969. (Verse 4) And the third angel poured out his vial into the rivers, and the fountains of waters. That this signifies the state of the church manifested as to the faculty of understanding the truths of the Word, is evident from the signification of the angel pouring out the vial, as denoting the state of the church manifested (see above, n. 960, 961, 965); and from the signification of rivers, as denoting those things that pertain to intelligence, consequently, to the faculty of understanding (see n. 518); and from the signification of fountains of waters, as denoting the truths of the Word (see n. 483).

It is therefore evident, that by the third angel pouring out his vial into the rivers and the fountains of waters, is signified the state of the church manifested as to the faculty of understanding the truths of the Word.

Continuation concerning the Fifth Precept:-

[2] Man is so created, that he may be an image of heaven, and an image of the world; for he is a microcosm. Of his parents he is born an image of the world; and he is born again, that he may be an image of heaven. To be born again is to be regenerated; and he is regenerated by the Lord by means of truths from the Word, and by a life according to them.

A man is an image of the world as to his natural mind, and an image of heaven as to his spiritual mind. The natural mind, which is the world, is beneath; and the spiritual mind, which is heaven, is above. The natural mind is full of evils of every kind, as thefts, adulteries, murders, false witness, lusts, indeed, of blasphemies and profanations of God. These evils and many others have their seat in that mind; for the love of them is there, and thence the delight of thinking, willing, and doing them. These things are innate in that mind from the parents; for a man is born into and grows up in the things that are in that mind, he is only restrained by the bonds of civil law and moral law from doing them, and thereby from manifesting the tendencies of his depraved will.

Who is there that cannot see that the Lord cannot flow in from heaven with a man, and teach and lead him, before those evils are removed? For they oppose, repel, pervert, and suffocate the truths and goods of heaven that press, apply themselves, and endeavour to flow in from above. For evil is infernal and good is heavenly, and everything infernal burns with hatred against everything heavenly. It is therefore evident that, before the Lord can flow in from heaven with heaven and form man to the image of heaven, those various evils that have accumulated in the natural mind must necessarily be removed.

[3] Now, because the removal of evils is the first step to be taken before a man can be taught and led by the Lord, the reason is clear why in eight precepts of the Decalogue the evil works that are not to be done, but not the good works which are to be done, are recounted. Good does not exist together with evil, nor does it exist before evils are removed; the way is not opened from heaven into a man until this is done. For man is like a black sea, the waters of which must be removed on each side, before the Lord in cloud and fire can give a passage to the sons of Israel. The black sea also signifies hell; Pharaoh, together with the Egyptians, the natural man; and the sons of Israel, the spiritual man.

949. (Verse 6) And there went out of the temple seven angels, having the seven plagues. That this signifies manifestation thence of all evils and the falsities therefrom, and of all falsities and the evils therefrom, which have devastated the church, is evident from the signification of angels, as denoting manifestations, as above (n. 869, 878, 883); and from the signification of seven, as denoting all and completely (see above, n. 257, 300); and from the signification of plagues, as denoting such things as destroy spiritual life, consequently, the church, which are lusts from evil love, and falsities (concerning which see above, n. 584); consequently, evils and the falsities therefrom, and falsities and the evils therefrom; and from the signification of the temple, as denoting the interior Word revealed, as treated of in the preceding article. From these things it is evident, that by the seven angels going out of the temple, having the seven plagues, is signified, that from the Word and its spiritual sense all evils and the falsities therefrom are made manifest, and falsities and the evils therefrom, which have devastated the church.

[2] It is said, evils and the falsities therefrom, and falsities and the evils therefrom; because the church with the Papists, and the church with the Reformed, are both meant. With the Papists evils and the falsities therefrom have devastated the Church; but with the Reformed, falsities and the evils therefrom. The evils with the Papists are evils from the love of ruling over everything in heaven and everything on earth, by means of the holy things of the church, that love being the source of all evils; and from those evils are falsities of every kind. But with the Reformed there are falsities and the evils therefrom. Falsities flow from the principle of man's justification and salvation by faith alone, or by faith without good works; and when good works are separated from faith, evil works take their place. This is why these falsities and the evils therefrom with them have devastated the church, as is the case with evils and the falses therefrom with the Papists.

Continuation:-

As far as evils are removed as sins, so far goods flow in, and afterwards a man so far does goods, not from himself, but from the Lord. As:

[3] First. So far as he does not worship other gods, thus also, so far as he does not love himself and the world above all things, so far the acknowledgment of God flows in from the Lord; and then he worships God, not from himself but from the Lord.

Secondly. So far as he does not profane the name of God, thus also, so far as he shuns the lusts arising from the loves of self and of the world, so far he loves the holy things of the Word and of the church; for these are the name of God; and the lusts arising from the love of self and of the world profane them.

Thirdly. So far as he shuns thefts, thus also, frauds and unlawful gains, so far sincerity and justice enter, and he loves what is sincere and just, from sincerity and justice, and thence acts sincerely and justly, not from himself, but from the Lord.

Fourthly. So far as he shuns adulteries, thus also unchaste and filthy thoughts, so far conjugial love enters, which is the inmost love of heaven, in which love chastity itself resides.

Fifthly. So far as he shuns murders, thus also deadly hatred and revenge, which breathe out murder, so far the Lord enters with mercy and love.

Sixthly. So far as he shuns false witness, therefore also lies and blasphemies, so far truth from the Lord enters.

Seventhly. So far as he shuns the lust of possessing the houses of others, and hence also the love and lusts therefrom of possessing the goods of others, so far charity towards his neighbour enters from the Lord.

Eighthly. So far as he shuns the lust of possessing the wives of others, their servants, etc., and hence also the love and lusts therefrom of ruling over others - for the things recounted in this precept are man's own - so far love to the Lord enters.

In these eight precepts are contained the evils which must be shunned, but in the two others - the third and fourth, are contained certain things which must be done, - that the Sabbath is to be hallowed, and that parents are to be honoured. But how these two precepts are to be understood, not by the men of the Jewish Church, but by the men of the Christian Church, will be explained elsewhere.