5972. CHURCHES AND PREACHINGS. In the churches everyone knows his place. He goes to it as if he knew it from knowledge; but it is from influx from the Lord that he believes that his place is there. Nevertheless, all taken together form as it were one man, as regards its separate members - the head, the breast, the arms, loins, feet. They are not, indeed, aware of this; but, as such is the arrangement of heaven, and greatests and leasts are in a like order and consequently in a like form, therefore this is the case. From this cause it comes about that they all listen to the preaching with unanimity, as one man, as may be manifest from this: if the preacher says anything which is repugnant, they then all in their minds reject it, that is, do not receive it. The preacher also observes this; for he then experiences such a resistance that he is scarcely able to utter those things, and this with variety according to the resistance; but, when they receive, the preacher is, as it were, in his enlightenment, and speaks, teaches and confirms those things with ease. - When there is resistance, the preacher knows, indeed, that it arises thence but yet he turns himself this way and that, namely, to those who are in the head there, to those who are in the breast, to those who are in the loins, and to those who are in the feet. Those who are in the feet do not perceive so readily as the rest; for which reason, he is, indeed, able to say before them whatever he wishes, but he cannot long restrain their sight; wherefore, he is compelled to try, by various things and in different ways, what they will listen to; and when he finds out what it is, he then urges this preaching. - When anyone is present - even if outside the Church, if he only hear - and looks at the congregation, then the thoughts of all are varied, and are held fast to listening to the truths. If these are not preached properly, or the preacher wavers, labors or breaks down, still when he comes to the truths and teaches them, all the hearers then acknowledge and receive. This has happened with me. It was granted me by the Lord to look thus; and then the preacher acted in this manner. - Hence it was evident, that the Lord arranges all in church through angels and spirits, and above, or outside of them, according to the disposition of the hearers, and according to their unanimous reception of truth. - I afterwards spoke with a certain one to this effect. - He said that they hear and receive whatever the preacher says, from a delight, and that consequently there is rarely any resistance. But he was told that delight, acquired merely from habit, admits whatever is said; yet this delight alone is of no effect, for it neither teaches nor amends them. But if the delight be that of learning truths, from which source the delight of the affection of spiritual truth arises, then this delight does teach and affect, and so promotes amendment in various ways for it passes into the life and heart, and by it the Lord then leads man, even when he does not know.