933. Verse 2. In the midst of the street of it and of the river, on this side and on that, was the tree of life bearing twelve fruits, signifies that in the inmosts of the truths of doctrine and thence of life in the church is the Lord in His Divine love, from Whom all the goods which man does apparently as of himself, flow forth. By "in the midst" is signified in the inmost, and thence in all things around (n. 44, 383). By "street" is signified the truth of doctrine of the church (n. 501, 917). By "the river" is signified Divine truth in abundance (n. 409, 932). "On this side and on that" signifies on the right and on the left; and truth on the right is what is in clearness, and on the left what is in obscurity; for the south in heaven, by which truth in clearness is signified, is to the right; and the north, by which is signified truth in obscurity, is to the left (n. 901). By "the tree of life" is signified the Lord as to the Divine love (n. 89). By "fruits" are signified the goods of love and charity, which are called good works; which are treated of in the following article. By "twelve" are signified all, and it is said of the goods and truths of the church (n. 348). From these things collected into one sense, it follows that by "in the midst of the street and of the river, on this side and on that, was the tree of life bearing twelve fruits," is signified that in the inmosts of the truths of doctrine and of life in the New Church is the Lord in His Divine love, from Whom all the goods which a man does apparently as of himself flow forth. [2] This takes place with those who go to the Lord immediately, and shun evils because they are sins; thus who will be in the Lord's New Church, which is the New Jerusalem. For they who do not go immediately to the Lord cannot be conjoined to Him, and thus neither to the Father, and hence cannot be in the love which is from the Divine; for the looking to Him conjoins, not a mere intellectual looking, but an intellectual looking from the affection of the will; and affection of the will is not given, unless man keeps His commandments; wherefore the Lord says:
He that doeth My commandments, he it is that loveth me; and I will come unto him, and make an abode with him (John 14:21-24). [3] It is said, in the inmosts of the truths of doctrine and thence of life in the New Church, because in spiritual things all things are and all things proceed from the inmost, as from fire and light in the center to the circumferences; or as from the sun, which is also in the center, heat and light flow into the universe; it takes place thus in the least things as in the greatest. Because the inmost of all truth is signified, it is therefore said, "in the midst of the street and of the river," and not on both sides of the river, although this is meant. That from the Lord, when He is in the inmost, all the goods of love and charity are and proceed, is manifest from the words of the Lord Himself in John:
Jesus said, As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, so neither can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the Vine, ye are the branches; he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without Me ye cannot do anything (John 15:4-6).