Doctrine of Holy Scripture - Swedenborg Foundation

DOCTRINE OF HOLY SCRIPTURE 197wisdom; and so the doctrine would be like a house in the air, andnot on the earth, and would lack a foundation.55. The doctrine of genuine truth can also be drawn in full fromthe sense of the letter of the Word, because in this sense the Wordis like a man clothed whose face and hands are bare. All things thatconcern man’s life, and consequently his salvation, are bare; but therest are clothed. In many places also where they are clothed theyshine through their clothing, like a face through a thin veil of silk.The truths of the Word also appear and shine through theirclothing more and more clearly in proportion as they are multipliedby a love for them, and are ranged in order by this love. But thisalso is by means of doctrine.56. It might be believed that the doctrine of genuine truth couldbe procured by means of the spiritual sense of the Word which isfurnished through a knowledge of correspondences. But doctrine isnot procured by means of that sense, but is only lighted up andcorroborated. For as said before (n. 26), no one comes into thespiritual sense of the Word by means of correspondences unless heis first in genuine truths from doctrine. If a man is not first ingenuine truths he may falsify the Word by means of somecorrespondences with which he is acquainted, by connecting themtogether and interpreting them so as to confirm that which cleavesto his mind from some principle previously received. Moreover thespiritual sense of the Word is not given anyone except by the Lordalone, and it is guarded by him as heaven is guarded, for heaven isin it. It is better therefore for man to study the Word in the senseof the letter; from this alone is doctrine furnished.57. (c) The genuine truth which must be of doctrine appears in thesense of the letter to none but those who are in enlightenment from theLord. Enlightenment is from the Lord alone, and exists with thosewho love truths because they are truths and make them of use forlife. With others there is no enlightenment in the Word. Thereason why enlightenment is from the Lord alone is that the Lord isin all things of the Word. The reason why enlightenment existswith those who love truths because they are truths and make them