Those who believe that the angels were immediately created, and in such a state of integrity as to be able to do good from themselves, are greatly deceived; for all the angels in the whole of heaven have been men, and therefore they each possess a proprium just as men do in this world, which is nothing else but evil. But because, while they lived in the world as men, they were regenerated by the Lord, therefore they are able to be withheld from evils and the falsities therefrom, and kept in goods, and when they are withheld from evils, and kept in goods by the Lord, it then seems as though they were in goods from themselves; but still they know and perceive that this is the case with them from the Lord, and not from themselves. It is evident, therefore, that the whole angelic heaven, as to intelligence and wisdom, and as to the affections of good and truth, is the Lord. This, now, is, why a voice saying from heaven, signifies such things as are from the Lord - in the present case, consolations after temptations; and this because the subject treated of in the preceding verse is the patience of those who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus; and by patience temptations are there signified.

[2] Something shall now be said concerning consolations after temptations. All those who are being regenerated by the Lord undergo temptations; after temptations they experience joys. But whence the temptations are, and the subsequent joys, here meant by consolations, is not yet known in the world, because there are few who experience spiritual temptations, there are few who are in the knowledges of good and truth, and still fewer who are in the marriage of good and truth, that is, in truths of doctrine, and at the same time in goods of life; and none but these are allowed to enter into spiritual temptations, for if others were, they would fall; and if so, their latter state would be worse than their former.

The real reason why none can be allowed to come into spiritual temptations but those who are in the marriage of good and truth is, that the spiritual mind, which is strictly the inner man, cannot be opened in any others; for when that mind is opened, then temptations take place. The reason is, that heaven, that is, the Lord through heaven, flows into man's natural mind through his spiritual mind. There is no other way for heaven, that is, for the Lord through heaven, to reach man. And when heaven flows in it removes the hindrances, which are evils and the falsities therefrom residing in the natural mind, or in the natural man; these cannot be removed except by a living acknowledgment of them by man, and grief of soul on account of them. This is why, in temptations, a man feels anguish from the evils and falsities rising up into the thought; and so far as the man then acknowledges his sins, looks upon himself as guilty, and prays earnestly for deliverance, so far temptations are conducive to this. From this it is clear that a man comes into spiritual temptation, when his internal, called the spiritual mind, is opened, that is, when he is being regenerated.

When, therefore, a man's evils and falsities are removed, then temptations are brought to an end; and then joy flows in through heaven from the Lord, and fills his natural mind. This joy is here meant by consolations. All those who undergo spiritual temptations receive these consolations. I speak from experience. The reason why a man receives joys after temptations is, that afterwards he is admitted into heaven; for by temptations a man is conjoined to heaven, and admitted into it. This is why he experiences joy similar to that which the angels have there.