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.