2828. Absolute life is not mankind's, but the Lord's-a subtle proposition by certain ones, either angels or spirits
When I awoke, I was as usual in conversation with spirits, and at this time some who thought that the life of mankind, spirit, and angel is of the Lord Alone and that they are only receivers of life; and that we merely think we live, and that we are given by the Lord so to think, and that we therefore attribute life to ourselves is the result of fallacy, for we think to be ours what is not ours. Indeed, we think seeing to be the eye's, and hearing to be the ear's, but they are only organs receptive of sight and hearing, just as we think our hands and feet move of themselves, when yet it is not the hand's or the foot's doing, but that of the spirit acting within, as everyone may know who is not led astray by fallacy.
The proposition, which slipped in persuasively, was that mankind, spirit, and angel cannot think it is their own and thus to all appearance appropriate it, unless there is also life in the receiver who is able to see and feel this. For a while it remained convincing that it does appear to be so, but I was held fast in the conviction of that truth that life is of the Lord Alone, and because this was contained in their conviction,
2828. THAT THE VERIEST [ipsissima] LIFE IS NOT OF MAN, BUT OF THE LORD, A SUBTLE PROPOSITION [PUT FORTH] BY CERTAIN ONES, EITHER ANGELS OR SPIRITS.
When I awoke I was in speech with angels, as usual, and then [there were] certain who thought [were thinking] that the life of man, spirit, and angel is of the Lord alone, and that they are only recipients of life; and that we only think we live, that it is granted by the Lord so to think, and that hence we attribute life to ourselves, [that this] is a fallacy, for we suppose to be ours that which is not ours, yea suppose it belongs to the eye to see, and to the ear to hear, when yet it does not belong to the eye and ear, but they are only recipient organs of sight and hearing. In like manner if the fallacy is not removed we also suppose the hands and feet to move themselves of themselves, when yet it does not belong to the hand and foot, but to the spirit, which acts within, as may be well known to anyone. The proposition was of such a character and insinuated with the persuasion that man, spirit, and angel cannot think that [anything] is his, and so is appropriated to him, as appears [to be the case], unless also there is life in the recipient who can perceive and feel this. This lasted some time with the persuasion that so also it appears; but I was kept in the persuasion, that the truth is, that life is of the Lord alone, -
2828. Quod ipsissima vita non sit hominis, sed Domini, subtilis propositio a quibusdam sive angelis sive spiritibus
Cum evigilatus, ut solitum, cum spiritibus in loquela eram, et tunc quibusdam 1
, qui cogitarent, quod vita hominis, spiritus et angeli sit Solius Domini, et quod ii sint modo recipientia vitae; et quod solum putemus vivere, quod hoc a Domino detur ita putare, et quod inde attribuamus nobis vitam, [quod] sit fallacia, putamus enim esse nostrum, quod non est nostrum, imo putamus esse oculi videre, et auris audire, cum tamen non est oculi et auris, sed modo sunt organa recipientia visus et auditus, sicut etiam putamus manus et pedes se movere a semet, cum tamen non est manus et pedis, sed est spiritus, qui intus agit, quod cuivis notissimum esse potest, si non fallacia abducitur; propositio erat talis, quae insinuata cum persuasione: quod homo, spiritus, angelus, non putare potest, quod suum sit, et sic ei appropriari, sicut apparet, nisi sit quoque vita in recipiente, qui hoc potest percipere et sentire, hoc aliquantum durabat cum persuasione, quod ita quoque appareat, sed tenebar in persuasione,
(2829.) quod illud veritas, quod vita sit Solius Domini, et quia in persuasione tenebatur {a}, quae communicata mihi, non potui extricari, sed tametsi non possem extricari in statu isto, usque in persuasione tenebar, quod ideo a veritate non recedendum, sicut si quis recederet a veritate manifesta, quae coram oculis, quia non novit causas, seu ratiocinia ex causis; sed informati sunt, quod vita animae humanae, nempe intimae mentis, et intimioris ejus, non sit hominis, sed sit Domini, quae mentes sunt, quae recipiunt vitam, et per quas communicatur perceptio et sensatio menti naturali, et corpori, et quia homo et spiritus in naturali suo vivit, et in corporeo, putat vitam esse suam, quae Domini, non aliter ac putat quod visus et auditus, et tactus sit oculi, auris, et corporis, plura non opus est adducere; nam sic sisteretur connexio intimorum cum intimioribus, et intimiorum cum interioribus 2
, et sic cum exterioribus, etiam in corporis organis, in quibus suo modo, exteriora dependent ab intimioribus et intimis per purissima quae continuantur ab intimioribus et intimis. 1748, 15 Aug.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has quidam
2. The Manuscript has interiobus