Page:Swedenborg, Harbinger of the New Age of the Christian Church.djvu/181

 Holy Spirit and in the power of the devil. He believed in angels, but knew nothing of the world filled with the spirits and angels who had once been men. We see how gradually the knowledge came to him:—

"October 3 to 6. I have noticed several times that there are various kinds of spirits. The One Spirit, which is that of Christ, is the only one that has all blessedness with it; by other spirits man is enticed a thousand ways to follow them, but woe to those who do so. Another time Korah and Dathan occurred to me, who brought strange fire to the altar and could not offer it. Such is the case when a different fire is introduced than that which comes from Christ. I saw also something like a fire coming to me. It is necessary therefore that a distinction should be made between spirits, which however cannot be done except through Christ Himself and His Spirit."

Some years later, after referring to the sundry spiritual manifestations which we have already described, he says—

"At last a spirit spoke a few words to me, when I was greatly astonished at his perceiving my thoughts. Afterward, when my mind was