176# 启2:27. “他必用铁杖辖管他们”表示祂将要通过属世人中的真理惩戒邪恶。这从“辖管”和“铁杖”的含义清楚可知：“辖管”是指惩戒，因为经上补充说，他要把他们如同窑户的瓦器打得粉碎，由此所表示的邪恶通过真理来惩戒；“铁杖”是指属世人中的真理。杖或棍表示实现惩戒所凭借的能力或权柄；“铁”表示进行惩戒的属世人中的真理。杖或棍是指能力或权柄(参看《属天的奥秘》，4013, 4015, 4876, 4936, 6947, 7011, 7026, 7568, 7572节)；正因如此，君王拥有权杖，也就是一根短棍(4581, 4876节)。“铁”之所以表示属世人中的真理，是因为金属，以及地上的其它一切东西，都因对应关系而表示属灵和属天事物，而这一切事物都与真理和良善有关。“金”表示内在人的良善，“银”表示这良善的真理；“铜”或“黄铜”表示外在人或属世人的良善，“铁”表示这良善的真理。这就是为何古人用金属的名称来称呼各个时代，即黄金时代，白银时代，青铜时代和黑铁时代：黄金时代来自生活在爱之良善中的上古之人；白银时代来自继他们之后生活在源于这良善的真理中的古人；青铜时代来自他们的后代，这些后代处于外在或属世良善；黑铁时代来自后者的后代，他们只处于没有良善的真理。属世真理是记忆中的真理，不是生活中的真理；生活的真理是良善。关于这种对应关系，详情可参看《天堂与地狱》104, 115节。
教会的先后状态，甚至直到主的降临，由构成尼布甲尼撒所梦见的雕像的“金”、“银”、“铜”和“铁”来表示，但以理书如此描述这个雕像：
他的头是精金的，胸膛和膀臂是银的，肚腹和大腿是铜的，小腿是铁的，脚是半铁半泥的。有一块从岩石中凿出来的石头打在这像半铁半泥的脚上，把脚砸碎。你既见脚一半是窑匠的泥，一半是铁，表示那国将来也必分开；那国也必半坚固半破碎。你既见铁与泥混合，他们必与人的种混合，却不能彼此相合，正如铁与泥不能混合一样。(但以理书2:32–34, 41–43)
“精金的头”表示当人们处于对主之爱的良善时，教会的第一个状态；“银的胸膛和膀臂”表示当他们处于来自那良善的真理时，教会的第二个状态；“铜的肚腹和大腿”表示当他们不再处于属灵良善，而是处于属世良善时，接下来教会的第三个状态，因为“铜”表示属世良善；“铁的小腿”表示当属世良善不复存在，只有真理时，教会的第四个状态；而“半铁半泥的脚”表示当既有真理，也有虚假，即有圣言中的真理和教义中的虚假时，教会的最后状态；当圣言的真理被歪曲，教义取自被歪曲的真理时，教会的状态就是“半铁半泥”，因此那国“半坚固半破碎”。此处“那国”是指教会；因此，它也被称为“神的国”。这些话，即“你既见铁与泥混合，他们必与人的种混合，却不能彼此相合，正如铁与泥不能混合一样”表示真理虽如此与虚假混合，但它们仍不相合。“人的种”是指圣言中的神性真理。“种”表示这真理，可参看《属天的奥秘》(3038, 3373, 10248, 10249节)；“人”表示圣言所来自的主，也表示教会(768, 4287, 7424, 7523, 8547, 9276节)。“窑匠的泥”表示属世人中的虚假，这一点可见于下文(AE177节)。“从岩石中凿出来、打在这像脚上的石头”表示藉由神性真理的主，以及对不与来自圣言的真理相合的虚假的毁灭。“石头”表示真理，“以色列的石头”是指神性真理方面的主(参看《属天的奥秘》，643, 1298, 3720, 6426, 8609, 10376节)；“岩石或磐石”同样表示主(8581, 10580节；《最后的审判》，57节)。“铁”表示属世人中的真理，故“雕像的脚”被看见是“铁的”，因为“脚”表示属世层(参看《属天的奥秘》，2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938–4952节)。
在以赛亚书的这些话中，“金”、“银”、“铜”和“铁”表示类似事物：
我要拿金子代替铜，拿银子代替铁，拿铜代替木头，拿铁代替石头。(以赛亚书60:17)
“拿金子代替铜”表示属天良善代替属世良善；“拿银子代替铁”表示属天真理代替属世真理；“拿铜代替木头，拿铁代替石头”表示大量像木头和石头那样的属世良善和真理。此处论述的是属天教会的状态。“铁”表示属世人中的真理(参看《属天的奥秘》，425, 426节)。
引用这些经文，是为了让人们知道“铁杖”表示什么，即表示主惩戒属世人中的邪恶，驱散它里面的虚假所凭借的能力或权柄；因为杖或棍表示能力或权柄，如前所述，铁表示属世人中的真理。主之所以通过属世人中的真理惩戒邪恶、驱散虚假，是因为由此而来的一切邪恶和虚假都住在属世人中，无一住在属灵人或内在人中。内在人不接受邪恶和虚假，而是向它们关闭。由于一切邪恶和虚假都住在属世人中，所以它们必须通过也住在那里的事物，也就是属世人中的真理被惩戒和驱散。属世人中的真理就是知识和认知，人能基于这些知识和认知对教会的真理和良善，以及反对它们的邪恶和虚假进行属世地思考、推理，并得出结论，从而在阅读圣言时处于某种程度的属世光照。因为没有光照，字面上的圣言是无法理解的；光照要么是属灵的，要么是属世的。属灵的光照只赋予那些属灵的人；属灵的人是那些处于爱与仁之良善，因而处于真理的人；而纯属世的光照被赋予那些属世的人(参看《天堂与地狱》，153, 425, 455节；AE140节)。此外，那些属灵的人活在世上时就拥有属世人中的光照，但这光照源于属灵人中的光照；因为对他们来说，主通过属灵人或内在人流入属世人或外在人，从而光照后者。人能凭这种光照看到什么是真理和良善，什么是虚假和邪恶；当他看见这些事物时，主就通过也住在属世人中，并与属灵人或内在人中的良善和真理构成一体的真理和良善来驱散属世人中的邪恶和虚假(关于知识和认知，以及它们所产生的效果，详情可参看《新耶路撒冷及其属天教义》51节，关于流注，可参看该书277–278节)。
由此可见，主将要辖管列族，也就是要惩戒属世人中的邪恶所用的“铁杖”表示什么。之所以向该教会的天使说这些事，是因为写给这位天使的信论述了内在人和外在人，以及它们的结合；当内在人与外在人，或属灵人与属世人结合时，主就惩戒属世人中的邪恶和虚假，并通过真理和良善的知识或认知如此行。但对那些内在人和外在人没有结合的人来说，邪恶和虚假无法被惩戒和驱散，因为他们没有通过属灵人从天堂接受任何东西，他们所接受的一切都来自世界；而他们的理性支持这一切，并提供证明。在以下经文中，“杖或铁杖”也表示类似此处“铁杖”所表示的那类事物；诗篇：
你必用铁权杖击伤列族；你必将他们如同窑匠的瓦器摔碎。(诗篇2:9)
以赛亚书：
祂必以口中的杖击打地，以嘴里的气杀戮恶人。(以赛亚书11:4)
启示录：
妇人生了一个男孩子，是将来要用铁杖辖管所有民族的。(启示录12:5)
又：
有利剑从骑在白马上的那一位口中出来，可以击杀列族。祂必用铁杖辖管他们。(启示录19:15)
弥迦书：
锡安的女儿哪，起来；我必使你的角成为铁，使你的蹄成为铜，使你打碎许多人民。(弥迦书4:13)
“锡安的女儿”是指属天教会；“角”是指属世人中的能力；“蹄”是指那里被称为感官知识的终端；由此明显可知，“使角成为铁，使蹄成为铜”表示什么。“锡安的女儿或女子”是指属天教会(参看《属天的奥秘》，2362, 9055节)；“角”是指属世人中源于良善的真理的能力(2832, 9081, 9719, 9720, 9721, 10182, 10186节)；“蹄”是指感官人的知识，也就是秩序终端的真理(7729节)。
176. (Verse 27) And he shall rule them with a rod of iron. That this signifies that He is about to chastise evils by means of truths which are in the natural man is evident from the signification of ruling, as being to chastise, for it is added that He would break them in pieces as a potter's vessels, and the evils which are thereby signified are chastised by means of truths; also from the signification of a rod of iron, as being truths in the natural man. By a rod or staff is signified power, by means of which chastisement is effected, and by iron, truths in the natural man which chastise. (That a rod or staff denotes power, may be seen, n. 4013, 4015, 4876, 4936, 6947, 7011, 7026, 7568, 7572; that hence it is that kings have a sceptre, which is a short staff, n. 4581, 4876.) The reason why iron signifies truths in the natural man is, that metals, as well as all other things on earth, from correspondence, signify things spiritual and celestial, all of which have reference to truths and goods. Gold signifies the good of the internal man, silver its truths; copper or brass the good of the external or natural man, iron its truth. This is the reason why the ancients called the Ages by the names of metals - golden, silver, copper and iron: golden from the most ancient men, who lived in the good of love; silver from the ancients after them, who lived in truths from that good; copper from their posterity, who were in external or natural good; iron from the posterity of the latter, who were in natural truth alone without good. Natural truth is truth in the memory, and not in the life; truth which is of the life is good. (But more may be seen concerning this correspondence in the work, Heaven and Hell 104, 115.)
[2] The successive states of the church, even until the coming of the Lord, are meant by the gold, the silver, the brass, and the iron of which the statue seen by Nebuchadnezzar in a dream was composed, as it is thus recorded in Daniel:
"His head was fine gold, his breast and his arms silver, his belly and his thighs brass, his legs iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. And a stone was cut out" of the rock, "and smote the image upon his feet, that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Whereas thou sawest the feet, part of potter's clay and part of iron," it signifies that "the kingdom shall be divided; the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly broken. Whereas thou sawest iron mixed with clay of mire, they shall mingle themselves by the seed of man; but they shall not cohere the one with the other, even as iron is not mixed with clay" (n. 32-34, 41-43).
By the head which was fine gold is meant the first state of the church, when men were in the good of love to the Lord; by the breast and arms, which were silver is meant the second state of the church, when they were in truth from that good. By the belly and thighs which were of brass, the following or third state of the church, when men were no longer in spiritual but in natural good, for brass signifies that good; by the legs which were of iron is meant the fourth state of the church, when there was no longer natural good, but only truth; but by the feet which were of iron and clay is meant the last state of the church, when there are truth and falsity: truth in the Word and falsity in doctrine. When the truths of the Word are falsified, and doctrine is drawn from falsified truth, then the state of the church is part iron and part clay, and thus the kingdom is partly strong and partly broken. The kingdom in this passage denotes the church; therefore the church is also called the kingdom of God. That truths are thus mixed with falsities, but that still they do not cohere, is meant by Whereas thou sawest iron mixed with clay of mire, they shall mingle themselves by the seed of man, but they shall not cohere one with the other, even as iron is not mixed with clay. The seed of man denotes Divine truth which is in the Word. (That this is signified by seed, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 3038, 3337, 10248, 10249; that man signifies the Lord, from whom is the Word and also the church, see n. 768, 4287, 7424, 7523, 8547, 9276.) That potter's clay signifies the falsities that are in the natural man, will be seen presently in the following article, no. 177. By the stone cut out of the rock, which smote the image, upon his feet is meant the Lord by means of Divine truth, and the destruction of falsities not cohering with truths from the Word. (That stone signifies truth, and that the stone of Israel is the Lord as to Divine truth, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 643, 1298, 3720, 6426, 8609, 10376; that rock also signifies the n. 8581, 10580, and in the small work, The Last Judgement n. 57.) Because iron signifies truths in the natural man, therefore the feet of the statue were of iron, for feet signify the Natural (as may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952).
[3] Similar things are signified by gold, silver, brass, and iron, in the prophet Isaiah:
"For brass I will bring gold, for iron silver, for wood brass, and for stones iron" (Arcana Coelestia 425, 426.)
[4] These things are adduced, in order that it may be known that a rod of iron signifies power, by means of which the Lord chastises the evils and disperses the falsities that are in the natural man. For a rod or staff signifies power, as was said above, and iron signifies truths in the natural man. The reason why the Lord chastises evils and disperses falsities by means of truths in the natural man is, that all evils and the falsities therefrom reside therein, but none in the spiritual or internal man. The internal man does not receive evils and falsities, but is closed against them; and because these all reside in the natural man, therefore they must be chastised and dispersed by the things that are also there, which are truths. Truths in the natural man are scientifics (scientifica) and knowledges cognitiones), from which man can think, reason and conclude naturally concerning the truths and goods of the church, and concerning the falsities and evils which are opposed to them, and thence be in some natural enlightenment when he reads the Word: for the Word in the letter is not intelligible without enlightenment, and this is either spiritual or natural. Spiritual enlightenment is only granted to those who are spiritual, who are those who are in the good of love and of charity, and consequently in truths; but natural enlightenment alone is granted to those who are natural (which may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 153, 425, and n. 140, above). To those also who are spiritual while they live in the world, there is granted enlightenment in the Natural; but this exists from the enlightenment in the Spiritual; for with them the Lord flows in through the spiritual or internal man into the natural or external, and thus enlightens the latter. From this enlightenment man sees what is true and good, and what is false and evil; and when he sees these things, then the Lord disperses the evils and falsities which are in the natural man by means of the truths and goods which are also there, and which make one with the goods and truths in the spiritual or internal man. (Further particulars concerning sciences (scientiis) and knowledges (cognitionibus), and what they effect, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 51, and concerning influx, n. 277, 278.)
[5] From these considerations it may now be seen, what is signified by the rod of iron with which the Lord shall rule the nations, that is, will chastise the evils in the natural man. These things are said to the angel of this church because the subject treated of in what is written to this angel is the internal and external man, and their conjunction. For, when the internal and external, or the Spiritual and Natural are conjoined, then the Lord chastises the evils and falsities that are in the natural man, and this by means of the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth and good. But in the case of those in whom the internal and external man are not conjoined, evils and falsities cannot be chastised and expelled, because they receive nothing through the spiritual man from heaven, but everything they receive is from the world, which their Rational favours, and for which it furnishes confirmations.
Things similar to those here signified by a rod of iron, are also signified in the following passages; as in David:
"Thou shalt bruise" the nations "with a sceptre of iron; as a potter's vessel shalt thou disperse them" (Arcana Coelestia 2362, 9055; that horn denotes the power of truth from good in the natural man, n. 2832, 9081, 9719-9721, 10182, 10186; and that hoofs are the scientifics of the sensual man, which are truths in the ultimate of order, n. 7729.)
176. Verse 27.And He shall rule them with an iron rod, signifies that He is about to chastise evils by means of truths that are in the natural man. This is evident from the signification of "ruling," as being to chastise, for it is added that "He would shiver them as pottery vessels," and the evils which are signified are chastised by means of truths. It is evident also from the signification of "an iron rod," as being truths that are in the natural man; a "rod" or "staff" signifies the power by which chastisement is effected; and "iron" truths in the natural man which chastise. (That a "rod" or "staff:" is power, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 4013, 4015, 4876, 4936, 6947, 7011, 7026, 7568, 7572; that it is for this reason that kings have a scepter, which is a short staff, n. 4581, 4876.)
"Iron" signifies truths in the natural man, because metals, as well as the other things of the earth, by correspondence signify things spiritual and celestial, all of which have reference to truths and goods. "Gold" signifies the good of the internal man; "silver" its truth; "copper" or "brass" the good of the external or natural man; "iron" its truth. For this reason the ages were called by the ancients after the names of the metals, namely, Golden, Silver, Copper, and Iron; the Golden Age from the most ancient men, who lived in the good of love; the Silver Age from the ancients after them who lived in truths from that good; the Copper Age from their posterity who were in external or natural good; the Iron Age from the posterity of these who were in natural truth alone without good. Natural truth is truth in the memory, not in the life; truth of life is good. (But more about this correspondence in the work on Heaven and (Heaven and Hell 104) Hell, n (Heaven and Hell 115). 104, 115.)
[2] The successive states of the church, even until the coming of the Lord, are meant by the "gold," the "silver," the "brass," and the "iron," of which the statue seen by Nebuchadnezzar in a dream was composed, which is thus described in Daniel:
His head was good gold, his breast and his arms silver, his belly and his thighs brass, his legs iron, his feet part iron and part clay. A stone was cut out of the rock, and it smote the image upon his feet that were iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Whereas thou sawest the feet partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, it signifies that the kingdom shall be divided; the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. Whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves by the seed of man; but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron doth not mingle with clay (Arcana Coelestia 3038, 3373, 10248, 10249; that "man" signifies the Lord, from whom is the Word, and also signifies the church, see n. 768, 4287, 7424, 7523, 8547, 9276.) That "potter's clay" signifies the falsities that are in the natural man, will be seen in the following article n. 177. By "the stone cut of the rock," which "smote the image upon his feet," the Lord by means of Divine truth is meant, and the destruction of falsities not cohering with truths from the Word. (That a "stone" is truth, and that "the stone of Israel" is the Lord in respect to Divine truth, see Arcana Coelestia 643 Arcana Coelestia 643[1-4], 1298, 3720, 6426, 8609, 10376; that "rock" likewise signifies the Lord, 8581, 10580, and in the small work on The Last Judgement, n. 57.) Because "iron" signifies truths in the natural man, "the feet of the statue" were seen to be "of iron," for "feet" signify the natural (See Arcana Coelestia 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952).
[3] Like things are signified by "gold," "silver," "brass," and "iron," in these words in Isaiah:
For brass I will bring gold, for iron I will bring silver, for woods brass, and for stones iron (Arcana Coelestia 425, 426.)
[4] These passages are cited that it may be known what is meant by the "iron rod," namely, the power whereby the Lord chastises the evils and disperses the falsities that are in the natural man; for a "rod" or "staff" signifies power (as was said above), and "iron" signifies truths in the natural man. The Lord chastises evils and disperses falsities by means of truths in the natural man, because all evils and the falsities therefrom have their seat in the natural man, and none in the spiritual or internal man. The internal man does not receive evils and falsities, but is closed against them. And as all evils and falsities have their seat in the natural man, they must needs be chastised and dispersed by means of such things as are there, which are truths in the natural man. Truths in the natural man are knowledges and cognitions, from which man can think, reason, and conclude naturally respecting the truths and goods of the church, and the falsities and evils which are opposed to these, and can consequently be in some natural illustration when he reads the Word. For the Word in the letter is not understood without illustration; and illustration is either spiritual or natural. Spiritual illustration is only with those who are spiritual; and the spiritual are those that are of the good of love and charity and in truths therefrom; while mere natural illustration is with those who are natural (See in the work on Heaven and Hell 153, 425, 455; and above, n. 140. Moreover, those who are spiritual have, whilst they live in the world, illustration in the natural; but this springs from illustration in the spiritual; for with them the Lord flows in through the spiritual or internal man into the natural or external, and thus illustrates it, from which enlightenment man can see what is true and good, and what is false and evil, and when he sees that, the Lord scatters the evils and the falsities that are in the natural man, by means of the truths and goods that are also there and that make one with the goods and truths in the spiritual or internal man (See in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, on sciences and knowledges, what they effect, n. 51, and on Influx, n . 277, 278).
[5] From this it can now be seen what is signified by "the iron rod," with which the Lord is to rule the nations, that is, chastise the evils that are in the natural man. These things are said to the angel of this church, because in what is written to this angel the internal and external man and their conjunction are treated of; for when the internal and the external or the spiritual and the natural are conjoined, the Lord chastises the evils and falsities that are in the natural man, and this by means of the knowledges of truth and good. But with those with whom the internal and external man are not conjoined, evils and falsities cannot be chastised and scattered, since they receive nothing from heaven through the spiritual man, but all things they receive are from the world; and these their rational favors, and supplies confirmations. Things similar to those here signified by "the iron rod" are also signified in the following passages. In David:
Thou shalt bruise [the nations] with an iron scepter; as a potter's vessel Thou shalt dash them in pieces (2362, 9055; that "horn" is the power of truth from good in the natural man, n. 2832, 9081, 9719, 9720, 9721, 10182, 10186; and that "hoofs" are the knowledges of the sensual man, which are truths in the ultimate of order, n. 7729.)
176. (Vers. 27.) "Et reget eas virga ferrea." - Quod significet quod castigaturus sit mala per vera quae sunt in naturali homine, constat ex significatione "regere", quod sit castigare, nam sequitur quod "confringeret eas sicut vasa figulina", et mala, quae significantur, per vera castigantur; et ex significatione "virgae ferreae", quod sint vera quae sunt in naturali homine; per "virgam" seu "baculum" significatur potentia qua castigatur, et per "ferrum" vera in naturali. homine quae castigant.
(Quod "virga" seu "baculus" sit potentia, videatur n. 4013, 4015, 4876, 4936, 6947, 7011, 7026, 7568, 7572; quod inde sit quod regibus sit sceptrum, quod est curtus baculus, n. 4581, 4876.) Quod "ferrum", significet vera in naturali homine, est quia metalla, aeque ac reliqua telluris, ex correspondentia significant spiritualia et caelestia, quae omnia se referunt ad vera et bona: "aurum" significat bonum interni hominis, "argentum" ejus verum, "cuprum" seu "aes" bonum externi seu naturalis hominis, "ferrum" ejus verum; inde est, quod ab antiquis Saecula vocata sint a metallis, nempe "Aurea", "Argentea", "Cuprea" et "Ferrea"; "Aurea" ex hominibus antiquissimis qui vixerunt in bono amoris; "Argentea" ex antiquis post illos qui vixerunt in veris ex illo bono; "Cuprea" ex posteris horum qui in bono externo seu naturali; "Ferrea" ex horum posteris, qui erant in solo vero naturali absque bono; verum naturale est verum memoria et non vita; verum vitae est bonum. (Sed plura de hac correspondentia videantur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 104 et 115.)
[2] Successivi status ecclesiae usque ad adventum Domini, intellecti sunt per "aurum", "argentum", "aes", et "ferrum", ex quibus erat statua Nebuchadnezari in somnio visa, de qua ita apud Danielem,
"Caput ejus erat aurum bonum, pectus et brachia argentum, venter et femora aes, crura ferrum, pedes ex parte ferrum ex parte argilla: .... et excisus est lapis" ex petra, "et percussit statuam super pedes ejus, qui ferrum et argilla, et contrivit eos.... . Quod vidisti pedes.... ex parte argilla figuli, et ex parte ferrum", significat quod "regnum divisum erit" .... ex parte regnum erit validum, et ex parte erit fractum: quod vidisti ferrum mixtum cum argilla luti, commiscebunt se per semen hominis, sed non cohaerebunt unum cum altero, quemadmodum ferrum non commiscetur cum argilla" (2:32-34, 41-43);
per "caput" quod erat "aurum bonum", intelligitur primus status ecclesiae, quando in bono amoris in Dominum fuerunt; per "pectus et brachia", quae erant "argentum", intelligitur secundus status ecclesiae, quando in veris ex illo bono fuerunt; per "ventrem et femora", quae "ex aere", sequens tertius status ecclesiae, quando non amplius in bono spirituali sed in bono naturali erant, nam "aes" significat id bonum; per "crura", quae erant "ex ferro", intelligitur quartus status ecclesiae, quando non bonum naturale amplius, sed modo verum; per "pedes", autem, qui "ex ferro et ex argilla", intelligitur ultimus status ecclesiae, quando verum et falsum, verum in Verbo et falsum in doctrina; cum vera Verbi falsificantur, et ex falsificatis fit doctrina, tunc status ecclesiae est "ex parte ferrum ex parte argilla", et sic regnum "ex parte validum et ex parte fractum"; "regnum" ibi est ecclesia, quare etiam "regnum
Dei" vocatur; quod sic mixta sint vera falsis, sed quod usque non cohaereant, intelligitur per ea verba, "quod vidisti ferrum mixtum cum argilla luti, commiscebunt se per semen hominis, sed non cohaerebunt unum cum altero, quemadmodum ferrum non commiscetur cum argilla"; "semen hominis" est Divinum Verum quod in Verbo; (quod "semen" illud significet, videatur n. 3038, 3373, 10248, 10249; quod "Homo" Dominum a quo Verbum, et quoque ecclesiam, n. 768, 4287, 7424, 7523, 8547, 9276); quod "argilla figuli" significet falsa quae in naturali, homine, videatur in mox sequente articulo (n. 177): per "lapidem excisum e petra, qui percussit statuam ad pedes ejus", intelligitur Dominus per Divinum Verum, et destructio falsorum non cohaerentium cum veris ex Verbo; (quod "lapis" sit verum, et quod "lapis Israelis" sit Dominus quoad Divinum Verum, videatur n. 643, 1298, 3720, 6246, 8609, 10376: similiter "Petra", n. 8581, 10580, et in opusculo De Ultimo Judicio 57): quia "ferrum" significat vera in naturali homine, ideo visum est quod pedes statuae essent "ex ferro" nam "pedes" significant naturale (videatur n. 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952).
[3] Similia per "aurum", "argentum", "aes" et "ferrum" significantur per haec apud Esaiam,
"Pro aere adducam aurum, pro ferro argentum, pro lignis aes, et pro lapidibus ferrum" (60:17);
"pro aere adducere aurum", est pro naturali bono caeleste bonum; "pro ferro argentum", est pro naturali vero caeleste verum; "pro lignis aes et pro lapidibus ferrum", est naturale bonum et verum tali copia qua sunt ligna et lapides; agitur ibi de statu caelesti ecclesiae. (Porro quod ferrum" significet verum in naturali homine videatur in Arcanis Caelestibus, n. 425, 426.)
[4] Haec allata sunt ut sciatur quid significatur per "virgam ferream", quod nempe potentia qua Dominus castigat mala et dispergit falsa quae in naturali homine; "virga" enim seu "baculus" significat potentiam, ut supra dictum est, et "ferrum" significat vera in naturali homine. Quod Dominus castiget mala et dispergat falsa per vera in naturali homine, est quia omnia mala et inde falsa ibi resident, nulla autem in spirituali seu interno homine; hic non recipit mala et falsa, sed ad mala et falsa clauditur. Et quia omnia mala et falsa in naturali homine resident, ideo illa castigari et dispergi debent per talia quae etiam ibi, quae sunt vera in naturali homine. Vera in naturali homine sunt scientifica et cognitiones, ex quibus homo naturaliter cogitare, ratiocinari, et concludere potest de veris et bonis ecclesiae, et de falsis et malis quae illis opposita sunt, et inde in quadam illustratione naturali esse cum legit Verbum. Verbum enim in littera absque illustratione non intelligitur, et illustratio est vel spiritualis vel naturalis; illustratio spiritualis modo, datur apud illos qui spirituales sunt, qui sunt qui in bono amoris et charitatis sunt et inde in veris; at illustratio solum naturalis apud illos qui naturales sunt (videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 153, 425, [455,] et supra, n. 140).
Apud illos etiam qui spirituales sunt, dum vivunt in mundo, est illustratio in naturali, sed existit illa ab illustratione in spirituali; nam apud illos influit Dominus per spiritualem seu internum hominem in naturalem seu externum, et sic illuminat hunc; ex qua illuminatione homo videt quid verum et bonum et quid falsum et malum; et cum homo videt illa, tunc Dominus discutit mala et falsa quae in naturali homine per vera et bona quae etiam ibi sunt et unum faciunt cum bonis et veris in spirituali seu interno homine. (Cetera videantur in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae, De Scientiis et Cognitionibus, quid efficiant, n. 51; et De Influxu, n. 277, 278.)
[5] Ex his nunc videri potest quid significatur per "virgam ferream", qua Dominus recturus est gentes, hoc est, castigaturus mala quae in naturali homine. Haec dicta sunt ad angelum hujus ecclesiae, quia in scriptis ad illum agitur de interno et externo homine, et de eorum conjunctione; nam cum internum et externum seu spirituale et naturale conjuncta sunt, tunc Dominus castigat mala et falsa quae in naturali homine, et hoc per cognitiones veri et boni.
Apud illos autem apud quos internus et externus homo non conjuncti sunt, mala et falsa castigari et discuti nequeunt, quoniam nihil recipiunt per spiritualem hominem e caelo, sed omnia quae recipiunt sunt e mundo, quibus rationale eorum favet, et subministrat confirmationes. Similia quae per "virgam ferream" hic, etiam significantur in sequentibus locis:
- Apud Davidem,
"Conteres" gentes "sceptro ferreo; sicut vas figuli disperges eas" (Psalms 2:9);
apud Esaiam,
"Percutiet terram virga oris sui, et spiritu labiorum suorum occidet impium" (11:4):
in Apocalypsi,
Mulier "peperit filium masculum, recturum omnes gentes Virga ferrea" (12:5);
Ex ore Sedentis super Equo albo prodibat romphaea acuta, ut ea percuteret gentes; Ipse enim reget eas virga ferrea" (19:15);
et apud Micham,
"Surge .... Filia Zionis quia cornu tuum faciam ferrum, et ungulas tuas faciam aes, ut comminuas populos multos" (4:13 1
);
"Filia Zionis" est ecclesia caelestis; "cornu" est potentia in naturali homine; "ungulae" sunt ultima ibi, quae vocantur scientifica sensualia; inde patet quid sit "facere cornu ferrum et ungulas aes."
(Quod "Filia Zionis" sit ecclesia caelestis, videatur n. 2362, 9055; quod "cornu" sit potentia veri ex bono in naturali homine, n. 2832, 9081, 9719, 9720, 9721, 10182, 10186; et quod "ungulae" sint scientifica sensualis hominis, quae sunt vera in ultimo ordinis, n. 7729.)
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.