Spiritual Experiences Minor (Buss) n. 4684

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4684. HOW THE CHURCH REPRESENTS THE HEART AND LUNGS. In what manner the Church answers to the heart and lungs was perceived by spiritual ideas, by means of a cylinder, or axle-tree, in whose middle were the celestial things of love, and, round about, spiritual things: and [it was perceived] that, from celestial things, there is an influx into spiritual things, and so on, continuously, towards the circumferences, even to the ultimates: and, so, that the communications of love are according to order: that thus, likewise, the men of the Church who are in good are in the middle, as regards their souls, and those who are in truth are round about; no matter how far apart and how unknown to each other, they may be on earth; for their souls are still in heaven. That middle is the heart; around it are the lungs. When, therefore, there is no Church, neither is there heart or lungs; hence, neither is there communication with those who are in the circumferences. This would be the case with man, because, with him, natural aims are pursued; so that there must be influx into natural things.


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