7,
7:13, 25 ); this signifies that they were not to profane holy things, for
"fat" signifies divine good and "blood" divine truth. In Matthew the Lord
teaches that once converted a man must continue in good and truth to the
close of life:

Jesus said: Whosoever perseveres to the end, shall be saved (10:20;
similarly Mk 13:13).

232. (iv) _The Lord therefore does not admit man interiorly into truths
of wisdom and at the same time into goods of love except as man can be
kept in them to the close of life._ To demonstrate this we must proceed
by steps for two reasons; one, because it concerns human salvation, and
the other, because a knowledge of the laws of permission (to be
considered in the next chapter) depends on a knowledge of this law. It
concerns human salvation, because, as has just been said, one who first
acknowledges what is divine in Word and church and subsequently departs
from them profanes what is holy most grievously. In order, then, that
this arcanum of divine providence may be revealed so that the rational
man can see it in his own light, it is to be unfolded as follows:

1. Evil and good cannot exist together in man's interior being,
consequently neither can the falsity of evil and the truth of good.
2. Good and the truth of good can be introduced into man's interior being
only so far as evil and the falsity of evil there have been removed.
3. If good with its truth were introduced there before or further than
evil with its falsity is removed, man would depart from the good and go
back to his evil.
4. When man is in evil many truths may be introduced into his
understanding and kept in memory, and yet not be profaned.
5. But the Lord in His divine providence takes the greatest care that
they are not received from the understanding by the will sooner or more
largely than man as of himself removes evil in the external man.
6. Should it welcome them sooner or in larger measure, the will would
adulterate good and the understanding would falsify truth by mingling
them with evils and falsities.
7. The Lord therefore admits man inwardly into truths of wisdom and goods
of love only so far as man can be kept in them to the close of life.

233. In order, then, that this arcanum of divine providence may be
disclosed so that the rational man will see it in his light, the points
made will be explained one by one. 1. _Evil and good cannot exist
together in man's interior being, consequently neither can the falsity