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Doc. 209.] HIS SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE IN 1744. 155
went to the Lord’s table. Temptation still continued,* mostly
in the afternoon till six o’clock : but it assumed no definite
form. It was an anxiety felt at being condemned and in
hell; but in this feeling the hope given by the Holy Spirit,
according to Paul’s epistle to the Romans v, 5, remained
strong.
The Evil One had power given him to disturb my inmost
mind by various thoughts. On Easter day,‡ after the Holy
Supper, I was inwardly glad, although outwardly sad. The
temptation came on in the afternoon, in an entirely different
manner, but strongly; for I was assured that my sins were
forgiven, and still I could not govern my fugitive thoughts so
as to restrain some expressions opposed to my better under
standing; I was, by permission, under the influence of the
Evil One.§ The temptation was assuaged by prayer and
God’s Word; faith was there in its entirety, but confidence
and love seemed to be gone. I went to bed at nine o’clock ;
but the temptation, accompanied by trembling,** continued
until half-past ten. I then fell into a sleep, in which the
whole of my temptation was represented to me ; how Er[land]
B[roman]+167 sought by various means to get me on his
side, so that I might be of the same party (in luxury, riches,
pride) ; but he could not gain me over ; I persisted in my
resistance even more strongly after he had incurred my con
tempt. Afterwards I was with a snake of a dark grey colour,
which was lying down, and was B[roman’s] dog. I struck at
it many times with a club, but never could hit it on the head ;
it was in vain. It tried to bite me, but could not; I seized
* See Note 162, i, E. See Note 165, iv.
The original has Pingstdagen (day of Pentecost), but there is no doubt
that the reading should be Påskdagen (Easter).
** See Note 162, i, F.
§ See Note 162, i, E.
The Swedish editor suggests here that Er. B. might also stand for
Ericus Benzelius, but as the name Erland Broman has already occurred
once in full, in no. 4 of the present document, and as the character of
that man, as described by Swedenborg (see Note 167) accords fully with
what he relates here concerning Er. B., we may take it for granted that
these initials stand for Erland Broman, and not for Ericus Benzelius.
See Note 161, i.
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