9096. 'And its owner does not keep it in' means, and if it is not held in bonds. This is clear from the meaning of 'keeping in' as holding in bonds, that is to say, the affection for evil in the natural, which would otherwise injure the truth of faith The reason why 'keeping in' means holding in bonds is that 'becoming known' means passing into the understanding, 9095, and the understanding is what sees evil. What is seen can be restrained and held in bonds, not by the understanding but by the Lord through the understanding; for the Lord flows into things residing with a person that are known to him, not into those unknown to him. Holding in bonds is used to mean halting and restraining, 'bonds' in the spiritual sense meaning nothing other than affections belonging to love, since they are what lead a person and what restrain him. If affections for evil lead him, there must be affections for truth springing from good that will restrain him. Internal bonds with a person are affections for truth and good; these are also called the bonds of conscience. But external bonds are affections belonging to self-love and love of the world; for these lead a person in external matters. If these affections come down from internal bonds, which are affections for truth and good, they are good, for then the person loves self and the world not for their own sake but for the sake of good services performed by self and the world, 7819, 7820, 8995. But if those affections do not come down from such bonds they are bad and are called evil desires, for then the person loves self and the world for their own sake.

[2] From all this one may now know what the terms 'internal bonds' and 'external bonds', which have been mentioned frequently, are used to mean. But bonds so called are not bonds except in relation to opposites. For when an affection belonging to the love of good moves a person to do something he acts in freedom; but when an affection belonging to the love of evil moves a person he seems to himself to act in freedom, yet does not act in freedom because he is moved by evil desires coming from hell. He alone is free who has an affection for good, because he is led by the Lord. This also the Lord teaches in John,

If you remain in My word, truly you are My disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. Everyone committing sin is a slave of sin. If the Son makes you free, you will be truly free. John 8:31-32, 34, 36.

'Freedom' consists in being led by the Lord, and 'servitude' in being led by evil desires coming from hell, see 892, 905, 2870-2893, 6205, 6477, 8209; for the Lord imparts to a person affections for good and a loathing of evil, so that for that person, doing good is freedom and doing evil is complete servitude. Anyone who believes that Christian freedom extends beyond these boundaries is very much in error.

8209. 'And came after them' means the attempt to flow in. This is clear from the meaning of 'coming after someone', when done by those steeped in falsities arising from evil, as the attempt to do violence by flowing in with falsity arising from evil, dealt with in 8187. The reason why it is an attempt is that genii and spirits belonging to hell cannot inflict ill on the good, yet are nevertheless constantly attempting to do so. There is a sphere emanating from the hells, which may be called a sphere of endeavours; this is a sphere of doing ill. I have also been allowed sometimes to perceive this sphere. That attempt to flow in exists constantly, and is actualized the moment any opportunity presents itself. But that sphere is counteracted by a sphere of endeavours by heaven, which emanates from the Lord; this is a sphere of doing good, which has all power within it since it has a Divine origin.

[2] Nevertheless equilibrium is maintained between those diametrically opposed types of endeavour, to the end that a person may be in freedom and so have freedom to choose, and to the end that he may be able to be reformed; for all reformation takes place in freedom, and no reformation without it. Spiritually, attempting something is the same as willing it. While a person is being reformed he is kept in a state of equilibrium, that is, in freedom between willing good and willing evil. The closer he moves at this time towards willing good, the closer he moves to heaven and the further away from hell. His new will, acquired at this time from the Lord, also comes more and more to prevail over the will properly his own, which he acquired by heredity from his parents and then through his own actions in life. When therefore a person's reformation has progressed so far that he wills good and has an affection for it, good removes evil, since the Lord is present within that good. For good has its origin in the Lord, and so is the Lord's, indeed is the Lord. From all this one may see what the situation is so far as the things attempting to flow into him are concerned.