Page:Swedenborg, Harbinger of the New Age of the Christian Church.djvu/194

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EMANUEL SWEDENBORG

state. This state seldom exists at the present day without temptation, misfortune, or grief, which cause the things of the body and the world, or his own, to become quiet and as it were die. Thus the things of the external man are separated from those of the internal: in the internal are the remains stored up by the Lord for this time and this use.

"The third state is that of repentance, in which from the internal man he speaks piously and devoutly, and brings forth good things, as the works of charity, but which are nevertheless inanimate because he regards them as from himself. These are called the tender grass, then the herb yielding seed, and afterward the tree yielding fruit.

"The fourth state is when he is affected by love and illumined by faith; he before indeed spoke pious things and brought forth good things, but from a state of temptation and distress, not from faith and charity. These therefore, love and faith, are now enkindled in the internal man, and are called the two great lights.

"The fifth state is, that he speaks from faith and thereby confirms himself in truth and good; the things which he then brings forth are ani-

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