11. Hoofdstuk 1. Over het Goede en het Ware.

Alle dingen in het heelal, die volgens de Goddelijke Orde zijn, hebben betrekking op het Goede en het Ware. Er bestaat niets in de hemel en niets in de wereld, dat niet op die twee betrekking heeft. De oorzaak hiervan is dat beide, zowel het goede als het ware, voortgaan uit het Goddelijke, waaruit alle dingen zijn.

117. And affliction, signifies anxiety from a longing to know truths. This is evident from the signification of "affliction," as being anxiety of mind from a longing to know truths; for those who wish to understand the Word, but who do not as yet well understand it, are here treated of (See above, n. 112), and these are in anxiety as to the spirit when they do not understand. That these have such anxiety when they do not understand, none can know except those who are in the affection of truth for the sake of truth, that is, who are in spiritual affection; who these are may be seen above (n. 115). The reason of this is, that such are conjoined to the angels of heaven, and angels continually long for truths, because they long for intelligence and wisdom; they long for these as a hungry man longs for food. For this reason also intelligence and wisdom are called spiritual food. This longing also man has from infancy, for when he is an infant, and afterwards when a child, he is conjoined to heaven, and this longing is from heaven; but with those who turn themselves to the world it perishes. From this it may be known what is the anxiety of mind or spiritual anxiety that is here signified by "affliction. "

[2] They have such anxiety when they read the Word and do not well understand it, because all the truths of heaven and the church are from the Word, and lie concealed therein in its spiritual sense, and are not opened to any except such as are conjoined to heaven, since that sense of the Word is in heaven. Yet the spiritual sense itself of the Word does not flow in with man out of heaven, but it flows into his affection, and through this into the knowledges that he has, and thus kindles his longing, and he then receives the genuine truths of the church so far as he can see them from the literal sense of the Word. Everyone who is in the spiritual affection of truth is conscious that the things that he knows are few, and the things that he does not know are infinite. He is aware, moreover, that knowing and acknowledging this is the first step towards wisdom; and that those who pride themselves on the things they know, and believe themselves on account of these to be most intelligent, have not reached this first step. Such persons also commonly glory more from falsities than from truths, for they have regard to their own reputation, and are affected by that alone, and not by truth itself. Such are they who are in natural affection only and in longing from that (See above, n. 115).

2556. 'Also she is truly my sister' means that rational truth possessed such a relationship. This is clear from the representation of 'Sarah when a sister' as rational truth, dealt with in 2508, and also from what follows next where the subject is the birth of the rational and its consequent relationship. In general it should be kept in mind that all things which exist with a truly rational, that is, regenerate, person - all that constitutes his affections, his perceptions, and his thoughts - are interconnected as in blood-relationships and relationships by marriage; for those things have been arranged in such a way that they mutually regard one another as families do which make up one house, and this in a most clear and distinct manner. Consequently when they reappear they do so in accordance with the relationships in which they exist. This ordered relationship with one another they receive from heaven - that is, from the Lord by way of heaven - flowing into them. With a person who is truly rational, that is, regenerate, everything has been arranged into order such as exists in heaven; and this ordered arrangement of everything within him comes as a result of heaven flowing into him. From that ordered arrangement within him a person possesses a power of thought, deduction, judgement, and reflection, which is so marvellous that it surpasses all human knowledge and wisdom, infinitely surpassing the conclusions which by analysis human effort draws from these sources. The reason these facts have not been known up to now is that people have not believed that all the things which constitute their affections, perceptions, and thoughts flow in - evil ones from hell, decent ones from heaven. Thus these have a connection with the things that are outside of them; yet the fact of the matter is that man, as regards his spirit, is joined to those outside of him in such a way that if he were deprived of that connection he would not remain alive for a single instant. This may also be recognized from the consideration that anything unconnected cannot possibly exist, and that anything unconnected perishes in an instant.