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.
Matthew第7章
1
Judge not, that ye be not judged.
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For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
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And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
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Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
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Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
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Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
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Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
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For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
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Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
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Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
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If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
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Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
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Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
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Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
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Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
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Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
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Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
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A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
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Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
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Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
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Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
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Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
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And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
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Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
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And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
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And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
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And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
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And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
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For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
