8648. After he had sent her away. That this signifies separation hitherto relatively to the state of those who are of the spiritual church, is evident from the signification of "sending away," as being separation. That it is relatively to the state of those who are of the spiritual church, is because in the first state of those who are in the spiritual church good does not appear, but only truth. How this is, can be seen from what has been already shown concerning the two states of those who are of the spiritual church; namely, that in the first state they act from truth and not from good, but in the second they act from good. In the first state, when they act from truth and not from good, good is as it were absent, and is like a wife that has been sent away; but in the second state, when they act from good, then good is present, and is like a wife that is conjoined with her man. This is what is meant in the internal sense by "after he had sent her away." [2] Be it further known, that this is relatively to those who are of the spiritual church, for the truth which proceeds from the Lord is always conjoined with its good; but in the first state, which is before regeneration, good is not received, but only truth, although both flow in through heaven from the Lord. In the second state however, which is after regeneration, good is received conjoined with truth. That which takes place with man is predicated as taking place with the Lord, for the reason that it so appears. This is the case in very many other instances, as for example, that the Lord does evil, punishes, casts into hell. These things are predicated of the Lord because it appears so, when yet all evil which befalls man is done by the man. There are very many such things in the Word, which however are plain to him who searches the Scriptures from the affection of truth, and for the sake of the good of life, because he is enlightened by the Lord.