Arcana Coelestia #652

By Emanuel Swedenborg

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652. That 'window' means the understanding part, and 'door' hearing, and thus the subject in this verse is man's understanding part, becomes clear from what has been stated already, namely that the member of this Church was reformed in the following way: In man life is twofold, one life being that of the will, the other that of the understanding. They come to be two when no will is present and evil desire takes the place of will. The second or understanding part is the one that is able in those circumstances to be reformed, and through this reformed understanding a new will can subsequently be conferred, with the result that they - that is to say, charity and faith - constitute one life. Now because man was such that no will was present and wholly evil desire existed instead, that part which is that of the will was closed, as stated at verse 14, while the second or understanding part was open; this is the subject in the present verse.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.