401. CONCERNING PERMISSIONS: THAT EACH SINGLE THING TENDS TO THE GOOD OF THE UNIVERSE, OR OF ALL Permissions are also such that spirits, who suppose that they can do and effect all things, arrogate to themselves the power that they alone can excite evils among men, and many other things which are not allowable and are unlawful, and this by many arts which are also unlawful, by which they are wont to make signs, thus by means of magic arts. God Messiah never concedes these things, but He is said to permit them. What it is to be permitted [can be evident] from many things; as that such spirits continually want to excite disturbances; wherefore those things which are permitted them are only such as may be conducive to the emendation of man, of souls and of spirits; other things are not permitted, all and each of which God Messiah so rules and governs that there is nothing whatever that those spirits thus do as if by permission, which is not conducive to the good of many, thus to the good of the universe, consequently to the good of all; for the good of each one is communicable to all in the universe, and will indeed be communicated when the Kingdom of God Messiah shall be firmly established. 1747, Dec. 25.