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110. Which is in the midst of the paradise of God. That this signifies that all knowledges (cognitiones) of good and truth in heaven and in the church, look thither and proceed thence, is evident from the signification of the midst, as being the centre to which all things in the circumference look, and from which they proceed (concerning which see above, n. 97): and from the signification of paradise, as being the knowledges of good and truth, and intelligence therefrom (concerning which see Arcana Coelestia 100, 108, 1588, 2702, 3220). And because these things are signified by paradise, therefore by the paradise of God is signified heaven, and because heaven is signified, the church also is signified for the church is the Lord's heaven on earth; these are called the paradise of God, because the Lord is in the midst thereof, and from Him are all intelligence and wisdom. Because hitherto it has not been known that all things in the Word are written by correspondences, and consequently that spiritual things are involved in the most minute things there related, it is believed that, by the paradise treated of in the second chapter of Genesis, is meant a paradisiacal garden, whereas no terrestrial paradise is there meant, but a heavenly paradise, which those possess who have, intelligence and wisdom from the knowledges (cognitiones) of good and truth (see above, n. 109, and in the work, Heaven and Hell 176, 185).
[2] It is therefore evident, not only what is signified by paradise, or the garden of Eden, but also by the paradises, or gardens of God, mentioned in other parts of the Word; as in Isaiah:
"Jehovah will comfort Zion, he will comfort all her waste places, so that he will make her wilderness into Eden, and her desert into the garden of Jehovah: joy and gladness shall be found therein" (Arcana Coelestia 119, 1186.)
[3] Something shalt here be said to explain, how it is to be understood that all knowledges (cognitiones) of good and truth have regard to the good of love to the Lord, and also that they thence proceed; which things are signified by the words: "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God." The good of love to the Lord is the Lord Himself because the Lord is in the good of His own love with men, spirits, and angels.
That all knowledges (cognitiones) of good and truth look to this, or to the Lord, is known in the Christian Church; for the doctrine of the church teaches that without the Lord there is no salvation; and also, that all salvation is in the Lord; the knowledges (cognitiones) of good and truth, or doctrinals from the Word, teach how man may come to God, and be conjoined to Him. (That no one can be conjoined to God except from the Lord, and in the Lord, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, 283, 296.) It is therefore evident that all things which the church teaches from the Word, have regard to the Lord and to love to Him, as the end to which they are all directed. That all knowledges of good and truth, or doctrinals from the Word, proceed from the Lord, is also known in the church; for it is taught in the church that everything of love and of faith is from heaven, and nothing from man, and also that no one can love God and believe in Him from himself. To love God and to believe in Him, involve all those things that the church teaches, which are called doctrinals and knowledges (cognitiones), because it is from these that He is loved and believed in. Love and faith are not granted to man without previous knowledges (cognitiones); for without the latter man would be empty.
[4] From these considerations it follows, that as everything of love and of faith proceeds from the Lord, so also all the knowledges (cognitiones) of good and truth, which constitute and form love and faith, proceed from Him, because all these knowledges look to the Lord, and proceed from Him; and this is what is signified by the tree of life in the midst of the paradise of God; therefore, all the trees in the paradise are called trees of life, and trees of Jehovah. Thus, in the Apocalypse they are called trees of life:
"In the midst of the street of it, and of the river going out from the throne of God and the Lamb, on this side and on that side, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve fruits" (22:1, 2);
and "trees of Jehovah" in David:
"The trees of Jehovah are full of sap, and the cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted" (Psalms 104:16).
It is therefore clear that by the tree of life in the midst of paradise, is meant every tree there, that is, every man, in the midst of whom, that is, in whom, is the Lord. From these considerations, and those adduced in the preceding article, it may be known what is signified by the statement, that to him that overcometh the Lord will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
110. Which is in the midst of the paradise of God, signifies that all the knowledges of good and truth in heaven and in the church look thereto and proceed therefrom. This is evident from the signification of "the midst," as being the center to which all things that are round about look and from which they proceed (of which above, n. 97 [1-2]) and from the signification of "paradise," as being the knowledges of good and truth and intelligence therefrom (Arcana Coelestia 100, 108, 1588, 2702, 3220); and because these are signified by "paradise," therefore by the "paradise of God" heaven is signified, and as heaven, so also the church is signified, for the church is the Lord's heaven on the earth. Heaven and the church are called the "paradise of God," because the Lord is in the midst of them, and from Him is all intelligence and wisdom. Since it has not been known heretofore that all things in the Word are written by correspondences, consequently that there are spiritual things in every particular that is mentioned therein, it is believed that by the "paradise" treated of in the second chapter of Genesis, a paradisal garden is meant. But no earthly paradise is there meant, but the heavenly paradise which those possess who are in intelligence and wisdom from the knowledges of good and truth (See above, n. 109); and in the work on Heaven and Hell 176, 185).
[2] From this it can be seen not only what is signified by the "paradise" or "garden in Eden," but also by the "paradises" or "gardens of God" elsewhere in the Word, as in Isaiah:
Jehovah shall comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places, even that He may make her wilderness into Eden, and her desert into a garden of Jehovah; joy and gladness shall be found therein (Arcana Coelestia 119, 1186.)
[3] Something shall now be said to explain how it is to be understood that all knowledges of good and truth look to the good of love to the Lord and proceed therefrom, which is the significance of these words: "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God." The good of love to the Lord is the Lord Himself, since the Lord is in the good of His love with man, spirit, and angel. That all knowledges of good and truth look thereto, or to the Lord, is known in the Christian church; for the doctrine of the church teaches that there is no salvation apart from the Lord, and also that all salvation is in the Lord.
The knowledges of good and truth, or doctrinals from the Word, teach how man can come to God and be conjoined to Him. (That no one can be conjoined to God except from the Lord and in the Lord, see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 283, 296.) From this it can be seen that all things taught by the church from the Word look to the Lord and to love to Him, as the end to which [ad quem]. That all knowledges of good and truth, or all doctrinals from the Word, proceed from the Lord is also known in the church, for it is there taught that everything of love and everything of faith is from heaven, and that nothing is from man; and that no one can love God and believe in Him from himself. To love God and to believe in Him involve all things that the church teaches, called doctrinals and knowledges, since from these is God loved and believed in. There is no love and faith without previous knowledges; for without knowledges man would be empty.
[4] From this it follows that as everything of love and of faith proceeds from the Lord, so do all knowledges of good and truth which make and form love and faith. Because all knowledges of good and truth look to the Lord, and proceed from Him, and this is what is signified by "the tree of life in the midst of the paradise of God," therefore all the trees in paradise are called "trees of life" and "trees of Jehovah;" in Revelation "trees of life":
In the midst of the street and of the river (flowing out from the throne of God and of the Lamb) on this side and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve fruits (Revelation 22:2).
In David they are called "trees of Jehovah":
The trees of Jehovah are satisfied, the cedars of Lebanon which He hath planted (Psalms 104:16).
From this also it is clear that by the "tree of life in the midst of paradise" is meant every tree there, in other words, every man in the midst of whom, that is, in whom is the Lord. From what has been shown here and in the preceding article, what is signified by the words, "The Lord will give to him that overcometh to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God," may be learned.
110. "Quae est in medio paradisi De" Quod significet quod illuc spectent, et inde procedant omnes cognitiones boni et veri in caelo et in ecclesia, constat ex significatione "medii", quod sit centrum quo omnia quae circum circa spectant et ex quo procedunt (de qua supra, n. 97); et ex significatione "paradisi", quod sint cognitiones boni et veri et inde intelligentia (de qua n. 100, 108, 1588, 2702, 3220); et quia illa per "paradisum" significantur, ideo per "paradisum Dei significatur caelum; et quia caelum, etiam significatur ecclesia, nam ecclesia est caelum Domini in terris; quae vocantur "paradisus Dei" quia Dominus est in medio ibi, et ab Ipso est omnis intelligentia et sapientia. Quoniam hactenus non notum fuit quod omnia in Verbo per correspondentias scripta sint, et inde quod spiritualia ibi insint singulis quae ibi dicta, credunt quod per "paradisum", de quo agitur in secundo capite Geneseos, intelligatur hortus paradisiacus; sed non intelligitur ibi aliquis paradisus terrestris, sed paradisus caelestis, qui est illis qui in intelligentia et sapientia ex cognitionibus boni et veri sunt (videatur supra, n. 109, et in opere De Caelo et Inferno 176, 185).
[2] Inde constare potest non solum quid per "paradisum" seu "hortum in Edene" significatum est, sed etiam quid per paradisos seu "hortos Dei" in Verbo:
- Ut apud Esaiam,
"Consolabitur Jehovah Zionem, consolabitur omnes vastitates ejus, adeo ejus in Eden, et solitudinem in hortum Jehovae laetitia et gaudium invenietur in ea" (51:3);
apud Ezechielem,
"In Eden horto Dei fuisti; omnis lapis pretiosus tegumentum tuum, (28:13);
haec dicuntur de Tyro, quia per "Tyrum" in Verbo significatur ecclesia quae in cognitionibus veri et boni, et inde intelligentia (videatur in Arcanis Caelestibus, n. 2201); intelligentia ejus inde est "Eden hortus Dei", similiter "lapis pretiosus" ex quo "tegumentum" (n. 114, 9863, 9865, 9868, 9873).
Apud eundem,
"Ecce Aschur cedrus in Libano;... cedri non occultaverunt eam In horto Dei... omnis arbor in horto Dei non par fuit illi in pulchritudine; pulchram feci eam per multitudinem ramorum ejus, et aemulatae sunt illi omnes arbores Eden in horto Dei" (31:3, 8, 9);
per "Aschurem" in Verbo intelliguntur illi qui per cognitiones boni et veri rationales facti sunt, ita quibus mens illustrata e caelo.
(Quod "Aschur" sit rationale hominis, videatur n. 119, 1186.)
[3] Aliquantum etiam hic explicabitur quomodo intelligendum est quod omnes cognitiones boni et veri spectent ad bonum amoris in Dominum, et quoque quod inde procedant, quae significantur per "Vincenti dabo edere ex arbore vitae quae est in medio paradisi Dei." Bonum amoris in Dominum est Ipse Dominus, quoniam Dominus est in sui amoris bono apud hominem, spiritum et angelum. Quod omnes cognitiones boni et veri illuc spectent seu ad Ipsum, notum est in Ecclesia Christiana; docet enim doctrina ibi, quod absque Domino nulla salus, et quoque quod in Domino omnis salus: cognitiones boni et veri seu doctrinalia ex Verbo docent quomodo homo possit venire ad Deum, et conjungi Ipsi. (Quod nemo possit conjungi Deo nisi a Domino et in Domino, videatur in Doctrina Novae Hierosolyma", n. De 283, De 296.) Inde constare potest quod omnia quae docet ecclesia ex Verbo spectent Dominum et amorem in Ipsum, ut finem ad quem. Quod omnes cognitiones boni et veri seu doctrinalia ex Verbo procedant a Domino, etiam notum est in ecclesia; docetur enim ibi quod omne amoris et omne fidei sit e caelo, et nihil ab homine, et quod nemo possit amare Deum et credere in Ipsum a se. Amare Deum et credere in Ipsum involvunt omnia quae ecclesia docet, quae vocantur doctrinalia et cognitiones, quoniam ex his amatur et creditur: amor et fides absque praeviis cognitionibus non datur, nam absque illis foret homo vacuus.
[4] Ex his sequitur, quod sicut omne amoris et fidei procedit a Domino, ita quoque omnes cognitiones boni et veri quae faciunt et formant amorem et fidem. Quia omnes cognitiones boni et veri spectant Dominum et procedunt ab Ipso, et hoc significatur per "arborem vitae in medio paradisi Dei", ideo omnes arbores in paradiso vocantur "arbores vitae", et "arbores Jehovae" "arbores vitae" in Apocalypsi,
"In medio plateae et fluvii (exeuntis e throno Dei et Agni), hinc et hinc arbor vitae faciens fructus duodecim" (22 [1,] 2);
et "arbores Jehovae" apud Davidem,
"Saturantur arbores Jehovae, et cedri Libani quas plantavit" (Psalms 104:16):
inde quoque patet quod per "arborem vitae in medio paradisi" intelligatur omnis arbor ibi, hoc est, omnis homo, in cujus medio, hoc est, in quo est Dominus. Ex his et ex illis quae in praecedente articulo ostensa sunt, sciri potest quid significatur per quod Dominus daturus sit vincenti "edere de arbore vitae quae in medio paradisi Dei."