Heaven and Hell (Harley) n. 130

Previous Number Next Number Next Translation See Latin 

130. That the light in the heavens is spiritual and moreover that this light is Divine Truth may be inferred from the fact that man also has spiritual light and has enlightenment from that light so far as he is in intelligence and wisdom from Divine Truth. Man's spiritual light is the light of his understanding, and the objects of that light are truths, which he arranges analytically into groups, forms into reasons, and from them draws conclusions in a series.# The natural man does not know that the light from which the understanding sees such things is the real light, for he neither sees it with his eyes nor perceives it in thought. Yet, there are many who recognize this light and distinguish it from the natural light in which those are who think naturally and not spiritually. Those who take account of the world only, think naturally and attribute all things to nature; while those think spiritually who take account of heaven and attribute all things to the Divine. It has many times been granted to me to perceive and also to see that there is a true light (lux) that enlightens the mind, wholly distinct from the light called the natural light (lumen). I have been raised up interiorly into that light by degrees, and as I was raised up, my understanding became so enlightened as to enable me to perceive what I did not perceive before, and finally such things as I could not even comprehend by thought from natural light. Sometimes I felt indignant that these things could not be comprehended when yet they were so clearly and plainly perceived in heavenly light.## Since the understanding has its light, therefore it is said of it, as of the eye, that it sees and is in light when it perceives, and is in obscurity and shade when it does not perceive, and many similar expressions. # The light of heaven illume, man's understanding and on account of this man is rational (n. 1524, 3138, 3167, 4408, 6608, 8707, 9128, 9399, 10569). The understanding is enlightened because it is a recipient of truth (n. 6222, 6608, 10659). The understanding is enlightened to the extent that man receives truth in good from the Lord (n. 3619). The understanding is such as are the truths from good by which it is formed (n. 10064). The understanding has light from heaven, as the sight has light from the world (n. 1524, 5114, 6608, 9128). The light of heaven from the Lord is always present with man, but it flows in only in the degree that man is in truth from good (n. 4060, 4214). ## When man is raised up from the sensual he comes into a milder light, and at length into celestial light (n. 6313, 6315, 9407). When man is raised up into intelligence there is an actual elevation into the light of heaven (n. 3190). How great a light was perceived when I was withdrawn from worldly ideas (n. 1526, 6608).


This page is part of the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church