10236. And its base of brass. That this signifies the good of the ultimate of the natural, which is the good of the sensuous, is evident from the signification of the “base” of the laver wherein was water for washing, as being the ultimate of the natural, which is called the sensuous; and from the signification of “brass,” as being good (see above, n. 10235). That the “base” denotes the ultimate of the natural, which is called the external sensuous, is because by the laver which is above it is signified the natural in which is purification, consequently by that which is beneath is signified what is in the lowest place; that is, in the ultimate, thus the external sensuous of man. The natural of man is external, middle, and internal; the external of the natural communicates with the world, and is called the external sensuous; the internal natural is what communicates with the internal man, which is in heaven; the middle natural is that which conjoins the two; for where there are an external and an internal, there must be a conjoining intermediate. (That man has an external, a middle, and an internal natural, see n. 4009, 4570, 5118, 5120, 5649, 9216.)

[2] By the sensuous, which is the ultimate of the natural, is properly meant that which is called the “flesh,” and which perishes when man dies, thus what has served man for his functions in the world; as the sensuous of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. That this sensuous is the ultimate plane, in which the life of man terminates, and on which it reposes as a base, is evident, for it stands forth directly in the world, and through it as the outermost the world enters, and heaven departs. But this sensuous is common to man with brute animals, whereas the external sensuous which man has not so much in common with them, and yet is an external sensuous, is that which man has in his memory from the world, and is constituted of merely worldly, bodily, and earthly things there. The man who thinks and reasons from these things alone, and not from interior things, is called a sensuous man. This sensuous remains with man after death, but is quiescent; and this external sensuous is what is properly signified by the “base.”

[3] The nature of this sensuous was represented by the bases of the ten lavers, which were set near the temple, and which are thus described:

Solomon made the ten bases of brass; four cubits the length of each base, and four cubits the breadth; three cubits the height. Upon the closures that were between the flights of steps were lions, oxen, and cherubs; and upon the flights of steps in like manner above. Moreover, each base had four wheels and tables of brass; and its four corners had shoulders: beneath the laver were the shoulders molten. The work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel; their hands, and their backs, and their tires, and their spokes, were all molten. After this manner he made the ten bases; all of them had one casting, one measure, one proportion. Then he made the ten lavers of brass; each laver contained forty baths; each laver was four cubits (1 Kings 7:27-39).

[4] The nature of the external sensuous in man is here described by representatives, and especially the protection of the Lord lest man should enter into the things of heaven or of the church from his sensuous, thus from the world, because this is contrary to Divine order. For the world cannot enter into heaven, but heaven can enter into the world, which comes to pass when the Lord inflows through heaven with man, and enlightens him, teaches him, and leads him, by means of the Word. That to enter from the world into the things of heaven is contrary to Divine order, can be seen from those who enter from their sensuous, thus from the memory-knowledges which enter from the world, in that they believe nothing whatever.

[5] Protection to prevent this is signified by the lions, the oxen, and the cherubs, for by “lions” is signified protection lest truths enter, “lions” denoting truths in their power (n. 6367, 6369); by “oxen” is signified protection lest goods enter, for “oxen” denote goods in their power (see n. 2781). That by “cherubs” is signified the protection of the Lord lest this be done, see n. 308, 9509; also that the “shoulders” of which mention is made denote power and resistance, n. 1085, 4931-4937, 9836. By the “wheels as of a chariot” is signified the capacity of being wise when all things enter from heaven, for thus all things advance according to order, because the “wheels” of a chariot denote the capacity of advancing, thus of learning (n. 8215, 9872); and “chariots” denote what belongs to the doctrine of heaven and the church (n. 5321, 8215).

[6] What the sensuous man is, may again be briefly told. He is called a sensuous man who thinks only from such things as are in the memory from the world, and who cannot be raised toward interior things; such especially are they who believe nothing about heaven and the Divine because they do not see them, for they trust solely in the senses; and what does not appear before the senses they believe to be nothing. Such people closely approach the nature of brute animals, which also are led solely by the external senses; nevertheless they are cunning and skilful in acting and reasoning; but they do not see truth from the light of truth. Such were formerly called serpents of the tree of knowledge, and such for the most part is the infernal crew. (But what the sensuous man is, and what the sensuous itself, may be seen in the places cited in n. 9331, 9726, 9730, 9731, 9922, 9996; and what it is to be raised above sensuous things, or to be withdrawn from them, in those cited in n. 9922)

[7] The good of the sensuous, which is signified by the “base of brass,” is what is called the pleasure and delight that affect the imaginative thought, which thought is merely from what is earthly, bodily, and worldly; and it is distinguished from other delights by the fact that it looks to no other uses than those of self, or for the sake of self. For the sensuous man is in the love of self and of the world, and his delights belong to these loves. And because the loves of the sensuous man are of this nature, it is evident that he is more skilful than others in reasoning and in acting for the sake of profits and honors. For his body burns with the fire of this love, and this fire kindles a light which is called natural light; and when this has been kindled to brightness, then the light of heaven, which is of the interior man, is completely obscured; consequently the things of this light, being in thick darkness, are said to be nothing. It is otherwise with those who act from the fire of heaven, and think from the light of this fire. From all this it can be seen what is meant by the good of the sensuous, which is signified by the “base” of the laver.

5120. And I gave the cup upon the palm of Pharaoh. That this signifies appropriation by the interior natural, is evident from the signification of “giving the cup” (thus wine to drink), as being to appropriate (that “drinking” is the appropriation of truth may be seen above, n. 3168); and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the interior natural (n. 5080, 5095, 5118). As is evident from what goes before, the subject here treated of is the regeneration of that sensuous which is subject to the intellectual part of the interior man (which sensuous is signified by the “butler”), and consequently the influx of truth and good and their reception in the exterior natural; but as these things are far removed from the apprehension of those who have not any distinct idea about the rational and the natural, or about influx, no further explication is given.

[2] Moreover, a “cup” is often mentioned in the Word, and by it in the genuine sense is signified spiritual truth, that is, the truth of faith which is from the good of charity-the same as by “wine;” and in the opposite sense is signified the falsity by which comes evil, and also falsity from evil. That a “cup” signifies the same as “wine” is because a cup is what contains, and wine is what is contained, and hence they constitute one thing, and therefore the one is meant by the other.

[3] That such is the signification of “cup” in the Word, is plain from the following passages:

Jehovah, Thou wilt set in order a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; Thou wilt make fat my head with oil; my cup will run over (Psalms 23:5);

“to set in order a table and anoint the head with oil” denotes being gifted with the good of charity and love; “my cup will run over” denotes that the natural is thence filled with spiritual truth and good. Again:

What shall I render unto Jehovah? I will take the cup of salvations, and call upon the name of Jehovah (Psalms 116:12-13);

“to take the cup of salvations” denotes the appropriation of the goods of faith.

[4] In Mark:

Whosoever shall give you drink in a cup of water in My name, because ye are Christ’s, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward (Mark 9:41);

“to give drink in a cup of water in My name” denotes instructing in the truths of faith from a little charity.

[5] In Matthew:

Presently, taking the cup, and giving thanks, He gave to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is My blood, that of the New Testament (Matthew 26:27-28; Mark 14:23-24; Luke 22:20).

It is said the “cup” and not the “wine,” because “wine” is predicated of the spiritual church, but “blood” of the celestial church, although both of these signify holy truth proceeding from the Lord; but in the spiritual church the holy of faith from charity toward the neighbor, and in the celestial church the holy of charity from love to the Lord. The spiritual church is distinguished from the celestial in this, that the former is in charity toward the neighbor, while the latter is in love to the Lord; and the Holy Supper was instituted to represent and signify the Lord’s love toward the whole human race, and the reciprocal love of man toward Him.

[6] As by “cup” was signified that which contained, and by “wine” that which was contained, consequently by “cup” man’s external, and by “wine” his internal, therefore the Lord said:

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but the inner parts are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and of the platter, and the outside will also become clean (Matthew 23:25-26; Luke 11:39);

by a “cup” here also is meant in the internal sense the truth of faith, to cultivate which without its good is to “cleanse the outside of the cup,” especially when the interiors are full of hypocrisy, deceit, hatred, revenge, and cruelty; for then the truth of faith is only in the external man, and nothing at all of it is in the internal; and to cultivate and to become imbued with the good of faith causes truths to be conjoined with good in the interior man, in which case even fallacies are accepted as truths, as is signified by “cleansing first the inside of the cup, and the outside will also become clean.”

[7] Likewise in Mark:

Many other things there are which the Pharisees and the Jews have received to hold, as the baptizings of cups, and pots, brazen vessels, and couches. Forsaking the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the baptisms of pots and cups; and many other like things ye do. Ye renounce the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition (Mark 7:4, 8-9).

[8] That by “cup” is signified in the opposite sense that falsity from which is evil, and also the falsity which is from evil, is evident from the following passages:

Thus hath said Jehovah the God of Israel unto me, Take this cup of wine of anger from My hand, and cause all the nations to whom I send thee to drink it. And they shall drink, and reel to and fro, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them. Therefore I took the cup from Jehovah’s hand, and made all the nations to drink unto whom Jehovah had sent me (Jeremiah 25:15-17, 28).

The “cup of wine of anger” denotes the falsity by which is evil. The reason why the falsity by which is evil is signified, is that as wine intoxicates and makes insane, so does falsity, spiritual intoxication being nothing else than insanity brought on by reasonings about what is to be believed, when nothing is believed that is not apprehended; hence come falsities, and from falsities evils (n. 1072); and therefore it is said that “they shall drink, and reel to and fro, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send.” The “sword” is falsity fighting against truth (see n. 2799, 4499).

[9] In the book of Lamentations:

Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup shall pass through unto thee also; thou shalt be drunken and shalt be uncovered (Lam. 4:21);

“to be drunken from the cup,” denotes to be insane from falsities, and “to be uncovered, or naked, without shame,” the evil thence derived (see n. 213, 214).

[10] In Ezekiel:

Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister; therefore I will give her cup into thy hand. Thus hath said the Lord Jehovih, Thou shalt drink of thy sister’s cup, which is deep and wide; thou shalt be for laughter and mockery, large for holding; thou shalt be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of devastation and desolation, the cup of thy sister Samaria, thou shalt both drink and press out, and thou shalt pulverize the potsherds thereof (Ezekiel 23:31-34);

said of Jerusalem, by which is signified what is spiritual of the celestial church. “Cup” here denotes falsity from evil; and because this vastates or destroys the church, it is called the “cup of devastation and desolation.”

In Isaiah:

Awake, awake, rise up, O Jerusalem, who hast drunk from the hand of Jehovah the cup of His anger; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling (Isaiah 51:17).

In Habakkuk:

Drink thou also that thy foreskin be uncovered; the cup of Jehovah’s right hand shall come round unto thee, that shameful vomit be upon thy glory (Hab. 2:16).

In David:

In the hand of Jehovah there is a cup, and He hath mixed with wine, He hath filled with the mixture, and hath poured out therefrom; but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall suck them out, and drink them (Psalms 75:8).

[11] In these passages also a “cup” denotes insanity from falsities and the evils thence derived. It is called the “cup of the anger of Jehovah,” and also “of the right hand of Jehovah,” for the reason that the Jewish nation, like the common people, believed evils and the punishment of evils and falsities to come from no other source than Jehovah, when yet they are from the man himself, and from the infernal crew with him. It is often stated in this way from the appearance and consequent belief; but the internal sense teaches how it should be understood, and what should be believed (as may be seen above, n. 245, 592, 696, 1093, 1683, 1874, 1875, 2335, 2447, 3605, 3607, 3614).

[12] As a “cup,” like “wine,” signifies in the opposite sense the falsities through which come evils, and also falsities from evils, a “cup” signifies temptation also, because this takes place when falsity fights against truth, and consequently evil against good. A “cup” is used to express and describe temptation in the following passage:

Jesus prayed, saying, If Thou wilt that this cup pass from Me! nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done (Luke 22:42; Matthew 26:39, 42, 44; Mark 14:36).

The “cup” here denotes temptation. Likewise in John:

Jesus said to Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath; the cup which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it? (John 18:11).

And also in Mark:

Jesus said to James and John, Ye know not what ye ask; can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said, We can. But Jesus said to them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized with shall ye be baptized (Mark 10:38-39; Matthew 20:22-23).

From this it is evident that a “cup” is temptation, because temptation arises through evils combating by means of falsities against goods and truths; for baptism signifies regeneration, and because this is effected by means of spiritual combats, therefore by “baptism” is at the same time signified temptation.

[13] In the directly opposite sense a “cup” signifies falsity from evil with those who are profane, that is, who inwardly are in what is contrary to charity, and outwardly counterfeit holiness; in which sense it is used in Jeremiah:

Babylon hath been a golden cup in Jehovah’s hand, making the whole earth drunken; all nations have drunk of her wine, therefore the nations are mad (Jeremiah 51:7);

“Babylon” denotes those who are in external sanctity, and inwardly in what is profane (n. 1182, 1326); the falsity which they veil over with sanctity is the “golden cup;” “making the whole earth drunken” denotes that they lead those who are of the church (which is meant by the “earth”) into errors and insanities. The profane things which they hide under external sanctity are that they strive after nothing else than to be the greatest and wealthiest of all, and to be worshiped as gods, possessors of heaven and earth, by thus having dominion over the souls and bodies of men, and this by means of the Divine and holy things of which they make pretense. Hence as to the external man they appear like angels, but as to the internal they are devils.

[14] The like is said of Babylon in Revelation

The woman was arrayed in crimson and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stone and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and filthiness of her whoredom (Revelation 17:4).

Again:

Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become a habitation of demons. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the fury of her whoredom, and the kings of the earth have committed whoredom with her. I heard a voice from heaven, saying, Render unto her as she rendered unto you, in the cup which she mingled, mingle to her double (Revelation 18:2-4, 6).

Again:

The great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell; remembrance of Babylon the great was made before God, to give to her the cup of the fury of God’s anger (Revelation 16:19).

Again:

The third angel said with a great voice, If anyone worship the beast and his image, he shall drink of the wine of God’s anger mingled unmixed in the cup of His anger; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone (Revelation 14:9-10).