41. 'Unto Ephesus and Smyrna, and Pergamum and Thyatira, and Sardis and Philadelphia, and Laodicea' signifies specifically in accordance with the state of reception of each one. That all the states of reception of the Lord and His Church are signified in the spiritual sense by those seven names will be seen below; for when this was enjoined on him, John was in a spiritual state, and in that state nothing is called by a name that does not signify a thing or a state. These things, therefore, that were written by John were not sent to any Church in those places, but were told to the angels of those Churches, by whom are understood those who receive. That spiritual things are understood by all the names of places and persons in the whole Word, has been shown many times in ARCANA CAELESTIA published at London; as what [is understood] by Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, also by Israel, and by the names of his twelve sons, as also what [is understood] by various places in the land of Canaan, and by places in the neighbourhood of that land, as Egypt, Syria, Assyria and other places. It is similar with these seven names. But let him who wishes to remain in the sense of the letter remain, because that sense conjoins. Only let him know that angels by means of those names perceive the things and states of the Church.