AC 8452 - Quail in the Evening and Natural Delight

AC 8452

That "the quail" denotes natural delight
is because it was a bird of the sea,
and by a bird of the sea is meant what is natural,
and by its flesh, which was longed for,
is meant delight.
That it also denotes through which is good,
is because it was given in the evening.
For when in the other life
there is a state which corresponds to evening,
then good spirits, and also angels,
are remitted into the state of the natural affections
in which they had been when in the world,
consequently into the delights of their natural person.
The reason is that good may come out of it,
that is, that they may thereby be perfected.
All are perfected
by the implantation of faith and charity
in the external or natural person;
for unless these are there implanted,
good and truth cannot flow in
from the internal or spiritual person,
that is, from the Lord through this person,
because there is no reception;
and if there is no reception,
the influx is stopped and perishes,
indeed, the internal person also is closed.
From this it is plain
that the natural must be brought
into a state of accommodation,
in order that it may be a receptacle.
This is effected by means of delights;
for the goods that belong to the natural person
are called delights,
because they are felt.