1639. A similar thing occurred when I was praying the Lord's prayer.
Hence it is clear what mental images are like that are not closed, but flowing in from the Lord by the inner way, namely that they have a great abundance of elements. But what closed mental images are like, I do not yet know-whether there is anything within them. Perhaps they are thus closed so as not to penetrate further, for there is self-merit in them. So when they penetrate further, their evil must be turned into good, which is [the work] of the Lord Alone.
1639. The same was the case when I uttered the Lord's Prayer. Hence it may appear what is the quality of ideas that are not closed, but are such as flow in from the Lord through an internal way, viz. that they are exceedingly copious. But as to the quality of closed ideas, I am not yet certain whether they have anything thus within. It may be that the closure takes place in order that further penetration may be prevented, inasmuch as self-merit inheres in persons of this description, and when they would proceed further, their evil is to be turned into good, which is of the Lord alone.
1639. Similiter dum orationem Domini orarem.
Exinde constare potest, quales ideae non clausae, sed ideae a Domino per viam internam influentes, sunt, nempe 1
quod copiosissimae 2
, at vero quales clausae ideae nondum scio, an aliquid intus, forte sic clausum, ut non penetrent ultra, nam in iis est meritum sui, quare dum ultra, malum eorum vertendum est in bonum, quod Solius est Domini.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has sunt; nempe
2. The Manuscript has copiosissima