635. About the fact that we are governed by spirits and angels; also about faith, and the active and passive principle in us
Because it is the truth, it should therefore be believed that the Lord governs heaven and earth, and that no one lives except the Lord. From this belief, when one is gifted with it by the Lord, follows another point, namely, that a person cannot commit sin, knowing that spirits who think they live from themselves and govern themselves, arouse evils in us, and that though they are in us, yet they are not aroused by us, because we are then living passively and letting ourselves be governed. Being in such a state, one can also be gifted with peace by the Lord, for then one trusts solely in the Lord, and is not at all worried about other things.
Thus a person who would live in peace must be in a passive state, not ever in an active one [see 620] except by reaction and responsive action, which likewise come from the Lord, so that the state is still a passive one, resistant or compliant. Such is the state of the angels, who live in peace, while the rest, believing they govern themselves, are continually being disquieted. For they lead themselves into various desires, thus into anxiety; and even though they are [really] being aroused by others, and in fact by very many, nevertheless each and all believe that the [evil aroused in them] is their own, or from themselves. This is why it remains with them, and takes root as something pertaining to or proper to themselves, something their own, and so also it is accounted to them.
Because it is the truth that the Lord governs heaven and earth, He gifts believers and angels with this faith; but it cannot be given to those who have not a saving faith, even if they imagine they want to think this way because they know about it. This is impossible unless they have saving faith, and are therefore governed by the Lord. That this is the case, I can testify because of long and daily experience. I have spoken about the matter frequently with spirits, so that nothing has become more familiar to me. 1748, 3 February, # # 1
Footnotes:
1. 636-7 will be found after 638, in accordance with the author's instructions.
635. CONCERNING THE FACT THAT MAN IS GOVERNED BY SPIRITS AND ANGELS; ALSO CONCERNING FAITH AND CONCERNING THE ACTIVE AND THE PASSIVE OF MAN
Because it is a truth, it is therefore to be believed that the Lord governs heaven and earth, and that no one lives but the Lord. From this faith, when it is given by the Lord, it follows that man cannot commit sin; for he knows that the spirits who believe that they live of themselves, and govern themselves, excite in man those things which, although they are in the man, still are not excited by him, because he then lives passively, and suffers himself to be governed. When man is in such a state he can also be gifted with peace by the Lord, for he then trusts solely in the Lord and is not concerned about other things. Thus the man who would live in peace must be in a passive and never in an active state, except by re-action and the concurrence of action, which also come from the Lord; so the state is still a passive one - resisting or following. Such is the state of the angels who live in peace. But others who suppose that they govern themselves are continually disquieted; for they lead themselves into various cupidities, thus into anxieties, and although they are excited by others, indeed by very many, still each and every one supposes that it is his own, or from himself. Therefore, this remains with him and is inrooted as his, or as his proprium, and hence is imputed to him. The belief that the Lord governs heaven and earth, because it is the truth, is given to the faithful and to the angels; but to those who are not in saving faith it cannot be given, although they suppose that they are willing so to think, because they know it. But this is impossible unless they are in saving faith, and so are governed by the Lord. That this is so, I can testify from long and daily experience, concerning which subject I have quite often talked with spirits, so that nothing has been made more familiar to me. 1748, Feb. 3.
635. De eo quod homo regatur a spiritibus et angelis, et de fide, de activo et passivo hominis
Quia veritas est, ideo credendum, quod Dominus regat coelum et terram, et quod nullus vivat praeter Dominum; ex hac fide id consequitur, quando illa donatur a Domino, quod homo nequeat peccatum committere, nam novit, quod spiritus, qui credunt se a semet vivere, et semet regere, quod excitent ea in homine, quae tametsi sunt in homine, usque non excitantur ab homine, quia vivit tunc passive, et patitur se regi, cum in tali statu homo est, potest etiam donari pace a Domino, nam tunc unice fidet Domino, et curat caetera nihil: sic homo qui victurus est in pace, erit in statu passivo, nec usquam in activo, nisi per reactionem, et concursum actionis, quae etiam a Domino veniunt, sic usque est status passivus, resistens vel sequens. Talis est status angelorum qui in pace vivunt, at caeteri putantes semetipsos regere, ii continuo inquietantur, nam semet ducunt in varias cupiditates, sic in anxietates, et licet excitantur ab aliis, imo a permultis, usque putat is, et unusquisque, quod suum sit, seu ex se, quare etiam manet apud eum, et radicatur, ut ejus seu suum ac proprium, inde etiam imputatur ei; haec fides, quia est veritas, quod Dominus regat coelum et terram, donatur fidelibus et angelis; qui autem in fide salvifica non sunt, iis id dari non potest, quamvis putant, quod ita cogitare velint, quia [id] sciunt, sed hoc impossibile est, nisi in fide salvifica, et sic a Domino regantur; quod res ita se habeat, contestari possum, ex diutina et quotidiana experientia, de qua re etiam saepius cum spiritibus loquutus, sic ut mihi nihil familiarius factum. 1748, 3 Febr. # #