69. Since the kinds of murder mentioned above lie concealed inwardly with man from birth, as was said, and also every kind of theft, and every kind of false witness, with their lusts about which something will be said presently, it is evident, that unless the Lord had provided the means of reformation, man could not but perish eternally. The means of reformation provided by the Lord are these: Man is born in mere ignorance; whilst an infant he is kept in a state of external innocence, soon after in a state of external charity, and then in a state of external friendship; but as he comes to exercise thought from his own understanding, he is kept in a certain freedom of acting according to reason. This is the state which was described above, No. 19; and the description will be repeated here on account of what follows:
While man is in the world, he is in the midst between hell and heaven: beneath is hell, and above is heaven; and he is kept in freedom to turn himself either to hell or to heaven. If he turns himself to hell, he turns away from heaven; but if he turns himself to heaven, he turns away from hell. Or, what is the same, while man is in the world, he stands in the midst between the Lord and the devil, and is kept in freedom to turn himself either to the one or to the other. If he turns himself to the devil, he turns away from the Lord; but if he turns himself to the Lord, he turns away from the devil. Or, what is the same, while man is in the world, he is in the midst between evil and good, and is kept in freedom to turn himself either to the one or to the other. If he turns himself to evil, he turns away from good; but if he turns himself to good, he turns away from evil.
This is No. 19 above. See also Nos. 20-22 which follow there.
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