632# “他们将践踏圣城”表示他们将摧毁来自圣言的真理和良善的一切教义。这从“圣城”和“践踏”的含义清楚可知：“圣城”是指来自圣言的真理和良善的教义；“圣城”在字义上是指耶路撒冷，在圣言中，耶路撒冷处处被称为“圣城”；但“耶路撒冷”表示教会，“城”表示教会的教义；“城”表示教义(可参看AE 223节)；因此，“圣城”表示神性真理的教义，因为神性真理就是那在圣言中被称为“圣”的(AE 204节)。“践踏”是指完全摧毁，尤其通过感官和属世事物，因而通过被称为感官谬误的谬误摧毁，纯粹或绝对的虚假就源于未得到解释时的谬误。“践踏”之所以表示这些事物，是因为践踏是通过脚底来完成的，“脚底”表示人的外在感官事物，“脚”表示人的属世事物。“脚底”和“脚”的这种含义来自对应(可参看AE 65, 606节；《天堂与地狱》，96节)。
经上说“列族将践踏圣城”，是因为它跟在“殿外的院子被抛弃，因为它已经给了列族”这些话后面，“院子”表示圣言、教会和敬拜的外在，圣言的外在就是那被列族，也就是那些处于邪恶和虚假的人所败坏、因而被玷污和歪曲的。事实上，如前所述，被称为圣言字义的圣言的外在是给孩子和心智简单的人的，因此是照着表象来写的，因而是给那些感官和属世的人的；因为婴孩首先是感官化的，后来是属世的，当年龄增长时，他们就变得属灵。但当一个人没有变得属灵时，如所有活在邪恶中的人的情形，他不是属灵地理解圣言，只是属世而感官地理解，如此理解圣言的人会败坏它，并按着他的宗教虚假和生活邪恶来解释它。这就是为何经上说“他们将践踏圣城”。此外，在灵界，那些否认和鄙视天堂和教会的真理之人看上去用脚底践踏它们；如前所述，这是因为人的外在感官层对应于脚底，脚底就是那进行践踏的。虽说是人的外在感官层如此行，但它只是那些纯感官化或完全感官化的人的感官层，他们就是那些否认天堂和教会的真理，只相信自己能亲眼看到、亲手摸到的东西之人。
在以下经文中，“践踏”也论及这些人。路加福音：
他们要倒在剑刃之下，又被掳到所有民族中，耶路撒冷最终要被列族践踏，直到列族的时期满了。(路加福音21:24)
这些话与此处所解释的启示录中的经文具有相同的含义，即“院子已经给了列族，他们将践踏圣城四十二个月”；因为“他们要倒在剑刃之下”表示他们将因虚假而灭亡；“又被掳到所有民族中”表示邪恶将把教会的良善和真理当成猎物；“耶路撒冷被践踏”表示在教义方面对教会的摧毁；“耶路撒冷”表示教义方面的教会；“它被列族践踏”表示因生活的邪恶和教义的虚假而对教会的彻底摧毁；“直到列族的时期满了”表示直到邪恶满盈了(参看AE 624a节)；“四十二个月”也表示这种满盈。这些话，和启示录中的话一样，也是主论到最后审判之前的时期说的。
以西结书：
这在你们是小事吗？你们在美好的草场上吃草，草场上剩下的草，你们竟用脚践踏了；你们喝沉淀的水，剩下的水，你们竟用脚搅浑了。我的羊群就这样吃你们用脚所践踏的，喝你们用脚所搅浑的。(以西结书34:18, 19)
“美好的草场”表示属灵地滋养(人)的一切，尤表圣言，并由此而来的真理和良善的知识或认知；“吃草，剩下的草，你们竟用脚践踏了”表示如此消除它，以致它可能不会显现，如此摧毁它，以致它可能不会存在，这一切是通过来自肉体-感官层，以及与属灵层分离的属世层的推理完成的。因此，这就是“用脚践踏”所表示的；“沉淀的水”表示被虚假玷污的真理，因为“水”表示真理，“喝水”表示学习并接受；“剩下的水，竟用脚搅浑了”表示然而，因来自属世人的推理，却将没有被虚假玷污的真理带入混乱，“脚”表示人里面的属世事物。由此可见，“我的羊群喝用脚所践踏的和用脚所搅浑的”表示什么。
但以理书：
公山羊把公绵羊推倒在地，践踏他，没有任何人能救公绵羊脱离他的手；后来，有一角长出一个小角，渐渐成为强大；高及天象，将些天象和星宿抛落在地，践踏它们。(但以理书8:7, 9, 10)
此处“公山羊”表示与仁分离之信，“公绵羊”表示与仁结合的信，因而表示仁，与马太福音(25:31–46)中的“公山羊和绵羊”意思一样；“有一角长出一个小角，渐渐成为强大”表示唯信称义；“天象”表示天堂和教会的一切真理和良善，“星”表示良善和真理的知识。因此，“推倒公绵羊和天象”表示彻底摧毁仁爱，与它一道摧毁的，还有天堂和教会的一切真理和良善，这是通过肉体-感官层完成的；事实上，那些处于与仁分离之信，也就是说，相信自己唯信得救，无论生活是什么样的人就变得肉体-感官化，因而在圣言和教会的一切事物上都处于虚假；因为他们对圣言的感知只依照圣言文字的终端意义，他们从内层也看不见它里面的任何东西；即便从圣言讲真理，他们也是错误地感知它们；因此，这就是“公山羊将些天象和星宿抛落在地，践踏它们”所表示的。“公山羊把公绵羊推倒在地，践踏他”表示对邻之仁，也就是生活的良善以同样的方式被摧毁；因为那些处于与仁分离之信，由“公山羊”来表示的人使信成为本质，使仁成为非本质；因此，他们为身体和世界而生活，只关心他们自己，根本不关心邻舍；那些如此行的人就将“公绵羊”所表示的仁扔在地上，并践踏在脚下。
路加福音：
一些种子落在路旁，并被践踏，或天上的飞鸟把它吃掉了。(路加福音8:5)
“种子”表示神性真理，或圣言的真理；“落在路旁，并被践踏”表示只被肉体-感官层接受，没有从内层被接受；因为“落在好土里的种子”表示在灵里和心中被接受的。“把它吃掉的天上的飞鸟”表示虚假，因为一切邪恶和由此而来的虚假都居于肉体-感官层；因此，除非一个人变得属灵，并出于属灵之物思考，否则他就只思考来自邪恶的虚假。何为肉体-感官层，何为感官人(参看《新耶路撒冷及其属天教义》，50节；AE 342b,c, 543, 550, 552, 554, 556a,c, 559, 563, 569a,c, 570, 580节)。
以赛亚书：
我要使你们知道，我要向我的葡萄园怎么做；我必撤去篱笆，使它被吃尽，拆毁墙垣，使它被践踏。(以赛亚书5:5)
此处“葡萄园”表示主的教会，该教会被称为属灵教会；“撤去篱笆，拆毁墙垣”表示歪曲，从而摧毁保卫教会的真理；“葡萄园周围的篱笆和墙垣”与“耶路撒冷周围的墙垣和营垒”意思一样；“吃尽和践踏葡萄园”表示使教会荒废，以致真理和良善不能在其中涌现，因而表示摧毁教会。
耶利米书：
许多牧人毁坏了我的葡萄园，践踏了我的田地，他们使我美好的田地变为荒凉的旷野。(耶利米书12:10)
此处“葡萄园”和“田地”一样，表示主的教会；“毁坏”、“践踏”、“变为荒凉的旷野”表示如此摧毁，以至于教会的良善和真理丝毫不剩。以赛亚书：
我们的仇敌已经践踏了我们的圣所。(以赛亚书63:18)
“仇敌”表示生活的邪恶；“践踏圣所”表示摧毁取自圣言的教义真理，这也是通过肉体-感官层来完成的，因为所有处于生活邪恶的人都是肉体-感官化的。
诗篇：
就任凭仇敌追赶我的灵魂，直到追上，把我的性命践踏在地上，使我的荣耀住在尘土中。(诗篇7:5)
此处“仇敌”也表示邪恶，一般表示魔鬼，也就是地狱，邪恶来自地狱；“把性命践踏在地上，使荣耀住在尘土中”表示通过肉体-感官层摧毁天堂和教会的一切真理；因为这些构成属灵生命，并由“荣耀”来表示；“尘土”也论及肉体-感官层，该肉体-感官层也由“用肚子行走，吃尘土”来表示，如论到蛇经常所说的。
在以下经文中，“践踏”具有相同的含义。以赛亚书：
我要使亵渎的民族像街上的泥土一样被践踏。(以赛亚书10:6)
弥迦书：
耶和华的仇敌必被践踏，如同街上的泥土。(弥迦书7:10)
撒迦利亚书：
他们必如勇士在战场上践踏街上的泥土，他们必争战，因为耶和华与他们同在，他们必使骑马的羞愧。(撒迦利亚书10:5)
玛拉基书：
你们必践踏恶人，在我所定的日子，他们必在你们脚底之下成为尘土。(玛拉基书4:3)
以赛亚书：
以法莲酒徒高傲的冠冕，必被践踏在脚下。(以赛亚书28:3)
同一先知书：
我在怒气中践踏了众民，在烈怒中使他们喝醉，我将他们的胜利倒在地上。(以赛亚书63:6)
诗篇：
我们靠你要推倒我们的敌人；靠你的名要践踏那起来攻击我们的人。(诗篇44:5)
又：
神要践踏我们的敌人。(诗篇60:12; 108:13)
在这些经文中，“践踏”也表示摧毁，这是那些肉体-感官化的人所做的，因为那些具有这种特征的人把天堂和教会的一切事物都“践踏”在脚下；事实上，他们处于最低事物，思维不能被主提升，因为他们自己把自己压到地上，在那里舔尘土；所有否认神性真理的人都是这样。因为一个人从出生所拥有的一切邪恶都居于他的属世层和肉体-感官层；因此，除非他让自己被主从它们当中提升上来(这是通过神性手段，也就是信和爱的真理和良善，或通过教义和生活的真理和良善实现的)，否则他会留在他的邪恶中，这些邪恶被植入他的属世层和肉体-感官层，然后他就践踏属于天堂和教会的属天和属灵事物。
“踹在狮子和虺蛇，少壮狮子和龙身上”不仅表示摧毁这些所表示的邪恶和虚假，还表示没有被它们伤害；诗篇中的这句话表示这一点：
你要踹在狮子和虺蛇身上，践踏少壮狮子和龙。(诗篇91:13)
路加福音：
看哪，我已经给你们权柄可以践踏蛇和蝎子，又胜过仇敌一切的能力，绝没有什么能害你们。(路加福音10:19)
圣言如此说，是因为那些在地狱里的人有时在善灵和天使眼前照着他们所处的邪恶和由此而来的虚假以各种野兽和蛇的形式显现；正是从他们意愿的意图发出的思维本身呈现出这些表象。从他们的邪恶和虚假散发出来的东西不断通过在这些地狱之上，或覆盖这些地狱的陆地升上来或呼出来，因此，走在这些地方上对那些仅仅属世的人来说，是危险的，对那些肉体-感官化的人来说，更是危险；因为由此产生的散发物，以及传染物会传染那些走在那里的人。但那些被主引导的人可以安全地走在那地上，不受传染或侵扰，因为他们心智的内层，或他们思维和情感的内层被主提升到他们的肉体-感官层之上，肉体-感官层对应于脚底。这清楚表明，“踹在狮子和虺蛇，少壮狮子和龙身上”，不受它们伤害在严格意义上表示什么，又为何圣言如此说。别的地方已经阐述和说明“狮子”、“蛇和蝎子”表示什么。
632. And the holy city shall they tread under foot.- That this signifies that they will destroy all the doctrine of good and truth from the Word, is evident from the signification of the holy city, as denoting the doctrine of truth and good from the Word. In the sense of the letter the holy city means Jerusalem, which, in the Word, is everywhere called the city, and the holy city, but Jerusalem means the church, and a city, the doctrine of the church. That a city (civitas seu urbs) signifies doctrine, may be seen above (n. 223). The holy city therefore signifies the doctrine of Divine Truth, for Divine Truth is that which is called holy in the Word (n. 204); and from the signification of treading under foot as denoting to destroy altogether, especially by means of sensual and natural things, consequently by fallacies, which are called the fallacies of the senses, from which, when not unfolded, absolute falsities exist. The reason why such things are signified by treading under foot, is, that this is done by the soles of the feet, and the soles of the feet signify the sensual external things of man, and the feet his natural things. That this signification of the soles of the feet and of the feet is from correspondence, may be seen above (n. 65, 606); and in Heaven and Hell 96).
[2] It is said that "The nations shall tread under foot the holy city," because these words follow: "The court which is without the temple, cast out, because it is given to the nations." By the court is signified the external of the Word, of the church, and of worship, and the external of the Word is that which is perverted, and consequently adulterated and falsified by the nations, or by those who are in evils and falsities. For, as stated in the preceding article, the external of the Word, called the sense of its letter, is for children and the simple minded, and therefore is written according to appearances, thus for those who are sensual and natural; for children are first sensual, afterwards natural, and when they advance in age they become spiritual. But a man who does not become spiritual, as is the case with every one who lives in evil, cannot understand the Word spiritually, but merely naturally and sensually, and he who thus understands the Word perverts it, and explains it according to the falsities of his religion, and the evils of his life; this is the reason why it is said, they shall tread it under foot. Those who deny and despise the truths of heaven and of the church, also appear in the spiritual world to tread them under the soles of their feet, and this, as said just above, because the external Sensual of man corresponds to the soles of the feet, by means of which treading under foot is effected. It is said that the external Sensual of man does this, but this is the case only with the Sensual of those who are utterly sensual, and these are they who deny the truths of heaven and of the church, who also believe nothing but what they can see with their eyes and touch with their hands.
[3] These are they of whom it is said "to tread under foot"; and in the following places.
In Luke:
"They shall fall by the edge of the sword, and they shall be taken captive among all nations, and at length Jerusalem shall be trodden under foot of the nations, even till the times of the nations shall be fulfilled" (624:2.) This consummation is also signified by forty and two months. Those words, like these in the Apocalypse, were also spoken by the Lord concerning the time immediately preceding the Last Judgment.
[4] In Ezekiel:
"Is it a small thing to you? Ye eat up the good pasture, and ye tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures; ye drink the sediment of waters, ye disturb the rest with your feet; and so my flock feed upon what ye have trodden with your feet, and drink that which is disturbed by your feet" (34:18, 19).
The good pasture signifies every thing that spiritually nourishes, especially the Word, and the cognitions of truth and good thence, To eat it up, and to tread down the rest with the feet, signifies to destroy it so that it may not appear, also to destroy it that it may not exist, and this is done by reasonings from the corporeal-Sensual, and from the natural man separated from the spiritual. This then is what is meant by treading under foot. The sediment of the waters signifies truths defiled by falsities, for waters denote truths, and to drink thereof signifies to learn and to receive; to disturb the rest of the waters by the feet signifies to confound by reasonings from the natural man truths not defiled by falsities, feet denoting natural things with man. The signification of my flock drinking what is trodden down and disturbed with the feet is therefore evident.
[5] In Daniel:
The he-goat "threw" the ram "to the ground, and trod upon him, nor was there any one to take the ram out of his hand; afterwards one horn grew from a little one to the host of the heavens, and cast down of the host and of the stars to the earth, and trod upon them" (8:7, 9, 10).
The he-goat there signifies faith separated from charity, and by the ram faith united to charity, thus charity. The signification of the goats and sheep in Matthew (25:31-46) is similar. The one horn which from a little one increased immensely signifies justification by faith alone; by the host of the heavens are signified all the truths and goods of heaven and of the church, and by the stars are signified the knowledges of good and truth. Therefore by treading under foot the ram and also the host of the heavens, is signified altogether to destroy charity, and with it all the truths and goods of heaven and the church, and this by means of the corporeal-Sensual. For those who are in faith separated from charity, that is, who believe that they shall be saved by faith alone, whatever their life may be, become corporeal-Sensual, and are consequently immersed in falsities in regard to all things of the Word and of the church. For their perception of the Word is only according to the ultimate sense of its letter, nor do they see any thing of it interiorly; in fact, if they utter truths from the Word, still they have a false perception of them. This therefore is the signification of the he-goat casting down to the earth of the host of the heavens and of the stars, and treading them under foot. That charity towards the neighbour, that is, the good of life, is in like manner destroyed by them, is meant by the goat throwing the ram to the ground, and treading upon him. For those who are in faith separated from charity, and meant by the he-goat, make faith the essential and charity the non-essential, therefore they live for the body and the world, and are solicitous about themselves only, and not at all for their neighbour, and those who do this, cast charity down to the around, and tread it under foot, charity being meant by the ram.
[6] In Luke:
"Some" seed "fell upon the way, which was trodden underfoot, or the fowls of heaven devoured it" (Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 50); also above in this work (n. 342, 543, 550, 552, 554, 556, 559, 563, 569, 570, 580).
[7] Again in Isaiah:
"I will make known to you what I will do to my vineyard; in removing the hedge thereof, that it may be eaten up, and in breaking through the wall thereof, that it may be trodden under foot" (5:5).
The vineyard there signifies the church of the Lord, which is called the spiritual church. By removing the hedge, and breaking through the wall, is signified to falsify and thus to destroy the truths that defend the church, the wall and the hedge about the vineyard denoting the same as the wall and the bulwarks around Jerusalem. By eating up and treading under foot the vineyard, is signified to vastate the church, so that no good and truth can spring up therein, and thus to destroy it.
[8] In Jeremiah:
"Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my field under foot, they have made my field of desire a wilderness of solitude" (12:10).
Here also the church of the Lord is signified by vineyard and similarly by field. To destroy, to tread under foot, and to make a wilderness of solitude, signifies so to destroy as to leave nothing of the good and truth of the church.
In Isaiah:
"Our enemies have trodden thy sanctuary under foot" (63:18).
Enemies signify evils of life. By treading the sanctuary under foot is signified to destroy the truths of doctrine from the Word, and this also by means of the corporeal-Sensual, for all those who are in evils of life are corporeal-Sensual.
[9] So in David:
"The enemy pursueth my soul, and overtaketh and treadeth down my life to the earth, and maketh my glory to dwell in the dust" (Psalm 7:5).
Enemy here also signifies evil, in general the devil, that is, hell, whence evil comes. By treading down life to the earth and making glory to dwell in the dust, is signified to destroy, by means of the corporeal-Sensual, all the truths of heaven and of the church, for these make spiritual life, and are also signified by glory. "Dust" is also used in reference to the corporeal-Sensual, which also is meant by walking upon the belly and eating dust, as is frequently said of the serpent.
[10] Similar things are signified by treading under foot in these passages.
In Isaiah:
"I will make" the hypocritical nation "to be trodden under foot as the mire of the streets" (10:6).
In Micah:
"The enemy of Jehovah" shall be for a treading under foot, as the mud of the streets" (7:10).
In Zechariah:
"They shall be as mighty men treading under foot the mire of the streets in the war, they shall fight because Jehovah is with them, and they shall make them ashamed that ride upon horses" (10:5).
In Malachi:
"Then ye shall tread the impious under foot, and they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet, in the day when I shall do this"(4:3).
In Isaiah:
"The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under foot" (28:3);
"I have trodden the people under foot in my anger, and made them drunk in my wrath, and I have made their victory to descend to the earth" (63:6).
In David:
"By thee will we drive away our enemies, in thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us" (Psalm 44:6);
again:
God "shall tread down our enemies" (Psalm 60:12, 108:13).
In these passages treading under foot also signifies to destroy, which is done by those who are corporeal-sensual, for those who are of such a character tread under foot all things of heaven and of the church, for they are in lowest things, and their thoughts cannot be elevated upwards by the Lord, because they themselves depress them to the earth, and there they lick the dust; such are all those that deny the Divine. For all the evils which man has from birth reside in his natural and corporeal-Sensual, unless therefore he suffer himself to be raised out of them by the Lord - and this takes place through divine media, which are the truths and goods of faith and of love, or through truths and goods of doctrine and of life - he remains in his evils implanted in the natural and corporeal-Sensual, and then he treads under foot the celestial and spiritual things that pertain to heaven and the church.
[11] Treading upon the lion, the asp, serpents, and scorpions, means not only to destroy the evils and falsities signified by these, but also not to be harmed by them. This is meant in David:
"Thou shalt tread upon the lion and asp, the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under foot" (Psalm 91:13);
so in Luke:
"Behold I give you power to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy, so that nothing shall by any means hurt you" (10:19).
The reason why it is so expressed in the Word is, that those who are in the hells sometimes appear before the eyes of good spirits and angels in the forms of various beasts and serpents, according to the species of the evil and thence of the falsity, in which they are; it is their thoughts proceeding from the intention of their wills that present those appearances. The exhalations from their evils and falsities continually rise up through the lands that are over those hells, or by which those hells are covered; to walk therefore upon those places is dangerous for those who are only natural, and still more for those who are corporeal-sensual, for the exhalation arising therefrom and the contagion infect those who walk there. But those whom the Lord leads may walk with safety upon that land without being infected or infested, because the interiors of their minds, or of their thoughts and affections, are raised by the Lord above their corporeal-Sensual, which corresponds to the soles of their feet. From these things it is evident what is meant, in the proper sense (in sensu proprio), by treading upon the lion, the asp, serpents, and scorpions without being hurt by them, and also why it is so said in the Word. The signification of a lion and of serpents and scorpions has been stated and shown elsewhere.
632. And the holy city shall they trample down, signifies that they will destroy all the doctrine of good and truth from the Word. This is evident from the signification of "the holy city," as being the doctrine of truth and good from the Word; in the sense of the letter "the holy city" means Jerusalem, which in the Word here and there is called "the holy city;" but "Jerusalem" means the church, and a "city" the doctrine of the church; that a "city" [civitas or urbs] signifies doctrine, see above n. 223; therefore "the holy city" signifies the doctrine of Divine truth, for Divine truth is what is called "holy" in the Word n. 204. This is evident also from the signification of "trampling down," as being to destroy altogether, in particular by means of things sensual and natural, consequently by means of fallacies, which are called the fallacies of the senses, from which when not explained mere falsities spring; such things are signified by "trampling down," because trampling is done by the soles of the feet, and "the soles of the feet" signify the external sensual things of man, and "feet" his natural things. That this signification of "soles" and of "feet" is from correspondence, see above (n. 65, 606; and in the work on Heaven and Hell 96).
[2] It is said that "the nations shall trample down the holy city," because this follows after the words, "The court which is without the temple cast out, for it is given to the nations," and the "court" signifies the external of the Word, of the church, and of worship, and the external of the Word is what is perverted, and thus adulterated and falsified, by the nations, that is, by those who are in evils and falsities. For, as was said in the preceding article, the external of the Word, which is called the sense of its letter, is for children and the simple-minded, and is therefore written according to appearances, thus for those who are sensual and natural; for infants are first sensual, afterwards natural, and when they advance in age they become spiritual. But when a man does not become spiritual, as is the case with all who live in evil, he does not understand the Word spiritually, but only naturally and sensually, and he who so understands the Word perverts it, and explains it according to the falsities of his religion and according to the evils of his life. This is why it is said that "they shall trample it down." Moreover, those who deny and despise the truths of heaven and the church appear in the spiritual world to trample them under the soles of the feet, and this, as was said above, because the external sensual of man corresponds to the soles of the feet, which are what trample down. It is said that the external sensual of man does this, but it is the sensual of those only who are merely sensual, who are such as deny the truths of heaven and the church, and who also believe nothing except what they can see with their eyes and touch with their hands.
[3] "To trample down" is predicated of such in the following passages also. In Luke:
They shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem shall finally be trampled down by the nations, until the times of the nations shall be fulfilled (624); this consummation is also signified by the "forty-two months." This, too, like what is said in Revelation, was said by the Lord respecting the time just preceding the Last Judgment.
[4] In Ezekiel:
Is this a small thing to you? Ye feed upon the good pasture, and trample down with your feet the remainder of your pastures; ye drink the sediment of the waters, ye stir up the remainder with your feet; and thus my flock feeds upon what ye have trampled down with your feet, and drink that which is stirred up by your feet (Ezekiel 34:18, 19).
"Good pasture" signifies all that which spiritually nourishes, especially the Word and the knowledges of truth and good therefrom; "to feed upon it and to trample down the remainder with the feet" signifies to so do away with it that it does not appear, and to so destroy it that it is not, and this is done by reasonings from the corporeal-sensual, and from the natural man separated from the spiritual. This therefore is what is meant by "trampling down with the feet;" "the sediment of the waters" signify truths defiled by falsities, for "waters" mean truths, and "to drink thereof" signifies to learn and to receive; "to stir up the remainder of the waters with the feet" signifies to bring nevertheless into confusion by reasonings from the natural man the truths that are not defiled by falsities, "feet" signifying the natural things in man. From this what is signified by "my flock shall drink what is trampled down by the feet, and what is stirred up by the feet," can be seen.
[5] In Daniel:
The he-goat cast the ram to the earth and trampled him down, nor was there anyone to deliver the ram out of his hand; afterwards one horn waxed great from a little one; even to the host of the heavens, and some of the host and of the stars it cast down to the earth and trampled them down (Daniel 8:7, 9, 10).
The "he-goat" here signifies faith separated from charity, and the "ram" signifies faith conjoined to charity, thus charity, the same as the "he-goats and sheep" in Matthew 25:31-46; "the one horn that waxed great from a little one" signifies justification by faith alone; "the host of the heavens" signifies all truths and goods of heaven and the church, and the "stars" signify the knowledges of good and truth; therefore "to trample down the ram" and also "the host of the heavens" signifies to destroy charity utterly, and with it all the truths and goods of heaven and the church, and this by the corporeal-sensual; for they who are in faith separated from charity, that is, who believe that they are saved by faith alone whatever their life may be, become corporeal-sensual, and are consequently in falsities in respect to all things of the Word and of the church; for they have no perception of the Word otherwise than according to the ultimate sense of its letter, seeing nothing interiorly in it; and even if they speak truths from the Word they nevertheless perceive them falsely; therefore this is what is signified by "the he-goat cast down to the earth some of the host of the heavens and some of the stars, and trampled them down." That charity towards the neighbor, that is, the good of life, is in like manner destroyed, is meant by "the he-goat cast the ram to the earth and trampled him down;" for they who are in faith separated from charity, who are meant by the "he-goat," make faith the essential and charity the nonessential, therefore they live for the body and the world, and are solicitous about themselves only, and not at all about the neighbor; and those who do this cast charity (which is meant by the "ram, ") to the earth and trample it down.
[6] In Luke:
Some seed fell upon the way and was trampled down, or the fowls of heaven devoured it (The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 50, also above, (n. 342, 543, 550, 552, 554, 556, 559, 563, 569, 570, 580)
[7] In Isaiah:
I will make known to you what I will do to My vineyard; in taking away its hedge that it may be eaten up, and in breaking down its wall that it may be trampled down (Isaiah 5:5).
"Vineyard" here signifies the Lord's church, which is called a spiritual church; "to take away its hedge, and break down its wall," signifies to falsify and thus destroy the truths that defend the church; "the hedge and the wall about the vineyard" have a similar signification as "the wall and the bulwarks about Jerusalem;" "to eat up and trample down the vineyard" signifies to lay waste the church, so that no truth and good can spring up, and thus to destroy it.
[8] In Jeremiah:
Many shepherds have destroyed My vineyard, they have trampled down My field, they have made the field of desire a wilderness of solitude (Jeremiah 12:10).
Here, too, the "vineyard," like "field," signifies the Lord's church; "to destroy," "to trample down," and "to make a wilderness of solitude" signifies to so destroy that nothing of the good and truth of the church remains. In Isaiah:
Our enemies have trampled down our 1sanctuary (Isaiah 63:18).
"Enemies" signify the evils of life; "to trample down the sanctuary" signifies to destroy the truths of doctrine from the Word, and this also by means of the corporeal-sensual, for all who are in evils of life are corporeal-sensual.
[9] In David:
The enemy pursueth my soul and overtaketh it, and trampleth down my life to the earth, and maketh my glory to dwell in the dust (Psalms 7:5).
Here, too, "enemy" signifies evil, in general the devil, that is, hell, from which evil comes; and "to trample down the life to the earth and make glory to dwell in the dust" signifies to destroy by means of the corporeal-sensual all truths of heaven and the church; for these constitute spiritual life, and are signified by "glory;" "dust," too, is predicated of the corporeal-sensual, and this is also meant by "walking upon the belly and eating dust," as is here and there said of the serpent.
[10] "To trample down" has a similar signification in the following passages. In Isaiah:
I will make the hypocritical nation to be trampled down like the clay of the streets (Isaiah 10:6).
In Micah:
The enemy of Jehovah shall be for a trampling down like the mire of the streets (Mic. Micah 7:10).
In Zechariah:
They shall be as the mighty ones trampling down the mire of the streets in the war, and they shall fight because Jehovah is with them, and they shall make ashamed them that ride upon horses (Zechariah 10:5).
In Malachi:
Then thou shalt 2trample down the wicked, and they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet, in the day that I am making (Malachi 4:3).
In Isaiah:
The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, they shall be trampled down under the feet (Isaiah 28:3).
In the same:
I have trampled down the peoples in My anger, and made them drunk in My wrath, and I have made their victory to descend to the earth (Isaiah 63:6).
In David:
Through Thee will we push down our adversaries; in Thy name will we trample them down that rise up against us (Psalms 44:5).
In the same:
God will trample down our adversaries (Psalms 60:12; 108:13).
"To trample down" in these passages also signifies to destroy, which is done by those who are corporeal-sensual, for those who are such "trample down" all things of heaven and the church, for they are in what is lowest, and their thoughts cannot be elevated by the Lord, for they themselves let them down to the earth, and there they lick the dust. Such are all those that deny the Divine. For all the evils that a man has from birth have their seat in his natural and in his corporeal-sensual; consequently unless he suffers himself to be elevated out of them by the Lord, which is effected by Divine means, which are the truths and goods of faith and love, or by the truths and goods of doctrine and life, he remains in his evils, which are implanted in his natural and in his corporeal-sensual, and then he tramples down the celestial and spiritual things belonging to heaven and the church.
[11] "To tread upon the lion, the adder, serpents, and scorpions," means not only to destroy the evils and falsities that are signified by these, but also not to be hurt by them; this is meant in David:
Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder, the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample down (Psalms 91:13).
In Luke:
Behold I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, that nothing may by any means hurt you (Luke 10:19).
This is so said in the Word because those who are in the hells appear before the eyes of good spirits and angels sometimes in the forms of various beasts and serpents, according to the kind of evil and of falsity therefrom in which they are; their thoughts themselves, when they go forth from the intention of their will, present such appearances. Exhalations from their evils and falsities continually breathe forth through the lands that are over these hells, or by which these hells are covered; so that to walk upon such places is dangerous to those who are only natural, and still more to those who are corporeal-sensual; for an exhalation arises therefrom, and a contagion affects those who walk there. But those who are led by the Lord may safely tread upon that earth without infection or infestation, because the interiors that are of their mind, or of their thought and affection, are elevated by the Lord above their corporeal-sensual, which corresponds to the soles of the feet. This makes clear what is meant, in a strict sense, by "treading upon the lion, the adder, the serpents, and the scorpions without being hurt by them," also why it is so said in the Word. But what is signified by a "lion" and by "serpents and scorpions" has been told and shown elsewhere.
Footnotes:
1. The Hebrew has "thy," as also fund in Arcana Coelestia 9479.
2. The Hebrew has "ye shall trample."
632. "Et civitatem sanctam conculcabunt" - Quod significet quod destructuri omnem doctrinam boni et veri ex Verbo, constat ex significatione "civitatis sanctae", quod sit doctrina veri et boni ex Verbo; per "civitatem sanctam" in sensu litterae intelligitur Hierosolyma, quae in Verbo passim vocatur civitas et urbs "sancta"; sed per "Hierosolymam" intelligitur ecclesia, et per "civitatem" doctrina ecclesiae: (quod "civitas" seu "urbs" significet doctrinam, videatur supra (n. 223); inde "civitas sancta" significat doctrinam Divini Veri, nam Divinum Verum est quod in Verbo vocatur "sanctum" (n. 204): et ex significatione "conculcare", quod sit prorsus destruere, in specie per sensualia et naturalia, proinde per fallacias quae vocantur fallaciae sensuum, ex quibus non evolutis merae falsitates existunt; quod per "conculcare" significentur illa, est quia conculcatio fit per plantas pedum, et per "plantas pedum" significantur sensualia externa hominis, et per "pedes" naturalia ejus; quod illa significatio "plantarum" et "pedum" sit ex correspondentia, videatur supra (n. 65, 606; et in opere De Caelo et Inferno 96).
[2] Dicitur quod "gentes conculcabunt civitatem sanctam", quia sequitur post haec verba, "Atrium quod est extra templum, rejice foras, quia datum est gentibus"; et per "atrium" significatur externum Verbi, ecclesiae et cultus; et externum Verbi est quod a gentibus, hoc est, ab illis qui in malis et falsis sunt, pervertitur, proinde adulteratur et falsificatur. Nam, ut in praecedente articulo dictum est, externum Verbi, quod vocatur sensus litterae ejus, est pro infantibus et simplicibus, ac ideo secundum apparentias, ita pro illis qui sensuales et naturales sunt; infantes enim primum sensuales sunt, dein naturales, et cum adolescunt aetate fiunt spirituales; homo autem qui non fit spiritualis, sicut omnis qui male vivit, is non spiritualiter intelligit Verbum, sed mere naturaliter et sensualiter; et qui ita Verbum intelligit, is pervertit illud, et explicat secundum falsa suae religionis, et secundum mala suae vitae; inde est quod dicatur quod "conculcent" illud. Etiam in mundo spirituali apparent illi, qui negant et contemnunt vera caeli et ecclesiae, illa plantis pedum conculcare; et hoc, ut mox dictum est, quia externum sensuale hominis correspondet plantis pedum, per quas fit conculcatio. Dicitur quod externum sensuale hominis hoc faciat, sed solum sensuale apud illos qui mere sensuales sunt, qui sunt qui negant vera caeli et ecclesiae, tum qui non credunt aliquid nisi quod oculis vident et manibus tangunt.
[3] Hi sunt de quibus dicitur "conculcare", et quoque in sequentibus locis :
- Apud Lucam,
"Cadent ore gladii, et captivabuntur inter omnes gentes, et tandem Hierosolyma erit conculcata a gentibus, usque dum implebuntur tempora gentium" (21:24):
haec similia significant cum illis quae in Apocalypsi hic explicantur, nempe quod "atrium datum sit gentibus, et civitatem sanctam conculcabunt mensibus quadraginta duobus"; nam per quod "cadent ore gladii" significatur quod perituri per falsa; quod "captivabuntur inter omnes gentes" significat quod mala depraedatura bona et vera ecclesiae; quod "Hierosolyma erit conculcata" significat quod ecclesia quoad doctrinam destruetur, "Hierosolyma" enim significat ecclesiam quoad doctrinam; quod "conculcata erit a gentibus" significat totalem destructionem ejus a malis vitae et a falsis doctrinae; "usque dum implebuntur tempora gentium" significat dum malum consummatum est (de quo supra, n. 624 [a]): haec consummatio etiam significatur per "menses quadraginta duos": illa quoque a Domino de tempore proxime ante ultimum judicium dicta sunt, sicut haec in Apocalypsi.
[4] Apud Ezechielem,
"Num parum vobis? pascuum bonum depascitis, et reliquum pascuorum vestrorum conculcatis pedibus vestris; sedimentum aquarum bibitis, reliquas pedibus vestris turbatis: et sic grex meus conculcatum pedum vestrorum pascunt, et turbatum pedum vestrorum bibunt" (34:18, 19):
per "pascuum bonum" significatur omne quod spiritualiter nutrit, imprimis Verbum, et inde cognitiones veri et boni: "depascere illud, et reliquum pedibus conculcare", significat deperdere ut non appareat, et destruere ut non sit, quod fit per ratiocinationes ex sensuali corporeo, et ex naturali homine separato a spirituali; hoc itaque est "conculcare pedibus": per "sedimentum aquarum" significantur vera conspurcata falsis, "aquae" enim sunt vera; "illud bibere" significat discere et recipere; "pedibus turbare reliquas aquas" significat vera non conspurcata falsis usque per ratiocinia ex naturali homine confundere ("pedes" significant naturalia apud hominem): inde constare potest quid significatur per quod." grex meus conculcatum pedum et turbatum pedum bibant."
[5] Apud Danielem,
Hircus "projecit" arietem "in terram, et conculcavit eum, nec erat eripiens arietem e manu ejus:.... postea cornu unum de exiguo...crevit usque ad exercitum caelorum, et dejecit in terram de exercitu, et de stellis, et conculcavit ea" (8:7, 9, 10):
per "hircum" ibi significatur fides separata a charitate, et per "arietem" significatur fides conjuncta charitati, ita charitas (similia quae per "hircos" et per "oves" apud Matthaeum, cap. 25:31-46): per "cornu unum de exiguo quod immensum crevit" significatur justificatio per solam fidem: per "exercitum caelorum" significantur omnia vera et bona caeli et ecclesiae, et per "stellas" significantur cognitiones boni et veri; quare per "conculcare arietem", et quoque "exercitum caelorum", significatur prorsus destruere charitatem, et cum illa omnia vera et bona caeli et ecclesiae, et hoc per sensuale corporeum: nam qui in fide separata a charitate sunt, hoc est, qui credunt salvari per solam fidem, qualiscunque vita sit, illi fiunt sensuales corporei, et inde in falsis sunt quoad omnia Verbi et ecclesiae; non enim aliter percipiunt Verbum quam secundum ultimum sensum litterae ejus, nec aliquid ibi interius vident; immo, si loquantur vera ex Verbo, usque false percipiunt illa; hoc itaque est quod significatur per quod "hircus dejecerit in terram de exercitu caelorum et de stellis, et conculcaverit ea": quod charitatem erga proximum, hoc est, bonum vitae, similiter destruant, intelligitur per quod "hircus projecerit arietem in terram, et conculcaverit eum"; nam illi qui in fide separata a charitate sunt, qui intelliguntur per "hircum", fidem faciunt essentialem, et charitatem non essentialem; quare vivunt corpori et mundo, ac sibi solis student, et nihil proximo; et qui hoc faciunt, charitatem, quae intelligitur per "arietem", projiciunt in terram, et illam conculcant.
[6] Apud Lucam,
"Aliud" semen "cecidit super viam, quod conculcatum est, aut volatilia caeli comederunt illud" (8:5):
per "semen" significatur Divinum Verum, seu verum Verbi; per "cadere super viam et conculcari" significatur recipi solum a sensuali corporeo, et non interius; quod enim recipitur spiritu et corde, hoc intelligitur per "semen quod in terram bonam cecidit": per "volatilia caeli" quae comederunt illud, significantur falsa; nam omnia mala et inde falsa resident in ejus sensuali corporeo; quare nisi homo fiat spiritualis, et ex eo cogitet, prorsus falsa ex malo cogitat. (Quid sensuale corporeum est, et quales homines sensuales sunt, videatur in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae 50: ut et supra, n. 342 [b, c] , 543, 550, 552, 554, 556 [a, c] , 559, 563, 569 [a, c] , 570, 580.)
[7] Apud Esaiam,
"Notum faciam vobis quid Ego facturus vineae meae; removendo sepem ejus ut sit ad depascendum, et perrumpendo maceriem ejus, ut sit ad conculcandum" (5:5):
per "vineam" ibi significatur ecclesia Domini, quae ecclesia spiritualis vocatur: per "removere sepem", et "perrumpere maceriem", significatur falsificare, et sic deperdere vera tutantia ecclesiam; per "sepem" et "maceriem" circum vineam, simile significatur quod per "murum" et per "antemurale" circum Hierosolymam: per "vineam depascere et conculcare" significatur vastare ecclesiam, ut non sit aliquod verum et bonum enascens, et sic illam destruere.
[8] Apud Jeremiam,
"Pastores multi perdiderunt vineam meam, conculcarunt agrum meum, redegerunt agrum desiderii in desertum solitudinis" (12:10):
per "vineam" etiam hic significatur ecclesia Domini, similiter per "agrum"; "perdere", "conculcare", et "redigere in desertum solitudinis", significat ita destruere ut non supersit aliquid boni et veri ecclesiae.
Apud Esaiam,
"Hostes nostri conculcarunt sanctuarium 1
tuum" (63:18):
per "hostes" significantur mala vitae; per "conculcare sanctuarium" significatur destruere vera doctrinae ex Verbo, et hoc quoque per sensuale corporeum; qui in malis. vitae sunt, illi omnes sensuales corporei sunt.
[9] Apud Davidem,
"Persequitur hostis animam meam, et assequitur, et conculcat in terram vitam meam, et gloriam meam in pulvere habitare facit" (Psalms 7:6 [B.A. 5]):
per "hostem" etiam hic significatur malum, in genere diabolus, hoc est, infernum, ex quo malum; et per "conculcare in terram vitam, et gloriam in pulvere habitare facere", significatur per sensuale corporeum destruere omnia vera caeli et ecclesiae; haec enim faciunt vitam spiritualem, et quoque significantur per "gloriam": "pulvis" etiam praedicatur de sensuali corporeo; hoc etiam intelligitur per "ambulare super ventre et comedere pulverem", ut passim dicitur de serpente.
[10] Similia per "conculcare" significantur in sequentibus locis :
- Apud Esaiam,
"Ponam" gentem hypocriticam "in conculcationem, sicut lutum platearum" (10:6);
apud Micham,
Inimica Jehovae "erit in conculcationem, sicut caenum platearum" (7:10);
apud Sachariam,
"Erunt sicut potentes conculcantes caenum platearum in bello, et proeliabuntur, quia Jehovah cum illis, et pudefacient equitantes in equis" (10:5);
apud Malachiam,
"Tunc 2
conculcabitis impios, et erunt cinis sub vola pedum vestrorum, in die quem Ego faciens" (3:21 [B.A. 4:3]);
apud Esaiam,
"Pedibus conculcabuntur corona superbiae, ebrii Ephraimi" (28:3);
apud eundem,
"Conculcavi populos in ira mea, et inebriavi eos in excandescentia mea, et descendere feci in terram victoriam eorum" (63:6);
apud Davidem,
"Per te hostes nostros feriemus, in nomine tuo conculcabimus insurgentes contra nos" (Psalms 44:6 [B.A. 5]);
apud eundem,
Deus "conculcabit hostes nostros" (Psalms 60:14 [B.A. Psalms 60bbccc[12] ;Psalms 108:14 [B.A. :13]):
per "conculcare" in his locis etiam significatur destruere, quod fit ab illis qui sensuales corporei sunt; nam qui tales sunt, illi conculcant omnia caeli et ecclesiae; nam sunt in infimis, nec possunt cogitationes illorum sursum elevari a Domino, nam ipsi demittunt illas in terram, et ibi pulverem lambunt; tales sunt omnes qui Divinum negant. Mala enim, quae homini ex nativitate sunt, omnia resident in naturali et sensuali corporeo ejus; quapropter nisi homo se patitur ab illis elevari a Domino, quod fit per Divina media, quae sunt vera et bona fidei et amoris, seu per vera et bona doctrinae et vitae, manet ille in suis malis, quae naturali et sensuali corporeo insita sunt, et tunc conculcat caelestia et spiritualia quae sunt caeli et ecclesiae.
[11] Per "calcare super leonem, aspidem, serpentes et scorpios", intelligitur non modo destruere mala et falsa, quae per illos significantur, sed etiam non noceri ab illis: hoc intelligitur apud Davidem,
"Super leonem et aspidem calcabis, conculcabis leonem juvenem et draconem" (Psalms 91:13);
et apud Lucam,
"Ecce do vobis potestatem calcandi super serpentes et scorpios, et super omnem potestatem inimici, ut nihil tamen quicquam noceat" (10:19):
quod ita dicatur in Verbo, est quia illi qui in infernis sunt apparent coram oculis spirituum bonorum et angelorum quandoque in formis variarum bestiarum et serpentum, secundum species mali et inde falsi in quibus sunt: ipsae eorum cogitationes procedentes ex intentione eorum voluntatis sistunt illas apparentias. Exhalationes ex malis et falsis eorum continue exspirant per terras quae supra inferna illa sunt, seu ex quibus inferna tecta sunt; quare super illis locis ambulare periculosum est illis qui modo naturales sunt, et magis qui sensuales corporei; exsurgit enim exhalatio inde, et contagio infectat superambulantes. At illi quos Dominus ducit tuti possunt calcare illam terram absque infectione et infestatione; causa est, quia interiora quae mentis eorum sunt, seu quae cogitationis et affectionis, a Domino elevantur supra sensuale corporeum eorum, quod correspondet plantis pedum eorum. Ex his constare potest quid in sensu proprio intelligitur per "calcare super leonem, aspidem, serpentes et scorpios, ut nihil tamen quicquam noceat"; et quoque constare potest unde est quod ita in Verbo dicatur. Quid autem per "leonem" perque "serpentes et scorpios" significatur, alibi dictum et ostensum est.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.
2. The editors made a correction or note here.