670. II. The washing called baptism means spiritual washing, which is purification from evils and falsities, and so regeneration.

Acts of washing were enjoined upon the Children of Israel, as is well known from the statutes laid down by Moses. For instance, that Aaron should wash himself before putting on his garments as minister (Leviticus 16:4, 24); and before approaching the altar to minister (Exodus 30:18-21; 40:30-32). The same was enjoined upon the Levites (Numbers 8:6-7); and also others who had become unclean through sins, and they were said to be sanctified by acts of washing (Exodus 29:1, 4; 40:12; Leviticus 8:6). Therefore the bronze sea and many basins were placed near the temple, so that they could wash themselves (1 Kings 7:23-39). They were instructed to wash the vessels and utensils, such as tables, benches, beds, plates and cups (Leviticus 11:32; 14:8-9; 15:5-12; 17:15-16; Matthew 23:25-26).

[2] But the reason why washing and similar acts were ordered and enjoined upon the Children of Israel was that the church established among them was a representative one, and had the character it did so as to prefigure the Christian church which was to come. When therefore the Lord came into the world, He abolished representative acts, all of which were external, and established a church which was in all respects internal. So the Lord banished the symbols and revealed the actual forms, as when someone lifts a curtain or opens a door, allowing what is inside not only to be seen but also approached. Out of all the previous representative acts the Lord retained only two, to contain everything the internal church has in a single pair; these are baptism to replace the acts of washing and the Holy Supper to replace the lamb which was sacrificed every day, and in full measure on the feast of the Passover.

383. (i) The wicked have no faith because evil belongs to hell and faith to heaven.

Evil belongs to hell, because that is the source of all evil; faith belongs to heaven, because every truth that makes up faith is from heaven. So long as a person lives in the world, he is held and walks midway between heaven and hell, and is there in spiritual equilibrium, which gives him free will. Hell is beneath his feet, heaven is above his head, and whatever rises from hell is evil and falsity; but whatever comes down from heaven is good and truth. A person, being midway between these two opposites, and at the same time in spiritual equilibrium, can freely choose, adopt and make his own one or other. If he chooses evil and falsity, he links himself with hell; if good and truth, he links himself with heaven. These facts not only make it plain that evil belongs to hell and faith to heaven, but also that those two cannot exist together in one subject or one person. For if they were present together, the person would be pulled apart as if he had two ropes tied round him, one pulling him upwards, the other downwards, so that he would find himself swinging in the air. He would be like a blackbird, flying now up, now down. When he flew up, he would worship God, when he flew down, the devil. Anyone can see that this is irreligious. No one can serve two masters, but must hate the one and love the other, as the Lord teaches in Matthew 6:24.

[2] There are various comparisons which can illustrate the fact that where there is evil there is no faith. For example: evil is like fire (the fire of hell is nothing but the love of evil) and consumes faith like straw, reducing it and everything connected with it to ashes. Evil dwells in thick darkness, faith in light; and evil through falsities extinguishes faith, just as thick darkness does light. Evil is black like ink, faith is white like snow, and clear like water; and evil blackens faith, as ink does snow or water. Again, evil and the truth of faith cannot be linked except as a stench can with a sweet smell, or as urine with a fine wine. They can no more be together than a foul-smelling corpse with a living person in one bed. They can no more dwell together than a wolf in a sheepfold, or a hawk in a dovecote, or a fox in a chicken-run.