Tuesday, September 27, 2011

AC 734 - is it repetition?; AC 737 - how the angels use remains

AC 734
But here as elsewhere
there is not the least word that is superfluous and vain;
for it is the Word of the Lord.
There is therefore no repetition,
except with another signification.
And here, in fact, as before,
the signification is that it is the first temptation,
which is temptation as to things of his understanding;
but afterwards it is his temptation as to things of the will.
These temptations follow one after the other
with him who is to be regenerated.
For to be tempted as to things of the understanding
is quite another thing from being tempted as to what is of the will.
Temptation as to things of the understanding is light;
but temptation as to things of the will is severe.

AC 737
For the case is this:
. . . [the person] was furnished by the Lord
with truths of the understanding and goods of the will.
These truths and goods are remains,
which are not brought out so as to be recognized
until the person is being regenerated.
In the case of those who are being regenerated through temptations,
the remains in a person
are for the angels that are with him,
who draw out from them
the things with which they defend the person
against the evil spirits who excite the falsities in him,
and thus assail him.

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