Verse 29. The false shall be removed as far as possible, and be replaced by genuine truth in accordance with the good from which the affection for truth was derived; and this truth so purified shall be legitimately conjoined to the affection of truth in the soul, because it has brought about the conjunction of good and truth in the soul, which is the primary of the Church and the principle by which regeneration is effected, therefore they cannot be separated in the succeeding states of the regenerate life. [Note.— Regeneration is effected by carrying out in the life the truths which the soul has accepted and believed after having arrived at years of maturity, and this forms the marriage of good and truth in the soul; and though the truths are imperfect, or were at first adopted from inferior motives, such as the fear of punishment, or the hope of advantage either in this world or the next, still they are the means by which regeneration is effected, and if sincerely believed in, they must be followed out throughout the whole regenerate life, and what is false and imperfect will be as far as possible removed from them.]

9133. 'If the theft is certainly found in his hand' means if any truth or good is left by means of which restoration can be made. This is clear from the meaning of 'certainly being found' - when it refers to good or truth that has been taken away, meant by 'the theft' - as being left; from the meaning of 'in his hand' as in his power ('hand' means power, see 878, 3387, 4931-4937, 5327, 5328, 5544, 6947, 7011, 7188, 7189, 7518, 7673, 8050, 8153, 8281; and the fact that 'in his hand' also means what resides with him will be seen below); and from the meaning of 'the theft' as the good or truth that has been taken away, dealt with in 9125. From all this it is evident that 'if the theft is certainly found in his hand' means if any good or truth is left. The reason why by means of which restoration can be made is also meant is that restoration for the good or truth that has been taken away is the subject in the present verse. The situation is that when a general affection for good remains there is always something left by means of which restoration can be made to replace some particular form of good that has been taken away; for it is on the general form of good that particular forms of it and particular truths depend, see

920, 1040, 1316, 4269, 4325 (end), 4329, 4345, 4383, 5208, 6115, 7131. The reason why 'in his hand' is whatever resides with him is that 'the hand' means power, and whatever is within a person's power resides with him, and what is not in his power does not reside with him. This also is the reason why 'hand', especially 'right hand', is used to mean the person himself. From all this one may see what is meant by 'sitting on the right hand of the Father' when said of the Lord, that He is everything residing with the Father, and so is the Father Himself. The same thing is meant in the Lord's teaching in John 14:8-11; 17:10-11, about His being in the Father, and the Father in Him, and about all things that are His being the Father's, and all that are the Father's being His.