Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 472

Previous Number Next Number Next Translation See Latin 

472. 'On the day in which God created Man' means when he was made spiritual, and 'in the likeness of God He made him' when he was made celestial. This is clear from what has been staled and shown already. Strictly speaking, the expression 'to create' has regard to a person while he is being created anew, or regenerated, whereas 'to make' has regard to when he is being perfected. This is why in the Word a careful distinction is maintained between 'creating', 'forming', and making', as has appeared already in Chapter 2 where, the subject being the spiritual man who became celestial, it is said that 'God rested from all His work which God had created when making it'. The same distinction occurs in other places, where 'creating' has regard to the spiritual man, while 'making', which is perfecting, has regard to the celestial man. See 16 and 88.


This page is part of the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church