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The Word allows the seeing that we are withheld from the evil of the proprium (of what is ‘own’).
Arcana Coelestia 1661.[3] Every man combats first of all from the goods and truths he has received through knowledges; and from them and by them he judges about evils and falsities. Every man also, when he first begins to combat, supposes that the goods and truths from which he combats are his own; that is, he attributes them to himself, and at the same time attributes to himself the power by which he resists. This also is permitted; for the man cannot then know otherwise. Until a man has been regenerated, he cannot possibly know, so as to be able to say that he knows, acknowledges, and believes, that nothing of good and truth is from himself, but that all good and truth are from the Lord; or that he cannot resist any evil and falsity from his own power; for he does not know that evil spirits excite and infuse the evils and falsities; still less that by means of evil spirits he is in communication with hell; and that hell presses upon him as the sea does upon every part of a dike, which pressure of hell no man can possibly resist by his own powers. But as until he has been regenerated a man cannot but suppose that he resists by his own powers, this also is permitted; and thus he is introduced into combats or temptations; but afterwards he is more and more enlightened.
[4] When a man is in such a state that he supposes good and truth to be from himself, and that the power of resisting is his own, then the goods and truths from which he combats against evils and falsities are not goods and truths, although they appear so; for there is what is his own in them, and he places self-merit in victory, and glories as if it were he who had overcome the evil and falsity, when yet it is the Lord alone who combats and overcomes. That this is really the case, none can know but they who are being regenerated by means of temptations.
AC 2406 [2] As regards this matter, few, if any, know that all men without exception are withheld from evils by the Lord, and this by a mightier force than man can ever believe. For the endeavor of every man is continually toward evil, and this both from what is hereditary, into which he is born, and from what is actual, which he has procured for himself; and this to such a degree that if he were not withheld by the Lord, he would rush headlong every moment toward the lowest hell. But the mercy of the Lord is so great that at every moment, even the least, the man is uplifted and held back, to prevent him from rushing thither. This is the case with the good also, but with a difference according to their life of charity and faith. Thus the Lord combats continually with man, and for man with hell, although it does not so appear to the man. That it is really so has been given me to know by much experience, which of the Lord’s Divine mercy will be related elsewhere. (See also n. 929, 1581)
AC 1581 With no one, except the Lord, can the evil that is in the external man be separated. Whatever a man has once acquired, remains; but it seems to be separated when it is quiescent, for thus it appears to be none. Neither does it become quiescent so as to appear as none, except from the Lord; and when it does thus become quiescent, then for the first time do goods flow in from the Lord, and affect the external man. Such is the state of the angels; nor do they know otherwise than that evil has been separated from them; whereas there is only a withholding from the evil, thus a quiescence, so that it appears as none; consequently this is an appearance, as also the angels know when they reflect.
The Word enables the opposite states of hell (of the proprium to be seen)
Heaven and Hell 541. That every good has an opposite evil, and every truth an opposite falsity, may be known from this, that there is not anything that has not reference to its opposite, and that its quality and degree is known from its opposite, and its degree; and this is the origin of all perception and sensation.
True Christian Religion 661. There I went to the head teachers who were giving instruction, and asked them whether they were acquainted with the universals concerning heaven and hell. They replied that they knew something of them, though not much; “But if we look,” said they, “towards the east, we shall receive both enlightenment and knowledge.” [3] They did so and then said: “There are three universals of hell, but they are diametrically opposite to those of heaven. The universals of hell are these three loves: the love of ruling from the love of self, the love of possessing the property of others from the love of the world, and scortatory love. The universals of heaven opposite to these are these three loves: the love of ruling from the love of use, the love of possessing worldly goods from the love of performing uses by means of them, and love truly conjugial.” … [4] Thereupon I examined the first universal love of hell, namely, the love of ruling from the love of self, and afterwards the universal love of heaven corresponding to it, namely, the love of ruling from the love of uses. I was not allowed to examine the one without the other, because the understanding has no perception of one love without the other, for they are opposites. In order, therefore, that both may be perceived they must be placed in contrast, one against the other; just as a beautiful and handsome face is seen to advantage when an ugly and deformed one is placed in contrast with it. When I was considering the love of ruling from the love of self, it was granted me to see that this love was in the highest degree infernal, and consequently prevails with those who are in the deepest hell; and that the love of ruling from the love of uses is in the highest degree celestial, and consequently prevails with those who are in the highest heaven.
Conjugial Love 424. I. THAT THE NATURE OF SCORTATORY LOVE CANNOT BE KNOWN UNLESS THE NATURE OF CONJUGIAL LOVE IS KNOWN. Here, as in no. 423, by scortatory love is meant the love of adultery which destroys conjugial love. That the nature of this scortatory love cannot be known unless the nature of conjugial love is known, has no need of demonstration; it needs only to be illustrated by comparisons. For instance, Who can know what evil and falsity are unless he knows what good and truth are? and who can know what the unchaste is, or the dishonorable, the indecorous, and the ugly, unless he knows what the chaste is, or the honorable, the decorous, and the beautiful? Who can discern insanities save one who is wise, that is, Who knows what Wisdom is? Who can rightly perceive inharmonious stridors save one who by learning and study has absorbed harmonious numbers? In like manner, who can see clearly the nature of adultery unless he has seen clearly the nature of marriage? or Who can set before his judgment the filthiness of the pleasures of scortatory love unless he has previously set before his judgment the cleanness of conjugial love? Because I have now finished The Delights of wisdom concerning Conjugial Love, therefore, from the intelligence thence acquired, I am able to describe the pleasures [of insanity] from scortatory love.
The Word Explained 4736. The cotton, and thus the background, was of a snow-white color. As to what is meant by a snow-white color, this also may be seen explained above [n. 4671], to wit, that which is shining white in spiritual things; thus that which is without blemish; consequently, that which corresponds to the light from which its brightness comes; thus intellectual life which consists in truths, and so, truths themselves, these being likened to rays of light. But the color white is taken, for the reason that in that color all colors are becomingly [presented]. Such is the case in the form of truth, wherein all colors must be becomingly interwoven, as it were, otherwise, truth cannot exist; for it must have a relation to all those things that give due testimony to its verity, and that come near it; and this, moreover, in order that something may be borrowed from opposites, to the end that the truth may be seen distinctly. It is this that is here represented in general, being represented in the interwoven colored threads, from the white to the scarlet red, the mediate colors being the hyacinth and the purple. This every one can comprehend from an intimate examination of colors.
Spiritual Experiences 398. CONCERNING PERMISSIONS. The Doctrine of Permissions is a complete doctrine. He who does not understand permissions, or conclude [rightly] concerning them, falls into doubt and negation concerning the power of God Messiah over the universe. But this should be known: that without permission no one would be able to be reformed; for opposites must be induced in order that forms of truth and of good may exist, which forms derive their existence thus perception, and the like, from opposites. Hence arise temptations, vastations, punishments, the persecutions of the faithful and of the faith, and many more things besides. In a word, without the permission of evils, which must be understood in a right sense, man could never be regenerated and led to the faculties by which he can be bent to good by God Messiah with some perception of it, consequently with some happiness. 1747, Dec. 25.
Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.
