10787. Afterwards we talked to them about the Lord, about love to Him, about love towards the neighbour, and about regeneration. We said that loving the Lord consists in loving the commandments received from Him, that is, in being moved by love to lead a life in keeping with them, and that love towards the neighbour consists in willing what is good and therefore in doing what is good to a fellow citizen, one's country, the Church, and the Lord's kingdom, not for the selfish purpose of being seen or earning a reward, but from an affection for what is good. With regard to regeneration we said that those who are being regenerated by the Lord and incorporating truths without any delay into their life come to have an intuitive perception of them; but that those who receive truths first in their memory, then in the understanding, and finally in the will are those who possess faith, for faith, which at this point is called conscience, guides them in their actions. Those spirits then said that they saw with perception that all this was so, and consequently also perceived what faith was.

9586. Doing what is bad, when one loves and delights to do it, seems like freedom; but it is slavery, because hell is the source of it. Doing what is good, when one loves and delights to do it, also seems like freedom; and it is indeed freedom, because the Lord is the source of it. It is slavery therefore when a person is led by hell, and freedom when a person is led by the Lord. This is something that the Lord teaches in John,

Everyone committing sin is a slave of sin. A slave does not remain in the house forever; the Son remains forever. If the Son makes you free, you will be truly free. John 8:34-36.