1769. Those who have faith know and see inwardly that they do not live from their own power
You will find inner sight spoken of elsewhere [897-902, 1405-1409], but from knowledge the same is also established, namely, that human beings in no wise live from their own power, as I today showed spirits by means of a universal mental image.
Since each person is only a particle in the greatest human being, and there is nothing whatever in a person with which something in the greatest human being does not interact, it obviously follows that we do not live from ourselves, but from all and each one in the heaven of angels, and in the world of spirits, who arouse everything mankind thinks. And since all are only instruments, and the Lord Alone is Life, it obviously follows that humanity does not live from itself.
Moreover, it is clear from actual experience with a spirit that when those with whom he is in closest association are withdrawn, he is then like a dead person, and can neither think nor do anything whatever. 1748, 28 March.
1769. WHOSOEVER IS IN FAITH KNOWS AND PERCEIVES THAT HE DOES NOT LIVE FROM HIMSELF.
As relates to perception, see elsewhere; but knowledge teaches the same thing, to wit, that man by no means lives from himself, as I also today demonstrated to spirits by a universal idea; for since man is a mere particle in the Grand Man, and there is nothing in the individual man to which there is not something corresponding in the Grand Man, it obviously follows that he lives not from himself but from the all and singular things of the angels in heaven and in the world of spirits, who excite the things which man thinks; and since all are merely organic beings, and the Lord alone is life, it obviously follows that man lives not from himself. Besides this [it is shown] by living experience, that when they with whom a spirit is most intimately associated are withdrawn, he is then, as it were, dead, and can neither think nor do anything. - 1748 March 28.
1769. Qui in fide, sciat et percipiat, quod a semet non vivat
De perceptione vidd alibi [891-902, 1405-1409], ex scientia idem constat, nempe quod homo neutiquam a se vivat, sicut hodie spiritibus per ideam universalem, monstravi, cum enim homo sit modo particula in maximo homine, et nihil usquam sit in homine, cui non aliquid correspondeat ex maximo, sequitur manifeste quod non ex semet vivat, sed ex omnibus et singulis in coelo angelorum, et in mundo spirituum 1
, qui excitant ea, quae cogitat homo, et cum omnes sint modo organici, et Solus Dominus Vita, sequitur manifeste, quod homo non vivat ex se, praeter 2
quod a viva experientia, quod dum spiritui subtrahuntur ii, cum quibus in societate proxima est, tunc est quasi mortuus, et nihil quicquam potest, nec cogitare, nec agere. 1748, 28 Martius. 3
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has spiritum
2. The Manuscript has se. praeter
3. in sinistro margine hujus paragraphi apparet in the Manuscript linea verticalis undulans