1101-1150

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

Apocalypse Explained

1101.

Verse 3. For all nations have drunk of the wine of her whoredom, and the kings of the earth have committed whoredom with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich from the abundance of her luxuries. 3. "For all nations have drunk of the wine of the anger of her whoredom," signifies the adulteration of all things of the good of heaven and of the church by direful falsities of evil (n. 1102); "and the kings of the earth have committed whoredom with her," signifies the falsification of all things of the truth of heaven and the church (n. 1103); "and the merchants of the earth have become rich from the abundance of her luxuries," signifies instruction in those things of heaven and the church, which draw their delightfulness and desirableness from the love of having dominion by the holy things of the church as means, and also from the love of possessing the world by the same means (n. 1104).

1102.

Verse 3. For of the wine of her whoredom all nations have drunk, signifies the adulteration of all things of the good of heaven and the church by direful falsities of evil. This is evident from what has been explained above (n. 881), where there are like words. It is there said that "she made all nations to drink," but here that "all nations have drunk." (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith.) Now as to the doctrine of the Trinity that was written by Athanasius, and established by a council at Nice. This doctrine is such that when it is read it leaves a clear idea that there are three Persons, and thus that there are three unanimous Gods, but an obscure idea that God is one; and yet, as has been said above, the idea of thought of one God is what primarily opens heaven to man, and on the other hand the idea of three Gods closes heaven. Whether this Athanasian doctrine, when it has been read, leaves a clear idea that there are three Persons, and thus three unanimous Gods, and whether this unanimous Trinity gives rise to the thought that there is one God, let everyone consider from his own thought about it. For it is said in the Athanasian Faith in plain words, "There is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit. The Father is uncreate, infinite, eternal, Almighty, God, Lord." Likewise is the Son, and likewise the Holy Spirit. Also, "The Father was made and created of none; The Son was born of the Father; And the Holy Spirit proceedeth from both. Thus there is one Father, one Son, and one Holy Spirit. And in this Trinity the whole three Persons are co-eternal and co-equal." From all this no one can think otherwise than that there are three Gods; neither could Athanasius nor the Nicene Council think otherwise; as is evident from these words inserted in the doctrine, "Like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by Himself to be God and Lord, yet we cannot from Christian faith make mention of three Gods or three Lords." This cannot be understood otherwise than that it is allowable to acknowledge three Gods and Lords, but not to name them, or that it is allowable to think that there are three Gods and Lords, but not to say it.

1103.

And the kings of the earth have committed whoredom with her, signifies the falsification of all things of the truth of heaven and the church, as can be seen from the explanation of the same words above (n. 1034). (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith.) That the doctrine of the Trinity that is called the Athanasian Faith when it has been read leaves an obscure idea that God is one, and so obscure as not to remove the idea of three Gods, can be seen from this, that the doctrine makes one God out of three through a unity of essence, saying, "This is the Christian faith: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity, neither confounding the Persons nor dividing the essence." And afterwards, "So that in all things the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped." This was said to remove the idea of three Gods, but it enters the understanding in no other way than that there are three Persons, although they all have one Divine essence, that is, by Divine essence God is here meant; and yet essence, like divinity, majesty, and glory, which are also mentioned, is something predicated, and God because a Person is the subject; consequently to say that the essence is God would be like saying that something predicated is the subject. But the essence is not God, it belongs to God, as majesty and glory are not God but belong to God, just as what is predicated is not the subject, but belongs to the subject. This makes evident that the idea of three Gods as three Persons is not removed. This may be illustrated by a comparison. Suppose that there are in one kingdom three rulers of equal power, each called king; then if power and majesty are meant by king, these might, if it were so commanded, be called and declared king, although it would not be easy to call them one king. But as a person is meant when a king is mentioned, it is impossible from any command for three kings to be thought of as one king. If, therefore, they should say to you, Speak to us as freely as you think, you would certainly say, Ye kings and Your Majesties. If you answer, As I am commanded to speak so do I think, you are deceived, because either you are pretending or you are compelling yourself, and if you are compelling yourself, your thought is not left to itself, but inheres in your words. [2] That this is so was seen by Athanasius; therefore he explains the above words by the following: "Like as we are compelled by Christian verity to acknowledge every person by Himself to be God and Lord, so we cannot by Christian faith name three Gods or three Lords." This can be understood only as meaning that it is allowable to acknowledge three Gods and Lords, but not to name them; or that it is allowable to think of three Gods and Lords, but not to speak of them, because it is contrary to the Christian faith; also that it is allowable to acknowledge and think of three infinites, eternals, uncreates, and Almighties, because there are three Persons, but not to name three infinites, eternals, uncreates, and Almighties, but only one. Athanasius added the above words to the others, because no one, not even himself, could think otherwise. But everyone can speak otherwise, and ought so to speak in all things, because it is taught by the Christian religion, that is, from the Word, that there is one God and not three Gods. Moreover, the properties assigned to each Person as his special attribute, as to the Father creation, to the Son redemption, and to the Holy Spirit enlightenment, is not thus one and the same in the three Persons, and yet they all enter into the Divine essence, for creation is Divine, redemption is Divine, and enlightenment is Divine. [3] Furthermore, does any man who wishes to change the idea of three Gods into an idea of one God, think that the Trinity in Unity and the Unity in Trinity is to be worshiped, neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the essence? Who is able to do this even by metaphysical reasoning that transcends the comprehension? The simple are wholly unable to do it, while the learned hurry it over, saying to themselves, This is my doctrine and faith about God; nor do they retain therefrom in the memory by any obscure idea, or in thought from the memory, anything except that there are three Persons and one God, and each one makes one out of three in his own way; but only when he speaks and writes, for when he thinks he can think only of three, and of one only from the unanimity of the three; and some are unable to do even this. But listen, my reader, and do not say to yourself that this is too harshly or too boldly spoken against the faith universally accepted in respect to the triune God, for you will see in what follows that each and every thing that is written in the Athanasian Faith is in agreement with the truth, if only instead of three Persons one Person in whom is the Trinity is believed in.

1104.

And the merchants of the earth have become rich from the abundance of her luxuries, signifies instruction in the things of heaven and the church, which draw their delightfulness and desirableness from the love of having dominion by the holy things of the church as means, and also from the love of possessing the world by the same means. This is evident from the signification of "merchants," as being those who acquire the knowledges of good and truth from the Word, that is, who either teach or learn them; for in the proper or natural sense he is called a merchant who buys and sells merchandise, and to buy and to sell signify to acquire and communicate, thus in the spiritual sense to learn and to teach; and "merchandise" signifies the knowledges of good and truth from the Word. (That this is the signification of "trading," see above, n. 840.) "The merchants of the earth" signify instruction in the things of the church, because to teach is to instruct, and to be taught or to learn is to be instructed, and the term instruction is applicable to both; and as the spiritual sense of the Word is abstracted from persons, "merchant" signifies instruction, and the natural sense from the spiritual signifies those who instruct and who are instructed; for the spiritual sense has respect to goods and truths abstracted from persons, while the natural sense from the spiritual has respect to the persons in whom are these goods and truths. That "the earth" signifies the church has often been confirmed above from the Word. The above is evident also from the signification of "the abundance of her luxuries," as being the things of the church that are called knowledges, and that are said to be holy, and yet derive all that they are from the love of having dominion both over heaven and over the world. Such knowledges, which they call the holy things of the church, are what are meant by "the abundance of her luxuries" which are enumerated below (verses 11-15), and by which such things are signified. They are called "the abundance of luxuries" because they are delightful, for all things that flow forth from the love of self and from the love of the world are delightful, for from his natural man or from his body everyone feels no other delight. When, therefore, these loves are ends, such means as favor them are devised; and these means are delightful because they belong to the ends. And because these loves are ends with those who are the heads and the primates in that religious persuasion that is meant by "Babylon," they devise the means that favor them, all of which are delightful (as will be shown below). From all this it can be seen that "the merchants of the earth have become rich from the abundance of her luxuries" signifies instruction in those things of the church that draw their delightfulness and desirableness from the love of having dominion by the holy things of the church as means, and from the love of possessing the world by the same means. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith) [2] Another thing that the Athanasian doctrine teaches is that there are two essences in the Lord, the Divine and the Human essence; and in this there is a clear idea that the Lord has the Divine and the Human, that is, that the Lord is God and Man, but an obscure idea that the Divine of the Lord is in His Human as the soul is in the body. The clear idea that the Lord has the Divine and the Human is drawn from these words, "The true faith is, that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God of the substance of the Father, begotten before the world, and Man of the substance of the mother, born in the world; Perfect God and perfect Man, consisting of a reasonable soul and a human body; equal to the Father as to the Divine, and inferior to the Father as to the Human." Here the clear idea stops and goes no farther, because it becomes from what follows an obscure idea, and what pertains to an obscure idea, since it does not enter the memory from thought from light, gains no other place there than among things not of light; and as these do not appear before the understanding they are hidden, and cannot be called forth from the memory in connection with things that belong to the light. In that doctrine the point that is in an obscure idea is that the Lord's Divine is in His Human as the soul is in the body; for on this it is said, "Who, although He be God and Man, yet He is not two, but one Christ; One altogether by unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and the body is one man, so God and Man is one Christ." The idea in this is indeed in itself clear, and yet it becomes obscure by what follows, "one, not by conversion of the Divine essence into the Human, but by a taking of the Human essence into the Divine; one altogether, not by confusion of essence but by unity of Person." [3] As a clear idea prevails over an obscure idea, so most people, both simple and learned, think of the Lord as they do of an ordinary man like themselves, and not at the same time of His Divine; or if they think of the Divine they separate it in their idea from the Human, and thereby weaken the unity of Person. And if they are asked where His Divine is, they answer according to their idea, In heaven with the Father. They thus say and think because they have an aversion to thinking that the Human is Divine, and is in heaven united with its Divine, not knowing that when they thus separate in thought the Lord's Divine from His Human they not only think contrary to their doctrine, which teaches that the Lord's Divine is in His Human as the soul in the body, and that there is a unity of Person, that is, that they constitute one Person, but they also charge that doctrine undeservedly with the contradiction or fallacy that the Lord's Human with its rational soul was from the mother alone, when in fact every man is rational from the soul, which is from the father. But that there is such a thought and such a separation is a result of the idea of three gods, according to which His Divine in the Human is from the Divine of the Father, who is the first Person, although it is His own Divine which descended from heaven and took on the Human. If man does not rightly perceive this it might perhaps be supposed that the Father, who is the source, is not one Divine but threefold; and yet this cannot be accepted with any faith. In a word, those who separate the Divine from His Human, and do not think that the Divine is in His Human as the soul is in the body, and that the two are one Person, may fall into strange ideas about the Lord, even into an idea like that of a man separated from his soul. Take heed, therefore, not to think of the Lord as a man like yourself, but think of the Lord as Man who is God. God. [4] Listen, my reader: You may think when you read all this that you have never separated in thought the Lord's Divine from His Human, nor in consequence His Human from His Divine; but give attention, I pray you, to your thought when you have directed it to the Lord, and see whether you have ever thought that the Lord's Divine is in His Human as the soul is in the body; and whether you have not thought instead, and even, if you please, are not now thinking, of His Human separately and of His Divine separately? And when you are thinking of His Human is it not in your thought like the human of any other man; and when you are thinking of His Divine, is it not, in your thought, with the Father? I have questioned very many about this, even primates of the church, and they have all answered that it is so; and when I have said that it is according to the doctrine in the Athanasian Faith, which is the very doctrine of their church respecting God and respecting the Lord, that the Lord's Divine is in his Human as the soul is in the body, they have replied that they did not know it; and when I recited these words of the doctrine: "Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God, although He be God and Man, yet He is not two but one Christ; one altogether by unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and body is one man, so God and Man is one Christ," they were silent, but afterwards confessed that they had not observed these words, and were indignant that they had passed over their own doctrine with eyes so closed; and some of them abandoned their mystical union of the Divine of the Father with the Lord's Human. [5] That the Divine is in the Lord's Human as the soul is in the body the Word teaches and testifies in Matthew and in Luke. In Matthew: When Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. And an angel said to Joseph in a dream, Fear not to take Mary thy bride, for that which is begotten in her is of the Holy Spirit. And Joseph knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son, and he called his name Jesus (Matt. 1:18, 20, 25). And in Luke: The angel said to Mary, Behold thou shalt conceive in the womb, and bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus. Mary said to the angel, How shall this be, since I know not a man? The angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee, therefore that Holy One that is born of thee shall be called the Son of God (Luke 1:31-32, 34-35). All this makes clear that the Divine was in the Lord from conception, and that the Divine was His life from the Father, which life is the soul. This will suffice for the time. More will be said on this subject in what follows, where it will be shown that even the things in the Athanasian doctrine that produce an obscure idea of the Lord are in harmony with the truth when the Trinity, that is, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is thought and believed to be in the Lord as in one Person. Without this thought and belief it may be said, and in fact it is said, that Christians, differently from all other peoples and nations in the whole globe that have rationality, worship three Gods; and yet the Christian world might surpass and ought to surpass all others in the clearness of the doctrine and belief that God is one both in essence and in Person.

1105.

Verse 4. And I heard another voice from heaven saying, Come forth out of her, my people, that ye become not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 4. "And I heard another voice from heaven saying," signifies exhortation to those who are in truths and in the good of life to beware of such (n. 1106); "Come forth out of her, my people," signifies that they should leave them and not communicate with them (n. 1107); "that ye become not partakers of her sins," signifies lest they come into their evils, which are from the love of self and the love of the world (n. 1108); "and that ye receive not of her plagues," signifies and thus come into falsities of evil, and consequently into destruction (n. 1109).

1106.

Verse 4. And I heard another voice from heaven saying, signifies exhortation to those who are in truths and in the good of life to beware of such. This is evident from the signification of "a voice from heaven," as being exhortation to those who are in the truths of faith and in the goods of life to beware of such. That this is what is meant by "a voice from heaven" is evident from what follows, for it is said, "Come forth out of her, my people, that ye become not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues," with other things besides; and after this is described what the wares of Babylon are, and what their state is; which makes clear that "a voice from heaven" means exhortation. There was heard "a voice from heaven," because it means from the Lord through the Word; for everything that a man imbibes from the Word is a voice from heaven, and the Word teaches everyone what Babylon is, as is evident from the passages quoted from the Word respecting Babylon (n. 1029). [2] It is said "another voice," because the former voice was that of the angel crying out that "Babylon had fallen, and was become the habitation of demons;" so this is an exhortation to all, both to those within Babylon who are in some affection of truth and in some life of good, that they should come forth out of her and have no faith in her witchcrafts and enchantments; and also to those who are out of Babylon, that they do not permit themselves to be led away by such. For it is the character of that nation to persuade by the delights of each one's love, and thus close up the understanding, and thereby lead man into a belief in every thing they say. That the Babylonish nation is such has been made known to me by much experience; for they enter into the delights of each one's life, and thereby captivate minds; and thus they as it were spread the bait, and ensnare, until they get into one's life; and thus they lead him like one blind and powerless wherever they wish, leading him first to accept a blind faith by removing all light from the understanding in theological matters, in order that their ends may not become evident, which are that they may be lords not only over man's interiors that pertain to his mind but also over the exteriors that pertain to the body; over the interiors pertaining to the mind by dominion over all things of the church and of heaven, thus over souls, and over the exteriors pertaining to the body by dominion over their wealth. In a word, their ends are that they may themselves alone be lords and all others servants, for thus are they worshipped as gods, if not by open words, yet in silent acknowledgment; and this is their final end, which is concealed from men but is manifest to the angels in heaven. That this is their final end is clearly evident from this, that they have taken away from the Lord Himself all power to save, by transferring it to the Pope and from him to his ministers; and yet the saving of man is the Lord's Divine itself; and he who is able to do this is not a man but God. But more will be said upon this subject in what follows. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith) [3] It has been shown that the doctrine of faith that has its name from Athanasius, leaves a clear idea, when it is read, that there are three Persons, and thus that there are three unanimous Gods, and an obscure idea that God is one, so obscure that the idea of three Gods is not removed. And again, this doctrine leaves a clear idea that the Lord has the Divine and the Human, that is, that the Lord is God and Man, but an obscure idea that the Divine and the Human of the Lord are one Person, and that His Divine is in His Human as the soul is in the body. It has been also said that all things in that doctrine from beginning to end, both such as are clear and such as are obscure, nevertheless agree and coincide with the truth, if only instead of saying that God is one in essence and three in Person, it is believed, as the truth really is, that God is one both in essence and in Person. [4] There is a Trinity in God and there is also a unity. That there is a Trinity is evident from the passages in the Word where the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are mentioned; and that there is a unity, from the passages in the Word where it is said that God is one. The unity in which there is the Trinity, or the one God in whom there is a trine, does not exist in the Divine that is called the Father, nor in the Divine that is called the Holy Spirit, but in the Lord alone. In the Lord alone there is a trine, namely, the Divine which is called Father, the Divine Human which is called the Son, and the Divine proceeding which is the Holy Spirit; and this trine is one because it is of one Person, and may be called triune. In what follows the agreement with this of all things of the Athanasian doctrine will be seen, First, respecting the Trinity; Secondly, respecting the unity of Person in the Lord; Thirdly, that from the Divine providence it has come to pass that the doctrine was so written that while it disagrees with the truth it nevertheless agrees with it. Afterwards it will be established in general, that the trine is in the Lord; and next in particular, that the Divine that is called the Father is the Lord, that the Divine that is called the Son is the Lord, and that the Divine that is called the Holy Spirit is the Lord.

1107.

Come forth out of her, my people, signifies that they should leave them and not communicate with them. This is evident from the signification of "coming forth out of Babylon," as being to leave those who are meant by "Babylon," also not to communicate with them. Also from the signification of "my people," as being those who are in truths, and through truths in the good of life. (That "people" signifies those who are in truths from good may be seen, n. 175, 331, 625.) These are the subjects of the exhortation that is meant by "the voice from heaven." They were exhorted to leave such, and not to communicate with them, because interaction with such is dangerous, especially in the spiritual world, where they send out emissaries, as they do in the natural world, and these persuade others in various ways and entice them by promises that they may accede to their religion; for as a man acts in the world so he acts after his departure out of the world, for the ruling love with everyone remains, and the love of such is to bring all the world over to their religious persuasion, and this for no other end than that they may extend the boundaries of their empire for the sake of the infernal delight of the love of self and the infernal delight of the love of the world. It is for the sake of these delights that the devil, as it is said, walks about and leads astray, as can be seen from what is said in the Gospels about the Lord's temptations by the devil, where the love of self in which he is, is described by his wishing to be adored, and his love of the world by his showing from a mountain all the kingdoms of the world as his own. As everyone's love continues the same after death, so is it with the Babylonish nation when it has come into the spiritual world; then those who have exercised dominion from the delight of those loves, acquire arts unknown in the natural world, and by these they fascinate men's spirits and draw them over to their side against their will. And now since the Last Judgment has been accomplished upon these, they are strictly forbidden to send emissaries into societies in which the Reformed are, or to the Gentiles; and when any are sent they are sought out and punished. As the state of such after the Last Judgment, especially their state in the spiritual world, is here treated of, what is said here and in the following parts of this chapter about Babylon must be understood as said chiefly on their account. For as regards Babylon in the natural world or on our earth, those meant by Babylon there are not in the same state as those who are in the spiritual world, and yet the exhortation is also for them, that they may take heed to themselves. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith) [2] Now in regard to the agreement of all things of the Athanasian doctrine with this truth, that God is one both in essence and Person, in whom is a trine, to establish this agreement and make it clear I will proceed in the following order. The Athanasian doctrine first teaches thus: "The Catholic faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the Persons nor dividing the essence." When in place of three Persons one Person in whom is the trine is understood, this is in itself a truth, and in a clear idea is thus seen: The Christian faith is this: We worship one God in whom is a trine, and a trine in one God; and the God in whom is the trine is one Person, and the trine in God is one essence; thus there is one God in a Trinity, and a Trinity in the unity; and neither are the Persons confounded nor is the essence divided. That the Persons are not confounded and the essence is not divided will appear more clearly from what follows. The Athanasian doctrine further teaches: "For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit; but the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, is one and the same, and the glory equal." When in place of three Persons one Person, in whom is the trine, is understood, this also in itself is a truth, and in a clear idea is thus seen: The trine in the Lord as in one Person is the Divine that is called the Father, the Divine Human that is called the Son, and the Divine proceeding that is called the Holy Spirit; but the Godhead or Divine essence of the three is one, the glory equal. Again, "Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit." These words are to be understood thus: Such as is the Divine that is called the Father, such is the Divine that is called the Son, and such is the Divine that is called the Holy Spirit. [3] And further, "The Father is uncreate, the Son is uncreate, and the Holy Spirit is uncreate. The Father is infinite, the Son is infinite, and the Holy Spirit is infinite; the Father eternal, the Son eternal, the Holy Spirit eternal, and yet there are not three eternals, but one eternal. Also there are not three infinites, but one infinite; neither are there three uncreates, but one uncreate. As the Father is Almighty the Son is Almighty and the Holy Spirit Almighty; and yet they are not three Almighties, but one Almighty." When in place of three Persons one Person in whom is a trine is understood, this also in itself is a truth, and in a clear idea is thus seen: As the Divine in the Lord that is called the Father is uncreate, infinite, Almighty, so the Divine Human that is called the Son is uncreate, infinite, Almighty, and the Divine that is called the Holy Spirit is uncreate, infinite, and Almighty; but these three are one; because the Lord is one God, both in essence and in Person, in whom is a trine. Again, in the Athanasian doctrine this follows: "as the Father is God so the Son is God and the Holy Spirit is God; and yet there are not three gods, but one God. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, and the Holy Spirit is Lord; and yet there are not three Lords, but one Lord." Here again, when in place of three persons one person in whom is a trine is understood, this in a clear idea is thus seen: the Lord from his Divine that is called the Father, from His Divine Human that is called the Son, and from His Divine proceeding that is called the Holy Spirit, is one God and one Lord; since the three Divines called by the names Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are in the Lord, one in essence and in Person. [4] Still again: "For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by Himself to be God and Lord, so are we forbidden by the Catholic religion to say there be three gods or three lords." Elsewhere thus: "Like as we are bound by Christian truth to acknowledge every Person to be God and Lord, so we cannot in Christian faith make mention of three gods or three lords." This can be understood in no other way than that by Christian truth we cannot help acknowledging and thinking three gods and three lords, yet it is not permitted by the Christian faith and religion to speak of and name three gods or three lords. And this is what is done, for most people think of three gods who are of one mind, and consequently call them a unanimous Trinity, and yet they are bound to say one God. But with the idea that there are not three Persons but one Person, in place of these words, which ought to be expunged from the Athanasian doctrine, this might be said: "When we acknowledge a trine in the Lord, then it is from truth, and thus from the Christian faith and religion, that we acknowledge both with the lips and the heart, one God and one Lord." For if it were permissible to acknowledge and think of three it would be permissible also to believe in three, for believing or belief belongs to the thought and acknowledgment and to the speech therefrom, and not to the speech separately. [5] Afterwards this follows: "the Father was made of none, neither created nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone, not made nor created, but begotten. The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son, neither made nor created nor begotten, but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits." This is wholly in agreement with the truth if by the Father the Divine of the Lord that is called the Father is meant, and if by the Son His Divine Human is meant, and if by the Holy Spirit His Divine proceeding is meant; for from the Divine that is called the Father the Divine Human that is called the Son was begotten, and from both the Divine that is called the Holy Spirit proceeds. But the Divine Human begotten of the Father will be spoken of particularly hereafter. All this makes clear that the Athanasian doctrine agrees with the truth that God is one both in essence and in Person, if only in place of three Persons one Person, in whom is a trine that is called Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is understood. In the following article a like agreement will be established respecting the unity of Person in the Lord.

1108.

That ye become not partakers of her sins, signifies lest ye come into their evils which are from the love of self and from the love of the world. This is evident from the signification of "becoming partakers," as being in reference to sins to come into them, and thus to become guilty of them. Also from the signification of "sins," as being here the evils that spring from the love of self and the love of the world. Such evils are here meant because the Babylonish nation is in those loves, and consequently in the evils that arise from them. That that nation is in such evils is evident, for those of that nation extend their dominion not only over all things of the church but also over heaven; nor are they content with that; they have extended their dominion over the Lord Himself, for they have transferred to themselves His power over the souls of men to save them, which power is the Lord's very Divine power, since it was for this end that the Lord came into the world and glorified His Human, that is, made it Divine, that He might thereby save men. They have evidently extended their dominion over the Lord Himself, for having transferred to themselves His Divine power, which is the power to save men, they believe that the Lord will do what they wish, and not that they are to do what the Lord wishes; thus their will rules and the Lord's will serves; in a word, they have drawn down the Lord from His throne, and set themselves upon it, saying in their hearts, like Lucifer: And thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into the heavens, I will exalt my throne above the stars of heaven, I will ascend above the heights of the cloud, I will become like the Most High (Isa. 14:13-14). That "Lucifer" here means Babylon may be seen above (n. 1029), but the modern Babylon has made herself not merely like the Most High, but even higher. Now as those who are meant by "Babylon" are in the loves of self and of the world above all others in the whole globe, and as all evils spring from these two loves, and the worst evils are from such a love of ruling, there is here an exhortation that they go out or depart from them "lest they become partakers of her sins." (That all evils spring from these two loves, namely, love of self and love of the world, may be seen in New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine n. 65-83; and that these loves reign in hell, Heaven and Hell n. 551-565.) (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith) [2] Now as to the agreement of the Athanasian doctrine with this truth, that the Lord's Human is Divine from the Divine that was in Him from conception. That the Lord's Human is Divine appears as if it were not in the Athanasian doctrine, and yet it is, as is evident from these words in the doctrine: "Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; Who although he be God and Man, yet He is not two but one Christ; One altogether by unity of Person" (others, because they are one Person). For as the reasonable soul and body are one man, so God and Man is one Christ." Now as the soul and body are one man, and thus one Person, and such as the soul is such is the body, it follows that as His soul from the Father was Divine, His body also, which is His Human, is Divine. He took, indeed, a body or a human from the mother, but this He put off in the world and put on a Human from the Father, and this is the Divine Human. It is said in the doctrine, "Equal to the Father as touching the Divine, and inferior to the Father as touching the Human." This, too, agrees with the truth when the human from the mother is meant, as it is here. Again, in the doctrine it is said, "God and Man is one Christ, one not by conversion of the Divine essence into the Human, but by the taking of the Human essence into the Divine. One altogether, not by confusion of substance, but by unity of Person." This, too, agrees with the truth, since the soul does not change itself into body, nor so mingle itself with body as to become body, but it takes a body to itself. Thus soul and body, although the two are distinct, are still one man, and in respect to the Lord, one Christ, that is, one Man who is God. More will be said on the Lord's Divine Human in what follows.

1109.

And that ye receive not her plagues, signifies and thus come into the falsities of evil, and consequently into destruction. This is evident from the signification of "plagues," as being such things as destroy man's spiritual life (see above, n. 584), here falsities from evil, because these destroy that life. The appearance is that the evils themselves destroy man's spiritual life, but they do not destroy it of themselves, but by means of falsities, and for the reason that evils without falsities do not enter the thought; for evils belong wholly to the will, and anything that belongs to the will and not at the same time to the thought cannot destroy, because it is without reason, and then man does not know that it is an evil. But when man confirms evils by the thought they do destroy, for they then are man's. Confirmations of evils by the thought are falsities. "Plagues" here signify falsities, because "sins," which are mentioned just before, mean evils of the love of self and of the world, and in the Word wherever evil is treated of falsity is also treated of. Now as evils destroy spiritual life by means of falsities, and "plagues" signify falsities from evil, so "plagues" signify destruction. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith) [2] It was from the Divine providence that each and every thing of the Athanasian doctrine respecting the Trinity and respecting the Lord is a truth and is harmonious, when in place of three Persons one Person in whom is the Trinity is understood, and it is believed that the Lord is that Person. For at that time, if the Trinity of Persons had not been accepted, they would have become either Arians or Socinians, and consequently the Lord would have been acknowledged as a mere man and not as God; and by this the Christian church would have been destroyed, and heaven would have been closed to the man of the church; for no one is conjoined with heaven, and after death admitted into heaven, unless in the idea of his thought he sees God as Man, and at the same time believes God to be one both in essence and in Person, for it is by this that the Gentiles are saved; also unless he acknowledges the Lord, His Divine and His Human, for by this a man of the Christian church is saved, provided he lives at the same time as a Christian. [3] It was by Divine permission that the doctrine respecting God and the Lord, which is the primary of all doctrines, was so conceived by Athanasius; for it was foreseen by the Lord that in no other way would the Roman Catholics have acknowledged the Divine of the Lord, and for the same reason even to this day they separate His Divine from His Human. Neither would the Reformed have seen the Divine in the Human of the Lord, for those who are in faith separated from charity do not see this. Nevertheless both of them acknowledge the Divine of the Lord in a Trinity of Persons. And yet this doctrine that is called the Athanasian Faith was by the Lord's Divine providence so written that all things in it are truths, provided that in place of three Persons one Person in whom is a trine is recognized, and it is believed that the Lord is that Person. Moreover, it was from providence that they are called Persons, for a person is a man, and a Divine Person is God who is Man. This has been revealed at this day for the sake of the New Church, which is called the Holy Jerusalem.

1110.

Verse 5. For her sins have reached even unto heaven, and God hath remembered her injustices. 5. "For her sins have reached even unto heaven," signifies for their evils have closed up heaven (n. 1111); "and God hath remembered her injustices" signifies that falsities from evils have separated them from the Lord (n. 1112).

1111.

Verse 5. For her sins have reached even unto heaven, signifies for their evils have closed up heaven. This is evident from the signification of "sins," as being the evils springing forth from the loves of self and of the world (as above, n. 1108); also from the signification of "reaching even unto heaven," as being to close up heaven, for evils close up heaven, and especially the evils from such a love of self as reigns with them; for their love of self is the love of ruling over the world, over the Word and the church, over heaven, and over the Lord Himself. "To reach even unto heaven" signifies to close up heaven, because evils when they reach to heaven close it up, for the angels because of the evils that are with those who are beneath heaven, come into a state either of sadness, or grief, or horror, or irritation; not that angels see those who are in evils, and thus know that the evils have this effect; but when falsities from evil reach unto heaven they produce this result, for in the heavens all are in goods from love to the Lord and in charity towards the neighbor, and evils from the love of self and the love of the world are direct opposites of these goods, and when one opposite acts against another, as here, that is, diabolical evil against celestial good, those who are in celestial good are either made sad, or are grieved, or horrified, or provoked, and when this takes place they turn themselves away, and thus heaven becomes closed. Nevertheless, the Lord provides that those who are in evils, especially those who are in the evils that are the worst of all, be removed afar off from heaven, that the angels may not be infested by them. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian faith and respecting the Lord) [2] That there is in the Lord a trine, the Divine itself that is called the Father, the Divine Human that is called the Son, and the Divine proceeding that is called the Holy Spirit, can be seen from the Word, from the Divine essence, and from heaven. From the Word: Where the Lord Himself teaches that the Father and He are one, and that the Holy Spirit proceeds from Him and from the Father; also where the Lord teaches that the Father is in Him and He in the Father, and that the Spirit of Truth, which is the Holy Spirit, does not speak from Himself but from the Lord; and again, from passages in the Old Word where the Lord is called "Jehovah," "Son of God," and "the Holy One of Israel." [3] From the Divine Essence: That one Divine by itself is not possible, but there must be a trine. This trine is being [esse], manifesting [existere], and proceeding [procedere], for being must necessarily be manifested, and when it is manifested it must proceed that it may produce. And this trine is one in essence and one in Person, and is God. This may be illustrated by a comparison. An angel of heaven is trinal and thus one; the being [esse] of an angel is what is called his soul, his manifesting [existere] is what is called his body, and the proceeding [procedere] from both is what is called the sphere of his life, without which an angel has neither existence nor being. By this trine an angel is an image of God, and is called a "son of God," and also an "heir," and even a "god;" nevertheless, an angel is not life from himself, but is a recipient of life; God alone is life from Himself. [4] From Heaven: The Divine trine, which is one in essence and in Person, is such in heaven. The Divine called the Father, and the Divine Human called the Son, appear in heaven before the angels as a sun, and the Divine that proceeds therefrom appears as light united to heat; the light is Divine truth, and the heat is Divine good. Thus the Divine called the Father is the Divine being [esse], the Divine Human called the Son is the Divine manifesting [existere] from that being [esse], and the Divine called the Holy Spirit is the Divine proceeding [procedere] from the Divine manifesting [existere] and from the Divine being [esse]. This trine is the Lord in heaven; His Divine love is what appears there as a sun.

1112.

And God hath remembered her injustices, signifies that falsities from evils have separated them from the Lord. This is evident from the signification of "remembering," in reference to God as being to separate Him from themselves (of which presently); also from the signification of "injustices," as being falsities from evil, for "the just" is truth from good, consequently "the unjust" is falsity from evil. "The just" is truth from good because civil justice is nothing else than civil truth, which is of the law, and civil equity is the good that is also of the law, since as the law wills justice so it wills equity; for as all truth must be from good so all justice must be from equity; and as all truth must be of good so all justice must be of equity, and conversely. The two cannot be separated, for if they are separated equity is no longer equity, nor is so-called justice justice; as good and truth cannot be separated, for if they are separated good is not good, nor is truth truth. This has been said to make clear that "injustices" here signify falsities from evil. [2] "God hath remembered her injustices" signifies that falsities of evil have separated them from the Lord, because what precedes, that "her sins have reached even unto heaven," signifies that their evils had closed up heaven, for when heaven is closed to man the Lord is separated; and that being the meaning of the first part of the verse, this must be the meaning of what follows. It must be understood, however, that the Lord does not separate Himself from such, but that they separate themselves from the Lord; for the Lord regards everyone from the face and not from the back of the head; and for this reason the angels of heaven have the Lord continually before their face, and this whichever way they turn, but evil spirits turn the face away from the Lord and turn to Him the back part of the head, and thus they separate themselves from Him. The falsities from evils that are with them are what do this. (That the angels of heaven thus turn to the Lord, and that the spirits of hell thus turn away from Him, may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 17, 123, 142-145, 151, 251, 272, 548, 552, 561.) (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord) [3] It has been said that one Divine by itself is not possible, but that there must be a trine, and that this trine is one God in essence and in Person. It may now be asked, What trine God had before the Lord took on the Human and made it Divine in the world? God was then likewise Man, and had the Divine, the Divine Human, and the Divine proceeding, that is, the Divine being [esse], the Divine manifesting [existere], and the Divine proceeding [procedere], for as has been said, God without a trine is not possible. But the Divine Human was not then Divine even to ultimates. Ultimates are meant by "flesh and bones," and even these were made Divine by the Lord when He was in the world. This was what was added, and this is the Divine Human that God now has. This, too, may be illustrated by this comparison. Every angel is a man, having a soul, having a body, and having a proceeding; and yet this does not make him a complete man, for he does not have flesh and bones as a man in the world has. [4] That the Lord made His Human Divine even to its ultimates, which are called "flesh and bones," He made clear to the disciples, who when they saw Him believed that they saw a spirit, saying: See My hands and My feet that it is I Myself; feel Me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see Me have (Luke 24:39). From this it follows that now God is Man more than an angel is. Comparison has been made with an angel and with a man; yet it must be understood that God has life in Himself, while an angel does not have life in himself, for he is a recipient of life. That the Lord as to both the Divine and the Divine Human, is life in Himself He teaches in John: As the Father hath life in Himself so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself (John 5:26). Here by "Father" the Lord means the Divine in Himself; for He says elsewhere that the Father is in Him, and that the Father and He are one.

1113.

Verse 6. Render unto her even as she hath rendered unto you, and double unto her double according to her works; in the cup that she hath mingled mingle to her double. 6. "Render unto her even as she hath rendered unto you," signifies infernal punishment corresponding to their evil deeds (n. 1114); "and double unto her double according to her works," signifies as much retribution as they have profaned good (n. 1115); "in the cup that she hath mingled mingle to her double," signifies as much retribution as they have profaned truth (n. 1116).

1114.

Verse 6. Render unto her even as she hath rendered unto you, signifies infernal punishment corresponding to their evil deeds. This is evident from their signification of "rendering to one even as he hath rendered (or done)," as being to make retribution according to the law of retaliation, thus to render punishment corresponding to evil deeds. But as this was said to those who according to the exhortation have gone forth out of Babylon, that is, have left that religious persuasion, and are on their guard against it, and as such are in charity, and consequently are not revengeful and therefore do not punish others, so these words signify infernal punishment corresponding to evil deeds. These expressions, that such "would render unto her," also "would double unto her double according to her works," and "would mingle to her double in the cup that she hath mingled," are in accord with the style of the Word in the sense of its letter, which is according to appearances, that is, that they would avenge the injustices done to themselves; as also in the same sense it is attributed to the Lord Himself that He is angry, that He punishes, and thus that He acts from revenge; and yet anger and revenge are not possible in the Lord, and consequently not in those who are led by the Lord and live from Him. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord) [2] Some in the Christian world have formed to themselves an idea of God resembling their idea of the universe, others like the idea of nature in her inmosts, others like the idea of a cloud in some ethereal space, others like the idea of a beam of light, and others no idea at all, and few an idea of God as Man; and yet God is Man. There are several reasons why Christians have formed such ideas of God. The first is that they believe from their doctrine in three Divine Persons distinct from each other; in the Father as the invisible God, and in the Lord, but not God as to His Human. The second reason is that they believe God to be a Spirit, and they conceive of a spirit as wind or as air or ether, and yet every spirit is a man. The third reason is that Christians, in consequence of their faith alone without life, have become worldly, and from the love of self have become corporeal, and the worldly and corporeal man does not see God except from space, thus as the whole inmost in the universe or in nature, consequently as extended. But God must not be regarded from space, for in the spiritual world there is no space; space there is an appearance from something like it. [3] In this way does every sensual man see God, because he has little thought above his speech; and the thought that pertains to speech says to itself, "What the eye sees and the hand touches, that I know to be," and everything else it sets aside as mere words. These are the reasons why there is no idea of God as Man in the Christian world. That there is no such idea, yea that there is a repugnance to it, will be seen if you will examine yourself, and think of the Divine Human; and yet the Lord's Human is Divine. But these ideas of God are not so much the ideas of the simple as of the intelligent, for many of the intelligent are blinded by the pride of self intelligence, and are in consequence infatuated by what they know, according to the Lord's words in Matthew (11:25; 13:13-15). But let it be known that all who see God as Man see Him from the Lord, and all others see Him from self; and those who see from self do not see.

1115.

And double unto her double according to her works, signifies as much retribution as they have profaned good. This is evident from the signification of "doubling double," as being to make much retribution, or to render much punishment (of which presently); also from the signification of "works," as being profanations of good, for the works of such are profanations; therefore "doubling double" signifies as much retribution as they have profaned good. "Doubling double" has this signification because "two" does not signify two, nor does any number signify the quantity of the thing, but its quality, and two signifies the quality of a thing as to union, and is predicated of good and of evil (see above, n. 532, 984); and here "double" is predicated of the retribution of evil on account of the profanation of good; from which it is clear that "double" here does not mean double, but much of evil. [2] That "double" is predicated of retribution and of remuneration, and signifies much, is evident from these passages in the Word. In Jeremiah: Let my persecutors be ashamed, bring upon them the day of evil, and break them with a double breaking (Jer. 17:18). "To bring upon them the day of evil and to break them with a double breaking" signifies much retribution of evil on account of persecution. In Zechariah: Return to the stronghold, ye prisoner of hope, and this day do I declare that I will render double unto thee (Zech. 9:12). "To render double," signifies to give much reward. [3] In Isaiah: Comfort ye, My people, and speak unto the heart of Jerusalem that her warfare is accomplished and that her iniquity is pardoned, for she hath received from the hand double for all her sins (Isa. 40:1-2). This is said of the Lord's coming and of a new church to be established by Him. That new church is meant by "Jerusalem," unto whose heart they should speak; the "warfare" that is accomplished signifies combats against evils; the "iniquity" that is pardoned signifies evil removed by the Lord; "they received double for all sins" signifies to endure much in combat or temptation. In the same: Ye shall be called priests of Jehovah, ministers of our God; it shall be said unto you, Ye shall eat the riches of the nations, and in their glory shall ye glory. For your shame double, and for reproach they shall sing in their portion; therefore in their land they shall possess double, the joy of eternity shall be unto them (Isa. 61:6-7). Here, too, "double" signifies not double but much, and is predicated of retribution. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord) [4] But I will relate what cannot but seem wonderful. In the thought of his spirit every man sees God as Man, even he who in the thought of his body sees Him like a cloud, a mist, air, or ether, and even he who has denied that God is Man. A man is in the idea of his spirit when he thinks abstractly, and in the idea of his body when he does not think abstractly. That every man in the idea of his spirit sees God as Man has been made evident to me by men after death, who are then in the ideas of the spirit; for after death a man becomes a spirit, and then it is impossible for him to think of God otherwise than as Man. An experiment was made whether they could think otherwise, and for this purpose they were let down into the state in which they had been in the world, and then they thought about God. The thought of some was that of the universe, others that of nature in her inmost, others that of a cloud in midair, others that of a beam of light, and others thought in other ways; but the moment they came out of that state into a state of the spirit they thought of God as Man. At this they were surprised, and declared that it was something implanted in every spirit. But evil spirits who have denied God in the world deny Him also after death, and yet in place of God they worship some spirit, who gains power over the rest by diabolical arts. [5] It has been said that to think of God as Man has been implanted in every spirit. That this comes through an influx of the Lord into the interiors of their thoughts is evident from the fact that the angels of all the heavens acknowledge the Lord alone. They acknowledge His Divine which is called the Father, they see His Divine Human, and they are in the Divine proceeding, for the whole angelic heaven is the Lord's Divine proceeding. An angel is not an angel from what is his own, but from the Divine that he receives from the Lord. From this they are in the Lord; consequently when they think of God they can think of no other than the Lord in whom they are and from whom they think. Add to this that the whole angelic heaven in its complex before the Lord is as one Man, which maybe called the Greatest Man; consequently the angels in heaven are in the Man that is the Lord's Divine proceeding, as has been said; and since their thoughts have direction there according to the form of heaven, they are unable when they think of God to think of any other than the Lord. In a word, all the angels of the three heavens think of God as Man, and are unable to think otherwise. If they wished to think otherwise thought would cease, and they would fall from heaven. This, then, is why to every spirit and to every man, when he is in the idea of his spirit, it is instinctive to think of God as Man.

1116.

In the cup that she hath mingled mingle to her double, signifies as much retribution as they have profaned truth. This is evident from the signification of "cup," as being truth, and in the contrary sense falsity, for "cup" has a similar signification as "wine" (see above, n. 887, 1045). Also from the signification of "to mingle," as being to profane, for he who mingles falsity with truth or truth with falsity profanes (of which presently). Also from the signification of "double," as being much, and as said of retribution (see just above, n. 1115). "To mingle" signifies to profane, because it is predicated of the wine that is in the cup, which signifies truth, and in the contrary sense falsity; and when truth and falsity are mingled profanation takes place (see above, n. 1053-1063). "To mingle" has this signification in David: There is a cup in the hand of Jehovah, and He hath mingled it with wine, He hath filled it with the mixture, and hath poured it out therefrom; but the dregs of it all the wicked of the earth shall suck out and drink (Ps. 75:8). "The cup in the hand of Jehovah," and the "wine," signify the Divine truth; "to mingle" and "mixture" signify profanation, for the mingling of falsity with truth is meant; "He hath poured it out therefrom, but the dregs of it all the wicked of the earth shall suck out and drink," signifies the punishment of profanation; all of which makes clear that "mingling the cup" has the same meaning here as in Revelation. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord) [2] In consequence of this intuition the most ancient people worshiped God visible under the Human form more than their posterity did. Moreover, the Word bears witness that they saw God as Man; as that Adam heard the voice of Jehovah walking in the garden; and Moses spoke with Jehovah mouth to mouth; and Abraham saw Jehovah in the midst of three angels, that Lot spoke with two of them. Jehovah also appeared as man to Hagar, to Gideon, to Joshua, to Daniel as "the Ancient of days" and as "the Son of man"; likewise to John as "the Son of man in the midst of seven lampstands"; also to other prophets. That it was the Lord who was seen by these He Himself teaches where He says: That Abraham exulted to see his day, and that he saw and rejoiced (John 8:56); Also that He was before Abraham was (John 8:58), And that He was before the world was (John 17:5, 24). [3] It was not the Father but the Son that was seen, because the Divine being [esse], which is the Father, cannot be seen except by means of the Divine manifesting [existere], which is the Divine Human. That the Divine being [esse], which is called the Father, was not seen, the Lord teaches in John: The Father who hath sent Me, He hath borne witness of Me. Ye have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form (John 5:37). Not that anyone hath seen the Father save He that is with the Father, He hath seen the Father (John 6:46). No one hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath manifested Him (John 1:18). From this it is clear that the Divine being [esse], which is the Father, was not seen by the ancients, nor could it be seen; nevertheless it was seen by means of the Divine manifesting [existere], which is the Son. [4] Since a being is in its manifesting as a soul is in its body, so he who sees the Divine manifesting [existere] or the Son sees also the Divine being [esse] or the Father, as the Lord confirms in these words: Philip said, Lord, show us the Father. Jesus said unto him, Have I been so long time with you and hast thou not known Me, Philip? He who hath seen Me hath seen the Father; how sayest thou, Show us the Father (John 14:8, 9)? These words show that the Lord is the Divine manifesting [existere] in which is the Divine being [esse], thus the God-man who was seen by the ancients. From what has been cited it follows also that the Word is to be understood according to the sense of the letter in saying that God has a face, that He has eyes and ears, and that He has hands and feet.

1117.

Verse 7. How much she hath glorified herself and lived luxuriously, so much torment and mourning give her; for in her heart she saith, I sit a queen, and a widow I am not, and mourning I shall not see. 7. "How much she hath glorified herself and lived luxuriously," signifies how much of glory and consequent pleasure they have acquired for themselves from their dominion over heaven and over the world (n. 1118); "so much torment and mourning give her," signifies so much of infernal punishment and desolation (n. 1119); "for in her heart she saith, I sit a queen," signifies pride and boasting that heaven and the church are under their dominion (n. 1120); "and a widow I am not," signifies that they are not without defense (n. 1121); "and mourning I shall not see," signifies that they will never be in desolation and will not perish (n. 1122).

1118.

Verse 7. How much she hath glorified herself and lived luxuriously, signifies how much of glory and consequent pleasure they have acquired for themselves from their dominion over heaven and over the world. This is evident from the signification of "glorifying herself," as being to acquire glory, also from the signification of "living luxuriously," as being to take pleasure; that it means from their dominion over heaven and over the world is evident, for this is the source of their glory and pleasure. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord) [2] It is because the idea of God as Man is implanted in everyone that many peoples and nations have worshiped gods who either were men or appeared to them as men, as Greece, Italy, and certain kingdoms under their rule worshipped Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune, Pluto, Apollo, Mercury, Juno, Minerva, Diana, Venus and her boy, and others, and ascribed to them the government of the universe. They distributed divinity among so many persons, because from intuition they saw God as Man, and therefore viewed all the attributes, properties, and qualities of God as persons, and thence also the virtues, affections, inclinations, and knowledges as persons. It was also from intuition that the inhabitants of the countries round about Canaan, as well as those of the regions within it, worshiped Baalim, Ashtaroth, Beelzebub, Chemosh, Milcom, Molech, and others, some of whom had lived as men. [3] Again, it is from intuition that in Christian Gentilism at this day there are those who worship saints as gods, bending the knee before their idols, kissing them, baring the head before them in the ways where they are set up, and worshiping at their graves; and even doing the same to the Pope, whose shoes and even his footsteps they press with their lips, and would salute him as a god if religion allowed it. These and other practices are from an intuition, that is, a desire to worship a visible god, and not an airy something which is nothing but smoke to them. But the idea of God as Man that flows in from heaven is so perverted with many that either a man of the world or an idol is worshiped in place of God, comparatively as the bright light of the sun is turned into colors not beautiful, and its summer heat into foul stenches, according to the objects upon which they fall. But it is for reasons stated above that the idea of God becomes an idea of a little cloud, or of a mist, or of the inmost of nature, ideas that exist among Christians, but rarely among other nations who enjoy any light of reason, as the Africans and some others.

1119.

So much torment and mourning give her, signifies so much of infernal punishment and desolation. This is evident from the signification of "torment," as being infernal punishment; also from the signification of "mourning," as being desolation, which is from their no longer having anything of truth or good, but mere falsity and evil. It is said that "as much torment and mourning should be given as she glorified herself and lived luxuriously," because all torment or infernal punishment corresponds exactly to the evils in which such persons are. Those, therefore, who have glorified themselves much and have taken delight in the love of having dominion over heaven and over the church, and for the sake of that glory and consequent delight have perverted the goods of heaven and the church which belong to the Word, have their lot in a hell more grievous in respect to torment; while those who have glorified and delighted themselves less in such things have their lot in a milder hell; and those who have not glorified themselves at all, and thus have not perverted the goods and truths of heaven and the church, which are from the Word, but have simply rendered obedience to them either ignorantly or from persuasion, do not have their lot in hell; and such people as have no part in dominion, especially those who look to the Lord and have some affection of truth, have their lot in the heavens, where they are taught by the angels. From all this it can be seen that here, where Babylon is treated of, only those are meant who exercise dominion from the delight of the love of it for the sake of self. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord) [2] That God is Man and that the Lord is that Man is made evident by all things that are in the heavens and that are beneath the heavens. In the heavens all things that proceed from the Lord in greatest and in least things are either in the human form or have reference to the human form; the whole heaven is in the human form; every society of heaven is in the human form; every angel is in the human form; and also every spirit beneath the heavens; and it has been revealed to me that all things both least and greatest that proceed immediately from the Lord are in that form, for that which proceeds from God is an image of Him. This is why it is said of the man Adam and Eve: That they were created into the image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:26-27). [3] And for the same reason the angels in the heavens, because they are recipients of the Divine that proceeds from the Lord, are men of wonderful beauty, while the spirits in the hells, because they do not receive the Divine that proceeds from the Lord, are devils, and in the light of heaven they do not appear as men but as monsters. And on this account it is known in the spiritual world from one's human form how much he derives from the Lord. From all this it can be seen that the Lord is the only Man, and that everyone is a man according to his reception of Divine good and Divine truth from the Lord. In a word, he who sees God as Man sees God because he sees the Lord. And the Lord says: He that seeth the Son and believeth in Him hath eternal life (John 6:40). To see the Son is to see Him in spirit, for this is said also to those who did not see him in the world.

1120.

For in her heart she saith, I sit a queen, signifies pride and boasting that heaven and the church are under their dominion. This is evident from the signification of "to say in their heart," as being boasting from pride, for "to say" signifies boasting, and "heart" signifies the love of self, thus also pride. Also from the signification of "sitting a queen," as being that heaven and the church are under their dominion. This is meant by "sitting a queen," because when the Lord is called "King" then "queen" means heaven and the church; just as when the Lord is called "Bridegroom and Husband" heaven and the church are meant by "bride and wife." It is said heaven, but the church in heaven is meant, that is, the church with the angels of heaven, which makes one with the church that is with men on earth; for there are governments in the heavens as on the earth, and consequently there are economical, civil, and ecclesiastical affairs as on the earth, though in a more perfect degree; therefore the church in the heavens is meant by "bride and wife," and when the Lord is referred to as King, then the church, which is the King's wife, is meant by "queen." [2] "Queen" means the church in David: Kings' daughters are among thy precious ones, at thy right hand doth stand the queen in the best gold of Ophir (Ps. 45:9). This Psalm treats of the Lord and His Kingdom; and "kings' daughters" among the precious ones signify the affections of truth, which are said to be "among the precious ones" because "precious" is predicated in the Word of truths; "the queen who stands at the right hand in gold of Ophir," signifies the church from the reception of good from the Lord; for all things with man that belong to his right side have reference to good from which is truth, and those belonging to the left side have reference to truth from good, and this is why it is said that "the queen stands at the right hand." Also "the gold of Ophir" signifies good. That things on the right side with man have reference to good, and those on the left side to truth, may be seen above (n. 600); and that "gold" signifies the good of love (n. 242). Moreover, woman is born to be affection which belongs to love, and man [vir] is born to be understanding; thus the woman is born to be good, for every good is of affection which belongs to love, and man [vir] is born to be truth, for every truth is of the understanding. Since, then, good belongs to the right side of man, and truth to his left, it follows that it is according to Divine order for the wife to be on the right. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord) [3] It has been said that the Lord is the only Man, and that all are men according to their reception of Divine good and Divine truth from Him. The Lord is the only Man because He is life itself; while all others are recipients of life because they are men from Him. Between the Man who is life and the man who is a recipient of life there is a difference like that between the uncreate and the created, or between the infinite and the finite, a difference that admits of no ratio, for there is no possible ratio between the infinite and the finite, thus there is none between God as Man and any other as a man, whether angel or spirit or a man in the world. [4] That the Lord is Life He Himself teaches in John: The Word was with God, and the God was Word; in Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the Word became flesh (John 1:1, 4, 14). In the same: As the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself (John 5:26). In the same: As the living Father hath sent Me, and I also live through the Father (John 6:57). In the same: I am the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25). In the same: I am the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). As the Lord is life, so elsewhere in the Word He is called "the Bread of life," "the Light of life," and "the Tree of life," also "the Living God," and "He that liveth." [5] As He is life, and every man is a recipient of life from Him, He also teaches that He gives life and makes alive, as in John: As the Father makes alive, the Son also makes alive (John 5:21). In the same: I am the bread of God that cometh down out of heaven, and giveth life unto the world (John 6:33). In the same: Because I live ye shall live also (John 14:19). Also in many passages, that He gives life to those who believe in Him. And for this reason God is called "the fountain of life" (Psalm 36:9), and elsewhere, "Creator," "Maker," "Former," also "Potter," and we "the clay, and the work of His hands." As God is life, it follows that in Him we live, move, and have our being.

1121.

And a widow I am not, signifies that such are not without defense. This is evident from the signification of "a widow," as being one who is in the affection of good, and from that affection desires truth. Here a "widow" signifies 1121-1 defense, thus "not a widow" means not without defense, because good with its affection does not defend itself, but is defended by truth and the understanding of it, "man" [vir], who defends it, signifying the understanding of truth, thus truth. For the marriage of man [vir] and woman is a complete likeness of the marriage of truth and good; since a man is born to be the understanding of truth, consequently that predominates in him, and woman is born to be the affection of good, consequently that predominates in her; and as good and truth mutually love each other and will to be conjoined, so do the understanding of truth and the affection or will of good. Moreover, the conjugial love of husband and wife derives its origin from the spiritual marriage of truth and good (see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 366-386). [2] "Widow" has the same signification here as in Isaiah: Hear this, thou luxurious one, sitting securely, saying in thy heart, I and none like me besides. I shall not sit a widow, neither shall I know bereavement. But these two evils shall come to thee in a moment, bereavement and widowhood (Isa. 14:8-9). This, too, is said of Babylon, and it has the same signification as these words in Revelation, "A widow I am not, and mourning I shall not see, for this reason in one day shall her plagues come to thee, death, and mourning, and famine." Elsewhere in the Word "widows" signify those, both women and males, who are in good and not in truth and yet desire truth, thus those who are without defense against falsity and evil, but who are defended by the Lord. The term is used also in the contrary sense, as in Isaiah 9:17; 10:1, 2; Jer. 15:7-9; 22:3; 49:10-11; Lam. 5:3; Ezek. 22:6-7; David, Psalm 68:9; Psalm 146:9; Exod. 22:21-24; Deut. 10:18; 27:19; Matt. 23:14; Luke 20:47; and elsewhere. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord) [3] Life regarded in itself, which is God, cannot create another that shall be the only life; for the life that is God is uncreate, continuous, and inseparable; and from this it is that God is one. But the life that is God can create forms out of substances that are not life, in which it can be, and give to them the appearance of living. Such forms are men; and since they are receptacles of life they could not when first created be anything else than images and likenesses of God; images from the reception of truth and likenesses from the reception of good; for life and its recipient are fitted to each other as the active and passive, but do not mingle. For this reason human forms, which are recipients of life, live, not from themselves, but from God who alone is life; consequently, as is well known, every good of love and every truth of faith is from God, and nothing of these is from man; for if man had the least portion of life as his own he would be able to will and do good from himself, and to understand and believe truth from himself, and thus to claim merit; and yet if he so believes, the form recipient of life closes itself above and becomes perverted, and intelligence perishes. Good and its love and truth and its faith are the life that is God, for God is good itself and truth itself; and therefore in these God dwells in man. And from all this it follows, that man of himself is nothing, and is something only so far as he receives from the Lord, and at the same time acknowledges that it is not his own but is the Lord's; then the Lord gives him to be something; yet not from himself but from the Lord.

1122.

And mourning I shall not see, signifies that they will never be in desolation and will not perish. This is evident from the signification of "not to see mourning" (when predicated of a "widow," which signifies defense) as being to be desolated and perish. "Mourning" here has reference to dominion and to its having no end. Moreover, such things the Babylonians say in their hearts, because they have fortified themselves by every art. This they have done by having ingratiated and by continually ingratiating themselves by means of the delights of earthly and worldly loves, especially with the chief men of the earth, and thereby catching souls and interiorly conjoining themselves to them; they have fortified themselves also by exciting terror by means of the horrors of purgatory if they do not manifest a blind faith; also by the judgment of the inquisition whenever anyone speaks against their dominion; moreover by confessions, which they extort, and by which they search out secret things; and further by the multiplication of monasteries, which have increased into armies, from which they send out emissaries in every direction as so many guards both at the walls and gates. These defenses pertain, however, to those who are on earth, and not to those who are in the spiritual world; where no one has any longer the refuge they had before the Last Judgment. For when they come thither after death they are immediately separated, and those who have exercised dominion from the love of self are cast into hell, and the others are sent away into societies. Thus Babylon at this day has been desolated and has perished. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord) [2] The appearance to man is that he lives from himself, but this is a fallacy; if it were not a fallacy man would be able to love God from himself, and be wise from himself. The appearance is that life is in man, because it flows in from the Lord into his inmosts, which are far removed from the sight of his thought, and thus from perception; also for the reason that the principal cause which is life and the instrumental cause which is a recipient of life act together as one cause, and this is felt in the instrumental cause which is the recipient, that is, in man, as if it were in him. It is exactly the same as our feeling that the light, which is the cause of sight, is in the eye, and that sound, which is the cause of hearing, is in the ear, and that the volatile particles in the air that cause smell are in the nose, that the soluble particles of food that cause taste are on the tongue; when the truth is that the eyes, the ears, the nose, and the tongue, are recipient organized substances, that is, instrumental causes, while light, sound, the volatile particles in the air, and the soluble particles on the tongue, are the principal causes, and these act together as one cause; that which acts is called the principal, and that which suffers itself to be acted upon is called the instrumental. He who examines the subject more deeply can see that man, as to each and every thing pertaining to him, is an organ of life, and that what produces sensation and perception flows in from without, and that the life itself is what causes man to feel and to perceive as if from himself. Another reason why life appears to be in man is that the Divine love is such that it desires its own to be man's, and yet it teaches that it is not man's. And the Lord wills that man should think and will and in consequence speak and act as if from himself, and yet should acknowledge that this is not done from himself. Otherwise man could not be reformed (see above, n. 971, 973).

1123.

Verse 8. For this reason in one day shall her plagues come, death and mourning and famine, and she shall be burned up in fire, for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. 8. "For this reason in one day shall her plagues come," signifies that being such they have reached their last state, and then comes destruction (n. 1124); "death and mourning and famine," signifies when there is no longer any good or any truth, but only evil and falsity (n. 1125); "and she shall be burned up in fire," signifies that since these things are from a diabolical love they must perish (n. 1126); "for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her," signifies through the Last Judgment (n. 1127).

1124.

Verse 8. For this reason in one day shall her plagues come, signifies that being such it is their last state, and then comes destruction. This is evident from the signification of "for this reason," as being such, namely, that they are in glory and delight from domination over heaven and the church, and trust in their own and not in the Divine power and protection. Also from the signification of "in that day," as being their last state, "day" signifying state, here the last, because it is added that then there is "death, mourning, and famine." Also from the signification of "plagues," as being such things as destroy spiritual life, thus destruction (see n. 584). The last state, here signified by the "day" in which their plagues shall come, signifies the state when there is no longer any good and truth left with them; and as their spiritual life is then wholly destroyed, destruction, that is, the Last Judgment, then comes upon them. It comes then and not before, because then there can be no longer any connection or conjunction of heaven with them, and when there is no connection or conjunction a separation takes place, and separation is the Last Judgment. When this takes place the evil are cast into hell, and the good are drawn away from them and raised up into heaven; for as soon as the connection of anyone with heaven is broken he at once falls into hell. It is only the connection with heaven, thus with the Lord, that withholds from hell. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord) [2] If it is said and thought that life itself is God, or that God is life itself, and with this there is no idea of what life is, then beyond these expressions there is no understanding of what God is. In the thought of man there are two ideas, one abstract, which is spiritual, and one not abstract, which is natural. The abstract idea, which is spiritual, about the life which is God is that it is love itself and that it is wisdom itself, and that love is of wisdom and that wisdom is of love. But the idea that is not abstract which is natural about the life which is God is that His love is like fire and His wisdom like light, and that together they are like a sunbeam. This natural idea is acquired from correspondence, for fire corresponds to love and light corresponds to wisdom, and therefore in the Word "fire" signifies love and "light" signifies wisdom. And when one preaches from the Word he also prays that heavenly fire (which means the Divine love) may warm all hearts, and that heavenly light (which means the Divine wisdom) may enlighten all minds. The Divine love, which in the Divine wisdom is the life itself which is God, is not in its essence thinkable, for it is infinite and thus transcends comprehension, but in its appearance it is thinkable. Before the eyes of angels the Lord appears as a sun, and from that sun proceed heat and light. The sun is the Divine love, the heat is the Divine love proceeding, which is called the Divine good, and the light is the Divine wisdom proceeding, which is called the Divine truth. And yet the life that is God must not be thought of as a fire or heat or light, unless there goes with it the thought at the same time of love and of wisdom, that is, that the Divine love is like fire, and the Divine wisdom is like light, and the Divine love and the Divine wisdom together are like a sunbeam. For God is a perfect Man, in face like Man and in body like Man, with no difference as to form but only as to essence; His essence is that He is love itself and wisdom itself, thus life itself.

1125.

Death and mourning and famine, signifies when there is no longer any good nor any truth, but only evil and falsity. This is evident from the signification of "death," as being when there is no good, for then man is spiritually dead. (That "death" signifies in the Word spiritual death may be seen n. 78, 387, 694.) Also from the signification of "mourning," as being when there is no longer any truth, thus when the church is desolated (see above, n. 1119). Also from the signification of "famine," as being when there is nothing but evil and falsity, for "famine" signifies in the Word a lack of truth and good, and still a desire for them. Those who have such a lack and desire are meant by "those who hunger" and the "famished." "Famine" signifies also a lack of truth and good when there is no desire for them, thus the loss of them. Such is the famine of those who are solely in falsities and evils (see above, n. 386). (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord) [2] An idea of the life that is God cannot be had unless an idea of the degrees by which life descends from its inmosts to its ultimates is gained. There is an inmost degree of life and there is an ultimate degree of life and there are intermediate degrees of life; the distinction between these is like the difference between things prior and things posterior, for a posterior degree exists from a prior one, and so on. Again, the difference is like the difference between things less and more general, for what is of a prior degree is less general, and what is of a posterior one is more general. Such degrees of life are in every man from creation; and they are opened according to the reception of life from the Lord. In some the degree next to the ultimate is being opened, in some the middle, and in some the inmost. Men in whom the inmost degree is being opened become after death angels of the inmost or third heaven, those in whom the middle degree is being opened become after death angels of the middle or second heaven, while those in whom the degree next to the ultimate is being opened become after death angels of the lowest heaven. These degrees are called degrees of man's life, but they are degrees of his wisdom and love, because they are opened according to the reception of wisdom and love, thus of life from the Lord. There are such degrees of life also in all the organs and viscera and members of the body, and by influx they act as one with the degrees of life in the brains. The skins, the cartilages, and the bones make their ultimate degree. [3] There are such degrees in man because there are such degrees in the life that proceeds from the Lord, but in the Lord these are life, while in man they are recipients of life. But it is to be known that in the Lord there are still higher degrees, and that all, both the highest and the lowest, are life; for the Lord teaches both that He is the life and that He has flesh and bones. (But on these degrees, and on continuous degrees, see the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 33, 34, 38, 39, 208, 209, 211, 435, where they are more fully described. A knowledge of these should be drawn from that work for use in what follows.)

1126.

And she shall be burned up in the fire, signifies that since this is from diabolical love such must perish. This is evident from the signification of "fire," as being love in both senses, celestial love and diabolical love (see n. 68, 496, 504, 916), but here diabolical love, because it is the love of having dominion both over heaven and over the world. This is called diabolical love because it is from the deepest hells, where the devils are who desire to have dominion over all things of heaven, and who believe in their hearts that they are gods, and that there is no God besides them. Also from the signification of "to be burned up," as meaning to perish by that love. To be burned up with fire is the penalty of profaning holy things by the love of having dominion over them, as may be seen above (n. 1083). (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord) [2] Because God is life, it follows that He is uncreated. He is uncreated because life can create but cannot be created, for to be created is to have existence from another, and if life had existence from another there would be another being even as to life, and that life would be life in itself. If this First were not life in itself it would be either from another or from itself; and you cannot say life from itself because from itself involves an origin, and that origin would be from nothing, and from nothing, nothing can originate. This First, which has being [esse] in itself and from which all things have been created, is God, who is called Jehovah because He is Being in Himself. This, especially if it is illustrated by things created, reason can see. Now as there can be no Being unless it exists, so being and existing [esse et existere] in God are one; for when there is being there is existing, and when there is existing there is being. This, therefore, is the life itself which is God and which is Man.

1127.

For strong is the Lord God who judgeth them, signifies through the Last Judgment. This is evident from the signification of "strong is the Lord God who judgeth her," as being the Last Judgment upon them. That the Last Judgment is meant by these words follows from what goes before, for it is said that "in one day her plagues shall come, death, mourning, and famine, and she shall be burned up in fire," which signifies that when they reach their last state, which is when there is no longer any good nor any truth but only evil and falsity from their diabolical love, they will then perish by the Last Judgment. That they did perish by the Last Judgment can he seen in the small work on The Last Judgment and on Babylon Destroyed. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord) [2] That all things are from the life itself which is God and is Man, can be illustrated by man who was created, in that he is man as to his ultimates, as to his intermediates, and as to his inmosts; for a man who in the world has been merely corporeal and consequently stupid as to his life, appears nevertheless after the rejection of the material body as a man in the spiritual world. A man who as to his life in the world has been merely sensual or natural, thus who has known little about heaven although much about the world, nevertheless after death appears as a man. A man who as to his life in the world has been rational, and has thought rightly from natural light, when after death he becomes a spirit appears as a man. A man who as to his life in the world has been spiritual, when after death he becomes an angel appears as a man, perfect in the measure of his reception of life from the Lord. A man in whom the third degree of life has been opened, thus who as to his life in the world has been a celestial man, when after death he becomes an angel appears as a man in all perfection. [3] The life itself that is in him is the man, whether it be sensual or natural, or rational, or spiritual, or celestial, for so the degrees of life are called. Man in whom these degrees exist is only a recipient. As it is in the least types so it is in the greatest. The whole angelic heaven in every complex is a man. Each heaven by itself, the first, the second, and the third, is a man. Each society in the heavens, greater or less, is a man. Even the church on the earth in general is a man; likewise all assemblages that are called churches are by themselves men. It is said the church, but it is meant all in whom the church is in the complex; thus does the church on the earth appear to the angels of heaven. It so appears because the life that is from the Lord is Man. Life from the Lord is love and wisdom; consequently such as the reception of love and wisdom from the Lord is, such is the man. This shows in the first place that all things have been created from the life that is God and that is Man.

1128.

Verse 9. And the kings of the earth shall weep for her and wail over her, who have committed whoredom and lived luxuriously with her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning. 9. "The kings of the earth shall weep for her and wail over her," signifies the mourning and grief of heart of those who have exercised that authority (n. 1129); "who have committed whoredom and lived luxuriously with her," signifies who have been in falsities and in evils of falsities from delight regarding that authority (n. 1130); "when they shall see the smoke of her burning," signifies because of hell and of their damnation (n. 1131).

1129.

Verse 9. And the kings of the earth shall weep for her and wail over her, signifies mourning and grief of heart of those who have exercised that authority. This is evident from the signification of "to weep and wail," as being mourning and grief of heart (of which presently); also from the signification of "kings of the earth," as being those who are in truths from good, and in the contrary sense who are in falsities from evil (see n. 29, 31, 625, 1034, 1063), here those who have exercised that authority and are therefore called "kings of the earth," the "earth" meaning the church. It is evident from what follows that such are signified by "kings of the earth," for it is said "who have committed whoredom and lived luxuriously with her," which signifies who have been in falsities and evils from delight respecting that authority. Those who are in truths from good, who are also signified by "kings of the earth," cannot "weep for her and wail over her." [2] The expressions "to weep" and "to wail" are used, because "to weep" signifies mourning because of falsities, and "to wail" mourning because of evils, and because both have been lost; thus "to weep" has reference to the falsity that they have called truth, and "to wail" has reference to the evil that they have called good. This is why "mourning and wailing" are mentioned together in the Word. As in Jeremiah: O daughter of My people, make thee mourning for an only begotten, a wailing of bitterness, for the waster shall suddenly come upon us (Jer. 6:26). Here "mourning" is named because of truth destroyed, and wailing on account of good destroyed; the "waster" signifies the loss of these, and thus the end of the church. In Micah: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and a mourning like the daughters of the owl (Micah 1:8). Because "wailing" has reference to good, and in the contrary sense to evil, it is said, "I will make a wailing like dragons," "dragons" being those who are in the lusts of evil; and because "mourning" has reference to falsity it is said, "I will make a mourning like the daughters of the owl," "daughters of the owl" being those who are in falsities and their pleasantness, "owls" signify falsities, because they see in darkness and not in the light. In Zechariah: They shall wail over him according to the wailing over a first begotten, 1129-1 and they shall mourn over him according to the mourning over a first begotten (Zech. 12:10). Here, too, "wailing" is predicated of the loss of good, and "mourning" of the loss of truth. In Jeremiah: Enter not into the house of mourning, neither go away to wail (Jer. 16:5); where the meaning is the same. Both expressions are used on account of the marriage of good and truth, or on account of the marriage not of good and truth, which is in every particular of the Word. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord) [3] That all things are from the life itself which is God, and which is wisdom and love, can also be made clear by reference to things created when they are viewed from order. For it is from order that the angelic heavens, consisting of thousands and thousands of societies, act as one through love to the Lord and through love towards the neighbor, and that they are kept in order through Divine truths which are the laws of order. Also it is from order that the hells beneath the heavens, which are also divided into thousands and thousands of congregations, are kept in order by means of judgments and punishments, so that they are unable to do the least harm to the heavens, although they are hatreds and insanities. It is also from order that between the heavens and the hells there is an equilibrium, in which is man in the world, and in which he is led to heaven if led by the Lord, and to hell if led by himself; for it is the law of order that man must do whatever he does from freedom according to reason. [4] Since so many myriads of myriads of men from the creation of the world have poured into the spiritual world and are unceasingly pouring in like streams, and each individual has a different disposition and love, they could by no means have been associated together as a one unless God who is life itself had been one, and unless this life had been wisdom itself and love itself, and thus order itself. Thus much about heaven. But in the world the Divine in order appears to be from the sun, moon, stars, and planets. The sun in appearance makes the years, days, and hours, also the seasons of the year, which are spring, summer, autumn, and winter, also the divisions of the day, which are morning, noon, evening, and night; and it vivifies all things of the earth according to the reception of its heat in light and of its light in heat; and according to reception it opens, arranges, and prepares bodies and matters, which are in the earth and upon the earth, to receive influx from the spiritual world. Thus in the spring time, by the union of heat and light at that season the flying things of heaven and the animals of earth return into the love of prolification, and into a knowledge of all things pertaining to that love; and the things of the vegetable kingdom return into the efforts and activities of producing leaves, flowers and fruits, and seeds in them for perpetuating their kind to eternity, and for multiplying it to infinity. [5] It is also from order that the earth produces vegetables, and that vegetables nourish animals, and that both are useful to man for food, raiment, and for pleasure; and as man is the one in whom is God, so all things thus return to God from whom they are. All this makes clear that created things follow in such order that one is for the sake of another, and that they are perpetual ends which are uses, and that the ends which are uses are constantly so directed as to return to God from whom they are. All this now shows that all things have been created from life itself, which is wisdom itself, and also shows that the created universe is full of God.

1130.

Who hath committed whoredom and lived luxuriously with her, signifies who have been in falsities and in the evils of falsities from delight respecting that authority. This is evident from the signification of "to commit whoredom," as being to falsify truths (see n. 141, 161, 805, 983); thus also to love falsities, for he who is in the love of evil is also in the love of falsity, since by falsity evil is confirmed. Also from the signification of "living luxuriously," as being to have delight from dominion or from that authority, thus to love evils. "To commit whoredom" is predicated of falsities, and "to live luxuriously" of evils, and both of delight in these. [2] As "committing whoredom" signifies the falsifying of truths, and "living luxuriously" signifies loving evils and thus also falsities, it shall now be told whence it is that the Babylonish nation has falsified the Word and weakened its Divine holiness. It has been known in the whole Christian world that the Word is Divine, and consequently that all things contained in the Word are Divine truths. Now as the Babylonians have claimed for themselves and have actually assumed dominion over all things of the church and also over heaven, and as they thus let themselves into all evils that spring up from the love of self, it was necessary for them to confirm those evils by means of the Word, and this could be done only by falsifying it, for the Word can in no wise confirm evil; consequently when a man confirms evil by means of the Word he falsifies its truths. This was done by the Babylonians; but as they still saw truths in the Word that they could not falsify, as for instance, all that is said in it about Babylon, so by their craft they weakened the Divine holiness of the Word, and forbade the reading of it by the people; and their leaders and presbyters, who are called monks, also refrained from reading it, saying that the decrees of the Pope were just as holy as the contents of the Word, and that all things of the church must be adapted to its state, and consequently must be changed as its state requires, and that such adaptation and changes must be made from the inspiration of the Pope. All this makes clear how it is that the truths of the Word have been falsified and rejected by them, and in place of these such things as pander to their love of ruling and wholly favor it, and which are in themselves falsities, have been accepted, and have been endorsed by their Pope. From all this the particular signification of "the whoredoms of its kings" with Babylon the harlot can be seen. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord) [3] As God is uncreate He is also eternal; for the life itself which is God is life in itself, not from itself, nor from nothing; thus it is without origin; and what is without origin is from eternity and is eternal. But an idea of anything without origin is impossible to the natural man; so, too, is the idea of God from eternity; but it is possible to the spiritual man. The thought of the natural man cannot be separated and abstracted from the idea of time; this idea clings to him from nature, in which he is. Nor can his thought be separated and abstracted from the idea of origin, since origin means to him a beginning in time. The appearance in the sun's progression has impressed this idea on the natural man. But the thought of the spiritual man is abstracted from the idea of time, because it is raised above nature, and in place of that idea there is the idea of state of life, and in place of duration of time is an idea of the state of thought from affection, which constitutes life. For in the angelic heaven the sun does not rise or set or make years and days, as the sun in the world does; and for this reason the angels of heaven, because they are in spiritual ideas, think apart from time; consequently their idea of God from eternity does not take anything from origin, that is, from a beginning, but from state that it is eternal, and that everything therefore that is God and that proceeds from God is eternal, in other words, is Divine in itself. That this is so has been granted to perceive by an elevation above the natural idea into a spiritual idea. From all this it is now clear that God, who is uncreate, is also eternal, also that it is impossible to think that nature is from eternity, or that it is from itself in time; but it is possible to think that God is from eternity, and that nature with time is from God.

1131.

When they shall see the smoke of her burning, signifies because of hell and of their damnation. This is evident from the signification of "the smoke of burning," as being hell and damnation (of which presently); therefore, "when they shall see it" signifies because of these, for it is said, "they shall weep for her and wail over her when they shall see the smoke of burning," which signifies mourning and grief of heart because of these, that is, because of hell and of their damnation. "The smoke of burning" signifies hell and damnation, because "smoke" signifies infernal falsity, and "fire," that is, "burning," signifies infernal evil. From this correspondence of infernal falsity and infernal evil with the fire of burning, a smoke mingled with fire, like smoke from a furnace or from conflagrations, appears over the hells of such. (That "smoke" signifies infernal falsity, may be seen n. 494, 539, 889; and that "fire" signifies infernal evil, which is such as their love is, may be seen n. 68, 496, 504, 916.) (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord) [2] As God is eternal He is also infinite, and as there is a natural idea and a spiritual idea of the eternal, so there is of the infinite. The natural idea of the eternal is from time, but the spiritual idea of it is not from time. And the natural idea of the infinite is from space, but the spiritual idea of it is not from space. For as life is not nature, so the two properties of nature, which are time and space, are not properties of life, for they were created with nature by the life which is God. The natural idea of the infinite God, which is from space, is that He fills the universe from end to end; but from this idea of the infinite there springs the thought that the inmost of nature is God, and thus that He is something extended, and yet everything extended belongs to matter. [3] As, therefore, the natural idea has nothing in common with the idea of life, of wisdom, and of love, which is God, so the infinite must be viewed from the spiritual idea, in which there is nothing of time and nothing of space, because there is in it nothing of nature. According to the spiritual idea the Divine love is infinite and the Divine wisdom is infinite, and since the Divine love and the Divine wisdom are the life which is God the Divine life is also infinite; from which it follows that God is infinite. That the Divine wisdom is infinite can be seen from the wisdom of the angels of the third heaven. As these excel all others in wisdom, they perceive that there is no ratio between their wisdom and the Lord's Divine wisdom, because there is no ratio between the infinite and the finite. Moreover, they say that the first degree of wisdom is to see and acknowledge that this is so. The same is true of the Divine love. Furthermore, angels like men are recipient forms of life, thus they are recipients of wisdom and love from the Lord; and these forms are from substances that are without life, thus are in themselves dead, and between what is dead and what is living there is no ratio. [4] But how that finite receives the infinite can be illustrated by the light and heat of the sun of the world. The light itself and the heat itself from that sun are not material, and yet they affect material substances, the light by modifying them, and the heat by changing their states. The Lord's Divine wisdom is likewise light, and the Lord's Divine love is heat, but they are spiritual heat and light, because they proceed from the Lord as a sun, which is Divine love united to Divine wisdom; but the light and heat from the sun of the world are natural, because that sun is fire and not love.

1132.

Verse 10. Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Woe, woe, that great city Babylon, that mighty city, for in one hour is thy judgment come. 10. "Standing afar off for the fear of her torment," signifies when they are in externals from a dread of infernal punishment (n. 1133); "saying, Woe, woe, that great city Babylon," signifies lamentation over that doctrine and over that religion (n. 1134); "that mighty city" signifies which had fortified itself by so many wicked devices (n. 1135); "for in one hour is thy judgment come" signifies their total destruction through the Last Judgment (n. 1136).

1133.

Verse 10. Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, signifies when they are in externals from a dread of infernal punishment. This is evident from the signification of "standing afar off," as meaning to be in externals (of which presently); also from the signification of "fear of torment," as being dread on account of infernal punishments, for "torment" signifies such punishments. "Standing afar off" signifies to be in externals because man is in himself when he is in internals, for there his love, and thus his very life, has its seat. The internals of man are the things that belong to his spirit, and are meant in the Word by "things near;" and therefore his externals, as being remote from internals, are meant by things "afar off," and here by "standing afar off." Moreover, every evil man when he is in externals is unlike what he is in internals. Not only does he then speak and act differently, he also thinks and wills differently, for his thought and will then are that he may appear as a civil, moral, and even as a spiritual man, and this either because of the law and its penalties or for the sake of reputation and consequent honor and gain, thus from fear of losing these. That the man is then "afar off" from himself is evident from the fact that when he returns from externals into his internals, as he does when alone, he thinks and wills in a wholly different way, and when he is with companions like himself he talks in a different way. This shows that "standing afar off" signifies in the spiritual sense to be in externals. [2] The chief reason why an evil man introduces himself or comes from internals into externals is fear; for fear closes up his internals when he sees the punishments and torments of his companions, and when his internals are closed up he comes into externals, and remains in them as long as the punishment is kept before his mind. And yet his internal is not made better by punishments, but remains wholly as before; therefore as soon as the fear of punishment recedes he returns into his evils, which are interiorly with him, and which belong to his spirit, and thus to his life. This may be illustrated by examples from the spiritual world. An evil spirit there is compelled by punishments not to speak or do evil; and in such a state he remains as long as he is in the place where the punishment is kept before his mind; but as soon as the fear of the punishment recedes he is evil as before. It is the same in the world. So long as thieves, robbers, and other criminals are in a city where all are held in restraint by the law and its penalties they do not steal or rob; but as soon as they come into forests, or into places where they have no fear of the penalties of the law, or when they can pervert the law by crafty devices and thus escape the penalties, they come into their internals and commit crimes. [3] All this makes clear that externals are remote from internals, and stand as it were afar off; and this is why in the Word "afar off" signifies the external or what is remote from the internal, as in the following passages. In Isaiah: Hear, ye that are afar off, what I have done, and ye that are near know My power (Isa. 33:13). "Those that are afar off" here mean the nations, because they are remote from internal truths, and "those that are near" mean those who are of the church and who are in truths from the Word. In the same: Bring my sons from afar, and my daughters from the end of the earth (Isa. 43:6). Here, too, "sons and daughters" mean the nations; and because these are remote from truths and goods, which are the internals of the church, they are called "sons from afar, and daughters from the end of the earth," "sons" meaning those who are in truths, and "daughters" those who are in goods, "the end of the earth" signifying the ultimates of the church. [4] In the same: Listen, O isles, unto Me, and ye peoples from afar. Lo, these shall come to thee from afar, and lo, these from the north and from the west (Isa. 49:1, 12). "Isles" and "peoples from afar," and "from the north and from the west," mean in like manner the nations with whom the church was to be established. The meaning is the same in Jeremiah: Declare it in the isles afar off (Jer. 31:10). In Zechariah: They that are afar off shall come, and shall build the temple of Jehovah (Zech. 6:15). Here, too, "those afar off" mean the nations, and the "temple" that they shall build is the church. In Jeremiah: Am I God that is near, and not God afar off? (Jer. 23:23). This signifies that the Lord is God both to those who are within the church and to those who are outside of it, also to those who are in internal truths and to those who are in external truths. In David: O God, the confidence of all the ends of the earth and of the sea, of those that are afar off (Ps. 65:5). "The ends of the earth and of the sea, of those that are afar off," signify the ultimates of the church. In the contrary sense "afar off" signifies evil, because evil is in the external man; for all who are in evils and falsities therefrom are external men. Such are meant by "nations and peoples from afar" and "from the end of the earth" in the following passages. In Isaiah: The nations from afar and from the end of the earth (Isa. 5:26). Peoples coming from a land afar off, from the end of the earth 1133-1 (Isa. 13:5). In Jeremiah: Nations coming from a land afar off against Jerusalem (Jer. 4:16). In the same: Upon the house of Israel will I be a nation from afar (Jer. 5:15). Because "Babylon" signifies evil of every kind and the profanation of good it is called: A land afar off (Isa. 39:3). That "those afar off" signify those who are in the externals of the church can be seen also from those who are in externals and those who are in internals in the spiritual world; the latter are in the south and the former in the north, thus they are separated according to the degree of the reception of truth and good. That "near" means what is internal may be seen above (n. 16). (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord) [5] Since God is infinite He is also omnipotent, for omnipotence is infinite power. God's omnipotence shines forth from the universe, which is the visible heaven and the habitable globe; these, with all things that are in the visible heavens and on the habitable globe, are the great works of the omnipotent Creator. The creation of these and their maintenance testify that they are from the Divine omnipotence, while their order and mutual regard to ends from first to last testify that they are from the Divine wisdom. God's omnipotence shines forth also from the heaven that is above or within our visible heaven, and from the globe there that is inhabited by angels, as ours is by men. There are wonderful testimonies there to the Divine omnipotence; and as these have been seen by me and revealed to me, I am permitted to mention them. All men that have died from the first creation of the world are there; and these after death continue to be men in form, but are spirits in essence. [6] Spirits are affections that are of love, and thus also thoughts. The spirits of heaven are affections of the love of good, and the spirits of hell affections of the love of evil. Good affections, which are angels, dwell on a globe that is called heaven, and evil affections, which are spirits of hell, dwell at a great depth beneath them. The globe is one, but is divided into expanses as it were, one below another. There are six expanses; in the highest the angels of the third heaven dwell, and beneath them the angels of the second heaven, and beneath these the angels of the first heaven, below these dwell the spirits of the first hell, beneath these the spirits of the second hell, and beneath these the spirits of the third hell. All things are arranged in such order that the evil affections, which are spirits of hell, are held in bonds by the good affections, which are angels of heaven; the spirits of the lowest hell by the angels of the highest heaven, the spirits of the middle hell by the angels of the middle heaven, and the spirits of the first hell by the angels of the first heaven. By such opposition the affections are held in equilibrium as in the scales of a balance. [7] Such heavens and hells are innumerable, divided into assemblies and societies according to the genera and species of all affections; and these affections in their order and connection are in accord with the nearer and more remote affinities of the societies. This is true both of the heavens and of the hells. This order and this connection of affections are known to the Lord alone, and the arrangement of so many different affections, as many as there have been men from the first creation and will be hereafter, is a work of infinite wisdom, and at the same time of infinite power. That the Divine power is infinite, or that it is omnipotence, is there clearly evident from the fact that neither the angels of heaven nor the devils of hell have any power whatever from themselves. If they had any at all heaven would fall to pieces, hell would become a chaos, and with these every man would perish.

1134.

Saying, Woe, woe, that great city Babylon, signifies lamentation over that doctrine and over that religion. This is evident from the signification of "woe, woe," as being lamentation, especially over destruction and devastation (see n. 531); also from the signification of "city," as being doctrine (see n. 223); also from the signification of "Babylon," as being that religious persuasion which, because of the falsification and profanation of the truth and good of the church, is called "a harlot" and "the mother of whoredoms and of the abominations of the earth." This makes clear that "Woe, woe, that great city Babylon," signifies lamentation over that religious persuasion. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord) [2] God has all power, and men and angels have none at all, because God alone is life, and men and angels are only recipients of life, and life is that which acts, and the recipient of life that which is acted upon. Everyone can see that a recipient of life cannot act at all from itself, and that its action must be from the life that is God. Nevertheless, it can act as if from itself, for this can be granted to it; that it has been granted to it has been said above. If man does not live from himself it follows that he does not think and will from himself, neither does he speak and act from himself, but from God who alone is life. That this is so appears as a paradox, for man has no other feeling than that these things are in himself, and thus are done by himself; and yet when he speaks from faith he acknowledges that everything good and true is from God, and that everything evil and false is from the devil, although everything that a man thinks, wills, speaks or acts, has reference to what is good and true or to what is evil and false. For this reason when a man does good he says within himself, or his teacher says to him, that he was led by God, and when he does evil that he was led by the devil. Also every man who preaches, prays that his thought, his discourse, and his tongue, may be led by the spirit of God, and sometimes he adds after preaching that he has spoken from the Spirit; and some even have a perception of this in themselves. Moreover, I can myself testify before the world that all things of my thought and will have entered by influx, the goods and truths through heaven from the Lord, and the evils and falsities from hell. It has been granted me for a long time to perceive this. [3] Angels of the higher heavens feel this manifestly; and the wisest of them do not wish to think and will even as if from themselves. On the other hand, infernal genii and spirits utterly deny this, and are angry when told that it is so. Yet to many the truth has been made evident by living proof; but afterwards they were indignant. Since, however, this seems to many to be a paradox, it is important that it should be seen from some idea of the understanding how this takes place, that it may be acknowledged that it does take place. The essence of the matter is as follows. From the Lord's Divine love, which appears in the angelic heaven as a sun, light and heat proceed. This light is the life of His Divine wisdom, and this heat is the life of His Divine love. This spiritual heat which is love, and this spiritual light which is wisdom flow into subjects that are recipient of life, as natural heat and natural light from the sun of the world flow into subjects not recipient of life. And although light simply modifies the substances into which it flows, and heat simply changes their state, yet it follows that if these were living subjects, they would feel these changes in themselves, and would suppose them to be from themselves; and yet they recede with the sun and return with the sun. It is because the life of the Lord's Divine wisdom is light that the Lord in many passages of the Word is called light, and it is said in John: The Word was with God, and God was the Word. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men (John 1:1-4.) From all this it is now clear that God has infinite power because He is the all in all. But how an evil person can think, will, speak and do evil, when God alone is life, will be told in what follows.

1135.

That mighty city, signifies which had fortified itself by so many wicked devices. This is evident from the signification of "mighty," as being in reference to its doctrine and religious persuasion, which are signified by "the city of Babylon," that they are fortified by devices that they may not be assailed and overthrown. What those devices are, and how wicked they are, may be seen above (n. 1112). It follows, nevertheless, that these devices were of no avail at the day of the Last Judgment, when all who were such perished, for it is said, "For in one hour is thy judgment come," and that not only the kings of the earth, but also the merchants of the earth, and the pilots of the ships "should weep for her and wail over her." [2] Elsewhere in the Word those are called "mighty" who are in evils and falsities therefrom, and have fortified themselves by means of devices against the goods and truths of the church, thus those with whom the church is devastated, and who devastate the church with others. As in Joel: The day of Jehovah cometh, a day of darkness and of thick darkness; a people great and mighty, such as there hath not been for an age. Like heroes they run, like men of war they climb over the wall (Joel 2:1-2, 7); where also the Last Judgment is treated of, which is signified by "the day of Jehovah, a day of darkness and of thick darkness." Those who are in falsities of evil and have fortified their falsities against truths by reasoning and by falsifications of the Word, are signified by "a people great and mighty;" that they reason from falsities against truths, and thus assail truths, is signified by "like heroes they run, like men of war they climb over the wall." And so in other places. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord) [3] As the Divine omnipotence is such that man is not able to think and will, and thus to speak and act, of himself, but is able to do so only from the life which is God, it may be asked why every man is not saved. But he who concludes from this that everyone is saved, or that he is not to be blamed if he is not, is ignorant of the laws of Divine order respecting man's reformation, regeneration, and consequent salvation. The laws of that order are called laws of the Divine providence. These the natural mind cannot know unless it is enlightened. And as man does not know them, and consequently forms conclusions respecting the Divine providence from what happens in the world, by which he falls into fallacies and thus into errors, from which it is difficult for him afterwards to extricate himself, therefore these laws shall be disclosed. [4] But before these are disclosed, it is important to make known that the Divine providence operates every particular thing pertaining to man, and even in the most minute particulars, for his eternal salvation; for the salvation of man was the end of the creation of heaven and of earth. This end was that out of the human race a heaven might be formed, in which God could dwell as in His own very home, consequently the salvation of man is the all in all of the Divine providence. But the Divine providence proceeds so secretly that man can see scarcely a trace of it, and yet it is active in the most minute particulars relating to him from infancy to old age in the world, and afterwards to eternity, and in each one of these it is the eternal that is regarded. [5] As the Divine wisdom is in itself nothing but an end, so providence acts from an end, in an end, and to an end. The end is that man may become wisdom and may become love, and thus a dwelling place and an image of the Divine life. But since the natural mind, unless it is enlightened, is unable to comprehend why the Divine providence, which works solely for man's salvation, and works in the most minute things of the progress of man's life, does not lead all to heaven, when it desires from love to so lead them, and is omnipotent; so in what now follows the laws of order, which are laws of the Divine providence, shall be opened; by which, I hope, the mind not before enlightened may be withdrawn from fallacies, if it is willing to be withdrawn.

1136.

For in one hour thy judgment is come, signifies their total destruction through the Last Judgment. This is evident from the signification of "in one hour," as being suddenly, and here entirely, and thus in reference to destruction, total; for hour, the same as day, year, and all times in general, signifies state (see n. 194, 488, 673, 875). Here "hour" signifies a state of destruction by means of the Last Judgment; and the number used to designate the successive duration of time signifies the quality of the state; so when it is said "in one hour" it signifies all things suddenly. That it signifies all things suddenly is evident from what follows, where all things belonging to Babylon are enumerated as "her merchandise" that had perished. That "thy judgment is come" signifies destruction through the Last Judgment is evident without explanation. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord) [2] The laws of order which are called the laws of Divine Providence are the following: (1) Man does not feel and perceive and thus know otherwise than that life is in him, that is, that he thinks and wills from himself, and thus speaks and acts from himself; and yet he may acknowledge and believe that the truths that he thinks and speaks and the goods that he wills and does are from God, thus as if they were from himself; (2) Man does what he does from freedom according to reason, and yet he may acknowledge and believe that the very freedom that he has is from God; and the same is true of his very reason, viewed in itself, which is called rationality. [3] (3) To think and speak truth and to will and do good from freedom according to reason is not from oneself but from God; and to think and to speak falsity and to will and do evil from freedom is not from oneself but from hell; and yet in such a way that while the falsity and evil are from hell, the freedom itself, regarded in itself, and the ability itself to think, will, speak, and do, regarded in itself, are from God. [4] (4) Man's understanding and will must not be compelled by another in the least, since all compulsion by another takes away freedom, but man himself should compel himself, for to compel oneself is to act from freedom. [5] (5) From sense and perception man does not know in himself how good and truth flow in from God and how evil and falsity flow in from hell; nor does he see how the Divine Providence operates in favor of good against evil; if he did he could not act from freedom according to reason as if from himself; it is sufficient for him to know and acknowledge this from the Word and from the doctrine of the church. [6] (6) Man is not reformed by external means but by internal means; by external means miracles and visions, also fears and punishments are meant; by internal means truths and goods from the Word and from the doctrine of the church and looking to the Lord are meant; for these means enter by an internal way, and remove the evils and falsities that have their seat within, while external means enter by an external way and do not remove evils and falsities but shut them in. Nevertheless, man may be further reformed by external means when he has previously been reformed by internal means; but a man that has not been reformed is merely withheld by external means, which are fears and punishments, from speaking and doing the evils and falsities that he thinks and that he wills. [7] (7) Man is let into truths of faith and goods of love by God only so far as he can be kept in them until the end of life; for it is better that he should continue to be evil than that he should be good and afterwards evil, for he thus becomes profane. This is the chief reason why evil is permitted. [8] (8) God continually withdraws man from evils so far as man is willing from freedom to be withdrawn. So far as man can be withdrawn from evil God leads him to good and thus to heaven. But so far as man cannot be withdrawn from evils God cannot lead him to good and thus to heaven; for so far as man has been withdrawn from evils so far he from God does good that is in itself good, but so far as he has not been withdrawn from evils so far he from himself does good that has evil within it. [9] (9) God does not teach man truths either from Himself or through angels immediately; but He teaches by means of the Word, preaching, reading, and conversation and communication with others, and thus by thoughts with himself about these things. Man is then enlightened in the measure of his affection of truth from use. Otherwise man could not act as from himself. [10] (10) Man from his own prudence has led himself to eminence and opulence, when these lead him astray; for by the Divine providence man is led only to such things as do not lead astray and as are serviceable to eternal life; for all things of the Divine providence with man look to what is eternal, since the life which is God, from which man is man, is eternal life.

1137.

Verse 11. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her because no one buyeth their merchandise anymore. 11. "And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her," signifies the mourning and grief of those who acquire the things pertaining to that religious persuasion in order to gain honor and wealth (n. 1138); "because no one buyeth their merchandise anymore," signifies that their evils and falsities by which they make gain are no more received (n. 1139).

1138.

Verse 11. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her, signifies the mourning and grief of those who acquire the things pertaining to that religious persuasion in order to gain honor and wealth. This is evident from the signification of "merchants," as being those who acquire the knowledges of the truth and good of the church, and in the contrary sense those who acquire the knowledges of evil and falsity, so here those who acquire the things pertaining to that religious persuasion for the sake of gain, that is, both honors and wealth. (That this is the signification of "merchants" may be seen n. 840, 1104.) Also from the signification of "weeping and mourning," as being to grieve and lament. There are four kinds of men of that religious persuasion that are here described, namely, those called "kings of the earth," those called "merchants of the earth," those called "merchants of merchandise," and those called "masters of ships with sailors." "The kings of the earth" are treated of in verses 9, 10, "the merchants of the earth" in verses 11-14, "the merchants of merchandise" verses 15-16, and "the masters of ships and sailors" verses 17-19. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord) [2] From all this it is evident that the Lord can lead man to heaven only by means of these laws, although he has Divine love from which He wills, and Divine wisdom from which He knows all things, and Divine power, which is omnipotence, from which He can do what He wills. For these laws that are called laws of providence are laws of order respecting reformation and regeneration, thus respecting the salvation of man, and against these the Lord cannot act, since to act against them would be to act against His own wisdom and against His own love, thus against Himself. In respect to the first law, which is, That from sense and perception man cannot know otherwise than that life is in him; and yet he should acknowledge that the goods and truths which belong to love and faith which he thinks, wills, speaks, and acts, are not from him but are from the Lord. This law presupposes the second, namely, That man has freedom, and that this freedom also appears to be his, and yet he should acknowledge that it is not his, but is the Lord's in him. [3] This law follows from the former because freedom makes one with life, for without freedom man cannot feel and perceive that life is as if it were in him; it is from freedom that he feels this and perceives this, for it is from freedom that everything that the life effects appears to man to be his own [proprium et suum], for freedom is the power to think, will, speak, and do from oneself, here as if from oneself. And it especially belongs to the will, for a man says, I have power to do what I will, and I will that which I have power to do; in other words, I am in freedom. Again, who cannot think from freedom that one thing is good and another evil, or that one thing is true and another false? Therefore freedom was given to man together with his life, nor is it ever taken away from him; for so far as it is taken away or lessened so far man feels and perceives that he does not live, but that another lives in him, and so far the delight of all things of his life is taken away or lessened, for he becomes a slave. [4] That from sense and perception man knows no otherwise than that life is in him, thus that it is as if it were his own, has need of no other proof than experience itself. Who has any other feeling or perception than that he thinks from himself when he thinks, that he wills from himself when he wills, that he speaks and acts from himself when he speaks and acts? But it is from a law of the Divine providence that man should know no otherwise, since without such a feeling and such a perception he cannot receive anything to himself, appropriate anything to himself, or bring forth anything from himself; thus he would be neither a recipient of life from the Lord nor an agent of life from the Lord, but would be like an automaton, or like an upright image, without understanding or will, with the hands hanging down, awaiting influx that could not be given. For if life were not received and not appropriated as if by man, it would not be retained, but would flow through, and in consequence man from being alive would become like one dead, and from being a rational soul would become not rational, thus either a brute or a stock; for he would have no delight of life, that is, the delight that everyone has from receiving as if from himself, from appropriating and from bringing forth as if from himself, since delight and life act as one, and when you take away all the delight of life you grow cold and die. [5] If it were not according to a law of the Divine providence that man should feel and perceive as if life and everything pertaining to it were in him, and should be left to acknowledge simply that good and truth are not from him but are from the Lord, nothing could be imputed to man, neither good nor truth, and thus neither love nor faith; and if nothing could be imputed, the Lord would not have commanded in the Word that man must do good and shun evil, and if he did good heaven would be his inheritance, and if he did evil hell would be his portion; nor even would there be any heaven or hell, for without that perception man would not be a man, thus would not be a dwelling place of the Lord. For the Lord wills to be loved by man as if by him; thus it is that the Lord dwells with man in what is His own, and this he has given him in order that He may be loved reciprocally; for the Divine love consists in this, that it wishes what is its own to be man's, and this could not be unless man felt and perceived what is from the Lord to be as if it were his own. [6] If it were not according to the Divine law that man cannot from sense and perception know otherwise than that life is in him, no end for the sake of which man could act would be possible; this is possible to man because the end from which he acts seems to be in him. The end from which he acts is his love, which is his life, and the end for the sake of which he acts is the delight of his love or life, and the effect in which the end presents itself is use. The end for the sake of which he acts, which is the delight of his life's love, is felt and perceived in man, because the end from which he acts enables him to feel and perceive it; and that end is, as has been said, the love which is life. But to the man who acknowledges that all things of his life are from the Lord, the Lord gives the delight and blessedness of His love, so far as the man acknowledges this and performs uses. Thus when man by acknowledgment and by faith from love, as if from himself, ascribes to the Lord all things of his life, the Lord in turn ascribes to man the good of His life, which carries with it every happiness and every blessedness, and also enables him to feel and perceive interiorly and exquisitely this good to be in himself as if it were his own, and the more exquisitely in proportion as man from the heart wills that which he acknowledges by faith. The perception is then reciprocal, for the perception that He is in man and man is in Him is grateful to the Lord, and the perception that he is in the Lord and the Lord in him is gratifying to man. Such is the union of the Lord with man and of man with the Lord by means of love.

1139.

Because no one buyeth their merchandise anymore signifies that the falsities and evils by which they make gain are no more received. This is evident from the signification of "merchandise," as being the falsities and evils of doctrine and of that religion, by which they make gain, which consists in honors and riches. (That this is the signification of "merchandise" is evident from the signification of "merchants," as being those who acquire and sell such things, see above n. 1138.) What falsities and evils in particular are here signified by "merchandise" will be seen in what follows, where they are enumerated. This "merchandise," since it belongs to Babylon, which is called a "harlot" and "the mother of the whoredoms of the earth," is what is meant in the Word by "the merchandise of whoredoms"; and that this means the falsifications and adulterations of good and truth may be seen above (n. 695). Also from the signification of "not to buy anymore," as being not to receive anymore. Not being received means that their evils and falsities are no longer received in the spiritual world, although they are received in the natural world; for all who come after death into the spiritual world from Babylon on the earth are explored, and according to their loves are sent into societies; the evil are sent into infernal societies, and the good are instructed and are then received into heaven according to their reception of truth and good from the Lord. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord) [2] Man has a feeling and perception that life is in him, because the life of the Lord is in him as the light and heat of the sun are in a subject. This light and heat belong not to the subject but to the sun in the subject, for they withdraw with the sun, but when they are in the subject they in appearance wholly belong to it; from light the subject has color as if it were in it, and from heat it has vegetative life as if it were in it. But this is much more true of the light and heat from the sun of the spiritual world, which is the Lord, whose light is the light of life and whose heat is the heat of life, for the sun from which these proceed is the Lord's Divine love, while man is the recipient subject. This light and heat never withdraw from the recipient, which is man, and when they are in man they are in appearance wholly his own. From the light he has the ability to understand, and from the heat the ability to will. From this, that the light and heat, although they are not his own, are seemingly wholly in the recipient, and from this that they never withdraw, also from this that they affect his inmosts, which are remote from the sight of his understanding and from the feeling of his will, there must needs be the appearance that they are innate, that is, they seem to be in him, and thus what they effect seems to be from him. From this it is that man does not know otherwise than that he thinks from himself and that he wills from himself; and yet he does not in the least do this from himself, for it is impossible for this light and heat to be so united to the recipient as to be his own, precisely as it is impossible for the light of the sun to be united to an earthly subject and become material as the subject is. The same is true of heat. But the light of life and the heat of life move and fill their recipient in the exact measure of the quality of his acknowledgment that they are not his but are the Lord's, and the quality of acknowledgment is in exact accord with the quality of love in doing the commandments, which are uses.

1140.

Verse 12. Merchandise of gold and of silver, and of precious stone and of pearl, and of fine linen and of purple, and of silk and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and every vessel of ivory and every vessel of precious wood, and of brass and of iron, and of marble. 12. "Merchandise of gold and silver" signifies all goods and truths in general of the Word, of doctrine, and of the church, that have been profaned by them, thus all evils and falsities in general through which are their gains (n. 1141); "and of precious stone and of pearl" signifies the knowledges of truth and good from the Word that have been profaned (n. 1142); "and of fine linen and of purple" signifies truths and goods from a celestial origin, that have been profaned (n. 1143); "and of silk and of scarlet" signifies truths and goods from a spiritual origin that have been profaned (n. 1144); "and all thyine wood" signifies all good in the natural man therefrom (n. 1145); "and every vessel of ivory and every vessel of precious wood" signifies rational truths and goods that have been profaned (n. 1146); "and of brass and of iron" signifies all natural goods and truths that have been profaned (n. 1147); "and of marble" signifies sensual truth (n. 1148).

1141.

Verse 12. Merchandise of gold and of silver signifies all goods and truths in general of the Word, of doctrine, and of the church, that have been profaned by them, thus all evils and falsities in general, from which are their gains. This is evident from the signification of "merchandise," as being all things by which gain is acquired, and when predicated of the church these signify all evils and falsities (see just above, n. 1139). Also from the signification of "gold and silver," as being goods and truths (see n. 242), but here goods and truths profaned, and thus evils and falsities, because they belong to Babylon; for when the goods and truths of the Word have been profaned, they are no longer goods and truths, but evils and falsities. They are profaned by falsifications and adulterations, and by a life according to these. What is meant by profanations, whence they are and what they are, may be seen above (n. 1045-1099). All things in general are signified by "merchandise of gold and silver," because in the following parts of this verse the goods and truths that have been profaned are enumerated; these are particular evils and falsities and are signified by "precious stone, pearl, fine linen, purple, silk, scarlet, thyine wood, vessel of ivory, vessel of precious wood, brass, iron, and marble." The things mentioned in this verse signify all things of the Word, of doctrine, and of the church, because the things mentioned in the following verse 13, signify all things of worship, and those in verse 14 all things of effects. From all this it is clear that "merchandise of gold and silver" here signifies all goods and truths in general of the Word, of doctrine, and of the church, that have been profaned by them, thus all evils and falsities in general from which are their gains. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord) [2] (3) The third law of Divine providence is, That to think and speak truth and to will and do good from freedom according to reason is not from man but from the Lord; and that to think and speak falsity and to will and do evil from freedom is not from man but from hell, and yet in such a way that while the evil and falsity are from hell, the freedom itself regarded in itself, and the ability itself to think, will, speak, and do, regarded in itself, are from the Lord. That every good that is good in itself and every truth that is truth in itself is from the Lord and not from man, can be comprehended by the understanding from this, that the light that proceeds from the Lord as a sun is the Divine truth of His Divine wisdom, and that the heat that proceeds from the Lord as a sun is the Divine good of His Divine love; and as man is a recipient of these it follows, that every good which is from love and every truth which is from wisdom is from the Lord and not from man. But that every evil and every falsity is from hell and not from man has not been made a matter of faith, as the fact that good and truth are not from man has, because heretofore this has not been heard. But that evil and falsity are from man is an appearance, and if believed is a fallacy, cannot be comprehended until it is known what hell is, and how hell with evil and falsity can flow in on the one side as the Lord with good and truth flows in on the other. Therefore it shall be told in the first place of whom hell consists, what hell is, whence it is, and how it flows in and acts against good, and thus how man who is in the midst is acted upon on either side as a mere recipient.

1142.

Of precious stone and of pearl signifies the knowledges of truth and good from the Word that have been profaned. This is evident from the signification of "precious stone," as being the knowledges of truth from the Word (see n. 717); also from the signification of "pearl," as being the knowledges of good (see n. 1044); and as such knowledges are scientific truths [vera scientifica] or truths of the natural man, so "precious stones" signify the truths through which goods come, and "pearls" the goods through which truths come, for everywhere in the Word there is a marriage of truth and good, and for the reason that truth is not truth unless it looks to good or proceeds from good, and good is not good unless it looks to truths or exists through truths. Thus truths and goods are joined as in a marriage, and truths and goods exist as from a marriage. This is why here and elsewhere in the Word things are mentioned in pairs, one of which signifies good and the other truth, as "gold and silver," "precious stone and pearl," "fine linen and purple," "silk and scarlet," "vessel of ivory and vessel of precious wood," "brass, iron, and marble," where "gold, pearl, purple, scarlet, precious wood, and brass," signify goods of various kinds, and "silver, precious stone, fine linen, silk, ivory, iron, and marble," signify truths of various kinds. So elsewhere. But here these all signify goods and truths profaned, thus evils and falsities, as has been said just above of the signification of gold and silver. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord) [2] First it shall be told of whom hell consists. Hell consists of spirits who when they were men in the world denied God, acknowledged nature, lived contrary to Divine order, loved evils and falsities, although not before the world for appearance's sake; consequently they were either insane as to truths, or despised truths, or denied them in heart if not with the lips. Of all such from the creation of the world hell consists. All these are called either devils or satans; those in whom the love of self has predominated are called devils, and those in whom the love of the world has predominated are called satans. The hell where devils are is meant in the Word by the "Devil," and the hell where satans are is meant by "Satan." Moreover, the Lord has so joined the devils together that they are as one, and also the satans; and this is why the hells are called the Devil and Satan in the singular. Hell does not consist of spirits immediately created, neither does heaven consist of angels immediately created; but hell consists of men born in the world, who were made devils or satans by themselves, and in like manner heaven consists of men born in the world, who were there made angels by the Lord. All men as to the interiors which belong to their minds are spirits, clothed in the world with a material body which is under the direction of the thought of the spirit and under the control of its affection; for the mind which is spirit acts, and the body which is matter is acted upon; and every spirit after the material body has been cast off, is a man similar in form as a man in the world (see above, n. 1127). All this makes clear of whom hell consists.

1143.

And of fine linen and of purple signifies truths and goods from a celestial origin that have been profaned. This is evident from the signification of "fine linen," as being truths from a celestial origin (of which presently); also from the signification of "purple," as being goods from a celestial origin (of which above, n. 1042). But here such truths and goods profaned are meant, because the fine linen and purple are called "merchandise of Babylon," and "Babylon," as "a harlot and the mother of whoredoms and of the abominations of the earth," signifies profanations of truth and good. Truths and goods from a celestial origin are truths and goods with those who are in love to the Lord; these are called celestial, and are distinguished from the truths and goods from a spiritual origin, which are signified by "silk and scarlet," which will be spoken of presently. Truths and goods from a celestial origin are profaned by their transferring to themselves the Lord's Divine power of saving the human race, thus transferring their love to the Lord to the Pope as a vicar and to his ministers. And yet the Lord cannot be loved when He has no power to save; but the man is loved who is put in the Lord's place. They say that the Lord is loved because He has given that power to a man, and that He is loved and is held in holy respect by those who have received that power, and is worshipped by the rest. But love to the Lord cannot exist with them, because the love of having dominion over heaven and over the church is wholly contrary to it; for such love is love of self, which is a diabolical love, from which the Lord cannot be loved. Such love regarded in itself is rather hatred against the Lord, and it is turned into hatred when they become spirits and dominion is taken away from them. Then they persecute all who are in love to the Lord. All this makes clear how they profane truths and goods which are from a celestial origin. [2] That "fine linen" signifies truths from a celestial origin can be seen from the following passages. In Ezekiel: I clothed thee with embroidered work, I shod thee with the skin of the badger, and I girded thee with fine linen, and covered thee with silk. Thus wast thou adorned with gold and silver, and thy garments were fine linen, and silk, and embroidered work (Ezek. 16:10, 13). This is said of Jerusalem, which means the church, here in its first establishment. "Embroidered work and the skin of the badger" here signify the knowledges of truth and good from the Word; "fine linen and silk" signify truths from a celestial origin and truths from a spiritual origin. These are said to be "garments," because "garments" signify the truths with which good is clothed. In the same: Fine linen in embroidered work was thy spreading forth, and purple from the isles of Elishah was thy covering (Ezek. 27:7). This is said of Tyre, which signifies the church as to the knowledges of good and truth. These knowledges are signified by "embroidered work from Egypt," truths by "fine linen," and good by "purple," both from a celestial origin. In Luke: There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and indulged in luxuries every day splendidly (Luke 16:19). The "rich man" means the Jewish nation, which is said to be "clothed in purple and fine linen," because they have the Word from which they might have goods and truths; goods are here meant by "purple," and truths by "fine linen," both from a celestial origin. "Lazarus lying at the rich man's porch" means the Gentiles that did not have the Word. [3] Since "fine linen" [byssus] which is also called cotton [xylinum] signified truths from a celestial origin, and the garments of Aaron represented Divine truths, because he represented the Lord, therefore: His miter and belt were woven of fine linen and cotton (Exod. 28:39; 39:27). And because the curtains and hangings of the tabernacle represented those things of the church that cover, and these are truths, therefore: These were woven of cotton or fine linen (Exod. 26:1; 27:9, 18; 36:8; 38:9, 16). "Fine linen" has the same signification in the following passages of Revelation: The time of the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready; and it was given to her that she should be clothed in fine linen, clean and bright (Rev. 19:7-8). The armies of Him that sat upon the white horse followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean (Rev. 19:14). "Fine linen" signifies truth from a celestial origin because fine linen was a kind of very shining flax of which garments were made; "flax," and also "whiteness," signify truth, and "a garment" made of it signifies truth that is clean and pure according to the shining. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith) [4] The hell where those are who are called devils is the love of self; and the hell where those are who are called satans is the love of the world. The diabolical hell is the love of self because that love is the opposite of celestial love which is love to the Lord; and the satanic hell is the love of the world because that love is the opposite of spiritual love, which is love towards the neighbor. Now as the two loves of hell are opposites of the two loves of heaven, hell and the heavens are in opposition to each other; for all who are in the heavens look to the Lord and to the neighbor, but all who are in the hells look to self and the world. All who are in the heavens love the Lord and the neighbor, and all who are in the hells love self and the world, and consequently hate the Lord and the neighbor. All who are in the heavens think what is true and will what is good, because they think and will from the Lord; but all who are in the hells think what is false and will what is evil, because they think and will from self. From this it is that all who are in the hells appear turned backward, with the face turned away from the Lord; they also appear turned upside down, with the feet upwards and the head downwards. They so appear in accordance with their loves, which are opposite to the loves of heaven. [5] As hell is the love of self it is also fire, for all love corresponds to fire, and in the spiritual world is so presented as to appear like a fire at a distance, although it is not fire but love; and thus the hells appear within to be on fire, and without like outbursts of fire in smoke from furnaces or from conflagrations; and sometimes the devils themselves appear like fires of coals. Their heat from that fire is like a boiling up from impurities, which is lust, and their light from that fire is only an appearance of light from fantasies and from confirmations of evil by falsities, but still it is not light, for when the light of heaven flows in it becomes to them thick darkness, and when the heat of heaven flows in it becomes to them cold; nevertheless, they see from their light, and live from their heat; but they see like owls, birds of night, and bats, whose eyes are blinded in the light of heaven, and they live half dead. The living principle in them is from the ability to think, to will, to speak, to do, and in consequence to see, to hear, to taste, to smell, and to feel; and this living principle is merely the ability arising from action upon them from without of the life which is God, according to order, and continually impelling them towards order. It is from that power that they live to eternity. Their dead principle is from the evils and falsities that spring from their loves. Consequently their life viewed from their loves is not life but death; and this is why in the Word hell is called "death," and those who are there are called "the dead."

1144.

And of silk and of scarlet signifies truths and goods from a spiritual origin that have been profaned. This is evident from the signification of "silk," as being truth from a spiritual origin (of which presently); also from the signification of "scarlet," as being good from a spiritual origin (see above, n. 1142). This good coincides with truth from a celestial origin, and therefore that, too, is signified by "scarlet" in the Word. But "silk and scarlet" here signify such truths and goods profaned by Babylon, which are profaned when spiritual love, which is love towards the neighbor, has been perverted; for those who are in such love of self as the Babylonians are in, can have no love to the neighbor; if they love others it is for the sake of self, so that the end is the man himself and love to the neighbor the means, and the end loves the means so far as the means are serviceable to it; and casts them away when they cease to serve it. This can be seen in all the particulars of their works. Love towards the neighbor in the spiritual sense is the love of uses; and when uses are for the sake of self, it is not a love of uses but a love of self. That "silk" signifies truth from a spiritual origin, can be seen from the passage in Ezekiel (16:10, 13) which has been explained just above (n. 1143). "Silk" signifies truth from a spiritual origin because of its gloss, for silk is glossy from light, and "light" signifies the Divine truth, which is also called the spiritual Divine. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith) [2] It has been said that the love of self and the love of the world are hell, but the source of those loves shall now be explained. Man was created to love self and the world, to love the neighbor and heaven, and to love the Lord. For this reason when a man is born he first loves himself and the world, and afterwards, so far as he becomes wise, he loves the neighbor and heaven, and as he becomes still wiser he loves the Lord. Such a man is in the Divine order, and is actually led by the Lord, although apparently by himself. But so far as he is not wise he stops in the first degree, which is to love himself and the world; and if he loves the neighbor, heaven, and the Lord, it is for the sake of self before the world. But if he is wholly unwise he loves himself alone, and the world and also the neighbor for the sake of self; while heaven and the Lord he either despises or denies or hates in heart, if not in words. These are the origins of the love of self and of the love of the world, and as these loves are hell, it is evident whence hell is. [3] When a man has become a hell, he is like a tree cut off or like a tree whose fruits are malignant; or he is like sandy soil in which no seed will take root, or like soil, out of which springs nothing but the thorn that pricks or the nettle that stings. When a man becomes a hell the inner or higher parts of his mind are closed up and the outer and lower are opened. And as the love of self determines all things of the thought and will to itself and immerses them in the body, it inverts and twists back the outer parts of the mind, which, as has been said, are open, and as a consequence these incline and bend and are borne downwards, that is, towards hell. [4] But since man has still an ability to think, to will, to speak and to do, and this ability is in no case taken away from him, because he was born a man, so having become inverted and no longer receiving any good or any truth from heaven, but only evil and falsity from hell, he acquires a kind of light by confirmations of evil from falsity, and of falsity from evil in order that he may be eminent above others. This he believes to be a rational light, when yet it is an infernal light, and in itself fatuous, producing vision like that of a dream in the night, or a delirious fantasy, by reason of which things that are appear as if they were not, and things that are not appear as if they were. But this will be seen more clearly from a comparison between an angel-man and a devil-man.

1145.

And all thyine wood signifies all good conjoined to truth in the natural man. This is evident from the signification of "wood," as being the good of the natural man (of which presently); but "thyine wood" signifies good conjoined to truth in the natural man, for the word thyine in the Greek is derived from the word that means two; and "two" signifies such conjunction. That "thyine wood" signifies good conjoined to truth is evident also from what precedes and from what follows; from what precedes the things that signify celestial goods and truths and the things that signify spiritual goods and truths are enumerated, which are "fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet;" and from what follows, the things that signify natural goods and truths are enumerated, which are "vessel of ivory, and vessel of precious wood, of brass, iron, and marble." This makes clear that "thyine wood" signifies good conjoined to truth in the natural man, arising from those goods and truths that are mentioned above. For there are three degrees of life in man, which viewed in their order are called celestial, spiritual, and natural; in this verse such things as signify goods and truths according to their degrees are mentioned in this order. But as the things mentioned above signify truths and goods profaned, which in themselves are falsities and evils, so good conjoined to truth, which is "thyine wood," means such good profaned, which is evil conjoined to falsity. And because such good is of the natural man, it is especially profaned by venerations of bones and sepulchers, by sanctifications of many things used in worship, by many things relating to processions, and in general by all things idolatrous that are delightful to the natural man, and are consequently felt to be good and are called true. [2] "Wood" signifies good, because it is from a tree from which are fruits; also because wood can be burned and be useful in keeping the body warm, and in building houses and making various articles of convenience and use; also because an oil, which signifies the good of love, may be expressed from wood; it also contains in it that which gives heat. "Stone" on the other hand signifies here the truth of the natural man, because it is cold and cannot be burned. Because "wood" signifies good, with the most ancient people who were in the good of love the temples were of wood, which were not called temples but houses of God; and with many their tabernacles were used for this purpose, in which they not only dwelt but also had Divine worship. For the same reason the angels of the third heaven dwell in houses of wood, and this because they are in the good of love to the Lord, to which "wood" corresponds. Moreover, their different kinds of wood have a correspondence according to the trees from which they are; for a tree signifies man, and its fruit the good of man. This is why woods from various kinds of trees are mentioned in the Word, as the olive, the vine, the cedar, the poplar, the oak; and the wood of the olive signifies celestial good, of the vine spiritual good, of the cedar rational good, of the poplar natural good, and of the oak sensual good. [3] Now as all things in the world are correspondences, and wood corresponds to good, and in the contrary sense to evil, so "wood" here signifies good, and in the contrary sense evil, as can be seen from the following passages. In Lamentations: We drink our waters for silver, and our wood comes at a price (Lam. 5:4). The lack of the knowledges of truth and good is thus described; the lack of the knowledges of truth by "drinking waters for silver," and the lack of the knowledges of good by "wood coming at a price." In Ezekiel: They shall pillage thy riches, and make a prey of thy merchandise; they shall break down thy walls, and overthrow the houses of thy desire; thy stones, thy woods, and thy dust shall they place in the midst of the sea (Ezek. 26:12). This describes the devastation of all things of truth and good of the church by evils and falsities. The "riches" which they pillage are the knowledges of truth; the "merchandise" of which they shall make a prey are the knowledges of good; the "walls" which they shall break down are doctrinals; "the houses of desire" which they shall overthrow are the things of the mind, thus of the understanding and will, for there man dwells; the "stones, woods, and dust, which they shall place in the midst of the sea," are the truths and goods of the natural man, "stones" its truths, "woods" its goods, and "dust" the lowest things, which are of the sensual man. [4] In the same: Son of man, take thee one stick and write upon it, For Judah and the sons of Israel his companions; then take one stick and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and of the tribes 1145-1 of Israel his companions; then join them to thee one with the other into one stick, that the two may be one in My hand, and I will make them into one stick (Ezek. 37:16-17, 19-20). This represents the conjunction of the celestial and spiritual kingdoms of the Lord by the good of love. "Judah and the sons of Israel his companions" signify the Lord's celestial kingdom; "Judah" that kingdom as to good, and "the sons of Israel his companions" as to truth; but "Joseph and the tribes of Israel his companions" signify the Lord's spiritual kingdom, "Joseph" that kingdom as to good, and the "tribes of Israel his companions" as to truth. "Ephraim" signifies the understanding of truth; and as those who are in the understanding of truth from spiritual good are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom, the stick is called Ephraim's. That the Lord conjoins these two kingdoms into one by the good of love to Him and by the good of charity towards the neighbor is meant by the Lord's "joining them one with the other into one stick, that the two may be one in the hand of Jehovah, and be made one stick." That things derived from falsities are corrected by means of good was represented and signified by: The bitter waters in Marah were made sweet by the wood cast into them (Exod. 15:25). "Bitter waters" mean the things that are apparently true but are derived from falsities; "wood" means the good of the natural man. Because "wood" from correspondence signifies the good of love, the tables of stone on which the law was inscribed were placed in an ark made of shittim wood; and for the same reason other things of the tabernacle were made of the same wood, and the temple of Jerusalem was covered with wood. [5] Now as most things in the Word have also a contrary sense, so does wood, and in that sense it signifies evil, because evil is opposite to good. This is signified by: Serving wood and stone (Deut. 4:23-28; Isaiah 37:19; Jer. 3:9; Ezek. 20:32; and other places). In Isaiah: He chooseth wood that will not rot, he seeketh for himself a wise artificer to prepare a graven image that shall not be moved (Isa. 40:20). "Wood" here signifies evil which is adored as good, for a "graven image" means the evil of worship; "to choose wood that will not rot" signifies some good from the Word that is becoming adulterated and thus evil; this is chosen because that which is from the Word persuades, and thus does not perish in the mind, which is the case with evil and falsity confirmed by the Word. "He seeks a wise artificer" signifies to seek one who from self intelligence has a gift for confirming and falsifying. [6] In Jeremiah: The statutes of the nations are vanity; since one cutteth wood from the forest, the labor of the hands of the workman with the axe. . . . They are stupid and foolish, the wood is a doctrine of vanities (Jer. 10:3, 8). "The statutes of the nations, which are vanity," signify all things of worship of those who are in evil; "the wood cut from the forest and the labor of the hands of the workman with the axe" signify evil from which is worship that has been fashioned by falsities from self-intelligence, "wood" being the evil of the worship that is meant by a graven image, "the labor of the hands of the workman" being what is from self-intelligence, and the "axe" the falsity that destroys good and confirms evil. [7] In the same: The voice shall go like that of a serpent, and they came with axes like hewers of wood (Jer. 46:22). "The voice of a serpent" means craft and deceit; "with axes" signifies with falsities destroying good; "like hewers of wood" signifies as if willing to extirpate evil, and yet they extirpate good. In Moses: If one should kill his companion by error, as in coming with a companion into a forest, and the axe slip from the wood upon his companion, he shall flee to a city of refuge (Deut. 19:5). That one who sins by error is permitted to flee to a city of refuge is here illustrated by an example that rarely happens, but it is cited to show what is meant by slaying by error; this example is cited because wood and axe and forest are significative, "wood" being good, "axe" falsity, and "forest" the natural man; therefore these words signify that if one who is in natural good should bring destruction upon another's soul by falsity which he does not know to be falsity, it would be done by error, because it is not done from evil. [8] In Habakkuk: The stone crieth out of the wall, and the beam from the wood answereth (Hab. 2:11). This means that evil confirms and incites falsity; the "wall out of which the stone crieth" signifies man devoid of truths, and thus wishing to be taught falsity; "the beam that answereth from the wood" signifies man destitute of good, "wood" signifying the evil that confirms falsity and agrees with it. In Jeremiah: Saying to the wood, Thou art my father, and to the stone, Thou hast begotten me; for they have turned the neck to Me and not the face (Jer. 2:27). "Saying to the wood, Thou art my father," signifies to be conceived from evil; and "saying to the stone, Thou hast begotten me," signifies to be born from falsity of evil; "to turn the neck and not the face" signifies to turn away from all good and truth. "Fire and wood" are mentioned in Zechariah (12:6), and in Isaiah (30:33), because "fire" signifies evil love, and "wood" evils therefrom. [9] As "swords" signify falsities destroying truths, and "woods" signify evils destroying good, so by command of the chief priests: A multitude went out with Judas Iscariot against Jesus, with swords and staves (Matt. 26:47; Mark 14:43, 48; Luke 22:52). This was done because all things relating to the Lord's passion were representative of the destruction by the Jews of all things of good and truth. With the sons of Israel there were two general punishments, stoning and hanging upon wood, stoning for injuring or destroying truth, and hanging upon wood for injuring or destroying good. For this reason: Hanging upon wood was a curse (Deut. 21:22-23). All this makes clear that "wood" signifies good, specifically the good of the natural man, and in the contrary sense its evil. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith) [10] In the world there are angel-men and devil-men; heaven is constituted of angel-men, and hell of devil-men. With an angel-man all the degrees of his life are open to the Lord; but with a devil-man only the lowest degree is open, and the higher degrees are closed. An angel-man is led by the Lord both from within and from without; but a devil-man is led by himself from within, and by the Lord from without. An angel-man is led by the Lord according to order, from within from order, and from without to order; but a devil-man is led by the Lord to order from without, but by himself against order from within. An angel-man is continually led away from evil by the Lord, and led to good; a devil-man also is continually led away from evil by the Lord, but from a more to a less grievous evil, for he cannot be led to good. An angel-man is continually led away from hell by the Lord, and is led into heaven more and more interiorly; a devil-man is also continually led away from hell, but from a more grievous to a milder hell, for he cannot be led into heaven. [11] Because an angel-man is led by the Lord he is led by civil law, by moral law, and by spiritual law, for the sake of the Divine in them; a devil-man is led by the same laws, but for the sake of himself [suum] in them. An angel-man from the Lord loves the goods of the church, which are the goods of heaven, because they are goods, also its truths because they are truths; but he loves from self the goods of the body and of the world because they are for use and because they are for pleasure, likewise the truths that belong to the sciences; but although he loves all these in appearance from self, in reality he loves them from the Lord. A devil-man also loves from self the goods of the body and of the world, because they are for use and because they are for pleasure, likewise the truths that belong to the sciences; but although he loves all these in appearance from self, in reality he loves them from hell. An angel-man is in freedom and in the delight of his heart when he is doing good from good, and when he is not doing evil; but a devil-man is in freedom and in the delight of his heart when he is doing good from evil, and when he is doing evil. An angel-man and a devil-man in externals appear alike, but in internals they are wholly unlike; therefore when external things are laid aside by death they are manifestly unlike. The one is taken up into heaven, and the other is taken down into hell.

1146.

And every vessel of ivory, and every vessel of precious wood, signifies rational truths and goods that have been profaned. This is evident from the signification of "vessel," as being the knowing faculty (of which presently); also from the signification of "ivory," as being rational truth (of which also presently); also from the signification of "precious wood," as being good of great excellence, thus rational good, for this is such good because it is the best good of the natural man. That "wood" signifies good may be seen above (n. 1145). A "vessel" means the knowing faculty, because all truth in the natural man is called knowledge; and this is signified by a "vessel" because the knowledge of the natural man is the containant of rational and spiritual truths, for when these are thought and perceived they are laid up in the memory and are called knowledges. This is why in the Word "vessels" signify cognitions [cognitiones] and so far as these belong to the natural man, and are laid up in the memory of that man, they are knowledges [scientifica]. [2] "Ivory" signifies rational truth, because the camel 1146-1 signifies the natural in general; since, therefore, "ivory" is from his teeth and by it he has power, also since it is white and also has a power of resistance, it signifies rational truth, which is the most excellent truth of the natural man. This truth is signified by "ivory," as well as by "ebony." In Ezekiel: Of the oaks of Bashan have they made thine oars; they have made thy benches of ivory. Many isles were the traffic of thine hand, they brought thee for a gift horns of ivory and ebony (Ezek. 27:6, 15). This is said of Tyre, which signifies the knowledges of truth, by which man has intelligence. These knowledges are here described by a ship, the oars of which were of oak and the bench of ivory, "oars" signifying the things of the understanding that are of use in speaking and that belong to the sensual man, and "bench" signifying that part of the understanding by which one is led, which is the rational. This is here signified also by the "ebony" which the isles bring, "isles" signifying those in the church who are natural and yet rational. [3] In Amos: That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches (Dan. 6:4). Reasonings from falsities are thus described, "beds of ivory" being doctrines seemingly from rational truths, and "to stretch themselves upon their couches" being to reason in favor of these from falsities. In the same: I will smite the winter house with the summer house, that the houses of ivory may perish, and the great houses may have an end (Amos 3:15). "Houses" signify the things of the human mind, here the things of the natural mind separate from the spiritual mind; "winter house and summer house" signify things of the natural man that are called sensual, and "house of ivory" and "great house" signify the things of the natural man that are called rational, "house of ivory" here meaning those that have relation to truth, and "great house" those that have relation to good. As "house" signifies man as to those things that are of his mind, they formerly built houses of ivory, as we read of Ahab (1 Kings 22:39), which signified man as to the rational. This makes clear what is signified by these words in David: Out of the ivory palaces have they made thee glad (Ps. 45:8). This is said of the Lord. "Ivory palaces" mean truths from the rational man, thus rational truths. But "vessel of ivory" and "vessel of precious wood" signify rational truths and goods profaned, because they were predicated of Babylon, which signifies profanation of all things of truth and good. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith) [4] That man is merely a recipient of good and truth from the Lord and of evil and falsity from hell, must be illustrated by comparisons confirmed by the laws of order and influx, and finally established by experience. It is illustrated by the following comparisons. The sensories of the body are recipient and percipient only seemingly from themselves; the sensory of sight, which is the eye, sees objects out of itself as if it were close by them, when, in fact, the rays of light convey with wings of ether their forms and colors into the eye, and these forms when perceived in the eye are observed by an internal sight that is called the understanding, and are distinguished and recognized according to their quality. It is the same with the sensory of hearing. This perceives sounds, whether words or musical tones, from the place from which they come as if it were there; when in fact, the sounds flow in from without and are perceived by the understanding within the ear. It is the same with the sensory of smell; this, too, perceives from within what flows in from without, sometimes from a great distance. Also the sensory of taste is excited by the foods that come in contact with the tongue from without. The sensory of touch does not feel unless it is touched. These five bodily sensories by virtue of an influx from within are sensible of what flows in from without; the influx from within is from the spiritual world, and the influx from without is from the natural world. [5] With all this the laws inscribed on the nature of all things are in harmony, which laws are: (1) That nothing exists or subsists from itself, or is acted upon or moved by itself, but only by something else. From this it follows that everything exists and subsists and is acted upon and moved by the First that is not from another, but is in itself the living force, which is life. (2) That nothing can be acted upon or moved unless it is intermediate between two forces, one of which acts and the other reacts, that is, unless one acts on the one side and the other on the other, and unless one acts from within and the other from without. (3) And since these two forces when at rest produce an equilibrium, it follows that nothing can be put in action or moved unless it is in equilibrium, and when put in action it is out of the equilibrium; also that everything put in action or moved seeks to return to an equilibrium. (4) That all activities are changes of state and variations of form, and that the latter are from the former. By state in man his love is meant, and by changes of state the affections of love; by form in man his intelligence is meant, and by variations of form his thoughts; and thoughts are from affections.

1147.

Of brass and of iron signifies natural goods and truths also that have been profaned. This is evident from the signification of "brass," as being natural good (see n. 70); also from the signification of "iron," as being natural truth (see n. 176). But as what is here presented relates to the natural man, it is to be known that the natural of man is threefold-rational, natural, and sensual; the rational is the highest in it, the sensual is the lowest, and the natural is the middle. The genuine rational is from influx from the spiritual world, the sensual is from influx from the natural world, and the mediate natural is either of the rational or of the sensual. That the natural is threefold can be seen in men who while they are in the world are either rational or sensual or intermediate. Which of these they are is clear especially from their perception of civil, moral and spiritual laws. Those are rational who think, judge, and conclude well from reason, and the thoughts of such are raised above material things; but those who are sensual think from material things and in them, and what they speak from thought is only from the memory. As there are these two degrees, there is also an intermediate degree which is called the natural. What men are can be known also from their understanding of the Word. The rational draw from the sense of the letter such things as pertain to doctrine, while the sensual abide in the letter only and draw from it nothing more interior. The same distinctions exist in the spiritual world, since in the lowest heaven there are the same degrees of natural men; the lowest there are the sensual, and the highest the rational; but of these more will be said elsewhere. That natural goods and truths, which are signified by "iron and brass," have also been profaned by Babylon, is evident from the profanation of the sense of the letter of the Word by such; the sense of the letter of the Word is the natural sense. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith) [2] On this subject also we will speak from experience. The angels of the higher heavens have a clear feeling and perception that their goods and truths are from the Lord, and that they have nothing at all of good and truth from themselves. And when they are let down into the state of their self [proprium] as is now and then done, they have a clear feeling and perception that the evil and falsity belonging to their self [proprium] they have from hell. Some angels of the lowest heaven, who did not comprehend that evil and falsity are from hell, because they had believed in the world that they were themselves in evils from birth and from actual life, were led through infernal societies from one to another, and in each one while they were in it they thought just as the devils there thought, and differently in the several societies, thinking in opposition to goods and truths. They were told to think from themselves, and thus otherwise, but they said that they were wholly unable to do so. In this way they were made to comprehend that evils and falsities flow in from hell. It is the same with many who believe and insist that they have life in themselves. Also it sometimes occurs that angels are separated from the societies with which they are connected, and when thus separated they are unable to think, will, speak, or act, but lie like newborn infants; but as soon as they are restored to their societies they revive. For everyone, man, spirit or angel, is connected as to his affections and thoughts therefrom with societies, and acts as one of them; and for this reason it is known what each one is from the society in which he is. All this makes clear that the quality of each one's life flows in from without. [3] With regard to myself I can testify that for fifteen years I have clearly perceived that I have thought nothing and willed nothing of myself; also that every evil and falsity has flowed in from infernal societies, and that every good and truth has flowed in from the Lord. Some spirits reflecting upon this declared that I had no life. It was permitted me to reply, I am more alive than you are, since I feel the influx of good and truth from the Lord and see and perceive the enlightenment. I also perceive from the Lord that evils and falsities are from hell, and not only that this is so, but also from what spirits they come; and it has been granted me to speak with these, to rebuke them, and to reject them with their evils and falsities, and thus I was delivered from them. Furthermore, it was granted me to say that now I know that I live, and before I did not know it. From all this I have been fully convinced that every evil and falsity is from hell, and every good and truth, together with the perception of them, is from the Lord; and moreover, that I have freedom and thus perception as if from myself. [4] Again, that every evil and falsity is from hell it has been granted me to see with my own eyes. Over the hells there is an appearance of fires and smoke; evils are fires and falsities are smoke. These are continually exhaled and rise up, and the spirits that dwell in the midst between heaven and hell are affected by them according to their love. It shall be told briefly how evil and falsity have power to flow forth from hell, when there exists only one acting force, which is the life that is God; this also has been revealed. There was uttered with a loud voice out of heaven a truth from the Word, which flowed down to hell and through it to its lowest part; and it was heard that this truth in its flowing down was successively and by degrees turned into falsity, and at length into such falsity as is wholly opposite to the truth; then it was in the lowest hell. It was so changed because everything is received according to the state and form; so truth flowing into inverted forms, such as are in hell, became successively inverted and changed into the falsity opposite to the truth. From this it is clear what hell is from top to bottom, also that there is but one acting force, which is the life that is the Lord.

1148.

And of marble signifies sensual truth that has been profaned. This is evident from the signification of "marble," as being the sensual, which is the ultimate of the life of man's thought and will. This is signified by "marble" because "stone" signifies truth in ultimates, especially the appearance of truth. "Marble" is mentioned instead of stone because the appearance of truth in the church from the Word is meant. That ultimate truth, which is called sensual, has also been profaned is evident from the adoration of the sepulchers, bones, and carcasses of those who are called saints, although they are putrid and correspond to things infernal. The very senses of the body would turn away from such things if the holy things of the church had not been profaned to such an extent. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith) [2] That man nevertheless is a subject of guilt follows from what has been said above, and also from what has been before established respecting the life that is God and that is with man from God; it follows also from the above-mentioned laws, which are truths. Evil is imputed to man because it has been granted him, and is continually granted him, to feel and to perceive as if life were in him; and as he is in that state he also has the freedom and ability to act as if from himself; and that ability regarded in itself, and that freedom regarded in itself, are not taken away from man, because he is born a man who is to live forever. It is from that ability and that freedom that he is able to receive both good and evil as if of himself. And as man is held in the midst between heaven and hell, the Lord gives him to know that good is from Him and that evil is from the devil, also to know by truths in the church what is good and what is evil. When man knows this, and it is granted him by the Lord to think, will, speak, and do this as if from himself, and this continually by influx, then if he does not receive he becomes guilty. [3] But man is in fallacies thence, especially because he does not know that his freedom and his ability to act as if from himself are from an influx of life from the Lord into his inmost, and that this influx is never taken away from him, since he is born a man, and man has such an inmost; yet the influx of life from the Lord into the recipient forms that are beneath that inmost, where and in which forms the understanding and will have their seat, is varied according to the reception of good and truth; and in fact, the influx is diminished and even taken away in the measure in which evil and falsity are received. In a word, the life that makes man to be man and that distinguishes him from brute animals, and which is in his inmost, and is therefore universally active in the lower parts, and from which he has freedom and the ability to think, will, speak, and act, is unceasingly with man from the Lord; but man's understanding and will therefrom, that is, from that life, are changed and varied according to reception. Man lives in the midst between heaven and hell, and the delight of the love of evil and of falsity therefrom flows into him from hell, while the delight of the love of good and of truth therefrom flows into him from the Lord, and he is constantly held in the feeling and perception that life is from himself, and thereby is also held constantly in the freedom to choose the one or the other, and in the ability to receive the one or the other. So far, therefore, as he chooses and receives evil and falsity, so far from that middle state he is carried down towards hell, and so far as he chooses good and truth, so far from that middle state is he taken up towards heaven. [4] Man is from creation in a state to know that evil is from hell, and that good is from the Lord, and to perceive these in himself as if they were from himself, and when he so perceives them to cast the evil down to hell and to receive the good, with the acknowledgment that it is from the Lord. When he does these two things he does not appropriate evil to himself, and does not claim merit for the good. But I know that there are many who do not comprehend this, and who have no desire to comprehend it, but let them pray, "That the Lord may be with them continually, that He may lift up and turn His face to them, that He may teach, enlighten, and lead them, since of themselves they can do nothing that is good, that He may grant to them to live; that the devil may not lead them astray and instill evils into their hearts, knowing that if they are not led by the Lord the devil will lead them and breathe into them evils of every kind, as hatred, revenge, cunning, and deceit, as a serpent instills poison; for the devil is present stirring up and continually accusing, and wheresoever he meets with a heart turned away from God, he enters in, dwells there, and draws the soul down to hell. O Lord, deliver us." These words coincide with what has been said above, for hell is the devil. Moreover, this is an acknowledgment that man is led either by the Lord or by hell, thus that he is between the two. See also what has been said above upon this subject (n. 1134).

1149.

Verse 13. And cinnamon and incense, and ointment and frankincense, and wine and oil, and fine flour and wheat, and beasts of burden and sheep, and horses and carriages, and slaves and souls of men. 13. "And cinnamon and incense" signifies profaned worship from celestial love (n. 1150); "and ointment and frankincense" signifies profaned worship from spiritual love (n. 1151); "and wine and oil" signifies profaned worship from truths and goods that are from a celestial origin (n. 1152); "and fine flour and wheat" signifies profaned worship from truths and goods that are from a spiritual origin (n. 1153); "and beasts of burden and sheep" signifies profaned worship from truths and goods that are from a spiritual-natural origin (n. 1154); "and horses and carriages" signifies profaned worship from truths and goods that are from a rational origin (n. 1155); "and slaves and souls of men" signifies profaned worship from truths and goods that are from a natural-sensual origin (n. 1156).

1150.

Verse 13. And cinnamon and incense signifies profaned worship from celestial love. This is evident from the signification of "cinnamon," as being the good of celestial love (of which presently); also from the signification of "incense or perfume," as being the truth of celestial love, which truth is the good of wisdom because it is from the good of celestial love. Worship from celestial love is meant because in this verse things relating to worship are enumerated, while in the former verse the things relating to doctrine were enumerated. That things relating to worship are here signified can be seen from what follows, and also from this, that so many particulars are enumerated, which would not have been done except to describe the profanation of all things of worship from first to last. There is this distinction between doctrine and worship, that doctrine teaches how God must be worshiped, and how man must live that he may withdraw from hell and draw near to heaven; but this is effected by worship, since worship is actual as well as oral. [2] "Cinnamon" signifies celestial love because it is a most excellent aromatic, and for this reason the oil for holy anointing was prepared from this and other aromatics (as may be seen Exod. 30:23, 24); and the oil for holy anointing signified the Divine love, and the aromatics, which were pure myrrh, aromatic cinnamon, sweet calamus, and cassia, signified the Divine wisdom, and when united with the oil of olive signified the Lord's Divine wisdom united to His Divine love. The Divine wisdom was signified by those aromatics, because "odor" signifies perception, and perception belongs to wisdom. As this was the signification of the oil of anointing, all things that were to serve for worship were sanctified by it, as the altar, the Tent of meeting, the ark with the mercy-seat and cherubs, also Aaron's garments of holiness, and Aaron himself. This makes evident that "cinnamon" signifies celestial good, and "incense or perfumes" signifies such things as proceed from that good, all of which have reference to truth, and truth in its form is wisdom. And because this truth derives its essence from the good of celestial love it is called the good of wisdom. That the worship from that love has been profaned is evident from what has been said above about the profanation of all things of doctrine; and when all things of doctrine have been profaned all things of worship are also profaned, since worship is from doctrine and according to doctrine. (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith) [3] (4) The fourth law of the Divine providence is, That the understanding and will must not be compelled in the least, since all compulsion by another takes away freedom, but man should compel himself-for to compel oneself is from freedom. Man's freedom belongs to his will, and from the will it is in the thought of the understanding, and through the thought in the speech of the lips and in the action of the body. For when a man wills anything from freedom he says, I will to think this, I will to speak this, and I will to do this. Moreover, from the freedom of the will man has the ability to think, to speak, and to act; for the will gives this ability, because it gives freedom. Since freedom belongs to man's will it also belongs to his love, since nothing constitutes freedom in man except the love that is of his will; and for this reason that love is man's life; for man is such as his love is; consequently whatever goes forth from the love of his will goes forth from his life. This makes clear that freedom belongs to man's will, to his love, and to his life, consequently that it makes one with what is his own [proprium] and with his nature and disposition. [4] Now because it is the Lord's will that everything that comes from Himself to man should be appropriated to man as if it were his own, since otherwise there would be in man no reciprocal by which conjunction is effected, so it is a law of the Divine providence that man's understanding and will should not be compelled in the least by another. For who is not able to think and will evil or good, against the laws or with the laws, against the king or with the king, and even against God or with God? Yet man is not allowed to speak and do everything that he thinks and wills. There are fears that compel the externals, but they do not compel the internals; and for the reason that the externals must be reformed by means of the internals, and not the internals by means of the externals; for what is internal flows into what is external, and not the reverse. Moreover, internals belong to man's spirit, and externals to his body, and as it is the spirit of man that must be reformed the spirit is not compelled. [5] Nevertheless, there are fears that compel man's internals or his spirit, but they are only such fears as flow in from the spiritual world, and which relate on the one hand to the punishments of hell, and on the other to the loss of favor with God. But fear on account of the punishments of hell is an external fear of the thought and will, while the fear of the loss of favor with God is an internal fear of the thought and will, and is the holy fear that adds and conjoins itself to the love, with which at length it makes one essence. It is like one who loves another and from love fears to injure him.

Footnotes

1121-1 Absque (without) has been omitted in Latin text; "widow" signifies defense; but it is inserted in explanation at the end of the number, "widows" signify "without defense."

1129-1 Photolithograph has "primogenito" (first-begotten); the Latin editor has "unigenito" (only-begotten).

1133-1 Photolithograph has "earth;" the Hebrew "heavens." See n. 331, where Swedenborg translates it "heavens."

1145-1 Photolithograph has "tribes;" the Hebrew has "house," but in verse 19 below it has "tribes."

1146-1 Swedenborg wrote "camel" instead of elephant. In Apocalypse Revealed, n. 774 he has elephant