3620. I loathe my life because of the daughters of Heth. That this signifies the adjunction of natural truth from another source, is evident from the signification of “loathing one’s life,” as being no adjunction, namely, of natural truth to the truth of the rational, for when there is not adjunction, then to the rational its life appears as if it were no life, as may be seen from what was said above (n. 3493); and from the signification of the “daughters of Heth,” as being the affections of truth from what is not genuine; here, the affections of natural truth, because spoken of Jacob, by whom natural truth is represented, as before shown. (That “daughters” are affections may be seen above, n. 2362; and that “Heth” or “Hittite” is truth from what is not genuine, n. 3470.) Hence it is evident that by “I loathe my life because of the daughters of Heth,” is signified that there could be no adjunction of the natural through truth which is not from what is genuine; thus that there must be the adjunction of natural truth from another source.

The adjunction of natural truth is treated of in what follows, where mention is made of Jacob’s stay with Laban, namely, that truths from a common stock were adjoined thereto; and by the truths which the daughters of Heth represent, because they were not from that stock, no adjunction could be effected, since there was disparity and discordance; for by the sons of Heth is represented the spiritual church among the Gentiles (n. 2913, 2986), in which, as they have not the Word, the truths are not from that origin.

1032. And I will establish my covenant with you. That this signifies the presence of the Lord with all who have charity, and refers to those who go forth from the ark and to every wild animal of the earth, that is, to men within the church and men without, is evident from what has been said just above. That the Lord enters into a covenant, or conjoins Himself by charity, with Gentiles also who are outside the church, shall now be shown. The man of the church supposes that all who are out of the church, and are called Gentiles, cannot be saved, because they have no knowledges of faith, and are therefore wholly ignorant of the Lord, saying that without faith and without knowledge of the Lord there is no salvation, and thus he condemns all who are out of the church. Indeed many of this sort who are in some doctrine, even if it be heresy, suppose that all outside this, that is, all who do not hold the same opinion, cannot be saved; when in fact the case is not so at all. The Lord has mercy toward the whole human race, and wills to save and draw to Himself all who are in the universe.

[2] The mercy of the Lord is infinite, and does not suffer itself to be limited to those few who are within the church, but extends itself to all in the whole world. Their being born out of the church and being thus in ignorance of faith, is not their fault; and no one is ever condemned for not having faith in the Lord when he is ignorant of Him. Who that thinks aright will ever say that the greatest part of the human race must perish in eternal death because they were not born in Europe, where there are comparatively few? And who that thinks aright will say that the Lord suffered so great a multitude to be born to perish in eternal death? This would be contrary to the Divine, and contrary to mercy. And besides, those who are out of the church, and are called Gentiles, live a much more moral life than those who are within the church, and embrace much more easily the doctrine of true faith, as is still more evident from souls in the other life. The worst of all come from the so-called Christian world, holding the neighbor in deadly hatred, and even the Lord. Above all others in the whole world they are adulterers.

[3] It is not so with those from other parts of the world. Very many of those who have worshiped idols are of such a disposition as to abhor hatred and adultery, and to fear Christians because of their being of this character and desirous of tormenting everyone. Indeed Gentiles are so disposed as to listen readily, when taught by angels about the truths of faith, and that the Lord rules the universe, and to be easily imbued with faith and thus to reject their idols. For this reason Gentiles who have lived a moral life and in mutual charity and innocence, are regenerated in the other life. While they live in the world the Lord is present with them in charity and innocence, for there is nothing of charity and innocence except from the Lord. The Lord also gives them a conscience of what is right and good according to their religion, and insinuates innocence and charity into that conscience; and when there is innocence and charity in the conscience, they easily suffer themselves to be imbued with the truth of faith from good. The Lord Himself said this, in Luke:

And one said unto Him, Lord, are they few that be saved? and He said unto them, Ye shall see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and yourselves cast forth without; and they shall come from the east and the west, and from the north and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God; and behold, there are last who shall be first, and there are first who shall be last (Luke 13:23, 28-30).

By “Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” are here meant all who have love, as shown above.