of
evil and the truth of good._ By man's interiors the internal of his
thought is meant. Of this he knows nothing until he comes into the
spiritual world and its light, which happens on death. In the natural
world it can be known only by the enjoyment of his love in the external
of his thought, and from evils themselves as he examines them in himself.
For the internal of thought in man is so closely connected with the
external of thought that they cannot be separated (of this more may be
seen above). We say "good and truth of good," and "evil and falsity of
evil" because good cannot exist apart from its truth nor evil apart from
its falsity. They are bedfellows or partners, for the life of good is
from its truth and the life of truth is from its good; the same is to be
said of evil and its falsity.

[2] The rational man can see without explanation that evil with its
falsity and good with its truth cannot exist in man's interiors at the
same time. For evil is the opposite of good and good the opposite of
evil; two opposites cannot coexist. Implanted in all evil, moreover, is a
hatred for good, and implanted in all good the love of protecting itself
against evil and removing it from itself. Consequently one cannot be
where the other is. If they were together conflict and combat would start
and destruction ensue, as the Lord teaches also in these words:

Every kingdom divided against itself is desolated, and every city or
house divided against itself does not stand . . . Whoever is not with me
is against me, and whoever does not gather with me disperses (Mt 25:30);

and in another place,

No one can serve two masters at the same time: for either he will hate
the one and love the other . . . (Mt 6:24).

Two opposites are impossible in one substance or form without its being
torn apart and destroyed. If one should advance and approach the other,
they would keep apart like two enemies, one retiring to his camp or fort,
and the other posting himself outside. This happens with evil and good in
a hypocrite; he harbors both, but the evil is inside and the good outside
and so the two are separate and not mingled. It is plain then that evil
with its falsity and good with its truth cannot coexist.

[3] 2. _Good and the truth of good can be introduced into man's interiors
only so far as evil and the falsity of evil there have been removed._
This is a necessary consequence from what has preceded, for as evil and
good cannot exi