There are two things which together constitute speech with men-sound and its articulation into words. The sound is from the affection of the will, and the articulation of the sound is from the thought of the understanding. These two are conjoined in human speech, and also are distinguished by hearing; for from the sound the affection is known, and from the words which are the articulations of the sound, the thought is known. This being a natural fact is but little reflected on by man, but still he knows that it is so when he hears. This is more distinctly heard with angels and spirits than with men, because they are spiritual, and the spiritual think, and consequently also speak, from affection; those who are in the celestial kingdom from the affection for good, and those who are in the spiritual kingdom from the affection for truth; for this reason they are known from the sound. The sound of the speech of the angels in the higher heavens is heard variously below, for it increases in its progression, as is the case also in the world when a sound descends from on high. The sound of the spiritual angels is thus heard as the noise of roaring waters, and the sound of the celestial angels as mighty thunders. The signification of thunders may be seen also above (n. 273, 353, 498, 702, 704, 1014).

[2] [CONCERNING OMNIPRESENCE AND OMNIPOTENCE.]

We have treated of Infinity and Eternity, and also of Providence and Omnipotence, which belong to the Lord; we must now treat of Omnipresence and Omniscience, which also belong to Him. It is acknowledged in every form of religion that God is omnipresent and omniscient. It is for this reason that men pray to Him to hear them, to look upon them, and to have mercy upon them. They would not do this unless they believed in His omnipresence and omniscience. Their belief is derived from an influx from heaven in the case of those who possess religion; for from religion itself there arises no question, whether the belief exists or how it exists. But because at the present day, and especially in the Christian world, the number of natural men, who neither see anything of God, and do not believe unless they see, is increased-for if they profess to believe, it is either from some notion of duty, from blind knowledge, or from hypocrisy; and yet they have the power to see. In order, therefore, that such men may exercise this power, permission is granted to treat of the subjects which relate to God, from spiritual light, and from rational sight derived from it.

[3] For every man, even the merely natural and sensual, is endowed with an understanding capable of elevation into the light of heaven, and able both to discern and comprehend spiritual and even Divine subjects. His understanding is however capable of this elevation only when he hears them or reads of them, or, afterwards from memory, speaks of them; for he cannot think of them inwardly from himself. The reason of this is, that while he hears or reads, the understanding is separated from its own affection, and when it is so separated, it is in the light of heaven; but when he thinks inwardly from himself, the understanding is then conjoined to the affection of its own will, and this affection fills and detains it, preventing its escape. But still the true state of the case is, that the understanding can be separated from the affection of the will, and thus be elevated into the light of heaven, in the case of those natural men who are in the affection for truth, and have not confirmed themselves in falsities. It is however with difficulty that this is done in the case of those who are not in the affection for truth, because they have rejected Divine things, or confirmed themselves in falsities. With these there is as it were a shadowy obstruction between spiritual and natural light; still with many this obstruction is transparent.

[4] Since then every man whatever, even the corporeal-sensual, when he has reached maturity, is endowed with such a faculty of understanding, that when he hears of or reads subjects which relate to God, he can comprehend them, and afterwards retain them in his memory, and speak of them, teach them, and write about them, it is of importance that the work on the Divine attributes should be continued as it was begun. We shall therefore now treat of the Divine Omnipresence, and the Divine Omniscience, lest the merely natural man, through the want of will-which he calls the want of power-to understand any divine or spiritual subject, should involve such things in doubt, so far even as to deny their existence.