204. These things saith he that is holy, he that is true. That this signifies from whom is that faith is evident from the signification of holy and true, when said of the Lord, as denoting that charity and faith are from Him, the term holy being used in reference to charity, and the term true, to faith. That the Lord is called holy because charity is from Him, and hence, that holiness in the Word is said of charity and of faith therefrom, will be seen presently. But that the Lord is called true because faith is from Him, and that hence truth in the Word is spoken of faith, is because all truth has reference to faith: for that is said to be true which is believed; other things have not reference to faith, because they are not believed. But as the subject now treated of is the faith of charity, something shall first be said concerning faith and its quality.

[2] There is spiritual faith, and there is merely natural faith. Spiritual faith is wholly from charity, and in its essence is charity. Charity, or love towards the neighbour, is to love what is true, sincere and just, and, from the will, to act accordingly. For the neighbour, in the spiritual sense, is not any particular man, but is that which is in man; if this is what is true, sincere and just, and a man be loved from these, then the neighbour is loved. That this is meant by charity in the spiritual sense, any one may know if he will but reflect; for every one loves another, not for the sake of his person, but for the sake of that which is in him; this is the source of all friendship, favour and honour.

From this it follows, that to love men for the sake of what is true, sincere and just in them, is spiritual love; for truth, sincerity and justice are spiritual things, because they are out of heaven from the Lord. No one thinks, wills and does anything good, which is good in itself, but everything is from the Lord; and truth, sincerity and justice are the goods which are essentially good when from the Lord. These things, now, are the neighbour in the spiritual sense; it is therefore clear what is meant in that sense by love towards the neighbour, or charity. This is the source of spiritual faith; for whatever is loved is said to be true when it is thought of. That this is the case every one may know if he but reflects; for every one confirms what he loves by many things in his thought, and all these he calls truths; no one has any truth but from this source: it therefore follows that, according to the quality of a man's love, such are his truths; consequently, if that love is spiritual, so also will be the truths, because they act in unity with the love. All truths in the aggregate, because they are believed, are called faith; hence it is clear, that spiritual faith in its essence is charity.

[3] So far concerning spiritual faith; but faith merely natural is not the faith of the church, although it is called faith; but is mere knowledge (scientia). The reason of this is, that it proceeds not from love towards the neighbour, or charity, which is the very spiritual itself whence faith is derived, but from some natural love which has reference either to the love of self or of the world; and whatever proceeds from these loves is natural. Love forms man's spirit, for a man as to his spirit is entirely his love, as it were: hence he thinks, wills and acts; therefore no other truth constitutes his faith but that which comes from his love; and truth which belongs to the love of self or of the world is merely natural, because it comes from man and from the world, and not from the Lord and out of heaven; for he loves truth, not for its own sake, but for the sake of honour, gain and reputation, to which it is subservient; and because his truth is of such a quality, such also is his faith. This is why such faith is not the faith of the truth of the church, or faith in a spiritual sense, but in a natural sense, which is knowledge (scientia): therefore also, because nothing thereof is in man's spirit, but only in his memory, together with other worldly things, it is dissipated after death. For that alone remains with a man after death that belongs to his love; for, as has been said, love forms man's spirit, and man as to his spirit is entirely such as his love is. Other things concerning charity and faith therefrom, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, where charity and faith are treated of (n. 84-106, and n. 108-122); also in the small work, The Last Judgment 33-39), where it is shown that there is no faith where there is no charity.

[4] That the term holy in the Word is used in reference to Divine truth, and hence to charity and its faith, is evident from the passages where it is used. There are two things that proceed from the Lord and are received by the angels - Divine good and Divine truth; these proceed unitedly from the Lord, but are received by the angels variously; some receive Divine good more than Divine truth, and some receive Divine truth more than Divine good. The former constitute the celestial kingdom of the Lord, and are called celestial angels, and, in the Word, they are called the just; but the latter constitute the spiritual kingdom of the Lord, and are called spiritual angels, and in the Word holy (concerning those two kingdoms and the angels thereof, see the work, Heaven and Hell 20-28). This is why by just and justice in the Word is meant Divine good and what thence proceeds, and by holy and holiness is meant Divine truth and what thence proceeds.

From these considerations it will be seen what is meant in the Word by being justified, and what by being sanctified, as in the Apocalypse:

"He that is just let him be just still, and he that is holy let him be holy still" (22:11).

And in Luke:

"To serve him in holiness and justice" (1:74).

[5] Because Divine truth proceeding from the Lord is meant by holy, therefore in the Word the Lord is called the Holy One, the Holy One of God, the Holy One of Israel, the Holy One of Jacob; and therefore, also, angels are called holy, and also prophets and apostles; hence also Jerusalem is called holy. That the Lord is called the Holy One, the Holy One of God, the Holy One of Israel and the Holy One of Jacob, may be seen in Isaiah 29:23; 31:1; 40:25; 41:14, 16; 43:3; 49:7; Dan. 4:13; 9:24; Mark 1:24; Luke 4:34. He is also called King of saints in the Apocalypse:

"Just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints" (15:3).

The reason why the Lord is called the Holy One, the Holy One of God, the Holy One of Israel and the Holy One of Jacob, is, because He alone and none else is holy, which is also declared in the Apocalypse:

"Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy" (15:4).

[6] The reason why angels, prophets and apostles are called holy is, that by them, in the spiritual sense, is meant Divine truth; and the reason why Jerusalem is called the holy city is, that by that city, in the spiritual sense, is meant the church as to the doctrine of truth. That angels are in the Word called holy, may be seen in Matthew 25:31; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26. That prophets are called holy, may be seen, Mark 6:20; Luke 1:70; Apoc. 18:20. That the apostles are called holy, may be seen, Apoc. 18:20. And that Jerusalem is called the holy city, may be seen, Isaiah 48:2; 66:20, 22; Dan. 9:24; Matthew 27:53; Apoc. 21:2, 10. (That by angels in the Word is meant Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, may be seen above, 130, 200; that the same is signified by prophets, may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 2534, 7269; as also by the apostles, see above, n. 100; that by Jerusalem in the Word is meant the church as to the doctrine of truth, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 6.)

From these considerations it is evident why the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord is called the Spirit of truth, and the Holy Spirit, as may be seen above (n. 183), also why heaven is called the habitation of holiness (Isaiah 63:15; Deuteronomy 26:15), and why the church is called the sanctuary (Jeremiah 17:12; Lamentations 2:7; Psalms 68:35).

[7] That holiness is said of Divine truth, is clear in the following passages. In John:

Jesus, when praying, said, "Father, sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified in the truth (17:17, 19).

Here to be sanctified is clearly said of Divine truth, and sanctified of those who receive Divine truth from the Lord. In Moses:

"Jehovah came from Sinai, out of the myriads of holiness; from his right hand they had the fire of the law; even he who loveth the people, in thy hand are all his saints, and they are prostrated at thy foot; he shall receive of thy words" (Deuteronomy 33:2, 3).

Sinai signifies heaven, where the Lord is, from whom proceeds Divine truth, or from whom comes the law, both in a limited and a general sense; myriads of holiness signify Divine truths; the law signifies, in a limited sense, the ten precepts of the Decalogue, and in a general sense, the whole Word, which is Divine truth. Those are called peoples in the Word who are in truths, and those of the people who are in truths are called holy. By they are prostrated at thy foot, he shall receive of thy words, is meant holy reception of Divine truth in ultimates, which is the Word in the sense of the letter, and instruction therefrom.

From these considerations it can be known what the particulars in that prophecy signify in the spiritual sense. (That Sinai in the Word signifies heaven, where the Lord is, from whom is Divine truth, or from whom is the law, both in a limited and a general sense, Arcana Coelestia 8399, 8753, 8793, 8805, 9420. That the law signifies, in a limited sense, the ten precepts of the Decalogue, and, in a general sense, the whole Word, n. 2606, 3382, 6752, 7463. That those who are in truths are called peoples, and nations those who are in goods, n. 1259, 1260, 2928, 3295, 3581, 6451, 6465, 7207, 10288. That foot, a place for the feet, and footstool, when said of the Lord, signify Divine truth in ultimates, thus the Word in the letter, n. 9406.) Hence it is clear that by myriads of holiness are meant Divine truths, and that those who are in Divine truths are called holy.

[8] Again, in Moses:

"Speak unto the whole assembly of the sons of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy, for I Jehovah of Israel am holy" (Leviticus 19:2).

The subject treated of in that chapter is the statutes, judgments and precepts that were to be observed; and because Divine truths are thereby signified, it is therefore commanded that they should be holy. By Israel is also signified the spiritual church, or the church which is in Divine truths, and therefore it is said, I Jehovah of Israel am holy.

In Moses:

"Ye shall sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy. And ye shall keep my statutes that ye may do them" (Leviticus 20:7, 8).

The subject here treated of is also the statutes, judgments and precepts which were to be observed. Again:

"If they keep my statutes and judgments, they shall be a people holy to Jehovah" (Deuteronomy 26:17, 19).

In David:

"We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, with the holiness of thy temple" (Psalms 65:4).

Here they are said to be satisfied with the goodness of the house of Jehovah, and with the holiness of His temple, because the house of God, in the highest sense, signifies the Lord as to Divine good, and temple as to Divine truth (see Arcana Coelestia 3720). In Zechariah:

"In that day there shall be upon the bells of the horses holiness unto Jehovah" (14:20).

The establishment of a new church is there treated of, and by the bells of the horses are signified scientific truths (scientifica vera) from the Intellectual. (That bells signify scientific truths may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 9921, 9926; and that a horse signifies the Intellectual, may be seen in the small work. The White Horse 1-4.)

[9] From these considerations it is evident what was represented and signified by it being commanded,

That upon the mitre, which was upon the head of Aaron, should be placed a plate of pure gold, upon which was engraved "holiness to Jehovah" (Exodus 28:36-38; 39:30, 31);

for the mitre signified wisdom, which pertains to Divine truth (see Arcana Coelestia 9827, 9949). It may also be known what is signified and represented

By Aaron and his sons, their garments, the altar, the tabernacle, with everything pertaining thereto, being anointed with oil, and that thus "they should be sanctified" (Exodus 29:1-36; 30:22, 24-30; Leviticus 8:1 to the end).

For oil signified the Divine good of the Divine love, and sanctification the proceeding Divine; for it is the Divine good which sanctifies, and the Divine truth is that which is thence holy.

[10] That the word holy is used of charity, is evident from what was said above concerning the angels of heaven, namely, that there are some of them who receive more Divine good than Divine truth, and that there are others who receive more Divine truth than Divine good: the former constitute the celestial kingdom of the Lord, and are those who are in love to the Lord, and because they are in love to the Lord, they are called just; but the latter constitute the spiritual kingdom of the Lord, and are those who are in charity towards the neighbour, and on that account are called holy. (That there are two loves which constitute heaven - love to the Lord, and love towards the neighbour, or charity, and that the heavens are thence distinguished into two kingdoms, a celestial kingdom and a spiritual kingdom, may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 13-19 and n. 20-28.)

8588. 'And Meribah' means the essential nature of the complaining. This is clear from the consideration that in the original language Meribah means contention or wrangling, and 'wrangling' means complaining, 8563, 8566; and since also names mean the essential nature of something, 8587, 'Meribah' here means the essential nature of the complaining. As regards the specific temptation here and the essential nature of it, it should be recognized that those people are being described here who in temptations almost give in; that is to say, they complain against heaven, also against the Divine Himself, and at length almost cease to believe in God's providence. These things are meant in the internal sense by what has gone before and also by what follows in the present verse; they are the essential nature of the state of the temptation, meant by 'Massah', and the essential nature of the complaining in the temptation, meant by 'Meribah'. The fact that the latter is meant here by 'Meribah' is evident in David,

You called on Me in distress, and I rescued you; I answered you in the hiding place. I tested you by the waters of Meribah. Psalms 81:7.

[2] But the internal historical sense, in which the religious condition of the Israelite nation is the subject, describes the nature of their attitude towards Jehovah. It was such that when they asked Him for aid they refused to plead for it, and instead demanded it. The reason for this was that when they saw miracles their acknowledgement of Jehovah as the Supreme Deity did not exist in their heart, only on their lips. The fact that there was no acknowledgement of Him in their heart is perfectly clear from the Egyptian calf which they made for themselves and worshipped, saying that these were their gods, and also from their frequent apostasy, regarding which see 8301. These are the matters that the internal historical sense describes here; but the internal spiritual sense describes the essential nature of the temptation when those undergoing it are brought to the final phase before their deliverance.

[3] The fact that the character of the Israelite nation and their religious condition are described by their contending with Moses at Massah and Meribah is also clear in David,

Do not harden your heart as in Meribah, as in the day of Massah, in the wilderness, where your fathers tempted Me; they tempted Me, and saw My work. For forty years I loathed [that] generation, and said, They are a people who err in their heart and have not known My ways, to whom I swore in My anger, They shall not enter My rest. Psalms 95:8-11.

In Moses,

You shall not tempt Jehovah your God, as you tempted [Him] in Massah. Deuteronomy 6:16.

In the same author,

Furthermore in Taberah and in Massah and in Kibroth Hattaavah, you were rebels against Jehovah from the day I knew you. Deuteronomy 9:22, 24.

In the same author,

Of Levi he said, Your Thummim and your Urim shall be for the Holy Man (Vir) whom you tempted in Massah; you contended with Him at the waters of Meribah. Deuteronomy 33:8-9

'The Holy Man' here stands for the Lord, whom they tempted, and whom

Moses and Aaron 'did not honour as holy'.

[4] In the internal historical sense, in which the religious condition of the

Israelite nation is the subject, Moses and Aaron do not represent God's truth, but the religious condition of that nation, whose leaders and heads they were, 7041. Since that religious condition was such as has been mentioned above, it was declared to the two that they would not lead the people into the land of Canaan. This is stated in the Book of Numbers as follows,

Jehovah said to Moses and Aaron, Because you did not believe in Me and honour Me as holy in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you will not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. These are the waters of Meribah, because the children of Israel contended with Jehovah. Numbers 20:12-13; 27:14.

And in the same book,

Aaron will be gathered to his people, and will not enter the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled against My word ¹ at the waters of Meribah. Numbers 20:24.

The like is said of Moses at Deuteronomy 32:49-51.

[5] Among that nation representative worship of God was nevertheless established because representative worship could have been established among any nation that thought the outward things of worship were holy and venerated them in a virtually idolatrous manner. For a representative has no regard to the person who represents, only to the reality represented, 1361; and that nation was by disposition such, more than any other nation, that outward things devoid of anything internal were altogether venerated by them as being holy and Divine. They were such that they revered their fathers - Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and later on Moses and David - as demi-gods. In addition they venerated as being holy and Divine, and worshipped, every piece of stone or wood dedicated to their worship of God, such as the Ark, the tables there, the lampstand, the altar, Aaron's vestments, the Urim and Thummim, and later on the temple. By means of outward things such as these at that time communication of the angels of heaven with mankind was in the Lord's providence made possible; for the Church, or a representative of the Church, must exist somewhere, in order that heaven may be in communication with the human race. And since that nation more than any other could make Divine worship consist in outward things, and so could act as a representative of the Church, that nation was the one to be adopted.

[6] The communication with angels in heaven by means of representatives was effected at that time in the following way. People's outward worship was conveyed to angelic spirits who are simple and give no thought to inward values, though they are themselves nevertheless good inwardly. Such spirits are those who in the Grand Man correspond to the skin. They pay no attention at all to what is in a person inwardly, only to what is visible outwardly; and if this is seen by them to be holy they think that what is inward is so too. The more internal angels of heaven saw in these spirits the realities that were being represented, consequently the corresponding heavenly and Divine values; for they could reside with these spirits and see those values, but not with men, except through those spirits. Angels dwell with men in their inward values; but when no inward values are there, they dwell in the interiors of simple spirits; for the wisdom of angels extends only to spiritual and celestial values, which are the inward realities of representatives. From this brief explanation one may recognize how communication with heaven through such a people could be made possible. But see what has been shown already on this matter:

Among the Jews the holiness of their worship was carried up outside themselves into heaven in a miraculous fashion, 4307. The descendants of Jacob were able to represent what was holy, irrespective of what they were really like, provided that the religious observances which had been commanded were carried out precisely, 3147, 3479, 3480, 3881 (end), 4208, 4281, 4288, 4289, 4293, 4307, 4444, 4500, 4680, 4825, 4844, 4847, 4899, 4912, 6304, 6306, 7048, 7051, 8301 (end).

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