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Arcana Coelestia 6864. And now go, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh. That this signifies the holy proceeding from the Lord’s Human, by which infesting falsities would be dispersed, is evident from the representation of Moses, who was to go, and who was sent, as being the Lord as to the law Divine (see n. 6723, 6752, 6771, 6827), thus as to the Human; for when the Lord was in the world, He first made His Human Divine truth, which is the same as the law Divine; and afterward He completely glorified His Human, and made it Divine good (between Divine truth and Divine good there is a difference such as there is between the light from the sun and the fire in the sun); and from the signification of “to be sent” as being to proceed (n. 2397, 4710, 6831), here holy truth (that holy is predicated of truth see n. 6393-6788); and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being falsity (n. 6651, 6679, 6683, 6692). It is added that infesting falsities would be dispersed, namely, by the holy proceeding from the Lord’s Human, because in what follows the subject treated of is the liberation of the sons of Israel, that is, of those who were of the Lord’s spiritual church, from falsities; from which they can in no wise be liberated except by the holy which proceeds from the Lord.
For the holy proceeding from the Lord not only disperses infesting falsities, but also reduces all things into Divine order, both those which are in the heavens, and those which are in the hells; and causes the heavens to be most distinct according to goods and the derivative truths, and the hells also to be most distinct according to evils and the derivative falsities; and likewise causes evils to be opposite to goods, and falsities to truths, in order that a spiritual equilibrium may exist, and everything be in a free state.
The internal of the natural is regenerated first
True Christian Religion 593. As to the division of the natural man into two forms, it is an actual division both of will and of thought therein; for every action of man goes forth from his will, and every word from his thought; consequently another will is formed by man beneath the first, and likewise another thought; but the two still constitute the natural man. This will which is being formed by the man, may be called a bodily will, because it impels the body to make a show of moral activities, and that thought may be called pulmonary thought, because it impels the tongue and lips to utter such things as belong to the understanding. This outer thought and will taken together may be likened to the inner bark that adheres to the outer bark of a tree, or to the membrane that adheres to the shell of an egg. Within these is the internal natural man, who, if evil, may be likened to a tree the wood of which is rotten, but about which the aforesaid outer and inner barks seem sound; as also to a rotten egg in a white shell.
But something shall also be said about what the internal natural man is by birth. Its will inclines to evils of every kind and the thought therefrom is inclined to falsities of every kind. This then is the internal man that is to be regenerated, for unless it is regenerated it is nothing but hatred against everything that belongs to charity, and consequent rage against all things belonging to faith. From this it follows that this natural internal man must first be regenerated, and by means of it the external; for this is according to order; while to regenerate the internal by means of the external would be contrary to order; for the internal is like a soul in the external, not only in general but also in every particular, consequently it is in every least word one speaks; it is present in these beyond what man knows. Because of this the angels, from a single action of a man, can perceive what his will is, and from a single word what his thought is, whether infernal or heavenly. Thus they know the entire man; from the tone of his voice they have a perception of his thought’s affection, and from the gesture or the form of his action they have a perception of his will’s love. And this they have, however he may simulate a Christian or a moral citizen.
Heaven and Earth as Internal and External
AC 10373. For in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth. That this signifies a state of combat and of labor while the church is being set up, is evident from the signification of “six days,” when the subject treated of is the setting up of the church and the regeneration of man, as being a state of combat against evils and falsities, thus the state which precedes and prepares for the conjunction of good and truth (see above, n. 10366, 10367); and from the signification of “heaven and earth;” as being the church. [2] By “making heaven and earth” in the Word is not meant the very first creation of the visible heaven and earth; but the setting up of the church and the regeneration of man therein; by “heaven” is meant his internal, and by “earth” his external.
AC 10396… For man has an internal and an external; his internal is for heaven, and his external is for the world. When the external reigns, then worldly, bodily, and earthly things reign; and when the internal reigns, then heavenly things reign. But man has been so created that the external in him may be subordinated to the internal, thus the world to heaven; for as before said, the external is for the world and the internal for heaven. When therefore the external reigns, the internal is closed, for the reason that the man then turns himself from heaven and from the Lord to the world and to himself, and his heart is where he turns himself, consequently his love, and with his love the whole of his life, because the life of man is his love.
TCR 784. It is in accordance with Divine order that a new heaven should be formed before a new church is established on earth, for the church is both internal and external, and the internal church makes one with the church in heaven, thus with heaven itself; and what is internal must be formed before its external, what is external being formed afterwards by means of its internal. This is well known in the world among the clergy. Just so far as this new heaven, which constitutes the internal of the church with man, increases, does the New Jerusalem, that is, the New Church, descend from it; consequently this cannot take place in a moment, but it takes place to the extent that the falsities of the former church are set aside. For where falsities have already been implanted what is new cannot enter until the falsities have been rooted out, and this will take place with the clergy, and so with the laity; for the Lord said: No one puts new wine into old wineskins, else the skins burst and the wine is spilled, but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved (Matthew 9:17; Mark 2:22; Luke 5:37-38).
Infernal/Hellish Freedom
The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine 148. FROM THE ARCANA COELESTIA. All freedom is of love or affection, for what a man loves, he does freely (n. 2870, 3158, 8987, 8990, 9585, 9591). As freedom is of love, it is the life of everyone (n. 2873). There is heavenly freedom and infernal freedom (n. 2870, 2873-2874, 9589-9590). Heavenly freedom is of the love of good and truth (n. 1947, 2870, 2872). And because the love of good and truth is from the Lord, that being led by the Lord is true freedom (n. 892, 905, 2872, 2886, 2890-2892, 9096, 9586, 9587-9591). Man by regeneration is introduced into heavenly freedom by the Lord (n. 2874-2875, 2882, 2892). Man ought to be in freedom, that he may be regenerated (n. 1937, 1947, 2876, 2881, 3145, 3158, 4031, 8700). Otherwise the love of good and truth cannot be implanted in and appropriated to man, so as to appear his own (n. 2877, 2879-2880, 2888). Nothing is conjoined to man which is done in compulsion (n. 2875, 8700). If man could be reformed by compulsion, all would be saved (n. 2881). Compulsion is hurtful in reformation (n. 4031).
…infernal freedom consists in being led by the loves of self and of the world, and their lusts (n. 2870, 2873). They who are in hell do not know any other freedom (n. 2871). Heavenly freedom is as far from infernal freedom as heaven is from hell (n. 2873-2874). Infernal freedom in itself regarded is slavery (n. 2884, 2890). Because it is slavery to be led by hell (n. 9586, 9589-9591).
All freedom is as the proprium, and according to it (n. 2880). Man receives a heavenly proprium from the Lord by regeneration (n. 1937, 1947, 2882-2883, 2891). The nature of the heavenly proprium (n. 164, 5660, 8480). This proprium appears to man as his own, but it is not his, but the Lord’s with him (n. 8497). They who are in this proprium are in true liberty, because true liberty consists in being led by the Lord and His proprium (n. 892, 905, 2872, 2886, 2890-2892, 4096, 9586-9587, 9589-9591).
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.
