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552. And the likenesses of the locusts were like unto horses prepared for war.- That this signifies that man having become sensual reasons as though from the understanding of truth, is evident from the signification of locusts, which denote the men of the church who have become sensual by means of the falsities which are from evil; see above (n. 543); and from the signification of horses prepared for war, which denote reasonings, in this case, as though from the understanding of truth, because it is said that they were like unto them; that horses signify the understanding, may be seen above (n. 355, 364); and all understanding is of truth. And because war, in the Word, signifies spiritual combat, which is that of falsity against truth, and of truth against falsity, therefore horses prepared for war signify reasonings, in this case, as though from the understanding of truth, for by means of reasonings spiritual combats take place. The subject treated of in what now follows as far as verse 12, is the sensual man who is in falsities from evil, as to his quality in respect to understanding and will, and he is described by locusts, and their various appearances. For all the affections, and thence the thoughts of man, are represented in the spiritual world by various beasts of the earth, and by birds, and they are also presented to view in correspondent forms. And the beasts represented there, according to the affections of the spirits from which they are, appear like the beasts of our world, but sometimes with successive change and variety approximating to forms made up of different beasts, moreover they are also clothed and decorated as to their heads and bodies with various kinds of adornments. I have frequently seen such things, and the qualities of the affections and inclinations of those who were represented were thence made evident to me. It is from this representation of affections and thoughts in the spiritual world by beasts and birds, that beasts and birds, in the Word, signify similar things.
[2] That sensual men, who are in falsities from evil, are represented, and thence signified by locusts, was shown above (n. 543). Their quality is now described by the various forms, and by various adornments of the locusts; as that they were like unto horses prepared for war; that on their heads as it were crowns like gold; that their faces were like the faces of men; and that they had hair like the hair of women, and teeth like the teeth of lions; also that they had breast-plates, and various other things. All these things are representatives, such as exist in the spiritual world, corresponding to falsities from evil, and to the persuasive [power] of the sensual man. Yet no one could know these things without the knowledge of correspondences; neither could the quality of the sensual man be known, and the quality of his persuasive [power]. The reason why the sensual man, who is in falsities from evil, reasons as though from the understanding of truth, is that he is in the persuasion that falsity is truth, and that evil is good; and so long as he is in that persuasion, he cannot see any thing rationally and intellectually, but that of which he has become persuaded he believes to be a mark of the loftiest reason and of superior understanding. For his Rational and Intellectual are closed, and hence he is in a persuasive faith concerning those things which he thinks and speaks. That the sensual man reasons acutely and with readiness, because his thought is so near his speech as to be almost in it, and because he places all intelligence in discoursing from the memory alone, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 125, 196, 5700, 10236).
552. Verse 7. And the likenesses of the locusts were like unto horses prepared for battle, signifies that when man has become sensual he reasons as if from the understanding of truth. This is evident from the signification of the "locusts" as being the men of the church who have become sensual through falsities that are from evil (of which above, n. 543; also from the signification of "horses prepared for battle," as being reasonings, here as if from the understanding of truth, because it is said that they were "like unto" them. (That "horses" signify the understanding, see above, n. 355, 364; and all understanding is of truth.) And because "battle" signifies in the Word spiritual combat, which is a combat of falsity against truth and of truth against falsity, therefore "horses prepared for battle" signify reasonings, here as if from the understanding of truth, for it is by reasonings that spiritual combats are waged. What now follows, even to verse 12, treats of the sensual man who is in falsities from evil, what is his quality in respect to understanding and will; and he is described by "locusts" and their various appearances; for in the spiritual world all man's affections and thoughts therefrom are represented by various beasts of the earth and by birds, and these are presented to view in such forms as correspond; and the beasts, there represented in accordance with the affections of the spirits from which they are, appear like the beasts in our world, but sometimes with successive change and variety, approaching to forms composed of other beasts, besides also having their heads and bodies clothed and decorated with various insignia. Such have frequently been seen by me; and the qualities of their affections and inclinations were thus made manifest to me. Because affections and thoughts therefrom are represented in the spiritual world by beasts and birds, so "beasts and birds" have a similar signification in the Word.
[2] It has been shown above in n. 543 that sensual men, who are in falsities from evil, are represented and thence signified by "locusts;" of what quality such men are is here described by the various forms and various insignia of the locusts; as that they were "like unto horses prepared for battle;" that "upon their heads were as it were crowns like gold;" that "their faces were as men's faces;" that "they had hair as the hair of women," and "teeth as those of lions;" that they had "breast-plates;" and many other things, all of which are representatives such as exist in the spiritual world corresponding to the falsities from evil, and to the persuasiveness of the sensual man; yet no one can know what these mean without a knowledge of correspondences, neither of the quality of the sensual man, nor of his persuasiveness. The sensual man, who is in falsities from evil, reasons as if from an understanding of truth, because he is in the persuasion that falsity is truth and that evil is good; and so long as he is in that persuasion he can see nothing rationally and intellectually; but whatever he has persuaded himself of, he believes to be a matter of the highest reason and most eminent understanding; for the rational and intellectual in him is closed up, and thus he is in a persuasive belief respecting the things he thinks and speaks. That the sensual man reasons acutely and readily, because his thought is so near his speech as to be almost in it, and because he places all intelligence in discoursing merely from the memory, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 195, 196, 5700, 10236.
552. [Vers. 7.] "Et similitudines locustarum similes equis paratis ad bellum." - Quod significet quod homo sensualis 1
factus, sit ratiocinans sicut ex intellectu, veri, constat ex significatione "locustarum", quod sint homines ecclesiae sensuales facti per falsa quae ex malo (de qua supra, n. 543); ex significatione "equorum paratorum ad bellum", quod sint ratiocinationes, hic sicut ex intellectu veri, quia dicitur quod "similes" illis; (quod per "equos" significetur intellectus, videatur supra, n. 355, 364; et omnis intellectus est veri;) et quia per "bellum" in Verbo significatur pugna spiritualis, quae est falsi contra verum et veri contra falsum, ideo per "equos paratos ad bellum" significantur ratiocinationes, hic sicut ex intellectu veri; per ratiocinationes enim fiunt pugnae spirituales. Agitur in nunc sequentibus, usque ad vers. 12, de sensuali homine qui in falsis ex malo est, qualis ille est quoad intellectum et voluntatem, et describitur ille per "locustas" et varias illarum apparentias; omnes enim affectiones et inde cogitationes hominis repraesentantur in mundo spirituali per varias bestias terrae et aves, ac sistuntur in talibus formis quae correspondent; et bestiae ibi repraesentatae secundum affectiones spirituum, ex quibus illae, apparent similes bestiis in nostro mundo, sed quandoque cum successiva mutatione et varietate accedente ad formas compositas ex aliis bestiis; praeter quod etiam variis insignibus amiciantur et decorantur quoad capita et quoad corpora: talia mihi saepius visa sunt, ex quibus patuit mihi quales illorum affectiones et inclinationes erant. Quia affectiones et inde cogitationes repraesentantur in mundo spirituali per bestias et aves, ideo etiam per "bestias" et "aves" in Verbo similia significantur.
[2] Quod sensuales homines, qui in falsis ex malo sunt, repraesententur et inde significentur per locustas, supra (n. 543) ostensum est; nunc describitur quales illi sunt per varias illarum formas et per varia insignia; sicut quod "similes essent equis paratis ad bellum", quod "Super capitibus illarum essent coronae similes auro", quod "facies illarum sicut facies hominum", quodque "capilli sicut mulierum", "dentes sicut leonum", quod haberent "thoraces", et plura; quae omnia sunt repraesentativa qualia sunt in mundo spirituali, correspondentia falsis ex malo et persuasivo sensualis hominis; quae tamen nemo scire potest nisi cui datum est nosse correspondentias, tum qualis est sensualis homo, et quale ejus persuasivum. Quod sensualis homo, qui in falsis ex malo est, ratiocinetur sicut ex intellectu veri, est quia est in persuasione quod falsum sit verum, et malum sit bonum; et quamdiu in illa persuasione est, non rationaliter et intellectualiter aliquid videre potest, sed credit id summae, rationis et eminentis intellectus esse, quod sibi persuaserat; est enim apud illum rationale et intellectuale occlusum, et inde in persuasiva fide est de illis quae cogitat et loquitur. Quod sensualis homo ratiocinetur acriter et solerter, quoniam cogitatio ejus est tam prope loquelam ut paene sit in illa, et quia in loquela ex sola memoria ponit omnem intelligentiam, videatur in Arcanis Caelestibus, (n. 195, 196, 5700, 10236).
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.