Arcana Coelestia #59
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.
Hebrews 7
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For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
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To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
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Without father, Without mother, Without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
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Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
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And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
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But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
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And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.
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And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
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And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
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For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
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If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
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For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
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For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
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For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
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And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
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Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
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For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
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For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
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For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
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And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:
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(For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)
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By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
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And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
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But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
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Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
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For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
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Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
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For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
