Spiritual Experiences (Odhner) n. 1592

Previous Number Next Number Next Translation See Latin 

1592. Furthermore, the evil spirits regard those led by the Lord as nothing, and even call them that, not knowing any differently. They consider them more or less as dead instruments, deducing this from their imagination that they are the person [they are with]. More than that they do not know, because they have no true belief. For they do not believe otherwise than that life is a spirit's own; and when this is claimed, they think that the Lord is the cause of evil, when yet this comes from their form, which is their own. But form is only instrumental, and by itself devoid of all life, only so fashioned that life can impel it. And because they are in the form they are, even if they wanted to they cannot think differently. For belief, and consequently the inner sight that goes with it, is a gift of the Lord Alone.


This page is part of the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church