256. It was said above, that by the seven churches here written to, are not meant seven churches, but all those who belong to the church, and, in the abstract, all things of the church; that this is the case is evident from the consideration, that by seven are signified all, and all things, and that by the names are signified things. That all who belong to the church, or all things of the church, are meant by what is written to those seven churches is also evident from the explanation of those things. For all things of the church have reference to the following four general principles, doctrine, life according to it, faith according to life. These are treated of in what is written to six of the churches - doctrine, to the churches in Ephesus and Smyrna; life according to doctrine, to the churches in Thyatira and Sardis; and faith according to life, to the churches in Philadelphia and Laodicea. And because doctrine cannot be implanted in man's life and become a matter of faith unless he fights against the evils and falsities which he possesses from heredity, therefore that combat is also treated of in what is written to the church in Pergamos; for the subject there treated of is temptations; and temptations are combats against evils and falsities.

(That temptations are treated of in what is written to the church in Pergamos may be seen above, n. 130; that doctrine is the subject treated of in what is written to the churches in Ephesus and Smyrna may be seen above also, n. 93, 95, 112; that a life according to doctrine is treated of in what is written to the churches in Thyatira and Sardis, (n. 150, 182, and that faith according to life is treated of in what is written to the churches of Philadelphia and Laodicea, n. 203 and 227.) Because in what is written to this last church, namely, that in Laodicea, those who are in the doctrine of faith alone are treated of, and also, at the end, the nature of faith originating in charity, to what has already been said, it is here to be added, that love constitutes heaven; and because it does so, it also forms the church. For all the societies of heaven, which are innumerable, are arranged according to the affections of love, and also all within each society; so that it is affection, or love, according to which all things are arranged in the heavens, and not in any case faith alone. Spiritual affection, or love, is charity. It is therefore clear that no one can ever enter heaven unless he is in charity.

227. (Verse 14) And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write. That this signifies those who are in faith alone, that is, who are in faith separated from charity, is evident from the internal or spiritual sense of all the things that are written to the angel of this church. For what essential of the church is meant in what is written to each of the churches, can be seen only from that sense; for what is here written is prophetical, and all propheticals, like all things of the Word in general, are written by correspondences, in order that the conjunction of heaven with the church may be thereby effected. Conjunction is effected by correspondences; for heaven, or the angels of heaven, understand all things spiritually which man understands naturally, and between natural and spiritual things there is a perpetual correspondence; and by correspondences a conjunction is effected such as that which exists between the soul and the body. This is why the Word is written in such a style; for otherwise it would be without soul, or life, consequently there would be nothing of heaven in it, neither would the Divine be in it. Hence then it is that, from the internal or spiritual sense of what is written to each church, it is clear what essential of the church is meant. Thus it is evident that in what is written to the angel of this church, the subject treated of is those who are in faith alone separated from charity. It is said faith separated from charity, and by this is meant faith separated from life; for charity pertains to the life; therefore when faith is separated therefrom, it is not in the man, but outside him. For what resides in the memory only, and is taken thence into the thought, without entering into a man's will, and thence into act, is not within him but outside him; for the memory, and thought therefrom, is only as an outer court, by means of which there is entrance into the house: the house being the will. Such is faith alone, or faith separated from charity. (More may be seen concerning the nature of this faith, in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 108-122; also in the small work, The Last Judgment 33-39; and in the work, Heaven and Hell 270. 271, 364, 482, 526; also in the above explanation of the Apocalypse, n. 204, 211, 212, 213. Moreover, what is meant by charity and by neighbour, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 84-107; in the work, Heaven and Hell 13-19, 528-535; and above, in the explanation, n. 182, 198, 213.)