4368. If I pray I have found grace in thine eyes, then accept my present from my hand. That this signifies the reciprocal of affection in order that it might be instilled is evident from what precedes and what follows. For the subject treated of is the conjunction of good with truths in the natural, consequently the instilling of affection from good into truth. That the refusal of the present sent by Jacob was for this purpose-that affection might be instilled into truth, was shown above (n. 4366); and therefore by the words immediately preceding, “Nay I pray,” is signified the first beginning of affection (n. 4367). Hence by these words, “If I have found grace in thine eyes, then accept my present from my hand,” is signified the reciprocal of affection in order that it might be instilled; for he says this from good will, that is, from affection. Hence in what follows it is said that he “urged him.”

[2] By the reciprocal of affection, which is instilled by the good which is Esau into the truth which is Jacob, there is meant the affection of truth. For there are two affections which are heavenly-the affection of good, and the affection of truth (occasionally treated of already). The affection of truth originates solely from good. The affection itself comes from this source; for truth has no life from itself, but receives life from good; and therefore when a man is affected by truth, this is not from truth, but from the good that flows into the truth, and produces the affection itself. This is what is here meant by the “reciprocal of affection in order that it might be instilled.” It is known that there are many within the church who are affected by the Word of the Lord, and who bestow much pains on the reading of it; but still there are few who have as their end that they may be instructed in the truth, for most remain in their own dogma, the confirmation of which from the Word is their sole aim. These seem to be in the affection of truth, but are not; for those alone are in the affection of truth who love to be instructed about truths, that is, to know what the truth is, and to search the Scriptures for this end. No one is in this affection except the man who is in good, that is, who is in charity toward the neighbor, and still more he who is in love to the Lord. With these good itself flows into truth, and produces the affection, for the Lord is present in this good. This may be illustrated by the following examples.

[3] They who are in the good of genuine charity, and read the words which the Lord spoke to Peter:

I say unto thee that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it; and I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in the heavens, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in the heavens (Matthew 16:15-19).

These (namely those who are in the affection of truth from the good of genuine charity) love to be taught what is meant by these words; and when they hear that by the rock there upon which the church will be built (and consequently by Peter) is signified the faith of charity, and that it is in this way that the keys for opening and shutting heaven are given to this faith (see (2760) the preface to Genesis 22), they then rejoice and are affected by this truth, because in this way the Lord alone, the source of faith, has this power. But they who are not in the affection of truth from the good of genuine charity, but in the affection of truth from some other good, and especially if from the love of self and of the world, are not affected with this truth, but are made sad, and are also made angry, because they desire to claim this power for the priesthood. They are made angry because they are thus deprived of dominion; and they are made sad because they are deprived of respect.

[4] Take also as an example those who are in the affection of truth from the good of genuine charity: if these hear that charity makes the church, but not faith separated from charity, they receive this truth with joy; whereas they who are in the affection of truth from the love of self and of the world do not receive it. Moreover when those who are in the affection of truth from the good of genuine charity hear that love toward the neighbor does not begin from self, but from the Lord, they rejoice; whereas they who are in the affection of truth from the love of self and of the world, do not receive this truth, but sharply maintain that this love begins from themselves. Thus they do not know what it is to love the neighbor as one’s self. They who are in the affection of truth from the good of genuine charity rejoice when they hear that heavenly blessedness consists in doing good to others from good will, and not for the sake of any selfish end; whereas they who are in the affection of truth from the love of self and of the world, do not desire this, nor even apprehend it.

[5] When they who are in the affection of truth from the good of genuine charity are instructed that the works of the external man are nothing unless they proceed from the internal man, and thus from good willing, they receive this with joy; whereas they who are in the affection of truth from the love of self and of the world laud the works of the external man, but care nothing for the good willing of the internal man, and in fact do not know that the good willing of the internal man remains after death, and that the works of the external man separate from it are dead, and perish. And the case is the same with everything else. From these examples it is evident that the truths of faith can never be conjoined with anyone unless he is in the good of genuine charity; thus with nothing but good; and also that every genuine affection of truth is from this good. Everyone can see this confirmed from his daily experience, namely, that they who are in evil do not believe, but that they believe who are in good. From this it is plainly evident that the truth of faith is conjoined with good, and never with evil.