167. And all [the churches] shall know that I am he who searcheth the reins and hearts. That this signifies the acknowledgment, on the part of all those who belong to the church, that the Lord alone knows and explores the exteriors and interiors and the things pertaining to faith and love is evident from the signification of searching, when said of the Lord, as being that He alone knows and explores; and from the signification of the reins, as being the truths of faith, and their purification from falsities, concerning which we shall speak in what follows; and from the signification of hearts, as being the goods of love. The reason why the heart signifies the good of love is, that there are two things that reign in man, from which all the life of his body is derived - the heart and the lungs. And because all things in a man's body correspond to all the things in his mind, and there are also two things that reign there, the will and the understanding, therefore these two kingdoms of the mind correspond to the two kingdoms of the body - the will to the heart and its pulse, and the understanding to the lungs and their respiration; without this correspondence the body could not live, nor even a particle of it. Because the heart corresponds to the will, it also corresponds to the good of love; and as the lungs correspond to the understanding, they also correspond to the truths of faith. It is from this correspondence that the heart signifies love, and the soul (anima) signifies faith; hence the expression "from the heart and soul" is so often used in the Word, by which is meant from the love and faith. (This correspondence is much treated of in Arcana Coelestia, where the following particulars may be seen more fully explained, namely, that the heart in the Word signifies love, and because it signifies love, that it also signifies the will, n. 2930, 3313, 7542, 8910, 9050, 9113, 10336. That the heart corresponds to the things that pertain to man's love, and the lungs to the things that pertain to his faith, n. 3883-3896. That in heaven there is a pulse like that of the heart, and a respiration like that of the lungs, n. 3884, 3885, 3887. That the pulse of the heart there is according to the state of love, and the respiration of the lungs according to the state of faith, n. 3886-3889; that the influx of the heart into the lungs is circumstanced like the influx of good into truth, or of the will into the understanding and of love into faith, and that the communications and conjunctions are similar, n. 3884, 3887-3889, 9300, 9495. Concerning the influx of heaven into the heart and into the lungs, from experience, n. 3884. That from this correspondence in the Word, when it is said from the heart and from the soul, it signifies from the love and faith, n. 2930, 9050; that the conjunction of man's spirit with his body is by means of the respiration of the lungs and of the pulse of the heart, and that therefore when these cease, man's body dies, but his spirit lives, see the work, Heaven and Hell; and that when the pulse of the heart ceases, the spirit is separated, because the heart corresponds to love which is the vital heat, n.447, in that work. Many other things concerning that correspondence may be seen there, n. 95.) That the kidneys signify the truths of faith and the purification of them from falsities, is because the purification of the blood is performed in the kidneys; and by blood in the Word is signified truth, as may be seen, Arcana Coelestia. n. 4735, 9127. The same also is signified by the organ which purifies: also all purification from falsities is effected by means of truths.

It is therefore evident that by Jehovah, or the Lord, in the Word, searching the heart and reins is signified that He explores the goods of love and the truths of faith, and separates them from evils and falsities.

[2] This is signified by reins in the following places: in Jeremiah,

"Jehovah Zebaoth, judge of justice, proving the reins and the heart" (11:20).

Again:

"Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit; thou art near in their mouth and far from their reins. Jehovah, thou shalt see me, and shalt prove my heart" (12:2, 3).

By being near in the mouth, and far from the reins is meant truth only in the memory, and thence in some of his thoughts when a man speaks, but not in the will and thence in act. Truth in the will and thence in act is that which separates and dissipates falsities; truth in the will and thence in act is to will and do what a man knows and thinks to be truth; this truth is what is specifically meant by reins.

[3] Again in the same prophet:

"I Jehovah search the heart, and prove the reins, even to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his works" (17:10).

To search the heart is to purify good by separating evil from it; to prove the reins, is to purify truth by separating falsity from it. It is therefore said, "To give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his works"; ways denote the truths of faith, and the fruit of works denotes the goods of love. (That ways denote truths of faith, may be seen above, n. 97, and that the fruit of works denotes the goods of love, n. 98, 109, 116.)

[4] In the same:

"Jehovah Zebaoth, proving the just, seeing the reins and the heart" (20:12).

And in David:

"Establish the just for thou who triest the hearts and reins art a just God" (Psalms 7:9).

The just denote those who love to do what is good and true, whose truths and goods are purified by the Lord, which is signified by His seeing and trying the reins and the hearts.

In the same:

"Prove me, O Jehovah, and try me, explore my reins and my heart" (Psalms 26:2).

Because truths are separated from falsities and goods from evils by temptations, it is therefore said, try me. In the same:

"For my heart was embittered and I am pricked in my reins. But I am foolish, and I do not know" (Psalms 73:21, 22).

The infestation of good by evil and of truth by falsity, is described by these words.

In the same:

"Behold, thou desirest truth in the reins, and in the hidden part thou makest wisdom known to me" (Psalms 51:6).

Here reins are expressed by another word in the original tongue, which involves the separation both of falsities from truths and of evils from goods. It is therefore evident that the reins signify purification and separation.

[5] In the same:

"I will bless Jehovah, who hath given me counsel; nightly, also, do my reins chastise me" (Psalms 16:7).

Nights signify the state of man when falsities rise up; the combat in such cases of truths with them is signified by "my reins chastise me." In the same:

"Even the darkness doth not make darkness before thee, but the night is light as the day; as the darkness so is the light; for thou possessest my reins, my bone was not hid from thee when I was made in secret" (Psalms 139:12, 13, 15).

Falsities are signified by darkness and truths by light; to possess the reins, is to know the falsities and truths pertaining to man; hence it is said, "my bone was not hid from thee when I was made in secret," which signifies that no falsity that was made could be bid. (That darkness denotes falsities and light truths may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 126-140 and that bone signifies truth in the ultimate of order, and, in the opposite sense, falsity, in Arcana Coelestia 3812, 5560, 5565, 6592, 8005.)

[6] Because the reins signified truths purified from falsities, therefore in the sacrifices the fats and reins were alone offered up, as may be seen in Exodus 29:13; Leviticus 3:4, 10, 15; 4:9; and other places.

The reason why the fats and reins alone were offered upon the altar was, because the fats signified the goods of love, and the reins the truths of faith. (That fats or fatnesses signify the goods of love, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 353, 5943, 6409, 10033. That the reins signify the truths of faith examining, purifying, and rejecting from themselves falsities is from correspondence; for all parts of the body, even the most minute, have a correspondence, as may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell, where it is shown, under its proper article, that "there is a correspondence of all things of heaven with all things of man," n. 87-102; and concerning the kidneys, n.96, 97.) Unless it be known that there is such a correspondence, who could know why it is so often stated of Jehovah, or the Lord, in the Word, that He searches and tries the reins and the heart? (Concerning the correspondence of the kidneys, the ureters, and vesicles, see Arcana Coelestia 5380-5386.) The reason why to search the reins and the heart also signifies to explore the exteriors and interiors of man is, that truth is without, and good is within; and spiritual good, which in its essence is truth, and which is specifically signified by the reins, is exterior good: but celestial good, which is specifically signified by the heart, is interior good. (This is more evident from what is said and shown concerning, the spiritual kingdom and the celestial kingdom in the work, Heaven and Hell 20-26.)

98. (Verse 2) I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy endurance. That this signifies all things that they will, think and do, thus all things of love and faith in the spiritual and in the natural man, is evident from the signification of works, as being the things of the will and love (concerning which more will be said in what follows); and from the signification of labour, as being the things of the thought and faith (concerning which also more will be said in what follows); and from the signification of endurance, as being the things thence effected, or which they do. But that such things are signified by these words can hardly be comprehended unless it be known that all things done by man flow from the interiors of his mind, and that the mind is all in all things which man performs, and that the body is only a subservient agent which exhibits in a visible form what the mind wills and thinks. This is why by those external things which are here called works, labour and endurance, are signified to will, to think, and thence to do, or, what is the same, to love, believe, and thence to show forth in act. But still these things cannot be comprehended unless it be also known that man possesses two faculties, which are called will and understanding, and that these two faculties are, under one expression, called the mind; also that man has an internal and an external, the internal being in the light of the spiritual world, and the external in the light of the natural world. (These are treated of in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, concerning the will and the understanding, n. 28-35; and concerning the internal and the external man, n. 36-52.) These things being understood, it can be known that, by works, in the spiritual sense, is meant whatever a man wills and loves, by labour whatever a man thinks or believes, and by endurance whatever he thence brings forth into act.

[2] But let us pass by these things, as being perhaps too little known, and consequently too obscure, to be clearly perceived, and attend to this only, that by works, in the spiritual sense, are meant all things of the will or love of man, and this because, in what follows, where the seven churches are treated of, it is first said of each, "I know thy works:" as

"Unto the angel of the church of the Smyraeans write; these things, saith the first and the last, I know thy works, and affliction, and poverty" (verses 8, 9);

"Unto the angel of the church in Pergamos write, These things said he that hath the sharp two-edged sword, I know thy works, and where thou dwellest" (vers. 12, 13);

"Unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write, These things saith the Son of God, I know thy works and charity" (vers. 18, 19);

"Unto the angel of the church in Sardis write, These things saith he that hath the seven spirits of God, I know thy works, that thou art said to live" (3:1);

"Unto the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, I know thy works" (verses 7, 8); and

"Unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, I know thy works" (vers. 14, 15).

[3] Because it was there said of each, "I know thy works," it is clear that by works are signified in general all things of the church; and because all things of the church have reference to love and faith, therefore these are meant by works in the spiritual sense. The reason why such things are meant by works in the spiritual sense, is, that every work, or every deed, or every act, which is apparently done from the body, is not done from the body, but by the body from the will and thought of man; for not one particle of the body is moved, but from the will and thought. This is why works signify those things, but not the things which are manifested in the external form. That this is the case, is known to every one who reflects. Who is there that is wise that regards a man from his deeds alone, and not from his will? If he wills well, he loves his deeds; but if he wills evil, he does not love his deeds: the latter he also sees and explains according to the intention of his will. He who is spiritual attends still less to the deeds, and explores the will. The reason is, as has been said, that deeds are nothing in themselves, but they derive their character entirely from the will; for deeds are the will in act. It is said the will, but, in the spiritual sense, is meant the love, because a man wills what he loves, and what he loves that he wills. The will of man is only a receptacle of his love (as may be seen from what is said and shown in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, concerning that faculty of man, n.28-35; and in the work, Heaven and Hell 358, 470-484).

[4] Because works or deeds in the Word signify specifically those things that proceed from a man's love or will, therefore it is often said in the Word that man shall be judged and rewarded according to his works, where works such as they are in the external form are not meant, but in the internal, as in the following passages:

"The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he shall reward every man according to his works" (Matthew 16:27)

"Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, Yea, saith the spirit, that they may rest from their labours; their works do follow them" (Apoc. 14:13).

"I will give unto every one of you according to his works" (Apoc. 2:23).

"I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God; and the books were opened: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. The sea gave up the dead that were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead that were in them; and they were judged every man according to their works" (Apoc. 20:12, 13).

"Behold I come, and my reward is with me, to give every man according to his works" (Apoc. 22:12).

And in Jeremiah:

"I will recompense them, according to their works, and according to the doing (factum) of their hands" (25:14).

O Jehovah, "whose eyes are open upon all the ways of men, to give to every one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his works" (32:19).

"I will punish them for their ways, and reward them for their works" (Hosea 4:9).

"According to our ways and according to our works, so Jehovah hath dealt with us" (Zechariah 1:6).

When the Lord foretells concerning the Last Judgment, He makes mention only of works, and declares that those who have done good works shall enter into life eternal, and those who have done evil works into condemnation (Matthew 25:32-46).

[5] That works signify the things of love and faith, the Lord also shows in these words:

"They said unto Jesus, What shall we do, that we may work the works of God? He answered, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom" the Father "hath sent" (John 6:28, 29).

And in another place:

"The night shall come when no man can work" (John 9:4).

Night signifies the last time of the church, when there is no faith, because no charity. (That night signifies time see Arcana Coelestia 2353, 6000.) The reason why works are so often mentioned, is, that the sense of the letter of the Word consists only of things external, which are in nature, and are seen by the eyes in order that the spiritual sense may be in each of the expressions, as the soul is in the body; for otherwise the Word would not be a means of communication with the angels, but would be like a house without a foundation (see what was said above, n. 8, 16). This is why the angels, because they are spiritual, do not understand works, when works are named, but the things from which works proceed, which are, as was said above, the will or love, and thence the thought belonging to faith. (But this circumstance may be seen more clearly set forth in the work, Heaven and Hell 470-483, where it is shown that a man after death is such as his life was in the world.) The reason why by labour in the spiritual sense is meant everything that a man thinks, is, that to labour spiritually is to think; and the reason why endurance signifies every thing that a man does is, that to endure in this case is to be assiduous, and to remove the obstacles which are in the natural man, which continually rise up and cause hindrance.