Page:Swedenborg, Harbinger of the New Age of the Christian Church.djvu/179

 never to resume, The Animal Kingdom. "May God lead me in the right way! Christ said that I must not undertake anything without Him." "In the morning on awaking I fell into a swoon or fainting fit, similar to that which I experienced about six or seven years ago at Amsterdam, when I entered upon the Economy of the Animal Kingdom; but it was much more subtile, so that I was almost dead. It came upon me as soon as I saw the light. I threw myself upon my face, when it gradually passed off. In the mean time short, interrupted slumbers took possession of me; so that this swoon or deliquium was deeper, but I soon got over it. This signifies that my head is being cleared, and is in fact being cleansed of all that would obstruct these thoughts—as was also the case the last time, because it gave me penetration, especially whilst writing. This was represented to me now in that I appeared to write a fine hand."

Coincidently with his increasing submission of heart to the Divine guidance, we find a growing sensitiveness or openness to spiritual impressions. Indeed, whether as a constitutional peculiarity or from depth of thought, Swedenborg had a