The Essence of Swedenborg’s Philosophy

It would be commonplace to say that Swedenborg was prepared under Divine auspices throughout his childhood, his youth, and his years as scientist and philosopher, for the office of revelator. He himself gives ample testimony in this regard, and all who believe his theological writings to be true accept his testimony without reserve. That preparation is the more conspicuous to those who have some knowledge of his pre-theological literary production. It is in the books themselves—where his thoughts are terminated and reflected—that we best see the gradual moulding of his mind. That mind was equipped from the start with an extraordinary capacity, and was—impelled by an indomitable zest for knowledge and understanding—infilled through the many years of probing into the boundless world of truth with riches matched in kind and number by few other thinkers, if any, and perhaps excelled by none. Later generations have marvelled, and continue to marvel, at the things contained in his books; and I think it would be true to say that the atomic age is not in advance of Swedenborg’s concept of the interior things of nature.