Divine Providence (Dick and Pulsford) n. 222

Previous Number Next Number See Latin 

222. I. A MAN MAY BE ADMITTED INTO THE WISDOM OF SPIRITUAL THINGS, AND ALSO INTO THE LOVE OF THEM, AND YET NOT BE REFORMED. This is because man has rationality and liberty; and by rationality he may be raised up into wisdom almost angelic, and by liberty into love not unlike angelic love; and yet the wisdom is of the same quality as the love. If the love is celestial and spiritual the wisdom also becomes celestial and spiritual; but if the love is diabolical and infernal the wisdom is also diabolical and infernal. This, indeed, may then appear in outward form, and thus to others, as celestial and spiritual, but in its internal form, which is its very essence, it is diabolical and infernal; not as it is outside of the man but as it is within him. That such is its nature does not appear to men because men are natural and they see and hear naturally, and the external form is natural. That such is its nature, however, does appear to angels, because angels are spiritual and they see and hear spiritually, and the internal form is spiritual. [2] Hence it is evident that a man may be admitted into the wisdom of spiritual things, and also into the love of them, and yet not be reformed; but in this case he is admitted only into the natural and not into the spiritual love of them. This is because a man may introduce himself into the natural love, but the Lord alone can introduce him into the spiritual love; and those who are introduced into this love are reformed, but those who are only introduced into the natural love are not reformed. Such are for the most part hypocrites, and many of them are of the Order of Jesuits, who interiorly do not believe in the Divine at all, but outwardly play with Divine things like conjurers.


This page is part of the Heavenly Doctrines

© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church