4020. And the flocks brought forth party-colored, speckled, and spotted. That this signifies that thereby natural good had such things from the mediate good signified by “Laban,” is evident from the signification of “bringing forth,” as being acknowledgment and conjunction (see n. 3911, 3915); from the signification of “party-colored,” as being the truths with which evils are mingled (n. 4005); from the signification of “speckled,” as being the goods with which evils are mingled; and from the signification of “spotted,” as being the truths with which falsities are mingled (concerning which, n. 3993, 3995, 4005). Such are the things here signified, and which coming from the good signified by “Laban” accrued to the good of natural truth represented by Jacob.

3995. And the spotted and speckled among the goats. ¹ That this signifies that then all the good of truth in which falsity and evil are mingled shall be His, is evident from the signification of “spotted,” as being falsity; and from the signification of “speckled,” as being evil; as shown above (n. 3993); and from the signification of “she-goats,” as being the good of truth, or the charity of faith (n. 3519). That all this will be His, is also signified by what follows, “and it shall be my reward.”

[2] A few words as to what the good of truth is, or the charity of faith. When a man is being regenerated the truth which is of faith apparently comes first, and the good which is of charity apparently follows; but when the man has been regenerated, then the good which is of charity manifestly takes the precedence, and the truth which is of faith manifestly follows. (That the former is the appearance, and the latter the real truth, may be seen above, n. 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3616, 3701.) For when a man is being regenerated, he does what is good from the truth he has learned, because from truth he learns what is good; nevertheless it is the good within that effects this. For good flows in from the Lord by an internal way, that is, by the way of the soul; but truth flows in by an external way, or by the way of the senses, which is that of the body. The truth that enters by the latter way is adopted by the good that is within, and is conjoined with it, and this even until the man has been regenerated. A revolution then takes place, and truth is done from good. From this it is evident what the good of truth is, and what the truth of good. This is the reason why so many now say that the goods of charity are the fruits of faith; for so it appears in the beginning of regeneration, and from the appearance they draw this conclusion. Nor do they know otherwise, because there are few who are being regenerated, and no one can know this except the man who has been regenerated, that is, who is in the affection of good, or in charity. From the affection of good, or from charity, this can be clearly seen, and also perceived; but they who have not been regenerated do not even know what the affection of good, or charity, is; but reason about it as about something that is foreign to them, or outside of them; for which reason they call charity the fruit of faith, when yet faith is from charity. However, it is not very important for the simple to know which is prior and which posterior, provided they live in charity; for charity is the life of faith.

[3] By “cattle” here are meant not only lambs, but also sheep, kids, she-goats, rams, and he-goats, although only lambs and she-goats are mentioned; and this because by “lambs” is signified innocence; and by “she-goats,” the charity of faith; for these are the things here treated of in the internal sense. For this reason “spotted” is expressed in the original language by a word that also means “lambs” (as in Isaiah 40:10-11); and “speckled” by a word that also means a “herdman” (asin 2 Kings 3:4; Amos 1:1).

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