Arcana Coelestia volume 7 - Swedenborg Foundation

ARCANA COELESTIA 4099is a cause in no order, and where there is no order nothing iseffected. From this it is now plain that regarded in itself an effect isa cause, and that regarded in itself a cause is an end, and that anend of good is in heaven and proceeds from the Lord; consequentlythat an effect is not an effect unless a cause is in it, and constantlyin it; and that a cause is not a cause unless an end is in it, andconstantly in it; and that an end is not an end of good unless theDivine which proceeds from the Lord is in it. Hence it is also plainthat as each and all things in the world have come forth from theDivine, they continue to come forth from the Divine.5712. These things have been said in order that it may be knownthat diseases also have correspondence with the spiritual world; nota correspondence with heaven, which is the grand man, but withthose who are in what is opposite, thus with those who are in thehells. By the spiritual world in the universal sense is meant bothheaven and hell; for when man dies he passes out of the naturalinto the spiritual world. That diseases have correspondence withsuch is because they correspond to the yearnings and passions ofthe lower mind, which are also their origins; for the origins ofdiseases are, in general, intemperance, luxury of various kinds, merebodily pleasures, as also feelings of envy, hatred, revenge, lewdness,and the like, which destroy man’s interiors; and when these aredestroyed the exteriors suffer, and drag man into disease, and sointo death. It is known in the church that the death of man is fromevils, or on account of sin; and it is the same with diseases, for thesebelong to death. From all this it is evident that even diseases havecorrespondence with the spiritual world, but with unclean thingsthere; for diseases are in themselves unclean, because as before saidthey spring from unclean things.5713. All the infernals induce diseases, but with a difference, forthe reason that all the hells are in the desires and lusts of evil, andthus are contrary to the things of heaven; wherefore they act uponman from what is opposite. Heaven, which is the grand man, holdsall things together in connection and safety; hell, being in what isopposite, destroys and severs all things. Consequently if theinfernals are applied they induce diseases and at last death. Yet they