Arcana Coelestia (Potts) n. 8458

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8458. A small round thing. That this signifies the good of truth in its first formation, is evident from the signification of "small," as being predicated of truth; and from the signification of "round," as being predicated of good; consequently "a small round thing" is predicated of the good of truth. The good with the man of the spiritual church is called "the good of truth," and is truth not only as to origin, but also as to essence. It is seen as truth, but it is felt as good. Consequently as truth it forms the intellectual part of the mind, and as good it forms the new will part. For in man the intellectual part is distinguished from the will part by the fact that the intellectual part presents to itself things in a form, and so that it may see them as in the light, whereas the will part is affected by them so that it simultaneously feels them as delight, thus as good, and this according to the quality of the form. That "small" is predicated of truth, and "round" of good, has its cause in the manifestations of truth and of good in the other life. When truths and goods are presented in a visible form, as they are in the other life openly before the eyes of spirits and angels, then truth is presented in a discrete quantity, consequently as much or as little, according to the quality of the truth; truth is also presented as angular in various forms, and it is also presented as white. But good is there presented in a continuous quantity, thus not as much or as little; good is also presented as round, which is continuous in form; and in color as blue, yellow, and red. That when good and truth are presented to view they appear in this way, comes from their difference as to quality, which when it becomes visible thus expresses and represents itself in a natural form. Hence it is that things which in the world approach such forms signify either truths or goods, for there is nothing in the universe that in respect to its quality does not bear relation either to good or to truth.


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