9340. And I will set thy border from the sea Suph, and even unto the sea of the Philistines. That this signifies extension from memory-truths to the interior truths of faith, is evident from the signification of “setting a border” from one place to another, when said of spiritual truths, as being extension; from the signification of “the sea Suph,” as being sensuous and memory-truths, which are the ultimates with man, for the sea Suph was the ultimate border of the land of Egypt, and by “Egypt” is signified memory-knowledge in both senses, true and false (see n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 2588, 4749, 4964, 4966, 5700, 6004, 6015, 6125, 6651, 6679, 6683, 6692, 6750, 7779, 7926, 8146, 8148), here memory-truth, because the subject treated of is the extension of the spiritual things of faith with the sons of Israel, by whom was represented the spiritual church (see n. 4286, 4598, 6426, 6637, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198, 7201, 7215, 7223, 8805); and from the signification of “the sea of the Philistines,” as being the interior truths of faith. The reason why these truths are signified by “the sea of the Philistines” is that the sea where Tyre and Zidon were situated was the border of the land of Philistia, and by “Tyre and Zidon” are signified the knowledges of truth and good (n. 1201); and by “the land of Philistia” the knowledge of the interior things of faith (n. 1197, 2504, 2726, 3463).

[2] As the land of Canaan represented the Lord’s kingdom, thus heaven and the church, therefore all the places therein signified such things as are of the Lord’s kingdom, that is, of heaven and the church, which are called celestial and spiritual things, and bear relation to the good of love to the Lord and to the truths of faith in Him. Consequently the seas and rivers which were the borders signified the ultimate things therein; and accordingly “from sea to sea” and “from river to river” signified their extension. (That this is so, see n. 1585, 1866, 4116, 4240, 6516.) From this it can be seen that by “the border from the sea Suph and even unto the sea of the Philistines” is signified the extension of the spiritual things of truth from external things to internal, thus from memory-truths to the interior truths of faith. But the extension of celestial things, which are of the good of love, is described immediately after by “from the wilderness even unto the river.” (That the places of the land of Canaan, and also the seas and rivers, have such a signification in the Word, has been shown throughout in the explications.)

[3] It shall be briefly stated what is meant by “extension from memory-truths to the interior truths of faith.” Truths in the external man are called “memory-truths;” and truths in the internal man are called “interior truths of faith.” Memory-truths are in man’s memory, and when they are drawn out from it, they come to his notice. But the interior truths of faith are the truths of the very life, inscribed on the internal man, and of which but little appears in the memory; but on this subject, of the Lord’s Divine mercy, a fuller statement shall be made elsewhere. Memory-truths and the interior truths of faith were signified by “the waters under the expanse, and the waters above the expanse” (Genesis 1:6-7; n. 24), for the subject treated of in the first chapter of Genesis in the internal sense is the new creation, that is, the regeneration, of the man of the celestial church.

[4] The reason why “Philistia,” which bordered on the land of Canaan even unto Tyre and Zidon, signified the interior truths of faith, was that the representative Ancient Church had been there, as is evident from the remains of Divine worship among its inhabitants, and referred to in the historic and prophetic books of the Word that treat of the Philistines and the land of Philistia; as in the prophecies of Jeremiah 25:20; 47:1-7 ekiel 16:27, 57; 25:15-16; Amos 1:8; Zephaniah 2:5; Zechariah 9:6; and Psalm 56, title; 60:8 83:7; 108:9. The case with the Philistines was the same as with all the nations in the land of Canaan, in that they represented the goods and truths of the church, and also evils and falsities. For while the representative Ancient Church was among them, they represented the celestial things which are of good and the spiritual things which are of truth; but when they turned aside from genuine representative worship, they then began to represent the diabolical things which are of evil and the infernal things which are of falsity. Hence it is that by “Philistia,” as by the other nations of the land of Canaan, are signified in the Word both goods and truths, and evils and falsities.

[5] That by the “Philistines” are signified the interior truths of faith, is evident in David:

Glorious things shall be preached in thee, O city of God. I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon among those who know Me; and also of Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there (Psalms 87:3-4).

The “city of God” denotes the doctrine of the truth of faith from the Word (n. 402, 2268, 2449, 2712, 2943, 3216, 4492, 4493, 5297); “Tyre,” the knowledges of truth and good (n. 1201); in like manner “Ethiopia” (n. 116, 117). From this it is evident that “Philistia” denotes the knowledge of the truths of faith.

[6] In Amos:

Are ye not as the sons of the Ethiopians unto Me, O sons of Israel? Have not I made Israel to come up out of the land of Egypt, and the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir? (Amos 9:7).

The perversion and destruction of the church after it had been set up is here treated of; “the sons of the Ethiopians” here denote those who are in the knowledges of good and truth, but who apply them to confirm evils and falsities (n. 1163, 1164); “the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt” denote those who have been initiated into spiritual truths and goods by means of memory-truths. (That “the sons of Israel” denote those who are in spiritual truths and good, thus in the abstract sense spiritual truths and goods, see n. 5414, 5801, 5803, 5806, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833, 5879, 5951, 7957, 8234; and that “the land of Egypt” denotes memory-truth, has been shown above.) The like is signified by “the Philistines from Caphtor,” and by “the Syrians from Kir,” to whom they are therefore likened. “The Philistines from Caphtor” denote those who have been initiated into interior truths by means of exterior, but who have perverted them and applied them to confirm falsities and evils (n. 1197, 1198, 3412, 3413, 3762, 8093, 8096, 8099, 8313); and “the Syrians from Kir” denote those who are in the knowledges of good and truth, which also they have perverted (n. 1232, 1234, 3051, 3249, 3664, 3680, 4112).

[7] In Jeremiah:

Because of the day that cometh to lay waste all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Zidon all the residue that helpeth; for Jehovah layeth waste the Philistines, the remains of the isle of Caphtor (Jeremiah 47:4);

in this chapter the subject treated of is the vastation of the church in respect to the truths of faith; the interior truths of faith are “the Philistines;” and the exterior truths are “the remains of the isle of Caphtor.”

[8] In Joel:

What have you to do with Me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the borders of Philistia? Speedily will I return your retribution on your head, forasmuch as ye have taken My silver and My gold, and have carried into your temples My desirable good things (Joel 3:4, (Joel 3:6));

“all the borders of Philistia” denote all the interior and exterior truths of faith; “to carry silver and gold and desirable good things into their temples” denotes to pervert truths and goods, and profane them by application to evils and falsities. (That “silver and gold” denote truths and goods, see n. 1551, 2954, 5658, 6112, 6914, 6917, 8932)

[9] In Obadiah:

Then they of the South shall be heirs of the mount of Esau, and of the plain of the Philistines; and they shall become heirs of the field of Ephraim; but Benjamin, of Gilead (Obad. 1:19).

The setting up of the church is here treated of; but real things are infolded in the names; “they of the South” denote those who are in the light of truth (n. 1458, 3195, 3708, 5672, 5962); “the mount of Esau” denotes the good of love (n. 3300, 3322, 3494, 3504, 3576); “the plain of the Philistines” denotes the truth of faith; “a plain” also denotes the doctrine of faith (n. 2418); “Ephraim” denotes the intellectual of the church (n. 3969, 5354, 6222, 6234, 6238, 6267); “Benjamin,” the spiritual celestial truth of the church (n. 3969, 4592, 5686, 5689, 6440); and “Gilead,” the corresponding exterior good (n. 4117, 4124, 4747).

[10] In Isaiah:

He shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four wings of the earth. They shall fly upon the shoulder of the Philistines toward the sea; together shall they spoil the sons of the east (Isaiah 11:12, 14);

here by “Israel” and “Judah” are not meant Israel and Judah, but by “Israel” those who are in the good of faith, and by “Judah” those who are in the good of love; “to fly upon the shoulder of the Philistines” denotes to receive and take into possession the interior truths of faith; “to spoil the sons of the east” denotes to receive and take into possession the interior goods of faith; for “the sons of the east” denote those who are in the goods of faith, and in the knowledges of good (n. 3249, 3762). That “to spoil” denotes to receive and take into possession, may be seen from what has been already shown concerning the spoiling of the Egyptians by the sons of Israel (n. 6914, 6917).

[11] As by “the land of Philistia” was signified the knowledge of the interior truths of faith, and by Abraham and Isaac was represented the Lord, and by their sojourning the instruction of the Lord in the truths and goods of faith and of love, which are of Divine wisdom, therefore for the sake of prefiguring this process, Abraham was bidden to sojourn in Philistia (see Genesis 20), and also Isaac (Genesis 26:1-24); and accordingly Abimelech, king of the Philistines, made a covenant with Abraham (Genesis 21:22, to the end), and also with Isaac (Genesis 26:26, to the end); on which subject may be seen the explications given at these chapters.

6222. And he took his two sons with him, Manasseh and Ephraim. That this signifies the will and the intellectual of the church born from the internal, is evident from the representation of Manasseh, as being the new will in the natural, and its quality (concerning which see n. 5354e); and from the representation of Ephraim, as being the new intellectual in the natural, and its quality (n. 5354); that they were born from the internal is signified by their being the sons of Joseph, by whom is represented the internal celestial (n. 5869, 5877).

[2] It is necessary to explain what is meant by the intellectual and the will of the church. The intellectual of the church is to perceive from the Word what the truth of faith is, and what the good of charity. It is known that the literal sense of the Word is of such a nature that whatever tenet a man embraces, he confirms from that sense; and this because the things of the literal sense of the Word are general vessels which receive truths, and because the quality of these vessels does not appear as through a transparency until they have received truths; thus because they are only generals, which must first be learned by man, in order that he may receive the particulars and singulars in a fit and proper manner. That the literal sense of the Word is of such a nature that whatever tenet a man embraces he confirms from that sense, is very manifest from so many heresies which have existed in the church, and still do so, each of which is confirmed by its partisans from the literal sense of the Word, and so confirmed that they thoroughly believe it to be true; and thereafter if they were to hear from heaven the very truth, they would not receive a bit of it.

[3] The reason is that they have not the intellectual of the church; for the intellectual of the church consists in a man’s perceiving, when he reads the Word and carefully compares one passage with another, what is to be believed, and what is to be done. This intellectual is to be found in such men only as are enlightened by the Lord, and who in the Christian world are also called the enlightened; and this enlightenment is to be found in such men only as desire to know truths, not for the sake of reputation and glory, but for the sake of life and use. This very enlightenment is received by the intellectual in a man, for it is the intellectual which is enlightened. This is very evident from the fact that they who have little of the intellectual cannot possibly see such things from the Word; but have faith in those whom they believe to be enlightened. Be it known further that they who have been regenerated, receive from the Lord an intellectual capable of being enlightened. It is the light of heaven from the Lord which flows into the intellectual and enlightens it; for the intellectual has its light, its sight, and consequently its perception, from no other source.

[4] But this intellectual, which is called the intellectual of the church, is more interior than the intellectual which comes from mere memory-knowledges, for it is a perception that the thing is so, not from the dictate of memory-knowledges and philosophy, but from the dictate of the Word in its spiritual sense. For example, they who are in the intellectual of the church are able clearly to perceive that the Word everywhere teaches that love to the Lord and charity toward the neighbor are essentials of the church; and that the life of man remains after death; and that his life is from his loves; also that faith separate from charity is not faith; and that faith avails nothing for eternal life except insofar as it is joined to the good of love to the Lord and to the good of charity toward the neighbor; consequently that these and faith must be conjoined together for there to be spiritual life. That these are truths can be clearly perceived by those who have the intellectual enlightened, but not at all by those who have not this.

[5] It is believed that those have an intellectual in the things of the church who are skillful in confirming the tenets or doctrinals of their own church by many things, and this even to persuasion that it is so, and who also are skillful in dexterously confuting many heresies. But this is not the intellectual of the church; for to confirm a tenet is not of the intellectual, but of ingenuity in the sensuous, and it is sometimes found in the worst of men, and can also be done by those who believe nothing whatever, and also by those who are in very falsities. Nothing is more easy than for all such persons to confirm whatever they please, even to the point of persuading the simple. But the intellectual of the church is to perceive and see, before any tenet is confirmed, whether it is true or not, and then to confirm it.

[6] This is the intellectual which is represented by Ephraim; but the good of the church, which is represented by Manasseh, is the good of charity which is insinuated by the Lord into the man of the church by means of the truths of faith; for these, together with the good of charity, are what flow into the intellectual and enlighten it, and also make the intellectual and the will constitute one mind. That both the intellectual and the will are born from the internal, may be seen from what has frequently been said and shown above; for all the affection of good and truth, by which comes enlightenment, flows from no other source, and thus is born from no other source, than the internal; that is, through the internal from the Lord.