53. That those who are in faith separated from charity were represented by the Philistines, is evident also from the prophetic parts of the Word where they are treated of, as from the following:
Against the Philistines: Behold, waters rise up out of the north, and shall become an overflowing stream, and shall overflow the land and the fullness thereof, the city and them that dwell therein, so that men shall cry, and that every inhabitant of the land shall howl. Jehovah shall lay waste the Philistines (Jer. 47:1-2, 4).
The "waters that rise up out of the north," are falsities from hell; their "becoming an overflowing stream, and overflowing the land and the fullness thereof," signifies the laying waste of all things of the church through these falsities; the "city and them that dwell therein," signifies the laying waste of all things of its doctrine; that "men shall cry, and that every inhabitant of the land shall howl," signifies a lack of all truth and good in the church; "Jehovah shall lay waste the Philistines," signifies the destruction of such. In Isaiah:
Rejoice not thou, all Philistia, because the rod that smote thee is broken; for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a basilisk, whose fruit shall be a flying fire serpent (Isa. 14:29).
"Rejoice not thou, all Philistia," signifies let not those who are in faith separated from charity rejoice that they still remain; "for out of the serpent's root shall go forth a basilisk," signifies the destruction of all truth in them by the conceit of self-intelligence; "whose fruit shall be a flying fire serpent," signifies reasonings from falsities of evil against the truths and goods of the church.