8717. And it shall be, every great word let them bring unto thee. That this signifies that everything is from the truth that is immediately from the Divine, is evident from the representation of Moses, as being truth immediately from the Divine (see n. 7010, 7382); that everything is from this, is signified by “every great word let them bring unto him.” It appears from the sense of the letter as if everything was to be brought to Divine truth; but as everything comes from the Lord through the truth proceeding from Him, for everything of life is from Him, therefore in the internal sense it is not signified to this truth, but from it. The case herein is as was shown concerning influx (n. 3721, 5119, 5259, 5779, 6322), namely, that influx does not take place from exteriors to interiors; but from interiors to exteriors. The reason is that all exteriors are formed to minister to interiors, as instrumental causes to their principal causes, and the former are dead causes without the latter. Be it known that in the internal sense things are set forth such as they are in themselves; not such as they appear in the sense of the letter.

[2] In itself the fact is that by means of the truth proceeding from Himself the Lord directs all things down to the veriest singulars; not as a king in the world, but as God in heaven and in the universe. A king in the world exercises only a care over the whole, and his princes and officers a particular care. It is otherwise with God, for God sees all things, and knows all things from eternity, and provides all things to eternity, and from Himself holds all things in their order. From this it is evident that the Lord has not only a care over the whole, but also a particular and individual care of all things, otherwise than as a king in the world. His disposing is immediate through the truth Divine from Himself, and is also mediate through heaven. But the mediate disposing through heaven is also as it were immediate from Himself, for what comes out of heaven comes through heaven from Him. That this is so the angels in heaven not only know, but also perceive in themselves. (That the Divine disposing or providence of the Lord is in all things and each, nay, in the veriest singulars of all, howsoever otherwise it appears before man, see n. 4329, 5122, 5904, 6058, 6481-6487, 6490, 6491.)

[3] But this subject falls with difficulty into the idea of any man, and least of all into the idea of those who trust in their own prudence; for they attribute to themselves all things that happen prosperously for them, and the rest they ascribe to fortune, or chance; and few to the Divine Providence. Thus they attribute the things that happen to dead causes, and not to the living cause. When things turn out happily they indeed say that it is of God, and even that there is nothing that is not from Him; but few, and scarcely any, at heart believe it. In like manner do those who place all prosperity in worldly and bodily things, namely, in honors and riches, and believe that these alone are Divine blessings; and therefore when they see many of the evil abound in such things, and not so much the good, they reject from their heart and deny the Divine Providence in individual things, not considering that Divine Blessing is to be happy to eternity, and that the Lord regards such things as are of brief duration, as relatively, are the things of this world, no otherwise than as means to eternal things. Wherefore also the Lord provides for the good, who receive His mercy in time, such things as contribute to the happiness of their eternal life; riches and honors for those to whom they are not hurtful; and no riches and honors for those to whom they would be hurtful. Nevertheless to these latter He gives in time, in the place of honors and riches, to be glad with a few things, and to be more content than the rich and honored.

3489. That the church is of such a character does not appear to those who are within the church; namely, that they despise and hold in aversion all things which are of good and truth; also that they bear enmities against such things, and especially against the Lord Himself; for they frequent places of worship, hear preaching, and are in a kind of sanctity when there; they go to the Holy Supper, and at times converse with one another in a becoming manner concerning such things-this is done by bad men as well as by good men-and they also live among themselves in civic charity or friendship. Consequently in the eyes of men no contempt appears, still less aversion; and less still enmity against the goods and truths of faith, and thus against the Lord. These things however are external forms by which one person misleads another; while the internal forms of the men of the church are altogether unlike, being quite contrary to the external forms. The internal forms are those which are here described, and which are as above mentioned; their real quality appears to the life in the heavens, for the angels do not attend to any other than internal things, that is, to ends, or to intentions and desires, and to the derivative thoughts.

[2] How unlike these are to the externals is evident from those who come from the Christian world into the other life, concerning whom see above (n. 2121-2126); for in the other life they think and speak according to their internals alone; for externals are left behind together with the body; and there it is manifest that however peaceable such have seemed in the world, they nevertheless entertained hatred one against another, and against all things which are of faith, and especially against the Lord; for when in the other life the Lord is merely mentioned in their presence, a sphere not only of contempt but also of aversion and enmity against Him is manifestly exhaled and diffused from them, even from those who in appearance had spoken and preached piously about Him; and it is the same when charity and faith are mentioned.

[3] In the internal form (which is there manifested) they are of such a character that if while they had lived in this world their externals had been loosed and removed, that is, had they not then feared for their life and had they not feared the laws, and especially had they not feared for their reputation, on account of the honors which they solicited and pursued, and on account of the wealth which they desired and eagerly sought, they would have rushed one against another with intestine hatred, in accordance with their impulses and thoughts; and would have seized the goods of others without any conscience, and likewise without any conscience would have butchered others, most especially the innocent. Such as regards their interiors are Christians at this day [A.D. 1751], except a few whom they do not know; from which it is evident what is the quality of the church.