Various Bits to Ponder

AC 8505 [2]

Before regeneration man acts from truth,
but through it good is acquired;
for truth becomes good with him
when it becomes of his will, and thus of his life;
but after regeneration he acts from good,
and through it truths are procured.
To make this still clearer:
Before regeneration man acts from obedience;
but after regeneration from affection.

AC 8506

Six days ye shall gather it.
(Exodus 16:26)

That this signifies the reception of truth
before it is being conjoined with good,
is evident from the signification of "six days,"
as being states of combat and of labor,
here a state of the reception of truth,
or a state when good is acquired through truth,
for in this state there are labor and combat.
In this state man is let into temptations,
which are combats with the evils and falsities in him;
and then the Lord fights for the man and also with him.
But after this state
there is a state of the conjunction of good and truth,
thus at that time a state of rest for the Lord also.
This state is what was represented by
the rest on the seventh day, or day of the Sabbath.
That the Lord then has rest,
is because when good has been conjoined with truth,
the man is in the Lord,
and is led by the Lord without labor and combat.

AC 8512

And Jehovah said unto Moses.
(Exodus 16:28)

That this signifies the appearing of the Divine obscured,
is evident, from the signification of "Jehovah said,"
as involving what follows,
here that they did not keep His commandments and laws,
thus that the appearing of the Divine among them
was obscured.
For this takes place when anyone does not live
according to the Divine commandments;
because when anyone does live according to them,
he lives according to Divine order,
inasmuch as the Divine commandments
are truths and goods which are in conformity with order;
and when anyone lives according to order,
he then lives in the Lord,
because the Lord is order itself.

AC 8521 [3]

None of these can see
whether the teaching of their church is true,
except those who are in the affection of truth
for the sake of the uses of life.
Those who have this end in view
are continually enlightened by the Lord,
not only during their life in the world,
but also afterward.
These alone are they who can receive;
for the Lord leads them by means of good,
and by means of it gives them to see truth,
and thus to believe.

AC 8522

. . . whatever man wills from affection
is perceived as good.
But this good cannot arise
except through the delights
that are of the natural man.