and another of the Holy Spirit ;" likewise, "the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God;" and although it is there added, "that these three are one," yet in thought they divide the divine essence into three, which nevertheless cannot be divided; and for that reason they approach the Father, because he is first in order; and besides, the leading men in the church have taught, that the Father should be prayed to, to send the Holy Spirit for the sake of the Son, whereby their idea of three has been confirmed, so that they cannot think of the Son as God, equal with the Father, and one with the Father, but of the Son as equal with any other man, although he alone as to his Humanity is righteousness, and is called Jehovah our Righteousness, Jerem. xxiii. 5, 6, xxxiii. 15, 16: from this idea of their thought it has come to pass, that they are not able to comprehend how the Lord, as born in the world, can be the God of heaven and earth, and still less, the only God, notwithstanding their having heard and read all the passages cited above, n. 613, and also these: "All things that the Father hath are mine," John xvi. 15. "The Father hath given all things into the hand of the Son," John xiii. 3. "Father, thou hast given me power over all flesh all mine are thine and thine are mine," John xvii. 2, 3, 10. "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth," Matt. xxviii. 18: also that he was conceived of Jehovah the Father, and hence that his soul was from him, Luke i. 34, 38, and consequently the divine essence was his : besides many other things of a like import in other places. That they were said of the Lord who was born in the world, any one may see; as also that "He and the Father are one; and that he is in the Father and the Father in him ;" and that "he who seeth him seeth the Father," John x. 28-38, xiv. 6—11. Now, although they may have heard and read these things, yet they cannot give up the idea which was conceived in early life and confirmed in them afterwards by their teachers, and which has so closed up their rational faculty that they are incapable of seeing or of understanding these words of the Lord: "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man

"He

cometh unto the Father but by me," John xiv. 6. that entereth not by the door into the sheep-fold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber; I am the door, by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved," John x. 1, 9. Also, that the Lord glorified his Humanity, that is, united it to the divinity of the Father, or to the divinity which was in himself from conception, for the sake of rendering it possible for the human race to be united to God the Father in him and through him. That this was the reason of the Lord's coming into the world, and of the glorification of his Humanity, he fully teaches in John; for he says, “At that day ye shall know, that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you," John xiv. 20. "He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing: if a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered," John xv. 5, 6. “And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth, that all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, I in them and thou in me," John xvii. 19, 21, 23, 26, also, vi. 56, and in other places; from which it clearly appears, that the Lord's coming into the world, and the glorification of his Humanity, had for its end the conjunction of men with God the Father in him and through him, thus that he himself is to be approached: this is also confirmed by the Lord's so often saying, That they must believe in him, that they might have eternal life, see above, n. 513. Who cannot see that all this is said by the Lord concerning himself in his Humanity, and that he never would have said, nor could say, that he was in men and men in him, and that it was necessary to believe in him, that they might have eternal life, if his Humanity was not divine? To ask the Father in his name, does not mean to approach God the Father_immediately, nor to ask for his sake, but to approach the Lord, and the Father through him, because the Father is in the Son, and they are one, as he himself teaches; this is what is signified by asking in his name; as may appear also from these passages: "He that believeth not in the Son, is con

demned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God," John iii. 18. "These things are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name," John xx. 31. "Jesus said, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name, receiveth me, and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth him that sent me," Luke ix. 48. "Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do," John xiv. 13: besides other places, in which the expression in the name of the Lord occurs, Matt. vii, 22, xviii. 5, 20, xix. 29, xxiii. 39, Mark ix. 37, xvi. 17, Luke xiii. 35, xix. 38, xxiv. 47, John i. 12, ii. 23, v. 43, xii. 13, xv. 16, xvi. 23, 24, 26, 27, xvii. 6. What is meant by the name of God, and that the name of the Father is the Lord as to the Divine Humanity, may be seen above, n. 81, 165, 584.

619. "Which were bought from the earth," signifies, that they are such as were capable of being regenerated by the Lord and thus redeemed in the world. By being bought from the earth, is signified redeemed in the world; that redemption is deliverance from hell, and salvation by conjunction with the Lord, may be seen, n. 281; and since this is effected by regeneration, therefore by the redeemed are signified they who are regenerated and thus redeemed by the Lord; and since all may be regenerated and thus redeemed, if they will, and few are willing, therefore by the bought from the earth is signified that they are such as could be regenerated by the Lord, and so redeemed: who these are, is now described, verses 4 and 5.

620. "These are they that were not defiled with women, for they are virgins," signifies, that they did not adulterate the truths of the church, and defile them with the falsities of faith, but that they love truths because they are truths. That a woman signifies the church from the affection of truth, and thence, in an opposite sense, the church from the affection of falsity, may be seen above, n. 434, 533, in the present case, the church from the affection of truth, because it is said, not defiled with women ; by to be defiled with women the same is signified as by to

commit adultery and fornication; that to commit adultery and fornication signifies to adulterate and falsify the Word, may also be seen above, n. 134. For they are virgins, signifies by reason that they have loved truths because they are truths, thus from spiritual affection; the reason why these are meant by virgins, is, because a virgin signifies the church as a spouse, who desires to be conjoined with the Lord, and to become a wife; and the church which desires to be conjoined with the Lord, loves truths because they are truths, for by truths, so long as the life is according to them, conjunction is effected. Hence it is that Israel, Zion, and Jerusalem, in the Word, are called virgins and daughters; for by Israel, Zion, and Jerusalem is signified the church. That all they who are such in the Lord's church, whether they be virgins or young men, wives or husbands, boys or old men, girls or old women, are meant by virgins, may appear from the Word, where virgins are mentioned, as the virgin Israel, Jerem. xviii. 13, xxxi. 4, 21, Amos v. 2, Joel i. 8. "The virgin daughter of Judah,” Lam. i. 15. "The virgin daughter of Zion," 2 Kings xix. 21, Isaiah xxxvii. 22, Lam. i. 4, ii. 13. "The virgins of Jerusalem," Lam. ii. 10. "The virgin daughter of my people," Jer. xiv. 17. Therefore the Lord likened the church to ten virgins, Matt. xxv. 1, and following verses, and it is said in Jeremiah, "I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin Israel, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry," xxxi. 4, 13; and in David: "They have seen thy goings, O God, even the goings of my God, my King; in the sanctuary, among them were the virgins playing with timbrels," Psalm lxviii. 25, 26, and again : Kings' daughters were among thy honorable women, upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir ; hearken, O daughter, and consider; so shall the King greatly desire thy beauty: the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift, even the rich among the people shall entreat thy favor: the King's daughter is all glorious within; her clothing is of wrought gold, she shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needle-work; the virgins her companions that follow her, shall enter into the

King's palace," Psalm xlv. 9-15; by the King in this passage is meant the Lord, by the queen, the church as a wife, by daughters and virgins, the affections of good and truth. Similar affections are signified by virgins in other parts of the Word, where mention is made at the same time of young men, because young men signify truths, and virgins affections thereof; as in the following places: "Behold, the days come, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but for hearing the words of Jehovah; in that day shall the fair virgins and the young men faint for thirst," Amos viii. 11, 13. "Be thou ashamed, O Zidon; for the sea hath spoken, I travail not, nor bring forth, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins," Isaiah, xxiii. 4. "The Lord hath trodden the virgin the daughter of Judah as in a wine press: behold my sorrow, my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity," Lam. i. 15, 18. "For how great is his goodness and how great is his beauty! Corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the virgins," Zech. ix. 17. And the streets

of the city shall he full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof," Zech. viii. 5. "The virgins of Jeru salem hang down their heads to the ground; what thing shall I liken to thee, O virgin daughter of Zion, my virgins and my young men are fallen by the sword," Lam. ii. 10, 13, 21, besides other passages, as Jerem. li. 20— 23, Lam. v. 10, 11, 12, Ezek. ix. 4, 6, Psalm 1xxviii. 62, 63, 64, Deut. xxxii. 25.

621. These are they that follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth," signifies, that they are conjoined to the Lord through love and faith in him, because they have lived according to his commandments. That this is what is signified, appears from these words of the Lord, He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and I will love him, and will come to him, and make my abode with him, John xiv. 20-23. And in another place: "The shepherd of the sheep, when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice: my sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me," John x. 4, 5.