388. Verse 1. And when He had opened the seventh seal, signifies exploration by the Lord of the state of the church, and thence of the state of life of those who are in His spiritual kingdom, being those who are in charity and its faith; in this case, who are in faith alone. That this is the signification of these words, may appear from all the particulars of this chapter when understood in the spiritual sense. For this chapter and the following to chapter 16 treat of those who are in the spiritual kingdom, or those who are in love towards the neighbor and thence in intelligence, as was said above (n. 387). But since, at this day, they say "charity" instead of love towards the neighbor, and "faith" instead of intelligence; and here there is not any exploration of those who are in charity and thence in faith, because these belong to such as are in heaven; therefore exploration is here made of those who are in faith alone. Faith alone is also faith separated from charity, there being no conjunction (see below, n. 417). That "to open the seal" signifies to explore states of life, or, what is the same thing, the states of the church and thence of life, see above, n. 295, 302, 309, 317, 324.