3068. 'Let down now your pitcher' means submitting facts. This becomes clear from the meaning of 'letting down' as submitting, and from the meaning of 'a pitcher' as facts. The reason why a water-pot or a pitcher means facts is that 'water' means truth, 680, 739, 2702, and a pitcher is a vessel with water in it, even as factual knowledge is a vessel with truth in it. All factual knowledge is a vessel for truth, and all truth is a vessel for good. Factual knowledge without truth is an empty vessel, and so is truth without good; but factual knowledge in which truth is held is a vessel that is filled, as is truth in which good is held. Affection which is an attribute of love is what joins them together so that they may exist in order. For love is spiritual conjunction.

8530. 'Take a jar' means truth. This is clear from the meaning here of 'a jar' as truth. The reason why 'a jar' means truth is that it was a vessel to contain 'the manna', by which good is meant; and all truth is like a vessel for good. So it is also that truths are meant by 'vessels' generally, 3068, 3079, 3316, 3318, consequently by 'vessels' in particular, and here by 'a jar'. Various things in the natural order may serve to elucidate the idea that truths are vessels for containing good. Light for example is a container of heat from the sun, and also by light is meant truth and by the heat within light is meant good; the relationship of truth to good is like these. Their relationship is also like that of clothing to the body, and of the body to the soul, as well as being like that of a blood vessel or of a fibre to the blood or to the animal spirit ¹ enclosed within it. In addition it is like that of the lungs to the heart, and therefore of the breathing of the lungs to the beating of the heart. In short, the relationship is like that of any organic form which the body possesses to the life within that form. These comparisons make clear what truth without good is like, or what faith without charity is like. They show that it is like organic forms belonging to the body without any life; like the breathing of the lungs without the beating of the heart, or like the lungs without the heart; like a blood vessel or a fibre without blood or animal spirit; and also like the body without the soul. Consequently truth without good is like an inanimate object; or if evil is present instead of good it is like a corpse.

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