15 And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
-Genesis 2:15 King James Version (KJV)
Arcana Coelestia, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1749-56], tr. by John F. Potts [1905-10], at sacred-texts.com
Verse 15. And Jehovah God took the man, and put him in the garden of Eden, to till it and take care of it. By the "garden of Eden" are signified all things of the celestial man, as described; by to "till it and take care of it" is signified that it is permitted him to enjoy all these things, but not to possess them as his own, because they are the Lord's.
The celestial man acknowledges, because he perceives, that all things both in general and in particular are the Lord's. The spiritual man does indeed acknowledge the same, but with the mouth, because he has learned it from the Word. The worldly... man neither acknowledges nor admits it; but whatever he has he calls his own, and imagines that were he to lose it, he would altogether perish.
That wisdom, intelligence, reason, and knowledge are not of man, but of the Lord, is very evident from all that the Lord taught; as in Matthew, where the Lord compares Himself to a householder, who planted a vineyard, and hedged it round, and let it out to husbandmen (21:33); and in John: The Spirit of truth shall guide you into all truth; for He shall not speak of Himself, but what things soever He shall hear, He shall speak; He shall glorify Me, for He shall receive of Mine, and shall declare it unto you (John 16:13-14). And in another place: A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven (John 3:27). That this is really so is known to everyone who is acquainted with even a few of the arcana [secrets] of heaven.
Spiritual Experiences Minor by Emanuel Swedenborg (Buss) n. 4711
4711. ...The celestial angels, or the celestial heaven, wherein are the men of the Most Ancient Church... The spiritual angels, or the spiritual heaven, wherein are the men of the Ancient and modern church...
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