Heaven and Hell - Swedenborg Foundation

HEAVEN AND HELL 274
truths inwardly and perceive them. All this makes clear what
true intelligence is and what true wisdom is.
352. Spurious intelligence and wisdom is failing to see and
perceive from within what is true and what is good, and
thereby what is false and what is evil, but merely believing that
to be true and good and that to be false and evil which is said
by others to be so, and then confirming it. Because such see
truth from someone else, and not from the truth itself, they
can seize upon and believe what is false as readily as what is
true, and can confirm it until it appears true; for whatever is
confirmed puts on the appearance of truth; and there is
nothing that cannot be confirmed. The interiors of such are
opened only from beneath; but their exteriors are opened to
the extent that they have confirmed themselves. For this reason
the light from which they see is not the light of heaven but the
light of the world, which is called natural light [lumen]; and in
that light falsities can shine like truths; and when confirmed
they can even appear resplendent, but not in the light of
heaven. Of this class those are less intelligent and wise who
have strongly confirmed themselves, and those are more
intelligent and wise who have less strongly confirmed
themselves. All this shows what spurious intelligence and
wisdom are.
[2] But those are not included in this class who in childhood
supposed what they heard from their masters to be true, if in a
riper age, when they think from their own understanding, they
do not continue to hold fast to it, but long for truth, and from
that longing seek for it, and when they find it are interiorly
moved by it. Because such are moved by the truth for the
truth’s sake they see the truth before they confirm it. 228
228. It is the part of the wise to see and perceive whether a thing is true
before it is confirmed and not merely to confirm what is said by others (n.
1017, 4741, 7012, 7680, 7950). Only those can see and perceive whether a