3159. 'And I will look to the right or to the left' means reciprocal freedom. This is clear without any explanation. The situation is that good from the Lord is constantly flowing in by way of the internal man into the external, and in earliest years takes shape in the external man as the affection for truth. To the extent a person looks to celestial and spiritual good as the end in view, truth is introduced and joined to good, or what amounts to the same, the affection for truth is introduced and joined to the affection for good. To the extent however that a person looks to his own good, and so to himself and the world, as the end in view, celestial and spiritual good depart. This is the reciprocal freedom which is meant by 'looking to the right or to the left'.

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