3321. For I am weary. That this signifies a state of combat, is evident from the signification of “weary,” or of “weariness,” as being a state of combat (see n. 3318). Mention is here again made of being weary, for the sake of confirmation that the conjunction of good with truth in the natural is effected by spiritual combats, that is, by temptations. In regard to the conjunction of good with truth in the natural, the case in general is this: Man’s rational receives truths before his natural; and this to the end that the Lord’s life, which as before said is of love, may flow in through the rational into the natural, and dispose the natural, and reduce it to obedience. For the rational is purer, and the natural grosser; or what is the same, the rational is interior and the natural exterior; and as may be known it is according to order that the interior or purer can flow into the exterior or grosser, but not the reverse.

[2] Hence it is that man’s rational can be accommodated to truths and receive them before his natural, as may be plainly seen from the fact that with one who is to be regenerated the rational man battles much with the natural; or what is the same, the internal man with the external. For as also is known, the internal man can see truths and also will them, but the external refuses assent and resists; for in the natural man there are memory-knowledges which are in a great measure derived from the fallacies of the senses, and which notwithstanding their being false the man believes to be true; there are also things innumerable which the natural man does not apprehend; for he is relatively in shade and thick darkness, and that which he does not apprehend, he believes either not to exist, or not to be so; there are likewise cupidities which are of the love of self and of the world, and all things that favor these he calls truths; and when the man yields to these the dominion, all things that result are contrary to spiritual truths. There are also in the natural man reasonings that are grounded in falsities impressed from infancy. Moreover, man apprehends by manifest sense what is in his natural man, but not so what is in his rational, until he has put off the body. This also causes him to believe the body to be everything; and all that does not fall into the natural sense, he scarcely believes to be anything.

[3] From such causes and many others, it results that the natural man receives truths much later, and with greater difficulty, than does the rational man. Hence arises combat, which continues for a considerable time, not ceasing until the vessels recipient of good in the natural man have been softened by temptations, as before shown (n. 3318); for truths are nothing but vessels recipient of good (n. 1496, 1832, 1900, 2063, 2261, 2269), which vessels are harder in proportion as man is more fixedly confirmed in the things which have been mentioned; and if the man is to be regenerated, the more fixedly he has been confirmed, the more grievous is the combat. As the case with the natural man is such that the conjunction of truths with good therein is effected through the combats of temptations, it is therefore here repeated, “I am weary.”

2943. Of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying. That this signifies as to the doctrinal things through which there is faith, is evident from the signification of “gate,” as being entrance, thus that which introduces (in like manner as “door,” see n. 2145, 2152, 2356, 2385); and from the signification of “city,” as being the truth of faith (see n. 402, 2268, 2449, 2451, 2712). Cities in the Ancient Church were not like the cities of later times and of the present day, that is, assemblages and gatherings of people; but they were the dwelling together of separate families. The family of one parent constituted a city, as for instance the city of Nahor (to which Abraham’s servant came when he was to betroth Rebekah to Isaac, Genesis 24:10) was Nahor’s family which was there; and Shalem, the city of Shechem (to which Jacob came when he journeyed from Paddan-aram, Genesis 33:18; 34 (Genesis 34:2) (Genesis 34:4) (Genesis 34:6) (Genesis 34:8) (Genesis 34:11) (Genesis 34:13) (Genesis 34:18) (Genesis 34:20) (Genesis 34:24) (Genesis 34:26)) was the family of Hamor and Shechem, which was there; and so with the other cities of that time.

[2] And as they had learned from the most ancient people that nations and families represented the heavenly societies, and thus the things of love and charity (n. 655, 1159), so when a “city” is mentioned instead of a family, and “people” instead of nation, truth is signified which is of faith. Hence also the “city of God” and the “holy city,” in the genuine sense signify faith in the Lord; and as a walled town or city signified faith, the “gate” of the city signified doctrinal things, because these introduce to faith. This in the representative Jewish Church was also signified by the judges and the elders sitting in the gate of the city and judging there; as is plain from the historical parts of the Word; and also in Zechariah:

These are the words that ye shall do: Speak ye every man the truth with his companion, judge truth and the judgment of peace in your gates (Zech. 8:16).

Also in Amos:

Hate the evil and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate (Amos 5:15).

(That a “gate” also signifies the way of access to the rational mind, and that this mind is compared to a city, may be seen above, n. 2851)