789. The waverings of the member of this Church are described here first of all by the waters, that is, falsities, increasing; then by their raising the ark; further still by its being lifted above the earth; after that by the waters growing more and more and increasing greatly over the earth; and finally by the ark going over the face ¹ of the waters. It would however take far too long and it would be superfluous to describe individual waverings. It is sufficient just to know that they are being described here. Let merely the statement be considered that the ark was lifted above the earth and went over the face ¹ of the waters. Its meaning becomes clear to no one unless he has been told about how a person is withheld from evils and falsities. This being an arcanum it must be described briefly. Everyone in general, including a regenerate person, is such that unless the Lord withholds him from evils and falsities he hurls himself headlong into hell. The moment he is not being withheld he rushes headlong in that direction. This has been made known to me through actual experiences, and has also been represented to me by a horse, about which see 187, 188. This withholding from evils and falsities is nothing other than 'a lifting up' so that evils and falsities are perceived as being beneath, and man himself above. This lifting up will in the Lord's Divine mercy be dealt with later on. It is what is meant by the statements about the ark being lifted above the earth and about the ark going over the face ¹ of the waters.

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