4003. But it is sufficient to know that the life of the Lord streams into heavenly societies, which exist beyond number in every variety, according to the varieties of love, that is, is received in varying ways by all. In the inward world of spirits and in heaven it is received also in differing ways, according to societies; then in the lower world of mental imagery, it is received also in various ways, as suited to the receivers; with people on earth, also variously, according to their bodily memories. Thus these varieties can never be recognized as what they are in origin, which is clear from the fact that they are turned into their opposites, or other distortions, according to the person's convictions or state of the memory at the time, and then according to the containers [in the memory] that attach themselves in that state, then according to the desires and the resulting states of mind. For there are states of conviction, and states of desire.
4003. But it is enough to know that the Lord's life flows into the heavenly societies, which are innumerable with all variety, according to the varieties of love; that is, it is received variously by all. In the interior world of spirits, also, it is variously received from heaven, according to societies. So also in the lower world [of spirits], where ideas are still variously received, according to the state of the recipients; with men it is received still more variously, according to their corporeal memories; so that these influxes can never be understood as they are in their origin, which appears from this, that they may be turned into contraries, or other obliquities, according to a man's persuasions, or the state of his memory at the time, and then according to the vessels which apply themselves in that state, as also according to cupidities and their states; for there are states of persuasions and states of cupidities.
4003. Sed satis est scire, quod vita Domini influat in societates coelestes, quae innumerabiles, cum omni varietate secundum varietates amoris, hoc est recipitur varie ab omnibus; in mundo spirituum interiori recipitur quoque et [in] coelo varie, secundum societates; tum in mundo inferiori, ubi ideae [recipiuntur] adhuc varie, secundum recipientes; apud homines adhuc varie, secundum eorum memorias corporeas; sic ut nusquam agnosci queant quod talia in origine, quod constat ex eo, quod vertantur in contraria, seu obliqua alia, secundum persuasiones hominis, seu ejus memoriae statum tunc, et tunc secundum vasa se applicantia in eo statu, tum secundum cupiditates, earumque status, nam dantur status persuasionum, et status cupiditatum.