5908. About enlightenment
That Divine Truths are of such a nature that they are not grasped other than by one who has been enlightened and are rejected by one who has not been enlightened was shown to me by the following experience. The books about heaven and about the Last Judgment were given to a certain spirit to read through and see whether it contains the sort of thing that can be printed in Holland and sold at a profit. I believe he was a certain one who had held an office like this in Holland when he lived in the world, they are the kind of spirits who can see quite clearly what sort of things they are, whether they are truths that will be acknowledged or falsehoods that will be rejected. He read them through and said that he had found such things in them that they could be printed at a profit. But after a little while he read them again and said that they had no merit whatsoever and would be accepted by no one. From this it is clear that the first time he had had enlightenment and had seen the things that are there from the light of heaven, but the second time he had seen them from a light like natural light. From this it is clear also that Divine truths are clear and are pleasing when read in heavenly light, and are obscure, and consequently unpleasing, when read in natural light. It is different with other books that have no need of heavenly light. The same books were given to another who was also like this, and he admitted almost the same.
5908. ILLUSTRATION.
That Divine truths are of such a nature that they are not perceived save by an enlightened person, and are rejected by an unenlightened one, was manifest to me from the following experience: The books about Heaven and about the Last Judgment were given to a certain spirit to read through, and examine as to whether what is therein is such that it can be printed in Holland and sold at a profit; as I believe he was one who had held such a post in Holland when he lived in the world. These are such that they are able to see very clearly whether they are of such a character: thus, too, whether they will be acknowledged as true, or rejected as false. He read them through, and said that he found in them such things as could be printed with every advantage; but, after some interval, he read them again, and said that they had no merit at all, and would be accepted by nobody. It was hence plain, that, the first time, he had been in enlightenment, and saw the things which were there from the light [lux] of heaven, but that the second time he saw them from a light [lux] resembling natural light [lux]. It was also manifest therefrom, that Divine Truths are in clearness, and are pleasing, when read in the light of heaven, and are in shade, and are consequently unpleasing, when in natural light [lux]: with other writing, to which the light [lux] of heaven is not necessary, it is different. The same books were given to another who was also of such a quality; and he gave an almost identical report.
5908. De illustratione
Quod Divina Vera talia sint, ut non percipiantur quam ab illustrato, et rejiciantur a non illustrato, constabat mihi ex sequente experientia; dabantur cuidam spiritui libri de coelo et de ultimo judicio, ut perlegeret, et lustraret num tale insit, ut imprimi queat Hollandiae, et vendi cum lucro, ut reor fuerat quidam, cui tale officium in Hollandia fuerat cum vixit in mundo, illi tales sunt ut satis acute possint videre num talia sunt, ita quoque num vera quae agnoscenda, an falsa quae rejicienda, perlegit illos et dixit, quod invenerit in illis talia ut cum omni lucro posset imprimi; at post aliquam moram iterum legit, et dixit, quod prorsus non mereatur, et a nemine acceptaretur; inde patuit, quod prima vice in illustratione fuerit, et viderit illa quae ibi ex luce coeli, at secunda vice quod viderit illa ex luce simili luci naturali; patuit etiam inde quod Divina vera in claro, inque amaeno sint cum leguntur in luce coeli, et in obscuro, et inde inamaeno sint, quando in luce naturali; aliter alia scripta ad quae non opus est luce coeli. Dabantur iidem libri alteri, qui etiam talis, et simile paene ille fassus.