901. Besides the corroborations from heaven, other confirmations were also added from experience, of which there are very many. When they then directed their minds to them, they were able to understand that it is true, because, by a spiritual method, revealing experience was set right before their eyes. But as soon as the experience had passed, together with its reality, or light of understanding, they slipped back into their former ignorance, and could not grasp that this can exist, and that this is life. This is because they consider a mere earthly glow, in itself darkness, to be light, and to them, light cannot appear as anything but darkness. But where, and of what kind the darkness is, can only be seen in the light, or by those who are in light, the Lord Alone enlightening and revealing it. 1748, 21 February.
901. Besides the confirmations from heaven, other confirmations which are very numerous were also added from experience. When they kept the mind intent upon these they could understand that it is so, because the manifest experience before their eyes rendered it visible in a spiritual manner. But as soon as the experience and its life or intellectual light departed, they relapsed into their former state of ignorance and could not comprehend that such a thing is possible, and that it is life; for they suppose that merely natural lumen is light, though in itself it is darkness. To such spirits light cannot seem other than as darkness; but wherein that darkness consists and what its quality is can never appear except in light, that is, by those who are in light, the Lord alone giving enlightenment and making it manifest. 11748, Feb. 21.
Footnotes:
1. The entry in the index (s.v. Perceptio) has: "From darkness no one can see light; but from light darkness may be seen."
901. Praeter confirmationes ex coelo, etiam aliae confirmationes accesserunt ab experientia, quae perplures dantur, tunc cum iis mentem intendebant, poterant intelligere quod ita sit, quia experientia manifesta ante oculos eorum spirituali modo exposita est, sed illico dum experientia et ejus vita seu lux intellectualis abiit, in pristinam ignorantiam relapsi, non potuerunt capere, quod id dabile sit, et quod id vita, quia lumen mere naturale, [quod] 1
in se tenebrae, putant lucem, quibus lux non potest apparere aliter ac tenebrae, sed ubinam tenebrae, et quales nusquam apparere 2
possunt nisi in luce, seu ab iis qui in luce, Domino Solo 3
illuminante et manifestante. 1748, 21 Febr.
Footnotes:
1. sic in J.F.I. Tafel's edition
2. imperfectum in the Manuscript
3. The Manuscript has Solum