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.