120. 'I will give to eat of the hidden manna' signifies wisdom, and the appropriation then of the good of celestial love in works, and in this manner the conjunction of the Lord with those who are doing works. By the hidden manna 'that they will have, who are in good works and at the same time adjoin truths of doctrine to the works, is understood a hidden wisdom such as those have who are in the third heaven. For these, because in the world they have been in good works and in truths of doctrine at the same time, are in a wisdom exceeding that of the rest of the angels. They are, however, in a hidden wisdom, for it has been inscribed on their life and not so much on their memory, and therefore they are such as do not speak about truths but do them, and do them because they know them, and may also see them when others speak them. That the good of love is appropriated to them, and that the Lord conjoins Himself with those who adjoin truths of doctrine to good works, and in that way gives them wisdom in their goods, and that this is 'to give to eat of the hidden manna can be established from these words of the Lord:-
The bread of God is He Who comes down from heaven, and gives life unto the world. I am the bread of life: your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness and are dead. This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, that he who eats thereof may not die. I am the living bread, Who came down out of heaven; if any one eat of this bread, he shall live forever John vi 31-58.
From these things it is plain that the Lord Himself is 'the hidden manna' that will be in their works if they approach Him only. Whether you say 'the Lord', or 'the good of celestial love', or even the wisdom of that love', it is the same. But this is an arcanum that scarcely fits in with the natural idea of anyone so long as that is veiled over by a cloud from worldly things, but it does fit in when he has [a mind] unclouded and exposed to the sunshine, as can be seen concerning these things in ANGELIC WISDOM CONCERNING DIVINE LOVE AND WISDOM, from beginning to end.
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