158. This same truth is established in angels not only by reasons but also by living perceptions, especially with angels of the third heaven. They perceive the influx of divine love and wisdom from the Lord. Perceiving it and in their wisdom aware that love and wisdom are life, they declare that they live from the Lord and not of themselves, and not only say so but love and will it so. Yet they are in the full appearance that they live of themselves, yes, more strongly in the appearance than other angels. For as was shown above (nn. 42-45) the more nearly one is united with the Lord, the more distinctly does he seem to himself to be his own, and the more plainly is he aware that he is the Lord's. For many years now it has been granted me to be in a similar simultaneous perception and appearance, and I am fully convinced that I will and think nothing from myself but that it only appears to be from myself; it has also been granted to love and will it so. The same truth may be established by much else from the spiritual world, but these two references must suffice now. 159. It is plain from the following passages in the Word that life is the Lord's alone. I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me, though he die, shall live (Jn 11:25). I am the way and the truth and the life (Jn 14:6). The Word was God . . . and in Him was life; and the life was the light of men (Jn 1:1, 4). "The Word" in this passage is the Lord. As the Father has life in Himself, so has he given the Son to have life in Himself (Jn 5:26). From the following it is clear that man is led and taught by the Lord alone: Without Me you can do nothing (Jn 15:5). A man cannot receive anything unless it is given him from heaven (Jn 3:27). A man cannot make one hair white or black (Mt 5:36). By "hair" in the Word the least of all is signified. 160. It will be shown in what follows in an article of its own that the life of the wicked has the same source; now this will merely be illustrated by a comparison. Heat and light flow in from the sun of the world alike to trees bearing bad fruit and to trees bearing good fruit, and they are alike quickened and grow. The forms into which the heat flows make the difference, not the heat in itself. It is the same with light, which is turned into various colors according to the forms into which it flows. The colors are beautiful and gay or ugly and sombre, and yet it is the same light. It is so with the influx of spiritual heat which in itself is love, and with spiritual light which in itself is wisdom, from the sun of the spiritual world. The forms into which they flow cause diversity, but not in itself that heat which is love or that light which is wisdom. The forms into which these flow are human minds. It is clear from these considerations that man is led and taught by the Lord alone.