6273. 'For Manasseh was the firstborn' means since good does indeed occupy the first place. This is clear from the representation of 'Manasseh' as good belonging to the will, dealt with before; and from the meaning of 'the birthright' as the prior and higher position, dealt with in 3325, so that 'the firstborn' is the one who occupies the first place. Is anyone incapable of seeing from natural light alone, provided a superior light brightens it a little, that good occupies the first place, as also do the intentions in a person's will, and that truth occupies the second, as also do the thoughts in his mind? Is anyone also incapable of seeing that the intentions in a person's will cause him to think in one particular way and no other, consequently that the good he possesses causes him to think that this or that is true; so that truth occupies the second place and good the first? Think and reflect on whether truth that composes faith can take root anywhere else than in good, or whether faith other than that which has taken root there is faith. From this you will be able to decide which is the primary or essential element for the Church, that is, for the person in whom the Church exists.

9046. 'As the master of the woman imposes on him' means till it agrees with the truth that goes with the good. This is clear from the meaning of 'as he imposes on him', when it refers to a fine, as amendment to the point of satisfaction, thus to the point at which there is agreement, dealt with below; from the meaning of 'the master' - 'the master of the woman', that is, her man or husband - as truth; and from the meaning of 'the woman' as good. For 'the master of a woman', or her man, in the spiritual sense of the Word means truth, and 'the woman' good, because the marriage of a man to a woman represents the marriage of truth and good, 915, 2517, 4510, 4823. 'Amendment till it agrees' is used to mean compensating for injury caused through premature birth, in the spiritual sense through the delivery of good springing from truths or the sending out of such good from the internal man into the external or natural man in a way that is not right and orderly. The compensation has been paid or the restoration made when agreement is reached; and this is reached when the external or natural man does not act independently but under the direction of the internal or spiritual man. For the internal must reside within the external, or the spiritual within the natural, as the soul does within its body. When this comes about the external or natural receives its life from the life of the internal, which is the new life or the life a regenerated person has.