[2] The persecutions of those who are in charity by those who are in faith separate from charity are not of such a nature at this day as to cause them to be banished and rejected from the communions of the Christian world, but to be reviled and condemned by those who are in faith alone. For no one who lives well, and says that to live well is necessary to salvation, can be banished and rejected, in whatever kingdom he may be. The reason is, that this entirely agrees with the Word, and that every one sees from rational light that he ought to live well. But still, they are condemned by those who are in faith alone as persons who cannot be saved, because of the merit in good works, and because of the works done from man not being good, with several things besides, by which they confirm justification and salvation by faith alone.

This is quite clear in the case of those who belong to the Moravian Communion. The Moravians more than others are defenders of a faith separate. They condemn those who do not hold this faith, so far as to assert that such persons are not living, but utterly dead; and that all those who, during their life, think of doing good from religion are cast out from heaven. Those who do not belong to that Communion, but are members of churches where works are rejected as not being a means of salvation, do not blaspheme in this way; but still they think in a sinister way about works; especially those who, by their writings and preaching, or by reasonings, have strongly confirmed themselves in justification by faith alone. These persecutions are meant here by patience; and also in chapter xii. of the Apocalypse, by

The dragon standing before the woman, who was about to bring forth, that after she had brought forth, he might devour her offspring; and afterwards persecuting the woman, and casting after her out of his mouth water as a flood, to cause her to be swallowed up by the flood; also by the dragon being angry with the woman, and going to war with the rest of her seed, who observe the commands of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ (vers. 4, 15, 17).

Also by what is said concerning the beast (xiii. 5, 6, 7, 15). That they also suffer persecutions because of the acknowledgment and confession of the Divine Human in the Lord will be seen in what follows.

[3] But as to temptations, here also meant by patience, they are spiritual temptations, which those undergo who receive genuine charity from the Lord; for they have to fight against the evils that are inherent in every man from his birth; and, in the case of some, against the falsities concerning faith alone which, from childhood, they have received from masters and preachers. These falsities and evils are removed by the combats of temptations. This is what is meant by the cross in the following passages:

Jesus said, "Whosoever doth not take up his cross, and follow after me, is not worthy of me" (Matt. x. 38; Luke xiv. 27).

Jesus said to his disciples, "If any one will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me" (Matt. xvi. 24; Mark viii. 34; Luke ix. 24).

In these passages by the cross are meant temptations, and by following the Lord, is meant to acknowledge His Divine and to do His precepts. That this is the meaning of following the Lord, may be seen above (n. 864). The reason why temptations are meant by the cross is, that the evils and the falsities therefrom, adhering to man from his birth, infest and consequently torment those who are natural while they are becoming spiritual. And because those evils and the falsities therefrom, which infest and torment, cannot be dispersed except by temptations, therefore these are signified by the cross. Therefore the Lord says, that they are to deny themselves, and take up the cross; that is, that they are to reject what is their own - the cross is man's proprium, against which he is to fight.

[4] Again:

Jesus said to the rich man, who asked him what he should do to inherit eternal life, "Thou knowest the commandments: thou shalt not commit adultery; thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal; thou shalt not bear false witness; thou shalt not defraud; honour thy father and mother. He answering said, All these things have I kept from my youth. Jesus looked upon him, and loved him; yet he said unto him, One thing is wanting to thee; go sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, so shalt thou have treasure in the heavens, and come and follow me, taking up the cross" (Mark x. 17, 19-21).

Here also by following the Lord, and taking up the cross, things similar to the above are signified, that is, to acknowledge the Lord's Divine, and the Lord as the God of heaven and earth; for without this acknowledgment no one can abstain from evils, and do good, unless from himself and unless it be merit-seeking, the good that is good in itself, and not merit-seeking good, being solely from the Lord. If, therefore, the Lord is not acknowledged, and also if it is not acknowledged that all good is from Him, there can be no salvation. But, before any one can do [good] from the Lord, he must undergo temptations. The reason is, that, by temptations, man's internal, by which he is conjoined with heaven, is opened. Now because no one can do the commandments without the Lord, therefore the Lord said, One thing is wanting to thee; sell all that thou hast, and come and follow Me, taking up the cross; that is, he should acknowledge the Lord, and undergo temptations. That he should sell all that he had, and give to the poor, signifies, in the spiritual sense, that he should put away from himself and reject what is his own; thus, the same is signified as by self-denial, in the passages quoted above. And by giving to the poor, in the spiritual sense, is signified to do the works of charity. The reason why the Lord thus spoke to him was, that he was rich; and riches, in the spiritual sense, signify the knowledges of good and truth, and, in the case of this man, who was a Jew, the knowledges of evil and falsity, because they were traditions. It is therefore evident that the Lord there and elsewhere spoke by correspondences.

[5] Temptations, also, are signified by the cup of which they were to drink:

Jesus said unto James and John, "Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the cup which I shall drink, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They said, We are able. And Jesus said to them, Ye shall indeed drink the cup which I shall drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give, but to those for whom it is prepared" (Mark x. 38-40).

By drinking the cup which the Lord drank, is signified the same as above by the cross, that is, to undergo temptations. And by the baptism with which the Lord was baptized, is signified to be regenerated by temptations. But between the cup which the Lord drank, and the cup which they are to drink, there is the same difference as between the temptations of the Lord and the temptations of men. The temptations of the Lord were most grievous, and endured against all the hells; for the Lord subjugated all the hells by temptations admitted into Himself; whereas the temptations of men are endured against evils and falsities from the hells with them, in which the Lord fights and not man himself, except against certain griefs.

Between the baptism with which the Lord was baptized, and the baptism with which men are baptized, there is a difference like that between the glorification and regeneration.

The Lord by temptations glorified His Human by His own power; whereas men are regenerated not from their own power, but by the Lord. For baptism signifies to be regenerated by temptations; whereas the baptism of the Lord signified the glorification of His Human by temptations.

That by baptism is signified regeneration and also temptations, may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem (n. 187-193). And that the Lord glorified His Human, and made it Divine, as He regenerates man and makes him spiritual, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia (n. 1725, 1729, 1733, 3318, 3381, 3382, 4286).