3489. That the church is of such a character does not appear to those who are within the church; namely, that they despise and hold in aversion all things which are of good and truth; also that they bear enmities against such things, and especially against the Lord Himself; for they frequent places of worship, hear preaching, and are in a kind of sanctity when there; they go to the Holy Supper, and at times converse with one another in a becoming manner concerning such things-this is done by bad men as well as by good men-and they also live among themselves in civic charity or friendship. Consequently in the eyes of men no contempt appears, still less aversion; and less still enmity against the goods and truths of faith, and thus against the Lord. These things however are external forms by which one person misleads another; while the internal forms of the men of the church are altogether unlike, being quite contrary to the external forms. The internal forms are those which are here described, and which are as above mentioned; their real quality appears to the life in the heavens, for the angels do not attend to any other than internal things, that is, to ends, or to intentions and desires, and to the derivative thoughts. [2] How unlike these are to the externals is evident from those who come from the Christian world into the other life, concerning whom see above (n. 2121-2126); for in the other life they think and speak according to their internals alone; for externals are left behind together with the body; and there it is manifest that however peaceable such have seemed in the world, they nevertheless entertained hatred one against another, and against all things which are of faith, and especially against the Lord; for when in the other life the Lord is merely mentioned in their presence, a sphere not only of contempt but also of aversion and enmity against Him is manifestly exhaled and diffused from them, even from those who in appearance had spoken and preached piously about Him; and it is the same when charity and faith are mentioned. [3] In the internal form (which is there manifested) they are of such a character that if while they had lived in this world their externals had been loosed and removed, that is, had they not then feared for their life and had they not feared the laws, and especially had they not feared for their reputation, on account of the honors which they solicited and pursued, and on account of the wealth which they desired and eagerly sought, they would have rushed one against another with intestine hatred, in accordance with their impulses and thoughts; and would have seized the goods of others without any conscience, and likewise without any conscience would have butchered others, most especially the innocent. Such as regards their interiors are Christians at this day [A.D. 1751], except a few whom they do not know; from which it is evident what is the quality of the church.
GENESIS 27
1. And it came to pass that Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim that he could not see, and he called Esau his elder son, and said unto him, My son; and he said unto him, Behold me. 2. And he said, Behold I pray I am old, I know not the day of my death. 3. And now take I pray thy weapons, thy quiver, and thy bow, and go out to the field, and hunt me a hunting. 4. And make me dainties, such as I have loved, and bring to me, and I will eat, that my soul may bless thee before I die. 5. And Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son; and Esau went to the field to hunt for a hunting, to bring it. 6. And Rebekah said unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, 7. Bring me a hunting, and make me dainties, and I will eat, and will bless thee before Jehovah before my death. 8. And now my son hearken unto my voice, according to that which I command thee. 9. Go now to the flock, and take me from thence two good kids of the she-goats, and I will make them dainties for thy father, such as he loveth. 10. And thou shalt bring to thy father, and he shall eat, that he may bless thee before his death. 11. And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. 12. Peradventure my father will feel me, and I shall be in his eyes as a misleader; and I shall bring upon myself a curse and not a blessing. 13. And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse my son; only hearken to my voice, and go, take for me. 14. And he went, and took, and brought to his mother; and his mother made dainties, such as his father loved. 15. And Rebekah took garments of desires of Esau her elder son that were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son. 16. And the skins of the kids of the she-goats she caused to be put upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck. 17. And she gave the dainties, and the bread, which she had made, into the hand of Jacob her son. 18. And he came unto his father and said, My father; and he said, Behold me, who art thou my son? 19. And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done according as thou spokest unto me; arise I pray thee, sit, and eat of my hunting, that thy soul may bless me. 20. And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast hastened to find it, my son? And he said, Because Jehovah thy God made it come to meet my face. 21. And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near I pray, and I will feel thee my son, whether thou be my very son Esau, or not. 22. And Jacob came near to Isaac his father, and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. 23. And he recognized him not, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau's hands; and he blessed him. 24. And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am. 25. And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's hunting, that my soul may bless thee; and he brought it near to him, and he did eat, and he brought him wine, and he drank. 26. And Isaac his father said unto him, Come near I pray, and kiss me, my son. 27. And he came near, and kissed him, and he smelled the smell of his garments, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which Jehovah hath blessed. 28. And God shall give thee of the dew of heaven, and of the fat things of the earth, and a multitude of corn and new wine. 29. Peoples shall serve thee, and peoples shall bow down themselves to thee. Be thou a master to thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down themselves to thee; cursed are they that curse thee, and blessed are they that bless thee. 30. And it came to pass as Isaac made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was scarcely yet gone out from the faces of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came from his hunting. 31. And he also made dainties, and brought unto his father, and he said unto his father, Let my father arise and eat of his son's hunting, that thy soul may bless me. 32. And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn, Esau. 33. And Isaac shuddered with exceeding great shuddering, and said, Who then is he that hath hunted hunting, and brought it to me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and blessed him? Yea, and he shall be blessed. 34. When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceeding great and bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, me also, O my father. 35. And he said, Thy brother came with fraud, and hath taken away thy blessing. 36. And he said, Is it not that his name is called Jacob? And he hath supplanted me these two times; he hath taken away my birthright, and behold now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me? 37. And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold I have made him thy master, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and new vine have I sustained him; and what then shall I do for thee, my son? 38. And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but this one blessing, my father? Bless me, me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept. 39. And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold of the fat things of the earth shall be thy dwelling, and of the dew of heaven from above. 40. And upon thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother, and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion that thou shalt break his yoke from upon thy neck. 41. And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him; and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father draw near, and I will kill Jacob my brother. 42. And the words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah; and she sent and called unto Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold Esau thy brother comforteth himself concerning thee to kill thee. 43. And now, my son, hearken unto my voice, and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran. 44. And tarry with him some days until thy brother's wrath turn away;
45. Until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him, and I will send and take thee from thence; why should I be bereaved even of you both in one day? 46. And Rebekah said to Isaac, I loathe my life because of the daughters of Heth; if Jacob should take a woman of the daughters of Heth, such as these, of the daughters of the land, wherefore have I lives?
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