affinities therewith.
The angels declare that a man's character is perceived from a single
deed, but in a likeness of his love, which varies according to its
determinations into affections, and into thoughts therefrom. In a word,
before the angels every act or deed of a spiritual man is like a
palatable fruit, useful and beautiful, which when opened and eaten
yields flavor, use, and delight. That the angels have such a perception
of the acts and deeds of men may also be seen above (n. 220).
280. It is the same with man's speech. The angels recognize a man's love
from his tone in speaking, his wisdom from his articulation, and his
knowledge from the meaning of the words. They declare, moreover, that
these three are in every word, because the word is a kind of resultant,
involving tone, articulation, and meaning. It was told me by angels of
the third heaven that from each successive word that a man speaks in
discourse they perceive the general state of his disposition, and also
some particular states. That in each single word of the Word there is
something spiritual from the Divine wisdom, and something celestial from
the Divine love; and that these are perceived by angels when the Word is
devoutly read by man, has been abundantly shown in The Doctrine of the
New Jerusalem Concerning the Sacred Scripture.
281. The conclusion is, that in the deeds of a man whose natural mind
descends through three degrees into hell there are all his evils and his
falsities of evil; and that in the deeds of a man whose natural mind
ascends into heaven there are all his goods and truths; and that both are
perceived by the angels from the mere speech and act of man. From this
it is said in the Word that a man "shall be judged according to his
deeds," and that he shall render an account of his words.
282. PART FOURTH.
THE LORD FROM ETERNITY, WHO IS JEHOVAH, CREATED THE UNIVERSE AND ALL
THINGS THEREOF FROM HIMSELF, AND NOT FROM NOTHING.
It is known throughout the world, and acknowledged by every wise man from
interior perception, that God, who is the Creator of the universe, is One;
and it is known from the Word that God the Creator of the universe is
called "Jehovah," which is from the verb to be, because He alone is. That
the Lord from eternity is that Jehovah is shown by many statements from
the Word in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Concerning the Lord. Jehovah
is called the Lord from eternity, since Jehovah assumed a Human tha
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