Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 425God. That “the city of My God” signifies the doctrine of Divinetruth seems at first view remote, for the mind cannot readily thinkof doctrine when “city” is mentioned, or think of the church whena “land” is mentioned; yet in the Word, “ cities” (civitates aut urbes)mean nothing else in the spiritual sense; and for the reason that theidea of a city is merely natural, but the idea of doctrine in a city isspiritual. Angels, because they are spiritual, can have no other ideaof a city than of the people therein in respect to doctrine, as theycan have no other idea of a land than of the people therein inrespect to their church or their religion. The reason of this is thatthe societies into which the heavens are divided are for the mostpart like cities [communities], all differing from one another inrespect to the reception of Divine truth in good; when, therefore, a“city” is mentioned angels think of the doctrine of truth. (That theheavens are divided into societies according to the differences of thegood of love and faith, see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n.41–50; and that their habitations are disposed into the form ofcities, n. 184).223b. [2] That “cities” in the Word signify doctrines can be seenfrom many passages there, of which I will cite here only thefollowing. In Jeremiah:Behold I have given thee this day for a fenced city against thewhole land (1:18).These things are said to the prophet, because “a prophet” in theWord signifies one who teaches truth, and in an abstract sense, thedoctrine of truth; and as this is what “prophet” signifies, it is said tohim, “I have given thee for a fenced city,” which signifies thedoctrine of truth defending against falsities. (That “prophet” in theWord signifies one who teaches truth, and in the abstract sense, thedoctrine of truth, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 2534, 7269.) In the same:The crown of your splendor cometh down. The cities of the southare shut (13:18, 19).Here the falsification of truth is treated of; and “the crown of theirsplendor cometh down” means that intelligence cometh down; and