Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 490doctrine is now treated of; therefore “I counsel thee” impliesprecepts how such must live that they may be reformed and thussaved.242a. To buy of Me gold tried by fire, that thou mayest beenriched, signifies that they should acquire for themselves from theLord genuine good, that they may be able to receive the truths offaith. This is evident from the signification of “buying,” as being toacquire and appropriate to oneself (see Arcana Coelestia, n. 4397,5374, 5397, 5406, 5410, 5426); also from the signification of“gold tried by fire,” as being genuine good, thus good from theLord (of which presently); also from the signification of “that thoumayest be enriched,” as being to be enabled to receive the truths offaith. This is the signification of being “enriched,” because “riches”and “wealth” signify the knowledges of truth and good, and “therich” are those who are in intelligence by means of knowledges,here, those who are in faith by means of them, since those who arein the doctrine of faith alone are here treated of. From this it isclear that “to buy of Me gold tried by fire, that thou mayest beenriched,” signifies that they must acquire for themselves genuinegood from the Lord so that they may receive the truths of faith.[2] It shall first be told how this is to be understood. It has oftenbeen said before, that there is no truth which is truth in itself unlessit be from good, thus no faith that is faith in itself unless it be fromcharity; for there is no truth that is truth in itself unless there isspiritual life within it, and spiritual life is within it when it isformed out of the food of charity; for truth is the form of good,and good is the esse of truth, thus also its life; and good is from noother source than from the Lord. When there is good from theLord, the truth that is from the good looks primarily to the Lordand also to the neighbor and his good, for the Lord flows in withgood and by it forms truth, which is the truth of faith, and causesman’s spiritual sight to look to him and to the neighbor. (That thisis so, may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 145, 251,namely, that the Lord looks at angels and men in the forehead, andthese look to the Lord through the eyes; for the reason that theforehead corresponds to the good of love, and the eyes to the