166. It was permitted to say three Persons, for the reason that at the beginning there could be no thought unless of Jehovah God, the Father, the Creator of the universe, and it could scarcely be thought that the Lord was He; wherefore it was useful. This seemed to them to be a thing that could not be received, that the Creator of the universe so descended and became Man; simply the idea of Jehovah as filling all heaven and all the world from His presence and His providence, would stand somewhat in the way of that. Wherefore in the sense of the letter of the Word three are named for that reason; as if they were three Persons into whose names they were to baptize. Hence also it was permitted that similar things should be said in the Athanasian Faith, which was to be received for Christianity; but still, so that it should be possible for the trine of one Person, thus of the Lord, to be received by those who are in enlightenment; and likewise so that in the end of the church it might be received. The Athanasian Faith is such as to be incomprehensible, and thence incredible, and likewise contradictory. (Let things that are therein be adduced.) This truth is laid open, and that Faith does not preclude anyone from receiving it; but this may be done by those who wish to understand what they believe; let those, however, who do not wish to understand what they believe, remain in their own opinion; but let them know that in the spiritual world no one receives anything which he does not see, that is, understand; for he says, "Perhaps it is not true."