170. THE PUNISHMENT OF PRIDE, THAT IS, OF SELF-CONFIDENCE By the mercy of God Messiah it was also granted me to learn by living experience how self-confidence was chastised by the suffering of dejection. It was an interior suffering with lamentation, almost with despair of all salvation; but it was nevertheless observed that always in the midst of the sufferings and lamentations there was continually present the hope of salvation, and this alleviated the suffering. In other ways pride is also brought low by an as it were spontaneous submission, which desires nothing but humble things; this, however, is a gift of God Messiah. 1747, Aug. 24, o.s. It was also accompanied with continual commiseration.* I then sensibly perceived that an evil spirit induced the affliction, and that God Messiah continually inspired through the hope of salvation.*
** CONCERNING THE LIFE OF MAN AFTER DEATH After the life of the body the life remains such as it has been formed during the life of the body. But knowledges and similar things, which were only instrumental means for the formation of the man, recede. The nature itself, which is the essence of life, is what remains. * In the margin: "obs." ** This paragraph was numbered 171 by the translator; however, it is unnumbered in the manuscript. The paragraph number was removed to have it agree with Dr. Odhner's translation. Numbers 171-177 do not occur in the manuscript.
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