9877. 'With the engravings of a signet' means in accord with the heavenly pattern. This is clear from the meaning of 'the engravings of a signet' as the heavenly pattern, dealt with in 9846. As regards what the heavenly pattern is, it is the one which all the communities in heaven have been arranged in accordance with. Thus it is the pattern in accordance with which all truths springing from good have been arranged into order; for the angels in heaven are recipients of truths springing from good, the Divine Good emanating from the Lord being the creator of that pattern. In accordance with that pattern all the affections belonging to love, and from this all the thoughts belonging to faith flow; indeed in accordance with that pattern they spread out into the angelic communities and place them in communion with one another. So it is that those with whom the good of love to the Lord resides, and springing from this good the truths of faith, are in the greatest state of freedom in willing and thinking. But those with whom that good and consequently truths springing from it do not reside are in a state of bondage; for their will and thought begin in self and not the Lord, the creator of that pattern. But it is not possible to have a detailed knowledge of what that pattern is like, because it lies beyond human understanding.