ke an elastic
ball falling upon a rock, or it is absorbed like a diamond thrown into a
bog. A man not reformed as to the Spirit, is like a panther or an owl,
and may be compared to a bramble and a nettle; but a man regenerated is
like a sheep or a dove, and may be compared to an olive and a vine.
Consider, I pray, if you are so disposed, how can a man-panther be
changed into a man-sheep, or an owl into a dove, or a bramble into an
olive, or a nettle into a vine, by any imputation, if by it is meant
transference? In order that such a change may be effected is it not
necessary that the ferine principle of the panther and the owl, or the
noxious principle of the bramble and the nettle, be first taken away,
and thereby the truly human and innocent principle be implanted? How
this is effected, the Lord also teaches in John, chap. xv. 1-7.

527. IV. EVIL OR GOOD IS IMPUTED TO EVERY ONE ACCORDING TO THE QUALITY
OF HIS WILL AND HIS UNDERSTANDING. It is well known that there are two
principles which make a man's life, the will and the understanding; and
that all things which a man does, are done from his will and his
understanding; and that without these acting principles he would have
neither action nor speech other than as a machine; hence it is evident,
that such as are a man's will and understanding, such is the man; and
further, that a man's action in itself is such as is the affection of
his will which produces it, and that a man's conversation in itself is
such as is the thought of his understanding which produces it: wherefore
several men may act and speak alike, and yet they act and speak
differently: one from a depraved will and thought, the other from an
upright will and thought. From these considerations it is evident that
by the deeds or works according to which every one will be judged, are
meant the will and the understanding; consequently that evil works means
the works of an evil will, whatever has been their appearance in
externals, and that good works mean the works of a good will, although
in externals they have appeared like the works done by an evil man. All
things which are done from a man's interior will, are done from purpose,
since that will proposes to itself what it acts by its intention; and
all things which are done from the understanding, are done from
confirmation, since the understanding confirms. From these
considerations it may appear, that evil or good is imputed to every one
according to the