DP 221, 222 - Internal Truths of Wisdom and Goods of Love

DP 221

The means by which a person is led by the Lord
are what we call laws of Divine providence,
and among them is this one,
that a person is not admitted more interiorly
into truths of wisdom and goods of love
than the extent to which
he can be maintained in them to the end of his life.

DP 222 [1, 2]

. . . a person has rationality and freedom.
By his rationality
he can be elevated into a wisdom almost angelic,
and by his freedom
he can be elevated into a love
not unlike angelic love.
But still the character of his love
determines the character of his wisdom.
If his love is celestial or spiritual,
his wisdom becomes also celestial or spiritual.
But if, on the other hand,
his love is diabolical and hellish,
his wisdom is also diabolical and hellish.

. . . a person may be admitted
into wisdom regarding spiritual matters
and also into a love for them
and yet not be reformed,
but in such a case he is admitted
only into a natural love for them
and not into a spiritual love for them.
That is because a person
can admit himself into a natural love,
but only the Lord can admit him into a spiritual love,
and people who are admitted into the latter
are reformed,
while those who are admitted only into the former
are not reformed.
For the last are mostly hypocrites . . ..