1121. And am not a widow.- That this signifies that they are not without protection is evident from the signification of a widow, as denoting one who is in the affection for good, and from that affection desires truth. A widow signifies here [without] protection, and therefore not to be a widow, signifies not to be without protection, because good and its affection do not protect themselves, but are protected by truth and the understanding of it; for man, who is the protector of woman, signifies the understanding of truth, thus truth. Between the marriage of man and woman and the marriage of truth and good there is a perfect resemblance; for man is born to be the understanding of truth, and therefore this predominates with him; and woman is born to be affection for good, and therefore this predominates with her. And as good and truth love each other in return and desire to be conjoined; so do the understanding of truth and the affection or will of good. The conjugial love of a husband and wife also derives its origin from the spiritual marriage of truth and good; on this subject see Heaven and Hell (n. 366-386).
[2] The signification of widow here and in Isaiah is similar:
"Hear this, thou delicate one, sitting securely, saying in thine heart I and none as I besides; I shall not sit a widow, neither shall I know bereavement; but these two evils shall come upon thee in a moment, the loss of children and widowhood" (xlvii 8, 9).
This also is said of Babel, and has a signification similar to that of these words in the Apocalypse: "I am not a widow, and shall not see mourning; therefore in one day shall her plagues come to thee, death, and mourning, and famine." By widows, also in other parts of the Word, are signified both males and females who are in good and not in truth, and yet desire truth, thus those who are without protection against falsity and evil, whom nevertheless the Lord defends. These are also meant in the opposite sense in Isaiah ix. 17; chap. x. 1, 2; Jerem. xv. 7, 8, 9; chap. xxii. 3; chap. xlix. 10, 11; Lament. v. 3; Ezekiel xxii 6, 7; David, Psalm lxviii. 5; Psalm cxlvi. 9; Exod. xxii 22-24; Dent. x. 18; chap. xxvii. 19; Matt. xxiii. 14; Luke xx. 47; and elsewhere.
[3] Continuation concerning the Athanasian Creed, and concerning the Lord.- Life considered in itself, which is God, cannot create another being, to be life itself; for the life which is God is uncreated, continuous, and inseparable; for this reason God is one. But the life which is God can create out of substances forms that are not lives in which it can exist, and impart to them the appearance of life. These forms are men, which, because they are receptacles of life, could not, in the primary creation, be any thing but images and likenesses of God-images from the reception of truth, and likenesses from the reception of good; for life and its recipient adapt themselves to each other like active and passive, but do not intermingle. Human forms, which are recipients of life, do not therefore live from themselves, but from God, who alone is life; consequently, all the good of love and all the truth of faith are from God, and nothing from man, as is known. For if the smallest part of life were a man's own, he would be able to will and do good from himself, and also understand and believe truth from himself, and thus claim merit when nevertheless, if he believes this, then the form recipient of life becomes closed above and perverted, and intelligence perishes. Good and its love, together with truth and its faith, are the life which is God, for God is good itself, and truth itself in these He therefore dwells with man. From these things it also follows, that man of himself is nothing, and that he is only so far anything in the measure that he receives from the Lord, and at the same time acknowledges that what he receives is not his own but the Lord's; the Lord then causes him to be something, although not from himself but from the Lord.
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