Page:The Swedenborg Library Vol 3.djvu/32

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THE SWEDENBORG LIBRARY.

Good spirits are greatly surprised that the men of the church at this day do not believe that all evils and falsities flow-in from hell, and that all goods and truths flow-in from the Lord, when yet this is known from the Word and from the doctrine of faith; and it is universally said, when any one has committed a great evil, that he suffered himself to be led of the devil, and when any one has done good, that he suffered himself to be led of the Lord. (A. C., n. 2870-2893.)


THE TRUE FREEDOM.

All that is called Freedom which is of the will, that is, of the love. Hence it is that freedom manifests itself by the delight of willing and thinking, and thence of doing and speaking; for all delight is of love, and all love is of the will, and the will is the esse of man's life.

To do evil from the delight of love appears like freedom, but it is slavery, because it is from hell: to do good from the delight of love appears like freedom, and also is freedom, because it is from the Lord. Slavery therefore consists in being led of hell, and freedom in being led of the Lord. This the Lord thus teaches in John: "Every one that doeth sin is the servant of sin; the servant abideth not in the house forever; but the Son abideth forever; if the Son, therefore, shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed," viii. 34, 35, 36.

The Lord keeps man in the freedom of thinking, and

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