and all things of faith, is also known in the churches, for it is there taught that without the Lord there is no salvation, and that all the truth and good of faith are from Him. Thus as He is the source of faith, He is the faith with man, and if the faith, He is also every truth that is contained in the doctrine of faith, which is from the Word. From this also it is that the Lord is called “the Word.” Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

The sense of self is a finite form of reception of what is Infinite True Christian Religion (Chadwick) 25{3}. The Divine Being, which is in itself God, is the same; not the same in a simple way, but infinitely the same, that is, the same from eternity to eternity. He is the same everywhere, the same with each person and in each person; but all the changes and differences occur in the person who receives Him, and it is his state which causes this. Divine Love and Wisdom (Ager) 124. The Lord is not in a greater and lesser degree of love and wisdom, that is, as a sun He is not in a greater or lesser degree of heat and light with one than with another, for He is everywhere the same. But He is not received by one in the same degree as by another Arcana Coelestia (Potts) 4206. That such various things of the Lord are represented, is not because various things are in the Lord, but because His Divine is variously received by men. This is like the life in man, which flows in and acts upon the various sensory and motive organs of the body, and upon the various members and viscera, and everywhere presents variety. For the eye sees in one way, the ear hears in another, the tongue perceives in another; so the arms and hands move in one way, and the loins and the feet in a different way; the lungs act in one way and the heart in another; the liver in one way and the stomach in another, and so on; but nevertheless it is one life which actuates them all so variously, not because the life itself acts in different ways, but because it is differently received; for the form of each organ is that according to which the action is determined.  True Christian Religion (Ager) 366. What flows in from the Lord is received by man according to his form. Form means here man’s state in respect both to his love and to his wisdom, consequently in respect both to his affections for the goods of charity and to his perceptions of the truths of faith. That God is one, indivisible, and the same, from eternity to eternity, not the same simply but infinitely the same, and that all variableness is in the subject in which He dwells… That the recipient form or state induces variations, can be seen from the life of infants, children, youths, adults, and aged persons; in each there is the same life, because the same soul, from infancy to old age; but as one’s state is varied according to age and what is suitable thereto, in like manner is life perceived.  Misattribution is part of the process True Christian Religion (Dick) 330. It has been stated that so far as a man shuns evils he wills good, because evil and good are opposites; for evil is from hell, and good from heaven; therefore, so far as hell, that is, evil, is removed, heaven is approached, and man looks towards what is good. TCR 331. Evil and good cannot exist together; and so far as evil is removed, good is regarded and felt as good. For in the spiritual world there emanates from every one the sphere of his love, which diffuses itself around, causing itself to be felt, and gives rise to sympathies and antipathies; and by means of these spheres the good are separated from the evil. Many illustrations can be given from the affairs of the natural world to show that evil must be removed before good is known, perceived and loved. For example, no one can visit a man who keeps a leopard and a panther in his room, and who lives in safety with them because he feeds them, until those wild beasts are removed. Divine Love and Wisdom (Ager) 4​. The Lord, who is the God of the universe, is uncreate and infinite, whereas man and angel are created and finite. And because the Lord is uncreate and infinite, He is Being [Esse] itself, which is called “Jehovah,” and Life itself, or Life in itself. From the uncreate, the infinite, Being itself and Life itself, no one can be created immediately, because the Divine is one and indivisible; but their creation must be out of things created and finited, and so formed that the Divine can be in them. Because men and angels are such, they are recipients of life. Consequently, if any man suffers himself to be so far misled as to think that he is not a recipient of life but is Life, he cannot be withheld from the thought that he is God.  Love to the Lord from the Lord Heaven and Hell (Dole) 72. The reason each community appears in human likeness when it is seen all together as a unit is that heaven as a whole has this likeness, as may be seen in the preceding chapter; and in the most perfect form, like the form of heaven, there is a likeness of parts and whole, of lesser and greatest. The lesser elements and parts of heaven are the communities of which it consists, each of which is a heaven in lesser form, as may be seen above in 51-58. The reason for this constant likeness is that in the heavens all the qualities stem from a single love and therefore from a single source. The single love that is the origin of everything good in heaven is love for the Lord from the Lord. This is why all heaven is a likeness of him on the grand scale, every community a likeness on a less grand scale, and every angel in specific. See what has been said on this matter above in 58. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Heaven and Hell 306. I have been told from heaven that the earliest people had direct revelation because their inner natures were turned toward heaven, and that this was the source of the Lord's union with the human race at that time. After those times, though, there was not the same kind of direct revelation, but an indirect revelation through correspondences. All their divine worship consisted of these; so the churches of those times were called symbolic churches. They knew what correspondences and representations were and that everything on earth answered to spiritual things in heaven and the church (or represented them, which amounts to the same thing). In this way, the natural elements that constituted their outward worship served them as means for thinking spiritually and therefore thinking with angels. Once all knowledge of correspondences and representations had been lost, then a Word was written in which all the words and the meanings of the words are correspondences and therefore contain that spiritual or inner meaning in which angels are engaged. So when we read the Word and grasp it in its literal or outward meaning, angels grasp it in its inner or spiritual meaning. In fact, all the thought of angels is spiritual, while ours is natural. These two kinds of thought do seem different, but they are one because they correspond. This is why, after we had moved away from heaven and broken the connection, the Lord provided that there should be a means of union of heaven with us through the Word. The Word is pedestrian 310. I have talked with angels about the Word on occasion, and have told them that it is looked down on by some people because of its pedestrian style. They know absolutely nothing about its deeper meaning and therefore do not believe that this kind of wisdom lies hidden within. The angels have told me that even though the style of the Word may appear pedestrian in its literal meaning, it is qualitatively incomparable because divine wisdom lies hidden not just in the overall meaning but in every word, and that this wisdom shines out in heaven. They have wanted to declare that because it is divine truth, it is heaven's light, since divine truth in heaven is radiant (see above, 132). They have added that without this kind of Word there would be no light of heaven among the people of our earth and consequently no union with heaven for them; for the amount of heaven's light there is among us determines the union and therefore the extent to which we have any revelation of divine truth through the Word. The reason people do not know this union exists (through the spiritual meaning of the Word corresponding to its natural meaning) is that the people of our earth do not know anything about angels' spiritual thinking and conversation. They do not know that this is different from our natural thinking and conversation; and anyone who does not know this cannot possibly know what the inner meaning is and therefore cannot know that it can make this kind of union possible. They have also said that if we knew that this kind of meaning existed and when we read the Word did our thinking with any knowledge of it, we would come into a deeper wisdom and be more closely united to heaven, because in this way we would have access to concepts like those of angels. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

The Human form is love and wisdom in use 60. People who do not have an appropriate concept of spiritual and heavenly realities cannot grasp the fact that heavenly and spiritual realities are arranged and connected in this form and image. They think that the earthly and material elements that make up their outmost form really make them what they are, and that without them they would not be human. Let them know, though, that they are not human beings because of these elements but because they are able to understand what is true and will what is good. These are the spiritual and heavenly realities that make them human. The arrangement of the parts into a whole through the common good - the Lord 62. Actually, angels do not see heaven in a single overview in this kind of form, since the entire heaven does not lie within the scope of any angel's sight. However, they do consistently see particular communities that are made up of many thousands of angels as single units in this kind of form; and from the community as a sample they draw their inference about the totality that is heaven. This is because in the most perfect form the greater elements are arranged like the parts, and the parts like the greater elements. The only distinction is between what is greater and what is lesser. Therefore they say that the entire heaven looks like this in the Lord's sight, because the Divine sees everything from the very center and summit. 63. Since heaven is of this nature, it is also governed by the Lord as though it were a single individual and therefore a single unit. We ourselves consist of countless different things, both overall and in our parts. We are made up overall of our limbs, organs, and viscera, and in our parts of series of nerves, fibers, and blood vessels — made up of members within members, then, and parts within parts. Still, we do of course recognize that when we do anything, we do it as whole individuals. This is what heaven is like, too, under the Lord's guardianship and guidance. 64. The reason so many varied elements act as one in an individual is that there is nothing whatever there that does not contribute something to the common good and do something useful. The inclusive body serves its parts and the parts serve the inclusive body because the inclusive body is made up of parts and the parts make up the inclusive body. So they provide for each other respectively, they focus on each other mutually, and they are united in the kind of form that gives every single component a relationship to the inclusive entity and its well-being. This is what enables them to act as a unit. [2] It is the same with assemblies in the heavens. People there unite in this kind of form in pursuit of any worthwhile activity. As a result any individuals who do not serve some use for the larger body are cast out of heaven because they are misfits. To "serve some use" is to intend well to others for the sake of the common good, while "not to serve some use" is to intend well to others not for the sake of the common good but for the sake of oneself. People who act in this latter fashion are people who love themselves above all, while people who act in the former fashion are the ones who love the Lord above all. This is why people in heaven act in unison not from themselves but from the Lord. Variety and Diversity and Perfection HH 71. It is worth noting that the more members there are in a single community and the more united they are in action, the more perfect is their human form. This is because variety arranged in a heavenly form makes perfection, as explained above in 56; and variety occurs where there are many individuals. Every community in heaven is growing in numbers daily, and the more it grows, the more perfect it becomes. In this way, not only is the community perfected, but heaven in general is perfected as well, since the communities constitute heaven. Since heaven is perfected by its numerical growth, we can see how mistaken people are who believe that heaven will be closed to prevent overcrowding. Actually, it is just the reverse. It will never be closed, and its ever increasing fullness makes it more perfect. So angels long for nothing more than to have new angel guests arrive there. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Heaven and Hell 18. The reason the Lord's divine nature in heaven is love is that love is what is receptive of every heavenly quality — that is, of peace, intelligence, wisdom, and happiness. Love is receptive of everything that is in harmony with it. It longs for such things, it seeks them out, it absorbs them spontaneously because it has the constant purpose of uniting itself with them and being enriched by them. 1 People actually recognize this fact, since the love within them surveys memory, so to speak, and draws out from it the items that agree with it. It gathers these together and arranges them within and beneath itself — within itself so that it may possess them and beneath itself so that they may serve it. It discards and eradicates, though, the items that do not agree with it. I have been able to see very clearly that love has a full, intrinsic ability to accept elements of truth that suit it and has also a desire of uniting them to itself. This has become clear from observing people who have been transported into heaven. Even people who were simple folk in this world have arrived at angelic wisdom and heavenly happiness in the company of angels. This was because they loved what is good and true for the sake of what is good and true. They had grafted these qualities into their lives and had thereby become capable of accepting heaven and all its indescribable riches. People caught up in love for themselves and for the world, however, have no such receptive ability. They turn away from such things, discard them, and at their first touch or inflow try to escape them. They ally themselves with people in hell who are caught up in loves like their own. There were some spirits who doubted that love was so full and wanted to know whether this was really true. In order that they might find out, they were let into a state of heavenly love with all obstacles removed and were brought forward a considerable distance to an angelic heaven. They talked with me from there and told me that they felt deeper happiness than words could express, sorrowing that they would have to return to their former state. Other people as well have been raised into heaven, and the deeper or higher they have been taken, the deeper and higher they have penetrated into intelligence and wisdom, becoming able to grasp things that were incomprehensible to them before. We can see from this that the love that emanates from the Lord is open to heaven and all its riches. 19. We can conclude that love for the Lord and love for our neighbor embrace within themselves everything that is true from the Divine because this follows from what the Lord himself said about these two loves: "You shall love your God with all your heart and with all your soul: this is the greatest and first commandment. The second, which is like it, is that you should love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 22:37-40). The Law and the Prophets are the whole Word, which means all divine truth. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Article to accompany the audio: Removing Person — A Deeper Way of Loving One of the things that can arise when we first encounter the practice of removing person, place, time, and space and matter (PPTSM) from the centre of our thought is a sense of unease. It can feel as though we are being asked to become less human in our relating, colder, more distant, as though the particular person in front of us no longer matters. That unease is worth taking seriously, because it points to something genuine: a care for others, a desire not to reduce them to an abstraction. But the teachings for Spiritual Christianity invites us to look more closely at what we are actually doing when we hold tightly to "person" in our thinking and listening. When we stay fixed on the surface personality of someone, their history, their manner, the particular things they've said or done, we don't necessarily see them more clearly. We see them through the accumulated filter of our own associations, our own proprium, our own familiar ways of relating. The heavenly teaching is that this kind of fixed thinking limits love rather than deepening it. Perception concentrates onto something finite, and the channel through which a fuller sense of divine love is able to be received begins to close.¹ What the practice offers instead is something closer to what the Text describes as angelic perception: in the heavens, it is not the person but the use or function they embody that is perceived. To see the "use" of a person is to begin to perceive the specific role they fulfil within the Divine order, their unique contribution to the whole. The teaching puts it this way: "persons limit the idea, and concentrate it upon something finite; whereas things do not limit and concentrate it, but extend it to the infinite, thus to the Lord."² Far from reducing the person, this is the discovery of what is most real and most essential about them. There is a striking image in the doctrinal writings for what abstract thought actually does: it is like "the sight of the eye when it looks up into the sky without intervening objects."³ Thought fixed on person, by contrast, "is fixed and stays": it cannot move, cannot expand, cannot receive. The moment we release person from the centre, the mind opens in every direction. This reframes what it means to love the neighbour. When we love someone as person, as the particular, familiar self we have constructed from our history with them, we are in some measure loving our idea of them, the image the proprium has formed. But when we attend to the good and truth the Lord is working in them, we are loving something infinitely more real: the divine life seeking to be born through their struggles, their growth, their unique use in the Grand Man. A profound and simple definition of heaven is that it is the state of loving what is other. To genuinely perceive the 'other' requires the loves of heaven to be active in us. This is not merely a humanistic focus on the person, but the spiritual capacity to see and love the Lord in another. In practice, removing person is less an act of subtraction than an act of clearing, like cleaning a window. The glass is still there. The person is still there. But the distorting layers of accumulated association, judgment, and self-reference begin to fall away, and something truer comes into view. The angels, we are told, are unwilling to speak of persons precisely because to do so "would avert the ideas from a universal view of things, thus from the comprehension of innumerable things together.”4 The question the practice quietly poses is not whether we love others, but whether the love we are extending is as free, as rich, and as genuinely for them as it could be. Or whether it is still, in some measure, shaped by what is ours: our comfort, our familiar patterns, our sense of connection as we experience it. Removing person doesn't ask us to love less. It points toward a love that, no longer fixed on the finite, extends, as the heavenly doctrine says, to the infinite and to the Lord. References for Contemplation ¹ Arcana Coelestia 6040[2] — On how spiritual language draws thought away from persons and fixes it on spiritual realities, enabling a broader and more universal perception; and how thought fixed on persons "diminishes the light of truth." The reason why the expression 'a perception by the truths in the natural' is used and not a perception by people in possession of those truths is that spiritual language employs that kind of expression. For such a usage draws the ideas composing one's thought away from persons and fixes them on spiritual realities; and those realities, which are truths and forms of good, are what possess life in a person and cause him to have life. For those realities are derived from the Lord, the Source of life in its entirety. That kind of usage also leads one's mind away from ascribing truths and forms of good to a person. Such spiritual language also enables one to form an overall idea that extends further and wider than when the idea of a person is tied up with it. If for example one speaks of perception by people in possession of truths in the natural one's ideas become fixed at the same time on people like that - a common occurrence - and so one's ideas are drawn away from the overall idea, with the result that the light of truth is diminished. Furthermore, in the next life thought about persons disturbs such persons, for in that life all thought is communicated. These are the reasons why impersonal expressions like the one here - 'a perception by the truths in the natural' are used. ² Arcana Coelestia 5225 — On how in the spiritual world, persons limit and concentrate an idea onto something finite, while things extend it to the infinite and to the Lord; and why no person named in the Word is perceived in heaven, only the reality they represent. …in the spiritual world, or in heaven, not persons but things come into view, for persons limit the idea, and concentrate it upon something finite; whereas things do not limit and concentrate it, but extend it to the infinite, thus to the Lord. For this reason also, no person named in the Word is perceived in heaven, but in his stead the thing that is represented by that person; so also no people or nation is perceived, but only its quality. Nay, not even is any historic statement of the Word about a person, nation, or people, known in heaven; and consequently it is not known who Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the Israelitish people, and the Jewish nation were, but it is there perceived what Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the Israelitish people, and the Jewish nation denote; and the same in all other cases. Thus the angelic speech is without limitation, and is also relatively universal. ³ Apocalypse Explained 405 — On how the idea abstracted from persons and places "extends itself into heaven in every direction," compared to the sight of the eye looking into an open sky; and how the idea tied to persons is proper to the natural mind. [2] The good of love to the Lord is meant in an abstract sense by "mountain," because all things in the internal sense of the Word are spiritual, and spiritual things must be understood in a sense abstracted from persons and places; consequently, because angels are spiritual they think and speak abstractedly from these, and thereby have intelligence and wisdom; for the idea of persons and places limits the thought, since it confines it to persons and places, and thus limits it. This idea of thought is proper to the natural, while the idea abstracted from persons and places extends itself into heaven in every direction, and is no otherwise limited than the sight of the eye is limited when it looks up into the sky without intervening objects; such an idea is proper to the spiritual. 4 Arcana Coelestia 7002 — On why angels are unwilling to speak of persons — because to do so averts ideas from a universal view and from the comprehension of innumerable things together. Angels… are unwilling to speak of persons, because speech about persons would avert the ideas from a universal view of things, thus from the comprehension of innumerable things together. See also: AC 8985 (abstract thought diffuses through the whole of heaven; thought fixed on person or place is fixed and stays); AE 625 (the idea of person limits and confines thought, rendering it natural; abstraction from persons gives angels their ineffable intelligence and wisdom). AC (Elliott) n. 8985 The reason for saying that 'the slave' means truth and not a person imbued with such truth is that when angels speak they do so in the abstract, that is, without envisaging actual persons. For in heaven they think about matters without envisaging persons, because when their thought involves persons it brings to mind a community associated with the matter they are thinking about; and when this happens their thought is narrowed down to and becomes fixed on that community. [2] In heaven thinking about a place leads to being present in that place, and their presence in that community would attract towards itself the thoughts of those within the community, and so would disrupt the inflow from the Divine there. It is quite different when they speak in the abstract about some matter; their thought then spreads out in every direction in accord with the heavenly form which the influx emanating from the Divine produces, without causing disruption in any community. For it reaches into communities' general spheres, yet without having an effect on or unsettling anyone within the community, and so without impairing anyone's freedom to think in accord with the inflow from the Divine. In short, abstract thought can pass through the whole of heaven without hindrance anywhere; but thought narrowed down to persons or places becomes fixed and static. AE n. 625 …angels who are in the spiritual sense of the Word have

Heaven and Hell 13. In heaven, the divine nature that emanates from the Lord is called divine truth, for reasons that will be given below. This divine truth flows into heaven from the Lord, out of his divine love. Divine love and the divine truth that derives from it are like the sun's fire and the light that comes from it in our world. The love is like the sun's fire, and the derivative truth is like the light from the sun. By reason of correspondence, fire means love and light means the truth that flows from it. This enables us to determine the character of the divine truth that emanates from divine love: in its essence, it is divine good united to divine truth, and because it is united, it gives life to everything in heaven the way the warmth of the sun, united to its light, makes everything fruitful on earth in spring and summer. It is different when the warmth is not united to light, when the light is therefore cold. Then everything slows down and lies there, snuffed out. The divine good we have compared to warmth is the good of love within and among angels, and the divine truth we have compared to light is the means and the source of this good of love. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Heaven and Hell 59. The Whole Heaven, Grasped as a Single Entity, Reflects a Single Individual. It is a secret not yet known in this world that heaven, taken in a single all-inclusive grasp, reflects a single individual. In heaven, though, nothing is better known. Knowing this, knowing particulars and details about it, is the hallmark of angelic intelligence there. In fact, many other things follow from it and do not come clearly and distinctly to mind without this as their general principle. Since angels do know that all the heavens, like their communities, reflect a single individual, they refer to heaven as the universal and divine human 1 -"divine" because the Lord's divine nature constitutes heaven (see above, 7-12). HH 67. We have presented these statements about heaven as the universal human because without them as preface there can be no comprehension whatever of the things about heaven that are to follow. No clear concept of heaven can be gained, either, no clear concept of the union of the Lord with heaven, of the union of heaven with us on earth, of the inflow of the spiritual world into the natural world, and none whatever of correspondence, all of which must be discussed in sequence in the pages that now follow. This material has been presented first, then, to shed light on these matters. HH 72...The reason for this constant likeness is that in the heavens all the qualities stem from a single love and therefore from a single source. The single love that is the origin of everything good in heaven is love for the Lord from the Lord. This is why all heaven is a likeness of him on the grand scale, every community a likeness on a less grand scale, and every angel in specific. See what has been said on this matter above in 58. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Heaven and Hell 491 (Dole). There are three states that we pass through after death before we arrive in either heaven or hell. The first state is one of more outward concerns, the second is one of more inward concerns, and the third is one of preparation. We go through these states in the world of spirits. HH 491 (Harley). There are three states that man passes through after death before he comes into either heaven or hell. The first state is the state of his exteriors, the second state the state of his interiors, and the third his state of preparation. These states man passes through in the world of spirits.  Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Heaven and Hell 557. Heavenly love is loving constructive activity for its own sake, or loving for their own sake the worthwhile things we do for our church, our country, the human community, and our fellow citizens. This is really loving God and loving our neighbour, since all constructive activities and all worthwhile actions come from God and are the neighbour whom we are to love.  HH 558(b) A spiritual love of their neighbour, though, begins with the Lord, and spreads out from him as its center to all who are united to him by love and faith. Its spread depends on the quality of their love and faith.  Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Divine Providence 86...in the wicked, evils with falsities are as it were in the center, while goods with truths are in the circumferences; but in the good, goods with truths are in the center and evils with falsities are in the circumferences; and in both cases that which is at the center flows out even to the circumferences, as heat from a central fire, or as cold from a central frigidity. Thus in the evil the goods in the circumferences are defiled by the evils at the center; while in the good, the evils in the circumferences are moderated by the goods at the center. This is why evils do not damn the regenerate man, and goods do not save the unregenerate man. DP 79. We say that whatever we do freely and in keeping with our thought is permanent because nothing we make part of ourselves can be eliminated. It has become part of both our love and our reasoning, part of both our volition and our discernment, that is, and therefore part of our life. Actually, it can be displaced, but it still cannot be ousted. When it is displaced, it is moved from the center to the periphery, and there it dwells. This is what "being permanent" means. [2] For example, suppose that in youth and early maturity we have taken into ourselves a pattern of doing something wrong because of the pleasure it gives to our love — cheating, perhaps, or blasphemy, or revenge, or promiscuity. Since we have done so freely, in keeping with our thought, we have made this part of ourselves. Later, though, if we repent, turn away from this behavior, and regard it as sin that is to be rejected, and therefore refrain from it freely and rationally, then we make part of ourselves the good behavior that is opposite to the evil. This good behavior then takes its place in the center and moves the evil toward the periphery, farther and farther out depending on our distaste for and rejection of it. The evil still cannot be ousted to the point of being uprooted, even though it may seem to be so. What is happening is that the Lord is restraining us from the evil behavior and keeping us in the good. This is what happens with all the evil we inherit and with all the evil we act out. [3] I have seen things that bore witness to this in some people in heaven, people who thought they were free of evils because the Lord was keeping them involved in what is good. To prevent them from thinking that they actually owned the good qualities they were enjoying, they were let down from heaven and back into their evils until finally they recognized that on their own, they were immersed in evils, but were being held in what is good by the Lord. Once they recognized this, they were brought back into heaven. [4] It is important to know also that these good qualities are made part of us only as long as they are the Lord's within us. To the extent that we recognize this, the Lord allows us to experience the goodness as our own, so that it seems to us as though we ourselves love our neighbor or are truly considerate, as though we ourselves have faith, and do what is good and understand what is true, as though we ourselves are therefore wise. Such examples help us see the nature and the strength of the appearance the Lord wants us to enjoy for the sake of our salvation; for without this appearance, none of us could be saved. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

As of self Heaven and Hell 302. If man only believed, as is really true, that all good is from the Lord and all evil from hell, he would neither make the good in him a matter of merit nor would evil be imputed to him; for he would then look to the Lord in all the good he thinks and does, and all the evil that flows in would be cast down to hell from which it comes. But because man does not believe that anything flows into him either from heaven or from hell, and therefore supposes that all things that he thinks and wills are in himself and therefore from himself, he appropriates the evil to himself, and the good that flows in he defiles with merit. Arcana Coelestia 4320. That the life which is from the Lord alone appears with everyone as if it were in himself, is from the Lord’s love or mercy toward the universal human race, in that He wills to appropriate to each one what is His own, and to give to everyone eternal happiness. It is known that love appropriates to another what is its own; for it presents itself within the other, and makes itself present in him. How much more the Divine love! That the evil also receive the life which is from the Lord, is as with objects in the world, all of which receive light from the sun, and thereby colors, but according to their forms. Objects which suffocate and pervert the light appear of a black or foul color, but yet have their blackness and foulness from the sun’s light. So is it with the light or life from the Lord with the evil; but this life is not life, but is (as it is called) spiritual death. Apocalypse Revealed 56. One's own life is to look to the Lord from oneself, while life from the Lord is to look to the Lord from the Lord, and yet doing so as though of oneself. When a person is seized by this life, he sees that he is nothing, and that only the Lord is anything. The 'self' arises from the moment to moment reception of Life 308. Divine Providence. Does Not Charge Us with Anything Evil or Credit Us with Anything Good; Rather, Our Own Prudence Claims Both. Almost everyone believes that we think and intend autonomously and therefore talk and act autonomously. Can we on our own believe anything else when the appearance is so convincing that it scarcely differs at all from really thinking, intending, speaking, and acting autonomously? Yet this is impossible. In Angelic Wisdom about Divine Love and Wisdom, I explained that there is only one life and that we are life-receivers. I also explained that our volition is a receiver of love and our discernment is a receiver of wisdom, and that these and nothing else are the life that we receive. Further, I explained that by creation, and under divine providence constantly since then, life seems to be within us exactly as though it belonged to us, as though it were ours, but that this is only the way it seems in order that we may be receivers. In 288-294 above I have explained that the source of our thinking is not in ourselves but in others, whose source is again not in themselves. It all comes from the Lord, whether we are evil or good. Further, this is recognized in the Christian world, especially by people who not only say but even believe that everything good and true comes from the Lord, which includes all wisdom and therefore faith and charity. They also believe that everything evil comes from the devil or from hell. [2] The only conclusion we can draw from all this is that everything we think and intend is flowing into us, and since all speech flows from thought like an effect from its cause, and all action similarly flows from volition, everything we say and do is flowing in as well, albeit secondarily or indirectly. No one can deny that everything we see, hear, smell, taste, and feel is flowing in. What about the things we think and intend, then? Can there be any difference except that what flows in from the physical world flows in through our outer or physical sensory organs, while what flows in from the spiritual world flows in through the organic substances of our inner senses or our minds? In other words, just as the organs of our outer or physical senses are attuned to material objects, the organic substances of our inner senses or our minds are receptive of spiritual objects. Since this is our actual state, what is our "self"? Our "self" is not really one or another kind of receiver, since it is nothing but the quality of its own receptivity. It is not some aspect of life that is actually ours. When we say "the self," no one hears anything but a being that lives on its own and therefore thinks and intends on its own. Yet it follows from what has just been said that there is no such self in us and that there cannot be. The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine 82. Of the proprium of man, spoken of above (n. 70), that it is the love of self and of the world. The proprium of man is nothing but dense evil (n. 210, 215, 731, 874-876, 987, 1047, 2307-2308, 3518, 3701, 3812, 8480, 8550, 10283-10284, 10286, 10731). The proprium of man is his will (n. 4328). The proprium of man consists in loving himself more than God, and the world more than heaven, and in making his neighbor of no account respectively to himself, thus it is the love of self and of the world (n. 694, 731, 4317, 5660). Not only every evil, but also every falsity, springs from the proprium of man, and this falsity is the falsity of evil (n. 1047, 10283-10284, 10286). The proprium of man is hell with him (n. 694, 8480). Therefore he who is led by his proprium cannot be saved (n. 10731). The good which man does from the proprium is not good, but in itself is evil, because done for the sake of self and the world (n. 8478). The proprium of man must be separated, in order that the Lord may be present with him (n. 1023, 1044). And it is actually separated when man is reformed (n. 9334-9336, 9452-9454, 9938). This is done by the Lord alone (n. 9445). Man by regeneration receives a heavenly proprium (n. 1937, 1947, 2881, 2883, 2891). This appears to man as his own proprium, but it is not his, but the Lord's with him (n. 8497). They who are in this proprium are in liberty itself, because liberty consists in being led by the Lord, and by His proprium (n. 892, 905, 2872, 2886, 2890-2892, 4096, 9586-9587, 9589-9591). All liberty is from the proprium, and its quality according thereto (n. 2880). What is the quality of the heavenly proprium (n. 164, 5660, 8480). How the heavenly proprium is implanted (n. 1712, 1937, 1947). Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

An excerpt from The Logopraxis Workbook: The ‘In Me’ Tool  The Heavenly Doctrines often state the need to remove the concepts of space and time from our thinking as far as possible, when thinking about spiritual and celestial realities. The ‘In Me’ tool is a useful device that can help to do that, so that rather than taking the meaning as relating to realities external to ourselves, we can at least keep some level of attention on the potential meaning the Text might have in connection with our own internal personal life. We achieve this by placing the words ‘in me’ into the Text. There are no hard and fast rules about where the phrase is to be placed, so it’s left to the reader to play with it to see what works. Just keep in mind that the objective is to keep the focus on applying what we are reading ‘in me’. Everything described in the Heavenly Doctrines apply to the life of our mind, because the spiritual world does not exist outside the human mind – in fact, it is the human mind. In the work of Logopraxis we operate from a principle that all revelation is given to teach us about what exists within ourselves, and we accept that revelation is not to give us information about other people. This tool carries us from natural based thinking to more spiritual based thinking, and greatly assists in setting our task. So, the ‘In-Me’ tool is a technique to shift our thinking from a natural mode to a spiritual mode of thought, which is focused on applying what we’re reading in the Text to our mental states, to our thoughts and affectional life; to where spiritual work really needs to be focused, ‘in me’. Examples are shown below. From Heaven and Hell 595 we read: “It should be known that the hells are continually assaulting heaven and endeavouring to destroy it, and that the Lord continually protects the heavens by withholding those who are there from the evils derived from their proprium, and by holding them in the good that is from Himself.” And this can be adjusted in the following manner: It should be known that the hells (In Me) are continually assaulting heaven (what is good and true from the Word - In Me) and endeavouring to destroy it, and that the Lord (the Word - In Me) continually protects the heavens (what is good and true In Me) by withholding those (states of evil and falsity In Me) who are there from the evils derived from their (My) proprium, and by holding them (Me) in the good that is from Himself.  Key Principle: Evils and falsities (the hells/states of self-centredness) are continually assaulting goods and truths (the heavens/states of good will) in order to destroy them, and the Lord (as the Word) protects what is good and true by holding the mind in what is good from Himself (the Word). Sample Tasks Observe and take note of experiences where evils and falsities (states of self-centredness) arise seeking to destroy goods and truths (states of good will).  When this is seen try to remember this principle and note any shifts in the quality of my mental state. From Heaven and Hell 155 we read: “Angels are not constantly in the same state as to love, and consequently not in the same state as to wisdom for all their wisdom is from, and according to love. Sometimes they are in a state of intense love, sometimes in a state of love not intense. The state decreases by degrees from its greatest to its least intensity …. From this last state they return again to the first, and so on, these alternations following one after another with variety.”  Key Principles  The state of love and wisdom is never constant in an angel. The state of love and wisdom in an angel ebbs and flows, from highest to least intensity. The alternate states of love and wisdom in an angel follow on from each other with constant variety. The Principles Applied with the ‘In Me’ Tool The angel (In Me) is not constantly in the same state of love and wisdom. The angel (In Me) is sometimes in a state of intense love and sometimes this state is not so intense, decreasing by degrees to the point of least intensity. The angel (In Me) experiences an alternation of states of love and wisdom, with the phases of least and then greatest intensity following one from the other with constant variety. Sample Tasks To observe the lack of constancy in my state of love to the Lord or remember to use the Word in my life. I shall observe and record the role of the proprium in attempting to hold me fast in the glue of love of self and the ways of the world. To observe what thoughts and feelings are present when I am experiencing conflict, unhappiness, or an absence of the Lord (love and wisdom). And then to note how remembering the fact that the angel in me experiences alternations, changes my thoughts or experience of the difficult state. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Angelic consciousness thinks in terms of states of mind Heaven and Hell (Dole) 169. A natural person may believe that we would have no thought if concepts of time, space, and matter were taken away from us, that all our thought is based on these foundations. 1 Let such people know, though, that thoughts are limited and constrained to the extent that they derive from time, space, and matter, and that they are freed and expanded to the extent that they do not derive from such things, because to that same extent the mind is raised above bodily and worldly considerations. This is the source of angels' wisdom, which is so great that we must call it incomprehensible, since it does not fit into ideas that are formed merely from these [lower] concerns. HH (Ager) 266{1-3} What the wisdom of the angels is can be inferred from the fact that they are in the light of heaven, and the light of heaven in its essence is Divine truth or Divine wisdom; and this light enlightens at the same time their inner sight, or sight of the mind, and their outer sight, or sight of the eyes. (That the light of heaven is Divine truth or Divine wisdom may be seen above, n. 126-133.) The angels are also in heavenly heat, which in its essence is Divine good or Divine love, and from that they have an affection and longing to become wise. (That the heat of heaven is Divine good or Divine love may be seen above, n. 133-140.) That the angels are in wisdom, even to the extent that they may be called wisdoms, follows from the fact that their thoughts and affections all flow in accordance with the heavenly form, and this form is the form of Divine wisdom; also that their interiors, which are recipients of wisdom, are arranged in that form. (That the thoughts and affections of angels flow in accordance with the form of heaven, and consequently their intelligence and wisdom, may he seen above, n. 201-212.) [2] That the angels have supereminent wisdom is shown also by the fact that their speech is the speech of wisdom, for it flows directly and spontaneously from thought, and their thought from their affection, thus their speech is thought from affection in outward form; consequently there is nothing to withdraw them from the Divine influx, and nothing from without such as enters into the speech of man from other thoughts. (That the speech of angels is the speech of their thought and affection may be seen above, n. 234-235.) That the angels have such wisdom is in accord with the fact that all things that they behold with their eyes and perceive by their senses agree with their wisdom, since they are correspondences of it, and thus the objects perceived are representative forms of the things that constitute their wisdom. (That all things seen in the heavens are correspondences with the interiors of angels and representations of their wisdom may be seen above, n. 170-182.) [3] Furthermore, the thoughts of angels are not limited and contracted by ideas from space and time, as human thoughts are, for spaces and times belong to nature, and the things that belong to nature withdraw the mind from spiritual things, and deprive intellectual sight of its proper range. (That the ideas of angels are apart from time and space, and thus less limited than human ideas, may be seen above, n. 162-169 and 191-199.) Again, the thoughts of angels are neither brought down to earthly and material things, nor interrupted by anxieties about the necessities of life; thus they are not withdrawn by such things from the delights of wisdom, as the thoughts of men in the world are; for all things come to them gratuitously from the Lord; they are clothed gratuitously, are fed gratuitously, are housed gratuitously (n. 181-190), and besides this they receive delights and pleasures in the degree of their reception of wisdom from the Lord. Confusing natural things for spiritual things Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) 8325(2) The following experience alone enables one to infer how difficult it is for a natural man to apprehend spiritual things, consequently things that belong to heaven. Can anyone like him see that space and time do not exist in heaven, but states instead? Or to be more precise, that states of good or states of being (esse) exist there, presenting themselves as extents of space, and states of truth or states of coming-into-being (existere), presenting themselves as periods of time? Will not a merely natural man suppose that where time and space do not exist there is complete emptiness and nothingness? From this it is evident that if a natural man makes up his mind to believe nothing apart from what he can apprehend he lays himself open to grossly mistaken ideas. The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrines (Whitehead) 48. All things of the natural world are from the Divine through the spiritual world (n. 5013). Consequently the spiritual is in every natural thing, just as the efficient cause is in the effect (n. 3562, 5711); or as effort is in motion (n. 5173), and as the internal is in the external (n. 3562, 5326, 5711). And since the cause is the very essential in the effect, as effort is in motion, and the internal in the external; hence it follows, that the spiritual, and consequently the Divine, is the very essential in the natural (n. 2987-3002, 9701-9709). Spiritual things are presented to view in the natural, and the things manifested are representatives and correspondences (n. 1632, 2987-3002). Hence all nature is a theater representative of the spiritual world, that is, of heaven (n. 2758, 2999-3000, 4939, 8848, 9280). All things in nature are disposed in order and series according to ends (n. 4104). This is from the spiritual world, that is, from heaven, because ends, which are uses, reign there (n. 454, 696, 1103, 3645, 4054, 7038). Man is so created that Divine things descending according to order into nature, may be perceived in him (n. 3702).  Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

On infinity and eternity  Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) 1382. People inevitably confuse Divine Infinity with infinity of space. And because they do not conceive of infinity of space as anything other than nothingness, as indeed it is, neither do they believe in Divine Infinity. The same applies to Eternity. They cannot conceive of it except as an eternity of time, but it is manifested continually by means of time to those who dwell within [space and] time.  Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) 8325. A natural man inevitably falls into a nonsensical way of thinking about God when with notions involving the passage of time he contemplates what God was doing before the creation of the world, that is, what He was engaged in from eternity up to then. Nor can he be extricated from that tangled knot until notions of time and space are banished. When angels contemplate that eternity they never do so with notions of time but with ideas of state.  Divine Love and Wisdom (Rogers) 76. Anyone who does not know this, and who cannot from any perception think of God independently of time, is utterly incapable of conceiving of eternity other than as an eternity of time. In that case he also cannot help but think irrationally of God's being from eternity, for he thinks in terms of a beginning, and a beginning is characteristic solely of time. His irrational thinking continues to the point of judging that God originated from Himself, and from that it slips headlong into supposing the origin of nature to be from itself. From this idea he can be extricated only by a spiritual or angelic concept of eternity, which is one independent of time; and when thought of independently of time, eternity and Divinity are one and the same, the Divine being Divine in itself, and not from itself. Angels say that they can indeed conceive of God's being from eternity, but not in any way of nature's being from eternity, still less of nature's originating from itself, and not at all of nature's being nature in itself. For what exists in itself is being itself, the origin of all else, and being in itself is life itself, which is the Divine love belonging to Divine wisdom and the Divine wisdom belonging to Divine love. This to angels is eternity, being thus independent of time, as the uncreated is independent of the created, or the infinite independent of the finite, which do not have even a mathematical relation (ratio).\ Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) 3404{3&4} [2] To make it clearer still what appearances of truth are, let the following example be added: It is well known that the Divine is infinite as regards Being (Esse) and eternal as regards Manifestation (Existere), and that what is finite is incapable of comprehending what is infinite, or indeed of comprehending what is eternal, since what is eternal is the Manifestation (Existere) of what is infinite. And because the Divine itself is infinite and eternal, so are all things which proceed from the Divine infinite and also eternal. And as those things are infinite angels are quite incapable of grasping them, for they too are finite beings. That being so, things that are infinite and eternal present themselves to angels within appearances that are finite, though within appearances such as are very far above the range of what man can comprehend. For example, man is quite incapable of possessing any idea of what is eternal except from what is temporal. And being incapable of having any idea other than this he is incapable of comprehending what 'from eternity' is and so what the Divine prior to the existence of time or creation of the world is. And as long as his thinking contains any idea at all that is formed from what is temporal, he slips inevitably, if he thinks about what is eternal, into errors from which he cannot be rescued. But the angels, whose ideas are not formed from anything temporal but from timeless state, are enabled to perceive it supremely well, for to them eternity is not eternity of time but eternity of state devoid of any idea of that which is temporal.  [3] From this one may see what the appearances existing with angels are like compared with man's, and how superior their appearances are to man's. For man cannot have one shred of thought, not even the least shred, that is not in some way temporal and spatial in origin, whereas angels' thought has no such origin at all. Instead their thought has its origin in timeless state, in which the being (esse) and the manifestation (existere) of things is the only consideration.  True Christian Religion (Chadwick) 31(2&3}. The reason why the infinity of God predicated of space is called immensity, is that the term 'immense' is used of what is great and large, and also what is extensive and in this respect spacious. But the reason why the infinity of God predicated of time is called eternity is that 'for eternity' is used of progressive stages, which are measured by time, without end. For example: the globe with its land and sea surfaces is in itself what enables objects to be regarded as spatial; and its rotation and motion in orbit is what enables them to be regarded as temporal. These movements create periods of time and the surface of the globe creates distances, and they are so perceived through the senses in the minds of those that reflect on them. But as shown above, there is no space or time in God, yet space and time begin from Him. Hence it follows that immensity means His infinity predicated of space, and eternity His infinity predicated of time.  [2] The angels in heaven understand by the immensity of God the Divinity as to Its Being (Esse), and by His eternity the Divinity as to Its Coming-into-Being (Existere); also by immensity they understand the Divinity as to Love and by eternity the Divinity as to Wisdom. This is because the angels banish space and time from their ideas of the Divinity, and this is the result. But because human beings are incapable of thinking except by means of ideas formed from spatial and temporal concepts, they cannot form any idea of the immensity of God before space existed or His eternity before time existed. In fact, when the human mind wishes to form such an idea, it is as if it lapsed into unconsciousness, almost like a shipwrecked mariner who has fallen into the water, or someone swallowed up by the earth in an earthquake. Indeed, if the mind persists in the attempt to penetrate these mysteries, it can easily become deranged, and thus be led to deny the existence of God.  [3] I too was once in a state like this, when I was thinking what God did from eternity, or before the world was made: did He deliberate about creation and work out the order to be followed? was deliberative thought possible in a total vacuum? and other useless speculations. But to prevent me becoming deranged by such speculations, I was lifted up by the Lord into the sphere and light enjoyed by the interior angels; and when the idea of space and time which had previously restricted my thinking was there to a small extent removed, I was allowed to grasp that the eternity of God is not an eternity of time, and that because time did not exist before the creation of the world it was quite useless to engage in such speculations about God.  The change is in us not the Lord Divine Love and Wisdom (Ager) 124 The Lord is not in a greater and lesser degree of love and wisdom, that is, as a sun He is not in a greater or lesser degree of heat and light with one than with another, for He is everywhere the same. But He is not received by one in the same degree as by another True Christian Religion (Chadwick) 25{3} The Divine Being, which is in itself God, is the same; not the same in a simple way, but infinitely the same, that is, the same from eternity to eternity. He is the same everywhere, the same with each person and in each person; but all the changes and differences occur in the person who receives Him, and it is his state which causes this. Heaven and Hell (Dole) 156. As the states of the inner levels of angels' love and wisdom change, so too do the states of the various things that surround them and are visible to their eyes; for the things that surround angels are given their appearance according to the things that are within them. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Why changes of state occur Heaven and Hell 158. I have been told from heaven why changes of state like this occur. Angels have said that there are many reasons. First, the delight of life and of heaven that angels enjoy because of the love and wisdom given them by the Lord would gradually pall if they were constantly engaged in it, the way it happens for people who are involved in pleasures and enjoyments without variety. A second reason is that angels have a sense of self or self-image just as we do, and this involves loving themselves. All the people in heaven are kept free of their sense of self, and to the extent that the Lord does keep them free, they enjoy love and wisdom. To the extent that they are not kept free, however, they are caught up in love for themselves; and since all of them do love that sense of self and carry it with them, 1 these changes of state or successive alternations do occur. A third reason is that they are made more perfect in this way, since they become accustomed to being kept in love for the Lord and kept free from love for themselves. Further, by these alternations of delight and discomfort, their perception of and sensitivity to what is good become more and more delicate. 2 They have gone on to say that the Lord does not produce these changes of their states, since the Lord as the sun is always flowing in with warmth and light, that is, with love and wisdom. Rather, they themselves are the cause, since they love their sense of self and this is constantly misleading them. They illustrate this by comparison with our world's sun, which is not the cause of the changes of warmth and cold and of light and darkness, of distinct years and distinct days, because it stays motionless. The reason can be traced to our earth. Footnotes:1. [Swedenborg's footnote] Our self-image is loving ourselves: 694, 731, 4317, 5660. This self-image must be detached from us in order for the Lord to be present: 1023, 1044. It is actually detached when we are being kept in what is good by the Lord: 9334-9336, 9445 [9447?], 9452-9454, 9938. 2. [Swedenborg's footnote] Angels are being made more perfect to eternity: 4803, 6648. In heaven, there is never any state exactly like any other, which results in a perpetual process of perfecting: 10200. States of light and heat HH 155. Angels are not constantly in the same state as to love, and consequently they are not in the same state as to wisdom, for all the wisdom they have is from their love and in proportion to it. Sometimes they are in a state of intense love, sometimes in a state of love that is not intense. It decreases gradually from its most to its least intense. When they are in the highest level of love, they are in the light and warmth of their lives, or in their greatest clarity and delight. Conversely, when they are in the lowest level they are in shadow and coolness, or in what is dim and unpleasant. From this latter state they return to the first, and so on. The phases follow each other with constant variety. These states follow each other like variations of light and shade, warmth and cold, or like the morning, noon, evening, and night of individual days in our world, varying constantly throughout the year. Not only that, they correspond — morning to the state of their love in clarity, noon to the state of their wisdom in clarity, evening to the state of their wisdom in dimness, and night to a state of no love or wisdom. It should be known, though, that there is no correspondence of night with the states of life of people in heaven, but rather a correspondence of the half-light that comes before dawn. The correspondence of night is with people who are in hell. 1 Because of this correspondence, "day" and "year" in the Word mean states of life in general, warmth and light mean love and wisdom, morning the first and highest level of love, noon wisdom in its light, evening wisdom in its shade, and the half-light the dimness that comes just before the morning. Night, though, means the loss of love and wisdom. 2 HH 160. When angels are in this last state, which is when they are involved in their sense of self, they begin to feel depressed. I have talked with them when they were in this state and witnessed their depression. They kept saying, though, that they lived in hope that they would soon return to their earlier state and be in heaven again, so to speak, since heaven for them is being kept free from their sense of self. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Heaven and Hell 555. At first I wondered why love for oneself and love of the world are so diabolic, why people who are absorbed in them look so frightful. After all, in the world we scarcely give love for ourselves a second thought. We focus only on that outward inflation of spirit called pride, which we believe is the only self-love because it is so visible. Not only that, if love for oneself does not express itself in pride, then we in the world think it is the vital fire that rouses us to work for high position and to do constructive things. We believe that if we saw no prospect of esteem and glory in these efforts, our spirits would become sluggish. People ask, "Who would do anything decent or useful or remarkable except to be praised and respected by others, [openly] or in their thoughts; and where does this come from except from the fire of a love for glory and esteem — that is, for the sake of self?" This is why people in the world do not realize that in its own right love for oneself is the love that rules in hell and that makes hell within us. Since this is in fact the case, I should like first to describe what love for oneself is, and then explain that everything evil and false wells up from this love. Self absorption and obessesion vs examination of the self from the Word (The Divine) HH 558a. We are completely absorbed in our self-image and therefore in our hereditary evil whenever we focus on ourselves in anything worthwhile we are doing, for we are focusing on ourselves and away from what is good and not on what is good and away from ourselves. So in the worthwhile activities we set up an image of ourselves and not an image of the Divine. I have been assured of this by experience as well. There are evil spirits who live halfway between the north and the west, underneath the heavens, who are particularly skilled at getting upright spirits involved in their self-image and therefore focused on various kinds of evil. They do this by getting them absorbed in thinking about themselves, either openly by words of praise and esteem or covertly by focusing their feelings exclusively on themselves. To the extent that they succeed, they turn the faces of the upright people away from heaven and also becloud their understanding, calling up evils from their self-concern. Apocalypse Revealed 56. One's own life is to look to the Lord from oneself, while life from the Lord is to look to the Lord from the Lord, and yet doing so as though of oneself. When a person is seized by this life, he sees that he is nothing, and that only the Lord is anything. Arcana Coelestia 1712 …if men confirm themselves in the belief that they can do good and resist evil by their own powers, and that they thus merit salvation, in this case this idea remains attached, and causes the good to be evil, and the truth to be falsity. But still it is according to order for a man to do good as of himself; and therefore he ought not to slacken his hand, with the thought, “If I can do nothing of good from myself, I ought to wait for immediate influx,” and thus remain in a passive state, for this would be contrary to order; but he must do good as of himself; yet, when he reflects upon the good which he does or has done, let him think, acknowledge, and believe that the Lord has done the work in him. [3] If he slackens his effort, thinking as has been said, he is then not a subject into which the Lord can operate. The Lord cannot flow into anyone who deprives himself of everything into which power can be infused. It is as if one were not willing to learn anything without a revelation to himself; or as if one would teach nothing unless the words were put into him; or as if one would attempt nothing unless he were put into action as one without will. But if these things were done, he would be still more indignant at being like an inanimate thing; when yet that which is animated by the Lord in a man is that which appears as if it were from himself. It is thus an eternal truth that a man does not live from himself, but that if he did not appear to live from himself he could not live at all. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Arcana Coelestia 4850...I keep mentioning states and changes in state, but few know what either is, so I need to define them. Neither time and the passage of time nor space and extension in space can be used to describe our inner depths, or our feelings and the thoughts they produce. They do not exist in time or in a place, even though they seem to do so, as far as our worldly senses can tell. Rather they exist in inner dimensions corresponding to time and place. These corresponding dimensions can only be called states; there is no other word for them. It is called a change of state in our inner depths when we have a change of mind or heart, or a change in our feelings and the thoughts they produce, from sad to happy, from happy back to sad, from godless to godly or devout, and so on. These changes are called changes in state. They have to do with our feelings, and to the extent that our feelings control our thoughts, with our thoughts as well. Changes in the state of our thoughts lie within our feelings, as specific parts lie within a general whole, and are variations on our feelings, more or less. AC 4882... Admittedly, the idea that “going” in an inner sense means living seems rather far-fetched, or distant from our usual way of thinking. This is because we inhabit space and time, from which we have formed the ideas composing our thoughts, such as our idea of going, advancing, traveling, journeying, moving. These cover space and take time, so space and time permeate our idea of them, with the result that we have difficulty grasping that they mean states of life. However, when we put aside or shed our image of them, the spiritual phenomenon being symbolized springs forth. In the spiritual world, or heaven, no hint of space or time goes into the inhabitants’ thinking, but something having to do with a state of life instead (§§1274, 1382, 2625, 2788, 2837, 3356, 3404, 3827, 4814). Spirits and angels do feel as though they are advancing and moving from place to place, exactly as people on earth feel it, but changes in their state of life are what produce the impression. It is like the appearance that we live on our own — an appearance that is just as strong for them as it is for us — when in reality life is not inherent in us but comes from the Lord’s divinity, the source of all life. These appearances as they exist with angels are called real appearances, because they appear as they really are. [2] Sometimes I have talked with spirits about these appearances. The ones who lack goodness and therefore truth do not want to hear that they only appear to live on their own; they like the idea that they truly do live on their own. They have been shown by personal experience that life is not inherent in them and that progress from place to place is a change and progression in the condition of their life, but I have also said this to them: The fully convincing appearance that the life they have originates in themselves can satisfy them; they could not gain any greater benefit if it actually were the case. But it is even better for them to know what the real situation is, because then they have the truth, and if they have the truth, they also have heaven’s light — heaven’s light being the truth itself that comes from the Lord’s divinity. With the benefit of heaven’s light they would not claim goodness as their own, and evil would not cling to them either. Angels possess this truth not only by knowledge but also by perception. [3] The following experience shows that time and space in the spiritual world are states of life and that all life comes from the Lord: Spirits and angels each see those who are good on their right and those who are evil on their left, no matter what direction they turn. If they face east, that is where the good and the evil appear to them; the same if they face west, and if they face south or north too. This is true for every spirit or angel individually. If there are two of them, say, and one looks east while the other looks west, they both still see the good on their right and the evil on their left. It looks the same way to distant observers too, even if they stand behind the ones they are observing. The plain conclusion is that all life comes from the Lord, or that the Lord is within everyone’s life. The Lord appears in the spiritual world as the sun, on his right being the good, or the sheep, and on his left the evil, or the goats. It is the same for everyone else too, since the Lord is the whole of life, as I said. This notion cannot help baffling people, because as long as they are in the world they take their thinking from worldly cues and consequently from space and time. In the spiritual world, though, as noted above, ideas do not start with space and time but with the state of a person’s feelings and consequent thoughts. It is because of this that extents of space and periods of time in the Word symbolize states. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Divine Providence 4... However, because people do not know how two things distinct from each other can operate as a unit, I would like to show here that a unit is impossible without a form, and that it is its very form that makes it a unit; and afterward, that the form makes something the more perfectly a unit as the constituents which enter into the form are distinctly different and yet united. [2] That a unit is impossible without a form, the very form being that which makes it a unit: Everyone who focuses his mind's thinking on it can clearly see that a unit is impossible without a form, and that if it exists, it has a form. For whatever has existence takes from its form that which we call its character, and also what we call its attributes, and what we call its changes of state, as also what we call its relativeness, and other like things. Whatever does not have a form is consequently incapable of affecting anything, and what is incapable of affecting anything has no reality. Its very form is what gives it all these qualities. Moreover, because all the constituents that exist in a form are — if the form is complete — interconnected, like the links in a chain, it follows therefore that it is the very form that makes them a unit, and so a subject of which can be predicated quality, state, and the power to affect, thus reality, according to the perfection of the form. [3] Such a unit is everything that we see with our eyes in the world, and such a unit is everything also that we do not see with our eyes, whether within the inner world of nature or in the spiritual world. Such a unit is the human being, and such a unit is human society. Such a unit, too, is the church, and in the Lord's sight the entire angelic heaven. In short, such a unit is the created universe, not only in general, but also in every particular. For each and all things to have forms, it is necessary that He who created all things be the essential form, and that it be from that essential form that all created things exist in forms. HH 405. Almost all the people who arrive in the other life think that hell is the same for everyone and that heaven is the same for everyone, when in fact there are infinite variations and differences in each. Hell is never the same for any two people, nor is heaven. In the same way, no one of us, no spirit, and no angel is ever exactly like any other, even facially. When I even thought about two identical or equal beings, the angels were aghast. They said that every unity is formed by a harmonious agreement of many constituents and that the nature of the unity depends on the nature of the agreement. This is how every community of heaven forms a unity and how all the communities form a single heaven, which is accomplished solely by the Lord, by means of love. 1 Useful activities in the heavens occur in similar variety and diversity. The function of one individual is never exactly the same as that of any other, so the delight of one is never the same as another's. Not only that, the delights of each function are countless, and these countless delights are equally varied, yet they are united in a design that enables them to focus on each other as do the functions of the individual members and organs and viscera in the human body; or even more, like the functions of every vessel and fiber in those members and organs and viscera. These are all interconnected in such a way that they focus on what they can contribute to the other and therefore to all, with all mindful of the individual members. They act as one because of this regard for the whole and for the individual. AC 2556 ...In general it should be kept in mind that all things which exist with a truly rational, that is, regenerate, person — all that constitutes his affections, his perceptions, and his thoughts — are interconnected as in blood-relationships and relationships by marriage; for those things have been arranged in such a way that they mutually regard one another as families do which make up one house, and this in a most clear and distinct manner. Consequently when they reappear they do so in accordance with the relationships in which they exist. This ordered relationship with one another they receive from heaven — that is, from the Lord by way of heaven — flowing into them.  The Parable of the Talents 14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ 26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. 29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

​Believing the self is God Divine Love and Wisdom (Ager) 4​. The Lord, who is the God of the universe, is uncreate and infinite, whereas man and angel are created and finite. And because the Lord is uncreate and infinite, He is Being [Esse] itself, which is called “Jehovah,” and Life itself, or Life in itself. From the uncreate, the infinite, Being itself and Life itself, no one can be created immediately, because the Divine is one and indivisible; but their creation must be out of things created and finited, and so formed that the Divine can be in them. Because men and angels are such, they are recipients of life. Consequently, if any man suffers himself to be so far misled as to think that he is not a recipient of life but is Life, he cannot be withheld from the thought that he is God.  Arcana Coelestia 123. By virtue of his perception the celestial man acknowledges that every single thing is the Lord's. The spiritual man acknowledges this too, but in his case it is something oral, because he has learned it from the Word. The worldly and bodily-minded man neither acknowledges nor admits it. Instead he says that everything residing with him is his own, and imagines that if he were to lose it, he would perish completely. Attributing cause to effect Arcana Coelestia (Elliot) 6322. To all outward appearance the external senses, such as sight and hearing, flow into thought and initiate mental images there. For the appearance is that external objects activate the senses, first the external senses, then the internal ones, and speech too. But no matter how convincing that appearance may be, it is nevertheless a misconception. For what is external, being gross and material, cannot flow in and activate what is internal, which is pure and spiritual; that would be contrary to the nature of things. It is the power of the inward senses, a power belonging to the spirit itself, that perceives things, and it does so by means of the power of the outward senses. It is also the power of the inward senses that disposes an outward sensory organ to receive impressions of objects at its bidding. So it is that outward sensory organs – such as that of sight, which is the eye – instantly adapt themselves to all the objects of the senses. Nothing of this could happen in sensory organs without the inflow they receive from within; for all the fibres and small appendages, which are very many around each sensory organ, are instantly attuned to the nature of the object. Indeed the organ itself is also immediately conditioned to conform.  Arcana Coelestia (Elliot) 5084{3-4}) . It is an illusion of the senses, a purely natural one, that the power which seeds have to grow into trees and flowers and to reproduce themselves was conferred on them when creation first began, and that that initial conferment is what causes everything to come into being and remain in being. People may be told that nothing can remain in being unless it is constantly being brought into being, in keeping with the law that continuance in being involves a constant coming into being, and with another law that anything that has no connection with something prior to itself ceases to have any existence. But though they are told all this, their bodily senses and their thought that is reliant on their senses, cannot take it in. Nor can they see that every single thing is kept in being, even as it was brought into being, through an influx from the spiritual world, that is, from the Divine coming through the spiritual world. This gives rise to another illusion of the senses, a purely natural one, that single entities exist called monads and atoms. For the natural man believes that anything comprehended by his external senses is a single entity or else nothing at all. It is an illusion of the senses, a purely natural one, that everything is part of and begins in the natural creation, though there are indeed purer and more inward aspects of the natural creation that are beyond the range of human understanding. But if anyone says that a spiritual or celestial dimension exists within or above the natural creation, this idea is rejected; for the belief is that unless a thing is natural it has no existence.  Interaction of the Soul and Body (Whitehead) 17{15}. Ends are in the first degree, causes in the second, and effects in the third. Who does not see that the end is not the cause, but that it produces the cause, and that the cause is not the effect, but that it produces the effect; consequently that they are three distinct things which follow in order? The end with man is the love of his will, for what a man loves, this he proposes to himself and intends; the cause with him is the reason of his understanding, for by means of it the end seeks for mediate or efficient causes; and the effect is the operation of the body from them and according to them. Thus there are three things in man, which follow each other in order, in like manner as the degrees of altitude follow each other. When these three things appear in act, then the end is inwardly in the cause, and the end through the cause is in the effect, wherefore the three coexist in the effect. On this account it is said in the Word, that everyone shall be judged according to his works; for the end, or the love of his will, and the cause, or the reason of his understanding, are together in the effects, which are the works of his body; thus the quality of the whole man is in them. They who do not know these things, and do not thus distinguish the objects of reason, cannot avoid terminating the ideas of their thought in the atoms of Epicurus, the monads of Leibniz, or in the simple substances of Wolff, and thus they close up their understandings as with a bolt, so that they cannot even think from reason concerning spiritual influx, because they cannot think concerning any progression; for the author says concerning his simple substance, that if it is divided it falls into nothing. Thus the understanding stands still in its first light, which is merely from the senses of the body, and does not advance a step further. Hence it is not known but that the spiritual is a subtle natural, and that beasts have a rational as well as men, and that the soul is a breath of wind such as is breathed forth from the breast when a person dies; besides many things which are not of light but of thick darkness.  Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Heaven and Hell 158. I have been told from heaven why changes of state like this occur. Angels have said that there are many reasons. First, the delight of life and of heaven that angels enjoy because of the love and wisdom given them by the Lord would gradually pall if they were constantly engaged in it, the way it happens for people who are involved in pleasures and enjoyments without variety. A second reason is that angels have a sense of self or self-image just as we do, and this involves loving themselves. All the people in heaven are kept free of their sense of self, and to the extent that the Lord does keep them free, they enjoy love and wisdom. To the extent that they are not kept free, however, they are caught up in love for themselves; and since all of them do love that sense of self and carry it with them, 1 these changes of state or successive alternations do occur. A third reason is that they are made more perfect in this way, since they become accustomed to being kept in love for the Lord and kept free from love for themselves. Further, by these alternations of delight and discomfort, their perception of and sensitivity to what is good become more and more delicate. 2 They have gone on to say that the Lord does not produce these changes of their states, since the Lord as the sun is always flowing in with warmth and light, that is, with love and wisdom. Rather, they themselves are the cause, since they love their sense of self and this is constantly misleading them. They illustrate this by comparison with our world's sun, which is not the cause of the changes of warmth and cold and of light and darkness, of distinct years and distinct days, because it stays motionless. The reason can be traced to our earth. Footnotes: 1. [Swedenborg's footnote] Our self-image is loving ourselves: 694, 731, 4317, 5660. This self-image must be detached from us in order for the Lord to be present: 1023, 1044. It is actually detached when we are being kept in what is good by the Lord: 9334-9336, 9445 [9447?], 9452-9454, 9938. 2. [Swedenborg's footnote] Angels are being made more perfect to eternity: 4803, 6648. In heaven, there is never any state exactly like any other, which results in a perpetual process of perfecting: 10200. Times of the day HH 155. Angels are not constantly in the same state as to love, and consequently they are not in the same state as to wisdom, for all the wisdom they have is from their love and in proportion to it. Sometimes they are in a state of intense love, sometimes in a state of love that is not intense. It decreases gradually from its most to its least intense. When they are in the highest level of love, they are in the light and warmth of their lives, or in their greatest clarity and delight. Conversely, when they are in the lowest level they are in shadow and coolness, or in what is dim and unpleasant. From this latter state they return to the first, and so on. The phases follow each other with constant variety. These states follow each other like variations of light and shade, warmth and cold, or like the morning, noon, evening, and night of individual days in our world, varying constantly throughout the year. Not only that, they correspond — morning to the state of their love in clarity, noon to the state of their wisdom in clarity, evening to the state of their wisdom in dimness, and night to a state of no love or wisdom. It should be known, though, that there is no correspondence of night with the states of life of people in heaven, but rather a correspondence of the half-light that comes before dawn. The correspondence of night is with people who are in hell. 1 Because of this correspondence, "day" and "year" in the Word mean states of life in general, warmth and light mean love and wisdom, morning the first and highest level of love, noon wisdom in its light, evening wisdom in its shade, and the half-light the dimness that comes just before the morning. Night, though, means the loss of love and wisdom. 2 Seasons HH 166. It is much the same for all the things that occur as a result of time, such as the four seasons of the year called spring, summer, autumn, and winter; the four times of day called morning, noon, evening, and night; our own four ages called infancy, youth, maturity, and old age; and with the other things that either occur as a result of time or happen in temporal sequence. When we think about them, it is from a temporal standpoint; but an angel thinks about them from the standpoint of state. Consequently, anything in them that is temporal for us changes into an idea of state for the angel. Spring and morning change into an idea of love and wisdom the way they are for angels in their first state; summer and noon change into an idea of love and wisdom as they are in the second state; autumn and evening, as they are in the third state; and night and winter into a concept of the kind of state that is characteristic in hell. This is why similar things are meant by these times in the Word (see above, 155). We can see from this how the natural concepts that occur in our thought become spiritual for the angels who are with us. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Heaven and Hell 99. Even though we completely correspond physically to all of heaven, we are still not images of heaven in outward form, but only in inward form. Our deeper reaches are receptive of heaven, while our more outward ones are receptive of this world. To the extent, then, that those deeper reaches do accept heaven we are heavens in least form, in the image of the greatest; but to the extent that our deeper reaches are not receptive, we are not heavens or images of the greatest. Nevertheless, our more outward aspects, which are receptive of the world, may be in some form that is determined by the world, and therefore in more or less beauty. Outward, physical beauty has its origins in our parents and from our formation in the womb, and thereafter is maintained by a general inflow from the world. This is why our natural form differs markedly from our spiritual form. I have been shown at times what a spiritual person is like in form, and I have seen that in some people who were lovely and attractive in physical appearance that inner form was misshapen, black, and grotesque — what you would call an image of hell rather than of heaven; while in some who were not beautiful, the inner form was graceful, radiant, and angelic. After death, our spirit looks the way it actually did within the body while we were living in it in this world. Luke 12: 1 -3. Beware principally of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. And there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, neither secret that shall not be known. Therefore whatever things you have said in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which you have spoken in the ear in bedrooms shall be preached on the housetops. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Heaven and Hell 89. First, I need to state what correspondence is. The whole natural world is responsive to the spiritual world — the natural world not just in general, but in detail. So whatever arises in the natural world out of the spiritual one is called "something that corresponds." It needs to be realized that the natural world arises from and is sustained in being by the spiritual world, exactly the way an effect relates to its efficient cause. By "the natural world," I mean all that extended reality that is under our sun and that receives its light and warmth from it. All the things that are sustained in being from that source belong to that world. The spiritual world, in contrast, is heaven, and to that world belong all the things that are in the heavens. HH 90. Since a human being is a heaven and a world in least form in the image of the greatest (see 57 above), there is a spiritual world and a natural world within each of us. The deeper elements, which belong to our minds and relate to our intelligence and volition, constitute our spiritual world, while the outer elements, which belong to our bodies and relate to our senses and actions, constitute our natural world. Anything that occurs in our natural world (that is, in our bodies and their senses and actions) because of our spiritual world (that is, because of our minds and their intelligence and volition) is called something that corresponds. HH 95. The differentiation of heaven into two kingdoms, one called the heavenly kingdom and the other the spiritual kingdom, has been presented in its proper chapter above. The heavenly kingdom in general corresponds to the heart and to all the extensions of the heart throughout the body. The spiritual kingdom corresponds to the lungs and to all their extension throughout the body. Further, the heart and the lungs form two kingdoms in us, the heart governing through the arteries and veins and the lungs through the nerve and motor fibers, each involved in every effort and action. Within each one of us, in the spiritual world of ours that is called our spiritual person, there are also two kingdoms. One is volitional and the other is cognitive, the volitional governing through affections for what is good and the cognitive through affections for what is true. These kingdoms also correspond to the kingdoms of the heart and lungs in the body. The same holds true in the heavens. The heavenly kingdom is heaven's volitional side, where the good that flows from love rules. The spiritual kingdom is heaven's cognitive side, where truth rules. These are what correspond to the functions of the heart and the lungs in us. It is because of this correspondence that "the heart" in the Word means volition and the good of love, while "the breath of the spirit" means understanding and the truth of faith. This is also why we ascribe feelings to the heart, even though they do not reside or originate there. 1 Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Jehovah Zebaoth will visit His flock, the house of Judah, and will place them as His glorious horse in battle. From Him comes the corner-stone, from Him the tent-peg, from Him the battle-bow. Zechariah 10:3-4. Make ye ready the shield and buckler, and draw near to battle. Harness the horses, and go up, ye horsemen, and stand forth in helmets, furbish the lances, put on the coats of mail (Jeremiah 46:3-4). Arcana Coelestia 3448 [4]. In John: I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and he that sat upon him was called faithful and true. He was clothed in a garment dipped in blood. And his armies in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen white and clean. And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against him that sat upon the horse, and against his army (Revelation 19:11, 13-14, 19); “he that sat upon the white horse” denotes the Lord’s Word, or the Lord as to the Word (n. 2760-2762); “his armies in heaven that followed him” denote the truths therefrom, consequently those in heaven who are in truths; the “beast” denotes the evils of the love of self; the “kings of the earth and their armies” denote falsities. The combats of falsity with truth are what are here described. AC 6657. 'That they also will join themselves to our enemies and fight against us' means that in that way allied forces who inflict harm will be made stronger. This is clear from the meaning of 'joining themselves to' as being made stronger, for when enemies are joined by a very large number they are made stronger; from the meaning of 'enemies' as allied forces who fight alongside one another; and from the meaning of 'fighting against us' as inflicting harm, for when a battle is fought against someone, harm is done to him to the extent that he cannot counteract it. The implications of all this are that surrounding every person in the world and also surrounding every good spirit there is a general sphere of endeavours from hell and a general sphere of endeavours from heaven. The sphere from hell is a sphere of endeavours to do harm and destroy, that from heaven is a sphere of endeavours to do good and to save, see 6477. These spheres are general ones, and there are likewise particular spheres surrounding every person, for there are spirits from hell present with him and there are angels from heaven, who are dealt with in 5846-5866, 5976-5993. By these spheres a person is kept in a state of equilibrium and has the freedom to think and will what is evil or to think and will what is good. AC 1695...In the combats of temptations the evil spirits are permitted to draw forth all the evil and falsity that are in the man, and to battle from the evil and falsity of the man; but when they have been overcome, they are no longer permitted to do so, for they instantly perceive in the man that good and truth have been confirmed. Spirits, more than men, are gifted with such perception; from the very sphere of a man who has been confirmed in truth and good, they know at once how the case is, what answer they will get, and more besides. This is plainly evident with the spiritual regenerate man, with whom there are evil spirits equally as well as with the non-regenerate, but they are subjugated and serve. This is what is meant by their being deprived of the power of doing evil and of thinking falsity. [2] When therefore a member of the Church enters into temptation, which happens when he is let into his own evil, conflict takes place around him between the spirits from hell and the angels from heaven, 3927, 4249, 5036; and the conflict lasts for as long as the person is kept in his own evil. Sometimes in that conflict it seems to the spirits from hell that they are going to win, in which case they surge up. At other times it seems to them that they are going to be beaten, in which case they fall back, fearing that more angels from heaven will join up against them and so they themselves will be cast down into hell, never to emerge again, which is exactly what happens when they have been beaten. These are the things that are meant by superior strength if they increase and by the statement that allied forces who inflict harm will be made stronger. [3] Spirits from hell, when they fight against angels, are in the world of spirits, where they are in a state of freedom, 5852. From all this one may now see what is meant in the internal sense when it says that the children of Israel were molested and oppressed in such ways by the Egyptians, but that the more they were molested, the more they multiplied, and that Jehovah, who is the Lord, fought for them, kept the Egyptians in check by means of plagues, and at length drowned all the Egyptians in the Sea Suph. AC 5036. Scarcely anyone in the Christian world at this day knows whence temptations come. He who undergoes them has no other belief than that they are torments arising from the evils which are within man, and which at first make him uneasy, then anxious, and finally torment him; but he is altogether ignorant that they are effected by the evil spirits who are with him. The reason why he is ignorant of this, is that he does not believe that he is in company with spirits while he lives in the world, and scarcely believes that there is any spirit with him; when yet as to his interiors man is continually in the society of spirits and angels. [2] As regards temptations, they take place when the man is in the act of regeneration; for no one can be regenerated unless he undergoes temptations, and they then arise from evil spirits who are about him. For the man is then let into the state of evil in which he is, that is, in which is that very [life] which is his own; and when he comes into this state, evil or infernal spirits encompass him, and when they perceive that he is inwardly protected by angels, the evil spirits excite the falsities which he has thought, and the evils which he has done, but the angels defend him from within. It is this combat which is perceived in the man as temptation, but so obscurely that he scarcely knows otherwise than that it is merely an anxiety; for man-especially if he believes nothing about influx-is in a state that is wholly obscure, and he perceives scarcely a thousandth part of the things about which the evil spirits and angels are contending. And yet the battle is then being fought for the man and his eternal salvation, and it is fought from the man himself; for they fight from those things which are in man, and concerning them. That this is the case has been given me to know with the utmost certainty. I have heard the combat, I have perceived the influx, I have seen the spirits and angels, and at the time and afterward have conversed with them on the subject. [3] As before said, temptations take place chiefly at the time when the man is becoming spiritual; for he then apprehends spiritually the truths of doctrine. The man is often unaware of this, but still the angels with him see in his natural things the spiritual; for his interiors are then open toward heaven. For this reason also the man who has been regenerated is among angels after his life in the world, and there both sees and perceives the spiritual things which before appeared to him as natural. When therefore a man has come into such a state, then in temptation, when assaulted by evil spirits, he can be defended by angels, who then have a plane into which they can operate; for they flow into what is spiritual with him, and through this into what is natural. [4] But when ultimate truth has been withdrawn, and therefore the man has nothing by which to defend himself against those who are natural (see n. 5006, 5008, 5009, 5022, 5028), he then comes into temptations, and by evil spirits-who are all merely natural-he is accused especially of speaking falsely against good; as for example of having thought and said that the neighbor ought to be benefited, and having also approved this in act, and yet now meaning by the neighbor only those who are in good and truth, and not those who are in evil and falsity and cannot be amended; and consequently, because he is no longer willing to benefit the evil, or if he will benefit them, he desires them to be punished for the sake of their amendment, and for the purpose of averting evil from his neighbor, they charge him with thinking and speaking what is false, and with not thinking as he speaks. [5] Take another example. Because when a man becomes spiritual, he no longer believes it holy and for pious use to give to monasteries, or even to churches which abound in wealth; and because before he became spiritual he had thought that such giving was holy and pious, they charge him with falsehood, and stir up all his thoughts which he had before cherished as to its being holy and pious, and also the works which he had done from such thought. And so they do in numberless other cases, but let these few examples serve by way of illustration. These spirits enter principally into the affections which the man had before, and excite them, and also the false and evil things which he had thought and done; and thus they bring him into anxiety, and often into doubt even to despair. [6] Such then is the source of spiritual anxieties, and of the torments which are called torments of conscience. By influx and communication these things appear to the man as if they were in himself. One who knows and believes this may be compared to a man who sees himself in a mirror, and knows that it is not himself that appears in it, or on the other side of it, but only his image; whereas one who does not know and believe this, may be compared to a person who sees himself in a mirror, and supposes it is himself that appears there, and not his image. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application

Transcipt The theme for this particular session was correspondences. So you've done the reading and what you see there is that there is what presents on the surface, and there is what sits behind. And so in this spiritual practice (of LP) we look to try to remove personal details in our own work but also when we're listening to others. So where personal details are concerned that is a useful external to convey what's happening internally. And so what we try to do is remove ideas related to personality, so person, place, time and space, and just listen for what the principle being expressed is and how that's being illustrated. That's the idea here - and it takes practice. It's not something we easily pick up on and over time we can get a better sense of this but it's good to be aware of what we're trying to do. So in presenting what we have as a submission, the idea is to remove personal details as much as possible but that's not fully possible (so it's acknowledged in that sense), and also when listening to try and remove personal details. So if somebody is saying something where I try to sit is that this is not something to do with this individual, but rather what they are bringing forth or maybe clothed in their experience, underneath sits what is of the Lord. So if I become too focused on the person then I don't hear what the Lord is saying. I'm hearing it as this particular individual's experience whereas in Logopraxis the idea is that the experience is given by the Lord for the group to reinforce and illustrate spiritual realities not people's personal lives. So that's the distinction that we seek to draw. Your work is personal of course, you are engaged in doing your work and your reflection and all of that. So it's not about removing that because that has to be done but when we come to share, we don't have to spill all the detail of what we've experienced. We can frame that in terms of 'this is the principle I worked with and this is how that played out so far as my inner life is concerned', the life of my thoughts and affections. Example: So when I heard that, for me the principle is - it is the Lord that provides, into states of innocence, nowledge of himself. Now that was through your father playing with you in that kind of father daughter sort of fun way but the importance of getting to the principle is that if I reflect back now in Round 2 - that principle that I've heard is applicable to us all. So this is the idea that we're trying to think spiritually in the midst of our natural experiences. And I think that captures the function and use of what presents in our sensory world. What's happening as I listen to the experience is that it's grounding what is within. So the feeling state is being grounded in the sensory state. So this is correspondence. There's a multitude of different external garments or possible garments but the principle is consistent. If it's a spiritual principle its consistent. Regardless, you know of the eight billion people on the surface of the planet, the underlying principles that direct and guide things are the same but the external expressions are different. And then within the Word itself, that is, the letter of the text of the Word, they are perfectly correspondential. So they hold what is of the Lord much closer to the surface than our lives do. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain a focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Heaven and Hell (Dole) 89. First, I need to state what correspondence is. The whole natural world is responsive to the spiritual world — the natural world not just in general, but in detail. So whatever arises in the natural world out of the spiritual one is called "something that corresponds." It needs to be realized that the natural world arises from and is sustained in being by the spiritual world, exactly the way an effect relates to its efficient cause. By "the natural world," I mean all that extended reality that is under our sun and that receives its light and warmth from it. All the things that are sustained in being from that source belong to that world. The spiritual world, in contrast, is heaven, and to that world belong all the things that are in the heavens. HH 90. Since a human being is a heaven and a world in least form in the image of the greatest (see 57 above), there is a spiritual world and a natural world within each of us. The deeper elements, which belong to our minds and relate to our intelligence and volition, constitute our spiritual world, while the outer elements, which belong to our bodies and relate to our senses and actions, constitute our natural world. Anything that occurs in our natural world (that is, in our bodies and their senses and actions) because of our spiritual world (that is, because of our minds and their intelligence and volition) is called something that corresponds. Mental Objects True Christian Religion (Dick) 420 VII. The mind itself, however, is divided into two regions, namely, the spiritual region, which is higher and interior, and the natural region, which is lower and exterior. The spiritual mind looks principally to the spiritual world, and has for its objects the things of that world, whether they are in heaven or in hell; for both these are in the spiritual world. The natural mind, however, looks principally to the natural world, and has for its objects the things of that world, whether good or evil. All man's action and speech proceed directly from the lower region of the mind, and indirectly from the higher region, since the lower region of the mind is nearer to the bodily senses, and the higher region more remote from them. Man's mind is thus divided, because he was created to be both spiritual and natural, and thus a man and not a beast. Divine Love and Wisdom (Harley and Harley) 70. The objects of their thought, which as just noted are truths, are not at all dependent on space and time. While the objects of their sight do seem to be in space and in time, angels do not use them as the basis for their thinking. The reason is that in the spiritual world intervals of space and time are not fixed the way they are in our physical world, but are changeable in response to their states of life. This means that states of life take the place of space and time in the concepts of their thinking. Issues related to states of love are in place of spatial intervals and issues related to states of wisdom are in place of temporal intervals.  Arcana Coelestia (Elliot) 2275. The internal sense of the Word consists of two distinct elements - the spiritual and the celestial. The spiritual involves a discernment - abstractedly, apart from the letter - of subject matter or real things, the literal sense serving these as an object, in the same way as things seen with the eye may serve as objects of thought regarding more exalted matters. The celestial involves pure perception of the affection present within the real things which belong to the internal sense. That discernment of real things exists with spiritual angels, whereas this pure perception of that affection exists with celestial angels. The latter, that is, those who are percipients of the affection, perceive immediately, purely from the affection there, what the letter embodies within itself when this is being read by man. And from this they form celestial ideas for themselves, doing so with unending variety and in an indescribable fashion in accordance with the sequence and harmony of the celestial things of love comprising the affection.  Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Heaven and Hell 276. What innocence is and its nature, few in the world know, and those who are in evil know nothing at all about it. It is, indeed, visible to the eyes, as seen in the face, speech and movements, particularly of little children. Yet it is not known what innocence is, and still less that it is that in which heaven is stored up in man.  Arcana Ceolestia 7210... in the spiritual sense “sleep” is nothing else, just as “wakefulness” is nothing else than a clear state; for there is spiritual sleep when truths are in obscurity, and spiritual wakefulness when truths are in clearness. Conjugial Love 194. We read in the Book of Creation that Jehovah God made a deep sleep to fall upon Adam so that he slept; and then took one of his ribs and built it into a woman (Genesis 2:21-22). By the man's profound slumber is signified his entire ignorance that the wife is formed and as it were created from him. ... Therefore, in order that this shall be rightly done it is enjoined upon the man that he shall leave father and mother and cleave unto his wife (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-5). ...That by sleeping is signified being in ignorance or unconcern; that by father and mother are signified the two propriums of man(homo), that of his will and that of his understanding; and that by cleaving is signified devoting one's self to the love of some one, can be abundantly confirmed by passages from other parts of the Word, but this is not the place. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

The Word is what opens the spiritual mind/ sense of being Apocalypse Explained (Whitehead) 790 {3-4}. Every man has two minds, one natural and the other spiritual; and as it is the mind that wills and thinks, every man has also natural will and thought and spiritual will and thought. The natural mind wills and thinks like a man in the world, and the spiritual mind wills and thinks like an angel in heaven. From this it follows that as faith is in man, it, too, is natural or spiritual; and that natural faith is according to man's will and thought in the world, and spiritual faith is according to his will and thought in heaven. It is said the will and thought, because all things from which man is a man have relation to these two, for from the will he acts, and from the thought he speaks. And as a man acts and speaks either from self or from God, so he wills and thinks either from self or from God. From this it is clear, in the first place, that there is natural faith and spiritual faith; and that natural faith apart from spiritual faith is to think such things as are in the Word from self, while natural faith from spiritual faith is to think such things as are in the Word from God; although this also seems to the man to be from himself. As every man has two minds, a natural and a spiritual, and the natural mind is opened and formed by such things as are in the world, while the spiritual mind is opened and formed by such things as are in heaven, and as the things that are in heaven are all spiritual, so a man's spiritual mind must needs be opened and formed by such things as are in the Word, in which all things are spiritual because they are Divine. In the Word there are truths that are to be known and thought, and goods that must be willed and done; therefore it is by these goods and these truths that man's spiritual mind is opened and formed. From this it follows, that unless the spiritual mind is opened and formed by truths and goods from the Word it remains closed; and when this is closed the natural mind only is opened and formed by such things as are in the world, from which man, indeed, derives a natural lumen, but such as has in it no wisdom from heaven. From this it is clear, in the second place, that faith is not faith so long as the natural mind only is opened, but that if the thought that a thing is so is called faith it is historical faith, which is nothing but knowledge from which the natural man thinks.  The illusions of the senses/natural mind - the mind that thinks from the senses Arcana Coelestia (Potts) 3483​... From this it is evident how gross, nay, how earthly and also inverted is that human intelligence which ascribes everything to nature separate or exempt from an influx prior to itself, or from an efficient cause. Moreover they who so think and speak seem to themselves to be wiser than others; that is, in attributing all things to nature, when yet on the contrary angelic intelligence consists in ascribing nothing to nature, but all and everything to the Divine of the Lord, thus to life, and not to anything dead. The learned know that subsistence is a perpetual coming forth; but still it is contrary to the affection of falsity and thence to a reputation for learning to say that nature continually subsists, as it originally came into existence, from the Divine of the Lord. Inasmuch therefore as each and all things subsist, that is, continually come forth, from the Divine, and as each and all things thence derived must needs be representative of those things whereby they came into existence, it follows that the visible universe is nothing else than a theater representative of the Lord’s kingdom; and that this kingdom is a theater representative of the Lord Himself.  Arcana Coelestia (Elliot) 5084{1-2}. Sensory impressions are said to be cast aside when the things that are first and foremost in explanations place no reliance on them; for they are indeed sensory impressions, and impressions received by the mind directly through the senses are illusions. The senses are the source of all the illusions that reign in a person, and they are the reason why few have any belief in the truths of faith and why the natural man is opposed to the spiritual man, that is, the external man to the internal. Consequently if the natural or external man starts to have dominion over the spiritual or internal man, no belief at all in matters of faith exists any longer, for illusions cast a shadow over them and evil desires smother them. Few know what the illusions of the senses are and few believe that these cast a shadow over rational insights and most of all over spiritual matters of faith - a shadow so dark that it blots them out. This happens especially when at the same time what a person delights in is the result of desires bred by a selfish and worldly love. But let examples be used to shed some light on this matter, first some examples of illusions of the senses which are purely natural ones, that is, illusions about things within the natural creation, then some examples of such illusions in spiritual things. It is an illusion of the senses - a purely natural one, or an illusion about the natural creation - to believe that the sun is borne round this globe once a day, and that the sky too and all the stars are borne round at the same time. People may be told that it is impossible and therefore inconceivable that so vast an ocean of fire as the sun, and not only the sun but also the countless stars, should revolve once a day without undergoing any changes of position in relation to one another. They may be told in addition that one can see from the planetary system that our own globe performs a daily movement and an annual one, by rotations on its axis and by revolutions. This can be recognized from the fact that the planets are globes like ours, some of which have moons around them and all of which, as observation shows, perform daily and annual movements like ours. But for all that they are told, the illusion the senses prevails with very many people - that things really are as the eye sees them. Arcana Coelestia (Elliot) 6322. To all outward appearance the external senses, such as sight and hearing, flow into thought and initiate mental images there. For the appearance is that external objects activate the senses, first the external senses, then the internal ones, and speech too. But no matter how convincing that appearance may be, it is nevertheless a misconception. For what is external, being gross and material, cannot flow in and activate what is internal, which is pure and spiritual; that would be contrary to the nature of things. It is the power of the inward senses, a power belonging to the spirit itself, that perceives things, and it does so by means of the power of the outward senses. It is also the power of the inward senses that disposes an outward sensory organ to receive impressions of objects at its bidding. So it is that outward sensory organs – such as that of sight, which is the eye – instantly adapt themselves to all the objects of the senses. Nothing of this could happen in sensory organs without the inflow they receive from within; for all the fibres and small appendages, which are very many around each sensory organ, are instantly attuned to the nature of the object. Indeed the organ itself is also immediately conditioned to conform.  Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

AC 561. To explain what a remnant is: It is not just the good and true things that we learn out of the Lord's Word from the time we are small and that become stamped on our memory. It is also all the states that rise out of those things, such as a state of innocence from babyhood, a state of love for our parents, siblings, teachers, and friends, a state of charity toward our neighbor and compassion toward the poverty-stricken and needy. In short, it is all states of goodness or truth. These states, along with the good and true things imprinted on our memory, are called a remnant. The Lord preserves them in us, hiding them away in our inner being without our slightest awareness and carefully separating them from the things that are our own — in other words, from evil and falsity. The Lord preserves all these states in us in such a way that not even the least significant of them is lost. This I learned from the fact that every one of our states from infancy to extreme old age not only remains in the other life but even returns. When we relive them, they are identical to the experience we first lived through in the world. This happens not only with the good and true things etched on our memory but also with any state of innocence or charity we have experienced. In addition, each and every one of our states of evil and falsity (or malice and delusion) remains and returns as well, in all its minutest detail. And when the latter states come back to us, the Lord tempers them by means of the former. All of which shows that if we had no remnant, we could not help being damned for eternity (see above at §468). Arcana Coelestia 1738. For what remnants are however, see 468, 530, 560, 561, 661, 1050, where it is shown that they are all the states of love and charity, and all the states of innocence and peace, with which a person is endowed. He is endowed with these states from earliest childhood, though that endowment gradually diminishes as he advances into adult life. But while a person is being regenerated he receives, in addition to those he has already, new remnants, and thus new life; for it is from, or by means of, remnants that a person is enabled to be human. In fact, if devoid of the state of love and charity, and if devoid of the state of innocence — states that instill themselves into all the other states of his life-a person is no longer human, but worse than any wild animal. AC 560… a remnant, as noted earlier [§530], is what lifts human life above animal life. A remnant, or rather the Lord working by means of a remnant, is what allows a person to seem human, to learn what is good and true, to reflect on particular instances of it, and so to think and reason. This remnant alone has spiritual and heavenly life in it. AC 1050. The symbolism of and every living soul within all flesh as the entire human race can be seen from the symbolism of the living soul within all flesh. Each of us is called a living soul from a living quality in us. Not one of us can live — still less live as a human being — if we do not have something living inside us. In other words, we need to have a measure of innocence, charity, and mercy, or at least something that resembles or approximates it. This measure of innocence, charity, and mercy is something we receive from the Lord in childhood and adolescence, as can be seen from the state of children and the state of adolescents. What we receive at those ages is preserved in us. What is preserved in us is what the Word calls a remnant, or survivors, and it is the Lord's alone in us. These preserved traces are what makes it possible for us to be human when we arrive at adulthood. For more on the remnant, or remaining traces, see §§468, 530, 560, 561, 562, 563, 576. [2] The fact that the states of innocence, charity, and mercy that we experienced in early childhood and in the years when we were growing up make it possible for us to be human is plainly evident from this: We are not born into any life skills, the way brute animals are, but must learn each and every one of them, and what we learn is then turned into habit and second nature by our practicing it. Unless we learn how, we cannot even walk, or talk, or do anything else. When we practice these activities, they become almost instinctive to us. The case is the same with a state of innocence, charity, and mercy — virtues that we likewise absorb from early childhood on; if those states were not present inside us, we would be much lower than animals. But they are not acquired by education. We receive them as gifts from the Lord, who preserves them in us. These states, along with religious truth, are what are called a remnant, and are the Lord's alone. To the extent that we suffocate them during adulthood, we become dead. When we are being reborn, these states are the starting points of the process, and we are led into them, because the Lord works through the remnant, as noted before [§§635, 711, 737:1, 857, 977:2]. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Excerpts from The Logopraxis Workbook... The Structure of a Logopraxis Life Group Meeting A Logopraxis meeting is minimalist in its form, offering a basic structure that consists of three rounds that are marked by some form of contemplative exercise. This structure serves as a framework for the practise of spiritual literacy skills. A brief description of each of the rounds follows. In Round One participants are invited to bring a summary of their experience of the work with the Text for the session. This is called a Logopraxis submission. (Aim for no more than 5-7 minutes when you share in this round). In Round Two there is an opportunity for participants to share their reflections on what they heard in the first round.  In Round Three participants can bring to the group anything else they are carrying related to the reading for the session or the Logopraxis process more generally. Meetings begin with a short time of contemplation, and whatever the group decides to do in this space, it is done with the intention of providing an environment where we can centre ourselves, steady the inner activity of our minds, and lift our awareness out of external life concerns so as to be present to what’s asked of us as a member of a Logopraxis Life Group. It is a reminder that in coming together as a group to share our experience of the Word, we are approaching the Lord. In this effort we are seeking to hold a space within which holiness resides so that a sphere of worship is created. Transitions between rounds are also marked by some form of contemplative exercise, which could be a reading, a song, a prayer, or something else. The object of the exercise is to remind practitioners to maintain a contemplative, worshipful focus.  Spiritual Literacy Logopraxis Life Groups are an opportunity to practise spiritual literacy as we speak and listen when we meet. They are a hermetically sealed container within which the material gathered from each individual's practice can serve as the basis for creating a unique environment. It is where we may learn to be with others in a new way, and where the practise of the Word is what is central. To that end, participants are asked to be consciously present to what arises as they take part in group life through the practise of what are termed spiritual literacy ‘skills’. These skills are designed to assist us in engaging in group life consciously, and be present so as to bear witness to what’s arising within our minds as we speak and listen. It is the call to a different way of being with ourselves, with others, and with the Word as the Lord.  So, in order to hear the Lord, which really is about hearing the spiritual principles that are being illustrated in each other’s experience, we need to be able to divide our attention between what’s going on externally in the group, and what is arising inwardly so far as our responses are concerned. It’s not so much about listening to the words that a person is speaking, but listening to what arises within us in response to what’s being shared. So, it’s a state of divided attention, where we are working to be conscious of the fact that we are seeing our own states reflected back to us in what is being presented through our interactions with the Word and with others.  Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Innocence is a willingness to be led by the Lord Heaven and Hell (Dole) 280. Since innocence is being led by the Lord and not by ourselves, all the people who are in heaven are in innocence, since all the people who are there love to be led by the Lord. They know that to be led by oneself is to be led by one's self-centeredness, and self-centeredness is loving oneself. People who are in love with themselves are not willing to be led by anyone else. This is why angels are in heaven to the extent that they are in innocence; that is, to that extent they are absorbed in divine good and divine truth, for being absorbed in these is being in heaven.  A 'manual ' on spiritual practice HH 278. The innocence of wisdom is real innocence because it is internal, being a property of the mind itself and therefore of our volition itself and our consequent understanding. When there is innocence in these, then there is wisdom as well, because wisdom is a property of volition and understanding. That is why they say in heaven that innocence dwells in wisdom and why angels have as much wisdom as they do innocence. They support the truth of this by observing that people in a state of innocence do not take credit for anything good, but ascribe and attribute everything to the Lord. They want to be led by him and not by themselves, they love everything that is good and delight in everything that is true because they know and perceive that loving what is good — that is, intending and doing good — is loving the Lord, and loving what is true is loving their neighbor. They live content with what they have, whether it is little or much, because they know that they receive as much as is useful — little if little is good for them and much if much is good for them. They do not know what is best for themselves — only the Lord knows; and in his sight everything he supplies is eternal. [2] So they have no anxiety about the future, but refer to anxiety about the future as "care for the morrow," which they say is pain at losing or not getting things that are not needed for their life's useful activities. They never collaborate with friends from evil intent, but only from good, fair, and honest intent. To act from evil intent, they say, is guile, which they avoid like the poison of a snake because it is diametrically opposed to innocence. Since their greatest love is to be led by the Lord, and since they ascribe everything to him, they are kept away from their self-centeredness, and to the extent that they are kept away from their self-centeredness, the Lord flows in. This is why they do not store in their memory what they hear from him, whether through the Word or through preaching, but immediately heed it, that is, intend and do it. Their intention itself is their memory. They appear extraordinarily simple in outward form, but they are wise and provident inwardly. They are the ones the Lord was referring to when he said, "Be wise as serpents and simple as doves" (Matthew 10:16). This is the nature of the innocence called the innocence of wisdom. [3] Since innocence does not take credit for anything good but ascribes it all to the Lord, and since innocence loves to be led by the Lord, giving rise to that acceptance of everything good and true that leads to wisdom, we have been so created as to be in an outward innocence when we are little, but in an inward innocence in old age, to come to the latter through the former. So when we do get old, our bodies deteriorate and we become like little children again — but like wise little children or angels, for in the highest sense, a wise infant is an angel. This is why "infant" in the Word means one who is innocent, and "elderly one" means a wise person full of innocence. 1 Footnotes: 1. [Swedenborg's footnote] Infants in the Word mean innocence: 5608; and so do nursing babies: 3183. An old person means a wise one, or abstractly, wisdom: 3183, 6523 [6524?]. We have been so created as to become like infants as we approach old age, but with wisdom in our innocence. This is so that we may cross over into heaven in this state and become angels: 3183, 5608. The Lord is the Lamb HH 282. Since innocence, for heaven's angels, is the very essence of what is good, we can see that the divine good emanating from the Lord is innocence itself, inasmuch as it is this good that flows into angels, moves their deepest natures, and aligns and adapts them to accept all the blessings of heaven. Much the same happens with infants, whose deeper natures are not only formed by the passage of innocence from the Lord but are also constantly adapted and aligned to accept the good of heavenly love, because the good of innocence acts from deep within, being, as already noted, the very essence of all good. This shows that all innocence is from the Lord, which is why the Lord is called the Lamb in the Word, since a lamb means innocence. 1 Because innocence is the very heart of all the good of heaven, it also affects minds so strongly that people who feel it — which happens at the approach of an angel of the inmost heaven — feel as though they are not under their own control. They are moved by such a joy, so taken out of themselves, so to speak, that it seems as though all the pleasure of the world is nothing by comparison. I speak of this from having experienced it. Footnotes: 1. [Swedenborg's footnote] A lamb in the Word means innocence and the good it does: 3994, 10132. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

3927. And Rachel said, With the wrestlings of God have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed. That this signifies in the supreme sense own power; in the internal sense, temptation in which there is victory; and in the external sense, resistance by the natural man, is evident from the signification of the “wrestlings of God” and of “wrestling,” as being temptations; for temptations are nothing else than wrestlings of the internal man with the external, or of the spiritual man with the natural; for each desires to rule, and when dominion is in question, combat arises, which is here called “wrestling.” That “to prevail” is to overcome, is evident without explication.... [3] That in the internal sense the “wrestlings of God” and “prevailing” denote the temptations in which man conquers, is evident from what has been said just above. But that in the external sense there is signified resistance by the natural man is because all temptation is nothing else; for as before said in spiritual temptations there is dispute about dominion, as to which shall have the supremacy, the internal man or the external; or what is the same, the spiritual man or the natural, for these are opposed to each other (n. 3913). For when man is in temptations, his internal or spiritual man is ruled by the Lord through angels; but his external or natural man through infernal spirits; and the combat between them is that which is perceived by the man as temptation. When a man is such in faith and life that he can be regenerated, he will conquer in temptations; but when he is such that he cannot be regenerated, he yields in temptations. That there is resistance by the natural man, is signified by its being said that she “wrestled with her sister;” for by “Leah,” who is here the “sister,” is signified the affection of the external man; but by “Rachel,” the affection of the internal man (n. 3793, 3819). AC 3928...The external man is indeed such that of itself it lusts for nothing else than corporeal and worldly things, these being the delights of its life. But the internal man, when it is opened toward heaven and desires the things of heaven, such as it is with those who can be regenerated, then finds heavenly delight in these things, and while the man is in temptations there is a combat between these two kinds of delight. This the man does not then know, because he does not know what heavenly delight is, and what infernal delight is; and still less that they are so entirely opposed to each other. But the celestial angels cannot possibly be with man in his corporeal and worldly delight until this delight has been reduced to subservience, so that the corporeal and worldly delight is no longer sought as the end; but for the sake of the use of serving the heavenly delight (as s hown above, n. 3913). When this has been effected, the angels can be with the man in both; but in this case his delight becomes bliss, and finally happiness in the other life. [2] He who believes that before regeneration the delight of his natural man is not infernal, and that it is not possessed by diabolical spirits, is much mistaken, and does not know how the case is with man, namely, that before regeneration he is possessed as to his natural man by genii and infernal spirits, however much he may appear to himself to be like any other man; and even though he may be with others in what is holy, and may reason about the truths and goods of faith, and may indeed believe himself to be confirmed in them; yet if he does not perceive in himself anything of the affection of what is just and equitable in his employment, and of truth and good in company and in life, let him know that his delight is that of the infernals, for there is no other love in it than that of self and the world; and when this love makes his delight, there is in it no charity and no faith. After this delight has become dominant, it is deadened and dissipated by no other means than the affirmation and acknowledgment of the holy of faith and of the good of life... When things move to the periphery Divine Providence 79. We say that what a person does in freedom in accordance with his thought also remains. For nothing whatever that a person has attached to himself can be eradicated, as it has been made part of his love and at the same time of his reason, or of his will and at the same time of his intellect, and so part of his life. This can indeed be moved aside, but still it cannot be cast out. And when it is moved aside, it is transferred as though from the center to the peripheries, and there stays. This is what we mean by its remaining. [2] So, for example, if a person in his childhood and youth attached to himself some evil by doing it out of a delight of his love — if, for instance, he defrauded, blasphemed, took revenge, or behaved licentiously — then because he did these things in freedom in accordance with his thought, he also attached them to him. But if he afterward repents, refrains from them, and views them as sins to be shunned, and so in freedom in accordance with his reason desists from them, then he has attached to him the goods of which those evils were the opposite. These goods then form the center, and they move the evils toward the peripheries, moving them further and further according to the person's aversion to and rejection of them. But still they cannot be so cast out as to be said to be eradicated. Nevertheless, by their being moved aside they can appear as though eradicated. This is achieved by the person's being withheld from evils by the Lord and kept engaged in goods. Such is the case with all hereditary evil and likewise with all a person's actual evil. [3] I have also seen this attested by my experience with some people in heaven who, because they were kept by the Lord in a state of good, thought themselves to be without any evils. But to prevent them from believing that the state of good in which they were was their own, they were sent down from heaven and conveyed back into their evils, until they acknowledged that they were of themselves impelled by evils, but by the Lord were impelled by goods. And after that acknowledgment they were taken back into heaven. [4] Be it known, therefore, that these goods become attached to a person only in such a way as to be constantly the Lord's in the person, and that to the extent a person acknowledges this, the Lord grants that the good appear to the person to be his, that is to say, that it appear to the person that he loves his neighbor or has charity as though of himself, that he believes or has faith as though of himself, and that he does good and understands truth, thus is wise, as though of himself. An enlightened person can see from this the nature and force of the appearance in which the Lord wills a person to be. And the Lord wills it for the sake of the person's salvation, as no one can be saved without this appearance. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Arcana Coelestia 3218. When angels are stirred by affections and at the same time are discussing these, such things manifest themselves among spirits in the lower sphere as representative types of animals. When the discussion concerns good affections, beautiful, gentle, and useful animals emerge such as those used in sacrifices in the Divine representative worship within the Jewish Church — such as lambs, sheep, kids, she-goats, rams, he-goats, calves, young bulls, and oxen. And whatever is seen at any time on the animal represents some mental image in the angels' thought, which upright spirits are also allowed to perceive. From this one may see what was meant by the animals in the religious observances of the Jewish Church, and what by the same animals when mentioned in the Word, namely affections, 1823, 2179, 2180. But when angels' discussion is about evil affections it is represented by offensive, vicious creatures serving no use, such as tigers, bears, wolves, scorpions, serpents, rats, and so on, even as such affections are also meant by these in the Word. Spiritual Experiences 716. Moreover, they who even attempt to gain entry into heaven under a shining white, angelic appearance, are turned at once into animal shapes befitting the disposition of each one. These were likewise shown to me. For the lower mind, or attitudes, or the passions, are pictured in the heaven of spirits by animals, even though they are nothing but passions and their varieties, thus shaped. So some vaguely appeared to me as birds, some as animals — but I was surprised that they were white. This happened to show that they wanted to counterfeit a shining white angel. 1748, 10 February. AC 1379... when spirits walk or are removed and advance from one place to another — occurrences witnessed very frequently — nothing else than changes of state are taking place. That is, such changes appear in the world of spirits as changes of place, but in heaven as changes of state. The same applies to many other things that are representative and present themselves visually there.  AC 5573. A certain spirit was once present, but was invisible over my head. I was led to perceive his presence from a stench of burnt horn or bone and from stinking teeth. After that a large crowd looking like a cloud appeared on the scene, coming up from below towards a higher position behind my back. These too were invisible; and they came to a halt above my head. I assumed that their invisibility was due to their own cleverness. I was told however that where the spiritual sphere obtained they were not visible, but where the natural sphere did so they were visible. They were therefore called 'the invisible natural ones'. Regarding those spirits let me record first the disclosure that they endeavoured in a most zealous, cunning, and skillful manner to prevent any exposure at all of themselves. Having this end in view they also knew how to take away from other people the ideas they possessed and to replace these with different ones with which they prevented their own disclosure. Their endeavour to do this lasted for quite a long time. From all this I was led to see that during their lifetime those spirits had been the kind of people who did not want any of their actions or thought to be exposed, which they achieved by assuming a different countenance and a different manner of speaking. Nevertheless they had not employed any kind of pretence so as to lie and deceive. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Divine Truth versus our finite understanding of truth True Christian Religion 350. [a] The truths of faith can be multiplied to infinity. This is clear from the wisdom of the angels of heaven, which grows forever. In fact, the angels say that there is never an end to wisdom. Wisdom has no other source except divine truths that have been analytically divided into forms by means of light flowing in from the Lord. Human intelligence that is truly intelligent has the same source. Divine truth can be multiplied to infinity because the Lord is divine truth itself, or truth in its infinity. He attracts all people toward himself, but because they are finite, angels and people are unable to follow that current of attraction except to a limited extent. The force of attraction toward infinity persists all the same. Divine Providence 52. (2) The infinite and eternal in itself cannot but regard something infinite and eternal from itself in finite things. By the infinite and eternal in itself we mean the Divine itself, as we just showed in the preceding discussion. By finite things we means all things created by the Divine, and especially people, spirits, and angels. And to regard something infinite and eternal from itself is to regard something Divine, that is to say, itself, in them, as a person does an image of himself in a mirror.  The existence of such an image of the Divine is something we showed several times in the treatise Divine Love and Wisdom, especially where we demonstrated that the created universe has in it an image of the human being, and that the image is an image of the infinite and eternal, Divine Love and Wisdom 317-318, thus an image of God the Creator, which is to say, of the Lord from eternity.  One must know, however, that the Divine in itself exists in the Lord, while the Divine from itself is the Divinity present from the Lord in created things. DP 53. But for this to be more fully understood, we need to illustrate it:  The Divine cannot regard anything other than the Divine, and it cannot regard this anywhere else than in things created by it. The reality of this is plain from the fact that no one can regard another except from the standpoint of some quality that he has in himself. One who loves another regards him from the standpoint of the love that he has in himself. One who is wise regards another from the standpoint of the wisdom that he has in himself. He may indeed see that the other either does or does not love him, or that the other either is or is not wise, but this he sees from the love and wisdom in himself. Consequently he conjoins himself to the other in the measure that the other loves him as he loves the other, or in the measure that the other is wise as he himself is wise, for this is what unites them. [2] It is the same with the Divine in itself, for the Divine in itself cannot regard itself from the standpoint of another, as from the standpoint of a person, spirit, or angel. For these have in them nothing of the Divine in itself from which all else springs; and to regard the Divine from the standpoint of another who has in him nothing of the Divine would be to regard the Divine from an absence of the Divine, which is not possible.  It is because of this that the Lord is so conjoined with a person, spirit, and angel that everything relating to the Divine comes not from them but from the Lord. For people know that every good and every truth that a person possesses originates not from him but from the Lord — indeed, that one cannot even name the Lord, or speak His names "Jesus" and "Christ," without doing so from Him.  [3] It follows now from this that the infinite and eternal, which is the same as the Divine, regards all things infinitely in things finite, and that it conjoins itself with them to the degree of their reception of love and wisdom.  In short, it is possible for the Lord to have an abode and dwell in a person or angel only in something His own, and not in something native to them; for their native character is evil, and even if it were good, still it would be finite, which in and of itself cannot encompass the infinite.  It is apparent from this that it is never possible for someone finite to regard the infinite, but that it is possible for the infinite being to regard something infinite from itself in finite beings. AC 7984 ... Vastation is deprivation. That the evil who had been of the church were vastated as to all good and truth, has already been shown; for the successive degrees of vastation were signified by the plagues in Egypt. But the good are vastated as to evil and falsity; with them these are successively separated, that is, rejected to the sides, and goods and truth are brought together toward the midst. This collecting together of good and truth is meant by “remains;” and when they have a full state of remains, they are then raised into heaven. This state is that which is signified by “thirty,” and the vastation by “four hundred.” The vastation of evil and falsity, and the instilling of good and truth, with the good, are effected by means of infestations, and by means of temptations. By the one, falsities and evils are removed; and by the other, goods and truths, are put on; and this even until the state becomes full. [3] It must also be told briefly what a full state is. Everyone, whether damned or saved, has a certain measure which is capable of being filled. The evil, or they who are damned, have a certain measure of evil and falsity; and the good, or they who are saved, have a certain measure of good and truth. In the other life this measure is filled with everyone; but some have a greater measure, some a less. This measure is acquired in the world by means of the affections which are of the love. The more anyone has loved evil and the derivative falsity, the greater is the measure he has gained for himself; and the more anyone has loved good and the derivative truth, the greater is his measure. The limits and degrees of the extensions of this measure are clearly seen in the other life, and cannot there be surmounted, but they can be filled, and also actually are filled, namely, with goods and truths in the case of those who have been in the affection of good and truth, and with evils and falsities in the case of those who have been in the affection of evil and falsity. Hence it is evident that this measure is the faculty gained in the world for receiving either evil and falsity, or good and truth. Instruction through truths AC 7957... For the spiritual church is distinguished from the celestial church in this, that through truth which is of faith it is introduced into the good which is of charity, thus that it has truth for its essential. The initiation is effected through truth, for through truth they are instructed what must be done, and when they do this truth, it is called good. From this good, when they have been initiated, they afterward see truths, according to which they again act. From this it is evident that whether you say “those who are of the spiritual church,” or “those who are in truth through which is good, and in truth which is from good,” it is the same. AC 7990. They are said to be in spiritual captivity who as to their interiors are kept by the Lord in good and truth, but as to their exteriors are kept by hell in evil and falsity, whence there is a combat of the external man with the internal. In this state are those kept who are being infested; and then the Lord by influx through the interiors fights for them against the afflux of evil and falsity from the hells. They are then kept as it were captive, for through influx from the Lord they desire to be in good and truth, but through the afflux from the hells they seem to themselves not to be able. This combat takes place to the end that the external man may be reduced to obedience to the internal, and thus natural things be made subordinate to spiritual things. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

AC 7977. With those who are of the spiritual church all good is acquired by means of truth, because without the truth which is of faith they do not know what spiritual truth is, nor what spiritual good is. They are indeed capable of knowing civil truth, also moral truth, and their goods, because they are concordant with things which are in the world, whence also they have a perception of these truths and goods. But spiritual truth and its good are not concordant with those things which are in the world, and in many cases are even quite at variance with them, and therefore those of the spiritual church have to be instructed about them. These things have been said to show that with those who are of the spiritual church all good must be acquired by means of truth.  AC 7975. For with those who are of the spiritual church the case is this. They have genuine goods and truths, and they have goods and truths not genuine; for the man of the spiritual church has no perception of good and truth, but acknowledges and believes as good and truth that which the doctrinal things of his church teach. For this reason he is in very many truths not genuine, consequently also in like goods, for goods have their quality from truths. That the spiritual are in very many truths not genuine, see n. 2708, 2715, 2718, 2831, 2849, 2935, 2937, 3240, 3241, 3246, 3833, 4402, 4788, 5113, 6289, 6500, 6639, 6865, 6945, 7233; and that consequently they have truths not pure (n. 6427). But still they are kept by the Lord in goods in the highest degree genuine, which is effected by means of an influx through the interiors (n. 6499), and then the truths and goods not genuine are separated thence and rejected to the sides. These are the things which are signified by “a very great mixed multitude.” AC 7966(2). These are the two states in which they who are of the spiritual church, when in good, are kept by the Lord-the first, that from the good which is of the will they see and think truth; the second, that from this marriage of good and truth they produce truths, which by willing them and doing them, again become goods, and so on continually. Such are the productions and derivations of truth with those who are of the spiritual church. In the spiritual world this is presented representatively as a tree with leaves and fruits; the leaves there are truths; the fruits are the goods of truth; the seeds are the goods themselves, from which are the rest. AC 7990. They are said to be in spiritual captivity who as to their interiors are kept by the Lord in good and truth, but as to their exteriors are kept by hell in evil and falsity, whence there is a combat of the external man with the internal. In this state are those kept who are being infested; and then the Lord by influx through the interiors fights for them against the afflux of evil and falsity from the hells. They are then kept as it were captive, for through influx from the Lord they desire to be in good and truth, but through the afflux from the hells they seem to themselves not to be able. This combat takes place to the end that the external man may be reduced to obedience to the internal, and thus natural things be made subordinate to spiritual things. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Arcana Coelestia 3394[2] Settling or dwelling means existing and living, so it means a state, and many passages in the Word clarify this. In David, for instance: I will dwell in Jehovah's house to a great length of days. (Psalms 23:6) One thing have I asked of Jehovah; this I will seek: May I dwell in Jehovah's house all the days of my life! (Psalms 27:4) Someone working deceit will not dwell in the middle of my house. (Psalms 101:7) Dwelling in Jehovah's house stands for existing and living in the goodness that love inspires, because a loving goodness is Jehovah's house. Arcana Colestia 7923. And no one of you shall go out of the door of his house. That this signifies that they shall abide steadfast in good, which must not be regarded from truth, is evident from the signification of “not going out,” as being to abide steadfast; and from the signification of “house,” as being good (n. 2233, 2234, 2559, 3652, 3720, 7833-7835, 7848). From this it is evident that by “no one of you shall go out of the door of his house” is signified that they shall abide steadfast in good. The reason why it signified that good must not be regarded from truth, is because to “abide in the house” denotes to abide in good; but to “go out of the door of the house” denotes to go from good to truth; for good is within, but truth without (n. 7910). (What it is to look from good to truths, see n. 5895, 5897, 7857.) From truth to look to good is to look from what is external to what is internal but from good to look to truth is to look from what is internal to what is external; for, as just said, good is interior, and truth exterior. From good to look to truth is according to order, for all Divine influx is through interiors to exteriors; whereas from truth to look to good is not according to order; and therefore when a man is being regenerated, the order is inverted, and good or charity is regarded in the first place, and truth or faith in the second. Removing what is leavened Seven days leaven shall not be found in your houses; for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the assemblage of Israel, in the sojourner, and in the native of the land. Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings ye shall eat things unleavened. And Moses called all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw ye forth, and take you an animal of the flock according to your families, and kill ye the passover. Exodus 12: 19-21 Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Arcana Coelestia 7914... the good of innocence, which is the good of love to the Lord, is not received by the man of the spiritual church unless he compels himself; because it can with difficulty be believed by him that the Lord is the only God, and also that His Human is Divine; and therefore as he is not in faith, neither can be in love to Him, consequently not in the good of innocence, unless he compels himself.  Divine Providence 150. 6. Our outer self has to be reformed by means of our inner self, and not the reverse. "The inner and outer self" means the same thing as "our inner and outer thought processes," already discussed in a number of places [103-111, 120, 130, 139, 145]. The reason the outer has to be reformed by means of the inner is that the inner flows into the outer, and not the reverse. The scholarly world recognizes that there is a flow of spirit into matter, and not the reverse; and the church recognizes that the inner self needs to be cleansed and renewed first, and then the outer. This is recognized because the Lord and reason both say so. The Lord says it this way: Woe to you hypocrites, because you cleanse the outside of the cup and the platter while the insides are full of plunder and excess. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and the platter, and then the outside will be clean as well. (Matthew 23:25-26) [2] In Divine Love and Wisdom I have presented ample evidence that reason teaches this. In fact, whatever the Lord teaches, he enables us to perceive rationally. This happens in two ways. One is by our seeing its truth within ourselves as soon as we hear it; the second is understanding it through rational analysis. Seeing it in ourselves happens in our inner self, and seeing it rationally happens in our outer self. Can anyone fail to see within, on first hearing, that the inner self needs to be cleansed first and the outer self cleansed by means of it? However, if we have not accepted some general image of this from the inflow from heaven, we can go wildly astray when we rely on our outer thought processes. They show us simply that outward actions, deeds of charity and piety, bring us salvation apart from deeper values. In the same vein, they tell us that sight and hearing flow into our thought, that smell and taste flow into our perception — that is, that the outside flows into the inside — when the opposite is true. It is an illusion that sight and hearing are flowing into our thought, because it is our intelligence that is seeing through our eyes and hearing through our ears, not the reverse. The same holds true for the other senses. Doctrine of Sacred Scripture 40. To a considerable extent, the truths of the literal meaning of the Word are not bare truths but are semblances of truth; like similes and comparisons, they are drawn from the kinds of things that are in the physical world and are therefore adapted and fitted to the comprehension of uneducated people and children. Since they are correspondences, though, they are receptacles and dwelling places for genuine truth, like containers that gather in and hold something the way a crystal goblet holds a fine wine, or a silver plate holds gourmet food. They are like garments that serve as clothing, whether swaddling clothes for babies or attractive dresses for young women. They are also like the information in the earthly mind that comprehends within itself the perceptions of the spiritual self and its affection for truth. The actual bare truths that are gathered in, contained, clothed, and comprehended are in the Word’s spiritual meaning; and the bare goodness is in its heavenly meaning. [2] However, this needs illustrations from the Word. Jesus said, Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, because you cleanse the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of extortion and excess. Blind Pharisee, cleanse the inside of the cup and the plate first, so that the outside of them may be clean as well. (Matthew 23:25-26) The Lord said this using terms from the outermost level, which serve as containers. He said "the cup and the plate"- the cup meaning wine and the wine meaning the truth contained in the Word, the plate meaning food and the food meaning the goodness contained in the Word. Cleansing the inside of the cup and the plate means purifying what lies within us, matters of our will and thought and therefore of our love and faith, by means of the Word. The outside becoming clean by cleansing the inside means the consequent purification of our outer selves — our actions and speech, that is, since these have their essence from what lies within. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Arcana Coelestia 7914. 'Draw out' means that they should compel themselves. This is clear from the meaning of 'drawing out', when used in reference to the good of innocence which those belonging to the spiritual Church are to receive, as compelling themselves. The good of innocence, which is the good of love to the Lord, is not received by one who belongs to the spiritual Church unless he exercises self-compulsion; for the belief that the Lord is the only God, and also that His Human is Divine, does not come easily to him. Therefore, since he is short of faith, no love to Him, or consequently any good of innocence, can be present in him unless he exercises self-compulsion. The fact that a person ought to exercise self-compulsion, and that when he does he is in freedom but not when subject to compulsion from without, see 1937, 1947. This is what is meant by 'draw out', that is to say, the Passover animal. Drawing out that animal, it is self-evident, holds an arcanum within it that is not perceptible in the sense of the letter. AC 7939. 'because He passed by the houses of Israel' means that damnation would stay away from the forms of good in which they were maintained by the Lord. This is clear from the meaning of 'Jehovah will pass by' as the fact that damnation will stay away from there, as above in 7878, 7928; from the meaning of 'the houses' as forms of good, dealt with in 3652, 3720, 4982, 7833-7835; and from the representation of 'Israel' as those who belong to the spiritual Church, dealt with often. The reason for saying that they were maintained in forms of good by the Lord is that when they passed through places of damnation or the hells, which happened when they were delivered, they were maintained in good by the Lord. To this end they were made ready, and the process by which they were made ready is described by the statutes regarding the blood, the Passover lamb, and the eating of it, which are the subject in verses 3-11, 15-20, 22, 43-48 of this chapter. The fact that when they were delivered they passed through places of damnation or the hells will be seen below. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

And I will pass through the land of Egypt in that night, and I will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from man and even unto beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will do judgments; I am Jehovah.  Exodus 12:12 Arcana Coelestia 7873 And on all the gods of Egypt I will do judgments. That this signifies their falsities, which are to be damned, is evident from the signification of “gods,” as being falsities (of which presently); and from the signification of “doing judgments,” as being to be damned; for to judge, or do judgments, is either for life or for death; for life it denotes salvation, for death it denotes damnation. In the Word “gods” are often mentioned. When the angels are so called, truths are signified (see n. 4295, 4402, 7268); hence in the opposite sense by “the gods of the nations,” are signified falsities (n. 4402, 4544). That truths are called “gods” is because truth proceeds from the Divine Itself, and in itself is Divine; consequently they who receive it are called “gods”-not that they are gods, but that the truth which is with them is Divine. Hence it is that in the original tongue God is called “Elohim,” in the plural. The Divine Itself is the Divine good, but that which proceeds from it is the Divine truth, which fills the universal heaven. As then “god” denotes truth, therefore in the opposite sense it denotes falsity. Gods = Powers https://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Lexicon.show/ID/G1411/dunamis.htm Repentance = Metaniona https://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Lexicon.show/ID/G3341/metanoia.htm Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

And Jehovah said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the statute of the passover; no son of an alien shall eat of it. And every man’s servant that is bought with silver, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat of it. A lodger and a hireling shall not eat of it. In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not bring out of the flesh abroad from the house; and ye shall not break a bone thereof. All the assemblage of Israel shall perform it. And when a sojourner shall sojourn with thee, and performeth the passover to Jehovah, every male of his shall be circumcised, and then let him come near to perform it; and he shall be as a native of the land; and no uncircumcised person shall eat of it. One law shall there be for the native, and for the sojourner that sojourneth in the midst of you. And all the sons of Israel did as Jehovah commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they. And it was in this same day that Jehovah led forth the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies. Exodus 12: 43-51 Arcana Coelestia 8028. From this it could be seen how the case is with the order in heaven, and from this in the world; namely that when angels are about to come, a spirit is sent before to prepare the way, and that he excites fear, and gives admonition to receive the angels courteously; and that he interrupts; also that at first he does not understand what the angels speak, but afterward when he has been reduced to a better state he understands; in a word, that he is continually at hand, and prepares the lower mind, and endeavors to avert things unworthy. In regard to this there occurred to me a thought about John the Baptist, that it was according to the order of heaven for him to be sent before and announce the coming of the Lord, and that he should prepare the way that He might be worthily received, according to what is written in Matt. 3:3; Luke 1:17; 3:4; John 1:23. AC 7822. The Contents. The subject treated of in this chapter in the internal sense is the liberation of those who are of the spiritual church, and the damnation of those who are in faith separate from charity. The damnation of these latter and the liberation of the former are represented by the passover, and the states in respect to charity and faith of those who are liberated, by the things to be observed on the days of the passover. 7823. In the supreme sense by the passover is represented the damnation of the unfaithful and the liberation of the faithful by the Lord, when He had been glorified. The quality of the state of the faithful at that time, and also what its quality would be afterward, both in the universal and in every particular, is described in this supreme sense by the statutes of the passover. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

And Jehovah said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the statute of the passover; no son of an alien shall eat of it. And every man’s servant that is bought with silver, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat of it. A lodger and a hireling shall not eat of it. In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not bring out of the flesh abroad from the house; and ye shall not break a bone thereof. All the assemblage of Israel shall perform it. And when a sojourner shall sojourn with thee, and performeth the passover to Jehovah, every male of his shall be circumcised, and then let him come near to perform it; and he shall be as a native of the land; and no uncircumcised person shall eat of it. One law shall there be for the native, and for the sojourner that sojourneth in the midst of you. And all the sons of Israel did as Jehovah commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they. And it was in this same day that Jehovah led forth the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies. Exodus 12: 43-51 Arcana Coelestia 8028. From this it could be seen how the case is with the order in heaven, and from this in the world; namely that when angels are about to come, a spirit is sent before to prepare the way, and that he excites fear, and gives admonition to receive the angels courteously; and that he interrupts; also that at first he does not understand what the angels speak, but afterward when he has been reduced to a better state he understands; in a word, that he is continually at hand, and prepares the lower mind, and endeavors to avert things unworthy. In regard to this there occurred to me a thought about John the Baptist, that it was according to the order of heaven for him to be sent before and announce the coming of the Lord, and that he should prepare the way that He might be worthily received, according to what is written in Matt. 3:3; Luke 1:17; 3:4; John 1:23. AC 7822. The Contents. The subject treated of in this chapter in the internal sense is the liberation of those who are of the spiritual church, and the damnation of those who are in faith separate from charity. The damnation of these latter and the liberation of the former are represented by the passover, and the states in respect to charity and faith of those who are liberated, by the things to be observed on the days of the passover. 7823. In the supreme sense by the passover is represented the damnation of the unfaithful and the liberation of the faithful by the Lord, when He had been glorified. The quality of the state of the faithful at that time, and also what its quality would be afterward, both in the universal and in every particular, is described in this supreme sense by the statutes of the passover. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.

Transcript So it's about the liberation of the mind from the conclusions that the love of self and the love of the world have drawn from the appearance of the senses. Like you'll see, whenever we engage in trying to control the process or look to rationalise things so that we don't have to face what's really arising within and those sorts of patterns of thought and what have you.... that's really what we need to be liberated from. So truths like 'the Lord is the only self, the only life', that as a truth liberates us from the belief that we have life in ourselves, that we self generate our life. So truths bring about liberation, but they have to be practiced. You can know that, but if it's not something you're really applying to what's arising moment to moment in your work when you remember, then the knowledge kind of just sits there like, well, yeah, I know that. Like I've got that down. That's fine. But more is required! Everything in proprium will seek to diminish the need to work because working exposes it. And what are you dealing with? Well, proprium is a construct of many spiritual communities that have an investment in things staying the same. So whenever the Word is brought to bear on something within and that touches on our sense of selfhood, those spirits become agitated. And that's what you might experience as anxiety or depression or a lot of sort of feeling state that you might not be able to put your finger on in terms of what the cause is. Like there's nothing really happening that warrants this - but a lot is happening. A lot is happening below our conscious awareness. And it has to do with the reorganisation of spirits that we're associated with because that is what forms the basis for our sense of self. And those are the hells we need to walk out of and we need truths in order to do that. Now, there's difficulty in that and there's challenges in that for sure. And it's not what we would normally call joy. But when we have an understanding of the process and what's going on and why what's going on has to happen the way that it does, then that brings a deep sense of .... would I call it joy? maybe, but certainly a sense of peace that the Lord has got it in hand. So we can have these really difficult states happening on a more external level, but we are held on a more interior level and we get to see that. We know that. We know that that is actually happening. We just have to remind ourselves of it. And in that reminding is a sense of the presence of the Lord. It's like we look at the wonder of it, that the Word, the Text, so accurately describes the states that I'm experiencing. Like there's a wonder in that, right? And that none of it can touch what is genuinely of the Lord within. The Lord's not affected by it. He affects the changes that are needed so that we can come into the experience of that, which is heaven's presence in earth. It's the will of the Lord being done - as in heaven so upon the earth. And so the reason that there are those states where we kind of feel like that's just not what's happening is because the structures of the mind have to be transformed in order to hold that as a lived reality. And it's possible. Otherwise, what's the point? For it is actually possible - and that's the wonder of and the miraculous nature of the Text to bring about that transformation. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to maintain focus on understanding the Text’s application to the inner life while reinforcing key LP principles highlighted in the exchanges.