Tuesday, March 05, 2013

AC 4572 - temptation and joy

AC 4572 [2]
Be it known in general
that all the conjunction of good with truth
is effected by means of temptations,
the reason of which is that evils and falsities
offer resistance and as it were rebel,
and strive in every possible way to prevent
the conjunction of good with truth
and of truth with good.
This combat takes place
between the spirits who are with the person,
namely, between the spirits who are in evils and falsities,
and those who are in goods and truths,
and is perceived by the person as a temptation within himself.
When therefore the spirits who are in evils and falsities
are conquered by the spirits who are in goods and truths,
and are compelled to depart,
the latter have joy through heaven from the Lord,
and this joy is perceived by the person as consolation,
and as in himself.
But the joy and consolation are not on account of victory,
but on account of the conjunction of good and truth;
for all conjunction of good and truth has joy within itself,
because this conjunction is the heavenly marriage
within which is the Divine.

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