780a.启13:2.“我所看见的兽就像豹”表示不一致，却看似连贯的推理。这从“从海里上来的兽”和“豹”的含义清楚可知：此处所论述的“从海里上来的兽”是指来自属世人、确认信仰与生活分离的推理(参看AE774节)，因而在这种情况下，它表示这些推理；“豹”是指那些不一致，却看似真实的推理。这就是“豹”的含义，因为豹子的皮肤上布满了斑点，这使它并不难看。由于豹子是一种凶猛而狡猾的动物，在抓取猎物时比其它所有动物都更迅速；还由于那些擅长巧妙推理，以通过来自属世人的推理确认信仰与善行分离的信条之人就具有类似特征，尽管这信条与真理不一致，但他们仍使它看上去好像与真理一致，所以这兽的身体就像一只豹子。
由于这是“豹”的含义，所以我首先要举一些例子来说明，那些将信仰与其生活，也就是善行分离的人如何通过他们的推理使不一致的事物看似连贯一致。在圣言的许多经文中，经上以“偶像”来描述异端教义，匠人以各种方式设计偶像，直到使它们类似一个人的形象；然而，这些偶像却无法被赋予生命，以至于能看见、听见，移动手脚和说话。在灵界，我也看见一些将信仰与善行分离的人做这种事；这项工作持续了好几个小时；偶像作成之后，在许多人眼里，它看上去的确就像一个人的形象，但在天使眼前，却像一个怪物。此外，他们也想通过自己的技艺赋予它某种生命，但却做不到。
这些事之所以发生在灵界，是因为出现在灵界的一切事物都代表属灵事物，这些属灵事物以诸如存在于这个世界上的那些形式呈现出来；因此，地上的各种走兽和天上的飞鸟出现在灵界；那里还有房屋和里面具有各种装饰的房间，长满结果子和开花的树木的花园和乐园，桌子和桌子上的各种食品，以及无数其它事物；然而，这些事物都来自一个属灵源头，因而代表属灵事物。由于同样的原因，一些灵人形成了各种各样的东西，属灵事物通过这些东西以模拟像的形式被呈现出来。这就是为何他们也渴望以人的形象来展示与善行分离之信，以便通过这种表象来说服简单人相信，这个异端信条是神性真理。因为来自主的每个真理在形式上都是一个人；因此，天使因是来自主的神性真理的接受者而为人的形式，事实上，在天使里面，凡来自神性真理的，都具有这种形式。情况就是这样，这一点可从《天堂与地狱》(尤其460节)一书关于这个主题所说的明显看出来。在圣言中，“偶像”表示出于自我聪明、看似真理的虚假教义(可参看AE587节)。提到这些事，是为了让人们知道，在所有异端，尤其在信仰与善行分离这个普遍异端上，可以通过推理引发一种表象，就好像它们来自真理，而不是来自虚假。
不过，这一点要举例来说明。谁可能不会被引导相信，唯信是得救的唯一途径，因为人不能凭自己实行本身为良善的良善？事实上，每个人乍一看，这都是一个必然的结果，因而与真理是一致的；在这种情况下，它看上去不是来自属世人、确认信仰与善行分离的推理；当一个人被这种推理说服时，他开始认为他不需要注意他的生活，因为他有了信。但处于这种说服，或说如此相信的人没有意识到，从圣言行善，也就是说，因圣言就是这么吩咐的而行善，才是从主行善；人以这种方式就能从自己行善，但仍要相信，这是出于主。不过，关于这个主题，下文会详述。从这几件事可以看出，通过推理如何很容易地引发这一表象：这个在基督教会普遍盛行的虚假与这一真理是一致的，即：一切本身为良善的良善都来自主，根本不来自人；由此可以推断，人可以停止行善，却仍能得救；而事实上，这完全不符合真理。
780b# “豹”表示这些推理，这一点可从以下经文明显看出来。耶利米书：
古实人岂能改变皮肤呢？豹岂能改变斑点呢？那么你们这被教导行恶的，也能行善了。(耶利米书13:23)
“古实人岂能改变皮肤呢”表示邪恶无法改变自己的性质，因为“古实人”是指在自己形式中的邪恶，因为古实人完全是黑人；皮肤因是人的最外在部分，对应于他的感官层，故表示他的性质。“豹岂能改变斑点呢”表示邪恶之虚假也不能改变；“豹子”在此表示来自邪恶的虚假，因为它表示通过推理被歪曲的真理；“斑点”表示被歪曲的东西。由于这两者都反对良善，所以经上说：“那么你们这被教导行恶的，也能行善了。”之所以说这两者，即邪恶和邪恶之虚假，都反对良善，是因为这是指意愿的邪恶和由此而来的理解力的虚假。意愿的邪恶是来自一个人的本性的邪恶，理解力的虚假通过行为变成邪恶；因为意愿通过理解力行动并行恶。
以赛亚书：公义必当祂的腰带，真理必当祂大腿的带子；因此，豺狼必与绵羊羔同居，豹子与山羊羔同卧，牛犊与少壮狮子并肥畜一起躺卧，小孩子要引领它们。(以赛亚书11:5,6)
这些话论及主及其国度，也论及其中的纯真和平安的状态。这些话论及主，这一点从这一章的第一节经文明显看出来，在那里，经上说：“从耶西的树墩子必生出一根枝条来，从他的根生的枝子必结果实。”“公义必当祂的腰带，真理必当祂大腿的带子”表示从主的神性之爱发出的神性良善必将天堂和教会里那些处于对主之爱的人结合起来，从主发出的神性真理必将天堂和教会里那些处于对邻之爱的人结合起来。“公义”当论及主时，表示神性良善，“祂的腰”表示那些处于对主之爱的人；“真理”表示神性真理；“祂的大腿”表示那些处于对邻之爱的人；“带子”表示与那些在天堂和教会里的人的结合。“他必居(住)”表示平安的状态，当不惧怕来自地狱的邪恶，因为它不能造成伤害时，平安的状态就存在；“豺狼必与绵羊羔同居，豹子与山羊羔同卧”表示邪恶和虚假必不伤害那些从主处于纯真和仁爱的人；“豺狼”表示作为纯真的对立面试图摧毁纯真的邪恶，“豹子”表示作为仁爱的对立面通过支持信仰的推理试图摧毁仁爱的虚假；“绵羊羔”表示纯真，“山羊羔”表示仁爱。“牛犊与少壮狮子并肥畜一起躺卧”表示地狱的虚假必不伤害属世人的纯真，或属世人对良善的任何情感；“牛犊”表示属世人的纯真，“肥畜或公牛”表示属世人的情感，“狮子”表示在其能力，以及对摧毁神性真理的欲望方面的地狱虚假。“小孩子要引领它们”表示纯真和对主之爱的状态，他们将处于这种状态；“小孩子”表示纯真，同时表示对主之爱；对主之爱与纯真构成一体，因为那些处于对主之爱的人也处于纯真，如那些在第三层天堂里的人，因此，他们在其他人眼前看上去就像婴儿和男孩。
耶利米书：从森林中出来的狮子击杀耶路撒冷的大人物；平原的豺狼必灭绝他们；豹子正在窥伺他们的城邑；凡出来的人必被撕碎，因为他们的说谎增多，他们的背道或憎恶变强。(耶利米书5:6)
这些话论及教会对真理的歪曲。“耶路撒冷的大人物”表示那些在教导真理和良善方面胜过他人的人；“耶路撒冷”表示在教义方面的教会。“从森林中出来击杀大人物的狮子”表示地狱虚假的统治；“必灭绝他们的豺狼”表示由此而来的邪恶的统治；这两者，即虚假和邪恶摧毁教会的真理和良善。“正在窥伺城邑的豹子”表示基于邪恶之虚假反对教义真理的推理，“城”表示教义，因而表示教义的真理。“凡出来的人必被撕碎”表示凡背离教义真理的人都将因虚假而灭亡。增多的“说谎”表示对真理的歪曲，变强的“背道或憎恶”表示对良善的玷污。“说谎”和“背道或憎恶”表示对真理的歪曲和对良善的玷污，这一点从下一节经文明显看出来，在那里，经上说“他们就通奸，成群地进入妓女家里”，这句话表示这些歪曲和玷污。
哈巴谷书：她的马比豹更快，比晚上的豺狼更猛，她的马兵四散。(哈巴谷书1:8)
这些话论及教会因对真理的玷污而毁灭，这种玷污由这些事所论及的迦勒底民族来表示。“她的马比豹更快”表示对通过推理迷惑人的欲望，以及随之而来的在迷惑人方面的专长；它们的“快”或“轻快”表示这种欲望和专长；“马”在此表示来自属世人的推理。由于“马”和“豹”具有相同的含义，所以经上说：“她的马比豹更快。”“比晚上的豺狼更猛”表示在通过谬误欺骗方面的狡诈；“晚上的豺狼”在此表示感官谬误，因为谬误来自感官人，感官人因处于黑暗而视虚假为真理。“她的马兵四散”表示圣言的真理因玷污而成为异端；“马兵”表示异端，因为“马”表示用来确认虚假的推理。
但以理书：从海里上来的第三只兽像豹，有四个翅膀，像鸟背上的翅膀。(但以理书7:6)
在这一章，经上用四只兽描述了教会的相继毁灭；这像豹的第三只兽与此处启示录所论述的豹具有相同的含义，即表示不一致，却看似连贯的推理；“有四个翅膀，像鸟背上的翅膀”表示从对圣言字义的应用中拥有对良善和真理的理解的表象。
何西阿书：我曾在旷野干旱之地认识你；他们得了草场后，就饱足了；他们得了饱足后，心就高傲；因此，他们忘记了我，因此，我向他们如狮子，又如豹子在道旁窥伺。(何西阿书13:5–7)
“我曾在旷野干旱之地认识你”表示没有良善、没有真理的一种状态；“旷野”表示没有良善的一种状态，“干旱之地”表示没有真理的一种状态；“他们得了草场后，就饱足了”表示当良善和真理被赐予他们时，也就是当他们被教导来自圣言的良善和真理，甚至直到灵魂得到充分滋养时；“他们得了饱足后，心就高傲”表示他们因这种充满就高举自己在其他所有人之上，以为因此天堂就独属于他们，不属于其他人。“因此，他们忘记了我”表示这种骄傲已经抹去了良善和真理，因此他们的渴望，以及与它同在的内心背离了主。“因此，我向他们如狮子”表示随之而来的教会一切真理的毁灭；“又如豹子在道旁窥伺”表示通过来自属世人的推理对真理的歪曲；“豹子”表示通过推理进行的歪曲；“道”表示通向良善的真理，“窥伺”表示败坏的意图。这话在圣言的字义上照着真理的表象论及主，尽管如此，真正的真理，也就是圣言的灵义仍隐藏在这表象中；因为不是主像狮子一样毁灭教会，或像豹子一样通过推理歪曲真理，而是当人的心高傲时，他自己如此行。由此清楚可知，在圣言中，“豹子”表示什么。
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 work Heaven 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.
780. Verse 2. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, signifies reasonings that are discordant, and yet appear as if they cohere. This is evident from the signification of "a beast coming up out of the sea," which is here treated of, as being reasonings from the natural man confirming the separation of faith from life (See above, n. 774), so here it means such reasonings; also from the signification of a "leopard," as being reasonings that are discordant and yet appear as if true. Such is the signification of a "leopard" because the skin of the leopard is marked and variegated with spots, from which variegation it appears not unbeautiful; also because it is a fierce and insidious animal, and swifter than the others in seizing its prey; and because those are of like character who are versed in reasoning adroitly in confirming the dogma of the separation of faith from good works by reasonings from the natural man, and because this dogma, although it is inconsistent with truths, is made to appear as if it cohered with truths, therefore that beast appeared as to its body like a leopard.
[2] As this is the signification of the "leopard," I will first illustrate by some examples how those who separate faith from its life, which is good works, make things that are discordant to appear by their reasonings to be coherent. In many passages of the Word heresies are represented by "idols" which the workman forms by various means until he makes them appear in the figure of a man, and yet no life can be imparted to them so that they may see, hear, move the hands and feet, and speak. This I have also seen done in the spiritual world by some who had separated faith from good works; and this work continued for many hours; and when the idol had been made it appeared the sight of many like an image of a man, but before the eyes of angels like a monster. Moreover, they wished to impart to it something of life by means of their arts; but this they were unable to do.
[3] Such things take place in the spiritual world, because all things that are seen in that world are representative of spiritual things, which are presented in such forms as exist in this world; consequently beasts of the earth of every kind and birds of heaven are seen there; also houses and apartments in them, with various decorations, likewise gardens and paradises full of trees bearing fruits and flowers, also tables are seen and eatables of every kind upon them, with innumerable other things, which, however, are all from a spiritual origin, and are therefore representative of spiritual things. For the same reason some there form various things by means of which spiritual things are presented in effigy. This is why they also desired to exhibit faith separated from good works under the image of a man in order to persuade the simple by that appearance that that heretical dogma is Divine truth. For every truth from the Lord is in its form a man; therefore the angels, as they are recipients of Divine truth from the Lord, are human forms, yea, whatever is with an angel from Divine truth has such a form. (That this is so can be seen from many things in the work on Heaven and Hell, especially in n. 460.) That "idols" signify in the Word false doctrinals from self-intelligence that appear as truths, can be seen above n. 587. This has been said to make known that upon all heresies, and especially upon this universal one of the separation of faith from good works, an appearance can be induced by reasonings as if they were from truths and not from falsities.
[4] But this shall be illustrated by an example. Who may not be brought to believe that faith alone is the only means of salvation, since man is unable to do good of himself which is good in itself? For this appears to everyone at first sight as a consequence, and thus to agree with truth; and it is not then recognized to be a reasoning from the natural man confirming the separation of faith from good works; and when a man has been persuaded by this reasoning he thinks that there is no need to attend to his life, because he has faith. But he who is in this persuasion is not aware 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 thus a man may do good from himself, and yet may believe that it is from the Lord. But about this more will be said in what follows. From this much it can be seen how the appearance can easily be induced by reasonings that this falsity which universally prevails in the Christian Church is in agreement with this truth, that every good that is good in itself is from the Lord, and not at all from man, from which it is inferred that a man can cease doing good and yet be saved; when in fact, this is altogether in disagreement with the truth.
[5] That such is the signification of the "leopard" can be seen from the following passages. In Jeremiah:
Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then can ye also do good who have been taught to do evil (Jeremiah 13:23).
"Can the Ethiopian change his skin" signifies that evil cannot change its nature, for "the Ethiopian" because he is wholly black, is evil in its form, and the skin, because it is the outermost part of man, and corresponds to his sensual, means his nature. "Or the leopard his spots" signifies that neither can the falsity of evil change, "leopard" here meaning the falsity from evil, since it means truth falsified by reasonings; and "spots" mean things falsified. As both of these are against good it is said, "Then may ye also do good who have been taught to do evil." It is said that both are against good, namely, evil and the falsity of evil, because evil of the will and falsity of the understanding therefrom are meant. Evil of the will is evil from one's nature, and falsity of the understanding becomes evil by act; for the will acts and does evil by means of the understanding.
[6] In Isaiah:
Righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and truth the girdle of His hips; therefore the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard with the kid, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little boy shall lead them (Isaiah 11:5, 6).
This is said of the Lord and of His kingdom, and of the state of innocence and peace therein. That this is said of the Lord is evident from the first verse of this chapter, where it is said that "there shall go forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a shoot out of his roots shall bear fruit." "Righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and truth the girdle of His hips," signifies that the Divine good proceeding from the Lord's Divine love shall conjoin those in heaven and in the church who are in love to Him; and that the Divine truth proceeding from Him shall conjoin those in heaven and in the church who are in love towards the neighbor. "Righteousness" when predicated of the Lord means the Divine good, and "His loins" means those who are in love to Him; "truth" means the Divine truth; "His hips" mean those who are in love towards the neighbor; and "girdle" signifies the conjunction with these in heaven and in the church. "Therefore shall dwell" signifies the state of peace which exists when nothing of evil from hell is feared, because it can do no harm; "the wolf with the lamb and the leopard with the kid" signifies that no evil or falsity shall harm those who are in innocence and in charity from the Lord; a "wolf" signifying the evil that is the opposite of innocence, and that endeavors to destroy it, a "leopard" meaning the falsity that is the opposite of charity and that endeavors by reasonings in favor of faith to destroy charity; "a lamb" signifying innocence, and a "kid" charity. "The calf also and the young lion and the fatling together" signifies that infernal falsity shall not harm the innocence of the natural man, or any affection for good of the natural man; a "calf" signifying the innocence of the natural man, a "fatling or ox" the affection of the natural man, and a "lion" infernal falsity in respect to its power and eagerness to destroy Divine truth. "And a little boy shall lead them" signifies the state of innocence and love to the Lord in which they will be; "boy" signifying innocence together with 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 those are who are in the third heaven, and who consequently appear to the eyes of others like infants and boys.
[7] In Jeremiah:
A lion out of the forest hath smitten the great men of Jerusalem; the wolf of the plains shall devastate them; the leopard is watching against their cities; everyone that shall go out shall be torn in pieces, because their prevarications have been multiplied, their backslidings have become strong (Jeremiah 5:6).
This is said of the falsification of truth in the church. "The great men of Jerusalem" mean those who excel others in teaching truths and goods; and "Jerusalem" means the church in respect to doctrine. "A lion out of the forest" that smote the great men, signifies the dominion of infernal falsity; the "wolf" that shall devastate them signifies the dominion of evil therefrom; both of these, the falsity and the evil, destroying the truths and goods of the church. "The leopard watching against the cities" signifies reasonings from the falsities of evil against the truths of doctrine, "cities" signifying doctrinals, thus the truths of doctrine. "Everyone that shall go out shall be torn in pieces" signifies that everyone who recedes from the truths of doctrine shall be destroyed by falsities. The "prevarications" that have been multiplied signify the falsifications of truth; the "backslidings" that have become strong signify the adulterations of good. That the falsifications of truth and the adulterations of good are signified by "prevarications" and "backslidings" is evident from the following verse, where it is said that "they committed adultery, and entered in crowds the house of the harlot," which signifies these falsifications and alterations.
[8] In Habakkuk:
Whose horses are lighter than eagles 1and more fierce than the wolves of the evening, so that her horsemen spread themselves (Habakkuk 1:8).
This is said 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 lighter than leopards" signifies the eagerness to seduce by reasonings, and a consequent expertness in seducing; such eagerness and expertness are signified by their "lightness" or "swiftness;" "horses" here signifying reasonings from the natural man. And as "horses" and "leopards" have a like signification it is said, "whose horses are lighter than leopards." "More fierce than the wolves of the evening" signifies craftiness in deceiving by fallacies; the fallacies of the senses are here signified by "the wolves of the evening" because the fallacies are from the sensual man, which in darkness sees falsities as truths. "So that her horsemen spread themselves" signifies that the truths of the Word by adulteration become heresies; "horsemen" signify heresies because "horses" mean reasonings by which falsities are confirmed.
[9] In Daniel:
The third beast coming up out of the sea was like a leopard, which had four wings like birds' wings upon its back (Daniel 7:6).
The successive devastation of the church is here depicted by "the four beasts coming up out of the sea," and this third beast, which was "like a leopard," has a similar signification as the leopard here treated of in Revelation, namely, reasonings that are discordant and yet appear as if coherent; "which had four wings like birds' wings upon its back" signifies appearing like the understanding of good and truth from the application thereto of the sense of the letter of the Word.
[10] In Hosea:
I knew thee in the wilderness, in the land of droughts; when they had pasture they were satiated; when they were satiated their heart was elated; therefore they have forgotten Me, therefore am I become to them as a lion, as a leopard will I watch over the way (Hosea 13:5-7).
"I knew thee in the wilderness, in the land of droughts," signifies a state without good and without truths; "wilderness" meaning a state without good, and "land of droughts" a state without truths; "when they had pasture they were satiated" signifies when goods and truths were given them, that is, when they were instructed respecting them from the Word, even to the full nourishment of the soul; "when they were satiated their heart was elated" signifies when by reason of such fullness they exalted themselves above all others, believing that for that reason heaven was for them alone and for no others. "Therefore they have forgotten Me" signifies that pride has obliterated goods and truths, and thus their desire and with it their heart has receded 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 will I watch over the way" signifies the falsification of truth by reasonings from the natural man; a "leopard" signifying falsification by reasonings; "the way" truth leading to good, and "to watch" the intention to pervert. This is said of the Lord in the sense of the letter of the Word, from the appearance of truth, in which nevertheless lies hidden the genuine truth (which is the spiritual sense of the Word) that it is not the Lord that as a lion devastates the church, or that as a leopard falsifies truths by reasonings, but it is the man himself that does this when his heart is lifted up. From this it is clear what is signified in the Word by a "leopard."
Footnotes:
1. The photolithograph has eagles, the Hebrew has leopards. In the explanation Swedenborg translates it leopards.
780. [Vers. 2.] "Et bestia quam vidi erat similis pardo." Quod significet ratiocinia discordantia, et usque apparentia sicut cohaereant, constat ex significatione "bestiae ex mari ascendentis", de qua hic agitur, quod sint ratiocinia ex naturali homine confirmantia separationem fidei a vita (de qua supra, n. 774), hic itaque ratiocinia illa; et ex significatione "pardi", quod sint illa discordantia, et usque apparentia sicut vera. Quod talia significentur per "pardum", est quia pardus quoad pellem est maculis distinctus et variegatus, ex qua variegatione apparet non impulcher; et quia animal saevum est et insidiosum, et prae reliquis celer ad rapiendum, et quia tales etiam sunt qui per ratiocinia solerter callent confirmare dogma de separatione fidei a bonis operibus per ratiocinia ex naturali homine, quod tametsi cum veris discordat, usque per illa faciunt ut illud appareat sicut cum veris cohaereat, ideo illa bestia quoad corpus "similis pardo" apparuit.
[2] Quia haec significantur per "pardum", velim primum per aliqua illustrare quomodo illi qui fidem separant a vita ejus, quae sunt bona opera, per ratiocinia faciunt ut discordantia appareant sicut cohaerentia. Haeretica describuntur multis in locis in Verbo per "idola", quae fabricator per varia format, usque ut appareant in figura hominis, sed quibus tamen non potest indi vita, qua videant, audiant, moveant manus ac pedes, et loquantur. Hoc quoque factum vidi in mundo spirituali a quibusdam qui fidem separaverunt a bonis operibus, et perstitit hoc opus per plures horas; et postquam idolum factum est, apparuit quidem id in conspectu plurium sicut imago hominis, sed coram oculis angelorum sicut monstrum: voluerunt etiam aliquid vitae per artes indere, sed non potuerunt.
[3] Quod talia in mundo spirituali fiant, est quia omnia quae ibi apparent sunt repraesentativa spiritualium, quae sistuntur in formis quales existunt in mundo; inde apparent omnis generis bestiae terrae, et aves caeli; etiam inde apparent domus, in illis conclavia, inque his varia decoramenta; tum horti et paradisi pleni arboribus fructiferis et floribus; apparent etiam mensae, et super illis omnis generis edulia; et innumera alia, quae tamen omnia ex origine spirituali sunt, et inde spiritualium repraesentativa. Ex eo est quod ibi a quibusdam formentur plura, per quae effigiantur spiritualia. Inde est quod etiam illi sistere voluerint fidem separatam a bonis operibus sub imagine hominis, ut ex apparentia illa simplicibus persuaderent ut dogma illud haereticum esset Divinum Verum: nam omne verum a Domino in sua forma est homo; inde angeli, quia receptiones Divini Veri a Domino sunt, formae humanae sunt; immo quicquid apud angelum ex Divino Vero est, talis formae est. (Quod ita sit, constare potest ex pluribus in opere De Caelo et Inferno, in specie ex illis quae ibi, n. 460, dicta sunt.) Quod "idola" in Verbo significent doctrinalia falsa ex propria intelligentia, apparentia sicut vera, videatur supra (n. 587). Haec dicta sunt, ut sciatur quod omnibus haeresibus, et imprimis universali huic de separatione fidei a bonis operibus, per ratiocinia possit induci apparentia, sicut forent ex veris et non ex falsis.
[4] Sed illustretur hoc per exemplum. Quis non potest adduci ad credendum quod sola fides sit unicum medium salutis, quia homo non potest a se facere bonum quod in se est bonum? Hoc apparet cuivis ad primum visum quod sit consequens, ac ita cohaerens cum vero; et tunc nescit quod sit ratiocinium ex naturali homine confirmans separationem fidei a bonis operibus, ex quo ratiocinio persuasus homo cogitat quod non opus habeat attendere ad suam vitam, quia habet fidem; sed qui in illa persuasione est, non scit quod facere bonum ex Verbo, hoc est, quia mandatum est in Verbo, sit facere bonum a Domino; et quod sic faciat bonum a se sed usque credat quod sit a Domino. Sed de his plura in sequentibus. Ex paucis his videri potest quomodo per ratiocinia facile induci potest apparentia sicut falsum illud, quod universaliter in Ecclesia Christiana regnat, concordet cum hoc vero, quod omne bonum quod in se bonum est, sit a Domino, et nihil ab homine, et quod ideo homo possit desistere a faciendo bonum, et usque salvari; cum tamen prorsus discordat.
[5] Quod talia per "pardum" significentur, constare potest a sequentibus: Apud Jeremiam,
"Num convertet Aethiops cutem suam, aut pardus maculas suas? Etiam vos potestis bonum facere, qui edocti estis malum facere" (13:23)
"Num convertet Aethiops cutem suam?" significat quod malum non possit mutare naturam suam; "Aethiops" est malum in sua forma, quia totus niger; et "cutis", quia est extremum hominis, et correspondet ejus sensuali, est natura ejus; "aut pardus maculas suas?" significat quod falsum mali nec possit mutare; "pardus" hic est falsum ex malo, est enim verum falsificatum per ratiocinia, et "maculae" sunt falsificata; quia utrumque est contra bonum, dicitur, "Etiam vos potestis bonum facere, qui edocti estis malum facere": dicitur quod utrumque sit contra bonum, nempe malum et falsum mali, quia est malum voluntatis, et inde falsum intellectus; malum voluntatis est malum ex natura, et falsum intellectus fit malum per actum, nam voluntas agit per intellectum et facit malum.
[6] Apud Esaiam
"Erit justitia cingulum lumborum Ipsius, et veritas cingulum feminum Ipsius; quare commorabitur lupus cum agno, et pardus cum haedo..; vitulus, etiam leo juvenis et saginatum una, et puer parvus ducet eos" (11:5, 6):
haec de Domino et de Ipsius regno, ac de statu innocentiae et pacis ibi; quod haec de Domino dicta sint, patet a versu 1, hujus capitis, ubi dicitur quod "virga exibit ex trunco Jischaji, et surculus ex radicibus ejus [fructum] feret": quod "justitia cingulum lumborum Ipsius erit, et veritas cingulum feminum Ipsius, significat quod Divinum Bonum procedens ex Divino Amore Domini conjunget illos in caelo et in ecclesia qui in amore in Ipsum sunt, et quod Divinum Verum procedens ex Ipso conjunget illos in caelo et in ecclesia qui in amore erga proximum sunt; per "justitiam", cum de Domino, intelligitur Divinum Bonum, ac per "lumbos Ipsius" intelliguntur illi qui in amore in Ipsum sunt, per "veritatem" intelligitur Divinum Verum, per "femina Ipsius" intelliguntur qui in amore erga proximum sunt, ac per "cingulum" significatur conjunctio cum illis in caelo et in ecclesia: "quare commorabitur", significat statum pacis, qui est quum nihil mali ab inferno timetur, quia non damnum inferre potest; "lupus cum agno, et pardus cum haedo", significat quod non aliquod malum et falsum nociturum sit illis qui in innocentia et in charitate a Domino sunt; per "lupum" significatur malum quod innocentiae oppositum est, et illum destruere conatur, et per "pardum" intelligitur falsum charitati oppositum, quod per ratiocinia pro fide charitatem destruere conatur, per "annum" significatur innocentia, et per "haedum" charitas; "vitulus etiam et leo juvenis et saginatum una", significat quod falsum infernale non nociturum sit innocentiae naturalis hominis, nec ulli affectioni boni ejus; per "vitulum" significatur innocentia naturalis hominis, per "saginatum" seu "bovem" significatur affectio naturalis hominis, et per "leonem" falsum infernale quoad potentiam et cupidinem destruendi Divinum Verum: "et puer parvus ducet eos", significat statum innocentiae et amoris in Dominum in quo erunt; "puer" significat innocentiam et simul amorem in Dominum, amor enim in Dominum unum facit cum innocentia; nam qui in illo amore, etiam in innocentia sunt, ut sunt illi qui in tertio caelo sunt, qui etiam inde coram oculis aliorum apparent sicut infantes et pueri.
[7] Apud Jeremiam,
"Percussit" magnates Hierosolymae "leo de silva, lupus camporum devastabit eos, pardus vigilans contra urbes eorum, omnis qui exiverit discerpetur, quia multiplicatae sunt praevaricationes eorum, validae factae aversiones" (5:6):
haec dicta sunt de falsificatione veri in ecclesia; et per "magnates Hierosolymae" intelliguntur illi qui reliquis praeibunt in docendis veris et bonis, et per "Hierosolymam" intelligitur ecclesia quoad doctrinam: per "leonem e silva", qui percussit magnates, significatur dominium falsi infernalis; per "lupum", qui devastabit, significatur dominium mali inde; utrumque, tam falsum quam malum, destruens vera et bona ecclesiae: per "pardum", qui "vigilat contra urbes", significantur ratiocinia a falsis mali contra vera doctrinae; "urbes" significant doctrinalia, ita vera doctrinae: quod "discerpetur omnis qui exiverit", significat quod quisquis recedit a veris doctrinae a falsis periturus sit: per "praevaricationes" quae multiplicatae, significantur falsificationes veri; per "aversiones" quae validae factae, significantur adulterationes boni; quod falsificationes veri et adulterationes boni per "praevaricationes" et "aversiones" significentur, constat ex versu sequente, ubi dicitur quod "moechati sint, et domum meretricis turmatim intraverint", per quae falsificationes et adulterationes illae significantur.
[8] Apud Habakuk,
"Cujus leves sunt prae 1
pardis equi, ..acuti sunt prae lupis vesperae, ut diffundant se equites ejus" (1:8):
haec de devastatione ecclesiae per adulterationem veri; "gens Chaldaea", de qua haec dicuntur, illam significat: "cujus leves sunt prae pardis equi", significat cupidinem seducendi per ratiocinia, et inde solertiam seducendi; cupido et solertia illorum significatur per quod "leves" et celeres sint, ratiocinia ex naturali homine significantur ibi per "equos"; et quia haec per "equos" significantur, et similia per "pardos", ideo dicitur quod "equi eorum prae pardis leves sint"; "acuti sunt prae lupis vesperae", significat astutiam fallendi per fallacias; fallaciae sensuum hic significantur per "lupos vesperae", quia fallaciae sunt ex sensuali homine, qui in tenebris falsa sicut vera videt; "ut diffundant se equites ejus" significat ut vera Verbi per adulterationem fiant haeretica; per "equites" significantur haereses, quia per "equos" ratiocinationes, per quas confirmantur falsa.
[9] Apud Danielem,
Tertia bestia e mari ascendens erat "sicut pardus, cui alae quatuor, quales avibus, super tergo illius" (7:6):
describitur ibi per quatuor bestias e mari ascendentes successiva devastatio ecclesiae; et per tertiam hanc bestiam, quae "sicut pardus", significantur similia quae per "pardum" in hoc loco Apocalypseos, nempe ratiocinia discordantia, et usque apparentia sicut cohaereant; "cui alae quatuor, quales avibus, super tergo illius", significat apparentiam intellectus boni et veri ex applicatione sensus litterae Verbi.
[10] Apud Hoscheam,
"Ego novi te in deserto, in terra siccitatum; cum pascuum eorum, tunc saturati sunt; cum saturati sunt, tunc elatum est cor eorum; propterea obliti sunt Mei, ideo factus sum illis sicut leo, sicut pardus super via observabo" (13:5-7):
"Ego novi te in deserto, in terra siccitatum", significat statum absque bono et absque veris; "desertum" est status absque bono, et "terra siccitatum" est status absque veris; "cum pascuum eorum, tunc saturati sunt", significat quando illis data sunt bona et vera, hoc est, de illis instructi ex Verbo, usque ad plenam nutritionem animae; "cum saturati sunt, tunc elatum est cor eorum", significat cum ex plenitudine illa extulerint se super omnes, credendo quod ideo illis solis caelum et non aliis: "propterea obliti sunt Mei" significat quod fastus obliteraverit ea, et inde recesserit desiderium, et cum hoc cor eorum a Domino: "ideo factus sum illis sicut leo" significat inde devastationem omnis veri ecclesiae: "et sicut pardus super via observabo" significat falsificationem veri per ratiocinia ex naturali homine; per "pardum" significatur falsificatio per ratiocinia, per "viam" verum ducens ad bonum, et per "observare" intentio pervertendi. Ita dicitur de Domino in sensu litterae Verbi ex apparentia Veri, in qua tamen insitum latet genuinum Verum, quod est sensus spiritualis Verbi, quod Ipse non sit sicut leo, qui ecclesiam devastat, nec sicut pardus qui vera per ratiocinia falsificat, sed homo qui id facit quando corde effertur. Ex his constare potest quid per "pardum" in Verbo significatur.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.