620. Verse 10. And I took the little book out of the hand of the angel, and ate it up, signifies exploration. This is evident from the things that precede, namely, that "the little book" means the Word, "the angel" the Lord in relation to the Word, and "to devour or to eat it" means to receive, perceive, and appropriate to oneself, consequently to explore, here of what quality the understanding of the Word still is in the church. Exploration is effected by means of a thing's being perceived and the way in which it is perceived; it was effected with the prophet John, because a "prophet" signifies the doctrine of the church, and in a universal sense, the Word.

228. THE POWER OF THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN.

That the angels possess power cannot be comprehended by those who know nothing about the spiritual world and its influx into the natural world. Such think that angels can have no power because they are spiritual and are even so pure and unsubstantial that no eye can see them. But those who look more interiorly into the causes of things take a different view. Such know that all the power that a man has is from his understanding and will (for apart from these he is powerless to move a particle of his body), and his understanding and will are his spiritual man. This moves the body and its members at its pleasure; for whatever it thinks the mouth and tongue speak, and whatever it wills the body does; and it bestows its strength at pleasure. As man's will and understanding are ruled by the Lord through angels and spirits, so also are all things of his body, because these are from the will and understanding; and if you will believe it, without influx from heaven man cannot even move a step. That this is so has been shown me by much experience. Angels have been permitted to move my steps, my actions, and my tongue and speech, as they pleased, and this by influx into my will and thought; and I have learned thereby that of myself I could do nothing. I was afterwards told by them that every man is so ruled, and that he can know this from the doctrine of the church and from the Word, for he prays that God may send His angels to lead him, direct his steps, teach him, and inspire in him what to think and what to say, and other like things; although he says and believes otherwise when he is thinking by himself apart from doctrine. All this has been said to make known what power angels have with man.