Arcana Coelestia (Potts) n. 5070

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5070. The "eternal life" which is given to the righteous, is life from good. Good has life in itself, because it is from the Lord, who is life itself. In the life which is from the Lord there are wisdom and intelligence; for to receive good from the Lord and thence to will good, is wisdom; and to receive truth from the Lord and thence to believe truth, is intelligence; and they who have this wisdom and intelligence have life; and as happiness is joined to such life, eternal happiness also is signified by "life." The contrary is the case with those who are in evil. These do indeed appear-especially to themselves-as if they had life, but it is such life as in the Word is called "death," and also is spiritual death; for they are not wise in any good, nor intelligent in any truth. This may be seen by everyone who takes the matter into consideration, for as there is life in good and in its truth, there cannot be life in evil and in its falsity, because these are opposite and extinguish life. Therefore the persons in question have no other life than such as belongs to the insane.


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