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619. But it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.- That this signifies exterior delight, is evident from the signification of the mouth, as denoting what is exterior, for the subject here treated of is the little book, and the eating of it up; by the little book is signified the Word, and by eating it up are signified perception and exploration, whence by the mouth, which first receives, is meant the external of the Word; and from the signification of "sweet as honey," as denoting the delight of natural good. The reason why the external of the Word was sweet as honey, that is, thus delightful, was, that it is of such a nature as to be capable of application to any love whatever, and to any principle thence conceived; and these can be confirmed by it. The reason why the external of the Word, which is the sense of the letter is such, is that many things therein are written according to appearances with the natural man, and many appearances, if not interiorly understood, are fallacies, like the fallacies of the senses. Those therefore who love to live for the body and the world, use the external of the Word by means of those appearances to confirm evils of life and falsities of faith.
[2] This was especially the case with the sons of Jacob, who applied all things of the Word to themselves, and from the sense of the letter maintained that belief, which they also retain to this day, that they were chosen in preference to others, and were therefore a holy nation; they believed that their Jerusalem, and its temple, the ark, the altar, the sacrifices, with innumerable other things, were of themselves holy, not knowing or being willing to know, that the holiness of all those things consisted solely in the fact that they represented Divine things proceeding from the Lord, which are called celestial and spiritual, and are the holy things of heaven and the church, and that to think them to be holy of themselves, and not from the Divine things which they represented, was to falsify and adulterate the Word by applying it to themselves and to their own loves. The case was similar in regard to their faith concerning the Messiah, which was, that He would be king of the world, and raise them above all the nations and peoples in the whole world; not to mention other things which they gathered from the mere sense of the letter of the Word, which were to them as sweet as honey in the mouth. For this reason those things that are in the spiritual sense of the Word are undelightful, for in that sense are truths themselves, and these are not according to appearances; as for example, that that nation was not holy, but worse than every other nation, consequently that it was not a chosen nation; that the city of Jerusalem merely signifies the church of the Lord, and doctrine concerning Him and concerning the holy things of heaven and the church; and that the temple, the ark, the altar, and the sacrifices, represented the Lord and the holy things proceeding from Him, and that their holiness was from this and no other source. These are the truths stored up interiorly in the sense of the letter of the Word, that is, in its internal spiritual sense. These truths they deny, because, as stated, they falsified and adulterated the Word in the sense of the letter, and therefore they are undelightful to them like food that is bitter in the belly.
[3] It is said that the little book should be in the mouth sweet as honey, because honey signifies the delight of natural good. That honey signifies that delight is evident from the following passages.
Thus, in Ezekiel:
It was said to the prophet, "Open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee. And I looked, and behold, a hand was sent unto me; and lo, a roll of a book was therein. And when he had spread it before me, it was written before and behind; and there were written thereon lamentations, and mourning, and woe. Then he said unto me, Son of man, eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. And he said unto me, Cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. And when I ate it, it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. And then he said unto me, Go unto the house of Israel, and speak my words unto them" (2:8-10; 3:1-4).
These words involve things similar to those in the Apocalypse. The command given to the prophet Ezekiel to eat the roll of the book, involves the same thing as the command to John to eat the little book, that is to say, exploration as to how the Divine Truth which is in the Word is as yet received, perceived, and appropriated by those who are of the church. For as the prophet Ezekiel and John represented the doctrine of truth and the Word, exploration was therefore made with them. The reason why this was done by eating a book is, that to eat signifies to perceive and thus to appropriate to oneself, as shown above; and when exploration was made as to the manner in which the Word was as yet perceived, it is then said to the prophet Ezekiel, that, he should go unto the house of Israel and speak the words of God unto them, also to the prophet John, that he must prophesy, that is, as yet teach the Word in the church; and this because in his mouth the book was perceived to be as sweet as honey, that is, because the Word as to the sense of the letter, is yet delightful, though only so for the reason that this sense can be used in favour of any principle of falsity whatever, and of any loves of evil whatever, and thus serve to confirm the delights of the natural life separated from the delights of the spiritual life, which, when separated, are merely delights of the loves of the body and of the world, whence arise principles of falsity from fallacies.
[4] Again, in Isaiah:
"A virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name God with us. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good" (7:14, 15).
That these words are spoken of the Lord may be seen proved in Matthew (1:23). Any one may see that butter and honey there mentioned do not mean butter and honey, but something Divine corresponding [to them], for it follows, "that he may know to refuse the evil and choose the good," and this is not known by eating butter and honey. But by butter is signified the delight of spiritual good, and by honey, the delight of natural good, consequently the spiritual Divine and the natural Divine of the Lord are signified by these, thus His interior and exterior Human. That the Lord's Human is what is meant is evident from its being said that a virgin shall conceive and bear a son; and that it is Divine, is evident from the words, "and shall call his name God with us," to call a name denoting quality, here Divine quality, for he was to be called God with us.
[5] Butter and honey also signify the delight of spiritual and natural good in these words in the same chapter:
"Butter and honey shall every one eat that is left in the land" (ver. 22).
Those left in the land mean those who are interiorly and also exteriorly good from the Lord, consequently those who receive good proceeding from the Lord in truths; the blessedness therefore of the internal or spiritual man, and also of the external or natural, is signified by butter and honey.
[6] Thus also in Job:
"He shall suck the poison of asps; the viper's tongue shall slay him. He shall not see the brooks, the flowings of the torrents of honey and butter" (20:16, 17).
These things are said concerning hypocrites, who speak well and smoothly concerning God, their neighbour, and also heaven and the church, when nevertheless they think quite differently; and because they can thus cunningly devise how to captivate the minds of others, although in their heart they cherish what is infernal, it is said, "He shall suck the poison of asps, the viper's tongue shall slay him." That these have no delight in natural good or spiritual good, is meant by, He shall not see the brooks, the flowings of the torrents of honey and butter, rivers denoting those things that pertain to intelligence, and the flowings of the torrents of honey and butter, those that pertain thence to the affection and love, which are the very delights of heavenly life. All the delight of life which remains to eternity is the delight of spiritual good and truth, and thence of natural good and truth, whereas hypocritical delight is a natural delight separated from spiritual delight, but this delight, in another life, is turned into what is direfully infernal. That butter and honey in this passage also do not mean butter and honey, is evident, for where in the world are flowings of torrents of honey and butter found?
[7] The signification of butter and honey is similar to that of milk and honey. And since milk signifies the delight of spiritual good, and honey, the delight of natural good, and these delights are enjoyed by those who are of the church of the Lord, therefore the land of Canaan, which signifies the church, was called "a land flowing with milk and honey" (29, 304:59, 431:9). And the church is with those only who are in spiritual good and at the same time in natural good; the church is formed in these by the Lord. For the church is in man, and not outside of him, consequently, not with those who do not possess those goods; these goods with their delights are signified by milk and honey.
[8] That in the land of Canaan there was also much honey at that period, because the church of the Lord was there then, is evident from the First Book of Samuel, where it is said, that they came into a wood where were honey upon the faces of the ground, and a stream of honey, and that the eyes of Jonathan were opened from tasting of the honey (14:25-27, 29). The reason why Jonathan's eyes were opened by his tasting of the honey was, that honey corresponds to natural good and its delight, and this good imparts intelligence and enlightens, consequently Jonathan knew that he had done evil; as is said in Isaiah, that he shall eat butter and honey, that he may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. For correspondences at that time manifested their effect, since all things of the Israelitish church existed from correspondences, by which things celestial and spiritual were represented and signified.
[9] The signification of butter and honey is similar to that of oil and honey in the following passages.
Thus in Moses:
"He made him to ride on the high places of the earth, and fed him with the increase of the fields; he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the stone of the rock" (375), and that rock and stone signify truth from the Lord (n. 411, 443).
[10] So in David:
"I fed them with the fat of wheat, and with honey out of the rock I satisfied them" (Psalm 81:16).
The fat of wheat also signifies the delight of spiritual good, and honey out of the rock, the delight of natural good by means of truths from the Lord, as above. It must be observed, that natural good is not good, unless it be also spiritual good. For all good inflows through the spiritual man or mind into the natural man or mind, and so far as the natural man or mind receives the good of the spiritual man or mind, so far he receives good. There must be both, or both sides, in order to constitute good; wherefore natural good separated from spiritual good is in itself evil, which nevertheless is perceived by man as good. Since there must be both therefore in the passages quoted, and in those still to be quoted, mention is made of butter and honey, milk and honey, fat and honey, and also of oil and honey; and butter, milk, fat and oil, signify the good of spiritual love, and honey, the good of natural love, together with their delights.
[11] Again, in Ezekiel:
"Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen and silk, and needlework; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil; whence thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom. But my bread which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set before idols for an odour of rest" (16:13, 19).
These things are said concerning Jerusalem, by which is signified the church, first the Ancient Church, and afterwards the Israelitish Church. It is said of the Ancient Church, that she was decked with gold and silver, which signifies, the love of good and truth with the men of the church. The raiment of fine linen, silk, and needlework, signifies the cognitions of celestial, spiritual, and natural truth; fine linen signifies truth from a celestial origin, silk, truth from a spiritual origin, and needlework, truth from a natural origin, which is called scientific [truth]. By eating fine flour, honey, and oil, are signified the perception of truth and good natural and spiritual, and the appropriation of them; to eat denoting to be appropriated, fine flour denoting truth, honey, natural good, and oil spiritual good, which were appropriated to them by a life according to the truths above mentioned. By becoming exceedingly beautiful and prospering into a kingdom, is signified to become intelligent and wise, so as to constitute a church from these, beauty denoting intelligence and wisdom, and a kingdom signifying a church. But concerning the Israelitish Church, which was merely in externals without internals, whence the men of that church were idolatrous, it is said, that they placed the fine flour, honey, and oil, before images of a male, or of idols, for an odour of rest, that is, that they turned the truths and goods of the church into falsities and evils, and thus profaned them.
[12] Again, in the same prophet:
"Judah, and the land of Israel, they were thy traders; they traded in the wheat of Minnith, and pannag, and honey, and oil, and balm" (433:22).
[13] Again, in Moses:
"A land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of the valley and mountain; a land of wheat and barley, and the vine, and the fig-tree, and pomegranate; a land of oil, olive, and honey" (374:7, 403:11), where it is shown, that oil and honey signify the good of love in the internal or spiritual man and in the external or natural man.
[14] So in David:
"The judgments of Jehovah are truth, they are just altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the droppings of the honeycomb" (Psalm 19:9, 10).
In the same,
"I have not departed from thy judgments, for thou hast taught me. How sweet are thy words to my palate! [Sweeter] than honey to my mouth" (Psalm 119:102, 103).
The judgments of Jehovah signify the truths and goods of worship; therefore it is said, "the judgments of Jehovah are truth, they are just altogether"; just being used in reference to the good of life and worship therefrom. And as good is also signified by gold and fine gold, it is therefore said, that they are more desirable than gold and than much fine gold, gold denoting celestial good, fine gold, spiritual good, while desirable denotes what is of affection and love. Since the goods with which a man is affected are also delightful, therefore it is said, that they are sweeter than honey and the droppings of the honeycomb, and that the words of the Lord are sweet to the palate and [sweeter] than honey to the mouth, sweet denoting what is delightful, honey, natural good, the droppings of the honeycomb, natural truth, and because honey signifies natural good, and the mouth the external, therefore it is said [sweeter] than honey to my mouth; as in the Apocalypse, that the little book was sweet as honey in the mouth.
[15] So in Luke:
Jesus said to His disciples, when they believed that they saw a spirit, "Behold, my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. Then he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat it before them" (Heaven and Hell 87-102). The Lord also proved this by eating of the broiled fish and also of the honeycomb in the presence of His disciples, the broiled fish signifying the truth of the good of the natural and sensual man, and the honeycomb, the good of truth of the same, therefore the Lord by being touched (palpationem) showed and proved that His whole Human, even to its ultimates, was glorified, that is, was made Divine; and [this He showed too] by eating, in that He ate in their presence a piece of a broiled fish and of an honeycomb.
[16] Since honey signifies the good of the natural man, therefore also John the Baptist
"had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey" (Matthew 3:4; Mark 1:6).
The reason of this was, that John the Baptist represented the same as Elias, therefore also it was said, that Elias should come, by whom was meant John. Elias represented the Lord as to the Word, or the Word which is from the Lord; and similarly John. And because the Word teaches that the Messiah or the Lord was about to come, therefore John was sent before to preach concerning the coming of the Lord, according to the predictions of the Word. And because John represented the Word, therefore the ultimates of the Word, which are natural, were represented by John, by his clothing, and also by his food, that is, by having his raiment of camel's hair, and the leathern girdle about his loins. For camel's hair signifies the ultimates of the natural man, such as are the exteriors of the Word, and the leathern girdle about his loins, their external bond and connection with the interior things of the Word, which are spiritual. Similar things are signified by locust and wild honey; by locust, is signified the truth of the natural man, and by wild honey, its good. Whether we speak of the truth and good of the natural man, or of natural truth and good, such as the Word is in its ultimate sense, called the sense of the letter, or natural sense, it is the same thing, for John represented this by his clothing and food.
[17] The reason why neither leaven, nor honey, was used in the offerings made by fire to Jehovah (Arcana Coelestia 5620, 6857, 8056, 10137, 10530).
[18] It is recorded of Samson, that, after he had rent the young lion, and taken a wife from the nation of the Philistines, he found "a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion" (Judges 14:8). This circumstance signified the dissipation of faith separated from charity, which the Philistine nation represented. It was on this account that the Philistines were called the uncircumcised, and this name signifies that they were without spiritual love and charity, and were only in natural love, which is the love of self and of the world. Such faith, because it destroys the good of charity, was represented by the young lion, which attacked Samson with intent to tear him in pieces; but Samson, because he was a Nazarite, and by his Nazariteship represented the Lord as to His ultimate Natural, rent the lion in pieces, and afterwards found in his carcase a swarm of bees and honey, which signified, that after such faith is dissipated, the good of charity succeeds in its place. Similar things were represented and signified by the rest of the acts related of Samson in the Book of Judges. For nothing is written in the Word which does not represent and signify such things as pertain to heaven and the church, and these can be understood only from the knowledge (scientia) of correspondences, and thence from the spiritual sense of the Word.
619. But in thy mouth it shall be sweet as honey, signifies outwardly delightful. This is evident from the signification of "mouth," as being what is exterior; for this treats of the little book and eating it up, and "the little book" signifies the Word, and "eating it up" signifies perception and exploration; thence "the mouth," which first receives, means the external of the Word. It is evident also from the signification of "sweet as honey," as being the delight of natural good. The external of the Word was "sweet as honey," that is, thus delightful, because the external of the Word is such that it can be applied to any love whatever, or to any principle derived therefrom; and these can be confirmed by it. The external of the Word, which is the sense of its letter, is such because many things in it are written in accordance with the appearances presented to the natural man, and many appearances, when not interiorly understood, are fallacies, like the fallacies of the senses. Those, therefore, who love to live for the body and for the world, by means of these appearances draw over the external of the Word to confirm evils of life and falsities of faith.
[2] This was done especially by the sons of Jacob, who applied all things of the Word to themselves, and from the sense of the letter they held the belief, and also maintain it to this day, that they were chosen in preference to others, and therefore were a holy nation; that their Jerusalem, the temple there, the ark, the altar, the sacrifices, with innumerable other things, were holy of themselves; they did not know, and did not wish to know, that the holiness of all those things proceeded solely from this, that they represented things Divine proceeding from the Lord that are called celestial and spiritual, and are the holy things of heaven and the church, and that to think that these are holy of themselves, and not because of the Divine things they represent, would be to falsify and adulterate the Word by applying it to themselves and to their own loves. It was similar with their belief respecting the Messiah, that he would be king of the world, and would raise them above all other nations and peoples throughout the globe; not to mention other things which they gathered from the mere sense of the letter of the Word, which to them were sweet as honey in the mouth. This is why the things in the spiritual sense of the Word are undelightful, for in that sense are the truths themselves which are not according to appearances; as that the Jewish nation itself was not holy, but worse than every other nation, consequently that it was not chosen; that the city of Jerusalem merely signifies the Lord's church and doctrine respecting Him and the holy things of heaven and the church; and that the temple, the ark, the altar, and the sacrifices represented the Lord and the holy things that proceed from Him, and that for this and no other reason were they holy. These are truths that are stored up inwardly in the sense of the letter of the Word, that is, in its internal spiritual sense; and these truths they deny, because, as was said, they have falsified and adulterated the Word in the sense of the letter; and these things therefore are undelightful to them, like foods that are bitter in the belly.
[3] It is said that the little book was "in the mouth sweet as honey," because "honey" signifies the delight of natural good; that "honey" signifies that delight can be seen from the following passages. In Ezekiel:
It was said to the prophet, Open wide thy mouth and eat that I give thee. And I saw and behold, a hand was put forth unto me, and lo, the roll of a book was therein; and when he had spread it before me it was written in front and behind, and written thereon were dirges, moaning, and woe. Then he said unto me, Son of man, eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. Then he said unto me, Feed thy belly and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee; and when I ate it, it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. And he said, Go to the house of Israel and speak my words unto them (Ezekiel 2:8-10; 3:1-4).
These things involve things altogether similar to those in Revelation. The command to the prophet Ezekiel "to eat the roll of the book" involves something similar as the command to John "to eat the little book," namely, to explore how the Divine truth which is in the Word is yet received, perceived, and appropriated by those who are of the church; for the prophet Ezekiel and John represent the doctrine of truth and the Word, therefore the exploration was made with them. It was made by eating a book, because "to eat" signifies to perceive and thus to appropriate, as has been shown above; and when this has been ascertained, namely, how the Word was still perceived, it is said to the prophet Ezekiel that "he should go to the house of Israel and speak to them the words of God;" also to the prophet John that "he must prophesy," that is, still teach the Word in the church; and this because the book was perceived to be "in his mouth sweet as honey," that is, because the Word in the sense of the letter is still delightful, but for the reason that this sense can be applied to any principles of falsity and to any loves of evil, and can thus serve them in confirming the delights of the natural life separated from the delights of the spiritual life; and when these are separated they become mere delights of the loves of the body and of the world whence are principles of falsity from fallacies.
[4] In Isaiah:
A virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name God-with-us. Butter and honey shall He eat, that He may know to reject the evil and to choose the good (Isaiah 7:14, 15).
That this was said of the Lord is proved in Matthew (Matthew 1:23). Anyone can see that "butter and honey" do not mean here butter and honey, but something Divine corresponding to them, for it is added, "that He may know to reject the evil and to choose the good," and that is not known by eating butter and honey; but "butter" signifies the delight of spiritual good, and "honey" the delight of natural good, consequently the two signify the Lord's Divine spiritual and Divine natural, and thus His Human, interior and exterior. That the Lord's Human is meant can be seen from its being said that "a virgin shall conceive and bear a son;" and that it is Divine from its being said, "and shall call His name God-with-us," "to call a name" signifying the quality of a thing, here what the Divine is, for He was to be called "God-with-us."
[5] "Butter and honey" also signify the delight of spiritual and natural good in these words in the same chapter:
Butter and honey shall everyone eat that remains in the land (verse 22).
"That remains" mean those that are inwardly and also outwardly good from the Lord, consequently who receive the good proceeding from the Lord in truths; the blessedness therefrom of the internal or spiritual man, and also of the external or natural man, is signified by "butter and honey."
[6] In Job:
He shall suck the poison of asps; the viper's tongue shall slay him. He shall not see the streams, the flowings of the brooks of honey and butter (Job 20:16, 17).
This is said of hypocrites who talk well and smoothly about God, about the neighbor, and about heaven and the church, and yet think altogether otherwise; and because they cunningly contrive by these means to captivate minds, although in heart they cherish what is infernal, it is said, "He shall suck the poison of asps, the viper's tongue shall slay him." That such have no delight in natural good or spiritual good is meant by "He shall not see the streams, the flowings of the brooks of honey and butter," "streams" meaning the things of intelligence, and "the flowings of the brooks of honey and butter," the things therefrom that are of affection and love, which are the very delights of heavenly life. Every delight of life that abides to eternity is a delight of spiritual good and truth, and from that a delight of natural good and truth; but hypocritical delight is a natural delight separate from spiritual delight, and this delight is turned in the other life into what is direfully infernal. Evidently "butter and honey" do not mean here butter and honey, for where, in the world, can there be found "flowings of brooks of honey and butter"?
[7] "Milk and honey" have a similar signification as "butter and honey;" and as "milk" signifies the delight of spiritual good, and "honey" the delight of natural good, and these delights are with those who are of the Lord's church, therefore the land of Canaan, which signifies the church, was called:
A land flowing with milk and honey (29, 304, 431); and the church is with those only who are in spiritual good and at the same time in natural good; in such the church is formed by the Lord; for the church is in man and not outside of him, consequently is not with those with whom these goods are not. These goods with their delights are signified by "milk and honey."
[8] There was also much honey in the land of Canaan at that time, because at that time the church of the Lord was there, as can be seen from the first book of Samuel, where it is said:
That they came into the forest, where there was honey upon the face of the ground, and there was a stream of honey, and Jonathan's eyes were opened by tasting the honey (1 Samuel 14:25-27, 29).
"Jonathan's eyes were opened by tasting the honey" because "honey" corresponds to natural good and its delight, and this good gives intelligence and enlightens, from which Jonathan knew that he had done evil; as we read in Isaiah, "He shall eat butter and honey, that he may know to reject the evil and to choose the good." For at that time correspondences exhibited their effects outwardly, since all things of the Israelitish Church consisted of correspondences, which represented and signified things celestial and spiritual.
[9] Again, "oil and honey" have a similar signification as "butter and honey" in the following passages. In Moses:
He made him to ride on the high places of the earth, and fed him with the produce of the fields; he made him to suck honey out of the cliff, and oil out of the flint of the rock (375; and that "cliffs" and "rocks" signify truth from the Lord, n. 411, 443)
[10] In David:
I fed 1them with the fat of wheat, and with honey out of the rock I satisfied them (Psalms 81:16).
"The fat of wheat" signifies the delight of spiritual good, and "honey out of the rock," the delight of natural good through truths from the Lord (as above). It is to be known that natural good is not good unless there is also spiritual good; for all good flows in through the spiritual man or mind into the natural man or mind, and so far as the natural man or mind receives the good of the spiritual man or mind so far man receives good; that there may be good there must be both, or the two sides, consequently natural good separated from spiritual good is in itself evil, although by man it is still perceived as good. Since there must be both, it is said in the passages cited and yet to be cited, "butter and honey," "milk and honey;" "fat and honey," as also "oil and honey;" and "butter," "milk," "fat," and "oil" signify the good of spiritual love, and "honey" the good of natural love, together with their delights.
[11] In Ezekiel:
Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver, and thy garments were fine linen and silk and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, honey, and oil, whence thou didst become exceeding beautiful, and didst prosper even to a kingdom. But my bread which I gave thee, and the fine flour and oil and honey with which I fed thee, thou didst set before idols as an odor of rest (Ezekiel 16:13, 19).
This is said about Jerusalem, which signifies the church, first the Ancient Church, and afterwards the Israelitish Church. Of the Ancient Church it is said "she was decked with gold and silver," which signifies the love of good and truth that the men of that Church had; "the garments of fine linen, silk, and broidered work," signify the knowledges of celestial, spiritual, and natural truth, "fine linen" signifying truth from a celestial origin, "silk" truth from a spiritual origin, and "broidered work" truth from a natural origin, which is called knowledge [scientificum]. "She ate fine flour, honey and oil," signifies the perception of natural and spiritual truth and good, and their appropriation, "to eat" signifying to be appropriated, "fine flour" truth, "honey" natural good, and "oil" spiritual good, which were appropriated to them by a life according to the truths above mentioned. "She became exceeding beautiful and prospered even to a kingdom" signifies to become intelligent and wise so as to constitute a church, "beauty" signifying intelligence and wisdom, and a "kingdom" the church. But of the Israelitish Church, which was merely in externals without internals, whence the men of that church were idolatrous, it is said that "they set the fine flour, honey, and oil before the images of a male, or idols, as an odor of rest," that is, they perverted the truths and goods of the church into falsities and evils, and thus profaned them.
[12] In the same:
Judah and the land of Israel were thy merchants in the wheats of Minnith and Pannag, and honey and oil and balsam they gave for thy merchandise (433.
[13] In Moses:
A land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths going forth from the valley and mountain; a land of wheat and barley, and of vine and fig-tree and pomegranate; and of olive oil and honey (374, 403), showing that "oil and honey" here signify the good of love in the internal or spiritual man and in the external or natural man.
[14] In David:
The judgments of Jehovah are truth, they are righteous altogether; more desirable than gold and than much fine gold; and sweeter than honey and the dropping of honeycombs (Psalms 19:9, 10).
In the same:
I have not departed from Thy judgment; for Thou hast instructed me. How sweet are Thy words to my palate, more than honey to my mouth (Psalms 119:102, 103).
"Judgments" signify the truths and goods of worship, therefore it is said "the judgments of Jehovah are truth, they are righteous altogether;" "righteous" signifies the good of life and worship therefrom; and as good is also signified by "gold" and "fine gold," it is said that "they are more desirable than gold and than much fine gold," "gold" meaning celestial good, "fine gold" spiritual good, and "desirable" means what belongs to affection and love. Since the goods by which a man is affected are delightful it is said that they are "sweeter than honey and the dropping of honeycombs," and that "the words of Jehovah are sweet to the palate, more than honey to the mouth," "sweet" signifying what is delightful, "honey" natural good, and "the dropping of honeycombs" natural truth. And because "honey" means natural good, and the "mouth" signifies what is external, it is said "more than honey to my mouth," as in Revelation, that "the little book was sweet as honey in the mouth."
[15] In Luke:
Jesus said to the disciples, who believed that they saw a spirit, See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; feel of Me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see Me having. Then He said to them, Have ye here anything to eat? And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and of a honeycomb. And He took it and did eat it before them (Heaven and Hell 87-102.) And this the Lord confirmed by eating before the disciples of the broiled fish and honeycomb; "the broiled fish" signifying the truth of good of the natural and sensual man, and "the honeycomb," the good of the truth of the same. The Lord, therefore, by letting them feel of Him, showed and confirmed that His whole Human, even to its ultimates, was glorified, that is, made Divine; and this He showed, too, by the eating, in that "He ate before them a piece of broiled fish and of a honeycomb."
[16] As "honey" signifies the good of the natural man, so also:
John the Baptist had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey (Matthew 3:4; Mark 1:6).
For John the Baptist represented something similar as Elijah; wherefore it is also said that "Elijah should come," by whom John is meant. Elijah represented the Lord in relation to the Word, or the Word from the Lord; John had a similar representation; and as the Word teaches that the Messiah or the Lord was about to come, John was sent before to preach respecting the Lord's coming, according to the predictions in the Word. And as John represented the Word, therefore he represented the ultimates of the Word, which are natural, by his raiment and also by his food, namely, by his raiment of camel's hair and the leathern girdle about his loins; "camel's hair" signifying the ultimates of the natural man, such as are the exterior things of the Word, and "the leathern girdle about the loins," the external bond and connection of these with the interior things of the Word, which are spiritual. "Locust and wild honey" have a like signification, "locust" signifying the truth of the natural man, and "wild honey" its good. It is the same whether you say the truth and good of the natural man or natural truth and good, such as the Word is in its ultimate sense, which is called the sense of the letter or the natural sense, for this was what John represented by his raiment and food.
[17] That:
No leaven and no honey were to be offered in the offerings made by fire to Jehovah (Arcana Coelestia 5650, 6857, 8056, 10137, 10530)
[18] That:
When Samson had rent the young lion he found in its carcass a swarm of bees and honey, when he was about to take a wife from the Philistine nation (Judges 14:8);
signified the dissipation of faith separated from charity, which the Philistine nation represented; for this reason the Philistines were called "uncircumcised," and this term signified that they were without spiritual love and charity and only in natural love, which is the love of self and of the world. Because such a faith destroys the good of charity it was represented by a young lion that attacked Samson with intent to tear him in pieces, but as Samson was a Nazirite, and by his Naziriteship represented the Lord in respect to His ultimate natural, he rent the lion, and afterwards found in its carcass "a swarm of bees and honey," and this signifies that when such faith has been dissipated, the good of charity succeeds in its place. The other things related of Samson in the book of Judges have a like signification; for there is nothing written in the Word that does not represent and signify such things as belong to heaven and the church, and these can be known only by a knowledge of correspondences, and thus from the spiritual sense of the Word.
Footnotes:
1. Latin has "I fed," but "I would feed" is found in AC 5943; AR 314.
619. "Sed in ore tuo erit dulcis sicut mel." - Quod significet jucundum exterius, constat ex significatione oris, quod sit exterius; nam agitur de libello et ejus devoratione, et per "libellum" significatur Verbum, et per "devorationem" perceptio et exploratio; inde per "os", quod primum recipit, intelligitur externum Verbi: et ex significatione "dulcis sicut mel", quod sit jucundum boni naturalis; quod externum Verbi fuerit "dulce sicut mel", hoc est, ita jucundum, erat quia tale est ut applicari posset cuicunque amori, et cuicunque principio inde capto, et haec per id confirmari. Quod externum Verbi, quod est sensus litterae ejus, tale sit, est quia multa ibi secundum apparentias coram naturali homine scripta sunt; et multae apparentiae, si non interius intelliguntur, sunt fallaciae, quales sunt fallaciae sensuum; ideo ab illis qui amant vivere corpori et mundo, trahitur id per apparentias illas ad confirmanda mala vitae et falsa fidei;
[2] quod imprimis factum est a filiis Jacobi, qui omnia Verbi applicuerunt ad se, et ex sensu litterae illam fidem tenuerunt, et quoque hodie retinent, quod illi prae aliis electi fuerint, et inde quod gens sancta fuerint; quod eorum Hierosolyma, et ibi templum, arca, altare, sacrificia, praeter innumera alia, sancta essent ex se; non scientes ac volentes scire quod sanctitas omnium istorum proflueret unice ex eo quod repraesentarent Divina procedentia a Domino, quae vocantur caelestia et spiritualia, quae sunt sancta caeli et ecclesiae, et quod cogitare illa sancta ex se, et non ex Divinis quae repraesentabant, foret falsificare et adulterare Verbum per applicationes ad se et ad suos amores; similiter ac fit apud illos cum fide de Messia, quod futurus Rex mundi, et evecturus illos super omnes gentes et populos in universo terrarum orbe; ut taceam reliqua quae colligunt ex mero sensu litterae Verbi, quae illis dulcia sunt sicut in ore mel. Inde est quod illa quae in Verbi sensu spirituali sunt, injucunda sint, nam in hoc sensu sunt ipsa vera, quae non Secundum apparentias sunt; sicut quod ipsa illa gens non sancta esset, sed pejor omni alia gente, proinde quod non electa; quod Hierosolyma urbs modo significet ecclesiam Domini ac doctrinam de Ipso ac de sanctis caeli et ecclesiae, et quod templum, arca, altare, et sacrificia repraesentaverint Dominum et sancta ab Ipso procedentia, et quod inde et non aliunde sancta fuerint. Haec vera sunt quae in sensu litterae Verbi interius recondita sunt, hoc est, in sensu ejus interno spirituali; quae negant, quia Verbum in sensu litterae falsificaverunt et adulteraverunt, ut dictum est; quae idcirco illis sunt injucunda sicut cibi amari in ventre.
[3] Quod dicatur quod libellus in ore esset "dulcis sicut mel", est quia "mel" significat jucundum boni naturalis; quod "mel" id jucundum significet, constare potest a sequentibus locis:
- Apud Ezechielem,
Dictum est Prophetae, "Aperi os tuum, et comede quod Ego do tibi; et Vidi, quod ecce manus emissa ad me, et ecce in ea volumen libri; quod cum explicaret coram me, illud scriptum ante et post; et quod scriptum super eo, erant lamentationes, gemitus et planctus." .... "Tunc dixit ad me, Fili hominis, .... comede volumen hoc, et abi loquere ad domum Israelis:.... deinde dixit ad me Ventrem tuum ciba, et viscera tua imple volumine hoc quod Ego do tibi, et cum comedi, fuit in ore meo sicut mel quoad dulcedinem: et tunc dixit, .... Abi ad domum Israelis, et loquere verba mea ad eos" (2:8-10; 3:1-4):
haec prorsus similia involvunt quae in Apocalypsi; quod prophetae Ezechieli mandatum fuerit ut "comederet volumen libri", simile involvit quod mandatum Johanni ut "comederet libellum", nempe, ut exploraretur quomodo Divinum Verum, quod est in Verbo, adhuc recipitur, percipitur et appropriatur illis qui ab ecclesia; nam per prophetam Ezechielem et Johannem repraesentatur doctrina Veri et Verbum; inde exploratio apud illos facta est: quod facta sit per "comedere librum", est quia "comedere" significat percipere et sic sibi appropriare, ut supra ostensum est; et cum id exploratum est, nempe qualiter Verbum adhuc percipitur, tunc dicitur ad prophetam Ezechielem ut "abiret ad domum Israelis, et loqueretur verba Dei ad illos"; etiam ad prophetam Johannem quod "oporteret illum prophetare", hoc est, adhuc docere Verbum in ecclesia; et hoc quia liber in ore illius sentitus est "dulcis sicut mel", hoc est, quia Verbum quoad sensum litterae adhuc est jucundum, sed ex causa quia ille sensus applicari potest ad quaecunque principia falsi, et ad quoscunque amores mali, et sic illis servire pro confirmandis jucundis vitae naturalis separatis a jucundis vitae spiritualis; quae cum separata sunt, mere jucunda amorum corporis et mundi sunt, unde principia falsi ex fallaciis.
[4] Apud Esaiam,
"Virgo concipiet et pariet Filium, et vocabit nomen Ipsius Deus nobiscum; butyrum et mel comedet, ut sciat reprobare malum et eligere bonum" ( 1
7:14, 15) videatur: quisque videre potest quod per "butyrum et mel" non ibi intelligatur butyrum et mel, sed aliquod Divinum correspondens; nam sequitur, "ut sciat reprobare malum et eligere bonum", quod non scitur per comedere butyrum et mel: sed per "butyrum" significatur jucundum boni spiritualis, et per "mel" jucundum boni naturalis; proinde per illa significatur Divinum spirituale et Divinum naturale, ita Ipsius Humanum interius et exterius. Quod Humanum Domini sit quod intelligitur, constat ex eo quod dicatur quod "Virgo concipiet et pariet Filium"; et quod Divinum sit, ex eo quod dicatur, "Et vocabit nomen Ipsius Deus nobiscum"; "Vocare nomen" significat quale, hic quale Divinum, nam vocabitur "Deus nobiscum."
[5] Per "butyrum et mel" etiam jucundum boni spiritualis et naturalis significatur in eodem capite per haec,
"Butyrum et mel comedet omnis residuus in terra" ([Esai. vii.] vers. 22):
per "residuos" intelliguntur qui interius et quoque exterius boni a Domino sunt, proinde qui recipiunt bonum procedens a Domino in veris; beatitudo inde interni seu spiritualis hominis, tum quoque externi Seu naturalis, significatur per "butyrum et mel."
[6] Apud Hiobum,
"Venenum aspidum suget, occidet eum lingua viperae; ne videat rivos, flumina torrentium mellis et butyri" (20:16, 17):
haec dicta sunt de hypocritis, qui bene et blande loquuntur de Deo, de proximo, deque caelo et ecclesia, cum tamen prorsus aliter cogitant; et quia per id dolos nectunt ad captandos animos, tametsi infernale gerunt corde, dicitur, "Venenum aspidum suget, occidet eum lingua viperae": quod illis non aliquod jucundum boni naturalis nec spiritualis sit, intelligitur per "ne videat rivos, flumina torrentium mellis et butyri"; per rivos intelliguntur illa quae intelligentiae sunt; per "flumina torrentium mellis et butyri" illa quae inde affectionis et amoris sunt, quae sunt ipsa jucunda vitae caelestis: omne jucundum vitae manens in aeternum est jucundum boni et veri spiritualis, et inde jucundum boni et veri naturalis; at jucundum hypocriticum est jucundum naturale separatum a jucundo spirituali, sed id jucundum vertitur in altera vita in dirum infernale. Quod per "butyrum et mel" hic nec intelligantur butyrum et mel, constat; ubinam enim in mundo dantur flumina torrentium mellis et butyri?
[7] Simile quod per "butyrum et mel", etiam significatur per "lac et mel": et quoniam per "lac" significatur jucundum boni spiritualis, et per "mel" jucundum boni naturalis, et haec jucunda sunt illis qui ab ecclesia Domini sunt, ideo terra Canaan, per quam significatur ecclesia, dicta fuit
"Terra fluens lacte et melle" (Exodus 3:8, 17; Leviticus 20:24; Numeri 13:27; 14:8; Deuteronomius 6:3; 11:9; 26:9, 15; 27:3; 31:20; Joshua 5:6; Jeremias 11:5; cap. 32:22 2
; Ezechiel 20:6):
quod per "terram Canaanem" in Verbo intelligatur ecclesia, supra (n. 29, 304 [b, g] , 3
431 [b]) ostensum est; et ecclesia, solum est apud illos qui in bono spirituali et simul bono naturali sunt: in his formatur a Domino ecclesia; est enim ecclesia in homine et non extra illum, proinde non apud illos apud quos illa bona non sunt: haec bona cum illorum jucundis significantur per "lac et mel."
[8] Quod in terra Canaane etiam multum mellis eo tempore fuerit, ex causa quia ibi tunc erat ecclesia Domini, constat ex Libro Primo Samuelis, ubi dicitur
Quod venerint in silvam, ubi erat mel super faciebus terrae, et ibi rivus mellis, et quod Jonathani ex gastatione mellis oculi aperti fuerint (14:25-27, 29):
quod "Jonathani ex gustatione mellis oculi aperti fuerint", erat quia "mel" correspondet bono naturali et ejus jucundo, et hoc bonum dat intelligentiam et illustrat; unde ei cognitio fuit quod malum fecerit; sicut legitur apud Esaiam, quod "comedet butyrum et mel, ut sciat reprobare malum et eligere bonum": correspondentiae enim eo tempore sistebant suum effectum, quoniam omnia Ecclesiae Israeliticae constabant ex correspondentiis, per quas repraesentabantur et significabantur caelestia et spiritualia.
[9] Simile quod per "butyrum et mel" significatur etiam per "oleum et mel" in sequentibus locis:
- Apud Mosen,
"Equitare fecit eum super excelsis terrae, et cibavit proventu agrorum, sugere fecit eum mel e rupe, et oleum e saxo petrae" (Deuteronomius 32:13):
haec in Cantico Mosis, in quo agitur de ecclesia in suo principio, et postea de illa in progressu, et tandem in fine: illi qui Ecclesiam Antiquam constituerunt describuntur per illa verba; non autem illi qui Ecclesiam Israeliticam, hi enim a principio usque ad finem mali fuerunt, ut constare potest ex patribus eorum in Aegypto, et dein in deserto; sed Antiqua Ecclesia, cujus homines intelliguntur per "patres illorum", erat quam Dominus "equitare fecit super excelsis terrae, et cibavit proventu agrorum": quod illis bonum amoris naturalis et bonum amoris spiritualis cum eorum jucundis data fuerint per vera, ex quibus intelligentia eorum, et secundum quae vita eorum, significatur per "Sugere fecit eum mel e rupe, et oleum e saxo petrae"; per "mel" significatur jucundum amoris naturalis, per "oleum" jucundum amoris spiritualis, ac per "rupem" et "saxum petrae" verum a Domino.
(Quod "oleum" significet bonum amoris et charitatis, videatur supra, n. 375; quodque "rupes" et "petra" significent verum a Domino, n. [411,] 443 [a] .)
[10] Apud Davidem,
"Cibavi eos ex adipe tritici, et e petra melle saturavi eos" (Psalms 81:17 [B.A. Psalms 81bbccc[16]):
per "adipem tritici" etiam significatur jucundum boni spiritualis, et per "mel e petra" jucundum boni naturalis per vera a Domino (ut supra). Sciendum est quod bonum naturale non sit bonum nisi etiam sit bonum spirituale; nam omne bonum influit per spiritualem hominem seu mentem in naturalem hominem seu mentem, et quantum homo seu mens naturalis recipit bonum hominis seu mentis spiritualis, tantum recipit bonum; utrumque seu utrobivis erit ut sit bonum; quapropter bonum naturale separatum a bono spirituali in se est malum, quod usque percipitur ab homine sicut bonum: quia utrumque erit, ideo in locis allatis et adhuc afferendis dicitur "butyrum et mel", "lac et mel", "adeps et mel", tum "oleum et mel"; ac per "butyrum", "lac", "adipem" et "oleum" significatur bonum amoris spiritualis, ac per "mel" bonum amoris naturalis, una cum jucundis eorum.
[11] Apud Ezechielem,
"Sic ornata es auro et argento, et vestes tuae byssus et sericum et acupictum; similam, mel et oleum comedisti, unde pulchra facta es valde admodum, et prosperata es usque ad regnum. .... At panem meum, quem dedi tibi, ac similam, oleum, mel quibus cibavi te, dedisti coram idolis in odorem quietis" (16:13, 19):
haec de Hierosolyma, per quam significatur ecclesia, primum Ecclesia Antiqua, et postea Ecclesia Israelitica: de Ecclesia Antiqua dicitur quod "ornata fuerit auro et argento", per quae significatur amor boni et veri, qui hominibus illius ecclesiae fuit: quod "vestes ejus byssus, sericum et acupictum", significat cognitiones veri caelestis, spiritualis et naturalis; "byssus" significat verum ex origine caelesti, "sericum" verum ex origine spirituali, et "acupictum" verum ex origine naturali, quod vocatur scientificum: quod "comederit similam, mel et oleum", significat perceptionem veri et boni naturalis et spiritualis, et appropriationem eorum; "comedere" significat appropriari, "simila" verum, "mel" bonum naturale, et "oleum" bonum spirituale, quae illis appropriata sunt per vitam secundum vera supra memorata: quod "pulchra facta sit valde admodum, et prosperata usque ad regnum", significat quod intelligens et sapiens facta sit, usque ut ab illis ecclesia; "pulchritudo" significat intelligentiam et sapientiam, ac "regnum" significat ecclesiam. At de Ecclesia Israelitica, quae solum fuit in externis absque internis, et inde homines ejus fuerunt idololatrae, dicitur quod "similam, mel et oleum dederint coram imaginibus maris, seu idolis, in odorem quietis", hoc est, quod perverterint vera et bona ecclesiae in falsa et mala, et sic profanaverint illa.
[12] Apud eundem,
"Jehudah et terra Israelis fuerunt negotiatores tui in triticis minnith et pannag, et melle et oleo et balsamo, dederunt negotiationem tuam" (27:17):
haec de Tyro, per quam significatur eccleSia quoad cognitiones veri et boni; et inde quoque per "Tyrum" significantur cognitiones veri et boni quae sunt ecclesiae; et per "mel" et "oleum" significantur similia quae supra: quid per "Jehudam" et "terram Israelis", tum per "tritica minnith et pannag", perque "balsamum", tum per "negotiationem Tyri", ibi in sensu spirituali intelligitur, supra (n. 433 [c]) explicatum est.
[13] Apud Mosen,
"Terra fluviorum aquae, fontium et abyssorum exeuntium e valle et e monte, terra tritici et hordei, et vitis, et ficus, et malogranati, terra olivae olei et mellis" (Deuteronomius 8:7, 8):
haec de terra Canaane, per quam intelligitur ecclesia, quae in bono caelesti, spirituali et naturali, ac inde in veris est; sed quae in hoc versu continentur, supra (n. 374 [c] et 403 [b]) explicata sunt, et quod per "oleum" et "mel" ibi significetur bonum amoris in interno seu spirituali homine ac in externo seu naturali.
9, [10]);
et apud eundem,
"A judiciis tuis non recessi, qua Tu docuisti me; quam dulcia sunt palato meo Verba tua, prae melle ori meo" (Psalms 119:102, 103):
per "judicia" significantur vera et bona cultus; quare dicitur quod "judicia Jehovae sint veritas, et justa simul"; "justum" significat bonum vitae et inde cultus: et quia bonum etiam significatur per "aurum" et "obryzum", ideo dicitur quod "desiderabilia sint prae auro et prae obryzo multo"; "aurum" est bonum caeleste, "obryzum" est bonum spirituale, "desiderabile" est quod est affectionis et amoris: quoniam bona quibus homo afficitur etiam sunt jucunda, ideo dicitur quod sint "dulcia prae melle et prae stillatione favorum", et quod "verba Jehovae dulcia sint palato, et prae melle ori"; "dulce" significat jucundum, "mel" bonum naturale, "stillatio favorum" verum naturale: et quia "mel" est bonum naturale, et "os" significat externum, ideo dicitur "prae melle ori meo"; sicut in Apocalypsi quod "libellus esset dulcis sicut mel in ore."
[15] Apud Lucam,
Jesus dixit ad discipulos credentes se videre spiritum, "Videte manus meas et pedes meos, quod Ipse Ego sim; palpate Me et videte, nam spiritus carnem et ossa non habet, sicut Me videtis habere." .... Dein dixit illis, "Habetisne aliquid edulei? Illi vero dederunt Ipsi piscis assi partem, et de favo apiario, quae accipiens coram illis comedit" (24:39, 41-43):
ex serie horum verborum in sensu spirituali spectata manifeste constat quod per "favum apiarium" et per "mel" significetur bonum naturale; Dominus enim discipulis aperuit quod glorificaverit seu Divinum fecerit totum suum Humanum usque ad naturale et sensuale ejus; hoc significatur per "manus et pedes", ac per "carnem et ossa", quae viderent et palparent; per "manus et pedes" ultimum hominis quod vocatur naturale, per "carnem" bonum ejus, et per "ossa" vera ejus; omnia enim quae in corpore humano dantur, correspondent spiritualibus, caro bono naturalis hominis, et Ossa veris ejus (de qua correspondentia videatur in opusculo De Caelo et Inferno 87-102): idem etiam confirmavit Dominus per id, quod coram discipulis comederit ex pisce asso et quoque ex favo apiario; "piscis assus" significat verum boni naturalis et sensualis hominis, et "favus apiarius" bonum veri ejusdem: quare Dominus per palpationem ostendit et confirmavit quod totum Humanum Ipsius usque ad ultima ejus glorificatum, hoc est, Divinum factum sit; et per esum, per id quod "comederit coram illis piscis assi partem et de favo apiario."
[16] Quoniam "mel" significat bonum naturalis hominis, ideo etiam
"Johannes" Baptista "habebat indumentum.. ex pilis cameli, ac cingulum coriaceum circum lumbum.., et alimentum ei fuit locusta et mel agreste" (Matthaeus 3:4; Marcus 1:6):
Johannes enim Baptista simile repraesentavit quod Elias; quare etiam dicitur quod "Elias venerit", per quem intelligitur Johannes: alias repraeSentavit Dominum quoad Verbum, seu Verbum quod a Domino; similiter Johannes: et quia Verbum docet quod Messias seu Dominus venturus sit, ideo Johannes praemissus est, qui de adventu Domini secundum praedictiones in Verbo praedicaret: et quia Johannes repraesentavit Verbum, ideo ultima Verbi, quae sunt naturalia, repraesentata sunt a Johanne per indumenta ejus, et quoque per alimenta; nempe per indumentum ex pilis cameli, et per cingulum coriaceum circum lumbos; "pili cameli" significant ultima naturalis hominis, qualia sunt exteriora Verbi, et "cingulum coriaceum circum lumbos" significat vinculum externum et connexionem eorum cum interioribus Verbi quae sunt spiritualia: similia significantur per "locustam" et per "mel agreste"; per "locustam" verum naturalis hominis, et per "mel agreste" bonum ejus: sive dicas verum et bonum naturalis hominis, sive verum et bonum naturale, quale est Verbum in sensu suo ultimo, qui vocatur sensus litterae seu sensus naturalis, idem est; nam Johannes per indumenta et alimenta sua repraesentavit illum.
[17] Quod
Nullum fermentum, nec ullum mel adhiberetur in quo adolerent ignitum Jehovae (Leviticus 2:11),
erat causa, quia "fermentum" significat falsum naturalis hominis, et "mel" jucundum boni ejus ac in opposito sensu jucundum mali ejus; quod etiam instar fermenti est dum admiscetur talibus quae sancta interiora significant, nam jucundum naturale trahit suum ex jucundis amorum sui et mundi: et quia gens Israelitica in illis jucundis prae aliis gentibus fuit, ideo melle uti in sacrificiis prohibitum illis fuit. (De significatione "mellis", quod sit jucundum boni naturalis hominis, videatur in Arcanis Caelestibus, n. 5620, 4
[18] Quod
Schimson postquam discerpserat leonem juvenem, in cadavere ejus invenerit examen apum et mel, quando uxorem duceret ex gente Philisthaea (Judicum 14:8),
significabat dissipationem fidei separatae a charitate, quam gens Philisthaea repraesentabat; quare etiam Philisthaei vocabantur "praeputiati", per quod nomen significatur quod absque amore et charitate spirituali essent, et solum in amore naturali, qui est amor sui et mundi: illa fides, quia destruit bonum charitatis, repraesentabatur per leonem juvenem qui aggressus est Simsonem animo discerpendi illum; sed Simson, quia erat Naziraeus, et per Naziraeatum repraesentabat Dominum quoad ultimum naturale Ejus, "discerpsit leonem", et dein in cadavere ejus invenit "examen apum et mel", per quod significabatur, quod, postquam fides illa dissipata est, loco ejus succedat bonum charitatis. Similia repraesentata et significata sunt per reliqua quae de Simsone in Libro Judicum memorantur; nam nihil quicquam in Verbo scriptum est quod non repraesentat et significat talia quae caeli et ecclesiae sunt, quae solummodo ex scientia correspondentiarum, et inde ex sensu spirituali Verbi, sciri possunt.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.
2. The editors made a correction or note here.
3. The editors made a correction or note here.
4. The editors made a correction or note here.