BE 16 - Not Even An Angel or What the New Church Is Up Against

BE 16

There now follows a brief Exposition
of the Doctrine of the New Church,
which is meant by the New Jerusalem in Revelation
(chaps. 21 and 22).
This doctrine, which is not only a doctrine of faith,
but also of life,
will be divided in the work itself into three parts.

. . . THE THIRD PART will point out the Disagreements
between the dogmas of the present church,
and those of the New Church.
But we will dwell a little upon these now,
because it is believed both by the clergy and laity,
that the present church is in
the light itself of the Gospel and in its truths,
which cannot possibly be
disproved, overturned, or controverted,
not even by an angel if one should descend from heaven:
neither does the present church see any otherwise,
because it has withdrawn the understanding from faith,
and yet has confirmed its dogmas
by a kind of sight beneath the understanding,
for falsities may there be confirmed
even so as to appear like truths;
and falsities there confirmed acquire a fallacious light,
before which the light of truth appears as thick darkness.
For this reason we shall here dwell
a little upon this subject,
mentioning the disagreements,
and illustrating them by brief remarks,
that such as have not their understanding
closed by a blind faith,
may see them as at first in twilight,
and afterwards as in morning light,
and at length, in the work itself,
as in the light of day.