Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 493such that in it truths themselves are seen and are consequentlybelieved. In heaven no one believes any truth unless he sees it or hasseen it; for they say, “who can believe that a thing is so unless hesees it? it may possibly be false.” And only the evil can believe whatis false; for the evil from evil see falsities, but the good from goodsee truths; and as good is from the Lord, so also seeing truth fromgood is from the Lord. Angels see truths because the light ofheaven, in which they are, is Divine truth proceeding from theLord; all, therefore, even those in the world, who are in that lightare able to see truth. (Of the light of heaven, and that it is such, seein the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 126–140.)[6] It was then shown that charity and faith act as one and entertogether into man, thus that man is so far in faith as he is incharity, since faith as to its essence is charity, just as truth as to itsessence is good; for good, when it exists in shape or in form istruth; in like manner charity is faith, for good is of charity andtruth is of faith; moreover, the one loves the other and conjoinsitself to the other, therefore one is not given unless the other bewith it. This was illustrated by man’s thought, which is of hisunderstanding, and his affection, which is of his will; to think apartfrom affection is impossible, for the very essence of thought isaffection or love. Man is able, to be sure, to think all things that heknows from the doctrine of the church, but only from a naturalaffection, which is the affection or love of glory, fame, honor orgain; but such an affection does not make thought to be spiritual;this requires charity, which is spiritual affection itself. When this isconjoined with knowledges there is faith, and then so far as man isin that affection he sees in thought the things that are of his faith,which are called truths, and acknowledges them, because they arefrom his very spirit, thus from his very spiritual life. This also iswhat is called illustration; and this is why no one can be illustratedfrom the Word unless he is in the spiritual affection of truth.Something like illustration there is, indeed, with those who haveconfirmed themselves in such things as are of the doctrine of faithalone and justification by faith; but that illustration is a fatuousillustration, since falsities as well as truths can be confirmed, like allthose heresies that prevail both among the Jews and among Papists.With those who are called naturalists, and who deny God, the