Verses 1-8. A General Summary.

Verses 9-18. The selection of right principles in the mind.

Verses 19-21. Invitation to enter upon the heavenly life.

Verses 22-25. A search into what constitutes the heavenly life.

Verses 26-40. The unwillingness of the unregenerate heart to enter upon it.

Verses 41-46. The attempt to do so from selfhood and defeat in temptation.

757. Verse 13. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, signifies when the religion of faith alone separated from the life of charity was not acknowledged but was accounted as vile. This is evident from the signification of "seeing," as being to consider and to perceive; also from the signification of "the dragon," as being those in the church who make no account of the life; and as this is especially done by those who have the doctrine that faith alone is what justifies, and not at all a life of faith, which is charity (of which above, n. 714, 715, 716, 718, 737), therefore "the dragon" here signifies the religion of faith alone separated from the life of charity. Also from the signification of "cast unto the earth," as being that he was separated from heaven and condemned to hell (of which see above, n. 739, 742, 746). "To be cast unto the earth" here signifies that that religion was not acknowledged, but was accounted as vile, because whenever anything of religion or doctrine is not in accord with truth and good it is separated from heaven, and is no longer acknowledged, but is accounted as vile. This takes place first in the spiritual world, and afterward in the natural world; for in things pertaining to heaven and the church both worlds act as one; since a man who is living in the natural world can think about spiritual things no otherwise than the spirits and angels that are with him think, because spiritual things are above man's natural thought, and the things that are above are dependent on influx; yet this influx is received only by those who are inwardly spiritual, that is, who are in the affection of truth for the sake of truth, and who are living according to truths. By such the religion of faith separated from the life of charity is not acknowledged, but is accounted as vile. It is otherwise with those who have no affection for truths except for the sake of fame, honor, and gain, consequently who make no account of the life of charity. These receive no influx out of heaven, therefore they make one with hell. These are signified by "the dragon. "