Angelic Wisdom about Divine ProvidenceSwedenborg, Emanuel
Religion
Angelic Wisdom about Divine Providence
Swedenborg, Emanuel
Providence and government of God -- Christianity
[5] Second: _Truth does not appear when falsity has been confirmed, but
falsity is apparent from truth confirmed._ All falsity is in darkness and
all truth in light. In darkness nothing is seen, nor indeed is it known
what anything is except by contact with it, but it is different in the
light. In the Word falsities are therefore called darkness, and those who
are in falsities are said to walk in darkness and in the shadow of death.
In turn, truths are called light in it, and those who are in truths are
said to walk in the light and to be the children of light.
[6] There is much to show that when falsity has been confirmed, truth
does not appear, but when truth has been confirmed, falsity is apparent.
For instance, who would see a spiritual truth unless the Word taught it?
Would there not be darkness that could be dispelled only by the light in
which the Word is, and only with one who wishes to be enlightened? What
heretic can see his falsities unless he welcomes the genuine truth of the
church? Until then he does not see them. I have talked with those who
confirmed themselves in faith apart from charity and who were asked
whether they saw the frequent mention in the Word of love and charity,
works and deeds, and keeping the Commandments, and the declaration that
the man who keeps the Commandments is blessed and wise, but the man who
does not is foolish. They said that on reading these things they saw them
only as matters of faith, and passed them by with their eyes closed, so
to speak.
[7] Those who have confirmed themselves in falsities are like men who see
streaks on a wall, and at twilight fancy that they see the figure of a
horseman or just of a man, a visionary image which is dissipated when the
daylight floods in. Who can sense the spiritual uncleanness of adultery
except one who is in the cleanliness of chastity? Who can feel the
cruelty of vengeance except one who is in good from love to the neighbor?
What adulterer or what avenger does not sneer at those who call enjoyment
in such acts as theirs infernal but the enjoyments of marital love and
neighborly love heavenly? And so on.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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