6005. A secret not previously known is that the Lord joins goodness to truths in the spiritual mind, that is to say, in a person's spirit, and what is done by the Lord in that mind does not come to a person's conscious awareness except only dimly. This awareness becomes gradually clearer as a person devotes himself to goodness in life, which takes place on the person's earthly level. This is what is meant by the Lord's words to Peter, "Once a man has been washed, he has no need of being washed except as to his feet" [5793-5798] and this happens as often as a person thinks and wills what is good as if from himself.
[2] So too is understood the Lord's statement in the book of Revelation that He is ever knocking at the door and that He goes in with him who opens [3:20]. This opening is done as if by the person if he nevertheless acknowledges that it is done by the Lord.
[3] The Lord's making it so that a person thinks and wills what is good as if from himself is the absolute essential of reformation, for in this way it is as if it were his own, that is to say, through this [i.e., doing what is good] it enters his affection and becomes a matter of love. This is reciprocation.
[4] The learned prelates affirm everything spoken by the laity about the good of life, saying it is the fruit of faith, but in themselves they think otherwise, namely, that good must not be done from any manifest act of will because this is evil since it is from the person, and because by so doing he claims goodness for himself. On this account they think nothing about goodness in life stemming from a spiritual origin, but only from a natural cause, as spoken of above [6004]. It is on account of this that the faith of the clergy differs so from the faith of the laity. The nature of the difference appears openly in the other life, where priests who have based their belief on this doctrine suffer hard things and those who have lived in accord with it are condemned.
6005. It is an arcanum not previously known, that the Lord conjoins good with truth, in the spiritual mind, or in the spirit of man; and what is transacted by the Lord in that mind, does not come to the open perception of man, save only obscurely; but this perception becomes gradually more manifest when man cultivates the good of life, which takes place in the natural man. This is meant by the Lord's words to Peter: 1"He that is once washed needeth not to be washed except as to the feet" for, so far as a man performs goods, so far the conjunction of spiritual good with natural takes place. This is brought about by a moral life, as above described; and it takes place as often as man thinks and wills good as from himself.
Such, also, is the meaning of the Lord's word in the Apocalypse: that He constantly knocks 2at the door, and that, with him who opens, He enters. This opening occurs as if from man - but only if he acknowledge that it is from the Lord.
That the Lord moves man to think and will good as of himself, is the very essential of reformation; for thus it is appropriated to him as his own, or thereby it enters his affection, and becomes of the love. This is reciprocation. The learned clergy affirm everything which the laity say about good of life, saying it is the fruit of faith; but, in themselves, they believe differently, namely, that good should not be performed from any manifest will, because this, since it is from man, is evil, and because he thus arrogates good to himself. Wherefore, they do not think anything about good of life, from a spiritual origin, but merely from a natural cause, as above stated: hence it is that the faith of the clergy is so different from the faith of the laity. Of what sort the difference is, is plainly evident in the other life, where priests who have believed in agreement with that doctrine suffer severe punishments, and those who have lived according to it are damned.
Footnotes:
1. John 13:10.
2. Rev. 3:20.
6005. Arcanum non prius notum est, quod Dominus conjungat bonum vero, in mente spirituali, seu in spiritu hominis, et quid agitur a Domino in illa mente, non venit ad manifestam perceptionem hominis, nisi solum obscure; quae perceptio fit successive manifestior, cum homo studet bono vitae, quod fit in naturali homine, hoc intelligitur per Domini verba ad Petrum, qui semel lotus est, non opus habet nisi quoad pedes lavetur [Joh. XIII: 10]: nam quantum homo operatur bona, tantum fit conjunctio spiritualis boni cum naturali, quod fit per vitam moralem, ut supra [cf. 5793-5798] et hoc fit quoties homo cogitat et vult bonum sicut a se.
[2] Ita quoque intelligitur Domini verbum in Apocalypsi, quod jugiter pulset januam, et quod ingrediatur apud illum qui aperit [III: 20]. Haec aperitio fit sicut ab homine, si tamen agnoscit quod a Domino.
[3] Quod Dominus agat hominem ut cogitet et velit bonum sicut ex se, est ipsum essentiale reformationis, sic enim ei id appropriatur sicut suum, seu per id intrat affectionem ejus, et fit amoris, hoc reciprocum est.
[4] Antistites docti affirmant omnia quae laici loquuntur de bono vitae, dicentes esse fructum fidei, at ipsi aliter apud se credunt, quod nempe non operandum esse bonum ex aliqua voluntate manifeste, quia hoc est malum quia ab homine, et quia sic vindicat sibi bonum, quare nihil cogitant de bono vitae ex origine spirituali, sed solum ex causa naturali, ut supra [6004]; inde est quod fides clericorum ita differat a fide laicorum: quale discrimen apparet evidenter in altera vita; ubi sacerdotes, qui ex ea doctrina crediderunt, dura patiuntur qui vixerunt secundum eam condemnantur.