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Doc. 208.] 139
HIS SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE IN 1743.
v
ruptedly from my very youth, and directed them in such a
manner, that by means of the knowledge of natural things I
was enabled to reach a state of intelligence, and thus by the
Divine mercy of God-Messiah, to serve as an instrument for
opening those things which are hidden interiorly in the Word
of God-Messiah. Those things, therefore, are now made mani
fest, which hitherto were not manifest. " (Adversaria, Part II,
no. 839).
In a letter addressed in 1766 to Prelate Etinger Sweden
borg specifies the time within which he was thus prepared.
He says : "I was introduced by the Lord into the natural |
sciences, and thus prepared, and indeed from the year 1710
to 1744, when heaven was opened to me." From this passage
we learn that when Swedenborg wrote the contents of his note
book in 1743 and 1744, the preparation for his work "by a
study of the natural sciences " was at an end, and that the
time was approaching when he was to enter upon that " office,"
for which "he had been prepared by the Lord from His
earliest youth. "
We see, therefore, that Documents 208 and 209 cover the
ground of Swedenborg’s transition period, when "from a philo
sopher he was made a theologian," and when the veil was
removed, and "heaven was opened to him."
The following particulars, taken from Document 209, throw
additional light on the nature of Swedenborg’s office, and the
preparation he underwent for the work he had to perform.
"I perceived that I had received a talent for the promotion
of God’s glory ; I saw that all had worked together to this
end, and that the Spirit had been with me from my youth
for this very purpose" (no. 110, April 22, 1744).
That the time had approached when he must leave the
investigation of natural things, and devote himself exclusively
to spiritual things, he states clearly in no. 126 (April 29):
"All this represents that I must employ my remaining time
in writing upon higher subjects, and not upon worldly things,
which are far below; indeed, that I must write about what
concerns the very centre of all, and what concerns Christ.
May God be so gracious as to enlighten me respecting my
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