Arcana Coelestia volume 7 - Swedenborg Foundation

ARCANA COELESTIA 4070by means of truth from another source is evident from thesignification of “silver” as being truth (of which just above, n.5657); and as by “silver” is signified truth, by the “other silver” issignified other truth, consequently truth from another source (asthere is no genuine truth but that which is from the Lord, whobestows it gratuitously, so truth itself is from no other source); andfrom the signification of “bringing down” as being a disposition forprocuring, namely, the good of truth which is signified by the cornthey were to buy. The historical sense of the letter implies that theother silver also came to Joseph to buy food from him, andtherefore did not come from any other source. But the internalsense does not abide in the historical sense of the letter, for which itdoes not care, but abides in the subject that is being treated of; andthe subject is, that if they were to be subjected as servants becausesome truths in the exterior natural had been bestowed gratuitously,they would procure good by means of truth from some othersource. Such also is the series in the internal sense, for it is presentlysaid, “We know not who put our silver in our bags” by which issignified that they would not believe, because they did not knowwhat was the source of the truth in the exterior natural.[2] Something similar takes place in the other life with spiritswho are being initiated into good by means of truths, and especiallyinto this one—that all good and truth flow in from the Lord.When they perceive that everything they think and will flows intothem, thus that they have no power to think and to will fromthemselves, they resist as much as they can, believing that if thiswere so they would have no life of their own, and thereby that alldelight would perish, for they vest this in what is their own.Besides, if they cannot do good or believe truth of themselves, theysuppose they should let go their hands, doing and thinking nothingfrom themselves, and should wait for influx.They are permitted to think so, even to the extent of almostcoming to the conclusion that they do not desire to receive goodand truth from this source, but from some other by which therewould not be such a loss of what is their own; and sometimes it isgiven them to inquire where they may find it. Yet afterward when