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CLICK TO PRINT READING CLICK TO GO TO COMMENTS 7752 Exodus 11 THE DOCTRINE OF CHARITY All things in the universe bear relation to Good and Truth. That which does not bear relation to good and truth is not in Divine order; and that which does not bear relation to both together, produces nothing. Good is that which produces, and truth is that by which it produces. 7753 These facts may illustrate how the case is with spiritual good and truth, which are called charity and faith; namely, that all things which belong to the church bear relation to these, and those which do not bear relation to them have nothing of the church in them; and also that which does not contain both within it produces no fruit, that is, no good of charity or of faith. 7754 For in order that anything may be produced, there must be two forces, one which is called active, the other which is called passive; the one without the other brings forth nothing. Such forces, or lives, are charity and faith in the man of the church. 7755 The first of the church is good, the second is truth; or the first of the church is charity, and the second is faith. For the truth of the doctrine of faith is for the sake of the good of life. That which is the end for the sake of which something else exists, this is the first. 7756 With the conjunction of the good which is of charity, and the truth which is of faith, in man, the case is this. The good which is of charity enters through the soul into man, but the truth which is of faith enters through the hearing; the former flows in immediately from the Lord, but the latter mediately through the Word. Hence the way by which the good of charity enters is called the internal way; and the way by which the truth of faith enters is called the external way. That which enters by the internal way is not perceived, because it is not plainly subject to sensation; whereas that which enters by the external way is perceived, because it is plainly subject to sensation. For this reason everything of the church is attributed to faith. It is otherwise with those who have been regenerated; with such the good that is of charity is plainly perceived. 7757 The conjunction of the good of charity with the truth of faith is effected in the interiors of man. The good itself which flows in from the Lord adopts truth there, and appropriates it to itself, and thereby causes the good with the man to be good, and the truth to be truth; or the charity to be charity, and the faith to be faith. Without this conjunction charity is not charity, but only natural goodness; neither is faith faith, but only the memory-knowledge of such things as are of faith, and in some cases a persuasion that a thing is so for the sake of earning gain or honor. 7758 When truth has been conjoined with good it is no longer called truth, but good; and so when faith has been conjoined with charity it is no longer called faith, but charity; the reason is that the man then wills and does the truth, and that which he wills and does is called good. 7759 With the conjunction of the good of charity with the truth of faith, the case, further, is this. This good obtains its quality from truth, and truth its essence from good. From this it follows that the quality of good is according to the truths with which it is conjoined; and therefore good becomes genuine if the truths with which it is conjoined are genuine. Genuine truths of faith are possible within the church, but not out of it, for within the church is the Word. 7760 Moreover, the good of charity receives its quality also from the abundance of the truths of faith; likewise from the connection of one truth with another; thus is formed spiritual good with man. 7761 A clear distinction must be made between spiritual good and natural good. As before said, spiritual good has its quality from the truths of faith, their abundance, and their connection; but natural good is born with the man, and also arises by accident, as by misfortunes, diseases, and the like. Natural good saves no one, but spiritual good saves all. The reason is that the good which is formed through the truths of faith is a plane into which heaven can flow, that is, the Lord through heaven, and lead man, and withhold him from evil, and afterward uplift him into heaven; but not so natural good; and therefore they who are in natural good can be as easily carried away by falsity as by truth, provided the falsity appears in the form of truth; and they can be as easily led by evil as by good, provided the evil is presented as good. They are like feathers in the wind. 7762 The confidence of trust which is said to be of faith and is called faith, is not spiritual confidence or trust, but natural. Spiritual confidence or trust has its essence and life from the good of love; but not from the truth of faith separate. The confidence of faith separate is dead; and therefore there cannot be true confidence with those who have led an evil life. Moreover, that confidence which depends on salvation through the Lord's merit, irrespective of what the life has been, is likewise not from truth. EXODUS 11 1 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Yet one plague more will I bring upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterward he will let you go from hence; when he lets everything go, driving he shall drive you out from hence. 2 Say now in the ears of the people, and let them ask a man from his companion, and a woman from her companion, vessels of silver and vessels of gold. 3 And Jehovah gave the people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the eyes of Pharaoh's servants, and in the eyes of the people. 4 And Moses said, Thus said Jehovah, About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt. 5 And every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh about to sit upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the millstones; and every firstborn of beast. 6 And there shall be a great cry in the whole land of Egypt, such as there hath been none like it, nor shall be like it anymore. 7 And to all the sons of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, from man and even to beast; that ye may know that Jehovah doth separate between the Egyptians and Israel. 8 And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves to me, saying, Get thee out, thou, and all the people that is at thy feet; and thereafter I will go out. And he went out from before Pharaoh in the wrath of anger. 9 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Pharaoh will not hear you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt. 10 And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and Jehovah made firm the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not let the sons of Israel go out of his land. 7763 THE CONTENTS.The subject treated of in this chapter in the internal sense is the damnation of faith separate from charity, which is signified by the firstborn of Egypt that were given up to death at midnight; and also the memory-knowledges of truth and good that were to be transferred to those who are of the spiritual church, which knowledges are signified by the vessels of silver and of gold that the sons of Israel were to ask from the Egyptians. 7764 THE INTERNAL SENSE.Verses 1-3. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Yet one plague more will I bring upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterward he will let you go from hence; when he lets everything go, driving he shall drive you out from hence. Say now in the ears of the people, and let them ask a man from his companion, and a woman from her companion, vessels of silver and vessels of gold. And Jehovah gave the people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the eyes of Pharaoh's servants, and in the eyes of the people. "And Jehovah said unto Moses," signifies instruction; "Yet one plague more will I bring upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt," signifies the end of vastation, which is damnation; "afterward he will let you go from hence," signifies that then they will be left; "when he lets everything go, driving he shall drive you out from hence," signifies that they will leave them completely, and will hold them in aversion, and shun their presence; "say now in the ears of the people," signifies instruction and obedience; "and let them ask a man from his companion, and a woman from her companion, vessels of silver and vessels of gold," signifies that the memory-knowledges of truth and good taken away from the evil who have been of the church, will be bestowed upon the good who are of it; "and Jehovah gave the people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians," signifies the fear of those who are in evils on account of those who are of the spiritual church, by reason of the plagues; "moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt," signifies respect now for truth Divine; "in the eyes of Pharaoh's servants, and in the eyes of the people," signifies with those who were in subordination there. 7765 And Jehovah said unto Moses. This signifies instruction (see n. 7186, 7267, 7304, 7380). 7766 Yet one plague more will I bring upon, Pharaoh, and upon Egypt. That this signifies the end of vastation, which is damnation, is evident from the signification of "yet one plague more," as being the last of vastation. That by the plagues brought upon Egypt were signified successive states of vastation, is evident from the explication of what goes before; that the last is damnation, namely, of faith separate from charity, will be seen from what follows; for by the firstborn given up to death in Egypt is signified the damnation of this faith; by "death," the damnation itself; and by "the firstborn," faith. Faith is said to be damned when the things of faith are applied to support falsities and evils; and when they support these, they pass over to their side,...