Selection from Arcana Coelestia ~ Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Things of Charity —
The Understanding of Truth and the Will of Good
In proportion as the internal man has been opened toward heaven, thus to the Lord, in the same proportion a man is in the light of heaven, thus in the same proportion he is in the understanding of truth. The light of heaven is the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord; to be enlightened by this light is to understand truth.
In proportion as the internal man has been opened to the Lord, and the external man subordinated to it, in the same proportion a man is in the fire of heaven; thus in the same proportion he is in the will of good. The fire of heaven is the Divine love that proceeds from the Lord; to be kindled by this fire is to will good.
Therefore the understanding of truth is to see truths from the Word by virtue of enlightenment from the Lord; and the will of good is to will these truths from affection.
They who are in love and faith in the Lord, and in charity toward the neighbor, are in the understanding of truth and in the will of good, for with them there is a reception of the good and truth which are from the Lord.
On the other hand, in proportion as the internal man has been closed toward heaven and to the Lord, in the same proportion a man is in cold and thick darkness in respect to the things of heaven. And then in proportion as the external man has been opened toward the world, in the same proportion the man thinks what is false, and wills what is evil, and thus is insane; for the light of the world extinguishes in him the light of heaven; and the fire of the life of the world extinguishes the fire of the life of heaven.
They who are in the love of self, and in the persuasion of self-derived intelligence and wisdom, are in such cold and thick darkness.
From this it is evident that to be intelligent and wise does not consist in understanding and being wise about many things of the world; but in understanding and willing the things of heaven. For there are those who understand and are wise about many things of the world, and yet do not believe or will the things of heaven; thus are insane. These are they of whom the Lord says:
I speak by parables; because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand (Matt. 13:13).
The world cannot receive the Spirit of truth, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him (John 14:17).
(Arcana Coelestia 9796-9803)
(series to be continued)