AC 6580 - Establishing the Spiritual Church Within Us

AC 6580

In the preceding verses of this chapter (Genesis 50)
the subject treated of is the spiritual church
that was to be set up again;
and after the external or natural
has been made completely submissive
to the internal or spiritual --
which is meant by Joseph's brethren
falling down before him
and offering themselves to him for servants --
the subject now treated of
is this church when set up again,
which is described in these verses
by Joseph's dwelling in Egypt,
and by sons being born of Ephraim,
and of Machir the son of Manasseh.

With the person who is a spiritual church
there is life from the internal
in the memory-knowledges of the church;
for the memory-knowledges with him
are made subordinate,
and reduced into such order
that they receive the influx of good and of truth,
so as to be receptacles of influx from the internal.
It is otherwise with those who are not a church,
the memory-knowledges with these persons
being so disposed
that things confirmatory of truth and good
have been rejected to the sides,
thus far removed from the light of heaven;
and thereafter the things that remain
are receptive of falsity and evil.