12. The sixth state is when he utters truths and performs good deeds from faith and consequently from love. What he brings forth at this point are called a living creature and a beast. And because at this point he starts to act from faith and also simultaneously from love, he becomes a spiritual man, who is called an image. The spiritual life of that man finds its delight in, and is sustained by, the things which are associated with cognitions of faith and with charitable acts, which are called his food; and his natural life finds its delight in, and is sustained by, those which belong to the body and the senses. The latter give rise to conflict until love rules and he becomes a celestial man.

755. Knowing that he hath but a short time.- That this signifies because the state is changed, is plain from the signification of time, as denoting the proceeding state of life, concerning which see above (n. 571, 610, 664, 673). He hath but a short time therefore signifies that the former state was changed. For the former state is described by the dragon and his angels being seen in heaven, while the latter state is described by their being cast unto the earth after the battle with Michael and his angels. What this state is has been shown briefly in the preceding article; but a fuller description of this state shall be given after the conclusion of this work.