Page:The Doctrines of the New Church Briefly Explained.djvu/169

Rh proceeds ineffable light, because the inhabitants of that heaven are principled in the good of love to the Lord; and that He appears to those in the middle or second heaven as a moon, because the inhabitants of that heaven are more remotely or obscurely in love to Him, being principled in love towards their neighbor; but in the ultimate or first heaven, He does not appear as a sun nor yet as a moon, but only as light, which light far exceeds that of this world. And since the Lord appears to every one according to his quality, therefore He cannot appear to those in hell otherwise than as a dusky cloud and thick darkness. From these considerations it may be clearly seen that the Lord appears to every one according to his quality [or character], because according to reception." (A. C. n. 6832.)

"No one can see God otherwise than from such principles as are in himself; as he who is in hatred, sees Him from hatred, he who is in unmercifulness, sees Him from unmercifulness; and on the other hand, they who are in charity and mercy, see Him from and in these principles. The case herein is as with the rays of light, which, where they fall into ugly forms, are turned into ugly colors; but when they fall into beautiful forms, are then turned into beautiful colors." (Ibid., n. 8819.)

"The Lord appears to every individual according to each one's own character or quality,—to the celestial angels as a sun, to the spiritual angels as a moon, to all the good as a light of various delight and pleasantness; but to the wicked as smoke and a consuming fire. And as the Jews,