Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 326of each church is premised something respecting the Lord, whichindicates what is treated of (see above, n. 113).185. I know thy works, signifies the things that are of their life.This is evident from the signification of “works,” as being thethings that are of man’s life, both the good and the evil. “Works”signify the things that are of life because they are the effects of life,for they proceed from the life of everyone. If the life is good theworks are good, but if the life is evil the works are evil. The life thatis in works is the intention, which is of the will, and of the thoughttherefrom; and this life is the life of man’s spirit; for it is the spiritin man that intends and thinks. Without this life in works theywould be only nations like those of automatons. For this reason thewise do not look at the works, but at the life that is in the works,namely, at the intention. This is especially true of the angels whoare with man; they do not see his works, but only the intentions ofhis mind, and conclude therefrom what the man’s state is. Fromthis it can be seen that “works” in the spiritual sense mean the life;and as the life of man is diverse, depending mainly upon his love, itis his love that is especially signified by “works” see above (n. 98,116). This is why it is said to the angel of each church in thebeginning, “1 know thy works;” which therefore means that theLord knows the whole life of man, and its quality in respect to love.186a. That thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead, signifiesthe quality of their thought, in that they think themselves to bealive, because they are living a moral life, when yet they are dead.This is evident from the signification of “name,” as being quality ofstate (see above, n. 148); also from the signification of “living,” asbeing to have spiritual life (of which presently); also from thesignification of “being dead,” as being not to have spiritual life, butonly moral life without it. This is “being dead,” because in theWord “life” signifies the life of heaven with man, which is therealso called “life eternal;” while “death” signifies the life of hell,which life in the Word is called “death,” because it is the privationof the life of heaven. Here, therefore, “thou hast a name that thoulivest, and art dead,” signifies thinking that they have spiritual life,and thus are saved, because they are living a moral life, when yet