1735. About a spiritual mental image-what it is like
For the sake of illustration it is permissible to bring forward just one example of what spiritual mental images are really like. If just a single word is uttered (for all words are mental images), then that same word can be put on, so to speak, [by spirits,] who then live within it.
A certain angel, upon hearing the word "servant," put on that very word and then prayed from it, signifying through this display that he is a servant, and is praying as a servant for the sake of showing his humility.
But no one realizes that such a thing can happen, except a spirit, or one who is involved in a spiritual mental image. Such phenomena are very numerous. 1748, 27 March.
1735. CONCERNING A SPIRITUAL IDEA - WHAT ITS QUALITY.
It is permitted to adduce a single example in order to illustrate the quality of spiritual ideas [which are such], that, if barely one word is uttered as all words are ideas then that word is, as it were, put on [by spirits], and thus they are accustomed to act inwardly within that word; as, for instance, a certain angel on hearing the word "Servant," immediately as it were put it on, and so prayed from it, signifying by such a representation that he was a servant, and accordingly prayed as a servant, for the sake of testifying humility; but that such a state of things can exist is perceived by no one except a spirit, or one who is in a spiritual idea. There are many things of this nature. - 1748, March 27.
1735. De idea spirituali, qualis
Unum solum exemplum, ad illustrandum, quales quoque ideae spirituales sunt, adducere licet, ut si modo una quaedam vox edicitur, omnes enim voces sunt ideae, tunc eadem vox indui quasi, et sic intus in ea agere [solet] 1
, ut quidam angelus, audita voce, "Servus," induit se eadem, et sic ex ea oravit, significans per talem repraesentationem, quod servus sit, et sicut servus oret, humilitatis testandae gratia; sed quod ita existere possit, a nemine, nisi a spiritu, et qui in spirituali idea sunt, percipitur, talia sunt permulta. 1748, 27 Martius.
Footnotes:
1. sic in J.F.I. Tafel's edition