Everyone has an
internal man and an external man; the internal man is what is called
the spiritual man, and the external man is what is called the
natural man. Both must be regenerated for the man to be regenerated.
With the man who has
not been regenerated the external or natural man commands, and the
internal or spiritual man serves; but with the man who has been
regenerated the internal or spiritual man commands, and the external
or natural serves. This inversion cannot possibly exist except
through regeneration by the Lord.
So long as the
external man has not been regenerated, he makes all good consist in
pleasure, in gain, in pride, and burns with hatred and revenge
against those who set themselves in opposition; and then the
internal man not only consents, but also supplies reasons which
confirm and promote; thus the internal man serves and the external
commands.
But when the
external man has been regenerated, the internal man makes all good
consist in thinking well of the neighbor and willing well to him,
and the external man makes all good consist in speaking well of him
and acting well toward him; and at last each has as its end to love
the neighbor and to love the Lord, and not as before to love self
and to love the world. In this case the external or natural man
serves, and the internal or spiritual man commands.
The internal man is
first regenerated by the Lord, and afterward the external man, and
the latter by means of the former. The internal man is regenerated
by thinking those things which are of faith, and willing them; but
the external man by a life according to them. The life of faith is
charity.
The man who has been
regenerated is in heaven as to his internal man, and is an angel
there with angels, among whom also he comes after death. He can then
live the life of heaven, love the Lord, love the neighbor,
understand truth, relish good, and perceive blessedness therefrom.
These things are the happiness of eternal life
(Continuation
respecting THE DOCTRINE OF CHARITY −
Click Here)
