1143. And fine linen and crimson.- That these signify truths and goods from a celestial origin, profaned, is evident from the signification of fine linen, which denotes truths from a celestial origin, of which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of crimson, which denotes goods from a celestial origin (concerning which see above, n. 1042), but in this case those truths and goods profaned, because the fine linen and crimson are called the merchandise of Babylon, and Babylon as a harlot and the mother of the whoredoms and abominations of the earth, signifies profanations of truth and good. Truths and goods from a celestial origin are the truths and goods with those who are in love to the Lord, which are called celestial, and are distinguished from the truths and goods from a spiritual origin, signified by the silk and scarlet, which we shall refer to presently. They profane truths and goods from a celestial origin, especially in this, that they have arrogated to themselves the Lord's Divine Power of saving mankind, and thus also love to Him they have diverted [to the pope] as his vicar and to his ministers. But the Lord cannot be loved when the power of salvation is taken away from Him, and a man is loved instead of Him. They say, indeed, that the Lord is loved for giving that power to man, and that he is loved, and also reverently honoured by those who have received that power, and is worshipped by the rest. But love to the Lord cannot exist with such, the love of ruling over heaven and the Church being altogether contrary to it; for that love is the love of self, which is diabolical love, and from this the Lord cannot be loved. Such love, regarded in itself, is rather hatred against the Lord, into which also it is changed when they become spirits, and domination is taken away from them then they also persecute all those who are in love to the Lord. From these things it is evident how they profane truths and goods which are from a celestial origin.

[2] That fine linen signifies truths from a celestial origin, is evident from the following passages.

Thus in Ezekiel:

"I clothed thee with broidered-work, I shod thee with badger's skin (taxus), and I girded thee with fine linen, and covered thee with silks; thus wast thou adorned with gold and silver, and thy garments were fine linen, silk, and broidered-work" (16:10, 13).

This is said of Jerusalem, by which the Church is meant, in this case, at its first establishment. Broidered-work and badger's skin there signify the knowledges of truth and good from the Word. Fine linen and silk signify truths from a celestial origin and truths from a spiritual origin; these are described as garments, because garments signify truths, with which good is clothed or invested.

Again in the same:

"Fine linen in broidered-work [from Egypt] was thine expansion, and crimson from the isle of Elisha was thy covering" (27:7).

This refers to Tyre, which signifies the Church as to the knowledges of good and truth; those knowledges are signified by broidered-work from Egypt, truths by fine linen, and good by crimson, both from a celestial origin.

So in Luke:

"There was a certain rich man who was clothed in crimson and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day" (16:19).

The rich man here means the Jewish race, which is said to be clothed in crimson and fine linen, because they possessed the Word, from which they were in possession of goods and truths; goods are there meant by crimson, and truths by fine linen, both from a celestial origin. By Lazarus, who lay at the rich man's porch, are meant the nations who had not the Word.

[3] Because fine linen (byssus), which also is xylinum, signified truths from a celestial origin, and the garments of Aaron represented Divine truths, he himself representing the Lord, therefore fine linen and xyhinum were interwoven in his mitre and belt (Exodus 28:39; 39:27); they were also interwoven in the curtains of the tabernacle and its coverings, because they represented those things of the Church which inclose, and these are truths (Exodus 26:1; 27:9, 18; 36:8; 38:9, 16).

The signification of fine linen (byssus) in the following passages of the Apocalypse is similar:

"The time of the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready; and it was given unto her that she should be clothed in fine linen, clean and shining" (19:7, 8);

The armies of him that sat upon the white horse "followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean" (19:14).

The reason why fine linen signifies truth from a celestial origin is, because that kind of linen was a species of very white flax, of which garments are made. Flax, and also whiteness, signify truth, and a garment made from it signifies according to its brightness, truth pure and clean.

[4] Continuation of the Athanasian Creed.- The hell where those are who are called devils is the love of self; and the hell where those who are called satans is the love of the world. The reason why the diabolical hell is the love of self, is, that that love is the opposite of celestial love, which is love to the Lord; and the reason why the satanical hell is the love of the world, is, that this love is the opposite of spiritual love, which is love towards the neighbour.

Now, since the two loves of hell are the opposite of the two loves of heaven, therefore hell and the heavens are in opposition to each other. For all who are in the heavens have regard to the Lord and to the neighbour, but all who are in the hells have regard to themselves and the world. All who are in the heavens love the Lord and the neighbour, but all who are in the hells love themselves and the world, and hence bear hatred to the Lord and to the neighbour. All who are in the heavens think what is true and will what is good, because they think and will from the Lord; but all who are in the hells think what is false and will what is evil, because they think and will from themselves. It is for this reason that all who are in the hells appear averted, their faces being turned away from the Lord, they also appear inverted, their feet being upwards and their heads downwards; this appearance arises from their loves being the opposite of the loves of heaven.

[5] Since hell is the love of self, it is also fire; for all love corresponds to fire, and in the spiritual world is so presented as to seem at a distance like fire, yet still it is not fire but love. For this reason the hells appear within as if they were on fire, and without like ejections of fire in the midst of smoke rising from furnaces or conflagrations; sometimes the devils themselves also appear like fires of charcoal. The heat which they have from that fire is like an effervescence from impurities, which is lust, and the light which they receive from that fire is merely an appearance of light from phantasies, and from confirmations of evils by falsities; but yet, it is not light, for whenever the light of heaven enters by influx it becomes thick darkness to them, and when the heat of heaven enters it becomes cold to them. They see, however, from their own light, and live from their own heat; but their sight is like that of owls, birds of night, and bats, whose eyes are dim to the light of heaven, and they live in a semi-torpid state. The living principle pertaining to them consists merely in their ability to think and will, to speak and act, and hence to see, hear, taste, smell, and feel. It is merely a faculty derived from that life which is God acting upon them from without, according to order, and continually impelling them to order. It is from this faculty that they live for ever. The dead principle pertaining to them is from the evils and falsities derived from their loves; hence it is, that their life, viewed from their loves, is not life, but death; and therefore hell, in the Word is called "death," and its inhabitants are called "dead."

1042. (Verse 4) And the woman was arrayed in crimson and scarlet. That this signifies the appearance of that religious persuasion in externals, as if it were from celestial good and truth, although in internals it is from diabolical evil and falsity, is evident from the signification of the woman, as denoting the religious persuasion among the Papists; and from the signification of being arrayed, as denoting to be in externals; for garments denote things external that cover - hence being arrayed, denotes the appearance in externals; and from the signification of crimson, as denoting good from a celestial origin, and also the evil that is the opposite of this, which is called diabolical evil, of which we shall speak presently. And from the signification of scarlet, as denoting truth from a celestial origin, and also the falsity that is the opposite of this, which is called diabolical falsity. That those goods and truths differ from the goods and truths that are from a spiritual origin, and similarly the evils and falsities that are their opposites, which are called infernal evils and falsities, will be seen in the following article.

[2] The reason why the woman, who is the whore and Babylon, is thus described is, that those who are in evils and falsities therefrom are described in the Word from their external appearance; thus, such as they are in the eyes of the men who worship them. The reason why they are thus described is, that the sense of the letter of the Word consists of appearances. But the spiritual sense puts off those appearances, and presents interior things naked, without garments, which, when they appear, do so in quite another form. As in the present case, the woman outwardly appearing clothed in purple and scarlet is, in the internal form, called the mother of the whoredoms and abominations of the earth. Just as it is said of

The rich man clothed in crimson and fine linen, who notwithstanding was cast into hell (Luke 16:19).

And also concerning the Assyrians, with whom Ohola and Oholibah, that is, Samaria and Jerusalem, committed whoredom, who are said to be

Clothed in blue, officers and leaders, horsemen riding upon horses (Ezekiel 23:6, 12).

And so in other passages. Babylon here described as a whore appears in the world, splendidly clothed, but still abominable, because full of uncleanness.

[3] Before it is confirmed from the Word that crimson and scarlet signify goods and truths from a celestial origin, something shall first be said about those goods and truths. The Divine good that proceeds from the Lord is united with His Divine truth, as the heat of the sun with its light in the time of spring. But the angels who are recipients of the Divine good and Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, are distinguished into celestial and spiritual. Those who receive the Divine good more than the Divine truth of the Lord are called celestial angels, because these constitute the kingdom of the Lord which is called the celestial kingdom. But the angels who receive the Lord's Divine truth more than His Divine good are called spiritual angels, because of these consists the Lord's spiritual kingdom. It is therefore evident that goods and truths are of a twofold origin - from a celestial origin and a spiritual origin. Those goods and truths that are from a celestial origin are the goods and truths of love to the Lord; whereas those goods and truths that are from a spiritual origin are the goods and truths of love towards the neighbour. The difference is like that between what is higher and what is lower, or between what is interior and what is exterior; consequently, as between those things that are in a higher or interior degree, and those that are in a lower or exterior. What is the nature of this difference is evident from what is said in the work on Heaven and Hell concerning the three degrees of the heavens, and thence of the angels; and also of their intelligence and wisdom (n. 33, 34, 38, 39, 208, 209, 211, 435).

[4] That crimson in the Word signifies that good, and scarlet that truth, is evident from the passages in the Word where they are mentioned. As in Ezekiel:

"Fine linen of needlework from Egypt was thy expansion; blue and crimson from the isles of Elisha was thy covering" (27:7).

This is spoken of Tyre, by which is signified the church as to the knowledges of truth and good. Blue and crimson denote those knowledges from a celestial origin. By covering and expansion are signified the externals of that church.

In Luke:

"There was a certain rich man, who was clothed in crimson and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day" (Luke 16:19).

By the rich man is meant the Jewish nation, and the church there, called rich from the knowledges of good and truth from the Word, which they possessed, crimson having relation to the knowledges of good, and fine linen to the knowledges of truth, both from a celestial origin.

In Lamentations:

"Those that fed delicately are devastated in the streets; those that were brought up upon scarlet, embrace the dunghill" (4:5).

To be brought up upon scarlet denotes to be instructed from infancy in truths from celestial good.

[5] Because the tent of the assembly represented heaven, and the garments of Aaron the holy things of heaven, and crimson and scarlet signified the goods and truths of heaven, therefore, the curtains and veils of the tent, also the garments of Aaron, were wrought with blue, purple, scarlet double-dyed, and fine-twined linen. As, for example,

Upon the curtains of the tabernacle (Exodus 26:1).

Upon the veil before the ark (Exodus 26:31).

Upon the covering for the door of the tent (Exodus 26:36).

Upon the covering at the gate of the outer court (Exodus 27:16).

Upon the ephod (Exodus 28:6).

Upon the belt (Exodus 28:8).

Upon the breastplate of judgment (Exodus 28:15).

Upon the borders of the cloak of the ephod (Exodus 28:33).

Because double-dyed signified the truth of celestial good,

A cloth of scarlet double-dyed was spread over the table upon which was the bread of faces, and afterwards it was covered with a covering of badgers' skin (Numbers 4:8).

For the inmost things of the celestial kingdom were signified by those things that were upon the table, which were the bread, but the exterior things by those that covered them; these have reference to truths from good.

[6] Because truth from celestial good, which is the truth of the sense of the letter of the Word, is signified by scarlet, therefore it was used for the sake of remembrance, as when it was ordered,

That the sons of Israel should make for themselves a fringe upon the borders of their garments, and should put upon the fringe of the borders a scarlet thread, that by it they might remember all the precepts of Jehovah, and do them (Numbers 15:38, 39).

For the same reason also it was a custom in ancient times, when significatives were in use, to tie a scarlet thread, in order to remember a thing. As we read concerning Perez, the son of Tamar,

That the midwife tied scarlet upon his hand (Genesis 38:28, 30).

And concerning the harlot Rahab,

That she tied in the window a scarlet thread, that the searchers might remember their promise (Jos. 2:17, 21).

[7] Because all purifications from evils take place by means of truths from the Word, therefore

In the cleansings they made use of cedar-wood, scarlet, and hyssop (Leviticus 14:4-7, 49-52);

And the scarlet from a red cow for the waters of expiation and separation (19:6).

The reason of such significations of crimson and scarlet is from their colours. For there are colours in heaven far more brilliant than in the world, that have their origin in the light there. And because red colour originates there from something fiery or flamy, and what is fiery and flamy there is from the good of love, hence crimson signifies good from a celestial origin. But scarlet, which derives its colour from what is flaming and white together, and the white from light signifies truth, therefore that colour signifies the truth of celestial good.

[8] As most things in the Word have an opposite sense, so also have crimson and scarlet; then they signify evils and falsities, the opposites of those goods and truths. As in Isaiah:

"Though your sins were as scarlet, they shall become white as snow; though they were red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:8).

Because by scarlet is signified truth, the same as by snow; and by crimson is signified good, the same as by wool; and since by scarlet and crimson, in the opposite sense, is signified falsity and evil, therefore, because falsity and truth, and evil and good, have an opposite correspondence to each other, it is said, "Though your sins were as scarlet, they shall become white as snow, and though they were red like crimson, they shall be as wool."