fect, and it occurs in the Word, where any thing holy is treated of, and, in an opposite sense, where it treats of any thing profane ;-consequently this number involves what is holy, and, in an opposite sense, what is profane. The reason why numbers signify things, or rather resemble certain adjectives to substantives denoting some quality in things, is, because number is, in itself, natural; for natural things are determined by numbers, but spiritual things by things and their states: therefore, he who is ignorant of the signification of numbers in the Word, and especially in the Apocalypse, must be ignorant of many arcana which are contained therein. Now, since seven signifies all things and every thing, it may appear that by seven churches are meant all who are in the Christian world where the Word is, and where, consequently, the Lord is known these, if they live according to the Lord's precepts in the Word, constitute the true church. For this reason the sabbath was instituted on the seventh day, and the seventh year was called the sabbatarian year; and the seven times seventh year the jubilee, by which was signified every thing holy in the church for this cause, also, a week, in Daniel, and elsewhere, signifies an entire period, from beginning to end, and is predicated of the church. The same is signified by seven in the following passages as, By the seven golden candlesticks, in the midst of which was one like unto the Son of Man, Apoc. i. 13. By the seven stars in his right hand, Apoc. i. 16, 20. By the seven spirits of God, Apoc. i. 4: iv. 5. By the seven lamps of fire, Apoc. iv. 5. By the seven angels, to whom were given seven trumpets, Apoc. viii. 2. By the seven angels having the seven last plagues, Apoc. xv. 5, 6. By the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, Apoc. xvi. 1: xxi. 9. By the seven seals with which the book was sealed, Apoc. v. 1. In like manner in the following places: That their hands should be filled seven days, Exod. xxix. 35. That they should be sanctified seven days, Exod. xxix. 37. That when they were consecrated they should go clothed in the holy garments seven days, Exod. xxix. 30. That they were not to go out of the door of the tabernacle seven days, when they

were initiated into the priesthood, Levit. viii. 33, 34. That an atonement was to be made seven times upon the horns of the altar, Levit. xvi. 18, 19. That the altar was to be sanctified with oil seven times, Levit. viii. 11. That the blood was to be sprinkled seven times before the vail, Levit. iv. 16, 17. And also seven times towards the east, Levit. xvi. 12-15. That the water of separation was to be sprinkled seven times towards the tabernacle, Numbers xix. 4. That the passover was celebrated seven days; and unleavened bread was eaten seven days, Exod. xii. 15: Deut. xvi. 4–7. In like manner, that the Jews were to be punished seven times more for their sins, Levit. xxvi. 18, 21, 24, 28. Wherefore David saith, Render unto our neighbor sevenfold into their bosom, Psalm lxxix. 12. Sevenfold is fully. Likewise in these places: "The words of Jehovah are pure words, as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times, Psalm xii. 6. "The hungry ceased, so that the barren hath borne seven, and she that hath many children is waxed feeble," 1 Sam. ii. 5. The barren is the church of the Gentiles, who had not the Word; she that had many children is the church of the Jews, who had the Word. "She that hath borne seven languisheth, she hath given up the ghost," Jerem. xv. 9. In like manner: 66 They that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth and set on fire and burn the weapons, and they shall burn them with fire seven years: they shall bury Gog, and seven months shall they be cleansing the land," Ezek. xxxix. 9, 12. "The unclean spirit will take with him seven spirits more wicked than himself," Matt. xii. 45. Profanation is here described, and by the seven spirits with which he would return, are signified all falses of evil; thus a plenary or total extinction of goodness and truth. By the seven heads of the dragon, and the seven crowns upon his head, Apoc. xii. 3, is signified, the profanation of all goodness and truth. It is evident, from what has been said, that seven involves what is holy or profane, and signifies all things and fullness.

11. "Which are in Asia," signifies, to those who are in the light of truth from the Word. Since, by all the

names of persons and places in the Word, things of heaven and the church are understood, as was before observed, so, therefore, Asia and the names of the seven churches therein, signify the same, as will appear from what follows. The reason why they who are in the light of truth from the Word, are understood by Asia, is, because the Most Ancient Church, and, after it, the Ancient, and then the Israelitish Church, were established in Asia ; also, because the Ancient Word, and, after it, the Israelitish Word, was among them; and all the light of truth comes from the Word. That the ancient churches were in Asia, and that a Word which was afterwards lost, and lastly, the Word which is extant at this day, was among them, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture, n. 101, 102, 103. On this account it is, that by Asia are here signified all who are in the light of truth from the Word.

"Concerning this ancient Word, which was extant in Asia before the Israelitish Word, it is worth while to mention, that it is still preserved among the people who inhabit Great Tartary; I have conversed with spirits and angels in the spiritual world who came from thence, who said that they possess a Word, and have possessed it from ancient times; and that in conformity to this Word, their divine worship is established; and that it consists of mere correspondences: they said that it contains the book of Jasher, which is mentioned in Joshua x. 12, 13, and 2 Sam. i. 17, 18, and also, that they possess the books mentioned by Moses, as The Wars of Jehovah and the Propheticals, Numb. xxi. 14, 15, and 27-30; and when I read to them the words quoted thence by Moses, they examined whether they were extant there, and found them from which circumstance it is very clear to me that the old Word is still preserved among them. In the course of the conversation, they said that they worship Jehovah, some as an invisible, and some as a visible God. Moreover they related that they do not suffer foreigners to come among them, except the Chinese, with whom they cultivate peace, because the emperor of China is from their country; and further, that they are

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so populous, that they do not believe any country in the world to be more so; which is very credible from the wall so many miles long, which the Chinese formerly built as a defence against any invasion from them. Seek for it in China, and peradventure you may find it there among the Tartars."

12. "Grace be unto you and peace," signifies, divine salutation. What is understood specifically by grace and peace, will be explained in what follows; that " peace be unto you" was the Lord's salutation to his disciples; thus the divine salutation, may be seen in Luke xxiv. 36, 37; John xx. 19, 20, 21; and by command of the Lord, it was the salutation of the disciples to all to whom they should enter in, Matt. x. 11-15.

13. "From him who is, who was, and who is to come," signifies, from the Lord who is eternal and infinite, and who is Jehovah. That it is the Lord, appears clearly from what follows in this chapter, where it is said that he heard a voice from the Son of Man, saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last," verse 11, 13 and afterwards, "I am the First and the Last," verse 17 and in the following chapter, verse 8; and afterwards, chap. xxi. 6, xxii. 12, 13; and in Isaiah : "Thus saith Jehovah the King of Israel, and his Redeemer Jehovah of Hosts: I am the First, and I am the Last, and beside me there is no God," xliv. 6: also xlviii. 12: and he who is the First and the Last, is he who is, and who was, and who is to come. This also is to be understood by Jehovah; for the name of Jehovah signifies is, and he who is, or who is esse itself, the same is also he who was, and is to come, for in him the past and the future are present; hence he is without time eternal, and without place infinite: this also is acknowledged by the church in the Doctrine of the Trinity, called Athanasian, in which are these words: "The Father is eternal and infinite, the Son is eternal and infinite, and the Holy Spirit is eternal and infinite; but yet there are not three eternals and infinites, but one;" that this one is the Lord, is demonstrated in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Lord.

14. "And from the seven spirits which are before his throne," signifies, from the universal heaven where the Lord is in his divine truth, and where his divine truth is received. By seven spirits are meant all who are in divine truth, and, in an abstract sense, the divine true or divine truth itself; that seven in the Word means all and every thing, may be seen above, n. 10; and that by throne is understood the universal heaven, will be seen presently; therefore by being before his throne, is meant where his divine truth is; for heaven is not heaven from any thing proper to the angels, but from the divine of the Lord, as is fully shown in The Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Providence, and the Divine Love. That the Lord's throne signifies heaven, is evident from the following passages: "Thus saith Jehovah, heaven is my throne," Isaiah xlvi. 1. "Jehovah hath prepared his throne in the heavens," Psalm ciii. 19. "He that sweareth by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon," Matt. xxiii. 22. "Above the firmament that was over the heads of the cherubim, was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone, and upon it the likeness as the appearance of a man," Ezek. i. 26; x. 1: by the firmament over the heads of the cherubim, is meant heaven; and in the Apocalypse: "To him that overcometh, will I grant to sit with me in my throne," iii. 21: in my throne, is in heaven; specifically, where his divine truth reigns; thus also, where judgment is treated of, it is said, that the Lord will sit upon a throne, for judgment is performed by truths.

15. "And from Jesus Christ," signifies, the Divine Humanity. That by Jesus Christ and by the Lamb in the Word, is meant the Lord as to his Divine Humanity, may be seen above, n. 6.

16. "Who is the faithful witness," signifies, that he is Divine Truth itself. That witness is predicated of truth, and that the truth testifies of itself, thus the Lord, who is Divine Truth itself, and the Word, may be seen above, n. 6.

17. "The first-begotten from the dead," signifies, that