871. 'He sent out a dove from himself to see' means a state of receiving the truths and good of faith. This becomes clear from the train of thought and also from what follows, where the subject is the three states following temptations in the regeneration of this man, states meant by his sending out the dove three times. Taken almost literally these words imply that he made investigations, for it is said that he sent out the dove from himself 'to see', that is to say, as the phrase following shows, to see 'whether the waters had abated', which was seeing whether the falsities were still so great that goods and truths of faith could not be received. With the Lord however, because He knows every single thing, no such investigation is necessary. Consequently these words in the internal sense do not mean an investigation but a state, here a first state when falsities were still a hindrance. Such falsities are meant by the words 'whether the waters had abated'.

9121. From these examples one may deduce what people who do not have conscience are like; they are recognized as being the opposite. Those among them who for the sake of some kind of gain make what is wrong look like what is right, and what is bad look like what is good, and vice versa, do not have conscience. Those among them who know that what they do is wrong or bad, but still do it, do not know what conscience is; and if they are taught what it is they have no wish to know it. This is what people who do everything for selfish and worldly reasons are like.