:

fuch as is of Thought in Grief and Defpair. Over against him, fignifies that fhe might not view, and yet view; that to fee afar off is to think, may be feen N. 2245, which is likewife farther expreffed and determined by that, she faid, Let me not fee the Death of the Child, and fhe fat over against him; thus in thefe Words are involved the State of Thought of those who are in the Defolation of Truth and in Defpair from thence.

2685. A good way off, about a Bow-fhot, that it fignifies State as much as it was diftant from the Doctrine of Truth, appears from the Signification of, a good way off, which is, to be abfent; and from the Signification of Bow, which is the Doctrine of Faith, of which prefently follows; a Bow-fhot fignifies, that it would be at as great a Distance as it poffibly could, as much as a Shot fent from a Bow could be. Here it is faid a Bow-fhot, because it is predicated of a fpiritual Man, and that he was an Archer, as is faid of him in the fol-lowing Ver. 20. "And he dwelt in the Wilderness, and became an Archer."

2686. That Bow is the Doctrine of Truth, appears from its Signification; in the Word wherever Wars are treated of, and Wars are related, in the internal Sense no other Wars are fignified than spiritual, N. 1664; there were alfo Books in the Antient Church, which are entitled The Wars of Jehovah, as appears in Mofes, Numb. xxi. 14, 15, 16. which being written in the prophetical Stile, had an internal Senfe, and treated of the Fights and Temptations of the Lord, alfo of the Church, and of those who were from the Church; which appears from hence, that fome Things were taken from thence by Moses; likewife from other Books of that Church, which were called the Books of those who speak in Proverbs, of which Numb. xxi. 27, 28, 29. 30. in which are almoft the fame Words which are in Jeremiah; compare Numb. xxi. 28. and Jer. xlviii. 45. cluded, that the Antient Church had Writings as well Hiftorical as From which it may be alfo conProphetical, which were Divine and infpired, which in the internal Senfe treated of the Lord and of his Kingdom, and that they were to them the Word, as the Historical and Prophetical Books are to us, which in the Senfe of the Letter treat of the Jews and Ifraelites, but in the internal Senfe, of the Lord, and of thofe Things which relate to Him. Because War in the Word, as alfo in the Books of the Antient Church, fignified spiritual War, fo all Arms, as Sword, Spear, Shield, Buckler, Darts, Arrows, and Bows, fignified fuch Things in particular, which belong to War understood in a spiritual Sense; of all the Arms, what they fignify in particular, fhall, by the Divine Mercy of the Lord be spoken to elfewere, here now as to what the Bow fignifies, namely, the Doctrine of Faith, and this from the Weapons, Darts, or Arrows, which are the Doctrinals from which and with which they fight, they chiefly who are spiritual, who from thence were antiently called Archers. That Bow fignifies the Doctrine of Truth, may appear from thefe Places. In Ifaiah, "Whose Arrows are sharp and all their Bows are bent, their Horfes Hoofs fhall be counted like Flint, and their Wheels like a Whirlwind, v. 28. there the Prophet treats of Truths, Arrows are Truths fpiritual, Bows Doctrine,, Horfes Hoofs Truths rational, Wheels their Doctrine; which because they

fignify

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fignify fuch Things, therefore are they attributed to Jehovah, to whom they cannot be attributed unless in a spiritual Senfe, otherwife they would be vain and indecent Words. In Jeremiah, "The Lord hath bent his Bow like an Ene"my; he stood with his right Hand as an Adversary, and flew all that were "pleasant to the Eye, in the Tabernacle of the Daughter of Zion; he poured "out his Fury like Fire," Lam. 11. 4. Bow is put for the Doctrine of Truth, which appears to those who are in Falfities as fomething hurtful and hostile, no other Bow can be predicated of the Lord. In Habakuk, "Thou didst ride upon "thine Horfes and thy Chariots of Salvation; thy Bow was made quite naked," iii. 8, 9. There alfo Bow is the Doctrine of Good and Truth. In Mofes, "The "Archers have forely grieved him, and fhot at him, and hated him. But "his Bow abode in Strength, and the Arms of his Hands were made strong, "by the Hands of the mighty God of Jacob; from thence is the Shepherd, "the Stone of Ifrael," Gen. xlix. 23, 24. which is fpoken of Jofeph, Bow is put for the Doctrine of Good and Truth. In John, "And I faw, and behold, a white Horfe, and he that fat on him had a Bow, and a Crown was given “unto him,” vi. 2. the white Horfe is put for Wisdom, he that fat on him for the Word, as is plainly faid, Chap. xix. 13. where the white Horse is again mentioned; and because he that fat upon him is the Word, it appears that Bow is the Doctrine of Truth. In Ifaiab, "Who raised up the righteous Man "from the East, called him to his Foot, gave the Nations before him, and "made him rule over Kings? He gave them as the Duft to the Sword, and as "driven Stubble to his Bow," xli. 2. where the Lord is treated of, Sword is put for Truth, Bow for Doctrine from Him. In the fame, "I will fet a Sign among them, and I will fend thofe that escape of them unto the Nations, to "Tarfhish, Pul and Lud, that draw the Bow to Tubal and Javan," lxvi. 19. that draw the Bow, ftands for those who teach Doctrine; what Tarfish fignifies may be feen N. 1156; what Lud, N. 1195. 1231; what Tubal, N. 1151; what Javan, N. 1152. 1153. 1155. In Jeremiah, "The whole City shall "flee, for the Noise of the Horsemen and Bowmen, they shall go into Thick"ets, and climb up upon the Rock; every City fhall be forfaken, and not a "Man dwell therein," iv. 29. Horfemen is put for those who speak the Truth, Bow for the Doctrine of Truth, which they who are in Falfities fly or fear. In the fame, "Put yourselves in Array against Babylon round about; "all ye that bend the Bow, shoot at her, spare no Arrows; for the hath fin"ned against Jehovah," 1. 14, 29. Chap. li. 2. 3. Where they who shoot and bend the Bow, are put for those who speak and teach the Doctrine of Faith. In Zechariah, "And I will cut off the Chariot from Ephraim, and "the Horfe from Jerufalem, and the Battle-bow fhall be cut off; and he "fhall speak Peace unto the Heathen," ix. 10. Ephraim is put for the Understanding of the Truth of the Church, Bow for Doctrine. In Samuel, "And David lamented with this Lamentation over Saul, and over Jonathan "his Son. Also he bade them teach the Children of Judah the Use of the "Bow," 2 Sam. i. 17, 18. where the Bow is not intended, but the Doctrines E 2 of

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of Faith. In Ezekiel," It is done, faith the Lord God, this is the Day "wherein I have spoken. And they that dwell in the Cities of Ifrael fhall go "forth, and fhall fet on fire and burn the Weapons, both the Shields and the Bucklers, the Bows and the Arrows, and the Hand-ftaves and the Spears, "and they fhall burn them with Fire feven Years," xxxix. 8, 9. the Arms there nominated are all Arms of the fpiritual War; for the Bow with Arrows is for Doctrine with its Truths; for Truths themselves feparated from Good, appear in the other Life, when they are reprefented to the Sight, as Arrows. As Bow fignifies the Doctrine of Truth, in an oppofite Sense it also fignifies the Doctrine of Falfity; the like Things in the Word have frequently an oppofite Senfe, as occafionally has been faid and fhewn; as in Jeremiah, "Behold, a People cometh from the North Country, and a great Nation "shall be raised from the Sides of the Earth. They fhall lay hold on Bow "and Spear; they are cruel and have no Mercy; their Voice roareth like the "Sea, and they ride upon Horses, fet in array as Men for War against thee, "O Daughter of Zion," vi. 22, 23. where Bow is put for the Doctrine of Falfity. In the fame, "Behold, a People fhall come from the North, and a great Nation, and many Kings fhall be raised up from the Coafts of the "Earth. They fhall hold the Bow and the Lance, they are cruel, and will "fhew no Mercy," l. 41, 42. is understood in like Manner. In the fame, "They bend their Tongues like the Bow for Lies; but they are not valiant "for the Truth upon the Earth; for they proceed from Evil to Evil, and they "know not me," ix. 3. That Bow is the Doctrine of Falfity, is evident, for it is faid, they bend their Tongue, their Bow is a Lie, and they are not valiant for the Truth. In the fame, "Thus faith the Lord of Hofts, Behold, I will "break the Bow of Elam, the chief of their Might," xlix. 35. In David, "Come, behold the Works of the Lord, what Defolations he hath made in "the Earth. He maketh the Wars to ceafe unto the End of the Earth, "he breaketh the Bow and cutteth the Spear in funder, he burneth the Chariot "in Fire," Pf. xlvi. 8, 9. In the fame, "In Judah is God known; his "Name is great in Ifrael. In Salem alfo is his Tabernacle, and his dwelling "Place in Zion, there brake be the Arrows of the Bow, the Shield, the Sword, " and the Battle," Pf. lxxvi. 1, 2, 3. In the fame," Lo, the Wicked bend "their Bow, they make ready their Arrow upon the String, that they may privately shoot at the upright in Heart," Pf. xi. 2. Here Bow and Arrows are manifeftly put for the Doctrinals of Fallity.

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2687. That, the said, Let me not see the Death of the Child, fignifies the Grief that it fhould fo perish, appears from the Signification of, to see Death, which is to perish; and from the Signification of Child, which is fpiritual Truth, of which above; and thence from the Paffion of Defperation for the Defolation of Truth it is plain that it is inward Grief, which is in these Words.

2688. And the fat over against him, that it fignifies the State of Thought, appears from thofe Things which are faid above, N. 2684 where are the fame

Words.

Words. That it fhould be faid again in this Verfe, the Reafon is, because the State of Thought was increas'd and aggravated to the very Extremity of Grief, as is plain from what is faid juft before, "Let me not fee the Death of the Child," and from what prefently follows, "She lift up her Voice and 66 wept.

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2689. And the lift up her Voice and wept, that it fignifies a farther Degree of Grief, may appear from the Signification of, to lift up the Voice and weep, which is the Fxtremity of Grief, for Weeping with a loud Voice is nothing else. The State of the Defolation of Truth, alfo of Elongation from Truths, in those who become fpiritual, is defcribed in this Verfe; how these Things are, we shall declare in a few Words: They who cannot be reformed, are wholly ignorant what it is to grieve on Account of their being deprived of Truths; they think that never any one can be grieved for fuch a Thing; they believe that only can occafion Anxiety, when a Man is deprived of the Goods of the Body and of the World, as of Health, Honour, Fame, Riches, and Life. But they who can be reformed believe quite otherwife; they are held by the Lord in the Affection of Good and in the Thought of Truth, wherefore they are grieved when they are deprived of them. It is notorious that all Anxiety and Grief is from hence, to be deprived of thofe Things with which one is affected or which one loves; they who are affected only with corporeal and mundane Concerns, or they who only love fuch Things, grieve when they are deprived of them; but they who are affected with Virtues and Truths fpiritual, and love thefe, grieve when they are deprived of them, the Life of every one is nothing more than Affection or Love; hence it may appear, what the State of thofe is who are defolated with refpect to Virtues and Truths, with which they are affected or with what they love, namely, that their State of Grief is heavier, because more inward, and in the Privation of Good and Truth do not regard the Death of the Body, which they value not, but eternal Death; their State is that which is here defcribed. That it may likewise be known, who they are who are held in the Affection of Good and Truth from the Lord, and fo may be reform'd and become spiritual, and who cannot, we fhall alfo declare in few Words. Every one in his Childhood, when he is first inftructed in Virtues and Truths, is held by the Lord in the Affirmative, that that is Truth which is faid and taught by Parents and Mafters; this Affirmative in those who may become fpiritual Men, is confirmed by Scientifics and Knowledge, which is relative to it, infinuates itself into the Affirmative, and ftrengthens this, and that more and more even to an Affection; thefe are they who become fpiritual Men according to the Effence of Truth, in which they confide, and who overcome in Temptations. But it is otherwife in those who cannot become fpiritual; thefe indeed are in the Affirmative in their Childhood, yet in their fucceeding Age admit of Doubtfuls, and fo infringe the Affirmative of Good and Truth; and when they enter into their adult Age, admit Negatives, even to the Affection of Falfity; these if they should be brought into Temptations, would certainly

fall

fall under them, wherefore they are alfo free'd from them. But the very Reason, why they admit Doubtfuls and afterwards Negatives, derives its whole Original from the Life of Evil, they who are in the Life of Evil, can never be otherwife; the Life of every one, as has been faid, is Affection or Love, fuch as Affection or Love is, fuch is Thought, the Affection of Evil and the Thought of Truth never join themselves, where they feem to join themselves, yet do not join, it is the Thought of Truth without its Affection, wherefore Truth in them is not Truth, but only fomething fonorous, or of the Mouth, from which the Heart is far diftant, fuch Truth even the worst of Men may know, and fometimes beyond others. In fome there is alfo fometimes given a Perfuafive of Truth of fuch a Nature, that Nobody can know but that it is genuine, but yet it is not, unless it be in the Life of Good, it is the Affection of the Love of Self or the World, which induces fuch a Perfuafive, which they alfo defend with the Vehemence of feeming Zeal, even till they condemn those who do not receive it, or believe as they do; but this Truth is as a Principle in every one, is the ftronger by how much the Love of Self and the World is ftronger, it is indeed born of Evil, but does not join itself with Evil, wherefore alfo it is extirpated in the other Life. It is otherwife with those who are in the Life of Good, Truth itself has there its Ground, and its Heart, and its Life from the Lord.

2690. Ver. 17. And God beard the Voice of the Lad; and the Angel of God called to Hagar out of Heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God bath beard the Voice of the Lad where he is. God heard the Voice of the Lad, fignifies that then there was Help. And the Angel of God called unto Hagar out of Heaven, fignifies Confolation. And faith unto her, what aileth thee, Hagar, fignifies, Perception concerning her State, Fear not, for God hath heard the Voice of the Lad where he is, fignifies Hope of Affiftance.

2691. God heard the Voice of the Lad, that it fignifies that then there was Help, appears from the Signification of, God to hear the Voice in an historical Senfe, which is to bring Help in the internal Senfe, and from the Signification of Lad, which is fpiritual Truth, of which before, here that it is the State in which the spiritual with respect to Truth is, for it is faid that he heard the Voice of the Lad, and then again in this Verfe that he heard the Voice of the Lad where he is, namely, in what State, and in the preceding, that he was in the State of the utmoft Grief for the Privation of Truth. That he is faid to have heard the Voice of the Lad, not of Hagar, is because the State of the fpiritual Man is treated of; by the Lad, or Ifmael, is reprefented the fpiritual Man of the Church, by Hagar his Mother the Affection of the Knowledge of Truth, which is that which has Grief; the Rational of Man is born of the Affection of Sciences as of the Mother, N. 1895. 1896. 1902. 1910. 2094. 2524; but its Spiritual from the Affection of the Knowledge of Truth from Doctrine, chiefly from the Word; the Spiritual itself is here the Lad, the Affection of the Knowledge of Truth is here Hagar.

2692. And