2982. In the land of Canaan. That this signifies which church is one in the Lord’s kingdom, is evident from the representation of the “land of Canaan,” as being the kingdom of the Lord (see n. 1413, 1437, 1585, 1607). With the churches of the Lord, the case is this: In ancient times there were many churches at the same time; and there were as at this day distinctions among them in regard to doctrinal matters; but still they made a one in the fact that they acknowledged love to the Lord and charity toward the neighbor as the principal and very essential thing; and therefore that the purpose of doctrinal things was not to teach them how to think, but how to live. And when with each and all, love to the Lord and charity toward the neighbor-that is, the good of life-is the essential thing; then churches, however numerous they may be, make one church, all then being one in the Lord’s kingdom. Such also is heaven; there are innumerable societies there, all distinct; but still they constitute one heaven, because in all there is love to the Lord and charity toward the neighbor.

[2] But the case is wholly different with churches that call faith the essential of the church; supposing that if they know this and think this they are saved, no matter what their life may be. In this case the several churches do not make one church, nor indeed are they churches. The good of faith, that is, the very life of love and of charity according to the things of faith, is that which makes the church. Doctrinal matters are for the sake of life. Everyone may know this: what are doctrinal matters except for the sake of all end? and what is the end but life? or that a man may become such as those doctrinal things teach?

It is indeed said that the very faith itself which saves is confidence; but this confidence is quite impossible except in the good of life. Without the good of life there is no reception, and where there is no reception there is no confidence, except at times a certain apparent confidence, in suffering conditions of mind or body, when the cupidities of the love of self and of the world are at rest. But with those who are in evil of life, when this crisis passes or the condition is changed, such fallacious confidence altogether vanishes; for a confidence is found even with the wicked. But whoever desires to know the quality of his confidence, let him examine in himself the affections and ends, as well as the practices of his life.

1607. For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it. That this signifies the heavenly kingdom, that it should be the Lord’s, is evident from the signification of “the land,” and here of the land of Canaan—because it is said, “the land which thou seest”—as being the heavenly kingdom. For by the land of Canaan was represented the Lord’s kingdom in the heavens, that is heaven, and the Lord’s kingdom on earth, or the church; which signification of “land” or “earth” has been several times treated of before. That the kingdom in the heavens and on earth has been given to the Lord, is evident from various passages of the Word. As in Isaiah:

Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, God, Hero, Father of eternity, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

In Daniel:

I saw in the night visions, and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven; and He came even to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a Kingdom; and all peoples, nations, and languages shall serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed (Dan 7:13-14). The Lord Himself also says the same in Matthew:

All things are delivered unto Me of My Father (Matthew 11:27)

also in Luke (10:22). And again in Matthew:

All power [potestas] has been given unto Me in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18).

In John:

Thou gavest to the Son power [potestas] over all flesh, that whatsoever Thou hast given Him, to them He should give eternal life (17:2, 3 (John 17:2-3). 17:2, 3).

The same is also signified by His “sitting at the right hand,” as in Luke:

Now from henceforth shall the Son of man sit at the right hand of the power of God (Luke 22:69).

[2] As regards all power being given unto the Son of man in the heavens and on earth, it is to be known that the Lord had power over all things in the heavens and on earth before He came into the world; for He was God from eternity and Jehovah, as He plainly says in John:

Now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self, with the glow which I had with Thee before the world was (John 17:5);

and again:

Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am ¹ (John 8:58);

for He was Jehovah and God to the Most Ancient Church that was before the flood, and was seen by them. He was also Jehovah and God to the Ancient Church that was after the flood. And it was He who was represented by all the rites of the Jewish Church, and whom they worshiped. But the reason He says that all power was given unto Him in heaven and on earth, as if it were then His for the first time, is that by “the Son of man” is meant His Human Essence; and this, when united to His Divine Essence, was also Jehovah, and at the same time had power; and this could not be the case until He had been glorified, that is, until by unition with the Divine Essence His Human Essence also had life in itself, and so became in like manner Divine and Jehovah; as He says in John:

As the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself (John 5:26).

[3] It is His Human Essence, or external man, that is likewise called “Son of man” in Daniel, in the passage quoted above; and of which it is said in the passage quoted from Isaiah, “A Child is born and a Son is given to us.” That the heavenly kingdom should be given to Him, and all power in the heavens and on earth, He now saw, and it was now promised Him; and this is signified by the words, “all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed after thee forever.” This was before His Human Essence had been united to His Divine Essence, which was united when He had overcome the devil and hell, that is, when by His own power and His own might He had expelled all evil, which alone disunites.

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