AC 3573 - our faces and our regeneration

AC 3573
. . . the natural is not regenerated
until it has been conjoined with the rational.

. . . the rational mind
(that is, a person's interior will and understanding)
ought to represent itself in the natural mind
just as this mind
represents itself in the face and its expressions,
insomuch
that as the face is the countenance of the natural person,
so the natural mind should be
the countenance of the rational mind.
When the conjunction has been effected,
as is the case with those who have been regenerated,
then whatever a person interiorly wills
and thinks in his rational
presents itself conspicuously in his natural,
and this latter presents itself conspicuously in his face.
Such a face have the angels;
and such a face had the most ancient people
who were celestial people,
for they were not at all afraid
that others should know their ends and intentions,
inasmuch as they willed nothing but good;
for he who suffers himself to be led by the Lord
never intends or thinks anything else.
When the state is of this character,
then the rational as to good conjoins itself
immediately with the good of the natural,
and through this with its truths;
and also mediately through the truth
that is conjoined with itself in the rational
with the truth of the natural,
and through this with the good therein;
and in this way the conjunction becomes indissoluble.

. . . how far removed people are at this day from this state,
thus from the heavenly state,
may be seen from the fact
that it is believed to be of civil prudence
to speak, to act, and also to express by the countenance,
something else than what one thinks and intends,
and even to dispose the natural mind in such a manner
that together with its face
it may act contrary to the things which it interiorly
thinks and wills from an end of evil.
To the most ancient people
this was an enormous wickedness,
and such persons were cast out from their society as devils.