Spiritual Diary, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1758],

[year2027]

God first

thanks everybody

Spiritual Diary, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1758],

it has bless me

CONCERNING THE INFIDELITY OF CHRISTIANS. In the presence of many spirits, and, as I think, of Mahomed also, I was thinking with myself, that is, was tacitly saying to myself (:for my thought is a kind of speech:), how wonderful it is that in the other life so few of those who were called Christians inquire for the Lord, while others who were the votaries and worshippers of men, nay, of devils, seek out the objects of their earthly idolatry, and pay their homage even there; which is evident from the case of those who inquire for Mahomed, for Abraham, for Jacob, for Moses, or whoever else were the idols acknowledged. But I was informed in reply that evil spirits and devils have a perception and sensation of whatever is divine, regarding it with aversion and hatred, and consequently striving against it both in the life of the body, and after leaving the body, while in regard to what agrees with their dominant state or is diabolical, the case is quite the reverse, which, by the way, affords abundant evidence that the Lord is God and ruler of the universe. - 1748, March 19. HOW IT IS THAT THE MINDS OF THE INHABITANTS OF THIS WORLD ARE IN COMMUNION. ((((((This being in communion results from what has been revealed respecting the inhabitants of the earths of this system, namely, that those of the planet Venus and of our earth are such as constitute or represent corporeal things and the appetencies connected with them, thus also terrestrial and lower worldly things; consequently they are those who rule the external senses. In like manner the spirits of the earth Jupiter represent rational ideas, for they live free from care, as it concerned those things that pertain to the bodily senses. They are, so to speak, a sort of ground in which things interior and inmost are sown, for without an interior rational idea those things which are still more interior and intimate are not inseminated. It is also a characteristic of ideas originating in the outward senses, that they prompt to vocal utterance.)))))) The spirits of the earth Saturn correspond to interior sense, or reason; The spirits of the earth Mercury to knowledges; The spirits of the earth Mars to thought.

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THAT MORE THINGS MAY BE COMPREHENDED IN A SPIRITUAL IDEA THAN IT IS POSSIBLE TO BELIEVE. A spiritual idea is that by which a man, while he lives as a spirit, and thus separated, as it were, from the body, acts and thinks. That ideas of this kind are, as was said before, more full and more perceptive of things, is evident from the fact, that by means of a spiritual idea it can be known and perceived to the life how the case is in regard to man's non-ability to think, much more to act of himself anything that should not be sin, even while he intends good, as, for instance, his own conversion and self-moved repentance, - how all this may be done, and yet there may be sin, not only in the general act, but in the minutest particulars, - all this, I say, may be set forth and shown most vividly to a spiritual idea. This has been shown to me at different times when I have supposed that I thought in this way and not in that, because the one way was lawful, right, and best, and the other not. Thus I supposed, but still I perceived that it was sin, because it was from myself. Thus, for instance, when I would convert myself to the Lord, and thus apply to myself any species of good, as the good of faith, the good of obedience, the good of what is commended in the Word, yet I still perceived that there was sin in the singular and most singular items of the act, so that [it was clear that] there is nothing in man but what is vile and polluted. Being inwardly moved, even to a degree of indignation, at not being able to do anything of good, the spirits also were in like manner indignantly affected, saying that thus they did not know what good they could do, however much it might be commanded.

with love and a holy kiss Roy

Edited June 27, 2010 by year2027