235. It has been made evident to me by long experience that the spiritual angels possess the spiritual sense of the Word, and the celestial angels its celestial sense. I have been allowed to perceive that, when I read the Word in its literal sense, communication was established with the heavens, at one time with one community there, at another time with another. The words which I understood in their natural sense were understood by the spiritual angels in their spiritual sense, and by the celestial angels in their celestial sense, and this too upon the instant. Since I have perceived this communication some thousands of times, I have no doubt left concerning it. There are also spirits below the heavens who misuse this communication; for they repeat some verses from the literal sense of the Word, and immediately notice and mark down the community with which communication is established. This too I have seen and heard many times. These direct experiences have enabled me to know that the Word in its literal sense is a Divine means of being linked with the Lord and associated with the angels in heaven.