4097. 'Is there still any portion and inheritance for us in our father's house?' means the first state of the separation of those affections from the good meant by 'Laban'. This is clear from the meaning of 'Is there still any portion and inheritance for us?' as the question, 'Were they still in any way joined to that good?' and from the meaning of 'our father's house' as the good represented by 'Laban'. Consequently these words mean the first state of the separation of those affections from the good meant by Laban. For the first state exists at a time when the mind is subject to doubt; the second state when doubt is dispelled by means of reasons; the third is affirmation; and the last is action. In this way good together with truths passes gradually from the understanding part of the mind into the will part, and is made the person's own.