1955. The same thing applies to disputes, where the truth gets lost to the extent that the mind longs for them, unless one proceeds from a general truth as the premise one is trying to defend. Nevertheless, that premise is overshadowed when one is too intensely bent on disputes, for then the truth is obscured. All the counter-arguments against the general truth cannot be refuted, because some are very far-fetched (which the human mind, however, regards as very obvious), and some are very obvious, as we should know if just one truth is put forward, namely, that the Lord governs the universe, both heaven and earth, and that He does evil to no one.
Myriads of myriads of objections can be raised against these truths, which the human mind is unable to dispel, and if the mind dwells too long on the objections, it is obscured, divided, and eventually denies, as I was often enabled to learn from spirits. For there is no universal truth that does not contain myriads of myriads of truths, against which there are just as many objections, because just as many opposites. Every truth has its opposite. A mind seeing things upside down favors those opposites, and becomes blind. 1748, 13 May.
1955. The case is similar in respect to controversies; [for] in proportion as the mind is intent upon controversial [disputes] the truth perishes, except the proposition which a man wishes to defend is derived from a general truth, which, however, is obscured when the mind is too intent upon controversy; for in such case the truth is obscured, inasmuch as all difficulties in a general truth cannot be shaken off, because some of them bear more remotely upon the subject, which, however, the human mind presents as very nearly connected with it; and some bear more closely upon it, which can be known if one truth only is exhibited, as this - that the Lord governs the universe, both heaven and earth, that He does no evil to anyone: myriads of objections which the human mind of [itself] cannot shake off, may be alleged against this truth, and if the mind remain long in objections it is obscured so as to doubt, and at length to deny [the truth itself], which it has been often even to learn from spirits; for in every universal truth there are myriads of myriads of truths, and as many objections; because there are as many things contrary thereto, since every truth has its contrary, which the mind, when seeing from inverse order, favors, and is thus blinded. - 1748, May 13.
1955. Similiter res se habet cum controversiis, in tantum perit veritas, in quantum iis inhiat mens, nisi a generali veritate [proficiscatur], quae thesis sit, seu quam defendere vult; sed usque tamen illa obscuratur, dum controversiis attentius inhiat, nam sic obscuratur veritas, nam omnes difficultates in veritate generali, non possunt discuti, quia quaedam remotiores sunt, quas tamen mens humana ut proximas sistit, quaedam propinquiores, quod notum fieri possit, si modo una veritas exhibeatur, nempe quod Dominus regat universum, tam coelum et terram, et quod nihil mali alicui faciat: objectiones contra haec sisti queunt myriadum myriades, quae a mente humana discuti nequeunt, sique mens objectionibus diu inhaeret, obscuratur, ambigit, tandem negat, quod a spiritibus saepius discere datum est, nam nulla veritas universalis datur, in qua non sint myriadum myriades veritates, et totidem objectiones, quia contraria-cuivis 1
veritati est suum contrarium-quibus 2
favet mens in inverso ordine videns, ita occoecatur 3
. 1748, 13 Maj.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has contraria, cuivis
2. The Manuscript has contrarium, quibus
3. The Manuscript has occoecantur