10238. 'And put water in it' means the truths of faith by means of which purification in the natural is accomplished. This is clear from the meaning of 'water' as the truths of faith, dealt with in 28, 739, 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 8568, 9323; and from the meaning of 'the laver' as the natural, dealt with above in 10235. Anyone who does not know that 'water' means the truths of faith will fail to grasp the meaning of very many statements in the Word, such as unless a person is born of water and the spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God, John 3:5. Those who take water here to mean nothing other than water think that the water of baptism is the means by which a person is regenerated. But in fact the water does nothing towards regeneration, only the truth of faith and the good of love do so; for water washes away solely dirt that is on the body and by no means evils present in the heart.

[2] Anyone who does not know that 'water' means the truths of faith cannot know what baptism means, either. He thinks that the external act saves a person, when in fact the external act does not accomplish anything, only the inner reality meant by it, namely regeneration by means of the truths of faith. Baptism makes people belonging to the Church different from everyone else throughout the world, because unlike those outside the Church they are able to be regenerated by means of the truths of faith. For the Word, which contains the truths of faith, exists within the Church.

[3] Nor can anyone who does not know that 'water' means the truths of faith know what is meant in Genesis 1:6-10 by the waters above the expanse and the waters under the expanse. Truths of faith within the internal man are meant by 'the waters above the expanse', and truths of faith in the external by 'the waters under the expanse'; for the subject in that chapter is the new creation, thus the regeneration, of members of the Most Ancient Church.

[4] Nor can anyone who does not know that 'water' means the truths of faith know what is meant by 'water' in John,

He who drinks of the water that I shall give will never thirst. But the water that I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up into eternal life. John 4:13-14.

And in Isaiah,

The poor and the needy are seeking water, but there is none; their tongue is parched with thirst. I will open streams on the sloping heights, and I will place springs in the midst of valleys; I will make the wilderness into a pool of water, and the dry land into wellsprings of water. Isaiah 41:17-18.

And again in the same prophet,

They will not thirst. He will make water flow for them from the rock; and He will cleave the rock so that water flows out. Isaiah 48:20-21.

And in very many other places. But see what has been stated and shown previously on these matters,

Purification from evils and falsities is accomplished by means of the truths of faith, 2799, 5954(end), 7044, 7918, 9089, 10229.

So too is regeneration, see the places referred to in 9959.

'Baptism' means regeneration by means of the truths of faith, 4255, 5120(end), 9089.

Purification is accomplished within the natural, 3147, 9572.

And so is regeneration, see the places referred to in 9325.

775. Having seven heads. That this signifies the knowledge of the holy things of the Word that are falsified and adulterated, is evident from the signification of the head, as denoting intelligence and wisdom; and in the opposite sense, insanity and folly; concerning which see above (n. 553, 577). And because intelligence and wisdom cannot be spoken of in reference to those who by reasonings from the natural man confirm the separation of faith and life, these being meant by the beast coming up out of the sea; therefore, by his head knowledge is signified. Knowledge of the holy things of the Word is meant, because there were seven heads; and the number seven is used of things holy, as may be seen above (n. 257). The reason why such knowledge is meant is that those meant by the dragon are not hostile to the Word; for they call the Word holy and Divine because they seek out from it confirmations of their own dogmas. Nevertheless, that the holy things of the Word, of which they have the knowledge, are falsified and adulterated by them, will be evident from what follows; and in general from this, that those who separate faith from life, cannot do otherwise, because such separation is contrary to each and all things of the Word. For in these there is a marriage of good and truth, which is perfectly clear from the spiritual sense of the Word. On this account, also, there are, in most passages, two expressions, which appear to be a repetition of the same thing. One of them, however, has reference to good, and the other to truth; thus both make, as it were, a marriage, which is called a Divine marriage, a celestial marriage, and a spiritual marriage, and which, strictly regarded, is the marriage of good and truth; concerning which see above (n. 238, 288, 484, 660). The marriage of faith and love, or of faith and good works, should be similar; for faith pertains to truth, and truth to faith; and love pertains to good, and good to love. Hence it is clear, that those who separate faith from the life thereof, or, what is the same, from love, cannot but falsify the Word, because they explain the sense of the letter in a manner contrary to that marriage of good and truth which is contained in each and all things of the Word.

[2] It was said, that the head signifies wisdom and intelligence, and that in the case of those who do not possess wisdom and intelligence, it signifies knowledge; hence in the case of those who falsify and pervert the Word, it signifies insanity and folly, the same as above (n. 715), where the signification of the seven heads of the dragon was explained. Hence the same also is here signified by the head of this beast; for the beast here mentioned is the dragon, as to reasonings from the natural man confirming the separation of faith from life.

The head signifies wisdom, intelligence, and the knowledge of truths, and, in the opposite sense, folly, insanity, and the knowledge of falsities, because these things reside in the head and they are there in their beginnings. This is quite evident from the fact that the origins of all the fibres are there; these proceed thence to all the sensory and motor organs of the face and the whole body. There are substances there, infinite in number, which appear like little spheres, and are called by anatomists the cortical and cineritious substances. From these proceed small fibres, the primary of which are not evident to the sight, and which afterwards form fascicles. From these the medullary substance of the whole cerebrum, cerebellum, and medulla oblongata is produced; and from this medullary substance proceed fibres visible to the sight, which, when conjoined, are called nerves. By means of these the cerebrum, cerebellum, and spinal marrow form the entire body, and each and all things pertaining to it, and thus each and all things belonging to the body are under the rule of the brains.

[3] From these things it is evident that the understanding and the will, which are designated by the one term, mind - consequently also intelligence and wisdom - reside in the brains, and that they are there in their beginnings. Also that the organs which are formed to receive sensations and produce motions are derivations therefrom; just as streams are derived from their fountains, or as results from their causes, or as substantial products from their respective substances. Moreover those derivations are such that the brain is everywhere present, almost in the same way as the sun, by its light and heat, is present in each and all things of the earth.

Hence it follows that the whole body, and each and all things belonging to it, are forms under the direction and government of the mind, and also subservient thereto; and the mind is in the brain; and that it is so constructed to obey the direction of the mind, that the part where the latter were not present, or to which it did not communicate its life, would be no part of man's life.

[4] From these things it is evident that the mind, while it is in its thought which belongs to the understanding, and in its affection which pertains to the will, extends into every individual part of the body, and there by means of its own forms ranges at large, as the thoughts and affections of the angels do in the societies of the whole heaven. The case is also similar in the present instance, because all the things belonging to the human body correspond to all the things of heaven; therefore, the form of the whole heaven, in the sight of the Lord, is the human form. This subject is treated of at great length in the Arcana Coelestia, and also in the work concerning Heaven and Hell.

[5] These things have been said in order that it may be known why it is that the head signifies wisdom and intelligence; as also, in the opposite sense, folly and insanity. For such as a man is in primaries, such is he in the whole; the body, together with each and every part of it, being a derivation, as just stated. If, therefore, the mind is in the belief of falsity, and in the love of evil, then the entire body - that is the whole man - is in a similar state.

This is also quite evident as soon as a man becomes a spirit, whether good or evil; for then his whole spiritual body, from head to foot, is entirely qualified by his mind. If the mind is heavenly, the whole spirit also as to the body is heavenly. If the mind is infernal, the whole spirit also as to the body is infernal. Wherefore the latter spirit appears in a horrible form as a devil; but the former in a beautiful form as an angel of heaven. But on this subject we shall treat further elsewhere.