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177. As the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to pieces. That this signifies the total dispersion of falsities is evident from the signification of a potter's vessels, as being those things in the natural man that are from man's own intelligence (concerning which we shall speak presently); and from the signification of being broken to pieces, as being to be dispersed; for dispersing is said of falsities, as breaking to pieces is said of a potter's vessels. That by a potter's vessels are signified those things in the natural man that are from man's own intelligence concerning the things of heaven and the church, and that those things are falsities, will be shown in what follows. But something shall first be said respecting the falsities that enter the natural man from man's own intelligence concerning the things of heaven and the church. Those who think from their own intelligence, think from the world; for a man from his proprium loves only the things of the world and of self, and what he loves he also sees and perceives. The things that he loves he calls goods, and what he thence sees and perceives he calls truths; but the goods which he so calls from love are evils, and the truths which he sees from that love are falsities, because they flow from the loves of self and of the world, these loves being the opposites of the loves of heaven, which are love to the Lord and love towards the neighbour; and those things that flow from opposites are themselves opposites.
[2] Those, therefore, who read the Word solely for the sake of a name for learning, or to acquire fame that they may be raised to honours, or that they may gain wealth by this means, never see and perceive truths, but falsities instead of them. And the truths which exist there before their eyes, they either pass by, as if they saw them not, or else they falsify them; the reason is, that to read the Word solely for such purposes as these, is, to read it for the sake of self and the world as ends, thus from the loves of self and of the world. And because these loves belong to man's proprium, therefore the things that a man sees and perceives from them are from his own intelligence.
[3] But those who read the Word from the spiritual affection of truth, which is the love of knowing truth because it is truth, see the truths of the Word, and rejoice in heart when they see them; the reason is, that they are enlightened by the Lord. This enlightenment descends from the Lord through heaven from the light there; this light is Divine truth: to them therefore it is granted to see truths from their own light, and this in the Word, because the Word is Divine truth, and in it are treasured up all the truths of heaven. But those alone are in light, who are in the two loves of heaven, which are love to the Lord and love towards the neighbour for these loves open the interior or higher mind, which is formed to receive the light of heaven, and through which that light flows in and enlightens them. But they do not perceive truths in that mind whilst they live in the world, but they see them in the lower mind, or that of the external or natural man; these are they who do not think from their own intelligence when they read the Word. The principal reason why these do not think from their own intelligence when they read the Word is, that, their interior or spiritual mind looks to the Lord, and the Lord then raises it up to Himself, and together with it the lower or natural mind, and thus withdraws it from man's proprium; this cannot be done in the case of those who chiefly regard themselves and the world.
[4] From these considerations it is evident that a man, from his own intelligence, can perceive nothing but evils, and see nothing but falsities; but that goods and truths, which belong to heaven and the church, are perceived and seen from the Lord alone. When the internal or spiritual man, in which resides the interior or higher mind, of which we have just spoken, is opened, then the Lord subdues the evils and disperses the falsities that are in the external or natural man.
These, then, are the things meant in the spiritual sense, by the Son of man giving them power over the nations, and ruling them with a rod of iron, breaking them in pieces as a potter's vessels.
[5] That a potter's vessels signify those things that are from man's own intelligence, thus falsities in the natural man, is evident from various passages in the Word, of which the following, are adduced in confirmation; as in David:
"Thou shalt bruise the nations with a sceptre of iron; as a potter's vessel shalt thou disperse them" (Arcana Coelestia 3579, 8989). A potter's vessel, or an earthen vessel, signifies falsity, because a potter is one who forms, and a vessel is that which is formed; when man forms it, it is false, but when the Lord forms it in man it is true. This is why a potter's vessel in the Word signifies either falsity or truth, and a potter signifies one who forms.
[6] The Lord Himself is, in the Word, called a potter, from the formation of man by means of truths, as in Isaiah:
"Jehovah, our father; we are the clay, thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hands" (64:8).
In the same:
"Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker, the potsherd with the potsherds of the earth! Doth the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou?" (45:9).
In the same:
"Shall the potter be counted as clay? shall the work say of its maker, He made me not? and shall the thing formed say of the potter, He understandeth not? (29:16).
[7] Because the Jews and Israelites falsified all the truths of the Word by applying them to themselves, and to their own exaltation above all the nations and peoples in the universe, therefore their falsities are called broken vessels of a potter; as in Isaiah:
"They have said to the seers, See not; and to those who have vision, see not for us right things; speak unto us smooth things, see illusions, depart out of the way; therefore iniquity shall break them as the breaking of the bottle of the potters; in beating he shall not spare; whence there shall not he found in the fragment thereof a sherd to take fire from the hearth, or to draw waters out of the pit" (30:10, 11, 14).
That they wholly deprived themselves of truths and immersed themselves in falsities, is described by their saying to the seers, See not, and to them that have vision, See not for us right things, speak unto us smooth things, see illusions, depart out of the way. That they had thus immersed themselves in falsities so that nothing of truth remained, is described by the breaking of the potter's vessel so that there should not be found in the fragments a sherd to take fire from the hearth, or to draw waters out of the pit; by which is signified that there should not remain with them so much of truth as to enable them to perceive any good and truth from the Word. For fire signifies good, and water signifies truth; the hearth signifies the Word as to good, a pit the Word as to truth.
[8] In Jeremiah:
"The word came to Jeremiah, saying, Arise and go down to the potter's house. Therefore I went down to the potter's house, when, behold, he wrought a work on the table. And the vessel that he made was marred; and he returned and made it another vessel as it was right in the eyes of the potter to make" (18:1-4).
In this passage is also meant that with the Jewish nation there remained nothing but falsity; and the vessel that was marred in the potter's house denotes that falsity. By the house of the potter is meant the state in which they were. That the truth of the church was taken away from them and given to others, is meant by the potter making it another vessel such as was right in his eyes.
[9] In the same:
"Jehovah said, Go buy a potter's bottle of the elders of the people, and of the elders of the priests, and go forth into the valley of the son of Hinnom. Then shalt thou break the bottle before the eyes of the men that go with thee, and shalt say: I will break this people, and this city, as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and in Tophet shall they bury because there is no more a place to bury in" (19:1, 2, 10, 11).
By the bottle or vessel of the potter, to be taken of the elders of the people and of the priests is meant the falsity in which all of that nation were. That this falsity was of such a nature as could not be dispersed by truths is described by the command given to the prophet that he should break the vessel in the sight of them that went with him, so that it could not be made whole again; and that they should bury in Tophet, because there was no more a place elsewhere signifies where all truths and goods should be consumed.
[10] In Nahum:
"Draw for thyself waters for the siege, strengthen thy fortifications; enter into the mire and tread clay; repair the brick-kiln. There shall the fire devour thee; the sword shall cut thee off" (3:14, 15).
To draw waters for the siege and to strengthen the fortifications denotes to strengthen falsities against truths by various means; to enter into the mire and tread clay is to confirm falsities by fictions and fallacies. Doctrine therefrom is called a brick-kiln, because infernal love is established by means of truths falsified; hence it is said that the fire should devour him and the sword cut him off. Fire signifies infernal love, and a sword falsity, fighting against and destroying truth. A potter's vessel, or an earthen vessel, signifies falsity, because it corresponds to a device, and a device is that which is from man's own intelligence; it was from this correspondence that the prophets were commanded to do such things as are mentioned above.
177. As earthen vessels shall they be shivered, signifies the total dispersion of falsities. This is evident from the signification of "earthen vessels," as being such things in the natural man as are from self-intelligence; and all things in the natural man that have respect to the things of heaven and the church and which are from self-intelligence are falsities (of which presently). It is evident also from the signification of being "shivered," as being to be dispersed; "to disperse" is said of falsities, as "to shiver" is said of earthen vessels. That "earthen vessels" signify the things in the natural man that are from self-intelligence in matters of heaven and the church, and that these things are falsities, will be shown in what follows; something must first be said to show that the things that have respect to heaven and the church that gain entrance by self-intelligence are falsities.
Those who think from self-intelligence think from the world; for man, from his proprium [what is his own] loves only the things of the world and of self, and what he loves he also sees and perceives; the things he loves he calls goods, and the things he sees and perceives therefrom he calls truths; but these goods, which from love he so calls, are evils, and the truths which he sees from that love are falsities, since they spring forth from the loves of self and of the world, which loves are contrary to the loves of heaven, which are love to the Lord and love to the neighbor; and the things that pour forth from contraries are contraries.
[2] Those, therefore, who read the Word solely for repute of erudition, or to acquire fame that they may be exalted to honors or may gain wealth, never see and perceive truths, but falsities instead; and the truths that stand out before the eyes in the Word they either pass by as if not seen or they falsify them. The reason is, that to read the Word solely for the repute of erudition or for fame, that they may be exalted to honors and gain wealth, is to read it for the sake of self and the world as ends, thus from the loves of self and the world. And as these loves are of man's proprium [man's self] so the things that man sees and perceives from them are from self-intelligence.
[3] But those who read the Word from the spiritual affection of truth, which affection is a love of knowing truth because it is truth, see truths in the Word, and rejoice in heart when they see them; and this because they are in illustration from the Lord. Illustration descends from the Lord through heaven from the light there, which light is Divine truth. It is therefore given to them to see truths from the light of truth, and this in the Word, because the Word is Divine truth, and in it are stored up all the truths of heaven. But those only are in this illustration who are in the two loves of heaven, which are love to the Lord and love towards the neighbor; for these loves open the inner or higher mind, which is formed to receive the light of heaven, and through that mind in them the light of heaven flows in and illustrates. But so long as they live in the world they do not perceive truths in that mind, but they see them in the lower mind, the mind of the external or natural man. Such as these do not think from self-intelligence when they read the Word. The especial reason why these do not think from their self-intelligence when they read the Word is, that their interior or spiritual mind looks to the Lord, and the Lord then elevates it up to Himself, and with it the lower or natural mind, thus withdrawing it from man's proprium [man's self] which cannot be done with those who have regard first and foremost to themselves and the world.
[4] From this it can be seen that man from self-intelligence perceives nothing but evils and sees nothing but falsities; but that goods and truths that are of heaven and the church he perceives and sees from the Lord. When the internal or spiritual man, in which is the inner or higher mind of which we have just spoken, is opened, then the Lord subdues the evils and disperses the falsities which are in the external or natural man. These things, then, are what are meant in the spiritual sense by this, that the Son of man is to "give them power over the nations, and He shall rule them with an iron rod, and as earthen vessels they shall be shivered."
[5] That "earthen vessels" signify such things as are from self-intelligence, thus the falsities that are in the natural man, is evident from various passages in the Word, of which I will cite the following as confirmation. In David:
Thou shalt bruise the nations with an iron scepter; as a potter's vessel Thou shall dash them in pieces (3579, 8989.) "A potter's vessel," or "earthen vessel," signifies what is false, because a potter is one who forms, and a vessel is what is formed; and when man forms the vessel it is a falsity, but when the Lord forms it with man it is a truth; consequently in the Word "a potter's vessel" signifies either what is false or what is true, and "a potter" signifies one who forms.
[6] The Lord Himself is called in the Word a "Potter," from His forming man by means of truths; as in Isaiah:
Jehovah our Father; we are the clay, and Thou art our Potter, and we all are the work of Thy hands (Isaiah 64:8).
In the same:
Woe unto him that striveth with the Former! a potsherd with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to its potter, What makest thou? (Isaiah 45:9).
In the same :
Shall the potter be counted as clay? Shall the work say to its Former, He made me not, and shall the thing formed say of its potter, He understandeth not? (Isaiah 29:16).
[7] As the Jews and Israelites falsified all the truths of the Word by applying them to themselves and to their own exaltation above all nations and peoples in the universal world, so their falsities are called "marred vessels" of a potter, as in Isaiah:
Who have said to the seers, See not; and to those that have vision, See not for us right things, speak unto us smooth things, see illusions; depart from the way; therefore iniquity shall break them as the breaking of the potter's bottle; in beating it shall not spare, so that there shall not be found in the fragment thereof a sherd to take fire from the hearth or to draw waters from the cistern (Isaiah 30:10-11, 13-14).
That they wholly deprived themselves of truths, and immersed themselves in falsities, is described by this, "They said to the seers, See not; and to those that have vision, See not for us right things, speak unto us smooth things, see illusions; depart from the way." That they had so immersed themselves in falsities that no more truth remained, is described by "the breaking of the potter's bottle, so that there should not be found in the fragment a sherd to take fire from the hearth or to draw waters out of the cistern." By this is signified that not enough of truth should be left to enable them to perceive any good and truth from the Word; for "fire" signifies good, and "water" truth; "hearth" the Word in respect to good; "cistern" and "fountain" the Word in respect to truth.
[8] In Jeremiah:
The word came to Jeremiah, Arise, and go down to the potter's house. Then I went down to the potter's house, and behold he wrought a work on the table. But the vessel that he was making was marred; and he turned back and made it another vessel as was right in the potter's eyes to make (Jeremiah 18:1-4).
This also means that with the Jewish nation there was nothing but falsity; and "the vessel that was marred in the potter's house" is that falsity; "the potter's house" is the state in which they were. That the truth of the church should be taken away from them and given to others, is meant by this, that "the potter turned back and made it another vessel, as was right in his eyes."
[9] In the same:
Jehovah said, Go buy a potter's earthen bottle of the elders of the people and of the elders of the priests; and go forth into the valley of the son of Hinnom. Then shalt thou break the bottle before the eyes of the men that go with thee; and shalt say, I will break this people, and this city as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again; and they shall bury in Tophet, because there is no more a place to bury in (Jeremiah 19:1-2, 19:10-11).
"The potter's earthen bottle, or vessel, from the elders of the people and of the priests" is here also the falsity in which all of that nation were. That this falsity was such that it could not be dispersed by means of truths is described by this, that "he should break the vessel before the eyes of the men that went with him, that it could not be made whole again;" that they should "bury in Tophet, because there was no more a place," signifies where all truths and goods have been destroyed.
[10] In Nahum:
Draw thee waters for the siege; strengthen thy fortresses; go into the mire and tread the clay, repair the brick-kiln. There shall the fire devour thee; the sword shall cut thee off (Nahum 3:14-15).
"To draw waters for the siege and to strengthen the fortresses" is to fortify falsities by various means against truths; "to go into the mire and tread the clay" is to confirm falsities by fictions and fallacies; doctrine thence derived is called "a brickkiln," because infernal love is strengthened by falsifications; it is therefore said that "the fire shall devour, and the sword cut off;" "fire" is infernal love, and a "sword" is falsity combating and destroying truth. "A potter's vessel" or "earthen vessel" signifies falsity, because it corresponds to something fabricated, and what is fabricated is a product of man's self-intelligence; it was from this correspondence that the prophets were commanded to do such things as are mentioned above.
177. "Tanquam vasa fictilia confringentur." - Quod significet dispersionem falsorum totalem, constat ex significatione "vasorum fictilium", quod sint talia in naturali homine quae ex propria intelligentia; et omnia quae ex propria intelligentia sunt in rebus caeli et ecclesiae ibi sunt falsa, de quo sequitur; et ex significatione "confringi", quod sit dispergi; de falsis enim dicitur dispergi, cum de vasis fictilibus "confringi." Quod per "vasa fictilia" significentur illa in naturali homine quae ex propria intelligentia de rebus caeli et ecclesiae, et quod illa sint falsa, in sequentibus ostendetur; hic primum quod illa quae ex propria intelligentia intrant de rebus caeli et ecclesiae sint falsa, aliquid dicetur. Qui ex propria intelligentia cogitant, illi ex mundo cogitant; nam homo ex suo proprio non amat nisi illa quae mundi sunt et quae sui sunt, et quae amat etiam videt et percipit: quae amat vocat bona, et quae inde videt et percipit vocat vera; sed bona quae ex amore ita vocat, sunt mala; et vera quae ex amore illo videt, sunt falsa, quoniam scaturiunt ex amoribus sui et mundi, qui amores sunt oppositi amoribus caeli, qui sunt amor in Dominum et amor erga proximum; et quae ex oppositis scaturiunt, sunt opposita.
[2] Quapropter qui legunt Verbum solum propter nomen eruditionis, aut ad captandum famam ut evehantur ad honores, aut ut lucrentur opes, nusquam vident et percipiunt vera, sed pro iis falsa; et vera quae ibi exstant coram oculis, vel transeunt sicut non videant, vel falsificant; causa est, quia legere Verbum solum propter nomen eruditionis, et propter famam ut evehantur ad honores et lucrentur opes, est propter se et mundum ut fines, ita ex amoribus sui et mundi; hi amores quia sunt proprii hominis, ideo homo illa quae ex illis videt et percipit sunt ex propria intelligentia:
[3] at qui legunt Verbum ex affectione veri spirituali, quae affectio est amor sciendi verum quia est verum, illi vident vera ibi et gaudent corde cum vident illa: causa est, quia in illustratione sunt a Domino; descendit illustratio a Domino per caelum e luce ibi, quae lux est Divinum Verum; ideo datur illis videre vera ex sua luce, et hoc in Verbo, quia Verbum est Divinum Verum, et in illo recondita sunt omnia vera caeli. Sed illi solum in hac illustratione sunt, qui in binis amoribus caeli sunt, qui sunt amor in Dominum et amor erga proximum; hi enim amores aperiunt mentem interiorem seu superiorem, quae formata est ad recipiendum lucem caeli; per illam apud eos influit lux caeli et illustrat; sed non percipiunt vera in illa mente dum vivunt in mundo, verum vident illa in mente inferiore, quae mens est externi seu naturalis hominis: hi sunt qui non ex propria intelligentia cogitant cum legunt Verbum. Praecipua causa, quod hi non ex propria intelligentia cogitent cum legunt Verbum, est quia horum mens interior seu spiritualis spectat ad Dominum, et tunc Dominus elevat illam, et simul mentem inferiorem seu naturalem ad Se, et sic subducit a proprio hominis; quod non fieri potest apud illos qui se et mundum principaliter spectant.
[4] Ex his constare potest, quod homo ex propria intelligentia non percipiat nisi mala et videat nisi falsa; at quod bona et vera, quae sunt caeli et ecclesiae, percipiat et videat ex Domino. Quando internus seu spiritualis homo, in quo est mens interior seu superior, de qua modo dictum est, apertus est, tunc Dominus domat mala, et dispergit falsa quae sunt in externo seu naturali homine. Haec nunc sunt, quae intelliguntur in sensu spirituali per quod Filius hominis "daturus sit illis potestatem super gentes, et reget illas virga ferrea; tanquam vasa fictilia confringentur."
[5] Quod "vasa fictilia" significent illa quae ex propria intelligentia, ita falsa quae sunt in naturali homine, constat ex variis locis in Verbo, ex quibus ad confirmationem volo sequentia adducere:
- Apud Davidem,
"Conteres" gentes "sceptro ferreo; sicut vas figuli disperges eas" (Psalms 2:9);
"conterere gentes sceptro ferreo", etiam hic est castigare et domare mala quae in naturali homine; per "sceptrum" simile significatur hic quod per "baculum" aut "virgam"; "sicut vas figuli additur", quia per id significatur falsum quod ex propria intelligentia: in sensu litterae est comparatio, nam dicitur "sicut" vas figuli, et "tanquam" vasa fictilia; sed in sensu interno non percipiuntur comparationes ut comparationes, quoniam comparationes aeque ex significativis sunt (videatur n. 3579, 8989).
Quod "vas figuli" seu "vas fictile" significet falsum, est quia figulus est qui format, et vas est quod formatur; quando homo id format est falsum, quando autem Dominus id apud hominem format est verum; inde est quod "vas figuli" in Verbo significet aut falsum aut verum, ac "figulus" formatorem.
[6] Ipse Dominus in Verbo, ex formatione hominis per vera, vocatur "Figulus"; ut apud Esaiam,
"Jehovah, Pater noster; nos lutum sumus, Tu Figulus noster, et opus manuum tuarum omnes nos" (64:7 [B.A. 8]);
apud eundem,
"Vae litiganti cum Formatore suo, testa cum testis terrae; num dicet lutum Figulo suo, Quid facis?" ( 1
45:9;)
apud eundem,
"Num sicut lutum Figulus reputabitur? Num dixerit opus de Factore suo, Non fecit me? et figmentum dixerit de Figulo suo, Non intelligit?" (29:16.)
[7] Quoniam Judaei et Israelitae omnia vera Verbi falsificarunt, per applicationem ad se et ad sui eminentiam super omnes gentes et populos in universo terrarum orbe, ideo eorum falsa dicuntur "vasa figuli corrupta":
- Ut apud Esaiam,
Dixerunt videntibus, Ne videatis; et visionem habentibus, Ne videatis nobis recta; loquimini nobis blanditias, Videte illusiones, recedite a via; .... ideo iniquitas .... franget eos sicut fractura utris figulorum. contundendo non parcat; unde non invenietur in fragmento ejus testa ad accipiendum ignem de foco, aut ad hauriendum aquas e fovea" (Easais ccc30:10, 11, 11, [30:13,] 14);
quod se prorsus deprivaverint veris, et immerserint falsis, describitur per quod "dicerent videntibus, Ne videatis, et visionem habentibus, Ne videatis nobis recta, loquimini blanditias, videte illusiones, recedite a via"; quod ita falsis se immerserint ut nihil veri interesset, describitur per "fracturam utris figulorum, ut non inveniretur in fragmento testa ad accipiendum ignem de foco, aut ad hauriendum aquas e fovea", per quae significatur quod non superesset tantum veri ut appercipere possent aliquod bonum et verum ex Verbo"; "ignis" enim significat bonum et "aquae" verum, "focus" Verbum quoad bonum, "fovea et fons" Verbum quoad verum.
[8] Apud Jeremiam,
"Factum est verbum ad Jeremiam: .... Surge et descende domum figuli.... . Descendi itaque domum figuli, cum ecce ille fecit opus super tabula; sed corruptum est vas quod ille faciens: .... et reversus est et fecit illud vas aliud, quemadmodum rectum fuit in oculis figuli facere" (18:1-4);
per haec etiam intelligitur quod apud gentem Judaicam non esset nisi quam falsum; "vas corruptum in domo figuli" est id falsum; "domus figuli" est ubi illi; quod illis auferretur verum ecclesiae, et daretur aliis, intelligitur per quod "reversus figulus fecerit illud vas aliud quemadmodum rectum fuit in oculis ejus."
[9] Apud eundem,
"Dixit Jehovah, Eundo eme lagenam figuli testae de senioribus populi, et de senioribus sacerdotum, et exi ad vallem filii Hinnomis; .... tunc franges lagenam coram oculis euntium tecum, et dices, Frangam populum hunc, et urbem hanc, sicut frangit vas figuli, quod non potest reparari amplius; et in Topheth sepelient, ex eo quod non locus amplius ad sepeliendum" (19:1, 2, 10, 11);
"lagena" seu vas "figuli testae de senioribus populi et sacerdotum", est quoque hic falsum in quo erant omnes ex illa gente; quod id falsum esset tantum ut non per vera posset dispergi, describitur per quod "fregerit vas illud coram oculis euntium secum, ut non posset reparari"; quod "sepelirent in Topheth, quia alibi non locus amplius, significat ubi omnia vera et bona consumpta sunt.
[10] Apud Nahum,
"Aquas obsidii hauri tibi, confirma munimenta tua, intra in caenum et calca lutum, repara fornacem lateritiam; ibi comedet te ignis, exscindet te gladius" (3:14, 15);
"haurire aquas obsidii, et confirmare munimenta", est munire falsa variis contra vera; "intrare in caenum et calcare lutum", est confirmare falsa per figmenta et fallacias; doctrina inde vocatur "fornax lateritia", ex eo, quod infernalis amor per falsificata stabiliatur; inde dicitur quod "ignis comedet et gladius exscindet"; "ignis" est infernalis amor, et "gladius" est falsum pugnans et destruens verum.
Quod "vas figuli" seu "vas fictile" significet falsum, est quia id correspondet figmento, et figmentum est quod ex propria hominis intelligentia; ex illa correspondentia est quod prophetis talia, de quibus nunc supra, mandata sunt.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.