569# “把那捆绑在幼发拉底大河的四个天使释放了”表示基于属于感官人的谬误、以前不被接受的推理。这从“在幼发拉底大河的四个天使”的含义清楚可知，“在幼发拉底大河的四个天使”是指基于属于感官人的谬误的推理(对此，我们很快就会谈到)；由于基于这些谬误的推理以前在教会不被接受，所以经上说这些天使被“捆绑在”那河，说他们有“四个”，是由于虚假与邪恶的结合，因为在圣言中，这个数字表示良善与真理的结合，在反面意义上，如此处，则表示邪恶与虚假的结合(参看AE 283a, 384, 532节)。前文论述了处于邪恶之虚假的感官人，还论述了感官人所处的说服的效果；因此，接下来论述的是来自感官人的推理。由于感官人只基于诸如在世上显现在感官面前的那类事物来推理，所以每当它推理属灵事物，也就是天堂和教会的事物时，它就基于被称为感官谬误的谬误推理；故此处说基于属于感官人的谬误的推理。不过，关于这些谬误和基于它们的推理，下文会说得更详细。
此处论述的主题是教会在末期的状态，当教会之人因变得感官化而基于感官谬误推理时，这种状态就会存在；当他们基于关于天堂和教会的事物的这些谬误来推理时，他们根本什么都不信，因为他们什么都不明白。在教会，众所周知，属世人感知不到天堂的事物，除非主流入并光照，这种流注通过属灵人发生；感官人更感知不到这些事物，或更不能明白并相信，因为感官层是属世层的终端；对它来说，被称为属灵事物的天堂事物完全处在幽暗之中。关于属灵事物的真正推理源于天堂进入属灵人，并由此经由理性人进入属世人的知识和认知(或科学)的流注，属灵人通过这些知识(或科学)和认知来确认自己。对属灵事物的这种推理方式符合秩序。但属世人、尤其感官人对属灵事物的推理完全违反秩序；事实上，属世人不能流入属灵人，也不能从它自己看到那里的任何事物，更不用说感官人了，因为物质流注是不存在的。但属灵人能流入属世人，并从属世人流入感官人，因为属灵流注是存在的。关于这个主题，详情可参看《新耶路撒冷及其属天教义》(51, 277, 278节)。
由此清楚可知，接下来的事是什么意思，即：在教会的末期，人从肉体-感官层，因而从感官谬误来谈论并推理属灵事物，或天堂和教会的事物；因此，尽管那时，人在谈论时赞成神性事物，但在思考时却不赞成它们；因为人能从身体以一种方式谈论，而在灵里却以另一种方式思考；从肉体-感官层思考的灵只能以违背神性事物的方式来思考；他仍能从肉体-感官层来谈论赞成它们，这尤其是因为对他来说，神性事物是获得荣誉和利益的手段。每个人都拥有两种记忆，一种属世记忆和一种属灵记忆；他能出于这两种记忆来思考，当他与世人说话时，出于属世记忆思考，但当他出于灵说话时，却出于属灵记忆思考。然而，人很少出于他的灵与别人说话，他只出于灵与他自己说话，这就是思考。感官人出于他们自己的灵只能以赞成自然，因而赞成肉体和世俗事物的方式与自己说话或思考，因为感官人从感官层，而不是从属灵层来思考；事实上，他们完全不知道什么叫属灵层，因为他们关闭了自己里面的属灵心智，而天堂凭它的光流入属灵心智。
不过，让我们继续解释这些话，即：“听见有声音从金坛的四角出来，对第六位天使说，把那捆绑在幼发拉底河的四个天使释放了。”“幼发拉底河”表示理性层，因而也表示推理；这就是这河的含义，因为它把亚述和迦南地分开了，而“亚述”表示理性层，“迦南地”表示属灵层。除了海以外，还有三条河形成迦南地的边界，即：埃及河、幼发拉底河和约旦河。“埃及河”表示属世人的知识(或科学)；“幼发拉底河”表示属于人并源于知识(或科学)和认知的理性层；“约旦河”表示进入内在或属灵教会的入口；因为流便和迦得支派，以及玛拿西半支派所在的约旦河另一边的地区，有分配给他们的产业，这些地区表示外在或属世教会；这河因在这些地区和迦南地之间，并提供一个通道，故表示从属世的外在教会进入属灵的内在教会的入口。正是由于这个原因，洗礼在那里被设立，因为洗礼代表人的重生，属世人通过重生被引入教会，并变得属灵。
这解释了在圣言中，这三条河表示什么。迦南地以外的所有这些地方，都表示诸如属于属世人的那类事物，而迦南地以内的地方表示诸如属于属灵人的那类事物，因而表示天堂和教会的事物。因此，这两条河，即埃及河(或尼罗河)和亚述河(或幼发拉底河)表示教会的终止之处，也表示引入教会。此外，“埃及河”所表示的认知和知识(或科学)就是那引入之物，因为没有认知和知识(或科学)，没有人能被引入教会，也没有人能感知属于教会的事物。事实上，属灵人通过理性人在知识中看到它的属灵事物，就如同人在一面镜子中看到自己，并且属灵人在这些知识中承认它自己，也就是承认它自己的真理和良善；此外，它还通过认知和知识或科学，包括从圣言所知道的和从世界所知道的，来确认它的属灵事物。
但“亚述河”(或幼发拉底河)表示理性层，因为人通过理性层被引入教会。理性层是指属世人基于认知和知识的思维，因为一个充满知识(或科学)的人能看到一系列的事物，也就是说，从最初事物和居间事物一直看到被称为结论的最后事物，因此能分析排列、反思、分离、结合事物，最终在它们的基础上得出结论，甚至直到进一步的目的，最后直到最终目的；这最终目的就是他所爱的功用。这就是理性层，理性层照着功用，也就是他所爱的目的而被赋予每个人。由于每个人的理性层照着他的爱之功用到来，所以它就是属世人出于天堂之光的流注的内层思维；由于人通过理性思维被引入属灵思维，并成为一个教会，所以这河表示那进行引入的属世层。
理性是一回事，属灵是另一回事；每个属灵人也都是理性的，但理性人不总是属灵的，因为理性人，也就是它的思维在属世人中，而属灵人在理性人之上，并通过理性人进入属世人，进入属世人的记忆的认知和知识或科学。
但必须知道，理性层并不将任何人引入属灵层；说它能引入，只是因为这是表象。事实上，属灵层通过作为媒介的理性层流入属世层，以这种方式引入。属灵层是流入的神性，因为它是天堂之光，也就是发出的神性真理，这光经由被称为属灵心智的高层心智流入被称为属世心智的低层心智，并与该心智结合，通过这种结合使属世心智与属灵心智构成一体；引入就是这样实现的。由于对人来说，通过他的理性层进入属灵层违反神性秩序，所以灵界有天使守卫，防止这种情况发生。这清楚表明，被捆绑在幼发拉底河的“四位天使”表示什么，以及后来“释放”他们又表示什么。被捆绑在幼发拉底河的“四位天使”表示守卫，免得人的属世层进入天堂和教会的属灵事物，否则就只有错误和异端，最终只有否认。
此外，灵界既有通往地狱的路，也有通往天堂的路，以及从属灵事物通往属世事物，由此通往感官事物的路；这些路上也有守卫，免得有人朝相反的方向走，因为他由此会陷入异端和错误，如刚才所述。这些守卫在教会建立之初由主设立，并得到维持，免得教会之人从他自己的推理或理解来入侵圣言、因而教会的神性事物。但最终，当教会之人不再是属灵的，而是属世的，并且许多人是纯感官的，因而从属灵人进入属世人的路没有向教会之人打开时，这些守卫就被移除了，道路就会打开，他们在这些打开的道路上按相反的秩序行进，这是通过基于谬误的推理做到的。正因如此，教会之人嘴上说赞成神性事物，而心里却思想反对它们，也就是说，他出于身体赞成神性事物，出于灵却反对它们；因为出于属世和感官人对神性事物的推理就具有这种效果。由此可见，被捆绑在幼发拉底河的四位天使，以及他们的释放是什么意思。
569b.“幼发拉底河”表示理性人，通过理性人才有一条从属灵人进入属世人的道路，这一点可从以下圣言经文清楚看出来。摩西五经：
耶和华与亚伯兰立约，说，我要把这地赐给你的种，从埃及河直到大河，幼发拉底河。(创世记15:18)
按字义，这些话描述了迦南地的延伸，但按内义，它们描述了教会从它的第一个边界到最后一个边界的延伸；它的第一个边界是属于属世人的认知能力(或科学)，另一个边界是属于思维的理性人。第一个边界，就是属于属世人的认知能力或科学，由“埃及河”，即尼罗河来表示，而属于思维的理性人由“亚述河”，即幼发拉底河来表示；“迦南地”所表示的属灵教会就延伸到这两者，教会之人的属灵心智同样延伸到这两者。这两者，即认知能力或科学和理性人，都在属世人里面，属世人的一个极限是知识或科学和认知能力，另一个极限是直觉和思考能力，当属灵人流入属世人时，它就流入这两个极限。耶和华与亚伯兰所立的“约”就表示主通过这些与教会的结合。这就是这些话在内义上的含义，而在至高意义上，它们表示神性本质与主之人身的合一；《属天的奥秘》(1863–1866节)根据这层意义解释了这些话。
撒迦利亚书：
祂的权柄必从这海管到那海，从大河管到地极。(撒迦利亚书9:10; 诗篇72:8)
这话论及主及其掌管天地的权柄；“从这海管到那海”表示属世事物的延伸，“从大河管到地极”表示理性和属灵事物的延伸(也可参看AE AE 518c节)。
摩西五经：
迦南人的地和黎巴嫩，直到大河，就是幼发拉底河，看哪，我将这地摆在你们面前；你们要进去得这地为业。(申命记1:7, 8)
申命记：
凡你们脚掌所踏之地都必属于你们，从旷野和黎巴嫩，并大河，就是幼发拉底河，直到最远的海，都要作你们的疆界。(申命记11:24)
约书亚记：
从旷野和这黎巴嫩，直到大河，就是幼发拉底河，赫人的全地，又到大海日落之处，都要作你们的疆界。(约书亚记1:4)
这些经文描述了教会从一个极限到另一个极限的延伸；其中一个极限就是认知能力和知识或科学，由“黎巴嫩”和“海”来表示；另一个极限是直觉和思考能力，由“幼发拉底河”来表示；迦南地的延伸表示教会的延伸，因为在圣言中，“迦南地”表示教会。经上两次提到河，即“大河，就是幼发拉底河”，是因为“大河”表示属灵事物进入理性事物的流注，“幼发拉底河”表示理性事物进入属世事物的流注，因此这两者表示属灵事物通过理性事物进入属世事物的流注。
弥迦书：
当那日，人必从亚述，从埃及的城邑，从埃及到大河，从这海到那海，从这山到那山，都归到你这里。(弥迦书7:12)
这些话描述了主在外邦人当中建立教会，“那日”表示主的降临；“人必从亚述，从埃及的城邑，从埃及到大河”表示教会在他们当中从一个极限到另一个极限的延伸；“从这海到那海”表示真理从一个极限到另一个极限的延伸，“从这山到那山”表示良善从一个极限到另一个极限的延伸。
诗篇：
你从埃及挪出一棵葡萄树；赶出列族，把这树栽上。你打发它的枝子到大海，打发它的嫩枝到大河。(诗篇80:8, 11)
“神从埃及挪出的葡萄树”是指以色列人，也表示教会，因为“葡萄树”表示属灵教会，这教会也由以色列人来表示。由于教会被称为“一棵葡萄树”，所以经上说“你把这树栽上，你打发它的枝子到大海，打发它的嫩枝到大河”，这话描述了教会的属灵事物的延伸，“海”表示它的一个极限，幼发拉底河所指的“河”表示另一个极限。幼发拉底河，就是从伊甸流出来的第四道河(创世记2:14)也表示理性人，因为“伊甸的园子”(或伊甸园)表示智慧。至于另外三条河表示什么，可参看《属天的奥秘》(107–121节)。
569c.“幼发拉底河”因表示理性人，故在反面意义上表示推理。此处的推理是指出于谬误和虚假的思考和争论，而理性是指出于知识(或科学)和真理的思考和争论。因为一切理性都是由知识或科学培养，由真理形成的；因此，一个被真理引导，或真理所引导的人被称为一个理性人；但一个不理性的人有推理的能力，因为他能通过各种推理确认虚假，也诱使简单人相信它们，这主要是通过感官谬误做到的，下文会详述这些谬误。
以下经文中的“幼发拉底河”就表示这种推理。耶利米书：
你为何在埃及路上喝西曷的水呢？你为何在亚述路上要喝大河的水呢？(耶利米书2:18)
这些话表示决不可通过属世人的知识(或科学)，以及由此而来的推理来调查属灵事物，而是要通过圣言，因而从主那里出于天堂来调查。因为那些处于属灵情感和由此而来的属灵思维的人视属世人的知识或科学和由此而来的推理在它们之下，但没有人能从后者看到属灵事物；人能从上面向下看各个方面的低层事物，但反过来不行。“你为何在埃及路上喝西曷的水呢”表示通过属世人的知识或科学调查属灵事物，“你为何在亚述路上要喝大河的水呢”表示通过由此而来的推理调查；“埃及”和“埃及河”表示属世人的知识或科学，“亚述”和“亚述河”表示基于它们的推理。
以赛亚书：
到那日，主必用大河渡口赁来的剃刀，就是亚述王，剃头和脚毛，并要剃净胡须。(以赛亚书7:20)
这段经文论述了教会在末期，就是当主即将降临时的状态；这些描述了那时，基于虚假的推理将剥夺教会之人的一切属灵智慧和聪明。“大河，即幼发拉底河渡口的亚述王”表示这些推理。用赁来的剃刀剃“头发和脚毛”、剃净“胡须”表示剥夺属灵智慧和由此而来的属灵聪明；因为“毛发”表示属灵事物运作于其上并终止于其中的属世事物；因此，在圣言中，“毛发”表示智慧和聪明的终端，“头发”智慧的终端，“胡须”表示聪明的终端，“脚毛”表示知识(或科学)的终端。没有这些终端，在先的事物就像没有底座的柱子，或没有地基的房子那样无法再存在。在灵界，那些通过基于谬误和虚假的推理剥夺了自己的聪明之人看上去是秃头(参看AE 66节)。
同一先知书：
看哪，主必使又强又多的河水，就是亚述王和他所有的荣耀都起来盖过他们；他必上来超过他一切的水道，涨过他一切的河岸；他必冲入犹大，涨溢泛滥。(以赛亚书8:7–8)
这些话表示在教会，圣言，无论总体还是其一切细节，都通过基于谬误和虚假的推理被歪曲了；“又强又多的河水，就是亚述王”表示基于纯粹的谬误和虚假的推理；“他必上来超过他一切的水道，涨过他一切的河岸”表示圣言，无论总体还是其一切细节，都被这些推理歪曲了；他必涨溢泛滥的“犹大”表示圣言所在的教会，因而表示圣言。
耶利米书：
论到埃及王法老的军队，这军队在幼发拉底河边，是尼布甲尼撒所击败的。他们在北方幼发拉底河岸边绊跌仆倒。(耶利米书46:2, 6, 10)
这些话表示基于知识或科学的错误推理对教会及其真理的摧毁；“幼发拉底河”表示推理；“埃及及其军队”表示确认性的知识或科学；“他们绊跌仆倒所在的北方”表示这些虚假的源头(对此，参看AE 518e节)。
同一先知书：
耶和华吩咐先知去买一根麻布腰带，束在腰上，但不要把它放在水中；然后往幼发拉底河去，将腰带藏在那里的磐石穴中。过了多日后，耶和华说，你起来往幼发拉底河去，从那里把腰带取出来。他就去把它取来，见腰带已经破烂，毫无用处了。腰带怎样紧贴人腰，照样，我也使以色列全家和犹大全家紧贴我，好叫他们归我得名声，得赞美，得荣耀；他们却不肯听从。(耶利米书13:1–7, 11)
这些事物代表以色列和犹太教会的品质，以及它随后的状态。先知束在腰上的“麻布腰带”表示教会通过圣言与主的结合；因为“先知”表示取自圣言的教义，“先知的腰带”表示结合。幼发拉底河边的磐石穴中的“腰带已经破烂”表示通过生活的邪恶和教义的虚假对圣言的歪曲。因为主与教会的结合通过圣言实现，当圣言被赞成邪恶和虚假的推理扭曲时，就不再有任何结合，这一点也是“腰带毫无用处了”所表示的。这是犹太人做的事，这一点从新旧约圣言明显看出来。从新约圣言明显可知，他们扭曲了圣言中所写关于主的一切事，以及教会的一切本质，他们已经通过他们的传统歪曲了它们。
又：
你念完了这书，就把一块石头拴在书上，把它扔在幼发拉底河中间；你要说，巴比伦必如此沉下去，不得再起。(耶利米书51:63, 64)
先知所念的“书”具体表示那书中的圣言，但总体表示整部圣言；“把它扔在幼发拉底河中间”表示随着时间推移，圣言通过支持邪恶的推理被“巴比伦”所指的人歪曲了，“巴比伦”是指那些玷污圣言的人。
以赛亚书：
耶和华必使埃及海舌全然枯干；祂必用祂的强风在幼发拉底河之上挥手，击打它，使它分成七条溪流，使人过去而鞋却是干的。为主余剩的百姓，就是从亚述剩下的，必有一条大道，如当以色列从埃及地上来时对以色列一样。(以赛亚书11:15, 16)
这些话表示在那些处于来自主、源于良善的真理之人，也就是那些属于教会的人面前，一切虚假和基于它们的推理都必被驱散，他们可以说，必安全地从它们中间经过；在灵界，对那些主所保护的人来说，情况就是这样。在以色列人面前使红海“枯干”在此表示类似事物；“从亚述剩下的余剩的百姓”表示那些将在主的保护之下经过的人，“从亚述剩下的百姓”表示那些没有因基于虚假的推理而灭亡的人。以下启示录中的经文具有类似含义：
第六位天使把碗倒在幼发拉底河上，河水就干了，要给那从日出之地所来的众王预备道路。(启示录16:12)
这些话将在下面适合它们的地方得到更充分的解释。
由此可见，“幼发拉底河”表示理性人，属灵心智通过理性人进入属世心智；它在反面意义上表示基于谬误和虚假的推理。然而，必须知道，推理与思维在同一层级上，因为它们是从思维降下来的；因此，有些推理来自属灵人，这些推理最好叫做从推理和真理得出的结论；有些推理来自属世人，有些推理则来自感官人。来自属灵人的推理是理性的，所以最好叫做从推理和真理得出的结论，因为它们来自内层，来自天堂之光；但来自属世人关于属灵事物的推理不是理性的，无论它们在出现在眼前的文明和道德的事上显得多么理性，因为它们只来自属世之光。而来自感官人关于属灵事物的推理是非理性的，因为它们来自谬误，由此来自错误的观念。启示录在此所论述的，正是这最后一类推理。
569. Loose the four angels that are bound at the great river Euphrates.- That this signifies reasonings from fallacies pertaining to the sensual man, which were not received before, is evident from the signification of the angels at the river Euphrates, as denoting reasonings from fallacies which are in the sensual man, of which in what follows. And because reasonings from fallacies were not received in the church before, therefore those angels are said to be bound at that river, and are said to be four from the conjunction of falsity with evil, for this number, in the Word signifies the conjunction of good and truth, and in the opposite sense, as here, the conjunction of evil and falsity; see above (n. 283, 384, 532). In the preceding verses the sensual man, who is in the falsities of evil, and the result of the persuasions in which the sensual man is, were treated of, therefore in what now follows, reasonings from the Sensual are dealt with. And because the Sensual reasons only from such things as, in the world, are manifest to the senses, it does so from fallacies, called fallacies of the senses, when it reasons concerning spiritual things, that is, concerning the things of heaven and the church, and therefore it is here said, reasonings from fallacies pertaining to the sensual man; but concerning these fallacies and reasoning from them, more will be said in what follows.
[2] The subject here treated of is the state of the church at its very end, and such state exists when the men of the church, having become sensual, reason from the fallacies of the senses; and when they reason from these concerning the things of heaven and the church, then they absolutely believe nothing, because they understand nothing. It is a thing known in the church, that the natural man does not perceive the things of heaven, unless the Lord flows in and enlightens him, and this takes place by means of the spiritual man; much less can the sensual man [understand and believe], because this is the ultimate of the Natural, to which the things of heaven, called spiritual things, are altogether in thick darkness. Genuine reasonings concerning spiritual things exist from the influx of heaven into the spiritual man, and thence through the rational into the knowledges (scientiae) and cognitions that are in the natural man, by which the spiritual man confirms itself. This method of reasoning concerning spiritual things is according to order. But the reasonings of the natural man and still more of the sensual man concerning spiritual things are altogether contrary to order; for the natural man, and still less the sensual man, cannot flow into the spiritual man, and from itself see any thing there, since physical influx does not exist. But the spiritual man can flow into the natural, and thence into the sensual, for spiritual influx does exist. But upon this subject more may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 51, 277, 278).
[3] From these considerations it is clear that the meaning of the things which now follow, is that at the very end of the church man speaks and reasons concerning spiritual things, or concerning the things of heaven and the church, from the corporeal Sensual, and thus from the fallacies of the senses, consequently, that although he then speaks in favour of Divine things, yet he does not think in favour of them. For man can, from the body, speak differently from what he thinks in his spirit, and the spirit, which thinks from the corporeal Sensual, cannot do otherwise than think contrary to Divine things; but still from the corporeal Sensual he can speak in favour of them, and especially because Divine things are the means of acquiring honours and gain. Every man has two memories, a natural memory and a spiritual memory, and he can think from both, from the natural memory when he speaks with men in the world, but from the spiritual memory when he speaks from his spirit. A man, however, rarely speaks with another from his spirit, but only with himself, which is to think. Sensual men cannot speak or think from their own spirit with themselves otherwise than in favour of nature, consequently in favour of things corporeal and worldly, because they think from the Sensual, and not from the Spiritual, they are even altogether ignorant of what the Spiritual is, because they have closed their spiritual mind, into which heaven flows by virtue of its light.
[4] But let us proceed to explain the signification of the words, the voice which was heard from the horns of the golden altar, saying to the sixth angel, that he should loose the four angels that were bound at the river Euphrates. The river Euphrates signifies the Rational, and therefore reasoning also. The reason of this signification of that river is, that it divided Assyria from the land of Canaan, and by Assyria, or Ashur, is signified the Rational, and by the land of Canaan, the Spiritual. There were three rivers which formed the boundaries of the land of Canaan, in addition to the sea, namely, the river of Egypt, the river Euphrates, and the river Jordan. The river of Egypt signified the knowledge (scientia) of the natural man; the river Euphrates signified the Rational pertaining to man, and derived from knowledges (scientiae) and cognitions, and the river Jordan signified entrance into the internal or spiritual church. For the regions on the other side Jordan where the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh had inheritances allotted to them, signified the external or natural church, and because that river was between those regions and the land of Canaan, and afforded a passage, therefore it signified entrance from the external church which is natural, into the internal church which is spiritual. This was the reason that baptism was there instituted, for baptism represented the regeneration of man, by means of which the natural man is introduced into the church, and becomes spiritual.
[5] From these considerations the signification of those three rivers in the Word is clear. All the places too which were outside the land of Canaan, signified such things as pertain to the natural man, whereas those which were within the land of Canaan signified such things as pertain to the spiritual man, thus those which pertain to heaven and the church. Those two rivers, therefore, the river of Egypt, or the Nile, and the river of Assyria, or Euphrates, signified the terminations of the church, and also introductions into the church. Cognitions also and knowledges (scientiae), which are signified by the river of Egypt, introduce, for without cognitions and knowledges (scientiae), no one can be introduced into the church, nor have a perception of those things which pertain to the church. For the spiritual man, by means of the rational, sees its spiritual things in knowledges, as a man sees himself in a mirror, and acknowledges itself in them, that is, its own truths and goods, and moreover confirms its spiritual things by cognitions and scientifics, both by those which are known from the Word, and those which are known from the world.
[6] But the river of Assyria, or the Euphrates, signified the Rational, because by means of it man is introduced into the church. By the Rational is meant the thought of the natural man from cognitions and knowledges, for a man who is imbued with knowledges (scientiae) is able to see things in a series, from primaries and mediates the ultimate, which is called the conclusion, consequently, he can analytically arrange, reflect upon, separate, conjoin things, and at length form conclusions upon them, even to that ulterior end and at length to the ultimate which forms the use that he loves. This then is the Rational, which is given to every man according to uses, which are the ends that he loves.
Because everyone's Rational is according to the uses of his love, therefore it is the interior thought of the natural man from the influx of the light of heaven; and because man by rational thought is introduced into spiritual thought, and becomes a church, therefore that river signifies the Natural introducing.
[7] It is one thing to be rational, and another thing to be spiritual; every spiritual man is also rational, but the rational man is not always spiritual; the reason is, that the Rational, that is, the thought thereof, is in the natural man, but the Spiritual is above the Rational, and by means of the Rational passes into the Natural, into the cognitions and scientifics of its memory.
[8] But it must be observed, that the Rational does not introduce any one into the Spiritual, but it is so said, only because it appears to be the case. For the Spiritual flows into the Natural by means of the Rational, and thus introduces. For the Spiritual is the inflowing Divine, it is the light of heaven, which is the proceeding Divine Truth. This [light] flows through the higher mind called the spiritual mind, into the lower mind called the natural mind, and conjoins this to itself, and by means of that conjunction causes the natural mind to form one with the spiritual. Introduction is thus effected. Since it is contrary to Divine order for man by his Rational to enter into the Spiritual, therefore in the spiritual world there are angelic guards to prevent this taking place. It is therefore evident, what is signified by the four angels bound at the river Euphrates, and afterwards what is meant by loosing them. By the angels bound at the river Euphrates, is signified guard lest the Natural of man should enter into the spiritual things of heaven and the church, for were this the case there would be nothing but errors and heresies, and at length negation.
[9] In the spiritual world there are also ways that lead to hell, and those that lead to heaven, likewise, ways which lead from spiritual things to natural, and thence to things sensual; and also in those ways guards are placed, lest any one should go in a contrary direction, for he would thence lapse into heresies and errors, as just stated. Those guards are placed by the Lord in the beginning when the church is being established, and are also maintained lest the man of the church, from his own reason or understanding, should introduce himself into the Divine things of the Word, and thence of the church. But in the end, when the men of the church are no longer spiritual, but natural, and many utterly sensual, and there being no way from the spiritual man into the natural with the man of the church, then those guards are removed, and the ways are opened, and being opened, they go in a contrary order, which is brought about by reasonings from fallacies. Hence it comes to pass that the man of the church can speak with the mouth in favour of Divine things, while in heart he thinks contrary to them, or he can speak in favour of them from the body, and think contrary to them from the spirit; for reasoning concerning Divine things from the natural and sensual man produces this effect. The signification of the four angels bound at the river Euphrates and of their being loosed is now evident from these things.
[10] That the river Euphrates signifies the Rational, by means of which there is a way from the spiritual man into the natural, is clear from the following passages in the Word.
Thus in Moses:
"Jehovah made a covenant with Abraham, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates" (Arcana Coelestia 1863-1866).
[11] So in Zechariah:
"His dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth" (518).
[12] So in Moses:
"The land of the Canaanites, and Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates. Behold, I have set the land before you; go in and possess the land" (Deuteronomy 1:7, 8).
And again:
"Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours; from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be" (Deuteronomy 11:24).
So in Joshua:
"From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea, the going down of the sun, shall be your coast" (1:4).
In these passages the extension of the church from one boundary to the other is described, one of which pertains to the cognitive and scientific [faculty] and is signified by Lebanon and the sea, and the other pertains to intuition and thinking [faculty], and is signified by the river Euphrates. The extension of the land of Canaan denotes the extension of the church, for by the land of Canaan in the Word, is signified the church. The river is twice mentioned, namely, the great river, the river Euphrates, because by the great river is signified the influx of things spiritual into things rational, and by the river Euphrates, the influx of things rational into things natural, thus by both, the influx of things spiritual through the Rational into things natural.
[13] So in Micah:
"This is the day in which they shall come even to thee from Assyria, and unto the cities of Egypt, and thence from Egypt even to the river, and to sea from sea, and from mountain to mountain" (7:12).
The establishment of the church among the Gentiles by the Lord is described by these words. "This day" signifies the Lord's coming; the extension of the church among them from one end to the other is signified by "they shall come from Assyria, and unto the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt to the river." The extension of truth from one end to the other is signified by to sea from sea, and the extension of good by from mountain to mountain.
[14] In David:
"Thou hast caused a vine to go forth out of Egypt; thou hast cast out the nations and planted it, thou hast sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river" (Arcana Coelestia 107-121).
[15] Because the river Euphrates signifies the Rational, therefore, it signifies, in the opposite sense, reasoning. Reasoning here means thought, and argumentation from fallacies and falsities, but by the Rational are meant thought and argumentation from knowledges (scientiae) and truths. For every Rational is trained by knowledges (scientiae), and formed by truths, wherefore he who is led by truths, or whom truths lead, is called a rational man. But a man who is not rational can reason, for by various reasonings he can confirm falsities, and also induce the simple to believe them, and this is principally done through the fallacies of the senses, concerning which more will be said below.
[16] This reasoning is signified by the river Euphrates in the following passages:
"Now what hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor? or what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?" (Jeremiah 2:18).
These words signify, that spiritual things must not be investigated by means of the scientifics (scientifica) of the natural man, nor by reasonings therefrom, but by means of the Word, thus out of heaven from the Lord. For those who are in spiritual affection, and thought thence, see the scientifics of the natural man, and the reasonings therefrom, as it were, below them, but no one can see spiritual things from the latter, for lower things may be viewed on all sides from higher ground, but not conversely. To investigate spiritual things by means of the scientifics of the natural man, is signified by "what hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor?" And by reasonings therefrom is signified by "what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?" Egypt and its river signify the scientifics of the natural man, and Assyria and its river signify reasonings from them.
[17] So again, in Isaiah:
"In that day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired, in the passages of the river, by the king of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the feet; and it shall also consume the beard" (66).
[18] Again, in the same prophet:
"Behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river strong and many, the king of Assyria, and all his glory; and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks; he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over" (8:7, 8).
These words signify, that in the church the Word generally and in all its details, will be falsified by reasonings based on fallacies and falsities. The waters of the river, strong and many, the king of Assyria, signify reasonings from pure fallacies and falsities. He shall come up over all his channels, and over all his banks, signifies, that the Word generally and in all its details will be falsified. By Judah, which he shall overflow and pass through, is signified the church where the Word is, thus the Word.
[19] So again, in Jeremiah:
"Against the army of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who was by the river Euphrates, which Nebuchadnezzar smote. They have stumbled and fallen toward the north by the bank of the river Euphrates" (518:38).
[20] Again, in the same prophet:
Jehovah told the prophet to go and buy a linen girdle and put it upon his loins, but not to put it in water; then that he should go to the river Euphrates and hide the girdle there in a hole of the rock; and he went and hid it by the Euphrates. "After the end of many days, Jehovah said, Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence"; and he went and took it, "and behold the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing. As the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel, and the whole house of Judah, that they might be unto me for a name, for a praise, and for a glory, but they did not hear" (13:1-7, 11).
These things represented the quality of the Israelitish and Jewish church and its subsequent state. The girdle of linen which the prophet put upon his loins signifies the conjunction of the church with the Lord by means of the Word; for a prophet signifies doctrine from the Word, and the girdle upon the loins of the prophet signifies conjunction. The falsifications of the Word through evils of life and by falsities of doctrine, and the reasonings thence which favour them, are signified by the girdle being marred in the hole of the rock at Euphrates. For the conjunction of the Lord with the church is by means of the Word, and when this is perverted by reasonings which favour evils and falsities, then there is no longer conjunction, and this is meant by the girdle being profitable for nothing. That this was done by the Jews, is evident from the Word both of the old and of the new testament; from the Word of the new testament, that they had perverted all things written in the Word concerning the Lord, and also all the essentials of the church, and that they had falsified them by their traditions.
[21] So again, in Jeremiah:
"When thou hast made an end of reading this book, thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates; and thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise again" (51:63, 64).
By the book of the prophet which he read, is specifically meant that Word which was in that book, but in general, the whole Word. By his casting it into the midst of Euphrates, is signified, that the Word, in process of time through the reasonings which favour evils, would be falsified by those who are meant by Babylon, Babylon denoting those who adulterate the Word.
[22] Again, in Isaiah:
"Jehovah shall devote the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with the vehemence of his wind shall he shake his hand over the river Euphrates, and shall smite it into the seven streams, and make men go over dry shod. Then there shall be a high way for the remnant of his people which shall be left from Assyria; like as it was to Israel when he came up out of the land of Egypt" (11:15, 16).
These words signify that all falsities, and reasonings therefrom, shall be dissipated before those who are in truths from good from the Lord, or who belong to the church, and that they shall, as it were, pass safely through the midst of them. This is the case in the spiritual world with those whom the Lord defends. The same thing is here meant by the drying up of the Sea Suph (Red Sea) before the sons of Israel; those who shall pass through under the protection of the Lord are signified by the remnant of the people which shall be left from Assyria, those left from Assyria denoting those who have not perished by reasonings from falsities. The meaning of the following passage in the Apocalypse is similar:
"The sixth angel poured out his vial upon the river Euphrates, and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings who are from the east might be prepared" (16:12).
These words will be more fully explained below in their proper place.
[23] From these things, it is now evident, that the river Euphrates signifies the Rational, by means of which the spiritual mind enters into the natural [mind], and that, in the opposite sense it signifies reasoning from fallacies and from falsities. It must however be observed, that reasonings are in the same degree as the thoughts, for they descend from them; thus there are reasonings from the spiritual man, which however must be called rather conclusions from reasons and from truths; there are reasonings from the natural man, and also from the sensual man. Reasonings from the spiritual man are rational, therefore they must be called rather conclusions from reasons and from truths, because they are from the interior and from the light of heaven; but reasonings from the natural man concerning spiritual things are not rational, however much they may appear to be so in moral and civil matters, which appear before the eyes, for they are from natural light alone. But reasonings from the sensual man concerning spiritual things are irrational, because they are from fallacies, and thence from false ideas. It is this last class of reasonings that is now here treated of in the Apocalypse.
569. Loose the four angels bound at the great river Euphrates, signifies the reasonings from fallacies pertaining to the sensual man, not before accepted. This is evident from the signification of "the angels at the river Euphrates," as being reasonings from the fallacies pertaining to the sensual man (of which presently); and because reasonings from such fallacies were not before accepted in the church these angels are said to be "bound" at that river, and they are said to be "four" because of the conjunction of falsity with evil, for this number signifies in the Word the conjunction of good and truth, and in the contrary sense, as here, the conjunction of evil and falsity (See above, n. 283, 384, 532). What precedes treats of the sensual man who is in the falsities of evil, and of the effect of the persuasions in which the sensual man is; therefore what now follows treats of the reasonings from the sensual. And because the sensual reasons only from such things as stand forth before the senses in the world, whenever it reasons respecting spiritual things, that is, the things of heaven and of the church, it reasons from fallacies, which are called the fallacies of the senses; therefore it is said here reasonings from the fallacies pertaining to the sensual man. But respecting these fallacies and reasoning from them more will be said in what follows.
[2] Here the state of the church at its very end is treated of, which is the state when the men of the church, having become sensual, reason from the fallacies of the senses; and when they reason from these respecting the things of heaven and the church they believe nothing at all because they understand nothing. It is known in the church that the natural man does not perceive the things of heaven unless the Lord flows in and enlightens, which influx is through the spiritual man; much less does the sensual man perceive these, for the sensual is the ultimate natural, to which the things of heaven, which are called spiritual things, are altogether in thick darkness. Genuine reasonings respecting spiritual things spring from the influx of heaven into the spiritual man, and thence through the rational into the knowledges and cognitions which are in the natural man, by means of which the spiritual man confirms himself. This way of reasoning respecting spiritual things is according to order. But reasonings about spiritual things that come from the natural man, and still more those that come from the sensual man, are entirely contrary to order; for the natural man cannot flow into the spiritual man and see anything there from itself, still less can the sensual man, since there is no physical influx; but the spiritual man can flow into the natural and from that into the sensual, since there is spiritual influx. (But on this see further in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 51, 277, 278.)
[3] From this what is meant by the things that now follow can be seen, namely, that at the very end of the church man speaks and reasons respecting spiritual things, or the things of heaven and the church, from the corporeal-sensual and thus from the fallacies of the senses; although therefore man then speaks in favor of Divine things he does not think in favor of them; for a man is able to speak in one way from the body while thinking in another way in his spirit; and while the spirit which thinks from the corporeal-sensual is unable to think in any other way than against Divine things, nevertheless from the corporeal-sensual it is able to speak in favor of them, and this especially for the reason that Divine things are to him the means of acquiring honor and gain. Every man has two memories, a natural memory and a spiritual memory, and he is able to think from either, from the natural memory when he is speaking with men in the world, but from the spiritual memory when he is speaking from the spirit; but man rarely speaks from the spirit with another, from the spirit he speaks only with himself, which is thinking. They who are sensual men are unable to speak with themselves from their spirit, or to think, in any other way than in favor of nature, consequently in favor of things corporeal and worldly, for the sensual man thinks from the sensual, and not from the spiritual; indeed, he is wholly ignorant of what the spiritual is, because he has closed the spiritual mind in himself, into which heaven flows with its light.
[4] But let us go on to explain these words, that "a voice was heard from the horns of the golden altar, saying to the sixth angel that he should loose the four angels bound at the river Euphrates." "The river Euphrates" signifies the rational, and thence also reasoning; this is the signification of this river because it divided Assyria from the land of Canaan, and "Assyria" or "Asshur" signifies the rational, and "the land of Canaan" the spiritual. There were three rivers, besides the sea, that were boundaries of the land of Canaan, namely, the river of Egypt, the river Euphrates, and the river Jordan. "The river of Egypt" signified the knowledge [scientia] of the natural man; "the river Euphrates" signified the rational which is in man from knowledges and cognitions; and "the river Jordan" signifies entrance into the internal or spiritual church; for "the regions beyond Jordan," where the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh had their inheritances allotted them, signified the external or natural church, and because that river was between those regions and the land of Canaan, and through it was the passage from one to the other, it signified entrance from the external church, which is natural, into the internal church which is spiritual. It was for this reason that baptism was there instituted, for baptism represented the regeneration of man, whereby the natural man is introduced into the church and becomes spiritual.
[5] This explains what these three rivers signify in the Word. All those places also outside of the land of Canaan signified such things as belong to the natural man, while those within the land of Canaan signified such things as belong to the spiritual man, thus the things of heaven and the church. Therefore the two rivers, "the river of Egypt" (or the Nile), and "the river of Assyria" (or the Euphrates), signified the terminations of the church, and also the introductions into the church. Moreover, cognitions and knowledges which are signified by "the river of Egypt," are what introduce, for without cognitions and knowledges no one can be introduced into the church nor perceive the things that belong to the church; for the spiritual man sees its spiritual things in knowledges [scientiae] by means of the rational, as man sees himself in a mirror, and recognizes himself in them, that is, its truths and goods, and moreover confirms its spiritual things by means of cognitions and knowledges, both those known from the Word and those known from the world.
[6] But "the river of Assyria" (or the Euphrates) signifies the rational, because man by the rational is introduced into the church. By the rational is meant the thought of the natural man from cognitions and knowledges, for a man who is imbued with knowledges [scientiae] is able to see things in series, that is, from first and mediate things to see the last, which is called the conclusion, and can therefore analytically arrange, turn over, separate, conjoin, and at length conclude things, even to a further end, and at length to the final end; which is the use that he loves. This, then, is the rational which is given to every man according to uses, which are the ends that he loves. Since everyone's rational comes into accord with the uses of his love, therefore it is the interior thought of the natural man from the influx of the light of heaven; and as man through rational thought is introduced into spiritual thought and becomes a church, so that river signifies the natural 1which introduces.
[7] It is one thing to be rational, and another to be spiritual; every spiritual man is also rational, but the rational man is not always spiritual, since the rational is in the natural man, that is, is its thought, while the spiritual is above the rational, and through the rational passes into the natural, into the cognitions and knowledges of its memory.
[8] But it is to be known that the rational does not introduce anyone into the spiritual, but it is only said to do so because such is the appearance; for the spiritual flows into the natural through the rational as a medium, and in this way it introduces. For the spiritual is the inflowing Divine, since it is the light of heaven, which is the Divine truth proceeding, and this light through the higher mind, which is called the spiritual mind, flows into the lower mind, which is called the natural mind, and conjoins this to itself, and through that conjunction causes the natural mind to make one with the spiritual; thus introduction is effected. Since it is contrary to Divine order for man to enter through his rational into the spiritual, therefore in the spiritual world there are angel guards to prevent this from taking place. This makes evident the signification of "the four angels bound at the river Euphrates," and afterwards the signification of "loosing" them. "The angels bound at the river Euphrates" signify the guard against man's natural entering into the spiritual things of heaven and the church, for thence would result nothing but errors and heresies, and at length denial.
[9] Moreover, in the spiritual world there are ways that lead to hell and ways that lead to heaven; also ways that lead from spiritual things to natural and thus to sensual things; and in those ways there are also guards lest anyone should go in the opposite direction, for thus he would fall into heresies and errors, as has just been said. These guards are set by the Lord at the beginning of the establishment of a church, and are also maintained, lest the man of the church from his own reason or his own understanding should invade the Divine things of the Word and thence of the church. But at the end, when the men of the church are no longer spiritual but are natural, and many are merely sensual, and thus there is no way open with the man of the church from the spiritual man into the natural, then these guards are removed and the ways are opened, and in these opened ways they advance in a contrary order, which is done by reasonings from fallacies. Thus 2it is that the man of the church speaks in favor of Divine things with the mouth, while in heart he thinks against them, that is, he is in favor of Divine things from the body and against them from the spirit; for reasoning respecting Divine things from the natural and sensual man has this effect. From this then the signification of "the four angels bound at the river Euphrates," and their being "loosed" can now be seen.
[10] That "the river Euphrates" signifies the rational, through which there is a way from the spiritual man into the natural, can be seen from the following passages in the Word. In Moses:
Jehovah made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed I will give this land, from the river of Egypt even to the great river, the river Euphrates (Arcana Coelestia 1863-1866).
[11] In Zechariah:
His dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth (518).
[12] In Moses:
The land of the Canaanites and Lebanon, even to the great river, the river Euphrates, behold I have given the land before you; go in and possess it by inheritance (Deuteronomy 1:7, 8).
In the same:
Every place whereon the sole of your foot shall tread shall be yours from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates even unto the hinder sea shall your border be (Deuteronomy 11:24).
And in Joshua:
From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even to the great river, the river Euphrates, the whole land of the Hittites, and even to the great sea, the going down of the sun, shall be your border (Joshua 1:4).
In these passages the extension of the church from one limit to the other is described; one of its limits, which is the cognitive and knowing faculty, is signified by "Lebanon" and "the sea;" and the other limit, which is the intuitive and thinking faculty, is signified by "the river Euphrates;" the extension of the land of Canaan means the extension of the church, for in the Word "the land of Canaan" signifies the church. "River" is twice mentioned, namely, "the great river, the river Euphrates," because "the great river" signifies the influx of spiritual things into rational, and "the river Euphrates" the influx of rational things into natural, thus the two signify the influx of spiritual things through the rational into natural things.
[13] In Micah:
This is the day in which they shall even come to thee from Assyria, and to the cities of Egypt, and thence from Egypt even to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain (Micah 7:12).
This describes the establishment of the church by the Lord among the Gentiles, "this day" signifying the Lord's coming; the extension of the church among them from one limit to the other is signified by "they shall come from Assyria to the cities of Egypt and from Egypt to the river;" the extension of truth from one limit to the other is signified by "from sea to sea," and the extension of good by "from mountain to mountain. "
[14] In David:
Thou hast caused a vine to go forth out of Egypt; Thou didst drive out the nations and didst plant it. Thou hast sent out its boughs even unto the sea, and its shoots unto the river (Arcana Coelestia 107-121).
[15] As "the river Euphrates" signifies the rational, so in the contrary sense it signifies reasoning; reasoning here means thinking and arguing from fallacies and falsities, while the rational means thinking and arguing from knowledges (scientiae) and from truths; for the rational is cultivated always by knowledges, and is formed by truths, therefore one who is led by truths or whom truths lead, is called a rational man; but a man who is not rational has the ability to reason, for by various reasonings he is able to confirm falsities, and also to induce the simple to believe them, which is done mainly by means of the fallacies of the senses (of which below).
[16] Such reasoning is signified by "the river Euphrates" in the following passages. In Jeremiah:
What hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? And what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river? (Jeremiah 2:18)
This signifies that spiritual things must not be searched into by means of the knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man, nor by means of reasonings therefrom, but by the means of the Word, thus out of heaven from the Lord; for those who are in spiritual affection, and in spiritual thought therefrom, see the knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man and reasonings therefrom as below them, but from these no one can see spiritual things; from above one can look down on lower things on every side, but not the reverse. To search into spiritual things by means of the knowledges of the natural man is signified by "What hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor?" and by means of reasonings therefrom is signified by "what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?" "Egypt and its river" signify the knowledges of the natural man, and "Assyria and its river" signify the reasonings from them.
[17] In Isaiah:
In that day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired in the crossings of the river, by means of the King of Assyria, the head and the hairs of the feet, and shall also consume the beard (66).
[18] In the same:
Behold the Lord hath made to go up upon them the waters of the river strong and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory; and he shall go up over all his channels, and shall go over all his banks; he shall go through Judah, he shall overflow and pass over (Isaiah 8:7, 8).
These words signify that each and every thing of the Word is to be falsified in the church by means of reasonings from fallacies and falsities; "the waters of the river strong and many, the king of Assyria," signifies reasonings from mere fallacies and falsities; "he shall go up over all his channels and over all his banks" signifies that by these each and every thing of the Word will be falsified; "Judah, which he will overflow and pass over," signifies the church where the Word is, and thus the Word.
[19] In Jeremiah:
Against the army of Pharaoh king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates which Nebuchadnezzar smote. Towards the north by the bank of the river Euphrates they stumbled and fell (518.)
[20] In the same:
Jehovah told the prophet to buy a linen girdle, and to put it upon the loins, but not to draw it through water; and then to go to the Euphrates, and hide the girdle there in a hole of the rock. And he went and hid it by the Euphrates. Afterwards, at the end of many days, Jehovah said, Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence. And he went and took it, and behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing. Thus as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I made to cleave unto Me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, that they might be unto Me for a name, and for a praise, and for a splendor; but they would not hearken (Jeremiah 13:1-7, 11).
This represented of what quality the Israelitish and Jewish Church was and what it became; the "linen girdle which the prophet put upon his loins" signifies the conjunction of the church with the Lord by means of the Word; for the "prophet" signifies doctrine from the Word, and the "girdle upon the prophet's loins" signifies conjunction. Falsifications of the Word by evils of life and falsities of doctrine, and thence reasonings that favor these, are signified by "the girdle was marred in the hole of the rock by the Euphrates." For by means of the Word there is conjunction of the Lord with the church, and when the Word is perverted by reasonings that favor evils and falsities there is no longer any conjunction, and this also is what is meant by "the girdle was profitable for nothing." That this was done by the Jews is evident from the Word both of the Old and New Testaments. From the Word of the New Testament it is evident that they perverted all things written in the Word respecting the Lord, and all the essentials of the church, and that they falsified these by their traditions.
[21] In the same:
When thou hast made an end of reading this book thou shalt bind a stone to it and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates; and thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise again (Jeremiah 51:63, 64).
The prophet's "book" which he read, means in particular the Word that was in that book, but in general the whole Word; "he cast it into the midst of the Euphrates" signifies that in process of time the Word was falsified through reasonings that favor evils by those who are meant by "Babylon," who are such as adulterate the Word.
[22] In Isaiah:
And Jehovah shall make utterly accursed the tongue of the sea of Egypt; and with the vehemence of His wind shall He shake His hand over the river Euphrates, and shall smite it into seven brooks, to make a way with shoes. Then there shall be a highway for the remnant of His people which shall be left from Assyria; like as there was to Israel when he came up out of the land of Egypt (Isaiah 11:15, 16).
This signifies that before those who are in truths from good from the Lord, that is, who are of the church, all falsities and reasonings from them shall be dispersed, and that they shall pass safely as it were through the midst of them; this is so in the spiritual world with those whom the Lord protects. This has a similar meaning as "the drying up of the Sea Suph before the sons of Israel." Those who will pass through under the Lord's protection are signified by "the remnant of the people which shall be left from Assyria," "those left from Assyria" signifying those who have not perished by reasonings from falsities. The following in Revelation has a similar signification:
And the sixth angel poured out of his bowl upon the river Euphrates, and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings who are from the rising of the sun might be made ready (Revelation 16:12).
This will be more fully explained below in its place.
[23] From this it can now be seen that "the river Euphrates" signifies the rational by means of which the spiritual mind enters into the natural, and that in the contrary sense it signifies reasoning from fallacies and from falsities. But it is to be known that reasonings are in a like degree as the thoughts are, since they descend from the thoughts; thus there are reasonings from the spiritual man which might better be called conclusions from reasons and from truths; there are reasonings from the natural man, and there are reasonings from the sensual man. Reasonings from the spiritual man are rational, and therefore might better be called conclusions from reasons and from truths, because they are from the interior and from the light of heaven; but reasonings from the natural man respecting spiritual things are not rational, however rational they may be in things moral and civil, which are evident before the eyes, because they are from natural light alone; but reasonings from the sensual man respecting spiritual things are irrational, because they are from fallacies and thus from ideas that are false; these are the reasonings here treated of in Revelation.
Footnotes:
1. Latin has "natural," though the "rational" seems to be intended.
2. Latin has "but thus."
569. "Solve quatuor angelos vinctos ad flumen magnum Euphratem." - Quod significet ratiocinationes ex fallaciis quae sensuali homini, non receptas prius, constat ex significatione "angelorum ad flumen Euphratem", quod sint ratiocinationes ex fallaciis quae sensuali homini (de qua sequitur); et quia ratiocinationes ex fallaciis non prius illi ecclesia receptae fuerunt, ideo angeli illi dicuntur "vincti" ad flumen illud; et dicuntur "quatuor" ex conjunctione falsi cum malo, nam hic numerus in Verbo significat conjunctionem boni et veri, et in opposito senSu, ut hic, conjunctionem mali et falsi (videatur supra, n. 283 [a] , 384, 532). In praecedentibus actum est de sensuali homine qui in falsis mali est, et de effectu persuasionum in quibus sensualis, homo est; quare in nunc sequentibus agitur de ratiocinatione ex sensuali: et quia sensuale modo ratiocinatur ex talibus quae in mundo coram sensibus exstant, ratiocinatur ex fallaciis, quae vocantur fallaciae sensuum, cum de spiritualibus, hoc est, de rebus caeli et ecclesiae; ideo dicitur ratiocinatio ex fallaciis quae sensuali homini: sed de fallaciis illis, et de ratiocinatione ex illis, plura in sequentibus dicentur.
[2] Agitur hic de statu ecclesiae in ipso fine ejus, qui status est quando homines ecclesiae sensuales facti ratiocinantur ex fallaciis sensuum, et cum ex illis ratiocinantur de rebus caeli et ecclesiae, tunc plane nihil credunt quia nihil intelligunt. Notum est in ecclesia quod naturalis homo non percipiat illa quae caeli sunt, nisi Dominus influat et illustret, quod fit per spiritualem hominem; minus adhuc sensualis homo, quia is est ultimus naturalis, cui illa quae caeli sunt, quae vocantur spiritualia, prorsus in caligine sunt. Genuina ratiocinia de spiritualibus existunt ex influxu caeli in spiritualem hominem, et inde per rationalem in scientias et cognitiones quae sunt in naturali homine, per quas spiritualis homo se confirmat; haec via ratiocinandi de spiritualibus est secundum ordinem. Ratiocinationes autem de spiritualibus quae fiunt ex naturali homine, et plus quae fiunt ex sensuali homine, sunt prorsus contra ordinem; nam naturalis homo, et minus sensualis homo, non potest influere in spiritualem, et ex se aliquid ibi videre, quoniam non datur influxus physicus; sed spiritualis homo potest influere in naturalem, et inde in sensualem, quoniam datur influxus spiritualis. (Sed de hac re videantur plura in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae, n. 51, 277, 278.)
[3] Ex his videri potest quid per haec, quae nunc sequuntur, intelligitur, nempe quod in ipso fine ecclesiae homo de spiritualibus, seu de rebus caeli et ecclesiae, loquatur et ratiocinetur ex sensuali corporeo, et sic ex fallaciis sensuum; consequenter quod tametsi homo tunc loquitur pro Divinis, usque non cogitet pro illis; nam homo potest ex corpore suo aliter loqui quam in spiritu suo cogitat: et spiritus qui ex sensuali corporeo cogitat, non aliter potest quam contra Divina cogitare, at usque potest ex sensuali corporeo loqui pro Divinis, et hoc praecipue ex causa quia Divina sunt ei pro mediis ad honores et ad lucra. Sunt etiam cuivis homini binae memoriae, nempe memoria naturalis et memoria spiritualis; homo ex utraque potest cogitare, ex memoria naturali quando loquitur in mundo cum hominibus, ex memoria autem spirituali quando ex spiritu; et homo raro loquitur ex spiritu cum alio, sed modo secum, quod est cogitare. Illi qui sensuales homines sunt, non possunt aliter ex spiritu suo secum loqui seu cogitare quam pro Natura, proinde pro corporeis et mundanis; quia [sensualis homo] cogitat ex sensuali et non ex spirituali, immo prorsus nescit quid spirituale, quia apud se occlusit mentem spiritualem in quam caelum ex sua luce influit.
[4] Sed accedamus ad explicationem verborum horum, quod "audita sit vox ex cornibus altaris aurei, dicens sexto angelo ut solveret quatuor angelos vinctos ad flumen Euphratem." Per "flumen Euphratem" significatur rationale, et inde quoque ratiocinatio causa quod id flumen illud significet, est quia distinguit Assyriam a terra Canaane, et per "Assyriam" seu "Aschurem" significatur rationale, et per "terram Canaanem" spirituale. Erant tres fluvii qui erant termini terrae Canaanis, praeter mare; nempe fluvius Aegypti, fluvius Euphrates, et fluvius Jordanes; per "fluvium Aegypti" significabatur scientia naturalis hominis, per "flumen Euphratem" significabatur rationale quod est apud hominem ex scientiis et cognitionibus, et per "fluvium Jordanem" significabatur introitus in ecclesiam internam seu spiritualem; nam per "regiones extra Jordanem", ubi tribus Reubenis et Gadis, ac dimidia tribus Menassis sortitae sunt hereditates, significabatur ecclesia externa seu naturalis; et quia ille fluvius erat inter illas regiones et terram Canaanem, et dedit transitum, ideo per" illum significabatur introitus ab ecclesia externa quae naturalis in ecclesiam internam quae spiritualis.
[5] Haec erat causa quod ibi instituta fuerit baptizatio; baptizatio enim repraesentabat regenerationem hominis, per quam homo naturalis introducitur in ecclesiam, et fit spiritualis. Ex his constare potest quid tres illi fluvii in Verbo significant. Omnia etiam illa quae extra terram Canaanem fuerunt, significabant talia quae sunt naturalis hominis; at illa quae intra terram Canaanem significabant talia quae sunt spiritualis, ita quae sunt caeli et ecclesiae. Bini itaque fluvii, nempe "fluvius Aegypti" seu Nilus, ac "fluvius Assyriae" seu Euphrates, significabant terminationes ecclesiae, et quoque introductiones in ecclesiam. Cognitiones etiam, et scientiae, quae significantur per "fluvium Aegypti", introducunt, nam absque cognitionibus et scientiis non potest aliquis introduci in ecclesiam, nec potest percipere illa quae ecclesiae sunt; nam spiritualis homo per rationalem videt spiritualia sua in scientiis, sicut homo se in speculo, et in illis agnoscit se, hoc est, sua vera et bona; praeter quod confirmet sua spiritualia per cognitiones et scientifica, tam quae ex Verbo quam quae ex mundo novit.
[6] "Fluvius" autem "Assyriae", seu Euphrates, significabat rationale, quia homo per rationale introducitur in eccleSiam: per rationale intelligitur cogitatio naturalis hominis ex cognitionibus et scientiis; nam homo qui imbutus est scientiis potest res in serie videre, a primis et mediis ultimum, quod vocatur conclusum; proinde analytice disponere, versare, separare, conjungere, et tandem concludere res, usque ad finem ulteriorem et tandem ad ultimum, qui est usus quem amat: hoc itaque est rationale, quod unicuivis homini datur secundum usus qui sunt fines quos amat. Quia rationale cuivis secundum usus qui sunt amoris fit, ideo id est cogitatio interior naturalis hominis ex influxu lucis caeli; et quia homo per cogitationem rationalem introducitur in cogitationem spiritualem, et fit ecclesia, ideo per illum fluvium significatur 1
naturale introducens.
[7] Aliud est rationalis esse, et aliud spiritualis esse; omnis homo spiritualis est etiam rationalis, sed homo rationalis non semper est spiritualis; causa est quia rationale est in naturali homine, hoc est, cogitatio ejus; at spirituale est supra rationale, ac per rationale transit in naturale in ejus memoriae cognitiones et scientifica.
[8] At sciendum est quod rationale non introducat aliquem in spirituale, sed quod modo dicatur quia sic apparet; spirituale enim influit in naturale medio rationali, et sic introducit: spirituale enim est Divinum influens, est enim lux caeli, quae est Divinum Verum procedens; et haec per mentem superiorem, quae vocatur mens spiritualis, influit in mentem inferiorem, quae vocatur mens naturalis, et hanc sibi conjungit, et per conjunctionem illam facit ut mens naturalis unum faciat cum mente spirituali; ita fit introductio. Quoniam contra Divinum ordinem est ut homo per rationale suum intret in spirituale, ideo in mundo spirituali angeli custodes sunt ne hoc fiat. Inde patet quid significatur per "quatuor angelos vinctos ad flumen Euphratem", et dein quid per "solutionem" illorum; per "angelos vinctos ad flumen Euphratem" significatur custodia ne naturale hominis intret in spiritualia quae caeli et ecclesiae sunt, inde enim non nisi quam errores et haereses, et tandem negatio.
[9] In mundo spirituali etiam sunt viae quae ducunt ad infernum et quae ducunt ad caelum; tum quae ducunt a spiritualibus ad naturalia, et inde ad sensualia; et quoque in viis sunt custodes ne contrario modo vadant, quoniam inde lapsus in haereses et errores, ut dictum est. Custodes illi ponuntur a Domino in principio dum ecclesia instauratur, et quoque conservantur, ne homo ecclesiae ex sua ratione aut ex suo intellectu inferat se in Divina quae sunt Verbi et inde ecclesiae: at in fine, quando homines ecclesiae non amplius spirituales sunt, sed naturales, et multi mere sensuales, et sic cum apud hominem ecclesiae non datur via ex spirituali homine in naturalem, tunc removentur illi custodes, et aperiuntur viae; quibus apertis contrario ordine vadunt, quod fit per ratiocinationes ex fallaciis: 2
inde fit quod homo ecclesiae pro Divinis ore loquatur, at contra Divina corde cogitet; seu pro Divinis ex corpore, et contra Divina ex spiritu; hunc enim effectum habet ratiocinatio de Divinis ex naturali et sensuali homine. Ex his nunc constare potest quid significatur per "quatuor angelos vinctos ad flumen Euphratem", et quid per quod "soluti fuerint."
[10] Quod "flumen Euphrates" significet rationale, per quod via est a spirituali homine in naturalem, constare potest ex sequentibus locis in Verbo:
- Apud Mosen,
"Pepigit Jehovah cum Abrahamo foedus, dicendo, Semini tuo dabo terram hanc a fluvio Aegypti usque ad fluvium magnum, fluvium Euphratem" (Genesis 15:18):
per haec in sensu litterae describitur extensio terrae Canaanis, sed in sensu interno describitur extensio ecclesiae a primo ejus termino ad ultimum; primus ejus terminus est scientificum quod est naturalis hominis, alter terminus est rationale quod est cogitationis: illud, nempe scientificum quod est naturalis hominis, significatur per "fluvium Aegypti" Nilum; et rationale quod est cogitationis, per "fluvium Assyriae" Euphratem; ad illa duo extendit se ecclesia spiritualis, quae per "terram Canaanem" significatur, similiter mens spiritualis quae apud hominem ecclesiae. Utrumque tam scientificum quam rationale est in naturali homine, cujus unus finis est scientificum et cognitivum, et alter finis est intuitivum et cogitativum; in hos fines influit homo spiritualis dum in hominem naturalem; conjunctio Domini per illa cum ecclesia significatur per "foedus" quod Jehovah pepigit cum 3
Abrahamo. Sed haec per illa verba significantur in sensu interno; at in sensu Supremo per illa intelligitur unio Divinae Essentiae cum Humana Domini; secundum illum sensum explicata sunt illa verba in Arcanis Caelestibus, (n. 1863-1866 4
).
[11] Apud Sachariam,
"Dominari Ipsius a mari usque ad mare, et a flumine usque ad fines terrae" (9:10; similiter apud Davidem, 72:8);
quae dicta sunt de Domino, ac de Ipsius dominio super caelum et terram; ac per "dominium a mari usque ad mare" significatur extensio naturalium, et per "dominium a flumine usque ad fines terrae" significatur extensio rationalium et spiritualium (videatur etiam supra, n. 518 [c]).
[12] Apud Mosen,
"Terram Cananaei et Libanum usque ad fluvium magnum, fluvium Euphratem, vide, dedi coram vobis terram, intrate et hereditario possidete illam" (Deuteronomius 1:7, 8);
apud eundem,
"Omnis locus quem calcabit planta pedis Vestri vobis erit, a deserto et Libano, a fluvio, fluvio Euphrate, et usque ad mare postremum erit terminus vester" (Deuteronomius 11:24);
et apud Josuam,
"A deserto et Libano hoc usque ad fluvium magnum, fluvium Euphratem, universa terra Chittaeorum, et usque ad mare magnum, occasum solis, erit terminus vester" (1:4):
in his locis extenSio ecclesiae ab uno fine ad alterum describitur; unus ejus finis qui est cognitivum et scientificum per "Libanum" et "mare", et alter finis qui est intuitivum et cogitativum significatur per "fluvium Euphratem": extensio terrae Canaanis est extensio ecclesiae, nam per "terram Canaanem" in Verbo significatur ecclesia: quod bis dicatur "fluvius", nempe "fluvius magnus, fluvius Euphrates", est quia per "fluvium magnum" intelligitur influxus spiritualium in rationalia, et per "fluvium Euphratem" influxus rationalium in naturalia, ita per utrumque influxus spiritualium per rationale in naturalia.
[13] Apud Micham,
"Dies hic quo usque ad te venient inde ab Aschure et ad urbes Aegypti, et inde ab Aegypto usque ad fluvium, et ad mare a mari, et a monte ad montem" (7:12):
per haec describitur instauratio ecclesiae apud gentes a Domino; "dies hic" significat adventum Domini; extensio ecclesiae ab uno fine ad alterum apud illos significatur per quod "venturi ab Aschure ad urbes Aegypti, et ab Aegypto ad fluvium"; extensio veri ab uno fine ad alterum significatur per "ad mare a mari"; et extensio boni per "a monte ad montem."
[14] Apud Davidem,
"Vitem ex Aegypto proficisci fecisti, expulisti gentes, et plantasti illam; .... emisisti propagines ejus usque ad mare, et ad fluvium ramusculos ejus" (8, [11]):
per "vitem" 5
quam Deus proficisci fecit "ex Aegypto" intelliguntur filii Israelis, et significatur ecclesia, nam "vitis" significat ecclesiam spiritualem; illam etiam significant filii Israelis": et quia ecclesia vocatur "vitis", ideo dicitur "Plantasti eam, emisisti propagineS ejus usque ad mare, et ad fluvium ramusculos ejus", per quae describitur extensio spiritualium ecclesiae; "mare" est unus eorum finis, et "fluvius", per quem intelligitur Euphrates, alter illorum finis. Per "Euphratem"
Qui erat quartus fluvius exiens ex Edene (Genesis 2:14),
etiam significatur rationale, nam per "hortum in Edene seu paradisum significatur sapientia; quid per tres reliquos fluvios significatur, videatur explicatum in Arcanis Caelestibus, (n. 107-121).
[15] Quoniam per "fluvium Euphratem" significatur rationale, ideo in opposito sensu per illum significatur ratiocinatio; per ratiocinationem hic intelligitur cogitatio et argumentatio ex fallaciis et ex falsis; at per rationale, cogitatio et argumentatio ex scientiis et ex veris: omne enim rationale excolitur per scientias, et formatur per vera; quare is vocatur rationalis homo qui ducitur a veris, seu quem vera ducunt; at homo non rationalis datur ratiocinans, per varia enim ratiocinia confirmare potest falsa, et quoque inducere simplicibus credere illa, quod praecipue fit per fallacias sensuum, de quibus infra.
[16] Haec ratiocinatio per "fluvium Euphratem" significatur in sequentibus locis:
- Apud Jeremiam,
"Quid tibi cum via Aegypti, ut bibas aquas Schichoris? et quid tibi cum via Assyriae, ut bibas aquas fluvii?" (2:18):
per haec significatur quod non investiganda sint spiritualia per scientifica naturalis hominis nec per ratiocinia inde, sed per Verbum, ita e caelo a Domino; qui enim in affectione et inde cogitatione spirituali sunt, illi vident scientifica naturalis hominis ac ratiocinia inde sicut infra se, at ex his videre spiritualia nemo potest; ex alto possunt prospici inferiora undequaque, et non vice versa: investigare spiritualia per scientifica naturalis hominis significatur per "Quid tibi cum via Aegypti, ut bibas aquas Schichoris ?" et per ratiocinia inde, significatur per "Quid tibi cum via Assyriae, ut bibas aquas fluvii?" "Aegyptus" et ejus flumen significant scientifica naturalis hominis, et "Assyria" et ejus fluvius significant ratiocinia ex illis.
[17] Apud Esaiam,
"In die illo detondebit Dominus per novaculam mercenariam in transitibus fluvii, per regem Aschuris, caput et pilos pedum, etiamque barbam consumet" (7:20):
haec de statu ecclesiae in fine ejus, quando venturus Dominus; quod tunc ratiocinia ex falsis deprivatura sint homines ecclesiae omni sapientia ac intelligentia spirituali, describitur per illa verba; ratiocinia per quae, significantur per "regem Aschuris in transitibus fluvii", nempe Euphratis: deprivatio sapientiae et intelligentiae spiritualis inde, significatur per quod "per novaculam mercenariam detondentur pili capitis et pedum, et consumetur barba"; per "pilos" enim significantur naturalia in quae operantur spiritualia, et in quae desinunt; quare per "pilos" in Verbo significantur ultima sapientiae et intelligentiae, per "pilos capitis" ultima sapientiae, per "barbam" ultima intelligentiae, et per "pilos pedum" ultima scientiae; quando ultima illa non sunt, nec sunt priora, sicut quando non basis est columnae, aut fundamentum domui. Illi qui per ratiocinia ex fallaciis et ex falsis se deprivaverunt intelligentia, apparent in mundo spirituali calvi (videatur supra, n. 66).
[18] Apud eundem,
"Ecce Dominus ascendere fecit super eos aquas fluvii validas et multas, regem Aschuris, et omnem gloriam ejus, qui ascendet super omnes rivos ejus, et ibit super omnes ripas ejus; hic ibit per Jehudam, inundabit et transibit" (8:7, 8):
per haec describitur quod in ecclesia falsificaturi sint omnia et singula Verbi per ratiocinia ex fallaciis et ex falsis; per "aquas fluvii validas et multas, regem Aschuris", significantur ratiocinia ex meris fallaciis et falsis; per quod "ascendet super omnes rivos et super omnes ripas" significatur quod per illa falsificaturi sint omnia et singula Verbi; per "Jehudam" quem inundabit et transibit, significatur ecclesia ubi Verbum, ita Verbum.
[19] Apud Jeremiam,
"Contra exercitum Pharaonis.... regis Aegypti, qui fuit apud fluvium Euphratem.... , quem percussit Nebuchadnezar; .... septentrionem versus, juxta litus fluvii Euphratis impegerunt et ceciderunt" (46:2, 6, 10):
per haec significatur destructio ecclesiae et ejus veritatum per falsa ratiocinia ex scientificis; per "fluvium Euphratem" significantur falsa ratiocinia, per "Aegyptum et ejus exercitum" scientifica confirmantia; per "septentrionem" ubi impegerunt et ceciderunt, significatur unde illa falsa. (De his etiam videatur supra, n. 518 [e] .)
[20] Apud eundem,
Jehovah dixit ad prophetam, ut emeret cingulum lini, et poneret illud super lumbos, sed non per aquam duceret; et dein quod abiret ad Euphratem, et id cingulum in foramine petrae ibi absconderet: et abivit et abscondidit ad Euphratem. "Postea a fine dierum multorum dixit Jehovah, Surge, abi ad Euphratem, et recipe inde cingulum"; et abiit et recepit, "et ecce corruptum erat cingulum, nec proderat ad quicquam. .... Ita quemadmodum adhaeret cingulum ad lumbos viri, sic adhaerere ad Me feci universam domum Israelis, et universam domum Jehudae, ut essent Mihi... in nomen, in laudem et in decus, sed non obediverunt" (13:1-7, 11):
per haec repraesentabatur qualis Ecclesia Israelitica et Judaica fuit et facta est; per "cingulum lini", quod propheta daret super lumbos suos, significatur conjunctio ecclesiae cum Domino per Verbum; per "prophetam" enim significatur doctrina ex Verbo, et per "cingulum" super prophetae lumbos conjunctio: falsificationes Verbi per mala vitae et falsa doctrinae, et inde ratiocinia illis faventia, significantur per "cingulum corruptum in foramine petrae ad Euphratem": per Verbum enim est conjunctio Domini cum ecclesia; et cum id per ratiocinia faventia malis et falsis pervertitur, tunc amplius nulla conjunctio est, quod etiam intelligitur per quod "non prodesset ad quicquam." Quod hoc a Judaeis factum sit, constat ex Verbo tam Veteris quam Novi Testamenti; ex Verbo Novi Testamenti, quod perverterint omnia quae de Domino scripta sunt in Verbo, et quoque omnia essentialia ecclesiae, et quod illa falsificaverint per traditiones.
[21] Apud eundem,
"Quum absolveris legere librum hunc, ligabis lapidem super eum, et projicies eum in medium Euphratis; et dices, Sic submergetur Babel, nec resurget" (51:63, 64):
per "librum" prophetae, quem legit, in specie intelligitur id Verbum quod in eo libro; in genere autem totum Verbum: quod "projiceret illum in medium Euphratis" significat quod Verbum successu temporis per ratiocinia faventia malis falsificaretur ab illis qui intelliguntur per "Babelem", qui sunt qui Verbum adulterant.
[22] Apud Esaiam,
"Devovebit Jehovah linguam maris Aegypti; et agitabit manum super fluvium" Euphratem "cum vehementia venti sui, et percutiet eum in septem rivos, ut viam faciat cum calceis; tunc erit semita reliquiis populi Ejus, quae residuae erunt ab Aschure, quemadmodum fuit Israeli... cum ascenderet e terra Aegypti" ( 6
per haec significatur quod coram illis qui in veris ex bono a Domino sunt, seu qui ab ecclesia, dissipabuntur omnia falsa et ratiocinia ex illis, et quod tuti quasi per medium transituri sint; ita fit in mundo spirituali illis quos Dominus tutatur: simile hic intelligitur, quod per "exsiccationem maris Suph coram filiis Israelis": illi qui tutati a Domino transituri sunt, significantur per "reliquias populi quae residuae erunt ab Aschure"; per "residuas ab Aschure" significantur qui non perierunt per ratiocinia ex falsis. Similia significantur per haec in Apocalypsi,
"Sextus angelus effudit.. phialam super fluvium... Euphratem, cujus exsiccata est aqua, ut pararetur via regum qui ab oriente solis" (16:12);
quae amplius explicata videbuntur infra in suo loco.
[23] Ex his nunc constare potest quod per "fluvium Euphratem" significetur rationale, quo medio spiritualis mens intrat naturalem; et in opposito sensu ratiocinatio ex fallaciis et ex falsis. At sciendum est quod ratiocinationes sint in simili gradu in quo cogitationes, quoniam ex his descendunt; ita quod sint ratiocinationes ex homine spirituali (quae tamen potius vocandae sunt conclusiones ex rationibus et ex veris), quod sint ratiocinationes ex homine naturali, et quod sint ex homine sensuali: ratiocinationes ex homine spirituali sunt rationales, quare potius vocandae sunt conclusiones ex rationibus et ex veris, quia sunt ex interiore, et ex luce caeli; ratiocinationes autem ex homine naturali de spiritualibus non sunt rationales, utcunque sint in moralibus et civilibus quae apparent coram oculis, sunt enim ex solo lumine naturali; ratiocinationes autem ab homine sensuali de spiritualibus sunt irrationales, quia a fallaciis, et inde ideis quae sunt falsae; hae ratiocinationes sunt, de quibus hic nunc in Apocalypsi agitur.
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