Angelic Wisdom about Divine ProvidenceSwedenborg, Emanuel
Religion
Angelic Wisdom about Divine Providence
Swedenborg, Emanuel
Providence and government of God -- Christianity
10. (v) _Good of love is good only so far as it is united to truth of
wisdom, and truth of wisdom is truth only so far as it is united to good
of love._ Good and truth have this from their origin, the one and the
other originating in the Lord, who is good itself and truth itself and in
whom the two are one. Hence in angels in heaven and men on earth, good is
not good basically except so far as it is joined to truth, and truth is
not truth basically except so far as it is joined to good. Granted that
all good and truth are from the Lord, then inasmuch as good makes one
with truth and truth with good in Him, good to be good in itself and
truth to be truth in itself must make one in the recipient, that is, the
angel in heaven or the man on earth.
11. It is indeed known that all things in the world are referable to good
and truth. For by good is meant what universally embraces and involves
all things of love; and by truth what universally embraces and involves
all things of wisdom. Still it is not known that good is nothing except
when it is joined to truth, and truth nothing unless it is joined to
good. Good apart from truth and truth apart from good still seem to be
something; yet they are not. For love (to which all that is called good
pertains) is the _esse_ of a thing, and wisdom (to which all things
called truths pertain) is a thing's _existere_ from that _esse_ (as was
shown in the treatise _Divine Love and Wisdom,_ nn. 14-16). Therefore, as
_esse_ is nothing apart from _existere,_ or _existere_ apart from _esse,_
good is nothing apart from truth or truth from good. What, again, is good
which has no relation to anything? Can it be called good if it is without
affection and perception?
[2] That which is associated with good, permitting it to affect and to be
perceived and felt, is referable to truth, since it has relation to what
is in the understanding. Tell someone, not that a given thing is good,
but simply say "good"--is good anything? It becomes something from what is
perceived along with it. This is united with good only in the
understanding, and all understanding has relation to truth. It is the
same with willing. Apart from knowing, perceiving and thinking what one
wills, to will is nothing actual; together with them it becomes
something. All volition is of love and is referable to good; and all
knowing, perceiving and thinking is of the understanding, and is
referable to truth. It is clear, then, that to will is nothing actual,
but to will this or that means something.
[3] So also with a use, inasmuch as a use is a good. Unless a use is
addressed to something which makes one with it, it is not a use, and thus
not anything. A use derives its something from the understanding, and
what is thence conjoined or adjoined to it, has relation to truth. So a
use gets its character.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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