purification; in which case a communication with heaven and its life is opened, and we are admitted to a perception of heavenly truth in our understandings, and the fruition of heavenly goods in our wills, through conjunction with the Divine Human [principle] of the Lord.
63. Though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend; yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. (Luke xi. 8.) We learn from these words the necessity of co-operation with God, in order to receive the blessed things of His love and wisdom. In other words, it is not enough for our admittance into heaven that God is willing and desirous to admit us; but we also must be willing and desirous ourselves to admit into our hearts, our understandings, and lives, the principles of heavenly life, which are of heavenly love and wisdom, otherwise the will and desire of God are of no effect. The love of God, in short, can only profit us so far as it excites us to re-love Him, because the love of God can only profit us so far as it effects our conjunction with God, and without re-love there can be no conjunction. It is said, He will rise and give, to teach us, that God must first arise before He can give; in other words, He must be exalted to the highest place in our regard, otherwise we can never become receptive of His mercy and truth.
64. When Elijah was asleep under the juniper-tree in the wilderness, behold, an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and, behold,
