them, they are also introduced into the memory either from intellectual thought, or from hearing, or from reading, and, at the same time, according to the varied perception resulting from the exercise of the rational faculty; all these things exist inwardly in scientifics, as is evident when they are reproduced, which is the case when a man speaks or thinks. But what is signified by vessels of most precious wood, of brass, of iron, and of marble, shall briefly be explained. By vessels of most precious wood are signified scientifics derived from rational good and truth; by vessels of brass are signified scientifics derived from natural good; by vessels of iron are signified scientifics derived from natural truth; and by vessels of marble are signified scientifics derived from the appearance of good and truth. That wood signifies good, see above, n. 764: the reason why precious wood here signifies good, and, at the same time, truth rational, is because wood signifies good, and precious is predicated of truth; for one good is signified by the wood of the olive tree, another by that of the cedar-wood, of the fig tree, the fir, the poplar, and the oak. The reason why vessels of brass and iron signify scientifics derived from natural good and truth, is, because all metals, such as gold, silver, brass, iron, tin, and lead, in the Word, signify goods and truths; they signify because they correspond, and because they correspond they exist also in heaven; for all things there are correspondences. But what each particular metal signifies by correspondence, it is foreign to our present purpose to confirm from the Word, only that brass signifies natural good, and thence iron natural truth, as may be seen from hence: "And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they were burned in a furnace," Apoc. i. 15. That Daniel " saw a man whose feet were like in color to polished brass," Dan. x. 5, 6. That the feet of the cherubim also appeared "sparkled like the color of burnished brass," Ezek. i. 7. That the feet signify what is natural, may be seen, n. 49, 468, 470, 510. That there was seen an angel who was "like the appearance of brass," Ezek. xl. 3. That the image which Nebuchadnezzar saw, had "the head of fine gold, his

breast and his arms of silver, his belly and thighs of brass, and his legs of iron," Dan. ii. 32, 33, by which image were represented the successive states of the church, called by the ancients, the ages of gold, silver, brass, and iron. As brass signified what is natural, and the Israelitish people were merely natural, therefore the Lord's natural principle was represented by the brazen serpent, which they who were bit by serpents were to look up to, that they might be healed, Numb. xxi. 6, 8, 9, John iii. 14, 15. That brass signifies natural good, may also be seen in Isaiah, lx. 17, Jerem. xv. 20, 21, Ezek. xxvii. 13, Deut. viii. 7, 9, xxxiii. 24, 25.

776. He who does not know what is signified by gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple, silk, scarlet, thyine wood, vessels of ivory, most precious wood, brass, iron, marble, and vessels, may be surprised that such things are enumerated, and may think that words are here accumulated only for the sake of exalting the subject; but from the preceding explanation it may appear, that not a single word is used unnecessarily, and that by those things it is fully described, that they who have confirmed themselves in the tenets of that religion, are not in possession of a single truth, and that if not of a single truth, neither are they in possession of a single good, which is really a good of the church. I have conversed with those who have confirmed themselves in that religion, likewise with some who were delegates at the councils of Nice, of the Lateran, and of Trent, who thought at first, that what they had decreed were pure and sacred truths, but after being instructed, and illumination being afforded them from heaven, they acknowledged that they did not see a single truth; but inasmuch as they had more strongly confirmed themselves in those opinions than other people, on their extinguishing their illumination, which they did of themselves, they returned to their former belief. They thought that those tenets more especially, to which they had given their sanction in regard to baptism and justification, were truths; but nevertheless while they were under illumination they saw, and in consequence of seeing they acknowledged, that no one has original sin

from Adam, but from his own parents successively, and that it is not taken away in baptism by the imputation. and application of the Lord's merit; also that the imputation and application of the Lord's merit is a human fiction, this being an impossibility and that faith is never infused into any sucking child, faith being the result of the exercise of the thinking faculty. They saw further that baptism is holy and a sacrament, because for a sign and memorial that man is capable of being regenerated by the Lord by truths from the Word; being a sign for heaven, and a memorial for man; and that man is introduced by it into the church, as the children of Israel were introduced by crossing over Jordan into the land of Canaan, and as the inhabitants of Jerusalem by the baptism of John were prepared for the reception of the Lord; for without that sign in heaven before the angels, the Jews could not have subsisted and lived at the coming of Jehovah, that is, of the Lord in the flesh. Similar to these were the points they established in regard to justification. That the imputation of the Lord's merit neither exists, nor is given, may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Lord, n. 18; and that hereditary evil, which is called original sin, is not from Adam, but from parents successively, may be seen in the Wisdom of Angels concerning the Divine Providence, n. 277. What Adam signifies in the Word, see n. 241 of the same work.

777. "And cinnamon, and perfumes, and ointment, and frankincense," signifies, that they have no longer any worship from spiritual goods and truths, because they have nothing inwardly in worship that corresponds to the above-mentioned things. The foregoing verse treats of all things which relate to the doctrine of the church; but this verse treats of all things which relate to the worship of the church. The things relating to doctrine are premised, and those relating to worship follow, because by the goods and truths of doctrine the quality of worship is determined, for worship is nothing but an external act, in which there should be the internal things that relate to doctrine, and without which worship is without its essence, 4

VOL. III.

life, and soul. Now since all things relating to doctrine have reference to the goods which are of love and charity, and to the truths which are of wisdom and faith, and as those goods and truths, according to the degrees of their order, are celestial, spiritual, and natural, so also are all things of worship; and because in the preceding verse, the spiritual things of doctrine are mentioned in the first place, so here also are the spiritual things of worship, which are cinnamon, perfumes, ointment, and frankincense; and the celestial things of worship are named in the second place, which are wine, oil, flour, and wheat; and in the third place are named the natural things of worship, which are beasts and sheep; that all these goods and truths of worship are from the Word, is signified by their being the merchandise of horses, of chariots, of the bodies and souls of men; this is the series of things in the spiritual sense of this verse. But by all the things which are enumerated in this verse, it is to be understood, in like manner as by the things which are enumerated in the preceding verse, that those goods and truths are not among them, because they have not among them the things which correspond to them; which is plain from what goes before, where it is said, That the city Babylon shall be burnt with fire, and that no one shall buy her merchandise any more, verse 8-11, and from what follows, where it is said, That all things splendid and dainty are departed from her, and shall not be found any more, verse 14, and that they are wasted, verses 16, 19. But with respect to the articles here enumerated, as cinnamon, perfumes, ointment, and frankincense, these are named from the circumstance of incense being compounded of such things. That by incense is signified the worship of the Lord from spiritual goods and truths, see above, n. 277, 392, and that incense was pleasing because it consisted of fragrant substances which were in correspondence, n. 394, all the fragrant substances, of which it was prepared, are understood by cinnamon, perfumes, and ointment, and their essential quality by frankincense; this appears from the enumeration of the spices of which it was compounded, in Moses: "Jehovah said unto

Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, onycha, and galbanum, with pure frankincense; and thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy," Exod. xxx. 34—37; of these was incense composed, by which was signified, worship derived from spiritual goods and truths, as before observed. Cinnamon is here mentioned instead of the whole of the spices enumerated. But what is signified by each of those spices in the spiritual sense, may be seen in the Arcana Calestia, upon Exodus, where they are severally explained.

778. "And wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat," signifies, that they have no longer any worship originating in celestial goods and truths, because they have nothing inwardly in worship, that corresponds to the above-mentioned things. It is similar with these, as with the things mentioned above, only with this difference, that what are now mentioned signify celestial goods and truths. What goods and truths are called celestial, and what spiritual, may be seen above, n. 773, and that from the circumstance of these goods and truths not being in them, neither were they in their worship; for as was observed above, the goods and truths of doctrine exist in worship like the soul in its body, wherefore worship without them is inanimate worship; such is the worship which is holy in externals, in which there is not any internal holiness. That wine signifies truth derived from the good of love, see above, n. 316; that oil signifies the good of love will be seen in the next article; by fine flour is signified celestial truth, and by wheat is signified celestial good. The reason why by wine, oil, fine flour, and wheat, the truths and goods of worship are signified, is, because the drinkofferings and meat-offerings were composed of them, and were offered together with the sacrifices upon the altar, and by sacrifices and by gifts offered upon the altar was signified worship, for in these worship principally consisted. That the drink-offerings, consisting of wine, were offered upon the altar together with the sacrifices, may be seen in Exod. xxix. 40, Levit. xxiii. 12, 13, 18, 19, Numb. xv. 2-15, xxyiii. 11-15, 18, to the end; xxix.