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Doc. 238.] 271
SWEDENBORG TO ETINGER.
sense into the former is effected with man, while he reads
the Word in a state of holiness ; that there is then a kind of
unfolding or unswathing, like the breaking of the shell enclos
ing an almond, whereupon the shell is dispersed and the naked
almond passes into heaven, and is received by the angels ;
and that it is also like the casting of a seed into the ground,
where it is stripped of its coverings, and the germ is put
forth. The seed in this case is the Word in the sense of the
letter, and the germ which is put forth thence is the spiritual
sense ; the latter passes to the angels, and the former remains
with man. The seed, nevertheless, remains with man in his
mind as in its soil, and in time produces its germ and fructifies
it, provided man by the seeds of life which are the truths of
faith and the goods of charity, is conjoined to the Lord, and
consociated with the angels. The above rulers are further
admonished to receive thoroughly this belief, that the Word
in its bosom is spiritual, because Divine ; and that unless they
receive this belief, they may be seduced by satans, so that
they even deny the sanctity of the Word; in which case the
church with them is dissipated. This further argument is also
urged upon them, that if they do not believe the internal
sense of the Word, the Word may finally appear to them as
some unpolished and unconnected writing, or even as a book
of all heresies, because from the literal sense, as from a kind
of lake, heresies of every sort may be drawn forth and confirmed.
Those who believe the internal sense of the Word, are after
wards received into companies of angelic spirits, who in process
of time are elevated into heaven and become angels ; but those
who do not believe, are removed into companies of spirits,
who in course of time are cast into hell, and become satans.
Those are called satans there, who in the world had falsified
every truth of the Word, and who in consequence thereof
had imbibed falsities, so that at last they could no longer see
anything of truth.
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