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The obscurity of good for the natural mind
Arcana Coelestia 6686. And they have brought forth before the midwife comes unto them. That this signifies that the natural has no knowledge before they have life, that is, the true memory-knowledges which are of the church, is evident from the signification of “midwife,” as being the natural in which are the true memory-knowledges of the church (see n. 6681); and from the signification of “bringing forth,” as being what is of faith and charity (n. 3860, 3868, 3905, 3915); thus what is of spiritual life. That the natural has no knowledge, is signified by “before the midwife comes unto them.” In regard to the natural having no knowledge before the true memory-knowledges have life, the case is this. The true memory-knowledges in the natural have all their life from the good which flows in through the internal; when good flows in, the natural knows nothing of it, because the natural is relatively in obscurity. That it is in obscurity is because it is in the light of the world, and hence at the same time in worldly things, into which there comes obscure perception when the light of heaven flows in; and also because in the natural there are general things which are not capable of perceiving singulars, for the more general anything is, the less it perceives singulars, and hence the less it perceives the happenings that come forth in itself; and moreover in the natural there are not goods and truths themselves, but their representatives. Hence then it is that the natural does not know when true memory-knowledges have life, consequently when or how regeneration goes on, according to the Lord’s words in John:
The wind bloweth where it willeth, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so it is with everyone that is born again of the spirit (John 3:8).
By “the natural” is meant the external man, which is also called “the natural man.”
When the truths make one with good
6690… But the disposition of true memory-knowledges in the natural varies with every man; for the ruling love induces a form on them, this love being in the midst, and setting in order everything around it. Those things which most agree with it, it sets next to itself, and everything else in order in accordance with their agreement. From this the memory-knowledges have their form. If heavenly love rules, then all things are disposed there by the Lord into the heavenly form, which form is like that of heaven, thus is the form of the good of love itself. Into this form truths are disposed, which, when so disposed, make one with good; and then when the one is called forth by the Lord, the other is called forth; that is to say, when the things of faith are called forth, so are those of charity, and the converse. Such is the disposition that is signified by “God made houses for the midwives.”
The Divine Human allows us to know Divine Good through Divine truth
6685. For they are living. That this signifies that spiritual life is in them, is evident from the signification of “living,” as being spiritual life (see n. 5890), here spiritual life in the things of the church, which are signified by “Hebrew women.” What spiritual life is, has been repeatedly told above, but because few at this day know what the spiritual is, it may here be briefly explained further. The spiritual in its first origin is the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord’s Divine Human; which truth has in it Divine good, because the Divine truth comes forth from the Lord’s Divine Human, which is Divine good. The Divine truth, in which is Divine good, is the spiritual itself in its origin, and is the life itself which fills heaven, nay, which fills the universe; and where there is a subject, there it flows in. But in its subjects it is varied according to their form. In the subjects which agree with good, it presents spiritual life; but in the subjects which disagree with good, it presents life opposed to spiritual life, which in the Word is called “death.” From this it is now plain what spiritual life is, namely, that it is to be in truths from good, which proceed from the Lord.
By their fruits you will know them
15 “Constantly apply yourselves to holding off the false prophets – whatsoever ones that are habitually coming to you folks in clothing belonging to sheep (= disguised as sheep; pretending to have the covering or appearance of sheep), yet inside they are ravenous, savage wolves. 16 “You will come to be recognizing and fully knowing them from their fruits. People are not normally picking or gathering clusters of grapes from thorn bushes (prickly plants), nor ripe figs from thistles or briers. 17 “Likewise every good (or: = healthy) tree constantly produces fine, beautiful (choice; ideal) fruit, but the decaying and rotten tree repeatedly bears bad and worthless (= inedible) fruit. 18 “A good, healthy tree normally has no power to bear bad and worthless fruit, neither [is] a rotten tree [able] to continue producing fine, beautiful fruit. 19 “Every tree not habitually producing choice, ideal fruit is normally being cut out [of the orchard] – and is normally being thrown into a fire (= used for fire wood). 20 “Consequently, you folks will recognize and come to accurately know them from their fruits (= from what their lives produce). Matthew 7:15-20 Jonathan Mitchell Translation
Fabulous! Thank you