5972. About Churches and the preaching
In the churches all people know their own place. They go into it as if they knew it from knowledge of it, but it is from an inflow from the Lord that they know their place is there. Nevertheless, taken all together they form as it were one person as regards the person's individual parts: head, chest, arms, limbs, feet. They are certainly not aware of this, but it is so, because the heaven's arrangement is like this, and the largest and the smallest parts are in a similar order and so in a similar form. This is the reason why they all listen to the preaching with one mind as if they were one person. This can be demonstrated by this: if a preacher says something that argues against [them], then they mentally all refuse [to listen], that is, do not accept it. The preacher notices this too, for then there is such a resistance to him that he can scarcely express himself, in varying degrees depending on the resistance. However, when they are receptive, then the preacher has, so to speak, his enlightenment, and easily expresses, teaches, and demonstrates these things.ؗhen there is resistance, the preacher then knows where it comes from; nevertheless he turns himself in this and that direction, namely toward those who are in the head there, who are in the chest, who are in the limbs, and who are in the feet. Those who are in the feet do not grasp things like the rest, so he can of course say whatever he likes to them, but he cannot hold their attention for long, so he is forced to try various topics and in differing ways to find what they will listen to, and when he finds it he urges it in his preaching.
[2] When someone is nearby, even if he is outside the church merely listening, and he looks at the congregation, the thoughts of all are then changed and fixed on hearing truths, which if they are not being preached correctly, the preacher wavers, makes an attempt, is perplexed until he comes to truths; and when he teaches these, the listeners then all acknowledge them as true and accept them. This happened with me. It was granted by the Lord to look [at the congregation] in this way, and the preacher then [preached] in that manner.From this is evident that the Lord arranges everyone in the Church, through angels and spirits even above or outside them, depending on the listeners' disposition and acceptance of the truth suiting them. Consequently I spoke with a certain one from there afterwards. He said that they listen with pleasure and accept whatever the preacher says, and so there is rarely any resistance. But it was said to him that it is a pleasure drawn merely from a habit of accepting whatever the preacher says, but that pleasure by itself accomplishes nothing, for it neither teaches them nor makes them better. However, if it is a pleasure in learning truths, from which there is pleasure from affection for spiritual truth, then this pleasure teaches and affects them and thus in various ways improves them, because it passes into their life and heart, through which the Lord then leads a person, even when he is ignorant of it.
5972. CHURCHES AND PREACHINGS.
In the churches everyone knows his place. He goes to it as if he knew it from knowledge; but it is from influx from the Lord that he believes that his place is there. Nevertheless, all taken together form as it were one man, as regards its separate members - the head, the breast, the arms, loins, feet. They are not, indeed, aware of this; but, as such is the arrangement of heaven, and greatests and leasts are in a like order and consequently in a like form, therefore this is the case. From this cause it comes about that they all listen to the preaching with unanimity, as one man, as may be manifest from this: if the preacher says anything which is repugnant, they then all in their minds reject it, that is, do not receive it. The preacher also observes this; for he then experiences such a resistance that he is scarcely able to utter those things, and this with variety according to the resistance; but, when they receive, the preacher is, as it were, in his enlightenment, and speaks, teaches and confirms those things with ease. - When there is resistance, the preacher knows, indeed, that it arises thence but yet he turns himself this way and that, namely, to those who are in the head there, to those who are in the breast, to those who are in the loins, and to those who are in the feet. Those who are in the feet do not perceive so readily as the rest; for which reason, he is, indeed, able to say before them whatever he wishes, but he cannot long restrain their sight; wherefore, he is compelled to try, by various things and in different ways, what they will listen to; and when he finds out what it is, he then urges this preaching. - When anyone is present - even if outside the Church, if he only hear - and looks at the congregation, then the thoughts of all are varied, and are held fast to listening to the truths. If these are not preached properly, or the preacher wavers, labors or breaks down, still when he comes to the truths and teaches them, all the hearers then acknowledge and receive. This has happened with me. It was granted me by the Lord to look thus; and then the preacher acted in this manner. - Hence it was evident, that the Lord arranges all in church through angels and spirits, and above, or outside of them, according to the disposition of the hearers, and according to their unanimous reception of truth. - I afterwards spoke with a certain one to this effect. - He said that they hear and receive whatever the preacher says, from a delight, and that consequently there is rarely any resistance. But he was told that delight, acquired merely from habit, admits whatever is said; yet this delight alone is of no effect, for it neither teaches nor amends them. But if the delight be that of learning truths, from which source the delight of the affection of spiritual truth arises, then this delight does teach and affect, and so promotes amendment in various ways for it passes into the life and heart, and by it the Lord then leads man, even when he does not know.
5972. De Templis et praedicationibus
In templis quisque novit locum suum, in illum vadit sicut sciret ex scientia, sed est ex influxu a Domino, ut credat suum locum ibi esse.
- Omnes tamen simul sumti formant sicut unum hominem, quoad singula ejus, caput, pectus, brachia, lumbos, pedes, hoc quidem non sciunt, sed quia ordinatio coeli talis est, et maxima et minima in simili ordine sunt et inde in simili forma, inde hoc fit
- Ex hac causa est, quod omnes unanimiter sicut unus homo audiant praedicationem; quod constare ex eo potest, si praedicator aliquid dicit, quod contranititur, tunc omnes animis renuunt, hoc est, non acceptant, hoc quoque animadvertit praedicator, nam tunc est ei renisus ut vix possit eloqui illa, et hoc cum varietate secundum renitentiam, quando autem acceptant, tunc praedicator est quasi in sua illustratione, et facile enuntiat, docet et confirmat illa.
- Quando renitentia, tunc scit quidem praedicator quod inde sit, sed usque vertit se huc illuc, nempe ad illos qui in capite ibi sunt, qui in pectore, qui in lumbis. et qui in pedibus, qui in pedibus non percipiunt sicut reliqui, quare quidem coram illis potest dicere quid vult, sed non tenere potest diu visum apud illos, quare adigitur tentare variis et differenter quid incidit in auscultationem, et cum hoc invenit, hoc dein urget praedicando.
- Quando aliquis praesto est, etiam si extra templum, modo audiat, et is spectat coetum, tunc cogitationes omnium variantur, ac tenentur in audiendis veris, quae si non praedicantur juste, praedicator vacillat, tentat, haeret, usque dum in vera venit, et cum illa docet, tunc auditores omnes agnoscunt et recipiunt, hoc factum est mecum, datum est a Domino ut spectarem ita, et tunc praedicator ita fecit.
- Inde patuit, quod Dominus disponat omnes in Templo, per angelos et spiritus etiam supra aut extra illos secundum indolem auditorum, et secundum receptionem veri illis concordantis.
- Ita loquutus sum cum quodam inde postea, ille dixit quod ex jucundo audiant et recipiant quicquid praedicator dicit, et inde quod raro sit aliqua renitetia, sed dictum ei est, quod jucundum modo ex habitu tractum admittat quicquid dicitur, sed hoc jucundum solum nihil efficit, non enim docet illos nec emendat illos, sed si jucundum sit discere vera, unde jucundum affectionis veri spiritualis, tunc hoc jucundum docet et afficit, et sic variis modis emendat, transit enim in vitam et cor, per quod dein Dominus ducit hominem, etiam quando id nescit.