Heaven and hell : also, the intermediate state, or world of spirits : a relation of things heard and seen / by Emanuel Swedenborg.
- Emmanuel Swedenborg
- Date:
- 1893
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Heaven and hell : also, the intermediate state, or world of spirits : a relation of things heard and seen / by Emanuel Swedenborg. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![ciples they have before imbibed, and which they are resolved to maintain with the most words, and such arguments as they are masters of; and hence it is, that we have so many critics, poli- ticians, and divines, which are utter strangers to the truth of the matters they take in hand. But reason has also its specific differences and measiires, ac cording to the natui-e of the subject to be investigated; thus ethics, physics, and metaphysics have each their respective prin- ciples, and consequently a distinct kind of reason, and he that is a good proficient in the Imowledge of one, may be very defi- cient in another. Thus every part of knowledge has its standard, adequate and proper to itself; so natural things are known by natui'al reason, and spiritual things are discerned by a spiritual light; and this distinction is founded on the authority of Scrip- tTore, in which we are told, that the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they ai'e spu-itually discerned, 1 Cor. ii. 14; that is, the animal or soulish [i/ru^i/co?] man, with all his natural faculties and endowments, cannot of liimself attain to the knowledge of spiritual things, they being too far above his reach, and therefore it must be given him from above, or he cannot have it: nay, so contrary are they to the propensities and apprehensions of his sensual fallen nature, that whilst he presumes on a fancied sufficiency in himself to compre- hend these things, the deeper he plunges himself into the dark- ness of human ignorance concerning them, and the more accounts them foolishness; and thus God is said to make foolish the wis- dom of this world, by leaving such to their wilful blindness, who choose darkness rather than Kght. Nothing is here said to depreciate the external rational know- ledge, even in its lowest sphere, when joined with the fear of God in men of humble minds; for this also is the gift of God, and is not only helpful to us in all the purposes of this Life, but in due place and subordination subservient to the divine life; it is the abuse of this knowledge only that falls under our censure, as when natural knowledge and human learning are employed to xmsettle men's minds with respect to the things of the other world, and to rob them of the precious hopes of a glorious im- mortahty thi-ough the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. All such kind of sophistry, mistaken for reason, is no better than vain deceit, and science falsely so called, and all that exercise themselves therein are disturbers of the peace of mankind, as well as enemies to the church of God. Nor can we here forbear to pass a reproof on all those, who, whilst they profess a rever- ence for the Gospel revelation, patronize at the same time the infidelity of the Sadducees, as touching angels and spii-its, and all extraordinary dispensations: for to deny all communication with the spiritual world, whether by vision, or any other means,](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21782556_0013.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
