8900. It has been shown just above in 8897 that the Lord is meant by 'father' and His kingdom by 'mother' But in case there is any lingering doubt that in the internal sense 'mother' is used to mean the Lord's kingdom or heaven, let the following be added to what has been stated above. In the Word 'mother' is used to mean the Church, 289, 4257, 5581, which is also therefore called at one time the Lord's bride, at another His wife. And since the Lord's kingdom is the same as the Church, the only difference being that the Lord's kingdom on earth is called the Church, His kingdom too is meant by 'mother'. Consequently the sons or children born from that mother are truths, and they are called 'the sons of the kingdom', Matt 13:38, see 3373. The Lord's kingdom is also the native land of all who are there; and native land is meant by 'mother' in a natural sense, as the Church is in the spiritual sense.