828. We have treated above of love to the Lord, in which love are the angels in the third heaven. It now remains to say something about love towards the neighbour among those angels. By neighbour they understand uses, which are indeed works. But uses, to them, are all things done by the Lord in them, which have regard especially to the worship of the Lord, His church, the implantation of the holy things thereof, especially with infants, with whom they have conjunction, and whom they inspire with innocence and its affections; also the good of society in general and particular. These are the things that chiefly pertain to their love, because they pertain to love to the Lord. The Lord operates these things in them by the love implanted in their life, which is such that in them they perceive all the delight of their life.

The reason why such things are their neighbour is, that they do not refer to persons, but to the things that pertain to persons. For they are wiser than the rest of the angels; and it is wisdom to regard others from those things that pertain to them and constitute them. For every angel, spirit, and man is his own love and his own affection, thus his own good and consequently his own truth. And because these things constitute them, it is not possible for them, as being wise, to regard anything else in others but that from which they exist. This is to them a neighbour, or brother and companion, according to what is frequently said in the Word, good being considered by them as a brother, and truth as a companion. It is therefore evident what love towards the neighbour is in the third heaven.

[2] As for other things which concern their moral, civil, and domestic life, these also are works which they do from affection, but they are not such works as are meant by neighbour, or brother and companion; for they derive something from the world, also from what is useful for themselves and their own. They are the derivations and productions of the uses before mentioned, and are those things that proceed from their thought, about which, therefore, they can discourse. These things keep the life of their body in such a state that the life of their love can dwell therein, and perform its uses. Because these angels are of such a character, they do not know what charity or what faith are; but instead of charity they have the love of good, and instead of faith the love of truth. They are also continually in the love of good and truth, because their life is the affection of good, in which and from which is the perception of truth. Therefore, when mention is made of charity from which is faith, or of faith which is from charity, they do not know what these are.

The angels of the third heaven, because they are of such a character, appear before the angels of the lower heavens as infants, and some as children, all in a state of simplicity; they also go naked.

[3] The reason why they appear as infants and as children is that they are in innocence; and love to the Lord from the Lord is innocence. Whence also by infants and children, in the Word, innocence, and also love to the Lord are signified. The reason why they appear simple is, that they cannot speak about the holy things of heaven and the church; for these things with them are not in the memory, from which all discourse comes, but in the life and thence in the understanding; not as thought, but as the affection of good in its form, which does not come down into discourse. And even if it were to descend, it would not speak, but only give forth a sound. And those who cannot speak about such things seem to themselves and to others to be simple. A further reason is, that they are in humility of heart, and know that it is wisdom to see that what they do know is hardly anything in comparison with the things that they do not know. The reason why they go naked is, that nakedness, in the spiritual sense, is innocence; and because garments signify truths clothing good; and the truths that clothe are in the memory, and thence in the thought. But with them truths are in the life, and thus hidden, and only reveal themselves before the perception while others are uttering them, and their ministers preaching them from the Word. They are also perfected from the talk of those who are in the understanding of truth from preachings, and likewise from books. They write also, but not by letters, as other angels, but by curves and inflexions, which contain arcana that are above the understanding of the angels in the lower heavens.

They also dwell in expanses above others, and in gardens there in which are shrubberies and beds of flowers, whence they are in continual representatives of celestial things. And, what is wonderful, stone is not found there, because stone signifies natural truth, whereas wood signifies good, a tree perception, and a flower implantation.

Thus much then about love to the Lord and love towards the neighbour, consequently, concerning celestial love. In what follows we shall speak of spiritual love; also of charity and faith.

780. (Verse 2) And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard. That this signifies reasonings which are discordant and yet appear to be coherent, is evident from the signification of the beast rising out of the sea, which is the subject here treated of, as denoting reasonings from the natural man confirming the separation of faith from life (concerning which see above, n. 774); in this case therefore signifying those reasonings; and from the signification of a leopard, as denoting those reasonings which are discordant and yet appear to be true. The reason why such things are signified by a leopard is, that a leopard is remarkable for its skin being variegated with spots, which renders it not unbeautiful. And because it is a cunning and savage animal, and more than all others swift to seize its prey; and because such also are those who are skilful in reasoning expertly to confirm the dogma of the separation of faith from good works by reasonings from the natural man - which, although these do not agree with truths, still they make them appear as if they did agree with truths - therefore, that beast as to its body appeared like a leopard.

[2] Because these things are signified by a leopard, we will first illustrate by some examples how those who separate faith from the life thereof - good works - cause things that are discordant to appear by their reasonings as if they were coherent. In many parts of the Word heretical doctrines are described by idols, which the fabricator contrives in such a way as to resemble the figure of a man, but which nevertheless cannot be caused to live so as to see, hear, move the hands and feet, and speak. I have seen this done in the spiritual world by some who separated faith from good works; and this work continued for several hours. And after the idol was made it appeared indeed to many to be the image of a man, but before the eyes of angels, to be a monster. They wished also to impart to it something of life by means of their arts, but this they were not able to do.

[3] The reason why such things take place in the spiritual world is, that all things that appear there are representative of spiritual things, these being set forth in forms such as exist in this world. Hence there appear beasts of the earth of every kind, and birds of heaven; also houses and chambers in them with various decorations; also gardens and paradises full of trees bearing fruit and flowers. Tables also appear and eatables of every kind upon them; innumerable other things also, which, however, are all from a spiritual origin, and thence representative of spiritual things. It is for this reason that certain spirits form various things, by means of which spiritual things are set forth in effigy. For this reason they also desired to show faith separated from good works, under the image of a man, in order that by such appearance they might persuade the simple that that heretical dogma was Divine truth. For every truth from the Lord, in its own form, is a man; and hence the angels, because they are recipients of Divine truth from the Lord, are human forms, in fact everything in an angel that is from Divine truth, has such a form. That this is the case is evident from what is said upon this subject in the workHeaven and Hell 460); and that idols, in the Word, signify false doctrinals from man's own intelligence, appearing as truths, may be seen above (n. 587).

These things are mentioned in order that it may be known, that upon all heresies, and especially upon this universal one concerning the separation of faith from good works, an appearance can be induced by reasonings as if they were from truths and not from falsities. But this shall be illustrated by an example.

[4] Who may not be brought to believe that faith alone is the one only means of salvation, because a man cannot of himself do good, which is good in itself? For it appears to every one at first sight to be a necessary consequence, and thus as consistent with truth; and in this case it is not seen to be reasoning from the natural man confirming the separation of faith from good works; while the man who is persuaded by this reasoning begins to imagine that he has no need to attend to his life, because he has faith. But he who so believes does not know that the real state of the case is this, that to do good from the Word, that is, because it is commanded in the Word, is to do good from the Lord; and that in this way a man may do good of himself, but still believe that it is from the Lord. Upon this subject, however, more will be said in what follows. From these few things it may be seen, how, by means of reasonings, the appearance may easily be induced that the falsity which universally reigns in the Christian Church is in agreement with this truth, that every good that is good in itself is from the Lord, and nothing thereof from man; and that therefore a man may desist from doing good and yet be saved; when, nevertheless, there is no agreement.

[5] That such reasonings are signified by the leopard, is evident from the following passages in the Word. Thus in Jeremiah:

"Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? So are ye able to do good, who have been instructed to do evil" (13:23).

Can the Ethiopian change his skin, signifies that evil cannot change its nature. The Ethiopian denotes evil in its own form, because he is wholly black; and the skin, because it is the outermost part of man and corresponds to his Sensual, denotes his nature. Or the leopard his spots, signifies that neither can the falsity of evil change. Leopard here denotes falsity from evil; for it denotes truth falsified by reasoning; and spots denote things falsified. As both are contrary to good, it is said, so are ye able to do good who have been instructed to do evil. It is said that both are contrary to good, namely, evil and the falsity of evil; because it is evil of the will and falsity of the understanding therefrom. Evil of the will is evil from nature, and falsity of the understanding becomes evil by act; for the will acts by the understanding, and does evil.

[6] Again in Isaiah:

"Justice shall be the girdle of his loins, and truth the girdle of his thighs; wherefore the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard with the kid; the calf, the young lion also, and the fatling together, and a little boy shall lead them" (11:5, 6).

These things are said of the Lord and His kingdom, and of the state of innocence and peace therein. That they are said of the Lord is clear from the first verse of the chapter, where it is said, that a rod shall go forth out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow from his roots. That justice shall be the girdle of His loins and truth the girdle of His thighs, signifies that the Divine Good proceeding from the Divine Love of the Lord shall conjoin those in heaven and in the church who are in love to Him; and that Divine truth proceeding from Him shall conjoin those in heaven and in the church who are in love towards the neighbour. By justice, when said of the Lord, is meant the Divine Good, and by His loins are meant those who are in love to Him. By truth is meant the Divine truth; and by His thighs are meant those who are in love towards the neighbour; and by girdle is signified conjunction with those who are in heaven and in the church. Wherefore he shall dwell, signifies a state of peace, which exists when nothing of evil from hell is feared, because it can do no hurt. The wolf with the lamb and the leopard with the kid, signifies that no evil and falsity shall hurt those who are in innocence and in charity from the Lord. By the wolf is signified the evil which is the opposite of innocence, and attempts to destroy it; and by the leopard is meant the falsity which is opposed to charity, and which, by reasonings in favour of faith, attempts to destroy charity. By the lamb is signified innocence, and by the kid charity. The calf also, and the young lion, and the fatling together, signifies that infernal falsity shall not hurt the innocence of the natural man nor any good affection thereof; the calf signifying the innocence of the natural man; the fatling or ox, the affection of the natural man; and the lion, infernal falsity as to the power and lust of destroying Divine truth. And a little boy shall lead them, signifies the state of innocence and of love to the Lord in which they will be, a little boy signifying innocence, and at the same time love to the Lord; for love to the Lord makes one with innocence, because those who are in that love are also in innocence; as is the case with those who are in the third heaven, who consequently appear before the eyes of others as infants and boys.

[7] In Jeremiah:

"The lion out of the forest has smitten" the great ones of Jerusalem, "the wolf of the plains shall devastate them; the leopard is watching against their cities; every one that goeth out shall be torn in pieces, because their prevarications are multiplied, their aversions are become strong" (5:6).

These things are said of the falsification of truth in the church. And by the great ones of Jerusalem are meant those who take the lead of others in teaching truths and goods; and by Jerusalem is meant the church as to doctrine. By the lion out of the forest which smote the great ones, is signified the dominion of infernal falsity. By the wolf which shall devastate, is signified the dominion of the evil therefrom, both the falsity and the evil destroying the truths and goods of the church. By the leopard watching against the cities, are signified reasonings from the falsities of evil against the truths of doctrine, cities denoting doctrinals, consequently truths of doctrine. By every one that goeth out shall be torn in pieces, is signified that every one who recedes from the truths of doctrine shall perish by falsities. By the prevarications that are multiplied, are signified the falsifications of truth. By the aversions that are become strong, are signified the adulterations of good. That falsifications of truth and adulterations of good are signified by prevarications and aversions, is evident from the verse following, where it is said, that they committed adultery, and entered in troops into the house of the harlot; by which those falsifications and adulterations are signified.

[8] In Habakkuk:

"Whose horses are swifter than leopards, keener than the wolves of the evening, so that the horsemen thereof spread themselves abroad" (1:8).

This treats of the devastation of the church by the adulteration of truth, which is signified by the Chaldean nation, of which these things are spoken. Whose horses are swifter than leopards, signifies the lust of seducing by reasonings, and the consequent expertness in leading astray; such lust and expertness being signified by their lightness and swiftness. By horses are there signified reasonings from the natural man. And because leopards have a similar signification, therefore it is said, their horses are swifter than leopards. Keener than the wolves of the evening, signifies the subtlety of deceiving by fallacies; the fallacies of the senses being here signified by the wolves of the evening, because they are fallacies from the sensual man, who, being in darkness, sees falsities as truths. So that their horsemen spread themselves abroad, signifies that the truths of the Word, by adulteration, become heretical; horsemen denoting heresies, because by horses are signified reasonings, whereby falsities are confirmed.

[9] And in Daniel:

"The third beast rising up out of the sea was like a leopard, which had four wings like birds' wings, upon its back" (7:6).

In that chapter, by the four beasts rising up out of the sea, is described the successive devastation of the church. And by this third beast, which was like a leopard, are signified similar things as by the leopard here treated of in the Apocalypse, that is discordant reasonings which yet appear to be coherent. Which had four wings, like birds' wings, upon its back, signifies, having the appearance of the understanding of good and truth from the application of the sense of the letter of the Word.

[10] And in Hosea:

I knew thee in the wilderness, in a land of droughts; as their pasture, so were they filled; when they were filled, then their heart was elated; wherefore they have forgotten me, therefore am I become to them as a lion, as a leopard upon the way will I watch" (13:5, 6, 7).

I knew thee in the wilderness, in the land of droughts, signifies a state without good and without truths, wilderness denoting a state without good, and the land of droughts a state without truths. As their pasture, so were they filled, signifies when goods and truths were given them, that is, when they were instructed concerning them from the Word, even to the full nourishment of the soul. When they were filled, then their heart was elated, signifies when by reason of that fulness they exalted themselves above all, believing that therefore heaven was for them alone, and not for others. Wherefore they have forgotten me, signifies that pride effaced those things; and therefore their desire, and therewith their hearts, departed from the Lord. Therefore am I become to them as a lion, signifies the consequent devastation of every truth of the church; and as a leopard upon the way will I observe, signifies the falsification of truth by reasonings from the natural man; the leopard denoting falsification by reasonings; the way, truth leading to good; and to observe, the intention of perverting. It is thus said of the Lord, in the sense of the letter of the Word, according to the appearance of truth, in which nevertheless the real truth lies hidden, which is the spiritual sense of the Word; for it is not He that, as a lion, devastates the church, nor as a leopard, falsifies truths by reasonings, but man himself does so, when he becomes exalted in heart. From these things it is evident what is signified by a leopard in the Word.