281. And the fourth animal was like a flying eagle. That this signifies the appearance in ultimates of the Divine guardianship and providence as to intelligence and circumspection in every direction is evident from the signification of an eagle, as being intelligence, in this case the Divine intelligence of the guardianship and providence of the Lord. The reason why an eagle denotes intelligence is that intelligence is in the light of heaven, and an eagle flies on high to be there, and to look about on every side; hence it is that the face of the cherub appeared like a flying eagle, for to fly signifies presence and circumspection roundabout, and when said of the Divine, it signifies omnipresence. The reason why eagle signifies intelligence is also that the birds of heaven, in a good sense, signify things intellectual and rational, and the eagle above all others, because it not only flies high, but possesses a most acute sight. (That the birds of heaven signify intellectual and rational things in each sense may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 745, 776, 866, 988, 991, 3219, 5149, 7441).

[2] That an eagle signifies intelligence is evident from the following passages in the Word. In Ezekiel:

"A great eagle with great wings, long pinions, full of feathers, which had embroidering, came upon Lebanon, and took a small branch of a cedar. He plucked off the head of its shoots, and carried it down into a land of traffic; he set it in a city of dealers in spices. He took of the seed of the land, and placed it in the field of the sower; he took it to great waters, and placed it circumspectly; and it budded and became a luxuriant vine of low stature, so that its branches looked to him, and the roots thereof were under him: so it became a vine, which produced branches and sent out boughs to him. There was also another great eagle with great wings and full of feathers; and, behold, this vine did bend its roots toward him, and shot forth its branches toward him to water him from the little beds of its plantation. It was planted in a good field near many waters to form the bough, and to bear fruit, that it might be for a vine of magnificence" (17:1-8).

The subject here treated of is the establishment of the spiritual church by the Lord; and, in the internal sense, the process of its establishment, or of the regeneration of the man of that church, is described from beginning to end. By the first eagle is described the process of the regeneration of the natural or external man, by means of scientifics (scientifica) and by means of knowledges (cognitiones) from the Word; and by the other eagle is described the process of the regeneration of the spiritual or internal man by means of truths from good; hence by the first eagle is signified the intelligence of the natural man, and by the second the intelligence of the spiritual man.

What these particulars signify shall be explained in a few words. The first eagle is said to have great wings, long pinions, and to be full of feathers, and thereby are signified the abundance of the knowledges (scientiae) and cognitions of truth and good, from which is derived the first intelligence, or the intelligence of the natural man. It is therefore said that it had embroidering, for by embroidering is signified what pertains to knowledge and cognition (as may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 9688). It came upon Lebanon, and took a small branch of cedar, signifies that it took some knowledges (cognitiones) of truth from the doctrine of the church which is from the Word; for by Lebanon is signified that doctrine, and by the small branch of a cedar are signified knowledges. He plucked off the head of its shoots and carried it into a land of traffic signifies primary cognitions therefrom, to which it applied (by the head of the shoots are signified primary knowledges, and by the land of traffic is signified the natural man, to which knowledge (scientia) belongs). In a city of dealers in spices, signifies among truths from good in the natural man. (That spices signify truths which are grateful because from good, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 4748, 5621, 9474, 9475, 10199, 10254). He took of the seed of the land, and placed it in the field of the sower, he took it to great waters and placed it circumspectly, signifies multiplication. The seed of the land denotes the truth of the church; the field of the sower denotes the good by virtue of which it grows. Great waters signify the knowledges of truth and good; to place circumspectly denotes separation from falsities. And it budded and became a luxuriant vine, so that its branches looked towards him, and the roots thereof were under him signifies the church arising from the arrangement of the knowledges of truth, and their application to use. So it became a vine which produced branches, and sent out boughs signifies the beginning of the spiritual church, and the continuous increase of truths. (That vine signifies the spiritual church, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 1069, 6375, 9277.) Hitherto the beginning of the church in the natural or external man has been described; its establishment, which takes place in the spiritual or internal man, is now described by the other eagle. Because this signifies spiritual intelligence, it is said that the vine bent its roots and sent its branches towards him, namely, the eagle, for by roots are signified knowledges (scientiae), and by branches the cognitions (cognitiones) of truth and good, which are all applied to the truths which are in the spiritual or internal man, since without their spiritual application man has no wisdom. The multiplication and fructification of truth from good, thus the increase of intelligence, is described by the vine being planted in a good field, near many waters, to form the bough, and to bear fruit, that it might be a vine of magnificence. Here, by the good field is signified the church as to the good of charity; many waters signify the knowledges of good and truth. To form the bough is to multiply truths; and to bear fruit is to produce goods, which are uses. A vine of magnificence is the spiritual church, thus internal and external. (But these things, because they are arcana of regeneration and of the establishment of the church with man, may be better perceived from what is adduced in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem from Arcana Coelestia, concerning knowledges (scientiae) and knowledges (cognitiones), n.51, and concerning regeneration, n. 183.)

[3] That eagle signifies intelligence is also evident in Isaiah:

"They that wait for Jehovah shall renew their strength, and mount up with wings as eagles" (40:31).

To mount up with wings as eagles denotes ascent into the light of heaven, thus into intelligence.

[4] Again, in David:

"Jehovah satisfieth thy mouth; so that thou art renewed as the eagle" (Psalm 103:5).

To be renewed as the eagle, means as to intelligence.

[5] Again, in Moses:

"Ye have seen how I bare you as on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself" (Exodus 19:4).

By bearing them as on eagles' wings and bringing them is also signified into intelligence, because into heaven and the light thereof.

[6] Again:

Jehovah "found him in a desert land; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the pupil of his eye. As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings; so Jehovah alone did lead him" (Deuteronomy 32:10-12).

Here the establishment of the Ancient Church is treated of, and the first reformation of those who belonged to that church; their first state is meant by the desert land in which Jehovah found them. This land denotes a state in which there is no good because there is no truth. Their instruction in truths, the guarding of them from falsities, and the opening of the interiors of their mind that they may come into the light of heaven and so into the understanding of truth and good, which is intelligence, is described by the eagle stirring up her nest, fluttering over her young, and bearing them upon her wings; comparison is here made with the eagle, because the eagle signifies intelligence.

[7] In 2 Samuel:

"Saul and Jonathan were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions" (1:23).

By Saul as king, and by Jonathan as son of a king, the truth of the church is signified; and because intelligence and power are therefrom, it is said that they were swifter than eagles, and stronger than lions; swiftness in the Word, when said of intelligence, signifying the affection of truth. For David wrote his lamentation over Saul and Jonathan to teach the sons of Judah the bow; and by the sons of Judah are signified the truths of the church, and by the bow is meant the doctrine of truth fighting against falsities.

[8] In Job:

"Doth the hawk fly by thy intelligence, and stretch her wings toward the south? Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high? In the rock she dwelleth and passeth the night, thence she seeketh her food, and her eyes behold afar off; and where the slain are, there is she" (39:26-30).

Here the subject treated of is intelligence, which no one can procure from himself or from proprium; wherefore it is said, "Doth the hawk fly by thy intelligence, and stretch her wings towards the south?" by which is signified man's leading himself into the light of intelligence, which is signified by the south; but, in this case, that he cannot. The intelligence itself, which is that of the spiritual man, is described by the eagle mounting up, making her nest on high, dwelling and passing the night on the rock; also by her thence searching out her food, and her eyes beholding afar off. That no one has such intelligence from himself is signified by the question, "Doth the eagle mount up at thy command?" But that nothing but falsities can proceed from man's own intelligence is signified by where the slain are, there is she. The slain in the Word signify those with whom truths are extinguished by falsities (see Arcana Coelestia 4503).

[9] From these considerations it is evident what is signified by the words of the Lord when the disciples asked Him where the Last Judgment would be:

They said unto Him, "Where, Lord? He said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together" (Luke 17:37).

By the body is here signified the spiritual world, where all men are together, good and evil. By eagles are signified those who are in truths, and also those who are in falsities, thus those who are in true intelligence and those who are in false intelligence. False intelligence is from man's proprium, but true intelligence is from the Lord, by means of the Word.

[10] The falsities which are from man's own intelligence are also described by eagles in the following passages in the Word. In Jeremiah:

"Behold he ascendeth as clouds, and his chariots are as a storm, his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us, for we are spoiled" (4:13).

The subject here treated of is the desolation of truth in the church, and by the clouds which ascend are signified falsities; by the chariots which are as a storm is signified the doctrine of falsities; their eagerness and pleasure in reasoning against truths and destroying them is signified by their horses being swifter than eagles, for by swiftness and haste in the Word is signified incitement by affection and lust (see Arcana Coelestia 7695, 7866), and by horses the understanding of truth, and, in the opposite sense, the understanding of falsity, or reasoning from fallacies against truths (see Arcana Coelestia 2760, 2761, 2762, 3217, 5321, 6125, 6400, 6534, 7024, 8146, 8148, 8381). And because horses signify the understanding of truth, and eagles intelligence, in this place man's own intelligence, which is reasoning from falsities, it is therefore said, "their horses are swifter than eagles."

[11] In Lamentations:

"Our persecutors were swifter than the eagles of the heavens" (4:19).

In Habakkuk:

"Their horses are swifter than leopards, and are fiercer than the wolves of evening: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, whence his horsemen come from far; they fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat. They come all for violence" (1:8, 9).

The eagle here, in like manner, signifies reasoning from falsities against truths, which is reasoning from man's own intelligence.

10199. 'Incense of spices' means a hearing and receiving with pleasure. This is clear from the meaning of 'incense' as the Lord's hearing and receiving with pleasure everything of worship that springs from love and charity, dealt with in 10177; and from the meaning of 'spices' as things that bring pleasure. Things bringing pleasure are meant by 'spices' on account of their odour; for 'odour' means perception, and therefore a sweet odour means a perception of that which brings pleasure, while an offensive odour means that which brings no pleasure. All things perceived by a person with the sensory organs of smell, taste, sight, hearing, and touch mean spiritual realities connected with the good of love and the truths of faith. Consequently smell means the perception of interior truth springing from the good of love; taste means perception and the desire to know and become wise; sight means an understanding of the truths of faith; hearing means perception resulting from the good of faith and from obedience; and touch in general means imparting, conveying, and being received.

[2] The reason why they have these meanings is that every reception of impressions by the outward senses begins in reception by the inward senses, which belong to the understanding and will, and so begins within the person, in the truths of faith and the good of love since these constitute the understanding and will within the human mind. Yet inward sensations, which belong properly to a person's understanding and will, do not feel the same as the outward ones, though they are turned into outward sensations when they flow in. For all the perceptions that a person receives by means of his outward sensory organs flow from inward powers of mind. The path all influx takes is from inward things to outward ones, not from outward to inward, since there is no such thing as physical influx - that is, influx from the natural world into the spiritual world - only influx from the spiritual world into the natural. A person's inner powers, which belong properly to understanding and will, exist in the spiritual world, and his outward ones, which belong properly to the bodily senses, exist in the natural world. From all this too it becomes clear what correspondence is and what the nature of it is.

[3] In general, smell corresponds to perception of some reality, as determined by the essential nature of the matter that is being perceived, see 1514, 1517-1519, 3577, 4624-4634, 10054.

Taste corresponds to perception and the desire to know and become wise, 3502, 4791-4805.

Sight corresponds to an understanding of the truths of faith, 3863, 4403-4421, 4567, 5114, 5400, 6805.

Hearing corresponds to perception of the good of faith and to obedience, 3869, 4652-4660, 7216, 8361, 9311, 9926.

Touch means imparting, conveying, and being received, 10130.

[4] ¹ The fact that such things as are perceived with pleasure are meant by 'spices' - the kinds that spring from love and charity, in particular interior truths since they spring from these - is clear from the following places in the Word: In Isaiah,

Instead of spice ² there will be rottenness, and instead of a girdle, a falling apart, and instead of well-set hair ³ , baldness. Isaiah 3:24.

This refers to the daughters of Zion, by whom the celestial Church is meant, a Church in possession of interior truths springing from the good of love to the Lord. 'Spice' here means interior truth, 'rottenness' deprivation of it; 'a girdle' means a joining together, and 'a falling apart' the dissolution of connection and order; 'well-set hair' means factual knowledge of truth, which is exterior truth or truth as the external man knows it, and 'baldness' deprivation of that truth.

'A girdle' means a joining together and a bond to ensure that everything is held in connection and has the same end in view, see 9828.

'Well-set hair' means factual knowledge of truth, 2831 ⁴ .

'Baldness' means deprivation of that truth, 9960.

[5] In Ezekiel,

A great eagle with [great] wings came on Lebanon, and from it took a twig of the cedar away into the land of Canaan ⁵ ; in the city of spicers he put the top of it ⁶ . Ezekiel 17:3-4.

This refers in the internal sense to the beginnings and growth of the spiritual Church, and then its corruption and end. 'A great eagle with [great] wings' means the interior truth which that Church possessed, 3901, 8764, 'wings' its exterior truths, 8764, 9514. 'Lebanon' is that Church, 'the cedar' there being the spiritual Church's truth. 'The city of spicers' is a place where teachings composed of interior truth are presented, 'cities' in the Word meaning religious teachings, see 402, 2449, 3216, 4492, 4493. It is called 'the city of spicers' by virtue of its interior truths.

[6] In the same prophet,

The traders of Sheba and Raamah with the best of [every] spice, and with every precious stone and gold, carried out ⁷ their dealings. Ezekiel 27:22.

This refers to Tyre, which means the Church in respect of cognitions or knowledge of goodness and truth. 'The traders' are those who possess these and pass them on; 'Sheba and Raamah' are those with whom cognitions of celestial and spiritual things exist; 'the best of spice' is that which by virtue of interior truths brings pleasure; 'precious stone' is those very truths; and 'gold' is the good that goes with them.

Tyre means the Church in respect of interior cognitions of goodness and truth, and in the abstract sense those cognitions themselves, see 1201.

'The traders' are those who possess these and pass them on, 2967, 4453.

'Sheba and Raamah' are those with whom cognitions of celestial and spiritual things exist, 1171, 3240.

'Precious stone' is interior truth, 9863, 9865, 9873, 9874.

'Gold' is the good that goes with it, see the places referred to in 9874, 9881.

[7] From all this one may see what was represented by the queen of Sheba's coming to Solomon in Jerusalem with camels carrying spices, gold, and precious stones, 1 Kings 10:1-2, and by the offering of gold, frankincense, and myrrh which the wise men from the east made to the new-born Jesus, Matthew 2:11. Because 'spices' meant interior truths, thus those which bring pleasure, the incense and also the anointing oil, dealt with further on in this chapter, were scented with spices.

[8] By interior truths those truths which have become part of a person's life and affection, thus those inwardly present in him, should be understood, but not truths which are present solely in the memory and have not become part of that person's life. These truths in relation to the others are called external ones, since they have not been inscribed on the person's life, only on his memory. They reside in the external man and not in the internal. Truths of faith which have been inscribed on a person's life are present in the will, and what is in the will is present in the internal man. For by means of the truths of faith the internal man is opened up and contact with heaven is brought about. From this it is evident that the interior truths present with a person are ones that spring from the good of love and charity. Whether you say will or love it amounts to the same thing, for what composes a person's will composes his love. Therefore the truths inscribed on the person's life, called interior truths, are ones that have been inscribed on his love, and so on the will, from which they afterwards go forth when they pass into speech and action.

[9] For heaven, in which the internal man that has been opened up is present, does not enter truths directly but indirectly, through the good of love. But heaven cannot come in when a person's internal man is closed, because there is no good of love there to receive it. In the case therefore of those with whom the internal man has not been opened by means of truths springing from the good of love and charity hell enters with falsities arising from evil, no matter how many truths of faith, even interior ones, are residing in the external man alone, that is, in the memory.

From all this one may now see what should be understood by interior truths that bring pleasure, which are meant by 'spices', namely those which spring from the good of love and charity.

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