Arcana Coelestia volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

ARCANA COELESTIA 116and of the heart. So gross, yea, much more so, is that whichpertains to our senses and memory-knowledge relatively to what isspiritual and celestial. He who would investigate the hidden thingsof nature, which are innumerable, discovers scarcely one, and whileinvestigating them falls into errors, as is well known. How muchmore likely is this to be the case while investigating the hiddentruths of spiritual and celestial life, where myriads of mysteries existfor one that is invisible in nature![2] As an illustration take this single example: of himself mancannot but do what is evil, and turn away from the Lord. Yet mandoes not do these things, but the evil spirits who are with him. Nordo these evil spirits do them, but the evil itself which they havemade their own. Nevertheless man does evil and turns himself awayfrom the Lord, and is in fault; and yet he lives only from the Lord.So on the other hand, of himself man cannot possibly do what isgood, and turn to the Lord, but this is done by the angels. Nor canthe angels do it, but the Lord alone. And yet man is able as ofhimself to do what is good, and to turn himself to the Lord. Thesefacts can never be apprehended by our senses, memory-knowledge,and philosophy, but if these are consulted will be denied in spite oftheir truth. And it is the same all through.[3] From what has been said it is evident that those who consultsensuous things and memory-knowledges in matters of belief,plunge themselves not only into doubt, but also into denial, that is,into thick darkness, and consequently into all cupidities. For asthey believe what is false, they also do what is false. And as theybelieve that what is spiritual and celestial has no existence, so theybelieve that there is nothing else but what is of the body and theworld. And so they love all that belongs to self and the world, andin this way do cupidities and evils spring from what is false.Genesis 3, verses 14–1914. And Jehovah God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast donethis, thou art cursed above every beast, and above every wild animal of