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817. And he spake as a dragon. That this signifies in affection, thought, doctrine, and preaching, similar to what prevails with those who separate faith from the life of faith, which is charity, is evident from the signification of speaking, as denoting affection, thought, doctrine, and preaching. The reason why speaking signifies these things is, that all of a man's speech is from affection and thought thence, the affection itself being expressed by the sound of the speech, and the thought by the words. That both the affection and the thought are in the speech, is evident to every one who reflects. Affection alone cannot speak, it can only make a noise and sing; nor can thought alone speak except as an automaton without life. For it is the affection which gives life to every expression of speech. This is also the reason why man is regarded by others according to the affection in his speech, and not according to the words. The reason why speaking also signifies preaching from doctrine, thus doctrine and preaching thence is, that it is said that the beast spake as a dragon; and by the dragon are meant those who are in faith separate from charity both in doctrine and in life (as may be seen above, n. 714). And by this beast are meant confirmations from the sense of the letter of the Word in favour of the separation of faith from life, and the resulting falsifications of the Word. That religious persuasion, as to doctrine and as to preaching, is signified therefore by speaking as a dragon.
[2] Because by the dragon and by his two beasts is described faith separate from charity, and the resulting falsification of the Word, it shall be shown in this article, that a similar heresy is described in the Word by Cain, Reuben, and the Philistines; and is also meant by the he-goat in Daniel. For there have been several churches upon this earth - the Most Ancient, which was before the flood; the Ancient Church, which was after the flood; the Jewish, which succeeded the Ancient, and lastly the Christian Church. All these churches, in process of time, degenerated into two great errors, one which has adulterated all the goods of the church, and the other which has falsified all its truths. The church which has adulterated all the goods of the church is described in the Word by the Babylonians and Chaldeans; and the church which has falsified all the truths of the church is described by Cain, Reuben, and the Philistines; and also by the he-goat in Daniel, which fought with the ram and overcame it.
Concerning the adulteration of the good of the church, which is described by the Babylonians and Chaldeans, we shall speak in the following parts of this work, where Babylon is treated of in the Apocalypse. At present we shall confine ourselves to the subject of the falsification of truth, described here by the dragon and his two beasts. That the same is described also by Cain, and by the rest above-mentioned, shall now be explained.
[3] That those who separate the knowledges of truth and good from a life in agreement with them, and believe that they may be saved by these alone, were represented by Cain, has been briefly shown in the Arcana Coelestia, where Cain and Abel are treated of, to which we shall add the following observations. It is written of Cain,
That he was the first-born of Adam, and that he tilled the ground, and brought of the fruit of the ground an offering to Jehovah; and that Abel was a shepherd of the flock, and brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fatness thereof; also that Jehovah had respect unto the offering of Abel, and not unto the offering of Cain, wherefore anger was kindled in Cain, and he slew his brother; that Cain, was therefore accursed, and banished from the ground, and became a vagabond and fugitive on the earth; and that Jehovah set a mark upon Cain, lest he should be slain, and appointed that whoever should slay him, should have vengeance taken on him seven-fold (Gen. iv.).
It is to be observed, that all the names of persons and places in the Word signify things and states of the church; and especially the names in the first chapters of Genesis, because the historicals in those chapters are constructed historicals, containing in them the deepest mysteries of heaven, but which are, nevertheless, most holy in the sense of the letter; because in every word there is a spiritual sense which unites the heavens with the men of the church. What those historicals involve in the spiritual sense, and what the names of the persons there signify, is explained in the Arcana Coelestia. By Cain are signified the knowledges of truth and good separate from a life in agreement with them, thus from heavenly love; and by Abel is signified heavenly love; or, what amounts to the same, by Cain is signified truth separate from good, and by Abel good conjoined to truth. And because truth is the primary thing of the church, every church being formed by truths, for from truths, or from the knowledges of truth and good, every church first commences - therefore Cain was the first-born, and was named a man (vir) of Jehovah; for by a man of Jehovah, in the Word, is signified the truth of heaven and the church; and by the ground which Cain tilled, is signified the church. The separation of truth from good is signified by the murder of Abel by Cain. For when every thing of the church is placed in truths or in knowledges, and not in goods, or in the affection of living according to truths; then good with its affections is slain. And because every thing of the church perishes when truth is separated from good; therefore Cain was banished from the ground, by which, as was said, is signified the church.
But because truths are the primary things of the church, for truths will teach men how to live, therefore a mark was set on Cain, lest any one should kill him; and it was appointed that if any one should kill him, he should be avenged seven-fold. And because truth without good is carried hither and thither, having nothing to lead it, consequently it successively wanders into falsities, and falls away from the way that leads to heaven; therefore Cain was banished from before the face of Jehovah, and became a vagabond and fugitive. The case is similar with respect to faith and charity, because faith belongs to truth, and charity to good. Thus the case is similar with respect to faith separate from charity as with what is said concerning Cain, that is, that it kills Abel its brother, which is charity, whence the church perishes. And this is signified by being banished from the ground, and becoming a vagabond and fugitive; for when faith is separated by charity then truth is successively turned into falsity, and so falls to decay.
[4] That Reuben, the first-born of Jacob, signified the light of truth, and thence the understanding of the Word, and thereby truth from good, or faith from charity, as was also the case with the apostle Peter; and that Reuben also, on the other hand, represented truth separated from good, or faith separated from charity; and that this faith is signified by his adultery with Bilhah his father's concubine, in consequence whereof the primogeniture was taken away from him and given to Joseph, may be seen above (n. 434). To these things is to be added, that all heresies, so far as they are adulterations and falsifications of the Word, correspond to adulteries and whoredoms of various kinds, which, because of such correspondence, are also actually perceived in the spiritual world, from those who are in heresies. The reason is, that marriages, such as they are in the heavens, derive their spiritual origin from the conjunction of good and truth; and, on the other hand, adulteries derive their origin from the conjunction of evil and falsity. This is why heaven, in the Word, is compared to marriage, and hell to adultery. And because in the hells there is a conjunction of evil and falsity, therefore a sphere of adultery continually exhales from them. This is the reason why adulteries and whoredoms, in the Word, signify adulterations of the good of the church and falsifications of the truth thereof (as may be seen above, n. 141, 161).
[5] Faith separate from charity is perceived in the spiritual world as the adultery of a son with a mother, and also with a mother-in-law. The reason is, that faith shuts out the good of charity; and this being so, the evil of the love of self and of the world succeeds in its place, and such faith conjoins itself with it. For all faith must necessarily conjoin itself with some love; wherefore when spiritual love, which is charity, is separated, then the faith conjoins itself with the love of self or the love of the world, these being the loves that rule in the natural man; this is why such a horrible adultery results from faith separated from charity. And it is evident therefore what the adultery of Reuben with Bilhah his father's concubine signifies, and why he was therefore rejected from the right of primogeniture. This is also meant by the prophecy of Israel concerning Reuben:
"Reuben, my first-born, thou art my might, and the beginning of my strength, excellent in dignity, and excellent in power. Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel, because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it; he went up to my couch" (Arcana Coelestia 6341-6350).
That such adultery from faith separated from charity is perceived in the spiritual world, has been made evident to me from correspondences in that world; for as often as I have perceived from afar the sphere of adultery with a mother or mother-in-law, I have known at once that they were at hand who had confirmed themselves in faith alone both in doctrine and in life, and they were also then discovered; and being examined as to their quality, they were found to have been such in the world.
[6] Thus far concerning Reuben. Something shall now be said concerning the Philistines. These also in the Word represent faith separated from love. This is why they were called the uncircumcised; for to be uncircumcised signifies to be without spiritual love, and to be solely in natural love, with which love alone not anything of religion, much less anything of the church, can be conjoined. For everything pertaining to religion and the church regards the Divine, heaven, and spiritual life; and these cannot be conjoined with any other than a spiritual love, consequently, they cannot be conjoined with a natural love separate from a spiritual. For natural separate from spiritual love is man's proprium, which, in itself, is nothing but evil. All the wars which the sons of Israel waged with the Philistines represented the combats of the spiritual man with the natural man, and also the combats of truth conjoined to good, with truth separated from good, which in itself is not truth but falsity. For truth separated from good is falsified in the thought concerning it; the reason being, that there is nothing spiritual in the thought to impart enlightenment. This is also the reason why those who are in faith separated from charity have no truth, except that used in speech or preaching from the Word. For the idea of the truth perishes as soon as such people exercise their thought about it.
[7] Because this religion in the churches prevails with all those who love to live a natural life, therefore in the land of Canaan the Philistines were not subjugated, like the other nations of that land, and hence so many battles took place between them. For all the historicals of the Word are representative of such things as pertain to the church; and all the nations of the land of Canaan represented things heretical confirming either falsities of faith or evils of love; and the sons of Israel represented the truths of faith and the goods of love, consequently the church.
But what the wars represented which the inhabitants of the land of Canaan carried on will be shown in due course. Here we shall merely show that the Philistines represented a religious persuasion separated from spiritual good, such as that of faith alone separated from its life, which is charity. This is why as often as the sons of Israel departed from the worship of Jehovah to the worship of other gods, they were delivered up to their enemies, or were conquered by them. Thus they were delivered up to the Philistines, and served them eighteen years, and afterwards forty years (Judges x., xiii.). This represented their receding from worship from the good of love and the truths of faith, to a worship from the evils of love and the falsities of faith. It is mentioned that they were conquered and brought into straits by the Philistines (1 Sam. 4, 13, 28, 29, 31); but when the sons of Israel returned to the worship of Jehovah, which was worship from the good of love and the truths of faith, they then conquered the Philistines (as 1 Sam. 7:14, 2 Samuel chapters 5, 8, 21, 23; 2 Kings 18). That those historicals involve such things, can only be seen from the series of things there described in the internal sense, which we have not the time here to explain. We shall adduce only one passage from the prophetical parts of the Word, from which it will be evident that such things as pertain to the church were represented in those historicals by the Philistines.
[8] Thus in Isaiah:
"Rejoice not, thou whole Philistea, because the rod that smote thee is broken; for out of the serpent's root shall go forth a basilisk, whose fruit is a fiery flying serpent. Then the first-born of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety; and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant. Howl, O gate; cry out, O city; thou, whole Philistea, art dissolved; for a smoke cometh from the north, and none shall be alone in thy assemblies. What shall one then answer, the messengers of the nation? That Jehovah hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it" (14:29-32).
Philistea, is here described, which signifies the church, or those in the church, who are indeed in truths from the sense of the letter of the Word, or from another revelation, and yet in filthy loves. Consequently their truths do not live; and truths that do not live are turned into falsities when they are brought from exterior thought, which is the thought next to the speech, into the interior thought, which is that of the understanding, and are there considered as to their origin, which those meant by the Philistines cannot see. The reason why they cannot see is, that all men, even the wicked, have the faculty of understanding, but not good of the will, which is the good of life; for this springs from love to God, and from love towards the neighbour, these loves causing that faculty to communicate with heaven and thence receive enlightenment.
In that chapter in Isaiah, therefore, those are described who are in truths without good, and it is shown how all the truths with them are turned into falsities.
[9] This, therefore, is the spiritual sense of these words, "Rejoice not, thou whole Philistea, that the rod of him that smites thee is broken." The signification is, that they should not rejoice on account of its being permitted them to remain in their heresy because of the fewness of those who are in truths from good. "For out of the serpent's root shall go forth a basilisk," signifies, that from the sensual man a dogma will arise destructive of all truth; the serpent's root denoting the Sensual, which is the ultimate of man's life, and the basilisk denoting the destruction of all truth. "Whose fruit is a fiery flying serpent," signifies, from which is produced a faith separate from charity. This is meant by a fiery flying serpent, because by reasonings and by confirmations from things revealed but not understood, it flies upwards, and thereby kills the things that are living. The same, therefore, is signified by the basilisk as by the dragon, which is also called a serpent; and the same by the fiery flying serpent as by the beasts ascending out of the sea and out of the earth, which are treated of in this chapter of the Apocalypse. "Then the first-born of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety," signifies, when that dogma is received by those who are natural and sensual men, and believe themselves to be more wise than others, then truths from good with those who desire truths and will goods, shall live. The first-born, in the Word, denoting truths born from good; the poor those who are not in truths but who still desire them; and the needy those who are not in goods, but who still in heart will them. "And I will kill thy root with famine," signifies, that all truths, from first to last, will perish by falsities. "Howl, O gate; cry out, O city," signifies, that neither will entrance be granted to any truth, and that doctrine will be made up of mere falsities, gate denoting entrance to the truths of doctrine, and city denoting doctrine. "Thou, whole Philistea, art dissolved," signifies, the destruction of that church by pure falsities. "For a smoke cometh from the north," signifies, that all falsity from evil will break in from hell; the north denoting hell, and smoke the falsity of evil. "And none shall be alone in thy assemblies," signifies, that there shall not be one truth remaining amongst their knowledges. "What shall one then answer, the messengers of the nation," signifies, the enlightenment of those who are in good of life from love to the Lord. "That Jehovah hath founded Zion," signifies, that a church shall be established from them. "And the poor of his people shall trust in it," signifies, that those who are not in wisdom from self, and who overcome in temptations against those falsities, shall have intelligence and salvation.
[10] The vastation of truth by falsities with those who are meant by the Philistines, is also described by Jeremiah (280). That his head signifies the understanding of truth and intelligence thence (n. 553). That fish signifies the natural man (n. 513). And that the genitals, from correspondence, signify celestial love, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 5050-5062).
[11] The emerods also with which the Philistines were smitten, when the ark of God was detained by them, signified truths defiled by evils of life; but these and other circumstances related concerning them in 1 Sam v. may be seen explained above (n. 2 Samuel 1:20; Ezekiel 28:10; 31:18; 32:18, 19; 44:9.
For the foreskin corresponds to corporeal love, because the member which the foreskin covers corresponds to spiritual and celestial love. And because the Philistines represented those who are in the knowledge and cognitions of truth, without any spiritual and celestial good, therefore they were called the uncircumcised. And because the sons of Israel were actually such, therefore in order that they might, nevertheless, represent the church, which is in spiritual and celestial good, and in truths thence, it was commanded that they should be circumcised. From these considerations it is evident that the religious persuasion at this day, which separates charity from faith is, in a representative sense, Philistea.
[12] Thus far concerning the Philistines. Something shall now be said about the signification of the goats and sheep, upon which judgment shall be executed, according to the Lord's words in Matthew (25:31 to the end). The common opinion is, that by the goats there mentioned are meant all the wicked; and it has not been known hitherto, that by the goats are there meant those who separate faith from charity, or who are in such a faith; and by the sheep those who are in faith from charity. By goats, in the good sense, are meant those who are in natural good, and thence in truths, these truths being called the knowledges of truth and good from the natural sense of the Word. These, or that good and thence that truth, are signified by the goats which were sacrificed.
That sacrifices of goats were made also, is evident from Leviticus 4:23; 9:2-4, 8-23; 16:2-20; 23:18, 19; Numbers 15:22-29; 28:11-15, 18 to the end; xxix., and elsewhere.
For all the beasts that were used in sacrifices signified such things as pertain to the church, all of which have reference to goods and truths. Celestial goods and truths therefrom, in which the angels in the third heaven are, were signified by lambs; but spiritual goods and truths, in which the angels in the middle heaven are, were signified by rams. And natural goods and truths therefrom, in which are the angels who are in the ultimate heaven, were signified by goats. Celestial goods and truths pertain to those who are in love to the Lord; but spiritual goods and truths pertain to those who are in love towards the neighbour; and natural goods and truths pertain to those who live well according to truths from natural affection. These are signified by these three kinds of beasts, in various parts of the Word,
As in Ezek. (27:21; Deuteronomy 32:14).
[13] But because most things in the Word have also an opposite sense, so have he-goats, which in that sense signify those who are in faith separate from charity, because he-goats are lascivious above all other animals; and also because by these, in the genuine sense, are signified those who are in natural good and in truth therefrom; and all those who are in faith separate from charity both in doctrine and life are merely natural. That such persons are meant in the Word by he-goats, has been shown me to the life in the spiritual world. Various beasts are seen there, but not like those in our world, that is, those which have been born beasts; on the contrary, they are correspondences of the affections and of the thoughts therefrom, of spirits and angels. Therefore as soon as those affections and the thoughts therefrom vary and cease, they vanish out of sight. In order that I might know that those who are in faith separate from charity, or rather that their affections, and consequently the thoughts derived from their faith, are represented by he-goats, it was granted me to see some of those spirits. They appeared before my eyes and the eyes of several others, entirely like he-goats with horns. Some rams and sheep were also sent amongst them, at which the goats rushed with great fury, and strove to throw them down, but in vain. For in the spiritual world the he-goats have no power against rams or sheep, wherefore the goats were put to flight. And afterwards I was permitted to see the same as men; by which it was further testified to me that the goats were the same as those who in the world had lived in faith separate from charity.
[14] From these things it is evident what is signified by the ram and the he-goat, and by the battle between them, as recorded in Daniel (316 and n. 573), where the same things are explained; therefore it is unnecessary to explain them again in this place. [15] That by the he-goats also are meant those who are in faith separate from charity, and by the rams those who are in faith from charity, is evident also in Ezekiel:
"As for you, O my flock, behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, and between the rams and the he-goats" (34:17).
Also in Zechariah:
"Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the he-goats" (10:3).
It is therefore evident that no others are signified by the goats and sheep in Matthew (25:31 to the end); consequently also the works of charity only are there enumerated, which the sheep performed, but which the goats did not. The same was also proved to me when the Last Judgment was accomplished upon those who belonged to the Christian Church; for then all those who were in faith separate from charity both in doctrine and life, were cast into hell; and all who were in faith from charity were preserved.
817. And he spake as a dragon, signifies with a similar affection, thought, doctrine, and preaching, as belong to those who separate faith from the life of faith, which is charity. This is evident from the signification of "speaking," as being affection, thought, doctrine, and preaching. This is the signification of "speaking" because all the speech of man is from affection and the consequent thought. The affection itself is expressed by the sound of the speech, and the thought by its words. The affection and the thought are both of them in the speech, as everyone who reflects can see. The affection alone by itself cannot speak, it can only make a sound and sing; nor can thought alone by itself speak otherwise than as an automaton without life, since it is the affection that gives life to every expression of speech; and this is why a man is regarded by others according to the affection of his speech and not according to the words he utters. "To speak" signifies also to preach from doctrine, thus doctrine and preaching therefrom, because it is said that the beast "spake as a dragon;" and a "dragon" means those who are in faith separated from charity both in doctrine and in life (See above, n. 711, 714); and this beast means confirmations from the sense of the letter of the Word in favor of the separation of faith from life, and the resulting falsifications of the Word; consequently "to speak as a dragon" signifies that kind of religion in respect to doctrine and preaching.
[2] As faith separate from charity and the resulting falsification of the Word are described by the dragon and its two beasts, I will show in this article that a like heresy is depicted in the Word by "Cain," by "Reuben," and by the "Philistines," and the like is meant also by the "he-goat" in Daniel. For there have been several churches on this earth, namely, the Most Ancient, which was before the flood; the Ancient, which was after the flood; the Jewish, which followed the Ancient; and lastly the Christian Church. All of these churches degenerated in process of time into two enormous errors, into one which adulterated all the goods of the church, and into the other which falsified all its truths. The church that adulterated all the goods of the church is described in the Word by the "Babylonians and Chaldeans;" and the church that falsified all the truths of the church is described by "Cain," by "Reuben," and by the "Philistines," and by the "he-goat" in Daniel which fought with the ram and overcame it. The adulteration of the good of the church, which is described by the "Babylonians and Chaldeans," will be spoken of hereafter where "Babylon" is treated of in Revelation; but now the falsification of truth shall be treated of, which is described here in Revelation by "the dragon and his two beasts," and was also described by "Cain," and by the others above mentioned.
[3] That those who separate the knowledges of truth and good from a life according to them, and who believe that they may be saved by these alone, were represented by "Cain," has been briefly shown in the Arcana Coelestia where Cain and Abel are treated of; to which this shall be added. It is written of Cain:
That he was the firstborn of Adam, and that he tilled the ground, and brought of the fruit of the ground an offering to Jehovah; and that Abel was a shepherd of the flock, and brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof; also that Jehovah had respect unto the offering of Abel and not unto the offering of Cain, that therefore Cain's anger was kindled and he slew his brother; and that Cain was therefore accursed and rejected from the ground, and became a wanderer and fugitive in the earth; and that Jehovah set a sign upon Cain lest he should be slain, and decreed that whoever should slay him should have vengeance taken on him sevenfold (See Genesis 4).
It is to be known that all names of persons and places in the Word signify things and states of the church, especially the names in the first chapters of Genesis, because the stories in those chapters are made-up histories containing the deepest arcana of heaven, and yet they are most holy in the sense of the letter, because in every least word there is a spiritual sense that conjoins the heavens with the men of the church. What these stories involve in the spiritual sense and what the names of the persons there signify has been explained in the Arcana Coelestia. "Cain" signifies the knowledges of truth and good separated from a life according to them, thus from heavenly love, and "Abel" signifies heavenly love; or what is the same, "Cain" signifies truth separated from good, and "Abel" good conjoined with truth. And as truth is the first thing of the church, since every church is formed by means of truths, because every church begins from truths or from the knowledges of truth and good, therefore Cain was the firstborn, and was named "man" [vir] of Jehovah," "man of Jehovah" signifying in the Word the truth of heaven and the church; and the "ground" which Cain tilled signifies the church. The separation of truth from good is signified by the murder of Abel by Cain; for when everything of the church is placed in truths or in knowledges, and not in goods or in the affection of living according to truths, good with its affections is slain. And as everything of the church perishes when truth is separated from good, so Cain "was cast forth from the ground," which, as has been said, signifies the church. But because truths are the first things of the church, for life must be learned from truths, "a sign was set on Cain, lest someone should slay him; and it was decreed that if anyone should slay him he should be avenged seven-fold." And because truth without good is carried hither and thither, having nothing to lead it, and consequently falls successively into falsities, and departs from the way that leads to heaven, so Cain "was cast forth from the face of Jehovah, and became a wanderer and fugitive." The like is true of faith and charity, since faith is of truth and charity is of good; so when faith is separated from charity what is said of Cain takes place, namely, that "it kills Abel its brother," which is charity, and in consequence the church perishes, which is signified by "being cast forth from the ground, and becoming a wanderer and fugitive," for when faith is separated from charity truth is successively turned into falsity and falls away.
[4] It has been shown above n. 434, that "Reuben," the firstborn of Jacob, signified the light of truth and thence the understanding of the Word, and thus truth from good or faith from charity, as did the apostle Peter; and that conversely, "Reuben" represented truth separated from good, or faith separated from charity, and that this faith is signified by his adultery with Bilhah his father's concubine, in consequence of which the birthright was taken away from him and given to Joseph. To this may be added, that all heresies, so far as they are adulterations and falsifications of the Word, correspond to adulteries and whoredoms of various kinds, and these because of this correspondence are actually perceived in the spiritual world from those who are in heresies. The reason of this is that marriages as they exist in the heavens derive their spiritual origin from the conjunction of good and truth; and conversely, adulteries derive their origin from the conjunction of evil and falsity; and this is why heaven is compared in the Word to a marriage, and hell to adultery. And as there is in the hells the conjunction of evil and falsity, so there continually exhales therefrom a sphere of adultery. It is for this reason that "adulteries and whoredoms" signify in the Word the adulterations of the good of the church and the falsifications of its truth (See above, n. 141, 161).
[5] In respect to faith separated from charity, this is perceived in the spiritual world as the adultery of a son with a mother as also with a step-mother. This is so because that faith shuts out the good of charity; and when this is shut out the evil of the love of self and of the world takes its place, and that faith conjoins itself with that love. For every kind of faith must necessarily conjoin itself with some love; therefore when spiritual love, which is charity, is separated, faith then conjoins itself with the love of self or with the love of the world, which are the loves that are dominant in the natural man; and this is why so heinous an adultery results from faith separated from charity. From this then it is clear what is signified by the adultery of Reuben with Bilhah his father's concubine, and why he was rejected for this reason from the right of the primogeniture. This is also meant by the prophecy of Israel his father respecting Reuben:
Reuben my firstborn, thou art my power and the beginning of my vigor; excelling in exaltation and excelling in strength; light as water, thou shalt not excel, because thou wentest up to thy father's bed, then thou didst profane it, he went up to my couch (6341-6350). That such adultery is perceived in the spiritual world from faith separated from charity has been made evident to me from correspondences in that world. For whenever I have perceived afar off the sphere of adultery with a mother or stepmother, I have known at once that those who had confirmed themselves in faith alone both in doctrine and in life were near, and they were also then discovered; and when they had been explored they were found to have been such in the world.
[6] So much respecting Reuben; we will now speak of the Philistines; these also in the Word represent faith separated from love. It was for this reason that they were called the "uncircumcised;" for "one uncircumcised" signifies one who is destitute of spiritual love, and is solely in natural love, and with that love alone no religious principle can be conjoined, much less anything of the church; for every religious principle and everything of the church has regard to the Divine, to heaven, and to spiritual life; and these cannot be conjoined with any other than a spiritual love; but not with a natural love separated from a spiritual love; since natural love separated from spiritual love is man's own [proprium], and this, regarded in itself, is nothing but evil. All the wars that the sons of Israel waged against the Philistines represented the combats of the spiritual man with the natural man, and thence also the combats of truth conjoined with good against truth separated from good, which in itself is not truth but falsity. For truth separated from good is falsified in the idea of the thought respecting it, and for the reason that there is nothing spiritual present in the thought to enlighten it. For the same reason those who are in faith separated from charity have no truth, except merely in their speech or in their preaching from the Word, the idea of truth instantly perishing as soon as truth is thought about.
[7] Because this religion exists in the churches with all who love to live a natural life, so in the land of Canaan the Philistines were not subjugated, as the other nations of that land were, and consequently there were many battles with them. For all the historical things of the Word are representative of such things as pertain to the church; and all the nations of the land of Canaan represented things heretical confirming either the falsities of faith or the evils of the love; while the sons of Israel represented the truths of faith and the goods of love, and thus the church. But what was represented by the wars that the inhabitants of the land of Canaan carried on will be told in its place and time; here it shall merely be shown that the Philistines represented a religious principle separated from spiritual good, such as is the religious principle of faith alone separated from its life, which is charity. This is why the sons of Israel whenever they fell away from the worship of Jehovah to the worship of other gods were given over to their enemies, or were conquered by them:
Thus they were given over to the Philistines, and served them eighteen years, and afterwards forty years (Judges 10;Judges 13).
This represented their departure from the worship from the good of love and the truths of faith to worship from the evils of love and the falsities of faith. Likewise:
The sons of Israel were conquered and distressed by the Philistines (1 Samuel 4; 13; 28; 29; 31).
But when the sons of Israel returned to the worship of Jehovah, which was the worship from the good of love and the truths of faith, they conquered the Philistines (1 Samuel 7, 1 Samuel 14; 2 Samuel 5; 8:0; 21:0; 23:0; 2 Kings 18). That these historical things involve such things can be seen only from the series of things there described when viewed in the internal sense, to present which here would occupy too much time; therefore one passage only from the prophetical parts of the Word shall be cited, from which it will be manifest that such things as pertain to the church were represented by the Philistines in these narratives.
[8] Thus in Isaiah:
Rejoice not, O Philistea, all of thee, because the rod that smiteth thee is broken; for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a basilisk, whose fruit shall be a fiery-flying serpent. Then the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety; and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant. Howl, O gate; cry out, O city; thou whole Philistea art dissolved; for from the north cometh a smoke, and none shall be alone in thy assemblies. What then shall one answer, ye messengers of the nation? That Jehovah hath founded Zion, and in her the afflicted of His people shall hope (Isaiah 14:29-32).
This describes Philistea, which signifies the church, or those in the church who indeed are in truths from the sense of the letter of the Word or from some other revelation, and yet are in filthy loves, consequently their truths are not living truths; and truths not living are turned into falsities when they are brought from exterior thought, which is the thought next to the speech, into interior thought, which belongs to the understanding, also when this thought considers truths in their origin, which those who are meant by "the Philistines" do not see. They do not see for the reason that while every man, even an evil man, has a faculty to understand, he has no good of the will, which is the good of life; for this good springs from love to God and from love to the neighbor, and it is these loves that cause that faculty to communicate with heaven and receive enlightenment therefrom.
[9] This chapter in Isaiah describes those who are in truths without good, and shows that with such all truths are turned into falsities. This, therefore, is the spiritual sense of these words: "Rejoice not, O Philistea, all of thee, because the rod that smiteth thee is broken," signifies that they should not rejoice because they are permitted to remain in their heresy by reason of the fewness of those who are in truths from good; "for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a basilisk" signifies that out of the sensual man a dogma destructive of all truth will arise; "the serpent's root" being the sensual, which is the ultimate of man's life, and "the basilisk" being the destruction of all truth. "Whose fruit shall be a fiery-flying serpent" signifies from which there will spring faith separated from charity; this faith is meant by "a fiery-flying serpent" because it flies upwards by means of reasonings and confirmations from things revealed that are not understood, and thus it kills the things that are living. In like manner "the basilisk" has a similar signification as "the dragon," which is also called "a serpent;" and "the fiery-flying serpent" has a similar signification as "the beast coming up out of the sea and the beast out of the earth," in this chapter of Revelation. "Then the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety," signifies that when that dogma is received by those who are natural and sensual men, and who believe themselves to be wiser than others, truths from good with those who desire what is true and will what is good, will become living; "the firstborn" in the Word signify truths born from good; the "poor" those who are not in truths but who still desire them, and the "needy" those who are not in goods but who in heart will them. "And I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant," signifies that all truths, from the first of them to the last, will be destroyed by falsities. "Howl, O gate; cry out, O city," signifies that no entrance will be granted to any truth, and that doctrine will be made up of mere falsities, "gate" signifying entrance to the truths of doctrine, and "city" doctrine. "Thou whole Philistea art dissolved" signifies the destruction of that church by mere falsities. "For from the north cometh a smoke" signifies that every falsity from evil will break in from hell, "the north" meaning hell, and "smoke" the falsity of evil. "And none shall be alone in thy assemblies" signifies that there shall not remain a single truth among their knowledges. "What then shall one answer, ye messengers of the nation?" signifies the enlightenment of those who are in the good of life from love to the Lord. "That Jehovah hath founded Zion" signifies that a church shall be established from them; "and in her the afflicted of His people shall hope" signifies that those who are not in wisdom from self, and who conquer in temptations against such falsities, shall have intelligence and salvation.
[10] The vastation of truth by falsities with those who are meant by "the Philistines" is also described by 700)
[11] Truth defiled by evil of life is signified also by "the uncircumcised" (2 Samuel 1:20; Ezekiel 28:10; 31:18; 32:18, 19; 44:9). For the foreskin corresponds to corporeal love, because the member which it covers corresponds to spiritual and celestial love. And because "the Philistines" represented those who are in knowledge (scientia) and cognitions of truth without any spiritual and celestial good, they were called "uncircumcised." And as the sons of Israel were also actually of the same character, in order that they might nevertheless represent the church which is in spiritual and celestial good and in truths therefrom, it was commanded that they should be circumcised. From this it can be seen that the religious principle at this day that separates charity from faith is in the representative sense Philistea.
[12] So much respecting the Philistines. Something shall now be said about the goats and sheep, upon which judgment will be executed, according to the Lord's words in Matthew (Matthew 25:31-46 end). The common opinion is that the "goats" there mean all the evil, and it has not been known heretofore that the "goats" there mean those who are in faith separated from charity, and the "sheep" those who are in faith from charity. In a good sense "goats" mean those who are in natural good and in truths therefrom, which truths are called the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth and good from the natural sense of the Word. Such as these, or such good and such truth therefrom, are signified by the goats that were sacrificed. That there were also sacrifices of goats is evident from Leviticus 4:23; 9:2-4, 8-23; 16:2-20; 23:18, 19; Numbers 15:22-29; 28:11-15, 28:18-31; 29:1; and elsewhere. For all the beasts that were offered as sacrifices signified such things as pertain to the church, all of which have reference to goods and truths. The celestial goods and the truths therefrom in which are the angels in the third heaven were signified by "lambs," while the spiritual goods and truths in which are the angels in the middle heaven were signified by "rams," and the natural goods and truths therefrom, in which are the angels who are in the lowest heaven, were signified by "goats." Celestial goods and truths are with those who are in love to the Lord; but spiritual goods and truths are with those who are in love towards the neighbor; and natural goods and truths with those who live well according to truths from natural affection. This is the signification of these three kinds of beasts in various parts of the Word (as in Ezekiel 27:21; Deuteronomy 32:14).
[13] But as most things in the Word have also a contrary sense, so "goats" signify in that sense those who are in faith separated from charity, for the reason that they are more lascivious than other animals, and that they signify in the genuine sense those who are in natural good and the truth thence, and all who are in faith separated from charity both in doctrine and in life are merely natural. That such are meant in the Word by "goats" has been shown me to the life in the spiritual world. There various beasts are seen; but they are not such beasts as exist in our world, that is, not beasts that have been born, but they are correspondences of the affections and of the thoughts therefrom of spirits and angels; consequently as soon as those affections and the thoughts therefrom vary and cease, these beasts vanish out of sight. That I might know that those who are in faith separated from charity, or rather the affections and thoughts of such from their faith, are represented by "goats," it was granted me to see some of those spirits; and they appeared before my eyes and the eyes of many others altogether as goats with horns. Moreover, when rams and sheep were sent among them these goats being kindled with anger rushed upon them, and strove to throw them down, but in vain. For in the spiritual world goats have no power against the rams or sheep, therefore the goats were overcome. Afterwards it was granted me to see the same as men; and this was a proof that the goats were identical with those who had lived in the world in faith separated from charity.
[14] From this what is signified by the "ram" and the "he-goat," and "the battle between them," in the eighth chapter of Daniel can be seen, namely, that the "ram" there means those who are in faith from charity, and the "he-goat" those who are in faith separated from charity. Thus the future state of the church is there described, namely, that faith separate would dissipate all charity, which is the good of life, and falsity therefrom would have rule in the Christian world. To illustrate this, I will present a summary of what is related in Daniel respecting the ram and the he-goat, as follows:
Daniel saw in vision a ram that had two horns, one higher than the other, but the higher came up last; and he made himself great. But then a he-goat of the goats came from the west over the faces of all the earth; and he charged upon the ram and smote him, and broke his two horns; and he cast the ram down to the earth, and trampled upon him. The he-goat had a horn between his eyes, and when this was broken there came up four horns in its place towards the four winds of the heavens; and out of one of them came forth one horn which grew exceedingly, even to the host of the heavens, and cast down some of the host and of the stars to the earth and trampled upon them. Yea, it exalted itself even to the prince of the host, and the continual burnt-offering was taken away from him, and the dwelling-place of his sanctuary was cast down; and it cast down the truth to the earth (573, where the same things are explained; therefore I pass by any further explanation.
[15] Again that "he-goats" mean those who are in faith separated from charity, and "rams" those who are in faith from charity, is evident also in Ezekiel:
And as for you, O my flock, behold I judge between cattle and cattle, and between rams and he-goats (Ezekiel 34:17).
Likewise in Zechariah:
Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I will visit upon the he-goats (Zechariah 10:3).
From this it can be seen that the goats and the sheep in Matthew (25:31-46 to the end) have the same meaning; consequently works of charity only are there enumerated which were done by the sheep, and were not done by the goats. That such are there meant by the "goats" was proved also when the Last Judgment was accomplished upon those who belonged to the Christian Church; for then all those who were in faith separated from charity both in doctrine and life were cast into hell; and all who were in faith from charity were kept safe.
817. "Et loquebatur sicut draco." Quod significet simili affectione, cogitatione, doctrina et praedicatione cum illis qui separant fidem a vita fidei, quae est charitas, constat ex significatione "loqui", quod sit affectio, cogitatio, doctrina et praedicatio; causa quod "loqui" illa significet, est quia omnis loquela hominis est ex affectione et inde cogitatione; ipsa affectio exprimitur per sonum loquelae, et cogitatio per voces ejus; quod utraque tam affectio quam cogitatio sit in loquela, constare potest unicuivis qui reflectit; ipsa affectio sola non loqui potest, nisi solum sonare et canere, et ipsa cogitatio sola nec loqui potest aliter quam automaton absque vita, nam affectio vivificat omnem vocem loquelae; quae etiam est causa quod homo spectetur ab aliis secundum ejus loquelae affectionem, et non secundum ejus loquelae voces: quod "loqui" etiam significet praedicationem ex doctrina, ita doctrinam et inde praedicationem, est quia dicitur quod "bestia locuta sit sicut draco"; et per "draconem" intelliguntur qui in fide separata a charitate sunt et doctrina et vita (videatur supra, n. 714); et per hanc "bestiam" intelliguntur confirmationes ex sensu litterae Verbi pro separatione fidei a vita, et inde Verbi falsificationes; quare religiosum illud quoad doctrinam et quoad praedicationem significatur per "loqui sicut draco."
[2] Quoniam per "draconem" et per binas ejus bestias" describitur fides separata a charitate, et inde falsificatio Verbi, velim in hoc articulo ostendere quod simile haereticum in Verbo describatur per "Cainum", per "Reubenem" et per "Philisthaeos", et quod simile intelligatur per "hircum" apud Danielem. Fuerunt enim ecclesiae in hac tellure plures; nempe Antiquissima quae ante diluvium, Antiqua quae post diluvium, Judaica quae Antiquae successit, et ultimo Ecclesia Christiana; omnes hae ecclesiae temporis tractu degeneraverunt in binos enormes errores, in unum qui adulteravit omnia bona ecclesiae, et in alterum qui falsificavit omnia vera ejus, Ecclesia quae adulteravit omnia bona ecclesiae, describitur in Verbo per "Babylonios" et "Chaldaeos"; et ecclesia quae falsificavit omnia vera ecclesiae, describitur per "Cainum", per "Reubenem", perque "Philisthaeos", et apud Danielem per "hircum" qui pugnavit cum ariete et vicit illum. De adulteratione boni ecclesiae, quae describitur per "Babylonios" et "Chaldaeos", dicetur in sequentibus, ubi in Apocalypsi de "Babylonia" agitur; nunc autem de falsificatione veri, quae hic in Apocalypsi describitur per "draconem" et ejus binas "bestias"; quod etiam describatur per "Cainum" et per reliquos supra nominatos, dicetur.
[3] Quod per "Cainum" repraesentati sint qui separant cognitiones veri et boni a vita secundum illas, et crediderunt qua per illas solas salvarentur, paucis ostensum est in Arcanis Caelestibus, ubi de Caino et Abele actum est: quibus haec velim adjicere. De Caino legitur,
Quod primogenitus Adami fuerit, et quod coluerit humum, et quod obtulerit de fructu humi munus Jehovae; et quod Abel fuerit pastor gregis, et quod obtulerit de primogenitis gregis sui, et de pinguedine eorum; et quod Jehovah aspexerit ad munus Abelis, et non ad munus Caini, et quod ideo accensa sit ira Caino, et occiderit fratrem suum; et quod Cain ideo maledictus sit, et ejectus humo, et factus vagus et profugus in terra; et quod Jehovah imposuerit Caino signum ne occideretur, cum statuto quod septempliciter vindicaretur qui illum occideret (de quibus videatur cap. 4 Geneseos).
Sciendum est quod per omnia nomina personarum et locorum in Verbo significentur res et status ecclesiae, et praecipue per nomina in primis capitibus Geneseos, quia historica in illis sunt historica facta, continentia arcanissima caeli, sed usque sanctissima in sensu litterae, quia in singulis vocibus ibi est sensus spiritualis conjungens caelos cum hominibus ecclesiae. Quid historica illa in sensu spirituali involvunt, et quid nomina personarum ibi significant, explicatum est in Arcanis Caelestibus. Per "Cainum" significantur cognitiones veri et boni separatae a vita secundum illas, ita ab amore caelesti; et per "Abelem" significatur amor caelestis: seu quod idem, per "Cainum" significatur verum separatum a bono, et per "Abelem" bonum conjunctum vero. Et quia verum est primum ecclesiae, nam omnis ecclesia formatur per vera, a veris enim, seu a cognitionibus veri et boni incohat omnis ecclesia, ideo fuit Cainus primogenitus, et nominatus est "vir Jehovae"; per "virum" enim "Jehovae" in Verbo significatur verum caeli et ecclesiae; ac per "humum", quam coluit Cain, significatur ecclesia: separatio veri a bono significatur per "necem Abelis a Caino"; nam dum omne ecclesiae ponitur in veris aut in cognitionibus, et non in bonis aut in affectionibus vivendi secundum vera, tunc bonum cum ejus affectionibus occiditur: et quia omne ecclesiae perit quando verum separatur a bono, ideo "Cainus ejectus est ex humo", per quam, ut dictum est, significatur ecclesia. At quia vera sunt prima ecclesiae, nam vera docebunt vitam, ideo "positum est signum in Caino, ne quis illum occideret"; et statutum est "ut septempliciter vindicaretur, si quis illum occideret." Et quia verum absque bono fertur huc illuc, nihil enim est quod ducit, quare successive labitur in falsa, et dilabitur a via quae ducit ad caelum, ideo "Cain ejectus est a facie Jehovae, et factus vagus et profugus." Simile est cum fide et charitate, quia fides est veri, et charitas est boni; ita cum fide separata a charitate simile est cum illis quae dicuntur de Caino, quod nempe "occidat Abelem fratrem suum", qui est charitas, et quod inde pereat ecclesia, quod significatur per "ejici ex humo", ac "fieri vagus et profugus"; nam cum fides separatur a charitate, tunc verum successive vertitur in falsum, ac dilabitur.
[4] Quod "Reuben", primogenitus Jacobi, significaverit lucem veri, ac inde intellectum Verbi, et sic verum ex bono, aut fidem ex charitate, simile quod Petrus Apostolus, et quod etiam vicissim repraesentaverit verum separatum a bono, seu fidem separatam a charitate, et quod haec fides significetur per adulterium ejus cum Bilha muliere patris sui, et quod ideo ei adempta fuerit primogenitura, ac data Josepho, videatur supra (n. 434). His addendum est quod omnes haereses, quatenus sunt adulterationes et falsificationes Verbi, correspondeant adulteriis et meretricatibus varii generis; et quia illis correspondent, etiam actualiter appercipiuntur ex illis qui in haeresibus sunt, in mundo spirituali. Causa est, quia conjugia, qualia sunt in caelis, originem suam spiritualem trahunt ex conjunctione boni et veri; et vicissim adulteria originem suam trahunt ex conjunctione mali et falsi; quam ob rem caelum in Verbo comparatur conjugio, et infernum adulterio: et quia in infernis est conjunctio mali et falsi, ideo continue inde exhalatur sphaera adulterii. Ex ea causa est, quod per "adulteria" et per "scortationes" in Verbo significentur adulterationes boni ecclesiae et falsificationes veri ejus (videatur supra, n. 141, 161).
[5] Quod ad fidem separatam a charitate attinet, illa in mundo spirituali percipitur sicut adulterium filii cum matre, et quoque cum noverca: causa est, quia fides illa excludit bonum charitatis; quo excluso, loco boni charitatis succedit malum amoris sui et mundi, cum quo amore fides illa conjungit: nam omnis fides necessario se conjunget cum aliquo amore; quare cum amor spiritualis, quae est charitas, separatur, tunc fides se conjungit cum amore sui aut cum amore mundi, qui amores sunt amores dominantes in naturali homine; inde est quod nefandum adulterium ex fide separata a charitate resultet: inde nunc patet quid significat "adulterium Reubenis cum Bilha muliere patris sui", et cur ideo a primogeniturae jure rejectus est. Hoc quoque intelligitur per propheticum patris Israelis de Reubene, quod tale est,
"Reuben primogenitus meus, tu robur meum, et principium virium mearum, excellens eminentia et excellens valore: levis sicut aqua, ne excellas, quia ascendisti cubilia patris tui, tunc profanasti: stratum meum ascendit" (Genesis 49:3, 4):
quae explicata videantur in Arcanis Caelestibus (n. 6341-6350). Quod tale adulterium ex fide separata a charitate in mundo spirituali appercipiatur, patuit mihi a correspondentiis in mundo spirituali; quoties appercepi e longinquo sphaeram adulterii cum matre aut noverca, cognovi illico quod adessent illi qui se in sola fide confirmaverunt et doctrina et vita, qui etiam tunc detecti sunt; et dum explorati, inventi sunt quod tales in mundo fuerint.
[6] Haec de Reubene: nunc dicetur de Philisthaeis; quod etiam illi in Verbo repraesentent fidem separatam ab amore; inde illi dicti fuerunt "praeputiati", per "praeputiatum" enim significatur quod est absque amore spirituali, et quod est solum in amore naturali, cum quo amore solo non aliquod religiosum, et minus aliquod ecclesiae conjungi potest: nam omne religiosum, et omne ecclesiae, spectat Divinum, ac spectat caelum, ac vitam spiritualem; et haec non cum alio amore quam cum amore spirituali conjungi possunt, non autem cum amore naturali separato ab amore spirituali; amor enim naturalis separatus a spirituali est proprium hominis, quod in se spectatum non est nisi quam malum. Omnia bella quae filii Israelis gesserunt cum Philisthaeis repraesentabant pugnas spiritualis hominis cum naturali homine, et inde quoque pugnas veri conjuncti bono cum vero separato a bono, quod in se non est verum sed falsum; nam verum separatum a bono falsificatur in idea cogitationis de illo; causa est, quia non aliquod spirituale inest cogitationi quod illustret: haec causa etiam est, quod illis qui in fide separata a charitate sunt, non aliquod verum sit, nisi solum quoad loquelam seu praedicationem ex Verbo; idea veri illico perit, ut primum cogitatur de illo.
[7] Quoniam illa religio in ecclesiis est apud omnes qui vitam naturalem amant vivere, ideo in terra Canaane non subjugati sunt Philisthaei, sicut reliquae illius terrae gentes, et inde multae cum illis pugnae fuerunt. Historica enim Verbi omnia sunt repraesentativa talium quae ecclesiae sunt, et omnes gentes terrae Canaanis repraesentaverunt haeretica confirmantia vel falsa fidei vel mala amoris, et filii Israelis repraesentaverunt vera fidei et bona amoris, ita ecclesiam; sed quid repraesentaverunt bella quae incolae terrae Canaanis gesserunt, suo loco et tempore dicetur; hic solum, quod Philisthaei repraesentaverint religiosum separatum a bono spirituali, quale etiam est religiosum de sola fide separata a vita ejus, quae est charitas: inde erat quod quoties filii Israelis desciverunt a cultu Jehovae ad cultum aliorum deorum, traditi sint hostibus suis, aut ab illis victi; ut
Quod traditi Philisthaeis sint, et illis serviverint octodecim annis, et postea quadraginta annis (Judic. cap. 10, cap. 13);
per quod repraesentabatur, quod recesserint a cultu ex bono amoris et veris fidei ad cultum ex malo amoris et ex falsis fidei: similiter
Quod filii Israelis victi et angustati sint a Philisthaeis (1 Sam. cap. 4, cap. 13, cap. 28, cap. 29, cap. 31):
at cum filii Israelis redierunt ad cultum Jehovae, qui erat cultus ex bono amoris et ex veris fidei,
Victi sunt Philisthaei (ut 1 Sam. cap. 7, cap. 14, 2 Sam. cap. 5, cap. 8, cap. 21, cap. 23, 2 Reg. cap. 18).
Quod historica illa talia involvant, non potest nisi quam ex serie rerum ibi descriptarum in sensu interno lustrata videri, quam hic sistere non vacat; quare solum unum locum ex propheticis Verbi licet adducere, ex quo patebit quod talia ecclesiae in historicis illis per Philisthaeos repraesentata sint:
[8] Ut apud Esaiam,
"Ne laeteris, Philisthaea tota.., quod fracta sit virga percutiens te, nam e radice serpentis exibit basiliscus, cujus fructus prester volans: tunc pascent primogeniti pauperum, et egeni confidenter cubabunt: et occidam fame radicem tuam, et residuos tuos occidet. Ejula porta, clama urbs, liquefacta est Philisthaea, tu tota, quia a septentrione fumus venit, nec solitarius in conventibus tuis. Quid tunc respondebit, legati gentis? quod Jehovah fundaverit Zionem, et in ea sperabunt miseri populi ejus" (14:29-32):
describitur hic Philisthaea, quae significat ecclesiam, seu illos in ecclesia, qui quidem in veris ex sensu litterae Verbi, aut ex alia revelatione, sunt, et usque in spurcis amoribus; unde vera illorum non vivunt; et vera quae non vivunt, vertuntur in falsa, dum e cogitatione exteriore, quae est cogitatio proxima loquelae, in cogitationem interiorem, quae est intellectus, et quando hic expendit vera in sua origine, quae illi qui per "Philisthaeos" intelliguntur non vident: quod non videant, est causa, quia facultas intelligendi est cuivis homini, etiam malo, sed non bonum voluntatis, quod est bonum vitae; hoc enim oritur ex amore in Deum, et ex amore erga proximum, qui amores faciunt ut illa facultas communicet cum caelo, ac inde recipiat illustrationem.
[9] In eo capite apud Esaiam describuntur illi qui in veris absque bono sunt, et describitur quod omnia vera apud illos vertantur in falsa. Hic itaque est sensus spiritualis illorum verborum: "Ne laeteris, Philisthaea tota, quod fracta sit virga percutiens te", significat ne gaudeant ex eo, quod liceat illis permanere in sua haeresi ob paucitatem illorum qui in veris ex bono sunt; "nam e radice serpentis exibit basiliscus" significat quod ex sensuali homine exsurget dogma destruens omne verum; "radix serpentis" est sensuale, quod est ultimum vitae hominis, et "basiliscus" est destructio omnis veri: "cujus fructus prester volans", significat e quo enascetur fides separata a charitate; haec intelligitur per "presterem volantem", ex causa quia per ratiocinia et per confirmationes ex revelatis non intellectis sursum volat, et sic necat viventia; simile itaque per "basiliscum" significatur quod per "draconem", qui etiam vocatur "serpens", ac simile per "presterem volantem" quod per "bestiam e mari" ac per "bestiam e terra" ascendentes, in hoc capite Apocalypseos: "tunc pascent primogeniti pauperum, et egeni confidenter cubabunt", significat quod quando id dogma receptum est ab illis qui naturales et sensuales homines sunt, et se credunt sapere prae aliis, tunc vera ex bono apud illos qui desiderant vera ac volunt bona, victura sint; "primogeniti" in Verbo significant vera nata ex bono, "pauperes" significant illos qui non in veris sunt, at usque desiderant illa, ac "egeni" significant illos qui non in bonis sunt, sed usque corde volunt illa: "et occidam fame radicem tuam, et residuos tuos occidet", significat quod omnia vera a primis eorum ad ultima peritura sint per falsa: "Ejula porta, clama urbs", significat quod nec introitus dabitur ad aliquod verum, et quod doctrina conflabitur ex meris falsis; "porta" significat introitum ad vera doctrinae, et "urbs" doctrinam: "liquefacta est Philisthaea, tota tu", significat destructionem illius ecclesiae per mera falsa: "quia a septentrione fumus venit", significat quod omne falsum mali irrupturum sit ab inferno; "septentrio" est infernum, et "fumus" est falsum mali: "nec solitarius in conventibus tuis", significat quod non unum verum inter cognitiones residuum erit: "Quid tunc respondebit, legati gentis?" significat illustrationem illorum qui in bono vitae ex amore in Dominum sunt: "quod Jehovah fundavit Zionem", significat quod ab illis instaurabitur ecclesia: "et in ea sperabunt miseri populi", significat quod illis qui ex se non sapiunt, et in tentationibus contra illa falsa vincunt, erit intelligentia et salus.
[10] Vastatio veri per falsa apud illos qui per
"Philisthaeos" intelliguntur, etiam describitur Per Jeremiam (cap. 47:1-7), pariter apud Ezechielem (cap. 25:15, 16), apud Joelem (cap. [3] 4-6), apud Amosum (cap. 1:8); quod iidem falsificent vera, intelligitur Apud Ezechielem (cap. 16:27, 57), [et] 2 Sam. (1:20),
per "filias Philisthaeorum"; sunt enim "filiae Philisthaeorum" ibi affectiones falsi. Religiosum illorum etiam repraesentabatur per idolum eorum, quod vocatur Dagon, positum in Aschdodo; quod secundum descriptionem illorum factum est sicut homo a capite ad umbilicum, et sicut piscis ab umbilico deorsum; sicut homo a capite ad umbilicum repraesentabat intellectum ex veris; et sicut piscis ab umbilico deorsum repraesentabat naturale absque bono amoris; nam pars inferior usque ad genua correspondet amori caelesti, ac "piscis" [significat] naturalem hominem, qui est absque bono spirituali.
(Quod "homo" significet affectionem veri, videatur supra n. 280:
quod "caput" ejus intellectum veri, et inde intelligentiam, n. 553:
quod "piscis" significet naturalem hominem n. 513: et quod "genitalia" ex correspondentia significent amorem caelestem, in Arcanis Caelestibus, n. 5050-5062. "Haemorrhoides", etiam, quibus percussi sunt Philisthaei, quando arca Dei ab illis capta tenebatur, significabant vera conspurcata malis vitae; sed haec et plura, quae de his memorantur in Libro Primo Samuelis, cap. 5 videatur supra, n. 700 [e] , explicata.)
[11] Verum conspurcatum malo vitae, etiam significatur
per "praeputiatum" (2 Samuelis 1:20; Ezechiel 28:10; 31:18; 32:18, 19; 44:9):
praeputium enim correspondet amori corporeo, quoniam membrum, quod praeputium tegit, correspondet amori spirituali et caelesti: et quia Philisthaei repraesentabant illos qui in scientia et cognitionibus veri sunt absque aliquo bono spirituali et caelesti, ideo vocabantur "praeputiati": et quia filii Israelis etiam actualiter tales fuerunt, ut tamen repraesentarent ecclesiam, quae in bono spirituali ac caelesti, et inde in veris est, mandatum est ut circumciderentur. Ex his constare potest quod religiosum illud hodie, quod separat charitatem a fide, in sensu repraesentativo sit Philisthaea.
[12] Hactenus de Philisthaeis: nunc aliquid dicetur de hircis et de ovibus, super quos erit judicium, secundum Domini verba apud Matthaeum (25:31 ad fin. ). Communis opinio est quod per "hircos" ibi intelligantur omnes mali; et hactenus ignotum fuit quod per "hircos" ibi intelligantur qui in fide separata a charitate sunt, et per "oves" illi qui in fide ex charitate sunt. Per "hircos" in sensu bono intelliguntur qui in bono naturali sunt, et inde in veris, quae vera vocantur cognitiones veri et boni ex sensu naturali Verbi; hi seu id bonum et inde id verum significatur per "hircos" qui sacrificabantur:
(Quod sacrificia etiam facta sint ex hircis, constat ex Levitico, cap. 4:23; 9:2-4, 8-23; 16:2-20; 23:18, 19: Numeri 15:22-29; 28:11-15, 18 ad fin. ; cap. 29: et alibi):
omnes enim bestiae ex quibus sacrificia fiebant, significabant talia quae sunt ecclesiae, quae omnia se referunt ad bona et vera: bona et inde vera caelestia, in quibus sunt angeli in tertio caelo, significabantur per "agnos"; bona autem et vera spiritualia, in quibus sunt angeli in medio caelo, significabantur per "arietes"; ac bona et inde vera naturalia, in quibus sunt angeli qui in ultimo caelo, significabantur per "hircos." Bona et vera caelestia sunt apud illos qui in amore in Dominum sunt; bona autem et vera spiritualia sunt apud illos qui in amore erga proximum sunt; ac bona et vera naturalia sunt apud illos qui bene vivunt secundum vera ex affectione naturali. Haec per tres illas bestias significantur in variis locis in Verbo (Ut apud Ezechielem, cap. 27:21; et in Deuteronomius 32:14).
[13] At quia pleraque in Verbo etiam oppositum sensum habent, ita quoque "hirci", qui in eo sensu significant illos qui in fide separata a charitate sunt, ex causa quia prae ceteris lascivi sunt, et quia per illos in genuino sensu significantur qui in bono et inde vero naturali sunt; ac omnes illi qui in fide separata a charitate tam doctrina quam vita sunt, mere naturales sunt. Quod illi per "hircos" in Verbo intelligantur, mihi ad vivum in mundo spirituali ostensum est: ibi apparent variae bestiae, sed illae non sunt bestiae quales in nostro mundo, nempe quod natae sint bestiae, sed sunt correspondentiae affectionum et inde cogitationum spirituum et angelorum; quare etiam ut primum variantur et cessant illae affectiones et inde cogitationes, evanescunt e visu. Ut scirem quod illi qui in fide separata a charitate sunt, seu potius affectiones et inde cogitationes illorum ex sua fide, repraesententur per hircos, datum est mihi videre aliquot ex illis spiritibus; et apparuerunt coram oculis meis et plurium aliorum prorsus sicut hirci cum cornibus; et quoque quod inter illos missi sint arietes et oves, in quos hirci illi accensi ira irruebant, et eos conabantur prosternere, sed incassum; nam in mundo spirituali nulla est potentia hircis contra arietes seu oves, quare hirci profligati sunt; et postea datum est eosdem videre ut homines, per quod testatum factum est quod hirci essent iidem cum illis qui in fide separata a charitate in mundo vixerunt.
[14] Ex his constare potest quid per "arietem" et per "hircum", perque "pugnam eorum", apud Danielem (cap. 8) significatur; quod nempe per "arietem" ibi intelligantur qui in fide ex charitate sunt, et per "hircum" illi qui in fide separata a charitate sunt: describitur itaque ibi status ecclesiae futurus, quod nempe fides separata omnem charitatem, quae est bonum vitae, dissipatura sit, et quod falsum inde in orbe Christiano dominaturum sit. Ad illustrationem velim in summa adducere quae apud Danielem de ariete et de hirco memorantur, quae haec sunt:
Danieli in visione visus est aries, "cui duo cornua, ...unum altum prae altero, .... sed altum ascendit posterius;.... ille magnum se reddidit:".... sed tunc "hircus caprarum venit ab occidente super facies omnis terrae, ".... ac irruit in arietem, percussit illum, et fregit duo cornua ejus, "et projecit arietem in terram, et conculcavit eum": erat ei cornu inter oculos, et cum hoc fractum est, "ascenderunt quatuor cornua loco ejus, juxta quatuor ventos caelorum; et ex uno de illis exivit cornu unum..., quod crevit valde, .... et usque ad exercitum caelorum, et dejecit in terram de exercitu, et de stellis, et conculcavit eos: immo..ad principem exercitus extulit se, et ab Ipso sublatum est juge, et projectum habitaculum sanctuarii Ipsius;.... et projecit veritatem in terram" (8:1-14, seq.):
quod per "arietem" ibi intelligantur qui in fide ex charitate sunt, et per "hircum" illi qui in fide separata a charitate sunt, videatur supra (n. 316 [c] et n. 573 [a]), ubi eadem illa explicata sunt; quare ulterius illa explicare supersedeo.
[15] Quod per "hircos" etiam intelligantur qui in fide separata a charitate sunt, et per "arietes" illi qui in fide ex charitate sunt, constat etiam apud Ezechielem,
"Vos.., mi grex, .... ecce Ego judicans inter pecudem et pecudem, et inter arietes et inter hircos" (34:17);
tum apud Sachariam,
"Adversus pastores exarsit ira mea, et super hircos visitabo" (10:3).
Ex his constare potest quod per "hircos" et per "oves" apud Matthaeum (25:31 ad fin. ), non alii intelligantur; quare etiam ibi solum recensentur opera charitatis, quae oves fecerunt, et quae hirci non fecerunt. Quod illi per "hircos" ibi intellecti sint, confirmatum quoque est, dum ultimum judicium super illos qui ab Ecclesia Christiana fuerunt, factum est; tunc omnes illi qui in fide separata a charitate tam doctrina quam vita fuerunt, conjecti sunt in infernum, et conservati omnes qui in fide ex charitate fuerunt.