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299. A book written within and on the back. That this signifies the state of life of all in heaven and on the earth, in general and in particular, is evident from the signification of a book, in this case of the book of life, as denoting what is inscribed or implanted by the Lord in the spirit of man, that is, in the heart and soul, or what is the same thing, in the love and faith (concerning which see above, n. 199): hence by the book is here signified the state of life of all in heaven and on earth, and by its being written, is signified what is implanted by the Lord; (that to write signifies to implant, may be seen also above, n. 222); and from the signification of within and on the back, as denoting its being in the heart and soul, or in the love and faith. For with man and spirit love is within, because it constitutes his life; whereas faith, unless it is in his love, is not within, but behind or at the back; for the faith which is faith, makes entirely one with the love, for what a man loves belongs to his faith, but what he does not love does not belong to his faith. That appears, indeed, to be faith which any one thinks from the memory, and teaches from doctrine, but if he loves it only from a natural and not a spiritual love, it is the sight only of the thought of the external man, which sight counterfeits faith; but this faith, being without life before it is implanted in the internal man and its love, is not in the man, but behind him, or at his back. The faith implanted in the internal man and its love, is to believe and love the truth because it is truth, and not to love it chiefly for the sake of a reputation for learning, and of honour or gain therefrom. From these considerations it is evident what is signified by being written within and on the back.
[2] The subject treated of in this chapter is, that the Lord alone knows the states of the life of all in general and of each in particular, and that no one [knows this] besides Him. This is representatively set forth by the book written, which no one could open, read, and look into, but the Lamb alone, that is, the Lord. The reason why no one knows this except the Lord alone, is, because He is God alone, and because He formed the angelic heaven to the image of Himself, and man to the image of heaven: therefore He knows all things of heaven in general, and He who knows all things of heaven in general, also knows everything in particular; for a man who is in truths from good, and an angel, is an image of heaven, for he is a form of it; hence it also follows, that no one knows the states of any one in particular but he who knows the general state of all, for the one depends inseparably upon the other. But these things cannot be described in a few words; therefore see what is shown in the work concerning Heaven and Hell, where they are more distinctly and clearly described, in the following articles: That the Divine of the Lord makes heaven (n. 7-12); That every angel is a heaven in the least form (n. 51-58); That the whole heaven in the aggregate has reference to one man (n. 59-67); Similarly each society there (n. 68-72); That hence every angel is in a perfect human form (n. 73-77); That heaven, which is from the Divine Human of the Lord, in the whole and in part, has reference to man (n. 78-86); That there is a correspondence of all things of heaven with all things of man (n. 87-102); Concerning the conjunction of heaven with mankind (n. 291-302).
[3] It must be noted that here and elsewhere in the Word a book is mentioned, but by this a scroll (volumen) is meant; for in ancient times they wrote upon parchments, which were rolled together, and the parchment was called a book, and a scroll of a book, as may be seen in the Word.
As in Ezekiel:
"I looked, when behold, a hand sent unto me; and lo, in it a scroll of a book written within and without" (2:9, 10).
And in David:
"Then said I, Lo, I come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me" (Psalms 40:7).
Wherefore also, it is said in Isaiah:
"All the host of the heavens shall waste away, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll" (34:4).
Also in the Apocalypse:
"The heaven departed, as a book when it is rolled together" (6:14).
From these considerations it can be known how the book, which John saw, was written within and on the back.
299. A book written within and on the back, signifies the state of life of all in heaven and on the earth, in general and in particular. This is evident from the signification of "book," here the "book of life," as being what the Lord inscribes or implants in the spirit of man, that is, in the heart and soul, or what is the same, in his love and faith (of which see above, n. 199; therefore "the book" here signifies the states of life of all in heaven and on the earth, and "written" signifies what is implanted by the Lord (that to "write" signifies to implant, see also above, n. 222. Also from the signification of "within and on the back," as being what is in the heart and soul, or in the love and faith; for with man and spirit love is within, because it makes his life; but faith, unless it is in his love, is not within him, but behind or "at the back;" for faith that is faith makes altogether one with the love, since what a man loves is of his faith, but what he does not love is not of his faith. That which one thinks from memory and teaches from doctrine, appears, indeed, to be faith; but if this be loved only from a natural, not from a spiritual love, it is merely the sight of the thought of the external man, which sight counterfeits faith; but such faith, since it is destitute of life, until it is implanted in the internal man and its love, is not in man but behind him, or at his back. Faith implanted in the internal man and its love is believing and loving the truth because it is truth, and not loving it chiefly for the sake of a reputation for learning, and honor or gain therefrom. From this it can be seen what is signified by "written within and on the back."
[2] What is treated of in this chapter is, that the Lord only, and no one but the Lord, knows the states of life of all in general and of each one in particular. This is representatively depicted by "a book written which no one was able to open and read, neither to look thereon, except the Lamb," that is, the Lord. No one knows this but the Lord alone, because He is the only God, and because He formed the angelic heaven after His own image, and man after the image of heaven; for this reason He knows all things of heaven in general, and He who knows all things of heaven in general knows also every one in particular; for a man who is in truths from good, as well as an angel, is an image of heaven, since he is a form of heaven. From this it also follows that no one but he who knows the general state of all knows the state of anyone in particular, for the one is inseparably connected with the other. (But as these things cannot be described in a few words, see what is shown in the work on Heaven and Hell, where they are more distinctly and clearly described, in the following articles: The Divine of the Lord makes Heaven, n. 7-12; Every Angel is a Heaven in the Least Form, n. 51-55; The whole Heaven in the Complex has reference to one Man, n 59-67; likewise each Society there, n. 68-72; Every Angel, therefore, is in a perfect Human Form, n 73-77; From the Divine Human of the Lord it is that Heaven in the Whole and in Part has reference to Man, n 78-86; There is a Correspondence of all Things of Heaven with all Things of Man, n. 87-102; On the Conjunction of Heaven with Mankind, n. 291-302)
[3] It is to be observed that here and elsewhere in the Word a "book" is mentioned, meaning thereby a roll [volumen]; for in ancient times they wrote upon parchments, which were rolled up, and the parchment was called a "book" and the "roll of a book," as can also be seen in the Word; thus in Ezekiel:
I looked, when behold, a hand was put forth unto me; and lo, the roll of a book was therein, written in front and behind (Ezekiel 2:9-10).
And in David:
Then said I, Lo, I am come; in the roll of the book it is written of Me (Psalms 40:7).
For this reason it is said in Isaiah:
All the host of the heavens shall waste away, and the heavens shall be rolled up as a scroll (Isaiah 34:4).
Likewise in Revelation:
Heaven was removed, as a book that is rolled up (Revelation 6:14).
From this it can be known how the book that John saw was "written within and on the back."
299. "Librum scriptum intus et a tergo." - Quod significet statum vitae omnium in caelo et in terra, in communi et in particulari, constat ex significatione "libri", hic "libri vitae", quod sit quod a Domino inscriptum seu implantatum est hominis spiritui, hoc est, cordi et animae, seu quod idem, quod ejus amori et fidei (de qua supra, n. 199); inde per "librum" hic significatur status vitae omnium in caelo et in terra, et per "scriptum" significatur quod implantatum est a Domino; (quod "scribere" significet implantare, videatur etiam supra, n. 222); et ex significatione "intus et a tergo", quod sit quod est cordi et animae seu amori et fidei: amor enim est intus apud hominem et spiritum, quia facit ejus vitam; fides autem, nisi in ejus amore sit, non est intus apud illum, sed post seu a tergo; fides enim quae fides prorsus unum facit cum amore, nam quod homo amat hoc fidei ejus est, quod autem non amat non est fidei ejus; apparet quidem quod sit fides quod aliquis ex memoria cogitat et ex doctrina docet, sed si modo ex naturali amore et non ex spirituali id amat, est modo visus cogitationis externi hominis, qui visus mentitur fidem; sed haec fides, quia est absque vita priusquam implantata est interno homini et ejus amori, non est in homine sed post illum seu a tergo ejus; fides implantata interno homini et ejus amori, est credere et amare verum quia est verum, et non amare id principaliter propter famam eruditionis et inde honorem aut lucrum. Ex his constare potest quid significatur per "scriptum intus et a tergo."
[2] Agitur in hoc capite de eo, quod solus Dominus sciat status vitae omnium in communi et singulorum in particulari, et quod nemo praeter Ipsum. Hoc repraesentative sistitur per "librum scriptum, quem nullus potuit aperire", "legere" et "inspicere", quam solus "Agnus", hoc est, Dominus: quod nemo hoc sciat quam solus Dominus, est quia est solus Deus, et quia formavit caelum angelicum ad imaginem Sui, et hominem ad imaginem caeli; quapropter Is scit omnia caeli in communi; et qui scit omnia caeli in communi, is quoque scit unumquemvis in particulari; nam homo qui in veris ex bono est, et angelus, est imago caeli, est enim forma ejus: inde quoque sequitur quod nemo sciat alicujus status in particulari, nisi qui scit statum omnium communem; pendet enim indivulse unum ab altero. (Sed haec non paucis possunt describi; quare videantur quae in opere De Caelo et Inferno ostensa sunt, ubi distinctius et perspicuius haec descripta sunt, in sequentibus his articulis: Quod Divinum Domini faciat Caelum, n. 7-12:
quod unusquisque Angelus sit Caelum in minima forma, n. 51-58:
quod universum Caelum in complexu referat unum Hominem, n. 59-67; pariter unaquaevis Societas ibi, n. 68-72:
quod inde unusquisque Angelus sit in perfecta Forma Humana, n. 73-77:
quod Caelum in toto et in parte referat Hominem, quod sit ex Divino Humano Domini, n. 1
quod Correspondentia sit omnium caeli cum omnibus Hominis, n. 87-102: De Conjunctione Caeli cum Humano Genera, n. 291-302.)
[3] Sciendum est quod hic et alibi in Verbo dicatur "liber", sed quod per illum intelligatur volumen; antiquis enim temporibus scriptum fuit super membranis, quae convolvebantur, et membrana vocabatur "liber" et "volumen libri", ut quoque constare potest ex Verbo :
-Ut apud Ezechielem,
"Vidi, cum ecce manus emissa ad me, et ecce in ea Volumen libri.... scriptum ante et post" (2:9, 10):
et apud Davidem,
"Tum dixi, Ecce venio, in volumine libri scriptum est de me" (Psalm.40:8 [B.A. :7]):
quapropter dicitur apud Esaiam,
"Contabescet omnis exercitus caelorum, et caeli convolventur sicut volumen" (34:4):
similiter in Apocalypsi,
"Caelum abscessit sicut liber qui convolvitur" (6:14).
Ex his sciri potest quomodo liber, qui Johanni visus, "scriptus est intus et a tergo."
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.