10238. And thou shalt put waters therein. That this signifies the truths of faith, through which there is purification in the natural, is evident from the signification of “waters,” as being the truths of faith (see n. 28, 739, 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 8568, 9323); and from the signification of the “laver,” as being the natural (of which above, n. 10235). He who does not know that “waters” signify the truths of faith, will fail to comprehend many passages in the Word; as what is signified by the statement that “unless a man is born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). They who by “water” in this passage understand nothing but water, believe that the water of baptism is that by which man is regenerated; when yet the water contributes nothing to regeneration; but the truth of faith and the good of love; for water merely washes away the uncleanness of the body, and by no means the evils of the heart.

[2] He who does not know that “waters” signify the truths of faith, cannot know what baptism signifies; for he believes that this external rite saves man, when yet this external thing effects nothing; but the internal thing that is signified, which is regeneration by means of the truths of faith. For they who are of the church are distinguished by baptism from all others in the whole world, because they can be regenerated by means of the truths of faith, but not those who are outside the church, seeing that within the church is the Word, in which are the truths of faith.

[3] He who does not know that “waters” signify the truths of faith, cannot know what is meant by “the waters that were above the expanse, and the waters that were under the expanse” (Genesis 1:6-10), when yet by “the waters above the expanse” are signified the truths of faith in the internal man; and by “the waters under the expanse,” the truths of faith in the external man; for the subject treated of in that chapter is the new creation of the man of the Most Ancient Church, thus his regeneration.

[4] He who does not know that “waters” signify the truths of faith, cannot know either what is signified by “waters” in Johns:

Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a fountain of water springing up into eternal life (John 4:13).

The poor and the needy seek water, but there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst. I will open rivers on the hillsides, and I will set fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of waters, and the dry land springs of waters (Isaiah 41:17-18).

They shall not thirst, He shall cause the waters to flow out of the rock for them; and He shall cleave the rock that the waters flow out (Isaiah 48:20-21).

And very frequently elsewhere. But see what has been previously said and shown on this subject; as, That purification from evils and falsities is effected by means of the truths of faith (n. 2799, 5954, 7044, 7918, 9089, 10229): As also regeneration (see the places ci ted in n. 9959) That “baptism” signifies regeneration by means of the truths of faith (n. 4255, 5120, 9089): That purification is effected in the natural (n. 3147, 9572): And also regeneration (see the places cited in n. 9325 at the end).

4977. And he set him over his house. That this signifies that good applied itself thereto, is evident from the signification of the “lord,” who set him over, as being good (see n. 4973); and from the signification of “setting him over his house,” as being to apply itself thereto, namely, to memory-knowledge or natural truth. That this is the meaning is plain from the words that follow, where it is said that “all that he had he gave into his hand,” by which is signified that all that belonged to it was as it were in its power. For good is lord, and truth is minister; and when it is said of a lord that he “set a minister over,” or of good that it “set truth over,” in the internal sense it is not signified that it ceded the dominion thereto, but that it applied itself. For in the internal sense a thing is perceived as it is in itself; but in the sense of the letter it is set forth according to the appearance; for good always has the dominion, but applies itself in order that truth may be conjoined with it. When man is in truth, as is the case before he has been regenerated, he knows scarcely anything about good; for truth flows in by an external or sensuous way, but good by an internal way. Man is sensible of that which flows in by an external way, but not, until he has been regenerated, of that which flows in by an internal way; so that unless in the prior state a sort of dominion were given to truth, or unless good so applied itself, truth would never be made good’s own. This is the same as what has already been often shown-that while man is being regenerated truth is apparently in the first place, or as it were the lord; but that good is manifestly in the first place and lord when he has been regenerated (see n. 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701, 4925, 4926, 4928, 4930).