7424. And there was louse on man and on beast. That this signifies that interior and exterior evils of cupidities were thence derived, is evident from the signification of "lice," as being evils (see n. 7419); and from the signification of "man," as being good (n. 4287, 5302), thus in the opposite sense evil; and from the signification of "beast," as being the affection of good, and in the opposite sense the affection of evil, or cupidity (n. 45, 46, 142, 143, 246, 714, 715, 719, 776, 2179, 2180, 3218, 3519, 5198); but when "man and beast" are mentioned together, then by "man" is signified interior good, and in the opposite sense interior evil; and by "beast" exterior good, and in the opposite sense exterior evil. The reason why by "man" is signified interior good, or evil, is that he is man from his internal man and its quality, but not from the external man; for the external man is not man without the internal; and in order that the external may also be man, it must be wholly subordinated to the internal, insomuch that it does not act from itself, but from the internal man. The reason why by "beast" is signified exterior good, and in the opposite sense exterior evil, is that beasts have no internal such as man has; the internal which they have has been immersed in the external, insomuch that it is one with it, and together with it looks downward or toward the earth, without any elevation toward what is interior. It is said "evils of cupidities" because all evils belong to cupidities, because cupidities belong to loves. Interior evils are distinguished from exterior by the fact that interior evils are those which are of the thought and will; and exterior evils are those which are of act. That there may be evils which are interior and not exterior, is evident from the fact that a man may be evil, and yet in the outward form may appear as an upright man, and even as a man of faith and conscience. Some also know how to counterfeit angels, when yet inwardly they are devils. So far can the inward form which is of the spirit differ from the outward form which is of the body.
