909. That the “fowl” signifies the things of his understanding, and the “beast” the things of his will, which are of the internal man, and that “every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth” signifies like corresponding things in his external man, is evident from the signification of “fowl” as shown above n. 40, 776), and of “beast” (n. 45, 46, 142, 143, 246). That the “creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth” signifies corresponding things in the external man, is now evident, for the creeping thing here bears relation both to the “fowl” or things of the understanding, and to the “beast” or things of the will. The most ancient people called sensuous things and the pleasures of the body creeping things that creep, because they are just like creeping things that creep on the earth. They also likened man’s body to the earth or ground, and even called it earth or ground, as in this passage, where nothing else than the external man is signified by the “earth.”

246. That the “beast and the wild animal of the field” signify affections, is evident from what was previously said concerning them n. 45, 46), to which it is permitted to add the following passage from David:

Thou, O God, dost send the rain of Thy kindnesses; Thou confirmest Thy laboring inheritance; Thy wild animal shall dwell therein (Psalms 68:9-10),

where also “wild animal” denotes the affection of good, because it is said that it shall “dwell in the inheritance of God.” The reason why here, and also in chapter 2, the “beast and the wild animal of the field” are mentioned, while in chapter 1, the “beast and the wild animal of the earth” are named, is that the present passage treats of the church or regenerated man, whereas the first chapter related to what was as yet not a church, or to man about to become regenerate; for the word “field” is applied to the church, or to the regenerate.