156. [156.] 23. On being explored to discover what idea they had of God, they were found to have thought only of God the Father, and of the Lord as being like themselves-this in accordance with their faith, that the Father is merciful for the Son's sake-and they then thought not at all of the Lord's Divinity. Secondly, it was found that when they thought of one God, they did not think at the same time of the Lord, even though the Father cannot be approached, because no one sees Him but the Son alone,* and seeing that the Lord is the way, that the Father must be approached therefore through Him,** and that one must believe in Him and not the Father.*** Consequently they could not have a distinct idea of God except as a puff of wind or billow of cloud, or as nature in its least elements, and a Divine idea of the Lord is not possible when one thinks of Him as an ordinary man. Angels complained that they were distressed by that idea of theirs which was being communicated to them. On that account, therefore, the people were carried off into surrounding regions, and the places they then came to appeared murky, because it is a true idea of God that causes real clarity. Some of the people were carried down into places below in accordance with their life, some to be further instructed, and only those who lived well accepted then a Divine idea of the Lord. I saw that there followed in their stead some who had been hidden away by the Lord to keep them from being infected by them and harmed, people meant in chapter 20 of the book of Revelation by those who were slain and delivered up out of their tombs.**** * John 1:18, 5:37, 6:46. ** John 14:6. *** John 3:16, 18, 36, 6:29, 14:1, 12. **** Revelation 20:4, 5, 12, 13.