277. Of Influx.

Of the influx of heaven into the world, and of the influx of the soul into all things of the body, from experience (n. 6053-6058, 6189-6215, 6307-6327, 6466-6495, 6598-6626). Nothing exists of or from itself, but from what is prior to itself, thus all things from the First (n. 4523-4524, 6040, 6056). As all things existed, they also subsist, because subsistence is perpetual existence (n. 2886, 2888, 3627-3628, 3648, 4523-4524, 6040, 6056). Influx takes place according to that order (n. 7270). Hence it is plain that all things subsist perpetually from the first esse, because they exist from it (n. 4523-4524, 6040, 6056). The all of life flows in from the First, because it is thence derived, thus from the Lord (n. 3001, 3318, 3337-3338, 3344, 3484, 3628-3629, 3741-3743, 4318-4320, 4417, 4524, 4882, 5847, 5986, 6325, 6468-6470, 6479, 9279, 10196). Every existere is from an esse, and nothing can exist unless its esse be in it (n. 4523-4524, 6040, 6056).

All things which a man thinks and wills flow into him, from experience (n. 904, 2886-2888, 4151, 4319-4320, 5846, 5848, 6189, 6191, 6194, 6197-6199, 6213, 7147, 10219). Man's ability of examining things, and of thinking and forming analytic conclusions, is from influx (n. 2888, 4319-4320). Man could not live a moment if the influx from the spiritual world were taken away from him; but still man is in freedom, from experience (n. 2887, 5849, 5854, 6321). The life which flows in from the Lord is varied according to man's state and according to reception (n. 2069, 5986, 6472, 7343). With the evil, the good which flows from the Lord is turned into evil, and the truth into falsity, from experience (n. 3643, 4632). The good and truth, which continually flow from the Lord, are so far received, as evil and falsity do not oppose their reception (n. 2411, 3142, 3147, 5828).

All good flows in from the Lord, and all evil from hell (n. 904, 4151). At this day man believes all things to be in himself and from himself, when nevertheless they inflow, as he might know from the doctrinal of the church, that all good is from heaven, and all evil from hell (n. 4249, 6193, 6206). But if he would believe as the thing is, he would not appropriate evil to himself, but cast it back from himself into hell, neither would he make good his own, and thus would not claim any merit from it (n. 6206, 6324-6325). How happy the state of man would then be, as he would view both good and evil from within, from the Lord (n. 6325). They who deny heaven, or know nothing about it, do not know there is any influx thence (n. 4322, 5649, 6193, 6479). What influx is, illustrated by comparisons (n. 6128, 6190, 9407).

Influx is spiritual, and not physical, thus it is from the spiritual world into the natural, and not from the natural world into the spiritual (n. 3219, 5119, 5259, 5427-5428, 5477, 6322, 9109-9110). Influx is through the internal man, into the external, and not contrariwise (n. 1702, 1707, 1940, 1954, 5119, 5259, 5779, 6322, 9380). Because the internal man is in the spiritual world, and the external in the natural world (n. 978, 1015, 3628, 4459, 4523-4524, 6057, 6309, 9701-9709, 10156, 10472). It appears as if influx is from externals into internals; this is a fallacy (n. 3721). Influx is into man's rational and through this into things scientific, and not contrariwise (n. 1495, 1707, 1940). The order of influx (n. 775, 880, 1096, 1495, 7270).

There is immediate influx from the Lord, and also mediate influx through the spiritual world or heaven (n. 6063, 6307, 6472, 9682-9683). The immediate influx from the Lord enters into the most single of all things (n. 6058, 6474-6478, 8717, 8728). Of the mediate influx of the Lord through heaven (n. 4067, 6982, 6985, 6996). It is effected through the spirits and angels who are adjoined to man (n. 697, 5846-5866). The Lord, by means of angels, flows into the ends from which, and for the sake of which, a man so thinks, wills, and acts (n. 1317, 1645, 5846, 5854). And thus into those things which are of conscience with man (n. 6207, 6213). But by means of spirits into the thoughts, and thence into the things of the memory (n. 4186, 5854, 5858, 6192-6193, 6198-6199, 6319). This can with difficulty be believed by man (n. 6214). The Lord inflows into firsts and at the same time into ultimates, or into inmosts and at the same time into outmosts, how (n. 5147, 5150, 6473, 7004, 7007, 7270). The influx of the Lord is into good with man, and through good into truth, and not contrariwise (n. 5482, 5649, 6027, 8685, 8701,10153). Good gives the faculty of receiving influx from the Lord, but not truth without good (n. 8321[1-2]). It is not what enters the thought, but what enters the will, that is hurtful, because this is appropriated to the man (n. 6308). The Divine in the highest is tacit and pacific, but as it descends towards lower things in man, it becomes unpacific and tumultuous, on account of the things therein being in disorder (n. 8823). The quality of the Lord's influx with the prophets (n. 6212).

There is a general influx, its quality (n. 5850). It is a continual effort of acting according to order (n. 6211). This influx takes place into the lives of animals (n. 5850). And also into the subjects of the vegetable kingdom (n. 3648). That thought is formed into speech and will into gestures with man, according to this general influx (n. 5862, 5990, 6192, 6211).

10196. 'Before the mercy-seat which is above the Testimony' means where the Lord hears and receives everything of worship arising from the good of love. This is clear from the meaning of 'the mercy-seat' as the hearing and reception by the Lord of everything of worship arising from the good of love, dealt with in 9506; and from the meaning of 'the Testimony' as the Lord in respect of the Word, dealt with in 8535, 9503, thus of Divine Truth since the Lord in respect of Divine Truth is the Word, 9987.

[2] A brief statement about Divine Good and Divine Truth needs to be made here. As to His Divine [Being] itself, called the Father, and His Divine Humanity, called the Son, the Lord is Divine Love itself, and is accordingly Divine Good itself. But as to His presence in heaven, which is beneath the Lord as the Sun, He is Divine Truth. Yet this Divine Truth has Divine Good within it, adjusted to its reception by angels and spirits. This Divine presence is what is called the Spirit of Jehovah and that which is Holy. The reason why it is spoken of as Divine Truth and not Divine Good is that angels and spirits are created beings and therefore are recipients of Divine Truth emanating from Divine Good. Like people in the world they enjoy two powers of mind - the understanding and the will. The understanding has been formed to receive Divine Truth and the will to receive Divine Good; and their understanding serves not only to receive [that Truth] but also to perceive [this Good].

[3] Simple people may gain some idea of this matter if it is compared with the sun and the world that comes into being from it. The sun is composed of fire, but what radiates from it is heat and light. As anyone may know, there is no light within the sun itself, but light radiates from it. And in the measure that light radiating from the sun holds heat within itself plants come to life and grow, producing fruit and seeds. These things have been mentioned by way of comparison because the whole natural order is a theatre representative of the Lord's kingdom; and it is a representative theatre because the natural world has been brought into being by the Divine - and is unceasingly brought into being, that is, is held in being, by Him - by means of the spiritual world. So it is that in the Word 'the sun', similarly 'fire', is used to mean the Lord in respect of Divine Love, and 'light' to mean the Lord in respect of Divine Truth, as in John 1:9; 3:19; 9:5; 12:46.