585. Dat door het menigvuldig geworden kwade van de mensen op de aarde wordt aangeduid, dat de wil tot het goede ophield te bestaan, blijkt uit het voorgaande, namelijk dat er geen wil meer was, maar alleen begeerte; verder uit de betekenis van de mens op aarde. De aarde, in de letterlijke zin, is de plaats waar de mens is; en daar de liefde tot de wil of tot de begeerte behoort, zo wordt de aarde voor de wil van de mens zelf genomen, want de mens is men krachtens zijn willen, en niet zozeer krachtens zijn weten en verstaan, daar het weten en verstaan uit zijn wil voortvloeit; al wat niet uit zijn wil voortvloeit, dat wil hij niet weten, noch verstaan; ja zelfs, wanneer hij anders spreekt en handelt dan hij wil, is er toch iets van een wil, buiten zijn spreken en handelen om, dat hem regeert. Dat het land Kanaän of het Heilige Land, voor de liefde, en dus voor de wil van de hemelse mens genomen wordt, kan door vele plaatsen in het Woord bevestigd worden; op dezelfde wijze dat de landen van verschillende heidense volken hun liefde aanduiden, welke in het algemeen de eigenliefde en de liefde tot de wereld zijn; omdat dit echter zo vaak voorkomt, is er hier ter plaatse niet bij stilgestaan. Hieruit blijkt dat de boosheid van de mensen op de aarde zijn natuurlijke boosheid betekent, dat tot de wil behoort; en het wordt vermenigvuldigd geheten, daar het bij allen nog niet zo verkeerd was of zij wilden anderen het goede, zij het dan om eigenbelang; dat het echter geheel en al verdorven is geworden, duidt het gedichtsel van de gedachten van het hart aan.

35. Man has two faculties, one which is called the will, and the other the understanding (n. 35, 641, 3539, 3623, 5969, 10122). Those two faculties constitute the very man (n. 10076, 10109-10110, 10264, 10284). The quality of man is according to those two faculties with him (n. 7342, 8885, 9282, 10264, 10284). By them also man is distinguished from beasts, by reason that the understanding of man may be elevated by the Lord, and see Divine truths, and in like manner his will may be elevated and perceive Divine goods; and thus man may be conjoined to the Lord by those two faculties, which make him; but that the case is otherwise with beasts (n. 4525, 5114, 5302, 6323, 9231). And since man may thus be conjoined to the Lord, he cannot die as to his interiors, which are his spirit, but he lives forever (n. 5302). Man is not man from his form, but from good and truth, which are of his will and understanding (n. 4051, 5302).

As all things in the universe relate to good and truth, so do all things in man to the will and the understanding (n. 803, 10122). For the will is the receptacle of good, and the understanding is the receptacle of truth (n. 3332, 3623, 5835, 6065, 6125, 7503, 9300, 9930). It amounts to the same, whether you say truth or faith, for faith is of truth, and truth is of faith; and it amounts to the same whether you say good or love, for love is of good, and good is of love; for what a man believes, that he calls true; and what he loves, that he calls good (n. 4353, 4997, 7178, 10122, 10367). Hence it follows that the understanding is the recipient of faith, and the will the recipient of love; and that faith and love are in man, when they are in his understanding and will, for the life of man is nowhere else (n. 7179, 10122, 10367). And since the understanding of man is capable of receiving faith in the Lord, and the will of receiving love to the Lord, that by faith and love he may be conjoined to the Lord, and whoever is capable of conjunction with the Lord by faith and love, cannot die to eternity (n. 4525, 6323, 9231). Love is conjunction in the spiritual world (n. 1594, 2057, 3939, 4018, 5807, 6195-6196, 7081, 7086, 7501, 10130).

The will of man is the very esse of his life, because it is the receptacle of good, and the understanding is the existere of life thence derived, because it is the receptacle of truth (n. 3619, 5002, 9282). Thus the life of the will is the principal life of man, and the life of the understanding proceeds therefrom (n. 585, 590, 3619, 7342, 8885, 9282, 10076, 10109-10110); comparatively as light proceeds from fire or flame (n. 6032, 6314). Whatever things enter into the understanding, and at the same time into the will, are appropriated to man, but not those which are received in the understanding alone (n. 9009, 9069, 9071, 9133, 9182, 9386, 9393, 10076, 10109-10110).

Those things become of the life of man, which are received in the will, and thence in the understanding (n. 8911, 9069, 9071, 10076, 10109-10110). Every man also is loved and esteemed by others according to the good of his will and thence of his understanding; for he who wills well and understands well is loved and esteemed, and he who understands well and does not will well, is rejected and is held in low estimation (n. 8911, 10076).

Man also after death remains such as his will and the understanding are (n. 9069, 9071, 9386, 10153) and those things which are of the understanding, and not at the same time of the will, then vanish, because they are not in man's spirit (n. 9282). Or, what amounts to the same, man after death remains as his love and its faith are, or as his good and its truth are; and the things which are of the faith and not at the same time of the love, or the things which are of truth and not at the same time of good, vanish, because they are not in the man, thus not man's (n. 553, 2363, 10153). Man is capable of comprehending with the understanding what he does not do from the will, or he may understand what he does not will, because it is against his love (n. 3539).

The will and the understanding constitute one mind (n. 35, 3623, 5835, 10122). Those two faculties of life ought to act as one, that man may be man (n. 3623, 5835, 5969, 9300). How perverted a state they are in, whose understanding and will do not act as one (n. 9075). Such is the state of hypocrites, the deceitful, flatterers, and simulators (n. 2426, 3573, 4799, 8250). The will and the understanding are reduced to one in another life, and there it is not allowable to have a divided mind (n. 8250).

Every doctrinal of the church has its own ideas by which its quality is perceived (n. 3310). The understanding of the doctrinal is according to those ideas, and without an intellectual idea, man would only have an idea of words, and none of things (n. 3825). The ideas of the understanding extend themselves widely into the societies of spirits and angels round about (n. 6599, 6600-6605, 6609, 6613). The ideas of man's understanding are opened in another life, and appear to the life as to their quality (n. 1869, 3310, 5510). Of what quality the ideas of some appear (n. 6200, 8885).

All the will of good and the understanding of truth is from the Lord, but not so the understanding of truth separate from the will of good (n. 1831, 3514, 5482, 5649, 6027, 8685, 8701, 10153). It is the understanding which is enlightened by the Lord (n. 6222, 6608, 10659). The Lord grants to those who are enlightened, to see and understand truth (n. 9382, 10659). The enlightening of the understanding is various, according to the states of man's life (n. 5221, 7012, 7233). The understanding is enlightened as far as man receives truth in the will, that is, as far as he wills to act according thereto (n. 3619). They have their understanding enlightened who read the Word from the love of truth and from the love of the uses of life; but not they who read it from the love of fame, honor, and gain (n. 9382, 10548-10549, 10551). Enlightenment is an actual elevation of the mind into the light of heaven (n. 10330); from experience (n. 1526, 6608).

Light from heaven is the enlightenment of the understanding, as light from the world is to the sight (n. 1524, 5114, 6608, 9128). The light of heaven is the Divine truth, from which is all wisdom and intelligence (n. 3195, 3222, 5400, 8644, 9399, 9548, 9684). It is the understanding of man which is enlightened by that light (n. 1524, 3138, 3167, 4408, 6608, 8707, 9128, 9399, 10569).

The understanding is such as are the truths from good, of which it is formed (n. 10064). The understanding is that which is formed by truths from good, but not what is formed by falsities from evil (n. 10675). The understanding consists in seeing truths, the causes of things, their connections, and consequences in regular order, from those things which are of experience and science (n. 6125). The understanding consists in seeing and perceiving whether a thing be true, before it is confirmed, but not in being able to confirm everything (n. 4741, 7012, 7680, 7950, 8521,8780).

The light of confirmation without a previous perception of truth, is natural light, and may be possessed even by those who are not wise (n. 8780). To see and perceive whether a thing be true before it is confirmed, is only given with those who are affected with truth for the sake of truth, consequently who are in spiritual light (n. 8780). Every dogma even what is false, may be confirmed, even so as to appear true (n. 2243, 2385, 4677, 4741, 5033, 6865, 7950).

How the rational is conceived and born with man (n. 2094, 2524, 2557, 3030, 5126). It is from the influx of the light of heaven from the Lord through the internal man into the knowledges and sciences, which are in the external, and an elevation thence (n. 1895, 1899, 1902). The rational is born by truths, and not by falsities; consequently according to the quality of the truths, such is the rational (n. 2094, 2524, 2557). The rational is opened and formed by truths from good, and it is shut and destroyed by falsities from evil (n. 3108, 5126). A man is not rational who is in falsities from evil; and consequently a man is not rational from being able to reason upon every subject (n. 1944).

Man scarcely knows how to distinguish between the understanding and the will, because he scarcely knows how to distinguish between thinking and willing (n. 9995).

Many more things concerning the will and the understanding may be known and concluded from what has been just adduced concerning good and truth, provided the will be perceived instead of good, and the understanding instead of truth, for the will is of good, and the understanding is of truth.

295. And by Thy will they are, and they were created, signifies that through Divine good they have being, and through Divine truth they have existence. This is evident from the signification of "will," as being, in reference to the Lord, the Divine love; also from the signification of "are" [sunt] or "being" [esse], as the good of love, here the Divine good of the Divine love received (of which presently), also from the signification of "they were created," or "being created," as being Divine truth also received, thus those reformed by it. "To be created" signifies to have existence, because only those who have been reformed are said to have existence; for in them is life, and they have intelligence and wisdom; while those who are not reformed have no life in them, but spiritual death, neither have they intelligence and wisdom, but insanity and folly, therefore they are not said to have existence. Everything indeed, that appears to any of the senses is said to have existence, but this cannot be said of man spiritually unless he is in good and truth; for man is created that he may be living, intelligent, and wise; consequently when he is dead, insane, and foolish, to that extent he does not exist as a man. There are two things that cause man to be a man, namely, good and truth, both from the Lord; good is the esse of his life, but truth is the existere of life therefrom; for all truth has existence from good, since it is the form and therefore the quality of good; and since good is the esse of life, and truth is the existere of life therefrom, and "to be created" signifies to have existence, it is said, "by Thy will they are, and they were created." This, then, is the spiritual in these words.

[2] "Will" in reference to the Lord means Divine love; because the Divine Itself, from which are all things, is the Divine love. The Lord, therefore, appears before the angels as a Sun, fiery and flaming, and this for the reason that in the spiritual world love appears as fire, consequently in reference to the Lord, heaven, and the church, "fire" in the Word signifies love. From that sun in the heavens heat and light proceed; and heat there is Divine good proceeding, and light is Divine truth proceeding. (This is more fully shown in the work on Heaven and Hell, On the Sun of Heaven, n. 116-125; and On Heat and Light in Heaven, n 126-140) And since the Divine Itself from which are all things is the Divine love, so "will" in reference to the Lord is Divine love, for what love itself wills, that is the good of love; the truth which is said to be of faith is merely a means that good may have existence, and that truth may afterwards exist from good. Will and understanding with man are from this origin, the will is the receptacle of the good of love with man, and the understanding is the receptacle of the truth of faith with him. The understanding is the medium by which the will may be reformed, and by which afterwards the will may appear in form, such as it is by means of the understanding. From this it is clear that the will is the esse of man's life, and the understanding is the existere of life therefrom. (But this is also more fully shown in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, where the Will and Understanding are treated of, n 28-35.)

[3] Because man's will is his love, and God's will is the Divine love, it can be seen what is meant in the spiritual sense by "doing the will of God" and "the will of the Father," namely, that it is to love God above all things, and the neighbor as oneself. And as to love is to will, so it is also to do; for what a man loves, that he wills, and what he wills he also does. Therefore "doing the will of God" or "of the Father" means doing His commandments, or living according to them from the affection of love or charity. This is what is meant by "the will of God" and "of the Father" in the following passages. In John:

God heareth not sinners; but if anyone worship God and do His will, him He heareth (John 9:31).

In Matthew (that the one who does the will of the Father who is in the heavens shall enter into the kingdom of the heavens):

Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but He that doeth the will of My Father that is in the heavens (Matthew 7:21).

In the same:

Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, as in heaven so upon the earth (Matthew 6:10).

In the same:

It is not the will of the Father that one of these little ones should perish (Matthew 18:14).

"It is not His will that one of these little ones should perish" means evidently love. It is said "the will of the Father," because "Father" means Divine good. In John:

If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you may ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you (John 15:7).

Whatsoever they will and ask shall be done for those who abide in the Lord and in whom His words abide, because they then will nothing except what the Lord gives them to will, and that is good, and good is from Him.

[4] The Lord's will in the Old Testament is called His "good pleasure," and this likewise means the Divine love; and to do His good pleasure or His will signifies to love God and the neighbor, thus to live according to the commandments of the Lord, since this is to love God and the neighbor, and this comes down from the Lord's love. For no one can love the Lord and the neighbor except from the Lord; for this is the veriest good for man, and all good is from the Lord. That "good pleasure" has this signification is clear from the following passages. In Isaiah:

In My wrath I smote thee, but in My good pleasure have I had mercy on thee (Isaiah 60:10).

"To smite in anger" signifies temptation; "in good pleasure to have mercy" signifies deliverance from love; "to have mercy" is to do good to the needy from love.

[5] In David:

My prayer is unto thee, O Jehovah, in the time of good pleasure; O God, for the greatness of Thy mercy answer me, in the truth of Thy salvation (Psalms 69:13).

"The time of Jehovah's good pleasure" signifies acceptance from love; "time," when said of men, signifies the existing state, but in reference to Jehovah, perpetual existing, thus His love, because this is perpetual. Hearing and help from love through the proceeding Divine which is the Divine truth, is signified by "for the greatness of Thy mercy answer me, in the truth of Thy salvation. "

[6] In Isaiah:

Jehovah said, In the time of My good pleasure have I answered thee, and in the day of salvation have I helped thee (Isaiah 49:8).

Here also "the time of good pleasure," that is, of will, signifies the Divine love; and "to answer" signifies to bring aid, and to benefit.

[7] In the same:

To proclaim the year of Jehovah's good pleasure, to comfort all that mourn (Isaiah 61:2).

This is said of the coming of the Lord; and "the year of Jehovah's good pleasure" signifies the time and state of the men of the church, when from love they are to be succored, therefore it is also said, "to comfort all that mourn. "

[8] In David:

Thou dost bless the righteous; Thou wilt compass him with Thy good pleasure as with a shield (Psalms 5:12).

Here "good pleasure" stands plainly for the Divine love, from which the Lord protects everyone; protection by the Lord from love is signified by "Thou wilt compass him as with a shield."

[9] In the same:

Jehovah openeth the hand and satisfieth every living thing with His good pleasure (Psalms 145:16);

"to open the hand" signifies to gift with good; and "to satisfy every living thing with good pleasure" signifies from love to enrich with Divine truth all who receive life from Him.

[10] In Moses:

Of the precious things of the earth and the fullness thereof and the good pleasure of Him that dwelleth in the thorn-bush, let them come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the crown of the head of the Nazarite of his brethren. O Naphtali, satisfied with the good pleasure and the blessings of Jehovah (Deuteronomy 33:16, 23).

"Joseph" in the highest sense signifies the Lord in respect to the spiritual Divine; in the internal sense the spiritual kingdom; and in the external, salvation, the fructification of good, and the multiplication of truth (See Arcana Coelestia 3969, 3971, 4669, 6417). This makes clear what is signified by Joseph's having "of the precious things of the earth and the fullness thereof, and the good pleasure of Him that dwelleth in the thorn-bush;" "the precious things of the earth" are spiritual goods and truths therefrom belonging to the church; "the earth" is the church; the "good pleasure of Him that dwelleth in the thorn-bush" is the Lord's Divine love of truth; the "thorn-bush" in which the Lord appeared to Moses signifies that Divine love; "the head of Joseph" signifies the wisdom of the internal man; and "the crown of the head of the Nazarite of his brethren" signifies the intelligence and knowledge [scientia] of the external man; "Naphtali" (named from wrestlings) signifies temptations and after them consolation and blessing from the Divine love, which is meant by "satisfied with the good pleasure and the blessing of Jehovah."

[11] In Isaiah:

Wilt thou call this a fast, and the day of Jehovah's good pleasure? Is it not to break thy bread to the hungry; and when thou seest the naked that thou cover him? (Isaiah 58:5, 7).

That "Jehovah's good pleasure," in reference to men, signifies to live according to His commandments, which is to love God and the neighbor (as was said above) is evident; for it is said that "His good pleasure is to break the bread to the hungry, and to cover the naked;" "to break bread to the hungry" signifies from love to do good to the neighbor who desires good; and "to cover the naked" signifies to instruct in truths him who desires to be instructed.

[12] In David:

I delight in doing Thy good pleasure (that is, Thy will) O my God; and Thy law is in my bowels (Psalms 40:8).

In the same:

Teach me to do Thy good pleasure; Thy good spirit shall lead me into the land of uprightness (Psalms 143:10).

In the same:

Bless ye Jehovah, all His hosts; ye ministers of His that do His good pleasure (Psalms 103:21).

To "do the good pleasure of Jehovah God" signifies to live according to His commandments; this is His good pleasure or His will, because from Divine love He wills that all should be saved, and by it they are saved. Moreover, in the Hebrew expression "good pleasure" also means will; for whatever is done according to the will is well pleasing, and the Divine love wills nothing else than that love from itself may be with angels and men, and His love is with them when they love to live according to His commandments. That this is to love the Lord He teaches in John 14:15, 21, 23, 24; 15:10, 14; 21:15-17).

[13] That "will" signifies love in a contrary sense, namely, the love of evil and the love of falsity, is evident in John:

As many as received Jesus, to them gave He the power to become the sons of God, to them that believe in His name; who were born, not of bloods nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but from God (John 1:12, 13).

"To believe in the Lord's name" signifies to live according to the commandments of His teaching; that "the Lord's name" signifies all things by which He is worshiped, thus all things of love and faith, see above (n. 102, 135). "Not of bloods" signifies not in a life contrary to good and truth; "not of the will of the flesh" signifies not in a love of evil; "not of the will of man" [vir] signifies not in the love of falsity. (That "flesh," in reference to man, means the voluntary that is man's own [proprium voluntarium], thus evil, see Arcana Coelestia 148, 149, 780, 999, 3813, 8409, 10283; and that man [vir] means the intellectual that is man's own [proprium intellectuale], which is falsity, see n. 4823.)