343. THE STATE OF TEMPTATION AND VASTATION. THAT GOD MESSIAH TEMPTS NO ONE It has also been shown me by living experience, how temptations are brought about by the internal torments of anguish, and at the same time by interior pains: likewise how in that state they want to know what they ought to believe: and that which is from themselves always occurs to them, namely, that by temptations they want to merit something, and so to enter into heaven, besides other things which I could not observe. I was also shown the nature of their thought at the time, namely, that whatever they have heard and perceived is nothing, vain, almost untrue, with a certain consent of conscience. I was then allowed to observe how they emerged from such temptation. In short, I observed that they could not suppose otherwise than that God Messiah permits temptations, which involves, however, that He tempts. 1747, Dec. 15.