Page:A Compendium of the Theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg.djvu/134

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THE DOCTRINE OF THE LORD.

Divine Good, there it says Jehovah, and where of the Divine Truth, God, and where of both, Jehovah God. That Jehovah God descended as the Divine Truth, which is the Word, is evident in John, where are these words: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made hy Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. . . . And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us" (i. 1, 3, 14). (T, C. R. n. 85.)

In the Word the Lord is called Jehovah as to Divine Good; for Divine Good is the very Divine. And the Lord is called the Son of God as to Divine Truth; for Divine Truth proceeds from Divine Good, as a son from a father, and also is said to be born. (A. C. n. 7499.)

Yet did not separate the Divine Good.

Divine Good can in nowise be and exist without Divine Truth, nor Divine Truth without Divine Good, but one in the other, mutually and reciprocally. . . . The Divine Good is the Father, and the Divine Truth the Son. (A. C. n. 2803.)

That God, although He descended as the Divine Truth, still did not separate the Divine Good, is evident from the conception, concerning which we read, that The virtue of the Most High over-shadoived Mary (Luke i. 35); and by the virtue of the Most High is meant the Divine Good. The same is evident from the passages where He says, that the Father is in Him, and He in the Father; that all things of the Father are His; and that the Father and He are one; besides many other things. By the Father is meant the Divine Good. (T. C. R. n. 88.)

[Note.—To assist the reader to the rationality of the above conception, it may be briefly stated that, as the Divine Good and Truth from eternity were not separated, so in the Lord Jesus Christ; although He descended, or came out from infinity and eternity as Divine Truth, yet this is spoken of in reference to manifestation, as He is also called the Son of God in reference to His Divine Humanity, which only can be seen. Good, when it is formed, or brought forth so that it can be intellectually perceived, is called Truth; for there is but one Divine Essence, which is Love or Good, of which Wisdom or Truth is the bodily form. But although the Lord was Divine Good, because He was Jehovah Himself, yet that whole Good and Truth appearing, is called Divine Truth. Hence may be comprehended the rationality of the explanation, that, although He descended as to the Divine Truth, yet he did not separate the Divine Good.—Fernald.]

Reasons for the Incarnation.

After all the celestial in man, that is, all love to God was lost, so that there remained no longer any will to what was good, the human race was separated from the Divine, for nothing conjoins