202. That thou art neither cold nor hot, signifies that they who are such, sometimes deny that the Word is Divine and holy, and at other times acknowledge it. At one time to deny the holiness of the Word, and at another time to acknowledge it, is "to be neither cold nor hot," for they are against the Word and also for the Word. They are also such concerning God, at one time they deny, and at another time acknowledge Him; in like manner as to all things of the church; for which reason they are sometimes with those who are in hell, and at other times with those who are in heaven. They fly as it were between both, up and down, and wherever they fly, thither they turn the face. They become such who have confirmed with themselves the belief in the existence of God, of heaven and hell, and of life eternal, and afterwards recede from it. When the first confirmation returns, they acknowledge, but when it does not return, they deny. They recede because they afterwards think only of themselves and the world, continually aspiring to preeminence, and thereby they immerse themselves in their proprium; thus hell swallows them up.