Page:Swedenborg, Harbinger of the New Age of the Christian Church.djvu/212

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EMANUEL SWEDENBORG

know you not, whence ye are; depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity." . . . Depart ye, therefore, every one to his own place; you see the openings into those caverns; enter, and there work shall be given each of you to do, and afterwards food according to your work; but should you refuse at present to enter, the demands of hunger will speedily compel you.'"

This, though not written for the purpose, bears plain testimony to the part which the opening of the Word to and through Swedenborg himself had in the diffusion of the light of the judgment.

And what were the effects of the judgment: Through the vast multitude of spirits gathered for harvest in the world of spirits the Gospel was preached anew with light from its Divine Author. As at His first coming, those who had done well welcomed the light and were gathered by it into its home, while those who had done evil fled from the light and were gathered unto their like in hell. Thus the atmosphere was cleared above and about men's souls; and from that time forward whenever the Word of God is read with simple heart, the light of heaven, which is none other than that of the Holy Spirit, flows into the mind and en-

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