Good, nor any Truth, which manifeftly appears from this, that then no Man knew that there was any Internal in Man, nor that there was any Internal in the Word; neither that the Meffias or Chrift fhould come to fave them to Eternity. Hence it is plain what is fignified by that, that John fhould be in the Wilderness till the Day of his Appearance to Ifrael, Luke i. 8o. and that he preached in the Wilderness of Judea, Matt. iii. 1 and following; and that he baptized in the Defart, Mark i. 4. for by that he also represented the State of the Church. From the Signification of Defart it may alfo appear, why the Lord fo often retired into the Wilderness, Matt. iv. 1. Chap. xv. 32 to the End; Mark i. 12, 13, 35 to 40, 45. Chap. vi. 31 to 36. Luke iv. 1. Chap. v. 16. Chap. ix. 10 and following; John xi. 54; as likewise from the Signification of Mountain, why the Lord retired to Mountains, as Matt. xiv. 23. Chap. xv. 29, 30, 31. Chap. xvii. 1. and following; Chap. xxviii. 16, 17. Mark iii. 13, 14. Chap. vi. 46. Chap. ix. 2 to 9. Luke vi. 12, 13. Chap. ix. 28. John vi. 15.

2709. And he became an Archer, that it fignifies the Man of the Spiritual Church, appears from the Signification of Dart, Shaft, or Arrow, which is Truth, and from the Signification of Bow, which is Doctrine, of which above, N. 2686. The Man of the Church fpiritual was formerly called an Archer, because he defends himself by Truths, and difputes about Truths, as may be feen above N. 2708; the Truths by which the Man of the fpiritual Church defends himself, and about which he difputes, are from the Doctrine which he acknowledges. That the Man of the fpiritual Church was formerly called an Archer or Darter, and that Doctrine was called Bow and Quiver, and the Truths of Doctrine, or rather Doctrinals, were called Darts, Shafts, and Arrows, may appear moreover in David, "The Children of Ephraim being "armed and carrying Bows, turned back in the Day of Battle," Pf. lviii. 9. Ephraim ftands for the Intellectual of the Church; and in the Book of Judges, "Speak ye that ride upon white Affes, ye that fit in Judgment, and "walk by the Way. They that are deliver'd from the Noife of Archers in the "Places of drawing Water; there they fhall rehearse the righteous Acts of Jehovah, even the righteous Acts towards the Inhabitants of his Villages in "Ifrael," v. 10, II. In Ifaiah, "Jehovah hath called me from the Womb, " from the Bowels of my Mother hath he made mention of my Name. And " he hath made my Mouth like a fharp Sword, in the Shadow of his Hand "hath he hid me, and made me a polished Shaft, in his Quiver hath he hid cc me. And he faid unto me, Thou art my Servant, O Ifrael, in whom I "will be glorified," xlix. 1, 2, 3. Ifrael ftands for the Church fpiritual. In David, "As Arrows are in the Hand of a mighty Man, so are the Children "of Youth; happy is the Man that hath bis Quiver full of them," Pf. cxxvii. 4, 5. Quiver ftands for the Doctrine of Good and Truth. In Habakuk, The Sun and Moon ftood ftill in their Habitation; at the Light of thine "Arrows they went, at the Shining of thy glittering Spear," iii. 11. That Joab the King of Ifrael by the Command of Elifba fhot an Arrow of a Bow

thro'

thro' a Window, Elisha faying at the fame Time, The Arrow of Jehovah's Deliverance, the Arrow of Jehovah's Deliverance from Syria, 2 Kings xiii. 16, 17, 18. fignifies the Secrets concerning the Doctrine of Good and Truth. Thus also many Things in the Word have an oppofite Senfe, thus alfo Darts, Shafts, Arrows, Bows, Archers, and they fignify Falfities, and the Doctrine of Falfity, and thofe who are in Falfity; as in Mofes," Jofeph is a fruitful ' Bough, even a fruitful Bough by the Well; whofe Branches run over the "Wall. The Archers have forely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him," Gen. xlix. 22, 23. In Jeremiah, "They bend their Tongues like "their Bow for Lies; but they are not valiant for the Truth upon the Earth. "Their Tongue is as an Arrow shot out, it speaketh Deceit," ix. 3, 8. In David, "Who whet their Tongues like a Sword, and bend their Bows to fboot their Arrows, even bitter Words. That they may boot in secret at "the Perfect; fuddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. They encourage "themselves in an evil Manner; they commune in laying Snares privately,' Ixiv. 3, 4, 5. In the fame," For, lo, the Wicked bend their Bow, they "make ready their Arrow upon the String, that they may privily shoot at the "upright in Heart," Pf. xi. 2. In the fame, "His Truth fhall be thy "Shield and Buckler. Thou fhalt not be afraid of the Terror by Night; nor for the Arrow that flieth by Day," xci. 4, 5.

2710. In this Verfe is described the State of the Church spiritual, namely, that it is obfcure refpectively to the State of the Church celeftial, and that it is militant, for this Reason, because the Man of the fpiritual Church knows Truth no otherwife than from Doctrine, not from Good itself as the celeftial Man does.

2711. Ver. 21. And he dwelt in the Wilderness of Paran; and his Mother took him a Wife out of the Land of Egypt. He dwelt in the Wilderness of Paran, fignifies the Life of the fpiritual Man with respect to Good; Wilderness is here as before, and Obscurity refpectively; Paran, is Illumination from the Divine Human of the Lord. And his Mother took him, fignifies the Affection of Truth. A Wife out of the Land of Egypt, fignifies the Affection of Sciences, which the Man of the fpiritual Church has.

2712. He dwelt in the Wilderness of Paran, that it fignifies the Life of the Spiritual Man with refpect to Good, appears from the Signification of, to dwell, which is predicated of the Good of Truth, or of Good fpiritual, that is, of the Good of the spiritual Man; which what it is, is described by that, that he fhould dwell in the Wilderness of Paran. That, to dwell, is predicated of the Good or Affection of Truth appears from many Places in the Word, where Cities are treated of, by which are fignified Truths, that they shall be without an Inhabitant, by whom is fignified Good, N. 2268. 2450. 2451, for Truths are inhabited by Good; and Truths are without Good, as a City in which there is no Inhabitant; as in Zephaniah, "I made their Streets wafte, "that none paffeth by; their Cities are deftroyed, fo that there is no Man, "that there is none Inhabitant," iii, 6. In Jeremiah, "Jehovah that led us

thro'

bro' the Wilderness, that no Man paffed thro', where no Man dwelt; his "Cities are burnt without Inhabitant,” ii. 6, 15. In the fame, "Every City "hall be forfaken, and not a Man fhall dwell therein," iv. 29. In the same, "In the Streets of Jerufalem that are defolate, and without Inhabitant, and "without Beaft," xxxiii. 10. Streets are put for Truths, N. 2336, no Man for no Good celeftial, no Inhabitant for no Good fpiritual, no Beast for Good natural. In the fame, "Give Wings unto Moab that it may flee away, for "the Cities thereof fhall be defolate without any to dwell therein," xlviii. 9. In all the Expreffions of the Prophets there is the Marriage of Truth and Good, wherefore where a City defolated is fpoken of, it is alfo added there was no Inhabitant therein, for this Reason, because City fignifies Truths, and an Inhabitant Good, otherwife it would be fuperfluous to fay, no Inhabitant, where it is faid a City is defolated. In like Manner are the Words conftant, which fignify thofe Things which are of Good celeftial, which are of Good fpiritual, as likewife thofe Things which are of Truth, as in Ifaiak, "Thy "Seed fhall poffefs the Gentiles, and make the defolate Cities to be inha"bited," liv. 3. where to poffefs is predicated of Good celeftial, to inhabit of Good spiritual, "Mine Elect shall inherit it, and my Servants fhall dwell "therein," lxv. 9. in the fame Manner. In David, "God fhall fave Zion, "and will build the Cities of Judah, that they may dwell there and have it in "Poffeffion. The Seed alfo of his Servants fhall inherit it; and they that love "his Name shall dwell therein," Pf. lxix. 35, 36. To inhabit and at the fame Time to poffefs, is predicated of Good celeftial, to inhabit, of Good fpiritual. In Ifaiab, "Saying to Jerufalem thou shalt be inhabited, and to the Cities of "Judah, ye fhall be built," xliv. 26. where to inhabit is predicated of the Good fpiritual of the Church, which is Jerufalem. Of fuch Importance are the Words predicated in the Word of their Good and Truths, that only from noting the Predication of fuch Words, it may be known, what in general is treated of.

2713. That Wilderness fignifies Obfcurity refpectively, appears from the Signification of Wilderness, which is Obfcurity, when it is predicated of the spiritual Man, refpectively to the celeftial, of which above, N. 2708.

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2714. That Paran is Illumination from the Divine Human of the Lord, appears from the Signification of Paran, which is the Divine Human of the Lord, as is plain from thofe Places in the Word, where it is named; as in the Prophet Habakuk, "Jehovah, I heard thy Speech and was afraid; Jehovah, revive thy Work in the Midft of the Years, in the Midst of "the Years make known; in Wrath remember Mercy. God came from "Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His Glory "covered the Heavens, and the Earth was full of his Praise; and his Bright"nefs was as the Light, he had Horns coming out of his Hand, and there "was the hiding of his Power," iii. 2, 3, 4. where the Prophet manifeftly fpeaks of the Coming of the Lord, who, by reviving the Work in the Midft of the Years, and making known in the Midft of the Years, is fignified;

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his Divine Human is described by God's coming from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran; it is faid from Teman with refpect to Love celestial, and from Mount Paran with refpect to Love fpiritual, and that from thence is Illumination and Power, is fignified by this, that there was Brightness and Light, he had Horns in his Hands, Brightness and Light are Illumination, Horns are Power. In Mofes," Jehovah came from Sinai, and rose up from "Seir upon them, he fhined forth from Mount Paran, and he came with "ten thousands of his Saints; from his right Hand went a fiery Law for "them. Yea, he loved the People; all his Saints are in thy Hand; and they fat down at thy Feet; every one fhall receive of thy Words," Deut. xxxiii. 2, 3. Here alfo he speaks of the Lord, whofe Divine Human is described by this, that he rofe up from Seir, and fhone forth from Mount Paran; it is faid from Seir with refpect to Love celestial, from Paran with respect to Love spiritual; spiritual Men are fignified by the People whom he loves, and fitting together at his Feet; Foot fignifies fomething inferior, fo obfcure, in the Kingdom of the Lord. In the fame, "Chedorlaomer and "the Kings that were with him, fmote the Horites in their Mount Seir, unto "El-paran, which is by the Wilderness," Gen. xiv. 5, 6. That the Divine Human of the Lord is there fignified by Mount Seir, and El-paran, may be seen N. 1675. 1676. In the fame, "It came to pass in "the twenty-fecond Day of the fecond Month, in the fecond Year, that "the Cloud was taken off from the Tabernacle of the Teftimony. And "the Children of Ifrael took their Journeys out of the Wilderness of Sinai; "and the Cloud refted in the Wilderness of Paran," Numb. x. 11, 12. That all the Journeyings of the People in the Wilderness, fignified the State of the Church militant, and its Trials, under which Man fuccumbs, but the Lord conquers for him, confequently, that thofe Trials and Victories are the Lord's, fhall, by the Divine Mercy of the Lord, be fhewn elsewhere. And in as much as the Lord fuftain'd Temptations from his own Divine, by the Wilderness of Paran here in like Manner is fignified the Human Divine of the Lord. Thus by what follows in the fame," Afterward the People moved "from Hazeroth, and pitched in the Wilderness of Paran. And Jehovah fpake unto Mofes faying, Send thou Men that they may fearch the Land "of Canaan, which I give unto the Children of Ifrael. And Mofes fent "them from the Wilderness of Paran according to the Commandment of "Jehovah. And they went and came to Mofes and to Aaron, and to all "the Congregation of the Children of Ifrael unto the Wilderness of Paran, "to Kadesh, and brought back Word unto them, and fhewed them the "Fruit of the Land," Numb. xxii. 26. Chap. xxiii. 1, 2, 3, 4, 26. By their going from the Wilderness of Paran to fearch out the Land of Canaan, is fignified, that by the Divine Human of the Lord, they, namely, the Children of Ifrael, that is, fpiritual Men, should have the heavenly Kingdom, which the Land of Canaan fignifies; but that they alfo failed, fignifies their Weakness, and therefore that the Lord fhould fulfil all Things which were in the Law, and fuftain Temptations and overcome, that fo to those who No. VI.

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are

are in the Faith of Charity, as likewife to thofe who are in Temptations, in which the Lord overcame, there fhould be Salvation from his Divine Human; therefore alfo when the Lord was tempted, he was in the Wildernels, Matt. iv. 1. Marki. 12, 13. Luke. iv. 1. as may be seen above N. 2708. 2715. Here are two Secrets, the one, that the Good of the fpiritual Man is obfcure refpectively; the other, that that Obfcure may be illuminated from the Divine Human of the Lord. With refpect to the first, that Good in the fpiritual Man is obfcure refpectively, may appear from those Things which were faid above N. 2708, of the State of the fpiritual Man; by a Comparifon of both States it is demonftrably evident; in celeftial Men Good itfelf is implanted in their voluntary Part, and from thence Light comes into their intellectual Part; but in fpiritual Men all the Voluntary is loft, fo that there is nothing of Good from thence, and therefore Good is implanted in their intellectual Part by the Lord, as may be feen N. 863. 875. 895. 927. 928. 1023 1043. 1044. 2124. 2256. The voluntary Part is that which principally lives in Man, but the intellectual lives from thence; when therefore the Voluntary is fo loft in the fpiritual Man, that it is nothing but Evil, and yet Evil always and continually flows into his intellectual Part or Thought, it appears that Good there is obfcure refpectively. Hence it is, that in fpiritual Men there is not Love to the Lord as there is in Celestials, and fo there is not the Humiliation which is effential in all Worfhip, and by which Good may flow in from the Lord; for a Heart elated never receives it, but the humble Heart. Neither is there in fpiritual Men Love to their Neighbour, as there is in the Celestials, for the Love of Self and the World continually flows in from their voluntary Part, and obfcures the Good of that Love; which may appear to any one, if he reflects, alfo from this, that when he does Good to any one, it is for fome End in the World, fo that tho' not apparently, yet ftill he thinks of a Reward, either from thofe who receive his Kindness, or from the Lord in the other Life; fo that his Good is ftill ftained with Merit; as likewife from this, that when he does any Good, if he can report it, and fo prefer himself to others, it is the Pleafure of his Life; but celeftial Men love their Neighbour more than themselves, neither do they ever think of a Retribution, neither do they prefer themselves to others in any Manner. Moreover, Good in fpiritual Men is obfcured from Persuasives and various Principles, alfo from fuch Things as are deriv'd from the Love of Self and the World; what is also the Perfuafive of Faith, may be feen N. 2682. 2689 at the End. This also comes from the Influx of Evil from their voluntary Part. Farther, it may appear from this, that Good in the fpiritual Man is obfcure refpectively, because he knows not Truth from any Perception, as do the Celestials, but from Inftruction by Parents and Mafters, as likewife from the Doctrine into which he was born, and when he adds any Thing of himfelf and from his own Invention, then the Senfual and its Fallacies, and the Rational and its Appearance exceedingly prevail, and operate fo that he fcarce can acknowledge any pure Truth, fuch as Celestials acknowledge; but yet the Lord implants Good in those feeming Truths, altho' they are fallacious Truths, or the Appearance

of