Year: 1876




In order to the proper consideration of
the question of temptation, it will be use
ful to inquire what is meant by it. In its
most general sense-as Is commonly un-
derstood it signifies Cnticement to evil,
and it is no doubt perfectly proper that we
should understand and think of it in this
sense. Swedenborg uses the word "temp-
tation" peculiarly, which does not apply
to ali and everything commonly so called
and understood. According to his use of
the word temptation, it means, not every
enticement Of evil, but those cases in which
the enticement is accompanied by GER
tain internal resistance, and mental con-
fiict, arising from sense of responsible
ity to God and MS commandments, which
forbid the evil to which we are tempted /;
so, for example, as when we say there is
struggle between duty and inclination, in
which sometimes the one and sometimes
the other prevails. Temptations include
those unhappy, anxious and evil states of
mind in which there may be no enticement
to the commission Of any outward evil or
sinful act; such as states of doubt and
distrust of the Divine Providence,
or, what is worse, of opposition to
it, of solicitude for the morrow, of fretful
and impatient humor, ETC.. and being evil
by nature and Inheritance, we must always,
so long as We are in this natural life, be ex-
posed to temptation and only kept from it
any time by Gods merciful care. But
when it is permitted us to fall into tempta-
ton, which cannot always be prevented
without infringing upon our proper human
freedom, it may De made, by Divine assist
ance, an occasion of coming into
more interior degrees of goodness than
could otherwise be attained. If man, of
his own accord, goes into temptation he is
quite sure to yield to it. God never leads
that no man is tempted of God; for God
cannot be tempted with evil, neither
tempteth He any man. But every man
is tempted when he is drawn away
of his own lust, and enticed." Temp
tation is a state of danger, aud should
be avoided. We should keep away
from it as from pestilence, but when over
come should be resisted, and when over
come the man becomes more ennobled and
approaches nearer to his Maker. Thus it
Is easy to see how temptations are necessa-
~ to regeneration. They are the fields upon
which victories are to be gained for truth
and goodness over the evil within our
selves, for, if in these states of spiritual COM
bat, when we resist and overcome evil, we
come more fully under the influence of
goodness and truth, and the evil and the
false are driven further away from US
and their power over us is weakened.
The prayer, LEAD US not into temptation, 1"
may properly bs regarded as a prayer that
we may be led of the Lord, and not of our
selves. And when we use this prayer we
ask the Lord to do for us what He is always
endeavoring to do, and what He always
does in so far as we permit Him to lead and
guide US. Man is by nature always de-
srous of leading himself; but in so far as
he does this, he is really led by the evil
spirits that are adjolned to his lusts, and
who continually tempt and persuade him
to every kind of evil to which he may be
naturally inclined. But to be led of God
is to be led further and further away from
evil and temptation, and from every occasion
of temptation, because further away from
the companIonship of the evil spirits from
whom temptation comes. Temptation
sometimes becomes necessary, but can only
be regarded as a necessary evil-necessary
because unavoidable, but an evil out of
which, by the divine mercy, good, and
sometimes great good may be brought.
But while the good which results is wholly
from God, nothing at all of the temptation
| itself is from Him.