Arcana Coelestia (Potts) n. 4301

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4301. As he passed over Penuel. That this signifies the state of truth in good, is evident from the signification of "Penuel," as being the state of truth in good. For Jabbok was the stream first passed over by Jacob when he entered into the land of Canaan, and by this is signified the first instilling of the affections of truth, see n. 4270, 4271. It is the Penuel that he now passes over, and therefore by it is signified a state of truth that is insinuated into good. The conjunction of good is also treated of, and good is not good unless there is truth in it; for good has its quality and also its form from truth, insomuch that good cannot be called good in any man unless there is truth in it; but truth receives its essence, and consequently its life, from good; and this being the case, and the subject treated of being the conjunction of goods, the state of truth in good is also treated of. [2] As regards the state of truth in good, this can indeed be described, but yet it cannot be apprehended, except by those who have celestial perception. Others cannot even have an idea of the conjunction of truth with good, because with them truth is in obscurity; for they call that truth which they have learned from doctrinal things, and that good which is done according to this truth; whereas they who have perception are in celestial light as to their understanding (that is, as to their intellectual sight), and they are affected with truths which are conjoined with good, as the eye or bodily sight is affected with flowers in gardens and meadows in the time of spring; and they who are in interior perception are affected with these truths as with a fragrance that is exhaled from them. Such is the angelic state, and therefore such angels perceive all the differences and all the varieties of the instilling and conjunction of truth in good, and thus endless things more than man; for man does not even know that there is any instilling and conjunction, and that a man becomes spiritual thereby. [3] A few words shall be added in order to convey some notion of this matter. There are two things which constitute the internal man-the understanding and the will. To the understanding pertain truths, and to the will goods; for what a man knows and understands to be so, he calls truth; and what he does from will, thus what he wills, he calls good. These two faculties should constitute a one. This may be illustrated by comparison with the sight of the eye, and with the pleasantness and delight that are experienced by means of this sight. When the eye sees objects, it experiences a pleasantness and delight from them in accordance with their forms, colors, and their consequent beauties both in general and in their parts; in a word, in accordance with the order or dispositions into series. This pleasantness and delight are not of the eye, but of the animus and its affection; and insofar as the man is affected with them, so far he sees them and retains them in memory, while the things that the eye sees from no affection, are passed over and are not implanted in the memory, thus are not conjoined with it. [4] From this it is evident that the objects of the external sight are implanted in accordance with the pleasantness and delight of the affections; and that they are in this pleasantness and delight; for when a similar pleasantness or delight recurs, such objects also recur; and in like manner when similar objects recur, such pleasantness and delight also recur, with variety according to the states. It is the same with the understanding, which is the internal sight - its objects are spiritual, and are called truths; the field of these objects is the memory; the pleasantness and delight of this sight is good; and thus good is that in which truths are inseminated and implanted. From this it may in some measure appear what the instilling of truth into good is, and what the conjunction of truth in good; also, what the good is which is here treated of, and in regard to which angels perceive things so innumerable, while man perceives scarcely anything.


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