8806. And sanctified the people. That this signifies the veiling over of the interiors that they may appear to be in the holiness of faith, is evident from what was unfolded above (n. 8788); but it was there set forth what was the sanctification with the Israelitish people, namely, that it was a veiling over of the interiors, so that as to their externals they might appear to be in what was holy when they were in representative worship; and that unless their interiors had then been veiled over, they would not only have defiled the holiness of worship by foul thoughts and evil affections, but would also have totally destroyed it, so that nothing celestial and spiritual which was represented in the external things would have been perceived therefrom in heaven.

[2] But as by “the sons of Israel” are here meant those who are of the spiritual church, it shall be briefly told what is meant by “sanctification” with these. They who are of the spiritual church and live a life of truth and from this a life of good, are withheld from evils and are kept in good by the Lord. The good which is from the Lord is holy with them. Consequently insofar as they receive good from the Lord, so far they are holy; and they receive so much of good from the Lord, that is, are so far holy, as they live a life of good according to the genuine truths of faith, and at the same time believe that all the good which they then think and do is from the Lord. Then, too, evils with them are separated so as not to appear at all, especially those which they have derived hereditarily from parents, and which are filthy, because they have been successively accumulated with the parents for many ages back, and thus amassed in the offspring. These are the interiors which with those who are of the spiritual church are hid away and as it were veiled over (n. 966, 1667, 2307, 2308, 3701, 4317, 8550). Hence it is that all the will they possess hereditarily is destroyed. For this cause a new will is formed with them in the intellectual part by means of truths of faith from the Lord. This is the reason why, when they are being regenerated, they are led by means of truths to good; and afterward when they have been regenerated, from good into the truths of good. Hence it is evident how a new will is created in them by the Lord. (That this is formed in the intellectual part with those who are of the spiritual church, see n. 863, 875, 895, 927, 1023, 1043, 1044, 1555, 2256, 4328, 4493, 5113, 6125)

1069. And he planted a vineyard. That this signifies a church therefrom, and that a “vineyard” is the spiritual church, is evident from the signification of a “vineyard.” In the Word churches are frequently described as “gardens” and also as the “trees of a garden” and are even so named. This is from their fruits, which signify the things belonging to love and charity; and therefore it is said that a man is “known by his fruit.” The comparing of churches to “gardens” “trees” and “fruits” originates from representations in heaven, where gardens of inexpressible beauty are sometimes presented to view, in accordance with the spheres of the faith. From the same origin the celestial church was described by the Paradisal Garden, in which were trees of every kind; and by the “trees” of that garden were signified the perceptions of that church, and by the “fruits” the goods of love of every kind. But the Ancient Church, being spiritual, is described by a “vineyard” from its fruits, which are grapes, and which represent and signify the works of charity.

[2] This is clearly evident from many passages of the Word, as in Isaiah:

I will sing for My beloved a song of My beloved touching his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard in a horn of the son of oil; and he made a hedge about it, and fenced it with stones, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also hewed out a wine-press therein and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes; and now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt Me and My vineyard: the vineyard of Jehovah of armies is the house of Israel (Isaiah 5:1-3, 7).

Here the “vineyard” signifies the Ancient Church, thus the spiritual church, and it is plainly said to be the house of Israel; for by “Israel” in the Word is signified the spiritual church, and by “Judah” the celestial church.

In Jeremiah:

Again will I build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: again shalt thou deck thy timbrels, and shalt go forth in the dance of them that make merry; again shalt thou plant vineyards upon the mountains of Samaria (Jeremiah 31:4-5), where “vineyards” denote the spiritual church; and the subject is Israel, by whom is signified the spiritual church, as just said.

[3] In Ezekiel:

When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the peoples, they shall dwell upon the land in confidence, and they shall build houses, and plant vineyards (Ezekiel 28:25-26).

Here a “vineyard” is the spiritual church, or “Israel;” and “to plant vineyards” is to be instructed in the truths and goods of faith.

In Amos:

I have smitten you with blasting and mildew; the multitude of your gardens, and your vineyards and your fig-trees and your olive-yards hath the palmer-worm devoured; thus will I do unto thee, O Israel (Amos 4:9, 12).

“Gardens” here denote the things of the church, “vineyards” the spiritual things of the church, “fig-trees” the natural things, “olive-yards” the celestial things; thus “vineyards” denote the things of the spiritual church, or Israel.

Again:

I will bring again the captivity of My people Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof, they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them (Amos 9:14).

“Planting vineyards” denotes the planting of the spiritual church; thus a “vineyard” means the spiritual church, or Israel.

[4] As a “vineyard” signifies the spiritual church, so also does a “vine;” for a vine is a part of a vineyard; so that they are as the church and a man of the church, and the signification is the same.

In Jeremiah:

Is Israel a servant? if he was born of the house, why is he become a prey? I had planted thee a wholly noble vine, a seed of truth; how then art thou turned into the averted branches of a strange vine unto Me? (Jeremiah 2:14, 21),

where a “vine” denotes the spiritual church, or “Israel.”

In Ezekiel:

Take thou up a lamentation for the princes of Israel; thy mother was like a vine, in thy likeness, planted by the waters, fruitful and full of leaves by reason of many waters (Ezekiel 19:1, 10).

A “vine” here denotes the Ancient Spiritual Church, which is the “mother;” thus “Israel” which is therefore said to be “in thy likeness.”

In Hosea:

Israel is an empty vine, which putteth forth fruit like himself (Hosea 10:1).”

A “vine” denotes the spiritual church, or “Israel” here desolated. Again:

O Israel, return unto Jehovah thy God; I will be as the dew unto Israel; they that dwell in his shadow shall return; they shall revive the corn, and blossom as the vine; his memory shall be as the wine of Lebanon (Hosea 14:1, 5, 7), where the “vine” denotes the spiritual church, or “Israel.”

In Moses:

Until Shiloh come; binding His young ass to the vine, and His ass’s colt unto the choice vine (Genesis 49:10-11).

This is a prophecy of the Lord; the “vine” and the “choice vine” denote spiritual churches.

[5] The Lord’s parables of the laborers in the vineyards in like manner signified spiritual churches (Matthew 20:1-16; 21:33-44; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-16). Since the “vine” signifies the spiritual church, and the primary thing of the spiritual church is charity, in which the Lord is present, and by means of which He conjoins Himself with man, and Himself alone works every good, therefore the Lord compares Himself to a vine, and describes the man of the church, or the spiritual church, in these words, in John:

I am the true vine and My Father is the husbandman; every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit, He will prune it, that it may bear more fruit; abide in Me, and I in you; as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, so neither can ye, except ye abide in Me; I am the vine, ye are the branches; he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit; for without Me ye can do nothing; this is My commandment, that ye love one another, even as I have loved you (John 15:1-5, 12); from these words it is evident what the spiritual church is.