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2658, was fhewn, but now being feparated he put on another Representation, namely, of the Church spiritual, N. 2666; in like Manner as Lot, before, who while he was with Abraham, reprefented the External Man of the Lord, N. 1428. 1429. 1434. 1547. 1597. 1598. 1698; but when he was parted from Abraham, he reprefented the Church external, and more States of that Church, N. 2324. 2371. 2399. 2422. 2459, and in the whole Chapter xix Gen. That Nation fignifies Good, may be feen N. 1159. 1258. 1259. 1260. 1416. 1849; here the Good of Faith, because it is predicated of the Church fpiritual; hence now," Alfo of the Son of the Bond-woman will I make a "Nation," fignifies the Church fpiritual which fhould accept the Good of Faith, that is Charity. The Kingdom of the Lord in the Heavens and in the Earth is celeftial and fpiritual, wherefore the Angels are diftinguished into celestial and spiritual, as may be feen N. 202. 337; to the Celestial Angels the Lord appears as the Sun, to the fpiritual as the Moon, N. 1053. 1521. 1529. 1530. 1531; in like manner are Men diftinguished into celeftial and into fpiritual; they who were of the moft Antient Church which was before the Flood, were celeftial, of whom N. 607. 608. 780. 895. 920. 1114 to 1125; but they who are of the Antient Church, which was after the Flood, were fpiritual, of whom N. 640. 641. 649. 765; what the Difference is between those Churches may be seen N. 597. 607; alfo what between the Celestial and Spiritual, N. 81. 1155. 1577. 1824. 2048. 2069. 2227. 2507. The Celestials are they of whom the Lord thus fpeaks, "The Sheep hear his Voice; and "he calleth his own Sheep by Name, and leadeth them out; and the Sheep "follow him, for they know his Voice;" but they are Spirituals of whom he fpeaks thus, "And other Sheep I have, which are not of this Fold; them "alfo I must bring, and they fhall hear my Voice, and there fhall be one "Fold and one Shepherd," John x. 3, 4, 16. The Good of Love is that which makes the Church celeftial, but the Good of Faith that which makes the Church fpiriritual; the Good of Faith does not make, but introduces.

2670. Because he is thy Seed, fignifies that from the Divine Human of the Lord, Salvation fhall be to them, may appear from thofe Things which were faid above N. 2666; that Seed is Faith, but of Charity, may be feen N. 255. 880. 1025. 1447. 1610. 1949.

2671. From this Verfe, 13 to 21, it is difcourfed in general concerning the Spiritual Kingdom of the Lord, and particularly of those who become fpiritual, and this in Order from the firft State of their Reformation to the last. Of their State before Reformation, that it was wandering in the Do&trinals of Faith, Ver. 14. That they should be reduced to that Degree of Ignorance, that they shall know nothing of Truth, Ver. 15. That from thence they have Grief, Ver. 16. That then they have Comfort and Affiftance from the Lord, Ver. 17; and Illumination, Ver. 18; and Inftruction from the Word, Ver. 19. That as to their State after Reformation, respectively to Celestials, that it is obfcure, Ver. 20. But that Light is given them from the Divine Human of the Lord in their Affection of Sciences and the Appearances of Truths, Ver, 21.

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2672. Ver. 14. And Abraham rofe up early in the Morning, and took Bread, and a Bottle of Water, and gave it unto Hagar (putting it on her Shoulder) and the Child, and fent her away; and fhe departed, and wandered in the Wilderness of BeerSheba. Abraham rofe early in the Morning, fignifies the clear Perception of the Lord from the Divine. And took Bread and a Bottle of Water, fignifies Good and Truth. And gave it unto Hagar, fignifies Implantation in its Life. And laid it upon her Shoulder, fignifies as much as it could receive. And the Child, fignifies Truth fpiritual. And fent her away, fignifies that he would leave her in her own Ability. And fhe departed and wandered in the Wildernefs of Beer-fbeba, fignifies the wandering State in the Doctrinals of Faith.

2673. Abraham rofe up early in the Morning, that it fignifies the clear Perception of the Lord from the Divine, appears from the Signification of early, and to rife in the Morning, which is to perceive clearly, of which, N. 2540, where are the fame Words; and from the Representation of Abraham, which is the Divine of the Lord, of which often before. The clear Perception in the Lord from the Divine was concerning the State of his fpiritual Kingdom, namely, fuch as they, who were of that Kingdom or from that Church, are in the Beginning, fuch as they are fucceffively, and fuch as they at length become; for every State of them is exactly and fully described in the internal Sense from Ver. 13 to 21 of this Chapter.

2674. And he took Bread and a Bottle of Water, that it fignifies Good and Truth appears from the Signification of Bread which is the Celestial or Good, of which, N. 276. 680. 2165; and from the Signification of Water, which is the Spiritual or Truth, of which, N. 28. 680. 739. It is faid, a Bottle of Water, because there is but a little of Truth, with which they are in the Beginning endowed, namely, as much as they can then receive, which is fignified by that, he put it upon her Shoulder. Any one may fee that these Hiftoricals involve Truths, from this, that Abraham, who was rich in Flocks and Herds, as alfo in Gold and Silver, thus fent away his Bond-woman of whom he had a Son, and the Lad Ifmael whom he greatly loved, by only giving them fome Bread; he might alfo foresee, that when that was spent they would die, which had also happen'd, if they had not receiv'd Help from the Angel; and befides, these Things of the Bread and Bottle of Water, and that they were laid upon her Shoulder, were not of fo great Moment, that they should be recorded; but thus it was done, and thus related, because they involve and fignify the firft State of those who become fpiritual, who in the Beginning have fomething of Good and fomething of Truth, and indeed but little is fupplied, and afterwards that they want Water, and then that they get Help from the Lord.

2675. And gave it to Hagar, that it fignifies Implantation in the Life of it, appears from the Signification of Hagar, which is the Life of the exterior Man, of which, 1896. 1909; the Life of the exterior Man, is the Affection of Sciences, which is particularly fignified by Hagar the Egyptian. In those who become fpiritual Men, Good and Truth are implanted by the Lord in the Affection of Sciences, as, namely, that they were willing to know and learn what is Good

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and Truth, for this End and Purpose that they may become rational, as also fpiritual, for the Affection of the Sciences is the Mother of whom is born the Rational in which is the Spiritual, N. 1895. 1896. 1902. 1910; the like indeed flows into all from the Lord, but others do not receive it for that End and for that Purpofe, as they who may be reformed, the reft receive it for other Ends and for other Purposes, and regard themselves and the World.

2676. Laid it upon her Shoulder, that it fignifies as much as fhe could receive, appears from the Signification of Shoulder, which is all Power, of which, N. 1085, fo as much of Good and Truth as they can receive.

2677. And the Child, that it fignifies the Spiritual, appears from the Signification of Child, here that which is called the Spiritual; for Ifmael, or the Son of the Bond-woman, represents the Man of the fpiritual Church, and because he here represents him in the Beginning, he is called Child.

2678. And he fent her away, fignifies that he would leave her in her Ability, appears from the Signification of, to be fent away, when this is done by Abraham, by whom is reprefented the Lord; as likewife from the first State of those who are reformed and become Spiritual; the firft State of those is, that they imagine they do Good and think Truth from themselves, or of their own Ability, neither do they then know otherwife; and when it is faid, that all Good and all Truth is from the Lord, this indeed they do not reject, yet do not cordially acknowledge it, because they are not fenfible, neither do they perceive, that any Thing can otherwife flow in than from themselves; because all those who are reformed are firft in fuch a State, therefore they are left by the Lord in their Ability, but yet, of which themselves are ignorant, are led by their own Ability.

2679. And the departed and wandered in the Wilderness of Beer-fbeba, that it fignifies the wandering State in the Doctrinals of Faith, appears from the Signi fication of, to depart and to wander, which is a wandering State; and from the Signification of Beer-fheba, which is the Doctrine of Faith, of which at the End of this Chapter, where it is faid, that Abraham and Abimelech made a Covenant in Beer-fheba, Ver. 32. and that Abraham planted a Grove in BeerSheba, Ver. 33. In this Verfe is described, what the State of thofe is in the Beginning who are reformed, namely, that they are carried away into various Errors; for it is given by the Lord, that as they think much about eternal Life, fo much about the Truths of Faith, but because this they do from their own Ability, as has been faid, it cannot be but they muft wander here and there as well in Doctrine as in Life, by taking for Truth that which has been instilled into them from their Infancy, or what is imprefs'd upon them by others, or what themselves have thought, befides that various Affections, which they know not, lead them away; they are as unripe Fruit, which are not instantly indued with Form, Beauty and Tafte; or as tender Plants which cannot in a Moment grow up into a Flower or an Ear. But thofe Things which then enter altho' for the moft Part erroneous, yet are such, as serve to the promoting of an Increase, which afterwards when they are reformed, are partly

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feparated, partly conduce to the bringing Nourishment and Vigour as it were into the Life following, partly thofe Things which may be adapted to Virtues and Truth afterwards implanted in them by the Lord, and partly may serve Spirituals for their laft Plans; fo for continual Means towards a Reformation, which Means follow in a perpetual Connexion and Order, for the minuteft of all Things in Man are forefeen by the Lord, and are provided for his future State in Eternity, and this to his Good, as much as 'tis poffible, and as Man fuffers himself to be governed by the Lord.

2680. Ver. 15. And the Water was spent in the Bottle, and fhe caft the Child under one of the Shrubs. The Water was spent in the Bottle, fignifies the Defolation of Truth. And fhe caft the Child under one of the Shrubs, fignifies Despair of seeing any Good or Truth.

2681. The Water was spent in the Bottle, that it fignifies the Defolation of Truth, appears from the Signification of, to be spent, which is to be defolated; and from the Signification of Water, which is Truth, of which N. 28. 680. 739.

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2682. And the caft the Child under one of the Shrubs, that it fignifies Defpair of feeing any Good or Truth, appears from the Signification of Child, which is fpiritual Truth, of which, N. 2669. 2677; and from the Signification of Shrub or Bush, which is Perception, but yet fo little that it is fcarce any Thing, wherefore it is also faid, under a (or one) Shrub; in like Manner, but in a lefs Degree, likewife Trees, which fignify Perceptions, as may be seen, N. 103. 2163; as alfo from the Paffion in that Fact, which is Desperation; hence it is plain, that by, fhe caft the Child under a Shrub, is fignified Defpair of feeing any Good or Truth, that by being caft under a Shrub, is to be defolated with refpect to Truth and Good even to Defperation, is plain in Job, "For want and Famine they were folitary; fleeing into the Wilderness in former Time defolate and waste; to dwell in the Clifts of the Valleys, in "Caves of the Earth, and in Rocks; who cut up Mallows by the Bushes, "and Juniper Roots for their Meat. Among the Bushes they brayed, under the "Nettles they were gathered together,” xxx. 3, 4, 6, 7. where the Defolation of Truth is fpoken of, which is defcribed by the folemn Forms in the Antient Church, (for the Book of Job is a Book of the Antient Church) as to be folitary in Want and Famine, fleeing into the Wilderness, in former Time, defolate and wafte, to dwell in the Clifts of the Valleys and Rocks, and to bray among the Bushes. As likewife in Isaiah, As likewife in Ifaiah, " And they fhall come and "fhall reft all of them in the defolate Valleys, and in the Holes of the Rocks, "and upon all Thorns, and upon all Bushes," vii. 19. where also the Prophet treats of Defolation, which is defcribed by fimilar Forms, namely, by refting in defolate Valleys, in Holes of the Rocks, and upon Thorns. This Verfe treats of the other State of thofe, who are reformed, which is, that they are reduced to Ignorance, that they know nothing of Truth, and this even to Defperation; the Reafon why they are reduced to fuch an Ignorance is, that the perfuafive Light may be extinguished, which is fuch, that it enlightens Falfities as well as Truths, and induces the Faith of Falfity by Truths,

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and the Faith of Truth by Falfities, and at the fame Time of Confidence of itself; they are likewife brought to Knowledge by Experience itfelf, from this, that they have nothing of Good and nothing of Truth from themselves or from their own Ability, but from the Lord; they who are reformed, are reduced to Ignorance, even to Defperation, and then they have Comfort and Illuftration, as appears from what follows; for the Light of Truth from the Lord cannot flow into the Persuasive which is of their own Ability, for this is of fuch a Nature, that it would extinguish that Light; the Perfuafive appears in the other Life like Winter Light, for at the Approach of the Light of Heaven, inftead of that Light there is made an utter Darkness, in which is the Ignorance of all Truth. This is called the State of Defolation of Truth in those who are reformed, and of this much alfo is fpoken in the internal Sense of the Word. But of that State few can know, because few at this Day are regenerated; they who are not regenerated, it is much the fame to them whether they know the Truth or know it not, or whether it be Truth or not, fo that they can have fomething to boaft of for Truth; but they who are regenerated think a great deal about Doctrine and Life, because they think about eternal Salvation, and therefore if they want Truth, as it is the Subject of their Thought and Affection, they grieve from their Heart. What the State of one and the other is, may appear from this; Man while he is in the Body, with refpect to the Spirit lives in Heaven, and with respect to the Body in the World, for to both he is born; and he is fo created, that he may actually with refpect to his Spirit be with Angels, and at the fame Time, by thofe Things which are of the Body, be with Men; but because there are few who believe, that there is a Spirit in them which will live after Death, there are few who are regenerated; they who believe, to them the other Life is every Thing of Thought and Affection, and the World is refpectively nothing; but they who do not believe, to them the World is every Thing of Thought and Affection, and the other Life is refpectively nothing; thofe are they who may be regenerated, but thefe fuch as cannot. 2683. Ver. 16. And he went, and fat her down over against him, a good way off, as it were a Bow-shot; for she said, Let me not fee the Death of the Child. And fhe fat over againft him, and lift up her Voice, and wept. She went, and fat down over against him, fignifies the State of Thought. A good way off, as it were a Bow-fhot, fignifies State how much it should be from the Doctrine of Truth; Bow is the Doctrine of Truth. For fhe faid, Let me not' fee the Death of the Child, fignifies Grief that it should fo perifh. And the fat over against him, fignifies the State of Thought. And lift up her Voice and wept, fignifies a farther Degree of Grief.

2684. She went, and fat her down over against him, that it fignifies the State of Thought, may appear from the Signification of, to go, alfo of, to fit her down, and this over against him, apply it to thofe Things which go before and which follow; to go, here, to go from the Child, fignifies a Removal from Truth fpiritual, which is farther expreffed and determined by that, a good way off, about a Bow-fhot; to fit her down, fignifies a folitary State No. VI. fuch

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