3567. And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am. That this signifies the state of natural truth, that from the external form it then believed itself to be natural good, is evident from Isaac’s inquiry, “Art thou my very son Esau?” by which in the internal sense nothing can be signified than the influx of the rational from good into the natural truth represented by Jacob; and from the reply, “and he said, I am,” as signifying that it then believed itself to be good. (See what is said above, n. 3550)

3550. I am Esau thy firstborn. That this signifies that it believed it was natural good itself, is evident from the representation of Esau, and from the signification of “firstborn,” as being good, and indeed the natural good which is represented by Esau; for such is the case with the truth appertaining to man before he is regenerated that it is believed to be good itself: they who have perception know that it is not good, but that it is truth under the form of good; but they who have not perception know no otherwise than that it is good. This also will better appear from what follows.