10210. From the blood of the sin-offering of expiations. That this signifies through the truths which are from the good of innocence, is evident from the signification of “blood,” as being Divine truth (see n. 4735, 6978, 7317, 7326, 7846, 7850, 9127, 9393, 10026, 10033, 10047); and from the signification of “the sin-offering of expiations,” or of the sacrifice of sin by which expiation is effected, as being purification from evils and the consequent falsities. (That by “sin” is meant sacrifice for sin, see above, n. 10039; and that “expiation” denotes purification from evils and the consequent falsities, n. 9506.) That this purification is effected by means of truths which are from the good of innocence, is because the blood by which expiation was effected was from a bullock or a lamb, and by a “bullock” is signified the good of innocence in the external man (n. 9391, 9990, 10132); and by a “lamb,” the good of innocence in the internal man (n. 10132); and there must be innocence in order that truth and good may be received (see n. 3111, 3994, 4797, 6013, 6765, 7836, 7840, 9262, 10134, and the places cited in n. 10021). For the good of innocence consists in acknowledging that all truths and goods are from the Lord, and nothing from man’s own; thus it consists in being willing to be led by the Lord, and not by self. From this it is plain that the more a man trusts and believes in himself, thus the more he is in the love of self, the less he is in the good of innocence. From this it is that a man cannot be purified from evils unless he is in the good of innocence; for if he is not in this good, he is not led by the Lord, but by self; and he who is led by self, is led by hell, for what is man’s own is nothing but evil, and all evil is of hell. (That all expiation was made by the blood either of a bullock, or of a lamb, or of turtle-doves, or of young pigeons, is evident in Exodus 29:36; Leviticus 4:1-7, 13-18, 4:27-35 the end; 5:1-7; 15:14, 28-31; Numbers 6:9-11.) By “turtle-doves” and by “young pigeons” is also signified the good of innocence.

7840. Ye shall take it from the lambs and from the she goats. ¹ That this signifies the good of innocence exterior and interior, is evident from the signification of a “lamb,” as being the good of innocence (see n. 3994); and from the signification of a “she-goat” or “kid,” as being the good of truth in which is innocence (n. 3995, 4005, 4006, 4871). (That a “lamb” denotes the interior good of innocence, and a “kid,” or a “she-goat,” the exterior good of innocence, see n. 3519.) What is meant by the interior and the exterior good of innocence shall be briefly told. In every good there must be innocence that it may be good; without innocence good is as if without its soul. The reason is that the Lord flows in by means of innocence, and by means of it vivifies the good with those who are being regenerated. The good which innocence vivifies is internal and external; internal good is with those who are called men of the internal church; but external good is with those who are men of the external church. Men of the internal church are they who have qualified their good by means of interior truths, such as are those of the internal sense of the Word; but men of the external church are they who have qualified their good by means of exterior truths, such as are those of the literal sense of the Word. Men of the internal church are they who do what is good to the neighbor from the affection of charity; but men of the external church are they who do it from obedience. Every man while being regenerated first becomes a man of the external church, and afterward a man of the internal church. They who are of the internal church are in intelligence and wisdom in advance of those who are of the external church, and are therefore more interiorly in heaven. From all this it is now evident what the interior and exterior good of innocence are.

Poznámky pod čarou: