320. [verse 8] 'And I saw and behold a pale horse' signifies the understanding of the Word destroyed as to both good and truth. By 'a horse' is signified the understanding of the Word (n. 298); and by 'pale' is signified nothing of life (non vitale). They have nothing of life in the Word who are not in goods of life derived from truths of doctrine; for the Word in the sense of the letter is not understood without a doctrine, and a doctrine is not perceived without a life in accordance therewith. This is because a life in accordance with a doctrine that is out of the Word opens the spiritual mind, and into that the light out of heaven inflows and enlightens and gives to perceive. That such is the case, he does not know who knows the truths of doctrine and yet does not live in accordance with them. The fourth animal exposed the 'pale horse' to view because that animal was like a flying eagle, and by it was signified the Divine Truth of the Word as to cognitions and the understanding therefrom (n. 244), and therefore it exposed to view that with those who were now seen there were not any cognitions of good and truth out of the Word, nor an understanding of them, and they who are such in the spiritual world appear pale, as those who are without life.