9931. 'And engrave on it, [like] the engraving of a signet' means what is everlasting and has been imprinted on their hearts in accord with a heavenly sphere. This is clear from the meaning of 'engraving' as imprinting on the memory, 9841, 9842, thus also on the heart (for what is imprinted on the interior memory, or on one's life, is said to have been imprinted on the heart), and since this remains forever, what exists everlastingly is also meant; and from the meaning of 'the engraving of a signet' as a heavenly sphere, dealt with in 9846. The expression 'what has been imprinted on their hearts in accord with a heavenly sphere' is used because things which have been imprinted on the memory - in particular on the interior memory, which is 'the book of life', 2474 - have been imprinted in accord with a heavenly sphere. For a person governed by the good of love resulting from the truths of faith resembles heaven, indeed he is heaven in the smallest form it takes, see the places referred to above in 9279, 9632. This being so, the heavenly pattern resides in him; for all the communities in heaven have been arranged according to the heavenly pattern, because all affections for good and consequently thoughts of truth flow in accordance with that pattern, 9877. All factual knowledge too is arranged into the heavenly pattern when a person is governed by heavenly love, love being that which so arranges it, see 6690.

9877. 'With the engravings of a signet' means in accord with the heavenly pattern. This is clear from the meaning of 'the engravings of a signet' as the heavenly pattern, dealt with in 9846. As regards what the heavenly pattern is, it is the one which all the communities in heaven have been arranged in accordance with. Thus it is the pattern in accordance with which all truths springing from good have been arranged into order; for the angels in heaven are recipients of truths springing from good, the Divine Good emanating from the Lord being the creator of that pattern. In accordance with that pattern all the affections belonging to love, and from this all the thoughts belonging to faith flow; indeed in accordance with that pattern they spread out into the angelic communities and place them in communion with one another. So it is that those with whom the good of love to the Lord resides, and springing from this good the truths of faith, are in the greatest state of freedom in willing and thinking. But those with whom that good and consequently truths springing from it do not reside are in a state of bondage; for their will and thought begin in self and not the Lord, the creator of that pattern. But it is not possible to have a detailed knowledge of what that pattern is like, because it lies beyond human understanding.