882. 'And he proceeded to send out the dove from the ark' means a state of receiving the goods and truths of faith. This is clear from what has been stated at verse 8 where nearly identical words appear, with the difference that there it is said 'he sent out the dove from himself', for the reason also given there, that at that time he himself was the source of every work of truth or good which he performed. That is to say, he believed that he performed it by his own power, meant by 'from himself'.

2893. Good spirits have been utterly amazed that the member of the Church at the present day does not believe that all evils and falsities with him flow in from hell, and that all goods and truths flow in from the Lord, even though he knows it from the Word and also from the doctrine of faith, and even though everyone says when somebody has done an enormously evil deed that he has allowed himself to be led by the devil, and when somebody has done a good deed that he has allowed himself to be led by the Lord.