5912. that the result was that the instructive truths could not be seen, because his persuasion suffocated the intellect of those who at the time were taken up with outward concerns. They saw that it was false and that there was nothing that proved it, thus that there was nothing in it was that came from rational light but only what came from persuasion, which was produced by his belief that whatever he had thought was beyond doubt, for the reason that people followed him in the world, [his ideas] had been received in the Kingdoms, and thus came from the fire of glory. Therefore no further reply was made to him at that time, because no reply at all can be made to such [until this] persuasion has been dispelled; in the meantime there is no understanding. On this account, to the extent this happened his face came to a point forward from the forehead to the mouth, so that he appeared as if he were stretched out toward the mouth, which he even admitted. This happened because nothing went out from the will but was drawn out solely from the thought. Eventually, when his persuasive zeal had cooled,
5912. that the thing was so, that the truths which teach could not be seen, because it [i. e., the persuasion] smothered the understanding of those who were at the same time in externals. They saw that it was false and that there was nothing of confirmation in it, thus nothing from rational light, but only from persuasion. He had contracted this through the circumstance, that he had believed that whatever he thought was indubitable, because in the world men followed him, and [his doctrines] were received in whole kingdoms, - and, thus, owing to the fire of glory: wherefore, no other reply was then given him, because nothing can be answered to such a persuasion until the persuasion is dispelled. There is no interior understanding; wherefore, he became a turtle dove as to countenance, peaked from the fore part of the brain towards the mouth; so that he appeared like. . . . . . . , 1at the mouth, as also he confessed. This occurred because he drew forth nothing. . . . . . . 1, [from] the will but only from thought.
Footnotes:
1. The MS. in these places is undecipherable. -TR.
5912. quod ita esset, ut non possent videri vera docentia, quia suffocabat intellectum illorum qui simul in externis erant. Videbant quod falsum esset, et quod nihil confirmationis inesset, ita nihil ex luce rationali, sed solum ex persuasivo, quod contraxerat per id, quod quicquid cogitaverat, crediderat indubium esse, ex causa quia successerunt ei in mundo, et in Regnis recepta sunt, et sic ex igne gloriae; quare non aliud tunc ei respondebatur, quia nihil responderi potest tali persuasivo, priusquam persuasivum discussum est, intellectus non interea est, quare tantum factus est quoad faciem acuminatus ab anteriori parte cerebri versus os, ut appareret sicut protensus ad os, quod etiam ille fassus est, hoc factum est, quia nihil exivit voluntate sed solum ex cogitatione protrahebatur id: tandem quando deferbuit per-