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Matthew Chapter 25

    Chapter 25

THE INTERNAL SENSE.

  1. Then shall the kingdom of the heavens be like ten virgins, who taking their lamps, went forth to meet the bridegroom.
  2. But five of them were prudent, and five foolish.
  3. They that were foolish, taking their lamps, did not take oil with themselves.
  4. But the prudent took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

that in the last time of the old church and the first of the now, they who are of the church will receive spiritual truths, and some will be in truths wherein is the good of love and charity, and some in truths wherein is no good of love and charity. Verses 1, 2, 3, 4.

  1. But while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

That by reason of delay, they will be sluggish in the things of the church, and will cherish doubt. Verse 5.

  1. But at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you forth to meet him.

But that at the last time of the old church and the first of the new, there will be a change, for then will be the judgement, namely, acceptance and rejection. Verse 6.

  1. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
  2. But the foolish said to the prudent, Give us of your oil, because our lamps are extinguished.

And then all will prepare themselves, and they who are in truths without the good of love and charity will be willing to have good communicated from others to their empty truths. Verses 7, 8.

  1. But the prudent answered, saying, [Not so], lest there be not sufficient for us and for you; but go you rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

But this is impossible, since no good can then be communicated but the good of merit. Verse 9.

  1. But when they were gone to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage; and the door was shut.

Wherefore the application is preposterous, because none can be received into heaven but those who are principled in good and thence in truth. Verse 10.

  1. But after wards came also the rest of the virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

Nevertheless, they who are in truths without good, are willing to enter from faith alone without charity, and from works in which is no life of the Lord, but only the life of self. Verse 11.

  1. But He answering, said, Verily I say to you, I have not known you.

But they are rejected, because they are not in any charity towards their neighbour, nor by it in conjunction with the Lord. Verse 12.

  1. Watch, therefore, because you know not the day, nor the hour, in which the Son of Man comes.

Therefore the life ought to be regulated according to the precepts of faith, because the time of acceptance, and the state, is unknown to man. Verse 13.

  1. For [He is] as a man travelling into a far country, [who] called his own servants, and delivered to them his property.
  2. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every one according to his own ability; and immediately took his journey.

For the lord gives to all who are in the church the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, with the faculty of perceiving them. Verses 14, 15.

  1. But he going that had received the five talents, traded with them, and made other five talents.
  2. And likewise he that [had received] the two, he also gained other two.
  3. But he that received one, departing, dug in the earth, and hid the silver of his lord.

And by these knowledges and this faculty, some procure to themselves much intelligence and wisdom, and others procure some, and others none. Verses 16, 17, 18.

  1. But after much time the lord of those servants comes, and reckoneth with them.
  2. And when he came that had received five talents, he brought other five talents, saying, Lord, you delivered to me five talents, Behold, I have gained other five talents beside them.
  3. But his lord said to him, Well, good and faithful servant: you hast been faithful in a few things, I will appoint you over many: enter you into the joy of your lord.
  4. But when he came that had received the two talents he said, Lord, thou delivered to me two talents: behold I have gained other two talents beside them.
  5. His lord said to him, Well, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will appoint you over many: enter you into the joy of your lord.

Wherefore at the lord's coming, they who had procured much intelligence and wisdom, and they who had procured some, are accepted of the lord, and gifted by Him with dominion over all evils and falses, and admitted to conjunction of life with Himself. Verses 19-23.

  1. But when he came that had received the one talent, he said, Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you have not sowed, and gathering whence you have not scattered;

But they who had procured none are then deprived of the truths which they had possessed in the memory only, and not in the life, and become principled in mere falses separated from all good and truth. Verses 24-31.

  1. And being afraid, when I went away, I hid your talent in the earth : lo, you have your own.

For not having joined charity to faith, they think harshly of the Divine Mercy, and act from mere natural fear, which obscures the knowledges of heavenly truth. Verses 24, 25.

  1. But his lord answering said to him, You wicked servant and slothful, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather whence I have not scattered:
  2. You oughtest therefore to have put my silver to the exchangers, and when I came I should have received mine own with increase.

Whereas they ought rather, by those knowledges, to have procured to themselves charity, and thus have attained conjunction of life with the Lord. Verses 26, 27.

  1. Take therefore from him the talent, and give [it] to him that has ten talents.
  2. For to every one that has shall he given, and he shall abound; but from him that has not, even what he has shall be taken away from him.

Therefore those knowledges are taken away from them, and conferred on those who apply them to the reformation of their lives. Verses 28, 29.

  1. And cast out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

And they who have lived in faith alone without charity, are deprived of all the truths of faith, and all the goods of charity, having their lot with those who are in mere evils and falses. Verse 30.

  1. But when the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit on the throne of His glory:

For when Divine Truth shall appear in its light, through the angelic heaven, then shall be the judgement. Verse 31.

  1. And before Him shall be gathered together all the nations; and He shall separate them one from the other, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

And then shall the goods and evils of all be made manifest in the Light Divine, and there shall be a separation of what is good from what is evil, or of those who are in charity and thence in faith, from those who are in faith alone, and not in charity. Verse 32.

  1. And He shall set the sheep indeed on His right hand, but the goats on the left.

And this separation will be according to truths derived from good with the good, and according to falses derived from evil with the evil, thus every one will be arranged according to his life. Verse 33.

  1. Then shall the King say to those on His right hand, Come you the blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

Then shall they who are in charity and thence in faith be received amongst those in heaven who are in truth; derived from good. Verse 34.

  1. For I was an hungered, and you gave Me to eat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me to drink: I was a sojourner and you gathered Me:
  2. Naked, and you clothed Me: I was sick, and you visited Me: I was in prison, and you came to Me.

Since they are in the affection of good and truth, because proceeding from the lord, and are averse from what is evil and false, because proceeding from themselves, and thus are in humiliation grounded in selfacknowledgment, and thence in all the offices of charity. Verses 35, 36.

  1. Then shall the just answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we You hungry, and fed [You]? or thirsty and gave [You] drink?
  2. When saw we You a sojourner, and gathered [You]? or naked, and clothed You.
  3. Or when saw we You sick, or in prison, and came to You?

And yet if they had seen the lord Himself in all the offices of charity, every one would have done them, but not from love to Him, but from fear, nor for the sake of Him, but for the sake of themselves. Verses 37, 38, 39.

  1. And the King answering shall say to them, Verily I say to you, So much as you have done to one of the least of these My brethren, you have done to Me.

Nevertheless the truth is that the lord is present with those who are in the good of love and charity because He is in that good itself. Verse 40.

  1. But then shall He say to them on the left hand, Depart you from Me, the cursed into the everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

But they who are in faith and not in charity, will then avert themselves from all good and truth, and convert themselves to what is evil and false, and remain in the craving of infernal evil. Verse 41.

  1. For I was an hungered, and you gave Me not to eat: I was thirsty and you gave Me not to drink.
  2. I was a sojourner and you did not gather Me: naked, and you did not clothe Me: sick and in prison, and you did not visit Me.

Since they have never been in the affection of good and truth because proceeding from the Lord, nor averse from what is evil and false because proceeding from themselves, nor in humiliation grounded in self-acknowledgement, nor in any offices of charity thence derived. Verses 42, 43.

  1. Then shall they also answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw You we an hungered, or thirsty, or a sojourner, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to You?

And yet in the external form they have done those offices, but not from a principle of love to the lord, but from fear, thus not for the sake of Him, but of themselves. Verse 44.

  1. Then shall He answer them, saying, Verily I say to you, so much as you did not to one of these the least, neither have you done to Me.

For they who are not in the affection of good and truth from the lord, are not influenced by love to the lord,but by self-love. Verse 45.

  1. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the just into everlasting life.

All such therefore will be everlastingly tormented by the concupiscences of evil, but they who are in the good of charity, will have life from that good, because it is from the lord,who is the life itself. Verse 46.

Chapter XXV.

  1. Then shall the kingdom of the heavens be like ten virgins, who taking their lamps, went forth to meet the bridegroom.
  2. But five of them were prudent, and five foolish.
  3. They that were foolish, taking their lamps, did not take oil with themselves.
  4. But the prudent took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
  5. But while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
  6. But at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you forth to meet him.
  7. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
  8. But the foolish said to the prudent, Give us of your oil, because our lamps are extinguished.
  9. But the prudent answered, saying, [Not so], lest there be not sufficient for us and for you; but go you rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
  10. But when they were gone to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage; and the door was shut.
  11. But after wards came also the rest of the virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
  12. But He answering, said, Verily I say to you, I have not known you.
  13. Watch, therefore, because you know not the day, nor the hour, in which the Son of Man comes.
  14. For [He is] as a man travelling into a far country, [who] called his own servants, and delivered to them his property.
  15. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every one according to his own ability; and immediately took his journey.
  16. But he going that had received the five talents, traded with them, and made other five talents.
  17. And likewise he that [had received] the two, he also gained other two.
  18. But he that received one, departing, dug in the earth, and hid the silver of his lord.
  19. But after much time the lord of those servants comes, and reckons with them.
  20. And when he came that had received five talents, he brought other five talents, saying, Lord, you delivered to me five talents, Behold, I have gained other five talents beside them.
  21. But his lord said to him, Well, good and faithful servant: you hast been faithful in a few things, I will appoint you over many: enter you into the joy of your lord.
  22. But when he came that had received the two talents he said, Lord, thou delivered to me two talents: behold I have gained other two talents beside them.
  23. His lord said to him, Well, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will appoint you over many: enter you into the joy of your lord.
  24. But when he came that had received the one talent, he said, Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you have not sowed, and gathering whence you have not scattered;
  25. And being afraid, when I went away, I hid your talent in the earth : lo, you have your own.
  26. But his lord answering said to him, You wicked servant and slothful, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather whence I have not scattered:
  27. You oughtest therefore to have put my silver to the exchangers, and when I came I should have received mine own with increase.
  28. Take therefore from him the talent, and give [it] to him that has ten talents.
  29. For to every one that has shall he given, and he shall abound; but from him that has not, even what he has shall be taken away from him.
  30. And cast out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
  31. But when the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit on the throne of His glory:
  32. And before Him shall be gathered together all the nations; and He shall separate them one from the other, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
  33. And He shall set the sheep indeed on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
  34. Then shall the King say to those on His right hand, Come you the blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
  35. For I was an hungered, and you gave Me to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave Me to drink: I was a sojourner and you gathered Me:
  36. Naked, and you clothed Me: I was sick, and you visited Me: I was in prison, and you came to Me.
  37. Then shall the just answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we You hungry, and fed [You]? or thirsty and gave [You] drink?
  38. When saw we You a sojourner, and gathered [You]? or naked, and clothed You.
  39. Or when saw we You sick, or in prison, and came to You?
  40. And the King answering shall say to them, Verily I say to you, So much as you have done to one of the least of these My brethren, you have done to Me.
  41. But then shall He say to them on the left hand, Depart you from Me, the cursed into the everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
  42. For I was an hungered, and you gave Me not to eat: I was thirsty and you gave Me not to drink.
  43. I was a sojourner and you did not gather Me: naked, and you did not clothe Me: sick and in prison, and you did not visit Me.
  44. Then shall they also answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw You we an hungered, or thirsty, or a sojourner, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to You?
  45. Then shall He answer them, saying, Verily I say to you, so much as you did not to one of these the least, neither have you done to Me.
  46. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the just into everlasting life.

EXPOSITION.

Chapter XXV.

verses 1-14.Then shall the kingdom of the heavens be like ten virgins, &c. - What had been predicted in the preceding chapter of Matthew is continued through this chapter. That by this parable of the ten virgins the lord described His coming, is manifest from the particulars contained in it, and from the end, where it is said, "Watch therefore, because you know not the day, nor the hour, in which the Son of Man is about to come;" as also in the foregoing chapter xxiv., where the lord expressly speaks concerning His coming, "Watch therefore, because you know not in what hour your lord is about to come. Verse 42. That His coming is the consummation of the age, or the last time of the church, has been shown above.

That all things, and every particular, which the lord spoke in parables are representative and significative of the spiritual and celestial things of His kingdom, and in the supreme sense of the Divine things appertaining to Himself, is very manifest; wherefore he who does not know this, cannot form any other apprehension of the lord's parables than that they are like common similitudes, and conceal nothing more in their bosom. Such is the apprehension in the case of what is here said concerning the ten virgins, unless it be known what is signified, in the internal sense, by virgins, also what by ten, what by five, what by lamps, what by vessels, what by oil, what by those who sell, what by marriage, and the rest; in like manner in all the other parables. The things which the Lord spoke in them, appear in the external form, as was said, like common similitudes, when yet in the internal form they are such that they fill the universal heaven. For an internal sense is in every particular expression, which sense is of such a quality, that its spiritual and celestial principles diffuse themselves through the heavens in every direction like light and flame. This sense is altogether elevated from the sense of the letter, and flows from all the particular expressions, and from all the particular sounds, yea, from every iota. But what this parable involves in the internal sense, is evident from what follows.

Then shall the kingdom of the heavens be like ten virgins, signifies the last time of the old church and the first of the new; the church is the Lord's kingdom in the earth. The ten virgins denote all who are in the church namely, both they who are in good and truth, and they who are in evil and the false; ten, in the internal sense, denote remains, and also what is full, thus all; and virgins denote they who are in the church; so also in other passages in the Word. Who taking their lamps, signifies the spiritual things, containing what is celestial, or truths wherein is good, or what is the same thing, faith wherein is charity towards the neighbour, and charity wherein is love to the lord, for oil is the good of love, which is presently spoken of; but lamps wherein is no oil, denote the same things wherein is no good. Went forth to meet the bridegroom, signifies their reception. But five of them were prudent, and five foolish, signifies a part of them who were in truths wherein is good, and a part who were in truths wherein is no good; the former are the prudent, but the latter the foolish; five, in the internal sense, denote some, in this case, therefore, part of them. They that were foolish taking their lamps, did not take oil with themselves, signifies that they had not the good of charity in their truths; oil, in the internal sense, is the good of charity and of love. But the prudent took oil in their vessels with their lamps, signifies that they had the good of charity and of love in their truths; vessels are the doctrinals of faith. But whilst the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept, signifies delay and thence doubt; to slumber, in the internal sense, is to be sluggish from delay in those things which are of the church; and to sleep is to cherish doubt; with the prudent, it is a doubt wherein there is an affirmative principle; with the foolish, a doubt wherein there is a negative principle. But at midnight there was a cry made, signifies the time which is the last of the old church and the first of the new: this time is what in the Word is called night, when the state of the church is treated of; cry, denotes the change. Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you forth to meet him, signifies that which is the judgement, namely, acceptance and rejection. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps, signifies the preparation of all; for they who are in truths wherein there is no good, believe that they shall be accepted alike with those who are in truths wherein there is good, for they suppose that faith alone is saving, not being aware that there is no faith where there is no charity. But the foolish said to the prudent, Give us of your oil, because our lamps are extinguished, signifies that they are willing that good should be communicated to their empty truths, or to their void faith, from others; for all spiritual and celestial things in the other life are mutually communicated, but only by good. But the prudent answered, saying, [Not so] lest there be not sufficient for us and you, signifies that it cannot be communicated, because of the little truth which would be taken away from them; for such is the case in the other life with the communication of good with those who are in truths without good, that, as it were, they take away good from them, and appropriate it to themselves, and do not communicate with others, but defile it, wherefore there is not any communication of good effected with them. But go ye rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves, signifies the good of merit; they who boast that good are meant by they who sell; they also who are in truth wherein there is no good, in the other life, are distinguished above others by making all that meritorious which they have done as apparently good in the external form, although it was evil in the internal form, according to what the Lord says in Matthew, "Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied by Thy name, and by Your name cast out demons, and in Your name done many virtues? But then will I confess to them, I know you not: depart from Me you workers of iniquity," Matt 7:22; and in Luke, "When the father of the family has risen, and has shut the door, then shall you begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us; but He answering will say to you, I know you not whence you are: depart from Me all you workers of iniquity," Luke 13:26, 27. Such are they who are here meant by the foolish virgins, wherefore it is said of them in like manner in these words, "They also came, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us;" but He answering said, Verily I say to you, I know ye not." But when they were gone to buy, the bridegroom came, signifies preposterous application. And they that were ready entered in with Him to the marriage, signifies that they who were in good, and thence in truth, were received into heaven. Heaven is likened to a marriage by reason of the heavenly marriage, which is the marriage of good and of truth, and the Lord is likened to the bridegroom, because they are then conjoined to Him, hence the church is called the bride. And the door was shut, signifies that others cannot enter. But afterwards came also the rest of the virgins, saying, lord, lord, open to us, signifies that they are willing to enter from faith alone without charity, and from works in which there is not the life of the Lord, but the life of self. But He answering said, Verily I say to you, I know you not, signifies rejection; not to know them, in the internal sense, denotes that they were not in any charity towards, the neighbour, and thereby in conjunction with the lord:they who are not in conjunction are said not to be known. Watch therefore, because you know not the day, nor the hour, in which the Son of Man is about to come, signifies studious application of life according to the precepts of faith, which is meant by watching; the time of acceptance, which is unknown to man, and the state, are signified by not knowing the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is about to come. He who is in good, that is, who acts according to the precepts, is called prudent; but he who is in the knowledges of truth, and does not act accordingly, is called foolish by the Lord; also in another passage in Matthew, "Every one who hears My words and does them, I will liken him to a prudent man, and every one who hears My words, but does them not, shall be likened to a foolish man." Matt 7:24, 26. AC 4635-4639.

By the ten virgins, to whom the kingdom of the heavens is likened, are signified all who are of the church, for ten signify all, and virgins, the church; but by five are signified some or some part, of which some were prudent and some foolish; the like is signified by the number five in the Word; by lamps are signified the knowledges of truth and good, in this case from the Word, also the truths of doctrine and of faith: by oil is signified the good of love and of charity, by bridegroom is meant the lord, and by the marriage is meant heaven and the church, which are called a marriage from the marriage of good and of truth. And because where that marriage is not, there is neither heaven nor the church, therefore they are called foolish, who know the truths of faith and have not the good of love, and they are called prudent who have; for, as was said, lamps in this passage denote the truths of faith, and oil denotes the good of love. The reason why virgins signify the church is because a virgin and a daughter in the Word, signifies the affection of good and of truth, and the church is the church by virtue of that affection. Hence it is that in very many passages mention is made of the virgin and daughter of Zion, of the virgin or daughter of Jerusalem, of the virgin or daughter of Israel and Judah, and by them is everywhere meant the church. AE 675. See also AE 375, 548, and Exposition, chap. 22:1-15, 23-32.

That there is a spiritual sense in every part of this parable, and consequently a Divine holiness, can only be seen by those who are apprised of the existence of a spiritual sense, and are acquainted with its nature. In the spiritual sense, by the kingdom of God, is meant heaven and the church; by the bridegroom the Lord; by a wedding, the marriage of the Lord with heaven and the church by the good of love and faith; by virgins those who belong to the church; by ten all; by five some part; by lamps, the truth of faith; by oil, the good of love; by sleeping and awaking, the life of man in the world, which is natural life, and his life after death, which is spiritual; by buying, to procure for themselves; by going to them that sell and buying oil, to procure for themselves the good of love from others after death; and because this is then impracticable, therefore although they came with their lamps, and the oil they had bought, to the marriage door, yet the bridegroom said to them, "I know you not." The reason is because man, after the conclusion of his life in the world, retains the nature and quality which he had acquired by that life. From hence, it is evident that the Lord spoke by mere correspondences, and this in consequence of the Divinity which was in Him and belonged to Him. That the bridegroom signifies the Lord, that the kingdom of God signifies heaven and the church, and that a marriage signifies the Lord's marriage with the church by the good of love and faith; that virgins signify those who are of the church; ten, all; five, some; to sleep, a natural state; and not to know, when spoken of the Lord, not to be principled in the love of Him;-all this may appear from many passages in the prophetical parts of the Word, where the same expressions have a similar signification. SS 17.

Verse 6. At midnight there was a cry made, &c. - By midnight, in which a cry was made, is signified the last judgement, and in general the last of the life of man, when he shall be judged either to heaven or to hell; by the foolish then saying to the prudent that they should give them of their oil, and by the prudent answering that they should go to those that sell, is signified the state of all after death, that they, who have not the good of love in faith, or the truth of faith from the good of love, are then willing to procure it for themselves, but in vain, because such as man's life was in the world, such it remains. Hence now it is evident what is signified by the prudent entering into the marriage, and by the foolish saying lord, lord, open to us, and receiving for answer, Verily I say to you, I know you not; by not knowing them, is signified that the Lord was not conjoined to them, for spiritual love conjoins, and not faith without love, for the Lord has ahode with those who are in love and thence in faith, and knows them because He Himself is there. AE 252. See also AE 250.

Midnight denotes the last time of the old church, when there is nothing of faith because nothing of charity, and it also denotes the first time of the new church. AC 6000.

Verse 7-12. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps, &c. - By the prudent virgins are signified those of the church with whom faith is conjoined with charity, and by the foolish are signified those in the church with whom faith is separated from charity, for lamps signify the truths of faith, and oil signifies the good of love; hence by going to them who sell and buying, is signified to those who teach, and to learn and acquire to themselves; but whereas they had not procured for themselves the good of love, and thereby verified the truths of faith, when they lived in the world, but afterwards, and yet no one procures them after death, so as to retain them, therefore those foolish virgins, by whom are signified all who separate the good of love or good of charity from the truths of faith, were not admitted to the nuptials, nor received by the bridegroom: nuptials signify heaven, and the bridegroom the Lord. AE 840. See also 274.

To have oil in their lamps, denotes the good of charity in the truths of faith; and not to have oil in their lamps, denotes to have the truths of faith and not the good of charity in them; to these latter the door is said to be shut, because they do not communicate with heaven, that is by [or through] heaven with the Lord; communication with heaven, and by [or through] heaven, is effected by the good of charity and love, but not by truths, which are called [the truths] of faith, without good in them ; wherefore these latter are called foolish virgins, and the former prudent virgins. AC 8989.

Verse 13. Watch therefore, &c. - It is to be noted that man remains to. eternity such as his quality is as to his whole life even to the end., and not at all such as he is at the hour of death: repentance at that time with the evil is of no avail, but with the good it confirms. AE 194.

Verse 14-17. As a man travelling into a far country, &c. - All who are reformed and regenerated are gifted with charity and faith from the Lord, but every one according to his faculty and state; for evils and false principles, with which man has tainted himself from infancy, are the hindrances which prevent one person from receiving the like gift as another. Those evils and false principles must needs be vastated, before the man can be regenerated. In proportion to the residue of celestial and spiritual life after vastation, in the same proportion this residue is capable of being illustrated with truth and enriched With good. The remains, which are goodnesses and truths from the Lord stored up with man, are what in this case receive life; goodnesses and truths are acquired from infancy even to the time of reformation, with one person more, with another fewer, and are reserved in his internal man; nor can they be produced, or brought forth, until the external man is reduced to correspondence, which is effected by temptations, and by several kinds of vastations. For until corporeal things, which are contrary thereto, as are the things of self-love and the love of the world, are brought into a quiescent state, celestial and spiritual things belonging to the affections of goodness and truth, cannot flow in. This is the reason why every one is reformed in the way of application to his state and faculty, as the Lord also teaches in the parable concerning the man who "went into a far country, and to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to a third one,to each according to his proper faculty; then he who received five talents, traded with them, and gained other five talents; in like manner also he who had two, he also gained other two." Matt 25:14-27. AC 2967.

Verses 14-30. For [He is] as a man travelling into a far country, &c. - By the man is here meant the Lord, and by His travelling into a far country is meant his departure out of the world, and on that occasion, as it were, absence. By the servants whom He called, are meant all who are in the world, specifically those who are of the church; by the talents which He gave them, are signified all the knowledges of truth and of good from the Word, with the faculty of perceiving them, for the talent, which was silver and money, signifies the knowledges of truth and the faculty of perceiving, and to trade signifies to procure to themselves intelligence and wisdom by those knowledges. They who procure much to themselves are meant by the servant, who from five talents gained five other talents; and they who procure nothing of intelligence to themselves, are meant by the servant who hid his lord's talent in the earth; the reason why the talent was to be taken from him who procured to himself nothing of intelligence, and was to be given to him who procured much, is, because man after death, when he becomes a spirit, brings along with him all things, and every particular, which he had imbibed from the Word, and from the doctrine of the church. But they who by those things have procured to themselves nothing of intelligence are interiorly evil and therefore abuse the goods and truths of heaven and of the church, which they possessed merely in the memory, to acquire dominion, and to do evil to the simply good who are in the ultimate heaven. This is the reason why those truths and goods are taken away from them, and are given to those who have many, inasmuch as these latter do not abuse them, but perform uses by them. That they who in the world do not procure to themselves spiritual intelligence by the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, are evil, is evident from this consideration, that all are born into evils of every kind, and that those evils are not removed except by Divine Truths from the Word, namely, by their application to uses, and thus the reception of them in the life. Wherefore it is said to those who gained, "Well, good find faithful servants, because you have been faithful in a few things, I will make you rulers over many; enter you into the joy of your Lord, verses 21, 23; and to him who gained nothing, "Cast you the unprofitable servant into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Verse 30. AE 675. See also AE 193.

They who do not think beyond the literal sense cannot know otherwise than that the numbers here mentioned, namely, five, two, and one, are assumed merely to give connection to the historical relation, and that they involve nothing further in them, when yet there is an arcanum in the very numbers themselves, for by the servant who received five talents are signified those who have admitted goods and truths from the Lord, thus who have received remains; by him who received two, are signified those who in advanced age have adjoined charity to faith; and by him who received one, those who have faith alone without charity; of this latter it is said, that he hid the silver of his lord in the earth, for by the silver which is predicated of him, in the internal sense, is signified the truth which is of faith, for faith without charity cannot make gain or bear fruit. AC 5291.

Every one, who is either damned or saved, has a certain measure which may be filled; the evil, or they who are damned, have a certain measure of evil and of the false; and the good, or they who are saved, have a certain measure of good and of truth. This measure, belonging to every one, is filled in the other life; some however have a greater measure, but some a less. This measure is procured in the world by the affections which are of love; in proportion as any one has more loved evil and the false thence derived, in the same proportion he has procured to himself a greater measure; and in proportion as any one has more loved good and the truth thence derived, in the same proportion his measure is greater; the limits and the degrees of the extension of that measure in the other life manifestly appear, and cannot there be transcended, but may be filled, and also actually are filled, namely, with goods and truths, in the case of those who have been in the affection of good and truth, and with evils and falses, in the case of those who have been in the affection of the evil and the false. Hence it is evident that that measure is the faculty of receiving either evil and the false, or good and truth, procured in the world; this state is described by the Lord in the parables concerning the talents in Matthew 25:14-31; and concerning the pounds in Luke 19:13-25; and lastly, in these words in Matthew, "To every one that has shall be given, that he may abound; but from him who has not, even what he has shall be taken away," Matt 25:29. AC 7984.

Verse 16. Then he that had received the five talents, went and traded with the same, &c. - By a trader are signified those who have the knowledges of good and truth; and by trading is signified the application of those knowledges to procure intelligence and wisdom. AC 2967.

That every one is reformed in application to his state and faculty, the Lord teaches in the parable concerning the man who went into a far country, and called his servants, and delivered to them his wealth, &c. AC 2967.

If you are willing to be led by the Divine Providence, use prudence, as a servant and minister who faithfully dispenses the goods of his lord; that prudence is the pound which was given to the servants to trade, of which they were to give account. Matt 25:14-31; Luke 19:13-25.

Verse 25. I hid your talent in the earth, &c. - They who know what sin is, and especially they who know many things from the Word, and teach them to others, and yet do not explore themselves, and hence do not see any sin in themselves, may be likened to those who scrape together riches, and store them up in boxes and chests, without any other use to be derived from them, than to be seen and counted; and to those who collect, into a treasure, jewels of gold and of silver, and shut them up in cellars, solely for the sake of wealth as the end; who are like to the trader, who hid his talent in the earth, and his pound in a napkin. Matt 25:25; Luke 19:20. TCR 527.

Verse 28, 29. Take therefore from him the talent, &c.For to every one that has shall be given, and he shall abound, &c. - The scientifics of truth and of good, which have belonged to those of the church who have known the arcana of faith, and yet have lived a life of evil, are transferred to those who are of the spiritual church. The reason is because the knowledges of good and truth, belonging to the evil, are applied to evil uses; and the knowledges of good and truth appertaining to the good, are applied to good uses: the knowledges are the same, but the application to uses makes their quality with every one. The case herein is as with worldly riches, which with one person are disposed of to good uses, with another to evil uses: hence riches with every one are of a quality agreeable to the uses to which they are disposed. From this consideration it is also evident that the same knowledges, as the same riches, which have appertained to the evil, may appertain to the good, and serve for good uses. AC 7770.

They who are in the knowledges of good and truth, as they who are within the church, and yet in the life of evil, are said to be divided, when they are removed from those knowledges. For the knowledges of good and truth are separated from them in another life, and they are kept in evils, and hence also in falses; the reason is, lest by the knowledges of good and truth, they should communicate with heaven, and by evils and consequent falses should communicate with hell, and thereby hang between each; also lest they should profane goods and truths, as is the case when they commix with falses and evils. Something of this sort is also signified by the Lord's words to him who had hid the talent in the earth. Matt 25:28, 29. AC 4424.

The Divine Providence of the Lord has especially for its end, and operates to the end, that man may be in good, and, at the same time, in truth, inasmuch as hereby he is in his own good and his own love, and also his own truth, and his own wisdom; for by this man is man, being, in this case, an image of the Lord: but for as much as man, while he lives in the world, can be in good and, at the same time, in the false, also in evil and, at the same time, in truth, yea, can be in evil and, at the same time in good, and thus, as it were, a double man; and since this division destroys that image, and, consequently, the man, therefore the Divine Providence of the Lord, in all and every particular of its operations, has in view, that this division should not exist. And forasmuch as it is less hurtful to man to be in evil and at the same time in the false, than to be in good and at the same time in evil, therefore the Lord permits the former, not as willing it, but as not being able to resist it for the sake of the end, which is salvation. The reason why man can be in evil and at the same time in truth, and that the Lord cannot resist it for the sake of the end, which is salvation, is because the understanding of man can be elevated into the light of wisdom, and see truths, or acknowledge them when he hears them, his love remaining beneath. Thus man can be with his understanding in heaven, but with his love in hell, and to be so cannot be denied man, because the two faculties by which he is man, and is distinguished from beasts, and by which alone be can be regenerated, and thereby saved, which are rationality and liberty, cannot be taken away from him. For by them man can act according to wisdom, and also can act according to the love which is not of wisdom, and can, from wisdom above, see love beneath, and thus see his own thoughts, intentions, and affections, and therefore the evils and falses, also the goods and truths, of his life and doctrine, without the knowledge and acknowledgement of which, in himself, he cannot be reformed. Man can with difficulty in this world come either into the one or the other conjunction or union, that is, of good and truth, or of evil and the false, for so long as he lives here, he is kept in a state of reformation or regeneration; but every man comes into one or the other after death, because then he can no longer be reformed and regenerated. He then remains such as his life had been in the world, that is, such as his ruling love had been; wherefore if his life had been a life of the love of evil, every truth which he had acquired from masters, preachings, or the Word, in this world, is taken away from him, which being taken away, he imbibes the false which accords with his evil, as a sponge does water, and vice versa. But if his life had been a life of the love of good, every false is removed which he had imbibed by hearing, or by reading, in the world, and which he had not confirmed in himself, and in place thereof is given truth which accords with his good. This is what is meant by these words of the Lord, "Take the talent from him, and give to him that has ten talents; for to every one that has shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but from him that has not, shall be taken away even that which he has." DP 16, 17.See also HH 477-479.

They who come into the other life are all brought back into a similar life to that which they had in the body; and then, with the good, there is a separation of evils and falses, that by goods and truths they may be elevated by the Lord into heaven. But with the evil there is a separation of goods and truths, that by evils and falses they may be conveyed into hell, agreeable to the Lord's words in Matthew, "To every one that has shall be given," &c. AC 2449, 4424, 7984. See also DP 227. AR 948. And Exposition, chap. 13:12.

Verse 30. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.- See Exposition, chap. 8:12, 24:42 to the end.

Verse 31 to the end. When the Son of Man shall come in His glory, &c. - He who is not acquainted with the internal sense cannot suppose otherwise, than that these things were said by the Lord concerning some last day, in which all in the universal circuit of the earth will be gathered together before the Lord, and will then be judged; and also that the process of judgement will be altogether such as is described in the letter, namely, that He will set them on the right hand and on the left, and will so speak to them. But he who is acquainted with the internal sense, and who has learnt from other passages in the Word, that the Lord in no case judges any one to eternal fire, but that every one judges himself, that is, casts himself into it, and who has also learnt that the last judgement of every one is when he dies, he may in some degree know what the above words in general involve; and he who is acquainted with the interiors of the expressions, from the internal sense and from correspondence, may know what those words specifically signify, namely, that every one receives recompense in the other life according to his life in the world. They who make a boast of salvation by faith alone, cannot explain the above words in any other way than as denoting that the things which the Lord speaks concerning works are the fruits of faith, and that He mentioned these fruits only for the sake of the simple, who are not acquainted with mysteries; but taking it for granted that their opinion is right, it is still evident from here, that the fruits of faith are what render man blessed and happy after death. The fruits of faith are nothing else but a life according to the precepts of faith, consequently, it is evident that a life according to them is saving, but not faith without life; for man after death carries along with him all the states of his life, so that he is such as he had been in the body; he, accordingly, who in the life of the body had despised others in comparison with himself, in the other life also despises others in comparison with himself. He who had hated his neighbour in the life of the body, hates his neighbour also in the other life; and he who had acted treacherously against his associates in the life of the body, acts also treacherously against his associates in the other life, and so in all other cases. Every one retains in the other life the nature which he had put on in the life of the body, and it is a known thing that the nature cannot be expelled, and if it is expelled, that nothing of life remains. Hence now it is that the works of charity are alone mentioned by the Lord, for he who is in works of charity, or, what is the same thing, in the life of faith, is in the faculty of receiving faith, if not in the body, yet in the other life. But he who is not in the works of charity, or in the life of faith, is not in any wise in any faculty of receiving faith, neither in the body nor in the other life. For evil in no case agrees with truth, but one rejects the other; and if they who are in evil speak truths, they speak them from the mouth and not from the heart, and thus they are still at the greatest distance from each other.

From the internal sense of the above words it will be manifest, that by the last judgment is not there meant the last time of the world, and that at that time the dead should first rise again, and be gathered together before the Lord and be judged, but that it means the last time of every one who passes out of the world into the other life, for then is his judgment, and this judgement is what is meant. But that this is the case, does not appear from the sense of the letter, but from the internal sense. The reason why the Lord so spoke, is because he spoke by representatives and significatives, as elsewhere in the Word of the Old and New Testaments throughout. For to speak by representatives and significatives, is to speak at the same time before the world and before heaven, or before men and before angels. Such speech is Divine, because it is universal, and hence it is proper to the Word: wherefore they who are in the world, and are only concerned about worldly things, conceive nothing else from what the Lord spoke concerning the last judgment, than that there will be a time of resurrection for all together, yea, that the Lord will then sit upon a throne of glory, and will express Himself to those who are assembled according to the above words. But they who are concerned about heavenly things, know that the time of resurrection for every one is when he dies, and that the Lord's words in the above passage involve, that every one will be judged according to the life, thus that every one brings judgement along with him, because he brings the life. That the internal sense of those words involves this, will be manifest from the explication of each according to that sense, which is as follows: When the Son of Man shall come in His glory, signifies when Divine Truth shall appear in its light, which it does to every man when he dies, for he then comes into the light of heaven, in which he may perceive what is true and good, and hence what is his quality. The Son of Man, in the internal sense of the Word, is the Lord as to Divine Truth, thus is the Divine Truth which is from the Lord. Glory is the intelligence and wisdom thence derived, which appears us light, and before the angels as the brightness of light. This brightness of light, wherein is wisdom and intelligence from the Divine Truth which is from the Lord, is what in the Word is called glory; that the Son of Man, in the internal sense, is the Divine Truth, see AC 2159, 2802, 2813, 3704. And, all the holy angels with him, signifies the angelic heaven; holy angels are the truths which are from the Divine Good of the Lord, for by angels, in the Word, are not meant angels, but those things which are from the Lord, see AC 1925, 4085.

For angels are lives recipient of truth proceeding from the Divine Good of the Lord, and so far as they receive, so far they are angels, hence it is evident that angels are those truths. Inasmuch as the subject here treated of is concerning the state of every one after death, and concerning the judgement of every one according to the life, therefore it is said that all the holy angels shall be with Him, and thereby is signified, that judgement is by [or through ] heaven. For all influx of Divine Truth is through heaven; for immediate influx cannot be received by any one. Then shall He sit on the throne of His glory, signifies judgment, for a throne is predicated of the kingly [principle] of the Lord, and the kingly [principle] of the Lord is the Divine Truth, and the Divine Truth is that from which, and according to which, judgement is effected. And before Him shall be gathered all nations, signifies that the goods and evils of all shall be made manifest; for by nations, in the internal sense of the Word, are signified goods, and in the opposite sense evils. Thus by all nations being gathered before Him is signified that goods and evils shall appear in light Divine, that is, in light from the Divine Truth. And He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, signifies the separation of good from evil, for the sheep denote those who are in good, and the goats those who are in evil. They are properly called sheep who are in charity and thence in faith, and they are properly called goats who are in faith and not in charity; the subject here treated of is concerning both the latter and the former: that sheep denote those who are in charity and thence in faith, see AC 2088, 4169; and that goats denote those who are in faith and not in charity. see AC 4769. And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, and the goats on the left, signifies separation according to truths derived from good, and according to falses derived from evil. They who are in truths derived from good also actually appear in the other life to the right, and they who are in falses derived from evil to the left; hence to be set on the right hand and on the left is to be arranged according to the life. From these considerations it is evident what these words of the Lord involve, and that they are not to be understood according to the letter, namely, that the Lord is about to come in glory at any last time, and that all the holy angels shall then be with Him, and that He shall sit on a throne of glory, and judge all nations gathered before Him, but that every one shall be judged according to his life, when he passes out of life in the world into eternal life. AC 4661, 4663, 4807-4810.

By the Son of Man is signified the Lord; by glory is signified the Divine Truth in heaven; and by sitting on the throne of His glory, is signified judgement from the Divine Truth. AE 253, 687, 130. AC 5313.

By angels are meant Divine Truths, and not angels; as in other passages above, that in the consummation of the age the angels should gather together all things that offend, and should separate the evil from the midst of the just, and should gather together the elect with a great voice of a trumpet from the four winds; in which passages is not meant, that the angels were to do this together with the Lord, but the Lord alone, by His Divine Truths, inasmuch as the angels have nothing of power from themselves, but the Lord has all power by His Divine Truth. The like is meant by seeing the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man, namely, that Divine Truths were in Him and from Him. AE 130.

Verse 32. He shall separate them one from the other, &c. - It is plain from these words that separation precedes judgement. This time or this state, in the Word, is called day-dawn, because then the Lord comes, or what is the same thing, then His kingdom approaches. AC 2405.

By the separation here spoken of, is signified that the Lord will separate those who are in truths and, at the same time, in good, from those who are in truths and not in good, for in the spiritual sense of the Word, by the right hand is signified good, and by the left hand truth, in like manner by sheep and by goats, neither was judgement executed upon any others; for the evil, who were in no truth, were long before in the hells, for all the evil are cast in thither after death, thus before the judgement, who in heart deny the divine, and reject the truths of the church from their faith. L.J. 49.

Concerning the last judgement, it is believed that the Lord will then appear in the clouds of heaven with the angels in glory, and will raise up all from their sepulchres, as many as have lived from the beginning of creation, and will clothe their souls with the body, and thus, having gathered them together into one, will judge them, those who have done good to life eternal or heaven, and those who have done evil to eternal death or hell. This faith is in the churches from the sense of the letter of the Word, nor could it be removed, so long as it was unknown that there is it spiritual sense in everything which is said in the Word, and that that sense is the Word itself, to which the sense of the letter serves for a foundation or basis, and that without such a sense the Word could not be Divine, and serve both heaven and the world for the doctrine of life and of faith, and for conjunction. He therefore who knows the spiritual things corresponding to natural in the Word, may know that by the coming of the Lord in the clouds of heaven is not meant such an appearing of Him, but His appearing in the Word. For the Lord is the Word, because He is the Divine Truth; the clouds of heaven, in which He is to come, are the sense of the letter of the Word; and glory is its spiritual sense. The angels are heaven from which the appearing is made, and they are also the Lord as to Divine Truths. Hence it is evident that by the Lord's coming is meant that when the end of the church is, He will open the spiritual sense of the Word, and thereby the Divine Truth such as it is in itself; thus that this is a sign that the last judgement is at hand. L.J.28.

Verse 33. And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left, &c. - He who does not know what is signified in the proper sense by sheep, and what by goats, may suppose that by sheep are meant all the good, and by goats all the evil. But in the proper sense, by sheep are meant those who are in the good of charity toward the neighbour, and thence in faith, and by goats are meant those who are in faith separate from charity, thus all on whom judgement is about to be exercised at the last time of the church. For all who were in the good of love to the Lord, and thence in the good of charity and of faith, before the last judgment were taken up into heaven; and all who were in no good of charity, and the faith thence derived, consequently all who were interiorly and at the same time exteriorly evil, were cast into hell before the last judgement. But they who were interiorly good, and not alike exteriorly, and they who were interiorly evil but exteriorly in good, all these were left to the last judgement, on which occasion they who were interiorly good were taken up into heaven, but they who were interiorly evil were cast into hell; on which subject see what has been said from things seen and heard, in a small treatise concerning the Last Judgment. From what is here said, it may be manifest, that by goats are meant those who have been in faith separate from charity, as also by the goats in Daniel 8:5-25; and in Ezekiel 34:17. Hence it may be manifest that by the right hand, where the sheep were set, is meant the good of charity and thence of faith; and by the left hand, where the goats were set, is meant faith separate from charity. The reason why it was said to the sheep, that they should possess as an inheritance the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world, is, because in the heavens on the right hand is the south, where all are who are in truths derived from good, for in the southern part the Divine principle itself proceeding is of such a quality, which is meant by the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world, therefore also they are called blessed of My Father, for by Father is meant the Divine Good, from which are all things of heaven; whereas, concerning the goats who are on the left hand, it is not said prepared from the foundation of the world, but the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels, because the evil prepare hell for themselves. They are called cursed because, by the cursed, in the Word, are meant all who avert themselves from the Lord, for they reject the charity and the faith of the church. AE 600.

That sheep in this passage denote the good, that is, those who are in good, is very evident. All the kinds of the goods of charity are contained in the internal sense of these words. Goats specifically signify those who are in faith and in no charity. AC 4169. See also AC 4769.

Verses 34, 35, 36. Then shall the King say to those who are on His right hand, Come you blessed of My Father, possess the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was an hungered, and you gave Me to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave Me to drink: I was a sojourner, and you gathered Me: naked, and you clothed Me: I was sick, and you visited Me: I was in prison, and you came to Me.-What these words involve in the internal sense will be evident from what follows. It ought first to be known, that the works which are here enumerated are the very works or things of charity in their order. This no one can see who does not know the internal sense of the Word, that is, unless he knows what is meant by giving to the hungry to eat, by giving drink to the thirsty, by gathering the sojourner, by clothing the naked; by visiting the sick, by coming to those who are in prison. He who thinks of these things only from the sense of the letter, collects thence, that by them are meant good works in the external form, and that they contain no arcanum besides, when yet in every particular of the expressions there is an arcanum, and this Divine, because from the Lord. But the arcanum at this day is not understood, inasmuch as there are no doctrinals of charity at this day; for after that they had separated charity from faith, those doctrinals perished, and in their place were received and invented the doctrinals of faith, which doctrinals do not at all teach what charity is, and what the neighbour is. The doctrinals prevalent amongst the ancients taught all the genera and all the species of charity, and also who is the neighbour, towards whom charity is to be exercised, and how one is a neighbour in a different degree, and in a different respect, from another, and consequently how charity ought to be exercised differently in application to one than the another. They reduced also the neighbour into classes, and gave names, calling some poor, needy, miserable, afflicted; some blind, lame, halt, also orphans and widows; some hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, bound, and so forth; hence they knew what debt was owing towards one and towards another. But these doctrinals, as was said, have perished, and with them also the understanding of the Word, insomuch that no one at this day knows any other than that by the poor, the widows, the orphans, mentioned in the Word, no others are meant but they who are so called. In like manner, in this passage, by the hungry, the thirsty, the sojournors, the naked, the sick, and those who are in prison; when yet by these is described charity such as it is in its essence, and the exercise thereof such as it ought to be in its life.

The essence of charity towards the neighbour is the affection of good and of truth, and the acknowledgement by man that what is of himself is evil and the false; yea, the neighbour is good and truth itself, and to be affected by these principles is to have charity. The opposite to the neighbour is evil and the false, which principle he holds in aversion who has charity; he therefore who has charity towards the neighbour is affected with good and truth, because they are from the Lord, and holds in aversion what is evil and false, because they are from self. And when he does this, he is in humiliation from the acknowledgement of what he is of himself, and when he is in humiliation he is in a state of the reception of good and truth from the Lord. These are the things of charity, which are involved in the internal sense in these words of the Lord, "I was an hungered, and you gave Me to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave Me to drink: I was a sojourner, and you gathered Me: naked, and you clothed Me: I was sick, and you visited Me: I was in prison, and you came to Me." That these words involve such things, no one can know but from the internal sense. The ancients, who had the doctrinals of charity, knew these things; but at this day they appear so remote, that every one will wonder at its being said that they are involved in the above words. And moreover the angels attendant on man have no other perception of those words, for by being hungry, they have a perception of those, who from affection, desire good; by one that is thirsty, those, who from affection, desire truth; by a sojourner. those who are willing to be instructed; by the naked, those who acknowledge that there is nothing of good and truth in themselves; by the sick, those who acknowledge that in themselves there is nothing but evil; and by the bound and in prison, those who acknowledge that in themselves there is nothing but the false. If these things be reduced into one sense, they signify the things just above mentioned.

From these considerations it may be manifest that divine things were within, in all that the Lord spoke, although they appear, to those who are in mere worldly things, and especially to those who are in corporeal things, to be of such a quality that every man might speak the like; yea, they who are in corporeal things, will be ready to observe, concerning these and other words of the Lord, that there is not so much grace in them, consequently neither so much weight, as in the discourses and preachings of those moderns, who speak with eloquence grounded in erudition; when yet the discourses and preachings of the latter [compared with the former] are as the shell and husk compared with the kernel.

The reason why to hunger denotes to desire good from affection, is, because bead, in the internal sense, is the good of love and charity, and meat in general is good, see AC 2165, 2177, 3478, 4211, 4217, 4735. The reason why to thirst denotes to desire truth from affection, is because wine and also water denotes the truth of faith; that wine denotes this, see AC 1071, 1798, and that water, AC 2702. That a sojourner denotes one who is willing to be instructed, see AC 1463, 4444; that naked denotes one who acknowledges that there is nothing of good and of truth in himself; that sick denotes one who is in evil; and that bound or in prison denotes one who is in the false, is evident from several passages in the Word where they are named. The reason why the Lord says those things of Himself, is, because the Lord is in those who are such; wherefore He also says, " Verily I say to you, so much as you have done to one of these the least of My brethren, you have done to me." Verses 40, 45.

Then shall the just answer, saying, Lord, when saw we You an hungered, and fed You? or thirsty, and gave You drink? &c.-By those on the right hand saying, Lord, when saw we You an hungered, and fed You? or thirsty, and gave You drink, &c., is signified that if they had seen the Lord Himself, every one would have done those offices, yet not from love towards Him, but from fear, because He was to be the Judge of the universe, nor for the sake of Him but for the sake of themselves, thus not from an interior principle or the heart, but from an exterior principle and in gesture. The case herein is like that of one who sees a king, whose favour he is willing to merit, that he may become great or rich, on which account he behaves himself submissively towards him. The case is similar with those who are in holy external worship, in which, as it were, they see the Lord, and submit themselves to Him, believing thus that they shall receive eternal life, and yet they have no charity, neither do they do good to any one except for the sake of themselves, thus only to themselves; these are like those who pay court to their king, in an external form, with much veneration, and yet laugh at his commands, because they think lightly of him in their hearts. These and similar things are what are signified by those on the right hand so replying; and whereas the evil also do similar things in the external form, therefore they on the left hand answer nearly in the same manner. Inasmuch, therefore, as the Lord is not concerned about external things, but internal, and man testifies internal things not by worship only, but by charity and its exercises, therefore the Lord replied, "Verily I say to you, so much as you have done to one of these the least of My brethren:, you have done to Me." They who are named brethren are they who are in the good of charity and of life, for the Lord is with them, because He is in good itself; and they are those who are properly meant by neighbour: in these also the Lord does not manifest Himself, for they are respectively vile, but the man manifests himself before the Lord, that worships him from an interior principle.

The reason why the Lord calls Himself a King in these words, "When the Son of Man shall come in His glory, He shall sit on the throne of glory, then shall the King say to them," is because the kingly principle of the Lord is the Divine Truth, from which, and according to which, judgement is effected. But from it, and according to it, the good and the evil are judged in different ways; the good, because they have received Divine Truth, are judged from good, thus from mercy; the evil, because they have not received Divine Truth, are judged from truth, thus not from mercy, for this latter they have rejected, and hence, in the other life, they continually reject. To receive Divine Truth is not only to have faith, but also to act faith, that is, to make what is of doctrine to be of the life. Hence it is that the Lord calls Himself a King.

By those on the right hand being called just, is signified that they are in the justice of the Lord: for all, who are in the good of charity, are called just, not that they are just from themselves, but from the Lord, whose justice is appropriated to them. They who believe themselves just from themselves, or to be so justified that there is no longer anything of evil belonging to them, are not amongst the just, but amongst the unjust, for they attribute, good to themselves, and also place merit in good, and such cannot in any way adore the Lord from true humiliation. Wherefore they who are called in the Word, just and holy, are they who know and acknowledge that all good is from the Lord, and all evil from themselves, that is, from hell belonging to themselves. The eternal life, which the just have, is life from good, for good has life in itself, because it is from the Lord, who is life Itself. In the life which is from the Lord there is wisdom and intelligence, for to receive good from the Lord, and thence to will good, is wisdom, and to receive truth from the Lord, and thence to believe truth, is intelligence, and they who have that wisdom and intelligence have life, and since happiness is adjoined to such life, eternal happiness is also signified by life. The contrary is the case with those who are in evil; they appear indeed, especially to themselves, as if they had life, but it is such life which in the Word is called death, and also is spiritual death, for they have no relish for anything of good, neither do they understand anything of truth. This may be manifest to every considerate person, for since there is life in good and in the truth thence derived, there cannot be life in evil and in the false thence derived, for these principles are contrary to, and extinguish the life, wherefore they have no other life than such as appertains to the insane.

The reason why they on the left hand are called cursed, and their punishment eternal fire, is because they have averted themselves from good and truth, and have converted themselves to what is evil and false, for in the internal sense of the Word, curse signifies aversion, see AC 245, 379, 1423, 3530, 3584. The eternal fire, into which they were to depart, is not elementary fire, neither is it torment of conscience, but it is craving of evil; for the cravings belonging to man are spiritual fires which consume him in the life of the body, and in the other life torment him, for from those fires the infernals mutually torture each other by direful methods. That the eternal fire is not elementary fire, may be manifest. The reason why it is not the torment of conscience, is because no one who is in evil has any conscience, and they who had none in the life of the body, cannot have any in the other life. But the reason why it is craving, is because all the fiery vital principle is from the loves belonging to man, the fiery celestial principle from the love of good and of truth, and the fiery infernal principle from the love of evil and the false, or what is the same thing, the fiery celestial principle is from love to the Lord, and love towards the neighbour, and the fiery infernal principle from the love of self, and the love of the world. That all fire or heat inwardly in man is from those sources, every one may know if he attends. Hence also it is that love is called spiritual heat, and that by fire and heat, in the Word, nothing else is signified, see AC 934, 1297, 1527, 1528, 1861, 2446, 4906. The fiery vital principle belonging to the evil is also of such a quality, that when they are in the vehemence of concupiscences, they are also in a sort of fire, from which they are in the ardour and fury of tormenting others. But the fiery vital principle appertaining to the good, is such that when they are in a superior degree of affection, they are also, as it were, in a kind of fire, but from it in the love and zeal of doing good to others. AC 4954-4959, 5063-5071.

By the works here recounted are signified universal genera (kinds) of charity, and in what degree the several genera are good, or in what degree they are good who are the neighbours to whom charity is to be exercised, and that the Lord, in a supreme sense, is neighbour, for he says, "So much as you have done to one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it to Me," verse 40 of the same chapter. AC 3419.

In this passage, to possess the kingdom of the Lord, or heaven, as an inheritance, is said of those who are in good. The goods of charity themselves are recounted in their order; and at length it is said, so much as you have done to one of the least of these My brethren, you have done it to Me. They are called the Lord's brethren who are in good, because good is the Lord with man; therefore it is said, so much as you have done to one of these brethren, but not to one of the brethren.AC 9338.

Verse 34. From the foundation of the world.-By the foundation of the world, in the literal or natural sense, is understood the creation of the world; but, in the internal spiritual sense, the establishment of the church is understood, for the spiritual sense treats concerning spiritual things; and the natural sense treats concerning natural things, which appertain to the world. The establishment of the church is understood by the foundation of the world in the following passage in Matthew, "Come you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Also in John 17:24; Luke 11:50; Zech 12:1; Isa 48:12, 13. From these it is evident that by the foundation of the world is signified the establishment of the church, for the same is understood by the world as by heaven and earth; and it is said, "To lay the foundation of the earth," because by the earth is signified the church on earth, and upon this heaven is founded as to its holy things. AE 1057.

Verse 35. I was an hungered, and you gave Me to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave Me to drink. - -By these words is signified spiritual hunger and thirst, also spiritual eating and drinking; spiritual hunger and thirst is the affection and desire to good and truth, and spiritual eating and drinking is instruction, reception, and appropriation. It is said concerning the Lord that He hungers and thirsts, because from Divine Love He desires the salvation of all; and it is said of men that they gave Him to cat and to drink, which is effected when from affection they receive and perceive good and truth from the Lord, and appropriate those principles to themselves by life. It is therefore charity, or the affection of spiritual truth which is described by those words. AE 386, 617. AC 5037.

In the Word throughout, the poor and needy are frequently mentioned, and also the hungry and thirsty, and by the poor and needy are signified those who believe that they know nothing from themselves; and also they who do not know, because they have not the Word; and by the hungry and thirsty are signified those who continually desire truths, and to be perfected by them. Both the former and the latter are understood by the poor, the needy, the hungry and thirsty, in the following passages, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens; blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled," Matt 5:3, 6; Luke 6:20, 21. "To the poor the gospel shall be preached, and the poor hear the gospel," Luke 7:22. "The father of the family said to the servants, go out into, the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor," Luke 14:21. "Then the first-born of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down confidently," Isa 14:30. "I was an hungered, and you gave me to eat; I thirsted, and you gave me to drink." Matt 25:35. AE 118.

To hunger denotes to desire good from affection; because bread; in the internal sense, is the good of love and of charity, and food in general, AC 2165, 2177, 3478, 4211, 4217, 4735.

To thirst denotes to desire truth from affection, because wine, and also water,are the truths of faith; that wine is, see AC 1071, 1798; that water is, see AC 2702. A sojourner denotes one who in willing to be instructed, as may be seen AC 1463, 4444. Naked denotes one who acknowledges that there is nothing of good and truth in himself. Sick denotes one who is in evil; and bound or in prison denotes one who is in the false, as is evident from several passages in the Word where they are mentioned.

The Lord says these things of Himself, because He is in those who answer such description; therefore He also says, "Verily I say to you, so much as you have done to one of the least of these My brethren, you have done to Me," Matt 25:40, 45. AC 4968, 4959.

By hungering and thirsting is signified to be in ignorance and spiritual want, and by giving to eat and drink, is signified to instruct and enlighten from spiritual affection or charity, wherefore it is also said, I was a sojourner and you gathered Me not, for by a sojourner are signified those who are out of the church, and desire to be instructed and receive the doctrinals thereof and live according to them. See AC 1643, 4444, 7908, 8007, 8013, 9196. In the Word we read also that the Lord hungered and thirsted, whereby is understood that from the Divine Love He willed and desired the salvation of mankind. AE 386.

Spiritual hunger and thirst are the affection and desire for good and truth, and spiritual eating and drinking are instruction, reception, and appropriation; it is there said concerning the Lord, that He hungers and thirsts, because from His Divine Love He desires the salvation of all; and concerning man it is said, that they gave Him to eat and to drink, which is the case when from affection they receive and perceive good and truth from the Lord, and appropriate to themselves by a life according to them. In like manner it will be said of a man who from his heart loves to instruct a man, and desires his salvation; wherefore it is charity, or the spiritual affection of truth, which is described by these words and those which follow. AE 617.

Verse 36. Naked and you clothed Me.-By the naked, in the Word, are meant those who are not in truths, and thence not in good, as is the case with those within the church where falses are taught, also with those out of the church who have not the Word, and hence do not know truth nor anything concerning the Lord: to cover with a garment and to clothe, signifies to instruct in truths, for garments denote truths. AE 240.

Verses 37-40. Then shall the just answer Him, &c. - By celestial good is meant the good of love from the Lord to the Lord, and by spiritual good is meant the good of charity towards the neighbour from the Lord. The good itself of love to the Lord from the Lord is the holy of holies, because the Lord by it conjoins Himself immediately, but the good of charity towards the neighbour is holy, because the Lord by it conjoins Himself mediately, and so far conjoins Himself as it has in it the good of love from the Lord. The good of love to the Lord from the Lord is in all the good of charity which is genuine, and likewise in all the good of faith which is genuine, for it flows-in from the Lord. For no one can love the neighbour, and from love do good to him from himself, but from the Lord; therefore when the Lord is acknowledged, and the neighbour is loved, then the Lord is in the love towards the neighbour, whether man knows it or not. This also is meant by the Lord's words in Matthew, "The just answered, Lord, when saw we You hungry, and fed You, or thirsty and gave You to drink; when saw we You sick and in prison, and came to You; but the King shall say to them, verily I say to you, inasmuch as you have done it to one of these least brethren, you have done it to Me," Matt 25:37-40. Hence it is evident that the Lord is in the good of charity, and is that good, although those who are in that good are ignorant of it. By brethren in the proximate sense are meant those who are in the good of charity, and in the sense abstracted from person, the brethren of the Lord are the goods themselves of charity, as may be seen AC 5063- 5071. AC 10130. See also AC 9263 and AE 212.

Verse 40. Verily I say to you, So much as you have done to one of the least of these My brethren you have done to Me.- That they who have performed goods of charity are here called by the Lord brethren, is manifest from what goes before in the same chapter; but it is to be noted that the Lord, although He is their Father, still names them brethren; but He is their Father from Divine Love, and their brother from the Divine, which proceeds from Him. The reason is because all in the heavens are receptions of the Divine, which proceeds from Him, and the Divine which proceeds from the Lord, of which they are receptions, is the Lord in heaven, and also in the church, and this [principle] is not of angel nor of man, but of the Lord with them, wherefore the Lord calls the good itself of charity belonging to them, which is His own, brother, consequently also angels and men, because they are the recipient subjects of that good. In a word, the Divine Proceeding, which is the Divine of the Lord in the heavens, is the Divine [principle] born of the Lord in heaven, wherefore from that Divine, the angels, who are recipients of it, are called the Sons of God, and whereas these are brethren from that Divine [principle] received amongst them, it is the Lord in them who is called brother, for the angels do not speak from themselves but from the Lord, whilst from the good of charity. Hence now it is that the Lord says, "So much as you have done to one of the least of these My brethren, you have done to Me;" the goods therefore of charity, which are enumerated in what goes before, are what, in the spiritual sense, are the Lord's brethren, and which, for the reason above assigned, are called by the Lord brethren. By the King also, who so calls them, is signified the Divine Proceeding, which by one term is called the Divine Truth or the Divine Spiritual principle, which in its essence is the good of charity. It is therefore to be maintained that the Lord did not call them brethren from being Himself a man like them, according to the opinion received in the Christian world, whence it follows that it is not therefore allowed any man to call the Lord brother, for He is God even as to the Humanity, and God is not a brother but is a Father. The reason why the Lord is called brother in the churches on earth, is, because they have conceived no other idea concerning His Humanity than as concerning the Humanity of another man, when yet the Humanity of the Lord is Divine. AE 746.

All who are in good are conjoined with the Divine principle of the Lord, and by reason of conjunction are by the Lord called brethren, as in Mark, "Jesus looking round about, said, Behold, My mother and My brethren; for whoever shall do the will of God, he is My brother, and My sister, and My mother," Mark 3:31-35. All conjunction is by love and charity, which may be manifest to every one, for spiritual conjunction is nothing else than love and charity. That love to the Lord is conjunction with Him, is evident; and that charity towards the neighbour is so in like manner, is manifest from the Lord's words in Matthew, "So much as you have done to one of the least of these My brethren, you have done to Me;" where the subject treated of is concerning works of charity. AC 4191.

He who does not know what Christian charity is, may believe that it not only consists in giving to the needy and to the poor, but also in doing good to a fellow-citizen, to a man's country, and to the church, for any cause whatever, or from any end whatever. But it is to be noted that the end regarded is what qualifies all the actions of man; if the end regarded, or the intention, be to do good for the sake of reputation, to court honours or gain, in this case the good which a man does is not good, because it is for the sake of himself, thus also from himself. But if the end regarded be to do good for the sake of a fellow-citizen, or of a man's country, or of the church, thus for the sake of the neighbour, in this case the good which he does is good, for it is for the sake of good itself, which in general is the real neighbour; thus also it is for the sake of the Lord, for such good is not from man but from the Lord,, and what is from the Lord is of the Lord: this good is what is meant by the Lord in Matthew, "So much as ye have done to one of the least of these My brethren, you have done to Me." AC 9210.

Verse 41. Then shall He say to them on the left" hand, Depart you from Me the cursed into the everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.-The reason why mention is here made of the devil, is because by devil is signified the hell whence come evils, as by satan is signified the hell whence come falses, and because these things are said of those who have not done goods, and on that account have done evils; they who do not do good works, do evil works, for in what goes before, the works which they have not done are recounted, for when goods are made light of, evils are loved. AE 740. See also AE 504.

Infernal fire is nothing else but hatred, revenge, and cruelty, or what is the same thing, self-love, which thus manifest themselves in the other life. Man, during his life in the body, if of such a quality, however he may outwardly appear to other men, yet, were he viewed near by the angels, would appear in their eyes exactly according to the description here given, namely, his states of hatred would appear as torches of fire, and the falses thence derived as furnaces of smoke. Of this fire the Lord thus speaks in Matthew, "Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire," Matt 3:10; Luke 3:9. By good fruit is meant charity, of which whoever deprives himself, cuts himself down, and casts himself into such fire. So again, "The Son of Man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom, all things that offend, and them who do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire," Matt 13:41-45, where the signification is the same. So again, "The King shall say to those on the left hand, Depart from Me you cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels," Matt 25:41, denotes the same thing. AC 1861.

Since infernal fire, or the fire of hell, is the love of self and the world, it includes also every lust belonging to those loves, lust being love in its continuous state; for what a man loves, he continually lusts after, or covets. It also is delight; for what a man loves or lusts after, when he obtains it, he feels as delightful; and man experiences heartfelt delight from no other origin. Infernal fire, or the fire of hell, is therefore

the lust and delight which spring as their origin from those two loves. HH 570.

It is from the correspondence of fire and love, that in common discourse, when speaking of the affections of love, we use the expressions to grow warm, to he inflamed, to burn, to grow hot, to be on fire, and others of a like nature. Moreover, man grows warm from his love, whatever kind it be, according to the degree of it. So far concerning the signification of fire in the Word, when it is attributed to the Lord, and when it is predicated of heaven and the church. On the other hand, when fire in the Word is predicated of evil and of the hells, it then signifies the love of self and of the world, and thence every evil affection and cupidity which torments the wicked after death in hell. The reason of this opposite signification of fire is because the Divine Love, when it descends out of heaven, and falls into the societies where the evil are, is turned into a love contrary to the Divine Love, and thence into various ardours of cravings and cupidities, and so into evils of every kind; and inasmuch as evils carry with themselves the punishment of evil, hence arise their torments. From the conversion of the Divine Love into infernal love with the evil, the hells, where the love of self and the world, and thence hatreds and revenges, have rule, appear as in a flaming fire, both within and round about, although no fire is perceived by the diabolical crew who are in them. From those loves also, the diabolical crew themselves, who are in such hells, appear with their faces inflamed, and reddened as with fire. AE 504.

Many, especially they who have confirmed themselves in faith separate from charity, do not know that they are in hell when they are in evils, and do not indeed know what evils are, by reason that they think nothing at all about them, saying that they are not under the yoke of the law, and thus that the law does not condemn them; also, because they can contribute nothing to salvation, that they cannot remove any evil from themselves, and moreover that they cannot do any good from themselves. These are they who omit to think concerning evil, and because they omit to think of it, they are continually in it. That these are they whom the Lord means by goats, Matt 25:41-46, may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning Faith, 61-68, concerning whom it is said, "Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." DP 101. See also B.E. 84, 85. HH 471-475.

General Observations on the above Parable.

As to what concerns judgement, it is two-fold, namely, from good and from truth; the faithful are judged from good, but the unfaithful from truth; that the faithful are judged from good is very manifest from Matt 25:34 - 40; and that the unfaithful are judged from truth, is manifest from verses 41 - 46 of the same chapter. To be judged from good is to be saved, because they have received good; but to be judged from truth is to be damned, because they have rejected good; good is of the Lord, and they who acknowledge this, in life and faith, are of the Lord, wherefore they are saved; but they who do not acknowledge in life, consequently not in faith, cannot be of the Lord, thus neither can they be saved. They are judged therefore according to the actions of their life, and according to thoughts and ends, and when according to those, they must needs be damned, for the truth is that man of himself does, thinks, and intends nothing but evil, and of himself rushes into hell, so far as be is not withheld thence by the Lord. AC 2335.

From this parable it is evident that works are what save man, and what condemn man, namely, that good works save, and that evil works condemn, for in works there is the will of man.

He who wills good, does good, but he who does not do good, however he may say that he wills good, still does not will it when he does not do it. It is as if he should say, I will it but I do not will it. And whereas the will itself is in works, and charity is of the will, and faith is of charity, it is evident what of will, or what of charity and of faith, appertains to man, when he does not good works, and especially when he does the contrary, namely, evil works. Moreover it is to be noted that the kingdom of the Lord with man commences from the life which is of works, for then he is in the beginning of regeneration, but when the kingdom of the Lord appertains to man, it terminates in works, and then he is regenerated. For then the internal man is correspondently in the external, and works are of the external man, as charity and the faith thence derived are of the internal, wherefore works in this case are charity. Inasmuch as the life of the internal man thus exists in the works of the external man, therefore the Lord, in treating of the last judgment, Matt 25:32 - 46, recounts nothing but works, and that they shall enter into eternal life who have done good works, and into damnation who have done evil works. AC 3934.

All who do good from religion, not only Christians but also Pagans, are accepted of the Lord, and after death are adopted, for the Lord says, "I was an hungered, and you gave Me to eat, &c. Come you blessed, and inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." To this I will add this now information: all they who do good from religion after death reject the doctrine of the present church concerning three divine persons from eternity, and also the faith of that church as applied to those three in order, and convert themselves to the Lord God the Saviour, and with pleasure imbibe those things which are of the now church. But all others, who have not exercised charity from a principle of religion, have adamantine hearts, thus hard, and they first go to three gods, afterwards to the Father alone, and finally to none; the Lord God the Saviour they regard only as the Son of Mary, born from her marriage with Joseph, and not as the Son of God; and in this case they shake off all the goods and truths of the new church, and presently adjoin themselves to the spirits of the dragon, and with them are driven away into deserts, or into caverns, which are in the ultimate borders of the orb called Christian, and after a time, because they are separated from the new heaven, they rush into all enormities, and on that account are let down into hell. Such is the lot of those who do not do works of charity from religion, by reason of a belief that no one can do good from himself unless it be meritorious, and hence they omit those works, and associate themselves to the goats who are damned, and cast into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels, by reason that they have not done those things which the sheep did, Matt 25:41, and the following verses. It is not there said that they did evils, but that they did not do goods, and they who do not do goods from religion, do evils, since "no one can serve two lords, but he will hate the one, and love the other, or adhere to the one, and neglect the other," Matt 6:24. TCR 536.

Let every one beware of that heretical tenet, that man is justified by faith without the works of the law, for he who is in it, and does not fully recede from it before the close of life, after death is consociated with infernal genii. For they are the goats, of whom the Lord says, "Depart you from Me, the cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels;" for the Lord does not say concerning the goats that they have done evils, but that they have not done goods; the reason why they have not done goods is, because they say with themselves, "I cannot do good from myself; the law does not condemn me, the blood of Christ cleanses me, and delivers me, the passion of the cross has taken away the guilt of sin, the merit of Christ is imputed to me by faith, I am reconciled to the Father, in grace, I am beheld as a son, and He regards my sins as infirmities, which He instantly remits for the sake of His Son, thus He justifies by faith alone, and unless this faith was the only medium of salvation, no mortal could be saved; for what other end did the Son of God suffer the cross, and fulfill the law, than to take away the damnation of our transgressions?" These and several like things they say with themselves, and thus they do not do goods which are goods, for from their "faith alone", which is nothing but a faith of knowledges, in itself historical faith, thus merely science, do not proceed any goods, for it is a dead faith, into which no life or soul is admitted, unless man immediately goes to the Lord and shuns evils as sins, as from himself, in which case the goods which man does, as from himself, are from the Lord, thus in themselves goods. On which subject it is thus written in Isaiah, "Wo to the sinful nation, laden with iniquity, a seed of evils, corrupt sons: when you stretch out your hands, I hide Mine eyes from you; also if you multiply prayer, I do not hear: wash you, purify yourselves, remove the wickedness of your works from before Mine eyes; cease to do evil: learn to do good: then if your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; if they be red as purple, they shall be as wool," Is 1:4, 15, 16, 17, 18. And in Jeremiah, "Stand in the gate of the house of Jehovah, and proclaim there this Word; trust not to the words of a lie, saying, The Temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah [are] they (the church of God, the church of God, the church of God where our faith is): will you steal, kill, commit adultery, and swear by a lie, and then come and stand before Me in this house, upon which My name is named, and say, We are delivered, whilst you do these abominations: shall this house be made a den of thieves? Also, behold, I have seen, says Jehovah," Jer 7:2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11. AE 838. See also Exposition, chap. 21:40, 41, 23:23, 25, 26.

TRANSLATOR'S NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS.

Chapter XXV.

verse 5.They all slumbered and slept.-Slumbering has respect to the will, sleeping to the understanding, thus both together have relation to the marriage so frequently spoken of above. The same is true of arising, and trimming their lamps, at verse 7.

Verse 14. For [He is] as a man travelling into a far country, &c. - In the common version of the New Testament this passage is expressed, for the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country; but in the original Greek there is no mention made of the kingdom of heaven, and accordingly the words are printed in italics, to denote that they are an interpolation. The passage, therefore, manifestly relates to what has been said in the foregoing verse concerning the Son of Man, and contains a further description of the effect of His appearing, that is, of the manifestation of Divine Truth in the consummation of the age.

Verses 21-23. Well, good and faithful servant, &c. - In the common version of the New Testament, what is here rendered well,is expressed by well done, but the original term is Eu, which simply means well,denoting not so much what had been done,as what was its present effect, thus expressing in one comprehensive term the state of good, and of consequent happiness to which the good and faithful servant had attained. Good and faithful have manifest respect to the heavenly marriage so frequently spoken of above.

Enter thou into the joy of your Lord.-It is impossible to comprehend the full force and meaning of this expression, until it be considered what the Lord's joy is, into which the good and faithful are called to enter, and until it be seen from such consideration, that the Lord's joy consists in communicating joy to others, and in partaking of their joys. This then is the joy to which the good and faithful are admitted, and to which none else can be admitted, since none else can possibly be made sensible of the exquisite blessedness resulting from such a joy.

Verse 24. And gathering whence you have not scattered.- In the common version of the New Testament this passage is rendered gathering where you hast not strawed, but what is here rendered where, is in the original othen, which properly signifies whence, and what is rendered strawed, is dieskorpisas, from diaskorpiso which signifies to scatter or disperse.The spiritual idea contained in the expression appears to relate to the scattered or dispersed state of human minds in their separation from God, whilst wandering in evil and in error; and the argument intended here to be urged by the unfaithful servant against the requirements of the Lord, seems to be this, that no such dispersion or scattering had ever taken place, consequently that it was unreasonable, because needless, to require a gathering. It may be expedient further to note, that the reaping, spoken of in the same verse, has respect to the communication of good in the will, and to deliverance thereby from evil, whilst gathering has respect to the communication of truth in the understanding, and to deliverance thereby from falses, for the same term is applied at verses 35, 38, and 43, below, to the sojourner,to denote instruction in truths.

Verse 25. When I went away I hid your talent in the earth.- To go away relates to the corrupt state of the will, in its departure from heavenly or spiritual good; to hide the talent in the earth, has respect to the obscurity of truth, which was the necessary effect of such departure, thus both expressions taken together have reference to the marriage so often referred to above, in this case the infernal marriage.

Verse 26. You wicked servant and slothful.-Wicked has respect to evil in the will, and slothful,to falses in the understanding, thus both together again mark the infernal marriage, as good and faithful servant at verses 21, 23, mark the heavenly marriage.

Verse 34. Then shall the King say to those on His right hand, &c. - It is remarkable that the original term, here rendered say, is neither eipei, nor lexei, but erei, and again at verses 40, 41. See note at chap. 13:28.

Verse 35, 86. I was an hungered, &c. - Another remarkable instance here occurs of the connection of ideas in the internal sense, according to which the Lord so frequently spoke, for to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to gather the sojourner, to clothe the naked, to visit the infirm, and to go to those who are in prison, are expressions which involve the whole operation of charity both as extended to the souls and bodies of men.

I was a sojourner, and you gathered Me.-In the common version of the New Testament, this passage is rendered, I was a stranger, and you took Me in, but the original Greek is xenos emen, kai sunegagete, which is literally as above, I was a sojourner, and you gathered Me, for the proper idea suggested by the term xenos is that of a sojourner,rather than of a stranger,and the Greek verb sunago properly signifies to bring or gather together. Suffice it to observe further on this passage, that it is expressed with reference to the internal or spiritual sense, according to which sense a distinction is made between a stranger and a sojourner, for a sojourner denotes one who is in ignorance of truth, but desirous of instruction; whereas a stranger,according to the same sense, is one who is opposed both to good and truth. In the law therefore concerning the passover, the stranger was not allowed to eat it, but the sojourner was allowed. See AC 7990, 8007-8012.

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