Selection from Arcana Cœlestia ~ Emanuel Swedenborg
But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. Matthew 12:24-30With evil and infernal spirits there reigns the love of self and of the world. Hence they think that they are the gods of the universe, and that they can do much. When they are vanquished, although they perceive that they can do nothing at all, there still remains the notion of power and dominion; and they think that they can contribute much to the Lord's power and dominion, and therefore in order that they may reign together with the good spirits, they offer them their services. But as the things by which they think that they can effect anything are nothing but evil and falsity; and in the Lord, or in celestial love, there is nothing but good and truth ... there was nothing of the kind in the Lord, or that the Lord had no power from evil and falsity.
Dominion from evil and falsity is altogether contrary to dominion from good and truth.
- Dominion from evil and falsity consists in desiring to make all slaves.
- Dominion from good and truth in desiring to make all free.
- Dominion from evil and falsity consists in destroying all
- Dominion from good and truth in saving all.
(Arcana Cœlestia 1749)