450.“（骑马的）有火胸甲，与紫玛瑙并硫磺”表他们想象和幻想的论据源于地狱之爱和自我聪明，以及由此而来的欲望。“胸甲” 表示他们藉以为唯信而战的论据（436节）；“火”表示属天之爱，在反面意义上表示地狱之爱（452，468，494节）；“紫玛瑙”表示源于属灵之爱的聪明，在反面意义上表示源于地狱之爱的聪明，也就是人自己的聪明，如下文所述；“硫磺”表示源自地狱之爱经由人自己的聪明而来的欲望（452节）。由此可知“火胸甲，与紫玛瑙并硫磺”表示这类事物。
经上之所以如此描述他们支持唯信的论据，是因为凡相信唯信称义，也就是说，唯独凭信而罪得赦免的人，从不思想悔改；一个不知悔改的人只会陷入罪中，而一切罪皆源自地狱之爱、人自己的聪明和由此而来的欲望，因而也从中获得其性质；陷入这些事物中的人，不仅通过它们行动，还通过它们说话、思考、意愿，因而通过它们推理和论证；事实上，这些才构成真正的人，因为它们是他真正的生命；不过，这是一个魔鬼人及其生命，也就是地狱的生命。仅仅为了自己和世界而过着道德生活的人并不知道这一点；原因在于，其内层是地狱的，而其外层则类似于那些过着基督徒生活之人的外层；然而，要让他们知道，每个人死后都逐渐进入他的内层，因为他成了一个灵，灵是内在人；然后，内层调整外层以适应自己，它们就变得相同；因此，到那时，他们在世时的道德生活就如同鱼鳞被刮去。而对那些视道德生活，同时视文明事物为神性，因它们属于对邻之爱的人来说，情形就截然不同了。
“紫（玛瑙）”表示源自对属灵之爱情感的聪明，因为这个颜色具有火的红和光的白；火表示爱，光表示聪明。这种聪明还以下面的事物来表示：
会幕的门帘和幔子的紫蓝色。（出埃及记26:31，36；27:16）
起营时盖在约柜、桌子、灯台和祭坛上的蓝色毯子。（民数记4:6，7，9，11，12）
但在以西结书，源自地狱之爱情感的聪明也以“蓝紫色”来表示：
阿荷拉或撒玛利亚行淫，恋慕她的爱人，就是她的邻舍亚述，穿着蓝紫色衣服，是骑在马上的马兵。（以西结书23:4-6）
以此来描述教会，该教会因通过自己的聪明来推理而歪曲了圣言的真理。在耶利米书：
他们全是顽梗愚昧；虚妄的教导不过是木头；有银子打成片，是从他施带来的，都是匠人的作品，银匠的手艺；又有蓝色紫色料的衣服，都是巧匠的作品。（耶利米书10:8-9）
此处“匠人的作品，银匠的手艺”表示他们全都凭自己的聪明。
450. Having breastplates that were fiery, hyacinthine and sulfurous. This symbolizes their fanciful and illusory arguments springing from a hellish love and their own intelligence, and from the attendant lusts.
Breastplates symbolize the arguments people use to do battle for faith alone (no. 436). Fire symbolizes heavenly love, and in an opposite sense, hellish love (nos. 452, 468, 494). Hyacinthine symbolizes intelligence springing from a spiritual love, and in an opposite sense, intelligence springing from a hellish love, which is one's own inherent intelligence, as explained below. And sulfur symbolizes lust arising from that hellish love and expressed through their own inherent intelligence (no. 452). It follows from this that breastplates fiery, hyacinthine and sulfurous have the symbolic meaning stated.
[2] The reason their arguments in defense of faith alone are thus described is that all those people who believe themselves to be justified by faith alone, which is to say, absolved from sins, never give any thought to repentance, and an impenitent person engages in nothing but sins. All sins, moreover, spring from and so draw their character from a hellish love, from one's own inherent intelligence, and from the attendant lusts; and people caught up in them not only act on them, but they also speak, indeed think and will, in conformity with them, and accordingly reason and argue in conformity with them. These are who they are because they are their life; but who they are is a devil, and their life a hellish one.
In actual fact, however, people who live a moral life solely for the sake of themselves and the world do not know this. The reason is that although they inwardly are such as described, in outward appearances they are like people who live a Christian life. But they should know that when anyone of them dies, he comes into his interior life, because it is the life of his spirit, and he is his internal self. Moreover, his inner character then accommodates his outward one to itself, and they become alike. Consequently the moral virtues of these people's life in the world then become like the scales of fish that are scraped away.
The case is altogether different with people who regard the precepts of a moral life as Divine, and who make them at the same time civil precepts because they are expressive of a love for the neighbor.
[3] Hyacinthine symbolizes intelligence springing from the affection of a spiritual love because this color takes its hue from the redness of fire and the whiteness of light; and fire symbolizes love, and light intelligence. This intelligence is symbolically meant by the hyacinthine blue in the coverings and veils of the tabernacle (Exodus 26:31, 36; 27:16), and in Aaron's ephod (Exodus 28:6, 15); by the cloth of hyacinthine blue placed on the ark, table, lampstand, and altar [in the tabernacle] when the people prepared to journey (Numbers 4:6-7, 9, 11-12); and by the blue stuff in Ezekiel 27:7, 24.
On other hand, intelligence springing from the affection of a hellish love is symbolically meant by hyacinthine in Ezekiel 23:
Oholah (or Samaria) played the harlot... and she doted on her lovers, the neighboring Assyrians, clothed in hyacinthine blue..., horsemen riding on horses. (Ezekiel 23:4-6)
Thus is described a church which by the reasonings of its own inherent intelligence had falsified the Word's truths.
And in Jeremiah:
They are altogether foolish and grow stupid; the teaching of vanities is wood. Beaten silver... is brought from Tarshish..., the work of the craftsman and the hands of the metalsmith; hyacinthine blue and purple are their clothing, all the work of skillful men. (Jeremiah 10:8-9)
The work of the craftsman and the hands of the metalsmith, and all the work of skillful men, symbolize here that they spring from their own inherent intelligence.
450. 'Having breastplates fiery, blue (hyacinthus) and sulphurous' signifies their imaginary and visionary arguments derived from infernal love and self-intelligence, and from the resultant lusts. By 'breastplates' are signified the arguments out of which they fight for faith alone (436); by 'fire' is signified heavenly love, and in the opposite sense infernal love (452, 468, 494); by 'blue' is signified intelligence derived from spiritual love, and in the opposite sense intelligence derived from the infernal love that is the self- intelligence treated of below; and by 'sulphur' is signified lusts derived from that love by means of self-intelligence (452). It follows as a result that by 'breastplates fiery, blue and sulphurous' such things are signified.
[2] The reason why their arguments in favour of faith alone are so described is because all those who believe themselves to be justified, that is, acquitted from sins by faith alone, never think of repentance, and an impenitent man is in nothing but sins, and all sins are derived and consequently drawn from infernal love, self-intelligence, and the resultant lusts. Besides, those who are in these things not only act from them, but also speak, indeed think and will, and consequently reason and argue from them. These things are their 'man' because they are their life, but it is a devil man and his life, which is infernal life. In actual fact, however, those who live a moral life only for the sake of themselves and the world do not know this. This is because their interiors are such, but their exteriors are similar to the exteriors of those who live a Christian life. Let them know, however, that every one when he dies comes into his own interiors, because he becomes a spirit, this being the internal man; and then the interiors accommodate the exteriors to themselves, and they become alike. For this reason the moral things of their life in the world then become like fishes' scales that are wiped off. The case is quite different with those who maintain that the precepts of moral life, and at the same time civil things also, because they are of love towards the neighbour, are Divine.
[3] 'Blue' (hyacinthus) signifies intelligence derived from the affections of spiritual love, because that colour partakes of the redness of fire and the whiteness of light, and by fire is signified love, and by light intelligence. This intelligence is signified by:
The blue in the coverings and veils of the tabernacle, Exodus 26:31, 36; 27:16.
[The blue] in Aaron's ephod, Exodus 28:6, 15.
The cloth of blue placed over the ark, the table, the lampstand, and the altar, when they were journeying. Numbers 4:6-7, 9, 11-12.
The thread of blue on the skirts of their garments. Numbers 15:38-39; and by 'blue' (Ezekiel 27:7, 24). But intelligence derived from the affection of infernal love is signified by the 'blue' in Ezekiel:
Ohola, or Samaria, committed whoredom, and favoured her neighbouring Assyrian lovers, clothed with blue, horsemen riding upon horses. Ezekiel 23:4-6.
Thus is described the Church that had falsified the truths of the Word by reasonings derived from self-intelligence. And in Jeremiah:
They are infatuated and grow foolish, the teaching (disciplina) of vanities is firewood: beaten silver is brought out of Tarshish, the work of the smith and of the hands of the founder, blue and purple is their clothing, all are the work of the wise. Jeremiah 10:8-9.
'The work of the smith and of the hands of the founder' and 'all are the work of the wise' there signify that those things are derived from self-intelligence.
450. Having breastplates of fire, and jacinth, and brimstone, signifies their imaginary and visionary arguments from infernal love and their own intelligence, and from the lusts thence. By "breastplates" are signified arguments from which they fight for faith alone, (436); by "fire" is signified celestial love, and in the opposite sense, infernal love, (452, 468, 494); by "jacinth" is signified intelligence from spiritual love, and, in the opposite sense, intelligence from infernal love, which is one's own intelligence, of which below; and by "brimstone" is signified lusts from that love through one's own intelligence, (452). Hence it follows, that by "breastplates of fire, jacinth, and brimstone," such things are signified.
[2] The reason why their arguments in favor of faith alone are thus described, is because all they who believe themselves justified, that is, absolved from sins by faith alone, never think of repentance; and an impenitent man is in mere sins, and all sins are derived from, and thence draw their nature from infernal love, one's own intelligence, and from the lusts thence; and they who are in these things, not only act from them, but also speak, yea, think and will, and consequently reason and argue from them; these constitute, indeed, the very man, because they are his very life; but a man devil, and his life which is an infernal life. They who live a moral life, only for the sake of themselves and the world, do not know this; the reason is, because their interiors are infernal whilst their exteriors are similar to the exteriors of those who live a Christian life: let them know, however, that everyone, when he dies, comes into his interiors, because he becomes a spirit, this being the internal man; and then the interiors accommodate the exteriors to themselves, and they become alike; wherefore the morality of their life in the world then becomes as the scales of fishes which are wiped away. The case is quite different with those who hold the precepts of moral life to be Divine, and then also civil, because they are of love towards the neighbor.
[3] "A jacinth" signifies intelligence from the affection of spiritual love, because that color partakes of the redness of fire and the whiteness of light; and by "fire" is signified love; and by "light," intelligence: this intelligence is signified by:
The hyacinthine blue in the coverings and veils of the tabernacle, (Exodus 26:31, 36; 27:16).
In Aaron's ephod, (Exodus 28:6, 15).
By the cloth of hyacinth which was placed over the ark, the table, the candlestick, and the altar, when they journeyed, (Numbers 4:6-7, 9, 11-12).
By the thread of blue on the skirts of their garments, (Numbers 15:38-39).
And by hyacinth, (Ezekiel 27:7, 24).
But intelligence from the affection of infernal love, is signified by "hyacinth" in Ezekiel:
Oholah, or Samaria, committed whoredom and delighted in her lovers, the Assyrians, her neighbors, clothed in hyacinth, horsemen riding upon horses, (Ezekiel 23:4-6).
Hereby the church is described, which, by reasonings from their own intelligence, had falsified the truths of the Word. And in Jeremiah:
They are infatuated and foolish; the teaching of vanities is wood; silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, the work of the workmen and of the hands of the founder; hyacinth and purple is their clothing, they are all the work of the wise, (Jeremiah 10:8-9).
"The work of the workmen and of the hands of the founder, and all the work of the wise," signify here, that they are all from their own intelligence.
450. "Habentes thoraces igneos, hyacinthinos et sulphureos," significat argumentationes illorum imaginarias et visionarias ex amore infernali et propria intelligentia, et ex concupiscentiis inde. - Per "thoraces" significantur argumentationes, ex quibus pro sola fide pugnant (436); per "ignem" significatur amor caelestis, et in opposito sensu amor infernalis (452, 468, 494); 1per "hyacinthinum" significatur intelligentia ex amore spirituali, et in opposito sensu intelligentia ex amore infernali, quae est propria intelligentia, de quo infra; et per "sulphur" significatur concupiscentia ex amore illo per intelligentiam propriam (452); ex his sequitur quod per "thoraces igneos, hyacinthinos et sulphureos" talia significentur. Causa quod argumentationes illorum pro sola fide ita describantur, est quia omnes illi qui credunt Se justificari, hoc est, absolvi a peccatis, per solam fidem, nusquam cogitant de paenitentia; et homo impaenitens est in meris peccatis, et omnia peccata derivantur et inde trahunt ex amore infernali, propria intelligentia, et ex concupiscentiis inde; et illi qui in his sunt, non modo agunt ex illis, sed etiam loquuntur, imo cogitant et volunt, proinde ratiocinantur et argumentantur ex illis; sunt illa homo illorum, quia sunt vita illorum, sed homo diabolus, et vita ejus quae est vita infernalis. Verum enim vero illi qui moralem vitam solum propter se et mundum vivunt, hoc non sciunt; causa est, quia interiora illorum talia sunt, exteriora autem similia exterioribus illorum qui vitam Christianam vivunt; at sciant, quod unus quisque dum moritur, in interiora sua veniat, quia fit spiritus, et ille est internus homo; et tunc interiora accomodant sibi exteriora, et fiunt similia; quare moralia vitae illorum in mundo fiunt tunc sicut squamae piscium quae absterguntur: aliter prorsus cum illis qui praecepta moralis vitae Divina faciunt, et tunc quoque civilia quia sunt amoris erga proximum. Quod "hyacinthinum" significet intelligentiam ex affectione amoris spiritualis, est quia color ille trahit ex rubro ignis et ex candido lucis; et per "ignem" significatur amor, et per "lucem" intelligentia; haec intelligentia significatur per Hyacinthinum in tegumentis et velis Tabernaculi, (Exodus 26:31, 16; 27:16);
In Ephodo Aharonis, (Exodus 28:6, 15);
Per pannum Hyacinthini positum super Arca, Mensa, Candelabro et Altari, cum proficiscebantur, (Numeri 4:6-7, 9, 11-12);
Per filium Hyacinthini super alis vestium, (Numeri 15:38-39);
Et per Hyacinthinum, (Ezechiel 27:7, 24).
Intelligentia autem ex affectione amoris infernalis significatur per "hyacinthinum" apud Ezechielem:
Ohola seu Samaria "scortata est, et dilexit amasios Assyrios propinquos, vestitos Hyacinthino, equites equitantes equis," (23:4-6);
describitur sic Ecclesia, quae per ratiocinia ex propria intelligentia falsificaverat vera Verbi. Et apud Jeremiam:
"Infatuantur et stultescunt, disciplina vanitatum lignum est; argentum extensum ex Tharschisho adfertur, opus fabri et manuum conflatoris; Hyacinthinum et purpura vestis eorum, opus sapientum tota," (10:8-9);
"opus fabri et manuum conflatoris," ac "opus sapientum tota," significant ibi, quod illa ex propria intelligentia.
Footnotes:
1. 468, 494 pro "465, 495"