405、（第九节）"海中有生命的被造之物死了三分之一。"这象征那些已照着这信仰生活并继续这样生活的人无法被改造，不能接受生命。
"三分之一"象征所有这些人（如前所述）；"被造之物"指能被改造的人（参290节）；原因在于，"创造"象征改造（参254节）；"有生命的"象征能够通过改造接受生命；"死了"则象征那些只照着这信仰生活的人无法做到这一点。他们之所以无法做到，是因为所有人都要借着与仁义结合的信仰被改造，因而借着仁义之信，无人能唯独借着信仰被改造；因为仁义是信仰的生命。
【2】在灵界中，灵和天使的情感以及由此而来的感知和思维，从远处看显现为动物的形态——在地上的被造之物被称为"走兽"，在空中的被造之物被称为"飞鸟"，在海中的被造之物被称为"鱼"。正因如此，圣言中多次提到"走兽""飞鸟"和"鱼"，但它们所指的并非别的；例如在以下经文中：
耶和华与这地的居民争辩，因这地上无真理，无怜悯，无对神的认识；因此，这地悲哀，其上一切的居民、田野的走兽、空中的飞鸟必都衰微，海中的鱼也必消灭。（何西阿书4:1，3）
我必除灭人和牲畜，与空中的飞鸟、海里的鱼，以及绊脚石和恶人。（西番雅书1:3）
以色列地必有大震动，海中的鱼、天空的飞鸟、田野的走兽，都必在我面前震动。（以西结书38:18-20）
你派他管理你手所造的，使万物都服在他的脚下：田野的走兽、天空的飞鸟、海里的鱼，凡经行海道的。（诗篇8:6-8）；这里论及主）
你且问走兽，走兽必指教你；又问空中的飞鸟，飞鸟必告诉你；海中的鱼也必向你说明：看这一切，谁不知道是耶和华的手做成的呢。（约伯记12:7-9）
（还有许多其它经文。）
【3】这里所说的"鱼"或"海的被造之物"，指那些处于一般性真理中之人的情感以及由此而来的思想，因而是那些更多从自然而非灵性汲取的人。上述经文中的"鱼"指的就是这些人，下面的经文也是如此：
我一斥责，海就干了，我使江河变为旷野，其中的鱼因无水腥臭，干渴而死。（以赛亚书50:2）
埃及王法老啊，我与你这卧在自己河中的大鱼为敌。你曾说：这河是我的，是我为自己造的。我必使江河中的鱼贴住你的鳞甲，我必将你和所有贴住你鳞甲的鱼从江河中拉上来，把你并江河中的鱼都抛在旷野。（以西结书29:3-5）
这些话是对埃及王说的，因为"埃及"象征与灵性分离的自然，因此他"河中的鱼"象征那些受教义支配并因此陷入与仁义分离之信仰的人，这样的信仰仅仅是知识而已。正是因为这种分离，在埃及的神迹中有：他们的水变成血，河里的鱼死了。（出埃及记7:17-25；诗篇105:29）
【4】还有：
你为何使人如海中的鱼，用钩钩住，用网捕获，用拉网聚集他们。（哈巴谷书1:14-16）
这里的"鱼"指那些处于一般性真理中并陷入与仁义分离之信仰的人。
相反，在以西结书中，"鱼"指那些处于一般性真理中并受与仁义结合之信仰支配的人：
他对我说：这水往东方流去，直到海，使水变甜；这河水所到之处，凡滋生的动物都必生活，并且因这流来的水必有极多的鱼……必有渔夫站在河边，从隐基底直到隐以革莲，都作晒网之处。那鱼各从其类，好像大海的鱼甚多。（以西结书47:8-10）
在以下经文中也是如此：
天国好像网撒在海里，聚拢各样水族。网既满了，人就拉上岸来，坐下，拣好的收在器具里，将不好的丢弃了。（马太福音13:47-49）
我要领他们再入我从前赐给他们列祖之地。我要召许多打鱼的把他们打上来。（耶利米书16:15，16）
【5】因此，人若知道"鱼"象征这样的人和事物，就能明白为何主拣选渔夫作他的门徒，并说：
来跟从我，我要叫你们得人如得鱼一样。（马太福音4:18，19；马可福音1:16，17）
为何门徒们在主祝福后捕获极多的鱼，主对彼得说：
不要怕，从今以后，你要得人了。（路加福音5:2-10）
为何他们向主收殿税时，主对彼得说，让他去海边钓鱼，从鱼口中得一块钱，为主自己和彼得纳税。（马太福音17:24-27）
为何主复活后，把鱼和饼给门徒吃。（约翰福音21:2-13）
以及为何主对他们说：
你们往普天下去，传福音给万民（原文作"凡受造的"）听。（马可福音16:15）
因为他们所使之归信的外邦人，只是处于一般性真理中，更多从自然而非灵性汲取。
405、启8:9.“海中有灵魂的受造物的第三部分都死了”表示那些过去和现在都过着唯信生活的人不能被改造并获得生命。“第三部分”表示他们所有人，如前所述。“受造物”是指那些能被改造的人(AR 290节)；原因在于，“创造”表示改造(AR 254节)。“有灵魂”表示能通过改造获得生命；“它们死了”表示那些过着唯信生活的人不能获得生命；他们之所以不能获得生命，是因为所有人都是通过与仁结合的信、因而通过仁之信被改造的，没有人是通过唯信被改造的；事实上，仁是信的生命。
由于在灵界，从远处看，灵人和天使的情感，以及随之而来的感知和思维，以地上被称为走兽或牲畜的动物或生物形式，空中被称为飞鸟的生物形式，和海中被称为鱼的生物形式出现，所以在圣言中，经上常提到“兽或牲畜”、“鸟”和“鱼”，它们不是指别的东西；如以下经文；何西阿书：
耶和华与这地的居民争辩，因这地上没有真理、没有怜悯，也没有神的知识；凡住在其中的，就是田野的走兽、天上的飞鸟都衰微；海中的鱼也必聚集起来。(何西阿书4:1, 3)
西番雅书：
我必除灭人和牲畜，除灭空中的鸟、海里的鱼，以及绊脚石和恶人。(西番雅书1:3)
以西结书：
在以色列地必有大地震，甚至海中的鱼、天空的鸟、田野的兽在我面前都必震动。(以西结书38:18-20)
诗篇：
你让祂管理你手所造的，使万物，就是田野的兽，空中的鸟，海里的鱼，凡经行海道的，都服在祂的脚下。(诗篇8:6-8)
这些话论及主。约伯记：
你且问走兽，它们必指教你；或问空中的飞鸟，它们必告诉你；海中的鱼也必向你说明。从这一切看来，谁不知道是耶和华的手作成这事的呢？(约伯记12:7-9)
此外还有其它许多经文。
“鱼”或“海中的受造物”在此是指那些处于总体真理，因而与属灵之物相比，更被属世之物吸引，或说从属世之物中汲取的，比从属灵之物中汲取的更多之人的情感和随之而来的思维；在前面所引用的经文和和以下经文中，“鱼”就是指这些人；以赛亚书：
看哪，我一斥责，就使海干涸，我使江河变成旷野；其中的鱼腥臭，干渴而死。(以赛亚书50:2)
以西结书：
埃及王，你这卧在自己河中的大鲸鱼；你曾说，这河是我的，我造了它；因此，我使你河中的鱼贴住你的鳞甲，我必把你和你河中所有的鱼都抛在旷野。(以西结书29:3-5)
这些话是对埃及王说的，因为“埃及”表示与属灵层分离的属世层，因此，他“河中的鱼”是指那些处于教义，并因这些教义而处于分离之信的人，分离之信只是知识或科学；由于这种分离，所行的神迹中就有这样一个：
他们的水变成血，因此鱼就死了。(出埃及记7:17; 诗篇105:29)
又：
你为何使人如海中的鱼，用钩拉出各人，收到网中。(哈巴谷书1:14-16)
此处“鱼”表示那些处于总体真理，并处于与仁分离之信的人。但在以西结书，“鱼”表示那些处于总体真理，并处于与仁结合之信的人：
他对我说，这些是往东方边界流去的水；它们往海而来，这河水所到之处，一切爬行的灵魂都必存活，并且必有极多的鱼；必有渔夫站在河边撒网；那鱼各从其类，好像大海的鱼甚多。(以西结书47:8-10)
马太福音：
耶稣说，天国又好像网撒在海里，聚拢各样的鱼，他们拣好的收在器具里，将不好的丢弃了。(马太福音13:47-49)
耶利米书：
我要领以色列人归回他们的地，我要差派许多渔夫捕获他们。(耶利米书16:15-16)
因此，人若知道“鱼”表示这些人和事物，就会明白为何：
主挑选渔夫作祂的门徒，并说，来跟从我，我要叫你们作得人的渔夫。(马太福音4:18, 19; 马可福音1:16, 17)
为何：
门徒因主的祝福就捕到一大群鱼，并且主对彼得说，不要怕，从今以后，你要得人了。(路加福音5:2-10)
为何：
当他们想向主收丁税时，主叫彼得去海边钓鱼，从鱼中找到一块钱为祂自己和彼得纳税。(马太福音17:24-27)
又为何主复活后给门徒鱼和饼吃(约翰福音21:2-13)；并对他们说，你们往全世界去，传福音给一切受造物(马可福音16:15)。因为他们所转化的“列族或外邦人”只处于总体真理，并且处于属世真理胜过处于属灵真理，或说处于属世事物胜过处于属灵事物。
405. And a third of the living creatures in the sea died. (8:9) This symbolically means that those who had lived that faith and continued to live it could not be reformed and receive life.
A third symbolizes all such, as said above. Creatures mean people who can be reformed (no. 290). The reason is that to create means, symbolically, to reform (no. 254). Their living means, symbolically, to be able by reformation to receive life. That they died means, symbolically, that people who live that faith alone cannot receive life. They cannot, because people are all reformed by a faith united to charity, thus by a faith accompanying charity, and none by faith alone; for charity is the life of faith.
[2] Since in the spiritual world the affections and consequent perceptions and thoughts of spirits and angels appear at a distance in the forms of animals or creatures on the earth called beasts, of creatures in the air called birds, and of creatures in the sea called fish, therefore the Word so often mentions beasts, birds, and fish, which nevertheless have precisely the meaning stated. So for example in the following places:
...Jehovah has a quarrel with the inhabitants of the land, for there is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God... And everyone who dwells in it will waste away along with the beast of the field and the bird of the air; even the fish of the sea will be gathered up. (Hosea 4:1, 3)
I will consume man and beast..., the bird of the heavens, the fish of the sea, ...the stumbling blocks along with the impious... (Zephaniah 1:3)
There shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel, and the fish of the sea, the bird of the heavens, and the beast of the field... shall tremble before Me. (Ezekiel 38:18-20)
You have made Him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet... the beasts of the fields, the bird of the air, and the fish of the sea that pass through the path of the seas. (Psalms 8:6-8)
The latter is said of the Lord.
Pray ask the beasts, and they will teach you; or the birds of the air, and they will inform you...; and the fish of the sea will tell you. Who of all these does not know that the hand of Jehovah has done this? (Job 12:7-9)
And in many other places as well.
[3] Fish, moreover, and creatures of the sea, as they are called here, mean the affections and consequent thoughts of such people as are concerned with general truths, and so who take more from a natural source than from a spiritual one. These people are meant by fish in the preceding passages, and also in the following ones:
By My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness; their fish stink... and die of thirst. (Isaiah 50:2)
...the king of Egypt, a great whale, you who lie in the midst of your rivers, you said, "The river is mine; I made myself..".. (Therefore) I will cause the fish of your rivers to stick to your scales..., and I will leave you in the wilderness, you and all the fish of your rivers. (Ezekiel 29:3-5)
This was addressed to the king of Egypt, because Egypt symbolizes the natural level divorced from the spiritual one, and so the fish of his rivers mean people governed by doctrines, who because of them are caught up in faith separated from charity, a faith that is simply knowledge.
Because of that separation, moreover, one of the miracles in Egypt was the turning of their waters into blood, so that the fish died (Exodus 7:17-25, Psalms 105:29).
[4] Furthermore:
Why do You make mankind like fish of the sea...? Everyone draws them up with a hook, and gathers them in a net... (Habakkuk 1:14-16)
Fish here stand for people concerned with general truths and caught up in faith divorced from charity. In contrast, fish stand for people concerned with general truths and governed by a faith conjoined with charity in Ezekiel:
He said to me: "These waters flowing to the eastern boundary... enter the sea, (from which comes) every living soul that creeps... and very much fish... ...fishermen will stand by it... with a spreading of their nets. Its fish will be of the same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea, exceedingly many. (Ezekiel 47:1, 8-10)
In Matthew:
(Jesus said,) the kingdom of heaven is like a net cast into the sea, and they gathered (fish).... And they put the good ones into vessels and threw the bad away. (Matthew 13:47-49)
And in Jeremiah:
I will bring (the children of Israel) back into their land... And I will send for many fishermen...(who) shall fish them. (Jeremiah 16:15-16)
[5] Consequently, anyone who knows that fish symbolize people and things of the kind stated, can see the following: Why the Lord chose fishermen to be His disciples, and said,
Come after Me, and I will make you fishers of men. (Matthew 4:18-19)
Why the disciples, with the Lord's blessing, caught a huge multitude of fish, and the Lord said to Peter,
Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men. (Luke 5:2-10)
Why, when they wished to exact tribute from the Lord, He told Peter to go to the sea and draw out a fish, and to give them the coin found in it for Him and for himself (Matthew 16:24-27).
Why, after His resurrection, the Lord gave His disciples fish and bread to eat (John 21:2-13).
And why He told them to "go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). For the nations they were converting possessed only general truths, and were concerned more with natural things than spiritual ones.
405. [verse 9] 'And a third part of the creatures in the sea having souls died' signifies that those who have lived and are living that faith cannot be reformed and accept life. By 'a third part' all of them are signified, as above. By 'creatures' are understood those who can be reformed (290). This is because by 'to create' is signified to reform (254). By 'having souls' is signified to be capable of accepting life by reformation. By 'died' is signified that those who are living that faith alone are not capable. This is because all are reformed by means of faith united to charity, thus by the faith of charity and not any by faith alone, for charity is the life of faith.
[2] Since the affections, and consequently the perceptions and thoughts, of spirits and angels appear from afar off in the spiritual world in the forms of animals or creatures upon the land that are called beasts, of creatures in the air that are called birds, and of creatures in the sea that are called fishes, therefore beasts, birds and fishes are so often named in the Word, and yet by them nothing else is understood, as in these [instances]:
The controversy of Jehovah with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth (veritas), nor mercy, nor recognition of God; and everyone dwelling therein, the beast of the field and the bird of the heavens, even the fishes of the sea shall be assembled, Hosea 4:1, 3.
I will consume man and beast, the bird of the heavens and the fishes of the sea, the stumbling blocks with the wicked, Zephaniah 1:3.
There shall be a great earthquake upon the land of Israel, and the fishes of the sea, the bird of the heavens, and the beast of the field shall tremble before Me. Ezekiel 38:18-20.
Thou hast made Him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under His feet, the beasts of the field, the bird of the air, and the fish of the sea, passing through the way of the seas. Psalms 8:6-8 [H.B. 7-9].
These [words are said] of the Lord.
Pray ask the beasts and they shall teach thee, or the birds of the air and they shall make known unto thee, and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who does not know by reason of all these that the hand of Jehovah has done this? Job 12:7-9; besides in many other places.
[3] By the fishes, however, or 'creatures of the sea' treated of here are understood the affections and consequently the thoughts of those men who are in general truths, and who therefore take in more out of what is natural than out of what is spiritual. These are understood by the 'fishes' in the preceding quotations, and also in these following:
By My rebuke I dry up the sea, I set rivers in the wilderness; their fish stinks, and dies for thirst. Isaiah 50:2.
O king of Egypt, the great whale that lies in the midst of thy rivers, thou hast said, The river is mine, I have made it myself; on account of this I will make the fish of thy rivers to stick unto thy scales, and I will leave thee stranded in the wilderness, and every fish of thy rivers. Ezekiel 29:3-5.
These things were said to the king of Egypt because by 'Egypt' is signified what is natural separated from what is spiritual, and consequently by 'the fishes of its rivers' those [are signified] who are in doctrinal things, and in a separated faith as a result thereof, which faith is only knowledge. On account of this separation, indeed, one of the miracles there was:
That their waters were turned into blood, and that consequently the fishes died, Exodus 7:17-25; Psalms 105:29.
[4] Again:
Wherefore makest thou man as the fishes of the sea, every one draws out with a hook 1, and gathers into a net, Habakkuk 1:14-16.
The fishes here [stand] for those who are in general truths and in a faith separated from charity; but in Ezekiel 'fishes' stand for those who are in general truths and in faith conjoined with charity:
He said unto me, These waters issuing out to the eastern boundary, they are coming to the sea, whence it comes to pass that every soul that creeps is living, and exceeding much fish; the fishers are standing upon it with a spreading out of nets; the fish thereof shall be according to their kind, as the fish of the great sea exceeding many. Ezekiel 47:1, 8-10.
In Matthew:
Jesus said, The kingdom of the heavens is like unto a net cast into the sea, and they gathered fishes, and the good they put into vessels, but cast the bad away. Matthew 13:47-49.
And in Jeremiah:
I will bring back the sons of Israel upon their land, and I will send for many fishers who shall fish them. Jeremiah 16:15-16.
[5] He who knows, therefore, that such persons and things (tales ac talia) are signified by 'fishes' is able to see:
Why the Lord had chosen fishermen for His disciples, and had said, Come unto Me, and I will make you fishers of men. Matthew 4:18-19; Mark 1:16-17.
Why the disciples, by the blessing of the Lord, caught a prodigious multitude of fishes, and the Lord said to Peter, Do not be afraid, from henceforth thou shalt catch men. Luke 5:2-10.
Why the Lord, when they wanted to exact tribute from Him, said to Peter that he should go to the sea, and draw out a fish, and give the stater found in it for Himself and for him. Matthew 17:24-27.
Why the Lord after the resurrection gave the disciples a fish and bread to eat. John 21:2-13.
And said to them that they should go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature, Mark 16:15; for the Gentiles whom they were converting were in general truths only, and in natural things more than in spiritual.
Footnotes:
1. Reading hamo (with a hook) for homo (man).
405. Verse 9. (Revelation 8:9) And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea that had souls died, signifies that they who have lived and do live this faith cannot be reformed and receive life. By "the third part" is signified all of them, as above; by "creatures" are meant those who can be reformed, (290); the reason is, because "to create" signifies to reform, (254). By "having souls" is signified to be capable of receiving life by reformation; by "they died" is signified that they who live that faith alone cannot receive life; the reason why they cannot is because all are reformed by faith united to charity, thus by the faith of charity, and no one by faith alone, for charity is the life of faith.
[2] Since the affections and thence the perceptions and thoughts of spirits and angels, in the spiritual world, appear at a distance in the forms of animals or creatures upon the earth, which are called beasts, of creatures in the air which are called birds, and of creatures in the sea which are called fishes, therefore in the Word mention is so often made of "beasts," "birds," and "fishes," by which nothing else is meant; as in these passages:
Jehovah hath a strife with the inhabitants of the earth, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God; and everyone that dwelleth therein shall waste away, the beast of the field, and the bird of the heavens; yea, the fishes of the sea shall be collected, (Hosea 4:1, 3).
I will consume man and beast, the bird of the heavens and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling blocks with the wicked, (Zephaniah 1:3).
There shall be a great earthquake upon the land of Israel, and the fishes of the sea, and the bird of the heavens, and the beast of the field, shall tremble before Me, (Ezekiel 38:18-20).
Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet, the beasts of the field, the bird of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the way of the seas, (Psalms 8:6-8).
This is concerning the Lord:
But, ask now, the beasts, and they will teach thee; or the birds of heaven, and they shall announce to thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not from all these that the hand of Jehovah hath done this? (Job 12:7-9).
Besides many other places.
[3] By "fishes" or "creatures of the sea," are here meant the affections and thence the thoughts of those men who are in general truths, and are thus more attracted by what is natural than what is spiritual; these are meant by "fishes" in the passages above cited, and also in the following:
Behold, at My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish putrefy, and die of thirst, (Isaiah 50:2).
The king of Egypt is a great whale that lieth in the midst of thy rivers; thou hast said, The river is mine, I have made it; therefore I will make the fish of thy rivers to adhere to thy scales, and I will leave thee in the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers, (Ezekiel 29:3-5).
These things were said to the king of Egypt, because by "Egypt" is signified the natural separated from the spiritual, and therefore by "the fishes of his rivers" are meant those who are in doctrinals, and from them in faith separated, which faith is only science; on account of this separation, one of the miracles that were performed there was as follows:
That their waters were turned into blood, and that thereby the fish died, (Exodus 7:17-25; Psalms 105:29).
[4] Again:
Wherefore dost thou make man as the fishes of the sea, everyone draweth out with a hook, 1and gathereth into the net, (Habakkuk 1:14-16).
"Fishes" here are for those who are in general truths, and in faith separated from charity. But "fishes" signify those who are in general truths and in faith conjoined with charity, in Ezekiel:
He said unto me, These are the waters that go forth to the eastern boundary; they come to the sea, whence it is that every soul that creepeth liveth: and exceeding much fish; the fishers shall stand upon it to spread forth nets; its fish shall be according to their kinds, exceeding many like the fish of the great sea, (Ezekiel 47:8-10).
In Matthew:
Jesus said, The kingdom of the heavens is like unto a net that was cast into the sea, and they collected fishes, the good they put into vessels, but cast the bad away, (Matthew 13:47-49).
And in Jeremiah:
I will bring again the sons of Israel upon their land, and, I will send for many fishers, who shall fish them, (Jeremiah 16:15-16).
[5] He that knows therefore, that such persons and things are signified by "fishes," may see why:
The Lord chose fishers for His disciples, and said, Come unto Me, and I will make you fishers of men, (Matthew 15:18-19; Mark 1:16-17).
That the disciples, by the blessing of the Lord, caught an immense multitude of fishes, and the Lord said unto Peter, Fear not, from henceforth thou shalt catch men, (Luke 5:2-10).
Why the Lord, when they wished to take tribute of Him, said to Peter to go to the sea, and draw up a fish, and give the piece of money found in it for Himself and him, (Matthew 17:24-27).
Why the Lord, after the resurrection, gave the disciples a fish and bread to eat, (John 21:2-13).
And said to them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature, (Mark 16:15).
For "the nations" which they converted were only in general truths, in natural truth more than in spiritual.
Footnotes:
1. The original Latin has "homo" for "hamo," "man" for "hook."
405. (Vers. 9.) "Et mortua est tertia pars creaturarum istarum in mari habentium animas," significat quod qui vixerunt et vivunt illam fidem non possint reformari et vita in accipere. - Per "tertiam partem" significantur omnes illi (ut supra); per "creaturas" intelliguntur qui reformari possunt (290); causa est, quia per "creare" significatur reformare (254); per "habentes animas" significatur posse per reformationem vitam accipere; per quod "mortua sint" significatur quod illi qui solam illam fidem vivunt, non possint; quod non possint, est quia omnes reformantur per fidem unitam charitati, ita per fidem charitatis, et non aliquis per fidem solam; charitas enim est vita fidei. Quoniam affectiones et inde perceptiones et cogitationes spirituum et angelorum in mundo spirituali e longinquo apparent in formis animalium seu creaturarum super terra quae vocantur bestiae, creaturarum in aere quae vocantur aves, et creaturarum in mari quae vocantur pisces, ideo in Verbo toties nominantur "bestiae," "aves," et "pisces," per quos tamen non aliud intelligitur; ut in his:
"Lis Jehovae cum habitatoribus terrae, quia non veritas, non misericordia, et non cognitio Dei; et contabescet omnis habitans in ea quoad Bestiam agri, et Avem caelorum, etiam Pisces maris colligentur," (Hoschea 4:1, 3);
"Consumam Hominem et Bestiam, Avem Caelorum et Pisces maris offendicula cum impiis," (Zephanias 1:3);
"Erit terrae motus magnus super terra Israelis, et contremiscent coram Me Pisces maris, Avis caelorum, et Bestia agri," (Ezechiel 38:18-20);
"Dominari fecisti Ipsum super opera manuum Tuarum: omnia posuisti sub pedes Ipsius; Bestias agrorum, Avem Caeli, et Piscem maris, transeuntem viam marium," (Psalm 8:7-9 (B.A. 6-8));
haec de Domino.
"Quaere quaeso Bestias et docebunt te, aut Aves caeli et annuntiabunt tibi, et Pisces maris narrabunt tibi: quis non novit ex his omnibus quod manus Jehovae faciat illud," (Hiob 12:7-9).
(Praeter multis aliis in locis.)
Per "pisces" autem seu "creaturas maris," de quibus hic, intelliguntur affectiones et inde cogitationes illorum hominum qui in communibus veris sunt, et sic qui plus ex naturali quam ex spirituali trahunt; hi intelliguntur per "pisces" in locis antecedentibus, et quoque in his sequentibus:
"Per increpationem Meam exsicco mare, pono fluvios in desertum, putrescet Piscis eorum; et morietur siti," (Esaias 1:2);
"Rex Aegypti, Balaena magna, qui cubas in medio fluviorum tuorum, dixisti, Meus est fluvius, ego feci me; propterea adhaerere faciam Piscem fluviorum tuorum squamis tuis, et derelinquam in deserto te et omnem Piscem fluviorum tuorum," (Ezechiel 29:3-5);
haec dicta sunt ad Regem Aegypti, quia per "Aegyptum" significatur naturale separatum a spirituali, et inde per "pisces fluviorum" ejus illi qui in doctrinalibus sunt, et ex illis in fide separata, quae fides est modo scientia: propter quam separationem, etiam inter miracula ibi fuit,
Quod aquae illorum versae sint in sanguinem, et quod inde pisces mortui sint, (Exodus 7:17-25; Psalm 105:29).
Porro,
Quare facis hominem sicut Pisces maris; omnis hamo 1extrahit, et congregat in rete, (Habakuk 1:14-16);
"pisces" hic pro illis qui in communibus veris et in fide separata a charitate.
At "pisces" pro illis qui in communibus veris et in fide conjuncta charitati, apud Ezechielem:
"Dixit ad me, Aquae hae exeuntes ad terminum orientalem, veniunt ad Mare, unde sit omnis Anima quae reptat, vivens, et Piscis multus valde; stant super eo Piscatores cum expansione sagenarum, juxta speciem erit Piscis ejus, sicut Piscis maris magni multus valde," (47:8-10); 2
apud Matthaeum:
Jesus dixit, "Simile est Regnum Caelorum sagenae missae in mare, ac colligerent Pisces, ac bonos mitterent in vasa, et malos ejicerent," (13:47-49);
et apud Jeremiam:
"Reducam filios Israelis super terram eorum, et mittam ad Piscatores multos qui Piscabuntur illos," (16:15-16). 3
Qui itaque scit quod tales ac talia per "pisces" significantur, videre potest, cur Dominus Piscatores elegerat in Discipulos, et dixerat, "Venite ad Me, et faciam vos Piscatores hominum," (Matthaeus 4:18-19; Marcus 1:16-17);
Quod Discipuli, Domino benedicente, Piscium multitudinem ingentem captaverint, et Dominus dixerit ad Petrum, "Ne timeto, ex nunc homines capies," (Luca 5:2-10);
Cur Dominus, cum ab Ipso vellent exigere tributum, dixit ad Petrum, quod iret ad Mare, et extraheret Piscem, et staterem in eo inventum daret pro Se et pro illo, (Matthaeus 17:24-27);
Cur Dominis post resurrectionem dedit Discipulis Piscem et panem ad edendum, (Johannes 21:2-13);
Ac dixit ad illos, "ut irent in mundum universum, et praedicarent Evangelium omni Creaturae," (Marcus 16:15);
fuerunt enim "gentes" quas convertebant, non nisi quam in communibus veris, ac in naturali plus quam in spirituali.
Footnotes:
1. hamo pro "homo"
2. 8-10 pro "1, 9, 10, 11"
3. 15, 16 pro "16"