17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
-Matthew 19:16-26 King James Version (KJV)
Arcana Coelestia, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1749-56], tr. by John F. Potts [1905-10], at sacred-texts.com
Women who from low and mean condition have become rich, and in their pride have given themselves up to pleasures and a life of delicacy and ease, reclining on couches like queens, sitting at tables and banquets, and caring for nothing else, when they come into the other life have wretched quarrels with one another-they beat and tear each other, they drag each other by the hair, and become like furies.
[Spiritual Experiences (Buss) n. 1347
1347. CONCERNING THE FURIOUS CREW, OR THE FURIES
Those become like furies after death who in the world have lived, as very many of the lowest class have, continually in brawls and thefts, who think nothing about eternal life and consequently have no belief, but live almost constantly in contentions and enmities, provoking others, insulting them in various ways, bringing harm upon them by which they are delighted, and stealing as often as the opportunity occurs. Those also become like furies who are like these inwardly, though better behaved because they have been brought up differently and fear the penalties of the law. They appear naked, both males and females, with their hair flying about them, and yet the hair round about is cut, not hanging down the back, but bound around the head like a broom.]
Those become like furies after death who in the world have lived, as very many of the lowest class have, continually in brawls and thefts, who think nothing about eternal life and consequently have no belief, but live almost constantly in contentions and enmities, provoking others, insulting them in various ways, bringing harm upon them by which they are delighted, and stealing as often as the opportunity occurs. Those also become like furies who are like these inwardly, though better behaved because they have been brought up differently and fear the penalties of the law. They appear naked, both males and females, with their hair flying about them, and yet the hair round about is cut, not hanging down the back, but bound around the head like a broom.]
It is otherwise with those who have been born into the pleasures and enjoyments of life, and who have been educated in such things from childhood, such as queens, and others of noble family, and also those of wealthy parentage. These, though they have lived in luxury, splendor, and elegance, provided they have lived at the same time in faith in the Lord and charity toward the neighbor, are among the happy in the other life. For to deprive oneself of the enjoyments of life, of power, and of riches, and to think thus to merit heaven by wretchedness, is a false course. But to esteem pleasures and power and riches as nothing in comparison with the Lord, and the life of the world as nothing in comparison with heavenly life, this is what is meant in the Word by renouncing these things.
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