763. And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water as a river.- That this signifies crafty reasonings in abundance concerning justification by faith alone from those who think sensually and not spiritually, is evident from the signification of a serpent, as denoting those who are sensual, and in an abstract sense the sensual, which is the ultimate of the natural in man (concerning which see above, n. 70, 581, 739; that dragons also denote the sensual may be seen above, n. 714); from the signification of the woman, as denoting the church, which will be the New Jerusalem, and is treated of above; from the signification of mouth, as denoting thought, from which speech flows (concerning which also see above, n. 580); from the signification of water, as denoting the truth of faith, and, in the opposite sense, falsity (concerning which see above, n. 483, 518, 537, 538); from the signification of a river, as denoting intelligence from the understanding of truth, and, in the opposite sense, reasoning from falsities (concerning which also see above, n. 518); therefore by casting out water as a river is signified reasoning from falsities in abundance. Crafty reasonings about justification by faith alone by those who think sensually and not spiritually, are here meant, because by the dragon are meant those who defend justification by faith alone, and who are sensual, and therefore think and reason sensually and not spiritually (that the dragon signifies those who defend justification by faith alone may be seen above, n. 714). This is meant because dragons and serpents signify the sensual, and because sensual men are crafty beyond others, and reason keenly from fallacies and falsities. That the dragon and serpent, in an abstract sense, signify craftiness, may be seen above (n. 715, 739, 581). It is evident then from these things what is signified by the dragon casting out of his mouth after the woman water as a river.

[2] Because such things are signified, something shall also be said about the crafty reasonings of such in favour of justification by faith alone. Their dogma is, that man is justified and saved by faith alone without the works of the law, which are goods of charity. But because in the Word of both Testaments they find works and deeds so frequently mentioned, as well as doing and loving, they cannot help saying that a man ought to live well; but because they have separated works or deeds from faith, as of no justifying or saving value, therefore they craftily bring these and faith together, but in such a manner that they rather separate than conjoin them. But their reasonings are too abundant and too crafty to be stated in a few words, they shall therefore be referred to in detail in a small work on Spiritual Faith, and be so presented as to be accommodated to the apprehension of even the simple. It is commonly believed - and they themselves who defend justification by faith alone also believe it - that these think and reason spiritually, because cleverly and craftily. But let it be understood that none can think and reason spiritually but those who are enlightened by the Lord, and who, therefore, are in the spiritual affection for truth; for such only are in the light of truth, and the light of truth is the light of heaven, from which the angels have intelligence and wisdom; it is that light which is called spiritual light, and consequently those who are in it are spiritual. But those who are in falsities, however acutely and subtly they may think and reason, are not spiritual, but natural, in fact they are sensual, for their thoughts, and the reasonings therefrom, are for the most part from the fallacies of the senses, which some adorn with eloquence, embellish with the flowers of rhetoric, and corroborate by appearances from nature alone; while others adduce facts (scientifica) and adapt them to their reasonings, and proclaim them from a fire of self-love and from the pride which they have in their own intelligence, thus with an intonation that seems like affection for truth. In such things does their craftiness consist, which appears like wisdom to those who cannot or dare not enter from any understanding into the things that pertain to the church and the Word. Sensual men have the ability to think, speak, and act, with so much craftiness, because all evil resides in a man's Sensual, and in it cunning is as predominant as intelligence is in the spiritual man. This has been made evident to me from the cunning of the infernals, which is of such a nature, and so great, that it cannot possibly be described; and in the hells all are sensual. This is the meaning of the Lord's words in Luke:

"The sons of this age in their generation are wiser (prudentiores) than the sons of light" (16:8);

and by these words concerning the serpent in Moses:

"The serpent was more crafty than any wild beast of the field, which Jehovah God made" (Genesis 3:1);

the serpent signifies man's Sensual. ¹

Fußnoten:

4453. 'Carry on trade throughout it, and have possessions in it' means matters of doctrine which, because they are comunicated, would accord with one another. This is clear from the meaning of 'carrying on trade" as acquiring cognitions for oneself and also communicating them, dealt with in 2967 - 'carrying on trade throughout the land' therefore meaning entering into the cognitions of good and truth which Shechem the son of Hamor and his city mean; and from the meaning of 'having posession of a land make one and accord with one another. The reason why 'carrying on trade' means acquiring cognitions for oneself and also communicating them is that in heaven, where the Word is perceived, which in general is the acquisition and communication of cognitions, and specifically the reality meant my whatever commodity is mentioned. For example, if gold is mentioned, the good of love and wisdom is understood, 113, 1551, 1552; if silver, the truth that belongs to intelligence and faith, 1551, 2048, 2954. If mention if made of sheep, rams, kids, or lambs with which people traded in ancient times, the kinds of things meant by sheep, rams, kids and lambs are understood; and so on.

[2] As in Ezekiel,

Say to Tyre, one that dwells upon the entrances of the seas, that she is the trader of the peoples to many islands: Tarshish was your merchant because of the abundance of all riches; silver, iron, tin, and lead, they exchanged for your wares. Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were your traders in the souls of men - and they gave vessels of bronze for your commerce. The sons of Dedan were your traders; many islands were the merchandise of your hand. Syria was your merchant in the multitude of your handiworks; Judah, and the land of Israel, they were your traders. Wheat of Minnith, and pannag, and honey, and oil, and balm they exchanged for your commerce. Damascus was your merchant in the multitude of your handiworks, because of the multitude of all riches - in the wine of Helbon, and the wool of Zahar. Dan and Javan traded with yarn for your wares. Dedan was your trader in chariot cloaks. ¹ . The Arab and all the princes of Kedar were the merchants of your hand, in lambs, and rams, and goats; in these were they your merchants. The traders of Sheba and Raamah, they were your traders in the best of every spice; and by means of every precious stone and gold they provided your tradings. Haran and Canneh and Eden, the traders of Sheba; Asshur, Chilmad, was your trader. These were your traders in choice wares - balls of violet, and embroidered garments; and treasure-chests of precious garments, bound cords, and objects made of cedar were among your merchandise. The ships of Tarshish were your squadrons in your merchandise from which you have been filled and made exceedingly honoured in the heart of the seas. Ezekiel 27:1-25.

[3] From here and many other paces in the Word it may be seen that tradings, commerce, merchandise, and wares mean nothing other than undertakings involving cognitions of good and truth. For what connection can the prophetical Word have with the trading activities of Tyre unless they mean things that are spiritual and celestial? That being so, it is quite clear not only that things other than wares are meant by 'wares' but also that the nations mentioned by name there mean people among whom these other things reside. It is also clear that no one can know what is meant by any of them except from the internal sense - what is meant by Tarshish, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, the sons of Dedan, Syria, Judah, Israel, Dan, Javan, Dedan, the Arab, Shebah, Raamah, Haran, Canneh, Eden, Asshur, and Chilmad. Nor can one know what is meant by their wares - by silver, iron, tin, lead, vessels of bronze, wheat, minnith, pannag, honey, oil, balm, the wine of Helbon, the wool of Zahar, yarn, chariot-cloaks, lambs, rams, goats, spices, precious stones, gold, balls of violet embroidered garments, bound cords, and objects made of cedar. These and others like them mean the goods and truths of the Church and of the Lord's kingdom, and the cognitions of those goods and truths. It is because Tyre means cognitions, 1201, that Tyre is the subject at this point in Ezekiel. And because such 'wares', that is, goods and truths, exist in the Church and the Lord's kingdom, the land of Canaan, which means the Church and the Lord's kingdom, was from most ancient times so named from a word meaning wares or merchandise, for this is what the name Canaan means in the original language. From all this one may now see what is meant by 'carrying on trade throughout the land'.

Fußnoten: