734. In what has gone before, verses 13-end of the previous chapter dealt with truths of the understanding which the member of the Church called Noah was supplied with by the Lord prior to his being regenerated, while verses 1-5 of this chapter deal after that with goods of the will, which were also conferred on him by the Lord. And because both are dealt with it looks like a repetition. Now however verses 6-11 deal with the temptation of that man, the present verse in particular dealing with the first state and so with the onset of temptation. And anyone is able to see that further repetition occurs, for in this verse it is said that 'Noah was a son of six hundred years when the flood came to be over the earth' but in verse 11 that it occurred 'in the six hundredth year of his life, in the second month, and on the seventeenth day'. So too with verse 7 in which it is said that 'Noah entered into the ark with his sons and their wives' and the similar statement in verse 13 later on. Also verses 8-9, in which it is said that the beasts entered into the ark to Noah' and the similar statements in verses 14-16. From these considerations it is clear that this verse is in like manner a repetition of matters that have appeared already. What more can anyone see who keeps to the sense of the letter alone except the repetition of some historical event? But here as in other places not one tiny word is in any way superfluous or meaningless, for it is the Lord's Word. There is not any repetition therefore unless it is used to mean something different from before. In fact here, as previously, it is initial temptation, which involves things of his understanding, that is meant, and after that temptation of him as regards things of his will. With anyone who is to be regenerated these temptations are consecutive, for being tempted as regards things of the understanding is altogether different from being tempted as regards those of the will. Temptation as regards things of the understanding is mild, whereas temptation as regards those of the will is severe.