of Truth, but Good becomes from thence obfcure, qualified by the Truths to which it is joined; this is like the Light of the Sun falling upon Objects, the Quality of the Objects which receive, effects that Light appears there as a Colour, beautiful if the Quality of the Form and Reception be fitting and correfponding, not beautiful if the Quality of the Form and Reception be not fitting nor fo correfponding; thus Good itfelf is qualified according to Truth. Alfo from this it is plain, that the fpiritual Man knows not what is Evil, he believes there are scarce any other Evils, than thofe which are contrary to the Commands of the Decalogue, butthe Evils of Affection and Thought, which are innumerable, he is ignorant of, neither does he reflect upon them, neither calls them Evils, all the Delights of Lufts and Pleafures he regards no otherwife than as good Things, and the very Delights of the Love of Self he looks earnestly upon, approves, and excufes, being ignorant that they are fuch Things as affect his Spirit, and that he will become wholly fuch in the other Life. From this it likewife appears, that the Spiritual Man, altho' in the whole Word scarce any Thing is treated of but the Good of Love towards the Lord, and of Love towards our Neighbour, yet he knows not what Good is which is the Effential of Faith, nor indeed what Love and Charity effential is; and that which he knows of Faith, which he makes effential, yet he difputes whether it be fo, unless he is confirmed by a great deal of Life, which the Celestials never do, for they know and perceive that fo it is; hence it is faid by the Lord in Matthew, "Let your Communication be, yea yea, nay nay; for what"foever is more than these cometh of Evil," v. 37. For the Celestials are in Truth itself, of which Spirituals difpute whether it be fo or not; hence the Celestials, as they are in Truth itself, may fee Things unbounded which are of that Truth, fo from Light as it were the whole Heaven; but fpiritual Men, because they difpute whether it be fo, can by no Means come to the first Limit of the Light of Celeftials, lefs can they from their Light behold any Thing.

2716. With refpect to the other, namely, that that Obfcure in Spirituals is illuminated by the Divine Human of the Lord, is a Secret which cannot be explained to the Apprehenfion, for it is the Influx of the Divine which should be defcribed; from thence only any Idea of it can be had, if the Supreme Divine itself should flow into fuch a Good, it is fouled with fuch a Number of Evils and Falfities, that it could not be received, and if any Thing should be received, he fhould feel an internal Torment, that is, the Man who had fuch a Good given him, and fo would perifh; but the Divine Human of the Lord may flow into them, and illuminate fuch a Good, as the Sun is wont to do upon thick Clouds early upon the Face of the Morning; but yet the Lord cannot appear before them as the Light of the Sun, but as the Light of the Moon; from hence it may appear, that the Reason of the Lord's Coming into the World, was for the fake of Spiritual Men that they might be faved, as may feen N. 2661.

2717. And his Mother took him a Wife, that it fignifies the Affection of Truth appears from the Signification of Mother, which is the Church, of

H 2

which

which, N. 289; and because the Church Spiritual, which is here reprefented, is in the Affection of Truth, and that from the Affection of Truth it is a Church, therefore by Mother is here fignified that Affection.

2718. A Wife out of the Land of Egypt, that it fignifies the Affection of Sciences, which the Man of the fpiritual Church has, appears from the Signification of Wife, which is Affection or Good, of which, N. 915.2517; and from the Signification of Egypt, which is Science, of which N. 1164. 1165. 1186. 1462. In this Verfe is described the Man of the fpiritual Church, what he is with refpect to Good, that is, with refpect to the Effence of his Life, namely, that the Good in him is obfcure, but that it is illuminated by the Divine Human of the Lord; from which Illumination the Affection of Truth exifts in his Rational, and in his Natural the Affection of Sciences. That the Affection of Good cannot exift in the fpiritual Man, fuch as it is in the celestial, but instead of it the Affection of Truth, the Reason is, because the Good implanted in him is in his intellectual Part, and that it is obfcure respectively, as was fhewn N. 2715; from hence no other Affection can be produced and derived into his Rational than the Affection of Truth, and by this the Affection of Sciences into his Natural. By Truth no other Truth is understood, than fuch as he believes to be Truth, altho' it should not be Truth in itself; and by Sciences are not understood the Sciences, such as the Learned have, but every Scientific, in which from Experience and by Hearing he may be inftructed from civil Life, from Doctrine, and from the Word; in the Affection of fuch is the Man of the fpiritual Church. That it may be known what it is to be in the Affection of Truth, and what in the Affection of Good, a few Things are to be faid; they who are in the Affection of Truth, think, examine, and difpute, whether this be Truth, whether it be fo, and when they are confirmed that it is Truth, or that it is so, they think, examine, and difpute what it is, fo ftumble in the Entrance, nor can they be admitted into Wifdom, before they are without a Doubt; but they who are in the Affection of Good, from the Good itself, in which they are, know and perceive that so it is, fo are not in the Entrance, but in the Infide, admitted into Wisdom. As for Example, that it is celeftial to think and act from the Affection of Good or from Good; they who are in the Affection, difpute, whether it be fo, whether it be feisible, and what it is, and fo long as they canvass about it, they cannot be introduc'd; but they who are in the Affection of Good, do not difpute or raise Doubts about it, but say that it is fo, wherefore they are introduc'd; for they who are in the Affection of Good, that is, celeftial Men, begin there where they who are in the Affection of Truth are at a full Stand, that is, fpiritual Men, fo that the laft of their Limits is the firft of the others; therefore it is granted to them to understand, know, and perceive, that the Affections of Good are innumerable, namely, how many Societies there are in Heaven, and that all are joined by the Lord into a celeftial Form, that they may as it were conftitute one Man; then also it is given to distinguish by Perception the Kind and Species of

every

every Affection. As thus, for Example; that all Pleafure, Happiness, and Felicity, is only of Love, but fuch as is the Love, fuch is the Pleafure, Happiness, and Felicity; the spiritual Man holds the Mind in Sufpence, whether it be fo, or whether it is not otherwife, as whether it be in Converfation, Difcourfe, Meditation, Learning, alfo whether it be not in Poffeffions, Honour, Fame, Glory from thence, not confirming himself in that, that thofe Things are of no Confequence, but the Affection of Love, what and of what Kind it is which they have; but the celeftial Man, does not stick in thofe Preliminaries, but fays, that fo it is, wherefore he is in the very End, and in the Ufe, that is, in the very Affections which are of Love, which are innumerable, and in every one of which are Things ineffable, and this with a Variation of Pleasure, Happiness, and Felicity to Eternity. Again, for Example, That our Neigh bour is to be loved from the Good which is in him; they who are in the Affection of Truth, think, examine, and difpute, whether this be true, or whether it be fo, what is Neighbour, what is Good, neither proceed any farther, wherefore they fhut to themselves the Door to Wisdom; but they who are in the Affection of Good, fay that fo it is, wherefore they do not fhut the Door to themselves, but enter, and understand, know, and perceive from Good, who is their Neighbour before another, alfo in what Degree he is fo, and that all Men are unlike, fo that they perceive Things ineffable beyond those who are in the Affection of Truth. Moreover, by way of Example, That he who loves his Neighbour from Good, loves the Lord; they who are in the Affection of Truth, enquire whether it be fo, and if it be faid to them, that he who loves his Neighbour from Good, loves Good, and as all Good is from the Lord, and the Lord in Good, when any one loves Good, he alfo loves Him, from whom it is, and in which He is, they even enquire whether it be fo, alfo what is Good, whether the Lord be more in Good than in Truth; fo long as they tarry in fuch Things, they cannot fee Wisdom even afar off; but they who are in the Affection of Good, know from Perception that fo it is, and fee the State of Wisdom as a Plain leading even to the Lord. Hence it may appear, whence they have their Obfcurity who are in the Affection of Truth, that is, fpiritual Men, refpectively to those who are in the Affection of Good, that is, to celeftial Men. But yet they from Obscurity may come into the Light, if only they would be in the Affirmative, that all Good is of Love to the Lord, and of Charity towards our Neighbour, and that Love and Charity is a fpiritual Conjunction, and from thence is all Happiness and Felicity, fo that in the Good of Love from the Lord is the Life celeftial, but not in the Truth of Faith from thence separated.

2719. In this Chapter we have first treated of the Rational of the Lord, that it was made Divine, that the Rational is Ifaac; and of the Rational merely human, which was feparated, which is the Son of Hagar the Egyptian;

next

next of the Church fpiritual, which is faved by the Divine Human of the Lord, which Church is Hagar and her Boy: Now we are to treat of the Doctrine of Faith which thould ferve that Church, namely, that the human Rationals from Scientifics fhould be joined to it, which are Abimelech and Phicol; the Conjuntion is fignified by the Covenant which Abraham made with them; thofe Rationals are Appearances, not from a Divine Original, but from an Human, which are joined for this Reafon,, because the Church Spiritual without them could not comprehend Doctrine, fo could not receive it; for it is, as was fhewn N. 2715, the Man of the fpiritual Church in Obfcurity refpectively, wherefore Doctrine is to be invefted with fuch Appearances, which are of Human Thought and Affection, and do not fo much difagree, but that it may have there the Divine Good like a Receptacle. As the following Chapter xxvi. again treats of Abimelech, and of the Covenant, but with Ifaac, and in the internal Senfe of the Rationals and Scientifics fecondarily added to the Doctrine of Faith, we fhall expound only fummarily in the internal Senfe thofe Things which are here contained concerning this Matter, which will be more clearly fhewn in the Explanation of Chap. xxvi.

2720. Ver. 22. And it came to pass at that Time, that Abimelech, and Phicol the chief Captain of his Hoft, fpoke unto Abraham, Saying, God is with thee in all that thou doeft. Ver. 23. Now therefore fwear unto me ly God, that thou wilt not deal falfly with me, nor with my Son, nor with my Son's Son; but according to the Kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the Land wherein thou hast Jojourned. Ver. 24. And Abraham faid, I will fwear. Ver. 25. And Abraham reproved Abimelech, because of a Well of Water, which Abimelech's Servants had violently taken away. Ver. 26. And Abimelech faid, I wot not who hath done this Thing, neither didst thou tell me, neither beard I of it but to day. Ver. 27. And Abraham took Sheep and Oxen, and gave them to Abimelech, and both of them made a Covenant. Ver. 28. And Abraham fet feven Ewe Lambs of the Flock by themselves. Ver. 29. And Abimelech faid unto Abraham, What mean thefe feven Ewe Lambs, which thou haft fet by themselves? Ver. 30. And be faid, For these seven Ewe Lambs thou fhalt take of my Hand; that they may be a Winefs unto me, that I have digged this Well. Ver. 31. Wherefore be called the Name of that Place Beer-Sheba; because there they fware both of them. Ver. 32. Thus they made a Covenant at Beer-fbeba; then Abimelech rofe up and Phicol the chief Captain of his Hoft, and they returned into the Land of the Philistines. And it came to pafs at that Time, fignifies the State in which the Lord was when his Rational was made Divine. And Abimelech and Phicol the Chief Captain of his Hoft said unto Abraham, fignifies the Rationals human from Scientifics to be adjoined to the Doctrine of Faith, which in itfelf is Divine. Saying, God is with thee in all that thou doeft, fignifies Divine Things with respect to all and fingular. Now therefore fwear unto me here by God, fignifies Affirmative. That thou wilt not deal falfly with me, gnifies without Doubt. Nor with

my

my Son, nor with my Son's Son, fignifies concerning thofe Things which are of Faith. According to the Kindness which I have fhewn unto thee, fignifies the Rationals, in which the Lord was before inftructed. And to the Land wherein thou haft fojourned, fignifies Reciprocal. And Abraham faid, I will fwear, fignifies every Affirmative. And Abraham reproved Abimelech, fignifies the Indignation of the Lord. Because of a Well of Water which Abimelech's Servants had violently taken away, fignifies the Doctrine of Faith, that Scientifics would attribute it to themfelves. And Abimelech faid, fignifies Answer. I wot not who hath done this Thing, fignifies that the Rational would dictate fomething elfe. Neither didft thou tell me, fignifies that that was not from the Divine. Neither heard I of it but to day, fignifies that it was now firft difcover'd. And Abraham took Sheep and Oxen, and gave them to Abimelech, fignifies the Divine Excellencies implanted in the Rationals of Doctrine fignified by Abimelech. And both of them made a Covenant, fignifies so a Conjunction. And Abraham fet feven Ewe Lambs of the Flock by themselves, fignifies the Sanctity of Innocence. And Abimelech faid unto Abraham, what mean thefe feven Ewe Lambs, which thou haft fet by themfelves, fignifies that he fhould be inftructed and that he should acknowledge. And he faid, For thefe feven Ewe Lambs fhalt thou take of my Hands, fignifies the Sanctity of Innocence from the Lord. That they may be a Witness unto me, fignifies Certainty. That I have digged this Well, fignifies that Doctrine is from the Lord. Wherefore he called that Place Beerfbeba, fignifies the State and Quality of Doctrine. Becaufe there they fwore both of them, fignifies from Conjunction. Thus they made a Covenant at Beer Sheba, fignifies that the Rationals human fhould be joined to the Doctrine of Faith. Then Abimelech rofe, and Phicol the Captain of his Hoft, and they returned into the Land of the Philistines, fignifies that yet they should have no Part in Doctrine.

2721. Ver. 33. And Abraham planted a Grove in Beer-fheba, and called there on the Name of the Lord. And Abraham planted a Grove in Beerfheba, fignifies Doctrine with its Knowledge and Quality. And called on the Name of the Lord the everlasting God, fignifies Worship from thence.

2722. Planted a Grove in Beer-fheba, that it fignifies Doctrine from thence, with its Knowledge and Quality, appears from the Signification of Grove. With refpect to Groves, in the Antient Church holy Worthip was folemniz'd upon Mountains and in Groves; upon Mountains, becaufe Mountains fignified the Celestials of Worship, and in Groves, because Groves fignified its Spirituals; fo long as that Church, namely, the Antient, continued in its Simplicity, then their Worship upon Mountains and in Groves was holy, for this Reaton, because the Celeftials, which are of Love and Charity, are reprefented by thofe Things which are high and lofty, as are Mountains and Hills; and Spituals, which are from thence, by fruitful and leafy Places, as are Orchards and Groves; but afterwards Reprefentatives and Significatives began to become I lolatries, by this, that they worshipp'd Externes without the Internals, thus holy Worimp was made prophane; and therefore it was

forbid