Arcana Coelestia (Potts) n. 1163

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1163. That "Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan," were so many nations, by which in the internal sense are signified knowledges, memory-knowledges, and rituals that are of faith separated from charity, may be seen from the Word, where these nations are frequently mentioned; for such things are there signified by them; that is to say, by "Cush," or "Ethiopia," are signified the interior knowledges of the Word, whereby such men confirm false principles; by "Mizraim," or "Egypt," memory-knowledges or various matters of memory, whereby men desire to explore the mysteries of faith, and from them confirm principles of falsity; by "Put," or "Lybia," knowledges from the literal sense of the Word, by which in like manner they confirm false principles; and by "Canaan," or "the Canaanites," rituals, or the things of external worship separated from internal. All these, when separated from charity, are called "sons of Ham." By the same nations are also signified simply knowledges and memory-knowledges; by "Cush," the interior knowledges of the Word; by "Egypt," memory-knowledges; by "Put," knowledges from the literal sense of the Word. This is the reason why they are taken-as may be seen from the following passages-in both a bad and a good sense.


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