8979. 'If he is master of a woman' means truth together with delight linked to it This is clear from the meaning of 'master' as truth, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'a woman omen' as good, but at this point as delight, also dealt with below. The reason why 'master' is truth is that 'master' in this instance is used to refer to the slave as the man (or husband) of a woman, and in the internal sense both 'slave' and 'man (or husband) of a woman' mean truth - regarding 'slave', see above in 8974, and regarding 'man', 3134, 3309, 3459, 7716. The reason why 'a woman' is delight is that 'the woman (or wife) of a man' in the internal sense means good, 915, 2517, 4823, 6014, 8337. But since a member of the external Church, who indeed possesses the truth of religious teachings but not its complementary good, is represented by a slave from the Israelite people, 8974; and since he does not do the truth for its own sake, or good for its own sake, but for reward, there lies within the truth or good he does the thought of self. This thought of self has no association with good, only with delight; for nothing else is called good in the spiritual sense except that which is a form of love to the Lord and love towards the neighbour. This good does, it is true, present itself also as delight in the natural man; but the spiritual within it is what causes it to be good.
[2] To know more about the nature of all this it should be kept in mind that the actions of a member of the internal Church spring from charity, thus from affection and love towards the neighbour, whereas the actions of a member of the external Church do not spring from the good of charity but from the truth of faith, thus not from affection and love towards the neighbour but from obedience because such actions are commanded. Consequently the member of the internal Church is free, whereas the member of the external Church in comparison is a slave; for one whose actions spring from love and affection acts in freedom, 2870-2893. But someone whose actions spring from obedience does not act in freedom, for acting in obedience is not freedom. This is the reason why one whose actions spring from the good of charity is a true member of the spiritual Church; he therefore is represented in the Word by Israel. Someone however whose actions do not spring from the good of charity but from the truth of faith is not a true member of the spiritual Church, but is in comparison one who serves him. He therefore was represented by the slave who was called 'a Hebrew slave' because he had been bought from the children of Israel.
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