Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 7118

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7118. 'For they are slack' means because they have not been sufficiently assaulted. This is clear from the meaning of 'their being slack' as their not being molested sufficiently by falsities, thus not assaulted sufficiently. The nature of this may also be recognized from those who are molested by falsities in the next life. So far as they can, those who molest prevent the upright whom they molest from thinking about the Lord. As soon as any thought at all which has to do plainly with the Lord presents itself they instantly remove it, which they know how to do cleverly. But thought about the Lord which is present with those who are molested is nevertheless all-embracing, since it flows in by way of heaven, and so is too internal to be exposed to view. And as soon as these people cease to be molested they therefore enter into thought about the Lord. For what flows in from heaven and reigns universally reveals itself wherever people are in freedom. From all this one may see what the internal sense of these words is - of the words, For they are slack; therefore they cry out, saying, Let us go, let us sacrifice to our God.


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