[2] As all who are meant by the dragon and his angels are natural, indeed sensual, as was shown above, and as such reason from appearances, which are for the most part fallacies, and by that means lead the simple astray, therefore it is granted to the men of the New Church, called the Holy Jerusalem, to view the Divine truths in the Word not sensually, or, according to appearances, but spiritually, or, according to their essential nature; for this reason the internal sense of the Word, which is spiritual, and solely for those who will be of that church, has been disclosed. From that sense Divine Truth is seen such as it is in its own spiritual light, and, from that light, such as it is in its own natural light. Divine Truth is the Word, and those who are of that church are enlightened from the spiritual light of the Word through influx from the Lord out of heaven, and for the reason that they acknowledge the Divine in the Human of the Lord, and are from Him in spiritual affection for truth. These and no others receive spiritual light, which continually flows in through heaven from the Lord with all who read the Word; from this they receive enlightenment.

[3] How enlightenment takes place shall also be explained. Every man as to his thoughts and affections is in the spiritual world, consequently he is there as to his spirit, for it is the spirit of man which thinks and which is affected. He who becomes spiritual through regeneration by the Lord is in a heavenly society as to his spirit, while the natural man, that is one who is not regenerated, is in an infernal society as to his spirit. With the latter, evils continually flow in from hell, and are also received with delight, but with the former, goods continually flow in from heaven, and are also received; and as goods flow in into his affection, and by means of the affection into the thought, he therefore has enlightenment. It is this enlightenment that is meant by the spiritual intelligence and circumspection signified by the wings of the eagle given to the woman, with which she fled into the wilderness. In fact, the spiritual are also comparatively like eagles flying on high, while those who are merely natural are comparatively like serpents which creep on the ground, and see the eagles above them; for this reason the dragon is called a serpent in the next verse.

[4] Moreover, the wings of the eagle, which were given to the woman, signify the understanding of truth; for all who are of that church have the understanding enlightened, and consequently they are enabled from the light of truth to see truth, that is, whether a thing be true or not true. And because they see truth in this way, they acknowledge it, and receive it in affection which is of the will; and therefore truths with them become spiritual, and in consequence the spiritual mind, which is above the natural mind, is opened in them, and when this is opened it receives angelic sight, which is the sight of truth itself from its light. But on the other hand, those who are not of that church - and these are they who do not acknowledge the Divine in the Lord's Human, and who do not love truth spiritually, that is, because it is truth - cannot have the understanding so enlightened as to be able to see whether a thing be true or not; but appearances of truth seem to them like real truths, and they confirm them from the sense of the letter of the Word as though they were real truths. And yet most things in that sense are appearances of truth, which, if they are confirmed as real truths, are falsified, and falsified truths are falsities. Because such are unable to see truths from the light of truth, and thus apprehend them in the understanding, they are in an obscure, in fact, in a blind faith about what is to be believed; and a blind faith is like an eye that sees little or nothing. Indeed a blind faith is not faith, but only a persuasion, and as such persuasion is accepted from another person, either from some master or preacher, or from the Word not understood, it is a traditional faith, which is natural and not spiritual. Because such persons also do not see truths, they maintain and also desire that the doctrinals of the church should not be approached and considered by the understanding, but that they should be accepted in that obedient spirit which is called the obedience of faith. When things are accepted from such a blind obedience of faith, one cannot know whether they are true or false.

[5] Such things cannot open the way to heaven, for in heaven nothing is acknowledged as truth but what is seen, that is, understood. Besides the light of heaven is such, that by it truths appear before the understanding of the mind, as objects in the world appear before the sight of the eye; therefore when those in the world who have seen truths only from the blind sight of faith, are conveyed into heaven to the angels, they see nothing at all, not even the angels, and much less the magnificent things about them; then also their understanding become stupid, and their eyes are darkened, and so they go away. It must, however, be understood, that this is true of all those who have separated charity from faith; but those who have lived the life of faith which is called charity, and have not separated these, have an eager desire to see truths; therefore when they come into the spiritual world, which takes place at death, it is granted them to see truths. The reason of this is, that with them the spiritual mind is opened, and therefore they are in the light of heaven, and they actually come into that light after their departure from the natural world. From this it is evident that the wings of the eagle signify the understanding of truth; and because the woman means the New Jerusalem therefore the wings being given to her signifies that the under standing of truth was given, and will be given, to those who will be of that church.