4909. CONTINUATION CONCERNING THOSE WHO ARE IN SELF-INTELLIGENCE; ALSO, WHENCE MAGIC IS DERIVED. There are at this day, very many, especially of the more reputable sort in the world, who altogether disbelieve that anything inflows from heaven or from God, and that they have blessings in this way, -thinking that such things are from self-intelligence, and saying and believing that everyone is the architect of his own fortune. The reason is, because they do not believe that heaven exists, nor God, but that all things flow from blind instinct, and from that alone; and [they believe] thus because they are intelligent, and also successful; for it is according to the order in the world, that everyone employs his reason, and that such things follow according to reason; but, since they do not believe that God inspires reason with such as are good, they therefore reject the Divine guidance, and follow the guidance of self-intelligence. They would have acted differently if they had believed in God and the life after death. Another reason is, that they place all blessing in wealth and dignity they do not know, nor are they willing to know, there, what heavenly wealth and dignity are; hence, also, they suppose that nothing else is given by God, as blessing, [save wealth and dignity]. These things, also, do come to those who act from self-intelligence; but to them they are not a blessing but a curse, for they do not place blessing in heavenly life and eternal felicity, to which, nevertheless, those are brought who suffer themselves to be led by the Lord. To these, also, it is matter of indifference even if they are not wealthy and placed in honor; they are content with their lot, because they know that all things are led to those issues which pertain to true blessing.