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Apocalypse Explained, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1757-9], tr. by John Whitehead [1911], at sacred-texts.com

Apocalypse Explained

Verse 12. For this rejoice, ye heavens and ye that dwell in them, signifies the salvation and consequent joy of those who become spiritual by the reception of Divine truth. This is evident from the signification of "rejoicing," as being joy on account of salvation; also from the signification of "heavens," as being those who are spiritual (of which presently); also from the signification of "ye that dwell," as being those who live, here spiritually. (That "to dwell" signifies to live, see above, n. 133, 479, 662.) "The heavens" signify those who are spiritual, because all who are in the heavens are spiritual; and because men who have become spiritual are likewise in the heavens, although in respect to the body they are in the world, so "ye that dwell in the heavens" means not only angels, but also men. For every man with whom the interior mind, which is called the spiritual mind, has been opened, is in the heavens, yea, sometimes he even appears among the angels in the heavens. That this is so has not been known heretofore in the world; let it be known, therefore, that man in respect to his spirit is among spirits and angels, and even in that society of them into which he is to come after death. This is because the spiritual mind of man is formed wholly to the image of heaven, even so that it is a heaven in least form; consequently that mind, although it is still in the body, must nevertheless be where its form is. But this has been more fully illustrated in the work on Heaven and Hell (n. 51-58), where it is shown that every angel and also every man, in respect to his interiors, if he be spiritual is a heaven in least form, corresponding to heaven in its greatest form. For this reason, where the Word treats of the creation of heaven and earth the church internal and external is meant in general, as also in particular the internal and external man, or the spiritual and natural man. From this it can be seen that "the heavens and those that dwell in them" signify all who are there, also men who are becoming spiritual by the reception of Divine truth in doctrine and life.

Woe to those that inhabit the earth and the sea, signifies lamentation over those who become merely natural and sensual. This is evident from the signification of "woe," as being lamentation (of which above, n. 531); also from the signification of "those that inhabit the earth and the sea," as being the merely natural and sensual; for as "those that dwell in the heavens" signify the spiritual, so "those that inhabit the earth and the sea" signify the natural and sensual, for the natural and sensual mind is beneath the spiritual mind, as the earth and sea are beneath the heavens. So also in the spiritual world the heavens appear on high, and far beneath them appear lands and seas; and the spiritual dwell in the heavens, while the natural dwell upon the earths far beneath them, and the sensual in the seas. For everyone has his dwelling place on high or in the deep, as his interiors, which are called interiors of the mind, are opened or closed. For this reason "heaven and earth" in certain passages in the Word signify the church internal and external, or spiritual or natural; also in particular the spiritual and the natural man, since the church is in man, and thence the man who is spiritual is a church. Here "the earth and the sea" signify the merely natural and sensual, because the earth here means the earth into which the dragon was cast out, and unto which the devil came down, as is next said. That is where the merely natural or external man is, since the natural man without the spiritual, or the external man without the internal, is upon the land that is condemned, under which is hell. For man is born sensual and natural, that is, as if in hell, because into evils of every kind; but by regeneration he becomes spiritual, and by it he is drawn out of hell and raised up into heaven by the Lord. This is why this lamentation is over those who are merely natural and sensual. There is lamentation over them because those are meant who are in faith separated from charity, that is, who say that they have faith and yet have no life of faith; and that such become merely natural and sensual has been shown above (n. 714, 739); such also are meant by "the dragon and his angels" and by "the old serpent," but here those are meant who permit themselves to be easily led astray by the dragon and his angels. It is of such, therefore, that it is said, "Woe to those that inhabit the earth and the sea." (That "heaven and earth" signify the internal church, which is spiritual, and the external church, which is natural, may be seen above, n. 304. That "the earth" also signifies damnation, n. 742. That "seas" signify the most external things of man's life, which are called sensual, n. 275, 342, 511; that they also signify the hells, n. 537, 538).

For the devil is come down unto you, signifies because they receive evils from hell. This is evident from the signification of "devil," as being the hell from which come evils (of which above, n. 740); also from the signification of "coming down unto them," as being, in reference to the devil, to be among them, to lead them astray, and to be received by them. Those unto whom the devil came down mean "those that inhabit the earth and the sea," and these signify the merely natural and sensual who have become such because they have rejected the life of faith, which is called charity; and those who reject this from religion, and who believe and say in their heart that what they do contributes nothing to salvation, but faith alone and piety in worship are what save, such continue natural, and even become sensual so far as they reject goods in act or deeds, and give themselves up to the pleasures that spring from the loves of self and of the world. Because such continue natural and even become sensual, they receive with delight the evils that rise up out of hell; for the natural man is in those evils from birth, and unless he becomes also spiritual he continues in them; for when man becomes spiritual he has communion with the heavens, and receives goods therefrom, and goods received from the Lord through heaven remove evils, which is effected solely by means of a life according to the commandments from the Word.

Having great anger, signifies hatred against spiritual truths and goods, which are of faith and life from the Word, consequently against those who are in them. This is evident from the signification of "great anger," as being, in reference to the devil, hatred. For in reference to the Lord "anger" signifies zeal, which however has heaven within it; but in reference to the devil it means hatred, which has hell within it. That these and many other things are signified by "anger" and "wrath" may be seen above (n. 413, 481 at the end, 647, 693). The devil's hatred is against spiritual truths and goods, because merely natural truths and goods are the direct opposites of these, for merely natural truths and goods are in their essence falsities and evils, although to those who are merely natural and sensual they appear to be truths and goods; because their goods are pleasures and delights flowing from the loves of self and the world, and their truths are whatever favor those goods; consequently as the loves of self and of the world are from hell, these goods and truths are in their essence evils and falsities. But spiritual truths and goods are in their essence truths and goods, because these goods are delights flowing from love to the Lord and from love towards the neighbor, and spiritual truths are what teach these goods; and these truths and goods are called spiritual because they are from the Lord through heaven, since everything that proceeds from the Lord is called spiritual. And since these truths and goods cannot be received by man unless he believes them and does them, it is added, which are of faith and life from the Word. To live from the Word is to live from the Lord, for the Lord is in the Word, yea, He is the Word. [2] Now as merely natural truths and goods, which in their essence are falsities and evils, are altogether opposite to spiritual truths and goods, which in their essence are truths and goods, therefore the devil, by whom is meant hell, is in unceasing hatred against them. This is why hatreds of various kinds are unceasingly ascending from the hells; while on the other hand, spiritual loves also of various kinds descend from the heavens, and between the hatreds of the hells and the loves of the heavens there is an equilibrium, in which the men in the world are held, in order that they may be able to act from freedom according to reason. Consequently those who do not live from the Word but from the world, since they continue natural, receive evils and the falsities thence from hell, and conceive from them hatred against spiritual truths and goods. Their hatred does not appear in the world, because it lies concealed inwardly in their spirit; but it becomes manifest after death, when they become spirits. Then they burn against those who are in spiritual truths and goods with a hatred so great that it cannot be described; it is indeed a deadly hatred; for as soon as they see an angel who is in these truths and goods, or if they merely hear the Lord named, from whom these truths and goods are, they instantly come into a fury of hatred, and feel nothing more delightful than to pursue them and to do evil to them. And as they are unable to slay their body they endeavor with a burning heart to slay their soul. [3] It is said, "Woe to those that inhabit the earth and the sea, for the devil is come down unto you having great anger," because after the Last Judgment the state of the spiritual world was altogether changed. Before the Last Judgment those who were able to live a civil and moral life in externals, although they were not spiritual, were permitted to form for themselves seeming heavens, and to enjoy there pleasures like those in the world; but after the Last Judgment was accomplished this is no longer permitted, for now everyone according to his life is carried off, he who is merely natural to hell and he who is spiritual to heaven. This also is the meaning of the words, "the dragon and his angels were cast out of heaven into the earth," namely, that before this it was granted them to have conjunction with the angels who were in the lowest heavens, and because of this to form for themselves such heavens; but now this is no longer permitted. This, then, is what is meant particularly by the hatred against those who are in spiritual truths and goods, which hatred is signified by the "great anger" that the devil has against "those that inhabit the earth and the sea."

Knowing that he hath a short time, signifies because the state is changed. This is evident from the signification of "time," as being the proceeding state of life (of which above, n. 571, 610, 664, 673); therefore "he hath a short time" signifies that the former state has been changed; for the former state is described by the words "the dragon and his angels were seen in heaven," while the latter state is described by "they were cast out into the earth" after the battle with Michael and his angels; what is the quality of this state has been briefly told in the preceding article, but a fuller description of this state shall be given after the conclusion of this work.

Verses 13-14. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth he persecuted the woman that brought forth the male. And there were given to the woman two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness into her place, where she is nourished a time and times and half a time, from the face of the serpent. 13. "And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth," signifies when the religion of faith alone separated from the life of charity was not acknowledged, but was accounted as vile (n. 757); "he persecuted the woman that brought forth the male," signifies that those who are meant by "the dragon" would from hatred and enmity reject and revile the church which is the New Jerusalem, because it has the doctrine of life (n. 758). 14. "And there were given to the woman two wings of a great eagle," signifies the spiritual intelligence and circumspection which the Lord gives to those who are of that church (n. 759); "that she might fly into the wilderness into her place," signifies as yet among a few, because it is among those who are not in the life of charity, and thence not in truths (n. 760); "where she is nourished a time and times and half a time from the face of the serpent," signifies until the church grows and comes to its fullness (n. 761).

Verse 13. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, signifies when the religion of faith alone separated from the life of charity was not acknowledged but was accounted as vile. This is evident from the signification of "seeing," as being to consider and to perceive; also from the signification of "the dragon," as being those in the church who make no account of the life; and as this is especially done by those who have the doctrine that faith alone is what justifies, and not at all a life of faith, which is charity (of which above, n. 714, 715, 716, 718, 737), therefore "the dragon" here signifies the religion of faith alone separated from the life of charity. Also from the signification of "cast unto the earth," as being that he was separated from heaven and condemned to hell (of which see above, n. 739, 742, 746). "To be cast unto the earth" here signifies that that religion was not acknowledged, but was accounted as vile, because whenever anything of religion or doctrine is not in accord with truth and good it is separated from heaven, and is no longer acknowledged, but is accounted as vile. This takes place first in the spiritual world, and afterward in the natural world; for in things pertaining to heaven and the church both worlds act as one; since a man who is living in the natural world can think about spiritual things no otherwise than the spirits and angels that are with him think, because spiritual things are above man's natural thought, and the things that are above are dependent on influx; yet this influx is received only by those who are inwardly spiritual, that is, who are in the affection of truth for the sake of truth, and who are living according to truths. By such the religion of faith separated from the life of charity is not acknowledged, but is accounted as vile. It is otherwise with those who have no affection for truths except for the sake of fame, honor, and gain, consequently who make no account of the life of charity. These receive no influx out of heaven, therefore they make one with hell. These are signified by "the dragon."

He persecuted the woman that brought forth the male, signifies that those who are meant by "the dragon" would from hatred and enmity reject and revile the church which is the New Jerusalem, because it has the doctrine of life. This is evident from the signification of "persecuting," as being, in reference to those who are meant by "the dragon," to reject and revile from hatred and enmity (of which presently); also from the signification of "the woman," as being the church that is called the New Jerusalem (of which above, n. 707, 721, 730); also from the signification of "the male," as being the doctrine of that church, which is the doctrine of life (see above, n. 724, 725). From this it is clear that "the dragon persecuting the woman that brought forth the male" signifies that those who are meant by the dragon will from hatred and enmity reject and revile the church which is the New Jerusalem, because it has the doctrine of life. That "to persecute" signifies here to reject and revile from hatred and enmity follows from what precedes, that "the dragon stood near the woman who was about to bring forth, that he might devour her offspring," and that "he fought with Michael and his angels," and that when he was cast unto the earth "he had great anger," and that from this anger, which signifies hatred, "he persecuted the woman;" that his "anger" signifies hatred see above (n. 754). His hatred is further described in what follows by the words, "he cast out after the woman out of his mouth water as a river, that it might swallow her up;" and at last, when he had tried all in vain, "he was wroth, and went away to make war with the remnant of her seed." [2] Those who are meant by "the dragon" have such hatred against those who are meant by "the woman," because those who are in faith separated from charity have such hatred against those who are in charity, and as those who are in separated faith have conjunction with the hells, their hatred is like that of the hells against the heavens. The source of this hatred shall also be briefly explained. All who are in the hells are in the loves of self and the world, but all who are in the heavens are in love to the Lord and love towards the neighbor, and these loves are direct opposites. Those who are in the loves of self and of the world love nothing but what is their own [proprium], and what is man's own is nothing but evil; but those who are in love to the Lord and love towards the neighbor do not love what is their own, for they love the Lord above self, and the neighbor beyond self. Moreover, they are withheld from what is their own, and are held in the Lord's own [proprium], which is the Divine. Furthermore, all the delights of life are delights of loves; the delights of the loves of self and of the world are the delights of various kinds of hatred, but the delights of love to the Lord and love towards the neighbor are the delights of various kinds of charity, and the former are the direct opposites of the latter; and as those who are in the hells act in all their activities from the delights of their loves, which, as has been said, are the delights of various kinds of hatred, it is evident why the dragon has such hatred against the woman; for "the dragon" means those who are in the love of self; and this is why he is called "the great red dragon," "great red" signifying that love. He is also called "the devil" and "Satan," "the devil" meaning every evil that is from hell, and "Satan" every falsity therefrom, and evil is in hatred against good, and falsity is in hatred against truth. He is also called "the old serpent," which means the sensual, which is the ultimate of man's life, and in that sensual all such hatred has its seat. Those who are in faith separated from charity have a like hatred against those who are in charity; which hatred is not manifested in this world, but in the spiritual world when they become spirits. That this is a deadly hatred, and that it is the very delight of the life of evil spirits, may be seen above (n. 754); but that such delight is turned into what is direfully infernal may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell (n. 485-490).

[Verse 14.] And there were given to the woman two wings of a great eagle, signifies spiritual intelligence and circumspection which the Lord gives to those who are of that church. This is evident from the signification of "the woman," as being the church that is called the New Jerusalem (treated of above), consequently the men of that church; also from the signification of "wings," as being things spiritual (of which above, n. 282, 283, 529); also from the signification of an "eagle," as being intelligence and circumspection (of which above, n. 282). From this it follows that "there were given to the woman two wings of a great eagle" signifies the spiritual intelligence and circumspection that the Lord gives to those who are of that church. [2] What this means shall now be told. As all who are meant by "the dragon and his angels" are natural, yea, sensual, as has been shown above, and as such reason from appearances, which for the most part are fallacies, and thereby lead astray the simple, therefore it is granted to the men of the New Church that is called the Holy Jerusalem to behold the Divine truths that are in the Word, not sensually, that is, according to appearances, but spiritually, that is, according to their essences; for this reason the internal sense of the Word, which is spiritual and is solely for those who will be of that church, has been disclosed. From that sense Divine truth is seen such as it is in its own spiritual light, and from that light such as it is in its own natural light. Divine truth is the Word, and those who are of that church are enlightened by the spiritual light of the Word by influx from the Lord out of heaven, for the reason that they acknowledge the Divine in the Lord's Human, and are in the spiritual affection of truth from Him. They and no others receive spiritual light, which is continually flowing in from the Lord through heaven with all who read the Word. From this they have enlightenment. [3] How enlightenment is effected shall also be told. Every man in respect to his thoughts and affections is in the spiritual world, consequently he is there in respect to his spirit, for it is the spirit of man that thinks and that is affected. The man who becomes spiritual by being regenerated by the Lord is in respect to his spirit in a heavenly society, while the natural man, that is, one who is not regenerated, is in respect to his spirit in an infernal society; with the latter evils flow in continually from hell, and are also received with delight; but with the former goods flow in continually from heaven, and are also received; and as goods flow into his affection, and through the affection into his thought, from that he has enlightenment. This enlightenment is what is meant by the spiritual intelligence and circumspection that are signified by "the wings of an eagle" given to the woman, with which she flew into the wilderness. The spiritual also are comparatively like eagles flying on high; while those who are merely natural are comparatively like serpents who creep on the ground, and see the eagles above them. For this reason the dragon is called a "serpent" in the next verse. [4] Furthermore, "the wings of an eagle" that were given to the woman signify the understanding of truth; for all who are of that church have the understanding enlightened and from this they are able to see truth from the light of truth, that is, whether a thing be true or not true. Because they see truth in this way they acknowledge it, and receive it with the affection which is of the will. By this the truths they have are made spiritual; and in consequence the spiritual mind, which is above the natural mind, is opened with them; and when this is opened it receives angelic sight, which is the sight of truth itself from its own light. On the other hand, those who are not of that church, who are they who do not acknowledge the Divine in the Lord's Human, and who do not love truth because it is truth, that is, spiritually, cannot have the understanding so enlightened as to be able to see whether a thing be true or not; but they see appearances of truth as genuine truths, and confirm them as genuine truths from the sense of the letter of the Word; and yet most things in that sense of the Word are appearances of truth; and if these are confirmed as genuine truths they are falsified, and falsified truths are falsities. Because they are unable to see truths from the light of truth, and thus apprehend them in the understanding, they are in an obscure, yea, in a blind faith about what is to be believed; and a blind faith is like an eye that sees little or nothing. Yea a blind faith is not faith, but only a persuasion; and as such a persuasion is from another, either from some master or preacher, or from the Word not understood, it is a historical faith, which is natural and not spiritual. Because such persons do not see truths they also say and wish that the doctrinals of the church should not be approached or regarded with any understanding, but that they should be received with that obedience that is called the obedience of faith; and whether the things that are received with a blind obedience are true or false is not known. [5] Such things cannot open the way to heaven, for in heaven nothing is acknowledged as truth except what is seen, that is, understood. Moreover, the light of heaven is such that by it truths appear before the understanding of the mind, as objects in the world appear before the sight of the eye; consequently when those in the world who have seen truths only from a blind sight of faith are conveyed into heaven to the angels, they see nothing at all, not even the angels there, much less the magnificent things they have. Then their understanding also becomes stupefied and their eyes are darkened and thus they withdraw. It is to be known that this is true of all such as have separated charity from faith; but all those who have not separated them, but have lived the life of faith which is called charity, have a desire to see truths; consequently when they come into the spiritual world, which takes place at death, it is granted them to see truths, and this for the reason that they have their spiritual mind opened, and are therefore in the light of heaven, into which they are actually admitted, after their departure from the natural world. From this it can be seen what is signified by "the wings of an eagle," namely, the understanding of truth; and as "the woman" means the New Jerusalem, therefore the wings being given to her signifies that the understanding of truth was given, and will be given, to those who will be of that church.

That she might fly into the wilderness into her place, signifies as yet among a few, because it is among those who are not in the life of charity, that in the meantime provision may be made for the church among many. This is evident from the explanations above (n. 730, 731), where like things are said, only with the difference that there the woman is said "to have fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared by God," but here, that "she might fly into the wilderness into her place."

Where she is nourished a time and times and half a time, from the face of the serpent, signifies until the church grows and comes to its fullness. This is evident from the signification of "to be nourished," as being to be sustained, and in the meantime to grow; from the signification of "a time and times and half a time," as being a state of increase of the church, even to its fullness, for this has a similar signification as "a thousand two hundred and sixty days," in the sixth verse above, for it is there, too, said of the woman that "she fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared by God, that there they may nourish her a thousand two hundred and sixty days." That this number has a similar signification as the number "three and a half," as also the number "seven," namely, until it grows to its full, may be seen above (n. 732). But here it is said "a time, times, and half a time," because the above named numbers in their places also signify times, and "times" signify the states of life in their progress (as may be seen above, n. 571, 610, 664, 673, 747), so here, their progress and growth even to fullness. It is said "a time, times, and half a time," because "time" in the singular signifies a state of good, "times" in the plural a state of truth, both in respect to their implantation, and "half a time" signifies a holy state of the church. They have this signification because a thing in the singular involves good, in the plural truths, and a "half" holiness; a "half" involves holiness because "three," likewise "three and a half" and "seven," signify fullness, but "seven" signifies fullness when things holy are treated of, and the half after the three fills out or constitutes the number seven, for three and a half doubled makes seven, and a number doubled or multiplied has a similar signification as the number that is doubled or multiplied, as seven has a similar signification here as three and a half. That "seven" signifies fullness and the whole, and is predicated of things holy, may be seen above (n. 20, 24, 257). That "a time, times, and half a time," have this signification can be seen from these words in Daniel: A man clothed in linen held up his right hand and his left hand unto the heavens, and sware by Him that liveth forever that it shall be for a fixed time of fixed times and a half; and when they shall make an end of scattering the hand of the people of holiness all these things shall be consummated (Dan. 12:7). From this it is clear that these times signify a consummation, for it is said "until all these things shall be consummated," and consummation means fulfillment, thus even to fullness.

Verses 15-16. And the serpent cast out after the woman out of his mouth water as a river, that he might cause her to be swallowed up by the river. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth. 15. "And the serpent cast out after the woman out of his mouth water as a river," signifies crafty reasonings in abundance respecting justification by faith alone by those who think sensually and not spiritually (n. 763); "that he might cause her to be swallowed up by the river," signifies that that church might be blinded and scattered by reasonings (n. 763 1/2) 16. "And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth," signifies that those who are of the church that is not in truths afforded assistance, and did not receive the crafty reasonings of those who were in faith separated from charity (n. 764).

Verse 15. And the serpent cast out after the woman out of his mouth water as a river, signifies crafty reasonings in abundance respecting justification by faith alone by those who think sensually and not spiritually. This is evident from the signification of a "serpent," as being those who are sensual, and in an abstract sense the sensual, which is the ultimate of the natural in man (see above, n. 70, 581, 739); that "dragons" also mean those who are sensual may be seen above (n. 714); also from the signification of "the woman," as being the church which will be the New Jerusalem (which is treated of in this chapter several times); also from the signification of "mouth," as being thought, from which is speech (see above n. 580); also from the signification of "water," as being the truth of faith, and in the contrary sense falsity (see above, n. 483, 518, 537, 538); also from the signification of "river," as being intelligence from the understanding of the truth, and in the contrary sense reasoning from falsities (see also above, n. 518); consequently "casting out water as a river" signifies reasoning from falsities in abundance. Keen reasonings respecting justification by faith alone by those who think sensually and not spiritually are here meant, because "the dragon" means those who defend justification by faith alone, and who are sensual, and therefore think and reason sensually and not spiritually. (That "the dragon" signifies those who defend justification by faith alone may be seen above, n. 714.) This is meant for the reason also that "dragons" and "serpents" signify those who are sensual, and because sensual men are more crafty than the rest, and reason keenly from falsities and from fallacies. (That "the dragon" and "the serpent" in an abstract sense signify craftiness may be seen above, n. 715, 739, 581.) From this it is clear what is signified by the words "the dragon cast out after the woman out of his mouth water as a river." [2] Because such is the signification, something shall also be said about their crafty reasonings respecting justification by faith alone. Their dogma is that man is justified and saved by faith alone without the works of the law, which are the goods of charity. But inasmuch as they find in the Word of both Testaments "works" and "deeds," as well as "doing" and "loving," so frequently mentioned, they can do no otherwise than affirm that one ought to live well; but since they have separated works or deeds from faith as not justifying and saving, they craftily join these and faith together, but still in such a manner that they rather separate than conjoin them. But as their reasonings are too abundant and too crafty to be set forth in a few words, therefore they shall be set forth in a small work on Spiritual Faith, and be so presented as to be comprehended even by the simple. It is commonly believed, and they themselves who defend justification by faith alone believe, that they think and reason spiritually because they think and reason keenly and craftily. But let it be known that only he who is in enlightenment from the Lord, and thence in the spiritual affection of truth, thinks and reasons spiritually, for these are in the light of truth, and the light of truth is the light of heaven from which the angels have intelligence and wisdom; that light is what is called spiritual light, and consequently those who are in that light are spiritual. But those who are in falsities, however keenly they may think and reason, are not spiritual, but natural, yea, sensual, for their thoughts and reasonings therefrom are for the most part from the fallacies of the senses, which some adorn with eloquence and embellish with the flowers of rhetoric, and confirm by appearances from nature alone, while others add knowledges and adapt them to their reasonings, and these they proclaim from the fire of self-love and the pride of self-intelligence therefrom that sounds like the affection of truth. In such things their craftiness consists, and to such as cannot or dare not enter with any understanding into the things that pertain to the church and the Word this seems to be wisdom. Sensual men have the ability to think, speak, and act craftily, because all evil has its seat in man's sensual, and in it cunning is as predominant as intelligence is in the spiritual man. This has been made evident to me by the cunning of the infernals, which is such and so great that it cannot be described; and in the hells all are sensual. This is the meaning of the Lord's words in Luke: The sons of this age are for their own generation more prudent than the sons of the light (Luke 16:8); also by these words respecting the serpent in Moses: The serpent was more crafty than any wild beast of the field which Jehovah God had made (Gen. 3:1); "the serpent" signifies the sensual of man.

 764-1 That he might cause her to be swallowed up by the river, signifies in order that the Church might be blinded and dissipated by the ratiocinations. This follows from the meaning of "river," namely, ratiocinations, as said just above, and from the meaning of "to cause to be swallowed up," and "to swallow up," in that it is "to destroy." This is to be blinded and dissipated because to destroy by ratiocinations from falsities is understood. And he who perishes from falsities, is first blinded so that he does not see truths. And when truths are no longer seen, the Church with him is dispersed as well. For the Church is the Church from truths.

 765-1 Verse 16. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth, signifies that those who are of the church that is not in truths afforded assistance, and did not receive the crafty reasonings of those who were in faith separated from charity. This is evident from the signification of the "earth" that helped the woman, as being the church that is not in truths, for here the "earth" means the earth of the wilderness, into which the woman fled, and where she had a place prepared of God. (That "the earth of the wilderness" signifies the church that is not in truths because it is not in good, is evident from the signification of "earth," as being the church, see above, n. 29, 304, 417, 697, 741, 742, 752; also from the signification of "wilderness" as being where there is no truth, of which also above, n. 730.) The above is evident also from the signification of "helping the woman," as being to afford assistance to the New Church which is called the Holy Jerusalem; also from the signification of "opening her mouth and swallowing up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth," as being the keen reasonings of those who were in faith separated from charity; for "the river of waters" that the dragon cast out of his mouth signifies the keen reasonings from falsities, as is evident from the two preceding articles, and "to open the mouth and swallow," in reference to the church that is signified by the "earth," signifies to take away; and as a thing is taken away when it is not received, it signifies not to receive. [2] These things must be understood as follows: It is said above that "the woman fled into the wilderness where she hath a place prepared by God," and afterwards that she received "the wings of an eagle and flew to her place," which signifies that the church that is called the New Jerusalem is to tarry among those who are in the doctrine of faith separate while it grows to fullness, until provision is made for it among many. But in that church there are dragons who separate faith from good works not only in doctrine but also in life; but the others in the same church who live the life of faith, which is charity, are not dragons, although they are among them, for they do not know otherwise than that it is according to doctrine that faith produces fruits, which are good works, and that the faith that justifies and saves is believing what is in the Word, and doing it. But the dragons have wholly different sentiments; but what these are the others do not comprehend, and because they do not comprehend them they do not receive them. From this it is clear that the church consisting of those who are not dragons is meant by the "earth" that "helped the woman and swallowed up the river that the dragon cast out of his mouth." But what and how crafty and even pernicious are the reasonings of those who are meant by "the dragon" about the separation of faith from good works, and about their conjunction, will, the Lord willing, be revealed elsewhere; likewise that these reasonings are only with the learned leaders of the church, and are not known to the people of the church because they are not understood by them, therefore it is by the latter that the New Church which is called the Holy Jerusalem, is helped and also grows.

Verse 17. And the dragon was angry against the woman, and went away to make war with the remnant of her seed, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. "And the dragon was angry against the woman," signifies the hatred of those who are meant by "the dragon" against the church that is the New Jerusalem, enkindled by a perception that it is favored by many (n. 767); "and went away to make war with the remnant of her seed," signifies and an ardent effort, springing from a life of evil, to assault the truths of doctrine of that church (n. 768); "who keep the commandments of God," signifies with those who live the life of faith, which is charity (n. 769); "and have the testimony of Jesus Christ," signifies and who acknowledge the Divine in the Lord's Human (n. 770).

Verse 17. And the dragon was angry against the woman, signifies the hatred of those who are meant by "the dragon" against the church that is the New Jerusalem, enkindled by a perception that it is favored by many. This is evident from the signification of "anger," as being, in reference to the dragon, hatred (of which above, n. 754, 758), therefore "to be angry" means to hate; that this is a grievous hatred enkindled by a perception that the church is favored by many, follows as a consequence from what precedes and from what follows; from what precedes, namely, that "the earth opened her mouth and helped the woman, and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth," which signifies that the church, in which there are also dragons, rendered assistance, and did not accept their keen reasonings respecting faith alone; and from what follows namely, that "the dragon went away to make war with the remnant of her seed," which signifies an ardent effort from that hatred to assault the truths of doctrine of that church. So "the anger of the dragon" here signifies such hatred enkindled by a perception that it is favored by many; for, as has been said above, "the woman fled into the wilderness into a place prepared by God" signifies that the church which is the New Jerusalem was among a few, while provision was making for it among many, and for its growing to fullness.

And went away to make war with the remnant of her seed, signifies and an ardent effort, springing from a life of evil, to assault the truths of doctrine of that church. This is evident from the signification of "going away," as being an ardent effort from a life of evil (of which presently); also from the signification of "making war," as being to assault and to wish to destroy (of which above, n. 573, 734); also from the signification of "her seed," as being the truths of doctrine of the church (of which also presently). It is said "the remnant of her seed" because it means those who are in these truths, and in an abstract sense the truths of that church, which they believe themselves capable of assaulting and destroying. "To go away" signifies an ardent effort from a life of evil, because "to go" signifies in the spiritual sense to live, therefore in the Word the expressions "going with the Lord," and "walking with Him" and "after Him," are used, and these signify to live from the Lord; but when "going" is predicated of the dragon, whose life is a life of evil, it signifies to make an effort from that life; and because that effort is an effort from hatred, which is signified by "his anger" (see above, n. 754, 758), so an ardent effort is signified because he who makes an effort from hatred makes an ardent effort. [2] As the hatred of those who are meant by "the dragon" is a hatred against those who are in the truths of doctrine of the church which is the New Jerusalem, therefore it is a hatred against the truths of doctrine that such have. For those who are in love towards anyone, as also those who are in hatred against anyone, are indeed in love towards a person or in hatred against a person with whom those things are which they either love or hate, and these are the truths of doctrine with them, therefore the truths of doctrine are signified by "the remnant of her seed." This shows that in the spiritual sense of the Word person is not regarded, but a thing abstracted from person, as here a thing that is with the person. This may be further illustrated by the saying in the Word that the neighbor must be loved as one loves himself, but in the spiritual sense this does not mean that the neighbor is thus to be loved in respect to person, but those things are to be loved which are from the Lord with the person; for a person is not actually loved because of his being a person or a man, but because of his being such as he is; thus the person is loved because of his quality, consequently that quality is meant by "neighbor," and that is the spiritual neighbor or the neighbor in the spiritual sense that must be loved; and this with those who are of the Lord's church is everything that proceeds from the Lord; and this in general refers to all good, spiritual, moral, and civil; therefore those who are in these goods love those who are in the same goods; and this therefore is to love one's neighbor as oneself. [3] From this it can be seen that "the remnant of her seed," namely, of the woman who signifies the church, means those who are in the truths of doctrine of that church; and in a sense abstracted from persons which is the genuine spiritual sense, the truths of the doctrine of that church are meant. Likewise elsewhere in the Word, as in the following passages. In Moses: I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and the woman's seed. He shall trample on thy head and thou shalt wound his heel (Gen. 3:15). This is a prophecy respecting the Lord. The "serpent" here signifies the sensual of man, where what is man's own has its seat, which in itself is nothing but evil; and the "woman" signifies the spiritual church, or the church which is in Divine truths. And as the sensual of man has been destroyed, and when the man of the church becomes spiritual he is elevated out of the sensual, it is said, "there shall be enmity between thee and the woman." "The seed of the serpent" signifies all falsity from evil, and "the seed of the woman" all truth from good, and in the highest degree Divine truth; and as all Divine truth is from the Lord, and as by it the Lord destroys falsity from, evil, it is said "He shall trample on thy head, "He" meaning the Lord, and "head" all falsity from evil. That the sensual would still do injury to Divine truth in its ultimates, which is the Word in the sense of the letter, is signified by "He shall wound the heel;" "the heel" signifying that ultimate and that sense. That the ultimate of truth and the sense of the letter have suffered and do still suffer hurt from the sensual, can be seen from this single example, that the papists understand the woman here to mean Mary and the worship of her; therefore in their Bibles the reading is not "He," but "it" and "she." So in a thousand other passages. [4] In Jeremiah: Behold the days shall come in which I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and with the seed of beast (Jer. 31:27). This is said of the Lord, and of the New Church from Him. His coming is signified by "Behold the days shall come;" "to sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah" signifies to reform those who will be of that church, "the house of Israel" signifying the spiritual church, and "the house of Judah" the celestial church; and as reformation is effected by means of spiritual truths and by means of natural truths therefrom, it is said "with the seed of man and with the seed of beast;" "the seed of man" signifying spiritual truth from which man has intelligence, and "the seed of beast" signifying natural truth from which man has knowledge, also life according to it, both of these from the affection of good. That "man" signifies the affection of spiritual truth and good may be seen above (n. 280); and "beast" natural affection (n. 650); thus "the seed of man and the seed of beast" signify the truths of those affections. In Malachi: There is not one who doeth this who hath the spirit; is there one that seeketh the seed of God? (Mal. 2:15) "Is there one that seeketh the seed of God?" signifies that no one seeks Divine truth; evidently "the seed of God" here signifies Divine truth; so "the born of God" mean those who are regenerated by the Lord by means of Divine truth, and a life according thereto. [5] In Isaiah: Jehovah willed to bruise Him, He hath weakened Him; if Thou shalt make His soul a guilt offering, He shall see seed, He shall prolong days, and the will of Jehovah shall prosper by His hand (Isa. 53:10). This is said of the Lord, and the whole of this chapter treats of His temptations, by means of which He subjugated the hells. The increasing grievousness of His temptations is described by "Jehovah willed to bruise Him, and to weaken Him;" the most grievous temptation, which was the passion of the cross, is signified by "if Thou shalt make His soul a guilt offering;" "to make His soul a guilt offering" signifies the last temptation, by which He fully subjugated the hells and fully glorified His Human, which is the means of redemption. The Divine truth that afterwards proceeded from His Divine Human, and the salvation of all who receive Divine truth from Him, is signified by "He shall see seed;" that this will continue forever is signified by "He shall prolong days;" "to prolong" signifying in reference to the Lord to continue forever, and "days" signifying states of light, which are states of the enlightenment of all by Divine truth; that this is from His Divine for the salvation of the human race is signified by "the will of Jehovah shall prosper by His hand." [6] In the same: Fear not, for I am with thee; I will bring thy seed from the sunrise, and I will bring thee together from the west; I will say to the north, Give, and to the south, Hold not back; bring my sons from afar, and my daughters from the end of the earth (Isa. 43:5, 6). This is supposed to refer to the bringing back of the sons of Israel into the land of Canaan; but this is not the meaning here; but it means the salvation by the Lord of all who receive Divine truth from Him; and of whom the New Church consists; this is what is signified by "His seed which shall be brought from the sunrise, and brought together from the west, and which the north shall give and the south 768-1 shall not hold back," therefore it also follows: "Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the end of the earth;" "sons" signifying those who are in the truths of the church, and "daughters" those who are in its goods. (But these words may be seen explained above, n. 422, 724.) [7] In the same: On the right hand and on the left thou shalt break forth, and thy seed shall inherit the nations and make the desolate cities to be inhabited (Isa. 54:3). This is said of the church from the Lord with the Gentiles, which church is here meant by "the barren woman that did not bear," who should have many sons (verse 1). "The seed that shall inherit the nations" signifies the Divine truth that shall be given to the Gentiles; "to break forth on the right hand and on the left" signifies extension and multiplication; the "right hand" signifying truth in light, and the "left hand" truth in the shade, for the reason that in the spiritual world to the right hand is the south where those are who are in the clear light of truth, and to the left is the north where those are who are in an obscure light of truth. "To make the desolate cities to be inhabited" signifies their life according to Divine truths, which before this had been lost; "cities" meaning the truths of doctrine from the Word; "to be inhabited" signifying to live according to truths, and "desolate cities" those truths heretofore lost, that is, with the Jewish nation. [8] In the same: Their seed shall become known among the nations and their offspring in the midst of the peoples; all that see them shall acknowledge them that they are the seed that Jehovah hath blessed (Isa. 61:9). This, too, is said of the church to be established by the Lord. "The seed that shall become known among the nations" signifies Divine truth that will be received by those who are in the good of life; "and the offspring in the midst of the peoples" signifies life according to Divine truth; "those that see them and shall acknowledge that they are the seed" signifies enlightenment, that it is the genuine truth that they receive; "that Jehovah hath blessed" signifies that it is from the Lord. But such is the signification of these words in a sense abstracted from persons, but in a strict sense those are meant who will receive Divine truth from the Lord. [9] In the same: They are the seed of the blessed of Jehovah, and their offspring with them (Isa. 65:23). This, also, is said of the church from the Lord; and "the seed of the blessed of Jehovah" means those who will receive Divine truth from the Lord; and "their offspring," those who live according to it; but in the sense abstracted from persons, which is the genuine spiritual sense, "seed" means Divine truth, and "offspring," a life according to it (as just above). "Offspring" mean those who live according to Divine truth, and in an abstract sense life according to it, because the word in the original rendered "offspring" means going out or proceeding, and that which goes out or proceeds from Divine truth received is a life according to Divine truth. [10] In the same: As the new heavens and the new earth which I am about to make shall stand before Me, so shall your seed and your name stand (Isa. 66:22). This, too, is said of the Lord, and of the salvation of the faithful by Him; the New Church from Him is meant by "new heavens and a new earth;" by "new heavens" an internal church, and by "a new earth" an external church; that Divine truth and its quality shall endure is signified by "your seed and your name shall stand;" "seed" signifying Divine truth, which also is the truth of doctrine from the Word, and "name" signifying its quality. (That "name" signifies the quality of a thing and of a state, may be seen above, n. 148.) [11] In David: Thou hast founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of Thy hands; they shall perish, and Thou shalt stand; they shall all wax old like garments, like a vesture shalt Thou change them, and they shall be changed; but Thou art the same, and Thy years shall have no end; the sons of Thy servants shall dwell, and their seed shall be established before Thee (Ps. 102:25-28). "The earth" which God formed, and "the heavens the work of His hands," which shall perish, have a similar signification as "the former earth and the former heaven" that passed away (in Rev. 21:1; about which, see at that place); and as the face of the earth and heavens in the spiritual world will be altogether changed at the day of the Last Judgment, and there will be a new earth and new heavens in place of the former, it is said "they shall all wax old like garments, like a vesture shalt Thou change them, and they shall be changed;" they are likened to garments because garments signify external truths, such as those had who were in the former heavens and the former earth, which were not permanent because they were not in internal truths. The state of Divine truth that shall endure from the Lord to eternity is signified by "Thou shalt stand," and "Thou art the same, and Thy years shall have no end;" "the years of God" signifying the states of Divine truth. "The sons of Thy servants shall dwell, and their seed shall be established before Thee," signifies that angels and men, who are recipients of Divine truth, shall have eternal life, and that truths of doctrine shall endure with them to eternity; "the sons of the servants of God" meaning angels and men who are recipients of Divine truth, and "their seed" meaning truths of doctrine. [12] In the same: A seed that shall serve Him shall be counted to the Lord for a generation (Ps. 22:30). This also is said of the Lord; and "the seed that shall serve Him" means those who are in the truths of doctrine from the Word; and "it shall be counted to the Lord for a generation" signifies that they shall be His to eternity; "to be counted" signifying to be arranged and disposed in order, here to be numbered with or added to, thus to be His. [13] In many passages in the Word mention is made of "the seed of Abraham," "of Isaac," and "of Jacob," likewise of "the seed of Israel," and in the historical sense of the letter their posterity is meant; but in the spiritual sense Divine truth and the truth of doctrine from the Word are meant, for the reason that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Israel, mean in that sense the Lord, as can be seen from passages in the Word where they are mentioned; as where it is said: That they shall come from the east and from the west, and shall recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of the heavens (Matt. 8:11); which means the enjoyment of celestial good from the Lord. So also elsewhere. And as the Lord is meant by them in the internal sense, "their seed" signifies Divine truth which is from the Lord, and thus also the truth of doctrine from the Word; as in these passages. In Moses: Jehovah said to Abram, All the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it and to thy seed forever; and I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth (Gen. 13:15, 16). Look up towards the heavens and number the stars, so shall thy seed be (Gen. 15:5). In thy seed shall all the nations be blessed (Gen. 22:18). To Isaac: To thee and to thy seed will I give all these lands; and I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed (Gen. 26:3-5). To Jacob: Unto thy seed after thee will I give this land (Gen. 35:12). The land given to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, and to their seed after them (Deut. 1:8). The seed of your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Deut. 4:37; 10:15; 11:9). Since, as has been said, the Lord is meant by "Abraham," "Isaac," and "Jacob;" by "Abraham" the Lord in reference to the celestial Divine of the church; by "Isaac" in reference to the spiritual Divine of the church, and by "Jacob" in reference to the natural Divine of the church, so their "seed" signifies Divine truth proceeding from the Lord; "the seed of Abraham" signifying celestial Divine truth; "the seed of Isaac" spiritual Divine truth, and "the seed of Jacob" natural Divine truth; consequently those also are meant who are in Divine truth from the Lord. But the "land which the Lord will give to them" means the church which is in Divine truth from Him; and thence it may be known what is signified by "in their seed shall all nations be blessed;" for they could not be blessed in their posterity, namely, in the Jewish and Israelitish nation, but they were to be blessed in the Lord and from the Lord by the reception of Divine truth from Him. [14] That "the seed of Abraham" does not mean the Jews is evident from the Lord's words in John: The Jews answered, We are Abraham's seed, and have never been servants to any man. Jesus answered, I know that ye are Abraham's seed; yet ye seek to kill Me, because My word hath no place in you; ye are of your father the devil (John 8:33, 34, 37, 44). From this it is evident that the Jews are not meant by "the seed of Abraham," but that "Abraham" means the Lord, and "the seed of Abraham" Divine truth from the Lord, which is the Word; for it is said, "I know that ye are Abraham's seed; yet ye seek to kill Me, because My word hath no place in you." The Lord's saying "I know that ye are Abraham's seed" signifies that He knew that the truth of the church, which is the Word, was with them; but that they nevertheless rejected the Lord is signified by "ye seek to kill Me;" and that they were not in Divine truths from the Lord is signified by "because My word hath no place in you;" that there was with them nothing but evil and falsity therefrom is signified by "ye are of your father the devil, and the truth is not in him;" and afterwards, "when he speaketh a lie he speaketh from his own;" "lie" signifying Divine truth, or the Word, adulterated. The Lord said "I know that ye are Abraham's seed" for the further reason that "Judah" signifies the Lord in reference to the Word (as may be seen above, n. 119, 433). [15] In David: He will make them to fall in the wilderness, and will make their seed to fall among the nations and will scatter them in the lands (Ps. 106:26, 27). "To make their seed to fall among the nations and to scatter them in the lands" signifies that Divine truth would perish with them by evils and falsities. "The seed of Israel" has a similar signification in these passages: Thou Israel My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham My friend, whom I have taken hold of from the ends of the earth (Isa. 41:8, 9). I will pour out My spirit upon the seed of Israel and Jacob, and My blessing upon their offspring (Isa. 44:3). In Jehovah all the seed of Israel shall be justified, and shall glory (Isa. 45:25). Jehovah who brought up and who brought back the seed of the house of Israel out of the land 768-2 towards the north, and out of all the lands whither I have driven them, that they may dwell upon their own land (Jer. 23:8). In the highest sense "Israel" means the Lord in relation to the internal of the church, therefore "his seed" similarly signifies the Divine truth that is with those who are of the church that is signified by "Israel." "Israel" means the church with those who are interiorly natural, and have truths therein from a spiritual origin. For this reason "Israel" signifies the church that is spiritual-natural. [16] Since "David" in the Word means the Lord in reference to royalty, and the Lord's royalty means Divine truth in the church, so his "seed" means those who are in the truths of the church from the Word, who are called "the sons of the king" and "the sons of the kingdom;" it means also that Divine truth is with them, as in the following passages: As the host of the heavens shall not be numbered, nor the sand of the sea measured, so will I multiply the seed of David and the Levites My ministers (Jer. 33:22). I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to David My servant, Even to eternity will I establish thy seed, and will build up thy throne to generation and generation. I will set his seed forever, and his throne as the days of the heavens. His seed shall be to eternity, and his throne as the sun before Me (Ps. 89:3, 4, 29, 36). That "David" means in the Word the Lord in reference to royalty, which is Divine truth in the Lord's spiritual kingdom, may be seen above (n. 205); therefore "his seed" signifies that Divine truth with those who are in truths from good, thus also who are in the truths of doctrine from the Word; for truths of doctrine from the Word, or the truths of the Word, are all from good; and as these are meant by "the seed of David," so in an abstract sense the truth of the Word or the truth of the doctrine from the Word is meant by it. That "the seed of David" does not mean his posterity anyone can see, for it is said that "his seed shall be multiplied as the host of the heavens and the sand of the sea," and that "it shall be established and set to eternity," also that "his throne shall be built up to generation and generation," and "shall be as the days of the heavens," and "as the sun," which cannot at all be said of the seed of David, that is, of his posterity and of his throne, for where now are his seed and throne to be found? But all these things harmonize when "David" is taken to mean the Lord, "his throne" heaven and the church, and "his seed" the truth of heaven and of the church. [17] In Jeremiah: If I shall not have set My covenant of day and night, the statutes of heaven and of earth, I will also reject the seed of Jacob and of David My servant, that I will not take of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will cause their captivity to return, and will have compassion on them (Jer. 33:25, 26). In the same: Jehovah said, who giveth the sun for a light by day, the statutes of the moon and stars for a light by night. If these statutes shall remove from before Me, the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before Me all the days (Jer. 31:35, 36). In these passages, again, "the seed of Jacob" and of "David," likewise "the seed of Israel," mean those who are in Divine truths; but "the seed of Jacob" means those who are in natural Divine truth, "David" those who are in spiritual Divine truth, and "Israel" those who are in natural-spiritual Divine truth, which is mediate between natural Divine truth and spiritual Divine truth. For there are degrees of Divine truth, as there are degrees of its reception in the three heavens by the angels and in the church. "The covenant of day and night, and the statutes of heaven and earth," signifying the conjunction of the Lord with those who are in Divine truths in the heavens, and with those who are in Divine truths on the earth, "covenant" signifying conjunction, and "statutes" the laws of conjunction, which are also the laws of order, and the laws of order are Divine truths; while "day" signifies such light of truth as the angels in the heavens have; and "night" such light of truth as men on the earth have, likewise such light of truth as those have who are in the heavens and on the earth under the Lord as a moon; therefore it is added, "who giveth the sun for a light by day, and the statutes of the moon and stars for a light by night." But here "the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," mean all who are of the Lord's church, in every degree; of these and of the seed of Jacob and David it is said that if they acknowledge not the Lord, and receive not Divine truth from Him, the Lord will not reign over them. [18] In the same: No one of his seed shall prosper who sitteth upon the throne of David and ruleth anymore in Judah (Jer. 22:30). This is said of Coniah, king of Judah, who is here called "a despised and worthless idol," and it is said of him: That he and his seed shall be taken away and cast unto the earth (verse 28). This king has a similar signification as Satan, and "his seed" signifies infernal falsity; that this shall not rule in the Lord's church, in which is celestial Divine truth, is signified by "no one of his seed shall sit upon the throne of David or shall rule anymore in Judah;" "Judah" here meaning the celestial church in which the Lord reigns. [19] As "David" represented the Lord's royalty, so "Aaron" represented his priesthood; therefore "the seed of Aaron" means those who are in the affection of genuine truth which is from celestial good. Because of this representation this statute was given for Aaron: The high priest shall not take a widow, or one divorced, or one polluted, a harlot, but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife, lest he profane his seed among his people; I Jehovah do sanctify him (Lev. 21:14, 15). As "man and wife" In the Word in its spiritual sense signify the understanding of truth and the will of good, and as thought is of the understanding and affection is of the will, so "man and wife" also signify the thought of truth and the affection of good, likewise truth and good. Thence it is clear what is signified by a "widow," by "one divorced," and by "one polluted" and "a harlot;" "a widow" signifies good without truth, because left by truth, which is the man; "one divorced" signifies good rejected by truth, thus discordant good; and "one polluted, a harlot," signifies good adulterated by falsities, which is no longer good but evil. Because of this signification of these women the high priest was forbidden to take any of them to wife, because he represented the Lord in reference to the priesthood, which signified the Divine good. And as a "virgin" signifies the will or affection of genuine truth, and genuine truth makes one with and is in harmony with Divine good, and these two are conjoined in heaven and in the church, and their conjunction is called the heavenly marriage, therefore it was required that the high priest should take a virgin to wife. And as the truth of doctrine is born of this marriage, while the falsity of doctrine is born of a marriage with such as are signified by "a widow," "one divorced," and "one polluted, a harlot," it is said, "lest he profane his seed among his peoples," "seed" signifying the genuine truth of doctrine, and thus also the doctrine of genuine truth from the good of celestial love, and "his peoples" signifying those who are of the church in which there is the doctrine of genuine truth from the Word. Also as this was a representative of the heavenly marriage, which is the marriage of the Lord with the church, therefore it is said, "I Jehovah do sanctify him." [20] Since the high priest represented the Lord in reference to Divine good, and his "seed" signified Divine truth, which is the same as the genuine truth of doctrine, it was also made a statute: That no man a stranger, who was not of the seed of Aaron, shall come near to burn incense before Jehovah (Num. 16:40). "A man a stranger" signifies the falsity of doctrine, and "burning incense" signifies worship from spiritual good, which in its essence is genuine truth; and "the seed of the high priest" signifies Divine truth from a celestial origin; therefore it was decreed by law that no stranger who was not of the seed of Aaron should burn incense in the Tent of meeting before Jehovah. [21] When it is known what of heaven and the church was represented also by other persons mentioned in the Word, what is signified by "their seed" will also be known, as by the seed of Noah, Ephraim, and Caleb, in the following passages. Of Noah: I establish My covenant with you and with your seed after you (Gen. 9:9). Israel said of Ephraim: His seed shall be the fullness of the earth 768-3 (Gen. 48:19). And Jehovah said of Caleb: His seed shall inherit the earth (Num. 14:24). What "Noah" and "Ephraim" represented and signified has been explained in the Arcana Coelestia. But "Caleb" represented those who are to be introduced into the church; therefore their "seed" signifies the truth of the doctrine of the church. [22] The "seed of the field" has a similar signification as the "seed of man," because a "field," the same as "man," signifies the church; for this reason the terms "seed" and also "sowing" are in some passages applied to the people of the earth the same as they are applied to a field, as in the following. In Jeremiah: I had planted thee a noble vine, a seed of truth; how art thou turned into branches of a strange vine unto Me! (Jer. 2:21). In David: Their fruit will I 768-4 destroy from the earth, and their seed from the sons of man (Ps. 21:10). In Hosea: I will sow Israel unto Me in the earth (Hos. 2:23). In Zechariah: I will sow Judah and Joseph among the peoples, and they shall remember Me in remote places (Zech. 10:9). In Ezekiel: I will look again to you, that ye may be tilled and sown; then will I multiply man upon you, all the house of Israel, the whole of it (Ezek. 36:9). In Jeremiah: Behold the days shall come in which I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and with the seed of beast (Jer. 31:27). In Matthew: The seed sown are the sons of the kingdom (Matt. 13:38). But it is not necessary to show here that the seed of the field has a similar meaning as the seed of man, for here only what is signified by "the seed of the woman" is what is to be explained and confirmed from the Word. [23] Since "seed" signifies the truth of doctrine from the Word, and in the highest sense Divine truth, so in the contrary sense "seed" signifies the falsity of doctrine and infernal falsity. As in Isaiah: Draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, ye seed of the adulterer, and thou that hast 768-5 committed whoredom. Against whom do ye sport yourselves, against whom do ye make wide the mouth and lengthen the tongue? Are ye not children of transgression, the seed of a lie? (Isa. 57:3, 4) "The sons of the sorceress and the seed of an adulterer" signify falsities from the Word when it has been falsified and adulterated, "the sons of the sorceress" meaning the falsities from the Word falsified, and "the seed of an adulterer," falsities from the Word adulterated. The Word is said to be falsified when its truths are perverted, and to be adulterated when its goods are perverted, as also when truths are applied to the loves of self. "Children of transgression and seed of a lie" signify falsities flowing from such prior falsities. "To sport themselves" signifies to take delight in things falsified; "to make wide the mouth" signifies delight in the thought therefrom; and "to lengthen the tongue" delight in teaching and propagating such falsities. [24] In Isaiah: Woe to the sinful nation, a people heavy with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers, sons that are corrupters; they have forsaken Jehovah, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel, they have estranged themselves backwards (Isa. 1:4). "The sinful nation" signifies those who are in evils, and "a people heavy with iniquity" those who are in the falsities therefrom, for "nation" is predicated in the Word of evils, and "people" of falsities (see above, n. 175, 331, 625). The falsity of those who are in evils is signified by "a seed of evildoers," and the falsities of those who are in the falsities from that evil are signified by "sons that are corrupters." (That "sons" signify those who are in truths, and in the contrary sense those who are in falsities, and in an abstract sense truths and falsities, may be seen above, n. 724.) "They have forsaken Jehovah and have provoked the Holy One of Israel" signifies that they have rejected Divine good and Divine truth; "Jehovah" meaning the Lord in relation to Divine good, and "the Holy One of Israel," the Lord in relation to Divine truth; "their estranging themselves backwards" signifies that they wholly departed from good and truth, and went away to infernal evil and falsity, for those in the spiritual world who are in evils and falsities turn themselves backward from the Lord (see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 123). In the same: Thou shalt not be joined with them in the sepulcher, for thou hast corrupted thy land, thou hast slain thy people; the seed of the evil shall not be named forever (Isa. 14:20). This is said of Lucifer, by whom Babylon is meant; and "the seed of the evil which shall not be named forever" signifies the direful falsity of evil which is from hell. (The rest may be seen explained above, n. 589, 659, 697.) [25] In Moses: He that hath given of his seed to Molech dying shall die, the people of the land shall stone him with stones. I will set My faces against that man, and I will cut him off from the midst of his people, because he hath given of his seed to Molech, to defile My sanctuary and to profane the name of My holiness (Lev. 20:2-3; cf. 18:21). "To give of his seed to Molech" signifies to destroy the truth of the Word and of the doctrine of the church therefrom, by application to the filthy loves of the body, as murders, hatreds, revenges, adulteries, and the like, which leads to the acceptance of infernal falsities instead of things Divine; such falsities are signified by "the seed given to Molech." Molech was the god of the sons of Ammon (1 Kings 11:7); and was set up in the valley of Hinnom, which was called Topheth, where they burned up their sons and daughters (2 Kings 23:10); the above mentioned loves are signified by that fire; and as "seed given to Molech" signifies such infernal falsity, and stoning was the punishment of death for the injury and destruction of the truth of the Word and of doctrine therefrom, it is said that the man that "hath given of his seed to Molech dying shall die, and the people of the land shall stone him with stones." (That stoning was the punishment for injuring or destroying truth may be seen above, n. 655.) That such falsity is destructive of every good of the Word and of the church is signified by "I will set My faces against that man, and I will cut him off from the midst of his people, because he hath defiled My sanctuary and profaned the name of My holiness," "sanctuary" signifying the truth of heaven and the church, and "the name of holiness" all that it is. From the passages quoted it can now be seen that "seed" means in the highest sense Divine truth which is from the Lord, and thence the truth of the Word and of the doctrine of the church which is from the Word; while in the evil sense it means infernal falsity which is the opposite of that truth.

Who keep the commandments of God, signifies with those who live the life of faith, which is charity. This is evident from the signification of "keeping the commandments of God," as being to live according to the commandments in the Word; and as that life is a life of faith, and a life of faith is charity, therefore "keeping the commandments of God" signifies to live the life of faith, which is charity. The life of faith is charity towards the neighbor, because faith means faith in the Word, thus faith in the truth that is in the Word and from the Word, and charity means the love of good and truth, spiritual, moral, and civil; and as that which man loves he also wills, and what he wills he does, therefore "keeping the commandments of God" signifies to live the life of faith, which is charity. [2] From this it can be seen that all those who separate faith from charity know not what faith is or what charity is, for they have no other idea of faith than as being everything of the memory that is believed because they have heard it from learned men; and yet such faith is historical faith, for they do not see whether a thing is so, except because someone else has said it; and what is seen from another can be confirmed both by the sense of the letter of the Word misunderstood and by reasonings from appearances and knowledges [scientifica], although it may be a falsity directly opposed to the truth. When this is confirmed it becomes a persuasive faith; but neither this faith nor historical faith is a spiritual faith, thus not a saving faith, for such faith has as yet no life from the Lord in it. That a man may receive that life he must live according to the Lord's commandments in the Word, for living according to these commandments is the same as living from the Lord, because the Lord is the Word and is in the Word. Such a life is the life of faith, which is charity; and then its affection becomes charity, and thought from that affection becomes faith; for all man's thought derives its life wholly from affection, since no one can think without affection; therefore when a man's affection becomes spiritual his thought also becomes spiritual; consequently such as a man's charity is such is his faith. From this it can be seen that charity and faith, like affection and thought, or what is the same, like will and understanding, act as one, for affection is of the will and thought is of the understanding, consequently they act as one as goods and truths do. Thence it is clear that to live according to the commandments of the Lord from the Word, or "to keep the commandments of God," means to live the life of faith, which is charity.

And have the testimony of Jesus Christ, signifies and who acknowledge the Divine in the Lord's Human, as is evident from the signification of "the testimony of Jesus Christ," as being the confession and acknowledgment of the Divine of the Lord in His Human (of which above, n. 392, 635, 649, 749).

Verse 18. 771-1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, signifies continuation of the state of those who are signified by "the dragon." This is evident from the signification of "standing upon the sand of the sea," as being to continue to see of what quality those are who are meant by "the dragon," for it follows that "he saw a beast coming up out of the sea, to which the dragon gave his power and his throne, and his authority;" and afterwards that "he saw a beast coming up out of the earth that spake as a dragon," and other things that follow. And as by means of these beasts the state of those who are dragons is further described, therefore this is what is signified by "standing upon the sand of the sea." Moreover, "the sand of the sea" signifies sterility, such as is with those who think indeed about faith, but not at all about the life of faith, which is charity, for where such dwell in the spiritual world nothing is seen but heaps of stones and also sand, and rarely any grass or shrub; this, too, is why "the sand of the sea" signifies the state of those who are meant by "the dragon."

EXPOSITION Verse 1. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads a name of blasphemy. 1. "And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea," signifies reasonings from the natural man confirming the separation of faith from life (n. 774); "having seven heads," signifies knowledge [scientia] of holy things, which are falsified and adulterated (n. 775); "and ten horns," signifies much power (n. 776); "and upon his horns 773-1 ten diadems," signifies power from the appearances of truth in abundance (n. 777); "and upon his heads a name of blasphemy," signifies the falsifications of the Word (n. 778).

Verse 1. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea, signifies reasonings from the natural man confirming the separation of faith from life. This is evident from the signification of "a beast coming up out of the sea," as being the things that belong to the natural man; for "beasts" signify in the Word the affections of the natural man, in both senses (see above, n. 650); and the "sea" signifies the various things of the natural man that have reference to its knowledges [scientifica] both true and false, and to thoughts and reasonings therefrom (see also above, n. 275, 342, 511, 537, 538, 600). Thence it is clear that "a beast coming up out of the sea" signifies reasonings from the natural man. It is evident that these are reasonings that confirm the separation of faith from life, because in this chapter the dragon is further described, "the beast coming up out of the sea," signifies the reasonings of the dragon from the natural man confirming the separation of faith from life, and "the beast coming up out of the earth" signifies the confirmations of the dragon from the sense of the letter of the Word, and the falsification of it (see below, from verse 11 to the end of this chapter). [2] That the dragon is further described in this chapter, and is also meant by the two beasts, is evident from its being said that "the dragon gave to the beast coming up out of the sea his power and his throne and great authority," and furthermore, that "they worshipped the dragon which gave authority unto the beast;" also that "the other beast that came up out of the earth spake as a dragon, and exercised all the authority of the first beast before the dragon." Thence it is clear that so far as those who separate faith from life (who are signified by "the dragon,") confirm that separation by reasonings from the natural man, they are represented by "the beast coming up out of the sea;" while so far as they confirm that separation by the sense of the letter of the Word, and thereby falsify that sense, they are described by "the beast coming up out of the earth." That this is so can be fully seen from the description of each that follows. [3] That reasonings from the natural man enter into the dogmas of those who make faith the only means of salvation, thus the very essential of the church, and so separate it from life or from charity, which they do not acknowledge as a means of salvation and as an essential of the church; this is but little seen, and consequently but little known, by the followers and those learned in that doctrine, because their thought is continually fixed on those passages of the Word by which they confirm that doctrine. And as the dogmas they confirm by the ultimate sense of the Word, which is the sense of the letter of the Word, are falsities, they must needs take their reasonings from the natural man, for without these it would not be possible to make falsities appear as truths. But this shall be illustrated by an example. That life or charity may be separated from faith, they contend (1) That by Adam's fall man lost all freedom to do good from himself; and (2) for this reason man is in no wise able to fulfill the law; and (3) without the fulfilling of the law there is no salvation; and (4) that the Lord came into the world that He might fulfill the law, and thus His righteousness and merit might be imputed to man, and by that imputation man might be loosed from the yoke of the law even to the extent that nothing condemns him; and (5) that man accepts the imputation of the Lord's merit by faith alone, and not at all by works. That these are mostly reasonings from the natural man confirming the assumed principle of faith alone and its connecting derivatives can be seen from a survey of these particulars in their order. [4] (1) "By Adam's fall man lost his free will, which is a freedom to do good from himself." This reasoning is from falsities; for no man has or can have a freedom to do good from himself, since man is merely a recipient; consequently the good that man receives is not man's but is the Lord's with him. Nor do angels even have any good except from the Lord; and the more they acknowledge and perceive this the more they are angels, that is, higher and wiser than the others. Still less, therefore, could Adam, who was not yet an angel, be in a state of good from himself. His integrity consisted in a fuller reception of good and truth, and thus of intelligence and wisdom from the Lord, than his posterity enjoyed. This also was the image of God; for a man becomes an image by receiving the Lord, and he becomes an image in the measure of this reception. In a word, to do good from the Lord is freedom; and to do good from self is slavery. Thence it is clear that this reasoning originates in falsities that flow forth from fallacies, which are all from the natural man. Moreover, it is not in accordance with truth that hereditary evil was ingenerated in the whole human race by Adam's fall; its origin was from another source. [5] (2) "From this it is that man is in no wise able to fulfill the law." This reasoning, too, is from the natural man. The spiritual man knows that doing the law and fulfilling it in external form does not save; but that so far as man does the law in the external form from the internal, it does save. The internal form, or the internal of the law, is to love what is good, sincere, and just; and its external is to do this. This the Lord teaches in Matthew: Cleanse first the inside of the cup and the platter, that the outside of them may become clean also (23:26). Man fulfills the law so far as he does it from the internal, but not so far as he does it from the external apart from the internal. The internal of man is his love and will. But to love what is good, sincere, and just, and from love to will it, is from the Lord alone. Therefore to fulfill the law is to be led by the Lord. But this will be more fully illustrated in what follows. [6] (3) "Without the fulfilling of the law there is no salvation." This involves that if man were able to fulfill the law of himself he would be saved, which yet in itself is false; and since it is false, and yet appears as if true because it is a received dogma, it must be confirmed by reasonings from the natural man. That it is false is clear from this, that man is unable to do anything good from self, but everything good is from the Lord; also from this, that no such state of integrity is possible that any good that is in itself good can be from man and be done by man, as has been said above respecting Adam. And as such a state of integrity never did and never can exist, it follows that the law must be fulfilled by the Lord, according to what has just been said above. Nevertheless, he who does not believe that man must do everything as of himself, although he does it from the Lord, is much deceived. [7] (4) "The Lord came into the world that He might fulfill the law, and thus His righteousness and merit might be imputed to man; and by that imputation man is loosed from the yoke of the law, even to the extent that after justification by faith alone nothing condemns him." This, too, is reasoning from the natural man. It was not for this that the Lord came into the world, but that He might effect a judgment, and thereby reduce to order all things in the heavens and in the hells, and at the same time glorify His Human. By this have been saved, and are still saved all who have done good and do good from the Lord and not from self, thus not by any imputation of His merit and righteousness. For the Lord teaches: I came not to destroy the law and the prophet; 774-1 I came not to destroy but to fulfill. Whosoever shall break the least of these commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of the heavens; but whosoever doeth and teacheth them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens (Matt. 5:17, 19, seq.). [8] (5) "Man accepts the imputation of the Lord's merit by faith alone, and not at all by works." This is a conclusion deduced from the reasonings that precede; and as those reasonings are from the natural man, and not from the rational enlightened by the spiritual, and consequently are from falsities and not from truths, it follows that the conclusion drawn from them falls to the ground. From this it can be seen that to confirm any principle that is in itself false there must be reasonings from the natural man, and confirmations from the sense of the letter of the Word, for reasonings will give an appearance of consistency to passages selected from the sense of the letter of the Word. This is why reasonings from the natural man are signified by "the beast out of the sea," and confirmations from the sense of the letter of the Word by "the beast coming up out of the earth."

Having seven heads, signifies the knowledge [scientia] of the holy things of the Word which are falsified and adulterated. This is evident from the signification of "head," as being intelligence and wisdom, and in the contrary sense, insanity and folly (see above, n. 573, 577). And as intelligence and wisdom cannot be predicated of those who by reasonings from the natural man confirm the separation of faith and life, who are meant by "the beast coming up out of the sea," so "its head" signifies knowledge. It means the knowledge of the holy things of the Word, because there were "seven heads," and seven is predicated of things holy (see above, n. 257). The knowledge of the holy things of the Word is meant, because those meant by "the dragon" are not opposed to the Word; for they call the Word holy and Divine, because they collect from it the confirmations of their dogmas. But that they falsify and adulterate by these the holy things of the Word, of which they have knowledge, will be evident from what follows, and is evident in general from this, that those who separate faith from life cannot do otherwise, since such a separation is contrary to each and all things of the Word. For in all things of the Word and in every particular of it there is a marriage of good and truth, as is manifestly evident from the spiritual sense of the Word. This is why there are in so many passages two expressions that appear like repetitions of the same thing, but still one of them has reference to good and the other to truth; thus the two make as it were a marriage, which is called the Divine marriage, the celestial marriage, and the spiritual marriage, which regarded in itself is the marriage of good and truth. (Respecting this marriage see above, n. 238, 288, 484, 660.) There must be a like marriage of faith and love, or of faith and good works; for faith pertains to truth, and truth to faith; and love pertains to good, and good to love. From this it is clear that those who separate faith from its life, or what is the same, from love, cannot do otherwise than falsify the Word, because they explain the sense of its letter in opposition to the marriage of good and truth which is in each and every thing of the Word. [2] It has been said that the "head" signifies wisdom and intelligence, and that with those who are not in wisdom and intelligence it signifies knowledge [scientia]; therefore with those who falsify and pervert the Word it signifies insanity and folly, as above (n. 715), where the signification of "the seven heads of the dragon" was explained; so "the head of this beast" has a similar signification, since this beast means the dragon in reference to reasonings from the natural man confirming the separation of faith from the life. The "head" signifies wisdom, intelligence, and the knowledge of truths, and in the contrary sense folly, insanity, and the knowledge of falsities, because these have their seat in the head, and are there in their beginnings. This is clearly evident from the fact that the origins of all fibers are in the head, and from it they proceed to all the organs of sense and motion belonging to the face and the whole body; and there, too, are substances in infinite number that look like little spheres and are called by anatomists the cortical and cineritious substances; and from these go forth small fibers, the first of which are undiscernible; afterwards these are bundled together, and make up the medullary substance of the whole cerebrum, cerebellum, and medulla oblongata. From this medullary substance discernible fibers extend, and these when conjoined are called nerves. By these the cerebrum, the cerebellum, and the spinal marrow form the entire body and each and all things pertaining to it; and from this it comes that each and all things of the body are ruled by the brains. [3] From this it can be seen that the brains are the seat of the understanding and the will, which are called with one term, mind, and in consequence, of intelligence and wisdom, and that these are there in their first principles; also that the organs that are formed to receive sensations and to produce motions are derivations therefrom, precisely like streams from their fountains, or derivatives from their beginnings, or composite things from their substances; and these derivations are such that the brains are everywhere present, almost as the sun is present by its light and heat in each and all things of the earth. From this it follows that the whole body, and each and all things of it, are forms that are under the observation, auspices, and obedience, of the mind, which is in the brain; thus these forms are so constructed after the mind's direction that any part in which the mind is not present, or to which it does not communicate its life, is no part of man's life. From this it can be seen that when the mind is in its thought, which pertains to the understanding, and in its affection, which pertains to the will, it has an extension into every particular of the whole body, and there, by means of its forms, it spreads itself out as the thoughts and affections of the angels do into the societies of the universal heaven. The like is true here, since all things of the human body correspond to all things of heaven; consequently the form of the whole heaven before the Lord is the human form. (This is treated of at length in the Arcana Coelestia and in the work on Heaven and Hell.) [4] This has been said to make known why the "head" signifies wisdom and intelligence, as also in the contrary sense folly and insanity. For such as man is in his beginnings such is he in the whole, for the body with each and every part of it is a derivation, as has just been said. If, therefore, the mind is in the belief of falsity and in the love of evil, its entire body, that is, the entire man, is in a like state. This is also clearly evident when man becomes a spirit, whether good or evil; then his whole spiritual body, from head to foot, is wholly such as his mind is. If the mind is heavenly, the whole spirit, even as to its body, is heavenly. If the mind is infernal, the whole spirit, even as to its body, is infernal; and in consequence such a spirit appears in a direful form like a devil, while the former spirit appears in a beautiful form like an angel of heaven. But on this more will be said elsewhere.

And ten horns, signifies much power. This is evident from what has been stated above (n. 716), where "the dragon" that had "ten horns" was treated of. That much power which is attributed to the dragon and to this beast, is represented in the spiritual world by horns, and was therefore representatively exhibited to John as horns upon the beast of the dragon, is the power of reasonings by fallacies, thus by falsities, from the natural man. Such reasonings indeed have no real power in themselves, for all power belongs to truths; nevertheless, falsities from the fallacies of the senses and reasonings from these do have much power with men on earth before they are in truths from good, that is, before they have been regenerated by the Lord. For man from birth is in evils, and also in falsities therefrom; since falsities gush forth from evils like impure waters from an impure fountain; and those falsities when confirmed by reasonings from the fallacies of the senses appear like truths. And as man is from birth in falsities from evils he easily appropriates, acknowledges, and believes them, for they are in agreement with his first natural light and with the heat of that light, which is from the fire of the love of self or of the love of the world. And since man is easily, and as it were spontaneously, carried away to believe such things, and is thus misled, therefore much power is attributed here to the beast, and above to the dragon. But over the man who is in truths from good, or over one who is regenerated by the Lord, they have no power; and in every case they have less power in proportion as truths are multiplied with man, and finally none at all; for, as has been said above, all power is in truths from good, consequently there is none in falsities from evil. [2] This may be confirmed by what is seen and perceived in the spiritual world. In certain places there those who are in falsities are continually contending with those who are like them and with those who are unlike them; and it was seen that the evil conquered by means of falsities, and drew a great many over to their side. When I wondered at this it was said and perceived that falsities have power over those who are in falsities; for it was observed that those who were conquered and thus drawn over were equally in falsities; and conversely, that falsities have no power over those who are in truths. It was further seen that those who were in falsities fought also with those who were in truths, and conquered them also; but still it was perceived that these were not in truths from good, but in truths without good. But when those who are in falsities fight against those who are in truths from good they have no effect whatever; they are like chaff in the air, that is dispersed and scattered in every direction by a man's breath, with no power of resistance. Thence it is clear why the evil are sometimes called in the Word "mighty and powerful." From this it is now evident why "ten horns" were seen upon the head of the dragon and upon the head of this beast, and likewise upon the head of the scarlet beast (Rev. 17:3).

And upon his horns ten diadems, signifies power from appearances of truth in abundance. This is evident from the signification of "horns," as being power (of which just above); also from the signification of "ten," as being much, thus also abundance (see above, n. 675); also from the signification of "diadems," as being truths in the ultimate of order, which are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word (see above, n. 717). Appearances of truth are also meant, because the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word are for the most part appearances of truth; and by means of these apparent truths of the Word those who are meant by this "beast" have their power. These are such as confirm by reasonings the separation of faith from life. For the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, which are appearances of truth, and which they connect by reasonings so as to make them to appear like genuine truths, are what are here signified by "diadems." But when these have been connected by reasonings from falsities and fallacies they are no longer apparent truths but truths falsified, and thus falsities; according to what was illustrated above (n. 719) from the apparent progression of the sun. Upon the heads of the dragon there appeared seven diadems, but upon the horns of the beast ten diadems, because "the head of the dragon" signifies the knowledge [scientia] of the holy things of the Word which are falsified and adulterated, thus apparent truths which are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word; while the "horns" signify their much power when these are connected and confirmed by reasonings from the natural man. Yet this much power is not from the reasonings, but through the reasonings from the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word.

And upon his heads a name of blasphemy, signifies the falsifications of the Word. This is evident from the signification of "heads," as being the knowledge of the holy things of the Word, which are falsified and adulterated (see above, n. 775); also from the signification of "name," as being the quality of a thing and its state (see above, n. 102, 135, 696); here the quality of the reasonings from the natural man confirming the separation of faith from life, which are signified by this "beast;" also from the signification of "blasphemy," as being the falsification of the Word (of which presently). From this it is evident that "upon his heads a name of blasphemy" signifies the quality of those who by reasonings from the natural man confirm the separation of faith from life, and that the quality of such is the falsification of the Word. "Blasphemy" signifies the falsification of the Word, because in what follows by this beast is described the way in which those who are meant by the dragon pervert the sense of the letter of the Word by reasonings from the natural man, that they may confirm the justification and salvation by faith alone without good works; and this cannot be done except by their falsifying the Word, which in each and every particular conjoins truths to goods and goods to truths, thus faith to charity and charity to faith (as shown above, n. 775). This is why falsifications of the Word are signified by "blasphemy," which is said to be the name of this beast. [2] But how the Word is blasphemed by the falsification of it shall be illustrated by the following example. Those who separate faith from good works say: That God the Father removed and even rejected from Himself the human race on account of their evils; and for this reason His Son was sent into the world, or the Son Himself, moved by pity, came into the world, and by the punishment of extreme condemnation, which was the passion of the cross, and by His own blood upon it, and finally by His death, He reconciled mankind to the Father, by thus interceding for it. As this is among the chief things of the doctrine of those who separate faith from its life, which is charity, I will state briefly how the Divine is thereby blasphemed. It is blasphemed by this, that they believe and think that the Divine removed or rejected the human race from itself, when yet God is love itself, mercy itself, and goodness itself, and these are His Esse; evidently, therefore, it is impossible for God to remove or reject a single one of the human race, for this would be to act against His own Esse, which, as has been said, is the source of all love, all mercy, and all good. It would be impossible even for any angel or any man who is in love, mercy, and good from the Lord, to do this; and yet their love is finite, while the Divine love is infinite. God the Father's removing or rejecting the human race they call vindictive justice, of which they cherish no other idea than that of a king or judge avenging an evil done to him, consequently that it is like their vengeance, in which there cannot but be something of anger. To confirm this they cite passages from the Word where God is called an avenger, a revenger, jealous, angry, wrathful; and these passages of the Word they thus falsify, since these expressions are used in the sense of the letter of the Word according to appearances. For when a man after death becomes a spirit, if he is in evils from his life in the world he turns himself away from the Lord; and when he turns himself away from the Lord and denies Him he can no longer be so under the Lord's protection that his evil does not punish him, for the punishment of evil is in the evil, as the reward of good is in the good. But because the punishment of evil by the evil, or by those who are evil, appears as if it were punishment by the Divine, so from that appearance the Divine is said in the Word to be angry, to condemn, to cast into hell, and the like. Yet the Lord condemns and punishes no one (as can be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 545-550, under the head, "The Lord casts no one down into Hell, but the spirit casts himself down"). From this can be seen how the Divine is blasphemed by the falsification of the Word. For it is thought that God is in some respect an avenger, or revenger, that He is angry, that He casts into hell and punishes, when in fact it is evil that punishes itself, that is, hell from which evil is, and not the Divine. The Divine is blasphemed by the falsification of the Word also by their believing and thinking that God the Father wished to be reconciled to the human race by the punishment of extreme condemnation, which was the passion of the cross, thus by the blood of His Son; and that by this He was moved and is moved to mercy. Who that has an enlightened understanding does not see that this, too, is contrary to the Divine, and therefore contrary to the genuine truth of the Word? For as what is contrary to the Divine is blasphemy, so to wrest the sense of the letter of the Word to confirm this doctrine is blasphemy. But more about this in what follows. [3] What, then, is signified by "blasphemy" can be seen from passages in the Word where it is mentioned; from which I am only allowed to cite the following. In the Gospels: Jesus said, Every sin and blasphemy shall be remitted unto men, but the blasphemy of the Spirit shall not be remitted unto men. And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man it shall be remitted unto him, but whosoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit it shall not be remitted unto him, neither in this age nor in that which is to come (Matt. 12:31, 32). I say unto you, All sins shall be remitted unto the sons of man. But whosoever shall blaspheme against the Spirit hath no remission to eternity, but shall be subject to an eternal judgment (Mark 3:28, 29). Everyone who shall speak a word against the Son of man it shall be remitted unto him, but unto him that blasphemeth the Holy Spirit it shall not be remitted (Luke 12:10). What is signified by "sin and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit," and what by "a word against the Son of man," has not hitherto been known in the church, and for the reason that it has not been known what is properly meant by "the Holy Spirit," and what by "the Son of man." "The Holy Spirit" means the Lord in relation to Divine truth such as it is in the heavens, that is, the Word such as it is in the spiritual sense, for this is Divine truth in heaven. And "the Son of man" means Divine truth such as it is on the earth, that is, the Word such as it is in the natural sense, for this is Divine truth on the earth. When it is known what is meant by "the Holy Spirit," and what by "the Son of man," it can also be known what is signified by "sin and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit," and by "a word against the Son of man;" also why "a word against the Son of man" can be remitted, and "sin and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit" cannot. "Sin and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit" means to deny the Word, and to adulterate its essential goods and falsify its essential truths; while "a word against the Son of man" means to interpret the natural sense of the Word, which is the sense of its letter, according to appearances. [4] To deny the Word is a sin that "cannot be remitted in this age nor in that which is to come," that is, to eternity, and he who does it "is subject to an eternal judgment," because those who deny the Word deny God, deny the Lord, deny heaven and hell, and deny the church and all things pertaining to it; and those who deny these are atheists, who, although with their lips they attribute the creation of the universe to some Supreme Entity, or Deity, or God, yet in heart ascribe it to nature. Because such by denial have dissolved all bond of connection with the Lord they must needs be separated from heaven and conjoined to hell. To adulterate the essential goods of the Word and to falsify its essential truths is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit that cannot be remitted, because "the Holy Spirit" means the Lord in relation to Divine truth such as it is in the heavens, that is, the Word such as it is in the spiritual sense, as has been said above. In the spiritual sense are genuine goods and genuine truths; but in the natural sense these same are as it were clothed, and only here and there are naked. They are therefore called apparent goods and truths. These are what are adulterated and falsified; and they are said to be adulterated and falsified when they are so explained as to be contrary to genuine goods and truths, for heaven then removes itself and man is separated from it; and for the reason, as has been said, that genuine goods and truths constitute the spiritual sense of the Word in which the angels of heaven are. For example, heaven is removed from man when the Lord and His Divine are denied, as was done by the Pharisees who said that the Lord wrought miracles by Beelzebub and had an unclean spirit; and because they thus denied Him and His Divine He said that this was sin and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, because it was against the Word, as may be seen in the preceding verses of these chapters in the Gospels. For the same reason also the Socinians and Arians, who deny the Divine of the Lord, although they do not deny the Lord, are out of heaven, and cannot be received by any angelic society. [5] Take, as another example, those who exclude the goods of love and the works of charity from among the means of salvation, and who claim that faith, exclusive of these, is the sole means of salvation, and who confirm this opinion not only by doctrine but also by their life, saying in heart, Goods do not save me nor evils condemn, because I have faith. Such also blaspheme the Holy Spirit, for they falsify the genuine good and truth of the Word, and this in a thousand passages, where love and charity and deeds and works are mentioned. Moreover, as has been said above, in each and every thing of the Word there is the marriage of good and truth, thus of charity and faith; consequently when good or charity is taken away that marriage perishes, and instead there is adultery; the nature of this adultery will be explained elsewhere. This is why these, too, cannot be received into heaven; and for the further reason that they have put earthly love in place of heavenly love and evil works in place of good works, because their works are from earthly love, and when this is separated from heavenly love it is infernal love. But it is otherwise with those who believe, indeed, from the doctrine of the church and from their teachers, that faith is the only means of salvation, or who know this, but inwardly neither affirm it nor deny it, and who, nevertheless, live a good life from the Word, that is, because the Lord has so commanded in the Word. Such do not blaspheme the Holy Spirit, for they do not adulterate the goods of the Word nor falsify its truths, wherefore they have conjunction with the angels of heaven. Moreover, few of such know that faith is anything else than believing in the Word. The dogma of justification by faith alone without the works of the law they do not apprehend, because it transcends their understanding. [6] These two examples are cited to make known what is meant by "sin and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit," that is, that sin against it is to deny the Divine truth, thus the Word, and that blasphemy against it is to adulterate the essential goods of the Word and falsify its essential truths. Let it be noted that the good of the Word when adulterated is evil, and that its truth when falsified is falsity. A word against the Son of man, signifies to interpret the natural sense of the Word, which is the sense of its letter, according to appearances, because the Son of man means the Lord in relation to Divine truth such as it is on earth, thus such as it is in the natural sense. Such a word is remitted unto men, because most things in the natural sense of the Word, or the sense of its letter, are goods and truths clothed, and some only are naked, as they are in the spiritual sense; and goods and truths that are clothed are called appearances of truth. For the Word in its ultimates is like a man clothed with a garment, but with his face and hands naked; and where the Word is thus naked its goods and truths appear naked, as they do in heaven, thus such as they are in the spiritual sense. There is, therefore, nothing to hinder those who are enlightened by the Lord from seeing, or to hinder those who are not so enlightened from confirming, the doctrine of genuine good and genuine truth from the sense of the letter of the Word. The Word is such in the sense of the letter that it may be a basis for the spiritual sense; thus, too, it is accommodated to the comprehension of the simple, who, unless things are so stated, are unable to perceive them, and when perceived, to believe and do them. [7] Moreover, because the Divine truths in the sense of the letter of the Word are for the most part appearances of truth, and the simple in faith and heart cannot be raised above them, it is not sin or blasphemy to interpret the Word according to appearances, provided principles are not formed from these appearances and so confirmed as to destroy Divine truth in its genuine sense. For example, where it is said: Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29); and: This is My blood, that of the new Testament, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins (Matt. 26:28); and again: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. And they overcame him through the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 12:7, 11); and when from these words it is believed in simplicity that the Lord suffered the passion of the cross on account of our sins, and that through this suffering and His blood He redeemed us from hell-since this is an apparent truth, and can be stated and believed, therefore it does not condemn the simple in faith and heart. But to establish a principle from these words, and to confirm that principle so far as to hold that God the Father was and is in this way reconciled to man, and that man is justified and saved by his faith alone without the good things of charity, which are good works, and to be in that principle in life as well as in doctrine-this cannot be remitted. [8] From this it can be seen that "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit" signifies the falsification of the Word even to the destruction of Divine truth in its genuine sense. Therefore "a name of blasphemy" signifies the falsification of Divine truth, thus of the Word, because it is called blasphemy when anyone speaks against God; and to speak against God is to speak against the Divine truth, for the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord is what is meant in the Word by "God;" and Divine good is meant by "Jehovah," and by "the Lord." And as it is blasphemy to speak against God, thus also against the Word, since the Word is Divine truth, it follows that blasphemy is to falsify the Word. For those who falsify the Word make its truth to be falsity, and falsity continually speaks against truth, and even assaults it. This is why "blasphemy" signifies the falsification of the Word, even to the destruction of its genuine good and genuine truth. [9] The like is said of the "scarlet beast" further on in Revelation: The woman sitting upon the scarlet beast was full of the names of blasphemy (17:3). That beast with the woman sitting on it there means Babylon; and "the names of blasphemy" mean the adulterations of the good and the falsifications of the truth of the Word; and these, as has been said, are blasphemies against the Lord. [10] That "blasphemies" signify to believe and speak wickedly and falsely about God and about Divine truth can also be seen from other passages in the Word. As in Isaiah: Jehovah said, Fear not on account of the words which thou hast heard, wherewith the young men of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. And Hezekiah the king prayed, and said, Hear, O Jehovah, all the words of Sennacherib, who hath sent to blaspheme the living God. And Jehovah spake concerning him, Whom hast thou blasphemed and reviled, and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice and lifted up thine eyes on high? Against the Holy One of Israel! By the hand of thy servants thou hast blasphemed the Lord (37:6, 15, 17, 23, 24). From this, too, it can be seen that blasphemy is predicated of false speaking against God. For "the king of Assyria," who at that time was Sennacherib, signifies the rational, but here the rational perverted, which speaks against Divine truth, treats it shamefully, and censures it by falsities; and this is to falsify it, as has been said above. The falsities spoken against Divine truth are signified by the things mentioned in verses 10-13, 24, 25, which were all not only blasphemies against God but also falsifications of Divine truth. [11] In Moses: As to the soul that doeth with a high hand, the same blasphemeth Jehovah, in that he hath despised the word of Jehovah and hath rendered void His commandment, that soul shall be utterly cut off, its iniquity shall be upon it (Num. 15:30, 31). This treats of those who act against the commandments of God given through Moses, both through error, and also from purpose (as is clear from verse 23 and those that follow in that chapter); here those who so act from purpose are treated of, and this is meant by "doing with a high hand." And since to act against a commandment is to act against Divine truth, and to act against this from purpose is to act from the intention of the will, and from that to speak falsity, which is the actual adulteration and falsification of the Word, therefore it is said "he blasphemeth Jehovah." And as this is similar to the sin and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit it is said, "that soul shall be utterly cut off, its iniquity shall be upon it;" "its iniquity shall be upon it" signifying that it cannot be remitted. [12] That blasphemy is predicated of evil speaking and false speaking about God, and thus about Divine truth, it is unnecessary to confirm here by many passages from the Word; not only because anyone can see that blasphemy is nothing else in the spiritual sense, but also because there are various kinds of it; consequently in human languages, as in the Hebrew, there are various terms by which the kinds of blasphemy of God and of the Divine truth are expressed, such as calumny, contumely, ignominy, opprobrium, reproach, rebuke, jesting, scoffing, mocking, and others, each of which is used in the Word with a generic and specific difference, to analyze and explain which would require many pages.

Verse 2. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion; and the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. 2. "And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard," signifies reasonings that are discordant, and yet appear as if they cohere (n. 780); "and his feet were as of a bear," signifies from natural things, which are fallacies (n. 781); "and his mouth as the mouth of a lion," signifies reasonings from falsities destroying the truths of the Word (n. 782); "and the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority," signifies that those who separate faith from life support and corroborate their doctrinals by reasonings from fallacies, and thus powerfully seduce (n. 783).

Verse 2. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, signifies reasonings that are discordant, and yet appear as if they cohere. This is evident from the signification of "a beast coming up out of the sea," which is here treated of, as being reasonings from the natural man confirming the separation of faith from life (see above, n. 774), so here it means such reasonings; also from the signification of a "leopard," as being reasonings that are discordant and yet appear as if true. Such is the signification of a "leopard" because the skin of the leopard is marked and variegated with spots, from which variegation it appears not unbeautiful; also because it is a fierce and insidious animal, and swifter than the others in seizing its prey; and because those are of like character who are versed in reasoning adroitly in confirming the dogma of the separation of faith from good works by reasonings from the natural man, and because this dogma, although it is inconsistent with truths, is made to appear as if it cohered with truths, therefore that beast appeared as to its body like a leopard. [2] As this is the signification of the "leopard," I will first illustrate by some examples how those who separate faith from its life, which is good works, make things that are discordant to appear by their reasonings to be coherent. In many passages of the Word heresies are represented by "idols" which the workman forms by various means until he makes them appear in the figure of a man, and yet no life can be imparted to them so that they may see, hear, move the hands and feet, and speak. This I have also seen done in the spiritual world by some who had separated faith from good works; and this work continued for many hours; and when the idol had been made it appeared the sight of many like an image of a man, but before the eyes of angels like a monster. Moreover, they wished to impart to it something of life by means of their arts; but this they were unable to do. [3] Such things take place in the spiritual world, because all things that are seen in that world are representative of spiritual things, which are presented in such forms as exist in this world; consequently beasts of the earth of every kind and birds of heaven are seen there; also houses and apartments in them, with various decorations, likewise gardens and paradises full of trees bearing fruits and flowers, also tables are seen and eatables of every kind upon them, with innumerable other things, which, however, are all from a spiritual origin, and are therefore representative of spiritual things. For the same reason some there form various things by means of which spiritual things are presented in effigy. This is why they also desired to exhibit faith separated from good works under the image of a man in order to persuade the simple by that appearance that that heretical dogma is Divine truth. For every truth from the Lord is in its form a man; therefore the angels, as they are recipients of Divine truth from the Lord, are human forms, yea, whatever is with an angel from Divine truth has such a form. (That this is so can be seen from many things in the work on Heaven and Hell, especially in n. 460.) That "idols" signify in the Word false doctrinals from self-intelligence that appear as truths, can be seen above (n. 587). This has been said to make known that upon all heresies, and especially upon this universal one of the separation of faith from good works, an appearance can be induced by reasonings as if they were from truths and not from falsities. [4] But this shall be illustrated by an example. Who may not be brought to believe that faith alone is the only means of salvation, since man is unable to do good of himself which is good in itself? For this appears to everyone at first sight as a consequence, and thus to agree with truth; and it is not then recognized to be a reasoning from the natural man confirming the separation of faith from good works; and when a man has been persuaded by this reasoning he thinks that there is no need to attend to his life, because he has faith. But he who is in this persuasion is not aware that to do good from the Word, that is, because it is commanded in the Word, is to do good from the Lord, and that thus a man may do good from himself, and yet may believe that it is from the Lord. But about this more will be said in what follows. From this much it can be seen how the appearance can easily be induced by reasonings that this falsity which universally prevails in the Christian Church is in agreement with this truth, that every good that is good in itself is from the Lord, and not at all from man, from which it is inferred that a man can cease doing good and yet be saved; when in fact, this is altogether in disagreement with the truth. [5] That such is the signification of the "leopard" can be seen from the following passages. In Jeremiah: Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then can ye also do good who have been taught to do evil (13:23). "Can the Ethiopian change his skin" signifies that evil cannot change its nature, for "the Ethiopian" because he is wholly black, is evil in its form, and the skin, because it is the outermost part of man, and corresponds to his sensual, means his nature. "Or the leopard his spots" signifies that neither can the falsity of evil change, "leopard" here meaning the falsity from evil, since it means truth falsified by reasonings; and "spots" mean things falsified. As both of these are against good it is said, "Then may ye also do good who have been taught to do evil." It is said that both are against good, namely, evil and the falsity of evil, because evil of the will and falsity of the understanding therefrom are meant. Evil of the will is evil from one's nature, and falsity of the understanding becomes evil by act; for the will acts and does evil by means of the understanding. [6] In Isaiah: Righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and truth the girdle of His hips; therefore the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard with the kid, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little boy shall lead them (11:5, 6). This is said of the Lord and of His kingdom, and of the state of innocence and peace therein. That this is said of the Lord is evident from the first verse of this chapter, where it is said that "there shall go forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a shoot out of his roots shall bear fruit." "Righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and truth the girdle of His hips," signifies that the Divine good proceeding from the Lord's Divine love shall conjoin those in heaven and in the church who are in love to Him; and that the Divine truth proceeding from Him shall conjoin those in heaven and in the church who are in love towards the neighbor. "Righteousness" when predicated of the Lord means the Divine good, and "His loins" means those who are in love to Him; "truth" means the Divine truth; "His hips" mean those who are in love towards the neighbor; and "girdle" signifies the conjunction with these in heaven and in the church. "Therefore shall dwell" signifies the state of peace which exists when nothing of evil from hell is feared, because it can do no harm; "the wolf with the lamb and the leopard with the kid" signifies that no evil or falsity shall harm those who are in innocence and in charity from the Lord; a "wolf" signifying the evil that is the opposite of innocence, and that endeavors to destroy it, a "leopard" meaning the falsity that is the opposite of charity and that endeavors by reasonings in favor of faith to destroy charity; "a lamb" signifying innocence, and a "kid" charity. "The calf also and the young lion and the fatling together" signifies that infernal falsity shall not harm the innocence of the natural man, or any affection for good of the natural man; a "calf" signifying the innocence of the natural man, a "fatling or ox" the affection of the natural man, and a "lion" infernal falsity in respect to its power and eagerness to destroy Divine truth. "And a little boy shall lead them" signifies the state of innocence and love to the Lord in which they will be; "boy" signifying innocence together with love to the Lord, for love to the Lord makes one with innocence; because those who are in that love are also in innocence, as those are who are in the third heaven, and who consequently appear to the eyes of others like infants and boys. [7] In Jeremiah: A lion out of the forest hath smitten the great men of Jerusalem; the wolf of the plains shall devastate them; the leopard is watching against their cities; everyone that shall go out shall be torn in pieces, because their prevarications have been multiplied, their backslidings have become strong (5:6). This is said of the falsification of truth in the church. "The great men of Jerusalem" mean those who excel others in teaching truths and goods; and "Jerusalem" means the church in respect to doctrine. "A lion out of the forest" that smote the great men, signifies the dominion of infernal falsity; the "wolf" that shall devastate them signifies the dominion of evil therefrom; both of these, the falsity and the evil, destroying the truths and goods of the church. "The leopard watching against the cities" signifies reasonings from the falsities of evil against the truths of doctrine, "cities" signifying doctrinals, thus the truths of doctrine. "Everyone that shall go out shall be torn in pieces" signifies that everyone who recedes from the truths of doctrine shall be destroyed by falsities. The "prevarications" that have been multiplied signify the falsifications of truth; the "backslidings" that have become strong signify the adulterations of good. That the falsifications of truth and the adulterations of good are signified by "prevarications" and "backslidings" is evident from the following verse, where it is said that "they committed adultery, and entered in crowds the house of the harlot," which signifies these falsifications and alterations. [8] In Habakkuk: Whose horses are lighter than eagles 780-1 and more fierce than the wolves of the evening, so that her horsemen spread themselves (1:8). This is said of the devastation of the church by the adulteration of truth, which is signified by the Chaldean nation, of which these things are spoken. "Whose horses are lighter than leopards" signifies the eagerness to seduce by reasonings, and a consequent expertness in seducing; such eagerness and expertness are signified by their "lightness" or "swiftness;" "horses" here signifying reasonings from the natural man. And as "horses" and "leopards" have a like signification it is said, "whose horses are lighter than leopards." "More fierce than the wolves of the evening" signifies craftiness in deceiving by fallacies; the fallacies of the senses are here signified by "the wolves of the evening" because the fallacies are from the sensual man, which in darkness sees falsities as truths. "So that her horsemen spread themselves" signifies that the truths of the Word by adulteration become heresies; "horsemen" signify heresies because "horses" mean reasonings by which falsities are confirmed. [9] In Daniel: The third beast coming up out of the sea was like a leopard, which had four wings like birds' wings upon its back (7:6). The successive devastation of the church is here depicted by "the four beasts coming up out of the sea," and this third beast, which was "like a leopard," has a similar signification as the leopard here treated of in Revelation, namely, reasonings that are discordant and yet appear as if coherent; "which had four wings like birds' wings upon its back" signifies appearing like the understanding of good and truth from the application thereto of the sense of the letter of the Word. [10] In Hosea: I knew thee in the wilderness, in the land of droughts; when they had pasture they were satiated; when they were satiated their heart was elated; therefore they have forgotten Me, therefore am I become to them as a lion, as a leopard will I watch over the way (13:5-7). "I knew thee in the wilderness, in the land of droughts," signifies a state without good and without truths; "wilderness" meaning a state without good, and "land of droughts" a state without truths; "when they had pasture they were satiated" signifies when goods and truths were given them, that is, when they were instructed respecting them from the Word, even to the full nourishment of the soul; "when they were satiated their heart was elated" signifies when by reason of such fullness they exalted themselves above all others, believing that for that reason heaven was for them alone and for no others. "Therefore they have forgotten Me" signifies that pride has obliterated goods and truths, and thus their desire and with it their heart has receded from the Lord. "Therefore am I become to them as a lion" signifies the consequent devastation of every truth of the church; "and as a leopard will I watch over the way" signifies the falsification of truth by reasonings from the natural man; a "leopard" signifying falsification by reasonings; "the way" truth leading to good, and "to watch" the intention to pervert. This is said of the Lord in the sense of the letter of the Word, from the appearance of truth, in which nevertheless lies hidden the genuine truth (which is the spiritual sense of the Word) that it is not the Lord that as a lion devastates the church, or that as a leopard falsifies truths by reasonings, but it is the man himself that does this when his heart is lifted up. From this it is clear what is signified in the Word by a "leopard."

And his feet were as of a bear, signifies from natural things which are fallacies. This is evident from the signification of "feet," as being natural things (see above, n. 69, 600, 632, 666); also from the signification of a "bear," as being those who are in power from the natural sense of the Word, both the good and the evil (of which presently). The "feet" of the beast whose body was like a leopard's and whose feet were like a bear's signifies fallacies, because a "leopard" signifies reasonings which are discordant and yet appear to be coherent (see just above, n. 780), and so far as such reasonings are from the lowest natural, which is the sensual, they are fallacies, which are signified by "the feet of a bear." [2] Beasts, both clean and unclean, are mentioned in many passages in the Word, and they signify various things pertaining either to heaven or to hell; clean and useful beasts signify such things as pertain to heaven, unclean and useless beasts such things as pertain to hell. But what pertaining to heaven or to hell is signified can be best known from representatives in the spiritual world, where also beasts appear, all of which are appearances representing such things as angels or spirits are thinking from their affections, inclinations, appetites, pleasures, and desires. These things are presented before their eyes in various forms, as gardens, forests, fields, plains, and also fountains; likewise palaces and houses, and chambers therein, in which are decorative and useful things; also tables are seen upon which are various kinds of food. They are also exhibited in the forms of animals of the earth, the flying things of heaven, and creeping things, in an infinite variety; not only in the forms of such animals and flying things as are upon our earth, but in forms composite from several forms, which nowhere exist on earth, many of which it has been granted me to see. When these appear, their spiritual origin and thus what they signify is at once known. But as soon as the spirit or angel ceases from his thought and meditation these animals and birds instantly vanish. [3] That such things are seen in the spiritual world is clearly evident from like things seen by the prophets as that the Lord appeared like a Lamb; cherubs were seen with faces like a lion, an ox, and an eagle (described in Ezekiel); horses were seen going forth out of the book of life when the Lamb opened its seals, also a white horse, and also many white horses upon which those in heaven rode (in John); also white, bay, red, black, and grisled horses (in Zechariah); there was also seen a red dragon having many heads and horns; and now here was seen a beast like a leopard, with the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion; also another beast having two horns like a lamb, and afterwards a scarlet beast upon which sat a woman. Again, to Daniel four beasts coming up out of the sea appeared, the first of which appeared like a lion with wings of an eagle, the second like a bear, the third like a leopard which had four wings, and the fourth terrible. From this it is clear not only that such beasts appear in the spiritual world, but also that they are significative; and from this it can also be seen that all the beasts as well as all the birds mentioned in the Word are significative of such things as are represented by beasts in the spiritual world. But what is signified by "the bear" will be told in what follows. [4] Before this is shown from the Word I will illustrate by some examples what is meant by the fallacies that are here signified by "the feet as of a bear." The many things that man reasons and forms conclusions about from the natural man without spiritual light, that is, without the light of the understanding enlightened by the Lord, are called fallacies, for the natural man takes the ideas of his thought from earthly, corporeal, and worldly things, which in themselves are material; and when a man's thought is not elevated above these he thinks materially about things spiritual; and material thought without spiritual light derives everything from the loves of the natural man and from their delights, which are contrary to heavenly loves and their delights. This is why conclusions and reasonings from the natural man alone and its delusive lumen are fallacies. But let this be illustrated by examples. [5] It is a fallacy that cogitative faith saves, since man is such as his life is. It is a fallacy that cogitative faith is spiritual, since to love the Lord above all things and the neighbor as oneself is the spiritual itself, and to love is to will and do. It is a fallacy that faith can also be given in a moment, since man must be purified from evils and from falsities therefrom and be regenerated by the Lord, and this is a long-continued process, and only so far as man is purified and regenerated does he receive spiritual faith. It is a fallacy that man can receive faith and be saved at the hour of death whatever his life may have been, since a man's life remains and he is judged according to his deeds and works. [6] It is a fallacy that little children also have faith through baptism, since faith must be acquired through the knowledges of truth and good, and by a life in accordance with them. It is a fallacy that through faith alone the church exists with man, since it is through the faith of charity that the church exists with him; and charity is of the life, and not of faith separated from the life. It is a fallacy that man is justified by faith alone, and that the merit of the Lord is thereby imputed to him when he is justified, and that afterwards nothing condemns him, since faith without the life of faith, which is charity, is like something that is said to be living but has no soul, which in itself is dead; for charity is the soul of faith, because it is its life; consequently man is not justified by a dead faith, much less is the merit of the Lord imputed and salvation effected by it; and where there is no salvation there is condemnation. [7] It is a fallacy that in faith alone, there is love and charity, since love and charity are willing and doing, for what a man loves he not only thinks but also wills and does. It is a fallacy that where "doing" and "deeds" and "works" are mentioned in the Word to have faith is meant, because these are present in faith, since these are as distinct as thought and will are; for a man can think many things that he does not will, while what he wills he thinks when left alone to himself; and to will is to do. Moreover, the will and the thought therefrom are the man himself, and not the thought separate; and deeds and works are of the will and of the thought therefrom; while faith alone is of the thought separate from deeds and works, which are of the will. [8] It is a fallacy that faith is to be separated from good works because man is unable to do good of himself, and if he does good he places merit in it, since man when he does good from the Word does not do it from himself but from the Lord, because the Lord is in the Word and is the Word; and man then does not do good of himself, when he does it as of himself and yet believes that he does it from the Lord, because from the Word; moreover, when a man believes that the good that he does is from the Lord he cannot place merit in the deeds. It is a fallacy that the understanding must be held bound under obedience to faith, and that faith seen by the understanding is not spiritual faith; when yet it is the understanding that is enlightened in the things of faith when the Word is read; and when enlightenment is excluded the understanding does not know whether a thing is true or false; and in that case faith does not become a man's own faith but the faith of another in him, and this is a historical faith, and when it is confirmed it becomes a persuasive faith, which can see falsities as truths and truths as falsities. This is the source of all heretical beliefs. [9] It is a fallacy that the confidence that is called saving faith, accepted without understanding, is spiritual confidence, since confidence apart from understanding is a persuasion from another, or from confirmation by passages gathered up here and there from the Word, and applied by reasonings from the natural man to a false principle. Such confidence is a blind faith, which is merely natural because it does not see whether a thing is true or false. Moreover, all truth wishes to be seen because it belongs to the light of heaven; but truth that is not seen may be falsified in many ways; and falsified truth is falsity. [10] Such are the fallacies that pertain merely to such faith as is separated from good works. There are yet many others that pertain not only to faith but also to good works, to charity, and to the neighbor, and especially to such conjunctions of these with faith as are skillfully adjusted by the learned. Such fallacies are signified by "the feet of a bear," because a "bear" signifies those, both the well-disposed and the evil, who have power from the natural sense of the Word. And as "feet" signify things natural, "the feet of the bear" signify the fallacies from which the sense of the letter of the Word is falsified by reasonings, and into which the appearances of truth of that sense are changed. [11] That a "bear" signifies power from the natural sense of the Word, both with the well-disposed and with the evil, can be seen from the following passages. In the second book of Kings: When Elisha went up to Bethel, as he was going up in the way there came forth boys out of the city and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up thou baldhead, go up thou baldhead. And he looked behind him and saw them, and cursed them in the name of Jehovah; and there came forth two she-bears out of the forest, and tare in pieces forty-two boys (2:23, 24). Why the boys were cursed by Elisha and in consequence were torn by two bears because they called him "baldhead," cannot be known except by knowing what "Elisha" represented, and what a "baldhead" signifies, and what "bears" signify. This evidently was not done by Elisha from unrestrained anger and without just cause, for he could not have been so cruel merely because the little boys said, "Go up thou baldhead." This was indeed, an insult to the prophet, but not a sufficient reason for their being therefore torn to pieces by bears. But this was done because Elisha represented the Lord in respect to the Word, thus the Word that is from the Lord. "Baldhead" signified the Word deprived of the natural sense, which is the sense of its letter; and "bears out of the forest" signified power from the natural sense or sense of the letter of the Word, as has been said above; and these "boys" signified such as blaspheme the Word because its natural sense is such as it is; and "forty-two" signifies blasphemy. From this it is clear that this represented and thence signified the punishment for blaspheming the Word. For all the power and sanctity of the Word are gathered up and have their seat in the sense of its letter; for without this sense the Word could not exist, since without it the Word would be like a house without a foundation, which would be shaken by the wind, and thus be overthrown and fall to pieces. The Word would also be like a man without a skin, which surrounds and holds the enclosed viscera in their position and order. And as this is the signification of "baldness," and "Elisha" represented the Word, the boys were torn in pieces by bears which signifies the power from the natural sense of the Word, which is the sense of the letter, both with the well-disposed and with the evil. From this it is clear that the historical things of the Word, as well as its prophecies, contain a spiritual sense. [12] The bear that David smote has a like signification; this is described in the first book of Samuel: David said unto Saul, Thy servant was pasturing his father's flock, and there came a lion and a bear and took away a sheep from the flock; I went out after him and smote him; and when he arose against me I took hold of his beard and smote him and killed him. Thy servant smote both the lion and the bear. Therefore this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, because he hath reproached the ranks of the living God (17:34-37). Power was given to David to smite the lion and the bear that took away the sheep from the flock, because "David" represented the Lord in reference to Divine truth in which those who are of His church are instructed; and a "lion" signifies the power of spiritual Divine truth, and in the contrary sense, as here, the power of infernal falsity against Divine truth; while a "bear" signifies the power of natural Divine truth, and in the contrary sense the power of falsity against that truth. But "a sheep from the flock" signifies those who are of the Lord's church. And as this was represented, the power was given to David to smite the bear and the lion, to represent and signify the Lord's power to defend by His Divine truth His own in the church from the falsities of evil that are from hell. David's taking hold of the beard of the bear involves an arcanum that may be disclosed, indeed, but can scarcely be comprehended. The "beard" signifies the Divine truth in ultimates, in which its essential power rests. This truth also the evil who are in falsities carry indeed in the mouth but they misuse it to destroy; but when it is taken away they no longer have any power. This is why he killed the bear and smote the lion. But this will be further explained elsewhere. But "Goliath," who was a Philistine and was therefore called "uncircumcised," signifies such as are in truths without good; and truths without good are truths falsified, which in themselves are falsities. "The uncircumcised" signifies those who are in filthy corporeal loves; for the foreskin corresponds to those loves. From this it is clear what the victory of David over Goliath represented. From this it can be seen why: David is compared by Hushai to a bear bereaved in the field (2 Sam. 17:8). [13] In Daniel: Another beast coming up out of the sea was like to a bear, and it raised itself upon its side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth; and they said unto it, Arise, devour much flesh (7:5). The four beasts coming up out of the sea depict the successive states of the church, even to its devastation, which is its end. This second beast, which was "like to a bear," signifies the falsification of the truth of the Word, the power of which still remains in the sense of the letter. The eagerness to falsify its goods is signified by "raising itself upon one side." The "three ribs in the mouth between the teeth" signify the knowledges of truth from the Word in abundance, which are perverted by reasonings from fallacies; and "to devour much flesh" signifies the destruction of good by falsities, and the appropriation of evil. [14] In Hosea: I am become to them as a lion, as a leopard will I watch over the way; I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved; and there I will devour as a huge lion; the wild beast of the field shall rend them (13:7, 8). The signification of the words, "I am become to them as a lion, as a leopard will I watch over the way," was explained in the preceding article. "To meet them as a bear that is bereaved" signifies the falsification of the sense of the letter of the Word; "to devour as a huge lion" signifies the destruction and devastation of every truth of the Word, and thence of the church; "the wild beast of the field shall rend them" signifies that they will be destroyed by the falsities from evil. [15] In Lamentations: Although I cry out and shout he shutteth out my prayers, he hath hedged about my ways with hewn stone, he hath overturned my footpaths; a bear lying in wait for me, a lion in secret places, he hath perverted my ways, he hath made me desolate (3:8-11). This is a lamentation from God respecting the desolation of truth in the church; and that they cannot be heard by reason of falsities is signified by "Although I cry out and shout he shutteth out my prayers." That falsities from self-intelligence turn away and reject the influx of truth is signified by "he hath hedged about my ways with hewn stone, he hath overturned my footpaths;" God's "ways and footpaths" signifying truths leading to good, and "hewn stone" what belongs to self-intelligence. Because this was the signification of "hewn stone" it was forbidden to build an altar of hewn stones, and likewise the temple at Jerusalem. "A bear lying in wait for me" signifies the natural man perverting the sense of the letter of the Word; "a lion in secret places" signifies the interior natural man from the evils in him perverting every sense of the truth of the Word and thence of the church, which is the source of falsities; "he hath perverted my ways, he hath made me desolate," signifies the devastation of the truth of the church. [16] In Amos: Woe unto you that desire the day of Jehovah. What to you is the day of Jehovah? It is a day of darkness and not of light; as one who fleeth from a lion and meeteth a bear, or who cometh to a house and leaneth with his hand upon the wall and a serpent biteth him (5:18, 19). "The day of Jehovah" means the coming of the Lord, who is the Messiah whom they expected; and as they believed that He would deliver them from the enemies of the land, and would exalt them in glory above all the nations, they desired Him. But as the Lord came into the world not for the sake of any kingdom on earth but for the sake of a kingdom in heaven, and as the Jewish nation was in the falsities of evil, and these were at that time manifested, it is said, "Woe unto you that desire the day of Jehovah. What to you is the day of Jehovah? It is a day of darkness and not of light," "darkness and not light" meaning the falsities in which they were; "as one who fleeth from a lion meeteth a bear" signifies fear because of the dominion of falsity when truths are sought from the sense of the letter of the Word, which they cannot but falsify; for one is said "to flee from a lion and to meet a bear" when he is interiorly in falsity from evil, and is led to investigate truths from the sense of the letter of the Word, which he then, because of the interior dominion of falsity from evil, cannot but pervert; "who cometh to a house and leaneth with his hand upon a wall and a serpent biteth him" signifies that when such a man in seeking goods consults the Word from the sense of the letter he does not see that evils pervert it; "the bite of a serpent" signifying falsification, here the falsification that arises from the interior dominion of falsity from evil. [17] In Isaiah: The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard with the kid; the calf shall lie down, and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little boy shall lead them; and the heifer and the bear shall feed, and their young ones shall lie down together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox (11:6, 7). The signification of "the wolf dwelling with [the lamb, and the leopard with] the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling lying down together, and a little boy leading them," has been explained in the preceding article. "The heifer and the bear shall feed, and their young ones shall lie down together," signifies the power and eagerness of the natural man to falsify the truths of the Word, and that these shall do no harm to the good of the natural man and its affection, "heifer" meaning the affection for good and truth of the natural man, and "bear" the power and eagerness of the natural man to falsify the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word; "the lion shall eat straw like an ox" signifies that infernal falsity burning to destroy the truths of the church shall do no harm to the affection of good of the natural man, either as to the individual man in himself or as to men in relation to one another, nor shall it do harm to the Word, "straw" signifying the Word in the letter which is perverted by infernal falsity, but cannot be perverted by those who are in truths from good. [18] In the same: We grope for the wall as the blind, and we grope as they that have no eyes, we stumble in the noonday as in the twilight; among the living we are as dead; we growl like bears, and moaning we moan like doves; we wait for judgment but there is none, for salvation but it is far from us; for our transgressions before Thee are multiplied, and our sins answer against us (Isa. 59:10-12). "We grope for the wall as the blind, and we grope as they that have no eyes," signifies that there is no understanding of truth; "we stumble in the noonday as in the twilight" signifies a falling into errors, although they are in the church where the Word is, by which they might come into the light of truth; "among the living we are as dead," signifies that they might be in spiritual life through the Word, and yet are not, because they are in falsities; "we growl like bears, and moaning we moan like doves," signifies the grief of the natural man, and the grief of the spiritual man therefrom; "we wait for judgment but there is none, for salvation but it is far from us," signifies a hope for the enlightenment of the understanding, and consequent salvation, but in vain; "our transgressions before 781-1 Thee are multiplied, and our sins answer against us," signifies by reason of falsities from evil. [19] From this it can now be seen that a "bear" signifies the natural man in respect to its power from the sense of the letter of the Word, in both senses, also in respect to the eagerness to falsify that sense. That this is what a "bear" signifies has been made evident to me by the bears seen in the spiritual world, in whose form the thoughts of those were represented who had been natural, and had studied the Word, and had wished to prevail by means of knowledge therefrom. Bears were also seen that had ribs between their teeth, like the bear described in the passage cited above from Daniel; and it was given to understand that the ribs represented the knowledges that they had drawn from the Word while in the world. White bears also appear there, which represent the power of the spiritual-natural man through the Word. Furthermore, composite beasts appear there of bears, panthers, wolves, and oxen, also the same furnished with wings, which are all significative of persons of such character when they are passing along in meditation.

And his mouth as the mouth of a lion, signifies reasonings from falsities destroying the truths of the church. This is evident from the signification of "mouth," as being thought (see above, n. 580), but here reasoning (of which presently); also from the signification of a "lion," as being infernal falsity in respect to its power (of which above, n. 278). This is because a "lion" signifies the Divine truth, for which reason the Lord also is called "a lion" in the Word; consequently in the contrary sense a "lion" signifies infernal falsity in respect to its power to destroy divine truth, and thus the Word; and this is especially done by adulterations and falsifications of it. And as a lion is the most powerful of animals, and its power increases according to its hunger to devour and consequently to seize its prey and tear it in pieces, so a "lion" signifies also the eagerness to destroy the truths of the Word. "Lions" have a like representation in the spiritual world, for lions also appear there, but the forms of lions are appearances arising from the eagerness of those who have great power to adulterate and falsify the truths of the Word whereby they are destroyed; with them this power increases according to their ability to reason. This is why "lions" signify in the Word in the contrary sense infernal falsity destroying the truths of the church. Because this is what a "lion" signifies, and because "the beast that was like unto a leopard" and that "had feet as of a bear" signifies the reasonings confirming the separation of faith from life, by which the goods and truths of the Word are adulterated and falsified; therefore the "mouth" of that beast, which was "as the mouth of a lion," signifies reasoning from falsities that destroy the truths of the Word. The "mouth," in a strict sense, signifies thought; but as man's speech is from the mouth, the "mouth" signifies the various things that flow from thought, as instruction, preaching, reasoning; here reasoning, because reasonings from the natural man are signified by the "beast" here treated of. But more will be said about this in the explanation of verses 5-7 of this chapter, in which are these words: "And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and there was given unto him authority to make war forty-two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints and to overcome them." From that explanation it will be seen what power and eagerness, and what ability such have to falsify the truths and adulterate the goods of the Word by means of reasonings.

And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority, signifies that those who separate faith from life support and corroborate their doctrinals by reasonings from fallacies, and thus powerfully seduce. This is evident from the signification of the "beast" to which the dragon gave his powers, as being reasonings from the natural man confirming the separation of faith from life (see above, n. 774). These reasonings are from the fallacies of the senses, because that beast appeared like a leopard, and his feet were "as of a bear," and "the feet of a bear" signify fallacies (see above, n. 781). Also from the signification of "giving his power, his throne, and great authority," as being to support and corroborate doctrinals; "power" signifying efficacy; "throne" the church in respect to doctrine that is from falsities, and "great authority" support and corroboration thereby. That this is added to their reasonings and their fallacies has been shown above. [2] It is not because the falsities in which they are have any power in themselves that those who separate faith from life, that is, from good works, have "power, a throne, and great authority," for falsities from evil have no power whatever, since all power is in truths from good. But falsities have power over falsities, as like over like. This can be clearly seen from the power of infernal spirits with one another, which they exercise by things imaginary and by semblances of correspondences, by which they are desirous of seeming most powerful and mighty; but yet they have no power whatever against truths, and so wholly none that it is nothing at all. This I could confirm by much experience were there space to digress so far in these explanations of Revelation. But this can be seen from the fact that the hells, in which there are myriads of myriads, are so held bound by Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, that no one in them dares raise up a finger of his hand; also from this fact that a single angel by means of truths from the Lord is able to lead, to control, to bind, or to scatter a thousand companies of evil spirits, and this merely by a look from an intention of the will. Such power also has been sometimes granted to me by the Lord. It may seem strange that the church at its end should be in falsities and in evils from them, and in evils and in falsities from them, and yet that truths from good have all power; and it seems as if such truths might be given by the Lord by means of truths from the Word. But the reason is that falsities have power against those who are in falsities from evil; and at the end of the church these falsities reign, and when these reign truths are not received. For this reason falsities cannot be dispersed by truths, and therefore the devil is then called powerful, and loosed from bonds. This is why infernal falsity is called in the Word a "lion," a "bear," a "wolf," a "beast," also a "wild beast" strong and fierce. [3] For the same reason those who are in falsities are called in the Word "powerful," "vigorous," "mighty," "strong," "heroes," "rulers," "terrible," "dreadful," and "wasters," as can be seen from various passages, as from the following. In Jeremiah: Behold I bring upon you a nation from afar, O house of Israel, a vigorous nation, all strong men (5:15, 16). In the same: Go up ye horses, rage ye chariots,, ye strong men go forth (Jer. 46:9). In the same: O sword against the strong, that they may be dismayed (Jer. 50:36). In Ezekiel: I will give Pharaoh into the hand of a strong one of the nations (31:11, 12). In Hosea: Thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy strong ones (10:13). In Joel: A people great and vigorous, like heroes they run, they climb over the wall (2:2, 7). In Amos: The refuge of the swift perisheth, and the strong shall not confirm his might, neither shall the powerful deliver his soul; he that is strong in his heart among heroes shall flee naked in that day (2:14, 16). In David: Rebuke the wild beast of the reed; the congregation of the strong (Ps. 68:30). In the first book of Samuel: The bows of the strong are broken (2:4). In Revelation: All the kings, the great ones, the rich, the commanders of thousands, and the powerful, hid themselves in caves and in the rocks (6:15). In Matthew: The rulers of the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them (20:25). And in Luke: This is your hour and the authority of darkness (22:53); and various other passages. [4] To what has been said above it may be added, that infernal spirits believe themselves to be stronger and more powerful than others, but this for the reason that they prevail over those who are in evils and in falsities therefrom, thus one infernal spirit over another infernal spirit, or one evil by means of falsity over another evil by falsity; from this appearance they believe themselves to be powerful. But such power may be compared to that of a mite against a mite, or of a flea against a flea, of dust against dust, or of chaff against chaff, the power of which is merely relative to their mutual forces. Add to this that infernal spirits are elated in mind, and wish to be called vigorous, strong, and heroes for the most trivial reasons. [5] As "the power and great authority" that the dragon gave from himself to "the beast coming up out of the sea," thus the power of infernal spirits among one another, are here treated of, I will unfold some arcana respecting their arts for acquiring power in the spiritual world. There are some who acquire for themselves power by means of the Word, for they are acquainted with some passages of it, and these they recite, and by these a communication with the simple good is effected and conjunction with them in respect to externals; and so far as they are in that conjunction they prevail over others. The reason is that all things of the Word are truths, and truths have all power, and the simple good are in truths; so from conjunction with them they have power, but only so long as that conjunction continues, and this does not continue long, because they are very soon separated from each other by the Lord. Some acquire for themselves power by simulated affections of good and truth and by the affections belonging to the love of what is sincere and just; by these they lead the simple good to feel well disposed towards them and to cherish good will towards them, and to join themselves to them. And so long as that kindly feeling continues to be mutual they continue more powerful than others. Some acquire for themselves power by representatives of various kinds, which are abuses of correspondences; and some in other ways. And as truths that are from good have all power, and these are found with angels, so nothing is more desired by evil spirits than to attract good spirits to their side, because thus the evil prevail; but as soon as they are separated from these they are in the falsities of their own evil, and when they are in these they are deprived of all power. [6] This, too, is why all the evil who flock out of this world are first separated from the goods and truths that they have merely known from memory, and thus carried in the mouth; and when they have been separated from these their interiors appear, which consist of nothing but masses of falsities from evils. And when they are in these, because they no longer have any power they fall down headlong into hell, as heavy bodies in the air fall to the earth. That goods and truths are taken away from the evil is known from the Word; for the Lord says: Take the talent from him and give it to him that hath the ten talents; for unto everyone that hath shall be given that he may have abundance, but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye out the useless servant into the outer darkness; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 25:28-30; Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18; 19:26).

Verse 3. And I saw one of his heads as if it had been wounded to death; and the stroke of his death was healed, and the whole earth wondered after the beast. 3. "And I saw one of his heads as if it had been wounded to death," signifies the discordance of their doctrinals with the Word, in which "love," "life," and "works," which do not at all agree with that religious principle, are so often mentioned (n. 785); "and the stroke of his death was healed," signifies the discordance apparently cleared away by means of devised conjunctions of works with faith (n. 786); "and the whole earth wondered after the beast," signifies the acceptance of these by the more learned in the church, and the reception from afar by the less learned (n. 787).

Verse 3. And I saw one of his heads as if it had been wounded to death, signifies the discordance of their doctrinals with the Word, in which "love," "life," and "works," which do not at all agree with that religious principle, are so often mentioned. This is evident from the signification of the "heads" of that beast, as being the knowledge of the holy things of the Word which are falsified and adulterated (see above, n. 775). When the church and those of the church are treated of in the Word, "head" signifies intelligence and wisdom; and in the most universal sense the understanding of truth and the will of good. But as this treats of those who are not willing that the understanding should enter into the mysteries of faith, but who wish it to be held captive under obedience to their mysteries, and as these are described by "the dragon" and this his "beast," it follows that the "head" of this beast signifies knowledge [scientia]; for where the understanding does not see there is no intelligence, but in place of it knowledge. Moreover, intelligence cannot be predicated of those who are in falsities, but only knowledge (see about this in the New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine, n. 33). The above is evident also from the signification of "being wounded to death," as being in disagreement with the Word; for doctrine which disagrees with the Word is dead; and this death is what is signified by "being wounded to death." [2] The discordance is that they separate the life of love, which is good works, from faith, and make faith alone justifying and saving, and they take away everything of justification and salvation from the life of love or from good works; and as loving and doing are mentioned in the Word in a thousand passages, and it is declared that man is to be judged according to his deeds and works, and as this does not agree with that religious principle, therefore this is what is signified by the death-stroke of the head of this beast. From this it can be seen that the words, "I saw one of the heads of the beast as if it had been wounded to death," signifies disagreement with the Word, in which "love," "life," and "works," which do not at all agree with that religious principle, are so often mentioned. That they do not agree is clearly evident from the fact that it is a dogma of that religion that faith alone, without the works of the law, justifies and saves, yea, that if anything of salvation be placed in works it is damnable, because of man's merit and what is his own [proprium] in them. For this reason many abstain from doing them, saying in their heart, Good works do not save me, and evil works do not damn me, because I have faith. From this principle they also assert that those are saved who about the hour of death declare with some confidence that they have faith, whatever their life may have been. But "deeds" and "works," also "doing" and "loving," are mentioned in the Word in a thousand passages, and as these disagree with that religious principle, therefore its dogmatists have devised means of conjoining them with faith. This, therefore, is the signification of the words "he saw one of the heads of the beast as if it had been wounded to death," and "the stroke of his death was healed, and the whole earth wondered after the beast." But how that stroke was healed, namely, by devised modes of conjunction, shall be said in the following article. [3] In the first place, some passages shall here be quoted from the Word where "deeds," "works," "doing," and "working," are mentioned, that everyone may see the discordance that is here signified by "one of the heads wounded to death;" also that this stroke is wholly incurable unless man lives according to the precepts of the Word by doing them. In Matthew: Everyone that heareth My words and doeth them is like to a prudent man; but everyone that heareth My words and doeth them not is like to a foolish man (7:24, 26). In Luke: Why call ye Me Lord, Lord, and do not the things that I say? Everyone who cometh to Me and heareth My words and doeth them is like a man that built a house upon a rock; but he that heareth and doeth not is, like unto a man that built a house upon the ground without a foundation (6:46-49). In Matthew: He that was sown in good earth, this is he that heareth the Word and giveth heed, and who thence beareth fruit, and yieldeth some a hundred-fold, some sixty-fold, some thirty-fold (13:23). In the same: Whosoever shall break the least of these commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of the heavens; but whosoever doeth and teacheth them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens (Matt. 5:19). In John: Ye are My friends if ye do whatsoever I command you (15:14). In the same: If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them (John 13:17). In the same: If ye love Me keep My commandments. He that hath My commandments and doeth them, he it is that loveth Me; and I will love him, and will manifest Myself unto him. And I 785-1 will come unto him and will make 785-2 My abode with him. But he that loveth Me not keepeth not My words (John 14:15, 21-24). In Luke: Jesus said, My mother and My brethren are those who hear My 785-3 word and do it (8:21). In Matthew: I was an hungered and ye gave Me to eat, I was thirsty and ye gave Me to drink, I was a sojourner, and ye took Me in, I was naked and ye clothed Me, I was sick and ye visited Me, I was in prison and ye came unto Me. And to these the Lord said, Come, ye blessed, possess as inheritance the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. And to those who had not done these things He said, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels (25:31 to the end). In John: My Father is the vinedresser; every branch that beareth not fruit He taketh away (15:1, 2). In Luke: Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance; every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire. By their fruits ye shall know them (3:8, 9; Matt. 7:19, 20). In John: Herein is My Father glorified, that ye may bear much fruit and become My disciples (15:7, 8). In Matthew: The kingdom of God shall be taken away from them, and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof (21:40-43). In John: He that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest that they have been wrought in God (3:21). In the same: We know that God heareth not sinners, but if anyone worship God and do His will, him He heareth (John 9:31). In Matthew: The Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then He shall render unto everyone according to his deeds (16:27). In John: Then shall come forth they that have done goods into the resurrection of life, but they that have done evils into the resurrection of judgment (5:29). In Revelation: I will give unto you to everyone according to his works; he that overcometh and keepeth My works unto the end (2:23, 26). Their works shall follow them (14:13). The dead were judged out of the things that were written in the books according to their works. And the dead were all judged according to their works (20:12, 13). Behold I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give unto everyone according to his works (22:12). Happy are they that do His commandments (22:14). He said to the angel of the church of Ephesus, I have against thee that thou hast left thy first charity; remember whence thou hast fallen, and do the first works; but if not, etc. (2:4, 5). It was said to the angel of the church in Smyrna, I know thy works; to the angel of the church in Pergamos, I know thy works; to the angel of the church in Thyatira, I know thy works; to the angel of the church in Sardis, I know thy works; and to the angel of the church in Philadelphia, I know thy works (2:9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8). These two chapters treat of the exploration and judgment of those seven churches as to what they are and will be from their works and according to their works. [4] Also in the fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters of Matthew from their beginning to their end the Lord teaches good works, and what they must be, and that thence is heavenly happiness; likewise in the parables of the laborers in the vineyard, of the husbandmen and servants, of the traders to whom pounds [minae] were given and those to whom talents were given; of the fig-tree in the vineyard which was to be cut down if it bore no fruit; of the man wounded by robbers, to whom the Samaritan showed mercy, respecting whom the Lord asked the lawyer which of the three was a neighbor, who answered, "He that showed mercy," and Jesus said to him, "Go and do thou likewise;" of the ten virgins, of whom five had oil in their lamps and five had none, "oil in the lamps" signifying charity in faith; also in other passages. [5] Moreover, the twelve disciples of the Lord represented the church in respect to all things of faith and charity in the complex; and of them, Peter, James, and John represented faith, charity, and good works in their order, Peter faith, James charity, and John good works; therefore the Lord said to Peter, when Peter saw John following the Lord: What is that to thee, Peter? Follow thou Me, John; for Peter said of John, What of him? (John 21:21, 22). This signifies that those who do good works must follow the Lord. Because John represented the church in respect to good works, he reclined at the Lord's breast. That the church is with those who do good works is also signified by the Lord's words from the cross to John: Jesus saw His mother, and spoke to the disciple whom He loved, who was standing by; and He said to His mother, Woman, behold thy son; and He said to that disciple, Behold thy mother; and from that hour that disciple took her unto himself (John 19:26, 27). This signifies that where good works are, there the church will be, for in the Word "woman," like as "mother," signifies the church. Thus much from the New Testament; there are yet more passages in the Old Testament, as where: All are called blessed who keep and do the statutes, the judgments, and the commandments, and those cursed who do them not (as in Lev. 18:5; 19:37; 20:8; 22:31-33; 26:3, 4, 14, 15; Num. 15:39, 40; Deut. 5:9, 10; 6:25; 15:5; 17:19; 27:26; and in a thousand other passages). [6] Besides those passages in the Word where "deeds" and "doing" are mentioned there are also very many where "love" and "loving" are mentioned; and "loving" means the like as "doing," since he that loves does, for to love is to will, since everyone wills what he interiorly loves; and to will is to do, since everyone does that which he wills when he is able. Moreover, what is done is nothing but the will in act. Respecting love the Lord teaches in many passages (as in Matt. 5:43-48; 7:12; Luke 6:27-39, 43 to the end; 7:36 to the end; John 13:34, 35; 14:14-23; 15:9-19; 17:22-26; 21:15-23), and in brief in these words: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God in thy whole heart and from thy whole soul; this is the first and great commandment. The second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang the law and the prophets (Matt. 22:35-38, 40; Luke 10:27, 28; Deut. 6:5). "To love God above all things, and the neighbor as oneself," is to do His commandments (John 14:21-24); and "the law and the prophets" signify the Word in all things and in every particular. From all these passages cited from the Word it is fully evident that it is not faith separated from good works that saves, but faith from good works and with them. For he who does good works has faith, but he who does them not has no faith.

And the stroke of his death was healed, signifies the discordance apparently cleared away by means of devised conjunctions of works with faith. This is evident from the signification of "the stroke of death," as being discordance with the Word; for "stroke of death" has a like signification here as "the head wounded to death" just above. That "strokes" signify in the Word such things as destroy the church and the spiritual life of man may be seen above (n. 584); and as doctrine from the Word constitutes the church, so when doctrine disagrees with the Word there is no longer a church, but only a religion that counterfeits the church. The above is evident also from the signification of "being healed," that is, of the "stroke," as being that this discordance was apparently cleared away by devised conjunctions of works with faith. That this is the signification of "being healed," when "the stroke of death" signifies disagreement with the Word, can be seen without further argument. Nevertheless, that this stroke was not healed, but only apparently cleared away, will be seen in what follows. In the first place something shall be said in passing about the conjunctions of good works with faith that are devised by those who have believed themselves to be keener and more sagacious than all others, and at the same time to be endowed with such gifts of genius as to be able by reasonings from fallacies to induce upon any falsity whatever an appearance of truth. But in order that this may be investigated, presented to the comprehension, and afterwards unfolded, I will here speak of those conjunctions of good works with faith, by means of which the disagreement with the Word is apparently cleared away, some of which are believed by the simple, and some devised by the learned. [2] (1) The very simple know no otherwise than that faith alone consists in believing those things that are in the Word, and that are taught therefrom by the doctrine of the church. (2) The less simple do not know what faith alone is; they merely know that faith is to believe what must be done; and few of them make any distinction between believing and doing. (3) Others, however, suppose that faith produces good works, but do not consider how it produces them. (4) Others think that faith must always precede, and that goods are brought forth from it, or spring from it as fruit does from a tree. (5) Some believe that this is done by man's co-operation, others that it is done without his cooperation. (6) But as the doctrine declares that faith alone without good works is what saves, therefore some make no account of good works, saying in their heart that everything they do is good in God's sight, and that evils are not seen by God. (7) But as deeds and works, and doing and working, are so frequently mentioned in the Word, from the necessity of reconciling the Word with that dogma, they devise various modes of conjunctions that are not consistent, and yet are such that faith is kept by itself, and works by themselves, to the end that salvation may be in faith, and nothing of it in works. (8) Some conjoin faith with the endeavor to do good with those who have attained to the last stage of justification, yet with an endeavor that derives nothing from the voluntary part of man, but only from influx or inspiration, since the good that is from the voluntary part of man is in itself not good. (9) Some conjoin faith with the Lord's merit, saying that this works all things pertaining to man's life, while man does not know it. (10) Some conjoin faith with moral good and with civil good, which are goods that are to be done for the sake of life in the world, not for the sake of eternal life; and they contend that these are the goods that are meant by the "deeds" and "works," and "doing" and "working," mentioned in the Word; and that for the sake of the uses there, good works must be taught and preached before the laity, because they have no knowledge of the arcana respecting the conjunction of faith and works, and some cannot comprehend them. (11) Many of the learned suppose that in faith alone all are conjoined, that is, that love to God, charity towards the neighbor, the good of life, works, the Lord's merit, and God, are all included in faith alone, except that man thinks, wills, and does something from himself respecting these. (12) It is to be known that many other modes of conjunction have been devised, and that still more are devised by the same persons in the spiritual world; for spiritual thought can spread forth into innumerable things that natural thought cannot reach. I have seen a certain person in the spiritual world who had thought out hundreds of modes of conjunction, and in every one there was a progress in the train of thought from a beginning through means to an end; but when he had reached the end, and believed that he now saw the conjunction, he was enlightened and perceived that the more interiorly he thought upon the subject the more he separated faith from good works instead of conjoining them. From this it can be seen what the modes of conjunction are that have been devised especially by the learned, by which the disagreement of this dogma with the Word may appear like an agreement, which is what is meant by "the stroke of death of the beast was healed."

And the whole earth wondered after the beast, signifies the acceptance of these by the more learned in the church, and the reception from afar by the less learned. This is evident from the signification of "to wonder after the beast," as being (in reference to the disagreement with the Word apparently cleared away by devised conjunctions of works with faith) the acceptance by the more learned, and the reception by the less learned (of which presently). Also from the signification of "earth," as being the church (see above, n. 29, 304, 417, 697, 741, 742, 752). "The whole earth wondered after the beast" signifies acceptance and reception, because wondering attracts, and those who are attracted follow. [2] In the Word mention is frequently made of "going" and "walking after God," "after other gods," "after a leader," and "after many;" and these expressions signify to follow and acknowledge in heart, also to be and to live with them, and to be consociated, as in the following passages. In the first book of Kings: David hath kept My commandments, and hath walked after Me with his whole heart, to do that which is right in Mine eyes (14:8). In the first book of Samuel: The sons of Jesse had gone after Saul to the war (17:13). In Moses: Thou shalt not follow after many to evils; thou shalt not answer respecting a cause of strife to turn aside after many (Exod. 23:2). In Jeremiah: Thou shalt not go after other gods whom thou hast not known (7:9). In the same: They went after other gods to serve them (Jer. 11:10; Deut. 8:19). In Moses: The man who shall go after Baal-peor, Jehovah thy God will destroy from the midst of thee (Deut. 4:3). From this it is evident that "to go after" anyone signifies to follow him, obey him, act from him, and live from him; "to walk and live" 787-1 also signifies to live. From this it can be seen that "to wonder after the beast" signifies acceptance and reception from the persuasion that the disagreement with the Word is apparently cleared away. [3] Acceptance by the more learned and reception from afar by the less learned is signified, because the modes of conjoining faith with its life, which is good works, were devised by the learned; while the less learned, because they were unable to investigate interiorly these disagreements, received them, each one according to his apprehension; consequently this dogma, that faith alone is the essential means of salvation, has been received in the whole earth, or in the Christian Church. [4] It shall be explained also in a few words how the chief point of that religion, namely, that in faith alone there is salvation, and not in good works, has been apparently cleared away, and is therefore accepted by the learned. For these have devised stages of the progress of faith to good works, which they call steps of justification. They make the first step to be the hearing from masters and preachers, the second step information from the Word that it is so; the third step acknowledgment; and since nothing of the church can be acknowledged in heart unless temptation precede, therefore they join temptation to this step; and if the doubts that are then encountered are dissipated by the Word or by the preacher, and thus the man conquers, they say that the man has confidence, which is a certainty that it is so, and also confidence that he is saved by the Lord's merit. But as the doubts that are encountered in temptation arise chiefly from not understanding the Word, where "deeds," "works," "doing," and "working" are so often mentioned, they say that the understanding must be held in check under obedience to faith. Hence follows the fourth step, which is the endeavor to do good; and in this they rest, saying that when man arrives at this stage he has been justified, and that then all the acts of his life are accepted by God, and the evils of his life are not seen by God, because they are pardoned. This conjunction of faith with good works has been devised by the learned and also accepted by them. But this conjunction rarely extends to the common people, both because it transcends the comprehension of some of them, and because they are for the most part engaged in their business and employments, and these divert the mind from gaining an understanding of the inner mysteries of this doctrine. [5] But the conjunction of faith with good works, and thereby apparent agreement with the Word, is received in a different manner by the less learned. These know nothing about the steps of justification, but believe that faith alone is the only means of salvation; and when they see from the Word and hear from the preacher that goods must be done and that man will be judged according to his works, they think that faith produces good works, for they know no otherwise than that faith is to know the things that the preacher teaches, and thence to think that it is so; and because this comes first they believe that faith produces good works, which they call the fruits of faith, not knowing that such a faith is a faith of the memory only, and viewed in itself is historical faith, because it is from another, and thus another's with themselves, and that such a faith can never bring forth any good fruit. Into this error most of those in the Christian world have fallen, for the reason that faith alone has been received as the chief means, yea, as the only means of salvation. But how faith and charity, or believing and doing, make one shall be told hereafter.

Verse 4. And they worshipped the dragon which gave authority unto the beast, and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? 4. "And they worshipped the dragon which gave authority unto the beast," signifies the acknowledgment of salvation and justification by faith alone, established and corroborated by these devised modes of conjunction, and thus received in doctrine (n. 789) "and they worshipped the beast," signifies the acknowledgment of the reasonings by which the disagreement with the Word is seemingly cleared away (n. 790); "saying, Who is like unto the beast?" signifies the confession that nothing is more true (n. 791); "who is able to make war with him?" signifies that it can in no wise be impugned (n. 792).

Verse 4. And they worshipped the dragon which gave authority unto the beast, signifies the acknowledgment of salvation and justification by faith alone, established and corroborated by these devised modes of conjunction, and thus received in doctrine. This is evident from the signification of "to worship," as being to acknowledge and revere as Divine, and thus to receive in doctrine that is for the church; for such as acknowledge the Divine and from such acknowledgment revere it, these worship it, and also receive it in doctrine which is for the church. Also from the signification of "the dragon," as being those who are in faith separated from charity in doctrine and in life, thus who acknowledge salvation and justification by faith alone (of which see above, n. 714). Also from the signification of "the authority of the beast" from the dragon, as being the establishment and corroboration of that dogma by devised conjunctions of faith with works (see above, n. 786). From this it is clear that "they worshipped the dragon which gave authority to the beast" signifies the acknowledgment of salvation and justification by faith alone, established and corroborated by devised modes of conjoining it with good works, and thus its reception in doctrine. It is said that the dogma of salvation and justification by faith alone is established and corroborated by devised modes of conjoining it with good works; but it must be understood that this doctrine can in no way be established and corroborated by such means, for this dogma is meant by "the dragon," and the confirmation of it by reasonings from the natural man is represented by this "beast;" and "the dragon and its beast" signify what is discordant with the Word and cannot be conjoined with it. [2] To make clear that it cannot be conjoined, I will here show that faith alone can in no way produce any good, that is, that from faith alone no good fruit can come. It is supposed that faith is to believe that the Lord suffered the cross for our sins, and thereby redeemed us from hell, and that it is mainly a faith in this that justifies and saves. It is supposed, moreover, that faith is a believing that God is triune, a believing of what is taught in the Word, a believing in eternal life and in the resurrection on the day of the Last Judgment, and the other things that the church teaches. And as they separate faith from the life of charity, which is doing what is good, most persons at this day suppose that to know these things and to think and speak about them is the faith that saves; consequently they pay no attention to willing them and doing them; they do not even know what they ought to will and do. Nor does the church teach this, because the doctrine of the church is the doctrine of faith alone, and not the doctrine of life. The doctrine of life they call moral theology, which they make of little account, because they believe that the virtues of a moral life, which in themselves are good works, contribute nothing to salvation. [3] But that knowing, thinking, and speaking about these things is not faith, and even if this be called faith it does not bring forth what is good, as a tree its fruits, can be seen from the following. (1) All things that a man knows, thinks about, and talks about so far as he understands them, he calls truths; and all things that he wills and does so far as he loves them, he calls goods; thus truths belong to man's faith, and truths 789-1 to his love. From this it is clear that the truths, which pertain to faith, are distinct from the goods, which pertain to love, as knowing and thinking are distinct from willing and doing. That they are distinct, and how far they are distinct, man can know from this, that it is possible for a man to know, to think about, speak about, and even to understand, many things that he does not will and do because he does not love them; but on the other hand, whatever a man wills and does from love, that he thinks and speaks about from faith; if not before the world yet with himself when he is alone and left to himself. [4] From this it follows, (2) that a man's love and will enter into all things of his faith and thought, but faith and thought cannot enter into his love and will. For that which a man loves he also loves to do, loves to know, loves to think about, loves to speak about, and loves to understand, and thus loves to have faith in. So if the will be taken in place of the love, that which a man wills he also wills to do, wills to know, wills to think about, wills to speak about, wills to understand, and thus wills to have faith in. Similar things may be said of the will as of the love, for the reason that the love is of the will, and the will is the receptacle of the love. From this it now follows that love produces faith as the will produces thought. And as faith, like thought, is produced, and love, like the will, produces, it follows that it is a perversion to say that faith produces love. From this it is now first evident that to believe that faith produces goods, which are called good works, as a tree produces fruits, is to believe what is contrary to order. (3) [5] Similar things as have been said of faith and love are to be understood also of truth and good, for truth pertains to faith and faith to truth, since that which a man believes he calls truth; also good pertains to love and love to good, since that which a man loves be calls good. Truth regarded in itself is nothing but good in form; for while good may be made evident to the feeling it cannot be made evident to the sight except in some form; and the form in which it is made evident to the sight in the thought, and thus in the understanding and perception, is called truth. From this, too, it follows that love produces faith as good produces truth; consequently that faith does not produce the good of love as a tree does fruit. (4) [6] Again, knowing and thinking and speaking therefrom are from the memory; but willing and doing from love are from the life. Man can think and speak about many things from the memory that are not from his life, which is love; this every hypocrite and flatterer can do; but when he is left to himself he cannot think and speak anything from the life that is not from his love, for love is the life of everyone, and such as the love is, such is the life. But the memory is only a storehouse, from which the life selects what it may think and speak, and what serves the life that it may be nourished by it. To say, therefore, that faith produces goods as a tree does fruits is to say that a man's thought and speech produce his life, and that his life does not produce his thought and speech; and yet the evil, even the very worst, can think and speak truths from the memory, while only the good can do so from the life. (5) [7] That faith alone, or faith separated from goods in act, which are good works, is not possible, is evident from this, that the essence of faith is charity, and charity is the affection of doing the things that belong to faith; consequently faith without charity is like thought without affection; and as thought without affection is no thought, so faith without charity is no faith. Therefore to speak of faith without charity is to speak of thought without affection, of life without a soul, of existere without esse, of form without that which forms, of a product without that which produces, and of an effect without a cause; and for this reason faith alone is a nonentity; and from a nonentity to produce goods in act, which are good works, as a good tree produces fruits, is a contradiction, whereby what is believed to be something is not anything. (6) [8] Because faith without charity is not possible; and yet the thought and persuasion that a thing is so appears as if it were faith, and is called faith; but it is not saving faith, it is historical faith, because it is from the mouth of another. For one who believes anything from another whom he thinks worthy of belief, and who receives this, stores it in his memory, and from the memory thinks and speaks about it without seeing whether it be false or true, has no other hold upon it than as something historical. But if he confirms this in himself by appearances from the Word and by reasonings, from historical faith it becomes to him persuasive faith, which faith is like the sight of an owl, which sees objects in darkness and nothing in the light. Such persuasive faith exists from every confirmation of what is false. For every falsity can be confirmed until it seems to be a truth; and a falsity so confirmed shines with a fatuous lumen. From this also it is clear that such a faith cannot produce what is good. (7) [9] As faith of thought is nothing but historical faith or persuasive faith, it follows that it is merely natural faith. For spiritual faith is produced from spiritual love, which is charity, just as light is produced from the sun; and it does not produce that love, as light does not produce the sun. Therefore merely natural faith is produced from merely natural love, which derives its soul from the love of self, and the delight of that love is a delight of the flesh, which is called pleasure, lust, or lewdness, from which evils of every kind gush forth, and from evils falsities. Thence it is clear that faith proceeding from these cannot produce goods as a tree does good fruits, and if it produces any goods they are goods from what is man's own [proprium] which are in themselves evils, and at the same time are meritorious goods which are in themselves iniquitous. But it is otherwise with spiritual faith, which shall be treated of in the following article.

And they worshipped the beast, signifies acknowledgment of the reasonings by which the disagreement with the Word is seemingly cleared away. This is evident from the signification of "to worship," as being to acknowledge as certain, and thus to adore as Divine (as above, n. 789); also from the signification of "the beast," as being the reasonings from the natural man confirming the separation of faith from life (see above, n. 774). And as this beast was seen to have seven heads and ten horns, and moreover was like a leopard as to his body, a bear as to his feet, and a lion as to his mouth, by which various things are signified, so here also the same things are meant by "the beast," since it was on account of these that they worshipped the beast. [2] As the preceding article treated of this, that faith alone, or faith separated from charity, cannot produce goods of life as a tree does fruits, it is important to now set forth how to acquire spiritual faith, which is faith from charity. But as the learned world has not heretofore known what is meant by the spiritual or what is the nature of the spiritual in its essence, and how it is distinguished from what is natural, so neither could it know what spiritual faith is, and how it is distinguished from natural faith. And yet natural faith apart from spiritual faith as its origin is no faith at all, but merely knowledge [scientia] and thought therefrom that a thing is so; and if this is called faith, it is historical faith, and when it is confirmed is a persuasive faith, and both of these kinds of faith are natural, and faith merely natural does not save, but spiritual faith; consequently it shall now be told in what follows how spiritual faith is formed by the Lord. It is known in the world that there is a natural man and a spiritual man, as also that the natural man is worldly and the spiritual man heavenly; but still it is not known what spiritual faith is, and how it differs from natural faith. [3] It is therefore to be known, (1) That every man has two minds, one natural and the other spiritual; and as it is the mind that wills and thinks, every man has also natural will and thought and spiritual will and thought. The natural mind wills and thinks like a man in the world, and the spiritual mind wills and thinks like an angel in heaven. From this it follows that as faith is in man, it, too, is natural or spiritual; and that natural faith is according to man's will and thought in the world, and spiritual faith is according to his will and thought in heaven. It is said the will and thought, because all things from which man is a man have relation to these two, for from the will he acts, and from the thought he speaks. And as a man acts and speaks either from self or from God, so he wills and thinks either from self or from God. From this it is clear, in the first place, that there is natural faith and spiritual faith; and that natural faith apart from spiritual faith is to think such things as are in the Word from self, while natural faith from spiritual faith is to think such things as are in the Word from God; although this also seems to the man to be from himself. (2) [4] As every man has two minds, a natural and a spiritual, and the natural mind is opened and formed by such things as are in the world, while the spiritual mind is opened and formed by such things as are in heaven, and as the things that are in heaven are all spiritual, so a man's spiritual mind must needs be opened and formed by such things as are in the Word, in which all things are spiritual because they are Divine. In the Word there are truths that are to be known and thought, and goods that must be willed and done; therefore it is by these goods and these truths that man's spiritual mind is opened and formed. From this it follows, that unless the spiritual mind is opened and formed by truths and goods from the Word it remains closed; and when this is closed the natural mind only is opened and formed by such things as are in the world, from which man, indeed, derives a natural lumen, but such as has in it no wisdom from heaven. From this it is clear, in the second place, that faith is not faith so long as the natural mind only is opened, but that if the thought that a thing is so is called faith it is historical faith, which is nothing but knowledge from which the natural man thinks. (3) [5] That the spiritual mind may be opened and formed it must have a storehouse from which it may draw its supplies; since unless man has such a storehouse he is empty, and in emptiness there can be no Divine operation. This storehouse is in the natural man and it is its memory, in which everything knowable can be stored up and can be drawn forth from it. In this storehouse for the formation of the spiritual man there must be truths that are to be believed and goods that are to be done, both of them from the Word and from doctrine and preaching from the Word. These man must learn even from infancy. But all these things, however abundant they may be, although they are from the Word, are natural until the spiritual mind is opened; for they are mere knowledge. Thought from this storehouse is what is called faith by those who separate faith from good works in doctrine and in life. (4) [6] The spiritual mind is primarily opened by man's abstaining from doing evils because they are contrary to the Divine commandments in the Word. If man abstains from evils from any other fear than this the spiritual mind is not opened. The following are the reasons why this is what opens the spiritual mind: First, that the evils with man must be removed before communication and conjunction with heaven can be granted him; since evils, which are all in the natural man, keep heaven closed, and yet heaven must be opened, for otherwise man remains natural. The second reason is that the Word is from the Lord, and consequently the Lord is in the Word, even so that He is the Word; for the Word is Divine truth all of which is from the Lord. From this it follows that he who abstains from doing evils because they are contrary to the Divine commandments in the Word abstains from them from the Lord. The third reason is, that as far as evils are removed so far goods enter. That this is so can be seen by man from natural lumen alone, for when lasciviousness is removed chastity enters; when intemperance is removed temperance enters; when deceit is removed sincerity enters; when hatred and the delight of revenge are removed love and the delight of love and friendship enter; and so in other cases; and this for the reason that the Lord enters, and heaven with Him, so far as man from the Word abstains from doing evils, since he then abstains from them from the Lord. (5) [7] But this shall be illustrated by examples. Take for illustration the four commandments of the Decalogue, "thou shalt not commit adultery," "thou shalt not steal," "thou shalt not kill," "thou shalt not bear false witness." These commandments are Divine, since they are in the Word. When anyone shuns and averts himself from adultery because of the fear that it is against the Lord, against heaven, and against the spiritual life, to be in accord with which is eternal felicity, he loves chastity and loves his consort, because true conjugial love is chastity itself. When anyone shuns and averts himself from theft because of a like fear as from adultery, he loves sincerity, and loves the good of the neighbor as his own good. When anyone shuns and averts himself from murders or from deadly hatred from a like fear he loves the neighbor and is in charity. When anyone shuns and averts himself from false testimony because of a like fear he loves justice and loves truthfulness, and this from the Lord, because from the Word; consequently when after death he becomes a spirit he is like an angel of heaven, and therefore becomes an angel of heaven. But when one does not shun adultery from such a holy fear, but from a fear for his reputation, and thus of the loss of honor and gain, or from a fear of the law, or of disease, or because of weakness, he is still unchaste, since he merely fears the world and the loss of his prosperity in the world, and does not fear the Lord, and thus does not fear the loss of heaven and of eternal life. In like manner when anyone abstains from thefts, from murders or deadly hatreds, and from false testimonies, from natural fear only and not from spiritual fear, he abstains from these from self and not from the Lord; and he who does this from self still remains in them; and no one can be withdrawn from these except by the Lord. From this it can be seen that the spiritual mind with man is opened by this, that from the Word he abstains from doing evils; and that it is opened in the same degree in which he abstains from them by shunning and turning away from them. (6) [8] So much respecting the opening of the spiritual mind. Something shall now be said about its formation. The spiritual mind is formed from those things that are in man's memory from the Word; for the memory is the storehouse spoken of above, but these things are elevated therefrom in this manner: First, there is given to man the affection of truth, which is called the spiritual affection of truth, which is that man loves truth because it is truth. This affection of truth is then given because when evils are removed man is in goods from the Lord, and good loves truth and truth good, and the two will to be conjoined. This affection is given by the Lord alone, because the Lord in heaven is Divine truth; and it is given by the Word, because the Lord in the church is the Word. Secondly, those things that are from the Word in man's storehouse mentioned above, are drawn forth and purified by the Lord, and genuine truths are there discriminated and separated from falsities; for man's spiritual mind can be formed only out of genuine truths, since heaven is in no other. Thirdly, those truths are elevated by the Lord in a wonderful manner, and become spiritual; this is effected by the influx of heaven, and thus of spiritual things corresponding to natural; and these truths are there disposed into a heavenly form (what this is may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 200-212). Fourthly, the truths that are elevated into the spiritual mind are not in a natural but in a spiritual form. Truths in a spiritual form are such as are in the spiritual sense of the Word, but truths in a natural form are such as are in the natural sense of the Word; that these are distinct, and yet make one by correspondences, has been made clear in the work on Heaven and Hell (n. 87-115). For this reason, when man after death becomes a spirit and his spiritual mind is opened, he no longer thinks and speaks naturally, but spiritually. Fifthly, so long as man is living in the world he is wholly ignorant of what he thinks in the spiritual mind; he knows only what he thinks from that mind in the natural; but after death the state is changed, and he then thinks from the spiritual mind, and not from the natural. Thus much respecting the opening of the spiritual mind and its formation. (7) [9] When a man's spiritual mind has been opened and formed then the Lord forms the natural mind; for man's natural mind is formed by the Lord by means of the spiritual mind; and for the reason that man's spiritual mind is in heaven, and his natural mind is in the world; for it is only from heaven, and when communication and conjunction with heaven have been effected, that the natural can be formed to the idea of such things as are in heaven. This formation is effected by the Lord by an influx out of the spiritual mind into the natural, by means of which the things that are in the natural mind are so arranged as to correspond to those that are in the spiritual mind. (This correspondence is treated of in many places in the Arcana Coelestia, and also in the work on Heaven and Hell.) These things that are in the natural mind out of the spiritual are called rational truths, moral truths, natural truths, and in general, truths of knowledge [vera scientifica]; while the goods that are in the natural mind out of the spiritual are called affections and desires for those truths, and for thinking about, speaking about, and doing those truths from such affections, and these are in general called uses. All those things that are in the natural mind out of the spiritual mind come under man's intuition and into his perception. (8) [10] It is to be known that this formation of the two minds with man goes on from his infancy to his old age, and afterwards to eternity; and sometimes from the middle age of man to his last age, and afterwards to eternity; but still in another way after the life in the world than during the life in the world. And as man is formed, so is he perfected in intelligence and wisdom, and becomes a man. For no man is a man from his natural mind; from that he is rather a beast; but he becomes a man through intelligence and wisdom from the Lord, and so far as he is intelligent and wise he is a beautiful man and an angel of heaven. But so far as he rejects, suffocates, and perverts the truths and goods of the Word, thus of heaven and the church, and therefore rejects intelligence and wisdom, so far he is a monster and not a man, because he is so far a devil. From this it can be seen that man is not a man from his parents, but from the Lord, of whom he is born and created anew. This, therefore, is regeneration and a new creation. (9) [11] This being premised, something shall now be said about the will and understanding of the man who has been created anew or regenerated by the Lord; and afterwards about charity and faith. His will in the natural man is formed by the influx of the heat of heaven through his spiritual mind from the Lord. The heat of heaven in its essence is the Divine good proceeding from the Lord's Divine love. But the understanding in the natural man is formed by the influx of the light of heaven through his spiritual man from the Lord. The light of heaven in its essence is the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord's Divine love. From this it follows that the will is formed out of goods, and from these man has love and affection; and that the understanding is formed out of truths therefrom, and from these man has intelligence and wisdom. And as truths are nothing but forms of good it follows that the understanding is nothing but a form of its will. The only difference is that the understanding sees and the will feels. From this it is clear that such as man's will of good is, such is his understanding of truth, or what is the same, such as man's love is such is his intelligence. From this it is evident that although the will and the understanding are two faculties of life, still they act as one, and for this reason these two faculties of life are called one mind. This relates to the natural man. In the spiritual man also there are a will and an understanding, but much more perfect; and these are also called one mind. This therefore is the spiritual mind, and the other is the natural mind. But these are such with the man whose spiritual mind has been opened and formed; but it is altogether different with the man whose spiritual mind is closed, and only the natural mind opened. (10) [12] The same can be said of charity and faith as has been said of the will and understanding; for the will is the subject and receptacle of charity as it is the subject and receptacle of good, and the understanding is the subject and receptacle of faith because it is the subject and receptacle of truth; for charity derives all that it is from good, and faith derives all that it is from truth; and this is why it is said the good of charity, and the truth of faith. From this it follows that charity and faith act as one, like will and understanding; and that such as the charity is such is the faith. But these are in the natural mind; but in the spiritual mind there is the love of good in place of charity, and the perception of truth in place of faith. (11) [13] That spiritual love, which is charity, produces faith, can be seen merely from this, that man after death, who is then called a spirit, is nothing but an affection which is of love, and his thought is from that; consequently the whole angelic heaven is arranged into societies according to the varieties of affections; and everyone in heaven, in whatever society he may be, thinks from his affection; and therefore it is affection, which is love, that produces faith, and such faith as the affection is; for faith is nothing but thinking that a thing is so in truth, while affection means love in its continuation. But at the present day man in the world does not know that his thought is from affection and according to it, for the reason that he sees his thought but does not see his affection, and as his thought is his affection in a visible form therefore he knows no otherwise than that thought is the whole mind of man. It was otherwise of old with the ancients where the churches were. Because these knew that love produces all things of thought, therefore charity (which is the affection of knowing truths, of understanding them, and of willing them, and thus of becoming wise) was made by them the chief means of salvation. And as that affection makes one with faith they did not know what faith is. [14] From this it is evident not only how faith is formed with man but also that faith never can produce charity; but charity, which is spiritual love, forms faith as an effigy of itself, and in it presents an image of itself; and for this reason the nature of faith is known from charity and its goods, which are good works, as the nature of a tree is known from its fruit. By a "tree," however, faith is not meant, but man in respect to his life; while its leaves signify the truths through which there is faith, and its fruits signify goods of life, which are the goods of charity. Besides these arcana respecting the formation of faith by the Lord by means of charity there are innumerable others; but still it is the Lord who works all these arcana, while man knows nothing about it; all that man needs to do is to learn truths from the Word and to live according to them.

Saying, Who is like unto the beast? signifies the confession that nothing is more true. This is evident from the connection of what precedes with these words, thus from the series of the things treated of; for in what goes just before it is said that "they worshipped the dragon which gave authority unto the beast, and they worshipped the beast;" which signifies the acknowledgment of the dogma of the separation of faith from life, because it was established and confirmed by devised conjunctions with good works, so also by reasonings by which its disagreement with the Word was apparently cleared away (see above, n. 789, 790); and as falsity was thereby made to appear like truth it is said, "Who is like unto the beast?" This is why these words signify a confession that nothing is more true; but in the genuine sense, that nothing is more false. For a heresy that is believed by its followers to be truth is seen by wise men to be falsity.

Who is able to make war with him? signifies that it can in no wise be impugned. This is evident without explanation; for when "the dragon" and its "beast" signify the heretical dogma of faith alone, "not to be able to make war with the beast" signifies that it cannot be impugned. That their persuasion is so strong that they believe that nothing is more true is clearly evident from the reception of this dogma in Christian churches. For they say, Who is able to do good of himself? and thus they omit it. But what man at the first look, or as it is said, at the first glance of the eye, cannot see that a man is such as his life is? Who can call this into doubt, or turn it into a negative, especially when everyone may be confirmed in it by the Word, where it is said that "he is a wise man who hears and does," and that "all shall be judged according to their deeds." I do not see how anyone who has not twisted his understanding backwards, and has thus become crazy, can think that to live well is of no account; when nevertheless man continues after death such as his life has been in the world. It has been granted me to speak with some who lived ages ago, and it was found that their life was still such as it is described in history with respect to them. It has also been granted me to speak with some who believed that they had faith but had not lived the life of faith, which is charity; and it was found that they had been shut out from heaven. Moreover, it has often been declared out of heaven that his life awaits the man, and that faith separated from life is nothing.

Verses 5, 6. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and there was given unto him authority to work for forty-two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven. 5. "And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies," signifies the doctrine destroying utterly the goods of the Word and its truths (n. 794); "and there was given unto him authority to work forty-two months," signifies its destruction even until nothing or good and truth remained (n. 796). 6. "And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God," signifies the falsification of Divine truth, thus of the Word, which is from the Lord and which is the Lord (n. 797); "to blaspheme His name," signifies by falsifying all its quality (n. 798); "and His tabernacle" signifies all the doctrine of the church and worship therefrom (n. 799); "and them that dwell in heaven," signifies spiritual goods and truths, from which is the heavenly marriage (n. 800).

Verse 5. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, signifies the doctrine destroying utterly the goods of the Word and its truths. This is evident from the signification of "mouth," as being doctrine, from which is instruction, preaching, and reasoning (of which above, n. 782). "The mouth of the beast," signifies doctrine, because in the preceding verse it was said that "they worshipped the dragon and its beast;" and this signified the acknowledgment of that dogma, and the reception of it in doctrine; also because it was said above that "the mouth of that beast was as the mouth of a lion," which signified instruction, preaching, and reasoning, which are from the received doctrine. The above is evident also from the signification of "speaking great things," as being to teach evils that destroy the goods of the Word, for "great" is predicated in the Word of good, and in the contrary sense of evil, while "many" is predicated of truth, and in the contrary sense of falsity (see above, n. 336, 337, 424). Because "the beast" means those who by reasonings separate faith from life, and those who do this destroy the goods of the Word, and because his "mouth" signifies their doctrine, therefore "to speak great things" signifies to destroy the goods of the Word. The above is evident also from the signification of "speaking blasphemies," as meaning to falsify the truths of the Word (see above, n. 778). From this it is clear that "there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies" signifies the doctrine destroying the goods of the Word and utterly falsifying its truths. It is said utterly falsifying its truths, because the falsification of the Word even to the destruction of Divine truth, such as it is in the heavens and such as it is in the spiritual sense of the Word, is signified by "blasphemy" (see above, n. 778); this therefore is what is meant by utterly falsifying truths. [2] It is said that "the mouth of the beast speaking great things" signifies doctrine, and instruction, preaching, and reasoning therefrom destroying the goods of the Word; it shall be told, therefore, in what manner they are destroyed. They are destroyed especially by teaching that faith without good works justifies and saves, and this is confirmed by the reasoning that no one can do good of himself, and that the good that a man does of himself must needs be meritorious good; and this is established by the Word, especially by the Pharisee and the publican praying in the temple: That the latter was justified merely by his saying, God be merciful to me a sinner; and that the Pharisee was not justified who said that he was not an extortioner, unjust, and an adulterer, as others were, and that he fasted twice in the week, and gave tithes of all that he possessed (Luke 18:10-14); and also by these words of the Lord: Doth the lord thank the servant for doing those things that were commanded him? I trow not. So ye also, when ye shall have done all things that are commanded you, say, We are surely useless servants, for we have done that which we ought to do (Luke 17:9, 10). But those are greatly mistaken who conclude from these words that there is nothing of justification and salvation in good works, but in faith alone, for they do not know what good works are. There are works that are done by man, and these are not good; and there are works that are done by the Lord through man, and these are good. Yet both of these appear alike in external form; but in internal form they are wholly unlike. The works enumerated by the Pharisee were works done from himself, and were therefore meritorious; so, too, the works done by command by servants, who are nevertheless called "useless." [3] It shall now be told, therefore, how works are done by man himself, and how they are done by the Lord with man, also how the latter are distinguished from the former. It has been shown above (n. 790) that man has two minds, one spiritual, the other natural. The spiritual mind is what is called the internal and the spiritual man, and the natural mind is what is called the external and the natural man. And as man has an internal spiritual and an external natural, and the internal is conjoined with heaven and the external with the world, it follows that whatever man does from that internal through the external he does from heaven, that is, through heaven from the Lord; but anything that a man does by the external without the internal, this he does from self. This is meant by the Lord's words in Luke: Now do ye Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness. Ye foolish ones, did not He that made the outside make the inside also? But rather give for alms those things that are within, then behold all things are clean unto you (11:39-41). It is said, "the outside of the cup and of the platter," and "the inside" of them, because the "cup" has a similar meaning as "wine," and the "platter" a similar meaning as "food;" and "wine" signifies truth, and "food" signifies good. It is said also "give alms," and this signifies love and charity. From this it is evident that whatever a man does from the external alone is unclean, but whatever he does from a cleansed internal through the external is clean, for this is from the Lord; but the other from man. But examples will illustrate this point also. The internal is doing good for the sake of good, speaking truth for the sake of truth, acting sincerely for the sake of sincerity, and doing what is just for the sake of justice. He who does good for the sake of good does good from good, thus from the Lord, who is Good itself, and from whom is all good; and he who speaks truth for the sake of truth speaks truth from truth, thus from the Lord, who is Truth itself and from whom is all truth. The like is true of him who acts sincerely for the sake of sincerity, and does what is just for the sake of justice; for sincerity is moral good and truth, and justice is civil good and truth; and all good and truth are from the Lord and not from man, because they are done from the internal through the external. But when a man does and speaks what is good, true, sincere, and just, for the sake of self and the world he does and speaks them from self, because from the external man without the internal; and such deeds or works are all evil, and if heaven is regarded in them they are meritorious, and all such are iniquitous. In this world no one can determine whether works are from the Lord or from man, since in external form the two kinds appear alike, but they can be distinguished by the Lord alone, and after man's life in the world their origin is disclosed (Matt. 10:26, 27; Mark 4:22; Luke 8:17; 12:2, 3, 8, 9). But how an internal is given to man, and an external from the internal, may be seen above (n. 790). [4] From this it can be seen that if man were to fulfill all things of the law from self, that is, were to give much to the poor, were to do good to widows and orphans, to assist the needy, yea, were to give food to the hungry, and drink to the thirsty, to take in strangers, clothe the naked, and visit the sick and those who are bound in prison, preach and teach the gospel, convert the Gentiles, frequent temples, devoutly listen to preaching, attend the sacrament of the Supper frequently each year, spend time in praying, and other like things, and if his internal had not been purified from the love of rule and from the pride of self-intelligence, from the contempt of others, from hatred and revenge, from craftiness and malice, from insincerity and injustice, from the lasciviousness of adultery, and from other evils and falsities therefrom, still all these works would be hypocritical and from the man himself, and not from the Lord. But these same works when the internal has been purified are all good, because they are from the Lord with man. This has been testified to me from very many examples in the spiritual world. I have there heard that it has been granted to many to call to mind the acts of their life in the world, and to enumerate the good deeds they had done; but when their internal was opened it was found to be full of all evil and falsity therefrom; and it was then revealed to them that the good deeds they had enumerated they had done from self, because for the sake of self and the world. But it is otherwise with those who from the Word have abstained from doing evils, and have afterwards shunned and turned away from them because they are sins, and are contrary to love to God and to charity towards the neighbor. Their works were all good, although they had a similar appearance in external form as the works of those described above, and there was a perception in like manner of their having been done as if from self. These works are what are meant in the Word by the "works" that make a man spiritual, and make him happy to eternity; and these can in no way be separated from faith, for if faith were to be separated from these it would be dead, and a dead faith is a faith in falsity from evil.

As the existence of faith from charity has been treated of in what precedes it shall also be briefly told which is before and which is after. It has been shown that charity produces faith as good produces truth, and as affection produces thought, likewise as fire produces light; therefore it is speaking wholly contrary to order and inversely, to say that faith produces charity or its goods, which are called good works. But it is to be known that charity (which in its essence is the affection of knowing, understanding, willing, and doing truth), does not come into any perception of man until it has formed itself in the thought, which is from the understanding; for it then presents itself under some form or image by which it appears before the interior sight, for the thought that a thing is so in truth is called faith. From this it is clear that charity is actually prior and faith posterior, as good is actually prior and truth posterior, or as that which produces is essentially prior to the product, and as the esse is prior to the existere, for charity is from the Lord, and is also formed first in the spiritual mind; but because charity does not appear to man before it becomes faith therefore it may be said that faith does not exist with man until it becomes charity in form. So it may be said of the existence of charity and faith with man, that they both come into existence at the same moment; for although charity produces faith, yet as they make one neither of them in respect to man's perception can exist separate from the other in regard either to degree or to quality. Thence it is evident that the conjunction of the Lord with man is like the conjunction of good with truth. Good is from the Lord, and truths are with man, but they are truths that are not yet living. But as man receives good in truths so he receives the Lord into himself and lives; and he receives in the measure in which he abstains from evils, and from the Word shuns and turns away from them, for thus he shuns and turns away from them from the Lord and not from self.

And there was given unto him authority to work forty-two months, signifies its destruction even until nothing of truth and good remained. This is evident from the signification of "authority to work," as being the act of destroying goods and truths; for "a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies," mentioned just above, signifies doctrine, and instruction, preaching, and reasoning therefrom, utterly destroying the goods of the Word and its truths; so the act of destroying these is signified by "there was given unto him authority to work." The above is evident also from the signification of "forty-two months," as being complete vastation and consummation (see above, n. 633), thus destruction, until nothing of truth and good remains. "Forty-two" has also the same signification in 2 Kings 2:24, where it is told how forty-two boys were torn in pieces by two bears (see above, n. 781). [2] This and the following verse treat of the destruction of the church, which is altogether destroyed as its truths are turned into falsities and its goods into evils. That the doctrine of faith separated from the life does this can be seen from the fact that the doctrine of faith is the doctrine of the church, and the doctrine of life, which is called moral theology, is an outside doctrine, that is, serviceable to the church at its pleasure, but is regarded as having nothing of salvation in it because it has nothing of faith in it; yet faith when separated from life is not alive, and what is not alive, but is dead, can save no one. [3] It is supposed that man from the doctrine of faith separate is able to believe that there is a God, that there is a heaven and a hell, that there is a life after death, that the Word is Divine, and therefore that what the Word contains is to be believed. These things man can indeed know and can think, and can even in some degree understand from the light of reason, and yet he cannot have such a faith in them as will remain long after death; for the faith that is of the life remains, but not faith separated from the life; and everyone has life to the extent that he abstains from evils, and shuns and turns away from them because they are contrary to the Word, thus contrary to the Lord. Faith from such a life awaits a man after death, because it is from the Lord, and thus is the Lord's with man. Thence it is clear that from faith alone man cannot even believe that there is a God; how then can he believe the rest? From this it follows that the doctrine of faith separated destroys the church in respect to all its goods and truths. That this is so has been made abundantly evident to me from the state of such persons after death with whom I have talked. The followers and defenders of faith separate, who have cleansed the outside only of the cup and the platter and not the inside, when they have fulfilled their time reject all things they have said and believed in the world to be of their faith; and they acknowledge as gods either themselves or others who excel in power and in the arts known in hell; and they even laugh at the truths of the Word which in the world they had called holy.

Verse 6. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, signifies the falsification of Divine truth, thus of the Word, which is from the Lord and which is the Lord. This is evident from the signification of "opening his mouth," when the "mouth" signifies doctrine, and instruction, preaching, and reasoning therefrom (see above, n. 794), as being to instruct, preach, and reason; also from the signification of "blasphemy," as being the falsification of the Word, even to the destruction of Divine truth such as it is in heaven (see above, n. 778); also from the signification of "God," as being Divine truth, thus the Word. And as Divine truth is from the Lord, and is the Lord in heaven, therefore "blasphemy against God" signifies the falsification of Divine truth, or the Word, which is from the Lord, and which is the Lord. Moreover, the Word is the Lord because it is from the Lord, for the reason that the Word is the Divine truth, and the Divine truth proceeds from the Lord as a sun, and what proceeds belongs to Him from whom it proceeds, yea, is Himself; consequently the Divine truth, which is the source of all the wisdom and intelligence that angels and men have, is the Lord in heaven. Furthermore, the Word is such as it is with us in the world because that Word is the Divine truth in the ultimate of order, and contains a spiritual sense, which is the Divine truth such as it is in heaven. But more about this elsewhere. From this it is clear that "the beast opened his mouth in blasphemy against God" signifies the falsification of the Divine truth or the Word which is from the Lord and which is the Lord. [2] As this verse treats of blaspheming, and as "blasphemy" signifies the falsification of the divine truth or the Word, namely, by those who separate faith from life, in explaining this verse, I will state who of that class so falsify the Word as to wholly close heaven to themselves, and what the quality of such is; and then who of that class do not so falsify the Word as to close heaven to themselves, and what their quality is; and finally who of that class do not falsify the Word, and in whom, therefore, heaven can be opened or is being opened, and what their quality is. In this article those who so falsify the Word that they altogether close heaven to themselves shall be described, but in the following article the others in order. All those altogether close heaven to themselves who confirm themselves by doctrine and at the same time by life that faith alone without good works justifies and saves; the reason is that these so falsify the Word that it is contrary to the Divine truth which is in heaven, and from which is heaven. The Word may be falsified to this extent or it may not. [3] The reasons that they falsify the Word to that extent are these: (1) From their doctrine they regard the goods of life, which are good works, as of no value, and in their life they make them of no account, and yet the universal heaven is in good, for good is of love, and love is of the life. All the wisdom and all the happiness that angels of heaven have is from good through truths; and each one there has so much and such wisdom and happiness, as he has of the good from which are truths; consequently good is the very essence of angelic life, and thus the essence of heaven itself. Those, therefore, who ascribe the whole of salvation to faith alone, and nothing of it to good works, must needs close heaven to themselves; for they regard good, in which heaven consists, as of no account, and they make it of no account; and where good is not, there evil is; and where evil is, there is hell. (2) [4] Because these place everything of salvation, and thus everything of heaven and of the church, in faith alone, and nothing of these in the goods of charity, which are good works, they give little value to love to God and love towards the neighbor, and make these of no account; and yet the Lord teaches: That on these two commandments hang the Law and the Prophets (Matt. 22:34, 38). "The Law and the Prophets" are all things of the Word. Also the Lord says to the lawyer respecting these two commandments: Do these and thou shalt live (Luke 10:28). To love God and to love the neighbor is nothing else than doing goods, for love in its essence is to will, and in its existence it is to do; for what a man loves, that he wills, and what he wills from love, that he does. Therefore also the Lord teaches: He that hath My commandments and doeth them, he it is that loveth Me; but he that loveth Me not keepeth not My commandments (John 14:21, 24). From this it follows that those who regard good works, which are the goods of love, the goods of charity, and the goods of life, which in heaven are called uses, as of no account, and who make them of no account, close heaven to themselves; for they neither love God nor love the neighbor, and yet heaven is heaven from these two loves. This is especially what falsifies the Word even to the destruction of Divine truth, which in heaven is from the Lord, and which is the Lord there. (3) [5] Those who confirm themselves in doctrine and in life in the belief that faith alone without good works justifies and saves, close heaven to themselves by this also, that they excuse evil works; they excuse these by saying and believing that evils are not seen by God; or that with those who have faith the evils are forgiven (according to some with those who have the confidence of faith, according to others with those who are justified by faith). Therefore many think insanely, "Of what consequence is it for me to do goods when goods do not save me? Or what does it matter if I do evils, when evils do not damn me? I am in grace because I have faith." Thus they live for themselves and for the world, and do not abstain from evil because it is evil, nor do good because it is good; if they abstain from evil it is from fear of the civil law and of the loss of reputation, and not from any fear of the Divine law and of the loss of eternal life; and if they do good it is from love of reward, and not from love of God. And yet such as the life is, such is the man: Do men gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles? (Matt. 7:16) Moreover, such a man does not know what a good life is, or what an evil life is. If he lives as a citizen of the world he believes that he lives a good life; when yet such a life, if he does not live it as a citizen of heaven, is an evil life. Neither does he distinguish the one from the other, because the two appear alike in externals. He does not distinguish them, because good works, which make the life, he values lightly. From this it now follows that those who confirm themselves both in doctrine and in life in the belief that faith alone without good works justifies and saves, altogether close heaven to themselves. (4) [6] Again, they close heaven to themselves by this, that although their life is a merely natural life, everything of which is drawn from the love of self and of the world, yet they attribute to themselves the Lord's merit, saying in their hearts, "If only I shall have believed with trust and confidence that the Lord endured the cross for me, and thereby redeemed me, I can have eternal life, and this because that righteousness and that merit are imputed to me by faith, and nothing of it by works of the life." And yet there is no imputation of the Lord's merit; so neither can life thence be imputed to man. But a life from the Lord is given, such as has been described above in the article treating of it. Therefore to impute to oneself the merit of the Lord, and not to live according to His commandments in the Word, and thus live from Him, is blasphemy; because this implies the possibility of living solely for self and the world, thus wickedly, in the Lord. (5) [7] Again, they close heaven to themselves by this, that they acknowledge what is no faith as faith, or historical faith as saving faith, thus natural for spiritual faith, and dead for living faith; and the same is true of the confidence of their faith. For such believe that knowing and thinking opens heaven, and not at the same time willing and doing, when yet these are primary, and the others are secondary. For the life of man's thought is from the affection of his will. (6) [8] Again, they close heaven to themselves by this, that because man cannot do good from himself that is good and unless it is meritorious, they omit doing good, and pray earnestly for faith; and yet there is no faith that is faith except from charity, thus except from good. The faith that is then suffered to be given through these beseechings is a faith in falsity from evil, for where good is not, there evil is; and where evil is, there falsity is; and faith in falsity from evil is the faith of hell, which is called dead faith; and this closes heaven. (7) [9] Heaven is especially closed to them by the application of the Word to confirm all these things; for they thus falsify them even to the destruction of the Divine truth that is in heaven. For our Word in its spiritual sense is the Divine truth such as it is in heaven; and if the sense of the letter is falsified so as to destroy the spiritual sense, heaven is closed up; for the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord makes heaven, yea, is heaven; since the angels there are angels from the reception of it. (8) [10] It has been said that those altogether close heaven to themselves who, both in doctrine and in life, make good works to be of no account from the principle that faith without good works justifies and saves. It shall now be stated briefly how heaven is closed by doctrine and how by life. Doctrine closes by consent, affirmation, confirmation, and persuasion that it is so; for then man not only thinks that it is so, but also wills it to be so. And if he still does goods because they are commanded in the Word he does only moral goods from the natural man; and these goods are from himself, and are meritorious goods. For all of man's doing is from his will and is according to his will, since a deed is nothing but the will in its activity; consequently when a man thinks and also wills that there is nothing of salvation in works, he can do no other goods than such as are like their origin. Of this character are many of the learned, who have confirmed faith alone with themselves by their preaching and writings. In the spiritual world the mind of such appears to be covered as with a veil, or to be involved as if in a dense cloud, which prevents the entrance of light or truth from heaven; thus heaven is closed in them. But a life according to that doctrine altogether closes heaven because their faith is that the goods of life do not save, nor do the evils of life condemn. (9) [11] It is similar whether it is said that heaven is closed to man, or that the higher mind of man, which is called his spiritual mind, is closed; for man's spiritual mind is his heaven, therefore through this a man has conjunction with heaven, while the natural mind is his world, therefore through this he has conjunction with the world. But how the spiritual mind is opened, and thus communication and conjunction with heaven is granted to man, has been explained above (n. 790).

To blaspheme His name, signifies by falsifying all the quality of Divine truth or the Word. This is evident from the signification of "blaspheming," as being to falsify the Divine truth, thus the Word, which is from the Lord and which is the Lord (see just above, n. 797); also from the signification of "name," as being the quality of a thing or state (see above, n. 148, 676), here all the quality of Divine truth or the Word; because it is said "His name," that is, "the name of God." "The name of the Lord" means in the Word every good of love and every truth from that good from which He is worshipped (see above, n. 102, 135, 696). From this it is clear that "to blaspheme the name of God" signifies to falsify all the quality of the Divine truth or the Word, also every good and truth by which the Lord is worshipped. That those who separate faith from good works both in doctrine and life falsify all the quality of the Divine truth, or all things of the Word, has been explained in the preceding article. This can be concluded from what has been frequently said above, namely, that such shut out love and charity, from which works become good and from which faith derives its essence, that these may not, together with faith, be means of salvation; thus they not only falsify those passages of the Word that teach about love to God and love toward the neighbor, but also those passages where "works," "deeds," "working," and "doing," are mentioned; and when these are falsified all things of the Word are also falsified; for the remaining things of the Word, which are called its truths, live from these; and when life is withdrawn the other things are dead. Furthermore, there is everywhere in the Word the marriage of good and truth, as has been frequently said and shown above; consequently when good is taken away the truth that remains is falsified, and truth falsified is falsity. That all things of the Word are falsified by reasonings that confirm faith alone or faith separate will be illustrated by several examples at the end of this chapter, where the signification of the number "six hundred sixty-six" will be explained. [2] Since in the Christian churches in which faith alone is received as the head of their doctrinals there are those who are learned and those who are simple, also those who separate faith from the goods of life and those who conjoin faith with these, thus those who falsify the Word much and those who falsify it little, and since the preceding article treated of those who so falsify the Word as altogether to close heaven to themselves, so now those shall be treated of who do not so falsify the Word as to close heaven to themselves. These are such as confirm with themselves that the faith that justifies and saves produces goods of life as a tree does fruits. With those who confirm that doctrine in the life heaven is not closed, but its lowest part, where there is an entrance, is open. The reasons are as follows: [3] First, although they invert the Divine order, which is that charity produces faith, and not that faith produces charity, yet with those who confirm that conjunction in doctrine and in life that inverted order can afterwards be reversed; and when it has been reversed they enter heaven in its lowest parts. They do not enter interiorly because their faith, by which they believed themselves to have been justified and saved, is derived more from falsities than from truths; and in the lowest parts of heaven are they who are in falsities from doctrine and religion and yet are in the good of life. Their falsities are appearances of truth from the sense of the letter of the Word, all of which have life as their end. It is almost similar with everyone who is being reformed; he first forms doctrine for himself out of the Word, and distinguishes in it between the things that are to be believed and the things that are to be done. The things that are to be believed he calls faith, and the things that are to be done he calls charity, but as the order with everyone has been reversed from birth he looks to faith in the first place and charity in the second. Yet if he lives the life of faith, which is charity, the order is by degrees turned about and restored; and from charity he lives faith. Then so far as his faith is from genuine truths he enters heaven; for, as has been said above, the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord makes heaven and is heaven. From this it can be seen how at the present day faith has become the first and chief thing of the church, namely, because they have followed the order reversed from birth, and because they have been satisfied with the life of the world, and have been led by the pride of self-intelligence; and for this reason they have stopped at the first stage of reformation. [4] The second reason that such do not close heaven to themselves is, that good works are love and charity in act, and it is from these that heaven is heaven; for all angels and all spirits are affections and thoughts therefrom; or what is the same, are loves and intelligences therefrom; and there are two loves that are the universal and fundamental loves of all, namely, love to the Lord and love towards the neighbor, which is called charity. In these loves are all who do goods from the Word; for all good is of love. Now since those who confirm with themselves in doctrine and life the belief that faith produces good works as a tree does fruits look from faith to good, therefore they have conjunction with heaven, not however with the spiritual heaven, but with the natural heaven, which is in things ultimate and may be called the entrance. Such cannot be admitted more interiorly for the reason that until faith becomes charity in form it is natural, and the natural can produce only what is natural. It is otherwise when faith becomes faith from charity; then faith becomes spiritual because charity, from which is faith, is spiritual. With these the spiritual mind is opened, but with the former only the natural mind is opened; yet this is opened more deeply and interiorly according to the quality of the faith and the quality of the life therefrom. The mind of these, viewed in the light of heaven, appears snowy, such as rational light is; and the rational is intermediate between the spiritual mind and the natural mind. [5] Thirdly, if the state of the mind and life of those who believe that faith produces good works, and who also do them, is explored more interiorly, it will be seen that they are interiorly natural; since their faith is simply a knowledge of the commandments of the Word; and when the interior natural sight, which is called the rational, enters into this faith, an acknowledgment is produced that those commandments are Divine; and when love becomes active in this acknowledgment it becomes obedience. But the love that operates into this acknowledgment can be no other than a love of reward for the goods done, and to them this reward is eternal life. And as love of reward is not from God but from man, for in reward man regards his own good and not the good of the neighbor, it follows that this love is natural; consequently that the state of mind and life of those who believe that faith produces good works, and who do them according to their faith, is natural. But if they do not do good works from obedience, the love that leads them is the love of the glory that comes from erudition, or the love of the reputation that comes from being raised to honors, or from gaining riches. Such, however, merely say that they acknowledge and believe; in heart they do not acknowledge or believe; therefore they are the lowest natural, and heaven is altogether closed to them. [6] In order that it may be known that to do good from obedience is from the natural man it shall be told briefly what it is to do good from charity. No one can do good from charity unless his spiritual mind is opened, and the spiritual mind is opened only by man's abstaining from doing evils and shunning them, and finally turning away from them because they are contrary to the Divine commandments in the Word, thus contrary to the Lord. When man so shuns and turns away from evils all things that he thinks, wills, and does, are good because they are from the Lord; for the Lord is continually present, knocks at the door, is urgent and wishes to enter, but evils oppose; therefore man must open the door by removing the evils, for it is only when evils are removed that the Lord enters and sups there (Rev. 3:20). It is said that man opens and removes, because it is from self that man does evils; and inasmuch as the Lord is continually present, knocks at the door, and is urgent, as has been said, man has the ability to refrain from evils as if of himself; this ability is also given to every man. This is why, since man can of himself close heaven to himself he can also as if of himself open heaven, provided he thinks and wills to refrain from evils, looks to the Lord, and when he refrains acknowledges that it is from the Lord. When, therefore, evils have been removed, whatever man does is good, since it is from the Lord; and whatever man does from the Lord is not natural-moral, but is spiritual-moral. Since, then, charity is from the love of doing good for the sake of good, thus from good, consequently from the Lord, it follows that doing good from charity is spiritual, but doing good from obedience, since it is from a love of reward, is natural. Such is the natural in which those are who are in the entrance to heaven; and to this those come who do good only from obedience, who are such as confirm in themselves, in doctrine and life, that faith produces good works as a tree does fruits. [7] Fourthly, moreover it is to be known that those who believe that faith produces good works as a tree does fruits believe also that heaven is allotted them before evils are removed; and yet so long as evils are with man whatever goods he does are not good, for from an evil tree no other than evil fruits spring forth; therefore the only way to heaven is for man from the Word to abstain from evils because they are sins, which unless they be first removed, the Lord cannot enter and bestow heaven. [8] The fifth reason why those do not close heaven to themselves who confirm themselves in doctrine and life in the belief that faith produces good works as a tree does fruits, is, that they do not falsify the Word as those do who believe in justification and salvation by faith without good works. Those who believe in a faith without good works falsify all things of the Word that mention and enjoin love, charity, goods, works, deeds, working, and doing; and this they do even to the destruction of the Divine truth in the heavens, by understanding them as meaning either faith, or the moral and civil goods of the world, or as having been said merely for the common people on account of the simplicity of their faith. Thus they destroy the Divine truth itself by arguments from man's inability to fulfill the law, by the nature of the good that is from man as not being good, and by the removal of the merit that inheres in goods from man. But those who in simplicity join good works to faith do not falsify all those things of the Word, and thence do not remove faith from the love to God, and thereby remove the Divine operation in all the particulars to be done by man, as also in all the particulars to be believed by man; for they think and say that good works are to be done as if by man, for he who does not act and believe as if of himself believes nothing and does nothing, and has no religion. And yet, since they have no genuine truths, while they do not close heaven to themselves they can advance no farther than to the threshold of heaven. To such of them, however, as have loved truths for the sake of truths heaven is opened when the Divine order has been restored with them, and that is done when charity and its good are in the first place, and faith and its truths in the second, for they are then like those who go on in a straight way with the face looking forward, while before they were like those who go with the face looking backward. [9] Sixthly, there are also many who make charity the essential means of salvation, as others do faith, and yet do not live the life of charity; but since their charity is merely a confession of the mouth that this is the truth, it is their faith alone; therefore their charity likewise is not living but dead, and in consequence they differ very little from the confessors of faith alone, having a like heart but an unlike soul, but yet the one like the other closes heaven to himself.

And His tabernacle, signifies all the doctrine of the church and the worship therefrom. This is evident from the signification of "tabernacle," as being the church in respect to doctrine and worship, thus, too, the doctrine and worship of the church; therefore to falsify these is signified by "blaspheming the tabernacle of God." "A tabernacle" signifies the church in respect to doctrine and worship, because those who were of the church in most ancient times dwelt in tabernacles and tents, and also journeyed with them, for they were then mostly shepherds of sheep; and the father of the family taught those who were born of his house the precepts of charity and thus the life of love, in tabernacles, as was done afterwards in temples; and this is why a "tabernacle" has a similar signification as "the house of God," namely, the worship of God according to doctrine, consequently also the church, since the church is a church from a life according to doctrine, and a life according to doctrine is worship. [2] Since these most ancient people with whom was the church worshipped God under a human form, and since God under a human form is the Lord, they worshipped the Lord; and therefore their church was the celestial church, which is distinguished from the spiritual church in this, that the celestial church is in love to the Lord and in worship from that love, while the spiritual church is in love towards the neighbor and in worship from that love. And as the church with the most ancient people was such, and the doctrine of love to the Lord was then taught in tabernacles, and thence tabernacles were more loved by the Lord than temples, therefore by command of the Lord on Mount Sinai a tabernacle was built in which the Israelitish nation might have holy worship; and afterwards, in commemoration of the most holy worship in tabernacles, the feast of tabernacles was instituted. From this it is clear why a "tabernacle" signifies the doctrine of the church, and worship therefrom. [3] This signification of "tabernacle" is evident from the following passages. In Moses: How good are thy tabernacles O Jacob, thy tents O Israel (Num. 24:5). Here and elsewhere in the Word both tabernacles and tents are mentioned; and a "tabernacle" signifies the church consisting of those who are in the good of love to the Lord; and the "tent" signifies the church consisting of those who are in truths from that good; and as doctrine and worship therefrom constitute the church, a "tabernacle" signifies the doctrine of the good of love, and a "tent" the doctrine of truth from that good. So, too, "tabernacles," in the plural, signify the goods of the church and of doctrine, and "tents" the truths of the church and of doctrine. This makes clear the signification of those words of David, 799-1 "How good are thy tabernacles O Jacob, thy tents O Israel," "Jacob" signifying the church that is in the good of doctrine and of life, and "Israel" the church that is in truths from good. [4] In Jeremiah: Jehovah bringeth back the captivity of the tabernacles of Jacob, and I will have compassion on his tents; and the city shall be built on her own heap, and the palace thereof shall be inhabited after its former manner (30:18). Here, too, "tabernacles" and "tents" are mentioned; and "tabernacles" signify the goods of the church or of its doctrine, and "tents" the truths of the church or of its doctrine; "captivity" signifies spiritual captivity, which is when the goods and truths of the church or of doctrine are as it were imprisoned; therefore "to bring back captivity" signifies to restore these. (What the rest signifies may be seen above, n. 724.) [5] In Isaiah: Enlarge the place of thy tabernacle, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy tents; hinder not, make long thy cords, and make firm thy stakes (54:2). This is said of the barren that did not bear, by whom the Gentiles are signified with whom the church was to be established by the Lord. The state of the good of love of that church is signified by "the place of thy tabernacle;" and the truths from that good are signified by "the curtains of thy tents;" the fructification of good and the multiplication of truth are signified by "enlarging" and "stretching forth;" "cords" signifying the conjunction of these, and "stakes" their firmness. [6] In David: One thing have I asked of Jehovah, that will I seek, that I may dwell in the house of Jehovah all the days of my life, to behold the pleasantness of Jehovah, and to visit in the morning His temple; for He shall hide me in His tent in the evil day, He shall conceal me in the secret place of His tabernacle, He shall exalt me upon a rock (Ps. 27:4, 5). Here "the house of Jehovah," "the temple," "the tent," and "the tabernacle," are mentioned; and "house of Jehovah" signifies the church that is in the good of love to the Lord, "temple" the church that is in truths from that good, "the tent of Jehovah" Divine truth, and "the tabernacle" Divine good; thence it is clear that "to dwell in the house of Jehovah all the days of one's life" does not mean to dwell in the house of Jehovah, but in the good of love to the Lord; and that "to visit in the morning the temple of Jehovah" does not mean to visit the temple every morning, but to seek and learn the truths of that good; so "to hide in the tent" signifies to continue in Divine truth, and to be defended from falsities; and "to conceal in the secret place of the tabernacle" signifies to continue in Divine good and to be defended from evils; "to exalt upon a rock" signifies to instruct in interior truths. [7] In the same: Jehovah, who shall abide in Thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in the mountain of Thy holiness? He that walketh in integrity and doeth justice and speaketh the truth (Ps. 15:1, 2). Here, too, a "tabernacle" signifies the church in respect to the good of love, consequently also the good of love; "the mountain of holiness," meaning Jerusalem, signifies the church in respect to the truths of doctrine from that good; which shows what is signified by "abiding in them." "He that walketh in integrity" signifies one who is in good in respect to life and truths in respect to doctrine; therefore it is added, "who doeth justice and speaketh the truth;" "doing justice" signifying to be in good in respect to life, and "speaking the truth" to be in truths in respect to doctrine. [8] In the same: I will abide in Thy tabernacle forever, I will trust in the hiding place of Thy wings (Ps. 61:4). "To abide in a tabernacle forever" signifies to be in the Divine good of love; "to trust in the hiding place of Thy wings" signifies to be in Divine truths, "the wings of Jehovah" signifying spiritual truths. [9] In Isaiah: By mercy was the throne established, and in truth He sat upon it in the tabernacle of David, judging and seeking judgment, and hastening justice (16:5). This is said of the Lord; the heaven that was established by Him and the church from it are signified by "the throne established by mercy." That the Lord reigns there by the Divine truth from the Divine good is signified by "He sat upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David;" "David" meaning the Lord in respect to His royalty, which is the Divine truth, and "His tabernacle" signifying the Divine good. "Judgment" signifies the truth of doctrine, because from that is all judgment; and "justice" signifies the good of love, both of these from the Lord with those who are in heaven and in the church. [10] In the same: Look upon Zion the city of our appointed feast, let thine eyes see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle which shall not be dissipated; the stakes thereof shall never be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be torn off (Isa. 33:20). "Zion" here does not mean Zion, nor "Jerusalem" Jerusalem, but they mean heaven and the church in respect to the good of love and the truth of doctrine; these are "a quiet habitation, and a tabernacle which shall not be dissipated." The "stakes that shall not be removed" signify a strengthening by Divine truths; and the "cords that shall not be torn off" signify conjunction through Divine good. [11] In Jeremiah: My tabernacle is devastated, and all My cords torn off; My sons have gone out from Me, and they are not; there is no longer anyone to stretch out My tabernacle and to set up My curtains (10:20). "The tabernacle that is devastated" signifies the church in which there is no longer any good, "the cords that are torn off" signify that there is no conjunction; "the sons that have gone out and are not" signify that there are no longer any truths; "there is no longer anyone to stretch out the tabernacle and to set up the curtains" signifies that no one any longer in the church teaches the good of love and the truth from that good, "curtains" signifying the truths that go forth from good and cover it. [12] In the same: The whole land is devastated, suddenly are My tabernacles devastated, My curtains in a moment (Jer. 4:20). The "land" that is devastated signifies the church; the "tabernacles" that are devastated signify its goods, and "curtains" its truths. In the same: Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon shall take their tabernacle and their flocks, he shall carry away for himself their curtains and all their vessels, and their camels (49:29). This describes the vastation of Arabia, by which the church that is in truths from good is signified; the goods of that church are signified by "their tabernacle and their flocks;" the truths of those goods by "the curtains and all vessels," and the knowledges of truth by "camels." "Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon" signifies the evils and falsities that lay waste. "The tabernacles of Arabia" have a like signification in David (Ps. 120:5). [13] In Jeremiah: To Zion shepherds and their flocks shall come, they shall pitch tabernacles against her, they shall feed down everyone his space (6:3). This, too, describes the vastation of the church in respect to the good of love, "Zion" meaning a church in which is that good. "The tabernacles that the shepherds and flocks shall pitch against her" signify the evils and their falsities that devastate the church; "they shall feed down everyone his space" signifies that it shall be altogether deprived of goods and truths. [14] In Hosea: Egypt shall gather them together, Moph shall bury them, the desirable things of their silver the thistle shall possess, and the thorn shall be in their tabernacles (9:6). This describes the vastation of a church by the falsifications of truth. "Israel," of which this is said, signifies this church; that the natural man and his cupidity will destroy them is signified by "Egypt shall gather them together, Moph shall bury them;" that falsity will destroy all truth is signified by "the desirable things of their silver the thistle shall possess;" and that the evils of falsity will destroy all their good is signified by "the thorn shall be in their tabernacles." [15] In Isaiah: Who dwelleth above the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as locusts; who stretcheth out the heavens as something thin, and spreadeth them out as a tabernacle to dwell in (40:22). "To dwell above the circle of the earth" means above the sky; for the sky encompasses the earth as a circle its center; and this is why the Lord is called "the Most High," and "He that dwelleth in the highest." "The inhabitants thereof are as locusts" signifies men in things outermost; for a "locust" signifies what is living in ultimates, in particular truth, and in the contrary sense falsity there; "Who stretcheth out the heavens as something thin" signifies omnipotence to enlarge the heavens at will; "and spreadeth them out as a tabernacle to dwell in" has a similar signification, this signifying the enlargement of the heavens in respect to goods, and the former their enlargement in respect to truths. [16] In Hosea: I will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, according to the days of the appointed time (12:9). This treats of Ephraim, who being enriched said that "he had found wealth" (verse 8), which signifies that he had acquired for himself knowledges of truth; for "Ephraim" signifies the understanding of the Word and the intellectual of the church; therefore "I will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles" signifies still to be in the church where good is; "according to the days of the appointed time" signifies until those knowledges perish. In Zechariah: Jehovah shall save the tabernacles of Judah first (12:7). "The tabernacles of Judah" are the goods of the Word and the goods of the church, for "Judah" signifies the Word, and also the church, in respect to the good of love to the Lord. [17] In Lamentations: The Lord hath bent His bow like an enemy; He hath stood with His right hand as an enemy, and hath slain all things desirable to the eyes; into the tabernacles of Zion He hath poured out His anger like fire (2:4). This treats of the devastation of the church in respect to truths and goods; the devastation in respect to its truths is signified by "He hath slain all things desirable to the eyes;" and the devastation in respect to goods by "He hath poured out His anger like fire into the tabernacles of Zion;" "things desirable" being predicated in the Word of truths, and "eyes" of the understanding of truth; "tabernacles" of goods, and "anger like fire" of the vastation of good; "the daughter of Zion" signifies the church that is in the affection of truth from the love of good. In David: In the heavens He hath set a tabernacle for the sun (Ps. 19:4). "The sun" means here the Lord in relation to Divine love; and because He dwells in the good of His own love in the heavens it is said, "In the heavens He hath set a tabernacle for the sun;" "tabernacle" here meaning the Lord's heaven from the good of love. [18] In the same: Thou hast made Jehovah the Most High thy habitation; no evil shall befall thee, and no plague shall come nigh thy tabernacle (Ps. 91:9, 10). "The habitation of Jehovah" and "His tabernacle" signify heaven and the church; "habitation" signifying heaven and the church in respect to truths, and "tabernacle" heaven and the church in respect to goods. "He hath made the Most High his habitation, no evil shall befall, and no plague come nigh," signifies the removal and protection from evils and from the falsities of evil. In the same: He shall pluck thee out of the tabernacle, and shall root thee out of the land of the living (Ps. 52:5). This is said of Doeg the Edomite. That he was to be expelled from all the good of the church is signified by "he shall pluck thee out of the tabernacle," also from all the truths of the church is signified by "he shall root thee out of the land of the living;" "land" is the church, and those are called "the living" who are in truths from good. [19] "Tabernacle" signifies the church in respect to good, or the good of the church, in the following passages also: That Jehovah would set a tabernacle in the midst of them, would walk in the midst of them, and be to them for a God (Lev. 26:11, 12); this was among the blessings: After the Lord was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, Peter said, Lord, it is good for us to be here; if Thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for Thee, one for Moses, and one for Elijah (Matt. 17:4; Mark 9:5; Luke 9:33). I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and He shall dwell with them (Rev. 21:3). He forsook the tent of Shiloh, the tabernacle, in which He dwelt among men (Ps. 78:60). He rejected the tent of Joseph (Ps. 78:67). That a "tent" signifies the church in respect to the truths of doctrine is evident from passages in the Word where a "tent and tents" are mentioned (as in Isa. 22:16; Jer. 9:19; Ezek. 25:4; Amos 9:11; Hab. 1:6; Ps. 43:3; 46:4; 74:7). [20] Since a tabernacle signified heaven and the church in respect to the doctrine of the good of love, and a tent the same in respect to the doctrine of truth from that good, and this because of the holy worship of the Lord by the most ancient men, as has been said at the beginning of this article, it pleased the Lord that a tabernacle should be set up by Moses, in which representative worship should be performed; and this is described in Exodus (26:7-15; 36:8-37); and it was afterwards commanded: That all the tribes of Israel should encamp about it, and the Levites who were to keep charge of it should be beside it (Num. 1:10-54; 3:7-39); Also that they should journey with it (Num. 9:15, seq.). That this tabernacle was a representative of heaven and the church is clearly evident from this: That the form of it was shown to Moses upon Mount Sinai (Exod. 25:9; 26:30). And whatever is presented in a form to be seen in heaven and from heaven is representative. That the tabernacle was a representative of heaven itself, where the Lord is, and thence also of the church, is evident from its holiness: In that no one was permitted to enter into it except Aaron and his sons, and if the people drew near they would die (Num. 17:12, 13; 18:1, 22, 23; 19:14-19). Likewise that there was a cloud upon it by day, and the appearance of fire by night (Exod. 40:38; Num. 9:15; Isa. 4:5, 6). And afterwards that a feast was celebrated, which was called the Feast of Tabernacles, and they were to be glad because of the produce of the threshing-floor and of the wine press (Lev. 23:39-44; Deut. 16:13, 14; Zech. 14:16, 18, 19). [21] "The produce of the threshing-floor," like as "bread" and "corn," signified all the good of the church; and the "produce of the wine-press," like as "wine," signified all the truth of good of the church; and "to be glad" at that time signified the delight of celestial and spiritual love from good and truth. That all things belonging to the tabernacle, as the ark, the mercy-seat with the cherubim over it, the veil, the table upon which was the bread, the altar of incense, the lamp-stand, the curtains, the coverings, the boards and pillars, the cords, the stakes, and all other things, were representatives of heaven and the church, can be seen in the Arcana Coelestia treating of Exodus, in which all these things are explained. It is also shown there that the holiness of all these things came from the Law that was placed in the ark; for "the Law" signified the Word, and represented the Lord, who is the Word.

And them that dwell in heaven, signifies spiritual goods and truths, from which is the heavenly marriage. This is evident from the signification of "blaspheming them that dwell in heaven," as being to falsify spiritual goods and truths. By "them that dwell in heaven" the angels are meant; and as the angels are angels from the reception of the Divine good and the Divine truth, and as the spiritual sense is abstracted from persons, "angels" here signify the goods and truths from which they are angels; and these are also signified by "angels" elsewhere in the Word (see above, n. 130, 302). "Angels" signify spiritual goods and truths because all who are in heaven are spiritual, and think and speak spiritually. But it is otherwise with men on earth, who being natural, think and speak naturally, and therefore goods and truths with them are natural. And as good and truth mutually love each other, and for that reason they must needs be conjoined, it is also said, from which is the heavenly marriage. This, too, is signified by "them that dwell in heaven," since all in heaven are in that marriage, and this is why heaven is likened in the Word to a marriage; and there is a like marriage in every least particular of the Word, as may be seen above (n. 238 at the end, 288, 484, 724); also an angel cannot be an angel of heaven unless he is in that marriage, or unless that marriage is with him; and the like is true of the man of the church (see n. 660). From this again it is evident that a man who separates faith from good works is not a man of the church. From this it can now be seen that "to blaspheme them that dwell in heaven" signifies to falsify spiritual goods and truths from which is the heavenly marriage. [2] In the two preceding articles those who separate faith from the goods of life and thereby so falsify the Word as to close heaven to themselves, also those who join the goods of life to faith and thereby do not so falsify the Word as to close heaven to themselves, have been treated of. It now follows in order that something be said about those who, although they are in the churches where faith alone is acknowledged, still do not falsify the Word. These are (1) such as do not separate faith from the life but conjoin them by the belief that faith and life make one, like affection and thought, like will and understanding, like heat and light in the time of spring and summer, from the conjunction of which comes all germination, and like truth and good, when truth is put in place of faith, and good in place of life. On the conjunction of all these see the New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine. Such affirm within themselves that no one who lives wickedly can have faith, but only he who lives well, and that one who lives wickedly cannot receive faith unless he performs repentance of life by seeking out his evils and desisting from them; likewise that one who lives wickedly cannot, in his spirit or in himself, have any other faith than a belief in falsity, however he may profess with the mouth a belief in truth. Therefore the life of those who so conjoin life and faith in profession and in works is charity, and their faith is the thought that a thing is so in truth. The faith of such is spiritual so far as they know truths from the Word, and live according to them, for faith becomes spiritual from the life, and so far as man thence becomes spiritual heaven is opened to him. (2) [3] Neither do those falsify the Word who do not know, and do not wish to know, that faith is anything else than believing those things that are in the Word and doing them, for they see that faith is to believe and to do, and that to believe and not to do is a faith of the mouth and not of the heart, thus is outside of man and not within him. These, when they act, believe that faith is believing that there is a God, a heaven and a hell, and a life after death; and that to love God and to love the neighbor is to do the commandments in the Word; and such, so far as they desist from evils and shun and turn away from them because they are sins, so far do the commandments from God, and not from themselves. These also believe that the Lord came into the world to save those who believe in Him and who do what He taught. (3) [4] Because such do not know, and do not wish to know, that faith is anything else than this, they do not acknowledge that justification and salvation are effected by merely believing that God the Father sent his Son, that by His blood He might effect propitiation, redemption, and salvation; for they perceive that merely to believe this and not to live any life of faith, which is charity, rather condemns than justifies; it rather condemns for the reason that it is not a belief in truth, but a belief in falsity; for it is a belief in immediate mercy, which is reformation and regeneration without means; which is imputation, propitiation, and intercession, not one of which is possible. Moreover, it is not true that a Son born from eternity was sent by the Father into the world, nor is it true that the Father was propitiated by the blood of the Son, nor is it true that the Lord transferred sins to Himself and thus effected redemption; and so with other things. So far as these are appearances of truth from the sense of the letter of the Word they may be asserted and also thought, but must not be so confirmed as to destroy the genuine truth that is in heaven, and that the doctrine of the church can teach from the Word. Those therefore who place all things of faith in that confession not only reject to the side all truths, which are innumerable, from which angels and men have life and wisdom, and make the universal theology to consist in certain expressions, uttered with confidence, in which there are no truths; but to confirm these expressions they must needs falsify the Word and thereby close heaven to themselves. But more on this subject elsewhere. So much concerning those who falsify the Word and those who do not falsify it.

Footnotes

764-1 All printed versions of AE note that the explanation for this portion of verse 15 in Revelation 12 is missing from the manuscript. This note is correct in that this explanation is omitted from Swedenborg's final draft but it is not true that Swedenborg never wrote the explanation of these words. The first draft of Apocalypse Explained was only first reproduced in 1916. This means that none of the published editions were able to take into account the information contained in it. Both the English and the Latin editions published by the Swedenborg Foundation take the one sentence explanation of the internal sense in number 762 and add it in brackets as 763 1/2. 764, then, is the explanation of verse 16. There is no number 765 in Swedenborg's final draft and 766 explains verse 17. Comparing this to the first draft, it becomes clear what happened: When recopying, Swedenborg simply skipped over his original 764 and put this number instead on what had been 765 in the first draft. Coming to the end of this number he saw that the next was 766 and resumed numbering the final draft as he had the first. All this probably took place without Swedenborg being aware of what he was doing. The original 764 stands intact in the first draft. It is of special interest because it is the only place in the Writings where the last part of Revelation 12:15 is specifically explained (AR 562 and AC 7293:5, both of which explain verse 15, do not really say anything about the last part). Number 764 of the present published editions should be 765, and has been changed to that in NewSearch98. [Research and footnote provided by the Rev. Stephen D. Cole.]

765-1 Printed versions of AE have numbered this passage 764 and noted that there is no passage numbered 765 in the text. However, both Latin and English versions did not examine the first Latin draft which contains both 764 and 765. See the previous number for a more complete explanation.

768-1 The Latin has "west," but see the text above it.

768-2 The Latin has "and the land;" the Hebrew "out of the land, "as found in AC 566.

768-3 The Hebrew has "of the nations," as found in AC 6286, 6297.

768-4 The Hebrew has "wilt Thou," as found in AC 348.

768-5 The Hebrew has "she that hath," as also found in AC 7297, 8904.

771-1 English Bible, Chapter 13:1. APOCALYPSE. CHAPTER 13. 1. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads a name of blasphemy. 2. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion; and the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. 3. And I saw one of his heads as if it had been wounded to death; and the stroke of his death was healed; and the whole earth wondered after the beast. 4. And they worshipped the dragon which gave authority unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? 5. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and there was given unto him authority to work forty-two months. 6. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven. 7. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints and to overcome them; and there was given to him authority over every tribe and tongue and nation. 8. And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9. If anyone hath an ear let him hear. 10. If anyone shall lead into captivity he shall go into captivity; if anyone shall kill with the sword he must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. 11. And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12. And all the authority of the first beast he exerciseth before him; and he maketh the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose stroke of his death was healed. 13. And he doeth great signs, so that he even maketh fire to come down from heaven unto the earth before men; 14. And he seduceth them that dwell on the earth by reason of the signs that were given him to do before the beast; saying to them that dwell on earth that they should make an image to the beast which hath the stroke of the sword and did live. 15. And it was given unto him to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast may both speak, and may cause that as many as do not worship the image of the beast be killed. 16. And he causeth all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, that there be given them a mark upon their right hand or upon their foreheads; 17. And that no one be able to buy or to sell if he hath not the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18. Here is wisdom. He that hath intelligence let him count the number of the beast; for it is the number of man; and his number is six hundred sixty-six.

773-1 The Latin has "heads" for "horns," but see just above and below in AE 777.

774-1 the Latin has "prophet" for "prophets." See AC 7933, where we read "prophets" which agrees with the Greek text.

780-1 Photolithograph has eagles, the Hebrew has leopards. In the explanation Swedenborg translates it leopards.

781-1 the Latin has "before" for "against."

785-1 The photolithograph has "I will come," the Greek "we will make."

785-2 The photolithograph has "I will make," the Greek "we will make."

785-3 The photolithograph has "My," the Greek reads, "of God."

787-1 The photolithograph has "ambulare et vivere significat vivere;" "to walk and live signifies to live."

789-1 The photolithograph has truths for goods.

799-1 The Latin has "David" for "Balaam."