6717. And took a daughter of Levi. That this signifies conjunction with good, is evident from the signification of "taking a daughter" (that is, to wife), as being conjunction; and from the representation of Levi, as being good (see n. 6716). How it is to be understood that the truth whose origin is from good, is conjoined with good, shall be told. The truth which is instilled by the Lord in the man who is being regenerated, has its origin from good. In the first period the good does not show itself, because it is in the internal man, but the truth shows itself, because it is in the external man; and as the internal acts into the external, and not the converse (n. 6322), it is good which acts into truth, and makes this its own, for nothing else than good acknowledges and receives truth. This is apparent from the affection of truth that is present in the man who is being regenerated. The affection itself is from good, for an affection which is of love cannot come from any other source. But this truth which is received in this first period, that is, before regeneration, is not the genuine truth of good, but it is the truth of doctrine. For at this time the man does not consider whether it is truth, but acknowledges it because it is of the doctrine of the church; and so long as he does not consider whether it is truth, and from this acknowledges it, it is not his, and therefore is not appropriated to him. This is the first state with the man who is being regenerated.
[2] But when he has been regenerated, then good shows itself, especially by his loving to live according to the truth which he of himself acknowledges to be truth. Then because he wills the truth which he acknowledges, and acts according to it, it is appropriated to him; because it is not as before merely in the understanding, but is also in the will, and what is in the will is appropriated. And as the understanding then makes one with the will, for the understanding acknowledges and the will performs, there is a conjunction of the two, namely, of good and truth. When this conjunction has been effected, then as from a marriage, offspring are continually born, which are truths and goods with their blessednesses and delights. These two states are what are meant by the origin of truth from good, and by their conjunction.
[3] But the truth which is being conjoined with good, which is here signified by "there went a man from the house of Levi and took a daughter of Levi," is not such truth as is received by a man in the first state, for this is the truth of the doctrine of that church in which he has been born; but it is the very truth itself; for the subject treated of in the supreme sense is the Lord, how He became the law Divine as to the Human; and the truth of this law is what is meant. That its origin is good, is because the Divine, which was the Lord's inmost and the esse of His life, brought it forth in His Human. Thus was conjunction effected of this truth with good; for the Divine is nothing else than good.
