7640. How long dost thou refuse to be humbled before Me? That this signifies no obedience, is evident from the signification of “refusing to be humbled,” as being not to obey. This is signified because it is said to those who are in evil, who cannot be humbled before the Divine; for there are two things in humiliation, namely, the acknowledgment of self, that it is nothing but evil, and that relatively to the Divine it is as nothing; and the acknowledgment of the Divine, that it is nothing but good, and is infinite. These two things are not possible with the evil, because they are in the love of self. If they humble themselves it is either from fear, or that they may be honored or enriched; thus they humble themselves only as to the body, and not as to the mind, which sometimes then jeers. Such is the humiliation of fear, and also that for the sake of gain and honor. Such it is before the Divine, although they do not know this; for the internal with those who are in evil from the love of self is solely to regard and magnify themselves, and to turn away from all who do not favor. As humiliation is not possible with the evil, therefore in the internal sense by “to be humbled” is signified obedience, and thus by “refusing to be humbled” is signified no obedience.