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Page 23
--_Arcana Coelestia, n._ 5992
WHOLESOME AND UNWHOLESOME COMMUNICATION
Many believe that a man can be taught by the Lord through spirits who
speak with him. They who believe so, and will this communication, do
not know, however, that it is attended with danger to their souls.
While a man is living in the world, he is in the midst of spirits as
to his spirit; nevertheless spirits do not know they are with man, nor
a man that he is with spirits. But as soon as spirits begin to speak
with a man, they come out of their spiritual state into the man's
natural state; and then they know that they are with man, and they
unite themselves to the thoughts of his affection, and they speak with
him from those thoughts. Thence it is that the spirit speaking is in
the same principles as the man, whether these be true or false. These
he stirs up, and through his affection, united to the man's, strongly
confirms them. All this shows the danger in which a man is who speaks
with spirits, or who manifestly perceives their operation. Of the
nature of his affection, good or bad, a man is ignorant, also with
what others he is associated. If his is a pride of self-intelligence,
the spirit favors every thought from that source. Likewise there is
the favoring of principles which are inflamed from the fire which
those have who are not in truths from any genuine affection for them.
Whenever from a like affection a spirit favors a man's thoughts or
principles, then the former leads the latter, as the blind lead the
blind, until both fall into the ditch.
It is otherwise with those whom the Lord leads. He leads those who
love and will truths from Him. Such are enlightened when they read the
Word, for there the Lord is, and He speaks with every one according to
the latter's apprehension. When these hear speech from spirits, as
they do sometimes, they are not taught, but are led, and this so
prudently that the man is still left to himself. For every man is led
through the affections by the Lord, and he thinks from these freely as
if of himself. Were it otherwise, a man could not be reformed, nor
could he be enlightened.
--_Apocalypse Explained, nn._ 1182, 1183
AN UNBROKEN ASSOCIATION
Married partners, who have lived in truly conjugial love, are not
separated in the death of one of them. For the spirit of the deceased
partner lives continually with the spirit of the other, not yet
deceased, and this even to the death of the other, when they meet
again and reunite, and love each other more tenderly than before; for
now they are in the spiritual world.
--_Conjugial Love, n._ 321
THE CHURCH
"Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will
dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God
Himself shall be with them, and be their God."
--_Rev_., XXI, 3
THE CHURCH IN GOD'S SIGHT
The Church is in man, and not outside of him; and the Church at large
consists of the men who have the Church in them.--The Church consists
of those who from the heart acknowledge the Divine of the Lord, who
learn truths from Him by the Word, and do them.--Every one who lives
in the good of charity and of faith is a Church and a Kingdom of the
Lord.--The Church in general is constituted of those who are severally
Churches, however remote they are from one another.--The Church of the
Lord is scattered throughout the whole world.
--_Heaven and Hell, n._ 57
--_Apocalypse Explained, n._ 388
--_Arcana Coelestia_, n. 6637; ib., n. 9256
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