6779. And the shepherds came, and drove them away. That this signifies that the teachers who were in evils set themselves in opposition, is evident from the signification of "shepherds," as being those who teach and lead to the good of charity (see n. 343, 3795, 6044), here those who teach, but as they are in evils do not lead to the good of charity (of which hereafter); from the signification of "driving away," as being to set themselves against; and from the signification of "daughters," who are those whom they drove away, as being the things of the church (of which above, n. 6775). By "shepherds" are here indeed signified those who teach, but who do not lead to the good of charity, because they are in evils. For those who are in evils never acknowledge that charity and its works contribute to salvation, because they cannot acknowledge what is contrary to their life, as this would be contrary to themselves. And because they are in evils, they do not even know what charity is, nor therefore what the works of charity are. They teach faith; by this they justify; and by it they promise heaven. These are they who set themselves against the doctrine of charity which is from the Word, consequently against those who are in the truth of simple good, who are signified by the "daughters of the priest of Midian," whom the shepherds drove away from the well, after they had drawn and filled the troughs to give drink to the flock.