They who are being
regenerated undergo Temptations.
Temptations are
spiritual combats in man. For they are combats between the evil that
is in him from hell, and the good that is in him from the Lord.
Temptation is
induced by evil spirits who dwell with man in his evils and
falsities; these spirits excite his evils, and accuse him. But
angels from the Lord, who dwell in his goods and truths, call forth
the truths of faith which are with him, and defend him.
That which is dealt
with in Temptations relates to the dominion of the evil that is with
the man from hell, and of the good that is with him from the Lord.
The evil that wishes to have dominion is in the natural or external
man, but the good is in the spiritual or internal man; hence it is
that in Temptations that which is dealt with also relates to the
dominion of the one over the other; if evil conquers, the natural
man has dominion over the spiritual; if good conquers, the spiritual
man has dominion over the natural.
These combats are
carried on by means of truths of faith which are from the Word. The
man must fight against evils and falsities from these; if he fights
from anything else, he does not conquer, because the Lord is not in
anything else.
As the combat is
carried on by means of truths of faith which are from the Word, the
man is not admitted into combat until he is in the knowledges of
truth and of good, and has obtained therefrom some spiritual life;
and therefore these combats do not arise with man until he has come
to years of maturity.
He who has not with
him truths of faith from the Word by which he may fight, thus who
has not any spiritual life in himself from these, is not admitted
into any combat, because he yields; and if a man yields, his state
after Temptation becomes worse than his state before Temptation, for
evil has then acquired to itself power over good, and falsity over
truth.
As at this day faith
is rare, for the church is at its end, therefore at this day few
undergo any spiritual Temptations. Hence it is that it is scarcely
known what they are, and to what they conduce.
Temptations conduce
to the confirmation of the truths of faith, also to the implantation
of them, and the insinuation of them into the will, that they may
become goods of charity. For, as before said, man fights from the
truths of faith against evils and falsities; and because his mind is
then in truths, when he conquers he confirms himself in them and
implants them; and also accounts as an enemy, and rejects from
himself, the evils and falsities which have assailed him. Moreover
through Temptations the concupiscences which are of the loves of
self and of the world are subdued, and the man becomes humble. Thus
he is rendered fit to receive the life of heaven from the Lord,
which life is the new life, such as belongs to the regenerated man.
As through
temptations the truths of faith are confirmed, and the goods of
charity implanted, and also the concupiscences of evil are subdued,
it follows that through Temptations the spiritual or internal man
acquires dominion over the natural or external man, thus the good
which is of charity and faith over the evil which is of the love of
self and of the world. When this is effected, the man has
enlightenment, and perception of what is true and what is good, and
also of what is evil and false; and consequently he has intelligence
and wisdom, which afterward increase day by day.
When a man is being
introduced through the truths of faith to the good of charity, he
undergoes Temptations; but when he is in the good of charity,
Temptations cease, for he is then in heaven.
In Temptations man
ought to fight against evils and falsities as from himself, but
still believe that he does so from the Lord. If during the
Temptation itself he does not believe this, because he is then in
obscurity, still he should believe it after the Temptation. If after
Temptation the man does not believe that the Lord alone has fought
for him and conquered for him, he has undergone only external
Temptation, which Temptation does not penetrate deeply, nor cause
anything of faith and of charity to take root.
(Continuation respecting THE DOCTRINE OF CHARITY −
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