Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 7002

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7002. 'And be glad in his heart' means an affection belonging to love. This is clear from the meaning of 'being glad in one's heart' as the pleasure and delight that spring from an affection belonging to love; for all gladness stems from an affection belonging to love. The expression 'an affection belonging to love' is used in reference to the teachings that present what is good and true, not to those who possess those teachings, because of the way angels speak. Angels use that kind of expression because they do not wish to speak in terms of persons; for if they did their ideas would be diverted from their complete overall view of things, and so from their comprehension of countless matters simultaneously. For this reason they attribute pleasure and delight, and also affection, and other things like them, to those teachings. Teachings also hold pleasure and delight when a person applies them to himself, because those teachings contain God's truth going forth from the Lord; and God's truth going forth from the Lord contains love, and so pleasure and delight.


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