Arcana Coelestia volume 7 - Swedenborg Foundation

ARCANA COELESTIA 3583that “all that he had he gave into his hand,” by which is signifiedthat all that belonged to it was as it were in its power. For good islord, and truth is minister; and when it is said of a lord that he “seta minister over,” or of good that it “set truth over,” in the internalsense it is not signified that it ceded the dominion thereto, but thatit applied itself. For in the internal sense a thing is perceived as it isin itself; but in the sense of the letter it is set forth according to theappearance; for good always has the dominion, but applies itself inorder that truth may be conjoined with it. When man is in truth, asis the case before he has been regenerated, he knows scarcelyanything about good; for truth flows in by an external or sensuousway, but good by an internal way. Man is sensible of that whichflows in by an external way, but not, until he has been regenerated,of that which flows in by an internal way; so that unless in the priorstate a sort of dominion were given to truth, or unless good soapplied itself, truth would never be made good’s own. This is thesame as what has already been often shown—that while man isbeing regenerated truth is apparently in the first place, or as it werethe lord; but that good is manifestly in the first place and lordwhen he has been regenerated (see n. 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563,3570, 3576, 3603, 3701, 4925–4926, 4928, 4930).4978. And all that he had he gave into his hand. That thissignifies that all that belonged to it was as it were in its power isevident from the signification of the “hand,” as being power (n.878, 3091, 3387, 3563, 4931–4937). Thus “to put into his hand”is to put into its power; but as this is done only apparently, it is saidas it were in its power. (That it is only apparently, or as it were,may be seen just above, n. 4977.)4979. And it came to pass from the time that he set him over inhis house, and over all that he had. That this signifies a secondstate, after good applied itself thereto, and all that belonged to itwas as it were in its power is evident from the signification of theexpression “it came to pass,” or “it was,” so often found in theWord, as involving something new, and consequently another state(as likewise in the following verses, 7, 10–11, 13, 15, 18–19); andfrom the signification of “from the time that he set him over in his