Apocalypse Revealed · 9 of 22

Revelation 9

419.Revelation 9 1. And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth, and to him was given the key of the pit of the abyss. 2. And he opened the pit of the abyss; and there went up a smoke out of the pit of the abyss, as the smoke of a great furnace: and the sun and the air were darkened from the smoke of the pit. 3. And out of the smoke there went forth locusts upon the earth; and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4. And it was said to them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree; but only the men who had not the seal of God in their foreheads. 5. And it was given to them that they should not kill them, but that they should torment them five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when it striketh a man. 6. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. 7. And the likenesses of the locusts were like unto horses prepared for war; and upon their heads as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. 8. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as those of lions. 9. And they had breastplates, as breastplates of iron; and the voice of their wings was as the voice of chariots of many horses running to war. 10. And they had tails like unto scorpions; and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. 11. And they had a king over them, the angel of the abyss, whose name in the Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he hath the name Apollyon. 12. One woe is past; behold, there come two woes more hereafter. 13. And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God. 14. Saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, Loose the four angels that are bound at the great river Euphrates. 15. And the four angels were loosed; who were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, to kill a third part of men. 16. And the number of the armies of horsemen was two myriads of myriads: and I heard the number of them. 17. And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat upon them, having breastplates of fire, and jacinth, and brimstone; and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire, and smoke, and brimstone. 18. By these three was a third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, that issued out of their mouths. 19. And their power was in their mouth; for their tails were like unto serpents, having heads, and with them they hurt. 20. And the rest of the men who were not killed by these plagues, yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not adore demons, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and wood; which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: 21. Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their enchantments, nor of their whoredoms, nor of their thefts. THE SPIRITUAL SENSE The contents of the whole chapter Of the exploration and manifestation of the states of life of those in the church of the Reformed, who are called learned and wise from the confirmation of faith separated from charity, and of justification and salvation by it alone (these are treated of from verses 1-12). Of the exploration and manifestation of those therein, who are not so learned and wise, and are in faith alone, and who live as they please (from verses 13-19). Lastly, of those therein, who know nothing but that faith is the all by which man is saved, and not anything besides (verses 20-21). The contents of each verse Verse 1. “The fifth angel sounded,” signifies the exploration and manifestation of the states of life of those in the church of the Reformed, who are called learned and wise from the confirmation of faith separated from charity, and of justification and salvation by it alone (n. 419). “And I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth,” signifies spiritual Divine truth flowing from heaven into the church with them and exploring and manifesting (n. 420). “And to him was given the key of the pit of the abyss,” signifies the opening of their hell (n. 421). Verse 2. “And he opened the pit of the abyss, and there went up a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace,” signifies the falsities of the concupiscences of the natural man springing forth from their evil loves (n. 422). “And the sun and the air were darkened from the smoke of the pit,” signifies that thence the light of truth became thick darkness (n. 423). Verse 3. “And there went forth out of the smoke locusts upon the earth,” signifies that from them were falsities to the lowest things, such as are with those who have become sensual, and see and judge of all things from the senses and their fallacies (n. 424). “And unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power,” signifies the power of persuading that their falsities are truths (n. 425). Verse 4. “And it was said to them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree; but only the men who had not the seal of God in their foreheads,” signifies the Divine providence of the Lord, that they should not be able to take away any truth and good of faith, nor any affection and perception of them, from any others than such as are not in charity and thence not in faith (n. 426). Verse 5. “And it was given to them that they should not kill them, but that they should torment them five months,” signifies that neither from these should they be able to take away the faculty of understanding and willing truth and good, but that they should only be able to bring on stupor for a short time (n. 427). “And their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when it striketh a man,” signifies that this is from their persuasive power (n. 428). Verse 6. “And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them,” signifies that they wish that in matters of faith the understanding should be shut up and the will closed, by which means spiritual light and life are extinguished, and that yet this cannot be done (n. 429). Verse 7. “And the likenesses of the locusts,” signifies the appearances and images of those who have confirmed in themselves faith separated from charity (n. 430). “Were like unto horses prepared for war,” signifies that because they can reason, they appear to themselves as if they were combating from the understanding of truth from the Word (n. 431). “And upon their heads as it were crowns like gold,” signifies that they appeared to themselves as if they were conquerors (n. 432). “And their faces were as the faces of men,” signifies that they appeared to themselves as if they were wise (n. 433). Verse 8. “And they had hair as the hair of women,” signifies that they appeared to themselves as if they were in the affection of truth (n. 434). “And their teeth were as the teeth of lions,” signifies that sensual things, which are the ultimates of the life of the natural man, appeared with them to have power over all things (n. 435). Verse 9. “And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron,” signifies that arguments from fallacies, by which they fight and prevail, appeared to them so powerful that they could not be refuted (n. 436). “And the voice of their wings was as the voice of chariots of many horses running to war,” signifies their reasonings as if they were from the truths of doctrine from the Word fully understood, for which they must ardently fight (n. 437). Verse 10. “And they had tails like unto scorpions,” signifies the truths of the Word falsified, by which they induce stupor (n. 438). “And there were stings in their tails, and their power was to hurt men five months,” signifies subtle falsifications of the Word, by which for a short time they darken and fascinate the understanding, and thus deceive and captivate (n. 439). Verse 11. “And they had a king over them, the angel of the abyss, whose name in the Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he hath the name Apollyon,” signifies that they are in the satanic hell who are in falsities from lusts, and by the total falsification of the Word they have destroyed the church (n. 440). Verse 12. “One woe is past; behold, there come two woes more hereafter,” signifies still further lamentations over the state of the church (n. 441). Verse 13. “And the sixth angel sounded,” signifies the exploration and manifestation of their state of life in the church of the Reformed who are not so wise, and yet place the all of religion in faith, and think of it alone, and live as they please (n. 442). “And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet” signifies a command from the Lord out of the spiritual heaven to those who were to explore and make manifest (n. 443). Verse 14. “Loose the four angels that are bound at the great river Euphrates,” signifies that external bonds should be taken away from them, that the interiors of their minds might appear (n. 444). Verse 15. “And the four angels were loosed,” signifies that when external bonds were taken away, the interiors of their minds appeared (n. 445). “Who were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, to kill a third part of men,” signifies that they were perpetually in the effort to take away spiritual light and life from the men of the church (n. 446). Verse 16. “And the number of the armies of horsemen was two myriads of myriads,” signifies reasoning concerning faith alone, with which the interiors of their minds were filled up, from the great abundance of the mere falsities of evil (n. 447). “And I heard the number of them,” signifies that the quality of them was perceived (n. 448). Verse 17. “And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them,” signifies that it was then discovered that the reasonings of the interiors of their minds concerning faith alone were imaginary and visionary, and that they themselves were insane with them (n. 449). “Having breastplates of fire, and jacinth, and brimstone,” signifies their imaginary and visionary arguments from infernal love and their own intelligence, and from the lusts thence (n. 450). “And the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions,” signifies fantasies concerning faith alone as if it were in power (n. 451). “And out of their mouths issued fire, and smoke, and brimstone,” signifies that in their thoughts and discourses, viewed interiorly, there is nothing, and from them there proceeds nothing, but the love of self and of the world, and the pride of their own intelligence, and the lusts of evil and falsity from these two (n. 452). Verse 18. “By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths,” signifies that from these it is that the men of the church perish (n. 453). Verse 19. “And their power was in their mouth,” signifies that they prevail only by their discourse in confirmation of faith (n. 454). “For their tails were like unto serpents, having heads, and with them they do hurt,” signifies the reason, because they are sensual and inverted, speaking truths with their lips, but falsifying them by the principle which constitutes the head of their religion, and thus they deceive (n. 455). Verse 20. “And the rest of the men who were not killed by these plagues,” signifies those in the church of the Reformed who are not so spiritually dead from visionary reasonings, and from the love of self, the pride of their own intelligence, and from lusts, thence as those before mentioned, and yet make faith alone the head of their religion (n. 456). “Yet repented not of the works of their hands,” signifies that neither did they shun the things that are of their proprium, which are evils of every kind, as sins (n. 457). “That they should not adore demons,” signifies that thus they are in the evils of their concupiscences, and make one with their like in hell (n. 458). “And idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and wood,” signifies that thus they are in worship from mere falsities (n. 459). “Which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk,” signifies, in which there is nothing of spiritual and truly rational life (n. 460). Verse 21. “Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their enchantments, nor of their whoredoms, nor of their thefts,” signifies that the heresy of faith alone induces on their hearts stupidity, tergiversation, and hardness, so that they do not think anything of the precepts of the Decalogue, nor indeed of any sin that it ought to be shunned because it is in favor of the devil and against God. THE EXPLANATION Verse 1. And the fifth angel sounded, signifies the exploration and manifestation of the states of life of those in the church of the Reformed, who are called learned and wise from their confirmation of faith separated from charity, and of justification and salvation by it alone. That these are treated of in what now follows as far as verse 12, is evident from the particulars, understood in the spiritual sense. That by “sounding” is signified to explore and make manifest the state of the church, and thence the state of life with those whose religion is faith alone, may be seen above (n. 397).

420.And I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth, signifies spiritual Divine truth flowing from heaven into the church as existing with them, and exploring and manifesting. By “a star” is here signified spiritual Divine truth, because it fell from the spiritual heaven, concerning which, above (n. 387, 388); and by “the earth” is here signified the church with those who are in its internals, as above (n. 398). By spiritual Divine truth is meant intelligence from spiritual love, which is love towards the neighbor; and as that intelligence at this date is called faith, and that love, charity, it is faith from charity, or rather it is the truth of faith from the good of charity, which is here signified by “a star.” The same is signified by “a star” in the singular number (Revelation 2:28; 22:16); for by “stars,” in the plural number, are signified the knowledges of good and truth (n. 51), and by these there is intelligence. That it is the Divine truth exploring and manifesting, is evident from what follows.

421.And to him was given the key of the abyss, signifies the opening of their hell. By “a key” is signified the power of opening, and also the act of opening (n. 62, 174, 840). And by “the abyss” is signified the hell where they are who have confirmed themselves in justification and salvation by faith alone, who are all from the church of the Reformed; but in the present case, they who in their own eyes, and thence in the eyes of many others, appear as learned and erudite, when yet in the sight of the angels in heaven they appear destitute of understanding as to those things which pertain to heaven and the church; since they who confirm that faith even to its interiors, close the higher things of their understanding, till at length they are unable to see any spiritual truth in light. The reason is, because the confirmation of falsity is the denial of truth; therefore when they hear any spiritual truth, which is a truth of the Word serviceable to those who are of the church for doctrine and life, they keep their minds fixed in the falsities which they have confirmed, and then they either veil over the truth they have heard with falsities, or reject them as a mere sound, or yawn at it and avert themselves; and this in the degree in which they are in the pride of their own erudition; for pride glues falsities together, so that at last they cohere like the hardened foam of the sea. [2] Therefore the Word is hidden from them as a book sealed with seven seals. What their quality is, and what their hell, shall also be told, because it has been granted me to see it, and to discourse with those who are therein, and also to see “the locusts” that went forth from it. That pit, which is like the aperture of a furnace, appears in the southern quarter, and the abyss beneath is of large extent towards the east; there is light in it, but if light from heaven be admitted into it, it becomes darkness, wherefore the pit is closed above. Huts, arched as it were with brick, appear therein, divided into various little cells, in each of which there is a table, with paper and some books lying upon it. Everyone sits at his own table, who in the world had confirmed justification and salvation by faith alone, making charity a merely natural-moral act, and its works only works of civil life, whereby men may gain rewards in the world; but if they are done for the sake of salvation, they condemn them, and this severely, because human reason and will are in them. All who are in this abyss were learned and erudite in the world; and among them there are some metaphysicians and scholastics, who are esteemed there above the rest. When it was granted me to speak with them, I recognized some of them. [3] But this is their lot: When they are first admitted, they sit in the foremost cells; but as they confirm faith by excluding works of charity; they leave their first habitations, and enter into cells nearer to the east, and so on successively till towards the end, where those are who confirm these dogmas from the Word; and as they then cannot but falsify the Word, their huts disappear, and they see themselves in a desert, whereupon what is described above (n. 153) happens to them. There is also an abyss beneath the one just mentioned, where they are who in like manner have confirmed justification and salvation by faith alone, but who by themselves in their spirit have denied God, and in their hearts have laughed at the holy things of the church. There they do nothing but quarrel, tear their garments, climb upon the tables, kick, and fight with each other with vituperations; and because no one is there permitted to do mischief to the body of another, they menace with their faces and fists. It is unclean and squalid there. But these are not treated of in this place.

422.Verse 2. And he opened the pit of the abyss, and there went up a smoke out of the pit as the smoke of a great furnace, signifies the falsities of the lusts of the natural man springing from their evil loves. By “the pit of the abyss” is signified the hell above described (n. 421); by “the smoke” from thence, are signified the falsities from lusts; and because it is said “the smoke as of a great furnace,” the falsities of lusts springing from evil loves are meant, for “fire” signifies love (n. 468); and “the fire of hell,” evil love (n. 494). “A great furnace” has a like signification, because it smokes from fire. Infernal spirits are not in any material fire, but in spiritual fire, which is their love; therefore they do not feel any other fire; on which subject see in the work on Heaven and Hell, published at London in 1758 (n. 134, 566-575). Every love in the spiritual world, when it is excited, appears at a distance as fire, within the hells as a glowing fire, and without, as the smoke of a fire or as the smoke of a furnace. The falsities of the lusts springing from evil loves, are also described by “smoke from a fire” and “from a furnace,” in other parts of the Word, as in these passages: Abraham looked towards Sodom and Gomorrah, and beheld, and lo, the smoke of the earth went up as the smoke of a furnace (Gen. 19:28). The sun set, and there was thick darkness, and behold, a furnace of smoke and a torch of fire, that passed between those pieces (Gen. 15:17). They go on to sin, therefore they shall be as the smoke out of the chimney (Hos. 13:2-3). The wicked shall perish, into smoke shall they consume (Ps. 37:20). And I will show signs in heaven, and on the earth, fire, and pillars of smoke (Joel 2:30). They shall cast the evil into a furnace of fire, there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 13:41-42, 49-50, and in other places).

423.And the sun and the air were darkened from the smoke of the pit, signifies that thereby the light of truth became thick darkness. By “the sun” and “the air” is here signified the light of truth, for by “the sun” is signified love, and by “the light” thence the Divine truth; wherefore when it is said that “the sun is darkened,” and at the same time “the air,” it signifies that the Divine truth had become thick darkness; that this was from the falsities of lusts is signified by its being from “the smoke of the pit.”

424.Verse 3. And out of the smoke there went forth locusts upon the earth, signifies that from them were falsities in the outermost parts, such as prevail with those who have become sensual, and see and judge of all things from the senses and their fallacies. They are called falsities in the outermost parts, which occupy the outermost things of man’s life, and are called sensual, concerning which we shall speak presently; these are signified by “locusts,” in the Word: but it is to be known that they did not appear like the locusts of the field, which leap about and lay waste the meadows and the crops, but like pygmies or dwarfs, which is evident also from their description, in that “they had crowns on their heads, faces like men, hair like women, teeth like lions, breastplates of iron, and a king over them, the angel of the abyss.” That dwarfs were also called “locusts” by the ancients, may be concluded from these passages: The spies of the land of Canaan said, We saw the Nephilim, the sons of the Anakim, and we were in their eyes as locusts (Num. 13:33). Jehovah who sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as locusts (Isa. 40:22). [2] But because falsities in outermost things, such as prevail among them, are signified by “locusts” in the Word, therefore they are called “locusts,” as also “crowned” and “commanders,” in Nahum: The fire shall devour thee, it shall eat thee up like the canker worm; make thyself many as the canker worm, make thyself many as the locust; thy crowned are as the locust, and thy commanders as the locust of locusts (Nah. 3:15-17). It is in consequence of falsities in the outermost parts consuming the truths and goods of the church, as they spring up in man, that they are signified by “locusts,” which consume the grass and the herbs of the fields, as may be evident from these passages: Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, but the locust shall consume it (Deut. 28:38). That which the palmer worm left hath the locust eaten, and that which the locust left hath the canker worm eaten, and that which the canker worm left hath the caterpillar eaten (Joel 1:4). And I will compensate to you the years that the locust, the cancer worm, the caterpillar, and the palmer worm have consumed (Joel 2:25). [3] The same is signified by “the locusts in Egypt,” concerning which it is thus written in Moses: And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the east wind brought the locust. And the locust went up over all the land of Egypt; before it there was no such locust, and it did eat every herb of the field, and afterwards Moses stretched forth his rod, and the locust was cast into the Red Sea (Exod. 10:12, and subsequent verses). And in David: He gave their produce to the caterpillar, and their labor to the locust (Ps. 78:46; also 105:34-35). By the miracles in Egypt is described the vastation of the church; and by this miracle, vastation by falsities in outermost things; and the outermost things of man’s life, when the interiors on which they depend are closed, are infernal; for this reason “the locusts were cast into the Red Sea,” by which is signified hell. [4] As few at this day know what is meant by the sensual, and what the quality of the sensual man is; and as “locusts” signify that, the following extracts are therefore adduced concerning it from our Arcana Coelestia. That the sensual is the ultimate of the life of man’s mind, adhering and cohering to his five bodily senses (n. 5077, 5767, 9212, 9216, 9331, 9730). That he is called a sensual man who judges of all things from the bodily senses, and who believes nothing but what he can see with his eyes, and touch with his hands; saying that these are something, and rejecting the rest (n. 5094, 7693). That the interiors of his mind, which see from the light of heaven, are closed, so that he sees nothing of truth there, which is of heaven and the church (n. 6564, 6844-6845). That such a man thinks in outermost things, and not interiorly from any spiritual light (n. 5089, 5094, 6564, 7693). In a word, that they are in a gross natural light [lumen] (n. 6201, 6310, 6564, 6844-6845, 6612, 6614, 6622, 6524). That thence interiorly they are against the things which are of heaven and the church, but that exteriorly they can speak in favor of them, and ardently, according to the dominion they exercise by means of them (n. 6201, 6316, 6844-6845, 6948-6949). That the learned and erudite, who have confirmed themselves deeply in falsities, and still more they who have confirmed themselves against the truths of the Word, are more sensual than others (n. 6316). That sensual men reason acutely and skillfully, because their thought is so near their speech that it is almost in it, and as it were in their lips, and because they place all intelligence in speech from memory only; also that some of them can dexterously confirm falsities, and that after confirmation they believe them to be truths (n. 195, 196, 5700, 10236). But that they reason and confirm things from the fallacies of the senses, by which the common people are captivated and persuaded (n. 5084, 6948, 6949, 7693). That sensual men are more cunning and malicious than others (n. 7693, 10236). That the avaricious, adulterers, the voluptuous and the deceitful, are especially sensual, although in the eyes of the world they do not appear so (n. 6310). That the interiors of their minds are foul and filthy (n. 6201). That by these they communicate with the hells (n. 6311). That they who are in the hells are sensual, and the more so the deeper they are in it (n. 4623, 6311). That the sphere of infernal spirits conjoins itself with the sensual of man from behind (n. 6312). That they who have reasoned from sensual things only, and thence against the genuine truths of the church, were called by the ancients, serpents of the tree of knowledge (n. 195, 196, 197, 6398, 6399, 10313). Moreover the sensual of man, and the sensual man, are described (n. 10236); and the extension of things sensual in man (n. 9731). That sensual things ought to be in the last place, and not in the first, and that in a wise and intelligent man they are in the last place, and subject to the interiors; but that with an unwise man, they are in the first place, and govern; these are they who are properly called sensual (n. 5077, 5125, 5128, 7645). If sensual things are in the last place, a way is opened by them to the understanding, and truths are elaborated by a mode of extraction (n. 5580). That those sensual things are in close contact with the world, and admit the things which flow from the world, and, as it were, sift them (n. 9726). That man by means of those sensual things, communicates with the world, and, by means of rational things, with heaven (n. 4009). That sensual things supply such as are subservient to the interiors of the mind (n. 5077, 5081). That there are sensual things which minister to the intellectual part; and such as minister to the voluntary part (n. 5077). That unless the thought be elevated above sensual things, man enjoys but little wisdom (n. 5089). That a wise man thinks about sensual things (n. 5089, 5094). That man, when his thought is elevated above sensual things, comes into a clearer light, and, at length, into heavenly light (n. 6183, 6313, 6315, 9407, 9730, 9922). That elevation above sensual things, and abstraction from them, was known to the ancients (n. 6313). That man, by his spirit, might perceive the things which are done in the spiritual world, if he could be withdrawn from sensual things, and be elevated into the light of heaven by the Lord (n. 4622). The reason is, because the body does not think, but the spirit of man in the body; and in proportion as it thinks in the body, in the same proportion it thinks obscurely and in darkness; and in proportion as it does not think in the body, in the same proportion it thinks clearly and in the light; but in spiritual things (4622, 6614, 6622). That the sensual scientific is the ultimate of the understanding, and the sensual delight, the ultimate of the will (n. 9996). What the difference is between the sensual things common to beasts, and the sensual things not common to them (n. 10236). That there are sensual men not evil, by reason that their interiors are not so closed (concerning whose state in another life, see n. 6311).

425.And unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power, signifies the power of persuading that their falsities are truths. By “a scorpion” is signified a deadly persuasive power; and, by “a scorpion of the earth,” persuasive power in things relating to the church, “the earth” signifying the church (n. 285); for a scorpion, when he stings a man, induces a stupor upon the limbs, and if it is not cured, death; their persuasion produces a corresponding effect upon the understanding. Such is also the signification of “scorpion” in these passages: Fear not thou on account of them and their words, they are thorny; thou dwellest among scorpions, they are hard of face and obstinate in heart (Ezek. 2:4, 6). Jesus said unto the seventy whom he had sent forth, Behold, I give unto you power to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and on all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you (Luke 10:19).

426.Verse 4. And it was said to them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing; nor any tree; but only the men who had not the seal of God in their foreheads, signifies the Divine providence of the Lord, that they should not be able to take away any truth and good of faith, nor affection and perception of them, from any others than such as are not in charity and thence not in faith. By “it was said to them,” is signified the Lord’s Divine providence, because it was said from heaven; by “not hurting the grass of the earth nor any green thing,” is signified not to be able to take away any truth and good of faith; for by “grass” is signified the truth of faith, which is what first springs up in man (n. 401); and, by “green thing,” is signified the living principle of faith, which is from good (n. 401); by “not hurting any tree,” is signified not to be able to take away the affection and perception of truth and good; for by “a tree” is signified man as to these (n. 400); by “those who had not the seal of God in their foreheads” are signified those who are not in charity, and thence in faith; for “the forehead” signifies love and charity (n. 347); and “to have the seal,” signifies to know and distinguish them from others (n. 345). [2] The reason why they who have confirmed faith alone, to the very arcana of justification and salvation by it, cannot take away any truth and good of faith, nor the affection and perception of them, from any but those who are not in the faith of charity, is, because they are scarcely comprehended by anyone but the prelate who teaches and preaches them. The layman hears them, but they enter in at one ear and go out at the other; which the mystery-teaching priest himself, who utters those arcana, may know of a certainty from this circumstance, that he himself spent the whole force of his genius in acquiring a knowledge of them in his youth, and afterwards in retaining them in the following age, likewise from his considering himself as a man of extraordinary learning on account of them. What then must be the case with a layman, who simply thinks of faith from charity, when he hears these mysteries? From what has been said, it may be seen that faith alone justifying is the faith of the clergy, and not of the laity, except of those who live unconcernedly, who imbibe no more from their arcana than that faith alone saves; that they cannot do good from themselves, nor fulfil the law, that Christ suffered for them; besides some other universals of a similar nature.

427.Verse 5. And it was given to them that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months, signifies that from the Divine providence of the Lord, they are not able to take away from those who are not in the faith of charity the faculty of understanding and willing what is true and good, but that they should only be able to induce stupor for a short time. By “its being given them,” is signified that it is from the Divine providence of the Lord, as above; “not to be able to kill them,” signifies not to be able to take away from those who are not in the faith of charity the faculty of understanding and willing what is true and good, for when this faculty is taken away, man is spiritually killed. By “tormenting them five months,” is signified to induce stupor for a short time; “five” signifies a little, or a short time, and “to torment” signifies to induce stupor, because this is what is signified by “a scorpion” (n. 425); and by “the torment like that of a scorpion,” as follows (n. 428). That the faculty of understanding truth and of willing it, or rationality and liberty, cannot be taken away from man, is amply shown in the Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Providence (n. 73, 74, 82-86, 92-99, 138-149, 322). [2] That “five months” signify a little, and a short time, is because that is signified by “five;” for times, whether they be hours, days, weeks, months, or years, do not signify time but state; and the numbers determine its quality (n. 4, 10, 348, 947). That “five” signifies something, and also a little, may appear from these passages: A thousand shall flee at the rebuke of five (Isa. 30:17). Five shall pursue a hundred (Lev. 26:8). Jesus said, The kingdom of the heavens is like unto ten virgins, of whom five were prudent and five were foolish (Matt. 25:1-2). By “ten virgins” are signified all in the church; by “five” are signified a certain part or some of them. The like is signified by “ten” and “five” in the parable: There were given unto the servants talents that they should trade, and one with his talent gained ten talents, and another five (Luke 19:13-20). “Ten talents” signify much, and “five talents” a little. Besides other places (as in Isaiah 17:6; 19:18-19; Matthew 14:15-22).

428.And their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when it striketh a man, signifies that this is from their persuasive power. This follows from what was said (n. 427); for by “torment” is signified the stupor, which their persuasive power induces upon the understanding, as the scorpion does upon the body when he stings it. “The scorpion” signifies that persuasive power (n. 425). In the spiritual world there exists a persuasive power which takes away the understanding of truth, and induces stupor and thus distress upon the mind; but this persuasive power is unknown in the natural world.

429.Verse 6. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them, signifies that it is the desire of those who are in the doctrine of faith separated, that in matters of faith the understanding should be shut up and the will closed, and thus that they should not have any spiritual light and life; but that it is nevertheless provided by the Lord that the understanding should not be shut up, nor the will closed, lest spiritual light and life with man should be extinguished. “In those days,” signifies the last state of the church, when the doctrine of faith alone is universally received. “Men shall seek death,” signifies that they will that, in matters of faith, the understanding should be shut up; “and shall not find it,” signifies that it is provided of the Lord, that this should not be done; “and shall desire to die,” signifies that they also wish to have the will closed in them; “and death shall flee from them,” signifies that it is provided that neither should take place; for thus spiritual light and life would be extinguished, and man would spiritually die. “To seek,” is predicated of the understanding; and “to desire,” of the will; and “death,” of both. That this is the signification of these words, is evident; otherwise, what meaning could there be in that “men should seek death in those days and not find it, and should desire to die and death should flee from them?” For by “death,” no other death is meant but spiritual death, which is induced when the understanding is removed from the things that are to be believed; for in this case man does not know whether he thinks and does what is true, or what is false, thus whether he thinks and acts with the angels of heaven, or with the devils of hell.

430.Verse 7. And the likenesses of the locusts, signifies the appearances and images of those who have confirmed in themselves faith separated from charity. By “likenesses,” is signified their appearances in a representative image; by “locusts,” are signified falsities in outermost things (n. 424); and as falsities make one with those who are in falsities, they also are signified by “locusts.” That they who have confirmed themselves in faith alone, or their falsities, are meant by “locusts,” appeared evident to me from this circumstance, that the presbyters who were in that faith, embraced the locusts that were seen, and kissed them, and were desirous of introducing them into their houses. For the images, which are forms representative of the affections and thoughts of angels and spirits in the spiritual world, appear as if they were alive, in like manner as the animals, birds, and fishes, mentioned above.

431.Were like unto horses prepared for war, signifies that because they can reason, they appear to themselves as if combating from the understanding of truth from the Word. By “a horse” is signified the understanding of the Word (n. 298); by “war” is signified spiritual war, which consists in reasonings and arguments (n. 500, 586); by “like,” or similitudes, are signified appearances, as above (n. 430).

432.And upon their heads as it were crowns like gold, signifies that they appeared to themselves as conquerors. By “crowns on their heads like gold,” are signified tokens of victory, because formerly kings wore crowns of gold in battle (n. 300); for it is said that they were seen “like horses,” that is, on horses prepared for war (n. 431), for they had the faces of men, as follows; and they are in the persuasion that they cannot be conquered.

433.And their faces were as the faces of men, signifies that they appeared to themselves to be wise. By “man,” in the Word, is signified one wise and intelligent (n. 243); and by his “face,” wisdom and intelligence; hence it is, that by “their faces as the faces of men,” is signified that they appeared to themselves to be wise. They are also called wise, learned, and erudite, although they are among the foolish virgins, who had no oil in their lamps (Matthew 25:1-2). “Oil” signifies love and charity; and among the foolish means among those who hear the Lord, that is, read the Word, and do not do it (Matthew 7:26).

434.Verse 8. And they had hair as the hair of women, signifies that they appeared to themselves to be in the affection of truth. By “man” in the Word, is signified the understanding of truth; and “woman,” the affection of truth, because the man is born understanding, and the woman affection; on which subject, see in The Angelic Wisdom Concerning Marriage. By “hair” in the Word, is signified the ultimate of man’s life, which is the sensual (see n. 424). This is what gives them the appearance of being in the affection of truth, when yet they are in the affection of falsity; for this they believe to be truth. That a “woman” signifies the affection of truth, may appear from many passages in the Word; hence it is, that the church is called “a wife,” “a woman,” “a daughter,” and “a virgin,” and the church is a church from the love or affection of truth; for from this comes the understanding of truth. [2] The church is called “a woman” in these passages: There were two women of one mother, and they committed whoredom in Egypt, Ohola which is Samaria, and Oholiba which is Jerusalem (Ezek. 23:2-4). Jehovah hath called thee as a woman deserted and afflicted in spirit, and a woman of youth (Isa. 54:6-7). Jehovah will create a new thing in the earth, a woman shall compass a man (Jer. 31:21-22). By “the woman clothed with the sun, whom the dragon persecuted” (Revelation 12:1, 13), is signified the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem. By “women” are signified the affections of truth, from which the church is a church, in many passages, as in the following: The women of My people have ye driven out from the house of her delights (Micah 2:9). The families of houses shall mourn apart, and the women apart (Zech. 12:11-13). Stand up, ye secure women, hear my speech (Isa. 32:9) Wherefore do ye evil to cut off from you man and woman? (Jer. 44:7). I will disperse man and woman (Jer. 51:22). By “man” and “woman,” here and elsewhere, is signified, in the spiritual sense, the understanding of truth and the affection of truth.

435.And their teeth were as those of lions, signifies that sensual things, which are the ultimates of the life of the natural man, appeared with them to have power over all things. “Teeth” signify the ultimates of the life of the natural man, which are called sensual things; concerning which above (n. 424). Sensual things are of two kinds, one which is of the will, and the other of the understanding; the sensual things of the will are signified by “the hair of women,” of which above (n. 434); and the sensual things of the understanding are signified by “teeth;” the latter, or what is the same, sensual men who are in falsities from confirmation, seem to themselves to be in power over all things, so that they cannot be conquered; wherefore the “teeth of the locusts,” by which such sensual things are signified, “were as the teeth of lions,” for by “a lion” is signified power (n. 241). That “teeth” signify the ultimates of man’s life, which are called sensual things, and which, when separated from the interiors of the mind, are in mere falsities, and do violence to truths even to destroying them, may appear from the following passages: My soul, I lie down in the midst of lions, their teeth are spears and darts (Ps. 57:4). O God, destroy their teeth in their mouth, break out the great teeth of the young lions (Ps. 58:6). A nation is come up upon my land, strong, its teeth are the teeth of a lion, and it hath the great teeth of a lion (Joel 1:6). Jehovah, Thou breakest the teeth of the ungodly (Ps. 3:7). There came up out of the sea a beast terrible and dreadful, and exceedingly strong, which had great iron teeth, it devoured and crushed (Dan. 7:7). Blessed be Jehovah, who hath not given us a prey to their teeth (Ps. 124:6). Since sensual men do not see any truth in its own light, but ratiocinate and dispute about everything, whether it is so; and since these disputes in the hells are heard without as the gnashing of teeth, being in themselves the collisions of falsity and truth, it is evident what is signified by “the gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:28); and in a measure what by “gnashing with the teeth” (Job 16:9; Ps. 35:15-16; 37:12; 112:10; Micah 3:5; Lam. 2:16).

436.Verse 9. And they had breastplates, as breastplates of iron, signifies arguments from fallacies, by which they fight and prevail, which appeared to them so powerful that they could not be refuted. By “breastplates” are signified defenses, because they protect the breast; here, defenses of falsities, which are effected by arguments from fallacies, by which a false principle is defended. For from a false principle nothing but falsities can flow. If truths are advanced, they are only viewed outwardly or superficially, thus also sensually, and are consequently falsified, and, with such persons, become fallacies. The reason why “breastplates” have this signification, is because “wars,” in the Word, signify spiritual wars, and thence the “arms of war” signify the various things relating to such wars; as in Jeremiah: Harness the horses and mount, ye horsemen, and stand ye in helmets; polish the lances, and put on the cuirass (Jer. 46:4). In Isaiah: For he put on justice as a cuirass, and an helmet of salvation upon His head (Isa. 59:17). In David: Under His wings shalt thou trust, His truth shall be thy shield and buckler (Ps. 91:4; besides other places; as in Ezek. 23:24; 38:4; 39:9; Nahum 2:3; Ps. 5:12; 35:2-3). “Their breastplates were as of iron,” signifies that their arguments seemed to them so strong that they could not be refuted; for “iron” from its hardness, signifies what is strong.

437.And the voice of their wings was as the voice of chariots of many horses running to war, signifies their reasonings as if they were from truths of doctrine from the Word fully understood, for which they must ardently fight. “The voice of wings” signifies reasonings, because “to fly” signifies to perceive and instruct (n. 245, 415); “chariots” signify doctrinals, as will be seen presently; “horses” signify the understanding of the Word (n. 298); and “many horses,” what is plenary; that “running to war” signifies ardor for fighting, is evident. That “a chariot” signifies doctrine, is plain from these passages: The chariots of God are two myriads, thousands of peaceful ones, the Lord is among them (Ps. 68:17). Jehovah maketh the clouds His chariots; He walketh upon the wings of the wind (Ps. 104:2-3). Jehovah, Thou didst ride upon thine horses, Thy chariots are salvation (Hab. 3:8). Behold, Jehovah will come with fire and with His chariots like a whirlwind (Isa. 66:15). Ye shall be satisfied at My table with horse and chariot; and I will set My glory among the nations (Ezek. 39:20-21). I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem (Zech. 9:10). I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, I will overthrow the chariot, and those that ride in them (Hag. 2:22). Set a watchman who may look, let him announce; and he saw a chariot with a pair of horsemen, and a camel chariot and the chariot of a man, and he said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen (Isa. 21:6-7, 9). “Elijah” and “Elisha” represented the Lord as to the Word, and thence signify doctrine from the Word, as did all the prophets (n. 8), therefore they were called “the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof”; and for the same reason: Elijah was seen taken into heaven in a chariot of fire, and there were seen by Elisha’s boy chariots and horses of fire round about him (2 Kings 2:11-12; 6:17; 13:14; besides other places where “chariots” occur; as in Isa. 31:1; 37:24; 66:20; Jer. 17:25; 22:4; 46:2-3, 8-9; 50:37-38; 51:20-21; Ezek. 26:7-8, 10-11; Dan. 11:40; Nahum 3:1-3; Joel 2:1-5).

438.Verse 10. And they had tails like unto scorpions, signifies the truths of the Word falsified, by means of which they induce stupor. By “the tail” is signified the ultimate of the head, because the brain is continued through the backbone into the tail, therefore the head and tail make one; as the first and last; when, therefore, by “the head,” faith alone justifying and saving is signified, by “the tail” is signified all the confirmations thereof in a summary, which are from the Word, thus which are the truths of the Word falsified. Everyone, who from his own intelligence assumes a principle of religion, and establishes it as the head, also takes confirmations from the Word, and makes them the tail; thus he induces a stupor upon others, and so hurts them. Therefore it is said, that “they had tails like unto scorpions”; and presently after, “that there were stings in their tails, and that their power was to hurt men”; for by “a scorpion” is signified the power of persuasion inducing stupor upon the understanding (n. 425). That “the tail” is a continuation of the brain through the backbone to its ultimate, any anatomist will tell you; or merely observe a dog or any other wild beast with a tail, and encourage and coax him, and you will see that the ridge of his back will become smooth, and his tail move correspondingly; but that, on the contrary, he will set his back up if you provoke him. [2] The primary tenet of the understanding which is assumed as a principle, is signified by “the head,” and the ultimate thereof by “the tail,” in these passages also: He will cut off from Israel head and tail, the old and the honored, he is the head, and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail (Isa. 9:14, 15). Egypt shall not have any work to make head and tail (Isa. 19:15). Nothing else is signified by: The seven heads of the dragon, and by his tail, with which he drew a third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth (Rev. 12:4); Also by: The tails like serpents, having heads with which they do hurt (Rev. 9:10). Since by “the tail” is signified the ultimate, and the ultimate is the complex of all, therefore Jehovah said to Moses: Take the serpent by the tail; and he took it, and it became a rod (Exod. 4:3-4). And therefore it was commanded that: They should take off the tail entire near the backbone, and sacrifice it together with the fat that was upon the entrails, kidneys, intestines, and liver (Lev. 3:9-11; 8:25; 9:19; Exod. 29:22). That the ultimate is that which contains and comprehends all prior things, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scriptures (n. 38, 65), and in The Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Love and the Divine Wisdom (n. 209-222).

439.And there were stings in their tails, and their power was to hurt men five months, signifies subtle falsifications of the Word, by which, for a short time, they darken and fascinate the understanding, and thus deceive and captivate. By “stings in their tails” are signified subtle falsifications of the Word; by “stings,” subtlety; and by “tails,” the truths of the Word falsified (n. 438). By “the power to hurt,” is signified that by means of these they can induce stupor, that is, they can darken and fascinate the understanding, and thus deceive and captivate; “for their tails were like scorpions,” and by “scorpions” such things are signified (n. 425). By “five months” is signified for a short time, as above (n. 427). This takes place when they quote and apply anything from the Word; for the Word is written according to correspondences, and correspondences are in part appearances of truth, containing within them genuine truths. If these truths are not known in the church, many things may be taken from the Word, which at first appear as if in agreement with heresy; but when genuine truths are known in the church, then the appearances of truth are rendered manifest, and genuine truths come to view. But before this is done, a heretic, by various things drawn from the Word, may obscure and fascinate the understanding, and thus deceive and captivate. That this is done by those who assert that man’s sins are remitted, or, in other words, that he is justified by an act of faith, concerning which no one knows anything, and this in a moment, and if not before, even at the last hour of death, might be illustrated by examples, but this is not the place to do so. By “stings” are signified falsities from evil, doing hurt, also in Amos: Behold, the days shall come upon you, when they shall take you away with stings (Amos 4:2). And in Moses: That they should extirpate the inhabitants of the land, lest they should be thorns in their eyes, and stings in their sides (Num. 33:55). “Thorns,” “briers,” “brambles,” and “thistles,” also signify falsities of evil, from their stings.

440.Verse 11. And they had a king over them, the angel of the abyss; whose name in the Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he hath the name Apollyon, signifies that they are in the satanic hell who are in falsities from lusts, and, by the total falsification of the Word, have destroyed the church. By “the king, the angel of the abyss,” is not signified any angel who is a king there, but the falsity reigning therein; for by “a king,” in the genuine sense, is signified one who is in truths from the affection of good, and, abstractly, that truth itself (n. 20); and thence, in the opposite sense, by “a king” is signified one who is in falsities from the lusts of evil, and, abstractly, that falsity itself. By the “abyss” is signified the satanic hell, where they are (n. 387, 421); by “name” is signified the quality of the state (n. 81, 122, 165); “Abaddon,” in the Hebrew tongue, is he that destroys and a destroyer; so “Apollyon,” in the Greek tongue; and this is falsity in outermost things, which, by the total falsification of the Word, has destroyed the church. By “Abaddon,” in the Hebrew text, is signified destruction, in these places: Thy truth in destruction (Ps. 88:11). Hell is naked before Him, and destruction hath no covering (Job 26:6). For a fire consumeth even to destruction (Job 31:12). Destruction and Death say (Job 28:22). In other places, hell and the devil are called “destruction” and “destroyer” (Isaiah 54:16; Ezekiel 5:16; 9:1; Exod. 12:13); but by another word.

441.Verse 12. One woe is past; behold, there come two woes more hereafter, signifies further lamentations over the devastation of the church. That “woe” signifies lamentation over calamity, unhappiness, and damnation, see n. 416; here, then, by “two woes to come,” are signified further lamentations over the state of the church.

442.Verse 13. And the sixth angel sounded, signifies the exploration and manifestation of their state of life in the church of the Reformed who are not so wise, and yet place the all of religion in faith, and think of it alone and of nothing except it, and the customary worship, and so live as they please. That these are treated of to the end of this chapter, will appear from the explanation of what follows. That “to sound” signifies to explore and make manifest the state of the church, and thence of the life of those whose religion consists in faith alone, may be seen above (n. 397). [2] These who are now treated of, are altogether distinct from those referred to thus far in this chapter, the falsities of whose faith were seen in the form of locusts. They are distinct in this: those already described are studious in exploring the arcana of justification by faith, and also in giving the signs of it, and its testimonies, which, with them, are the goods of moral and civil life; insisting that the precepts of the Word are indeed in themselves Divine, but that with man they become natural, because they proceed from his will, which have no conjunction with the spiritual things of faith; and because they confirm these things by rational considerations, which savor of erudition, they dwell in the southern quarter of the abyss, according to the description above (n. 421). [3] But they who are treated of in what follows to the end of the chapter, do not study those arcana, but only make mere faith the all of religion, and nothing besides it and the customary worship, and so live as they please. I have been permitted to see and converse with these also; they live in the northern quarter, in huts that are scattered about, and constructed of reeds and rushes plastered over with lime, in which the ground is the floor. The more ingenious, who, by means of natural light, know how to establish that faith by reasonings, and confirm that it has nothing in common with life, dwell in front, the more simple behind them, and the more stupid toward the western part of that region; the multitude of them is so great that it is incredible. They are instructed by angelic spirits, but they who do not receive the truths of faith, and live according to them, are let down into the hell which is under them, and imprisoned.

443.And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God (verse 14), saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, signifies a command from the Lord out of the spiritual heaven to those who were to explore and make manifest. By “a voice” is signified a Divine command; by “the golden altar,” or altar of incense, is signified the spiritual heaven (n. 277, 392); by “the four horns” of that altar is signified its power (n. 270); here, the power of loosing the four angels bound at the river Euphrates, as follows: by “the sixth angel” who had the trumpet, is signified to those to whom the office of exploring and making manifest these things was enjoined (n. 442).

444.Loose the four angels that are bound at the great river Euphrates, signifies that external bonds should be removed from them, that the interiors of their minds might appear. That this is the signification of these words, no one can know, and scarcely can suspect, unless he knows what is meant by “the great river Euphrates,” and what by “the four angels bound there.” By “Euphrates,” in the Word, are signified the interiors of man’s mind, which are called things rational, which, with those who are in truths from good, are full of wisdom, but in those who are in falsities from evil, are full of insanity. The reason why these are signified in the Word by “the river Euphrates,” is, because that river divided the land of Canaan from Assyria; and by “the land of Canaan” was signified the church; and by “Assyria,” its rational; and thence by the river which bounded it, are signified the interiors of the mind which are called rational, in both senses. For there are three things which constitute the man of the church, the spiritual, the rational or intellectual, and the natural, which is also the scientific. The spiritual of the church was signified by “the land of Canaan” and its rivers; the rational or intellectual of the church, by “Ashur” or “Assyria” and its “river Euphrates;” and the natural, which is also the scientific of the church, by “Egypt” and its “river” the Nile; but concerning these more may be seen below (n. 503). By “the four angels bound at the river Euphrates,” are signified those interiors with the men of the church which are said “to be bound,” because they are not openly avowed; for they are infernal spirits, who are meant by these four angels, since it is said of them, in what follows (n. 446), that “they were prepared to kill the third part of men,” and the interiors of men make one with spirits, either infernal or celestial, because they cohabit: by “loosing them” is signified to remove external bonds, that the interiors of their minds may appear. Such is the signification of these words. [2] By “Euphrates” are signified the interiors of man’s mind bordering upon the spiritual things of his church, may appear from those passages in the Word where “Ashur” or “Assyria” is mentioned; but “Euphrates” occurs in the opposite sense, in which it signifies the interiors full of falsities and thence of insanities, in these passages: Behold, God bringeth up over them the waters of the river (Euphrates) strong and many; the King of Assyria, he shall go through Judah; he shall overflow and go over (Isa. 8:7-8). What hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, that thou drinkest the waters of Sihor? and what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, that thou drinkest the waters of the river? (Jer. 2:18). Jehovah shall curse the tongue of the sea of Egypt, and shall shake His hand over the river Euphrates (Isa. 11:15-16). The sixth angel poured out his vial upon the river Euphrates, whose water was dried up (Rev. 16:12). It was commanded the prophet that he should put a girdle upon his loins, and should afterwards hide it in a hole of a rock by the Euphrates, and when after a short time he took it again, behold, it was rotten, nor was it good for anything (Jer. 13:1-7, 11). And it was also commanded him that after he should finish reading the book, he should throw it into the midst of the Euphrates, and say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise again (Jer. 51:63-64). By these things the interiors of the state of the church with the sons of Israel were represented. That the “river of Egypt,” the Nile, and “the river of Assyria,” the Euphrates, were the boundaries of the land of Canaan, is manifest from this: Jehovah made a covenant with Abraham, Unto thy seed will I give this land, from the river of Egypt even to the great river Euphrates (Gen. 15:18). That the Euphrates was a boundary, see Exodus 23:31; Deuteronomy 1:7, 8; 11:24; Joshua 1:4; Micah 7:12.

445.Verse 15. And the four angels were loosed, signifies that when the external bonds were taken away, the interiors of their minds appeared. This follows from what is said above.

446.Prepared for an hour and a day and a month and a year, to kill a third part of men, signifies that they were in the perpetual effort to take away from the men of the church spiritual light and life. By “prepared” is signified that they were in the effort; by “an hour, a day, a month, and a year,” is signified continually and perpetually, the same as by “all time;” by “to kill” is signified to take away spiritual light and life from the men of the church (n. 325); and the third part signifies all (n. 400).

447.Verse 16. And the number of the armies of horsemen was two myriads of myriads, signifies reasonings concerning faith alone, with which the interiors of their minds were filled, from the abundance of mere falsities of evil. By “armies” are signified goods and truths; and, in the opposite sense, evils and falsities; here, the falsities of evil, of which below. By “horsemen” are signified reasonings concerning faith alone; because by “a horse” is signified the understanding of the Word (n. 298); and also the understanding of the Word destroyed (n. 305, 313, 320); therefore by “horsemen” are signified reasonings from the understanding of the Word destroyed; here, concerning faith alone; because they who are principled therein are treated of. By “two myriads of myriads” are not meant so many in number, but a great abundance; “two” are mentioned, because two are predicated of good, and, in the opposite sense, of evil (n. 322); and “myriads” are predicated of truths, and, in the opposite sense, of falsities (n. 287). Hence it may be seen that by “the number of the armies of horsemen, two myriads of myriads,” are signified reasonings concerning faith alone, with which the interiors of their minds were filled, from the abundance of mere falsities of evil. [2] That by “armies,” in the Word, are signified the goods and truths of heaven and the church, and, in the opposite sense, evils and falsities, may appear from those places where the sun, moon, and stars are called “armies” (hosts); and by “the sun” is signified the good of love; by “the moon,” the truth of faith; and by “the stars,” the knowledges of good and truth; and the contrary, in the opposite sense (n. 51, 53, 332, 413); both the former and the latter are called “armies” (hosts), in these passages: Praise Jehovah all His hosts, praise ye Him sun and moon, praise Him all stars (Ps. 148:2-3). My hands have stretched out the heavens, and all their hosts have I commanded (Isa. 45:12). By the Word of Jehovah were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth (Ps. 33:6). The heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them (Gen. 2:1). The horn of the he-goat grew even to the host of the heavens; and it cast down unto the earth from the host and from the stars; yea, it raised itself up even to the prince of the host: and the host was delivered to it on account of the continual sacrifice for transgression, because he cast down the truth to the earth: the Holy One said, How long is the holy place and the host given to be trodden down? (Dan. 8:10-14). Jehovah uttered His voice before the army (Joel 2:11). Upon the roofs of the houses they have offered incense to all the host of the heavens (Jer. 19:13). Lest thou shouldst bow thyself down and serve the sun, the moon, the stars, and all the hosts of the heavens (Deut. 4:19; 17:3; Jer. 8:2; so too in Isa. 13:4; 34:4; 40:26; Jer. 33:22; Zech. 9:8; Rev. 19:14). [3] Since the goods and truths of heaven and the church are signified by “the hosts (armies) of the heavens,” the Lord is therefore called “Jehovah Zebaoth,” that is, Jehovah of armies (hosts); and on this account the ministry of the Levites was called a military service (Numbers 4:3, 23, 30, 39); and it is said in David: Bless Jehovah, all His hosts, His ministers that do His will (Ps. 103:21). The evils and falsities in the church are signified by: The army of the nations (Isa. 34:2). The army of the king of the north with which he came against the king of the south (Dan. 11:13, 15, 20). “The king of the north” is the falsity of evil in the church, and “the king of the south” is the truth of good therein. It is said by the Lord: When ye shall see Jerusalem encompassed with armies, know that its devastation is near (Luke 21:20). By “Jerusalem” the church is here signified, and by “armies” the evils and falsities which were devastating it. The consummation of the age is there treated of, which is the last time of the church. Evils and falsities are signified by armies in Joel: I will recompense to you the years which the locust hath consumed, the canker worm, the caterpillar, and the palmer worm, the great army, which I have sent among you (Joel 2:25). That by “the locust” and the rest falsity in outermost things is signified, may be seen above (n. 424).

448.And I heard the number of them, signifies their quality perceived, that it was as follows: By “hearing” is signified to perceive: by “number” the quality and state of a thing is signified (n. 10, 348, 364). It is the quality of their state as now follows, because it is described in the following; on which account it is said, “and thus I saw.”

449.Verse 17. And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat upon them, signifies that then it was discovered that the reasonings of the interiors of their minds concerning faith alone were imaginary and visionary, and that they themselves were insane from them. “To see” signifies to discover their quality; by “horses” are signified the reasonings of the interiors of their minds concerning faith alone; in the present case, imaginary and visionary reasonings, because it is said, that he saw them “in vision.” By “those sitting upon horses” are signified such as are intelligent from the Word understood, but here, such as are insane from imaginary and visionary things which are contrary to the Word. [2] Because the interiors of their minds appeared under such forms as signify imaginary and visionary reasonings concerning faith alone, a few of them, which I have heard from their own mouths, shall be made public; as these: “Was not faith alone, after the grievous fall of man, made the only means of salvation? How can we appear before God without that means? Is it not the only means? Are we not born in sins, and is not our nature entirely corrupted by the transgression of Adam? Can there be any other means of healing but faith alone? What can our works contribute towards this? Who can do any good work from himself; who can purify, forgive, justify, and save himself? Does not merit and self-righteousness lurk in every work that man does from himself? And if, perchance, we should do anything that was good, could we do all, and fulfil the law? Besides, if anyone sins against one commandment, he sins against all, because they cohere. Why did the Lord come into the world, and suffer so grievously on the cross, but to take away from us damnation and the curse of the law, to reconcile God the Father, and become merit and righteousness alone, which might be imputed to man through faith? Otherwise, what good could be answered by His coming? Since, then, Christ suffered for us, and fulfilled the law for us, and took away its right of condemnation, can evil then any longer condemn, and can good save us? Therefore we who have faith, are in the full liberty of thinking, willing, speaking, and doing whatever we please, provided we do no injury to our reputation, honor, and interest, nor incur the penalties of the civil law, which would be a disgrace and hurt to us.” Some, who wander further north, said, “That good works, which are done for the sake of salvation, are hurtful, pernicious and cursed; among these, also, there were some presbyters. [3] These things are what I heard, but they mumbled and muttered many more, which I did not hear. They spoke, also, shamelessly with all license, and were lascivious, both in words and deeds, without fear for any wicked deed, except out of pretense, for the sake of appearing honest. Such are the interiors of the mind, and thence the exteriors of the body of those who make faith alone the all of religion. But all those things, which were uttered by them, fall to the ground, if the Lord Himself, the Savior, is immediately approached, and believed in, and good is done, each for the sake of salvation, and by man as from himself, with a belief, however, that it is from the Lord. Unless these things are done as by man, neither faith nor charity can be given at all; nor, consequently, can religion nor salvation.

450.Having breastplates of fire, and jacinth, and brimstone, signifies their imaginary and visionary arguments from infernal love and their own intelligence, and from the lusts thence. By “breastplates” are signified arguments from which they fight for faith alone (n. 436); by “fire” is signified celestial love, and in the opposite sense, infernal love (n. 452, 468, 494); by “jacinth” is signified intelligence from spiritual love, and, in the opposite sense, intelligence from infernal love, which is one’s own intelligence, of which below; and by “brimstone” is signified lusts from that love through one’s own intelligence (n. 452). Hence it follows, that by “breastplates of fire, jacinth, and brimstone,” such things are signified. [2] The reason why their arguments in favor of faith alone are thus described, is because all they who believe themselves justified, that is, absolved from sins by faith alone, never think of repentance; and an impenitent man is in mere sins, and all sins are derived from, and thence draw their nature from infernal love, one’s own intelligence, and from the lusts thence; and they who are in these things, not only act from them, but also speak, yea, think and will, and consequently reason and argue from them; these constitute, indeed, the very man, because they are his very life; but a man devil, and his life which is an infernal life. They who live a moral life, only for the sake of themselves and the world, do not know this; the reason is, because their interiors are infernal whilst their exteriors are similar to the exteriors of those who live a Christian life: let them know, however, that everyone, when he dies, comes into his interiors, because he becomes a spirit, this being the internal man; and then the interiors accommodate the exteriors to themselves, and they become alike; wherefore the morality of their life in the world then becomes as the scales of fishes which are wiped away. The case is quite different with those who hold the precepts of moral life to be Divine, and then also civil, because they are of love towards the neighbor. [3] “A jacinth” signifies intelligence from the affection of spiritual love, because that color partakes of the redness of fire and the whiteness of light; and by “fire” is signified love; and by “light,” intelligence: this intelligence is signified by: The hyacinthine blue in the coverings and veils of the tabernacle (Exod. 26:31, 36; 27:16). In Aaron’s ephod (Exod. 28:6, 15). By the cloth of hyacinth which was placed over the ark, the table, the candlestick, and the altar, when they journeyed (Num. 4:6-7, 9, 11-12). By the thread of blue on the skirts of their garments (Num. 15:38-39). And by hyacinth (Ezek. 27:7, 24). But intelligence from the affection of infernal love, is signified by “hyacinth” in Ezekiel: Oholah, or Samaria, committed whoredom and delighted in her lovers, the Assyrians, her neighbors, clothed in hyacinth, horsemen riding upon horses (Ezek. 23:4-6). Hereby the church is described, which, by reasonings from their own intelligence, had falsified the truths of the Word. And in Jeremiah: They are infatuated and foolish; the teaching of vanities is wood; silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, the work of the workmen and of the hands of the founder; hyacinth and purple is their clothing, they are all the work of the wise (Jer. 10:8-9). “The work of the workmen and of the hands of the founder, and all the work of the wise,” signify here, that they are all from their own intelligence.

403-1 The original Latin omits “mountain.”

405-1 The original Latin has “homo” for “hamo,” “man” for “hook.”

407-1 The original Latin omits “status” (“state”).

451.And the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions, signifies fantasies concerning faith alone, as if it were in power. By “heads” are signified the imaginary and visionary things with them about faith alone, which are here treated of, and which in one word are called fantasies. By “horses” are signified the reasonings of the interiors of their minds, which are such (n. 449); by “lions” are signified power (n. 241); but it is power from fallacies, because they are sensual, and the sensual reason from fallacies, by which they persuade and captivate (n. 424). [2] That their arguments in favor of faith alone are imaginary and visionary, anyone may see who elevates his mind a little. What are faith in act and faith in state, as conceived by them, but visionary things? Who is there among them that knows anything concerning faith in act; and what avails faith in state, when no good enters from man into faith in act. What is remission of sins and consequent instantaneous salvation, but a result of visionary thought? That it is “a fiery flying serpent” in the church, see The Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Providence (n. 340). What is the conceit of immunity, merit, justice, and holiness from imputation, but visionary things? see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Lord (n. 18). [3] What is the Divine operation in internals, without man’s cooperation in externals as from himself? For to separate the internal from the external so that there can be no conjunction of them, is merely visionary (see below, n. 606). Such a visionary thing is faith separated from charity; for charity in works is the containant and foundation of faith; it is its ground and earth, also its essence and life; in a word, faith from charity is the man; but faith, without charity, is a specter, and a creature of the imagination, like a bubble of water floating in the air. But perhaps some may say, If you remove the understanding from faith, you will not see visionary things; but be it known, that he who can remove the understanding from faith, may obtrude a thousand visionary things upon every religious tenet, as has been done for ages past by the Roman Catholics.

452.And out of their mouths issued fire, and smoke, and brimstone, signifies that in their thoughts and discourses, viewed interiorly, there is nothing, and from them there proceeds nothing but the love of self and of the world, which is the proprium of the will, the pride of one’s own intelligence, which is the proprium of the understanding, and the lusts of evil and falsity, which is the general proprium flowing forth from those two. “Out of their mouths” means out of their thoughts and discourses; by “fire” is signified the love of self and of the world, which love is the proprium of man’s will (n. 450, 468, 494); by “smoke” is signified the pride of one’s own intelligence, which is the proprium of his understanding, going forth from the love of self and of the world, as smoke does from fire (n. 422); and by “brimstone” is signified the lusts of evil and falsity, which is the general proprium flowing from those two. These things, however, do not appear from their discourses before men in the world, but manifestly before the angels in heaven; therefore it is said, that, when viewed interiorly, they are such. “Fire” signifies infernal love, and “brimstone,” the lusts flowing from that love through the pride of one’s own intelligence, in the following passages: I will make it rain fire and brimstone upon him (Ezek. 38:22). Jehovah will rain upon the wicked fire and brimstone (Ps. 11:6). The day of the vengeance of Jehovah; the streams shall be turned into pitch, and its dust into brimstone; the smoke of it shall go up forever (Isa. 34:8-10). In the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven: so shall it be in the day when the Son of man shall be revealed (Luke 17:29-30; Gen. 19:24). He that adoreth the beast and his image shall be tormented with fire and brimstone (Rev. 14:9-10). The beast, the false prophet, and the devil were cast into the lake of fire and brimstone (Rev. 19:20; 20:10; 21:8). The breath of Jehovah, like a stream of brimstone, shall kindle the pile (Isa. 30:33). The whole land is brimstone, salt, and burning; it shall not be sown, it shall not spring forth, according to the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah (Deut. 29:23). Brimstone shall be scattered upon the habitation of the wicked (Job 18:15).

453.Verse 18. By these three was a third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, that issued out of their mouths, signifies that it is from these that the men of the church perish. “A third part of men being killed,” signifies that the men of the church perish by the three things just now mentioned (n. 452); for by “being killed” is signified to be killed spiritually, which is to perish as to the soul; and by “a third part” is signified all who are in those falsities, which have been frequently enumerated above; what is signified by “fire,” “smoke,” and “brimstone,” and what by “issuing out of their mouths,” may be seen above (n. 452). It is from these falsities, that in the whole Christian world it is not known that “fire” here spoken of is the love of self and of the world, and that this love is the Devil; also that “the smoke” from this fire is the pride of one’s own intelligence, and that this pride is Satan; as also that “brimstone” kindled by this fire, by means of that pride, is the lusts of evil and falsity; and that these lusts are the crew of the Devil and Satan, of which hell consists; and when these things are not known, it cannot be known what sin is, for sin derives all its delight and pleasantness from them.

454.Verse 19. For their power was in their mouth, signifies that they only prevail by their discourse in confirmation of faith. By “power in their mouth” is signified power in discourse confirming doctrine; for neatness and elegance of language, pretended zeal, ingenious confirmation of what is false, especially from the appearances of truth in the Word, authority, closure of the understanding, and the like, effect all things, whilst truth and the Word effect nothing; for truth shines only before those who are in charity and thence in faith, nor does the Word teach any others.

455.For their tails were like unto serpents having heads, and with them they hurt, signifies the reason, because they are sensual and inverted, speaking truths with their lips, but falsifying them by the principle which constitutes the head of the doctrine of their religion, and thus they deceive. The like is here signified as above by the locusts (n. 438-439); but it is there said, that they had “tails like scorpions,” whereas here, like “serpents,” for they who are described by the locusts, speak and persuade from the Word, the sciences, and from erudition; but these only from arguments which are appearances of truth and fallacies; and they who use such arguments ingeniously, and as it were wisely, do indeed deceive, but not in so great a degree. [2] By “serpent” in the Word, are signified sensual things, which are the ultimates of man’s life, as above (n. 424); the reason is, because all animals signify the affections of man, wherefore also the affections of angels and spirits, in the spiritual world, appear at a distance as animals, and affections merely sensual, as “serpents”; and this because serpents creep on the ground and lick the dust, and sensual things are the lowest of the understanding and will, being in close contact with the world, and nourished by its objects and delights, which only affect the material senses of the body. Noxious serpents, which are of many kinds, signify the sensual things that depend on the evil affections which constitute the interiors of the mind with those who are insane from the falsities of evil; and harmless serpents signify the sensual things that are dependent on the good affections, which constitute the interiors of the mind with those who are wise from the truths of good. [3] Sensual things dependent on evil affections, are signified by serpents in these passages: They lick the dust like a serpent (Micah 7:17). Dust shall be the serpent’s bread (Isa. 65:25). He said to the serpent, Upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life (Gen. 3:14). The sensual is thus described, which, because it communicates with hell, where all are sensual, turns heavenly wisdom into infernal insanity in spiritual things. Be not glad, Philistia, for out of the serpent’s root shall go forth a basilisk, whose fruit is a flying fiery serpent (Isa. 14:29). They lay asp’s eggs; he that eateth of its eggs dieth, and when one presses it out, a viper is hatched (Isa. 59:5). Because the sons of Israel desired to return into Egypt, they were bitten by serpents (Num. 21:4-9). “To return into Egypt,” signified to become sensual from being spiritual; on which account it is said: The hirelings of Egypt have turned themselves away, the voice thereof shall go like a serpent (Jer. 46:21-22). [4] Because Dan was the farthest of the tribes, and thence signified the ultimate of the church, which is the sensual subject to the interiors, it is therefore said thus of him: Dan is a serpent upon the way biting the horse’s heels, and the rider shall fall backwards (Gen. 49:17). By “the horse’s heels” the ultimates of the understanding, which are sensual, are signified: by “biting” is signified to adhere to them: by “the rider” is signified the lack of knowledge from them, by which truths are perverted; for which reason it is said, “His rider shall fall backwards.” Since sensual men are crafty and cunning like foxes, the Lord therefore says: Be ye prudent as serpents (Matt. 10:16). For the sensual man speaks and reasons from appearances and fallacies; and if he is skilled in the gift of arguing, he knows how to confirm every falsity skillfully, and also the heresy concerning faith alone, and still is so dull in the power of seeing truth that it is scarcely possible to be duller.

456.Verse 20. And the rest of the men who were not killed by these plagues, signifies those in the church of the Reformed, who are not so spiritually dead from visionary reasonings and from self-love, the pride of their own intelligence, and from the lusts thence, as the former, and yet have made faith alone the head of their religion. By “the rest of the men” are meant they who are not as the former, but yet make faith alone the head of their religion; by “those who were not killed,” are signified those who are not so spiritually dead; by “these plagues” in which they are, self-love, the pride of their own intelligence, and the lusts of evil and falsity from them are meant; these three being signified by “fire,” “smoke,” and “brimstone,” concerning which above (n. 452, 453). That such is the signification of “plagues,” will be seen below. [2] But something must first be said respecting this class of persons, whom also it has been granted me to see and to converse with. They dwell in the northern quarter towards the west, where some of them have cottages with roofs, and some without roofs. Their beds are of bulrushes, their garments of goat’s hair. In the light flowing in from heaven their faces appear livid and also stupid. The reason is, because they know nothing more about religion than that there is a God, that there are three Persons, that Christ suffered for them on the cross, and that it is faith alone by which they are saved; and likewise by worship in temples, and by prayers at stated times. As to the rest of the things relating to religion and its doctrine, they pay no attention; for the worldly and corporeal things, with which their minds are filled and overcharged, close up their ears against them. There are many of the presbyters among them, whom I asked, “What do you think, when you read in the Word of works, of love and charity, of fruits, of the precepts of life, of repentance, in brief of things to be done?” They replied, that they did indeed read them, and thus saw them; but still they did not see them, because they held their minds in faith alone, and therefore thought that all these were faith, and did not think that they were effects of faith. That such ignorance and stupidity prevails with those who have embraced faith alone, and made it the all of their religion, is scarcely credible; nevertheless it has been granted me to know it by much experience. [3] That by plagues are meant spiritual plagues, by means of which man dies as to his spirit or soul, is evident from these passages: Thy breach is desperate, thy plague grievous; I will restore health unto thee, I will heal thee of thy plagues (Jer. 30:12, 14, 17). Everyone that passeth by Babylon shall hiss at all her plagues (Jer. 50:13). In one day shall the plagues come upon Babylon, death and lamentation (Rev. 18:8). I saw the seven angels that had the seven last plagues, by which the anger of God is to be consummated (Rev. 15:1, 6). Woe to the sinful nation, to the people heavy with iniquity; from the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it, a wound and a scar and a recent stroke, not pressed, not bound up, not softened with oil (Isa. 1:4, 6). In the day that Jehovah bound up the breach of His people, and healed the wound of their plague (Isa. 30:26. Besides other places, as Deut. 28:59; Jer. 49:17; Zech. 14:12, 15; Luke 7:21; Rev. 11:6; 16:21).

457.Yet repented not of the work of their hands, signifies that neither did they shun their own things, which are evils of every kind, as sins. By “the works of a man’s hands” are signified man’s own things, which are evils and falsities thence, because by “hand” are signified those things in the aggregate which proceed from man; for the powers of the mind, and thence of its body, are determined to the hands and there terminate; wherefore by “hands,” in the Word, is signified power: consequently, by “the works of a man’s hands,” his own things are signified, which are evils and falsities of every kind; his own things in the will are evils, and his own things in the understanding are falsities thence. It is said of those who are here treated of, that they repented not; the reason is, because they who make faith alone the all of religion, say in themselves, “What need is there of repentance, when by faith alone sins are remitted, and we are saved? Of what avail are our own works in this matter? I know that I was born in sins, and that I am a sinner; if I confess this, and pray that my faults may not be imputed to me, is not the work of repentance then performed, and what need is there for anything more?” Thus he has no thought at all about sins, even so that at length he does not know that there are sins; wherefore he is continually borne along within them and into them, by the delight and pleasantness which flow from them, in like manner as a ship is carried by the wind and tide toward the rocks, whilst the pilot and mariners are asleep. [2] By “the works of men’s hands,” in the Word, in its natural sense, are meant graven images, molten images, and idols; but in the spiritual sense, by them are signified evils and falsities of every kind, which are man’s own things; as in these passages: Provoke me not to anger by the works of your hands; if ye provoke Me to anger by the works of your hands, to your own evil, I will recompense them according to their works, and according to the deeds of their hands (Jer. 25:6-7, 14). The sons of Israel provoked Me to anger by the works of their hands (Jer. 32:30; 44:8). I will speak judgments with them touching all their wickedness, that they have bowed themselves down to the works of their hands (Jer. 1:16). In that day the eyes shall look to the Holy One of Israel, and not to the altars, the work of their hands, and which their fingers have made (Isa. 17:7-8; 31:7; 37:19; Jer. 10:9). [3] That “the work of a man’s hands” is his proprium, and the evil and falsity thence, may be manifestly evident from this, that for that reason it was prohibited to build the altar and the temple of hewn stones, and to lift up a tool of iron upon those stones; for by this “the work of man’s hands” was signified. If thou makest an altar of stones unto me, thou shalt not build them hewn; because if thou movest a chisel upon it, thou wilt profane it (Exod. 20:25). Joshua built an altar of stones, upon which he did not move any iron (Josh. 8:30-31). The temple of Jerusalem was built of whole stone, and neither hammer nor axe nor any instruments of iron were heard when it was building (1 Kings 6:7). [4] All things also which are done by the Lord, are called “the works of his hands”; which are his own and in themselves goods and truths; as in these places: The works of the hands of Jehovah are truth and judgment (Ps. 111:7). O Jehovah, Thy mercy is for ever; forsake not the works of Thy hands (Ps. 138:8). Thus said Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, and His Former, ask signs of Me concerning My sons, concerning the work of My hands command ye Me (Isa. 45:11). Thy people shall all be just, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands (Isa. 60:21). O Jehovah, Thou art our Father; we are the clay, and Thou our Potter; and we all are the work of Thy hands (Isa. 64:8).

458.That they should not adore demons, signifies that thus they are in the evils of their lusts, and make one with their like in hell. By “demons” are signified the lusts of evil springing from the love of the world; the reason is, because in hell they are called demons who are in those lusts; and men also, who are in the same, become demons after death. There is also a conjunction between them and such men; for every man is conjoined with spirits as to his affections, even so that they make a one; from which it is evident, that to “adore” demons, is to sacrifice to those lusts from the love of them. Therefore he who invokes faith alone, as the head of his religion, or as his idol, remains in evil, by reason of his not searching out any evil in himself which he calls a sin, and consequently is not desirous of removing it by repentance; and as every evil is composed of lusts, being nothing but a bundle of lusts, it follows, that he who does not search out any evil in himself, and shun it as a sin against God, which can only be done by repentance, becomes a demon after death. [2] Nothing but such lusts are signified by “demons” in the following passages: They sacrifice to demons, not to God (Deut. 32:17). The sons of Israel shall no longer sacrifice to demons, after which they have committed whoredom (Lev. 17:7; Ps. 106:37). The Ziim shall meet with the Ijim, and the demon of the woods shall meet with his companion (Isa. 34:14). The Ziim shall lie there, and their houses shall be full of Ochim, and the daughters of the owl shall dwell there, and the demons of the woods shall dance there (Isa. 13:21). By “Ziim,” “Ijim,” “Ochim,” “the daughters of the owl,” are signified various lusts; “wood demons” are such lusts as appertain to priapuses and satyrs: Babylon is become the habitation of demons, and the hold of every unclean spirit (Rev. 18:2). The demons, which the Lord cast out, were such lusts, when they lived in the world (concerning which see Matthew 8:16, 28; 9:32, 33; 10:8; 12:22; 15:22; Mark 1:32, 34; Luke 4:33-37, 41; 8:2, 26-40; 9:1, 37-42, 49; 13:32).

459.And idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and wood, signifies that thus they are in worship from mere falsities. By “idols” in the Word, are signified the falsities of worship, and therefore to adore them signifies worship from falsities; and by “adoring idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood,” is signified worship from falsities of all kinds, and, taken collectively, worship from mere falsities. Moreover, the material of which idols were made, their forms, and their garments, among the ancients, represented the falsities of religion, from which was their worship: “idols of gold” signified falsities concerning Divine things; “idols of silver,” falsities concerning spiritual things; “idols of brass,” falsities concerning charity; “idols of stone,” falsities concerning faith; and “idols of wood,” falsities concerning good works. All these falsities exist in those who do not do the work of repentance, that is, shun evils as sins against God. [2] These things are signified in the spiritual sense by idols which were graven images and molten images, in the following passages: Every man has become foolish by knowledge, every founder is affected with shame by his graven image, because his molten image is a lie, neither is there breath in them; they are vanity, a work of errors; in the time of their visitation they shall perish (Jer. 10:14-15; 51:17-18). The graven images are the work of the hands of the workman; they speak not; they are infatuated and grow foolish together; the wood is a teaching of vanities; they all are the work of the wise (Jer. 10:3-5, 8-10). What profiteth the graven image, that the maker and teacher of lies has graven it; that the maker of a lie has trusted in it? there is no breath in the midst of it (Hab. 2:18-19). In that day a man shall cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which they made for themselves to bow themselves down to, to the moles and to the bats (Isa. 2:18, 20). They have made for themselves a molten image of their silver, idols according to their own intelligence, the whole the work of the artificers (Hos. 13:2). I will sprinkle clean waters upon you, that ye may be cleansed from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols (Ezek. 36:25). “Clean waters” are truths; “the idols” are the falsities of worship: Ye shall judge unclean the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the clothing of thy molten image of gold; thou shalt scatter it as a menstruous cloth, thou shalt call it dung (Isa. 30:22). [3] Nor is anything but the falsities of religion and thence of worship signified by: The gods of gold, of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone, which Belshazzar, king of Babylon, praised (worshiped), when he drank wine with his magnates, wives, and concubines out of the vessels of gold and silver of the temple of Jerusalem; for which the king was driven out from man and became like a beast (Dan. 5:1-5 seq.); besides many other places (as Isaiah 10:10, 11; 21:9; 31:7; 40:19, 20; 41:29; 42:17; 48:5; Jeremiah 8:19; 50:38, 39; Ezekiel 6:4, 5; 14:3-6; Micah 1:7; 5:13; Psalms 115:4, 5; 135:15, 16; Leviticus 26:30). By idols are properly signified the falsities of worship from one’s own intelligence. How a man fashions them, and afterwards accommodates them, so as to appear as truths, is fully described in Isaiah (44:9-20).

460.Which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk, signifies in which there is nothing of spiritual and truly rational life. The reason why this is said, is, because idolaters believe that their idols see and hear, for they make them gods; but still this is not what is meant by these words; but, that in the falsities of worship there is nothing of spiritual nor truly rational life, for by “seeing” and “hearing” is signified to understand and perceive (n. 7, 25, 87); and by “walking” is signified to live (n. 167); therefore by these three things is signified spiritual and truly rational life; this is signified, because by “idols” are signified the falsities of worship, in which there is nothing of spiritual and rational life. That idols do not see, hear, and walk, is a thing too obvious to be here mentioned, were there not some inward signification involved within it. The like is also said of idols in other parts of the Word, as in these passages: They know not nor understand, and their eyes do not see, nor do their hearts know, they have no knowledge nor intelligence (Isa. 44:9, 18-19). They speak not, neither do they walk (Jer. 10:3-10). They have a mouth but they speak not, eyes have they but they see not (Ps. 115:5; 135:15-16). By these like things are signified, because by “idols” are signified the falsities of worship, and in falsities of worship there is nothing of life which is really life.

461.Verse 21. Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their enchantments, nor of their whoredoms, nor of their thefts, signifies that the heresy of faith alone induces on their hearts stupidity, tergiversation, and hardness, so that they do not think anything concerning the precepts of the Decalogue, nor indeed concerning any sin, that it ought to be shunned because it is with the devil and against God. What murders, whoredoms, and thefts, signify in every sense, may be seen in The Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem from the Precepts of the Decalogue, where it is shown; therefore it is unnecessary to repeat the explanation here; but what is signified by enchantments shall be explained in the following article. Faith alone induces stupidity, tergiversation, and hardness in the hearts of those who are in the churches of the Reformed, because the good of life is not the religion where faith alone prevails; and if the good of life is not the religion, then the second table of the Decalogue, which is the table of repentance, is like an erased tablet on which no writing appears. That the second table of the Decalogue is a table of repentance, is evident, because it is not there said that good works are to be done, but that evil works are not to be done, as, “Thou shalt not kill,” “thou shalt not commit whoredom,” “thou shalt not steal,” “thou shalt not bear false witness,” “thou shalt not covet the things which are thy neighbor’s;” and if these things do not constitute the religion, the result is as here stated: “Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their enchantments, nor of their whoredoms, nor of their thefts.” That the good of life is not the religion where faith alone prevails, will be clearly shown in what follows.

462.Since at this day it is not known what is meant by “enchantments,” it shall briefly be explained. “Enchantments” are mentioned in the above passage, in place of the eighth precept of the Decalogue, “Thou shalt not bear false witness,” for the three other evils, which are “murder,” “whoredom,” and “thefts,” are there named. “To bear false witness” signifies, in the natural sense, to act the part of a false witness, to lie and defame; and in the spiritual sense, to confirm and persuade that falsity is truth, and that evil is good; from which it is evident, that by “to enchant” is signified to persuade to what is false, and thus to destroy truth. [2] Enchantments were in use among the ancients, and were performed in three ways: First, they kept the hearing and thus the mind of another continually intent upon his words and sayings, without relaxing anything from them; and, at the same time, aspiring and inspiring thought conjoined with affection, by means of the breath, into the sound of the speech, whereby the hearer could not think anything from himself; thus the falsifiers poured in their falsities with violence. Secondly, they infused a persuasion, which was done by detaining the mind from everything contrary, and keeping the attention exclusively to the idea of that which was said by them, hence the spiritual sphere of his mind dispelled the spiritual sphere of the mind of the other, and stifled it. This was the spiritual fascination which the magi of old used, and which was called the binding and tying of the understanding. This kind of enchantment pertained only to the spirit or thought, but the former to the lips or speech also. [3] Thirdly, the hearer kept his mind so fixed in his own opinion, that he almost shut his ears against hearing anything from the speaker, which was done by holding the breath, and sometimes by a tacit muttering, and thus by a continual denial of his adversary’s sentiment. This kind of enchantment was practiced by those who heard others, but the two former by those who spoke to others. These three kinds of enchantment prevailed among the ancients, and prevail still among infernal spirits; but with men in the world there remains only the third kind, and this with those who, from the pride of their own intelligence, have confirmed in themselves the falsities of religion; for these, when they hear things contrary, admit them no further into their thought than to mere contact, and then from the interior recess of their mind they emit as it were fire which consumes them, about which the other knows nothing except by indications from the countenance and the sound of the voice in the reply; provided the enchanter does not, by dissimulation, restrain that fire, or what is the same, the anger of his pride. This kind of enchantment operates at the present day to prevent truths from being accepted, and, with many, to their not being understood. [4] That in ancient times many magical arts prevailed, and among these enchantments, is evident from Moses: When thou shalt come into the land, thou shalt not learn to do according to the abominations of those nations; there shall not be found in thee one that passeth his son or his daughter through the fire; a diviner by divination, a magician and a soothsayer, a sorcerer, and an enchanter of enchantment, and one that interrogateth a python, and an augur, and one that inquireth of the dead; for all these are an abomination to Jehovah (Deut. 18:9-11). The persuasion of falsity, and thus the destruction of truth, are signified by “enchantments” in these passages: Thy wisdom and thy knowledge hath seduced thee; therefore shall evil come upon thee; persist in thine enchantments, and in the multitude of thy divinations (Isa. 47:10-12). All nations were seduced by the enchantment of Babylon (Rev. 18:23). Without shall stand dogs, enchanters, whoremongers, murderers (Rev. 22:15). Jehoram said to Jehu, Is it peace? he said, What peace to the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel, and her many enchantments (2 Kings 9:22). By her “whoredoms” are signified falsifications (n. 134), and by “her enchantments” the destructions of truth by persuasions of falsity. [5] That “enchantment,” on the other hand, signifies the rejection of falsity by truths, which was also done by tacitly thinking and muttering from a zeal for truth against falsity, is manifest from these passages: Jehovah will remove out of Zion the mighty, the man of war, the counselor, the learned in muttering, the skilful in enchantment (Isa. 3:1-3). Their poison is as the poison of the deaf asp; that stoppeth her ear that she may not hear the voice of him who muttereth, of the wise enchanter of enchantments (Ps. 58:4-5). Behold, I send against you basilisk serpents, against which there is no enchantment (Jer. 8:17). In distress they sought thee, they cried out in muttering (Isa. 26:16).

463.To this I will add this Relation. I looked forth to the seacoast in the spiritual world, and saw there a magnificent dock. I drew near, and looked at it; and, behold, there were vessels there great and small, and merchandise in them of every kind; and upon the decks were boys and girls distributing it to those that wished. And they said, “We are waiting to see our beautiful tortoises, which now and then rise up to us out of the sea.” And, behold, I saw tortoises great and small, upon whose shells and scales young tortoises were sitting, which were looking at the islands around. The father tortoises had two heads, the one large, covered over with a shell similar to the shell of their body, whence they had a reddish glow; and the other small, such as tortoises have, which they drew back into the front parts of the body, and also to insert in an unobserved manner in the larger head. But I kept my eyes on the great reddish head; and I saw that this had a face like a man, and spoke with the boys and girls upon the decks, and licked their hands. And the boys and girls then stroked them, and gave them eatables and dainties, and also costly things, as pure silk for garments, thyine wood for tablets, purple for decorations, and scarlet for paints. [2] Seeing these things, I desired to know what they represented; as I knew that all the things that appear in the world of spirits are correspondences, and represent something spiritual coming down from heaven. And they then spoke with me out of heaven, and said, “You yourself know what the dock represents, also what the ships, and the boys and the girls upon the decks; but you do not know what the tortoises represent.” And they said, “The tortoises represent those of the clergy there, who altogether separate faith from charity and its good works, affirming in themselves that there is plainly no conjunction between them; but that the Holy Spirit, through faith in God the Father for the sake of the Son’s merit, enters into a man, and purifies his interiors even to his own will, out of which they make as it were an oval plane; and that when the operation of the Holy Spirit approaches this plane, it bends itself around it on the left side, and does not at all touch it: and thus that the interior or higher part of a man’s nature is for God, and that the exterior or lower is for man; and that thus nothing that the man does, neither good nor evil, appears before God: not the good, because this is meritorious; and not the evil, because this is evil; since, if these appeared before God, the man would perish from both; and since it is so, that man is permitted to will, think, speak, and do whatever he pleases, provided he is careful before the world.” [3] I asked whether they also assert that it is permitted to think of God, that He is not omnipresent and omniscient? They said from heaven, that “this also is permitted them; because God, in him who has once been purified and so justified, does not look at anything of his thought and will; and that he still retains in the interior bosom or higher region of the mind or nature the faith which he had received in its first operation; and that that operation may sometimes return, when the man does not know it. These are the things which the small head represents, which they draw into the fore parts of the body, and conceal, and also insert in the great head, when they speak with the laity: for they do not speak with them from the small head, but from the large one, which appears in front as furnished with a human face. And they speak with them from the Word concerning love, charity, good works, the precepts of the Decalogue, repentance, and they quote from the Word almost all the things that are there on these subjects. But they then insert the small head into the large one, from which they understand inwardly in themselves, that all those things are not to be done for the sake of God, of heaven, and of salvation; but only on account of the public and private good. But because they speak concerning these things from the Word, especially concerning the Gospel, the operation of the Holy Spirit, and salvation, agreeably and elegantly, they therefore appear before their hearers as handsome men, and as wise above all others in the whole world. For which reason also you saw that rich and precious things were given to them by the boys and girls that sat upon the decks of the vessels. [4] “It is these, therefore, whom you saw represented as tortoises. In your world they are little distinguished from others, only by this, that they believe themselves to be wiser than all, and laugh at others, especially at their companions who they say are not wise as themselves, and whom they despise. They carry a kind of small seal with them on their garments, by which they are known to one another.” [5] He that spoke with me said, “I shall not tell you what they think concerning other matters of faith; as election, free agency, Baptism, the Holy Supper; which are such things as they do not divulge, but we in heaven know. But because they are such in the world, and after death it is not permitted anyone to speak otherwise than he thinks, therefore because they cannot then do otherwise than speak from the insane things of their thoughts, they are reputed as insane, and are cast out of the societies, and are at length let down into the pit of the abyss, and become corporeal spirits, and appear like mummies: for a callousness is induced over the interiors of their minds, because in the world also they had interposed a barrier. There is an infernal society of them on the confines of the infernal society from the Machiavellists, and they sometimes enter from the one into the other, and call themselves companions; but they go away because there is a diversity, on this account, that there was with them something religious concerning faith in act, but none with the Machiavellists.” [6] Afterwards I saw them cast out of the societies, and gathered together to be cast down; there was seen a vessel in the air flying with seven sails, and therein officers and sailors clothed in a purple dress, having magnificent laurels upon their hats, crying, “Lo, we are in heaven; we are the purple-robed doctors, and crowned with laurel above all, because we are the chief of the wise from all the clergy in Europe.” I wondered what this was; and it was said to me that they were images of the pride, and the ideal thoughts which are called fantasies, from those who were before seen as tortoises, and now as the insane ones cast out of the societies, and gathered together into one, and they stood together in one place. And I then desired to speak with them; and I approached the place where they were standing, and saluted them, and said, “Are you they who have separated men’s internals from their externals, and the operation of the Holy Spirit as in faith from its cooperation with man outside of faith, and so have separated God from man? Have you not thus removed not only charity itself and its works, from faith, like many other doctors from the clergy, but also faith itself as to its manifestation before God, from man? But, I pray, do you wish that I should speak with you on this matter from reason, or from the Sacred Scripture?” They said, “Speak first from reason.” [7] And I spoke, saying, “How can the internal and the external with a man be separated? Who does not see, or cannot see, from common perception, that all of a man’s interiors proceed and are continued into his exteriors and even into the outermosts, that they may produce their effects and do their works? Are not the internals for the sake of the externals, that they may terminate in them, and subsist in them, and so exist, scarcely otherwise than as a column does upon its pedestal? You can see that if there were not continuation, and so conjunction, the outermosts would be dissolved, and would disperse like bubbles in the air. Who can deny that the interior operations of God with men are myriads of myriads, of which man knows nothing. And what use is it to know them, provided he knows the outermosts, in which he is together with God in his thought and will. [8] But this shall be illustrated by an example. Does a man know the interior operations of his speech? as how the lungs draw in the air, and fill the vesicles, the bronchia, and the lobes with it? how it emits this air into the trachea, and there turns it into sound? how that sound is modified in the glottis by the help of the larynx? and how the tongue then articulates it, and the lips complete the articulation, so that it becomes speech? All these interior operations, of which the man knows nothing, are they not for the sake of the outermost, that man may be able to speak? Remove or separate one of those internal things from its continuous connection with the outermosts, could the man speak any more than a stock? [9] “Take another example. The two hands are the ultimates of man. Are there not interiors, which are continued thither? They are from the head through the neck, then through the breast, the shoulders, the arms, and the forearms; and there are the innumerable muscular textures, the numberless orders of the moving fibers, the innumerable bundles of the nerves and blood vessels, and the many connections of the bones with their membranes and ligaments. Does man know anything concerning these? and yet his hands are operated from all of them. Suppose that those interiors around the elbow were turned to the left, and did not enter the hand; would not the hand from the elbow pine away, and go to decay like something torn off without life? Indeed, if you are willing to believe it, it would be as with the body, if the man were beheaded. It would be altogether similar with the will and thought of man, if the Divine operation should cease before it reaches them, and not flow into them. These things are according to reason. [10] “Now if you are willing to hear it, these same things are also according to the Sacred Scripture. Does not the Lord say: Abide in me, and I in you; I am the Vine, and ye are the branches; he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit; for without Me ye cannot do anything (John 15:4-5)? Is not the fruit the good works which the Lord does through the man, and which the man does as of himself? Does not the Lord also say that: He stands at the door and knocks; and that to him who opens He will enter in, and will sup with him, and he with Him (Rev. 3:20)? Does not the Lord: Give the pounds and the talents, that man may trade with them, and get gain; and as he gains, give him eternal life (Matt. 25:14-30; Luke 19:13-26)? Also that: He gives reward to everyone according to his labor in His vineyard (Matt. 20:1-17). These are but a few passages. Pages might be filled from the Word concerning this, that man ought to produce fruit as a tree; he should do the commandments, love God and the neighbor, and other like things. But I know that your own intelligence can hold no such principle, as it really is, in common with the Word, which although you quote, still your ideas pervert it. And you cannot do otherwise, because you remove all the things of God away from man as regards communication and thence conjunction. What then remains, except also all the things of worship?” [11] They were afterwards seen by me in the light of heaven, which discloses and makes manifest what the quality of each one is; and then they were not seen as before in a vessel in the air as it were in heaven, nor in purple garments, nor with heads crowned with laurel; but in a sandy place, and in garments of rags, and girded with fishing nets as it were around the loins; through which their nakedness appeared; and they were then sent down into the society on the confines next the Machiavellists, spoken of above.