4626. When any spirit is approaching, even when he is far away and hidden from view, his presence (when the Lord gives permission) is perceived from a certain spiritual sphere; and from this is known the quality of his life, of his affection, and of his faith. Angelic spirits, who are in a more exquisite perception, thereby know innumerable things respecting the state of his life and faith, as I have often witnessed. When it pleases the Lord these spheres are turned into odors, and the very odor is plainly smelt. The reason why these spheres are turned into odors is that odor corresponds to perception, and because perception is as it were spiritual odor, from which also odor descends. (But see what has already been adduced from experience on these subjects; concerning spheres, n. 1048, 1053, 1316, 1504-1519, 1695, 2401, 2489, 4464, concerning perception, n. 483, 495, 503, 521, 536, 1383, 1384, 1388, 1391, 1397, 1398, 1504, 1640, and concerning the consequent odors, n. 1514, 1517-1519, 1631, 3577.)