2234. 1With no trouble, but most easily, the universe is governed by the Lord
There were very many spirits and angels around me, perhaps in the thousands, who were shown by actual experience how easily the universe is governed by the Lord. It was granted me to flow in, through thoughts, as if I were governing those round about. It was by one single thought, with its variations, that all things even to the very least were being arranged as if by a nod, both in giving happiness to some, and in doing other things, variously according to whatever I thought. In this manner, [I was giving] to every spirit associated with me, even to spirits quite remote, each in their own way.
From this we were able to learn how easily all and the least things are coordinated by the Lord, Who is in the highest, thence in the innermost, the very inward, and the inward regions. This the spirits and angels could not but corroborate. For some doubt it for the reason that such a huge multitude hovers in their mental imagery, and such a great variety, but the reply to them was this, that they are reasoning from the imagery of the lower part of the human being, where it so appears, while from the innermost parts, as from centers, the whole region round about, so to speak, is ruled most easily and with no trouble. It is seen differently by those who are in the peripheries. To them things appear the more obscure, the farther they are from the center. 1748, 7 June.
Footnotes:
1. 2233 is omitted in the ms.
2234. 1THAT THE UNIVERSE IS GOVERNED BY THE LORD WITH NO TROUBLE, BUT VERY EASILY.
There were around me very many spirits and angels, [amounting] perhaps to [some] thousands, to whom it was shown to the living experience how easily the universe is governed by the Lord. It was allowed to me to inflow into [their] thoughts, and thus, as it were, govern them who were around and it was [effected] merely by one thought with its variation each and all things were disposed as if according to [my] nod, as well to confer happiness on some as for other purposes, and to vary [these things] according to what I thought: [to bestow these things] in like manner on every spirit who was with me in society, also to spirits more removed [remote] according to their manner. Hence we could know how easily each and all things are ordered by the Lord, who is in the highest, yea, in the inmost, more interior, and interior things. This could not be confirmed by spirits and angels for some hesitate because so vast a multitude hovers before their ideas [in eorum ideis obversatur], and such a variety. The reply also is made them that they thus argue from the inferior [lower] ideas of man, where it so appears; but that from inmosts, as from centers, the whole circuit, as it were, is ruled very easily and with no trouble. It is different with those who are stationed [constitute] in the circumference [peripheriis], and who argue from ideas which are in the circumference [peripheriis], to whom these things appear more obscure the farther they are from the center. - 1748, June 7.
Footnotes:
1. Number 2233 is wanting in the original.
2234. Quod nullo negotio sed facillime universum a Domino gubernetur
1
Erant circum me perplures spiritus et angeli, forte ad millia, quibus ad vivam experientiam ostendebatur, quam facile universum a Domino gubernatur, concedebatur mihi, quod per cogitationes influerem, et sic quasi gubernarem eos, qui circum erant, ac erat una solum cogitatione, cum ejus variatione, omnia et singula disponebantur sicut ad nutum, tam ad dandum aliquibus felicitatem, quam ad alia, et variandum secundum ea, quae cogitavi; similiter unicuique spiritui, qui mecum in societate erat, etiam spiritibus remotioribus suo modo; inde potuimus scire, quam facile omnia et singula a Domino ordinantur 2
, qui in supremo est, ita in intimis, intimioribus, et interioribus, quod spiritus et angeli non potuerunt non confirmare; nam quidam dubitant, ex eo, quod multitudo tam ingens in eorum ideis obversatur, et tanta varietas, quibus responsum quoque est, quod ex ideis inferioris hominis ita ratiocinentur, ubi ita apparet, sed ab intimis, sicut a centris omnis quasi ambitus facillime et nullo negotio regitur; aliter ab iis qui in peripheriis constituti sunt, et qui ratiocinantur ab ideis, quae sunt in peripheriis, quibus ea obscuriora apparent, quo plus a centro sunt. 1748, 7 Junius.
Footnotes:
1. 2233 deest
2. The Manuscript has ordnantur