What the Writings Testify
What the Writings Testify
CHAPTER 1
Swedenborg received the Doctrine of the New Church from the mouth of the
Lord alone
"That the Lord manifested Himself before me, His servant, and sent me to this
office, and that He afterwards opened the sight of my spirit, and so has introduced me
into the spiritual world, and has granted me to behold the heavens and the hells and to
converse with angels and spirits, and this now uninterruptedly for many years, I testify
in truth; likewise, that from the first day of that call I have not received anything that
pertains to the doctrines of the New Church from any angel, but from the Lord alone, while
I read the Word."
- True Christian Religion 779
"Every one can see that the Apocalypse could never have been explained except by
the Lord alone, for the several words there contain arcana which could never be known
without a singular illustration and thus revelation; wherefore it pleased the Lord to open
the sight of my spirit and to teach. Do not believe, therefore, that I have taken anything
herein from myself, or from any angel, but from the Lord alone. The Lord also said by the
angel to John, 'Seal not the words of the prophecy of this book', by which is meant that
they are to be manifested."
- The Apocalypse Revealed, Preface
"I have had discourse with spirits and with angels now for many years; but neither
has a spirit dared, nor any angel wished, to tell me anything, still less to instruct,
concerning anything in the Word, or concerning any doctrine from the Word; but the Lord
alone has taught me, Who has been revealed to me and has enlightened me."
- Divine Providence 135
"It has been given me to see [the light of heaven], and from it to perceive
distinctly what has come from the Lord, and what from the angels. What has come from the
Lord has been written, and what has come from angels has not been written."
- The Apocalypse Explained 1183
"The things which I have learned in representations, visions, and from speech with
spirits and angels are solely from the Lord.... Thus I have been instructed, consequently
by no spirit, nor angel, but by the Lord alone from Whom is everything true and good......
- Spiritual Diary 1647
It was evident that even the things which I have learned through evil spirits I have
learned from the Lord alone, although the spirits spoke..."
- Spiritual Diary 4034
"As regards myself, it has not been allowed to take any thing from the mouth of
any spirit, nor from the mouth of any angel, but from the mouth of the Lord alone."
- De Verbo XIII (29)
"In order that the true Christian religion might be disclosed, it could not be
otherwise than that some one should be introduced into the spiritual world, and from the
mouth of the Lord derive the genuine truths out of the Word."
- Invitation to the New Church 38
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