AC 3330 - The Spiritual Person In the Beginning

AC 3330

That in the spiritual person in the beginning
truth has the dominion,
is chiefly because in his first state
there are delights of the love of self
and of the world
which he believes to be good,
and which apply themselves to his truths,
and for the most part
produce the affection of truth in him;
for he then thinks that truths
may be serviceable to him
either for honor, or for gain,
or for reputation in the world,
or even for merit in the other life.
All these things excite
this affection of truth in him,
and also enkindle it;
and yet they are not good, but evil.
Nevertheless the Lord permits
that such things should influence him
in that first time,
because otherwise he could not be regenerated.
Intelligence and wisdom come in time;
in the meanwhile
through these truths
the person is introduced into good,
that is, into charity;
and when he is in this,
then for the first time he perceives what is good,
and acts from good,
and then judges and draws conclusions
from this good concerning truths;
and those which do not accord with this good
he calls false, and rejects.
Thus he rules over truths
as a master over his servants.