303. THE CONJUNCTION OF HEAVEN WITH MAN BY MEANS OF THE WORD

Those who think from interior reason can see that there is a connection of all things through intermediates with the First, and that whatever is not in connection is dissipated. For they know, when they think about it, that nothing can continue in existence from itself, but from what is prior to itself, thus all things from the First; also that the connection with what is prior is like the connection of an effect with its efficient cause; for when the efficient cause is taken away from its effect then the effect is dissolved and disappears. Because the learned thought thus they saw and said that continuing in existence is a perpetual coming into existence; thus that all things perpetually come into existence from the First, from which they came into existence, that is, they continue to exist. But what the connection of everything is with that which is prior to itself, thus with the First which is the source of all things, cannot be told in a few words, because it is various and diverse. It can only be said in general that there is a connection of the natural world with the spiritual world, and that in consequence there is a correspondence of all things in the natural with all things in the spiritual world (about this correspondence see 103-115); also that there is a connection and consequently a correspondence of all things of man with all things of heaven (see also above, 87-102).

96. These things saith He that holdeth the seven stars in His right hand, signifies from whom are all the knowledges of good and truth. This is evident from the signification of "seven stars," as meaning all the knowledges of good and truth (See above, n. 72); and from the signification of "right hand," as being, in reference to the Lord, what is from Him (See above, n. 72, 79); therefore by these words, "that holdeth the seven stars in His right hand," is signified that from the Lord are all the knowledges of good and truth. It is said that He saith this "who holdeth the seven stars in His right hand, and walketh in the midst of the [seven] golden lampstands," because by "stars" are signified the knowledges of good and truth, and by "golden lampstands" the new heaven and the new church. There is thus prefixed to each description of a church a Divine characteristic that indicates the subject treated of (as to the descriptions of the churches that follow, verses 8, 12, 18; chap. Revelation 3:1, 7, 14). It is so prefixed because everything of the church is from the Lord. From this it is clear also why the Lord, in respect to His Divine Human, is described in the first chapter by the representatives that were seen by John, namely, that from these might be taken what was to be prefixed to the description of each church, for a testimony and a memorial that everything of the church is from the Lord, and indeed from His Divine Human; for from this all the good of love proceeds and every truth of faith, and these constitute the church. What immediately proceeds from His Divine Itself does not reach man, because His Divine Itself is invisible and therefore does not fall within the thought, and what does not fall within the thought does not fall within the faith; for everything that is of faith must be thought. That the Son of man, who is described (in chap. Revelation 1) by the representatives seen by John, is the Lord in respect to the Divine Human, and Divine truth proceeding therefrom, see above n. 63. The knowledges of truth and good are here treated of first, because they are the first things of the church; for no one can be initiated into faith and charity, which constitute the church, except by means of knowledges from the Word that pertain to the church (See what is appended to n. 356 of the work on Heaven and Hell from the Arcana Coelestia).