4757. CONCERNING REVEALED THEOLOGY, OR THE WORD, AND CONCERNING NATURAL THEOLOGY. For several days, there was an important discussion between certain ones who have believed the Word, and that everything there is from the Divine, thus, that it is Divine in itself. Some of those who argued were such as, in the life of the body, believed that Natural Theology should have the precedence, and that this should illustrate that, and not the reverse. There was great bitterness; but it was on the part of those who were in favor of Natural Theology and not on the part of those who were in favor of the Lord. The former infested the latter cruelly, for several days, and breathed nothing else than their destruction, both of soul and body. They also admitted the hells into themselves, to act through them; and this so far, that the hells altogether spoke through them. These not only denied that the Word, or revelation, is anything, [but even] despised it on account of its style, so simple and incongruous, as they affirm; and thus they entirely rejected it in their heart. They were then told, that it was of such a style, because it contained in itself the most profound things, which are laid open in the three heavens in order; and that in these is the Divine Wisdom, and thence the celestial and spiritual nourishment of these heavens; for the heavens are conjoined with men, especially with those who are of the Church, and dwell in their good affections; thus they make one with the man of the Church, by means of the Word. But still they could not receive it. They understood, indeed, that it was so, and also knew it, in the other life; but, because they have been of such a character in the life of the body, it has not remained with them, but the hells still acted through them, and they thus wished, with all earnestness, to destroy those who had faith in the Word. It was hence apparent how the case is with those who believe that it may be known from nature that the Divine is, of what quality it is, that there is a heaven and hell, that there is a life after death - namely, that they believe nothing at all. The reason is, because they are in the light [lumen] of nature, and not in the light [lux] of heaven; thus with infernals, not with celestials. Two or three of them were known to me in the world - Ericus Benzelius,* Anders Kudberg, Christian Wolf. Two were priests. * Ericus Benzelius the elder. --Kahl is of opinion (Narratiunculoe, p. 9) the younger of the two men bearing this name in here meant; but Dr. Tafel (Documents, Vol. I., p. 608) applies the passage to the elder. The fact that the above description does not tally with that given of the younger man in other parts of the present work, (see No. 4749), compels the acceptance of Dr. Tafel's view. -EDITOR.