491. The same things are signified by “sons” and “daughters” in this chapter (verses 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 26, 30), but such as is the church, such are the “sons and daughters” that is, such are the goods and truths; the truths and goods here spoken of are such as were distinctly perceived, because they are predicated of the Most Ancient Church, the principal and parent of all the other and succeeding churches.

4912. 'And said, She is more righteous than I am' means that no joining of what was external to what was internal existed, only what was internal to what was external. This is clear from what has been stated above regarding the Church among the Jewish nation and within that nation, in 4899, namely that the Church existed among that nation, that is, what was internal was joined to what was external, but that no Church existed within that nation, that is, what was external was not joined to what was internal. For if a Church is to exist within a nation, a reciprocal relationship must exist.