652# 启11:8.“他们的尸体要倒在大城的街道上”表示它们因教义的邪恶和虚假而灭绝。这从“尸体”和“大城的街道”的含义清楚可知：“尸体”是指“两个见证人”所表示的爱之良善和教义之真理已经灭绝了；“被杀”表示被灭绝，在此表示属灵地被灭绝，因为它论及那些在自己里面完全毁灭这些事物的人。经上以同样的方式说主被杀，死了，以表示从祂发出的神性，也就是神性良善和神性真理，被弃绝了，也就是说，主在那些弃绝它的人中间被杀，并且死了(参看AE 83节)。“大城的街道”是指教义的真理与良善，在反面意义上是指教义的虚假与邪恶；因为“街道”表示进行引导的真理，在反面意义上表示进行引导的虚假(对此，我们很快就会谈到)；“城”表示教义(对此，参看AE 223节)。经上说“大城”，是因为“大”论及良善，在反面意义上论及邪恶，就像“多”论及真理，在反面意义上论及虚假一样(参看AE 223b,c, 336a, 337节)。这清楚表明，“两个见证人的尸体倒在大城的街道上”表示爱与仁之良善，以及教义与信仰之真理因教义的虚假与邪恶而灭绝。由于所表示的是教义的邪恶和虚假，所以经上接着说“这大城按着灵意叫所多玛和埃及”，“所多玛”表示爱之邪恶，“埃及”表示由此而来的虚假，两者都属于教义，在教会的末了摧毁教会(对此，我们将在下文进一步说明)。
“街道”表示教义之真理，在反面意义上表示教义之虚假，因为在灵义上，“道路”表示引向良善的真理，在反面意义上表示引向邪恶的虚假(参看AE 97节)；街道就是城里的道路，由于“城”表示教义，所以“街道”表示教义的真理和虚假。此外，灵界有城市和城市街道，与世上的城市一样；每个人在对真理的情感和由此而来的聪明方面是何品质，仅从他所住的地方和他行走的街道就能得知。那些处于对真理的清晰感知的人住在城南，也行走在那里；那些处于对爱之良善的清晰情感的人住在东方，也行走在那里；那些处于对爱之良善的模糊感知的人住在北方，同样行走在那里。但在那些处于来自邪恶的虚假说服之人所生活的城市，情况正好相反。这清楚表明，为何“街道”表示进行引导的真理或虚假。
652b.“街道”具有这种含义，这一点可从以下经文明显看出来。耶利米书：
你们当在耶路撒冷的街上跑来跑去，去看看，去知道，在宽阔处寻找，你能否找到一人行公平、求真理；若有，我就赦免她。(耶利米书5:1)
由于“耶路撒冷的街和宽阔处”表示照着那些属于教会之人的情感和感知的状态而定的教义真理；还由于“耶路撒冷”表示教义方面的教会，所以经上说：“你们当在耶路撒冷的街上跑来跑去，去看看，去知道，在宽阔处寻找。”由于“公平”(judgment)论及真理，因一切公平或判断都来自律法和戒律，也就是真理，还由于“真理”表示教义与信仰的真理，所以经上说：“你能否找到一人行公平、求真理。”“宽阔处”尤表城市的各个角落，因而表示住处所在的方位；在灵界，城里的每个人都照着对良善的情感和对真理的感知，或清晰或模糊而有自己的住处，故“宽阔处”表示照着每个人的情感和感知而定的真理和良善。
以赛亚书：
公平转而退后，公义站在远处；因为真理在街上跌倒，正直不能进入。(以赛亚书59:14)
在圣言中，“公平和公义”表示真理和良善；“公平转而退后，公义站在远处”表示这些不再存在；“真理在街上跌倒，正直不能进入”表示他们偏离教义的真理，因而生活中没有真理，也就是没有生活的良善，因为生活的一切良善都是通过教义之真理获得的；事实上，一个人正是通过它们学习他当如何生活。由于“街道”表示真理进行引导的地方，所以经上说：“真理在街上跌倒。”
那鸿书：
战车在街上疾行，在宽阔之处来往奔驰。(那鸿书2:4)
由于“战车”表示真理的教义，“街”和“宽阔之处”表示照着每个人的情感和感知，如前所述，所以经上说“战车在街上疾行，在宽阔之处来往奔驰”，“疾行”表示称虚假为真理，“奔驰”表示偏离。
士师记：
在雅亿的日子，大道绝迹了，过路人绕道而行，他们停止了，以色列的宽阔之处消失了。(士师记5:6, 7)
这些话出自底波拉和巴拉之歌，这歌论述了教会中真理的荒凉，后来又论述了它的恢复；“大道绝迹了，过路人绕道而行，他们停止了，以色列的宽阔之处消失了”描述了这种荒凉；“大道和路”与“街”和“宽阔之处”具有相同的含义，即表示进行引导的教义之真理，“绕道而行”表示偏离真理。
以赛亚书：
空虚的城必拆毁，各家关闭，无人能进；在街上因酒有呼喊声；一切喜乐都必混在一起，地上的欢乐遭放逐。(以赛亚书24:10, 11)
“空虚的城”表示其中有虚假，却没有真理的教义；“家(即房屋)”表示意愿、因而生活的良善；由此明显可知，“空虚的城必拆毁，各家关闭，无人能进”表示什么；“在街上因酒有呼喊声”表示由于缺乏真理，并且真理与虚假混杂而哀叹，“酒”表示来自圣言的教义真理；因此，经上说“在街上”，因为“街”也表示真理，以及寻求真理的地方。经上提到“喜乐和欢乐”，因为“喜乐”论及出于对良善的情感的快乐，“欢乐”论及出于对真理的情感的快乐；“一切喜乐都必混在一起，地上的欢乐遭放逐”表示这些快乐将停止。
耶利米书：
荣耀的城，就是我喜乐的城，怎能(不)被撇弃！因此，她的少年人必仆倒在街上，所有的战士都必被剪除。(耶利米书49:25, 26; 50:30)
“荣耀的城”表示神性真理的教义，“喜乐的城”表示来自对其中的良善和真理的情感的快乐；“少年人”表示那些通过真理变得聪明的人；“少年人必仆倒在街上”表示对真理的理解将灭亡；“战士”表示与虚假争战的真理；“所有的战士都必被剪除”表示不会有真理对虚假的抵御。
以西结书：
你们在这城中增多了你们杀害的人，使被杀的人充满街道。(以西结书11:6)
在圣言中，“被杀的人”表示那些被虚假摧毁，或说因虚假灭亡的人；因为杀他们的“剑”表示摧毁真理的虚假；“城”在此和前面一样，表示真理的教义；“使被杀的人充满街道”表示通过虚假使真理荒废。
耶利米哀歌：
那些从前吃美食的，如今在街上被荒废；那些从前在朱红褥子养大的，如今却拥抱粪堆。拿细耳人的面貌比漆黑更黑，以致在街上无人认识。他们在街上如瞎子乱走，又被血玷污。他们追踪我们的脚步，以致我们不能在街上行走。(耶利米哀歌4:5, 8, 14, 18)
此处“街”也表示引向生活良善的教义真理，或一个人生活所必须遵照的真理。这论述了圣言所在的教会，以及教会在真理方面的毁灭；因此，“那些从前吃美食的，如今在街上被荒废”表示那些充满来自圣言的纯正真理的人不再有任何真理，“美食”表示来自圣言的纯正真理；“那些从前在朱红褥子养大的，如今却拥抱粪堆”表示那些充满来自圣言的纯正良善的人只有邪恶之虚假，“朱红褥子”表示圣言的纯正良善，尤表对真理的属天之爱，“粪堆”表示邪恶之虚假。“拿细耳人的面貌比漆黑更黑，以致在街上无人认识”表示神性真理处于如此的模糊，以至于对任何人来说都不明显；“拿细耳人”代表神性真理方面的主，因而表示来自主的神性真理；“他们在街上如瞎子乱走，又被血玷污”表示圣言的真理不再被看见，因为它们被歪曲了，“瞎子”表示那些看不见真理的人。“他们追踪我们的脚步，以致我们不能在街上行走”表示引入歧途，以至于不知道如何生活，“追踪脚步”表示通过虚假引入歧途，“行走”表示生活，因此“在街上行走”表示照真理生活。
西番雅书：
我要剪除列族，他们的角落必荒废；我要使他们的街道荒凉，以致无人经过；我要使他们的城邑荒废，以致无人，也无居民。(西番雅书3:6)
要剪除的“列族”表示教会的良善；必荒废的“角落”表示整体上或整个范围内教会的真理和良善，这就是“角落或角”(corners)的含义(参看AE 417节)。要荒凉，以致无人经过的“街道”表示教义的真理；因为要荒废，以致无人，也无居民的“城邑”表示教义；在圣言中，“人”和“居民”在灵义上表示所有处于真理和良善的人，因而在抽象意义上表示真理和良善。
652c.撒迦利亚书：
我要回到锡安，住在耶路撒冷中间；耶路撒冷由此必称为真理的城。将来必有年老的男女住在耶路撒冷街上，城里的街道必满有男孩女孩在街上玩耍。(撒迦利亚书8:3–5)
这些话论及主的降临和祂要建立的新教会；“锡安”表示爱之良善方面的教会，“耶路撒冷”表示教义真理方面的教会，所以耶路撒冷被称为“真理的城”；必住在耶路撒冷街上的“年老的男女”表示那些通过教义的真理变得聪明和智慧的人；城里的街道必满有、在街上玩耍的“男孩女孩”表示对真理和良善的情感，及其快乐，那些生活在教义真理中的人将富有它们。
耶利米书：
犹大啊，你神的数目就是你城的数目；你照着耶路撒冷街道的数目筑可耻的坛，就是向巴力烧香的坛。(耶利米书11:13)
“犹大啊，你神的数目就是你城的数目”表示虚假和教义一样多，“城”表示教义，“神”表示宗教的虚假；“你照着耶路撒冷街道的数目筑可耻的坛”表示敬拜的种类和教义的虚假一样多，“街道”在此表示教义的虚假，“坛”表示敬拜；所指的是出于虚假的敬拜，因为坛是指香坛，经上说“向巴力烧香的坛”，“香”表示属灵良善，属灵良善本质上是来自良善的真理，在反面意义上表示来自邪恶的虚假。这就是“香”和“香坛”的含义(可参看AE 324, 491, 492, 567节)。
同一先知书：
他们在犹大城邑中和耶路撒冷街上所行的，你没有看见吗？儿子们捡柴，父亲们点火，妇女们抟面作烙饼，献给天后，又向别神浇奠祭；我必使欢喜的声音和快乐的声音从犹大城邑和耶路撒冷街上都止息了。(耶利米书7:17, 18, 34)
前面充分解释了这些话表示什么(可参看AE 555d节)，还解释了“犹大城邑”表示教会的教义，“耶路撒冷街”表示教会教义的真理。
又：
他们在犹大地和耶路撒冷街上所行的恶，你们都忘了吗？(耶利米书44:9)
“犹大地”表示良善方面的教会，但在此表示邪恶方面的教会；“耶路撒冷街”表示教义的真理，但在此表示其教义的虚假。
以西结书：
巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒必用他的马蹄践踏你所有的街道；他必用剑杀戮你的人民，且把你力量的柱子推倒在地；他们必掳去你的财富。(以西结书26:11, 12)
“巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒”表示对真理的亵渎和随之它的毁灭；“用他的马蹄践踏你所有的街道”表示教会的一切真理都将被感官人的谬误摧毁；“他必用剑杀戮人民”表示真理将被虚假摧毁；“把你坚固的柱子推倒在地”表示因此，出于真理的一切敬拜都将被毁，因为“柱子”表示出于真理的神圣敬拜，由于一切能力都属于来自良善的真理，所以它们被称为“力量的柱子”；“他们必掳去你的财富”表示真理的知识也将被摧毁。“财富”和“货财”表示真理的知识(参看AE 236节)。
同一先知书：
你为自己建造高耸之地，在各街上作了高地，你在各路头建造你的高耸之地，使你的美丽变为可憎的。(以西结书16:24, 25, 31)
在古人那里，“高耸之地”和“高地”表示天堂；在高山祭祀，或不在这些山上，而是在高耸的建筑物上祭祀的仪式由此而来；因此，“在各街上和各路头作了高地和高耸之地”表示出于教义的邪恶和虚假的敬拜。由于敬拜变成偶像崇拜，所以经上说“使他们的美丽变为可憎的”，“美丽”表示真理和由此而来的聪明；因为在灵界，每个人都照着来自良善的真理和由此而来的聪明而美丽。
阿摩司书：
在一切街道上必有哀号声，他们必在一切宽阔处说，哀哉，哀哉！又必叫农夫来哀哭。(阿摩司书5:16)
“在一切街道上必有哀号声，他们必在一切宽阔处说，哀哉，哀哉”表示悲痛，因为真理和良善到处都被荒废了；“又必叫农夫来哀哭”表示教会之人因此而悲痛，“农夫”表示教会之人，因为“田”表示真理植入方面的教会。
诗篇：
我们的仓盈满，能出各样的粮食；我们的羊群孳生千千，在街上孳生万万；我们的牛驮着满驮，没有破口，没有逃离，我们的宽阔处也没有喊叫。(诗篇144:13, 14)
满了粮食的“仓”表示来自圣言的教义，因而表示圣言本身，提供教导和属灵营养的教义的一切真理都在其中；“羊群孳生千千，在街上孳生万万”表示属灵的良善和真理，“羊群千千”表示良善，“万万”表示真理；驮着满驮的“牛”表示属世良善及其情感；“没有破口”表示它们的一致性；“没有逃离”表示这些当中没有失去任何一个；“宽阔处没有喊叫”表示任何地方都没有因缺乏它们的哀叹声。
约伯记：
赐雨在地面上，打发水到街面上的神。(约伯记5:10)
“赐雨在地面上”表示进入那些属于教会之人的一切事物的神性真理的流注；“打发水到街面上”表示进入教义之真理的神性流注，好叫人可以由此变得属灵。
以赛亚书：
他们在街上都腰束麻布，在房顶上，在街道上，他必哀号，流泪痛哭。(以赛亚书15:3)
这些话论及摩押地的亚珥城，这城表示那些处于来自属世人的真理之人的教义；“他们腰束麻布，在房顶上，在街道上，他必哀号”表示因他们教义的虚假而悲痛，“房顶”表示内层事物，“街道”表示他们中间的外层事物。耶利米书：
在摩押所有的房顶和街道上到处都有哀哭声。(耶利米书48:38)
此处的含义和前面的类似。
但以理书：
你要知道，要明白，从话语发出恢复并建造耶路撒冷，直到弥赛亚君王，必有七个七；六十二个七之后，正在艰难的时候，它连街带濠都必恢复并建造。(但以理书9:25)
不知道圣言灵义的人可以会以为，此处的“耶路撒冷”是指耶路撒冷，它要恢复并建造；还以为经上说要恢复和建造的“街和濠”是指这个城市的街道和沟濠；但“耶路撒冷”表示主将要建立的教会，“街和濠”表示教义的真理：“街”表示真理，“濠”表示教义。这不是解释七的数目含义的地方。
652d.由此明显可知，在以下启示录的经文中，“新耶路撒冷的街道”具有相同的含义：
十二个门是十二颗珍珠，城内的街道是纯金的，好像透明的玻璃。(启示录21:21)
后面：
他指示我一道纯净生命水的河，明亮如水晶，从神和羔羊的宝座流出来；在城内街道中间，在河这边与那边有生命树，结十二样果子。(启示录22:1, 2)
但后面会解释这些经文。
以赛亚书：
你的众子发昏，在各街头躺卧，如同网罗里的羚羊。(以赛亚书51:20)
这些话也论及耶路撒冷，也就是在教义方面被荒废的教会，“众子”表示那些处于教义真理的人；“发昏，在各街头躺卧”表示被剥夺一切真理，“街头，或街道的起始处”表示进入真理的入口处，因而表示一切真理。
耶利米哀歌：
婴孩和吃奶的在城市街道上发昏。你的孩童在各街头受饿发昏，你要为他们的灵魂向主举手。(耶利米哀歌2:11, 19)
“婴孩和吃奶的”表示纯真，也表示头生，并通过来自圣言的知识在那些正在重生之人身上复活，因是首先的而无罪无害的良善和真理；“他们在城市街道上和各街头发昏”表示它们的完全缺乏；经上说“受饿”，是因为“(饥)饿”表示知识的剥夺或丧失，缺乏和无知，同时表示对它们的渴望(参看AE 386节)。
那鸿书：
她的婴孩在各街头被摔碎，人为她的尊贵人拈阄，她所有的大人都被链子锁着。(那鸿书3:10)
此处“婴孩”也表示头生和复活的真理，“在各街头被摔碎”表示被驱散并灭亡；“尊贵人”表示爱之良善；“为他们拈阄”表示对这些的驱散；“大人”表示良善的真理；“被链子锁着”表示被虚假束缚，以至于真理无法出来。这话是指着“流血的城”说的，这城表示其中圣言的真理被歪曲的教义。
耶利米书：
死亡从窗户上来，进入我们的宫殿，从街上剪除婴孩，从宽阔处剪除少年人。(耶利米书9:21)
此处“死亡”表示属灵的死亡，当虚假被信以为真理，真理被信以为虚假，并且生活与它们一致时，属灵的死亡就会发生；“窗户”表示出于理解力的思维，“宫殿”表示内层，因而人类心智更崇高的事物；这清楚表明，“死亡从窗户上来，进入我们的宫殿”表示什么；“婴孩”在此和前面一样，表示通过来自圣言的知识头生的真理；“少年人”表示所获得的真理，聪明来自这些真理；“街和宽阔处”表示教义的真理，以及引向聪明和智慧的生活真理；这清楚表明，“从街上剪除婴孩，从宽阔处剪除少年人”表示什么。
同一先知书：
我充满耶和华的愤怒，厌倦压抑；你要倒在街上婴孩和成群的年轻人身上；甚至连男带女，老年人与满了日子的人都必被擒拿。(耶利米书6:11)
此处“街上婴孩”和“年轻人”，与前面的具有相同的含义；“男和女”表示与良善结合的真理，以及由此而来的聪明；“老年人”和“满了日子的人”表示智慧。
由于“街”表示进行引导的教义真理，在反面意义上表示虚假，所以在以下经文中，“街上的泥土”、“泥沼”和“粪土”表示对邪恶之爱的虚假。以赛亚书：
他们的尸首好像街上的粪土。(以赛亚书5:25)
同一先知书：
祂必使他被践踏，像街上的泥土一样。(以赛亚书10:6)
弥迦书：
她必被践踏，如同街上的泥沼。(弥迦书7:10)
诗篇：
我要捣碎他们，如同风面前的灰尘一样微小，我要把他们倒出，如同街上的泥沼。(诗篇18:42)
这一切也来自灵界的表象；在那里来自邪恶的虚假掌权的城市中，街道看上去满是粪土、泥沼和泥土。这清楚表明以下经文表示什么：
主吩咐祂派出去传福音的七十个人，无论进哪一城，人若不接待你们，你们就到街上去，说，就是你们城里的尘土粘到我们身上，我们也要当着你们抖掉。(路加福音10:10, 11)
由于“城里的街道”表示一个人当照之生活的教义真理，所以在街上教导和祷告是一种习俗。因此，在撒母耳记下：
不要在迦特报告，不要在亚实基伦街上传扬，免得非利士的女子欢喜。(撒母耳记下1:20)
马太福音：
你施舍的时候，不可在你前面吹号，像那假冒为善的人在会堂里和宽阔处所行的，好得人的荣耀。你们祷告的时候，不可像那假冒为善的人，爱站在会堂和街道角落里祷告，好叫人看见。(马太福音6:2, 5)
路加福音：
那时，你们开始说，我们在你面前吃过喝过，你也在我们的街上教导过；但祂要说，我告诉你们，我不知道你们是哪里来的。(路加福音13:26, 27)
此处，从“街道”表示教义真理的含义也明显可知，为何主以比喻说：
家主吩咐他的仆人快出去，到城里的街道和宽阔处，领那贫穷的、残废的、瘸腿的、瞎眼的来。(路加福音14:21)
“贫穷的、残废的、瘸腿的、瞎眼的”不是指属世意义上的这些人，而是指属灵意义上的这些人，也就是诸如没有圣言，因此处于对真理的无知和良善的缺乏，但仍渴望真理，好通过真理获得良善的那种人；这些人是外邦人，后来主的教会在外邦人中间建立。
由于“城里的街道”表示进行教导和引导的真理或虚假，所以：
来到所多玛的天使说，他们要在街上过夜。(创世记19:2)
由于同样的原因，经上吩咐：
以色列人若发现城里有人侍奉别神，就要用剑击杀那城的居民，尽行毁灭那城，要把那城一切的掠夺之物都收集到街道中间，用火把城和一切掠夺物都焚烧。(申命记13:14–17)
“别神”表示敬拜的虚假，“剑”表示真理对虚假的摧毁；“掠夺”表示对真理的歪曲；“火”表示对邪恶之爱的惩罚及其毁灭。
从由圣言所引用的这些经文可以看出，“两个见证人的尸体要倒在大城的街道上，这城按着灵意叫所多玛和埃及”，后来“不许把他们放在坟墓里”表示什么；因为犹太和以色列民族有一个习俗，就是把杀死的仇敌扔到路上和街上，而不是埋葬他们，这是他们仇恨这些人的标志；但这仍代表，这些仇敌表示无法复活的地狱的邪恶和虚假，也就是那些处于地狱的邪恶和虚假之人。
这一点明显可见于耶利米书：
先知发预言说，这地不会有剑、饥荒；这些先知必被剑、饥荒吞灭；听他们说预言的百姓必被扔在耶路撒冷的街道上，无人埋葬他们。(耶利米书14:15, 16)
“先知”表示真理的教义，在此表示虚假的教义，因为他们预言虚假；由于“街道”表示虚假所在之处，所以经上说：“他们必被扔在耶路撒冷的街道上。”
652. And their bodies [are] upon the street of the great city.- That this signifies their extinction by evils and falsities of doctrine, is evident from the signification of bodies, as denoting that the good of love and the truth of doctrine, signified by the two witnesses, were extinguished; for to be killed signifies to be extinguished, in this case spiritually, because with those who have altogether destroyed those things in themselves. Similarly it is said concerning the Lord that He is slain and dead, which signifies that the Divine proceeding from Him, which is the Divine Good and Divine Truth, is rejected; thus the Lord, with those by whom it is rejected, is slain and dead, as may be seen above (n. 83); and from the signification of the street of the great city, as denoting the truth and good of doctrine, and, in the opposite sense, the falsity and evil of doctrine. For by street is signified, in a good sense, truth leading and, in the opposite sense, falsity leading, of which we shall speak presently, and by city is signified doctrine, concerning which see above (n. 223). It is said "the great city," because great is said of good, and, in the opposite sense, of evil; and many is said of truth, and, in the opposite sense, of falsity, as may be seen above (n. 223, [336], 337). From these things it is now evident that by the bodies of the two witnesses upon the street of the great city is signified the extinction of the good of love and of charity, and of the truth of doctrine and of faith, by falsities and evils of doctrine. Because evils and falsities of doctrine are signified, these words follow, "which great city is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt," and by Sodom are signified evils of the love, and by Egypt falsities thence, each of these pertaining to doctrine, which destroy the church at its end, concerning which we shall speak further in the articles that follow.
[2] The reason why street signifies the truth of doctrine, and, in the opposite sense, its falsity, is, that way in the spiritual sense signifies truth leading to good, and, in the opposite sense, falsity leading to evil, as may be seen above (n. 97); and streets are ways in a city. And because city signifies doctrine, therefore by street is signified the truth and falsity of doctrine. In the spiritual world also there are cities, and streets in them as in the cities of the world; and the quality of every one as to the affection for truth and thence intelligence is known merely from the places where they dwell, and also from the streets in which they walk. Those who are in a clear perception of truth dwell in the southern quarter of the city, and also walk there; those who are in a clear affection for the good of love dwell in the eastern quarter, and also walk there; those who are in an obscure affection for the good of love dwell in the western quarter, and also walk there; and those who are in an obscure perception of truth dwell in the northern quarter, and also walk there; but it is the contrary in the cities where those have their abode who are in the persuasion of falsity from evil. From these things it is evident whence it is that street signifies truth or falsity leading.
[3] That such things are signified by streets is evident from the following passages.
In Jeremiah:
"Run ye through the streets of Jerusalem, and see, I pray, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man that doeth judgment, seeking truth; then will I pardon her" (5:1).
Since the streets in Jerusalem, and the broad places thereof, signify truths of doctrine, according to the states of the affection and perception of those who are of the church, and as by Jerusalem is signified the church as to doctrine, therefore it is said, "Run ye through the streets of Jerusalem, and see and know, and seek in the broad places thereof." And since judgment is said of truths, because all judgment is effected from laws and precepts, which are truths, and because by truth is signified the truth of doctrine and of faith, therefore it is said, "If ye can find a man that doeth judgment and that seeketh truth." The broad places specifically signify the corners of the city, thus the quarters where they dwell; and because every one dwells in the cities in the spiritual world according to clear and obscure affection for good and perception of truth, therefore by broad places are signified truths and goods according to every one's affection and perception.
[4] In Isaiah:
"Judgment hath been driven back, and justice stood afar off; for truth hath stumbled in the street, and rectitude cannot enter" (59:14).
By judgment and justice, in the Word, are signified truth and good; that these are no longer is signified by judgment being driven back and justice standing afar off, that they wandered from the truths of doctrine, and that thence there was no truth in the life, which is good of life, is signified by, truth hath stumbled in the street, and rectitude cannot enter. For all of the good of life is procured by means of truths of doctrine, as man learns from these how he ought to live. Because street signifies where truth leads, therefore it is said, truth hath stumbled in the street.
[5] In Nahum:
The chariots raged in the streets, they ran in the broad places (2:4).
Because chariots signify doctrinals of truth, and streets and broad places, according to every one's affection and perception, as above, therefore it is said, "The chariots raged in the streets, they ran in the broad places"; to rage signifies, to call falsities truths, and to run signifies to wander.
[6] In the book of Judges:
"In the days of Jael the ways ceased, they that go in paths went crooked ways, they ceased, the broad places in Israel ceased" (5:6, 7).
These words are in the song of Deborah and Barak, in which the desolation of truth in the church is treated of, and afterwards its restitution; the desolation is described by the words, "The ways ceased, they that go in paths went crooked ways, the broad places in Israel ceased." Ways and paths have a similar signification to streets and broad places, namely, truths of doctrine leading; and to go crooked ways signifies wandering from truths.
[7] In Isaiah:
"The city of emptiness shall be broken down, every house shall be shut that no one may enter; there shall be a cry over wine in the streets, all joy shall be mingled together; the gladness of the earth shall be banished" (24:10, 11).
By the city of emptiness is signified doctrine in which there is no truth but falsity; by house is signified good of the will and thence of the life. It is therefore evident what is signified by the city of emptiness shall be broken down, every house shall be shut that no one may enter. By a cry over wine in the streets is signified lamentation on account of the defect of truth and of the intermingling of it with falsity, wine signifying the truth of the church from the Word; therefore it is said, "in the streets," because a street also signifies truth, and where truth is sought. Joy and gladness are named, because joy is said of delight from the affection for good, and gladness of the delight from the affection for truth; that those delights will cease is signified by, all joy shall be mingled together, the gladness of the earth shall be banished, earth denoting the church.
[8] Again in Jeremiah:
"How is the city of glory [not] forsaken, the city of my joy wherefore the young men shall fall in the streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off" (49:25, 26; 50:30.).
The city of glory signifies the doctrine of Divine Truth, and the city of joy signifies delight from affection for good and truth therein; by the young men are signified those that have become intelligent through truths and that the understanding of truth would perish is signified by, the young men shall fall in the streets. By the men of war are signified truths combating against falsities; and that there would be no defence of truth against falsities is signified by, all the men of war shall be cut off.
[9] Again in Ezekiel:
"Ye have multiplied your slain in this city, so that you have filled the streets thereof with the slain" (11:6).
The slain, in the Word, mean those who perish by falsities, for the sword with which they are slain signifies falsity destroying truth; the city signifies here, as above, the doctrine of truth; the signification of the slain in the city is therefore evident. By filling the streets with the slain is signified the devastation of truth by falsities.
[10] In Lamentations:
"They that did eat delicacies are devastated in the streets; and they that were brought up in crimson (purpura) have embraced dunghills. The form" of the Nazarites "is darker than blackness, they are not known in the streets. They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood. They have hunted our steps so that we cannot go in the streets" (4:5, 8, 14, 18).
Streets here also signify truths of doctrine leading to the good of life, or truths according to which the life is to be formed. This treats of the church where the Word is, and its devastation as to truths; therefore they that did eat delicacies are devastated in the streets signifies that those who have imbibed genuine truths from the Word have no longer any truths, delicacies denoting genuine truths from the Word. By they that were brought up in crimson have embraced dunghills is signified that those who received genuine goods from the Word have nothing but falsities of evil, crimson denoting the genuine good of the Word, specifically the celestial love for truth, and dunghills signifying falsities of evil. By the form of the Nazarites is darker than blackness, they are not known in the streets, is signified that Divine Truth is in such obscurity that it does not appear to any one; for the Nazarites represented the Lord as to Divine Truth, therefore they signify Divine Truth from the Lord. By they wandered as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood, is signified that the truths of the Word are no more seen, because they are falsified, the blind signifying those who do not see truths. By they have hunted our steps, so that we cannot go in the streets, is signified to lead astray, so that it is not known how to live, to hunt the steps denoting to lead astray by means of falsities, and to go denoting to live, therefore to go in the streets signifies to live according to truths.
[11] In Zephaniah:
"I will cut off the nations; their corners shall be devastated; I will lay waste their streets, that none shall pass through; their cities shall be devastated, that there shall be no man (vir), and no inhabitant" (417). The streets which shall be desolate, that no one shall pass through, signify truths of doctrine; for the cities which shall be devastated, that there shall be no man and no inhabitant, signify doctrinals, while man and inhabitants, in the spiritual sense of the Word, mean all who are in truths and in goods, thus, in an abstract sense, truths and goods.
[12] In Zechariah:
"I will return to Zion, and I will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, whence Jerusalem, shall be called the city of truth; old men and women shall yet dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and the streets shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof" (8:3-5).
These things are said concerning the coming of the Lord, and concerning a new church to be established by Him. Zion means the church as to the good of love, and Jerusalem the church as to the truths of doctrine, therefore Jerusalem is called the city of truth. By the old men and women who shall dwell in the streets of Jerusalem are meant those that are intelligent and wise by means of truths of doctrine; by the boys and girls playing in the streets, with whom the streets of the city shall be filled, are signified affections for truth and good and their delights, in which those shall abound who live in truths of doctrine.
[13] In Jeremiah:
"According to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to shame, altars to burn incense to Baal" (324, 491, 492, 567).
[14] In the same:
"Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? the sons gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, the women knead the mass to make cakes to the queen of the heavens, at the same time to pour out drink-offerings to other gods; I will cause to cease in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem the voice of joy and the voice of gladness" (555:17); and that the cities of Judah signify the doctrinals of the church, and the streets of Jerusalem the truths of its doctrine.
[15] Again:
"Have ye forgotten the evils which they did in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?" (44:9).
The land of Judah signifies the church as to good, here as to evil; and the streets of Jerusalem signify the truths of doctrine, here the falsities of its doctrine.
[16] In Ezekiel:
"With the hoofs of his horses shall" Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babel, "tread down all thy streets; he shall slay thy people with the sword, and he shall bring down the statues of strength to the earth; they shall plunder thy wealth" (236).
[17] In the same:
"Thou hast built thee a lofty place, and thou hast made thee a high place in every street; upon every head of the way thou hast made thee thy lofty place, and thou hast made thy beauty abominable" (16:24, 25, 31).
High and lofty places, with the ancients, signified heaven, whence came the rite of sacrificing upon high mountains, and instead of these upon lofty structures, therefore worship from evils and falsities of doctrine is signified by making a lofty and high place in every street, and upon every head of the way. And because that worship became idolatrous, it is said that they made their beauty abominable; by beauty is meant truth and intelligence thence, for every one in the spiritual world is beautiful according to truths from good, and intelligence thence.
[18] In Amos:
"In all the streets shall be wailing and in all the broad places they shall say, Alas, alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning" (5:16).
In all the streets mourning, and in all the broad places they shall say, Alas, alas! signifies grief on account of truth and good everywhere devastated; and they shall call the husbandman to mourning signifies the grief of the men of the church on account thereof, husbandman signifies the man of the church, because a field signifies the church as to the implantation of truth.
[19] Again in David:
"Our garners are full, yielding from food to food, our flocks are thousands and ten thousands in our streets; our oxen are laden, no breach or fleeing away, or outcry in our broad places" (Psalm 144:13, 14).
The garners full of food signify doctrinals from the Word, thus the Word where are all the truths of doctrine from which are instruction and spiritual nourishment. By the flocks being thousands and ten thousands in the streets are signified spiritual goods and truths; by thousands of flocks goods, and by ten thousands truths; by oxen laden are signified natural goods and their affections; by no breach is signified their coherence. By none fleeing away is signified no loss of any; by no outcry in the broad places is signified no lamentation anywhere over the want of them.
[20] In Job:
God "who giveth rain upon the faces of the earth, and who sendeth waters upon the faces of the streets" (5:10).
To give rain upon the faces of the earth signifies the influx of Divine Truth into all things with those who are of the church; and to send waters upon the faces of the streets signifies the Divine influx into truths of doctrine in order to render man spiritual by means of them.
[21] In Isaiah:
"In her streets they have girded themselves with sackcloth, upon her roofs and in her streets he shall howl, going down into weeping" (15:3).
The things are said of the city of Ar in the land of Moab, by which is signified the doctrine of those who are in truths from the natural man; grief over the falsities of their doctrine, from primaries to ultimates, is signified by girding on sackcloth, and by howling upon the roofs and in the streets, roofs denoting interior things, and streets exterior things with them.
[22] In Jeremiah:
"Upon all the roofs of Moab, and in the streets thereof, a general lamentation" (48:38).
Similar things are here signified as by those above.
In Daniel:
"Know and perceive from the going forth of the word even to restoring and building of Jerusalem, unto Messiah the Prince, [seven weeks]; after sixty and two weeks the street and ditch shall be restored and built, but in straitness of times" (9:25).
He who is not acquainted with the spiritual sense of the Word may suppose that by Jerusalem is here signified Jerusalem, and that this is to be restored and built; also that by the street and ditch, of which it is likewise said that it shall be restored and built, is understood the street and ditch of that city. But by Jerusalem is meant the church which will be established by the Lord, and by the street and ditch is meant the truth of doctrine; by street truth, and by ditch doctrine. This is not the place to explain the signification of the number of weeks.
[23] From these considerations it is now evident that the signification of the street of the New Jerusalem in the following passages in the Apocalypse is similar:
"The twelve gates were twelve pearls, and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass" (21:21);
and afterwards:
"He shewed me a pure river of water of life, bright as crystal, going forth out of the throne of God and of the Lamb; in the midst of the street thereof and of the river, on either side, was the tree of life, bearing twelve fruits" (22:1, 2):
but these passages will be explained hereafter.
[24] In Isaiah:
"Thy sons have fainted, they have lain at the head of all the streets, as an antelope in a net" (51:20).
These things also are said of Jerusalem, that is, of the church vastated as to doctrine. Sons mean those who are in truths of doctrine; to faint and to lie at the head of all the streets signifies to be deprived of all truth, the head or beginning of the streets denoting the entrance to truth, consequently all truth.
[25] In Lamentations:
"The infant and suckling faint in the streets of the city; lift up thy hands to" the Lord "over the souls of thine infants, who have fainted through hunger at the head of all the streets" (386).
[26] In Nahum:
"Her infants were dashed in pieces at the head of all the streets, and over her honourable ones they cast lots, and all her great men were bound in chains" (3:10).
Infants, here also mean truths which are first born and vivified; and by being dashed in pieces at the head of all the streets is signified to be dispersed and to perish. By the honourable ones are signified the goods of love; by casting lots over them is signified to be dissipated; by great men are signified the truths of good; and by being bound in chains is signified to be bound by falsities, so that truths cannot come forth. These things are said concerning the city of bloods, which signifies doctrine in which the truths of the Word are falsified.
[27] In Jeremiah:
"Death is come up through our windows, it is come into our palaces, to cut off the infant from the street, the young men from the broad places" (9:21).
Death here means spiritual death, which takes place when falsity is believed to be truth, and the truth to be falsity; and the life is according to such belief. Windows signify thoughts from the understanding; palaces the interior and thence more sublime things of the human mind (mens); the signification of death ascending through the windows and coming into the palaces is therefore evident. Infant signifies here, as above, the truths which are first born through knowledges from the Word; the young men signify truths acquired, from which comes intelligence; while streets and broad places signify truths of doctrine and truths of life, which lead to intelligence and wisdom. The signification therefore of cutting off the infant from the street, the young men from the broad places, is evident.
[28] In the same:
"I am full of the anger of Jehovah, I am weary with holding in; pour out upon the infant in the street, and upon the assembly of young men; for even the man (vir) with the woman shall be taken, the old man with him that is full of days" (6:11).
Here by the infant in the street and by the young men similar things to those above are signified. Man and woman signify truth conjoined to good and thence intelligence, and by the old man and him that is full of days is signified wisdom.
[29] Since street signifies the truth of doctrine leading, and, in the opposite sense, falsity, therefore in the following passages mire of the streets, dirt and dung, signify falsity of the love of evil.
In Isaiah:
"Their carcase has become dung of the streets" (5:25).
In the same:
"He shall make him a treading down like the mire of the streets" (10:6).
In Micah:
"She shall be for a treading down like the mire of the streets" (7:10).
In David:
"I will beat them small as the dust before the faces of the wind, like the dirt of the streets I will spread them out" (Psalm 18:42).
These things are also from appearances in the spiritual world; in the cities there in which falsities from evil reign, the streets appear full of dung, dirt, and mire. It is evident from these things what is signified by "The Lord commanding the seventy, whom he sent to preach the Gospel, into whatever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go out into the streets thereof, and say, Even the dust of your city, that cleaveth unto us, do we shake off against you" (Luke 10:10, 11).
[30] Because the streets of a city signify truths of doctrine, according to which man should live, therefore it was customary to teach and to pray in the streets.
Thus in the Second Book of Samuel:
"Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon, lest peradventure the daughters of the Philistines rejoice" (1:20).
In Matthew:
"When thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do, in the synagogues and in the broad places, that they may have glory of men. And if thou pray thou shalt not be as the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues, and in the corners of the streets, where they may be seen of men" (6:2, 5).
And in Luke:
"Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets; but he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are" (13:26, 27).
[31] From the signification of street, as denoting the truth of doctrine, it is also clear why the Lord said in the parable that the householder commanded his servants, that they should go quickly into the streets and broad places of the city, and bring in the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind (Luke 14:21).
The poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind, do not mean such in a natural sense, but such in a spiritual sense, namely, those who, not having the Word, were in ignorance of truth, and therefore in want of good, but who still desired truths by means of which they might attain to good; such were the nations of whom the church of the Lord was afterwards established.
[32] Since the street of a city signified truth as well as falsity teaching and leading, therefore the angels who came to Sodom, said that they would tarry all night in the street (Genesis 19:2). And therefore, also, it was commanded that if the sons of Israel observed that those in any city served other gods, they should smite the inhabitants of the city with the sword, utterly destroying the city, and that they should bring all the spoil of it into the midst of the street, and burn the city and all the spoil with fire (Deuteronomy 13:14, 16, 17). By other gods are signified the falsities of worship; by the sword, the destruction of falsity by truths; by the spoil, the falsification of truth; and by fire, the punishment of the love of evil and its destruction.
[33] From these passages cited from the Word it is evident what is signified by the bodies of the two witnesses being cast upon the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, and afterwards by their not being permitted to be laid in the tombs. For it was a custom with the Jewish and Israelitish nation to cast out their enemies that were slain into the ways and streets, and not to bury them, as a sign of their hatred; but this represented that they were infernal evils and falsities which could not be raised again to life, that is, those who were in evils and falsities.
[34] This is also evident in Jeremiah:
The prophets prophesy, saying, "Sword and famine shall not be in this land; by the sword and famine shall these prophets be consumed, and the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out into the streets of Jerusalem, and there shall be none to bury them" (14:15, 16).
A prophet means the doctrine of truth, but here the doctrine of falsity, because they prophesied falsities and because streets signified where falsities are, therefore it is said that they shall be cast out into the streets of Jerusalem.
652. Verse 8. And their bodies shall be upon the street of the great city, signifies their extinction by the evils and falsities of doctrine. This is evident from the signification of "bodies" as being that the good of love and the truth of doctrine signified by "the two witnesses" have been extinguished; for "to be killed" signifies to be extinguished, here spiritually, because it refers to those who have wholly destroyed these things in themselves. In like manner the Lord is said "to have been slain" and "to be dead," to signify that the Divine proceeding from Him, which is Divine good and Divine truth, has been rejected, that is, the Lord has been slain and is dead with those by whom that has been rejected (See above, n. 83). This is evident also from the signification of "the street of the great city," as being the truth and good of doctrine, and in the contrary sense the falsity and evil of doctrine; for "street" signifies truth leading, and in the contrary sense falsity leading (of which presently); and "city" signifies doctrine (of which above, n. 223. It is said "great city," because "great" is predicated of good, and in the contrary sense of evil, as "many" is predicated of truth, and in the contrary sense of falsity (See above, n. 223, 336, 337). This now makes clear that "the bodies of the two witnesses upon the street of the great city" signifies the extinction of the good of love and charity and of the truth of doctrine and faith by the falsities and evils of doctrine. As the evils and falsities of doctrine are signified, it is next said "which great city is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt," "Sodom" signifying the evils of the love, and "Egypt" the falsities therefrom, each pertaining to doctrine, by which the church at its end is destroyed (concerning which in the following articles).
[2] "Street" signifies the truth of doctrine, and in the contrary sense the falsity of doctrine, because in the spiritual sense a "way" signifies truth leading to good, and in the contrary sense falsity leading to evil (See above, n. 97); and streets are ways in a city, and as a "city" signifies doctrine, so a "street" signifies the truth and the falsity of doctrine. Moreover, in the spiritual world there are cities, and streets in them, as in the cities of the world; and what each one is in respect to the affection of truth and intelligence therefrom is known there merely from the place where he dwells and from the streets in which he walks. Those who are in a clear perception of truth dwell in the southern quarter of the city and also walk there; those who are in a clear affection of the good of love dwell in the eastern quarter and also walk there; those who are in an obscure affection of the good of love dwell in the western quarter and also walk there; and those who are in an obscure perception of truth dwell in the northern quarter and also walk there. But in the cities where those live who are in the persuasion of falsity from evil the reverse is true. This makes clear why it is that a "street" signifies truth or falsity leading.
[3] That "streets" have this signification can be seen from the following passages. In Jeremiah:
Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see, I pray, and know, and seek in the open places thereof if ye can find a man that doeth judgment, that seeketh truth; then will I pardon her (Jeremiah 5:1).
Because "the streets of Jerusalem and the open places thereof" signify the truths of doctrine, according to the states of affection and perception of those who are of the church, and because "Jerusalem" signifies the church in respect to doctrine it is said, "Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see and know, and seek in the open places thereof;" and because "judgment" is predicated of truths, since all judgment comes from laws and precepts, which are truths, and because "truth" signifies the truth of doctrine and of faith it is said, "if ye can find a man that doeth judgment and that seeketh truth."
The "open places" mean particularly the corners of the city, thus the quarters where the dwelling places are; and as each one in the cities in the spiritual world has his dwelling place in accordance with his affection of good and his perception of truth, clear or obscure, therefore "open places" signify truths and goods according to each one's affection and perception.
[4] In Isaiah:
Judgment hath been rejected backward, and justice hath stood afar off; for truth hath stumbled in the street, and rectitude cannot enter (Isaiah 59:14).
"Judgment and justice" signify in the Word truth and good; that these no longer exist is signified by "judgment hath been rejected backward, and justice has stood afar off;" that they have wandered away from the truths of doctrine, and consequently there is no truth in the life, which is the good of life, is signified by "truth hath stumbled in the street, and rectitude cannot enter," for all good of life is acquired by means of the truths of doctrine, for it is by them that a man learns how he ought to live. Because "street" signifies where truth leads, it is said "truth hath stumbled in the street."
[5] In Nahum:
The chariots raged in the street, they ran to and fro in the open places (Nahum 2:4).
Because "chariots" signify the doctrinals of truth, and "streets" and "open places" what is in accord with each one's affection and perception, as above, it is said "the chariots raged in the streets, they ran to and fro in the open places," "to rage" signifying to call falsities truths, and "to run to and fro" signifying to wander off.
[6] In the book of Judges:
In the days of Jael the ways ceased, they that go in footpaths went in crooked paths, they ceased, the open places ceased in Israel (Judges 5:6, 7).
This is in the Song of Deborah and Barak, which treats of the desolation of truth in the church, and afterwards of its restoration; the desolation is described by "the ways ceased, they that go in footpaths went in crooked paths, they ceased, the open places ceased in Israel;" "ways and paths" having the same signification as "streets and open places," namely, truths of doctrine leading, and "to go in crooked ways" signifies to wander away from truths.
[7] In Isaiah:
The city of emptiness shall be broken down, every house shall be shut that no one may enter; a cry over the wine in the streets; every joy shall be mixed, the gladness of the earth shall be banished (Isaiah 24:10, 11).
"The city of emptiness" signifies doctrine in which there is falsity and no truth; "house" signifies the good of the will and thus of the life; thence is evident what is signified by "the city of emptiness shall be broken down, every house shall be shut that no one may enter;" "a cry over the wine in the streets" signifies lamentation on account of the lack of truth and the mingling of truth with falsity, "wine" signifying the truth of the church from the Word; therefore it is said "in the streets," because "street" too signifies truth, and where truth is sought. "Joy and gladness" are mentioned, because "joy" is predicated of the delight that is from the affection of good, and "gladness" of the delight that is from the affection of truth; that these delights will cease is signified by "every joy shall be mixed, the gladness of the earth shall be banished," the earth signifying the church.
[8] In Jeremiah:
How is the city of glory forsaken, the city of my joy! Therefore her young men shall fall in the streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off (Jeremiah 49:25, 26; 50:30).
"The city of glory" signifies the doctrine of Divine truth, and "the city of joy" signifies the delight from the affection of good and truth therein; "young men" signify those who are made intelligent by means of truths; and that the understanding of truth would perish is signified by "the young men shall fall in the streets;" "men of war" signify truths combating against falsities; that there will be no defense of truth against falsities is signified by "all the men of war shall be cut off."
[9] In Ezekiel:
You have multiplied your slain in this city, so that you have filled the streets thereof with the slain (Ezekiel 11:6).
The "slain" mean in the Word those who are destroyed by falsities; for the "sword," by which they are slain, signifies falsity destroying truth; "city" signifies here, as above, the doctrine of truth; thence appears what is signified by "the slain in the city;" "to fill the streets with the slain" signifies to lay waste the truth by falsities.
[10] In Lamentations:
They that did eat delicacies are laid waste in the streets; and they that were brought up in crimson have embraced dunghills. The form of the Nazirites is darker than blackness, they are not recognized in the streets. They have wandered about blind in the streets, they are polluted with blood. They have hunted our steps so that we cannot go in the streets (Lamentations 4:5, 8, 14, 18).
Here, too, "streets" signify the truths of doctrine leading to the good of life, or truths according to which one must live. This treats of the church where the Word is, and its devastation in respect to truths; therefore "they that did eat delicacies are laid waste in the streets" signifies that those who have imbibed genuine truths from the Word have no longer any truths, "delicacies" meaning genuine truths from the Word; "they that were brought up in crimson have embraced dunghills" signifies that those who had imbibed genuine goods from the Word have nothing but the falsities of evil, "crimson" signifying the genuine good of the Word, in particular the celestial love of truth, and "dunghills" signifying the falsities of evil; "the form of the Nazirites is darker than blackness, they are not recognized in the streets," signifies that Divine truth is in such obscurity that it is apparent to no one; "the Nazirites" represent the Lord in relation to Divine truth, and therefore signify Divine truth from the Lord; "they have wandered about blind in the streets, they are polluted with blood," signifies that the truths of the Word are no longer seen because they have been falsified, "the blind" signifying those who do not see truths. "They have hunted our steps, so that we cannot go in the streets," signifies leading astray, so that it is not known how to live, "to hunt the steps" signifying to lead astray by falsities, and "to go" signifying to live, therefore "to go in the streets" signifies to live according to truths.
[11] In Zephaniah:
I will cut off the nations, their corners shall be laid waste; I will make desolate their streets, that none may pass through; their cities shall be laid waste, that there may be no man nor inhabitant (417; the "streets that shall be made desolate, that no one may pass through," signify the truths of doctrine; for the "cities that shall be laid waste, that there may be no man nor inhabitant," signify doctrinals, "man" and "inhabitants" meaning in the Word in the spiritual sense all who are in truths and goods, thus in an abstract sense, truths and goods.
[12] In Zechariah:
I will return to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, whence Jerusalem shall be called the city of truth. There shall yet old men and women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and the streets shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof (Zechariah 8:3-5).
This is said of the Lord's coming, and of the New Church to be established by Him; "Zion" means the church in respect to the good of love, and "Jerusalem" the church in respect to the truths of doctrine, therefore Jerusalem is called "the city of truth;" "the old men and women who shall dwell in the streets of Jerusalem" mean those that are intelligent and wise through the truths of doctrine; "the boys and girls playing in the streets, of whom the streets of the city shall be full," signify the affections of truth and good and their delights, in which those shall abound who live in the truths of doctrine.
[13] In Jeremiah:
According to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to shame, altars to burn incense to Baal (324, 491, 492, 567.)
[14] In the same:
Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The sons gather wood and the fathers kindle the fire, the women knead dough to make cakes to the queen of the heavens, and to pour out drink-offerings to other gods; I will make to cease in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem the voice of joy and the voice of gladness (555; also that "the cities of Judah" signify the doctrinals of the church, and "the streets of Jerusalem" its truths of doctrine.
[15] In the same:
Have ye forgotten the evils which they did in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? (Jeremiah 44:9)
"The land of Judah" signifies the church in respect to good, but here in respect to evil; and "the streets of Jerusalem" signify the truths of doctrine, but here its falsities of doctrine.
[16] In Ezekiel:
With the hoofs of his horses Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon shall trample down all thy streets; he shall slay thy people with the sword, and he shall bring down the pillars of strength to the earth; they shall make a spoil of thy wealth (236.)
[17] In the same:
Thou hast built thee an eminent place and hast made thee an exalted place in every street, upon every head of the way thou hast made thee thy eminent place, and thou hast made thy beauty abominable (Ezekiel 16:24, 25, 31).
"Eminent place" and "exalted place" with the ancients signified heaven; from this came the practice of sacrificing upon high mountains, or in place of these upon places built up high, therefore worship from evils and from the falsities of doctrine is signified by "making an eminent and an exalted place in every street, and upon every head of the way;" and as that worship became idolatrous it is said that "they made their beauty abominable," "beauty" meaning truth and intelligence therefrom; for everyone in the spiritual world is beautiful according to truths from good, and intelligence therefrom.
[18] In Amos:
Lamentations shall be in all the streets, and they shall say in all the open places, Alas, alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning (Amos 5:16).
"Lamentations shall be in all the streets, and they shall say in all the open places, Alas, alas!" signifies grief because truth and good are everywhere laid waste; "and they shall call the husbandman to mourning" signifies the grief of the men of the church on this account, "husbandman" signifying the man of the church, because a "field" signifies the church in respect to the implantation of truth.
[19] In David:
Our garners are full, affording food on food; our flocks are thousands and ten thousands in our streets; our oxen are laden, there is no breach nor fleeing away, nor outcry in our open places (Psalms 144:13, 14).
"Garners which are full of food" signify the doctrinals from the Word, thus the Word itself, wherein are all truths of doctrine which furnish instruction and spiritual nourishment; "flocks are thousands and ten thousands in the streets" signifies spiritual goods and truths, "thousands of flocks" goods, and "ten thousands" truths; "oxen laden" signify natural goods and their affections; "no breach" signifies their coherence; "no fleeing away" signifies no loss of any of these; "no outcry in the open places" signifies no lamentation anywhere over the lack of these.
[20] In Job:
God, who giveth rain upon the faces of the earth, and who sendeth waters upon the faces of the streets (Job 5:10).
"To give rain upon the faces of the earth" signifies the influx of Divine truth into all things with those who are of the church; and "to send waters upon the faces of the streets" signifies Divine influx into the truths of doctrine, that man may be rendered spiritual thereby.
[21] In Isaiah:
In its streets they have girded themselves with sackcloth, upon its roofs and in its streets he shall howl, flowing down in weeping (Isaiah 15:3).
This is said of the city Ar in the land of Moab, which signifies the doctrine of those who are in truths from the natural man; grief over their falsities of doctrine, from the first to the last, is signified by "they have girded themselves with sackcloth, upon its roofs and in its streets he shall howl," "roofs" meaning interior things, and "streets" exterior things with such. In Jeremiah:
Upon all the roofs of Moab and in its streets, lamentation everywhere (Jeremiah 48:38).
The signification here is similar, as above.
[22] In Daniel:
Know and perceive that from the going forth of the Word even to the restoration and building of Jerusalem, even to Messiah the prince; after sixty and two weeks it shall be restored and built, street and ditch, but in straitness of times (Daniel 9:25).
He who knows not the spiritual sense of the Word may think that by "Jerusalem" here Jerusalem is meant, and that it is to be restored and built; also that "the street and ditch" which it is said will be restored and built mean a street and ditch of that city; but "Jerusalem" means the church that is to be established by the Lord, and "street and ditch" mean the truth of doctrine; "street" truth, and "ditch" doctrine. What is there signified by the number of weeks is not to be explained in this place.
[23] This makes evident that "the street of the New Jerusalem" has a like signification in the following passages in Revelation:
The twelve gates were twelve pearls and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass (Revelation 21:21).
And afterwards:
He showed me a pure river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb; in the midst of the street thereof and of the river on either side was the tree of life, bearing twelve fruits (Revelation 22:1, 2).
But these passages will be explained hereafter.
[24] In Isaiah:
Thy sons have fainted, they lay at the head of all the streets, as an antelope in a net (Isaiah 51:20).
This, too, is said of Jerusalem, that is, the church vastated in respect to doctrine, "sons" meaning those who are in the truths of doctrine; "to faint and to lie at the head of all the streets" signifies to be deprived of all truth, "head or beginning of the streets" signifying entrance to truth, thus all truth.
[25] In Lamentations:
The infant and the suckling faint in the streets of the city. Lift up thy hands to the Lord respecting the souls of thine infants, who have fainted from famine at the head of all the streets (386).
[26] In Nahum:
Her infants were dashed in pieces at the head of all the streets, and over her honorable ones they cast a lot, and all her great ones were bound with chains (Nahum 3:10).
Here also "infants" mean the truths that are firstborn and vivified, and "to be dashed in pieces at the head of all the streets" signifies to be scattered and to perish; "honorable ones" signify the goods of love; "to cast a lot over them" signifies dispersion of these; "great ones" signify the truths of good; and "to be bound with chains" signifies to be tied by falsities so that truth cannot come forth. This is said of "the city of bloods" which signifies the doctrine in which the truths of the Word are falsified.
[27] In Jeremiah:
Death cometh up through our windows, it cometh into our palaces, to cut off the infant from the street, the young men from the open places (Jeremiah 9:21).
"Death" means here spiritual death, which takes place when falsity is believed to be truth and truth to be falsity, and the life is in accordance therewith; "windows" signify the thoughts from the understanding, "palaces" the interior and thus the more sublime things of the human mind; this makes clear what is signified by "death cometh up through the windows and cometh into our palaces;" "infant" signifies here as above the truths that are firstborn through knowledges from the Word; "young men" signify truths acquired, from which comes intelligence; and "streets and open places" signify the truths of doctrine and the truths of life which lead to intelligence and wisdom; this makes clear what is signified by "cutting off the infant from the street, the young men from the open places."
[28] In the same:
I am full of the anger of Jehovah, I am weary with holding in; pour out upon the infant in the street, and upon the assembly of young men; for even the man with the woman shall be taken, the old man with him that is full of days (Jeremiah 6:11).
Here "the infant in the street" and "the young men" have a similar signification as above; "man [vir] and woman" signify truth conjoined to good and intelligence therefrom; and "old man" and "one full of days" signify wisdom.
[29] As "street" signifies the truth of doctrine leading, and in the contrary sense falsity, "the clay of the streets," "the mire," and "dung" signify the falsity of the love of evil, in the following passages. In Isaiah:
Their carcass has become as the dung of the streets (Isaiah 5:25).
He shall make him to be trodden down like the clay of the streets (Isaiah 10:6).
In Micah:
She shall be trodden down like the mire of the streets (Mic. Micah 7:10).
In David:
I will beat them small as the dust before the faces of the wind, I will spread them out as the mire of the streets (Psalms 18:42).
All this, too, is from the appearances in the spiritual world; in the cities there in which falsities from evil reign the streets appear full of dung, mire and clay. This makes evident what is signified by:
The Lord's commanding the seventy whom He sent out to preach the Gospel, Into whatever city ye enter and they receive you not, go out into the streets thereof and say, Even the dust of your city that cleaveth unto us do we shake off from us 1(Luke 10:10, 11).
[30] Because "the streets of a city" signify the truths of doctrine, according to which one should live, it was customary to teach and to pray in the streets. Thus in the second book of Samuel:
Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice (2 Samuel 1:20).
In Matthew:
When thou doest alms sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the open places that they may have glory of men. And when thou prayest thou shalt not be as the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets where they may be seen of men (Matthew 6:2, 5).
And in Luke:
Then shall ye begin to say, We did eat before Thee and drink, and Thou didst teach in our streets; but He shall say, I tell you I know you not whence ye are (Luke 13:26, 27).
[31] Furthermore, from the signification of "street," as meaning the truth of doctrine, it is also evident why the Lord said in the parable that:
The master of the house commanded his servants to go out quickly into the streets and open places of the city and bring in the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind (Luke 14:21).
"The poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind," do not mean such in a natural sense, but such in a spiritual sense, that is, such as had not the Word, and were therefore in ignorance of truth and in lack of good, but still desired truths by means of which they might obtain good; such were the Gentiles with whom the church of the Lord was afterwards established.
[32] Because "the street of a city" signified either truth or falsity teaching and leading, therefore:
The angels that came to Sodom said that they would lodge all night in the street (Genesis 19:2).
And for the same reason it was commanded that:
If the sons of Israel observed that those in any city served other gods they should smite the inhabitants of the city with the sword, utterly destroying the city, and they should bring all the spoil of it into the midst of the street, and burn the city and all the spoil with fire (Deuteronomy 13:14, 16, 17).
"Other gods" signify the falsities of worship, "the sword" the destruction of falsities by truths; "spoil" the falsification of truth; and "fire" the punishment of the love of evil and its destruction.
[33] From these passages cited from the Word it can be seen what is signified by "the bodies of the two witnesses were cast forth upon the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt," and afterwards that "they were not suffered to be placed in sepulchers;" for it was a custom with the Jewish and Israelitish nation to cast out the slain that were enemies into the ways and streets, and not to bury them, as a sign of their hatred of such; but still this represented that by such enemies infernal evils and falsities that could not be raised again to life were meant, that is, those who were in infernal evils and falsities.
[34] This is evident in Jeremiah:
The prophets prophesy, saying, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; by sword and by famine shall these prophets be consumed, and the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out into the streets of Jerusalem, and there shall be no one to bury them (Jeremiah 14:15, 16).
A "prophet" means the doctrine of truth, here the doctrine of falsity, because they prophesied falsities; and as "streets" signified where falsities are, it is said that "they were to be cast out into the streets of Jerusalem."
Footnotes:
1. The Greek has "against you."
652. [Vers. 8.] "Et corpora illorum super platea urbis magnae." - Quod significet exstinctionem illorum ex malis et falsis doctrinae, constat ex significatione "corporum", quod sit quod bonum amoris et verum doctrinae (quae significantur per "binos testes") exstincta sint; nam "occidi" significat exstingui, hic spiritualiter, quia apud illos, qui apud se prorsus destruxerunt illa: similiter dicitur de Domino, quod "occisus" et "mortuus", per quod significatur quod Divinum ab Ipso procedens, quod est Divinum Bonum et Divinum Verum, sit rejectum; ita Dominus apud illos, a quibus id rejicitur, est occisus et mortuus (videatur supra, n. 83): et ex significatione "plateae urbis magnae", quod sit verum et bonum doctrinae, et in opposito sensu est falsum et malum doctrinae; per "plateam" enim significatur verum ducens, et in opposito sensu falsum ducens (de qua sequitur), et per "urbem" significatur doctrina (de qua supra, n. 223) dicitur "urbs magna, quia magnum dicitur de bono, et in opposito sensu de malo, ac "multum" de vero et in opposito sensu de falso (videatur supra, n. 223 [b, c] , [336 [a] , 337]): ex his nunc patet, quod per "corpora binorum testium super platea urbis magnae", significetur exstinctio boni amoris et charitatis ac veri doctrinae et fidei per falsa et mala doctrinae: quia mala et falsa doctrinae significantur, sequitur, "quae urbs magna spiritualiter vocatur Sodoma et Aegyptus", et per "Sodomam" significantur mala amoris, et per "Aegyptum" falsa inde, utraque doctrinae, quae ecclesiam in fine ejus perdunt (de quibus in articulis qui sequuntur).
[2] Quod "platea" significet verum doctrinae, et in opposito sensu falsum ejus, est quia per "viam" in sensu spirituali significatur verum ducens ad bonum, et in opposito sensu falsum ducens ad malum (videatur supra, n. 97); et plateae sunt viae in urbe; et quia per "urbem" significatur doctrina, ideo per "plateam" significatur verum et falsum doctrinae. In mundo spirituali etiam sunt urbes, et ibi sunt plateae sicut in urbibus in mundo; et quisque cognoscitur qualis est quoad affectionem veri et inde intelligentiam solum ex locis ibi ubi habitant, tum quoque ex plateis quas ambulant. Qui in clara perceptione veri sunt, habitant in plaga meridionali urbis, et quoque ibi ambulant; qui in affectione boni amoris clara sunt, habitant in plaga orientali, et quoque ibi ambulant; qui in affectione boni amoris obscura sunt, in plaga occidentali habitant, et quoque ibi ambulant; et qui in perceptione veri obscura sunt, in plaga septentrionali habitant, et quoque ibi ambulant: vicissim autem in urbibus ubi degunt qui in persuasione falsi ex malo sunt. Ex his constare potest unde est quod "platea" significet verum aut falsum ducens.
[3] Quod talia per "plateas" significentur, constare potest ex sequentibus locis:
- Apud Jeremiam,
"Discurrite per plateas Hierosolymae, et videte, quaeso, et cognoscite, et quaerite in vicis ejus, si inveniatis virum, qui sit faciens judicium, quaerens veritatem; tunc condonabo illi" (5:1):
quoniam per "plateas Hierosolymae" et per "vicos" ejus significantur vera doctrinae secundum status affectionis et perceptionis illorum qui ab ecclesia, et per "Hierosolymam" significatur ecclesia quoad doctrinam, ideo dicitur, "Discurrite per plateas Hierosolymae, et videte et cognoscite, et quaerite in vicis ejus"; et quoniam "judicium" praedicatur de veris, quia ex legibus et praeceptis, quae sunt vera, fit omne judicium, et quia per "veritatem" significatur verum doctrinae et fidei, ideo dicitur, "si inveniatis virum qui sit faciens judicium, et quaerens veritatem": per "vicos" in specie significantur anguli urbis, ita plagae ubi habitant; et quia quisque habitat in urbibus in mundo spirituali secundum affectionem boni et perceptionem veri claram et obscuram, ideo per "vicos" significantur vera et bona secundum cujusvis affectionem et perceptionem.
[4] Apud Esaiam,
"Rejectum est retro judicium, et justitia e longinquo stetit: nam impegit in platea veritas, et rectitudo non potest venire" ( 1
59:14):
per "judicium" et "justitiam" in Verbo significatur verum et bonum; quod non illa sint, significatur per quod "rejectum sit retro judicium, et justitia e longinquo stetit": quod a veris doctrinae aberraverint, et quod inde non verum in vita, quod est bonum vitae, significatur per quod "impegerit in platea veritas, ut rectitudo non possit venire"; omne enim bonum vitae comparatur per vera doctrinae, ex his enim discit homo quomodo victurus est: quia "platea" significat ubi verum ducens, ideo dicitur "Impegit in platea veritas."
[5] Apud Nahum,
In plateis insaniverunt currus, discurrerunt in vicis" (2:5 [B.A. 4]):
quia per "currus" significantur doctrinalia veri, et per "plateas" et "vicos" secundum cujusvis affectionem et perceptionem (ut supra), ideo dicitur, "In plateis insaniverunt currus, discurrerunt in vicis; per "insanire" significatur falsa dicere vera, et per "discurrere" significatur aberrare.
[6] In Libro Judicum,
"In diebus Jaelis cessarunt viae euntes semitas, iverunt vias tortuosas, cessarunt, vici in Israele cessarunt" (5:6, 7):
haec in Cantico Deborae et Barachi, in quo agitur de desolatione veri in ecclesia, et postea de restitutione ejus; desolatio describitur per "Cessarunt viae, euntes semitas iverunt vias tortuosas, vici in Israele cessarunt"; per "vias" et "semitas" similia significantur quae per "plateas" et "vicos", nempe vera doctrinae ducentia; et per "ire vias tortuosas" significatur aberratio a veris.
[7] Apud Esaiam,
"Frangetur urbs inanitatis, claudetur omnis domus ut nemo intret; clamor super vino in plateis, commiscebitur omne gaudium, exulabit laetitia terrae" ( 2
per "urbem inanitatis" significatur doctrina in qua non verum sed falsum; per "domum" significatur bonum voluntatis et inde vitae; inde patet quid significatur per "Frangetur urbs inanitatis, claudetur omnis domus ut nemo intret": per "clamorem super vino in plateis" significatur lamentatio propter defectum et commixtionem veri cum falso; "vinum" significat verum ecclesiae ex Verbo; ideo dicitur "in plateis", quia "platea" id quoque significat, et ibi quaeritur: "gaudium" et "laetitia" dicitur, quia "gaudium" praedicatur de jucundo ex affectione boni, et "laetitia" de jucundo ex affectione veri; quod illa jucunda cessabunt, significatur per "Commiscebitur omne gaudium, exulabit laetitia terrae"; "terra" significat ecclesiam.
[8] Apud Jeremiam,
"Quomodo [non] relicta est urbs gloriae, urbs gaudii mei; quare cadent juvenes. . in plateis, et omnes viri belli exscindentur" (49:25, 26; 50:30):
per "urbem gloriae" significatur doctrina Divini Veri; per "urbem gaudii" significatur jucundum ex affectione boni et veri ibi; per "juvenes" significantur intelligentes facti per vera; quod peritura sit intelligentia veri, significatur per quod "cadent juvenes in plateis" per "viros belli" significantur vera pugnantia contra falsa; quod defensio veri contra falsa nulla erit, significatur per quod "omnes viri belli exscindentur."
[9] Apud Ezechielem,
"Multiplicasti confossos vestros in urbe hac, ut impleveritis plateas ejus confosso" (11:6):
per "confossos" in Verbo intelliguntur qui pereunt per falsa, nam "gladius", quo confoditur, significat falsum destruens verum; per "urbem" significatur hic, ut supra, doctrina veri; inde patet quid significatur per "confossos in urbe": per "implere plateas confosso" significatur devastatio veri per falsa.
[10] In Threnis,
"Qui comederunt lautitias, devastati sunt in plateis; et educati super purpura amplexi sunt sterquilinia. .... Obscurata est prae nigredine forma" Naziraeorum, "non cognoscuntur in plateis. .... Errarunt caeci in plateis, polluti sunt sanguine. .... Venati sunt gressus nostros, ut non ire in plateis" (4:5, 8, 14, 18):
per "plateas" etiam hic significantur vera doctrinae ducentia ad bonum vitae; seu vera secundum quae vivendum est: agitur ibi de ecclesia, ubi est Verbum, devastata quoad vera; quare per "Qui comederunt lautitias devastati sunt in plateis", significatur quod illis qui hauserunt genuina vera ex Verbo, non amplius aliqua vera sint; "lautitiae" sunt genuina vera ex Verbo: quod "educati super purpura amplexi sint sterquilinia" significat quod illis qui hauserunt genuina bona ex Verbo, non sint nisi quam falsa mali; "purpura" significat genuinum bonum Verbi, in specie caelestem amorem veri, et "sterquilinia" significant falsa mali: per "Obscurata est prae nigredine forma Naziraeorum, non cognoscuntur in plateis", significatur quod Divinum Verum in tam obscuro sit, ut non alicui appareat; per "Naziraeos" repraesentatus est Dominus quoad Divinum Verum; inde per illos significatur Divinum Verum a Domino: per "Errarunt caeci in plateis, polluti sanguine", significatur quod vera Verbi non amplius videantur quia falsificata; per "caecos" significantur qui non vident vera: per "Venati gressus nostros, ut non ire in plateis", significatur seductio, ut non sciatur quomodo vivendum; per "venari gressus" significatur seducere per falsa, et per "ire" significatur vivere; inde per "ire in plateis" significatur vivere secundum vera.
[11] Apud Zephaniam,
"Exscindam gentes, devastabuntur anguli eorum, desolabo plateas eorum ut non transiens, devastabuntur urbes eorum, ut non vir nec habitator" (3:6):
per "gentes" quae exscindentur, significantur bona ecclesiae: per "angulos" qui devastabuntur, significantur vera et bona ejus in toto complexu: (quod haec per "angulos" significentur, videatur supra, n. 417): per "plateas" quae desolabuntur ut non transiens", significantur vera doctrinae; nam per "urbes" quae devastabuntur ut non vir nec habitator" significantur doctrinalia; per "virum" et "habitatores" in spirituali sensu in Verbo intelliguntur omnes qui in veris et in bonis sunt, ita abstracte vera et bona.
[12] Apud Sachariam,
"Revertar ad Zionem, et habitabo in medio Hierosolymae, unde vocabitur Hierosolyma urbs veritatis.... : adhuc habitabunt..mares et senes mulieres in plateis Hierosolymae, .... et implebuntur plateae..pueris et puellis ludentibus in plateis ejus" (8:3-5):
haec de adventu Domini, et de nova ecclesia ab Ipso instauranda; per "Zionem" intelligitur ecclesia quoad bonum amoris, et per "Hierosolymam" ecclesia quoad vera doctrinae; quare vocatur Hierosolyma "urbs veritatis": per "mares et senes mulieres", qui "habitabunt in plateis Hierosolymae", intelliguntur intelligentes et sapientes per vera doctrinae; per "pueros et puellas ludentes in plateis", quibus "implebuntur plateae urbis", significantur affectiones veri et boni, et illarum jucunditates, quibus abundabunt illi qui in veris doctrinae vivunt.
[13] Apud Jeremiam,
"Juxta numerum urbium tuarum fuerunt dii tui, Jehudah, et juxta numerum platearum Hierosolymae posuistis altaria in pudorem, altaria ad suffiendum Baali" (11:13):
"Juxta numerum urbium tuarum fuerunt dii tui, Jehudah", significat quod tot falsa quot doctrinalia; per "urbes" significantur doctrinalia, et per "deos" falsa religionis: "juxta numerum platearum Hierosolymae posuistis altaria in pudorem", significat tot cultus quot falsa doctrinae; per "plateas" hic significantur falsa doctrinae, et per "altaria" cultus; quod sit cultus ex falsis qui intelligitur, est quia per "altaria" intelliguntur altaria suffitus, nam dicitur "Altaria ad suffiendum Baali"; per "suffitum" enim significatur bonum spirituale, quod in sua essentia est verum ex bono, et in opposito sensu falsum ex malo.
(Quod "suffitus" et "altare" ejus illa significent, videatur supra, n. 324, 491, 492, 567.)
[14] Apud eundem,
"Num non tu vides, quid illi faciunt in urbibus Jehudae et in plateis Hierosolymae? Filii colligunt ligna, et patres accendunt ignem, mulieres depsunt massam ad faciendum placentas melecheth caelorum, simul ad libandum libamina diis aliis:.... cessare faciam in urbibus Jehudae et in plateis Hierosolymae vocem gaudii et vocem laetitiae" (7:17, 18, 34):
quid haec in sensu spirituali significant, videatur plene explicatum supra (n. 555 [d]); et quod per "urbes Jehudae" significentur doctrinalia ecclesiae, et per "plateas Hierosolymae" vera doctrinae ejus.
[15] Apud eundem,
" 3
Num obliti estis malorum, .... quae fecerunt in terra Jehudae, et in plateis Hierosolymae?" ( 4
44:9):
per "terram Jehudae" significatur ecclesia quoad bonum, ibi quoad malum; et per "plateas Hierosolymae" significantur vera doctrinae, hic falsa doctrinae ejus.
[16] Apud Ezechielem,
"Per ungulas equorum suorum conculcabit" Nebuchadnezar rex Babelis "omnes plateas tuas, populum gladio occidet, et statuas roboris in terras descendere faciet; diripient opes tuas" (26:11, 12):
per "Nebuchadnezarem regem Babelis", significatur profanatio veri, et inde destructio ejus: quod per fallacias sensualis hominis destructurus sit omnia vera ecclesiae, significatur per quod "per ungulas equorum suorum conculcabit omnes plateas tuas": quod destruet vera per falsa, significatur per quod "gladio occidet populum": quod sic etiam omnem cultum ex veris, significatur per quod "statuas roboris in terras descendere faciet"; "statuae" enim significant sanctum cultum ex veris; et quia omnis potentia est veri ex bono, vocantur "statuae roboris": quod etiam destruet cognitiones veri, significatur per quod "diripient opes" (quod "opes" et "divitiae" sint cognitiones veri, videatur n. 236).
[17] Apud eundem,
"Aedificasti tibi excelsum, et fecisti tibi altum in omni platea; super omni capite viae fecisti tibi excelsum tuum, et abominabilem fecisti pulchritudinem tuam" (16:24, 25, 31):
per "excelsa" apud antiquos significabatur caelum, et quoque per "altum"; unde ritus sacrificandi super montibus altis, et loco eorum super excelsis in altum aedificatis; quare cultus ex malis et falsis doctrinae significatur per "facere excelsum et altum in omni platea, et super omni capite viae": et quia cultus ille idololatricus factus est, ideo dicitur quod "abominabilem fecerint pulchritudinem suam; per "pulchritudinem" intelligitur verum et inde intelligentia, quisque enim in mundo spirituali est [pulcher] secundum vera ex bono et inde intelligentiam.
[18] Apud Amos,
"In omnibus plateis luctus, et in omnibus vicis dicent, Heu, heu; et vocabunt agricolam ad luctum" (5:16):
"In omnibus plateis luctus, et in omnibus vicis dicent, Heu, heu", significat dolorem propter devastatum verum et bonum ubivis; "et vocabunt agricolam ad luctum" significat dolorem hominum ecclesiae propter id; "agricola" significat hominem ecclesiae, quia "ager" significat ecclesiam quoad implantationem veri.
[19] Apud Davidem,
"Horrea nostra plena depromentia de cibo ad cibum, greges nostri milleni, decies milleni in plateis nostris; boves nostri onerati, non ruptura nec effugiens, nec clamor in vicis nostris" (Psalms 144:13, 14):
per "horrea" quae plena cibo significantur doctrinalia ex Verbo, ita Verbum ubi omnia vera doctrinae, ex quibus instructio et nutritio spiritualis; per "greges millenos et decies millenos in plateis", significantur bona et vera spiritualia, per "greges millenos" bona, et per "decies millenos" vera; per "boves oneratos" significantur bona naturalia et illorum affectiones; per "non rupturam" significatur cohaerentia illorum; per "non effugiens" significatur non jactura ullius; per "non clamorem in vicis" significatur nullibi lamentatio super defectum illorum.
[20] Apud Hiobum,
Deus "qui dat pluviam super facies terrae, et qui mittit aquas super facies platearum" (5:10):
"dare pluviam super facies terrae" significat influxum Divini Veri in omnia apud illos qui ab ecclesia; et "mittere aquas super facies platearum" significat influxum Divinum in vera doctrinae, ad spiritualem reddendum hominem per illa.
[21] Apud Esaiam,
"In plateis ejus accinxerunt saccum, super tectis ejus et in plateis ejus ejulabit, descendens in fletum" (15:3):
haec de urbe Ar in terra Moabi, per quam significatur doctrina illorum qui in veris ex naturali homine sunt: dolor super falsa doctrinae illorum, a primis ad ultima, significatur per "Accinxerunt saccum, super tectis et in plateis ejus ejulabit"; "tecta" sunt interiora, et "plateae" sunt exteriora apud illos.
Apud Jeremiam,
"Super omnibus tectis Moabi, et in plateis ejus totus luctus" ( 5
per haec similia significantur quae nunc supra.
[22] Apud Danielem,
"Scito et percipito, ab exitu Verbi, usque ad restituendum et ad aedificandum Hierosolymam, usque ad Messiam principem [septimanae septem] ; postea septimanis sexaginta duabus restituetur et aedificabitur platea et fossa, sed in angustia temporum" (9:25):
qui non scit sensum spiritualem Verbi, opinari potest quod per "Hierosolymam" hic significetur Hierosolyma, et quod illa restituetur et aedificabitur, et quoque quod per "plateam et fossam" platea urbis et fossa ibi, de qua etiam dicitur quod restituetur et aedificabitur; sed per "Hierosolymam" intelligitur ecclesia quae a Domino instaurabitur, et per "plateam et fossam" intelligitur verum doctrinae, per "plateam" verum, et per "fossam" doctrina: quid per numeros 6
septimanarum ibi significatur, non locus hic explicandi est.
[23] Ex illis nunc patet quod per "plateam Novae Hierosolymae" simile significetur in sequentibus in Apocalypsi,
"Duodecim portae duodecim margaritae, .... et platea urbis aurum purum, quasi vitrum pellucidum" (21:21);
et postea,
"Ostendit mihi purum fluvium aquae vitae, splendidum sicut crystallum, exeuntem e throno Dei et Agni: in medio plateae ejus et fluvii hinc inde arbor vitae faciens fructus duodecim" (22:1 2):
sed de his in sequentibus.
[24] Apud Esaiam,
"Filii tui defecerunt, jacuerunt in capite omnium platearum, sicut bubalus reti" (51:20):
haec quoque de Hierosolyma, hoc est, ecclesia, quoad doctrinam vastata; per "filios" intelliguntur qui in veris doctrinae sunt: "deficere et jacere in capite omnium platearum" significat deprivatos omni vero; "caput" seu principium "platearum" significat ingressum ad verum, ita omne verum.
[25] In Threnis,
"Infans et lactens deficit in plateis urbis; .... tolle ad "Dominum" manus tuas super animas infantum tuorum, qui defecerunt per famem in capite omnium platearum" (2:11, 19):
per "infantem et lactentem" significatur innocentia, et quoque bona et vera quae per cognitiones ex Verbo primum nascuntur et vivificantur apud homines qui regenerantur; quae quia prima sunt, etiam insontia et innocua sunt: illorum defectus plenarius significatur per quod "defecerunt in plateis urbis, et in capite omnium platearum ": dicitur "per famem", quia "fames" significat deprivationem, defectum, ignorantiam et simul desiderium cognitionum (videatur supra, n. 386).
[26] Apud Nahum,
"Infantes ejus allisi sunt ad caput omnium platearum, et super honoratos ejus jecerunt sortem, et omnes magnates ejus vincti sunt catenis" (3:10):
per "infantes" etiam hic intelliguntur vera primum nascentia et vivificata, et per "allidi ad caput omnium platearum" significatur dispergi et perire; per "honoratos" significantur bona amoris; per "jacere sortem super" illos" significatur dissipari: per "magnates" significantur vera boni; et per "vinciri catenis" significatur ligari a falsis ut vera non prodire possint: haec de "urbe sanguinum", per quam significatur doctrina in qua vera Verbi falsificata sunt.
[27] : per "mortem" hic intelligitur mors spiritualis, quae existit quando falsum creditur esse verum ac verum falsum, et secundum id vivitur: per "fenestras" significantur cogitationes ex intellectu, per "palatia" significantur interiora et inde sublimiora mentis humanae; inde patet quid significatur per quod "ascendat mors per fenestras, veniat in palatia nostra": per "infantem" significantur hic, ut supra, vera primum nascentia per cognitiones e Verbo, per "juvenes" vera acquisita ex quibus intelligentia, ac per "plateas" et "vicos" vera doctrinae et vera vitae quae ducunt ad intelligentiam et sapientiam; inde patet quid significatur per "exscindere infantem e platea, juvenes e vicis."
[28] Apud eundem,
"Ira Jehovae plenus sum, defatigatus sum continendo; effunde super infantem in platea, et super coetum juvenum, quia etiam vir cum muliere capientur, senex cum pleno dierum" (6:11):
7
hic per "infantem in platea" et per "juvenes" similia quae supra significantur; per "virum et mulierem" significatur verum conjunctum bono et inde intelligentia, ac per "senem et plenum dierum" significatur sapientia.
[29] Quoniam "platea" significat verum doctrinae ducens, et in opposito sensu falsum, ideo per "platearum lutum", "caenum" et "stercus" significatur falsum amoris mali, in sequentibus locis:
- Apud Esaiam,
"Factum est cadaver eorum stercus platearum" (5:25);
apud eundem,
"Ponet illum conculcationem sicut lutum platearum" (10:6);
apud Micham,
"Erit in conculcationem sicut caenum platearum" (7:10);
apud Davidem,
"Conteram eos sicut pulverem coram faciebus venti, sicut caenum platearum attenuabo illos" (Psalms 18:43 [B.A. 42]):
haec etiam ex apparentiis in mundo spirituali; in urbibus ibi ubi falsa ex malo regnant, apparent plateae plenae stercore, caeno et luto. Ex his constare potest quid significat quod Dominus mandaverit septuaginta, quos emisit ad praedicandum Evangelium: "In quam urbem ingredimini, et non susceperint vos, egredientes in plateas ejus, dicite, Etiam pulverem adhaerentem nobis ex urbe vestra 8
excutimus 9
vobis" (Luc. 10:10-11 10
).
[30] Quoniam per "plateas urbis" significantur vera doctrinae, secundum quae vivendum est, ideo solitum fuit docere et orare in plateis:
- Ut in Libro Secundo Samuelis,
"Ne annuntiate in Gath, ne evangelizate in plateis Aschkelon, ne forte gaudeant filiae Philisthaeorum" (1:20);
apud Matthaeum,
"Quando feceris eleemosynam, ne tuba canas ante te, quemadmodum hypocritae faciunt in synagogis et in vicis, ut glorificentur ab hominibus. .... Et si oraveris, non eris sicut hypocritae, nam amant in synagogis et in angulis platearum stantes orare, quo conspicui fiant hominibus" (6:25 11
);
et apud Lucam,
"Tunc incipietis dicere, Edimus coram Te, et bibimus, et in plateis nostris docuisti; sed [dicet,] Dico vobis, non novi vos unde estis" (13:26, 27).
[31] Ex significatione "plateae", quod sit verum doctrinae, etiam patet cur Dominus, in parabola, dixerit
Quod Paterfamilias jusserit servis, ut abirent ocius in plateas et vicos urbis, ac pauperes, mancos, claudos et caecos introducerent (Luca 14:21):
per "pauperes", "mancos", "claudos" et "caecos" non intelliguntur tales in naturali sensu, sed tales in spirituali; qui, nempe, quia non habebant Verbum, in ignorantia veri et inde in defectu boni fuerunt, sed usque desiderabant vera, per quae illis bonum: tales fuerunt gentes, a quibus ecclesia Domini dein instaurata fuit.
[32] Quoniam per "plateam urbis" significabatur, tam verum quam falsum docens et ducens, ideo
Angeli, qui venerunt Sodomam, dixerunt quod pernoctare vellent in platea (Genesis 19:2).
Et quoque ideo statutum fuit
Quod filii Israelis, si animadverterent in aliqua urbe quod servirent diis aliis, percuterent habitatores urbis gladio, devovendo urbem, et omnem praedam ejus comportarent in medium plateae, et comburerent urbem et omnem praedam igne (Deuteronomius 13:14, 16, 17):
per "deos alios" significantur falsa cultus; per "gladium" destructio falsi per vera, per "praedam" falsificatio veri, et per "ignem" poena amoris mali, et destructio ejus.
[33] Ex locis his e Verbo allatis constare potest, quid significatur per quod "corpora binorum testium projecta sint super platea urbis magnae, quae vocatur spiritualiter Sodoma et Aegyptus"; et dein quod "non permissa fuerint poni in monumentis"; mos enim fuit apud gentem Judaicam et Israeliticam, occisos, qui fuerunt hostes, projicere in vias et in plateas, et non sepelire, in signum quod tali odio illos haberent; at usque repraesentabatur per id quod infernalia mala et falsa essent, quae non resuscitari possent in vitam, hoc est, illi qui in infernalibus malis et falsis essent:
[34] ut quoque patet apud Jeremiam,
Prophetae prophetant dicentes, "Gladius et fames non erit in terra hac, gladio et fame consumentur prophetae hi; et populus, quibus illi prophetantes, erunt abjecti in plateas Hierosolymae, et non sepeliens" (14:15, 16):
per "prophetam" intelligitur doctrina veri, ibi doctrina falsi, nam falsa prophetarunt; et quia "plateae" significabant ubi falsa, ideo dicitur quod "erunt abjecti in plateas Hierosolymae."
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