638. * Souls or spirits who want to govern themselves, suppose that this would mean the destruction of all pleasure, and all will in which pleasure consists, and thus liberty, and consequently all life and its sweetness, as they now declare to me. But because they do not know what life truly is, and what pleasure and liberty truly are, it is therefore to be known that man then first has true life, and the things which are of the felicity of life, when these are governed by the Lord alone, and the man is only passive. It is thus given him to act as if from himself and he partakes of heavenly joy. But the reason that it appears otherwise to them is that they judge from their own activity in which nothing can be given but restlessness, and at length unhappiness after they have made use of their imaginary liberty, which is license, or the rule of cupidities and of the evil spirits who excite them. While they are under the rule of evil spirits or of their own cupidities, they then suppose that they are ruled by themselves, when yet it is the contrary. 1748, Feb. 3. Yea, one man cannot be distinguished from another as to the external face; it is the internal by which he is such as he is, and in which his felicity resides. Indeed, there are those who deem me insane when I speak in this way, when yet countless experience has confirmed this for me, and daily confirms it in me. * The manuscript indicates that n. 638 should follow n. 635.