41. Anything that is man's own has no life in it; and when depicted visually it looks like something hard as a bone and black. But anything that comes from the Lord does contain life. It has that which is spiritual and celestial within it, and when depicted visually it looks human and alive. It is perhaps incredible, but nevertheless absolutely true, that every expression, every idea, and every least thought of an angelic spirit is alive. In even the most detailed areas of his thought there is an affection that comes from the Lord, who is life itself. Consequently all that derives from the Lord has life within it, for it contains faith in Him, and is here meant by 'a living creature'. It then has the outward appearance of a body, meant here by that which is moving, or creeping. To man these matters remain arcana, but since the subject here is the living and moving creature, they ought at least to be mentioned here.

3330. 'And he sold his birthright to Jacob' means that in the meantime priority was conceded - to the doctrine of truth represented by Jacob. This is clear from the meaning of 'the birthright' as that which has priority of place, dealt with above in 3325, which in the meantime was conceded, as is evident from what has been stated and shown above in 3324, 3325. The chief reason why with the spiritual man truth has dominion first is that in his initial state delights that belong to self-love and love of the world are present. These he believes to be the goods which attach themselves to his truths and constitute the greater part of the affection for truth with him. Indeed at this time he supposes that truths are able to assist him in the acquisition of important positions, or of material gain, or of reputation in the world, or also of merit in the next life. All these arouse that affection for truth with him and also set it ablaze. These are not however good but bad.

[2] Nevertheless the Lord does allow such things in that initial period to carry him along because he could not otherwise be regenerated. The arrival at intelligence and wisdom takes time In the meantime he is led on by means of those truths to good, that is, to charity. And once he has charity he perceives for the first time what good is and acts from good, and at the same time good is the source of his decisions and conclusions concerning truths. And things that do not accord with that good he calls falsities and rejects. In this way he has dominion over truths like a master over his servants