1168. For in one hour so great riches are devastated.- That this signifies the loss of everything which they had gained, and by which they hoped to make gain, is evident from the signification of being devastated in one hour, as denoting total destruction (concerning which see above, n. 1136), thus also the loss of all things; and from the signification of riches, as denoting gains, which are honours and wealth, thus the things which they have gained, and also the evils and falsities of doctrine and of religion, being those things by which they hoped to make gain. Similar things are signified here by riches, as above by the wares enumerated in verses 12, 13, 14.
[2] Continuation.- Man is removed from evils, in proportion as he is removed from hell, for evils and hell are one; and so far as he is removed from these, so far he enters into goods, and is conjoined with heaven, for goods and heaven are one. He then becomes another man, his freedom, his good, his mind, his understanding and will are changed, for he becomes an angel of heaven. His freedom, which before had been the freedom of thinking and willing evil, becomes the freedom of thinking and willing good, which in itself is essential freedom. When a man is in this freedom, he then first knows what freedom is, but not before, because from the freedom of evil he had felt the freedom of good as slavery, but now from the freedom of good he feels that the freedom of evil is slavery; for this is its true character. The good which he had done before, because it was from the freedom of evil, could not be good in reality, the love of self or of the world having been in it; for good does not exist from any other origin than love. Therefore the good is of the same quality as the love; if the love is evil, still its delight is felt as good, although it is evil. But the good which he does afterwards is good in reality, because from the Lord, who, as was said above, is good itself.
[3] The mind of man, before it has been conjoined to heaven, is turned backwards, because it has not yet been brought forth out of hell. But when it is in a state of reformation, it looks from truth to good, thus from the left to the right, which is contrary to order; but after it is conjoined with heaven it is turned forwards, and elevated to the Lord, and looks from right to left, that is, from good to truth, which is according to order. This is the way in which the turning is effected.
The case is similar with the understanding and will, for the former is a recipient of truth, and the latter a recipient of good. Before man is led out of hell, the understanding and will do not act as one, for at that time he sees and acknowledges from his understanding many things which he does not will, because they are hot objects of his love. But when he is conjoined to heaven, his understanding and will act as one, the former becoming the agent of the latter. For when the turning is effected he loves what he wills, and that which he wills from love, he also thinks. In this way after a man is removed from evils by resistance and combat against them as if from himself, he comes into the love of truth and good, and then everything which he wills and thence does, he also thinks and thence speaks.
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