6047. And it may be that Pharaoh will call you. That this signifies, if the natural in which are the memory-knowledges of the church wills to be conjoined, is evident from the signification of “to call to himself,” as being to will to be conjoined; for to call to himself from the affection that they should dwell in his land and become one nation with his own, is to will to be conjoined; and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural in which are the memory-knowledges of the church (as above, n. 6042). By Pharaoh’s calling is signified what is reciprocal of initiation and conjunction, namely, of the memory-knowledges of the church with truths and goods in the natural; for all conjunction needs reciprocity, whereby there is consent on both sides.

[2] The conjunction of the truths of the church with its memory-knowledges is here treated of, but it is necessary to know in what manner they are to be conjoined. For indeed the start must not be made from memory-knowledges, and through these an entrance be made into the truths of faith, because the memory-knowledges with a man are derived from things of sense, thus from the world, from which spring innumerable fallacies. But the start must be made from truths of faith, in this way. First there must be learned the doctrinal things of the church, and then the Word must be examined to see whether these are true; for they are not true because the heads of the church have said so and their followers confirm it, because in this way the doctrinal things of all churches and religions would have to be called true, merely because they exist in the country, and men hold them from their birth; and in this wise not only would the doctrinal things of Papists and also of Quakers be true, but also those of Jews and even of Mohammedans, because their leaders have said so and their followers confirm it. This shows that the Word must be searched, and there it must be seen whether the doctrinal things are true. When this is done from the affection of truth, then the man is enlightened by the Lord so as to perceive, without knowing whence, what is true; and he is confirmed therein in accordance with the good in which he is. If these truths disagree with the doctrinal things, let him take heed not to disturb the church.

[3] Afterward, when he has been confirmed, and is thus in the affirmative from the Word that the doctrinal things are truths of faith, it is then allowable for him to confirm them by all the memory-knowledges he possesses, of whatsoever name and nature; for then, because what is affirmative reigns universally, he accepts the memory-knowledges which agree, and rejects those which by reason of the fallacies they contain disagree; for faith is strengthened by means of memory-knowledges; and therefore no one is forbidden to search the Scriptures from the affection of knowing whether the doctrinal things of the church within which he was born, are true; for in no other way can he be enlightened. After doing this no one is forbidden to fortify himself by means of memory-knowledges; but he may not do so before. This is the way and the only way of conjoining the truths of faith with memory-knowledges; not only with the memory-knowledges of the church, but also with any memory-knowledges whatever. Yet very few at this day proceed in this way; for most persons who read the Word do not read it from the affection of truth, but from the affection of confirming therefrom the doctrinal things of the church within which they were born, no matter what these may be.

[4] In the Word there is described the Lord’s kingdom, in that the spiritual, the rational, and memory-knowledge are therein conjoined together; but this is described by names which signify these; namely, by “Israel,” “Assyria,” and “Egypt.” By “Israel” is described the spiritual, by “Assyria” the rational, and by “Egypt” memory-knowledge, in these words of Isaiah:

In that day there shall be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar near the border thereof to Jehovah. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness thereof to Jehovah Zebaoth in the land of Egypt; for they shall cry unto Jehovah because of the oppressors, and He shall send them a savior, and a prince, and he shall deliver them. And Jehovah shall become known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know Jehovah in that day, and shall offer sacrifice and meat offering, and shall vow a vow to Jehovah, and shall perform it. In that day there shall be a path from Egypt unto Assyria, and Assyria shall come into Egypt, and Egypt into Assyria, and Egypt shall serve Assyria. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the land; which Jehovah Zebaoth shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel Mine inheritance (Isaiah 19:19-25).

[5] Everyone can see that Egypt is not meant here, nor Assyria, nor yet Israel, but something else by each of them. (That by “Israel” is meant the spiritual of the church, has already been shown, n. 3654, 5801, 5803, 5806, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833; and by “Assyria,” the rational, n. 119, 1186; and by “Egypt,” memory-knowledges, n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 4749, 4964, 4966, 5700, 6004, 6015.) These three conjoined together in the man of the church are described in the prophet by the words, “there shall be a path from Egypt to Assyria, and Assyria shall come into Egypt, and Egypt into Assyria, and Egypt shall serve Assyria; in that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the land.” For in order that a man may be a man of the church, it is necessary for him to be spiritual, and also rational, with memory-knowledge subservient to these. From all this it is now evident that memory-knowledge is by no means to be rejected from the truths of faith, but that it is to be conjoined with them; but by the prior way, that is, by the way from faith; and not by the posterior way, that is, by the way from memory-knowledges. (See also what has been already shown, n. 128-130, 195, 196, 232, 233, 1226, 1911, 2568, 2588, 4156, 4760, 5510, 5700)

1164. That by “Cush” or “Ethiopia” are signified the interior knowledges of the Word, by which such men confirm false principles, may be seen in Jeremiah:

Egypt riseth up like a stream, whose waters toss themselves like the rivers, and he hath said, I will go up, I will cover the earth, I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof. Go up ye horses, and rage ye chariots; and let the mighty men go forth, Cush and Put that handle the shield (Jeremiah 46:8-9).

“Egypt” here denotes those who believe nothing unless they apprehend it from memory-knowledges, whereby everything becomes involved in doubt, denial, and falsity, which is to “go up, cover the earth, and destroy the city.” “Cush” here denotes more universal and more interior knowledges of the Word, whereby men confirm received principles of falsity. “Put” denotes knowledges from the literal sense of the Word which are according to the appearances of the senses.

[2] In Ezekiel:

A sword shall come upon Egypt, and there shall be grief in Cush, when the slain shall fall in Egypt; and they shall take her multitude, and her foundations shall be destroyed. Cush, and Put, and Lud, and all Ereb and Cub, and the sons of the land of the covenant shall fall with them by the sword (Ezekiel 30:4-5).

No one could at all know what these things mean except from the internal sense; and if the names did not signify actual things [res], there would be scarcely any sense. But here by “Egypt” are signified memory-knowledges, whereby men desire to enter into the mysteries of faith. “Cush and Put” are called “the foundations thereof” because they signify knowledges from the Word.

[3] In the same:

In that day shall messengers go forth from before Me in ships, to make confident Cush afraid; and there shall be grief upon them, as in the day of Egypt (Ezekiel 30:9).

“Cush” denotes those knowledges from the Word that confirm falsities which are hatched from memory-knowledges. In the same:

I will make the land of Egypt into wastes, a waste of desolation, from the tower of Seveneh, even unto the border of Cush (Ezekiel 29:10).

Here “Egypt” denotes memory-knowledges; and “Cush” the knowledges of the interior things of the Word, which are the boundaries as far as memory-knowledges go.

[4] In Isaiah:

The king of Assyria shall lead the captivity of Egypt and the captivity of Cush, boys and old men, naked and barefoot, and with buttocks uncovered, the nakedness of Egypt; and they shall be dismayed and ashamed because of Cush their hope, and of Egypt their glory (Isaiah 20:4-5).

“Cush” here denotes knowledges from the Word, whereby falsities acquired through memory-knowledges are confirmed; “Asshur” is reasoning which leads men “captive.”

In Nahum:

Cush and Egypt were her strength, and there was no end; Put and Lubim were thy helpers (Nahum 3:9).

This is said of the church vastated, and here in like manner “Egypt” denotes memory-knowledges, and “Cush” knowledges.

[5] “Cush and Egypt” here denote simply knowledges and memory-knowledges, which are truths, useful to those who are in the faith of charity; thus they are here used in a good sense.

In Isaiah:

Thus said Jehovah, The labor of Egypt, and the merchandise of Cush, and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall pass over unto thee, and they shall be thine; they shall go after thee in fetters, they shall pass over and shall bow down unto thee; they shall pray unto thee; God is in thee only, and there is no other God besides (Isaiah 45:14).

“The labor of Egypt” denotes memory-knowledge; and “the merchandise of Cush and of the Sabeans,” knowledges of spiritual things which are serviceable to those who acknowledge the Lord; for all memory-knowledge and knowledge are for them.

[6] In Daniel:

The king of the north shall have dominion over the hidden stores of gold and silver, and over all the desirable things of Egypt; and the Lubim (Put) and Cushim shall be at thy steps (Daniel 11:43).

“Put and Cush” here denote knowledges from the Word; and “Egypt,” memory-knowledges.

In Zephaniah:

From the crossing of the rivers of Cush, My worshipers (Zephaniah 3:10),

denoting those who are without knowledges, that is, the Gentiles.

In David:

Great ones shall come out of Egypt; Cush shall hasten his hands unto God (Psalms 68:31).

“Egypt” here denotes memory-knowledges and “Cush” knowledges.

[7] In the same:

I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon as among them that know Me; behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Cush; this one was born there (in the city of God) (Psalms 87:4).

“Cush” denotes knowledges from the Word; and therefore it is said that he “was born in the city of God.” It is because “Cush” signifies the interior knowledges of the Word and the intelligence thence derived, that it is said that the second river that went forth from the garden of Eden “encompassed the whole land of Cush” (concerning which see n. 117).