1176. But from in their midst I caught and heard a gentle sound, angelic, sweet, containing nothing but orderliness. The angels were on the inside, but the crowd of spirits on the outside. This angelic stream continued for a while, was repeated several times, and I was told that in this way the Lord governs disarrangement and disorder pressing in from round about.
For He works from inner peacefulness, and in a peaceful way, so that everything outside or peripheral must necessarily be brought back into order, each component, out of the erring course of its own acquired nature. So He governs the human race, as well as its outer elements, which are the fantasies that determine people's actions and conversation at this day.
Thinking to myself, I compared the disarrayed conditions of the spiritual crowd to a storm in the sky, and to the clouds and dust flying through the then unbalanced atmosphere. But the purer atmosphere, the ether, remains throughout in a state of calm, working with a hidden and silent balancing force upon that turbulent atmosphere, bringing it back into equilibrium and rest.
1176. 1/2. The same thing also exists in the individual whom outer emotions upset, when yet the inner ones are peaceful. The same principle applies to many other circumstances. 1748, 5, 6 March.
1176. But in their midst I perceived and heard a soft sound, namely, something angelic and sweet, in which there was nothing but what was orderly. They [from whom it proceeded] were within, but the crowd of spirits was outside. This angelic stream continued for some time, being often repeated, and I was told that in this way the Lord governs disconnected and disorderly things which flow round about. For He acts from what is pacific, thus pacifically; wherefore those things that are outside, or in the peripheries, are of necessary reduced to order, each one from the error of his own acquired nature. So also He governs the human race and its externals which are the phantasies of men by which at the present day their actions and speech are governed. Thinking to myself, I compared the disconnected states of that spiritual crowd to a tempest in the air, and to the clouds and dust then flying through the atmosphere so that it is out of its equilibrium, but in the meanwhile the purer atmosphere, or ether, remaining in its tranquil state, and acting continually upon that tempestuous atmosphere from the hidden and thus silent force of equilibrium, reduces it into equilibrium and rest.
1176 1/2. Something similar also exists with man when external commotions disturb him, and yet his internals are pacific. It is similar in very many other cases. 1748, Mar. 5 and 6.
1176. Sed in medio eorum percepi et audivi mollem sonum, nempe angelicum, dulcem, cui nihil nisi ordinate inesset, ii erant intra, at turba spirituum extra; hic fluvius angelicus aliquamdiu continuabatur, aliquoties repetitus, ac mihi dicebatur, quod Dominus sic regat inconcinna et inordinata, quae circumfluunt, nam ex pacifico agit, sic pacifice, quare quae extra seu in peripheriis necessario in ordinem rediguntur, quodlibet ex suae naturae acquisitae errore; ita humanum genus, tum ejus externa, quae sunt eorum phantasiae, ex quibus hodie reguntur eorum actiones, et loquelae. Mecum cogitans, comparavi turbae 1
spiritualis 2
inconcinnos status, tempestati aeris, et tunc nimbis, ac pulveri per atmosphaeram volanti, sic tunc extra suum aequilibrium, at purior atmosphaera, seu aether, interea in tranquillo statu manens, ex vi aequilibrii occulta et sic tacita agens, continue in turbulentam istam atmosphaeram agens, redigit eam in aequilibrium et quietem.
1176a. Simile quoque existit in homine, quando externi motus turbant eum, et tamen interni pacifici sunt. Simile in aliis permultis. 1748, 5, 6 Martius.
Footnotes:
1. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has turbam
2. In the Manuscript spiritualem in spiritualis emendatum sed correctio turbam in turbae omissa