3528. Peradventure my father will feel me. That this signifies the inmost degree of perception, is evident from the signification of “feeling,” and thus of being sensible, as being the inmost and the all of perception; and from the signification of “father,” as being good, here, Divine good, because the Lord is treated of. That “to feel at” signifies the inmost and the all of perception is because all sensation has relation to the sense of touch, and this is derived and comes forth from what is perceptive; for sensation is nothing else than external perception, and perception is nothing else than internal sensation. What perception is, may be seen above (n. 104, 371, 495, 503, 521, 536, 1383-1398, 1616, 1919, 2145, 2171, 2831). Moreover all sensation and all perception, which appear so various, are referable to one common and universal sense, namely, the sense of touch; the varieties, such as taste, smell, hearing, and sight, which are external sensations, being nothing but different kinds of touch that originate from internal sensation, that is, from perception. This can be confirmed by much experience, and will of the Lord’s Divine mercy be shown in its own place. From this it is evident that in the internal sense “to feel at” signifies the inmost and the all of perception. Moreover all perception, which is internal sensation, comes forth from good, but not from truth, except from good through truth; for the Lord’s Divine life flows into good, and through good into truth, and thus produces perception. From this it can be seen what is signified by “peradventure my father will feel me,” namely, the inmost and the all of perception from good, thus from the Lord’s Divine.

104. At this day it is unknown what Perception is. It is a certain internal sensation from the Lord alone, as to whether a thing is true and good; and it was very well known to the Most Ancient Church. This perception is so perfect with the angels, that by it they are aware and have knowledge of what is true and good; of what is from the Lord, and what from themselves; and also of the quality of anyone who comes to them, merely from his approach, and from a single one of his ideas. The spiritual man has no perception, but has conscience. A dead man has not even conscience; and very many do not know what conscience is, and still less what perception is.