Page:Swedenborg's Doctrine of Correspondence.djvu/119

Rh man, that is, his mind, although bound, is led by the Lord; nor does he take a step into which and from which he is not so led."

"Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me." Yet in all this divine leading it is provided that man should not perceive but that he walks in perfect liberty. "If his affection is evil he is taken round through the societies of hell, and if he does not look to the Lord he is brought more inwardly and deeply into them; but still the Lord leads him as it were by the hand, permitting and withdrawing him so far as he is willing from freedom to follow. On the other hand, if he looks to the Lord he is successively led through these societies, by an order and connection known only to the Lord, and is brought by continuous degrees out of hell, upwards toward heaven, and into heaven. The Lord effects this without man's knowledge because if he knew of it he would disturb the continuity of that progress by leading himself." It is done while man looks to the Lord, learns truths from the Word, shuns evils revealed, and wills good and truth into life as of himself; but in all this he is aided by the most wonderful secret ministry, bending and