4438. About the inflow of the Lord into the Church, from all, that it is like the heart
It has been stated that the Church of the Lord is like the heart and the lungs, and that from them He flows into the rest. I discerned how the matter stands, namely just as in man the rest of the internal organs, which are of lesser use, live from them, so it is with the Kingdom of the Lord on any given earth, that there is an inflow from a countless number into each one is evident from experience with me, indeed, from many, from the universal heaven, into each mental image, according to affinities, as in the human body; or also, as there is, by means of many scattered muscles, and still more motor tissues, one action, as was also evident from the experience that by lascivious women together, something beautiful came forth. Thus does the Lord from a countless number form a one, according to His good pleasure.
The case is the same with the Church of the Lord in the lands. The angels dwell with those who have love to the Lord and love toward the neighbor, who are like the heart and the lungs, this also being the case with man on earth. But where there is no Church, they are removed, so that there cannot be an inflow through many societies of angels, not even into those scattered abroad, for nowhere is there a nearest conjunction whereby it can be channeled to others; and so forth.
4438. CONCERNING THE INFLUX OF THE LORD INTO THE CHURCH, [HOW] IT IS FROM ALL, [AND] THAT IT IS LIKE A HEART.
It was said that the church of the Lord is like the heart and lungs, and that thence there is an influx into others [who are not of the church]. It was perceived how the case is, namely, that it is as in man; that as the other viscera, which are of inferior use, are from the heart and lungs, so is it with the kingdom of the Lord in any particular earth. That there is an influx from many, [nay] from innumerable multitudes into everyone, is manifest from experience in my own case, nay, that there is an influx into every idea from many [even] from the universal heaven according to affinities, as in the human body; or, as by means of many muscles disconnected with each other and by means of still more motive fibers, one action results, The same might be manifest from experience, in that one beautiful [appearance] may arise from many lascivious women together. In this manner the Lord forms a one out of innumerable [particulars], according to His good pleasure. This is the case also with the church of the Lord in the earths; angels dwell with those who are in love to the Lord and in love to the neighbor; these are, as it were, the heart and lungs; and the case is similar with man on the earth; where there is no church, the angels are removed, so that an influx through very many societies of angels is no longer possible, and from them into those situated remotely from them; for there is no proximate conjunction from which there may be a derivation to others, and so on.
4438. De influxu Domini in Ecclesiam, ab omnibus, [quod] sit instar cordis
Dictum quod Ecclesia Domini sit instar cordis et pulmonum, et quod inde influat in caeteros, perceptum quomodo se habeat, quod nempe sicut in homine, quod caetera viscera, quae minoris usus sunt, inde vivant; ita Regnum Domini in aliqua tellure: influxus quod sit a pluribus, et innumeris in unumquemvis, constat ab experientia apud me, imo quod sit in unamquamvis ideam a multis, ab universo coelo, secundum affinitates, sicut in corpore humano; aut etiam sicut per plures musculos dissitos a se invicem, et per adhuc plures fibras motrices, una actio: quod etiam constare potuit ab experientia, quod a lascivis faeminis simul unum pulchrum exstiterit, ita ab innumeris format Dominus unum secundum beneplacitum Ipsius, ita etiam se habet cum Ecclesia Domini in terris, angeli habitant apud eos, qui in amore in Dominum et in amore erga proximum sunt, ubi est instar cordis et pulmonis, ita apud hominem in tellure; cum vero nulla Ecclesia, removentur illi, ita non dari potest per plurimas angelorum societates influxus, ne quidem in dissitos inde, nam nullibi est conjunctio proxima, ut inde derivatio in alios, et sic porro.