Spiritual Mind / Natural Mind

Selection from Apocalypse Explained ~ Emanuel Swedenborg

And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. (Revelation 9:13-14)

At the very end of the church, man speaks and reasons respecting spiritual things, or the things of heaven and the church, from the corporeal-sensual and thus from the fallacies of the senses.  Although therefore man then speaks in favor of Divine things, he does not think in favor of them – for a man is able to speak in one way from the body, while thinking in another way in his spirit; and while the spirit, which thinks from the corporeal-sensual is unable to think in any other way than against Divine things. Nevertheless, from the corporeal-sensual, it is able to speak in favor of them, and this especially for the reason that Divine things are to him the means of acquiring honor and gain.

Every man has two memories, a natural memory and a spiritual memory, (Arcana Coelestia 2469 -2494), and he is able to think from either, from the natural memory when he is speaking with men in the world, but from the spiritual memory when he is speaking from the spirit; but man rarely speaks from the spirit with another, from the spirit he speaks only with himself, which is thinking. They who are sensual men are unable to speak with themselves from their spirit, or to think, in any other way than in favor of nature, consequently in favor of things corporeal and worldly, for the sensual man thinks from the sensual, and not from the spiritual; indeed, he is wholly ignorant of what the spiritual is, because he has closed the spiritual mind in himself, into which heaven flows with its light.

But let us go on to explain these words, that "a voice was heard from the horns of the golden altar, saying to the sixth angel that he should loose the four angels bound at the river Euphrates."

"The river Euphrates" signifies the rational, and thence also reasoning; this is the signification of this river because it divided Assyria from the land of Canaan

"Assyria" or "Asshur" signifies the rational

"the land of Canaan" the spiritual.

There were three rivers, besides the sea, that were boundaries of the land of Canaan, namely, the river of Egypt, the river Euphrates, and the river Jordan.

"The river of Egypt" signified the knowledge [scientia] of the natural man

"the river Euphrates" signified the rational which is in man from knowledges and cognitions

"the river Jordan" signifies entrance into the internal or spiritual church

for "the regions beyond Jordan," where the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh had their inheritances allotted them, signified the external or natural church

and because that river was between those regions and the land of Canaan, and through it was the passage from one to the other, it signified entrance from the external church, which is natural, into the internal church which is spiritual. It was for this reason that baptism was there instituted, for baptism represented the regeneration of man, whereby the natural man is introduced into the church and becomes spiritual.

This explains what these three rivers signify in the Word. All those places also outside of the land of Canaan signified such things as belong to the natural man, while those within the land of Canaan signified such things as belong to the spiritual man, thus the things of heaven and the church. Therefore the two rivers, "the river of Egypt" (or the Nile), and "the river of Assyria" (or the Euphrates), signified the terminations of the church, and also the introductions into the church.

TWO FOUNDATIONS OF TRUTH

Moreover, cognitions and knowledges which are signified by "the river of Egypt," are what introduce, for without cognitions and knowledges no one can be introduced into the church nor perceive the things that belong to the church; for the spiritual man sees its spiritual things in knowledges [scientiae] by means of the rational, as man sees himself in a mirror, and recognizes himself in them, that is, its truths and goods, and moreover confirms its spiritual things by means of cognitions and knowledges, both those known from the Word and those known from the world.

But "the river of Assyria" (or the Euphrates) signifies the rational, because man by the rational is introduced into the church. By the rational is meant the thought of the natural man from cognitions and knowledges, for a man who is imbued with knowledges [scientiae] is able to see things in series, that is, from first and mediate things to see the last, which is called the conclusion, and can therefore analytically arrange, turn over, separate, conjoin, and at length conclude things, even to a further end, and at length to the final end; which is the use that he loves. This, then, is the rational which is given to every man according to uses, which are the ends that he loves.

Since everyone's rational comes into accord with the uses of his love, therefore it is the interior thought of the natural man from the influx of the light of heaven; and as man through rational thought is introduced into spiritual thought and becomes a church, so that river signifies the natural* which introduces.
(* Latin has "natural," though the "rational" seems to be intended.)

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.

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.

WAYS THAT LEAD TO HELL AND WAYS THAT LEAD TO HEAVEN

Moreover, in the spiritual world there are ways that lead to hell and ways that lead to heaven; also ways that lead from spiritual things to natural and thus to sensual things; and in those ways there are also guards lest anyone should go in the opposite direction, for thus he would fall into heresies and errors, as has just been said. These guards are set by the Lord at the beginning of the establishment of a church, and are also maintained, lest the man of the church from his own reason or his own understanding should invade the Divine things of the Word and thence of the church. But at the end, when the men of the church are no longer spiritual but are natural, and many are merely sensual, and thus there is no way open with the man of the church from the spiritual man into the natural, then these guards are removed and the ways are opened, and in these opened ways they advance in a contrary order, which is done by reasonings from fallacies. Thus –

It is that the man of the church speaks in favor of Divine things with the mouth, while in heart he thinks against them, that is, he is in favor of Divine things from the body and against them from the spirit; for reasoning respecting Divine things from the natural and sensual man has this effect.

From this then the signification of "the four angels bound at the river Euphrates," and their being "loosed" can now be seen.

That "the river Euphrates" signifies the rational, through which there is a way from the spiritual man into the natural, can be seen from the following passages in the Word. In Moses:

Jehovah made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed I will give this land, from the river of Egypt even to the great river, the river Euphrates (Gen. 15:18).

In the sense of the letter this describes the extension of the land of Canaan, but in the internal sense it describes the extension of the church from its first boundary to its last

• its first boundary is the knowing faculty [scientificum] which is of the natural man

• the other boundary is the rational which is of the thought

• the first, namely, the knowing faculty, which is of the natural man, is signified by "the river of Egypt," the Nile
•  while the rational, which is of the thought, is signified by "the river of Assyria," the Euphrates

to these two –

• the spiritual church, which is signified by "the land of Canaan," extends itself
• so too does the spiritual mind which is with the man of the church.

Both these, the knowing faculty and the rational, are in the natural man, the one limit of which is the knowing and cognitive faculty, and the other is the intuitive and thinking faculty, and into these limits the spiritual man flows when it flows into the natural man; the conjunction of the Lord with the church by means of these is signified by the "covenant" that Jehovah made with Abram. Such is the signification of these words in the internal sense, while in the highest sense, they mean the union of the Divine Essence with the Lord's Human; according to this sense these words are explained in the Arcana Coelestia (n. 1863-1866).

(from Apocalypse Explained 569[3-10])

Jesus is My Best of Friends

Jesus is My Best of Friends

Jesus is my best of friends,
None like Him ’mongst mortals born;
And shall I whom He defends,
Join the world, His goodness scorn?
Naught shall raise a parting line
To hold me from His tenderest love;
One shall be His will and mine
Lifelong here, for aye above.

Once He suffered death for me;
In that death He conquered sin,
Him redeeming still I see;
Wondrous strength from Him I win.
Who could sullen, sit complaining,
Knowing Christ has sealed his bliss?
Who, the ransom gift disdaining,
E’er could fly such love as His?

In that well proved love I bide;
Naught from Him this heart shall sever.
Angel glory, mortal pride,
Wealth or want shall part us never.
Depth below nor heights above,
E’er shall hold my soul enticed,
Luring from a Father’s love
Mine henceforth in Jesus Christ.

author J. K. Smyth

The Lamb

Selections from Apocalypse Explained ~ Emanuel Swedenborg

And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain ...    Revelation 5:6

And I saw, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four animals, and in the midst of the elders, signifies in the whole heaven, and especially in the inmost heavens. This is evident from the signification of "in the midst," as being the inmost, and therefore the whole (of which presently);

• from the signification of "throne," as being heaven in the whole complex;

• from the signification of "the four animals" as being the Lord's providence and guard that heaven be not approached except through the good of love;

• and as that guard is especially in the third or inmost heaven, since all who are there are in the good of love to the Lord from the Lord, that heaven is signified especially by "the four animals".

It is also evident from the signification of "elders" as being those who are in truths from good; here, therefore, those who are in the middle or second heaven, since all who are there are in truths from good; for there are these two heavens, the third and second, distinguished from each other by this, that –

• those in the third heaven are in love to the Lord

• those in the second in charity towards the neighbor; those in charity towards the neighbor are in truths from good.

From this it can be seen what is especially signified by the "four animals" and the "elders."

But the "four animals" signify in general all Divine good in the whole heaven, which guards; and the "elders" signify in general all Divine truth proceeding from Divine good in the whole heaven; both guard because they are united; thus "the four animals and the elders," together, signify Divine good united to Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and therefore the entire angelic heaven, but especially the two inmost heavens.

This is so for the reason that angels are not angels from what is their own [ex proprio], but from the Divine good and the Divine truth that they receive; for it is the Divine with them, that is, the Divine received by them, that causes them to be angels, and causes heaven, which is made up of them, to be called heaven (see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 2-12, 51-86).

That "the midst" or "in the midst" signifies the inmost, and therefore the whole, can be seen from many passages in the Word.  But first let something be said to explain whence it is that because "the midst" signifies the inmost, it also signifies the whole. This may be illustrated by comparison with light, with the sun, with the arrangement of all in the heavens, and also of all who are of the church on earth.

By comparison with light:

Light in the midst propagates itself round about or from the center to circumferences in every direction; and because from the inmost it is propagated and fills the spaces around, thence "in the midst" signifies also the whole.

By comparison with the sun:

The sun is in the midst because it is the center of its universe; because from it are the heat and light in its system, therefore the sun "in the midst" signifies its presence in every direction, or throughout the whole.

By comparison with the arrangement of all in the heavens:

There are three heavens, and the inmost of them is the third heaven; this flows into the two lower heavens, and makes them to be one with it by communication which is effected by influx from the inmost. Moreover, in every society of the heavens that which is inmost is also the most perfect; those, therefore, who are round about in that society are in light and intelligence according to their degree of distance from the inmost (see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 43, 50, 189).

By comparison with those who are in the church on earth:

The Lord's church is spread through the whole world; but its inmost is where the Lord is known and acknowledged, and where the Word is; from that inmost, light and intelligence are propagated to all who are round about and are of the church, but this propagation of light and intelligence is effected in heaven (of which see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 308). From this it can be seen that "the midst" or "in the midst," as it signifies the inmost, signifies also the whole. This makes clear what is meant by "I saw, and lo, in the midst of the throne, and of the four animals, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing," namely, the Lord in respect to His Divine Human, in the whole heaven, and especially in the inmost heavens.

THE GOOD OF INNOCENCE

A Lamb standing, signifies the Lord in respect to the Divine Human. This is evident from the signification of "lamb," as being, in reference to the Lord, Himself in respect to the Divine Human.

The Lord in respect to the Divine Human is called a "lamb" because a "lamb" signifies the good of innocence, and the good of innocence is the good itself of heaven proceeding from the Lord; and so far as angels receive this good, so far they are angels.

This good reigns with angels that are in the third or inmost heaven; for this reason –

• those in that heaven appear as infants before the eyes of other angels.

(What the good of innocence is, and that the angels of heaven are in that good, see in the work on Heaven and Hell, in the chapter treating of The State of Innocence of the Angels of Heaven, n. n. 276-283, also n. 285, 288, 341, 382.)

It is believed in the world that the Lord is called "a Lamb" for the reason that the continual burnt-offering, or what was offered every day, evening and morning, was from lambs, and especially on the Passover days, when a lamb was also eaten; and that the Lord suffered Himself to be sacrificed. Such a reason for His being so called may do for those in the world who do not think beyond the sense of the letter of the Word; but nothing of this kind is perceived in heaven when the term "lamb" is predicated of the Lord; but when "lamb" is mentioned, or is read in the Word,–

• the angels, because they are all in the spiritual sense of the Word, perceive the good of innocence; and when the Lord is so called, they perceive His Divine Human, and at the same time the good of innocence that is from Him.

I know that this will with difficulty be believed, but yet it is true.

That "lamb" in the Word signifies the good of innocence, and in reference to the Lord Himself, "lamb" signifies His Divine Human, can be seen from the following passages.

In Isaiah:

Behold, the Lord Jehovih cometh in strength. He shall feed His flock like a shepherd; He shall gather the lambs into His arm, and shall carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead the sucklings (Isa. 40:10-11).

This treats of the Lord's coming–

• the "flock that He shall feed as a shepherd," signify those who are in the good of charity

• the "lambs that He shall gather into His arm," signify those who are in love to Him.

It is this love that, viewed in itself, is innocence; therefore all who are in it are in the heaven of innocence, which is the third heaven; and as this love is signified by lambs, it is also said, "He shall gently lead the sucklings." "Sucklings" and "infants" in the Word mean those who are in innocence (see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 277, 280, 329-345).

In the same:

The wolf shall sojourn with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little boy shall lead them; and the heifer and the bear shall feed, their young ones shall lie down together; the suckling shall play on the hole of the adder, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the basilisk's den (Isa. 11:6-8).

These things are said of the Lord's coming and of His kingdom, also of those therein who are in the good of innocence, that they shall have nothing to fear from the hells and the evils therefrom, because they are protected by the Lord.

The Lord's kingdom is here described by innocences of various kinds, and by their opposites from which they shall be protected.

• a "lamb" means innocence of the inmost degree — its opposite is the "wolf"

• a "kid" means innocence of the second degree — the opposite of which is the "leopard"

• a "calf" means innocence of the last degree — the opposite of which is the "young lion."

(That "lamb," "ram," or "sheep," and "calf," signify three degrees of innocence, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 10132.)

• Innocence of the inmost degree is such as belongs to those who are in the third or inmost heaven, and its good is called celestial good;

• innocence of the second degree is such as belongs to those who are in the second or middle heaven, and its good is called spiritual good;

• innocence of the last degree is such as belongs to those who are in the first or the last heaven, and its good is called spiritual-natural good.

(That all who are in the heavens are in some good of innocence, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 4797.)

Because the goods of innocence are described by the animals above named, it is said further "and a little boy shall lead them," also, "the suckling shall play on the hole of the adder, and the weaned child shall put forth his hand on the basilisk's den." These degrees of innocence are signified also by "boy," "suckling," and "weaned child." (That "boy" has this signification, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 430, 5236; that "suckling," or infant of the first age, and "weaned child," or infant of the second age, have these significations see n. 3183, 4563, 5608, 6740, 6745.)

Because a "lamb" signifies innocence, or those who are innocent, and a "wolf" those who are against innocence, it is said in like manner in another place in the same prophet:

The wolf and the lamb shall feed together; they shall not do evil in the whole mountain of holiness (Isa. 65:25);

"the mountain of holiness" is heaven, especially the inmost heaven. Therefore the Lord said to the seventy whom He sent forth:

I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves (Luke 10:3).

Because "lambs" signify those who are in the love to the Lord, which love is one with innocence, and because "sheep" signify those who are in love towards the neighbor, which love is charity, the Lord said to Peter:

Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me? He saith unto Him, Yea, Lord; Thou knowest that I love Thee. He saith unto Him, Feed My lambs; and afterwards, Feed My sheep (John 21:15-17).

These things were said to Peter, because by "Peter" truth from good, or faith from charity was meant, and truth from good teaches; "to feed" meaning to teach.

(from Apocalypse Explained 313[1-3]; 314[1-5])