422. And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun. That this signifies the Divine Love going forth from the Lord, is clear from the signification of an angel, as denoting somewhat Divine proceeding from the Lord. For by an angel in the Word in a proximate sense, is meant a whole angelic society, and in a general sense, every one who receives the Divine Truth in doctrine and life; but in the highest sense, by an angel is signified something Divine which proceeds from the Lord, and specifically the Divine Truth. Concerning these significations of an angel see above (n. 90, 130, 200, 302, 307). Here, therefore, by the "angel ascending from the rising of the sun" is signified the Divine going forth from the Love of the Lord. The rising of the sun, or the east, signifies the Divine Love of the Lord, and to ascend thence, signifies to go forth, and to proceed; therefore, by the "angel ascending from the rising of the sun"; is signified the Divine Love going forth from the Lord. Those things which follow also are of the Divine Love, lest the good should suffer hurt. The rising of the sun signifies the Divine Love of the Lord, because the Lord in the angelic heaven is the Sun, and the Lord appears as the Sun from His Divine Love. Where the Lord appears as the Sun, there is the east in heaven, and because He is always there, He is also constantly rising.

[2] In the spiritual world there are four quarters, the eastern, western, southern, and northern. They all derive their position from the Sun, which is the Lord; and where the Sun is, there is the east, opposite this is the west, to the right the south, and to the left the north. In the eastern quarter dwell those angels who are in love to the Lord, because they are under the immediate auspices of the Lord, for the Lord flows into them intimately and directly from Divine Love, and therefore the rising of the sun, and the east, in the Word, signify the Divine Love of the Lord. That the Lord in the angelic heaven appears as a Sun, and that it is the Divine Love of the Lord which so appears, may be seen in Heaven and Hell 116-125); that the sun in the Word therefore signifies the Divine Love, may be seen above (n. 401). That all the quarters in the spiritual world derive their position from the east, where the Lord is as a Sun, see Heaven and Hell 141); and that therefore those dwell in the eastern quarter who are in the good of love to the Lord (n. 148, 149).

[3] The eastern, western, southern, and northern quarters are frequently mentioned in the Word, and those who are unacquainted with the spiritual sense of the Word believe that they mean the quarters in our solar world, and therefore they do not suppose that they involve arcana of heaven and of the church. But the quarters named in the Word mean the quarters in the spiritual world, which differ altogether from the quarters in our world; for all the angels and spirits dwell there in quarters determined according to the quality of their good and truth; those who are in the good of love to the Lord dwell in the east and the west, and those who are in truths from that good dwell in the south and north.

The reason of their dwelling in this manner is that the Lord there is the Sun, and from Him as the Sun all heat and light, or all good and truth proceed. The heat there, which is spiritual heat, or the good of love, flows directly from the east into the west, and decreases according to reception by the angels, and therefore according to distances, for in the spiritual world all distance from the Lord is according to the reception of good and truth from Him. And this is the reason why those dwell in the east who are in the good of love in an interior and consequently clear degree, and in the west those who are in an exterior and therefore obscure degree of that good. But light, which is spiritual light, or Divine Truth, also flows directly from the east into the west, and likewise flows in on both sides, but with this difference, that the Divine Truth which flows in from east to west is, in its essence, the good of love, while that which flows in laterally is, in its essence, the truth from that good. Those therefore who dwell respectively in the south and in the north, the quarters situated laterally, are in the light of truth, those in the south being in a clear, and those in the north in an obscure light of truth. The light of truth is intelligence and wisdom. But concerning these quarters more may be seen in Heaven and Hell 141-153). These quarters then are meant in the Word, where mention is made of quarters, therefore they also signify such Divine things as exist in those quarters; for the east signifies the good of love in clearness; the west, the good of love in obscurity; the south, truth from that good in clearness; and the north, truth from that good in obscurity.

[4] Moreover, there are quarters in the spiritual world differing from the quarters just named, and distant from them about thirty degrees, and these are under the auspices of the Lord as a moon; for the Lord appears as a Sun to those who are in love to Him, but as a moon to those who are in charity towards their neighbour, and in faith therefrom. Concerning this appearance, see also Heaven and Hell 118, 119, 122). In the eastern and western quarters there, dwell those who are in the good of charity towards their neighbour; and in the southern and the northern those who are in truths from that good, called the truths of faith. These quarters also are sometimes meant in the Word, where those truths and goods are the subject treated of.

[5] It is evident from these facts that he who knows nothing of the quarters of heaven of which we have spoken, cannot possibly know anything of the spiritual things of the Word where those quarters are mentioned, as in the following passage.

Thus, in Isaiah:

"I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back; bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the end of the earth" (43:5, 6).

Jacob and Israel is here the subject, and unless it be known that the spiritual things explained above are meant by those quarters, it may be supposed that nothing more is implied, than that the sons of Israel and Jacob are to be gathered from all sides. But by Jacob and Israel is meant the church which is from those who are in the good of love and in truths from that good; and by their seed are meant all who are of that church. The bringing and gathering together of those who are in the good of love, is meant by, "I will bring thy seed from the east, and will gather thee from the west"; and the same, with respect to those who are in truths from that good, is meant by, "I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back." That all who are in those truths and goods, even to those who are in the ultimates, shall be brought together, is signified by "bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the end of the earth." Sons denote those who are in truths, and daughters denote those who are in goods; the words, "from far, and from the end of the earth," signify those who are in the ultimate truths and goods of the church. Similar things are also signified by those quarters in the following passages. Thus, in David:

Jehovah will gather the redeemed from the earth, "from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the sea" (107:3).

And in Moses:

Jehovah said to Jacob in a dream, "thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south" (Genesis 28:14).

In Luke:

"They shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall recline (accumbentes), ¹ in the kingdom of God" (13:29).

[6] In very many passages it is said from east to west only, and not at the same time from the south and from the north; in such passages all who are in the good of love to the Lord, and in the good of charity towards the neighbour are meant. These quarters also imply the two others, because all who are in good are also in truths, for good and truth everywhere act as one; these therefore are meant where it is said "from east to west."

Again, in Matthew:

"Many shall come from the east and the west, and shall recline with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of the heavens" (8:11).

In the passage quoted above from Luke, it is said of those who shall recline in the kingdom of the heavens, "that they shall come from the east and from the west, and from the north and from the south;" but in the passage in Matthew it is simply said the east and the west; the reason of which is that these quarters imply the two others as just stated. Similarly in the following passages.

Thus in Malachi:

"From the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, my name shall be great among the gentiles" (1:11).

And in David:

"From the rising of the sun even to his setting, the name of Jehovah is to be praised" (Psalm 113:3).

And in Isaiah:

"They shall fear the name of Jehovah from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun" (59:19).

Again, in the same prophet:

"That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me" (45:6).

Again, in David:

"God, God Jehovah speaks, and will call the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof" (Psalm 50:1).

And in Zechariah:

"Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country" (8:7).

In these passages "from the rising and setting" signifies all who are in the goods and truths of heaven and the church. Similar things are signified by the quarters according to which the temple was measured (Ezekiel 42); also according to which the land was measured for an inheritance (47); and was distributed among the tribes of Israel (48); then according to which the Israelites measured the camp (Numbers 2), according to which they journeyed (10); and according to which the gates of the new city were placed (Ezekiel 40; Rev. 21:12), besides similar things elsewhere.

[7] The reason why the temple was measured according to the quarters as in Ezekiel, and the land distributed among the tribes according to the quarters, as mentioned both in Ezekiel and in Joshua, and also the reason why the sons of Israel encamped, and also journeyed, according to the same order, is, that everything in the spiritual world is arranged according to the quarters, not only generally but also particularly. In general, all angels and spirits dwell in the quarters corresponding to their states of good and truth, as said above. The case is the same individually, for in all their assemblies, those who are present take their places in the quarters that correspond to the states of their life; there they sit in the temples, and dwell in their houses in a similar manner. There in a word, all things generally and particularly are arranged according to the quarters of heaven; for the form of heaven is the same in every detail as it is in general. From these considerations it is clear what is signified in the Word by arrangements according to the quarters, also by the quarters according to which the tabernacle was built, and according to which the temple was built by Solomon; besides other similar things.

[8] So far concerning the quarters generally. That the east signifies the Lord as to Divine Love, and therefore the good of love to the Lord with those who are recipients of it, is plain from the following passages.

Thus in Ezekiel:

"He brought me to the gate of the temple that looketh toward the east; and, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east; and his voice was like the voice of many waters; and the earth shone with his glory. The glory of Jehovah came into the house by the way of the gate, whose prospect is toward the east. Then the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of Jehovah filled the house" (Ezekiel 43:1-5).

Here the subject is the building of the new temple which signifies the New Church to be established by the Lord; and because introduction into it is effected by the good of love to the Lord, and by truth from that good, therefore the gate that looketh toward the east, and the God of Israel coming from the way of the east were seen. By the gate is signified introduction and approach; by the God of Israel is meant the Lord; by the east, the good of love from Him and manifested towards Him; and by glory, truth from that good. For the Lord enters into heaven, and thence into the church, from His Divine Love, which, as said above, appears in the heavens as the Sun; thence are all the Divine Good and the Divine Truth there. The glory of Jehovah seen to enter the house by the way of the gate whose prospect was towards the east, and also the glory of Jehovah filling the house, have a similar signification; for the house or temple signifies heaven and the church. By glory in the Word is signified the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord; by "the glory of the God of Israel," the Divine Truth enlightening those who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom; and by "the glory of Jehovah," the Divine Truth enlightening those who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom. The Divine Truth is called glory because it is the light of heaven, and that light is the cause of all splendour, magnificence, and glory in the heavens; for everything that appears before the eyes in the heavens is from that light. So also it is said that "the earth shone with his glory," and by the earth is meant the church. The influx of Divine Truth towards lower things on every side is signified by "his voice was like the voice of many waters," voice signifying influx, and waters, truths.

[9] Again:

"Then he brought me back by the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary that looketh toward the east; and it was shut; but Jehovah the God of Israel will enter in by it" (Ezekiel 44:1, 2).

And in the same:

"The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six days of labour; but on the day of the sabbath it shall be opened" (46:1).

By the "gate that looketh toward the east" is also signified introduction into heaven and the church by the Lord by means of the good of love proceeding from Him, which is therefore meant by the east; and that this is from the Lord, is signified by Jehovah the God of Israel entering by that gate. That introduction is the result of the worship of Him from that good, is signified by the words "on the day of the sabbath it shall be opened;" and that introduction does not take place when worship is not from that good, is signified by the gate being shut during the six days of labour.

[10] Again, in the same prophet:

"And the cherubim lifted up their wings, and they stood at the door of the gate [of the house] of Jehovah toward the east; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above" (10:19).

The cherubim signify the Lord as to Divine Providence, and as to defence, to prevent His being approached except by means of the good of love; see above (n. 152, 277); and because the Lord is signified by cherubim, and from the Lord as the Sun, where the east is, proceed all the good of love, and all truth from that good, therefore the cherubim were seen to stand at the door of the gate of the house of Jehovah towards the east, and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above. By the house of Jehovah, by the east, and by the glory of the God of Israel, similar things are signified here as above.

[11] So in Isaiah:

"Who raised up one from the east, called him in justice to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings?" (41:2).

This is said of the Lord, who is said to be raised up from the east, because conceived from the Divine Itself, which in its essence is Divine Love, and from which also the Lord is the Sun of the angelic heaven. To call in justice, here signifies to restore heaven and the church; for the justice of the Lord in the Word signifies, that from His own power He saved the human race, which was accomplished by reducing all things in the heavens and the hells into order (see n. 293). The signification of the rest of this passage is explained above (n. 357:5).

[12] Thus also in the second book of Samuel,

"The spirit of Jehovah spake in me. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me. As the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, a morning without clouds; from the clear shining after rain cometh grass out of the earth" (23:2-4).

"The God of Israel," and "the Rock of Israel," are the Lord, and because He is the Sun of the angelic heaven, and from Him as the Sun proceeds and flows all the Divine Truth, which enlightens angels and men, imparts intelligence, and reforms, it is said as "the light of the morning when the sun riseth, a morning without clouds; through the clear shining after rain cometh grass out of the earth." The light of the morning when the sun riseth, signifies the Divine Truth from the Lord as the Sun; a morning without clouds, denotes its purity, rain its influx, and the grass out of the earth, intelligence, and reformation therefrom; for these are signified by grass because it springs out of the earth by the power of the sun after rain, but intelligence comes from the Lord as the Sun by the influx of Divine Truth.

[13] Again in Isaiah:

"Jehovah shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the nations shall walk according to thy light, and kings according to the brightness of thy rising" (60:2, 3).

This is said of the Lord. The Divine in Him is meant by "Jehovah shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee." The Divine Good of Divine Love is meant by Jehovah shall arise upon thee, and the Divine Truth from that Good is meant by His glory shall be seen upon thee. The nations signify those who are in good, and kings those who are in truths from good. It is said of the former that "they shall walk according to thy light," which signifies a life according to the Divine Truth; and of the latter, they shall walk "according to the brightness of thy rising," which signifies the life of intelligence from Divine Good; to walk denoting to live; light, the Divine Truth; and the brightness of His rising, the Divine Truth from the Divine Good from which comes intelligence.

[14] Again in Ezekiel:

"The cherubim did lift up their wings; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above. And the glory of Jehovah ascended over the midst of the city, and stood over the mountain which is on the east of the city" (11:22, 23).

The cherubim signify the Lord as to Divine Providence and defence, and the glory of the God of Israel signifies the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord as was said above. And because the Divine Truth, which is light, proceeds from the Lord as the Sun in the angelic heaven, therefore the glory of Jehovah was seen to ascend over the midst of the city, and to stand over the mountain which is on the east side of the city. By the city is meant Jerusalem, which signifies the church as to doctrine; and because the doctrine of the church is from the Divine Truth, therefore the glory of Jehovah was seen to ascend over the midst of the city; and since all Divine Truth proceeds from the Lord as the Sun, where the east is, therefore the glory was seen to stand over the mountain on the east of the city. The mountain on the east of the city was the mount of Olives. That the mount of Olives signifies the Divine Love of the Lord, and that therefore the Lord used sometimes to be there, may be seen above (n. 405:24); and that the mount of Olives was situated before Jerusalem on the east, may be seen in Zech. 14:4.

[15] Again in Ezekiel:

"He brought me back unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward, for the forefront of the house was toward the east; and the waters came down from under, from the right side of the house, from the south side of the altar. He brought me out by the way of the gate towards the north, and led me round by the way without unto the outer gate, by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters from the right side. Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the eastern boundary, and go down into the plain, and come towards the sea; which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. Whence it comes to pass, that every living soul, which creepeth, whithersoever the rivers come, lives; and there shall be a very great multitude of fish. And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, cometh up every tree for food, whose leaf falleth not, neither is the fruit thereof consumed" (47:1, 2, 8, 9, 12).

The New Church to be established in the heavens and on the earth by the Lord is here described, when all the Divine will proceed from His Divine Human; for before the coming of the Lord the Divine proceeded from His Divine, which He calls the Father, but this did not extend to ultimates after the church was vastated. By house is here signified the church; by its gate, approach and introduction; by the east, the Lord, where His Divine love appears as the Sun; and by the waters going forth thence is signified the Divine Truth proceeding therefrom. By the plain and the sea are signified the ultimates of the church, or where those are who are in ultimate truths and goods because they are natural and sensual, and who are spiritual only in a slight degree; to these the Divine did not previously extend. Life from the Divine to these also after the coming of the Lord, is signified by the waters of the sea being healed by the inflowing of the river from the east; the very great multitude of fish, signifies abundance of cognitions and scientifics which also become spiritually living with them. The fructification of good and multiplication of truth are signified by every tree for food coming up upon the bank of the river, whose leaf falleth not, neither is the fruit thereof consumed. From this it is evident what the particulars in a series there signify, and that the east, where they all originate, signifies the Lord and His Divine Love.

[16] The same is signified in Zechariah,

"And it shall come to pass in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; part of them toward the eastern sea" (14:8).

Here also the subject is the Lord. "In that day," signifies His coming, and the eastern sea signifies the ultimate boundary towards the east in the spiritual world, where there was no reception of Divine Truth before the coming of the Lord, but when it proceeded from His Divine Human then there was reception. That the ultimate [boundaries] in the spiritual world are like seas, may be seen above (n. 342); and that there are dry and waste places there, may be seen in Joel 2:20.

[17] Since the Lord in heaven where the angels are appears as the Sun, and [where He appears] there is the east, therefore when Aaron offered the sin offering for himself and his house, he sprinkled the blood of the bullock on the mercy-seat towards the east (Leviticus 16:14, 15); and therefore Moses, Aaron and his sons measured out the camp before the tabernacle of the congregation towards the east (Numbers 3:38); and also the tribe of Judah (Numbers 2:3). Moses, Aaron, and his sons, and the tribe of Judah, represented the Lord as to the Divine Good and the Divine Truth proceeding from the Divine Love; their camp was therefore towards the east. So also the ancients in their worship turned their faces to the rising of the sun, and therefore they built their temples in such a way that the front, where the most sacred place was, should look towards the east; this is also the case at the present day, the practice being derived from ancient custom. The whole angelic heaven also is turned to the Lord as the Sun, thus collectively to the east. All the interiors of the angels in the heavens are also turned in the same direction; consequently the angels of heaven turn their faces to the Lord. Many important facts upon this subject are related in Heaven and Hell 17, 123, 142, 143, 144, 272).

[18] Because the Lord is the east, therefore it is said in Matthew,

"For as the lightning cometh forth out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be" (24:27).

Since, when man is the subject, the rising of the sun signifies the good of love proceeding from the Lord as the Sun, and received by him, it is therefore said in the book of Judges,

"So let all thine enemies perish, O Jehovah; but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might" (5:31).

These words occur in the prophetic song of Deborah and Barak; and of those who love Jehovah, that is those who are in the good of love to the Lord, it is said, "as the sun when he goeth forth in his might."

[19] In Moses:

Joseph shall possess "the firstfruits of the mountains of the east, and the precious things of the hills of an age" (Deuteronomy 33:15).

Joseph, in the representative sense, signifies the Lord's spiritual kingdom, it is therefore said of him that he shall possess the firstfruits of the mountains of the east, and the precious things of the hills of an age. The firstfruits of the mountains of the east signify the genuine goods of love to the Lord, and thence of charity towards the neighbour, the mountains of the east denote goods of love to the Lord, and firstfruits those things that are genuine and primary; and the hills of an age signify the goods of charity towards the neighbour, these when genuine being called precious. The rest of the blessing of Joseph is explained above (n. 405:31).

[20] The church existed, in ancient times, in several kingdoms of Asia, as in the land of Canaan, in Syria and Assyria, in Arabia, Ethiopia, Egypt, Chaldea, in Tyre and Sidon, and in other parts; but with those peoples it was a representative church, for in every detail of their worship, and in each of their statutes, spiritual and celestial things, which are the interior things of the church, were represented, and in the highest sense the Lord Himself. These representatives of their worship and statutes remained with many even up to the time of the Lord's coming, and from these they possessed a knowledge of His coming. This is evident from the predictions of Balaam, who was from Syria, and who prophesied concerning the Lord, in these words:

"I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not nigh; there shall come forth a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel" (Numbers 24:17).

Then again it is evident from the fact that certain wise men from the east, when the Lord was born, saw a star in the east, and followed it; of this circumstance Matthew thus speaks:

"In the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. And, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was" (Matthew 2:1, 2, 9).

The star was seen in the east by the wise men, because the Lord is the East; and because they knew of the coming of the Lord from those representatives which remained with them, therefore they saw the star and it went before them, first to Jerusalem, which represented the church itself, as to doctrine and the Word, and then to the place where the infant Lord was. A star also signifies the cognitions of good and truth, and in the highest sense, knowledge concerning the Lord. That stars in the Word signify cognitions of good and truth, see above (n. 72, 179, 402). As the Orientals possessed such knowledges, they were on that account called "sons of the east." That those who came from Arabia were thus called, is seen in Jeremiah (49:28). By sons of the east in the Word, knowledges of good and truth are also signified; similarly by Kedar or Arabia. That Job was of the sons of the east is evident from chapter 1:3.

[21] As most things in the Word have also an opposite sense, so also has the "east," which, in this sense, signifies the love of self, because this love is the opposite of love to the Lord. In this sense the east is named in Ezekiel (8:16); and in Isaiah (2:6). That the east signifies the Lord as to Divine Love, and consequently the good of love to Him, is still further evident from what has been stated above concerning the sun (n. 401), and concerning the morning (n. 176); for in the angelic heaven, the east is where the sun is situated; and since where the sun rises is the morning, and the Sun there is always in its rising, and never sets, therefore the morning also has a similar signification.

Poznámky pod čarou:

242. To buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be enriched. That this signifies to procure to themselves genuine good from the Lord that they may receive the truths of faith, is evident from the signification of buying, as denoting to procure and appropriate to themselves (concerning which see Arcana Coelestia 4397, 5374, 5397, 5406, 5410, 5426); and from the signification of gold tried in the fire, as denoting genuine good, thus good from the Lord, which will be explained in what follows; also from the signification of that thou mayest be enriched as denoting to be enabled to receive the truths of faith. The reason why this is signified by being rich is, that riches and wealth signify the knowledges of truth and good, and the rich those who are in intelligence therefrom; in the present case, those who are in faith, because the subject here treated of is those who hold the doctrine of faith alone. Hence it is clear that by to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayest be rich, is signified to procure to themselves genuine good from the Lord that they may receive the truths of faith.

[2] We shall first explain how this is to be understood. That truth which in itself is truth is not possible, except from good, thus that faith which is faith in itself is not possible, except from charity, has been frequently stated above; for truth, which is truth in itself, is not possible, except spiritual life be in it, and spiritual life is in it only when it is formed from the good of charity; for truth is the form of good, and good is the being (esse) of truth; thus also good is the life of truth, and good is from no other source than the Lord. And when good is from the Lord, then truth, which is from good, looks primarily to the Lord, and also to the neighbour and his good; for the Lord flows in with good, and from good forms truth, which is the truth of faith, and causes the spiritual sight of man to look to Him and to the neighbour. (That this is the case, may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 145, 251; namely, that the Lord beholds angels and men in the forehead, and they behold the Lord through the eyes; the reason is, that the forehead corresponds to the good of love, and the eye to the understanding thence enlightened, consequently to the truths of faith. And also in the same work, n. 17, 123, 124, 142-144, 510, it is shown, that in the spiritual world all are turned to their own loves; and those who have acknowledged the Lord and believed in Him, are turned to Him, and hence they receive good from Him, and by good, enlightenment as to truths.) From these considerations it is plain that the genuine good signified by gold tried in the fire is from the Lord alone.

[3] Because in what is written to the angel of this church, the subject treated of is those who live according to the doctrine of faith alone; and because those who have confirmed themselves in that doctrine, and were, in the world, thence called learned, could connect falsities with truths, and induce an appearance that the doctrine was true, it was therefore granted me to converse with some of them in the other life; and because that conversation may serve for illustration, I wish to adduce it. Those learned ones, from the opinion which they held in the world, supposed that faith without charity was possible, and that man is justified by that faith alone. Their discourse was very ingenious; they said that faith was possible without charity, because it is prior to charity, and that by means of it man is in good. "Who," said they, "cannot believe that God is, that the Word is divine, and things of a similar kind, which, unless they were believed, could not be accepted and thought of by man?" They therefore concluded that faith is possible without charity, because it precedes, or is prior to it; and, such being the case, that it is saving, because a man cannot do good of himself; therefore, unless that faith saved, all men would perish. Nor was the presence of God with man possible without faith, and if it were not possible, evil would reign, and no one would possess any good; these things, they said, were meant by justification by faith alone.

But it was shown them that there could be no faith unless it existed with charity; and that what they called faith was only the knowledges first acquired by every man, as that God is, and that the Word is divine, and so on; and that those knowledges are not in man, but in the medium of access to him, which is his memory, until they are in his will; but that, in proportion as they are in his will, in the same proportion they are in the man himself; for the will is the man himself; and in proportion as they are in the will, in the same proportion they are in his sight, which is faith. The knowledges themselves, which precede, and, to the natural sight, appear to be believed, do not previously become knowledges of faith. This is why the seeing of knowledges, which is supposed to be faith, recedes from man successively as he begins to think evil from willing evil, and also recedes from him after death, when he becomes a spirit, if the knowledges have not been implanted in his life, that is, in his will or love.

[4] This may be illustrated by a comparison with those stomachs of birds and terrestrial animals, which are called ruminant stomachs; into these they first collect their food, and afterwards by degrees take it out thence and eat it, and so nourish the blood, whence it becomes incorporated into their life. To those stomachs man's memory corresponds, which he enjoys in the place of them, because he is spiritual. Into this he first collects spiritual foods, which consist of knowledges, and afterwards takes them out, as it were, by ruminating, that is, by thinking and willing, and appropriates them to himself, and thus makes them part of his life. From this comparison, trifling as it may appear, it is obvious that, unless knowledges are implanted in the life, by thinking and willing them, and thence by doing them, they are like foods which remain unmasticated in the ruminant stomachs, where they either become putrid, or are vomited out. Moreover, the circle of man's life is to know, to understand, to will, and to do; for the spiritual life of man commences from knowing, thence it is continued into understanding, afterwards into willing, and lastly into doing. From this it is also evident, that knowledges in the memory are only in the entrance to the life, and that they are not fully in the man until they are in his deeds; also, that they are more fully in his deeds the more fully they are in his understanding and will.

[5] It was further shown that the faith of knowledges before it becomes the faith of life, is merely historical faith, the quality of which is well known to be this, that a thing is believed because another has said it; this, before it becomes the man's, is an alien faith, or the faith of another with him. Another quality of such faith is that it is a belief in things unknown; for it is said that such things are to be believed, although they are not understood, indeed that they are not to be looked into by the understanding, although such is the nature of spiritual faith that truths themselves are seen in it, and so are believed. In heaven, no one believes any truth unless he sees or has seen it; for there they say, "Who can believe that a thing is so unless he sees it? Perhaps it may be false"; and none but the evil can believe what is false, for the evil, from evil, see falsities, whereas the good, from good, see truths; and because good is from the Lord, the seeing of truth from good is also from the Lord. The reason why the angels see truths is because the light of heaven, in which they are, is the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord; hence all in the world also, who have that light, enjoy the sight of truth (concerning the light of heaven, and that such is its nature and quality, see in the work, Heaven and Hell 126-140).

[6] It was afterwards shown that charity and faith act as one, and enter together into man, so that in proportion as man is in charity in the same proportion he is in faith, because faith as to its essence is charity, just as truth as to its essence is good; for good, when it exists in visible manifestation, or in form, is truth; thus charity is faith, for good belongs to charity, and truth to faith. The one also loves the other, and conjoins itself to it, therefore one is not possible unless together with the other. This was illustrated by the thought of man, which belongs to his understanding, and by the affection, which belongs to his will. To think without affection is impossible, for the very essence of thought is affection or love. A man may indeed think all those things that he knows from the doctrine of the church, but from a natural affection, which is the affection or love of glory, fame, honour or gain; but this affection does not cause the thought to be spiritual, this being effected only by charity, which is spiritual affection itself. This affection, when it conjoins itself with knowledges, becomes faith, and afterwards, in proportion as man is in that affection, in the same proportion he sees in thought the things which belong to his faith, which are called truths, and acknowledges them because they are from his spirit itself, thus from his spiritual life itself: this also is what is called enlightenment. This is why no one can be enlightened from the Word unless he has the spiritual affection of truth. There is indeed something like enlightenment given to those who have confirmed themselves in such things as pertain to the doctrine of faith alone, and justification thereby; but it is a fatuous enlightenment, because they can confirm falsities equally with truths, as is the case with all heresies, both with those which prevail amongst the Jews and with those with the Papists. A similar light is also given, after such confirmations, to those who are called naturalists, who deny God, the divinity of the Word, and everything belonging to the church. The case is the same with those who have confirmed themselves in faith alone, and justification thereby. (That the light of confirmation is natural and not spiritual light, which is possible also with the evil, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 8780.)

[7] But let us return to the faith which, as to essence, is charity. That faith is continually perfected by those things that confirm; for from spiritual light more truths are always seen, and these all conjoin themselves with the good of charity, and perfect it; hence a man has intelligence and wisdom, which at length becomes angelic. Moreover, those who are only in the knowledges of faith, and not in a life according to them, believe that a man can easily receive faith, if not in this world, yet in the other, saying to themselves, "When I hear and see that a thing is so, cannot I then believe it?" But they are greatly deceived; for those who have not received spiritual faith in the world, if they should afterwards hear of it, and see it a thousand times, can never receive it. The reason is, that this faith is not in the man, but out of him. That this is the case, is clearly evident from this, that all those who come from the world are first received by angels and good spirits, and are instructed by every means; indeed, many things are shown them even to the life and to the sight, but still they do not receive them; therefore they withdraw themselves from the angels and good spirits, and go to those who are destitute of faith. It was, moreover, told them that, if faith could be received by knowing and thinking only, it would be received by all, by the evil and the good alike, and thus no one would be condemned. (That charity, which is spiritual affection, can never be imparted to any one unless he knows truths, explores himself according to them, receives them, and lives a new life agreeably to them, may be seen above, n.239.)

[8] It therefore follows that the life of faith is charity, and that there is nothing of life in faith, except in proportion as charity is therein; and also that in proportion as charity is in faith, in the same proportion man is led by the Lord; but that in proportion as charity is not in faith, in the same proportion man is led of himself; and he who is led of himself, and not by the Lord, cannot think what is good, still less can he will and do good which is good in itself. For from man's proprium nothing but evil proceeds; for when he thinks what is good, and wills and does good from proprium, it is only for the sake of himself and for the sake of the world, which are the ends for which he acts, and the ends are the loves which lead him; and man cannot be withdrawn or raised up from his proprium, unless he looks to the Lord as to the things of his life; by this he is conjoined with heaven, and spiritual affection is thence imparted to him by the Lord.

When these observations had been made, it was given to those with whom I discoursed on this subject to be in spiritual light, this light being such that truths can be seen in it as clearly as objects in the world are seen in its light; and then those who were in the doctrine of faith alone and justification thereby, could not but declare that the case was so. But as soon as that light was taken away from them and they were brought back into their own natural light, they could see only that the sight of knowledges is saving faith, and hence that the falsities which they had made of their faith were truths. Falsities become matters of the faith when evils are of the life.

[9] But to return to the explanation of the words of this passage, which are, “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be enriched." By these words is signified that they should procure to themselves from the Lord genuine good, in order that they may receive truths; it now remains to be shown that gold in the Word signifies the good of love. This is evident from the following passages. In Malachi:

"Behold, I send my angel, who shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple, and the angel of the covenant whom ye desire; he shall sit refining and purifying silver, and shall purify the sons of Levi; he shall refine them as gold and silver, that they may bring to Jehovah a meat-offering in justice" (3:1-3).

These things are spoken of the Lord's advent. It is here said that Jehovah would send His angel who should prepare the way before Him; and by the angel is meant John the Baptist, as is well known. By before me, or before Jehovah is meant the Lord's Divine Itself; by the temple to which He should come is meant His Divine Human. This is also called the angel of the covenant, because the conjunction of men and angels with the Divine Itself is by means of it; for covenant denotes conjunction. By the silver which he shall sit refining and purifying is meant truth from good. By the sons of Levi are meant all who are in the good of charity and thence in the truth of faith; it is therefore said that He should refine them as gold and silver; this is because gold signifies good, and silver truth therefrom. By offering unto Jehovah an offering in justice is meant the worship of the Lord from the good of charity. (That temple signifies the Divine Human of the Lord, may be seen above, n. 220: that covenant signifies conjunction, may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 6804, 8767, 8778, 9396, 10632; that silver signifies truth from good, n. 1551, 1552, 2954, 5658; that a meat-offering signifies the good of love and charity, n. 4581, 9992, 9993, 9994, 10079, 10137; that justice is said of good, n. 2235, 9857.) Hence to bring an offering in justice signifies worship from the good of love.

[10] In Zechariah:

"Two parts in all the land shall be cut off, they shall expire, but the third shall be left in it; nevertheless I will bring the third through the fire, and I will refine them as silver is refined, and I will try them as gold is tried" (13:8, 9).

Here, by all the land is not meant all the land, but the whole church; nor by the third part is a third part meant, but some who are therein. By its being brought through the fire, and refined as silver is refined, and tried as gold is tried, is signified their being purified from evils and falsities in order that good and truth may be implanted. (That land in the Word signifies the church, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 662, 1066, 1068, 1262, 1413, 1607, 2928, 3355, 4447, 4535, 5577, 6516, 9325, 9643; that a third part signifies some, n. 2788.) There are in the above passages comparisons of silver and gold with truth and good; but in the Word all things serving for comparisons also correspond, and thence signify, as may be seen, n. 3579, 8989. Because gold tried in the fire signifies the good of love purified from evils, it was therefore commanded

that the gold and silver taken from the Midianites should pass through the fire, and thus be purified (Numbers 31:22, 23).

[11] That gold signifies the good of love and charity is more fully evident from the following passages. In Hosea:

"Israel hath forsaken good: the enemy pursueth him: of their silver and their gold they have made to themselves idols" (8:3, 4).

By making to themselves idols of their silver and their gold is signified that they turned truth and good into falsities and evils, as is evident from its being said, "Israel hath forsaken good: the enemy pursueth him." The enemy denotes falsity from evil and evil from falsity.

[12] In Joel:

"What have ye to do with me, O Tyre and Zidon? My silver and my gold have ye taken, and the desirable things of my goods have ye brought into your temples, and the sons of Judah and the sons of Jerusalem ye have sold to the sons of the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their borders" (3:4-6).

Here by Tyre and Zidon are meant those within the church who are in the knowledges of truth and good, and, in this case, those who have perverted them and applied them to falsities and to the evils thereof. This is signified by, ye have taken My silver and My gold, and have carried into your temples the desirable things of My goods. Silver signifies truth, gold good, and the desirable things of my goods signify derived truths and goods, which are knowledges from the Word in the sense of the letter. To carry these into their temples signifies to turn them into profane worship. By their selling the sons of Judah and the sons of Jerusalem to the Grecians is meant that they changed all the truths of good into falsities of evil. By removing them far from their borders is meant far from truths themselves. (That by Tyre and Zidon are meant those within the church who have the knowledges of truth and good, may be seen in Arcana, Coelestia, n. 1201; that by the sons of Judah and sons of Jerusalem are meant all the truths of good, because by sons are signified truths, n. 1729, 1733, 2159, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3373, 3704, 7499, 8897, 9807; by Judah, the celestial church, n. 3654, 6364; by Jerusalem, the church where there is genuine doctrine, n. 3654, 9166. That by the Grecians are meant falsities, because the Grecians signify the nations that are in falsities, may be seen above, n. 50.)

[13] In Ezekiel:

"The traders of Sheba and Raamah, by the chief of all spices, and by every precious stone and gold they have carried on their tradings" (27:22).

And again:

"In thy wisdom and thy intelligence thou hast made to thyself wealth, and hast made gold and silver in thy treasuries. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, and gold" (28:4, 13).

The subject treated in these two passages is also Tyre, by which, as was said above, are meant those within the church who are in the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth and good. By her tradings are meant those knowledges themselves. By Sheba and Raamah also are meant those who possess those knowledges, see Arcana Coelestia 1171, 3240. By spices are signified truths that are grateful because derived from good, see n. 4748, 5621, 9474, 9475, 10199, 10254. By precious stones are signified truths that are beautiful because from good, see n. 9863, 9865, 9868, 9873, 9905. And by the garden of Eden is signified intelligence and wisdom therefrom, see n. 100, 108, 1588, 2702, 3220. Because, now, by those things are signified the knowledges of truth and of good, and because by gold and silver are signified the goods and truths themselves, and because all intelligence and wisdom are procured by means of these, therefore it is said, "In thy wisdom and thy intelligence thou hast made to thyself wealth, gold and silver in thy treasuries."

[14] In Lamentations:

"How is the gold become dim! how is the best fine gold changed! the stones of holiness are poured out at the head of every street. The sons of Zion are estimated equal to pure gold; how are they reputed as bottles of earthenware, the work of the hands of the potter!" (4:1, 2).

The vastation of the church is here treated of. The gold which is become dim, and the best fine gold which is changed, signify the goods of the church; the stones of holiness which are poured out at the top of every street, signify that the truths thence derived are falsified; the sons of Zion who were estimated equal to fine gold, signify the truths of the former church; bottles of earthenware, the work of the hands of the potter, signify evils of life derived from falsities of doctrine, which are from man's own intelligence.

[15] In Ezekiel:

"I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a necklace on thy neck. Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work. Thou hast also taken the vessels of thine adorning from my gold and from my silver which I gave to thee, and hast made thee images with which thou hast committed whoredom" (16:11, 13, 17).

The subject here treated of is Jerusalem, which signifies the church as to doctrine, as said above. The ornaments with which she was decked signify, in general, all truths from good and intelligence therefrom (see Arcana Coelestia 10536, 10540). Bracelets upon the hands signify specifically truths from good (see n. 3103, 3105); a necklace upon the neck signifies the conjunction of interior goods and truths with exterior goods and truths, or of those which are spiritual with those which are natural (see n. 5320); fine linen signifies genuine truth, and silk the same resplendent from interior goods (see n. 5319, 9469); broidered work signifies the Scientific (Scientificum) of the natural man (see n. 9688); the images with which she committed whoredom are the fallacies of the senses, which to those who are in falsities appear like truths; to commit whoredom with them is to draw false conclusions by means of them. (That to commit whoredom signifies to imbue with falsities, may be seen above, n. 141.) From these considerations it is clear that the subject treated of in this chapter is the church, as to its quality when it was first established by the Lord, and what its quality became afterwards.

[16] In Isaiah:

"Behold, I stir up against them the Medes, who shall not regard silver, and shall not delight in gold, whose bows shall strike the young men, their eye shall not spare the sons" (13:17, 18).

By the Medes are meant those who are against the goods and truths of the church; therefore it is said of them, they shall not regard silver, nor delight in gold. Silver denotes the truth of the church, and gold its good. Their bows signify the doctrinals of falsity fighting against truths and goods (see Arcana Coelestia 2686, 2709): the young men whom they shall strike signify those who are intelligent from truths (see n. 7668); the sons whom they shall not spare signify truths themselves.

[17] In the same:

"The troop of camels shall cover thee; all they from Sheba shall come; they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall show forth the praises of Jehovah. The isles shall trust in me, and the ships of Tarshish, to bring thy sons from afar, their silver and their gold with them" (60:6, 9).

The subject here treated of is the Lord's Advent, and by a troop of camels are meant all those who are in the knowledges of truth and good (see Arcana Coelestia, 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145). By Sheba, whence they shall come, is meant where those very knowledges are (see n. 1171, 3240); by the gold and incense which they shall bring are meant goods and truths derived from good, which are thence grateful; by gold the goods, and by incense those truths (see n. 9993, 10177, 10296); by the isles which shall trust in Him are meant the nations which are in Divine worship, but more remote from the truths of the church (see n. 1158); by ships of Tarshish are meant general knowledges (cognitiones) of truth and good in which are contained many particular ones (n. 1977, 6385); by the sons whom they shall bring from far are meant truths more remote; sons denote truths, as above, and from far denotes which are more remote (see in. 1613, 9487); by their silver and gold with them are signified the knowledges of truth and good with them.

The like is signified by

the wise men who came from the east to the place where Christ was born, who offered "gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh" (Matthew 2:11).

They offered those things because they signified goods and truths interior and exterior, which are gifts pleasing to God.

[18] In David:

"All kings shall bow down before him; all nations shall serve him. He shall preserve the souls of the poor, and they shall live; and he shall give them of the gold of Sheba" (72:11, 13, 15).

Here also the Lord's Advent is treated of. By the kings who shall bow down before Him, and by the nations who shall serve Him, are meant all who are in truths from good; (that kings signify those who are in truths, may be seen above, n.31; and that nations signify those who are in good, may be seen also above, n. 175); by the poor whom he shall preserve are meant those who are not in the knowledges of good and truth, but yet desire them (as may be seen also above, n. 238). By the gold of Sheba, of which He shall give them, is signified the good of love into which the Lord shall lead them by means of knowledges; (what is signified by Sheba may be seen just above).

[19] In Haggai:

"And I will rouse up all nations, that they may come, the choice of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former" (2:7-9).

These things also are said concerning the Lord's advent. By nations are meant those who are in good and thence in truths; by house is meant the church (see Arcana Coelestia 3720); by the glory with which it shall be filled is meant Divine truth (see n. 4809, 5922, 8267, 8427, 9429); by the silver is mine, and the gold is mine, is meant truth and good, which are from the Lord alone.

[20] In Zechariah:

"The wealth of all nations round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver and apparel in great abundance" (14:14).

By the wealth of all nations are meant knowledges, wherever they are, even with the evil; by gold, silver and apparel in great abundance are meant goods and truths, both spiritual and natural. The same was signified by the

gold, silver and raiment which the Israelites borrowed of the Egyptians, when they departed from them (Exodus 3:22; 11:2, 3; 12:35, 36).

The reason why such a thing took place, and what it involves, may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 6914, 6917), where it is shown that it was in order that it might be represented that from the evil are taken away the things which they have, and that they are given to the good, according to the Lord's words in Matthew 25:28, 29; and in Luke 19:24, 26; and that they should make to themselves friends of the unrighteous mammon, according to the Lord's words in Luke 16:9. By the unrighteous mammon are meant the knowledges of truth and good with those who do not rightly possess them, these being those who do not apply them to the uses of life.

[21] In David:

"Kings' daughters are among thy precious ones; on thy right hand doth stand the queen in the best gold of Ophir: the king's daughter is all glorious within; her clothing is embroidered with gold" (45:9, 13).

This passage treats of the Lord. By the king's daughter is meant the church which is in the affection of truth, and which is described by kings' daughters being among her precious ones: by whom are meant the affections of truths themselves. By the queen standing at his right hand in the best gold of Ophir is meant the Lord's celestial kingdom, which is in the good of love; by her clothing being embroidered with gold is meant that truths are from good.

[22] In Matthew:

Jesus said to the disciples whom He sent forth to preach the gospel, that they should not provide gold, or silver, or brass in their purses (10:9);

by which was represented that they should have nothing of good and truth from themselves, but from the Lord alone, and that all things would be given them freely. Because gold signified the good of love,

Therefore the table upon which was placed the showbread was overlaid with gold (Exodus 25:23, 24).

Also the altar of incense, which was thence called the golden altar (Exodus 30:3).

And on the same account the candlestick was made of pure gold (Exodus 25:31-38).

As were also the cherubim (Exodus 25:18);

And for the same reason the ark was covered within and without with gold (Exodus 25:11).

The same was the case with many other things in the temple of Jerusalem; for the tent in which were the ark, the cherubim, the table upon which was the showbread, the altar of incense, and the candlestick represented heaven, and so did the temple; and hence the gold therein signified the good of love, and the silver truth from good.

[23] Because the most holy thing of heaven was represented by the gold in the temple,

Therefore, when Belshazzar drank wine out of the vessels of gold brought out of that temple, and at the same time praised the gods of gold, of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and stone, there appeared written on the wall, Numbered, weighed, divided; and in that night he was slain (Dan. 5:2, and following, verses);

for by this the profanation of good was signified.

[24] Moreover by gold, in an opposite sense, in the Word is signified the evil of the love of self, and by silver the falsity therefrom, as in Moses:

The silver and gold of the nations they shall not covet, because they are abominations, nor shall they bring them into their houses, but they shall be accursed, because they were to be abominated and detested (Deuteronomy 7:25, 26).

But concerning this signification of gold and silver we shall speak hereafter.