AC 3469, 3470 - the rational is regenerated before the natural

AC 3469 [2]
. . . a person is regenerated as to the rational
before he is regenerated as to the natural;
because the natural is altogether in the world,
and . . . are founded a person's thought and will.
This is the reason why during regeneration
a person observes a combat
between his rational or internal person
and his natural or external person;
and why his external person is regenerated much later,
and likewise with much greater difficulty,
than his internal person.
For that which is nearer to the world and nearer to the body
cannot be easily constrained
to render obedience to the internal person;
but only after considerable length of time
and by means of many new states
into which the person is introduced,
which are states of self-acknowledgment,
and of acknowledgment of the Lord,
that is, of one's own wretchedness,
and of the Lord's mercy;
thus states of humiliation resulting from temptation combats.

AC 3470 [3]
. . . natural good is such that of itself
it is not willing to obey and serve rational good
as a servant serves its master,
but desires to command.
But in order that it may be reduced to a state
of compliance and service,
it is harassed by states of vastation and temptation
until its evil desires decline;
and then by the influx of the good of faith and of charity
through the internal person from the Lord,
the natural is tempered,
until the good received through heredity
is by degrees rooted out,
and a new good is implanted in its place,
into which good the truths of faith are then insinuated,
which are like new fibers inserted into the heart of person,
through which fibers new juice is introduced,
until a new heart has by degrees grown there.