4247. And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother, to Esau, and moreover he cometh to meet thee. That this signifies that good flows in continually, so as to appropriate to itself (namely, truths), is evident from the signification of "brother," here Esau, as being good, (namely, that of the Lord's Divine natural, of which above); and from the signification of "coming to meet," as being to flow in (concerning which in what follows); and as influx is signified, so is appropriation.
[2] From what has been said several times before on this subject, it may be seen how the case is with good and truth, and with the influx of good into truth, and with the appropriation of truth by good, namely, that good is continually flowing in, and that truth receives it, for truths are the vessels of good. The Divine good cannot be applied to any other vessels than genuine truths, for they correspond to each other. When a man is in the affection of truth (in which he is in the beginning before he begins to be regenerated), even then good is continually flowing in, but as yet has no vessels (that is, truths) into which to apply itself (that is, to be appropriated); for in the beginning of regeneration man is not as yet in knowledges. At that time, however, as good is continually flowing in, it produces the affection of truth; which is from no other source than the continual endeavor of Divine good to flow in. From this it is evident that even at that time good is in the first place, and acts the principal part, although it appears as if it were truth that did this. But when a man is being regenerated (which takes place in adult age when he is in knowledges), good then manifests itself; for the man is not then so much in the affection of knowing truth, as in the affection of doing it. Heretofore truth had been in his understanding, but now it is in his will; and when it is in the will, it is in the man; for the will constitutes the man himself. Such is the constant circle in man that everything of knowledge is insinuated through the sight or through the hearing into the thought, and from this into the will, and from the will through the thought into act. Or again from the memory, which is like an internal eye, or internal sight, there is a similar circle-from this sight through the thought into the will, and from the will through the thought into act; or if anything hinders, into the endeavor to act, which, as soon as that which hindered is removed, goes forth into act.
[3] From this it is evident how the case is with influx, and with the appropriation of truth by good, namely, that first of all the truths of faith are insinuated through the hearing or through the sight, and are then stored up in the memory; from which they are successively elevated into knowledge, and at last flow into the will, and when in this they proceed thence through thought into act; and if they cannot go into act, they are in endeavor, which is itself an internal act, and whenever there is an opportunity this becomes an external act. Be it known, however, that while there is this circle, nevertheless it is good which produces the circle; for the life which is from the Lord does not flow in except into good, thus through good, and this from the inmosts. That the life which flows in through the inmosts produces this circle, may be seen by everyone, for without life nothing is produced; and as the life which is from the Lord does not flow in except into good and through good, it follows that good is that which produces; and that it flows into truths, and appropriates them to itself, insofar as the man is in the knowledges of truth, and is at the same time desirous to receive them.
