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44 journey, [out of the way,] is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him, &c. &c. (chap. xi. 5–11.) The first friend here spoken of is the Lord, as to the divine good of His love, and the second friend is the Lord, as to the divine truth of His wisdom. Accordingly, the first friend is supplicated for bread, or loaves, and the second is said to come in his journey, [out of the way;] because bread, or loaves, denote the principle of heavenly good, and to come in a journey denotes the principle of heavenly truth; for whilst man is in truth, or knowledge, without the good of love and charity, he is, as it were, on a journey, the end of which is the attainment of that good, and conjunction with it. The design of the parable then is to teach, that when man is instructed by the knowledge of the Eternal Truth concerning his own nothingness, and his want of heavenly good to set before his Divine Friend, he is then led to His Heavenly Father, in the true spirit of prayer and supplication, to have his wants relieved, by attaining the good of love and charity; in which case his Heavenly Father communicates the desired good, which He cannot do until it is desired; in other words, until there is a reciprocal application for it on the part of man. It is therefore written, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth; to instruct us, that God dispenseth the good of His love to man according to this eternal law, that man shall first feel a want of it, and thus be led reciprocally to desire it, since otherwise it would be no blessing to him. The expression is remarkable, He will not rise and give him, and again, He will rise and give him, and seems