t of the tree sprouting from seed out of
the ground; his childhood and youth are like the shoot grown to a stalk
with its small branches; the natural truths with which everyone is imbued
at first are like the leaves with which the branches are covered
("leaves" signify precisely this in the Word); man's first steps in the
marriage of good and truth or the spiritual marriage are like the
blossoms which the tree puts forth in the springtime; spiritual truths
are the petals in these blossoms; the earliest signs of the spiritual
marriage are like the start of fruit; spiritual goods, which are goods of
charity, are like the fruit (they are also signified in the Word by
"fruits"); the procreations of wisdom from love are like the seed and by
them the human being becomes like a garden or paradise. Man is also
described in the Word by a tree, and his wisdom from love by a garden;
nothing else is meant by the Garden of Eden.

[4] True, man is a corrupt tree from the seed, but still a grafting or
budding with shoots taken from the Tree of Life is possible, by which the
sap drawn from the old root is turned into sap producing good fruit. The
comparison was drawn for it to be known that when the progression of
divine providence is so constant in the growth and rebirth of trees, it
surely must be constant in the reformation and rebirth of human beings,
who are of much more value than trees; so the Lord's words:

Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, yet not one of them is
forgotten by God? But even the hairs of your head are all numbered; fear
not therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Which of you
moreover can by taking thought add a cubit to his stature? .. . if then
you are unable to do what is least, why do you take thought for the rest?
Consider the lilies, how they grow . . . If then God so clothed the
grass, which is in the field today and is cast into an oven tomorrow, how
much more will he clothe you, 0 men of little faith? (Lu 12: 6, 7,
25-28).

333. The activity of divine providence for man's salvation is said to
begin with his birth and continue to the close of his life. For this to
be understood, it should be known that the Lord sees what a man's nature
is and foresees what he wills to be and thus what he will be. For him to
be man and thus immortal, his freedom of will cannot be taken away. The
Lord therefore foresees his state after death and provides for it from
the man's birth to the close of