Spiritual Experiences (Buss) n. 6025

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6025. THOSE WHO DENY THE LORD'S DIVINE. ADLERHEIM'S SISTER AND HER HUSBAND, AND M[ARIA] POLHEM. I spoke with these. They said that they studied theology and life with the highest zeal, and, owing to these [habits] in the world, I expected that they would be saved more readily than others, since they studied piety more than others, thinking upon Divine things, speaking about them, and living according to their thoughts and faith; but I marveled to find that it was not so in respect to their happiness in the other life. I therefore spoke with them. They said that they denied the Lord's Divine; whence it came to pass that they called in question the holiness of the Word, especially of the Evangelists. They were therefore told, that, owing to this, they could never have received any truths out of heaven. These proceed, and inflow only from the Lord through the Word; and, in the Christian world, principally through the Word of the Evangelists. I added, that to deny the Lord's Divine, and to despise the Word, is to sin against the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Divine Truth, that is the Word, teaching the Lord's Divinity. They were tested as to whether they had any truths; and it was seen that they had none; also, when they obtained any truths, they were turned into falsities. In like manner as regards their works, it was seen that they were not done for the sake of the Word, but for civil and moral considerations. Similarly respecting the Holy Supper, and many other things. I told them that to apply oneself to theology and piety, is of no avail, unless the Lord and the Word be acknowledged. It was perceived, seen and heard, that their arms were destitute of strength, so that they swung dangling in every direction; also, that they were in extreme poverty, receiving but little food, at which they were astonished; and that they heard from others falsities which they embraced, but could not recede from them. Sometimes, they were allowed to be in a certain society into which all the Reformed who can live a moral life are admitted; also for the reason that they may be instructed concerning truths. When these are able to lead a moral life in externals they are tolerated; but when they begin to seduce others by false principles, they are cast out from thence. In that society, the interiors of the thoughts are closed, as previously in the former heavens. They believe that the Father, apart from the Son, is the only God; and they either see the Father on high, or receive a reply from some spirit, either good or evil, who says he is God the Father. It is owing to this that they fall into falsities of every kind. They said they did not comprehend redemption by the Lord, and that therefore they denied it.


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