outward form, but dissimilar in the inward. Churches divided as to outward appearance, will exist as heretofore; their doctriues will be taught as heretofore; and the same religions as now will exist among the Gentiles. But henceforth the man of the church will be in a more free state of thinking on matters of faith, that is, on spiritual things which relate to heaven, because spiritual liberty has been restored to him. For all things in the heavens and hells are now reduced to order; and all thinking which entertains or opposes Divine things inflows from thence,—from the heavens all which is in harmony with Divine things, and from the hells all which is opposed to them. But man does not observe this change of state in himself, because he does not reflect upon it, and because he knows nothing of spiritual liberty or of influx: nevertheless it is perceived in heaven, and also by man himself when he dies.
Since spiritual liberty has been restored to man, the spiritual sense of the Word is now unveiled, and interior divine truths are revealed by means of it. For man in his former state would not have understood them; and he who would have understood them, would have profaned them.
I have had much conversation with the angels about the state of the church hereafter. They said that they know not things to come; for such knowledge belongs to the Lord alone; but that they do know that the slavery and captivity in which the
