Part 3 (1/2)

PRAYER

”O Thou who hearest prayer; Unto Thee shall all flesh come.”

--_Psalm_, LXV, 2

Prayer, in itself considered, is speech with G.o.d. There is then some inward view of the objects of the prayer, and answering to that something like an influx into the perception or thought. Thus there is a kind of opening of the man's interiors toward G.o.d, with a difference according to the man's state and according to the nature of the object of the prayer. If one prays out of love and faith and only about and for things heavenly and spiritual, then there appears in the prayer something like revelation, which shows itself in the affection of the suppliant, in hope, solace, or an inner gladness.

--_Arcana Coelestia, n._ 2535

THE SERVICE OF WORs.h.i.+P

”I will come into Thy house in the mult.i.tude of Thy mercy; In Thy fear will I wors.h.i.+p toward Thy holy temple.”

--_Psalm_, V, 7

One should not omit the practice of external wors.h.i.+p. Things inward are excited by external wors.h.i.+p; and outward things are kept in holiness by external wors.h.i.+p, so that things inward can flow in.

Moreover, a man is imbued in this way with knowledge, and prepared to receive celestial things, so as to be endowed with states of holiness, though he is unaware of it. These states of holiness the Lord preserves to him for the use of eternal life; for in the other life all one's states of life recur.

--_Arcana Coelestia, n._ 1618

THE SACRAMENTS

Baptism and the Holy Supper are the holiest acts of wors.h.i.+p. Baptism and the Holy Supper are as it were two gates, through which a man is introduced into eternal life. After the first gate there is a plain, which he must traverse; and the second is the goal where the prize is, to which he directed his course; for the palm is not given until after the contest, nor the reward until after the combat.

--_True Christian Religion, nn._ 667, 721

I. BAPTISM

Baptism was inst.i.tuted for a sign that a man is of the Church and for a memorial that he is to be regenerated. For the was.h.i.+ng of baptism is no other than spiritual was.h.i.+ng, which is regeneration. All regeneration is effected by the Lord through truths of faith and a life according to them. Baptism, therefore, testifies that a man is of the Church and that he can be regenerated; for it is in the Church that the Lord is acknowledged, Who regenerates man, and there the Word is, where are truths of faith, by which is regeneration.

--_Heavenly Doctrine, nn._ 202, 203

The sign of the cross which a child receives on the forehead and breast at baptism is a sign of inauguration into the acknowledgment and wors.h.i.+p of the Lord.

--_True Christian Religion, n._ 682

II. THE HOLY SUPPER

The Holy Supper was inst.i.tuted that by means of it there might be conjunction of the Church with heaven, and thus with the Lord. When one takes the bread, which is the Body, one is conjoined with the Lord by the good of love to Him, from Him; and when one takes the wine, which is the Blood, one is conjoined to the Lord by the good of faith in Him, from Him.

--_Heavenly Doctrine, nn._ 210, 213

In the Holy Supper the Lord is fully present, both as to His glorified Humanity, and as to the Divine. And because He is fully present, therefore the whole of His redemption is; for where the Lord the Redeemer is, there redemption is. Therefore all who observe the Holy Communion worthily, become His redeemed, and receives the fruits of redemption, namely, liberation from h.e.l.l, union with the Lord, and salvation.