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279. And the second animal like a calf. That this signifies the appearance in ultimates of the Divine good as to defence is evident from the signification of a calf, or young bullock, as being the good of the natural man, and specifically his good of innocence and charity; and because it denotes this good, it also denotes the good of the ultimate heaven, for this heaven is spiritual-natural (as may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell. n. 29-31). And because this good is in the ultimate heaven, therefore it is a guard, or defence, to prevent the higher heavens from being approached except by the good of love and of charity; this is why one cherub was like a calf. That this appearance was in ultimates, may be seen just above (n. 278). The reason why a calf or young bullock signifies the good of the natural man, is that those animals which belonged to the herd signified the affections of good and truth in the external or natural man, and those which belonged to the flock signified the affections of good and truth in the internal or spiritual man. Those animals which belong to the flock are lambs, she-goats, sheep, rams, and he-goats; and those which belong to the herd are oxen, calves, young bullocks.
[2] That young bullocks and calves signify the good of the natural man is evident from the passages of the Word where they are mentioned. And first from the description of the feet of the cherubim, in Ezekiel:
"Their right foot and the soles of their feet, as it were the soles of a calf's foot, and they were shining, as the colour of polished brass" (Arcana Coelestia 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952, 5327, 5328; that that which is on the right signifies good from which is truth, n. 9604, 9736, 10061: hence the right foot signifies the Natural as to good. That the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, and hoofs, signify the ultimates in the Natural, may be seen, n. 4938, 7729; and that polished brass signifies natural good, may be seen above, n. 70).
[3] In Hosea:
"Return ye to Jehovah; say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and accept good, and we will render the bullocks of our lips" (Arcana Coelestia 1286, 1288.)
[4] In Amos:
"Ye draw the habitation of violence; they lie upon beds of ivory, and eat the lambs out of the flock and the calves out of the midst of the stall" (6:3, 4).
The subject here treated of is those who possess in abundance the knowledges of good and truth, and yet lead an evil life. To eat the lambs out of the flock signifies to drink in the knowledges of internal good or of the spiritual man; and to eat the calves out of the midst of the stall signifies to drink in the knowledges of external goods or of the natural man; and to draw the habitation of violence is to live a life contrary to charity.
[5] In Malachi:
"But unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise and healing in his wings that ye may go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall" (4:2).
The sun of righteousness which shall arise to them that fear the name of Jehovah, signifies the good of love; and healing in his wings, signifies the truth of faith; hence, to go forth, and to grow up as calves of the stall, signifies an increase of all good; fatted, and also fat, signifying good.
[6] In Luke:
The father said to his servants concerning the prodigal son who returned penitent in heart, "Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet; and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat and be merry" (15:22, 23).
He who understands only the sense of the letter might suppose that this passage contains nothing deeper than appears in that sense, when nevertheless every particular involves something heavenly; as that they should put on the returning prodigal the best robe, that they should put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet, that they should bring forth the fatted calf, that they should kill it, and eat and be merry. By the prodigal son are meant those who are prodigal of spiritual riches, which are knowledges (cognitiones) of truth and good; by his return to his father, and his confession that he was not worthy to be called his son, are signified penitence of heart and humiliation. By the best, or chief (primarium) robe being put on him, are signified general and primary truths; by a ring upon the hand is signified the conjunction of truth and good in the internal or spiritual man; by shoes upon the feet is signified the same in the external or natural man; and by both these, regeneration. By the fatted calf is signified the good of love and of charity; and by their eating and being merry are signified association and heavenly joy.
[7] In Jeremiah:
"I will give the men who have transgressed my covenant, who have not established the words of my covenant which they made before me, the covenant of the calf which they cut into two pieces that they might pass between the parts thereof, the princes of Judah and the princes of Jerusalem, the royal ministers and priests, and all the people of the land, passing between the parts of the calf, I will even give them into the hands of their enemies, that their carcass may be for food to the bird of the heavens" (34:18-20).
What is meant by the covenant of the calf, and by passing between the parts thereof, no one can know unless he knows what is signified by covenant, what by calf, what by its being cut into two parts; also, what is meant by the princes of Judah and of Jerusalem, by the royal ministers, the priests, and the people of the land. That there is some heavenly arcanum herein is evident. Nevertheless it can be understood, when it is known that a covenant denotes conjunction; a calf, good; a calf cut into two parts, the good proceeding from the Lord on one part, and the good received by man on the other, whence there is conjunction; and that the princes of Judah and of Jerusalem, the royal ministers, the priests, and the people of the land, denote the goods and truths which pertain to the church; and that to pass between the parts denotes to conjoin. When these things are known the internal sense of the passage may be known, which is, that there was no conjunction by the goods and truths of the church with that nation, but disjunction.
[8] Similar things are involved in the covenant of the calf with Abram, concerning which it is thus written in Genesis:
Jehovah said to Abram, "Take to thee a calf of three years old, and a she-goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon. And he took unto himself all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each part one against another; and the birds divided he not. And when the fowls came down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away. And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, a horror of great darkness fell upon him. And in that day Jehovah made a covenant with Abram" (15:9-12, 18).
The horror of great darkness which fell upon Abram signified the state of the Jewish nation, which was in the greatest darkness as to the truths and goods of the church; this state of that nation is what is described in the Prophet by the covenant ratified by dividing the calf into two parts, between which they passed. Because by a calf is signified the good of the natural man and its truth, which is scientific truth (scientificum); and since the natural man and the scientific thereof is signified by Egypt, therefore Egypt in the Word is called a she-calf, and also a he-calf; therefore, also, after they applied the scientifics (scientifica) of the church to magical and idolatrous purposes they turned the calf into an idol. This is why the sons of Israel made to themselves a calf in the wilderness, and worshipped it, and also why they had a calf in Samaria.
[9] That Egypt is thus designated is evident in Jeremiah:
"A very fair she-calf is Egypt; destruction cometh out of the north, and her mercenaries in the midst of her as calves of the stall" (46:20, 21).
(Concerning the calf which the sons of Israel made to themselves in the wilderness, see Exodus xxxii.; and concerning the calf of Samaria, 1 Kings 12:25-32).
Again, in Hosea:
"They have made a king, but not by me; they have made princes, and I knew it not; of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that it may be cut off. Thy calf, O Samaria, hath forsaken thee. For from Israel was it also; the workman made it, not God; the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces" (8:4-6).
The subject here treated of is the corrupt explanation of the Word, the sense of the letter of which is turned to favour their own loves and the principles of religion thence conceived. To make a king but not by Jehovah, and to make princes and I have not known, signifies doctrinals from man's own intelligence, which are essentially falsities, but which they make to appear as truths. For a king signifies truth, and, in an opposite sense, falsity; princes signify primary truths, and, in the opposite sense, falsities which are called principles of religion. To make idols of their silver and gold signifies their perversion of the truths and goods of the church, and worshipping them as holy, although, being derived from their own intelligence, they are destitute of life. Silver denotes the truth, and gold the good, which are from the Lord. Idols signify worship from doctrine which is from man's own intelligence; "the workman made it, and not God," signifies, that it is from man's proprium and not from the Divine; to be broken in pieces, signifies to be dissipated; hence it is evident what is signified by the calf of Samaria. Because calves signified the good of the natural man, therefore also calves were sacrificed, concerning which see Exodus 29:11, 12 and following verses; Leviticus 4:3, and following, and 13 and following verses; 8:15 and following verses; 9:2; 16:3; 23:18; Numbers 8:8 and following verses; 15:24; 28:19, 20; Judg. 6:25-29; 1 Sam. 1:25; 16:2; 1 Kings 18:23-26, 33. For all the animals which were sacrificed signified various classes of the goods of the church.
279. And the second animal like a calf, signifies the appearance in ultimates of Divine good in respect to protection. This is evident from the signification of a "calf," or "bullock," as being the good of the natural man, and specifically his good of innocence and charity; and because it is the good of the natural man it also is the good of the lowest heaven, for this heaven is spiritual natural (See in the work on Heaven and Hell 29-31); and as this good is there, there is a guard or protection that the higher heavens be not approached except through the good of love and charity; this is why one cherub was like a calf. That this appearance was in ultimates, see just above n. 278. A "calf" or "bullock" signifies the good of the natural man, because animals from the herd signified the affections of good and truth in the external or natural man; and those from the flock signified the affections of good and truth in the internal or spiritual man. Those from the flock were lambs, she-goats, sheep, rams, and he-goats; those from the herd were oxen, bullocks, and calves.
[2] That "bullocks" and "calves" signify the good of the natural man is evident from the passages of the Word where they are mentioned. First from the description of the feet of the cherubim in Ezekiel:
Their foot was straight and the sole of their feet like the sole of a calf's foot, and they sparkled like the appearance of burnished brass (Arcana Coelestia 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952, 5327, 5328; that that which is to the right signifies good from which is truth, n. 9604, 9736, 10061; therefore a "straight foot" signifies the natural in respect to good. That "palms," "soles," and "hoofs," signify the ultimates in the natural, see n. 4938, 7729; and that "burnished brass" signifies natural good, see above, n. 70)
[3] In Hosea:
Return ye to Jehovah; say unto Him, Take away all iniquity, and accept good, and we will pay back the bullocks of our lips (Arcana Coelestia 1286), n. 1286, 1288.)
[4] In Amos:
Ye cause the habitation of violence to draw near; they lie upon beds of ivory, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall (Amos 5:3, 4).
Here those who have an abundance of the knowledges of good and truth and yet lead an evil life are treated of; "to eat the lambs out of the flock" signifies to imbibe the knowledges of internal good or of the spiritual man; and "to eat the calves out of the midst of the stall" signifies to imbibe the knowledges of external good or of the natural man; and "to cause the habitation of violence to draw near" is to live a life contrary to charity.
[5] In Malachi:
Unto you that fear My name shall the Sun of righteousness arise and healing in His wings; that ye may go forth, and grow up as fatted calves (Malachi 4:2).
The "Sun of righteousness that shall arise to them that fear the name of Jehovah" signifies the good of love; and "healing in His wings" signifies the truth of faith; therefore "to go forth, and grow up as fatted calves," signifies the increase of all good, "fatted" and "fat" also signifying good.
[6] In Luke:
The father said of the prodigal son who returned penitent in heart, Bring forth the first robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring hither the fatted calf and kill it, that we may eat and be glad (Luke 15:22, 23).
He who is acquainted only with the sense of the letter believes that no deeper meaning is contained in this than appears in that sense, when yet every particular involves heavenly things; as that they should "put on him the first robe," that they should "put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet," that they should "bring forth the fatted calf, that they might eat and be merry." By "the prodigal son" those who are prodigal of spiritual riches, which are the knowledges of truth and good, are meant; "his returning to his father, and his confession that he was not worthy to be called his son," signifies penitence of heart and humiliation; "the first robe with which he was clothed," signifies general and primary truths; "the ring on the hand" signifies the conjunction of truth and good in the internal or spiritual man; "the shoes on the feet" signify the same in the external or natural man, and both signify regeneration; "the fatted calf" signifies the good of love and charity; and "to eat and be glad" signifies consociation and heavenly joy.
[7] In Jeremiah:
I will give the men that have transgressed My covenant, who have not established the words of the covenant which they made before Me, that of the calf, which they cut in twain that they might pass between the parts thereof, the princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the royal ministers and the priests, and all the people of the land, which passed between the parts of the calf, I will even give them into the hands of their enemies, that their carcass may be for food to the bird of the heavens (Jeremiah 34:18-20).
What is meant by "the covenant of the calf," and by "passing between its parts," no one can know without knowing what a "covenant" signifies, and a "calf," and its being "cut in twain;" then what is meant by "the princes of Judah and Jerusalem," by "the royal ministers," "the priests," and "the people of the land." Some heavenly arcanum is evidently meant; and it can be understood when it is known that a "covenant" means conjunction; a "calf" good, a "calf cut in twain" good proceeding from the Lord on the one hand, and good received by man on the other, whence is conjunction; and that "the princes of Judah and of Jerusalem, the royal ministers, the priests, and the people of the land," mean the goods and truths of the church; and that "to pass between the parts" means to conjoin. When these things are known, the internal sense of these words can be seen, namely, that there was no conjunction by the goods and truths of the church with that nation, but disjunction.
[8] Like things are involved in the "covenant of the calf" with Abram, of which in Genesis:
Jehovah said to Abram, Take to thee an heifer of three years old, and a she-goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtle dove, and a young pigeon. And he took him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each part over against the other; but the birds divided he not. And the birds of prey came down upon the carcasses; and Abram drove them away. And the sun was at its going down, and a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and lo, a terror of great darkness fell upon him. And in that day Jehovah made a covenant with Abram (Genesis 15:9-12, 18).
The "terror of great darkness" that fell upon Abram signified the state of the Jewish nation, which was in the greatest darkness in respect to the truths and goods of the church. This state of that nation is what is described in the prophet by "the covenant of the calf which they cut into two parts, between which they passed." Since a "calf" signifies the good of the natural man and its truth, which is knowledge [scientificum]; and since the natural man and its knowledge [scientificum] is signified by "Egypt," therefore in the Word Egypt is called a "she-calf," and a "he-calf;" moreover, when they applied the knowledges [scientifica] of the church to magical and idolatrous purposes they turned the calf into an idol; this was why the sons of Israel made to themselves a he-calf in the wilderness, and worshiped it, and also why they had a calf in Samaria.
[9] That Egypt was called a he-calf and a she-calf can be seen in Jeremiah:
A very fair she-calf is Egypt; destruction cometh out of the north, her hirelings in the midst of her are like he-calves of the stall (Jeremiah 46:20-21).
Respecting the calf that the sons of Israel made to themselves in the wilderness, see Exodus 32; and respecting the "calf of Samaria" (1 Kings 12:28-32), about which is the following in Hosea:
They have made a king, but not by Me; they have made princes, and I knew it not; of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off. Thy calf, O Samaria, hath forsaken thee. For it was from Israel; the workman made it, and it is not God; the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces (Hosea 8:4-6).
This treats of the corrupt explanation of the Word, when the sense of its letter is turned to favor self-love, and the principles of religion derived therefrom. "They have made a king, but not by Me, and they have made princes, and I knew it not," signifies doctrines from self-intelligence, which in themselves are falsities, but which they make to appear as truths; for "king" signifies truth, and in a contrary sense, falsity; "princes" signify primary truths, or falsities, which are called principles of religion. "To make idols of their silver and their gold" signifies to pervert the truths and goods of the church, and still to worship them as holy, although as they are from self-intelligence they are destitute of life; "silver" is the truth, and "gold" the good, which are from the Lord; "idols" signify worship from doctrine that is from self-intelligence; "the workman made it, and it is not God," signifies that is from the selfhood [ex proprio], and not from the Divine; "to be broken in pieces" signifies to be dispersed; which makes clear what is signified by the "calf of Samaria." Because "calves" signified the good of the natural man, calves were also sacrificed (See Exodus 29:11, 12 seq.; Leviticus 4:3, 13; 8:15 seq.; 9:2; 16:3; 23:18; Numbers 8:8 seq.; 15:24; 28:19, 20; Judges 6:25-29; 1 Samuel 1:25; 16:2; 1 Kings 18:23-26, 33); for all the animals that were sacrificed signified the goods of the church of various kinds.
279. "Et secundum Animal simile vitulo."Quod significet apparentiam in ultimis Divini Boni quoad tutelam, constat ex significatione" seu "juvenci", quod sit bonum naturalis hominis, in specie bonum innocentiae et charitatis ejus; et quia est bonum naturalis hominis, etiam est bonum caeli ultimi, hoc enim caelum est spirituale naturale (videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 29-31); et quia hoc bonum ibi est, ideo est custodia seu tutela ne caeli superiores adeantur nisi per bonum amoris et charitatis: inde est quod unus cherubus similis esset vitulo. Quod haec apparentia fuerit in ultimis, videatur mox supra (n. 278(a)).
Quod "vitulus" seu "juvencus" significet bonum naturalis hominis, est quia illa quae ex armento erant significabant affectiones boni et veri in externo seu naturali homine, et illa quae ex grege affectiones boni et veri in interno seu spirituali homine: quae ex grege; erant agni, caprae, oves, arietes, hirci; et quae ex armento, erant boves, juvenci, vituli.
[2] Quod "juvenci" et "vituli" bonum naturalis hominis significent, constat ex locis in Verbo ubi nominantur: - Primum ex descriptione cheruborum quoad pedes, apud Ezechielem,
"Pes rectus eorum, et vola pedum eorum, tanquam vola pedis vituli, iique micantes sicut species aeris levigati" (1:7);
quod ita visus sit "pes rectus" eorum, erat causa quia cherubi repraesentabant Divinam Domini custodiam, ac pedes et volae pedum illam in ultimis seu in spirituali naturali caelo et in naturali mundo; per "pedes" enim in genere significatur naturale, per "pedem rectum" naturale quoad bonum, per "volam pedum" ultimum ibi, et per "aes levigatum" similiter significatur bonum in naturali: inde patet quod bonum in naturali significetur per "vitulum", et quod ibi sit ultimum bonum quod custodit et tutatur ne adeantur caeli nisi per bonum amoris et charitatis.
(Quod "pedes" significent naturale, videatur n. 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952, 5327, 5328; quod id quod ad dextrum significet bonum ex quo verum, n. 9604, 9736, 10061; inde "pes rectus" naturale quoad bonum; quod "volae", "plantae" et "ungulae" significent ultima in naturali, n. 4938, 7729:
quod "aes levigatum" significet bonum naturale, supra, n. 70.)
[3] Apud Hoscheam,
"Revertimini ad Jehovam, dicite ad Ipsum, Omnem aufer iniquitatem, et accipe bonum, et rependemus juvencos labiorum nostrorum" (14:3 (B.A.2]);
quid sit "rependere juvencos labiorum", nemo scire potest, nisi sciat quid significant "juvenci" et quid "labia"; quod sit confessio et gratiarum actio ex bono corde, patet; sed ita dicitur quia "juvenci" significant bonum externum, et "labia" significant doctrinam; inde per "rependere juvencos labiorum" significatur confiteri et gratias agere ex bonis doctrinae.
(Quod "labia" significent doctrinam, videatur n. 1286, 1288.)
[4] Apud Amos,
"Attrahitis habitationem violentiae: cubant super lectis eboris, .... et edunt agnos de grege, et vitulos e medio saginarii" (6:3, 4);
agitur ibi de illis qui in abundantia cognitionum boni et veri sunt, et usque male vivunt; "edere agnos de grege", significat haurire cognitiones boni interni seu spiritualis hominis; et "edere vitulos e medio saginarii" significat haurire cognitiones boni externi seu naturalis hominis; et "attrahere habitationem violentiae" est vitam contrariam charitati vivere.
[5] Apud Malachiam,
"Exorietur vobis, timentes nominis mei, sol justitiae et sanitas in alis, ut exeatis et crescatis sicut vituli saginati" (3:20 [B.A. 4:2]);
"sol justitiae", qui exorietur timentibus nominis Jehovae, significat bonum amoris; et "sanitas in alis" significat verum fidei; inde "exire et crescere sicut vituli saginati", significat incrementum omnis boni; "saginatum" et "pingue" etiam significat bonum.
[6] Apud Lucam,
Pater de filio prodigo, qui reversus paenitentiam cordis egit, dixit, "Efferte stolam primariam et induite illum, et date annulum in manum ejus, et calceos super pede, et adducite vitulum saginatum, mactate, ut comedentes laetemur" (15:22, 23);
qui modo sensum litterae scit, credit quod non altiora hic lateant, quam quae in eo sensu exstant; cum tamen singula involvunt caelestia; sicut quod "induerent illum stola primaria", quod "darent annulum in manum ejus, et calceos super pede, et adducerent vitulum saginatum, ut comedentes laetarentur": per "filium prodigum" intelliguntur qui divitias spirituales, quae sunt cognitiones veri et boni, prodigunt; per "reditum ad patrem et confessionem quod non dignus esset vocari filius ejus, significatur paenitentia cordis et humiliatio; per "stolam primariam" qua indueretur, significantur communia et primaria vera; per "annulum super manum" significatur conjunctio veri et boni in interno seu spirituali homine; per "calceos super pede" significatur eadem in externo seu naturali homine; per utrumque hoc regeneratio; per "vitulum saginatum", bonum amoris et charitatis; et per "comedere et laetari", consociatio et gaudium caeleste.
[7] Apud Jeremiam,
"Dabo viros transgressos foedus meum, qui non stabiliverunt verba foederis quod ferierunt coram Me, vituli quem conciderunt in duas ut transirent inter partes ejus, principes Jehudae et principes Hierosolymae, ministros regios et sacerdotes, et omnem populum terrae, transeuntes inter partes vituli, et dabo illos in manum hostium eorum ut sit cadaver eorum in cibum avi caelorum" (34:18-20);
quid sit "foedus vituli", et quid sit transire inter partes ejus, nemo scire potest nisi sciat quid significat "foedus", quid "vitulus", quid "sectio ejus in duas partes", tum quid "principes Jehudae et Hierosolymae", "ministri regii", "sacerdotes", et "populus terrae"; patet quod arcanum caeleste sit: hoc usque intelligi potest cum scitur quod "foedus" sit conjunctio, "vitulus" bonum, "vitulus sectus in duas partes" bonum procedens a Domino ab una parte et bonum receptum ab homine ab altera, unde conjunctio; et quod "principes Jehudae et Hierosolymae, ministri regii, sacerdotes, et populus terrae", sint bona et vera quae ecclesiae; et quod "transire inter partes" sit conjungere: ex his cognitis sciri potest quod sensus internus horum verborum sit, quod nulla esset conjunctio per bona et vera ecclesiae apud illam gentem, sed disjunctio.
[8] Simile involvit "foedus vituli" cum Abramo, de quo in Libro Geneseos,
Jehovah dixit ad Abramum, "Accipetibi.... vitulum triennem, et capram triennem, et arietem triennem, et turturem et pullum; et accepit sibi omnia illa, et partitus est illa in medium, et dedit quamvis partem suam obviam alteri, et volucrem non partitus: et descendit volatile super corpora, et abegit illa Abram: et fuit sol ad occidendum, et sopor cecidit super Abramum, et ecce terror tenebrarum magnarum cadens super illum:.... et in die illo pepigit Jehovah foedus cum Abramo" (15:9-12, 18);
"terror tenebrarum magnarum cadens super Abramum" significabat statum gentis Judaicae, quod in maximis tenebris essent quoad vera et bona ecclesiae; hic status gentis illius est qui per "foedus vituli", quem "conciderunt in duas partes, inter quas transiverunt", apud, Prophetam descriptus est.
(b.) Quoniam per "vitulum" significatur bonum naturalis hominis ac verum ejus, quod est scientificum, et quoque naturalis homo et ejus scientificum significatur per "Aegyptum", ideo Aegyptus in Verbo dicitur "vitula" et "vitulus"; quare etiam, postquam applicuerunt scientifica ecclesiae ad magica et idololatrica, verterunt vitulum in idolum; exinde traxerunt filii Israelis quod in deserto fecerint sibi vitulum et illum coluerint, et exinde quoque fuit illis vitulus in Samaria.
[9] Quod Aegyptus dictus sit "vitula" et "vitulus", patet apud Jeremiam,
"Vitula pulcherrima Aegyptus; excidium a septentrione venit, et mercenarii ejus in medio ejus sicut vituli saginarii" (46:20, 21).
De vitulo quem filii Israelis sibi fecerunt in deserto, videatur Exod. 32: et de "vitulo Samariae" (1 Reg. 12:28-32),
de quo ita apud Hoscheam,
"Regem fecerunt et non a Me, principes fecerunt et non novi, argentum et aurum suum fecerunt sibi idola, ut excidatur; deservit vitulus tuus, Samaria;.... nam ex Israel ille: faber fecit eum, non Deus; in frusta fiet vitulus Samariae" (8:4-6);
agitur ibi de prava explicatione Verbi, cujus sensus litterae trahitur ad favorem suorum amorum et principiorum religionis inde captis; "regem facere et non a Me, et principes facere et non novi", significat doctrinalia ex propria intelligentia quae in se sunt falsa, sed faciunt ut sint sicut vera; "rex" enim est verum et in opposito sensu falsum, et "principes" sunt primaria vera aut falsa, quae principia religionis vocantur: "argentum et aurum suum facere idola", significat vera et bona ecclesiae pervertere, et usque illa ut sancta colere, tametsi, quia ex propria intelligentia, absque vita sunt; "argentum" est verum et "aurum" est bonum quae a Domino; "idola" significant cultum ex doctrina quae ex propria intelligentia; "Faber fecit et non Deus", significat ex proprio et non ex Divino; "in frusta fieri", significat dissipari: inde patet quid "vitulus Samariae." Quia "vituli" significabant bonum naturalis hominis, ideo etiam vituli sacrificabantur (De quo Exodus 29:11, 12, seq.: Leviticus 4:3, seq., 13, seq.; cap. 8:15, seq.; cap. 9:2; 16:3; 23:18; Numeri 8:8; seq.; cap. 15:24; 28:19, 20; Judicum 6:25-29:1 Samuelis 1:25; 16:2:1 Regnum 18:23-26, 33): omnia enim animalia quae sacrificabantur, significabant varia genera bonorum ecclesiae.