2085. To his seed after him. That this signifies those who should have faith in the Lord, is evident from the signification of “seed,” as being faith (explained before, n. 1025, 1447, 1610, 2034). Those are here signified by “seed” who have the faith of love, that is, who have love to the Lord; consequently the celestial, or those who are of the celestial church; for the seed from Isaac is treated of. But they who have the faith of charity, that is, who have charity toward the neighbor-consequently the spiritual, or those who are of the spiritual church-are signified by “Ishmael,” who is treated of in the verse that now follows. (What the distinction is between the celestial and the spiritual, may be seen above, n. 2069, 2078; and also what the distinction is between having love to the Lord and having charity toward the neighbor, n. 2023)

2023. And to thy seed after thee. That this signifies the Divine thence derived with those who have faith in Him, is evident from the signification of “seed,” as being the faith of charity (see n. 1025, 1447, 1610); and also from the signification of “after thee,” as being to follow Him (explained just above, n. 2019). The Divine with those who have faith in the Lord is love and charity. By Love is meant love to the Lord; by Charity,” love toward the neighbor. Love to the Lord cannot possibly be separated from love toward the neighbor; for the Lord’s love is toward the universal human race, which He wills to save eternally and to adjoin wholly to Himself, so that not one of them may perish. He therefore who has love to the Lord, has the Lord’s love, and thereby can do no otherwise than love his neighbor.

[2] But they who are in love toward the neighbor are not all for that reason in love to the Lord, as for example the well-disposed Gentiles who are in ignorance respecting the Lord, but with whom the Lord is nevertheless present in charity (as shown in Part First, n. 1032, 1059), and also others within the church; for love to the Lord is in a higher degree. They who have love to the Lord are celestial men, but they who have love toward the neighbor, or charity, are spiritual men. The Most Ancient Church, which was before the flood, and was celestial, was in love to the Lord, but the Ancient Church, which was after the flood, and was spiritual, was in love toward the neighbor, or in charity. This distinction between Love and Charity will be observed when they are mentioned hereafter.