Lord. That these things are signified by the Lamb wiping away all tears from their eyes, is, because above, in verse 14, it is said, that these are they which come out of great affliction, by which is signified, that they are such as have been in temptations, and fought against evils, n. 377; and they who afterwards are not in combats against evils, the same are in goods and truths, and thence in celestial joys. The following passage in Isaiah has a similar signification: "He will swallow up death in victory, and the Lord Jehovah will wipe away the tears from all faces: And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us. This is Jehovah, we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation," xxv. 8, 9. 386. To the above I will add this Memorable Relation. On a time, when looking around in the spiritual world, I heard a noise like that of the gnashing of teeth, and also a beating noise, and a sort of hoarse sound blended with them and I inquired what was meant by them; and the angels who were with me said, "There are colleges which we call diversoria,* where disputations take place; these disputations are so heard at a distance, but on coming near to them they are only heard as disputations." I drew near, and saw some huts, constructed of reeds stuck together with mud; and I would fain have looked through a window, but there was none; for it was not allowed to enter by the door, because the light would thus have flowed in from heaven, and confounded them. But suddenly a window was made on the right side; and then I heard them complain that they were in darkness. Shortly afterwards a window was made on the left side, and that on the right was closed; upon which the darkness gradually dispersed, and they seemed to themselves to be in the light. After this I was permitted to go in at the door and hear. There was a table in the middle, and benches round about; but they all seemed to me to stand upon the benches, and to dispute sharply with one another * A house of resort. concerning FAITH and CHARITY: on one side, that faith was the essential of the church; on the other, that charity was. They who made faith the essential, said, "Have we not to do with God by faith, and with men by charity? is not faith therefore heavenly, and charity earthly? are we not saved by what is heavenly, and not by what is earthly? Again, cannot God give faith from heaven, because it is heavenly, and must not man procure to himself charity, because it is earthly? and what man procures for himself, is not of the church, and therefore is not saving can any one be justified in the sight of God by works, which are called works of charity? Believe us, we are not only justified, but also sanctified by faith alone, provided that faith be not defiled by things meritorious, which are derived from works of charity" not to mention more arguments to the same purpose. But they who made charity the essential of the church, strenuously denied these things, saying, "That charity saves, and not faith; are not all dear to God, and does he not will the good of all? how can God effect this, except by men? does God only give to men to talk with one another about such things as relate to faith, and not to do to men those things which relate to charity? do you not see that it is absurd in you to say that charity is earthly? charity is heavenly, and because you do not perform the good of charity, your faith is earthly; how do you receive faith but as a stock or a stone? you say by the hearing of the Word only; but how can the Word operate by being heard only, and this too upon a stock or a stone? possibly you are quickened without knowing it; but of what avail is this quickening, except in being enabled to say that faith alone saves? but what faith is, and what a saving faith, you know not." But there then arose one, who, by the angel that was talking with me, was called a syncretist he took off a turban from his head, and placed * Syncretist-a name given to some Platonic Christians in the fifteenth century, who steered a middle course between the opposite factions among the followers of Aristotle and Plato; a sect held in great veneration, for a long time, among the mystics. Vide Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History. Cent. 15. Ch. II. Part. 2. it on the table; but suddenly put it on again, because he was bald. He said, "Attend! you are all in error: it is true that faith is spiritual, and charity, moral; but yet they are joined together; and this by the Word, by the Holy Spirit, and by effect, without man's knowledge, which indeed may be called obedience, but in which man has no share. I have long considered this with myself, and have at length discovered, that man may receive faith from God, which may be spiritual, but that he cannot be moved by God to charity, which may be spiritual, but as a statue of salt." On saying this, he was applauded by those who were in faith alone, but disapproved by those who were in charity: and the latter said, with indignation, Hear, friend! you do not know that there is a spiritual moral life, and that there is a moral life merely natural; a spiritual moral life with those who do good from God, and yet as if from themselves; and a moral life merely natural with those who do good from hell, and yet as if from themselves." 66 It was said above, that the disputation was heard as a gnashing of teeth, and as a beating noise, with which a hoarse sound was blended. The disputation heard as a gnashing of teeth, was by those who were in faith alone; but the disputation heard as a beating noise, was by those who were in charity alone; and the hoarse sound that was blended with them was from the syncretist. The sound of them was so heard at a distance, because, when in the world, they all spent their time in disputations, and did not shun any evil, and therefore performed no spiritual moral good; and, moreover, they were entirely ignorant, that the all of faith is truth, and the all of charity, good, and that truth without good is not truth in spirit, and that good without truth is not good in spirit, and that thus one makes or completes the other. The reason why darkness ensued when a window was made on the right side, is, because light from heaven flowing in on that side affects the will; and the reason why there was light when the window on the right side was shut, and another was made on the left, is, because light flowing in from heaven on the left side, affects the understanding, and man may be in the light of heaven as to his understanding, provided the will be closed as to its evil. CHAPTER VIII. 1. AND when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. 2. And I saw the seven angels, who stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. 3. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer: and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended out of the hand of the angel before God. 5. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with the fire of the altar, and cast it unto the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. 6. And the seven angels that had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. 7. The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mingled with blood; and they were cast upon the earth; and the third part of the trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. 8. And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood. 9. And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed. 10. And the third angel sounded, and there fell from heaven a great star burning as it were a lamp: and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters: 11. And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. 12. And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so that the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise. 13. And I beheld, and I heard an angel flying in the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth, by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels that are yet to sound, THE SPIRITUAL SENSE. THE CONTENTS OF THE WHOLE CHAPTER. The reformed church is here treated of, as to the quality of those therein who are in faith alone: the preparation of the spiritual heaven for communication with then, verses 1-6. The exploration and manifestation of those therein, who are in the interiors of that faith, verse 7; of those who are in its exteriors, verses 8, 9; what they are in regard to the understanding of the Word, verses 10, 11. That they are in falses and thence in evils, verses 12, 13. THE CONTENTS OF EACH VERSE. "And when he had opened the seventh seal," signifies, exploration from the Lord of the state of the church, and thence of the life of those who are in his spiritual kingdom, being those who are in charity and its faith; in this case, who are in faith alone: "There was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour,” signifies, that the angels of the Lord's spiritual kingdom were greatly amazed, when they saw those who said they were in faith, in such a state: "And I saw the seven angels who stood before God," signifies, the universal spiritual heaven in the presence of the Lord, hearing and doing his commands: "And to them were given seven trumpets," signifies, the exploration and discovery of the state of the church, and thence of the life of those who are in faith alone: "And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer," signifies, spiritual worship, which is performed from the good of charity by the truths of faith: "And there was given him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne," signifies, propitiation lest the angels of the Lord's spiritual kingdom should be hurt by the spirits of the Satanic kingdom that were beneath: "And the smoke of the incense which came with the prayers of the saints ascended up out of the hand of the angels before God," signifies, the protection of them by the Lord: "And the angel took the censer, and filled it with the fire of the altar, and cast it unto the earth," signifies, spiritual love, in which there is celestial love, and its influx into inferior things, where they were who were in faith separated from charity: "And there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake,” signifies, that after a communication was opened with them, there were heard reasonings concerning faith alone and confirmations in favor of it: "And the seven angels that had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound,” signifies, that they were prepared and ready to explore the state of the church and thence the state of life with those whose religion is faith alone: "The first angel sounded," signifies, the exploration and manifestation of the quality of the state of the church with those who are interiorly in that faith: "And there followed hail and fire mingled with blood," signifies, falsity from infernal love destroying good and truth, and |