382. And he that sat upon him, signifies the Word. This is evident from what has been said and shown above n. 373. Its being said that "his name was Death" does not mean that the Word in itself is death, but only before those who are in evils and falsities therefrom, for such persons see and perceive in the Word nothing of truth and good, thus nothing of spiritual life; consequently before such as these it is according to appearance and perception that his name that sat upon the pale horse is "Death." For the Word appears to everyone according to his quality, as life to those who are in good and truth, but as death to those who are in evils and falsities. It is similar with the Lord Himself, who is the Word; He too appears to everyone according to his quality; to those who are in goods and truths therefrom He appears as a fire and as light vivifying and recreating, but to those who are in evils and in falsities therefrom He appears as a consuming fire and as thick darkness (See Arcana Coelestia 934, 1861 end, 6832, 8814, 8819, 9434, 10551). And for the same reason to those who are in evil and in falsities therefrom the Lord appears to be angry, to punish, to condemn, and to cast into hell, when yet He is never angry, never punishes, or condemns, or casts into hell, but saves so far as man applies himself; for the Lord is good itself and truth itself, He is love itself and mercy itself. The like is true of this passage, where it is said that the name of the one that sat on the pale horse is "Death." (On this more may be seen cited above, n. 373)