866. Verse 5. And in their mouth was found no deceit, signifies that they are averse to thinking falsities and persuading to them. This is evident from the signification of "mouth," as being thought and speech therefrom, and thus persuasion; (See above, n. 580, 782, 794); also from the signification of "deceit," as being to deceive and mislead purposely, thus from an intention of the will; consequently to think falsities and persuade to them designedly, which destroys man forever. That such things have no place in those who are led by the Lord or who follow Him is signified by "in their mouth is found no deceit." For the Lord is Divine truth united to Divine good; and all who are in the Lord, who are those who acknowledge His Divine Human and do His commandments, are in the Divine truth and in the Divine good; and as thinking falsities is contrary to the Divine truth, and wishing to persuade to them is contrary to the Divine good, such are averse to so doing.

[2] What else "deceit" signifies in the Word can be seen from the passages where it is mentioned, as in the following.

In John:

Jesus said of Nathaniel as he was coming to Him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit (John 1:47).

An "Israelite" signifies one who is in the good of charity, and from that in truths, thus one who is in truths from good. Such are meant also by "the hundred forty-four thousand who follow the Lord, in whose mouth is found no deceit;" so here "deceit" has the same signification.

[3] In Zephaniah:

The remnant of Israel shall not do perversity nor speak a lie, neither shall a tongue of deceit be found in their mouth (Zephaniah 3:13).

"The remnant of Israel," the same as "an Israelite indeed," means those who are in spiritual faith, because they are in the good of charity; "to speak a lie" signifies to teach falsely from ignorance of truth; but "deceit" signifies falsity that is not from ignorance of truth, but from deliberation, thus from the purpose of deceiving, as is the case with the wicked.

[4] Likewise in the following passages:

He did no violence, neither was deceit in His mouth (Isaiah 53:9); which is said of the Lord:

He shall redeem their ¹ soul from deceit and violence (Psalms 72:14).

The rich are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof speak a lie; and as to their tongue deceit is in their mouth (Micah 6:12).

They fill their master's house with violence and deceit (Zephaniah 1:9).

Men of bloods and of deceit shall not live out half their days (Psalms 55:23).

Thou wilt destroy those that speak a lie; the man of bloods and of deceit Jehovah will abhor (Psalms 5:6).

"Violence and blood" signify perversion of truth and falsification of the Word; and "deceit" signifies doing this purposely:

Jehovah give ear to my prayers, that are apart from lips of deceit (Psalms 17:1).

Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking deceit (Psalms 34:13).

If my lips should speak iniquity, and my tongue should speak deceit (Job 27:4).

Deliver my soul, O Jehovah, from a lip of falsehood, from a tongue of deceit. What shall he give to thee, What shall he add to thee, thou tongue of deceit? (Psalms 120:2, 3).

Thou openest thy mouth to evil, and with thy tongue thou framest deceit (Psalms 50:19).

The mouth of the wicked, the mouth of deceit they have opened against me; they have spoken against me with a tongue of lies (Psalms 109:2).

Thy tongue thinketh wickednesses like a sharp razor working deceit (Psalms 52:2, 4).

They mock everyone with his companion, and they speak not truth; they have taught their tongue to speak a lie; it is thine to dwell in the midst of deceit; through deceit they have refused to know Me (Jeremiah 9:5, 6).

"Lips and tongue" with which they speak falsehood and deceit signify the thought with the intention of persuading to falsities against truths, and of misleading; the lips and the tongue having a similar signification as the mouth:

Blessed is the man unto whom Jehovah imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit (Psalms 36:2);

The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit; he ceaseth from understanding and doing good (Psalms 36:3);

To speak iniquity and to speak deceit (Job 13:7);

"iniquity" having reference to evil and "deceit" to falsity thence:

From the man of deceit and perversity deliver me, O Jehovah (Psalms 43:1).

The clean in hands and pure in heart, who doth not lift up his soul to vanity, and sweareth not with deceit (Psalms 24:4).

They think words of deceit against the quiet in the land, they opened their mouth exceedingly against me (Psalms 35:20, 21).

Wickednesses are in the midst thereof, fraud and deceit depart not from her street (Psalms 55:11).

Thou hast trodden down all them that err from Thy statutes, for their deceit is a lie (Psalms 119:118).

This people turneth itself away, Jerusalem is perpetually turned away, they hold fast to deceit, they refuse to return; I have hearkened and heard, but they speak not aright (Jeremiah 8:5, 6).

In these passages "deceit" does not mean deceit in the natural sense, which consists of deceitful plotting and malicious false-hood against another, but deceit in the spiritual sense, in which "deceit" means thought from the intention of the will, or intentionally and deliberately speaking falsities and persuading to them, and thereby destroying the soul.

[5] Likewise respecting the prophets, in Jeremiah:

Is it not in the heart of the prophets that prophesy falsehood, even of the prophets of the deceit of their own heart? (Jeremiah 23:26).

In the same:

The prophets prophesy unto you a vision of falsehood and divinations, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their own heart (Jeremiah 14:14).

In the spiritual sense "prophets" signify those who teach truths from the Word and doctrine, and thus in an abstract sense the Word as to doctrine, therefore in the contrary sense, as in these passages, they signify those who teach falsities, thus those who falsify the truths of the Word; and to do this intentionally is meant by "the deceit of their heart."

[6] That "deceit" means in the spiritual sense intentional falsification of the truths of the Word, from a desire to mislead, is evident in Hosea:

Ephraim hath compassed Me about with falsehood, and the house of Israel with deceit (Hosea 11:12).

"Ephraim" signifies the understanding of the truths of the church; and "the house of Israel" the church itself; so "deceit" and "falsehood" signify persuading to falsities with intention and desire.

[7] In the same:

They are become like a deceitful bow; their princes shall fall by the sword, from the rage of their tongue (Hosea 7:16).

And in David:

They are turned aside like deceitful bows (Psalms 78:57).

They are compared to a "deceitful bow" because a "bow" signifies doctrine combating, in both senses, namely, the doctrine of falsity combating against truth, and of truth against falsity, for javelins and arrows signify falsities or truths to fight with. (That this is the signification of "bow and arrows" may be seen above, n. 357.) All this again makes evident that "deceit" means deceit in the spiritual sense, which is deceit against the truths and goods of the Word and of the church, thus a disposition and desire to destroy them.

[8] That a disposition and desire to destroy the truths and goods of the Word, of doctrine, and of the church, thus to destroy them deliberately and intentionally, is signified by "deceit," is evident in Jeremiah:

They watch as fowlers lie in wait; they set a trap that they may catch men; as a cage full of birds so their houses are full of deceit (Jeremiah 5:26, 27).

In Moses:

If a man have a purpose against his neighbor to slay him by deceit, thou shalt take him from Mine altar (Exodus 21:14).

And as this was so grievous a sin it is said in Jeremiah:

Cursed is he who doeth the work of Jehovah with deceit (Jeremiah 48:10).

"Deceit" was so grievous a crime because deliberation and purpose are of the will, and whatever is of the will is of the man himself, and is called the evil of his heart, for the will is the man himself; but the thought that precedes consent, which is an act of the will, is not in man but outside of him; since the things that flow into the thought are like the objects that flow into the sight from the world, some of which are pleasing and some not pleasing; and those that are pleasing enter the delight of his life, but those that are not pleasing are cast out. So it is with everything that flows into man's internal sight, which is of his understanding and consequent thought. If it is pleasing it enters his will and adds itself to his life; but if it is not pleasing it is cast out.

[9] It is to be known that all evil persons have a disposition and desire, consequently a will, to destroy the truths of heaven and the church by falsities, for the reason that they are conjoined to hell, and infernal spirits from the delight of their love burn with a lust of destroying all things of heaven and the church, and this by crafty devices, which they artfully contrive and wonderfully execute, which, if described from experience, would fill many pages. This makes clear that "deceit" signifies in general all evil of intention to destroy truths by falsities. (In addition, see what has been said about deceit in the Arcana Coelestia, namely, that deceit destroys everything of the spiritual and interior life in man, n. 9013; that deceit, fraud, and simulation were accounted by the ancients monstrous wickedness, n. 3573; that the deceitful, when viewed by the angels, appear like serpents and vipers, n . 4533; that such are meant in the Word by "serpents" and "vipers," n. 9013; that "poison" in the Word signifies deceit, n. Arcana Coelestia 9013. Respecting the punishments of those who lie in wait for and deceive others by deceit, n. 831, 957-960, 1273[1]; respecting their hells, n. 830, 831, 947, 4951.)

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794. Verse 5. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, signifies the doctrine destroying utterly the goods of the Word and its truths. This is evident from the signification of "mouth," as being doctrine, from which is instruction, preaching, and reasoning (of which above, n. 782). "The mouth of the beast," signifies doctrine, because in the preceding verse it was said that "they worshipped the dragon and its beast;" and this signified the acknowledgment of that dogma, and the reception of it in doctrine; also because it was said above that "the mouth of that beast was as the mouth of a lion," which signified instruction, preaching, and reasoning, which are from the received doctrine. The above is evident also from the signification of "speaking great things," as being to teach evils that destroy the goods of the Word, for "great" is predicated in the Word of good, and in the contrary sense of evil, while "many" is predicated of truth, and in the contrary sense of falsity (See above, n . 336-337, 424). Because "the beast" means those who by reasonings separate faith from life, and those who do this destroy the goods of the Word, and because his "mouth" signifies their doctrine, therefore "to speak great things" signifies to destroy the goods of the Word. The above is evident also from the signification of "speaking blasphemies," as meaning to falsify the truths of the Word (See above, n. 778). From this it is clear that "there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies" signifies the doctrine destroying the goods of the Word and utterly falsifying its truths. It is said utterly falsifying its truths, because the falsification of the Word even to the destruction of Divine truth, such as it is in the heavens and such as it is in the spiritual sense of the Word, is signified by "blasphemy" (See above, n. 778); this therefore is what is meant by utterly falsifying truths.

[2] It is said that "the mouth of the beast speaking great things" signifies doctrine, and instruction, preaching, and reasoning therefrom destroying the goods of the Word; it shall be told, therefore, in what manner they are destroyed. They are destroyed especially by teaching that faith without good works justifies and saves, and this is confirmed by the reasoning that no one can do good of himself, and that the good that a man does of himself must needs be meritorious good; and this is established by the Word, especially by the Pharisee and the publican praying in the temple:

That the latter was justified merely by his saying, God be merciful to me a sinner; and that the Pharisee was not justified who said that he was not an extortioner, unjust, and an adulterer, as others were, and that he fasted twice in the week, and gave tithes of all that he possessed (Luke 18:10-14);

and also by these words of the Lord:

Doth the lord thank the servant for doing those things that were commanded him? I trow not. So ye also, when ye shall have done all things that are commanded you, say, We are surely useless servants, for we have done that which we ought to do (Luke 17:9, 10).

But those are greatly mistaken who conclude from these words that there is nothing of justification and salvation in good works, but in faith alone, for they do not know what good works are. There are works that are done by man, and these are not good; and there are works that are done by the Lord through man, and these are good. Yet both of these appear alike in external form; but in internal form they are wholly unlike. The works enumerated by the Pharisee were works done from himself, and were therefore meritorious; so, too, the works done by command by servants, who are nevertheless called "useless."

[3] It shall now be told, therefore, how works are done by man himself, and how they are done by the Lord with man, also how the latter are distinguished from the former. It has been shown above n. 790 that man has two minds, one spiritual, the other natural. The spiritual mind is what is called the internal and the spiritual man, and the natural mind is what is called the external and the natural man. And as man has an internal spiritual and an external natural, and the internal is conjoined with heaven and the external with the world, it follows that whatever man does from that internal through the external he does from heaven, that is, through heaven from the Lord; but anything that a man does by the external without the internal, this he does from self. This is meant by the Lord's words in Luke:

Now do ye Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness. Ye foolish ones, did not He that made the outside make the inside also? But rather give for alms those things that are within, then behold all things are clean unto you (Luke 11:39-41).

It is said, "the outside of the cup and of the platter," and "the inside" of them, because the "cup" has a similar meaning as "wine," and the "platter" a similar meaning as "food;" and "wine" signifies truth, and "food" signifies good. It is said also "give alms," and this signifies love and charity. From this it is evident that whatever a man does from the external alone is unclean, but whatever he does from a cleansed internal through the external is clean, for this is from the Lord; but the other from man. But examples will illustrate this point also. The internal is doing good for the sake of good, speaking truth for the sake of truth, acting sincerely for the sake of sincerity, and doing what is just for the sake of justice. He who does good for the sake of good does good from good, thus from the Lord, who is Good itself, and from whom is all good; and he who speaks truth for the sake of truth speaks truth from truth, thus from the Lord, who is Truth itself and from whom is all truth. The like is true of him who acts sincerely for the sake of sincerity, and does what is just for the sake of justice; for sincerity is moral good and truth, and justice is civil good and truth; and all good and truth are from the Lord and not from man, because they are done from the internal through the external. But when a man does and speaks what is good, true, sincere, and just, for the sake of self and the world he does and speaks them from self, because from the external man without the internal; and such deeds or works are all evil, and if heaven is regarded in them they are meritorious, and all such are iniquitous. In this world no one can determine whether works are from the Lord or from man, since in external form the two kinds appear alike, but they can be distinguished by the Lord alone, and after man's life in the world their origin is disclosed (Matthew 10:26, 27; Mark 4:22; Luke 8:17; 12:2, 3, 8, 9). But how an internal is given to man, and an external from the internal, may be seen above n. 790.

[4] From this it can be seen that if man were to fulfill all things of the law from self, that is, were to give much to the poor, were to do good to widows and orphans, to assist the needy, yea, were to give food to the hungry, and drink to the thirsty, to take in strangers, clothe the naked, and visit the sick and those who are bound in prison, preach and teach the gospel, convert the Gentiles, frequent temples, devoutly listen to preaching, attend the sacrament of the Supper frequently each year, spend time in praying, and other like things, and if his internal had not been purified from the love of rule and from the pride of self-intelligence, from the contempt of others, from hatred and revenge, from craftiness and malice, from insincerity and injustice, from the lasciviousness of adultery, and from other evils and falsities therefrom, still all these works would be hypocritical and from the man himself, and not from the Lord. But these same works when the internal has been purified are all good, because they are from the Lord with man. This has been testified to me from very many examples in the spiritual world. I have there heard that it has been granted to many to call to mind the acts of their life in the world, and to enumerate the good deeds they had done; but when their internal was opened it was found to be full of all evil and falsity therefrom; and it was then revealed to them that the good deeds they had enumerated they had done from self, because for the sake of self and the world. But it is otherwise with those who from the Word have abstained from doing evils, and have afterwards shunned and turned away from them because they are sins, and are contrary to love to God and to charity towards the neighbor. Their works were all good, although they had a similar appearance in external form as the works of those described above, and there was a perception in like manner of their having been done as if from self. These works are what are meant in the Word by the "works" that make a man spiritual, and make him happy to eternity; and these can in no way be separated from faith, for if faith were to be separated from these it would be dead, and a dead faith is a faith in falsity from evil.