4721. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan. That this signifies that they were in the special things of false principles, is evident from the representation of Joseph, as being the Lord as to Divine truth (see n. 4669); from the representation of his brethren, as being the church that turns away from charity to faith, and at last to faith separate (n. 4665, 4671, 4679, 4680, 4690); and from the signification of “Dothan,” as being the special things of false principles (of which just above, n. 4720). From this it is plain that by these words is signified that it found them in the special things of false principles.

[2] That it may be known what is meant by the special things of false principles, let us take for illustration some of the doctrinals of a church which acknowledges faith alone as a principle, as that man is justified by faith alone, that then all sins are wiped away from him, that he may be saved by faith alone even in the last hour of his life, that salvation is merely admission into heaven through grace, that children also are saved by faith, that the Gentiles because they have no faith are not saved; besides many others. These and the like are the special things belonging to the principle of faith alone. But if the church would acknowledge as its principle the life of faith, it would acknowledge charity toward the neighbor and love to the Lord, consequently the works of charity and of love, and then all these special things would fall to pieces; and instead of justification it would acknowledge regeneration, in regard to which the Lord says in John,

“Except a man be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3);

and it would acknowledge that regeneration is effected by a life of faith, but not by faith separate. Neither would it profess that all sins are then wiped away from man, but that it is of the Lord’s mercy that he is withheld from them, and kept in good and thence in truth; thus that all good is from the Lord, and all evil from himself. Nor would the church profess that man may be saved by faith in the last hour of his life, but by the life of faith which abides with him. Neither would it profess that salvation is mere admission into heaven through grace, for heaven is denied by the Lord to no one; but it would acknowledge that if one’s life is not such that he can be with angels, he flees from heaven of his own will (n. 4674). Nor would it profess that children are saved by faith, but that in the other life they are instructed in the goods of charity and the truths of faith by the Lord, and so are received into heaven (n. 2289-2308). Nor would it profess that because the Gentiles have no faith they are not saved; but that their life remains with them as with others, and that those who have lived in mutual charity are instructed in the goods of faith, and are alike received into heaven, as is both wished and believed by those who are in the good of life (n. 2589-2604); and so in many other particulars.

[3] The church which acknowledges faith alone as a principle cannot know what charity is, nor even what the neighbor is, thus not what heaven is; and it will wonder that anyone should ever say that the happiness of the life after death and the joy in heaven is the Divine which flows into willing well and doing well to others, and that the happiness and the blessedness therefrom transcend all perception, and that the reception of this influx can never be given to anyone who has not lived a life of faith, that is, who has not been in the good of charity. That a life of faith saves, the Lord teaches plainly in Matthew 25:31-46 es 31 to the end, and in many other places; and hence also the creed which is called the creed of Athanasius teaches at the end, “Everyone shall render an account of his works; he who has done well shall enter into life eternal, but he who has done ill into eternal fire.”

4680. That their father loved him more than all his brethren. That this signifies that it was conjoined with the Divine natural, and in the proximate sense with the Ancient Church, which is the “father,” is evident from what was explained above (n. 4675), where similar words occur. That in the proximate sense this signifies that it was conjoined with the Ancient Church, and that this church is what is meant by “father,” is because in this sense, as before said (n. 4679), by Joseph’s “brethren” are signified the posterity of Jacob, and consequently the church which was represented among them. How these things are to be understood has already been repeatedly stated, but shall be repeated again in a few words for the sake of the series in what follows.

[2] The Ancient Church which was set up by the Lord after the flood was a representative church, and was of such a nature that all and each of its externals of worship represented the celestial and spiritual things of the Lord’s kingdom, and in the supreme sense the Divine things themselves of the Lord; but all and each of its internals of worship bore relation to charity. This church was spread over a large part of the Asiatic world, and through many kingdoms there; and although there were differences among them as to doctrinal things of faith, still the church was one, because all in every part of it made charity the essential of the church. Those who at that time separated faith from charity, and made faith the essential of the church were called “Ham.” But in course of time this church turned away to idolatry, and in Egypt, Babylon, and other places, to magic; for they began to worship external things without the internal; and as they thus receded from charity, heaven also receded from them, and in its place came spirits from hell who led them.

[3] When this church was desolated, a kind of new church began from Heber, which was called the Hebrew Church. This church existed in Syria and Mesopotamia, and also among some nations in the land of Canaan; but this new church differed from the Ancient, in that it made the essential of external worship to consist in sacrifices. It did indeed acknowledge the internal of worship to be charity, but not so much from the heart as did the Ancient Church; but this church also became idolatrous.

[4] At last it pleased the Lord to set up among the posterity of Abraham from Jacob a new kind of church, and to introduce among that nation the externals of worship of the Ancient Church. But such was the nature of this nation that they could not receive any internal of the church, because their hearts were altogether opposed to charity; and therefore only a representative of a church was instituted among them. This then is the reason why the sons of Jacob, or Joseph’s brethren, signify in the proximate sense such a church, and why Jacob their father signifies the Ancient Church. In many other places in the Word, especially the prophetic, the Ancient Church is meant by “Jacob;” and sometimes also that Ancient Church is called “father and mother”, “father” as to its good, and “mother” as to its truth. From this it is now evident that by their father’s loving Joseph more than all his brethren is signified that the Divine truth of the Lord was conjoined with the Ancient Church.