AC 6574 - Temptations in the Spiritual World; AC 6578 - Hope and Trust

AC 6574 [2-3] - Temptations in the Spiritual World

In the other life
the Lord permits infernal spirits
to lead the good into temptation,
consequently to pour in evils and falsities;
which they do with all endeavor;
for when they are doing this,
they are in their life and its delight.
But the Lord Himself is then present
with those in temptation,
both immediately, and mediately by angels,
and resists by rebutting the falsities of the infernal spirits,
and by dissipating their evil,
thus giving refreshment, hope, and victory.
So with those who are in the truths of good,
the truths of faith and the goods of charity
are more inwardly implanted
and more strongly confirmed.
This is the means by which spiritual life is bestowed.

From all this it is evident
what is meant in the internal sense
by the words in this verse, namely,
that those who have been alienated from truth and good,
as are the spirits who induce temptations,
intend nothing but evil,
but that the Divine turns it into good,
and this according to order from eternity,
from which comes life
to those who are in the truths of good.
For be it known that the infernal spirits
to whom it is permitted thus to trouble the good,
intend nothing but evil;
for they desire with all their might
to drag them down from heaven and cast them into hell;
because it is the very delight of their life
to destroy anyone as to his soul; thus to eternity.
But not one whit is permitted them by the Lord,
except to the end that good may come of it,
namely, that truth and good
may be brought into shape and strengthened
with those who are in temptation.
In the universal spiritual world reigns the end
which proceeds from the Lord,
which is that nothing whatever,
not even the least thing, shall arise,
except that good may come from it.
It is from this that the Lord's kingdom is called
a kingdom of ends and uses.

AC 6578 - Hope and Trust

. . . there is a marriage
of truth which is of the understanding,
and of good which is of the will,
in every detail of the Word;
for "comforting" is said of the understanding,
and "speaking upon the heart," of the will;
therefore also his "comforting them" means hope,
for this is of the understanding by means of truth;
and his "speaking upon their heart" means trust,
for this is of the will by means of good,
because genuine trust is impossible with any
but those who are in the good of charity;
and genuine hope with any
but those who are in the good of faith.