348. Verse 14. And the four animals said, Amen, signifies confirmation from the Lord out of the inmost heaven. This is evident from the signification of the "four animals" or cherubim, as being, in the highest sense, the Lord in respect to providence and because they guard that the Lord be not approached except through the good of love (of which see above, n. 152 at the end, 277); and in a relative sense, the inmost or third heaven (n. 313, 322); also from the signification of "Amen," as being confirmation from the Divine, and truth (respecting which also see above, n. 34, 238). From this it is clear that "the four animals said, Amen," signifies confirmation from the Lord out of the inmost heaven. The things that have thus far been said by the angels of the three heavens were confirmed by the Lord, because everything they said was from the Lord, not from themselves; for it was the acknowledgment of His Divine in the Human, a glorification on that account, and a thanksgiving that all good and truth and therefore all wisdom and intelligence are from Him; these things the angels could not say from themselves, but from the Lord by interior dictate or influx; for the angels, like men, cannot from themselves even name the Lord, consequently they cannot from themselves acknowledge and glorify Him; for this reason the things they said were confirmed from the Lord by "Amen," which signifies the truth of faith, and faith itself. Moreover, it is according to Divine order for the Lord to confirm the truths that an angel or a man speaks as if from himself, though not from himself; these He confirms in their hearts by an assurance not ascending manifestly into their thought, yet by a full acquiescence of mind proceeding from internal affection, which is from peace and its delight. This is the confirmation that it meant in the genuine internal sense by this manifest announcement heard by John.