4002. Concerning Providence and inflow
I was infested by spirits [regarding the question] how there could be an inflow of the Lord's life into all and the least things that people think so diversely, in the objects they see so diversely, in the conversation of many people regarding various matters, now this and now that, thus regarding hundreds of subjects - how such people come together, and not others, and how such conversations arise and not others; then again, what things result from the counsel of one person, from which other series of consequences arise, and many more topics that concern the inflow and providence of the Lord in which my mind was held by spirits to the point of weariness, but from which I could not free myself. What such deliberations are like was portrayed to me as an unswept room of a gray color, where there were earthenware and other articles, in disorder.
4002. CONCERNING PROVIDENCE AND INFLUX.
I have been infested by [the suggestions of] spirits as to the question, how an influx of the Lord's life into all and singular the things of man can be given, especially when one considers the variety of things which must occupy his thoughts, as, for instance, that he must reflect as to the diversified objects which he sees; as to the conversations of numbers on a multitude of topics, now on this, and now on that, and now on a hundred others; how such and such persons can come together and not others; then, how such particular discourses should arise among them and not others; then, as to the consequences of one determination of a man, from which flow others in successive series; besides a multitude of other things that concern the influx and providence of the Lord - in all which I was held by spirits to a point of utter weariness, and yet from which I could not free myself. It was shown me by representation of what quality, or nature, such things are, viz., by a chamber of a grayish [or dusky] color, not swept out, where earthen vessels and other furniture were in disorder.
4002. De Providentia et influxu
Infestatus sum a spiritibus, quomodo vitae Domini influxus dari queat in omnia et singula hominis, qui cogitat tam diversimode, quoad objecta quae videt tam diversa, quoad colloquutionem plurium, de variis, nunc de hac re nunc de illa, ita de centum, quomodo tales conveniunt, et non alii, inde tales loquelae non aliae, tum quae sequuntur ex uno consilio hominis, ex quibus aliae successivorum series, et plura quae concernunt influxum et providentiam Domini, in quibus detentus, usque ad defatigationem a spiritibus, nec potui exsolvi: repraesentatum mihi qualia sunt, nempe ut camera grisei coloris, non verrita, ubi inconditum quoad argillaceum et aliud.