Lord _opened the eyes_ of the young man, and he _saw_: and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” Here is a case quite to the point. The natural eyes of the young man were already open; for how otherwise could he have seen the Syrian host, and have been afraid? Elisha prayed that his eyes might be opened. What eyes? Why, clearly, the eyes of his spiritual body; which done, he was enabled to perceive the heavenly guardianship which was extended over his master. Every one will now understand what we mean, when we shall have occasion to speak of the opening of man’s spiritual sight. Having thus defined the conditions of Swedenborg’s spiritual vision, and cleared away some questions which, if answered, would have impeded our narrative, we will now proceed with our history. CHAPTER IX. _Prepares for his New Office—Resigns his Assessorship—His “Adversaria”—His “Spiritual Diary”—The Death of Polheim._ Called to a high and holy office, Swedenborg set about preparing himself for the fulfilment of its duties. Leaving London in the beginning of July, 1745, he took ship for Sweden, where he arrived on the 7th of August. On this voyage, his spiritual intercourse was suspended. He lived quietly at home during 1746; probably in the performance and enjoyment of the settled routine of his Assessorship, and in earnest meditation on the heavenly arcana now fully opened to his view. In 1747, in order that he might be more at liberty to devote himself to the mission to which the Lord had called him, he asked leave of King Frederick to retire from his Assessorship, and that he might enjoy, during life, as a retiring pension, half of his official salary; requesting, at the same time, that no addition to his rank or title might be conferred upon him. The King yielded to his wishes; but in consideration of his long and faithful service of thirty-one years, continued to him the whole of his salary.