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THE • NEW • CHURCH—HOW
the body in this world, he at the same time for about twenty-seven years lived in the spiritual world, and conversed with spirits and angels there as one of their number. In this way he became acquainted with the order, laws, and life of the spiritual world as we are with this world. This was a mode of instruction and preparation for the work that he was chosen to do. What Swedenborg wrote in pursuance of this preparation constitutes the new revelation of truth from the Lord out of heaven, and is commonly called the Writings of the New Church. They are not from himself, nor any man, spirit, or angel, but from the Lord alone through the instrumentality of Swedenborg's mind and hand, which fact their character fully attests.
