Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 345

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345. 'A tiller of the ground' means someone who, devoid of charity, acts from faith separated from love, which is not faith at all. This becomes clear from the statements made further on, 'Jehovah had no respect for his gift', and 'he killed his brother', that is, he destroyed charity meant by Abel. People who look to bodily and earthly interests are said to be 'tilling the ground', as is clear from what has been stated at Chapter 3:19, 23, where it is said that 'the man was sent out of the garden of Eden to till the ground'.


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