Page:The Swedenborg Library Vol 3.djvu/61

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THE ANGELS SEE TRUTHS.
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must believe from a blind faith, and from a closed understanding, and thus from the light of both extinguished.

But he it known that all the truths of the Word, which are the truths of heaven and the church, may be seen by the understanding, in heaven spiritually, in the world rationally. For the understanding truly human is the very sight itself of those things, being separated from what is material; and when it is separated, it sees truths as clearly as the eye sees objects. It sees'truths as it loves them, for as it loves them it is enlightened.

The angels have wisdom in consequence of seeing truths. Therefore when it is said to any angel that this or that is to be believed although it is not understood, the angel replies, Do you suppose me to be insane, or that you yourself are a god whom I am bound to believe? If I do not see, it may be something false from hell. (Ap. Ex. 1100.)

The faith of knowledges, before it becomes the faith of life, is merely historical faith, the nature of which is well known, namely, that a thing is believed to be so because another has said it; this, before it becomes the man's own property, is the property of another, or another man's property pertaining to him.

Another quality of such faith is, that it is a faith of things unknown; for it is said that such things are to be believed, although they are not understood; yea.

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