727. It is well known that invitations to meals and banquets serve as a means to establish links and associations in the world. For the person who gives the invitation has in mind something contributing to his end in view, which concerns agreement and friendship. Far more then is this true of invitations which are aimed at spiritual ends. Dinners in the ancient churches were charitable ones, and it was much the same in the earliest days of the Christian church, where people strengthened one another's resolve to maintain the Lord's worship in heartfelt sincerity. The feasts of the Children of Israel on sacrifices beside the Tabernacle had no other meaning than unanimity in the worship of Jehovah. The meat that they used to eat was therefore called holy (Jeremiah 11:15; Hagg Jeremiah 2:12; and many other places), because it came from a sacrifice. What then of the bread and wine, and the Passover meat at the Lord's Supper, who offered Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world?

[2] In addition, the link established with the Lord through the Holy Supper can be illustrated by the link between families descended from one ancestor. From him are descended blood relations, and in series kinsfolk and relatives. They all derive something from the founder of the line, but it is not so much flesh and blood. It is rather the soul and similar inclinations which they derive from flesh and blood that forms the link. The link is also generally apparent in their faces and their behaviour, so that they are called one flesh (as in Genesis 29:14; 37:27; 2 Samuel 5:1; 19:12-13, and elsewhere).

[3] It is much the same with linking with the Lord, who is the Father of all the faithful and blessed. Linking with Him takes place by means of love and faith, which together are called one flesh. This is why He said that 'if someone eats my flesh and drinks my blood, he remains in me and I in him' (John 6:56). Anyone can see that it is not bread and wine that do this, but the good of love, which is meant by bread, and the truth of faith, which is meant by wine. These are peculiar to the Lord, proceed from and are conferred by Him alone. Every link is forged by love, and love is not love if there is no trust. Those who believe that bread is flesh and wine is blood, being unable to lift their thoughts above this level, may cling to that belief; but in such a way as to believe that it is something very holy which makes a link with the Lord, which is being assigned for a person to make as if his own, although it constantly remains the Lord's.

1835. That 'Abram drove them away' means that the Lord put them to flight is clear from what has been stated. The position is the same with regard to the Church. When it starts to depart from charity, evils and derivative falsities are quite easily put to flight, for it is still in a state not far removed from charity, and so people's minds are quite pliable. In the course of time however evils and derivative falsities increase, and so are confirmed and consolidated. This matter will be dealt with later on.

[2] As far as it is possible the Lord is constantly putting evils and falsities to flight, but He does so by means of conscience. When the bonds of conscience are loosed no channel exists by which the Lord may flow in, for the Lord's influx with man is an influx by way of charity into his conscience. But when this comes about a new channel, an external one, is formed and takes the place of charity, that is to say, influx now comes through a fear of the law, fear of loss of life, honour, wealth, and consequent reputation. But these bonds are not those of conscience; they are merely external bonds which enable a person to live in society with others and to appear friendly, whatever he may be like within.

[3] This channel, or these bonds, are of no value whatever in the next life, for in that life things that are external are taken away, and such as the person is within remains. There are very many who have led good lives, private and public, have harmed no one, and have performed acts of friendship and kindness; indeed they have done good to very many. Yet they acted solely for themselves, for the sake of honour, gain, and similar considerations. In the next life these are among those in hell since they have nothing good and true within them at all, only evil and falsity. Indeed they have nothing but hatred, revenge, cruelty, and adultery within them, which do not show themselves before anyone - not showing themselves, that is, insofar as those fears which constitute external restraints prevail.