967. And every living soul in the sea died. That this signifies that there was no longer anything from the Word in the natural man from the spiritual, is evident from the signification of the living soul in the sea, as denoting what has in itself spiritual life, of which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of the sea, as denoting the generals of truth in the natural man; and thence also the knowledges of truth from the Word; of which we have treated just above (n. 965). These knowledges, when they have not any life from the spiritual world or from heaven, are called dead.
By the living soul in the sea are meant fishes of various kinds, by which are signified the scientifics of the natural man, as may be seen above (n. 531); and the knowledges of truth from the Word with natural men are also meant. For with such these knowledges of truth from the Word are like scientifics of the world. The reason is, that with such they have no life in themselves from the spiritual; and yet knowledges from the Word, unless the spiritual from heaven flows into them, are not alive but dead.
[2] The knowledges of truth from the Word do not live with a man before the internal spiritual man is opened; and this is opened by the Lord when a man is being regenerated; and then by means of the spiritual man opened, the spiritual from heaven flows into the knowledges of truth and good from the Word in the natural man, and vivifies them. It vivifies them in such a way, that the knowledges of truth and good in the natural man become correspondences of the spiritual things in the internal spiritual man. And when they are correspondences, they are alive; for then, in the particular knowledges or truths, the spiritual is included, just as the soul in its body. Hence it is, that man after death comes into these spiritual things, and that the knowledges to which they corresponded serve them for a basis. But it is otherwise with those with whom the knowledges from the Word are not vivified.
The spiritual which flows from heaven into knowledges is the affection of truth, the affection of good, and the affection of bearing fruit. For it is spiritual heat, which is the love or affection of good; and spiritual light, which is the affection of truth. These are the spiritual things that flow into and vivify the knowledges of truth from the Word with those who are in a life of charity, and in faith therefrom. But these very knowledges with those who are in faith separated from a life of charity are dead. This, therefore, is the signification of every living soul in the sea dying.
Concerning the Fifth Precept, "Thou shalt not steal."
[3] By thefts are not only meant manifest thefts, but also thefts not manifest; as unlawful usury and gains effected by fraud and craft under various pretences, so as either to appear lawful, or else done clandestinely, so as not to appear at all. Such gains are generally made by higher and lower administrators, of the goods of others, by merchants, also by judges who sell judgments, and thus make justice a purchaseable thing. These and many others are thefts, to be abstained from and to be shunned, and at length to be held in aversion, as sins against God, because contrary to the Divine laws contained in the Word; and contrary to this law, which is one amongst the fundamental laws of all the religions in the whole world. For these Ten Precepts are universals. They were given for the end, that while a man lives from them, he may live from religion. For by a life from religion man is conjoined with heaven, whereas by a life according to these precepts from obedience to civil and moral law, he is conjoined with the world, and not with heaven. And to be conjoined with the world and not with heaven is to be conjoined with hell.
