203. (Verse 7) And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write. That this signifies those of the church who are in the faith of charity is evident from the things written to the angel of this church, understood in the internal sense. For, as said above (n. 20), by the seven churches are not meant seven churches, but all who belong to the church, or all things pertaining to man which constitute the church; for by seven in the Word are meant all persons, and all things, because by each number mentioned in the Word is signified something either of thing or state, as is very evident in this prophetic book, in which numbers are so frequently mentioned. The same is evident from Ezekiel (chap. 40-48), where the new temple and the new earth are described, which is done by measures given in numbers. By the new temple and the new earth is there meant the New Church, and by each number or each measure is signified something belonging to the church. (That all numbers in the Word signify things and states, may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 263.)

84. Love for Our Neighbor, or Caring

First of all, I need to define neighbor, because this is the one we are to love and the one toward whom caring is to be extended. Unless we know what neighbor means, we may extend caring in basically the same manner indiscriminately-just as much to evil people as to good ones. But in that case our caring can become the opposite of caring, because although the good people will use what they have been given to do good to their neighbor, the evil people will use it to do harm.