ven.

The church exists in the heavens as well as upon earth; for the Word is in the heavens as well as upon earth, and there are doctrines and preachings from it: on which subject see The New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture, n. 70-75, and n. 104-113. That church is the new heaven, concerning which something is said in the preface. The reason why the church in the heavens, or the new heaven, is meant by the seven stars, is, because it is said, that the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and by angel is signified a heavenly society. In the spiritual world there appears a firmament full of stars, as in the natural world, and this appearance is from the angelic societies in heaven: each society there shines like a star to those who are below; hence they there know in what situation the angelic societies are. That seven does not signify seven, but all who are of the church there, according to the reception of each, may be seen above, n. 10, 14, 41; therefore, by the angels of the seven churches, is meant the universal church in the heavens, consequently the new heaven in the aggregate.

66. And the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches, signifies the new church upon earth, which is the New Jerusalem descending from the Lord out of the new heaven. That the candlesticks are the church, may be seen above, n. 43; and whereas seven signify all, n. 10, by the seven candlesticks are not understood seven churches, but the church in the aggregate, which in itself is one, but various according to reception. Those varieties may be compared to the various jewels in the crown of a king; and they may also be compared to the various members and organs in a perfect body, which yet make a one. The perfection of every form consists in various things being suitably disposed in their order; hence it is, that the universal new church is described, as to its various particulars, by the seven churches, in what follows.

67. THE FAITH OF THE NEW HEAVEN AND NEW CHURCH, COMPREHENDED IN ONE UNIVERSAL IDEA, is this, that the Lord from eternity, who is Jehovah, came into the world to subdue the hells and glorify his Humanity; and that without this no flesh could have been saved; and that they will be saved who believe in him.

It is said, in a universal idea, because this is the universal of faith, and the universal of faith is what enters into all and every particular. It is a universal of faith, that God is one in person and in essence, in whom there is a trinity, and that the Lord is that God. It is a universal of faith, that no mortal could have been saved unless the Lord had come into the world. It is a universal of faith, that he came into the world that he might remove hell from man; and that he did remove it by successive combats against it and victories over it; whereby he

finally subdued it, and reduced it to order, and under obedience to himself. It is also a universal of faith, that he came into the world to glorify the Humanity, which he assumed in the world, that is, to unite it with the all-begetting Divinity, from whom are all things; thus having subdued hell, he keeps it in order, and under obedience, to eternity. Now as neither of these could have come to pass except by means of temptations, even to the last and most extreme of all, which was the passion of the cross, therefore he endured it. These are the universals of faith concerning the Lord.

The universal of the Christian faith on man's part, is, to believe in the Lord; for by believing in him he has conjunction with him, and by conjunction, salvation. To believe in him is to have confidence that he will save; and because none can have such confidence but he who leads a good life, therefore this also is understood by believing in him.

These two universals of the Christian faith have been specifically treated of; the first, which relates to the Lord, in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Lord; and the second, which relates to man, in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning Charity and Faith, and in The Doctrine of Life: and both now in the explanations of the Apocalypse.

CHAPTER II.

1. UNTO the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.

2. I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy endurance, and how thou canst not bear them that are evil, and hast tried them that say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars;

3. And hast borne, and hast endurance, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

4. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, that thou hast left thy first charity.

5. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen; and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of its place, except thou repent.

6. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.

7. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches: To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. 8. And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the First and the Last, who was dead, and is alive.

9. I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty (but thou art rich), and I know the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer. Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

11. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches: He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

12. And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith He that hath the sharp sword with two edges.

13. I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's throne is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you where Satan dwelleth.

14. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

15. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes; which thing I hate.

16. Repent, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

17. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches: To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna; and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

18. And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet like fine brass.

19. I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy endurauce, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.

20. Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess, to teach, and to seduce my servants to commit whoredom, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

21. And I gave her time to repent of her whoredom; and she repented not.

22. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.

23. And I will kill her children with death. And all the churches shall know that I am he that searcheth the reins and hearts; and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

24. But unto you, I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and who have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other

burden.

25. Nevertheless, that which ye have, hold fast till I come. 26. And he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations;

27. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

28. And I will give him the morning star.

29. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

THE SPIRITUAL SENSE.

68. THE CONTENTS OF THE WHOLE CHAPTER. To the churches in the Christian world: to those therein who primarily regard truths of doctrine and not good of life, who are understood by the church of Ephesus, n. 72-90. To those therein who are in good as to life and in falses as to doctrine, who are understood by the church in Smyrna, n. 91-106. To those therein. who place the all of the church in good works, and not any thing in truths, who are understood by the church in Pergamos, n. 107-123. And to those therein who are in faith originating in charity, as also to those who are in faith separated from charity, who are understood by the church in Thyatira, n. 124 -152. All these are called to the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem.

THE CONTENTS OF EACH VERSE. v. 1, "Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write," signifies to those and concerning those who primarily respect truths of doctrine, and not good of life: "These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in

his right hand," signifies the Lord, from whom, by the Word, proceed all truths: "Who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks," signifies from whom all illumination is received by those who are of his church: v. 2, "I know thy works," signifies that he sees all the interiors and exteriors of man at once: "And thy labour and thy endurance," signifies their study and patience: "And how thou canst not bear them that are evil," signifies that they cannot bear that evil should be called good, nor the reverse: "And hast tried them that say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars," signifies that they scrutinize those things which are called goods and truths in the church, which nevertheless are evils and falses v. 3, " And hast borne and hast endurance," signifies patience with them: "And for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted," signifies their study and endeavour to attain the things which belong to religion and its doctrine: v. 4, "Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, that thou hast left thy first charity," signifies that this is against them, that they do not esteem good of life in the first place: v. 5, "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen," signifies remembrance of their error: "And repent, and do the first works," signifies that they ought to invert the state of their life: "Or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of its place, except thou repent," signifies that otherwise, of a certainty, illumination will not be given them to see truths any longer: v. 6, "But this thou hast, that thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate," signifies that they know this by virtue of the truths they possess, and thence are not willing that works should be meritorious: v. 7, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches," signifies that he that understands, ought to obey what the divine truth of the Word teaches those who are to be of the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem : "To him that overcometh," signifies he who fights against evils and falses, and is reformed: "Will I give to eat of the tree of life," signifies appropriation of the good of love and charity from the Lord: Which is in the midst of the paradise of God," signifies interiorly in the truths of wisdom and faith.

v. 8, "And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write," signifies to those and concerning those who are in good as to life, but in falses as to doctrine: "These things saith the First and the Last," signifies the Lord, that he is the only God: "Who was dead and is alive," signifies that he is neglected in the church, and his Humanity not acknowledged to be divine, when yet as to that also he alone is life, and from him alone is life everlasting: v. 9, "I know thy works," signifies that the Lord sees all their interiors and exteriors at once: "And tribulation and poverty (but thou art rich)," signifies that they are