Swedenborg Arcana Caelestia Vol. V (1750)

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE original: CAPUT QUADRAGESIMUM PRIMUM

...[he] knows. For the person who is in a state of good is being reborn original: renascitur every single moment, from earliest infancy to the final life in the world, and then into eternity. This happens not only regarding internal matters but also external ones, through wonderful processes. These processes make up a large part of "angelic wisdom." It is well known that this wisdom is ineffable, containing things that "ear has not heard, nor eye seen, nor have ever entered the heart of man." The internal sense of the Word deals with these matters. It is perfectly suited to angelic wisdom. When it flows from that level into the literal sense of the Word, it becomes suited to human wisdom. In this way, it secretly influences those who, out of a love for what is good, desire to know the truth from the Word.

5203. Ugly in appearance, which signifies things that do not belong to faith. This is established from the meaning of "beautiful in appearance," which represents things belonging to faith (as mentioned just above in section 5199). Therefore, here, "ugly in appearance" represents things that are not of faith.

5204. And thin-fleshed, which signifies things not belonging to charity. This is established from the meaning of "fat-fleshed," which represents things belonging to charity (as also mentioned above in section 5200). Thus, here, "thin-fleshed" represents things not of charity, as they are the opposites.

5205. And they stood next to the cows on the bank of the river, which signifies that they were at the boundaries where truths reside. This is established from the phrase "standing next to the bank of the river," which refers to being at the boundaries (for the river represents a boundary; see sections 5196 and 5197). It also follows from the meaning of "cows," which are the truths of the natural mind term: naturalis—the "natural mind" or the level of the soul that deals with the external world and factual knowledge (see section 5198). How this works—namely, how falsities stand at the boundaries where truths are—will become clear in what follows. Specifically, it will be explained in the internal sense of the seven years of famine in the land of Egypt, which was predicted and signified by the seven cows that were ugly and thin, as well as by the seven thin ears of grain scorched by the east wind.

5206. And the cows that were ugly in appearance and thin-fleshed ate up [the others], which signifies that falsities—those not of faith or charity—would drive out the truths. This is established from the meaning of "to eat," which is to consume (see sections 5149 and 5157). In this context, it means to "exterminate" or drive out, because the truths in the natural mind are almost driven out by falsities before they are brought to life through the celestial-spiritual influence—that is, before they are regenerated. This is further shown by the meaning of "ugly cows" (things not of faith, section 5203) and "thin-fleshed" (things not of charity, section 5204).

5207. The seven cows beautiful in appearance and fat, which signifies the truths of the natural mind belonging to faith and charity. This is clear from the meaning of "cows" as truths of the natural mind (section 5198), "beautiful in appearance" as things of faith (5199), and "fat" as things of charity (5200). Regarding the actual situation—that truths are driven out of the natural mind by falsities at the boundaries—it should be known that this happens at the beginning of every process of regeneration. The truths that are first introduced to a person are indeed truths in themselves, but they are not truly "truths" in the person until "good" term: bonum—spiritual "good" or the impulse of love and charity is joined to them. It is this joined "good" that makes truths truly truths. Good is the essence, and truths are its forms. Therefore, in the beginning, falsities are close to truths, or rather, falsities exist at the very boundaries where truths are. But as good is joined...