3922. And hath given me a son. That this signifies that this truth was acknowledged, is evident from the signification of a “son,” as being truth (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147); and from the signification of “giving a son,” as being to give this truth, which is the same as to acknowledge it; for every truth that is acknowledged is given by the Lord. “Giving a son” involves the same as “bearing;” and that “bearing” is acknowledgment may be seen above (n. 3905, 3915, 3919).

1255. According to their nativities. That this signifies in proportion as they could be reformed, is evident from the signification of a “nativity,” as being reformation. While a man is being born again, or regenerated, by the Lord, each and all things that he receives anew are nativities or births. So here, as the subject is the Ancient Church, the nativities signify in proportion as they could be reformed. As regards the reformations of the nations, they were not all in the same worship, nor in the same doctrine, for the reason that they were not all of the same genius, and were not all similarly educated and instructed from infancy. The principles which a man imbibes from infancy the Lord never breaks, but bends. If they are things that the man esteems holy, and are such as are not contrary to Divine and natural order, but are in themselves matters of indifference, the Lord lets them alone, and suffers the man to remain in them. So it was with many things in the second Ancient Church, concerning which of the Lord’s Divine mercy hereafter.