AC 6567 - When the Natural Is Subdued

AC 6567

. . . the spiritual church 
cannot possibly be instituted with anyone, 
unless the things that belong 
to the natural or external man 
have been made submissive 
to the spiritual or internal man. 
So long as the mere truth which is of faith 
predominates with a man, 
and not the good which is of charity, 
so long the natural or external man 
has not been made submissive 
to the spiritual or internal man. 
But as soon as good has the dominion, 
the natural or external man submits himself, 
and then the man becomes a spiritual church. 
That such is the case is known from the fact 
that the man does from affection 
what the truth teaches, 
and that he does not act contrary to this affection, 
however the natural desires it. 
The very affection and consequent reason 
have the dominion, 
and subdue in the natural 
the delights of the love of self and of the world, 
as also the fallacies 
which had filled the memory-knowledges there; 
and at last so completely 
that this subjugation 
comes to be among the man's pleasures;
and then the natural is at rest, 
and afterward is in agreement; 
and when it is in agreement, 
it then partakes of the pleasantness of the internal.