Apocalypse Explained (Whitehead) n. 164

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164. And those that commit adultery with her into great affliction, signifies grievous temptations for those who addict themselves to the falsities of such. This is evident from the signification of "committing adultery," as being to falsify truths (see above, n. 141) therefore "to commit adultery with Jezebel" is to surrender oneself to the falsities of those signified by "Jezebel;" and from the signification of "affliction," as being the infestation of truth by falsities (see above, n. 47), here temptation, since temptation with man is nothing else but infestation of truth by falsities (see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, n. 188, 196, 197); therefore "casting those who commit adultery with her into great affliction" signifies the grievous temptations of those who addict themselves to the falsities of such. Here those are treated of with whom the spiritual or internal man is not so closed, because they are in some spiritual affection of truth, and yet they suffer themselves to be seduced by those who are in the doctrine of falsities (see above, n. 162). As these receive falsities into the memory of their natural man, with which falsities the internal spiritual man cannot agree, for this receives nothing but truths, a combat arises between the spiritual and the natural man. This combat is temptation, and this is signified by "great affliction." (That temptation is the combat between the spiritual and natural man, see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, n. 190, 194, 197, 199.)


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