Verses 1-5. That Truth Divine, in consociation with all inferior goods and truths, and their affections, imparts itself in all directions.

Verse 5. Teaching that its reception is four-fold, first, as it is received by those who have no concern about truth, being in phantasies and false persuasions which pervert it.

Verse 6. Secondly, as it is received by those, who have a concern about truth, but not for its own sake, thus not interiorly, therefore the truth perishes.

Verse 7. Thirdly, as it is received by those who are in the cravings of evil, which suffocate it.

Verse 8. Fourthly, as it is received by those who from the Lord love the truths which are in the Word, and from Him do them, and therefore this fourfold reception of the truth ought to be well attended to.

Verses 9-10. Otherwise the Word will be understood only according to its literal or external sense, and not according to its spiritual or internal sense, which latter sense is revealed to those who are in the good of charity and the truth of faith from the Lord, but not to others, lest they should profane it.

Verses 11-12. For when the truth is revealed to those who have no concern about it, it is immediately darkened and infernal spirits, so that it produces no effect on the love and life.

Verse 13. And when it in received by those who have a concern about truth, yet not for its own sake, thus not interiorly, it excites indeed external delight, arising from external affection, but whereas it has no place in the will, it cannot stand the assault of evils and falsities.

Verse 14. And when it is received by those who are in the cravings of evil, it is suffocated and rendered unfruitful by worldly anxieties and the lust of gain.

Verse 15. But when it is received by those, who from the Lord love the truths which are in the Word, it affects first the will, and thence the understanding, and thus the life.

Verse 16. That therefore truth ought not to be subjected to the things of man's natural will, but to be exalted by affection in the intellectual mind, and thus to guide and direct the things of the will.

Verse 17. Since all evils and falsities will sooner or later be manifested to those who are in them, and likewise all goods and truths to those who are in them.

Verse 18. Every one therefore ought to be attentive to the affection with which he receives the truth, since they who are in the good of charity and the truth of faith are accepted in heaven and become angels, every one according to the quantity and quality of intelligence and wisdom which he has acquired to himself in the world, whereas they who are in falsities derived from evil in the other life are deprived of all truths.

Verses 19-22. That the Lord has no conjunction with external good and truth, only so far as they proceed from internal.

Verses 20-21. Therefore he himself successively and continually separated from himself what was merely human, and acknowledged none as conjoined with Him, but such as are in the good of charity from him, and in truths derived from that good.

Verses 22-23. That during regeneration, before the natural man is entirely submitted to the spiritual, there arise various natural lusts which cause disturbance, in which case the Divine (being or principle) seems absent.

Verses 24-25. But that when the spiritual man prevails, the disturbance ceases, and that hence is excited holy worship and adoration, at perceiving how hell and its cravings are subject to the Lord.

Verses 26-30. That infernal spirits make external confession of the Lord, and supplicate deliverance from his presence and influence, because they excite pain.

Verses 30-34. That these infernal spirits act on man in confederacy, and love to dwell in his filthy cravings, which is permitted of the Divine mercy, until both themselves and the cravings are separated from the penitent mind, and cast into hell.

Verses 34-35. On which occasion enquiry is made concerning the state of the penitent mind, and it is found to be a state of good receptive of truth, and of heavenly order, and accepting of Divine influence from the Lord's divine natural principle.

Verses 36-37. Nevertheless they who are in evil of life reject this state, and with it all communication with the Divine source of Good.

Verses 38-39. But they who are purified by repentance and faith seek conjunction of life with the Lord, and under his influence proclaim to others the Divine glory manifested in their purification and regeneration.

Verses 40-41. That supplication is made for the affection of truth in the Church, that through communication with the Lord it might no longer be immersed in impure loves, but might be exulted to heavenly love.

Verse 42. Which supplication is received by the Lord.

Verses 43-44. And that spiritual love is communicated to those who were in mere natural love, through the ultimates of the Divine being or principle.

Verses 45-46. Which communication is distinctly perceived by the Lord, notwithstanding the variety of objects to which it is applied, being known in all cases by the distinct affection which calls it forth.

Verse 47. That the sense of this Divine perception on the Lord's part excites a holy fear and humiliation, with confession of Divine influx.

Verse 48. Which humiliation and confession, under the Divine mercy, are productive of salvation and peace.

Verse 49. That the affection of truth in the church appears to be so immersed in impure loves, that it is impossible it can be exalted to heavenly love.

Verses 50-52. This appearance however is shown by the Lord to proceed from the spirit of unbelief, since if he be invoked; and his Divine influence be accompanied by faith and charity, and works of charity, together with natural good and truth, the affection of truth will then certainly be exalted to heavenly love.

Verses 53-55. Still this seems incredible, until it is proved to be true by the removal of the spirits of unbelief, and the communication of Divine power from the Lord by his Word.

Verse 56. To the astonishment of those who are in natural good and truth, and who are incapable of comprehending it.