3868. 'She conceived again and bore a son' means spiritual conception and birth from what is external towards things that are more internal still. This is clear from what has been stated above in 3860, where the same words occur. An advance is said to be made from what is external towards things that are more internal still when that advance is from knowledge, which is a property of the understanding, to the will; or spiritually speaking, from truth which is the truth of faith to charity. For the understanding is that which proceeds from the will and gives the will a certain visual form, as faith in a similar way proceeds from charity and gives charity a certain outward form. From this it is evident that the external manifestation of the will is the understanding and the external manifestation of charity is faith. Or what amounts to the same, it is evident that the internal substance of the understanding is the will and the internal substance of faith is charity. Consequently an advance from what is external to things that are more internal still consists in an advance from faith in the understanding to faith in the will, and so from faith to charity - which is represented by 'Levi', dealt with shortly below.

[2] It should be recognized that when distinguished from charity the word faith is used to mean truth, such as the truth of doctrine, that is, such as is incorporated in the confession called the Apostles' Creed. This usage is in accord with the general meaning the word has in the Church, for the belief is that possessing faith in truths constitutes the faith through which salvation comes. Few know that faith is trust and confidence, and among these few fewer still know that trust or confidence originates in charity and is unable to exist with anyone who does not possess the life of charity.

25. That are in sight of his throne. That this signifies presence and providence, is evident from the signification of sight which is from the Divine, as being presence, and thence providence - concerning which more will be said in what follows - and from the signification of the throne of God, as denoting Divine truth going forth from the Lord, and thus heaven, because heaven is its receptacle (concerning which see Arcana Coelestia 5313, 6397). The reason why sight denotes presence is, because by aspect and sight are signified the understanding and thought therefrom; and in the understanding everything appears present that is the object of thought. This is why, in the spiritual world, those appear present with whom another desires to speak, provided the person has some idea of them from having seen them in the world, especially if this has been the case with both. Consequently friends meet there, and also wives and husbands; the reason is, that the internal sight, which is the understanding, in a spirit, acts as one with his external sight or sight of the eye. And as spaces in the spiritual world are not like spaces in the natural world, what any one desires to see in the former is near, and what is not desired is far off. It is from this fact that aspect signifies presence. (That aspect and sight signify the understanding, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 2150, 2325, 2807, 3764, 3863, 3869, 10705; and that thence it signifies presence, n. 4723; and that spaces in heaven are not like spaces in the world, see the work, Heaven and Hell 191-199.) The reason why aspect, when used of the Lord, as in this place, signifies His Divine presence is, that the Lord knows all men, and those who are in love and faith towards the Lord know Him; this is why the Lord is present with them in the goods of love and in the truths of faith which they have from Him. Those things are the Lord in heaven and in the church; for the things which go forth from the Lord, are not only His, but are Himself. It is therefore plain, how the Lord is in man; thus, how those words are to be understood which He spoke in John:

"Abide in me, and I in you; he that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit" (15:4, 5).

In the same:

"If a man love me, he will keep my word; and my Father and I will come unto him, and make our abode with him" (14:23).

And again, in the same:

Jesus said to His disciples, "Ye know the Comforter, the Spirit of truth; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you" (14:17).

The Comforter, the Spirit of truth, is the Divine truth going forth from the Lord; or, what is the same, is the Lord as to Divine truth; and the disciples are all those who are in goods and thence in truths; it is therefore said, "He shall be in you."

Again, in the same:

"The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us" (1:14).

The Word also is Divine truth; and that the Word is the Lord is clear, for it is said that the Word was made flesh. (That the Word signifies Divine truth, and the Lord, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 4692, 5075, 9987.) The reason why sight here signifies providence also is because all presence of the Lord is providence (as may be evident from what is said in the little work, The New Jerusalem and its Doctrine, n. 267-279; and in the work, Heaven and Hell 9, 12, 145).