24. The science of correspondences, by means of which the spiritual sense of the Word is communicated, was not disclosed at that time because the Christians of the primitive Church were extremely simple men, so that it could not be revealed to them; for if it had been revealed it would have been of no use to them, nor would it have been understood. After that time darkness came upon the whole Christian world, in consequence of papal dominion; and those who are subject to that, and have confirmed themselves in its falsities, are not able, nor are they willing, to entertain anything spiritual, nor consequently to apprehend what is the correspondence of natural with spiritual things in the Word. For thus they would be convinced that by Peter is not meant Peter, but the Lord as the Rock; and they would also be convinced that the Word even to its inmost things is Divine, and that a decree of the Pope is a matter of no account in relation to the inmost things of the Word. Moreover, after the Reformation heavenly truths were hidden from men because they began to separate faith from charity, and to worship God under three Persons, and thus three Gods whom they supposed to be one. For if these truths had been revealed, men would have falsified them and applied them to faith alone, applying not one of them to charity and love. Thus they would also have closed heaven to themselves.