There are very many reasons why the faithful have to bear persecutions and temptations. Let me now mention only one that I was just allowed to learn, namely, so that, because there is such a great multitude of evils, especially in the inward realm, they may learn that they exist; and because the Lord wills to govern all things down to the very least according to order, so that the faithful may be able to resist them, thus so that there may be equilibrium. For the evil continually attack, and the faithful resist, not resisting from their own power, but from the Lord. 1748, 9 July.