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ferent Characters of Celeftial, Spiritual, Rational, Natural, and Senfual; that by a Lamb, a Sheep, a Goat, a Calf, and an Ox, are meant Innocence, Charity, and natural Affection that by Mountains, Hills, and Valleys, are meant the higher, the lower, and the loweft Things relating to the Church; alfo, that by Egypt is fignified what is Scientific, by Afhur what is Rational, by Edom, what is Natural, by Moab the Adulteration of Good, by the Children of Ammon the Adulteration of Truth, by the Philiftines Faith without Charity, by Tyre and Sidon, the Knowledges of Goodness and Truth, by Gog external Worship without internal; in general by JACOB in the Word is understood the Church-natural, by ISRAEL the Church-fpiritual, and by JUDAH the Church-celeftial. When the Mind is opened to this Knowledge, it may then be able to conceive that the Word treateth folely of celeftial Things, and that the earthly Things mentioned in it are only the Subjects wherein those Celestials are contained. But let us take another inftance from the Word, for the Illustration of this Truth. We read in Isaiah, "In that Day fhall there be a Highway out of Egypt to Affyria, and the Affyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Affyria, and the Egyptians Shall Jerve with the Affyrians. In that Day fhall Ifrael be the third with Egypt, and with Affyria, even a Bleffing in the Midft of the Land; whom Jehovah of Hofts fhall blefs, faying, Bleffed be Egypt my People, and Affyria the Work of my Hands, and Ifrael my Inheritance," Chap. xix. 23, 24, 25. By these Words, in their fpiritual Senfe, is fignified that at the Time of the Lord's Coming, the Scientific, the Rational, and the Spiritual fhould make One, and that then the Scientific fhould ferve the Rational, and both the Spiritual, for as was faid above, by Egypt is fignified the Scientific, by Afhur or Affyria the Rational, and by Ifrael the Spiritual; by the Repetition of the Words, in that Day, is meant the first and fecond Coming of the Lord.

201. IV. THAT THE SPIRITUAL SENSE OF THE WORD HATH HERETOFORE REMAINED UNKNOWN.

That all Things in Nature, both in general and in particular, correfpond to Things fpiritual, and in like Manner all and every Thing in the human Body, wa fhewn in a Treatife concerning HEAVEN AND HELL, No. 87 to 105. But what

is meant by Correfpondence, hath to this Day remained unknown, notwithstanding it was a Subject moft familiar to the Men of the moft ancient Times, who efteemed it the Science of Sciences, and cultivated it fo univerfally, that all their Books and Tracts were written by Correfpondencies. The Book of Job, which was a Book of the ancient Church, is full of Correfpondencies. The Hieroglyphics of the Egyptians, and the fabulous Stories of Antiquity, were founded on the fame Science; all the ancient Churches were Churches repres fentative of fpiritual Things; their Ceremonics, and even their Statutes, which were Rules for the Inftitution of their Worship, confifted of mere Correspondencies; in like Manner, every Thing in the Ifraelitish Church, their Burnt-Offerings, Sacrifices, Meat-Offerings, and Drink-Offerings, with all the Particulars belonging to each, were Correfpondencies; fo alfo was the Tabernacle, with all Things contained in it; and likewife their Feftivals, as the Feaft of the unleavened Bread, the Feast of Tabernacles, the Feaft of the Firft-Fruits; alfo, the Priesthood of Aaron and the Levites, and the Garments of their Holinefs; but what where the particular spiritual Things with which each correfponded, is fhewn in the ARCANA COELESTIA, publifhed at London; and befides the Things above-mentioned; all their Statutes and Judgments, relating to Worship and Life, were Correfpondencies. Now, forafmuch as Divine Things fix their Exiftence in outward Nature in Correfpondencies, therefore the Word was written by mere Correfpondencies and for the fame Reafon, the Lord, in Confequence of fpeaking from the Divinity, fpake by Correfpondencies; for whatever proceedeth from the Divinity, when it comes into outward Nature,' manifefts itself in fuch outward Things as correfpond with what is Divine, which outward Things become then the Repofitories of Divine Things, otherwife called celeftial and fpiritual, that lie contained within them in a hidden and mysterious Manner.

202. I have been informed, that the Men of the moft Ancient Church, which was before the Flood, were of a Nature and Genius fo heavenly, that they converfed with Angels, and that they had the Power of holding fuch Converfe by Means of Correfpondències; confequently, the State af their Wifdom was fuch, that the vifible Objects of this World fugVOL. II.

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gefted, not only natural, but also spiritual Thoughts and Ideas, whereby they had Conjunction with the Angels of Heaven. I have been further informed, that ENOCH, who is spoken of in Genefis, Chap. v. 21 to 24, together with others connected with him, collected Correfpondencies from their Relation of them, and tranfmitted the Science thereof to Pofterity; in Confequence of which, the Science of Correfpondencies was not only known, but alfo cultivated in many Kingdoms of Afia, particularly in the Land of Canaan, Egypt, Affyria, Chaldea, Syria, Arabia, in Tyre, Sidon, and Nineveh, and that from thence it was conveyed into Greece, where it was changed into Fable, as may appear from the Works of the moft ancient Writers in that Country.

203. To fhew that the Science of Correfpondencies was long preferved amongst the Afiatic Nations, but chiefly amongst those who were called Diviners and Wife Men, and by fome Magi, I fhall adduce a remarkable Inftance from 1 Sam. Chap. v. and vi. We are there informed, that the Ark, containing the two Tables, whereon were written the Ten Commandments, was taken by the Philiftines, and placed in the Houfe of Dagon, in Afhdod, and that Dagon fell to the Ground before it, and afterwards, that his Head and both the Palms of his Hands were feparated from his Body, and lay on the Threthold, and that the People of Afhdod and Ekron, to the Number of feveral Thousands, were fmitten with Emerods, and that the Land was devoured with Mice; and that the Philiftines, on this Occafion, called together their Priefts and Diviners, and that to put a Stop to the Destruction which threatened them, they came to this Determination, viz. that they would make five golden Emerods, and five golden Mice, and a new Cart, and would fet the Ark on the Cart, and thus would fend back the Cart unto the Children of Ifrael, by whom the Kine and the Cart were offered up in Sacrifice, and the Ged of Ifrael was appeafed. That all thefe Devices of the Philiftine Diviners were Correfpondencies, is evident from their Signification, which is this; the Philiftines themfelves fignified thofe who are influenced by Faith separate from Charity; Dagon reprefented their Religious Worfhip; the Emerods, wherewith they were fmitten, fignified the natural Loves, which, if feparated from fpiritual Love, are unclean;

and Mice fignified the Devaftation of the Church, by Falfifications of Truth; a new Cart fignified natural Doctrine of the Church; for Chariot, in the Word fignifieth Doctrine derived from fpiritual Truths; the Milch Kine fignified good natural Affections; the golden Emerods fignified the natural Loves purified and made good; the golden Mice fignified the Devaftation of the Church removed by Means of Goodness; for Gold, in the Word, fignifieth Goodnefs; the Lowing of the Kine in the Way fignified the Difficult Converfion of the Concupifcences of Evil in the natural Man into good Affections; the Offering up of the Kine and the Cart as a BurntOffering, fignified that thus the God of Ifrael was rendered propitious. All thefe Things then, which the Philiftines did by the Advice of their Diviners, were Correfpondencies; from which it appears, that the Science was long preferved amongst the Gentiles.

204. Forafmuch as the Reprefentative Rites of the Church, which were Correfpondencies, in Procefs of Time, began to be corrupted by idolatrous and likewife magical Applications of them; therefore, the Science of Correfpondencies was, by the Divine Providence of the Lord, fucceffively darkened, and, amongst the Ifraelitish and Jewish People, entirely ob literated. Indeed, the Divine Worship of that People confifted of mere Correfpondencies, and confequently was reprefentative of heavenly Things, but ftill they had no Knwledge of a fingle Thing reprefented; for they were altogether Natural Men, and therefore had neither Inclination nor Ability to gain any Understanding of Spiritual and Celestial Subjects; for the fame Reafon they were neceffarily Ignorant of Correfpondencies, thefe being Reprefentations of Things fpiritual and celestial in Things natural.

205 The Reason why the Idolatries of the Gentiles of old took their Rife from the Science of Correfpondenceies, was becaufe all Things that appear on the Face of the Earth have Correfpondence, confequently, not only Trees and Vegetables, but alfo Beafts, Birds, and Fishes ef every Kind, and all other Animals. The Ancients, who were verfed in the. Scienceof Correfpondencies, made themfelves Images, which Correfponded with Things celeftial; and were greatly delight

ed therewith, by Reafon of their Signification, and that they could difcern in them what related to Heaven and the Church; and therefore they placed thofe Images both in their Temples, and alfo in their Houfes, not with any Intention to worship them, but to ferve as a Means of recollecting the celestial Things fignified by them. Hence, in Egypt and in other Places they made Images of Calves, Oxen, Serpents, and alfo of Children, old Men, and Virgins; becaufe Calves and Oxen fignified the Affections and Powers of the natural Man; Serpents, the Prudence and likewife Cunning of the fenfual Man; Children, Innocence and Charity; old Men, Wisdom; and Virgins, the Affections of Truth, &c. Succeeding Ages, when the Science of Correfpondencies was obliterated, began to adore as holy, and at length to worship as Deities, the Images and Pictures fet up by their Forefathers, because they found them in and about their Temples. For the fame Reafon, the Ancients performed their Worship in Gardens and Groves, according to the different Kinds of Trees growing therein; and alfo on Mountains and Hills; for Gardens and Groves fignified Wifdom and Intelligence, and every particular Tree, Something that had Relation thereto, as the Olive, the Good of Love; the Vine, Truth derived from that Good; the Cedar, Goodness and Truth rational; a Mountain, the highest Heaven; a Hill, the Heaven beneath. That the Science of Correfpondencies remained amongst many Eaftern antient Nations, even till the Coming of the Lord, may appear alfo from the Wife Men of the Eaft, who visited the Lord at his Nativity; wherefore a Star went before them, and they brought with them Gifts, Gold, Frankincenfe, and Myrh, Matt. ii. 1, 2, 9, 10, 11; for the Star which went before them fignified Knowledge from Heaven; Gold fignified celeftial Good; Frankincenfe fpiritual Good; and Myrh natural Good, which are the three Conftituents of all Worship. But ftill the Science of Correfpondencies was annihilated amongst the Ifraelitish and Jewish People, although all Parts of their Worship, and all the Statutes and Judgments given them by Mofes, and all Things contained in the Word, were Correfpondencies; the Reafon was, becaufe they were Idolaters at Heart, and confequently of fuch a Nature and Genius, that they were not willing to allow that any Part of their Worship had a celeftial and fpiritual Signification for they believed that all the Parts thereof were Holy of them

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