Page:A Compendium of the Theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg.djvu/495

Rh well as by a lamp, natural light from their own intelligence is signified, and by the light of the sun is signified the glory arising from pride. But it shall be briefly explained what is meant by natural light from the glory arising from pride. There is a natural light from the glory arising from pride, and also from glory that is not from pride. Light from the glory arising from pride is in those who are in the love of self, and thence in all manner of evils; which if for fear of loss of reputation they do not commit, and even condemn, as contrary to morality and against the public good, yet they do not regard them as sins. These are in natural light from the glory arising from pride; for love of self in the will becomes pride in the understanding, and this pride from that love can elevate the understanding even into the light of heaven. This [capability] is granted to man in order that he may be man, and that he may be capable of being reformed. I have seen and heard many consummate devils who understood arcana of angelic wisdom when they heard and read them like the angels themselves; but the instant they returned to their love and their pride therefrom, they not only understood nothing of them, but even saw the contrary from the light of the confirmation of falsity within themselves. But natural light from glory not from pride is in those who are in the delight of uses from genuine love to the neighbour. The natural light of these is also rational light, within which interiorly there is spiritual light from the Lord. The glory in them is from the brightness of the light flowing in from heaven, where all things are splendid and harmonious; for in heaven all uses are resplendent. The pleasantness in the ideas of thought in them from these is perceived as glory. It enters through the will and its goods, into the understanding and its truths, and in these becomes manifest. (A. R. n. 940.)

It is said that John saw the holy city New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, and here (Rev. xxi. 2) that he saw that city prepared as a bride for her husband; from which also it is evident that the church is meant by Jerusalem, and that he saw this, first as a city and afterwards as a virgin bride,—as a city representatively, and as a virgin bride spiritually. Thus that he saw it under a twofold idea, one within or above the other,—just as the angels do, who, when they see, hear, or read of a city in the Word, in the idea of their lower thought perceive a city, but in the idea of their higher thought perceive the church as to doctrine; and if they desire, and pray to the Lord, they see