Arcana Coelestia volume 7 - Swedenborg Foundation

ARCANA COELESTIA 3611from spiritual influx is living because it is from the Lord throughheaven.5026. To mock me. That this signifies that it rose up is evidentfrom the signification of “mocking” as being to rise up (as above, n.5014).5027. And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried. Thatthis signifies when great aversion was perceived is evident from thesignification of “lifting up the voice and crying” as being greataversion (as also above, n. 5018).5028. That he left his garment by me. That this signifiestestification is evident from the signification of “leaving hisgarment by her,” that is to say, as a witness that it made anapproach (n. 5019). A “garment” in the internal sense signifiestruth, and “leaving the garment,” taking away ultimate truth (n.5008). That it here signifies a witness or testification that it madean approach is because ultimate truth, when it is left or taken away,is a witness to the natural man against the spiritual. That thenatural man is as it were conjoined with the spiritual man byultimate truth, but still is not conjoined, may be seen above (n.5009); for when the spiritual man unfolds this truth, thedissimilarity becomes apparent.[2] The examples adduced above (n. 5008) may serve forillustration. The spiritual man as well as the natural says that aidshould be given to the poor, to widows, and to orphans; but thespiritual man thinks that aid should not be given to the poor, towidows, and to orphans who are evil, and who call themselvesneedy and yet are rich, for in this way they would deceive by merenames; and so he concludes that by the “poor,” the “widows,” andthe “orphans” in the Word, are meant those who are spiritually so.But the natural man thinks that aid should be given to the poor,widows, and orphans who are so called, and that these and noothers are meant in the Word; neither does he care whether theyare evil or good, not knowing nor wishing to know what it is to beso spiritually. It is plain from this that the ultimate truth, that aid