215. [verse 19] 'As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten' signifies that those of them who act in such a way are loved by the Lord, and that then they cannot but be let into temptations in order to fight against themselves. It is plain that this is the sense of these words, for it is said 'As many as I love', by whom are understood those who 'buy gold purified in the fire' from the Lord, and who 'anoint the eyes with eye-salve that they may see'. It is said 'I rebuke and chasten' them, by which is understood temptation as to untruths and evils; by 'rebuke' temptation as to untruths, and by 'chasten' temptation as to evils. Those of whom [the Word] treats here cannot but be let into temptations, because without them denials and confirmations against Divine truths cannot be eradicated. Temptations are spiritual combats against the untruths and evils with oneself, thus against oneself. Moreover, what temptations are, whence they are, and what good they effect, may be seen in the work CONCERNING THE NEW JERUSALEM AND ITS HEAVENLY DOCTRINE, published at London in the year 1758 (n. 187-201).