370. I heard the third animal saying. That this signifies out of the inmost heaven from the Lord, is manifest from what has been said above (n. 353 and 362), where the same words are explained. The reason that the four animals, or four cherubim, spoke one after another is, because what they said corresponds from its opposite; for the first cherub was like a lion, the second like a calf, the third as to its face as a man, and the fourth was like a flying eagle; and by a lion is signified power (see above, n. 278), by a calf is signified good (n. 279), by a man wisdom (n. 280), and by an eagle intelligence (n. 281). Therefore, when the first animal, which was like a lion, spoke, the first state of those who belong to the church is described, that there would be therein combat from Divine truth (as may be seen above, n. 355-359), for by a lion is signified the power which belongs to Divine truth. When the second animal spoke, which was like a calf, the second state of those who belong to the church is described, namely, that good was then destroyed (see n. 361-367), for by a calf is signified the good of the church. When the third animal spoke, which was as to its face as a man, the third state of those who belong to the church is described, which was, that there was no longer any truth because there was no good, consequently, that there was no longer any wisdom; for all wisdom is of truth from good, and wisdom is signified by a man. And when the fourth animal spoke, which was like a flying eagle, the fourth state of those who belong to the church is described, namely, that they were in evils and the falsities thence, thus not in any intelligence, for by an eagle is signified intelligence. From these considerations it is evident, that the four animals spoke in order according to correspondences from what was opposite.