207. (Verse 8) I know thy works. That this signifies the life of charity, is evident from the signification of works, as being those things which belong to man's love, and thus to his life (concerning which see above, n. 98, 116, 185). Here, therefore, they denote the things of charity, because these are treated of in what is written to this church.

116. (Verse 9) I know thy works. That this signifies love, is evident from the signification of works, as denoting the things of the will or love, because works proceed therefrom, and that from which anything proceeds constitutes the all in that which proceeds, just as the cause is in the effect; for when the cause is removed, the effect also ceases. The same is the case with man's will, and the works that result; the will is the cause, and the works are the effect, and it is well known, that if the will ceases, the work ceases; it is therefore evident, that works are the will in the cause. Man's will is spiritual, but the works therefrom are natural; and therefore by works, in a spiritual sense, the will is understood. The reason why by works is also meant the love, is, that what a man loves, that he also wills, and what he wills in heart, that he loves; and if the subject be more minutely examined, it will be seen that all things of the interior will of man pertain to his love. But the reason why, in common discourse, it is called the love of man, and not his will, is, because loves are manifold, and one man possesses many, and all are together in the will; this is perceived only as one by man, because he distinguishes between the will and the understanding: the will therefore is the Spiritual itself of man, because love is spiritual. The reason why works, and not the will, or love, are mentioned in the Word, as in this place, and in what follows to the angels of the churches, "I know thy works," and not, I know thy will, or love, is, because all the things in the literal sense of the Word are natural, and contain within them things spiritual. In order therefore that the spiritual sense of the Word may be manifest, the Spiritual which is in the natural, or from which the natural proceeds, must be explored.