59. The reason only edible and green plants are mentioned here as food for the natural man is this: While a person is being regenerated and becoming spiritual he is involved constantly in conflict, which is why the Lord's Church is called militant. For before regeneration started, evil desires were in control, since the whole person consisted entirely of evil desires and resulting falsities. During the process of regeneration his desires and falsities cannot be done away with instantly, since that would amount to destroying the whole person; indeed he has not acquired any other life for himself. So for a long time evil spirits are left with him to activate his desires, and so release them in countless ways. Indeed the spirits are left there to do this in order that those desires may be turned by the Lord towards something good, and in this way the person may be reformed. In the hour of conflict evil spirits are present who absolutely hate everything that is good and true, that is, every element of love and faith in the Lord - elements that alone are good and true because they contain eternal life. These evil spirits leave a person with no other food than that which is compared to edible and green plants. But the Lord gives him a food as well that is compared to the plant yielding seed and to the tree in which there is fruit. These are periods of peace and calm attended by their forms of delight and happiness. This cycle occurs repeatedly.

[2] If the Lord did not protect man moment by moment, and in every shortest instant, he would immediately perish, for there is such murderous hatred reigning in the world of spirits against all forms of love and faith in the Lord as to defy description. I can positively declare that this is so, because for several years now, although still in the [physical] body, I have also been in the next life in the company of spirits. I have been surrounded by evil spirits, even the worst of them, sometimes by thousands, who have been allowed to pour out their venom and molest me in every possible way, but who nevertheless could do no harm to the tiniest hair on my head, so well did the Lord protect me. From all these years of experience I have become thoroughly informed about the character of the world of spirits and also about the conflict which people who are being regenerated must inevitably undergo if they are to attain the happiness of eternal life. But because nobody from just a general description can be so well informed as to have a faith free from doubt, these matters in the Lord's Divine mercy will therefore be noted in greater detail later on.

1141. Merchandise of gold and silver.- That this signifies the goods and truths of the Word, of doctrine, and of the Church, in general all profaned by them, thus all evils and falsities in general, from which they derive gain, is evident from the signification of merchandise, which denotes all those things by which gain is acquired, and, when used in reference to the Church, signifies all evils and falsities, concerning which see just above (n. 1139); from the signification of gold and silver, which denote goods and truths (see above, n. 242), but here, these profaned, and thus evils and falsities, because they belong to Babylon. For when the goods and truths of the Word are profaned, they are no longer goods and truths, but evils and falsities; they are profaned by falsifications and adulterations, and by a corresponding life. The nature, source, and quality of profanation, may be seen above (n. 1045-1099). The reason why all things in general are signified by merchandise of gold and silver, is, that in the following parts of this verse the profaned goods and truths are enumerated, which are specifically evils and falsities, and are signified by precious stone, pearl, fine linen, crimson, silk, scarlet, thyme wood, vessels of ivory, vessels of precious wood, brass, iron, and marble. The reason why all things of the Word, of doctrine, and of the Church, are signified by the things named in this verse, is, that those things which are enumerated in the following verse signify all things of worship, and those in verse 14, all things pertaining to effects. From these considerations it is clear, that by the merchandise of gold and silver are signified here the goods and truths of the Word, of doctrine, and of the Church, in general all profaned by them, thus all evils and falsities in general from which they acquire gain.

[2] Continuation concerning the Athanasian Creed, and concerning the Lord.- The third law of Divine Providence is, That to think and speak truth, and to will and do good, from freedom according to reason, are not from man, but from the Lord; and to think and speak falsity, and to will and do what is evil from freedom, are not from man, but from hell, yet in such a way that evil and falsity are thence; but freedom itself regarded in itself, and the very faculty of thinking, willing, speaking, and doing, regarded in themselves, are from the Lord. That all good that is good in itself, and all truth that is truth in itself, are not from man, but from the Lord, may be comprehended by the understanding from this fact, that the light which proceeds from the Lord as the Sun, is the Divine Truth of His Divine Wisdom, and that the heat which also proceeds from the Lord as the Sun, is the Divine Good of His Divine Love; and since man is the recipient of these, it follows, that all the good which is of love, and all the truth which is of wisdom, are not from man but from the Lord. But that all evil and all falsity are not from man, but from hell, is a proposition, which not having been heard of before, has not been made an article of faith, like the proposition that good and truth are not from man. But it is an appearance that evil and falsity are from man, and if it is believed, it is a fallacy. This cannot be comprehended, until the nature of hell is known, and how it can enter by influx with evil and falsity on the one hand, as the Lord enters by influx with what is good and truth on the other. We shall, therefore, first show of whom hell consists, and what is its nature and origin; how, also, it enters by influx and acts against good, and thus, how man, who is between heaven and hell, is acted upon as a mere recipient on both sides.