That every one who calls upon the Lord in temptations, conquers, but that otherwise they [would] yield, shall be illustrated by comparisons. It is like a ship hurled by storms near the rocks: unless the captain knows how to divert it from its danger, and to direct it to an outlet and thus to port, it must be lost.

 It is like a city besieged by enemies: unless there be escape or aid somewhere, the commander and his garrison become hopeless and disheartened, and yield themselves prisoners, and surrender their lives to the will of the enemy. It is like a person on a journey entering unawares into a cottage where there are robbers, unless, when they are shut in, a friend come and knock at the door, or show themselves at the window, and thereby terrify those villains and rescue their friend from ill-treatment. 

It is like a person falling into a cave where there is a bear with cubs, or into a pit where there are a wolf and a leopard, if his father, or brother, on seeing this, do not immediately let down to him a ladder, or a rope, and draw him up thence. 

It is like a person who stands, or walks, in the day-time, in a thick fog, who consequently does not know which way to turn, unless they light a lamp, and thereby show themselves the place where they stand or the way in which they should go. 

It is like being in the depth of winter, and short of provisions, if not supported by the hope of a harvest to come, on the return of summer.  (Swedenborg, Coronis 59)