6532. 'They left behind in the land of Goshen' means that those things were in the inmost part of [the Church's] factual knowledge. This is clear from the meaning of 'the land of Goshen' as the middle or inmost part within the natural, where the Church's factual knowledge resides, dealt with in 5910, 6028, 6031, 6068. The existence of the interior and the exterior forms of the good of innocence and charity, 6529-6531, in that inmost part is meant when it says that they left behind the young children, flocks and herds in the land of Goshen; for in whatever place things are left, that is where they are. Thus 'they left behind' here does not in the internal sense mean leaving behind but being there, that is to say, in the inmost part of the Church's factual knowledge, which is 'the land of Goshen'.

6028. 'To show [the way] before him to Goshen' means regarding the middle of the natural, that is to say, a communication regarding it. This is clear from the meaning of 'Goshen' as the middle, that is, the inmost part of the natural, dealt with in 5910. By the middle or inmost part of the natural is meant the best part there; for the best good exists in the middle, that is, in the centre or inmost part. Then surrounding it in every direction lie other grades of good, which follow a heavenly pattern and are positioned near to or further away from the best part in the middle in keeping with their degree of goodness. This is how different degrees of good are arranged into order with a regenerate person. But with the evil the grossest evils exist in the middle and all good is banished to the outermost parts, where it is constantly being pushed right outside. This pattern exists with evil persons in particular and in the hells in general, and is accordingly the hellish pattern. From what has now been said about the existence of the best part in the middle and other grades of good in order outside it one may see what is meant by a communication of the good of the Church with the internal celestial regarding the middle of the natural.