195. Verse 4. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis that have not defiled their garments, signifies those who live a moral life from a spiritual origin, by applying the knowledges of truth and good from the Word to the uses of their life. This is evident from the signification of "name," as being the quality of the state of man's life (See above, n. 148); here, therefore, "names" signify men who are such. It is evident also from the signification of "the church in Sardis," as being those who live a moral life but not a spiritual life, because they have little regard for the knowledges of truth and good from the Word (See also above, n. 148, 182); but here those are meant who live a moral life from a spiritual origin, for it is said, "that have not defiled their garments." It is evident also from the signification of "garments," as being knowledges [scientifica] and cognitions in the natural man (of which presently). "Not defiling their garments," therefore, signifies living as a moral man not for the sake of self and the world, which is for the sake of the body and its life only, but for the sake of the Lord and of heaven, which is for the sake of the soul and its life. From this it is clear that "Thou hast a few names even in Sardis that have not defiled their garments," signifies such as live a moral life from a spiritual origin, by applying the knowledges of truth and good from the Word to their life.

[2] But as few know what it is to live a moral life from a spiritual origin, and what it is to apply the knowledges of truth and good from the Word to the uses of their life, it shall be told. Man lives a moral life from a spiritual origin when he lives it from religion; that is, when he thinks, when anything evil, insincere, or unjust presents itself: that this must not be done because it is contrary to the Divine laws. When one abstains from doing such things in deference to Divine laws he acquires for himself spiritual life, and his moral life is then from the spiritual; for by such thoughts and faith man communicates with the angels of heaven, and by communication with heaven his internal spiritual man is opened, the mind of which is a higher mind, such as the angels of heaven have, and he is thereby imbued with heavenly intelligence and wisdom. From this it can be seen that to live a moral life from a spiritual origin is to live from religion, and within the church, to live from the Word; for those who live a moral life from religion and from the Word are elevated above their natural man, thus above what is their own [proprium], and are led by the Lord through heaven; consequently they have faith, the fear of God, and conscience, and also the spiritual affection of truth, which is the affection of the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, for to such men these are Divine laws, according to which they live. Many of the heathen live such a moral life, for they think that evil must not be done because it is contrary to their religion; this is why so many of them are saved.

[3] But on the other hand, to live a moral life not from religion, but only from the fear of the law in the world, and of the loss of fame, honor, and gain, is to live a moral life not from a spiritual but from a natural origin; therefore to such there is no communication with heaven. And as they think insincerely and unjustly regarding the neighbor, although they speak and act otherwise, their internal spiritual man is closed, and the internal natural man only is opened; and when this is open they are in the light of the world, but not in the light of heaven. For this reason such persons have in them little regard for Divine and heavenly things, and some deny them, believing nature and the world to be everything. (From this it can now be seen what it is to live a moral life from a spiritual origin, and what it is to live it from a natural origin; but these things may be seen set forth in clearer light in the work on Heaven and Hell 528-535.) Of those who live a moral life from a natural origin only, it may be said that they "defile their garments," for "garments" mean that which is outside the man himself and which clothes him, thus his natural man with the things that are in it, which are knowledges [scientifica] and cognitions; and when these are from the Word they are defiled by the fact that he learns and holds them only for the sake of reputation, that he may be thought learned or well informed, or that he may thereby acquire honors and gain wealth; and except for such ends he has no regard for them. Thus it is that the knowledges from the Word are polluted and defiled by the loves of self and the world, for these knowledges dwell in the same place with the evils and falsities that gush out from those loves as from their fountains.

[4] It was said above, that man becomes spiritual by means of the knowledges of truth and good from the Word applied to the uses of life. Why men become spiritual by means of knowledges from the Word, and not by means of other knowledges, shall now be told. All things that are in the Word are Divine, and they are Divine for the reason that they have in them a spiritual sense, and by that sense communicate with heaven and with the angels there. When, therefore, man has knowledges from the Word and applies them to life, then through these he has communication with heaven and by that communication becomes spiritual; for man becomes spiritual by his being in like or in corresponding truths with the angels of heaven. It is said in "corresponding" truths, because each and all things in the sense of the letter of the Word are correspondences, for they correspond to the truths that angels have. But the knowledges derived from other books, which set forth and by various means establish the doctrines of the church, do not effect communication with heaven except by the knowledges from the Word they contain; such knowledges do give communication if they are rightly understood and are applied to life, and not to faith alone. Everyone can see that this is so from this, that the Word in itself is Divine, and what is Divine in itself can become Divine with man by his applying it to life. "Becoming Divine with man" means that the Lord can have His abode with man (John 14:23), thus dwelling with him in what is His own (that the Lord dwells in His own with man and angel, and not in what is their own [proprio illorum], see in the work on Heaven and Hell 12). The Lord dwells in His own when He dwells in those things with man that are from the Word, for the Lord is the Word (John 1:1, 2, 14); and the words that He spoke, that is, that are in the Word:

Are spirit and life (John 6:63, 68; 12:50).

[5] That "garments" signify the things that are in the natural man, which are knowledges [scientifica], ¹ true or false, or cognitions, is from the spiritual world; for in the spiritual world all, however many, appear clothed according to their moral life; consequently those who have lived a moral life from a spiritual origin appear clothed in shining white garments, like fine linen; but those who have lived a moral life from a natural origin only, appear according to the nature of that life, those who have polluted their life by evils and falsities appearing in dark garments, mean, torn, and hideous to behold (See the work on Heaven and Hell 177-182). From this now it is that "garments" in the Word signify truths from good, and in the contrary sense falsities from evil, both of them in the natural man; truths and falsities in the natural man are called knowledges [scientifica] and cognitions.

[6] That "garments" in the Word signify truths or falsities can be clearly seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:

Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion, put on the garments of thy splendor, O Jerusalem; for henceforth there shall no more come to thee the uncircumcised and the unclean (Isaiah 52:1).

"Zion" in the Word signifies the Lord's celestial kingdom, thus also the celestial church, and "Jerusalem" the spiritual kingdom and the spiritual church (what the celestial kingdom is, and the spiritual kingdom, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 20-28). The "garments of splendor that Jerusalem must put on" are Divine truths; the "uncircumcised and the unclean that shall not come to them" are those who are in evils and falsities.

[7] In Ezekiel:

Jerusalem, I clothed thee with broidered work, I shod thee with badger's skin, I girded thee about with fine linen. I adorned thee with ornament, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy throat, and a jewel upon thy nose, and earrings upon thine ears, yea, a crown of ornament upon thy head. Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver, and thy garments were fine linen, silk, and broidered work, whence thou becamest exceeding beautiful, and didst prosper even unto the kingdom. But thou didst take of thy garments, and didst make to thee high places with divers colors, that thou mightest commit whoredom upon them; thou also didst take garments of thy broidered work, and didst cover the images of a male, with which thou didst commit whoredom (Ezekiel 16:10-13, 16-18).

Here what the church was when it was first established by the Lord is described; the "garments" that are mentioned are truths from good; "broidered work" is true knowledge [scientificum]; "fine linen and silk" are truths from a celestial source; the "bracelets," "chain," "jewel," "earrings," and "crown," are decorations signifying things spiritual of various kinds; the "gold and silver" with which she was decked are the good of love and its truth. Then the same church when perverted is described, by this, that "she took of the garments, and did make to herself high places with divers colors," signifying truths falsified; and that "she took the garments of broidered work, and covered the images of a male," signifies that they applied the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word to so confirm falsities even so as to make them appear like truths; "committing whoredom with them" and "under them" signifies making doctrine and worship out of falsities (that this is to "commit whoredom," see above, n. 141, 161).

(That "Jerusalem" is the church where there is true doctrine, see Arcana Coelestia 402, 3654, 9166. That "broidered work" is knowledges [scientificum], n. Arcana Coelestia 9688. That "fine linen" is truth from a celestial origin, n. 5319, 9469. That "bracelets" are truths and goods of the church, n. 3103, 3105. That "a chain [for the neck]" is representative of the conjunction of interior and exterior things, n . 5320; that "jewels [for the nose]" and "earrings" are representatives of perception and obedience, n. Arcana Coelestia 4551. That "a crown" means wisdom, see above, n. 126. That "gold" is the good of love, see Arcana Coelestia 1551, 1552, 5658, 6914, 6917, 9510, 9874, 9881; that "silver" is truth from that good, n. 1551, 1552, 2954, 5658. That "high places with divers colors" are truths falsified, n. 796, 4005. That the "male" or "masculine" is truth, n. 749, 2046, 4005, 7838; therefore "images of a male" are appearances of truth.)

[8] In the same:

Fine linen in broidered work from Egypt was thy spreading forth, blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was thy covering. Syria was thy merchant in purple, and broidered work, and fine linen, with chrysoprasus. Dedan was thy merchant with garments of liberty for the chariot; Asshur and Chilmad with bales of blue and of broidered work, and with treasures of precious garments (Ezekiel 27:7, 16, 20, 23-24).

Here Tyre and her wares are treated of, and "Tyre" signifies the knowledges of truth and good, and "trading" and "trafficking," signify acquiring for oneself and communicating such knowledges; "purple and blue" signify the celestial love of good and truth; "Egypt," the knowledge belonging to the natural man; by "broidered work from Egypt" the like; "Syria" the church in respect to the knowledges of truth and good; "Asshur" the rational of that church; "Dedan" those who are in the knowledges of celestial things. From this it can be seen that the "wares of Tyre," treated of in the whole of that chapter, do not mean wares, but each and all these things mean spiritual things, which man ought to acquire, be imbued with, and communicate. (That "Tyre" signifies the knowledges of good and truth, see Arcana Coelestia 1201. That "Egypt" signifies the knowledges [scientificum] belonging to the natural man, n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 5700, 5702, 6015, 6651, 6679, 6682, 6683, 6692, 7296, 9340, 9391. That "Syria" is the church in respect to the knowledges of truth and good, n. 1232, 1234, 3664, 3680, 4112. That "Dedan" signifies those who are in the knowledges of celestial things, n. 3240, 3241. That "Asshur" is the rational therefrom, n. 119, 1186. That "purple" is the celestial love of good, n. Arcana Coelestia 9467. That "blue" is the celestial love of truth, n. 9466, 9687, 9833; likewise "chrysoprasus," n. Arcana Coelestia 9868. What "fine linen" and "broidered work" signify, see just above.)

[9] In David:

The king's daughter is all glorious within, her clothing is inwrought with gold. She shall be brought unto the king in broidered work (Psalms 45:13-14).

The "king's daughter" signifies the spiritual affection of truth, and therefore the church consisting of those who are in that affection; "king" signifies the Lord in respect to Divine truth; "clothing inwrought with gold," intelligence and wisdom from that truth; the "broidered work" in which she should "be brought to the king" signifies the knowledges of truth. (That "daughter" signifies the affection of truth, and the church therefrom, see Arcana Coelestia 2362, 2623, 3373, 3963, 4257, 6729, 6775, 6779, 8649, 9055, 9807. That "king" signifies the Lord in respect to Divine truth, see above, n. 31.)

[10] In the second book of Samuel:

Daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet with dainty things, and who put an ornament of gold upon your apparel (2 Samuel 1:24).

This is in the lamentation of David over Saul, which he wrote:

To teach the sons of Judah the bow (2 Samuel 1:18);

by "bow" is signified truth combating against falsities (See Arcana Coelestia 2686[1-8] Arcana Coelestia 2686[1-8], 2709); "Saul" here, as a king, signifies such truth; the "sons of Judah" signify those who are in truths from good; "to clothe the daughters of Israel in scarlet," and "to put ornaments of gold upon the apparel," is to impart intelligence and wisdom to those who are in the spiritual affection of truth.

[11] In Matthew:

When the king came in to behold those reclining to eat, he saw there a man that had not on a wedding garment; and he said unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? He was speechless. Then said the king, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into outer darkness (Matthew 22:11-13).

A "wedding garment" signifies the intelligence of the spiritual man, which is from the knowledges of truth and good; but "he that had not on a wedding garment" signifies a hypocrite, who by a moral life counterfeits the spiritual life when yet he is merely natural; "to bind him hand and foot" signifies the deprivation of the knowledges from the Word, by which he has put on the likeness of a spiritual man; "to be cast out into outer darkness" signifies among those who are in falsities from evil (for "outer darkness" signifies falsities from evil).

[12] In Zephaniah :

I will visit upon the princes, and upon the king's sons, and upon all that are clothed with the garments of the alien (Zephaniah 1:8). "Princes" and "king's sons" signify those who are in truths, and in a contrary sense, as here, those who are in falsities; these are said to be "clothed with the garment of the alien," because "garment" signifies falsity, and "alien" those who are out of the church and do not acknowledge the truths of the church.

[13] In Matthew:

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing; inwardly they are ravening wolves (Mat. Matthew 7:15).

"False prophets in sheep's clothing, who inwardly are ravening wolves," are those who teach falsities as if they were truths, and who in appearance live a moral life, but who by themselves, when they think from their spirit, think of nothing but themselves and the world, and are eager to deprive all others of truths.

[14] In John:

Jesus said to Peter, When thou wast younger thou girdedst thyself and walkedst whither thou wouldest; but when thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch forth thy hands and another shall gird thee, and lead thee whither thou wouldest not (John 21:18).

What these words signify in the spiritual sense may be seen above n. 9; namely, that by "Peter" is meant the faith of the church; when he "was younger and girded himself and walked whither he would" means the faith of the church at the beginning, when men are in the good of charity, that they then think about the truths of the church from the spiritual man, which is to think from their spirit, thus from the spiritual affection of truth, that is, from freedom. But by "Peter when old, that he should stretch forth his hands and another should gird him," is meant the faith of the church at its end, when faith would be without charity, that they then would think nothing about the truths of the church from themselves, but from others, thus from doctrine only and not from the Word, which is relatively a servile state. For to believe what another says is servile, but to believe what one himself thinks from the Word is freedom; according to the Lord's words in John:

If ye abide in My Word, ye are truly My disciples; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:31-32).

[15] In Luke:

No man putteth a piece of a new garment on an old garment; else the new will rend the old, and the piece from the new agreeth not with the old. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and itself be spilt, and the bottles be destroyed (Luke 5:36-37; Matthew 9:16-17; Mark 2:21-22).

Because a "garment" signifies truth, the Lord compared the truths of the former church, which was a church representative of spiritual things, to a piece of an old garment, and the truths of the new church, which were spiritual truths themselves, to a piece of a new garment; He compared them likewise to bottles of wine, because "wine" in like manner signifies truth, and "bottles" mean the knowledges that contain truth. (That "wine" in the Word signifies truth, see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 219.)

[16] From this it can now be seen what is signified in the Word elsewhere by "garments," which are often mentioned there, as in the following passages. In Revelation:

And upon the thrones four and twenty elders sitting, arrayed in white garments (Revelation 4:4).

Again:

The armies of the One sitting upon the white horse followed Him, clothed in fine linen, white and clean (Revelation 19:14).

And:

They who stood before the throne in sight of the Lamb, were clothed in white robes (Revelation 7:9).

Again:

The seven angels from the temple were clothed in linen, clean and shining (Revelation 15:6).

Again:

White robes were given to everyone of those under the altar (Revelation 6:11).

Again:

Buy gold and white garments (Revelation 3:18).

In Ezekiel:

If he giveth his bread to the hungry, and covereth the naked with a garment (Ezekiel 18:16).

"To give bread to the hungry" signifies in the spiritual sense to instruct from the good of charity those who long for truths; "to cover the naked with a garment" signifies to instruct, in like manner, those who are not in truths.

[17] In the same:

The enemies shall strip thee of thy garments, and shall take away the jewels of thine adorning (Ezekiel 23:26).

In Zechariah:

Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and thus stood before the angel. And he said to those that stood before him, Take away the filthy garments from off him. And he said, I have made thine iniquity to pass from off thee, in clothing thee with changed garments (Zechariah 3:3-5).

In Lamentations :

They have wandered blind in the streets, they have been polluted with blood; what they cannot pollute they touch with their clothes (Lamentations 4:14).

From the signification of "garments" it can be known what is meant by many statutes with the sons of Israel:

That they should not put on mixed garments (Leviticus 19:19; Deuteronomy 22:11);

That a woman should not wear the vessels of a man, nor a man be clothed with the garments of a woman (Deuteronomy 22:5);

That they should wash their garments that they might be purified, and thus sanctified (Exodus 19:14; Leviticus 11:25, 11:28, 11:40; 14:8; (Leviticus 14:8); Numbers 19:11-22);

and elsewhere:

That in mourning for transgression against Divine truths they should put off their garments and put on sackcloth (Isaiah 15:3; 22:12; 37:1-2; Jeremiah 4:8; 6:26; 48:37; 49:3; Lamentations 2:10; Ezekiel 27:31; Amos 8:10; Jonah 3:5-6, 3:8);

And that they should rend their garments (Isaiah 37:1 and elsewhere).

Also what this signifies:

That the disciples laid their garments upon the ass and the colt when the Lord was going to Jerusalem, and that the people then strewed their garments in the way (Matthew 21:7-9; Mark 11:7-8; Luke 19:35-36);

can be seen above n. 31.

[18] That "garments" signify truths has its origin in this, that the light of heaven is Divine truth proceeding from the Lord as a sun there, and all things that have existence in the heavens have existence from the light there, and this is true in like manner of the garments in which the angels appear clothed. It is from this:

That the angels who sat at the Lord's sepulchre had raiment white as snow (Matthew 28:3);

And that their garments were shining (Luke 24:4).

(That the garments in which the angels appear clothed correspond to their intelligence, and that they have intelligence according to their reception of Divine truth from the Lord, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 177-182;and that Divine truth proceeding from the Lord is light in heaven, n. 126-135.) From this it can be seen what "garments" signify in reference to the Lord, namely, Divine truth proceeding from Him; and as Divine truth is signified, the Word also is signified, for the Word is Divine truth from the Lord on earth and in the heavens. This was represented by the Lord's "garments" when He was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, which are thus described in the Evangelists:

When Jesus was transfigured, His face did shine as the sun, and His garments became white as the light (Matthew 17:2);

And white, dazzling (Luke 9:29);

And glistering white as snow, so as no fuller on earth can whiten them (Mark 9:3).

The like is said of the Ancient of Days in Daniel:

The Ancient of Days did sit, and His garment was like white snow (Daniel 7:9).

"The Ancient of Days" is the Lord from eternity. As "light" is Divine truth, and this in reference to the Lord is signified by "garments," therefore it is said in David:

Jehovah covereth Himself with light as with a garment (Psalms 104:2).

[19] From this it can be seen what the Lord's garments mentioned elsewhere in the Word signify. As in David:

He hath anointed all Thy garments with myrrh and aloes and cassia (Psalms 45:7-8);

where the Lord is treated of. In Moses:

He will wash His vesture in wine, and His covering in the blood of grapes (Genesis 49:11).

This is also said of the Lord. "Wine" and "the blood of grapes" signify Divine truth. Because the Lord's garments signified Divine truth, therefore also:

Those who touched the border of His garment were healed (Matthew 9:20-21; Mark 5:27-28, 30; 6:56; Luke 8:44).

In Isaiah:

Who is this that cometh from Edom, His garments bespattered from Bozrah; this that is honorable in His apparel? Wherefore art Thou red in Thine apparel, and Thy garments as of one treading in the wine-press? Their victory is sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all Mine apparel (Isaiah 63:1-3).

This also is said of the Lord; "garments" here signify the Word, which, as has been said, is Divine truth from the Lord on earth and in the heavens; the violence offered to Divine truth or to the Word by those who were then of the church, is described by this, that "He was red in apparel as one treading in the wine-press," and that "victory was sprinkled upon His garments," and that "He had stained all his raiment."

[20] In Revelation:

He that sat on the white horse was arrayed with a garment dipped in blood; and His name is called the Word of God (Revelation 19:13).

Here it is plainly declared that He who sat on the white horse was called "the Word of God;" and it is clear that this is the Lord, for it is immediately said of Him:

He hath on His garment and on His thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16).

It is therefore the Word in the letter that is signified by the "garment dipped in blood," since violence was done to it, but not to the Word in the spiritual sense; violence could not be done to this, because they knew nothing about it.

[21] That violence was done to the Word in the sense of the letter, but not to the Word in the spiritual sense, is signified also by the soldiers dividing the Lord's garments, but not His tunic, of which it is said in John:

The soldiers took His garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part, also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore one to another, Let us not divide it, but let us cast lots for it, whose it shall be. These things therefore the soldiers did (John 19:23-24).

And in David:

They parted My garments, and cast the lot upon My vesture (Psalms 22:18).

"The garments of the Lord which they parted" signify the Word in the letter; His "tunic" the Word in the spiritual sense; "soldiers" signify those of the church who should fight in behalf of Divine truth; therefore it is said, "These things therefore the soldiers did." (That "tunic" signifies Divine truth, or the Word in the spiritual sense, see Arcan (Arcana Coelestia 9826, 9942) a Coelestia, n. 9826, 9942; that "soldiers" signify those who are of the church, and who should fight in behalf of Divine truth, see above, n. 64, at the end, where these things are more fully explained.) It should be known that each particular related in the Evangelists respecting the Lord's passion, involves and signifies how the church at that time, which was among the Jews, had treated Divine truth, thus the Word, for this was Divine truth with them; the Lord also was the Word, because He was Divine truth (John 1:1, 2, 14). But what each particular involves and signifies cannot be known except from the internal sense. Here it will be told only what "the Lord's garments" signified, because the meaning of "garments" is here treated of, namely, that they signify truths, and in reference to the Lord, Divine truths.

[22] "The garments of Aaron and of his sons" have a like signification, because Aaron with his sons represented the Lord in respect to Divine good, and their garments the Lord in respect to Divine truth. (But these things may be seen explained and shown in the Arcana Coelestia; as that Aaron represented the Lord in respect to Divine good, n.9806, 9946, 10017; also what each of their garments signified, the breastplate, the ephod, the cloak, the tunic wrought with checker work, the miter, and the belt, n. 9814, 9823-9828)

Poznámky pod čarou:

717. And upon his heads seven diadems, signifies Divine truths in the ultimate of order, which are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, here these truths adulterated and profaned. This is evident from the signification of "heads of the dragon," as being the true knowledges [scientifica] of the Word, which have been adulterated and profaned; that these "heads" signify insanity in spiritual things and yet craftiness in deceiving and leading astray may be seen above n. 714. Also from the signification of "diadems" (or precious stones), as being Divine truths in the ultimate of order, which are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word (of which presently); also from the signification of "seven," which means all things, and is predicated of things holy, and in the contrary sense of things profane (of which above, n. 715, here it is predicated of things profane, because of truths of the Word adulterated and thus profaned.

Thence it is clear that "the seven diadems upon the heads of the dragon" signify Divine truths in the ultimate of order, here these truths adulterated and profaned.

[2] "Precious stones," which are "diadems," signify Divine truths in the ultimate of order, which are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, because a "stone" signifies truth, therefore "precious stones" signify Divine truths. They mean Divine truths in the ultimate of order, which are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, because these are transparent, having in them a spiritual sense, and in that sense there is the light of heaven, which makes all things of the sense of the letter of the Word to be pellucid, and to be variegated also according to the series of things in the spiritual sense from which arise modifications of heavenly light, that present such colors as appear in the heavens, and thence in precious stones of various kinds.

[3] Diadems were seen upon the seven heads of the dragon, because the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word shine wherever they are, as well with the evil as with the good, for the spiritual light that is in them is not extinguished by their being with the evil, for heaven still flows into those truths. But the evil adulterate them, and thence see nothing of the light of heaven in them, but yet believe them to be holy because they apply them to confirm the falsities of their religion, so from the faith they have in their holiness the truths still shine before them; and since this is so, and since they acquire for themselves by means of these truths communication with the heavens they are finally deprived of them, and left to their falsities in which there is no light; this is done when they are let down into hell.

[4] That the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word appear as diadems is evident from the diadems in the spiritual world. In the palaces of angels in heaven there are many things that shine with precious stones. Sometimes precious stones are also let down into the lower parts, and are presented as a gift to those who have done some good thing; they are even sold there as in the world, especially by the Jews, who also there trade in them. It is granted and permitted to the Jews to trade in precious stones in the spiritual as in the natural world, because they regard the sense of the letter of the Word as holy.

For the same reason also noble women below the heavens adorn themselves with diadems as in the world. When it is asked where those diadems in heaven and thence in the lower parts are from, it is said that they are from the Lord, and from the spiritual light that is from Him, and that they are ultimates of that light, which are called effects; also that they are representative forms of the affections of truth from good, thus that they are Divine truths in the ultimate of order, such as the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word are. As this is the origin of precious stones, there are some in the world of spirits who are allowed to make diadems by inserting together truths from the sense of the letter of the Word, but these diadems are not genuine, and are not hard like crystals, because they are artificial.

[5] From this it can now be seen what "diadems or precious stones" signify in the following passages. In Isaiah:

O thou afflicted and tossed with tempests and not comforted, behold, I lay thy stones with stibium, and thy foundations in sapphires, and I will make thy suns a carbuncle, and thy gates into stones of ruby, and all thy border into stones of desire, and all thy sons shall be taught of Jehovah (Isaiah 54:11-13).

This is said of "the barren who did not bear," who should have many sons, by whom the Gentiles that had no Divine truths because they did not have the Word are signified; therefore they are called "afflicted and tossed with tempests and not comforted," "to be afflicted and tossed with tempests" is predicated of falsities by which they are infested and carried hither and thither. That when the Lord comes He will reveal to them Divine truths and instruct them, is signified by "I will lay thy stones with stibium, and thy foundations in sapphires, and I will make thy suns into a carbuncle, and thy gates into stones of rubies, and thy borders into stones of desire." It is evident that the "precious stones" here mentioned mean Divine truths in the ultimate of order, like the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, in which are internal truths, which are such truths as are in the spiritual sense of the Word; for the "foundations, gates, and borders," which were to be laid with these precious stones, signify ultimates; consequently here "stones" in general, and "sapphires," "carbuncles," and "stones of ruby," signify such truths as are in the sense of the letter of the Word, which are ultimate truths because they are for the natural and sensual man. Because the instruction of the Gentiles in Divine truths is meant by these words it is added, "and all thy sons shall be taught of Jehovah." But what "sapphire," "carbuncle," and "ruby" signify in particular need not be told here, only that "precious stones" signify in general ultimate truths.

[6] Because "the city of the New Jerusalem" signifies the doctrine of the New Church, and "the foundations of its wall" signify ultimate Divine truths, and "gates" introductory Divine truths, therefore the foundations are described by twelve precious stones, and the gates by pearls, in Revelation:

The foundations of the wall of the city the New Jerusalem were adorned with every precious stone; the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh hyacinth, the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate was [one] pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass (Revelation 21:19-21).

These "twelve precious stones" constituting the foundations, and "the twelve pearls" constituting the gates signify ultimate Divine truths, which are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, upon which the doctrine of that church is founded, and by which man is introduced as by gates. The foundations are said to be "of precious stones," and the gates "of pearls," because the sense of the letter of the Word contains in it the spiritual sense, thus the light of heaven, which makes the sense of the letter of the Word to be pellucid, as those stones are from light and from fire. But of this more hereafter, when the particulars are explained.

[7] The precious stones of which the breastplate of judgment called Urim and Thummim was made, which was upon the ephod of Aaron, and also those that were set upon the shoulders of the ephod have a similar signification, in Moses:

They shall make the ephod of gold, hyacinthine, purple, scarlet double-dyed, and fine twined linen, the work of the designer. Thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the sons of Israel, the work of an artificer in stone; with the engravings of a seal shalt thou engrave upon the two stones the names of the sons of Israel; thou shalt make them to be encompassed with settings of gold; and thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod. And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with the work of a designer, as the work of the ephod shalt thou make it; and thou shalt fill it with a filling of stones, there shall be four rows of stones. The first row a ruby, a topaz, a carbuncle; the second row a chrysoprase, a sapphire, and a diamond; the third row a cyanus, an agate, and an amethyst; and the fourth row a tharshish, an onyx, and a jasper. The stones shall be upon the names of the sons of Israel, twelve upon their names, the engravings of a seal for every one upon his name, they shall be for the twelve tribes. This was the breastplate of judgment, the Urim and Thummim (Exodus 28:6-30).

What these things involve no one can know unless he knows what Aaron represented, and thus what his garments signified, and the ephod in particular (for it was because his garments were significative that they were called "the garments of holiness"); also what the "breastplate" upon the ephod, which was called "the breastplate of judgment, the Urim and Thummim," signified; also what "the twelve tribes of Israel," and "the twelve stones upon their names" signified. As to Aaron himself, he represented the Lord in relation to the priesthood, which is the Lord's celestial kingdom; while "his garments" in general represented the spiritual kingdom, for this in the heavens invests the celestial kingdom. For there are two kingdoms into which the heavens are divided, the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom. That is called the celestial kingdom where the Divine good proceeding from the Lord is received, and that is called the spiritual kingdom where Divine truth is received; therefore Divine truth is signified by "the garments of Aaron" in general, and Divine truth in ultimates by the "ephod," since this was the outmost vestment. That "garments" in general signify truths, and "the Lord's garments," which appeared bright white as the light when He was transfigured before the three disciples, signified the Divine truth proceeding from Him, and likewise "the Lord's garment divided by the soldiers," may be seen above (n. 64, 65, 195, 271, 395, 475, 476, 637). This shows that "the twelve stones in the breastplate of the ephod" signified Divine truths in ultimates, like as "the twelve sons of Israel" and "the twelve tribes;" that both of these signify in the Word the truths of the church in the whole complex may be seen above (n. 431, 657).

[8] This breastplate was composed of precious stones, under which were the names of the twelve sons of Israel, that by means of it they might receive answers from heaven, which were exhibited in the breastplate and from it by variegations of the colors shining forth from those stones, which were in accord with the representations of Divine truths in the heavens, where the Divine truths that flow down from the Lord through the heavens towards the lower parts are exhibited by variegations of colors; which shows that these "precious stones" signified Divine truths in ultimates. (But this may be seen more fully explained in the Arcana Coelestia 9856-9909; also respecting the two onyx stones that were upon the shoulders of the ephod, n. 9831-9855. That the "ephod" signified the external of the spiritual kingdom, which is Divine truth in ultimates, n. Arcana Coelestia 9824. But what is signified in particular by the "ruby," the "topaz," and the "carbuncle," see n. 9865; what by the "chrysoprase," the "sapphire," and the "diamond," n. 9868; what by the "cyanus," the "agate," and the "amethyst," n. 9870; and what by the "tharshish," the "onyx," and the "jasper," n. 9872)

[9] The "precious stones" by which the knowledge [scientia] of the cognitions of truth and good, and thus the intelligence of the king of Tyre are described, have a similar signification in Ezekiel:

King of Tyre, thou art full of wisdom and perfect in beauty; thou hast been in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the ruby, the topaz, and the diamond, the tharshish, the sardonyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the chrysoprase, and the emerald, and gold. Thou wast the cherub, the spreading out of him that covereth, and I have set thee, thou hast been in the mountain of the holiness of God, thou hast walked in the midst of the stones of fire (Ezekiel 28:12-14).

Because "the king of Tyre" signifies the knowledges of the truth of the church from the Word, and indeed from its literal sense, therefore it is said that "he has been in Eden the garden of God," "Eden the garden of God" signifying intelligence from the Lord through the Word, for "Eden" as the "east," means the Lord, and "the garden of God" is intelligence from Him; and because true intelligence is acquired, that is, given, solely through the knowledges of truth and good from the Word understood according to its genuine sense, therefore it is said "every precious stone was thy covering," "every precious stone" signifying the knowledges of truth and good, and "covering" signifying the external of the Word that covers its internal; the external of the Word is the sense of its letter covering the internal, which is its spiritual sense. Because man has wisdom and intelligence from this, it is said "King of Tyre, thou art full of wisdom and perfect in beauty;" "beauty" signifying intelligence, because all beauty in the heavens is according to intelligence. The sense of the letter of the Word is also meant by "the cherub, the spreading out of him that covereth," for "cherubim" signify a guard that the Lord be not approached except through the good of love, and the sense of the letter of the Word is what guards, because it covers its interiors. "The mountain of holiness" signifies the church in respect to the doctrine of love and charity; and "the stones of fire," in the midst of which he walked, signify truths from the good of love, according to which is the life. That "precious stones" here signify truths pellucid from the light of heaven, which is Divine truth, can be clearly seen from this, that "Tyre" signifies in the Word the knowledges of truth and good, which knowledges are ultimate truths, such as belong to the sense of the letter of the Word. (That "Tyre" signifies the knowledges of truth and good, may be seen above, n. 514 .)

[10] In the same:

Syria was thy trader by reason of the multitude of thy works, they gave chrysoprase for thy wares, purple, and broidered work, and fine linen, and coral, and ruby. The traders of Sheba and Raamah, these were thy traders by the chief of all spices, and by every precious stone and gold (Ezekiel 27:16, 22).

This, too, is said of Tyre, which signifies the knowledges of truth and good in the church from the Word (as above). Because "Syria and Sheba and Raamah" likewise signify the knowledges of truth and good, and "tradings" the acquisition of these, those regions are said to have given "precious stones in their tradings." The knowledges of truth and good are truths in ultimates such as the truths of the sense of the letter and the literal sense of the Word.

[11] In Job:

The stones thereof are the place of sapphire, and it hath dust of gold. Where shall wisdom be found, and where is the place of understanding? Gold is not given for it, neither is silver weighed for the price of it; it cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, the precious onyx and the sapphire; gold and the diamond cannot vie with it; coral and crystal shall not be mentioned with it, and the choice of wisdom is above pearls; the topaz of Ethiopia shall not vie with it. Behold, the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to depart from evil is intelligence (Job 28:6, 12, 13, 15, 16-19, 28).

Because all wisdom and understanding comes through ultimate Divine truths spiritually understood, and because these truths are signified by the precious stones here named, as "the onyx, the sapphire, the diamond, the topaz, and pearls," and because these stones being of earthly materials, although they are accounted precious in the world, are as nothing in respect to intelligence and wisdom, it is said that they are not to be valued as equal with intelligence and wisdom, nor are gold and silver. Comparisons are made with these because they are significative; otherwise they are comparatively of no account.

[12] In David:

Thou, Jehovah, shalt arise and have compassion upon Zion, for Thy servants desire the stones thereof (Psalms 102:13, 14).

"The stones of Zion" which the servants of Jehovah desire mean Divine truths, for "Zion" upon which Jehovah will have mercy, means the church that is in celestial love.

[13] In Zechariah:

Behold the stone that I have set before Joshua, the high priest, upon one stone are seven eyes; behold, I engrave the engraving of it. In that day ye shall call every man to his companion, under the vine and under the fig tree (Zechariah 3:9, 10).

This is said of the Lord's coming; and "the stone set before Joshua the priest" signifies Divine truth, which is the Word; "seven eyes in one stone" signify Divine wisdom and intelligence, which are of Divine truth, thus of the Word; seven is predicated of the holy things of the Word and of the church, and "eyes" signify intelligence and wisdom; "to engrave an engraving" signifies a representative and significative of it; "the vine and fig tree" under which they shall come signify the church and doctrine from internal and external truths; internal truths are those that are called spiritual, and external truths are those that are called natural, and the former are signified by the "vine," and the latter by the "fig tree."

[14] In Moses:

They saw the God of Israel, and under His feet as it were a work of sapphire stone, as the substance of heaven for cleanness (Exodus 24:10).

"The God of Israel" means the Lord; "a work of sapphire stone under His feet" means Divine truth in ultimates, such as the Word is in the letter, for "the sole of the foot" signifies the ultimate, which is all that the Jewish nation could see, for they were in the externals of the Word, of the church, and of worship, and not in internals; the "sapphire" signifies transparent from internal truths; "as the substance of heaven for cleanness" signifies the transparency of the angelic heaven. (But these things are explained in Arcana Coelestia 9406-9408.) Because a "precious stone" signifies Divine truth in ultimates transparent from interior truths, the luminary of the city New Jerusalem is described in Revelation as:

Like unto a precious stone, as it were a jasper stone, bright like crystal (Revelation 21:11)

Again, since "the white horse" there signifies the understanding of the Word, and "He that sat upon the horse" the Lord in relation to the Word:

There were seen upon the head of Him who sat upon the white horse many diadems, and His name is called the Word of God (Revelation 19:12, 13).

[15] Thus much respecting precious stones with those who are in Divine truths; something will now be said about precious stones with those who are in infernal falsities. To them precious stones are also given while they live in the world, since they, equally, possess the knowledges of truth and good from the natural sense of the Word, which is the sense of the letter; therefore precious stones or diadems are equally ascribed to them, as here to "the dragon," upon whose heads were seen "seven diadems," for the reason that with the evil the same as with the good the Word is still the Word and its truths are truths in themselves; and when the evil pervert and falsify the truths of the Word it yet does not change their essence. For this reason, in what follows in Revelation like things were seen upon the woman sitting on the scarlet colored beast, by whom Babylon is described, of whom it is said:

A woman sat upon the scarlet colored beast full of the names of blasphemy, and it had seven heads and ten horns; she was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, and upon her forehead a name written, Babylon the great (Revelation 17:3-5).

But more about this in what follows. So again elsewhere in Revelation:

The merchants of the earth shall weep and lament over Babylon the great, for no one buyeth her merchandise anymore, the merchandise of gold and silver and precious stone and pearl, and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet. And the merchants shall say, Woe, woe, the great city! she that was arrayed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, decked with gold, precious stone, and pearls (Revelation 18:11-12, 18:15, 18:16).

[16] Because "precious stones, also purple and fine linen" signify the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, therefore it is said of the rich man:

At whose gate Lazarus was laid, that he was clothed in purple and fine linen (Luke 16:19, 20).

"The rich man" means the Jewish nation; and because it had the Word in which are Divine truths, it is said "to be clothed in purple and fine linen," and "Lazarus the pauper" means the Gentiles that did not have the Word, and thus had no truths; this evidently is why the rich man, although he was evil and was afterwards cast into hell, had "garments of purple and fine linen. "

[17] Like things are also said about the king of the north, who made war against the king of the south, in Daniel:

The king of the north, as a god he shall honor the fortresses upon his station, a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, silver, and precious stones, and desirable things; he shall make strongholds of fortresses with a strange god; whoso shall acknowledge him shall have great honor (Daniel 11:38, 39).

This chapter treats of the war of the king of the north with the king of the south; and "the king of the north" means those who are in knowledge [scientia] from the Word, but not in life, thus who are in so-called faith alone, but yet not in charity, since they reject charity as not contributing to salvation. But "the king of the south" means those who are in intelligence from the Word, because they are in charity; such are "the king of the south," or pertain to "the king of the south," because "the south" means light, and "light" signifies intelligence, and those who are in charity, which is the life of faith, have the light of intelligence from the Word. But "the king of the north," or those who belong to "the king of the north" are such as are described above, because the "north" means night, and also a cold light, such as is the light of winter, from which, because there is no heat in it, there is no fructification; for spiritual heat is charity, and all germination is from heat through light. The war between these kings is described because the last time of the church is treated of when everything of salvation is placed in knowledge [scientia] from the Word, and nothing in the life, and with the Jewish nation, in the traditions by which they falsified the Word; the truths of the Word become traditions when there is no life of charity, and the truths of the Word likewise become falsities when faith is separated from charity. From this it can be seen that "the king of the north" also means those who are in faith alone, that is, in faith without charity.

[18] The same are meant in Daniel by "the he-goat" that fought with the ram; the same also are meant by "the dragon" in this chapter, with the difference, that "the dragon" means properly the learned who have confirmed themselves by doctrine and life in faith separated from charity, for these have poison like dragons that destroys charity. For this reason the angel Michael is also mentioned in Daniel 12:1. That those who place everything of the church in the knowledge [scientia] of cognitions from the Word, and nothing in life, pervert and falsify the truths of the Word is meant by "the king of the north shall honor a strange god whom their fathers knew not," and "shall honor him with gold, silver, precious stone, and pearls;" ¹ "his god" meaning the truths of the Word falsified, since "God" when mentioned in the Word means the Lord in relation to Divine truth, thus the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and when "Jehovah" is mentioned, the Lord in relation to Divine good, thus the Divine good proceeding from the Lord is meant; therefore "a strange god whom his fathers knew not" means the truths of the Word falsified, which in themselves are falsities, and are not acknowledged by those who were previously of the church. Those truths and goods of the Word themselves, though falsified, are signified by "precious stones and desirable things," as also by "silver and gold," for the truths of the Word do not change their essence when they are with the evil. "Fortresses upon the station," and "strongholds of fortresses" signify the things of self-intelligence confirmed by the sense of the letter of the Word, which is such that when it is not interiorly understood it may be so drawn as to confirm any heresies whatever. From this the signification of "the seven diadems upon the heads of the dragon" can now be seen.

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