10669. In plowing and in harvest thou shall rest. That this signifies in respect to the implanting of truth in good and its reception is evident from the signification of “plowing,” as being the implanting of truth in good (of which below); and from the signification of “harvest,” as being the reception of truth in good. That “harvest” has this signification is because by the “standing crop” is signified truth in conception (n. 9146); by the “ear,” the containant truth; and by “wheat and barley in the ear” the recipient good, and also the received good. Here however there is meant that the man’s labor in connection with this will cease, for it is said, “in plowing and in harvest thou shalt rest.” For by “rest on the Sabbath day” is signified the second state of regeneration, when the man is in peace, and is in heaven, and is led by the Lord, because then these things come without the man’s labor and exertion. (That “harvest” denotes the reception of truth by good may be seen in n. 9295; and that “the Sabbath” denotes the state of peace when the man is led by the Lord, see at the places cited in n. 10668.)

[2] That “plowing” signifies the implanting of truth in good, is because by “field” is signified the church in respect to good, thus also the good of the church; and by the “seed” which is sown is signified the truth of faith. (That “field” denotes the church as to good, see n. 2971, 3196, 3310, 3317, 7502, 9139, 9141, 9295; and that “seed” denotes the truth of faith, n. 1940, 3310, 3373, 3671, 6158)

[3] In the Word frequent mention is made of “earth,” “ground,” “field,” “seed time,” “harvest,” “standing crop,” “threshing-floor,” “grain,” “wheat,” “barley,” and these there signify such things as belong to the setting up of the church, and to the regeneration of the man who is in the church; thus such as bear relation to the truth of faith and to the good of love, from which is the church. That such things are signified is from correspondence, for all things in the earth, even those in its vegetable kingdom, correspond to spiritual things that are in heaven, as is very evident from the things there presented to view. For in heaven there appear fields, fallow lands, plains, beds of flowers, harvests, groves, and other like things, such as are on the earth; and it is there known that the things of heaven, and thus of the church, appear in this way before their eyes.

[4] One who is reading the Word believes that such things in it are merely comparisons, but be it known that they are real correspondences, as for example these in Isaiah:

Hearken, and hear ye My voice. Shall the plowman plow all day to sow? Shall he open and harrow his ground? When he hath made plain the faces thereof, doth he not scatter the fitches, and sow broadcast the cummin? So doth he set again the measured wheat, and the appointed barley, and the settled spelt thereof. So doth He instruct him unto judgment, his God doth teach him (Isaiah 28:23-26).

These things appear like comparisons; but they are real correspondences, by which are described the reformation and the regeneration of the man of the church; and therefore it is also said, “so doth He instruct him unto judgment, his God doth teach him.” “To instruct unto judgment” denotes to give him intelligence, for by “judgment” is signified the intelligence of truth (n. 2235); and “to teach him,” when this is done by God, denotes to give him wisdom. From this it can be seen what is meant by “plowing,” “harrowing,” “scattering the fitches,” “sowing broadcast the cummin,” “setting again the wheat, barley, and spelt;” namely, that “to plow” denotes to implant truth in good; “fitches” and “cummin” denote memory-knowledges, because these are the first things which are learned in order that man may receive intelligence. (That “wheat” denotes the good of love of the internal man may be seen in n. 7605; that “barley” denotes the good of love of the external man, in n. 7602; and that “spelt” denotes the truth of it, in n. 7605)

[5] That “plowing” (not from comparison, but from correspondence) signifies the first of the church in general and also in particular, with everyone who is being regenerated, or who is becoming the church, is evident from these words in Moses:

Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard intermixedly. Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together. Thou shalt not wear a mixed garment of wool and linen together (Deuteronomy 22:9-11).

These words involve that states of good and of truth must not be jumbled together; for a “vineyard” denotes the church as to truth; and a “field,” the church as to good; “to plow with an ox” denotes to prepare by means of good; “to plow with an ass” denotes to prepare by means of truth; “wool” also denotes good; and “linen,” truth. For the case is this. Those who are in the Lord’s celestial kingdom are in a state of good; whereas those who are in His spiritual kingdom are in a state of truth; and he who is in the one, cannot be in the other. Who cannot see that the above words signify deeper things; for otherwise what evil could there be in sowing a vineyard intermixedly; or in plowing with an ox and an ass together; or in wearing a garment made of wool and linen mixed together?

3310. That “a man of the field” signifies the good of life from doctrinal things, is evident from the signification of “field.” In the Word frequent mention is made of “earth” or “land,” of “ground,” and of “field;” and by “earth” or “land,” when used in a good sense, is signified the Lord’s kingdom in the heavens and on earth, thus the church, which is His kingdom on earth. The like is signified by “ground,” but in a more restricted sense (n. 566, 662, 1066-1068, 1262, 1413, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 2928). The same is signified also by “field,” but in a sense still more restricted (n. 368, 2971); and as the church is not the church from doctrinal things except insofar as these have respect to the good of life as their end; or what is the same, unless these doctrinal things are conjoined with the good of life, therefore by “field” is principally signified the good of life; and in order that this may be of the church, there must be doctrinal things from the Word which have been implanted in this good. Without doctrinal things there is indeed good of life, but not as yet the good of the church, thus not as yet good truly spiritual, except only in the capacity of becoming so; as is the case with the good of life among the Gentiles who have not the Word, and therefore are ignorant of the Lord.

[2] That a “field” is the good of life in which are to be implanted the things which are of faith, that is, spiritual truths which are of the church, is very evident from the Lord’s parable in Matthew:

The sower went forth to sow, and as he sowed, some fell upon the hard way, and the birds came and devoured them; and others fell upon stony places where they had not much earth, and straightway they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth; and when the sun was risen, they were scorched, and because they had no root, they withered away; and others fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them; but others fell upon the good ground and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold: he that hath an ear to hear, let him hear (Matthew 13:3-9; Mark 4:3-9; Luke 8:5-8).

Here four kinds of earth or ground in a field-that is, in the church-are treated of. That the “seed” is the Word of the Lord, thus truth, which is said to be of faith, and that the “good ground” is the good which is of charity, is evident, for it is the good in man that receives the Word; the “hard way” is falsity; a “stony place” is truth that has no root in good; “thorns” are evils.

[3] As regards the good of life from doctrinal things, which is signified by “a man of the field,” the case is this: They who are being regenerated, at first do what is good from doctrinal things, for of themselves they do not know what is good, but learn it from the doctrinal things of love and charity; from these they know who the Lord is; who is the neighbor; what love is, and what charity; thus what good is. When they are in this state they are in the affection of truth, and are called “men [viri] of the field;” but afterwards when they have been regenerated, they do not do what is good from doctrinal things, but from love and charity, for they are then in the good itself which they have learned through doctrinal things, and then are called “men [homines] of the field.” The case herein is as with one who by nature inclines to adulteries, thefts, and murders, but who learns from the commandments of the Decalogue that such things are of hell, and so abstains from them. In this state he is affected by the commandments because he is afraid of hell, and from these and likewise from many things in the Word he learns how he ought to direct his life; and in this case when he does what is good, he does it from the commandments. But when he is in good, he begins to be averse to the adulteries, thefts, and murders to which before he had been inclined; and when he is in this state, he no longer does what is good from the commandments, but from good, which then is in him. In the former state he learns good from truth; in the latter state he teaches truth from good.

[4] The same is the case also with spiritual truths, which are called doctrinal things, and are still more interior commandments; for doctrinal things are the interior truths that belong to the natural man. The first truths are of sense, the next are of memory-knowledge, the interior ones are of doctrine. These doctrinal truths are founded upon truths of memory-knowledge, for man can form and retain no idea, notion, or conception of them except from memory-knowledges. But truths of memory-knowledge are founded upon truths of the senses, for without sensuous things no memory-knowledges can be comprehended by man. These truths, namely, those of memory-knowledge and of sense, are what are signified by “a man skillful in hunting;” but doctrinal truths are those which are signified by a “man of the field.” In this way do these truths follow in succession with man; and therefore until he is of adult age, and through truths of sense and of memory-knowledge is in doctrinal truths, no man is able to be regenerated, for he cannot be confirmed in the truths of doctrine, except by means of ideas derived from the things of memory-knowledge and of sense. For nothing is possible in man’s thought, even as to the deepest arcanum of faith, that is not attended with a natural and sensuous idea, although the man is for the most part ignorant of the nature of it; but in the other life, if he desires it, it is presented to view before his understanding, and even, if he so wishes, before his sight; for however incredible it may appear, in the other life such things can be presented to the sight.