Page:A Compendium of the Theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg.djvu/456

 things therein correspond, and therefore represent and signify Divine things which are in the heavens. (A. C. n. 9457.)

What it is to be present representatively may be briefly explained. A man who is in corporeal and worldly love, and not at the same time in spiritual or celestial love, has none but evil spirits present with him,—even when he is in a holy external; for good spirits can by no means be present with such a man, since they perceive immediately what is the quality of a man's love. It is the sphere which is exhaled from his interiors that spirits so manifestly perceive, just as a man perceives by smell fetid and offensive substances which float about him in the air. That nation [the Jewish], which is here treated of, as regards good and truth or love and faith was in such a state. Yet in order that they might act as the representatives of a church, it was miraculously provided of the Lord that when they were in a holy external, although surrounded at the same time with evil spirits, the holy [sphere] in which they were might nevertheless be elevated into heaven; and this by good spirits and angels,—not within them, but without them, for within them was nothing but emptiness or uncleanness. Communication was not therefore given with the very man, but with that holy [external] itself in which they were when they performed the statutes and precepts which were all representative of the spiritual and celestial things of the Lord's kingdom. This is what is meant by the Lord being representatively present with that nation. But the Lord is differently present with those within the church who are in spiritual love and thence in faith. With these there are good spirits and angels present, not in external worship only but also at the same time in internal. With these therefore there is communication of heaven with themselves; for the Lord flows in through heaven by their internals into their externals. To them the holy [external] of worship is of benefit in the other life, but not to the former. It is the same with priests and presbyters who preach what is holy and yet live wickedly and believe wickedly. Good spirits are not present with them, but evil, even when they are in worship apparently holy in its external form. For it is the love of self and of the world, or the love of securing honours and acquiring gain and reputation for their sake, which inflames them, and raises an affection of what is holy,—sometimes to such a degree that nothing of simulation is apperceived, and then is not credited by themselves; when yet they are in the midst of