(AC) - A Disclosure of the Hidden Treasures of Heaven Contained in the Holy Scripture or Word of the Lord, Together with Amazing Things Seen in the World of Spirits and in the Heaven of Angels

AC 7342

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7342. And did not set his heart even to this. That this signifies resistance from the will and the consequent obstinacy, is evident from the signification of "not setting the heart" to anything, as being not to attend; and as with the evil no attention to Divine things comes from resistance from the will, therefore this is signified by the same words; and as "not to set the heart" to a thing involves the same as "to be made firm," therefore obstinacy also is signified (as before, n. 7272, 7300, 7338). As regards resistance from the will, be it known that the will is that which rules the man. It is believed by some that the understanding rules, but the understanding does not rule unless the will inclines; for the understanding favors the will, because regarded in itself the understanding is nothing else than the form of the will. When the will is mentioned, there is meant the affection of love, for the will of man is nothing else. This affection is what rules man, for the affection of love is his life. If a man's affection is that of self and the world, then his whole life is nothing else, nor can he withstand it, for this would be to withstand his very life. Principles of truth effect nothing; if the affection of these loves has dominion, it draws truth over to its side and falsifies it, and if the truth does not fully favor, it rejects it. Hence it is that principles of true faith effect nothing whatever with man unless the Lord instills the affection of spiritual love, that is, of love toward the neighbor; and insofar as the man receives this affection, so far he also receives the truths of faith. The affection of this love is what makes the new will. From all this it can now be seen that a man never sets his heart to any truth if the will resists. Hence it is that as the infernals are in the affection or cupidity of evil, they cannot receive the truths of faith, consequently cannot be amended; and from this also it is that the evil falsify the truths of faith insofar as they can.

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