10032. And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them. That this signifies the interior truth of the external or natural man, and its good, is evident from the signification of “the kidneys,” as being interior truths (of which below); and from the signification of “fat,” as being good (of which above, n. 10029); that it denotes the good of this truth is because it was the fat upon the kidneys. It is said “the good of this truth,” because every good has its own truth, and every truth its own good. There are innumerable kinds of good, and every kind of good has a truth which is of the same kind; for in the universal heaven there are goods and truths which make the life there, and they are everywhere various. The quality of the good which is signified by “the fat upon the kidneys,” is evident from the truths which are signified by “the kidneys.” By “the kidneys” are signified truths which explore, purify, and correct, taking this signification from their function. This shows what is signified by “kidneys,” or “reins,” in the following passages, in Jeremiah:

Jehovah trieth the reins and the heart (Jeremiah 11:20).

Thou that triest the hearts and the reins, O just God (Psalms 7:9).

O Jehovah, explore my reins and my heart (Psalms 26:2).

O Jehovah, Thou possessest my reins (Psalms 139:13).

I am He who searcheth the reins and the heart (Revelation 2:23).

“To search,” and “to try, the kidneys,” or “reins,” denotes to explore the truths of faith; and “to search,” and “try, the heart” denotes to explore the goods of love, for “the heart” denotes the good of love (n. 3883-3896, 7542, 9050). That the truths of faith are signified by “the kidneys” is very evident in David:

O Jehovah, Thou desirest truth in the reins (Psalms 51:6).

That by “the kidneys” is signified interior truth and its exploration, is because by the ureters and the bladder, which go forth from the kidneys, is signified exterior truth and its exploration, as also its correction (n. 5381-5384).

6004. Fear not to go down into Egypt. That this signifies that natural truth with all things appertaining to it must be initiated into the memory-knowledges of the church, is evident from the representation of Jacob, who is he that was to go down into Egypt, as being natural truth (of which just above, n. 6001); and from the signification of “going down,” as being to be initiated, for in order that this initiation might be represented, Jacob with all that appertained to him went down into Egypt; and from the signification of “Egypt,” as being the memory-knowledges of the church (n. 1462, 4749, 4964, 4966).

[2] In regard to truth being initiated into the memory-knowledges of the church, the case is this. The memory-knowledges of the church were at that time the representatives and significatives of their rituals, for all the rituals of the church were from such things, as also were the memory-knowledges which served as their doctrinals of charity. From these memory-knowledges they knew who are meant by the poor, the needy, the miserable, the afflicted, the oppressed, widows, orphans, sojourners, the bound in prison, the naked, the sick, the hungry, the thirsty, the lame, the blind, the deaf, the maimed, and by many other classes into which they distinguished the neighbor, and thus taught how charity was to be exercised. Such were the memory-knowledges of that time. That at this day these are altogether blotted out of remembrance is evident from the fact that where the above are mentioned in the Word, scarcely anyone knows but that such are meant as are so called-as that widows are meant where “widows” are mentioned, sojourners where “sojourners” are mentioned, the bound in prison where these are mentioned, and so on. Such memory-knowledges flourished in Egypt; and therefore by “Egypt” are signified memory-knowledges. That natural truth which is “Jacob” was to be initiated into such memory-knowledges, is represented by Jacob’s going down into Egypt with all that belonged to him.

[3] Truths are said to be initiated into such memory-knowledges when they are brought into them, so as to be in them. This is effected for the reason that when a memory-knowledge comes into the thought, the truths which have been brought into it may come at the same time into remembrance; as for example, when a sojourner is presented to the thought, seeing that by him are signified those who are to be instructed, that there should instantly come into thought all the exercises of charity toward such, thus truths. In like manner in all other cases. When memory-knowledges are thus filled, then when anyone is thinking from them, the thought extends and diffuses itself far and wide, and indeed to many societies in the heavens at the same time. For such a memory-knowledge, consisting as it does of so many truths within itself, unknown to the man, unfolds itself in this way; but it is necessary that truths be in them.

[4] It is also of Divine order for interior things to bestow themselves in exterior ones, or what is the same, prior things in posterior ones, thus at last all prior things in the ultimates, and for them to be together there. This is the case in universal nature. Unless this is done the man cannot be fully regenerated, for by such a bringing of truths into memory-knowledges, things interior and exterior agree together and make a one which otherwise would be in disagreement; and if they are in disagreement, the man is not in good, because he is not in what is sincere. Moreover memory-knowledges are in a light nearly the same as that in which is the sensual of man’s sight, and this light is such that unless it is enlightened within by the light which is from truths, it leads into falsities, especially into those derived from the fallacies of the senses; and also into evils from falsities. That this is the case will be seen from the experience about influx that is related at the close of the chapters.