2577. 'And with all' means that so also are the truths descending from these, namely factual truths and sensory truths. This is clear from what has been stated above and from the actual train of thought, for it is said just above, 'Behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes for all who are with you', by which rational truths are meant, which are like a covering to spiritual truths. And now 'all' occurs a second time, which therefore means lower truths still which are derived from rational truths. These lower truths are none other than those which are called factual truths and sensory truths. That these are derived and descend from rational truths is clear from the order which governs influx - interior things flow into exterior, or what amounts to the same, higher flow into lower, but not vice versa. The order does indeed seem to be other than this, that is to say, man seems to be made rational by means of sensory impressions and factual knowledge, but this is an illusion. Good from the Lord is flowing in all the time through man's rational faculty, where it meets facts and takes these into itself. And to the extent it is able to take them into itself and arrange them into a proper order, that person is made rational. It is similar with the good and the truths which are called the good and the truths of faith. Good from the Lord flows into the truths and takes these into itself; and to the extent it is able to take these into itself, that person is made spiritual. The appearance however is that it is these so-called truths of faith which flow in and make him spiritual. This appearance is also the reason why nowadays people venerate truth which is a matter of faith and give no thought to good which is a matter of charity.

649. But here the numbers, or the measurements of the ark, mean nothing other than the remnants that existed with the member of this Church when he was being reformed, and in particular that they were few. This is clear from the fact that among those numbers five is predominant, which in the Word means some, or a little, as in Isaiah,

Gleanings will be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries on the top of the highest branch, four or five on the branches of a fruitful tree. Isaiah 17:6.

Here 'two or three' and 'five' stands for a few. In the same prophet,

One thousand at the rebuke of one, at the rebuke of five will you flee, until you are left like a flagstaff on top of a mountain. Isaiah 30:17.

This also stands for a few. The minimum penalty when making restitution was a fifth part, Leviticus 5:16; 6:5; 22:14; Numbers 5:7, and the minimum increase when they redeemed an animal, a house, a field, or tithes, was a fifth part, Leviticus 27:13, 15, 19, 31.