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164 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
•’
To the above, I shall add somewhat new from the spiritual world. The
rulers of the church, who flock into that world after death, are first taught con-
cerning the Sacred Scripture, as containing a spiritual sense, which in the world
was unknown to them, and they are also told, that the angels of heaven are in
that sense, whilst man is in the sense of the letter ; and further, that a translation,
or change, of the latter sense, into the former, is effected with man, whilst he
reads the Word under holy influences, and that there is a kind of unfolding or
unswathing, somewhat like the breaking of the shell, encompassing an almond,
and the casting away the shell, so that the naked almond passes into heaven,
and is received by the angels ; and also like a seed dast into the earth, and being
there stripped of its outward coats, puts forth its germ. That seed is the Word
in the sense of the letter, and the germ thence put forth is the spiritual sense,
and this latter passes to the angels, but the former rests with man: still, how-
ever, that seed remains with man in his mind, as in its ground, and in time pro-
duces its germ, -and fructifies it, if man, by the seeds of life, which are the truths
of faith, and the good things of charity, is joined with the Lord, and thereby con-
sociated with the angels. The above rulers are further admonished to receive
thoroughly this belief, that the Word in its bosom is spiritual, because it is di-
vine ; and that unless they receive this belief, they may be seduced by satans,
even to deny the sanctity of the Word ; in which case the church disappears
amongst them. This further argument is also urged with them, that if they do
not believe the internal sense of the Word, the Word may finally come to ap-
pear to them as an unpolished and unconnected writing, or as a book full of all
heresies, inasmuch as from the literal sense, as from a kind of lake, heretical
principles of every sort may be drawn forth and confirmed. Those afterwards,
who believe the internal sense of the Word, are received into companies of an-
gelic spirits, who are in process of time elevated into heaven and become an-
gels ; but those w^ho do not believe, are removed apart to companies of spirits,
who in process of time, are cast into hell, and become satans. They are called
satans in hell, who in the world had falsified the truth of the Word, and who,
in consequence thereof, had imbibed false principles, insomuch that they could
no longer see anything of truth."
LETTER III. ;
To Dr. Oetinger.
" 1. To your interrogation, Whether there is occasion for any sign, that I am sent
by the Lord, to do what I do 7 I answer, that at this day no signs or miracles will
be given, because they compel only an external belief, but do not convince the
internal. What did the miracles avail in Egypt, or among the Jewish nation,
who, nevertheless, crucified the Lord ? So, if the Lord was to appear now in
the sky, attended with angels and trumpets, it would have no other effect than
it had then. (Luke xvi. 29, 30, 31). The sign, given at this day, will be an illus-
tration, and thence a knowledge and reception of the truths of the New Church ; some
speaking illustration of certain persons may likewise take place ; this works more
effectually than miracles. Yet one token may perhaps still be given.
" IL You ask me, Jf I have spoken with the Apostles ? To which I reply, I have
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