But it is impossible for those who are in the love of self to know their ruling love, because they love whatever is their own, and call their evils goods; and the falsities which favor and thereby confirm their evils, they at the same time call truths. Nevertheless, if they wish, they may learn it from others who are wise, since these see what they themselves do not; but this is not possible with those who are so filled with the love of self as to spurn all the instruction of the wise. But those who are in heavenly love receive instruction; and on being brought into the evils into which they were born, see them from truths,—for it is these which make evils manifest.
Every one can see evil and its falsity by means of truth derived from good; but no one can see the good and the true from evil, because the falsities of evil are darkness, and likewise correspond to darkness. They who are in falsities derived from evil are therefore like blind persons, who do not see the objects which are in light. They also shun truths, as creatures of the night shun the light of day. But truths derived from good are light, and likewise correspond to light. Therefore they who are in truths derived from good, are seers, having their eyes open, and discerning the'things which are of light and of shade.
In these truths I have also been confirmed by experience. The angels in the heavens both see and perceive the evils and falsities which sometimes rise
