455# “各人民、各舌头”表示所有因无知和各种各样的宗教而处于虚假的人。这从“人民”和“舌头”的含义清楚可知。“人民”表示那些处于教义真理的人，在反面意义上表示那些处于教义虚假的人(对此，参看AE 175节)，但在此表示那些因无知而处于教义虚假的人，因为此处论述的是那些得救的人，尽管他们因其宗教教义一直处于虚假。所有照其信以为真理的宗教信条而处于生活良善的人都会得救，尽管这些信条不是真理，因为虚假不会归咎于凡照其宗教信条生活良善的人，不知道真理不是他的过错。事实上，遵行宗教的生活良善包含对认识真理的情感在自己里面；当这些人进入来世时，他们就会学习并接受这些真理，因为死后，一切情感都会留在人身上，尤其认识真理的情感，因它是一种属灵情感；当人成为一个灵人时，他就是自己的情感；因此，那时他就会吸收，并由此从心里深深接受他所渴望的真理。如果一个人生活良善，那么宗教虚假就会被主当作真理来接受(参看AE 452节)。“舌头”表示他们出于宗教的承认，因为“舌头”表示言语，“言语”表示承认和宗教，因为舌头发声，并承认那些属于宗教的事物。
圣言经常提到“唇”、“嘴或口”和“舌头”；“唇”表示教义，“嘴或口”表示思维，“舌头”表示承认或称谢(confession)。“唇”、“嘴或口”和“舌头”具有这种含义，是因为这些是人的外在器官，内在事物通过外在器官得以表达，或说显明，在内义或灵义上所表示的，正是内在事物。因为文字上的圣言是由出现在眼前，并被感官感知的外在事物构成的；因此，文字上的圣言是属世的，这是为了它所包含的神性真理可以在那里处于其终端，从而处于其完全。但这些外在属世事物包含内在属灵事物在自己里面；因此，这些就是所表示的事物。
“舌头”表示出于宗教并照着宗教信条的承认，这一点从以下经文清楚看出来。以赛亚书：
聚集所有民族和舌头的时候将到，好叫他们可以来看见我的荣耀。(以赛亚书66:18)
这话论及主的降临。“民族和舌头”表示所有照其宗教处于生活良善的人；“舌头”表示出于承认的宗教；故经上说“好叫他们可以来看见我的荣耀”，“荣耀”表示神性真理，教会通过神性真理存在。
但以理书：
看哪，有一位像人子的，驾着天云而来；祂得了权柄、荣耀、国度，使所有人民、民族、舌头都可以拜祂或侍奉祂。(但以理书7:13–14)
“要驾着天云而来的人子”明显表示主，“天云”表示文字上的圣言，其中经上说主要降临，因为圣言论述祂，在至内在意义上只论述祂。故经上说“人子”，因为主凭神性真理，也就是圣言而被称为“人子”。对此，详情可参看前文(AE 36节)，那里解释了下面这些话：
看哪，祂驾云而来；众目要看见祂。(启示录1:7)
“权柄”表示来自神性良善的主的能力，“荣耀”表示来自神性真理，“国度”表示天堂和教会。“人民、舌头、民族”表示所有处于教义和遵行其宗教的生活之人；那些处于教义的人被称为“人民”，那些处于生活的人被称为“民族”，而“舌头”表示宗教。
撒迦利亚书：
在那些日子，必有十个人从诸族的一切舌头中出来，拉住一个犹太人的衣襟，说，我们要与你们同去，因为我们听见神与你们同在。(撒迦利亚书8:23)
这些话的灵义可参看前文(AE 433d节)，即：“犹太人”表示那些处于对主之爱和来自祂的教义真理的人；“诸族的一切舌头”表示那些属于各种宗教的人。
455b.在以下经文中，“舌头”具有相同的含义。摩西五经：
各族的海岛就从这些人散布在他们的地上，各人随各人的舌头、宗族、民族。闪的儿子的居所，各随他们的宗族、舌头、地、民族。(创世记10:5, 31)
启示录：
你必指着许多人民、民族、舌头、君王说预言。(启示录10:11)
又：
从各人民、支派、舌头、民族，有人观看他们的尸首三天半。(启示录11:9)
又：
兽得以与圣徒争战，并且胜过他们；也把权柄赐给他，制伏各支派、舌头、民族。(启示录13:7)
又：
我看见一位天使飞在天空中间，有永远的福音要传给住在地上的人，就是各民族、支派、舌头、人民。(启示录14:6)
又：
你所看见那淫妇坐的众水，就是各人民、群众、民族和舌头。(启示录17:15)
此处“水”表示圣言的真理，因为在圣言中，“水”表示真理，在反面意义上表示虚假；故“人民、群众、民族和舌头”在此表示那些处于本身为虚假的被歪曲的真理，并由此处于生活邪恶的人。
路加福音：
财主对亚伯拉罕说，可怜我吧！打发拉撒路来，用指头尖蘸点水，凉凉我的舌头，因为我在这火焰里，极其痛苦。(路加福音16:24)
在这个比喻，和在其它比喻一样，主通过对应说话，这从以下考虑可以看出来：“财主”不是指富人，“亚伯拉罕”不是指亚伯拉罕，拉撒路用来凉舌头的“水”不是指水，“火焰”也不是指火焰，因为在地狱，没有人会被火焰折磨。相反，“财主”表示那些属于圣言所在的教会之人，他们从圣言拥有属灵财富，也就是教义的真理；因此，“财主”在此表示犹太人，那时他们拥有圣言；“亚伯拉罕”表示主；拉撒路用指头尖所蘸的“水”表示来自圣言的真理；“舌头”表示歪曲圣言真理的渴求和热切渴望；“火焰”表示这种渴望的惩罚，这惩罚各不相同，多种多样。这清楚表明，在一个系列中的这些话表示什么，“用水凉舌头”表示减轻歪曲真理，并由此确认虚假的渴求和渴望。谁看不出意思并不是说，拉撒路要用指头尖蘸点水凉凉舌头？
撒迦利亚书：
耶和华用灾殃攻击那与耶路撒冷争战的众民；各人两脚站立的时候，他的肉必消没，眼在眶中干瘪，舌在口中溃烂。(撒迦利亚书14:12)
这些话论及那些努力通过虚假摧毁教义真理的人；这由“与耶路撒冷争战”来表示，“耶路撒冷”表示教义方面的教会，因而表示教会教义的真理；“肉必消没”表示爱与生活的一切良善都将灭亡，因为这就是“肉”所表示的；“两脚站立的时候”表示在没有肉的骨头上，这表示他们将完全变得肉体和属世化，“脚”表示属于属世人的事物，在此表示它的最低事物；“眼在眶中干瘪”表示对真理的一切理解都将灭亡，“眼”表示理解；“舌在口中溃烂”表示对真理的一切感知和对良善的一切情感都将灭亡；“舌”也表示对真理的感知和对良善的情感，舌头因能说话而表示对真理的感知，因能尝味道而表示对良善的情感，因为“味觉”表示欲望、渴望和情感。
士师记：
耶和华对基甸说， 凡用舌头舔水，像狗舔的，要使他单站在一处；凡屈膝跪下喝水的，也要使他单站在一处。于是用手捧着舔水的有三百人；这些人被带去攻打米甸，击杀他。(士师记7:5–7)
此处“米甸”表示那些不关心真理的人，因为他们是纯属世和外在的；因此，米甸被那些“用手捧着像狗一样舔水”的人击杀；这些人表示那些渴望真理，也就是出于某种属世情感寻求或渴望知道真理的人，因为“狗”表示欲望和渴望，“水”表示真理，“用舌头舔水”表示渴望并热切地寻求。因此，米甸正是被这些人击杀的。谁都能看出，经上不会吩咐这些事，除非它们具有意义。
诗篇：
你把他们藏在你面前的隐密处，免遭人的高傲；又把他们藏匿在帐幕里，免遭口舌的争闹。(诗篇31:20)
“耶和华把他们所藏在的面前的隐密处”表示神性之爱的神性良善，因为“耶和华的面或脸”表示爱之良善，“隐秘处”表示人里面的内层；“人的高傲”表示自我聪明的骄傲；“祂把他们所藏匿在的帐幕”表示神性真理；“口舌的争闹”表示宗教虚假，他们基于这些虚假推理反对真理。这清楚表明在一个系列中的这些话表示什么。
耶利米书：
看哪，我必带来一个民族攻击你，一个你不知道它舌头的民族，他们说的，你不明白。它必吃尽你的庄稼和粮食。(耶利米书5:15, 17)
这些话的意思不是说，一个具有未知舌头或难懂语言的民族会被带来；而是说一个具有完全不同宗教的民族，他们不会知道它的信条，也不明白基于它们的推理；在抽象意义上所表示的是与良善之真理完全对立的邪恶之虚假，因为“民族”在抽象意义上表示邪恶，“舌头”在此表示宗教虚假，“说”表示由此而来的推理；故经上补充说“它必吃尽你的庄稼和粮食”，因为“庄稼”表示真理，通过真理而有良善，“粮食”表示由此而来的良善，“吃尽”表示耗尽和剥夺。
以西结书：
你奉差遣不是往那嘴唇深奥、舌头沉重的民那里去，乃是往以色列家去；不是往那嘴唇深奥、舌头沉重的伟大列民去，他们的话语是你不懂得的。我若差你往他们那里去，他们岂不听从你？(以西结书3:5–6)
“嘴唇深奥、舌头沉重、话语不懂的民”表示那些处于一种难懂的教义，因而处于一种深奥宗教的人，他们的信条是无法理解的；“嘴唇”表示教义，“舌头”表示宗教，“话语”表示它的信条。因此，这些人表示没有圣言的外邦人或各个民族，耶和华，也就是主通过圣言被认识。“我若差你往他们那里去，他们岂不听从你”表示当这些人被教导时，他们会接受神性真理。
以赛亚书：
你必不见那顽固的民，就是嘴唇深奥、你不能明白的民；舌头野蛮，没有聪明。(以赛亚书33:19)
此处“嘴唇深奥、舌头野蛮的民”与前面“嘴唇深奥、舌头沉重的民”具有相同的含义。显然，所指的不是一个语言无法理解的民；因为经上补充说“舌头野蛮，没有聪明”，这些人的舌头或语言可能有聪明，但他们的宗教没有聪明。
同一先知书：
我指着自己起誓，众膝都必下拜，众舌头都必起誓。(以赛亚书45:23)
此处论述的主题是主的降临；“众膝都必下拜”表示所有处于来自属灵良善的属世良善的人都将敬拜祂，“膝”表示属世良善与属灵良善的结合。这表明，“屈膝”表示来自属世人中的属灵良善和快乐的承认、感恩和崇拜；“众舌头都必起誓”表示所有处于来自宗教的良善之人都将承认主，“起誓”表示承认，“舌头”表示一个人所照之生活的宗教。
诗篇：
我的舌头要终日论说你的公义，赞美你。(诗篇35:28)
此处“舌头”也表示出于教会教义的承认，因为经上说它“论说”；“公义”论及教会的良善，“赞美”论及教会的真理，和在圣言的其它地方一样。又：
我的舌头必终日讲论你的公义。(诗篇71:24)
又：
愿恶人用苦胆围困我，愿他们嘴唇的奸恶遮蔽自己；愿火炭压倒他们，愿他们被火抛在深坑里，不能再起来；鼓舌的人在地上必坚立不住。(诗篇140:9–11)
“苦胆”表示被歪曲的真理，这样的真理本身是虚假；“他们嘴唇的奸恶”表示由此而来的教义虚假，因为“嘴唇”表示教义；压倒他们的“火炭”和要把他们抛在深坑里的“火”表示由于自我聪明的骄傲，以及自我之爱，他们因这爱陷入纯粹的虚假，“火炭”表示自我聪明的骄傲，“火”表示自我之爱，“坑”表示虚假。此外，教会教义的一切虚假和对圣言的一切歪曲都源于自我聪明的骄傲和自我之爱。这清楚表明，“鼓舌的人在地上必坚立不住”表示什么，即表示一种虚假宗教。
又：
我躺下，我的灵魂在狮子中间，人子有火着起，他们的牙齿是枪、箭，他们的舌头是利剑。(诗篇57:4)
“狮子”表示那些掠夺真理的教会，从而摧毁它的人；“有火着起的人子”表示那些处于教会真理的人，在抽象意义上表示真理本身，经上说它们因自我聪明的骄傲而“有火着起”，虚假由此而来；“他们的牙齿是枪、箭”表示来自外在感官，因而来自宗教的谬误和虚假的推理，真理被这些推理毁灭了，“牙齿”表示人生命的终端，也就是外在感官事物，在此表示来自它们的推理，“舌头”表示宗教的虚假；故经上说“他们的舌头是利剑”，“剑”表示虚假对真理的摧毁。
约伯记：
你能用鱼钩钓上利维坦吗？能用绳子压下他的舌头吗？(约伯记41:1)
这一章和前一章论述了巨兽和利维坦，两者都表示属世人。“巨兽”表示在被称为属世之爱的快乐的良善方面的属世人，“利维坦”表示在被称为知识或科学和认知(由此而有属世之光)的真理方面的属世人。这两者都是按古代的写作风格通过纯粹的对应来描述的。在这一章和下一章，“利维坦”，以及“你能用鱼钩钓上利维坦吗？能用绳子压下他的舌头吗”这些话描述了通过知识或科学从自然界的光而来的推理；“舌头”表示基于知识或科学的推理。“利维坦”表示知识或科学方面的属世人，这一点从提到它的其它经文(如以赛亚书27:1; 诗篇74:14; 104:26)明显看出来，从以下事实也明显看出来：利维坦所指的“鲸鱼”或海怪表示知识或科学方面的属世人。
以赛亚书：
急躁者的心必明白知识，口吃者的舌头必说话通快。(以赛亚书32:4)
“急躁者”表示那些轻易抓住并相信凡所说的任何话，因而也轻易抓住并相信虚假的人；论到这些人，经上说“他们必明白和知道”，也就是说，接受真理；“口吃者”表示那些几乎不能理解教会真理的人；“他们的舌头必说话通快”表示他们将出于情感承认它们，“通快”论及情感。
同一先知书：
那时瘸子必跳跃如鹿，哑巴的舌头必能歌唱；在旷野必有水喷出，在沙漠平原必有溪河涌流。(以赛亚书35:6)
这些话论及主。“瘸子”表示那些处于良善，但未处于纯正良善的人，因为他们不知道真理，而良善通过真理存在；“跳跃如鹿”表示从对真理的感知中获得喜乐；“哑巴”表示那些由于对真理的无知而不能承认主和教会的纯正真理之人；“他必能歌唱”表示来自对真理的理解的喜乐；“在旷野必有水喷出”表示真理必在以前它们不存在的地方被公开；“沙漠平原的溪河”表示那里的聪明，因为“水”表示真理，“溪河”表示聪明。
455c.这清楚表明，主所医治的“说话有障碍的聋子”在灵义上表示什么；对此，马可福音如此描述：
耶稣把说话有障碍的聋子领到一边，就用指头探他的耳朵，吐唾沫抹他的舌头，望天对他说，以法大，就是开了吧；他的耳朵立刻开了，舌结也解了，他说话也清楚了。(马可福音7:32–35)
主的一切奇迹因都是神性，所以都涉及并表示诸如属于天堂和教会的那类事物；因此，对疾病的医治表示对属灵生命的各种医治(可参看《属天的奥秘》，7337, 8364, 9031节)。“聋子”表示那些没有对真理的理解，因而未处于服从的人；“他说话有障碍”表示这种人很难承认主和教会的真理；被主开了的“耳朵”表示服从和对真理的感知；被主解开舌结之人的“舌头”表示对主和教会真理的承认。
再者，主复活之后，使徒们和其他人用新舌头说话也表示对主和新教会真理的承认。对此，马可福音如此记着说：
耶稣说，信的人必有这些迹象随着他们，就是奉我的名赶鬼，用新舌头说话。(马可福音16:17)
“赶鬼”表示移走并弃绝邪恶之虚假；“用新舌头说话”表示承认主和来自祂的教会真理。因此：
有舌头像火舌一样向使徒显现出来，分开落在他们身上。他们就都被圣灵充满，开始用其它舌头说话，或用新舌头说话。(使徒行传2:3–4)
“火”表示对真理的爱，“被圣灵充满”表示对来自主的神性真理的接受；“新舌头”表示出于对真理的爱，或出于热情的承认。因为如前所述，一切神迹，因而圣言所提到的一切奇迹，都涉及并表示属灵和属天事物，也就是说，诸如属于天堂和教会的那类事物，这一点将神性的奇迹和非神性的奇迹区分开来。没有必要从圣言引用更多经文来证明，“舌头”不是指普遍意义上的言语，而是指出于教会真理的承认，在抽象意义上是指出于某种宗教的虚假的承认。
455. And peoples, and tongues.- That this signifies all those who are in falsities from ignorance and from various religions, is evident from the signification of peoples, as denoting those who are in truths of doctrine, and in the opposite sense, those who are in falsities of doctrine, concerning which see above (n. 175); but in the present case, those who are in falsities of doctrine from ignorance; here those who are saved, although they have been in falsities from the doctrine of their religion, are treated of; for all those are saved who are in the good of life according to the tenets of their religion, which they have believed to be truths, although they are not truths, since falsity is not imputed to any one who lives well according to the tenets of his religion, because it is no fault of his that he does not know truths; for the good of life according to religion contains within itself the affection of knowing truths, and these such persons also learn and receive when they come into another life, because every affection remains with man after death, and especially the affection of knowing truths, since this is a spiritual affection; and a man, when he becomes a spirit, is his own affection, and therefore, the truths which they desire they then drink in, and thus they receive them deeply into their hearts; (That the falsities of religion, if a man lives well, are accepted by the Lord as truths, may be seen above, n. 452); and from the signification of tongues, which denote their confessions from religion, for by tongues are meant speech, and speech signifies confession and religion, because the tongue utters and confesses those things that belong to religion.
[2] In the Word, the lip, mouth, and tongue are frequently mentioned; and the lip signifies doctrine, the mouth thought, and the tongue confession. The reason of these significations is that the lip, the mouth, and the tongue, are the external organs of man, by which internal things are made manifest, and internal things are those signified in the internal or spiritual sense. For the Word in the letter consists of exterior things, which appear before the eyes, and are perceived by the senses; for this reason the Word in the letter is natural, and this is the case in order that the Divine Truth which it contains may be there in its ultimate, and so in its fulness; but those external natural things, comprehend in themselves internal spiritual things, which are therefore the things signified.
[3] That tongues signify confessions from religion, and according to the tenets of religion, is evident from the following passages.
In Isaiah:
"The time will come for gathering together all nations and tongues, that they may come and see my glory" (66:18).
This is said of the coming of the Lord. Nations and tongues signify all who are in the good of life according to their religions; tongues signify religions from confession; therefore it is said, "That they may come and see my glory," glory signifying Divine Truth, by which the church exists.
[4] In Daniel:
"Behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of the heavens; and there was given him dominion and glory, and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and tongues, should serve him" (7:13, 14).
That the Son of man, who was to come in the clouds of heaven, means the Lord, is evident. The clouds of the heavens mean the Word in the letter, in which it is said that the Lord will come, because the Word treats of Him, and in its inmost sense of Him alone. For this reason it is said "the Son of man," for the Lord is called "the Son of man" from Divine Truth, which is the Word. But more may be seen above (n. 1:7). The Lord's power from Divine Good is meant by dominion, and from Divine Truth, by glory, while heaven and the church are meant by a kingdom. People, tongues, and nations, signify all those who are in doctrine and in a life according to their religion. Those who are in doctrine are called peoples; those who are in life, nations; while tongues denote religions.
[5] In Zechariah:
"In those days ten men out of all tongues of the nations, shall take hold of the skirt of a man that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you" (433:26). A Jew means those who are in love to the Lord and in truths of doctrine from Him; and by all tongues of the nations are meant those who are of various religions.
[6] Similar things are signified by tongues in the following passages.
In Moses:
"From these were dispersed the isles of the nations in their lands, every one according to his tongue, according to their families, in their nations." The habitations of the sons "of Shem, according to their families, according to their tongues, in their lands, according to their nations" (Genesis 10:5, 31).
In the Apocalypse:
"Thou must prophesy again over peoples, and nations, and tongues, and many kings" (10:11).
And again:
"And from among the peoples, and kindreds, and tongues, and nations, shall they see their dead bodies three days and a half" (11:9).
And again:
"And it was given unto" the beast" to make war with the saints, and to overcome them; and power was given him over every tribe, and tongue, and nation" (13:7).
Again:
"I saw an angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the eternal gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and tribe, and tongue, and people" (14:6).
And again:
"The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues" (17:15).
Waters here signify the truths of the Word, for waters in the Word denote truths, and, in the opposite sense, falsities. Therefore, by peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues, are here meant those who are in truths falsified, which in themselves are falsities, and thence in evils of life.
[7] So in Luke:
The rich man said to Abraham, "Have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame" (16:24).
In this parable, as well as in the rest, the Lord spoke by correspondences, as is evident from this, that the rich man does not mean the rich, neither does Abraham mean Abraham. The water with which Lazarus might cool the rich man's tongue does not mean water, and neither does "tongue" mean the tongue, nor does "flame" mean flame, for in hell no one is tormented by flames. But by the rich man are meant those who are of the church where the Word is, out of which they have spiritual riches, which are truths of doctrine. Therefore by the rich man are there meant the Jews, who were then in possession of the Word; by Abraham is meant the Lord; by the water into which Lazarus might dip the tip of his finger, is signified truth from the Word; by the tongue, thirst and eager desire to pervert the truths of the Word; and by flame, the various and manifold punishment of that eager desire. Hence the signification of those words in a series is evident; and that by cooling the tongue with water is signified to allay the thirst and eager desire to pervert truths, and by means of them to confirm falsities. Who cannot see that it is not meant that Lazarus should dip the tip of his finger in water to cool the tongue?
[8] Again in Zechariah:
"This shall be the plague wherewith Jehovah will smite all the peoples that shall fight against Jerusalem; the flesh of every one shall consume away while he stands upon his feet, and his eyes shall consume away in their sockets, and his tongue shall consume away in his mouth" (14:12).
These things are spoken of those who endeavour to destroy the truths of doctrine by falsities; this is signified by fighting against Jerusalem, for Jerusalem signifies the church as to doctrine, and thence the truths of the doctrine of the church. By the flesh consuming away is signified that all the good of love and of life would perish, for this is signified by flesh. By standing upon their feet, is meant upon bones without flesh, which signifies that they would become altogether corporeal-natural, for the feet signify those things which pertain to the natural man, and in the present case, its lowest things. By their eyes consuming away in their sockets, is signified that all the understanding of truth would perish, for the eyes signify the understanding. By his tongue consuming away in the mouth is signified that all perception of truth and affection for good would perish. The tongue also signifies perception of truth and affection for good; perception of truth from the fact that it speaks, and affection for good, from the fact that it tastes, for taste signifies appetite, desire, and affection.
[9] In the book of Judges:
"Jehovah said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the waters with his tongue as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. And the number of them that lapped in their hand, was three hundred men. These were led against Midian, and smote him" (7:5-7).
By Midian are here meant those who care nothing for truth, because they are merely natural and external, therefore they were smitten by those who lapped water in their hand with their tongue like a dog; for by these are meant those who desire truths, that is those who from some natural affection have a desire to know truths, for a dog signifies appetite and desire, waters signify truths, and lapping them with the tongue signifies to long for, and to be affected with desire; Midian was therefore smitten by these. Who cannot see that this would not have been commanded unless it had been significative?
[10] In David:
"Thou hidest them in the secret of thy faces from the pride of man; thou concealest them in a tabernacle from the strife of tongues" (Psalm 31:20).
Here the secret of the faces in which Jehovah hides them, signifies the Divine Good of the Divine Love, for the "faces of Jehovah" signifies the good of love and secret signifies interiorly in man. The pride of man signifies the pride of his own intelligence; the tabernacle in which He concealed them signifies Divine Truth; and the strife of tongues signifies the falsity of religion, from which they reason against truths. Hence it is evident what these words signify in a series.
[11] In Jeremiah:
"Lo, I will bring a nation upon you, a nation whose tongue thou shalt not know, nor understand what they say; they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread" (5:15-17).
It is not meant by these words that a nation of an unknown tongue, or of an unintelligible speech, should be brought; but an evil nation of an altogether different religion is meant, whose dogmas they would not know, nor would understand the reasonings based on them. In the abstract sense the falsities of evil are signified, which are altogether opposite to the truths of good; for nation, in the abstract sense, denotes evil, and tongue in this case the falsity of religion, and to speak denotes to reason therefrom, therefore the words follow, "they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread." For by harvest are signified truths by means of which there is good, by bread is signified the good thence, and eating up signifies to consume and take away.
[12] In Ezekiel:
"For thou art not sent to a people deep of lip, and heavy of tongue; unto the house of Israel; not to great peoples deep of lip and heavy of tongue whose words thou hast not understood; had I sent thee to them, would they not have obeyed thee?" (3:5, 6).
A people deep of lip and heavy of tongue, whose words cannot be understood, signifies those who are in unintelligible doctrine, and thence in an abstruse religion, whose dogmas cannot be apprehended. Lip signifies doctrine, tongue religion, and words the dogmas thereof. Wherefore by these people are meant the Gentiles who do not possess the Word, from which Jehovah, that is, the Lord, is known. That they would receive Divine truths if instructed, is signified by their obeying, if he had been sent unto them.
[13] In Isaiah:
"Thou shalt not see an obdurate people, a people of depths of lip that thou understandest not, barbarous in tongue [in which there is] no intelligence" (33:19).
By a people of depths of lip and by barbarous in tongue are signified similar things to those meant by peoples of a deep lip and heavy of tongue mentioned above. It is evident that a people whose speech is unintelligible is not meant, for it is also said, and barbarous in tongue [in which there is] no intelligence, for there may be intelligence in the tongue or speech, but not in their religion.
[14] Again:
"I have sworn, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear" (45:23).
The subject here is the coming of the Lord, and by every knee shall bow, is signified that all those who are in natural from spiritual good shall worship Him, the knee signifying the conjunction of natural good with spiritual. Hence it is evident that bending the knees signifies acknowledgment, thanksgiving, and adoration from spiritual good and delight in the Natural. Every tongue shall swear, signifies that all will confess Him who are in good from religion; to swear denotes to confess, and the tongue denotes the religion according to which they live.
[15] In David:
"My tongue shall speak of thy justice all the day, and of thy praise" (Psalm 35:28).
Here also the tongue signifies confession from the doctrine of the church, for it is said that it speaks; justice is stated of the good, and praise of the truth thereof, as in other parts of the Word.
So again:
"My tongue also shall speak of thy justice all the day long" (Psalm 71:24).
[16] In the same:
"Let" the wicked "beset me with gall; the mischief of their lips covers them; burning coals overwhelm them. Let them be cast into deep pits by fire that they rise not again. A man of tongue shall not be established in the earth" (Psalm 140:9-11).
Gall signifies truth falsified, which in itself is falsity; the mischief of their lips signifies the falsity of doctrine thence, for lips signify doctrine. By burning coals overwhelming them, and by the fire by which they are to be cast into deep pits are signified pride on account of their own intelligence, and the love of self through which they fall into absolute falsities; burning coals signify the pride of one's own intelligence; fire, the love of self; and pits, falsities. All falsities of doctrine in the church, and all falsifications of the Word, exist also from the pride of man's own intelligence, and from the love of self. It is evident, therefore, that a man of tongue shall not be established in the earth, signifies a false religion.
[17] Again:
"I lie down, my soul in the midst of lions; the sons of men are inflamed; their teeth are spears and darts, and their tongue is a sharp sword" (Psalm 57:4).
Lions signify those who plunder the church of truths, and thus destroy it; the sons of men who are inflamed signify those who are in the truths of the church, and in the abstract, the truths themselves, which are said to be inflamed by the pride of man's own intelligence, whence arise falsities. Their teeth are spears and darts, signifies reasonings from external sensuals, and thus from the fallacies and falsities of religion, by which truths are destroyed, the teeth signifying the ultimates of the life of man, which are external sensual things, and in the present case reasonings from them. The tongue signifies the falsities of religion, wherefore it is said, "their tongue is a sharp sword," for by a sword is signified the destruction of truth by falsities.
[18] So in Job:
"Wilt thou draw out leviathan with a hook? and press down his tongue with a rope?" (Job 41:1).
In this and the preceding chapter, the behemoth and the leviathan are spoken of, and each signifies the natural man. The behemoth signifies the natural man in regard to goods, which are called the delights of natural love; and the leviathan, the natural man in regard to truths, which are called scientifics and knowledges, from which there is natural light (lumen). Both of these are described by pure correspondences, in the ancient style of writing. That reasoning by means of scientifics (scientifica) from the light of nature cannot be restrained except by God, is described in this and the following chapter by the leviathan, and also by these words, "Wilt thou draw out leviathan with a hook? or press down his tongue with a rope?" The tongue signifies reasoning from scientifics. That the leviathan signifies the natural man in regard to scientifics, is evident from other passages, where it is named, as in Isaiah 27:1; Psalm 74:14; Psalm 104:26, and also from the fact that the sea-monster, which is meant by the leviathan, signifies the natural man as to scientifics.
[19] Again, in Isaiah:
"The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be swift to speak" (32:4).
The rash mean those who readily seize upon and believe whatever is said, and therefore falsities also. Of these it is said, that they shall understand and know, which means to receive truths. The stammerers mean those who are able to apprehend the truths of the church only with difficulty; their tongue shall be swift to speak means, that they shall confess them from affection; "swift," is said of affection.
[20] In the same prophet:
"Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing; for in the desert shall waters break out, and rivers in the plain of the desert" (35:6).
These things are said concerning the coming of the Lord. The lame signify those who are in good, but not in genuine good, because in ignorance of truth, by means of which good exists; to leap as a hart signifies to have joy from perception of truth. The dumb signify those who cannot confess the Lord, nor the genuine truths of the church, because of their ignorance of truth; by their singing is signified joy from the understanding of truth. By waters breaking out in the desert is signified that truths shall be made known where they did not exist before; and rivers in the plain of the desert signify intelligence there, for waters signify truths, and rivers, intelligence.
[21] From these explanations it is evident what is signified in the spiritual sense by the deaf man, who had an impediment in his speech, and whom the Lord healed as recorded in Mark.
Jesus took the deaf man that had an impediment in his speech, "and put his finger into his ears, and he spat, and touched his tongue; and looking up to heaven, he saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened; and straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plainly" (Arcana Coelestia 7337, 8364, 9031). The deaf man signifies those who are not in the understanding of truth, and therefore not in obedience. By an impediment in his speech are signified those who confess the Lord and the truth of the church with difficulty; the opening of his ears by the Lord signifies obedience and the perception of truth; and by the tongue, whose string was loosed by the Lord, is signified the confession of the Lord, and of the truths of the church.
[22] By the apostles and others speaking with new tongues after the resurrection of the Lord, was also signified the confession of the Lord, and of the truths of the new church; concerning this it is thus written in Mark:
Jesus said, "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues" (16:17).
The casting out of devils, means the removal and rejection of the falsities of evil, and speaking with new tongues, confession of the Lord and the truths of the church from Him. Therefore to the apostles "there appeared cloven tongues like as of fire, which sat upon them. And then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues" (2:3, 4). By the fire was signified the love of truth; by being filled with the Holy Spirit, was signified the reception of Divine Truth from the Lord; and by new tongues are meant confessions from the love of truth or from zeal. For, as said above, all Divine miracles, therefore all the miracles recorded in the Word, involved and signified spiritual and celestial things, that is to say, such things as pertain to heaven and the church, for this distinguishes Divine miracles from miracles not Divine. It would be superfluous to adduce more passages from the Word to prove that tongues do not mean speech in the ordinary meaning of the word, but confessions from the truths of the church, and, in the opposite sense, confessions from the falsities of religion.
455. And peoples and tongues, signifies all who are in falsities from ignorance and from various religions. This is evident from the signification of "peoples," as being those who are in the truths of doctrine, and in a contrary sense those who are in the falsities of doctrine (of which above, n. 175; but here, those who are in the falsities of doctrine from ignorance; for here are treated of those who are saved, although from the doctrine of their religion they have been in falsities. All those who are in the good of life in accordance with the dogmas of their religion, which they have believed to be true although they are not true, are saved, for falsity is not imputed to anyone who lives well according to the dogmas of his religion, because it is not his fault that he is ignorant of truths. For the good of life in accordance with a religion contains within itself the affection of knowing truths, and these truths are learned and accepted when such persons come into the other life, for every affection remains with man after death, and especially the affection of knowing truths, because this is a spiritual affection; and when man becomes a spirit, he is his affection; consequently the truths that are then desired are imbibed and thus received deeply in the heart. (That when a man lives well falsities of religion are accepted by the Lord as truths, see above, n. 452.) The above is evident from the signification of "tongues," as meaning their confessions from religion, for "tongues" mean speech, and "speech" signifies confession and religion, because the tongue utters and confesses the things that pertain to religion.
[2] There is frequent mention in the Word of the "lip," the "mouth," and the "tongue;" and the "lip" signifies doctrine, the "mouth" thought, and the "tongue" confession. "Lip," "mouth," and "tongue," have this signification because these are the externals of man, by means of which things internal find expression, and it is things internal that are signified in the internal or spiritual sense. For the Word in the letter consists of external things that are manifest before the eyes and are perceived by the senses, therefore the Word in the letter is natural, and this in order that the Divine truth that it contains may be there in what is ultimate and thus in fullness. But these external things, which are natural, include in themselves things internal that are spiritual, and these therefore are the things that are signified.
[3] That "tongues" signify confessions from religion, and according to the dogmas of religion, can be seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:
The time shall come for bringing together all nations and tongues, that they may come and see My glory (Isaiah 66:18).
This is said of the Lord's coming; "nations and tongues" signify all who are in the good of life according to their religions; "tongues" signify religions from confessions; it is therefore said "that they may come and see My glory," "glory" signifying Divine truth, by which the church exists.
[4] In Daniel:
Behold, with the clouds of the heavens one like the Son of man. And there was given Him dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, tongues, and nations might worship Him (Daniel 7:13, 14).
"The Son of man who was to come in the clouds of the heavens," evidently means the Lord, and "the clouds of the heavens" mean the Word in the letter, in which it is said that the Lord is to come, for the Word treats of Him, and in the inmost sense of Him alone. Therefore it is said "Son of man," because the Lord is called "the Son of man" from Divine truth, which is the Word. But respecting this see more above n. Revelation 1:7).
The Lord's power from Divine good is meant by "dominion," and from Divine truth by "glory," and heaven and the church are meant by "kingdom." "Peoples, tongues, and nations," signify all those who are in doctrine and in a life according to their religions; those who are in doctrine are called "peoples," those who are in life "nations," and "tongues" mean religions.
[5] In Zechariah:
In those days ten men out of all tongues of the nations shall take hold of the skirt of a man that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you (433; namely, that a "Jew" means those who are in love to the Lord and in the truths of doctrine from Him; and that "all tongues of the nations" mean those who are of various religions.
[6] "Tongues" have a like signification in the following passages.
In Moses:
From these were the islands of the nations separated in their lands, every man according to his tongue, according to their families, in their nations. The habitations of the sons of Shem, according to their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations (Genesis 10:5, 31).
In Revelation:
Thou must prophesy again over many peoples and nations and tongues and kings (Revelation 10:11).
Again:
And they of the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations shall see their bodies three days and a half (Revelation 11:9).
Again:
And it was given unto the beast to make war with the saints and to overcome them; and there was given him power over every tribe and tongue and nation (Revelation 13:7).
Again:
I saw an angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to proclaim unto those that dwell on the earth, and unto every nation and tribe and tongue and people (Revelation 16:6).
And again:
The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues (Revelation 17:15).
"Waters" here signify the truths of the Word, for "waters" in the Word signify truths, and in the contrary sense falsities; therefore here "peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues," mean those who are in truths falsified, which in themselves are falsities, and are consequently in evils of life.
[7] In Luke:
The rich man said to Abraham, Have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and may cool my tongue, for I am tortured in this flame (Luke 16:24).
In this parable, as in others, the Lord spake by correspondences, as can be seen by this, that the "rich man" does not mean the rich, nor does "Abraham" mean Abraham, nor by "the water with which Lazarus might cool the tongue" are water and tongue meant, nor does the "flame" mean flame, for in hell no one is tortured by flames; but a "rich man" means those who are of the church where the Word is, from which they have spiritual riches, which are truths of doctrine; so the "rich man" here means the Jews, with whom was the Word at that time; "Abraham" means the Lord; the "water into which Lazarus might dip the tip of his finger" signifies truth from the Word; and "tongue" signifies a thirst and eagerness to pervert the truths that are in the Word; and the "flame" the punishment of that eagerness, which is various and manifold. This makes evident what these things signify in the series, and that "to cool the tongue with water" signifies to allay the thirst and the eagerness to pervert truths, and to confirm falsities thereby. Who cannot see that it does not mean that Lazarus should dip the tip of his finger in water to cool the tongue?
[8] In Zechariah:
This shall be the plague wherewith Jehovah will strike all the peoples that shall fight against Jerusalem; his flesh shall waste away as he stands upon his feet, and his eyes shall waste away in their sockets and his tongue shall waste away in his mouth (Zechariah 14:12).
This is said of those who endeavor to destroy the truths of doctrine by means of falsities; and this is signified by "fighting against Jerusalem," "Jerusalem" signifying the church in respect to doctrine, and thence the truths of the doctrine of the church; "the flesh shall waste away" signifies that all good of love and of life will perish, for this is what "flesh" signifies; "standing upon his feet" means upon bones without flesh, which signifies that they will be wholly corporeal-natural, "feet" signifying the things that belong to the natural man, here its lowest things; "his eyes shall waste away in their sockets" signifies that all the understanding of truth will perish, "eyes" signifying the understanding; "his tongue shall waste away in his mouth" signifies that all the perception of truth and all the affection of good will perish; "tongue" signifying also the perception of truth and the affection of good, the perception of truth from its speaking, and the affection of good from its power of tasting, for "taste" signifies appetite, desire, and affection.
[9] In the book of Judges:
Jehovah said unto Gideon, Everyone that lappeth the waters with his tongue as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; and everyone that boweth down upon his knees to drink. And the number of them that lapped in their hand were three hundred men; and these were led against Midian and smote him (Judges 7:5-7).
"Midian" here means those who do not care for truth, because they are merely natural and external; therefore Midian was smitten by those who "lapped the waters in the hand with the tongue like a dog;" these mean such as have an appetite for truths, thus they who from some natural affection seek to know truths, a "dog" signifying appetite and eagerness, "waters" truths, and "lapping them with the tongue" to have an appetite for and eagerly seek. So it was by these that Midian was smitten. Anyone can see that such things would not have been commanded unless they had been significative.
[10] In David:
Thou hidest them in the hiding place of Thy faces from the pride of man; Thou concealest them in a pavilion from the strife of tongues (Psalms 31:20).
"A hiding place of faces in which Jehovah hides them," signifies the Divine good of the Divine love, for "the face of Jehovah" signifies the good of love, and "the hiding place" signifies inwardly in man; "the pride of man" signifies the pride of self-intelligence; the "pavilion in which He hides them" signifies Divine truth; and "the strife of tongues" signifies the falsity of religion from which they reason against truths. This makes clear what these things signify in series.
[11] In Jeremiah:
Lo, I will bring upon you a nation, a nation whose tongue thou shalt not know nor shall thou understand what they speak. It shall eat up thy harvest and thy bread (Jeremiah 5:15, 17).
This does not mean that a nation of an unknown tongue or of an unintelligible speech should be brought; but an evil nation of an utterly different religion is meant, whose dogmas they shall not know nor understand the reasonings therefrom; and in an abstract sense the falsities of evil which are altogether contrary to the truths of good are signified; for "nation" in an abstract sense means evil, and "tongue" here means the falsity of religion, and "to speak" means to reason therefrom; therefore it is added, "it shall eat up thy harvest and thy bread," for "harvest" signifies truths by which there is good, "bread" the good therefrom, and "to eat up" to consume and deprive.
[12] In Ezekiel:
Thou art not sent to a people of deep lip and heavy of tongue, but to the house of Israel; not to great peoples of deep lip and heavy of tongue, whose words thou shalt not hear. If I should send thee to them, will they not hearken unto thee? (Ezekiel 3:5, 6).
"Peoples of deep lip and heavy of tongue, whose words are not heard," signify those who are in an unintelligible doctrine, and thus in an abstruse religion, whose dogmas cannot be comprehended, "lip" signifying doctrine, "tongue" religion, and "words" its dogmas; therefore these peoples mean the nations that do not have the Word, by which Jehovah, that is, the Lord, is known. That these will receive Divine truths when they are instructed is signified by "these would hearken if he should be sent unto them."
[13] In Isaiah:
Thou wilt not see an obstinate people, a people of depths of lip that thou canst not hear; barbarous in tongue, without intelligence (Isaiah 33:19).
"A people of depths of lip and barbarous in tongue" has a similar signification here as "peoples of deep lip and heavy of tongue" above. Evidently a people with a speech that cannot be understood is not meant; for it is added, "barbarous in tongue, without intelligence," for there may be intelligence in the tongue or speech of such, but not in their religion.
[14] In the same:
I have sworn that unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear (Isaiah 45:23).
This is said of the coming of the Lord; and "every knee shall bow" signifies that all who are in natural good from spiritual good will worship Him, the "knee" signifying the conjunction of natural good with spiritual. This shows that bending the knees signifies acknowledgment, thanksgiving, and adoration from spiritual good and delight in the natural; "every tongue shall swear" signifies that all will confess the Lord who are in good from religion, "to swear" signifying to confess, and "tongue" religion according to which one lives.
[15] In David:
And my tongue shall meditate of Thy righteousness and of Thy praise all the day (Psalms 35:28).
Here, too, "tongue" signifies confession from the doctrine of the church, for it is said "to meditate of;" "righteousness" is predicated of the good of the church, and "praise" of its truth, as also elsewhere in the Word. So again in the same:
My tongue shall meditate of Thy righteousness all the day (Psalms 71:24).
[16] In the same:
With gall the wicked compass me, the mischief of their lips doth cover them; burning coals overwhelm them; with fire let them be cast into pits, that they rise not again; a man of tongue shall not be established in the earth (Psalms 140:9-11).
"Gall" signifies truth falsified, which in itself is falsity; "the mischief of their lips" signifies the falsity of doctrine therefrom, for "lips" signify doctrine; "burning coal by which they are overwhelmed," and the "fire with which they are to be cast into pits," signify the pride from self-intelligence and the love of self, through which they fall into mere falsities, "burning coals" signifying the pride of self-intelligence, "fire" the love of self, and "pits" falsities. Moreover all falsities of doctrine in the church and all falsifications of the Word spring from the pride of self-intelligence and from the love of self. This makes evident what is signified by "a man of tongue shall not be established in the earth," namely, a false religion.
[17] In the same:
My soul, I lie in the midst of lions, the sons of man are set on fire, their teeth are spear and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword (Psalms 57:4).
"Lions" signify those who plunder the church of truths, and thus destroy it; the "sons of man who are set on fire," signify those who are in the truths of the church, and in an abstract sense the truths themselves, which are said to be "set on fire" by the pride of self-intelligence, whence come falsities; "their teeth are spear and arrows" signifies reasonings from external sensuals and thus from the fallacies and falsities of religion, by which truths are destroyed, "teeth" signifying the ultimates of man's life, which are external sensual things, and here reasoning from these, and "tongue" signifying the falsities of religion; therefore it is said "their tongue a sharp sword," "sword" signifying the destruction of truth by falsities.
[18] In Job:
Wilt thou draw out leviathan with a fish-hook, and overwhelm his tongue with a cord? (Job 12:1)
In this and the preceding chapter the Behemoth and the leviathan are treated of, and both signify the natural man, the "Behemoth" the natural man in respect to goods which are called the delights of natural love, and the "leviathan" the natural man in respect to truths which are called knowledges and cognitions, from which is natural light. These are both described by pure correspondences according to the ancient style. That reasoning from the light of nature by means of knowledges [scientifica] can be restrained by God only, is described in that chapter and the subsequent one by the "leviathan," and also by these words, "Wilt thou draw out leviathan with a fish-hook, and overwhelm his tongue with a cord?;" "tongue" signifying reasoning from knowledges [scientifica]. That the "leviathan" signifies the natural man as regards knowledges [scientifica] can be seen from other passages where it is mentioned (as Isaiah 27:1; Psalms 74:14; Psalms 104:26). Also from the fact that the "whale," by which the leviathan is meant, signifies the natural man in regard to knowledges [scientifica].
[19] In Isaiah:
The heart of the hasty shall have intelligence for knowing, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be swift to speak (Isaiah 32:4).
The "hasty" mean those who readily seize upon and believe whatever is said, thus also falsities; of such it is said that "they shall be intelligent and know," that is, receive truths; "stammerers" mean those who are hardly able to apprehend the truths of the church; that they will confess them from affection is meant by "their tongue shall be swift to speak," "swiftness" is predicated of affection.
[20] In the same:
Then shall the lame leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing aloud; for waters shall break out in the wilderness, and brooks in the plain of the desert (Isaiah 35:6).
This is said of the coming of the Lord; the "lame" signifies those who are in good but not genuine good, because they are in ignorance of truth through which good comes; "to leap as a hart" signifies to have joy from the perception of truth; the "dumb" signifies those who on account of ignorance of truth are unable to confess the Lord and the genuine truths of the church; "he shall sing" signifies joy from the understanding of truth; "waters shall break out in the wilderness" signifies that truths shall be opened where they were not before; and "brooks in the plain of the desert" signify intelligence there, for "waters" signify truths, and "brooks" intelligence.
[21] This makes clear what is signified in the spiritual sense by "the deaf man that had an impediment in his speech" whom the Lord healed, which is thus described in Mark:
Jesus took aside the deaf man who had an impediment in his speech, and put His fingers into his ears, and spitting, touched his tongue; and looking up into heaven, He said to him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened; and straightway his ears were opened, and the bond of his tongue was loosed, and he spake aright (Arcana Coelestia 7337) seen (Arcana Coelestia 8364) in (Arcana Coelestia 9031) the Arcana Coelestia 7337, 8364, 9031). The "deaf man" signifies those who are without the understanding of truth, and thence in no obedience; "his difficulty in speaking" signifies the difficulty of such in confessing the Lord and the truth of the church; the "ears" opened by the Lord signify the perception of truth and obedience; and the "tongue" whose bond was loosed by the Lord signifies the confession of the Lord and of the truths of the church.
[22] Again, that the apostles and others after the Lord's resurrection spoke with new tongues signifies also the confession of the Lord and of the truths of the new church. This is thus referred to in Mark:
Jesus said, These signs shall follow them that believe; in My name shall they cast out demons, and they shall speak with new tongues (Mark 16:17).
"To cast out demons" signifies to remove and reject the falsities of evil; and "to speak with new tongues" signifies to confess the Lord and the truths of the church from Him. So:
To the apostles there appeared divided tongues like as of fire, which sat on them. And being filled with the Holy Spirit they began to speak with other tongues (Acts of the Apostles 2:3, 4).
The "fire" signified the love of truth, and "filled with the Holy Spirit" signified the reception of Divine truth from the Lord; and "new tongues" signified confessions from the love of truth or zeal; for, as was said above, all Divine miracles, consequently all miracles mentioned in the Word, involved and signified things spiritual and celestial, that is, such things that pertain to heaven and the church: by this Divine miracles are distinguished from miracles not Divine. It is unnecessary to quote more passages from the Word to show that "tongues" do not mean speech in the ordinary sense, but confessions from the truths of the church, and in the contrary sense confessions from the falsities of any religion.
455. "Et populis et linguis." - Quod significet omnes qui in falsis ex Ignorantia, et ex variis religionibus, constat ex significatione "populorum", quod sint qui in veris doctrinae, ac in opposito sensu qui in falsis doctrinae (de qua supra, n. 175); hic autem qui in falsis doctrinae ex ignorantia, nam agitur hic de illis qui salvantur, tametsi ex doctrina religionis suae in falsis fuerunt: (nam salvantur omnes qui in bono vitae sunt secundum religionis suae dogmata, quae crediderunt vera esse, tametsi non vera sunt; nam non imputatur alicui falsum, qui secundum religionis suae dogmata bene vivit, quoniam ejus culpa non est quod non sciat vera: nam bonum vitae secundum religionem in se recondit affectionem sciendi vera, quae etiam discunt et recipiunt cum in alteram vitam veniunt; omnis enim affectio manet hominem post mortem, et affectio sciendi vera imprimis, quia haec est affectio spiritualis, et homo cum fit spiritus est sua affectio; quare tunc vera, quae desiderant, hauriunt, et sic recipiunt alte cordibus suis): (quod falsa religionis, dum homo bene vivit, acceptentur a Domino ut vera, videatur supra, n. 452): et ex significatione "linguarum", quod sint confessiones illorum ex religione; per "linguas" enim intelliguntur loquelae, et "loquela" significat confessionem et religionem, ex causa quia lingua eloquitur et confitetur illa quae religionis sunt.
[2] In Verbo pluries dicitur "labium", "os" et "lingua"; et per "labium" significatur doctrina, per "os" cogitatio, et per "linguam " confessio: causa quod "labium", "os" et "lingua" talia significent, est quia illa externa hominis sunt per quae propalantur interna, ac interna sunt quae in interno seu spirituali sensu significantur. Verbum enim in littera consistit ab externis quae apparent coram oculis et percipiuntur sensibus; inde Verbum in littera est naturale, et hoc propterea, ut Divinum Verum, quod continet, ibi sit in ultimo, et sic in pleno: sed externa illa, quae sunt naturalia, comprehendunt in se interna, quae sunt spiritualia, quae itaque sunt quae significantur.
[3] Quod "linguae" significent confessiones ex religione et secundum religionis dogmata, constare potest ex sequentibus locis:
- Apud Esaiam,
"Veniet tempus ad congregandum omnes gentes et linguas, ut veniant videantque gloriam meam" (66:18):
haec de adventu Domini; per "gentes et linguas" significantur omnes qui in bono vitae secundum religiones suas sunt; "linguae" significant religiones a confessione: quare dicitur, "ut veniant videantque gloriam meam"; "gloria" significat Divinum Verum, per quod ecclesia.
[4] Apud Danielem,
"Ecce cum nubibus caelorum [sicut] Filius hominis;.... Huic datum est dominium et gloria et regnum, ut omnes populi, linguae et gentes Ipsum colerent" (Danielem 7:13, 14);
quod per "Filium hominis", qui venturus in nubibus caelorum, intelligatur Dominus, constat; et per "nubes caelorum" intelligatur Verbum in littera, in qua dicitur venturus, quia Verbum de Ipso agit, ac in sensu intimo de Ipso Solo: quare dicitur "Filius hominis", nam Dominus dicitur "Filius hominis" ex Divino Vero, quod est Verbum: sed de hac re videantur plura supra (n. 36), ubi explicatur hoc in Apocalypsi (1:7),
"Ecce venit cum nubibus, et Videbit Ipsum omnis oculus:"
potestas Ipsius ex Divino Bono intelligitur per "dominium", et ex Divino Vero per "gloriam", ac caelum et ecclesia per "regnum"; per "populos, linguas et gentes" significantur omnes qui in doctrina et in vita secundum religiones suas sunt; "populi" dicuntur qui in doctrina, "gentes" qui in vita, et "linguae" sunt religiones.
[5] Apud Sachariam,
"In diebus illis apprehendent decem viri ex omnibus linguis gentium, alam viri Judaei dicendo, Ibimus vobiscum, quia audivimus Deum vobiscum " (8:23):
quis sensus horum spiritualis est, videatur supra (n. 433 [d]); quod nempe per "Judaeum" intelligantur illi qui in amore in Dominum sunt et ex Ipso in veris doctrinae; et quod per "omnes linguas gentium" intelligantur qui ex variis religionibus.
[6] Similia per "linguas" significantur in sequentibus locis:
- Apud Mosen,
"Ex his dispersae sunt insulae gentium in terris suis, quisque juxta linguam suam, juxta familias suas in gentibus suis." Habitationes filiorum "Schemi secundum familias eorum, juxta linguas eorum, in terris eorum, juxta gentes eorum" (Genesis 10:5, 31);
in Apocalypsi,
"Oportet te rursus prophetare super populos et gentes, et linguas et reges multos" (10:11);
alibi,
"Videbunt ex populis et tribubus, et linguis et gentibus, corpora illorum dies tres et dimidium" (11:9);
alibi,
"Datum est" bestiae "bellum facere cum sanctis, et vincere eos: et data est illi potestas super omnem tribum et linguam et gentem" (13:7);
alibi,
"Vidi angelum volantem in medio caeli habentem Evangelium aeternum, ad evangelizandum habitantibus super terra, et omni genti et tribui et linguae et populo" (14:6);
et alibi,
"Aquae, quas vidisti, ubi meretrix sedet, populi et turbae sunt, et gentes et linguae" (17:15):
per "aquas" ibi significantur vera Verbi; nam per "aquas" in Verbo significantur vera, et in opposito sensu falsa; quare per "populos, turbas, gentes et linguas" ibi intelliguntur illi qui in veris falsificatis sunt, quae in se sunt falsa, et inde in malis vitae.
[7] Apud Lucam,
Dives dixit ad Abrahamum, "Miserere mei, et mitte Lazarum ut intingat extremum digiti in aquam, ut refrigeret linguam meam, quia crucior in flamma hac" (16:24):
in hac parabola, sicut in reliquis, Dominus per correspondentias locutus est; ut constare potest ex eo, quod non per "divitem" intelligantur divites, nec per "Abrahamum" Abraham, nec per "aquam" qua Lazarus "refrigeraret linguam" aqua et lingua, neque per "flammam" flamma, nam in inferno nemo per flammas cruciatur: sed per "divitem" intelliguntur illi qui ab ecclesia sunt ubi Verbum, ex quo illis divitiae spirituales, quae sunt vera doctrinae; quare ibi per "divitem" intelliguntur Judaei, apud quos tunc erat Verbum: per "Abrahamum" intelligitur Dominus; per "aquam" in quam intingeret Lazarus extremum digiti significatur verum ex Verbo: et per "linguam" significatur sitis et cupiditas pervertendi vera quae in Verbo sunt; et per "flammam" poena illius cupiditatis, quae est varia et multiplex: inde patet quid illa in serie significant; et quod per "refrigerare linguam aqua" significetur sedare sitim et cupiditatem pervertendi vera, et per illa confirmandi falsa. Quis non videre potest quod non intelligatur quod Lazarus mitteret extremum digiti in aquam ut refrigeraret linguam?
[8] Apud Sachariam,
"Haec erit plaga qua percutiet Jehovah omnes populos qui pugnabunt contra Hierosolymam: contabescet caro cujusque, ut ipse stet super pedibus suis, et oculi ejus contabescent in foraminibus suis, ac lingua ejus contabescet in ore ejus" (14:12):
haec dicta sunt de illis qui conantur destruere vera doctrinae per falsa; hoc significatur per "pugnare contra Hierosolymam", "Hierosolyma" enim significat ecclesiam quoad doctrinam, et inde vera doctrinae ecclesiae; per quod "contabescet caro" significatur quod periturum sit omne bonum amoris et vitae, id enim "caro" significat: per "stare super pedibus suis" intelligitur super ossibus absque carne, per quod significatur quod prorsus naturales corporei futuri sint; "pedes" significant illa quae sunt naturalis hominis, hic infima ejus: quod "oculi ejus contabescent in foraminibus suis" significat quod periturus sit omnis intellectus veri, "oculi" enim significant intellectum: quod "lingua ejus contabescet in ore ejus" significat quod peritura sit omnis perceptio veri et affectio boni; "lingua" etiam perceptionem veri et affectionem boni significat, perceptionem veri ex eo quod Ioquatur, et affectionem boni ex eo quod gustu polleat, "gustus" enim significat appetitum, desiderium et affectionem.
[9] In Libro Judicum,
"Jehovah dixit ad Gideonem, Quisquis lambit lingua sua aquas, quemadmodum canis lambit, eum statues seorsim; et quisquis incurvaverit se super genua ad bibendum: et fuit numerus lambentium in manu sua.... , trecenti viri"; qui ducti contra Midianem, et percusserunt eum (7:5-7):
per "Midianem" ibi intelliguntur qui non verum curant, quia mere naturales et externi; quare percussi sunt ab illis qui "lingua lamberunt aquas in manu sicut canis", per hos enim intelliguntur qui appetunt vera, ita qui ex aliqua affectione naturali affectant scire vera; per "canem" enim significatur appetitus et cupido, per "aquas" Vera, et per "lambere illas lingua" significatur appetere et ex cupidine affectare; ideo per hos percussus est Midian. Quis non videre potest quod hoc non mandatum fuisset, nisi significavisset?
[10] Apud Davidem
"Occultas eos in abdito facierum tuarum prae elationibus viri, abscondis eos in tabernaculo a lite linguarum" (Psalms 31:21 [B.A. 20]):
per "abditum facierum", in quo Jehovah occultat eos, significatur Divinum Bonum Divini Amoris, nam "facies Jehovae" significat bonum amoris, et "abditum" significat interius apud hominem: per "elationes viri" significatur fastus intelligentiae propriae; per "tabernaculum" in quo abscondit significatur Divinum Verum; et per "litem linguarum" significatur falsum religionis ex quo ratiocinantur contra vera: inde patet quid illa in serie significant.
[11] Apud Jeremiam,
"Ecce Ego adducens super vos gentem, .... gens cujus non cognosces linguam, neque intelliges quid loquatur, .... comedet messem tuam et panem tuum" (5:15, 17 1
):
hic non intelligitur quod adduceretur gens quae esset ignota lingua seu non intelligibili loquela, sed intelligitur gens mala quae esset ex prorsus alia religione, cujus dogmata non cognoscent, nec ratiocinia inde intelligent; et in sensu abstracto significantur falsa mali prorsus opposita veris boni; "gens" enim in sensu abstracto est malum, et "lingua" hic est falsum religionis, et "loqui" est inde ratiocinari; quare sequitur quod "comedet messem tuam et panem tuum", nam per "messem" significantur vera per quae bonum, per "panem " bonum inde, et per "comedere" consumere et deprivare.
[12] Apud Ezechielem,
"Non ad populum profundi labii et graves lingua tu missus; ad domum Israelis: non ad populos magnos profundi labii et graves lingua, quorum non audiveris verba; nonne si ad hos mitterem te, illi obedituri essent tibi?" (3:5, 6):
per "populos profundi labii et graves lingua, quorum non audiuntur verba", significantur illi qui in doctrina non intelligibili, et inde in religione abstrusa, cujus dogmata non perceptibilia sunt; "labium" significat doctrinam, "lingua religionem, et "verba" dogmata ejus; quare per illos populos intelliguntur gentes, quibus non Verbum, et ex illo Jehovah, hoc est, Dominus notus est; quod illi recepturi vera Divina, si instruerentur, significatur per quod "illi obedituri essent, si ad illos missus esset."
[13] Apud Esaiam,
"Populum obfirmatum non videbis, populum profunditatum labii ut non audias, barbarum lingua, non intelligentia" (33:19):
per "populum profunditatum labii" et per "barbarum 2
lingua", similia significantur quae mox supra per "populos profundi labii et graves lingua"; quod non intelligatur populus cui talis loquela ut non intelligatur, patet; nam etiam dicitur, " 3
barbarum lingua, non intelligentia"; in lingua enim seu loquela eorum potest esse intelligentia, non autem in religione eorum.
[14] Apud eundem,
"Juravi.... quod Mihi se incurvaturum omne genu, et juratura omnis lingua" (45:23):
haec de adventu Domini; et per quod "incurvaturum se sit omne genu" significatur quod adoraturi Ipsum omnes qui in bono naturali ex spirituali sunt; "genu" significat conjunctionem boni naturalis cum spirituali; inde patet quod genflexiones significent agnitionem, gratiarum actionem et adorationem ex bono et jucundo spirituali in naturali: quod "juratura sit omnis lingua" significat quod confessuri Ipsum omnes qui in bono ex religione sunt; "jurare" significat confiteri, et "lingua" religionem secundum quam vivitur.
[15] Apud Davidem,
Lingua mea meditatur justitiam tuam, omni die laudem tuam" (Psalms 35:28):
per "linguam" hic quoque significatur confessio ex doctrina ecclesiae, nam dicitur quod illa "meditetur"; "justitia" praedicatur de bono ejus, et "laus" de vero ejus, ut quoque alibi in Verbo. Similiter alibi apud eundem,
"Lingua mea toto die meditabitur justitiam tuam" (Psalms 71:24):
[16] apud eundem,
"Felle" impii "circumdant me, molestia labiorum eorum contegit eos, obruunt eos prunae; igne dejiciat eos in foveas, non resurgant;vir linguae non subsistet in terra" (Psalms 140:10-12 [B.A. 9-11]):
per "fel" significatur verum falsificatum, quod in se est falsum; per "molestiam labiorum" significatur falsum doctrinae inde, nam "labia" significant doctrinam: per "prunas quae obruent", et per "ignem quo dejicientur in foveas", significatur fastus ex propria intelligentia et amor sui, per quos labuntur in mere falsa; "prunae" significant fastum propriae intelligentiae, "ignis" amorem sui, et "foveae", falsa; omnia etiam falsa doctrinae in eccleSia et omnes falsificationes Verbi existunt ex fastu propriae intelligentiae et ex amore sui; inde patet quid significatur per quod "vir linguae non subsistet in terra", nempe falsa religio.
[17] Apud eundem,
"Anima mea in medio leonum cubo, inflammantur filii hominis, dentes eorum hasta et tela, et lingua eorum gladius acutus" (Psalms 57:5 [B.A. 4]):
per "leones" significantur qui depraedantur ecclesiam veris, et sic destruunt illam; per "filios hominis qui inflammantur, significantur illi qui in veris ecclesiae sunt, et abstracte ipsa vera, quae "inflammari" dicuntur a fastu propriae intelligentiae, unde falsa: "dentes eorum hasta et tela" significant ratiocinationes ex sensualibus externis et sic ex fallaciis et falsis religionis, per quae destruuntur vera; "dentes" significant ultima vitae hominis, quae sunt sensualia externa, hic ratiocinationes ex illis; et "lingua" significat falsa religionis; quare dicitur "Lingua eorum gladius acutus", per "gladium" enim significatur destructio veri per falsa.
[18] Apud Hiobum,
"Num trahes leviathanem hamo, et in funem demerges linguam ejus?" (40:25 [B.A. 41:1]):
in illo capite et sequenti agitur de behemoth et de leviathane, et per utrumque significatur naturalis homo; per "behemoth" ille quoad bona quae vocantur jucunda amoris naturalis, et per "leviathanem" ille quoad vera, quae vocantur scientifica et cognitiones, ex quibus lumen naturale; ambo illa describuntur per meras correspondentias, stylo antiquo; quod ratiocinatio ex lumine Naturae per scientifica non coerceri possit nisi a Deo, describitur in eo capite et in sequenti per "leviathanem", et quoque per haec, "Num trahes leviathanem hamo, et in funem demerges linguam ejus?" Per "linguam" significatur ratiocinatio ex scientificis.
Quod "leviathan" significet naturalem hominem quoad scientifica, constare potest ex aliis locis in Verbo ubi nominatur (Ut Esaias 27:1; Psalms 74:14; Psalms 104:26); tum ex eo quod "balaena", quae intelligitur per "leviathanem", significet naturalem hominem quoad scientifica.
[19] Apud Esaiam,
"Cor praecipitantium se intelliget ad sciendum, et lingua balborum velox erit ad loquendum..." (32:4):
per "praecipitantes se" intelliguntur qui facile arripiunt et credunt illa quae dicuntur, ita quoque falsa; de his dicitur quod "intelligent et scient", hoc est, recipient vera: per "balbos" intelliguntur qui aegre possunt capere vera ecclesiae; quod ex affectione confessuri illa sint, intelligitur per quod "lingua eorum velox erit ad loquendum"; "velox" praedicatur de affectione.
[20] Apud eundem,
"Tunc saliet sicut cervus claudus, et cantabit lingua muti, quia erumpent in deserto aquae, et fluvii in planitie deserti" (35:6):
haec de adventu Domini; et per "claudum" significantur qui in bono sunt sed non genuino, quia in ignorantia veri per quod bonum; quod "saliet sicut cervus" significat quod ei gaudium ex perceptione veri: per "mutum" significantur qui propter ignorantiam veri non possunt confiteri Dominum, nec vera genuina ecclesiae; "cantabit" significat gaudium ex intelligentia veri: quod "erumpent in deserto aquae" significat quod vera aperientur ubi non prius fuerunt; et quod "fluvii in planitie deserti" significat quod ibi intelligentia; "aquae" enim significant vera, ac "fluvii" intelligentiam.
[21] Ex his constare potest quid in sensu spirituali significatur per "surdum aegre loquentem", quem Dominus sanavit, de quo ita apud Marcum,
Jesus assumens surdum aegre loquentem, "injecit digitum suum in aures ejus, et exspuens tetigit linguam ejus; et suspiciens in caelum..., dixit ei, Ephathah, hoc est, Aperitor; tunc statim aperti sunt auditus ejus, et solutum est vinculum linguae ejus, et locutus est recte" (7:33-35):
quod miracula Domini, quia Divina, omnia involverint et significaverint talia quae caeli et ecclesiae sunt, et quod ideo fuerint sanationes morborum, per quas significatae sunt sanationes vitae spiritualis variae, videatur in Arcanis Caelestibus (n. 7337, 8364, 9032); per "surdum" significantur illi qui non in intellectu veri et inde non in obedientia, et per "aegre loquentem" significantur qui ideo aegre in confessione Domini et veri ecclesiae sunt; per "aures" apertas a Domino significatur perceptio veri et obedientia; et per "linguam", cujus vinculum solutum est a Domino, significatur confessio Domini et veritatum ecclesiae.
[22] Quod apostoli et alii post resurrectionem Domini "locuti sint linguis novis", significabat etiam confessionem Domini et veritatum ecclesiae novae; de qua re ita apud Marcum,
Jesus dixit, "Signa credentes haec Sequentur, in nomine meo daemonia ejicient, et linguis loquentur novis" (16:17):
per "ejicere daemonia" significatur removere et rejicere falsa mali; et per "loqui linguis novis" significatur confiteri Dominum et vera ecclesiae ab Ipso: quare
Apostolis "visae sunt divisae linguae quasi ignis, quae sederunt apud illos, ac tunc impleti spiritu sancto coeperunt loqui aliis linguis" (Act. Apost. 2:34 4
):
per "ignem" significabatur amor veri, et per quod "impleti spiritu sancto" significabatur receptio Divini Veri a Domino, ac per "linguas novas" confessiones ex amore veri seu zelo; nam, ut supra dictum est, omnia miracula Divina, proinde omnia miracula memorata in Verbo, involvebant et significabant spiritualia et caelestia, hoc est, talia quae sunt ecclesiae et caeli; ex hoc distinguuntur miracula Divina a miraculis non Divinis. Supersedetur plura loca e Verbo afferre, confirmantia quod per "linguas" non intelligantur loquelae in communi sensu, sed confessiones ex veris ecclesiae, et in opposito sensu confessiones ex falsis alicujus religionis.
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