7547. 'And you would be cut off from the earth' means that thus there would be no communication any longer through things of the Church. This is clear from the meaning of 'being cut off', when said of things of the Church, as being separated, and when they are separated - that is, when there is no longer any communication or contact with heaven through those things of the Church - that person sinks into hell, which is 'being cut off', see above in 7545; and from the meaning of 'the earth' as the Church, dealt with in 662, 1067, 1262, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118 (end), 2571, 2928, 3355, 4535, 4447, 5577.

1262. From this it now becomes clear that 'the earth' here also means the Church; for when the earth is mentioned, one's only perception is of the nation or people there, and when a nation or people is envisaged one's only perception is of their character. Consequently 'the earth' means nothing other than the Church, as shown already in 662, 1066.