10683. Because upon the mouth of these words I make a covenant with thee and with Israel. That this signifies that by means of them there is conjunction with those who are in external and internal worship, is evident from the signification of “upon the mouth of these words,” as being by means of those primary truths which are to be observed (of which above, n. 10682); from the signification of “making a covenant,” as being conjunction (n. 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 6804, 8767, 8778); from the representation of Moses, with whom, and with Israel, it is said that the covenant is made, as being that external of the Word, of the church, and of worship in which there is what is internal (n. 10563, 10571, 10607, 10614); and from the signification of “Israel,” as being the internal of the church and of worship (n. 4286, 4292, 4570, 6426). It is from this that it is said that the covenant is made “with Moses and with Israel,” and not with “the sons of Israel,” for by “the sons of Israel” in this chapter and in the preceding one are meant those who are in the external of the church, of worship, and of the Word without what is internal (n. 10454-10457, 10461, 10498, 10549-10551, 10570, 10575, 10629).
[2] It shall here be briefly stated what the internal of the Word, of the church, and of worship is; what is the external of them in which there is what is internal; and what is the external without what is internal. In the internal of the Word, of the church, and of worship, are those who love to do truth for the sake of truth from internal affection, thus from spiritual affection. In the external of them in which there is what is internal, are those who love truth for the sake of truth; but from external affection, thus from natural affection. These latter are men of the external church; but the former are of the internal church; for in every church there are internal men and there are external men. But those who are in external worship without what is internal, do not love truth for the sake of truth, but for the sake of profit in the world; thus they do not love to do truths except for the sake of themselves, or in order that they may be seen. These are not within the church, but are outside of it.
[3] When those who love to do truth for the sake of truth from internal or spiritual affection hear truths, they rejoice, and think about a life in accordance with them. But when those who love truth for the sake of truth from external or natural affection hear truth, they also rejoice; but they do not think about a life in accordance with it; nevertheless unknown to them it flows in from the internal. But those who love truth for the sake of profit in the world think nothing about the life, neither does anything flow in from the internal, for they make truths to be things of memory only, to the end that they may speak of them.
[4] Those who love to do truth for the sake of truth, love the Lord, because truth is from the Lord, and the Lord causes it to become good through their willing and doing it, so that it becomes of the life with the man; for truth does not become of the life until it enters the will. That which is in the will can be known and perceived from the fact that the man does it, and still more from his loving to do it, for insofar as a man wills truth, so far he loves it.
[5] To love truth for the sake of truth, and for the sake of living according to it, is thus described by the Lord in Matthew:
Whosoever receiveth you receiveth Me; and he that receiveth Me receiveth Him that sent Me. Whosoever receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and whosoever receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. Yea, whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a drink of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward (Matthew 10:40-42).
A person not acquainted with the internal sense of the Word cannot know what is signified by “receiving a prophet in the name of a prophet, a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, and a disciple of the Lord in the name of a disciple,” and that these will receive a reward according to the reception. For without this sense, who knows what is signified by “receiving anyone in his name?”
[6] But those who are in the internal sense do not attend to the person, but to the thing which the person signifies, thus not to a disciple or a prophet, but to the things which a disciple and a prophet signify. In the internal sense a “disciple” signifies the truth of life; and a “prophet” signifies the truth of doctrine; “in the name of” anyone, signifies on account of his quality. From this it is evident what is signified by these words of the Lord, namely, that those who love truth for the sake of truth, and who love to do truth for the sake of truth, love the Lord and receive heaven into themselves; for the reward which is from the Lord is the affection of truth for the sake of truth; and heaven is in the affection of truth for the sake of truth.
[7] (That “disciples” denote all things of love and of faith in the complex, thus specifically those who are led by the Lord, may be seen in n. 3488, 3858, 6397; that a “prophet” denotes the truth of doctrine, n. 2534, 7269; that “name” denotes quality, n. 144, 145, 1896, 2009, 2724, 6674, 9310; that “reward” denotes the affection of truth and good, n. 3956, 6388; that in the internal sense a person is turned into the idea of a thing, n. 5225, 5287, 5434, 8343, 8985, 9007, 10282; and that to do truth for the sake of truth is to love the Lord, n. 10336)
