AC 3336 - What Remains in the Memory

AC 3336 [2-3]

It is easy to see that nothing can possibly enter
into man's memory and remain there,
unless there is a certain affection or love
which introduces it.
If there is no affection, or what is the same, no love,
there will be no observation.
It is this affection, or love,
with which the thing that enters connects itself,
and being connected remains . . ..
From this comes man's thought;
and from this thought his speech.
In like manner also when the thing itself returns,
if this is effected by objects of the senses,
or by objects of the thought,
or by the discourse of another,
the affection also with which the thing had entered
is reproduced.
This is the teaching of experience,
and on reflection everyone may be confirmed in it.

The doctrinal things of truth
enter in like manner into the memory;
and the things that at first introduce them
are affections of various loves . . ..
Genuine affection, which is of the good of charity,
is not then observed;
but still it is present;
and so far as it can be present,
it is adjoined by the Lord to the doctrinal things of truth;
and so far also they remain adjoined.
When therefore the time comes
that the man can be regenerated,
the Lord inspires the affection of good,
and through this excites the things
which have been adjoined by Him to this affection,
which things are called in the Word "remains;"
and then by means of this affection
(that is, of the affection of good),
by successive steps the Lord removes
the affections of other loves,
consequently also
the things that have been connected with them.
And thus the affection of good,
or what is the same, the good of life,
begins to have the dominion.
It indeed had the dominion before,
but this could not appear to the man;
for insofar as a man
is in the love of self and of the world,
the good which is of genuine love does not appear.