660. Verse 10. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them and shall be glad, signifies delights from infernal love with those who are opposed to the goods and truths of the church. This is evident from the signification of "they that dwell upon the earth," as being those who are in the church, here those therein who are in evils and in falsities therefrom, thus who are opposed to its goods and truths; also from the signification of "rejoicing and being glad," as being here the delight of infernal love; for all joy and all gladness is of love, since everyone rejoices and is glad when his love is favored, and when he pursues and obtains what he loves; in a word, all the joy of man proceeds from his love and all the sadness and grief of mind from antagonism to his love.

[2] It is said "rejoice and be glad" because of the marriage of good and truth; for "joy" is predicated of good because it relates to love, for it belongs especially to the heart and will, and "gladness" is predicated of truth, because it relates to the love of truth, for it belongs especially to the mind and its thought; therefore we speak of "joy of heart" and "gladness of mind." Everywhere in the Word there are two expressions, one of which has reference to good and the other to truth, and this because it is the conjunction of good and truth that makes both heaven and the church; therefore both heaven and the church are compared to a marriage, for the reason that the Lord is called "Bridegroom" and "Husband," and heaven and the church are called "bride" and "wife." Everyone, therefore, who is not in that marriage is not an angel of heaven nor a man of the church; and the reason is that there is no good with anyone unless it is formed by truths, nor is there truth with anyone unless it is made living by good; for every truth is a form of good, and all good is the being [esse] of truth, and as one is not possible without the other it follows that there must needs be a marriage of good and truth with the man of the church as well as with an angel of heaven. Moreover, all intelligence and wisdom are from that marriage, for from it truths and goods are continually born, by which the understanding and will are formed.

[3] This has been said that it may be known why "to rejoice" and "to be glad" are both mentioned, namely, because "to rejoice" is predicated of good and its love or affection, and "to be glad" is predicated of truth and its love or affection. This is the case in many other passages in the Word, as in the following:

The heavens shall be glad and the earth shall rejoice (Psalms 96:11).

Let all that seek Thee rejoice and be glad in Thee (Psalms 40:16; 70:4).

The righteous shall be glad and exult before God, and shall rejoice in gladness (Psalms 68:3).

That we may rejoice all our days, make us glad according to the days in which Thou hast afflicted us (Psalms 90:14, 15).

Be glad in Jerusalem and exult in her, all ye that love her, rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn over her (Isaiah 66:10).

Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom (Lamentations 4:21).

Behold joy and gladness, slaying the ox (Isaiah 22:13).

They shall obtain joy and gladness, sorrow and sighing shall flee away (Isaiah 35:10; 51:11).

Joy and gladness shall be found in Zion, confession and the voice of singing (Isaiah 51:3).

They shall make ¹ me to hear joy and gladness (Psalms 51:8).

Joy and gladness are cut off from the house of our God (Joel 1:16).

The fast of the tenth month shall be to the house of Judah for joy and for gladness (Zechariah 8:19).

The voice of joy and the voice of gladness, and the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride (Jeremiah 7:34; 25:10; 33:11).

[4] In place of joy exultation is also mentioned, because exultation, like joy, is predicated of good, because it relates to love, to the heart, and to the will; as in the following passages:

Jacob shall exult, Israel shall be glad (Psalms 14:7; 53:6).

I exult and am glad in Thy kindness (Psalms 31:7).

Be glad in Jehovah, and exult, ye righteous (Psalms 32:11).

Mount Zion shall be glad, and the daughters of Judah shall exult (Psalms 48:11).

Let all that trust in Thee be glad, and let them that love Thy name exult in Thee (Psalms 5:11).

This is the day that Jehovah hath made, let us exult and be glad in it (Psalms 118:24).

Let us exult and be glad in His salvation (Isaiah 25:9).

Be ye glad and exult forever in the things which I create (Isaiah 65:18).

Exult and be glad that Jehovah hath magnified in doing (Joel 2:21).

Exult, ye sons of Zion, and be glad in Jehovah your God (Joel 2:23; Habakkuk 3:18).

Be glad and exult with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem (Zephaniah 3:14).

Gladness and exultation are taken away from Carmel (Isaiah 16:10; Jeremiah 48:33).

The angel said unto Zacharias, Thou shalt have gladness and exultation, and many shall rejoice at His birth (Luke 1:14).

In all these passages, "exultation" signifies delight from love and from the affection of good, and "gladness" signifies pleasure from the love and affection of truth.

脚注:

987. 'Upon every beast of the earth' means the desires that belong to the lower mind. This is clear from the meaning of 'beast' in the Word, where beasts mean either affections or else evil desires. Affections for what is good are meant by gentle, useful, and clean beasts, while affections for what is evil, that is, evil desires, are meant by savage, useless, and unclean ones - see 45, 46, 142, 143, 246, 776. Because here they mean evil desires they are called 'beasts of the earth', not beasts of the field. As for a regenerate person's rule over evil desires, it should be recognized that people err very greatly and are in no sense regenerate who believe they are able to rule over evils from themselves. For a human being is nothing but evil, he is one mass of evils, and his whole will consists solely in evil. This was stated in the previous chapter - 'the imagination of man's heart is evil from his childhood', 8:21. I have been shown by actual experience that a man or a spirit, and even an angel, regarded in himself, that is, as to his entire proprium, is vilest excrement, and left to himself breathes out nothing but hatred, revenge, cruelty, and most filthy adultery. These are the things that are his own, and are the things which constitute his will.

[2] This matter also becomes clear to anyone if he reflects, merely from the consideration that when a person is born he is the lowest thing alive among all wild animals and beasts. And when he grows up and becomes responsible for his own actions he would rush into every kind of ungodliness but for external legal restraints and the restraints he imposes on himself to the end that he may become pre-eminent and very wealthy. He would not rest content until he had made everyone throughout the world subject to himself and had raked in the wealth of everyone in it. He would spare no one except those who surrendered to him as his mere slaves. Such is the nature of everyone, though those people do not recognize it who do not have the opportunity and ability to behave in that way, or who are subject to the restraints mentioned above. But once the opportunity and ability have been provided and the restraints have been loosened, they would plunge themselves, as far as they were able, into such actions. Wild animals never demonstrate natures such as this, but are born into a certain natural order. Those that are savage beasts of prey do inflict harm on other animals, yet only in self-defence; and their devouring of other creatures is so that they may satisfy their hunger. And once that is satisfied they harm none. The human being however is altogether different. From this it is clear what man's proprium is and what his will is.

[3] Since a person is just so much evil and excrement, it is clear that he cannot possibly from himself rule over evil. To say that evil can rule over evil is an utter contradiction. And this applies not only to ruling over evil but also over hell, for everybody is in communication with hell by means of evil spirits, and it is from that source that the evil residing with him is activated. From these considerations anyone may know, and he who is mentally normal may conclude, that it is the Lord alone who rules over evil residing with man and over hell residing with him. So that the evil residing with a person, that is, hell which is trying moment by moment to force its way into him and destroy him eternally, may be overpowered, a person is regenerated by the Lord and has a new will conferred on him, which is conscience, and through which the Lord alone works everything good. These considerations are matters of faith, that is to say, the considerations that man is nothing but evil and that everything good comes from the Lord. A person ought therefore not merely to know them but also acknowledge and believe them. If he does not acknowledge and believe during his lifetime, it is demonstrated to him convincingly in the next life.