4099. Ritual worship is no worship, unless it comes from within
I spoke with spirits, saying that feelings are accompanied by outward gestures, now adding that these are so to speak their bodies, just as humbling of the heart is accompanied by kneeling, and many other such gestures, innermost compassion by tears - thus inward qualities by ritual worship, such as attending churches, and so on. Therefore, one who places worship in outward acts only, is a pretender, imitating gestures of worship like those which proceed from within - as preachers are also accustomed to making in order to move [the congregation], when yet they are but outward acts, thus ritual worship, which is no worship, unless it comes from within. 1748, 29 Nov.
4099. THAT THERE IS NO EXTERNAL WORSHIP EXCEPT FROM INTERNAL PRINCIPLES.
I spoke with spirits saying that affections have with them gestures or external signs which serve them [the affections] as a kind of bodies; as, for instance, humility of heart prompts kneels and other acts, and deep pity tears. Thus interior emotions have in them an exterior [language of] worship, prompting to the frequenting of churches and so forth. Wherefore one who places worship in externals only is a hypocrite, feigning gestures and reverential acts similar to those that flow from internals. Even preachers may by habit acquire such devout airs, and be able to move the feelings of others, when yet it is all mere outside show. Thus the worship in externals is of no account except as flowing from internal promptings. - 1748, November 29.
4099. Quod externus cultus nullus nisi ab internis
Loquutus cum spiritibus, quod affectiones secum habeant gestus seu externa, et nunc, quae sunt eorum quasi corpora, sicut humiliatio cordis secum habet genuflexiones et plura alia, misericordia intima, lachrymas, sic interiora secum habent cultum externum, ut frequentet ecclesias, et sic porro, quare qui in externis solum ponit cultum, est simulator, effigiando gestus et cultus similes iis, quae fluunt ab internis; sicut solent quoque praedicatores, qui se adsuescunt iis, ut moveant, cum tamen externa sunt; ita cultus in externis, qui nullus est, nisi ab internis. 1748, 29 Nov.