An internal combustion engine that selectively switches from a first combustion in which an amount of an exhaust gas recirculation gas within a combustion chamber is more than the amount of the exhaust gas recirculation gas when an amount of soot generated reaches a peak amount to generate substantially no soot, that is, a low temperature combustion, and a second combustion in which the amount of the exhaust gas recirculation gas within the combustion chamber is less than the amount of the exhaust gas recirculation gas when the amount of soot generated reaches the peak amount. The switching is selectively performed, such that, a stable low temperature combustion corresponding to the air fuel ratio is performed by shifting the area for performing the low temperature combustion to the high load side as the air fuel ratio is reduced.