1948. About freedom
I told spirits that one who thinks and does nothing from his or her own power, thinks and does a great deal of good, but one who does everything from self, thinks and does nothing good, but much evil. The former is free, the latter is a slave.
This seemed paradoxical to the spirits, yet it is most true, and is corroborated by angels, as well as by much experience in myself. 1748, 12 May.
1948. 1CONCERNING LIBERTY.
I remarked to spirits that the man who neither thinks nor acts anything from himself - that such an one does really think and act much good; while he that does everything from himself - he does nothing good, but much evil; the one is free, while the other is a slave. This seemed a paradox to the spirits, but yet it is most true, and is confirmed by the angels, as also by much experience of my own. - 1748, May 12.
Footnotes:
1. Dr. Tafel suggests that 1949 should come after 1948. This, he says, differs slightly from that of Swedenborg's manuscript.
1948. [Vide post 1[949]