A Compendium of the Chief Doctrines of the True Christian Religion/Chapter 44
XLIV. The Divine Science of Correspondences, according to which the Sacred Scriptures are written throughout.
IT is generally acknowledged, that the Word is holy, inasmuch as Jehovah the Lord spake it: but because it's holiness does not in all cases appear in the literal sense, therefore they who once begin to doubt about it's holiness on that account, in the future course of their reading confirm their doubts by many passages they meet with, saying in themselves, Can this be holy? Can this be divine? Now to prevent the influence of such doubts on men's minds, lest they should become general, and the Word of God should be rejected as a common trivial writing, and thereby the Lord's conjunction with man should be cut off, it has pleased the Lord, at this time, to reveal it's spiritual sense, for the purpose of discovering to mankind wherein it's divine sanctity lies concealed. But this may be best illustrated by examples.
In the Word we find frequent mention made of Egypt, of Assyria, of Edom, of Moab, of the children of Ammon, of the Philistines, of Tyre and Sidon, and of Gog. They now, who do not know, that by these names the things of heaven and of the church are signified, may easily be led into an erroneous notion, that the Word treats much of people and nations, and but little of heaven and the church, consequently much about earthly things, and but little about heavenly things: whereas, were such persons acquainted with what is signified by those people and nations, or by their names, they might then be led out of error into truth. In like manner, when it is observed, that in the Word frequent mention is made of gardens, groves, woods, and also of the trees that grow therein, as the olive, the vine, the cedar, the poplar, and the oak; also of lambs, sheep, goats, calves, and oxen; and likewise of mountains, hills, vallies, fountains, rivers, waters, and the like; he who knows nothing of the spiritual sense of the Word, must of necessity be led to suppose, that nothing further is meant by these things than what is expressed in the letter: for he little thinks, that by a garden, a grove, and a wood, are meant wisdom, intelligence, and science; that by the olive, the vine, the cedar, the poplar, and the oak, are meant the good and truth of the church, under the different characters of celestial, spiritual, rational, natural, and sensual; that by a lamb, a sheep, a goat, a calf, and an ox, are meant innocence, charity, and natural affection of different degrees; that by mountains, hills, and vallies, are meant the higher, the lower, and the lowest things relating to the church; also that by Egypt is signified what is scientific, by Assyria what is rational, by Edom what is natural, by Moab the adulteration of good, by the children of Ammon the adul- teration of truth, by the Philistines faith without charity, by Tyre and Sidon the knowledges of good and truth, and by Gog external worship without internal; in general, that by Jacob in the Word is understood the church natural, by Israel the church spiritual, and by Judah the church celestial. When the mind is opened to this knowledge, it may then be able to conceive, that the Word treats solely of heavenly things, and that the earthly things mentioned in it are only the subjects, wherein those heavenly things are contained, or whereby they are set forth.
Such is the nature of correspondences, according to which the Sacred Scriptures were written, and by the knowledge of which they can alone be understood as to their real internal meaning. This science is indeed but little known in the present day, although it was a subject familiar to the men of the most ancient times, who esteemed it the science of sciences, and cultivated it so universally, that all their books and tracts were written by correspondences. The book of Job, which was a book of the ancient church, is full of correspondences. The hieroglyphics of the Egyptians, and the fabulous stories of antiquity, were founded on the same science, after it had begun to decline. The poets of Greece, in whose writings traces of it are still to be found, disfigured it with their mythological fictions, and thus consigned to a long oblivion a science, which they did not rightly understand.
All the ancient churches were churches representative of spiritual things: their ceremonies, and even their statutes, which were rules for the institution of their worship, consisted of mere correspondences. In like manner, every thing in the Israelitish church, their burnt-offerings, sacrifices, meat-offerings, and drink-offerings, with all the particulars belonging to each, were correspondences. So also was the tabernacle, with all things contained in it; likewise their festivals, as the feast of unleavened bread, the feast of tabernacles, and the feast of first-fruits; also the priesthood of Aaron and of the Levites, and the garments of their holiness. Now as divine things fix their existence in outward nature in correspondences, therefore the Word was written by mere correspondences; and for the same reason the Lord, in consequence of speaking from the Divinity, spake by correspondences. For whatever proceeds from the Divinity, when it comes into outward nature, manifests itself in such outward things as correspond with what is divine; which outward things then become the repositories of divine things, otherwise called celestial and spiritual, that lie contained within them in a hidden and mysterious manner.
The ancients, who were versed in the science of correspondences, made themselves images, which corresponded with things heavenly; and were greatly delighted therewith, on account of their signification, and because they could discern in them what related to heaven and the church. They therefore placed those images both in their temples and in their houses, not with any intention to worship them, but to serve as means of recollecting the heavenly things signified by them. Hence in Egypt, and in other places, they made images of calves, oxen, serpents, and also of children, old men, and virgins; because calves and oxen signified the affections and powers of the natural man; serpents, the prudence and likewise cunning of the sensual man; children, innocence and charity; old men, wisdom; and virgins, the affections of truth, &c. Succeeding ages, when the science of correspondences was obliterated, began to adore as holy, and at length to worship as deities, the images and pictures set up by their forefathers, because they found them in and about their temples. This was the origin of the idolatries of the gentiles of old: and when in process of time these idolatries became universal, then the Israelites were raised up, and commanded to destroy all the pictures and images, which they should find in the land of Canaan; and also to pull down all the high places, which were appropriated to idolatrous worship.
The science of correspondences remained with many eastern nations until the coming of the Lord, as may appear from the circumstances recorded relative to the wise-men of the east, who visited the Lord at his nativity. A star (which is called his star) went before them, and conducted them to the house where the young Child was: whereupon, opening their treasures, they presented unto him gifts, consisting of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, Matt. ii. 1, 2, 9, 10, 11. By the star, which went before them, is signified knowledge from heaven; by the gifts presented unto the young Child, is signified worship directed to him as God Incarnate; by gold is signified celestial good; by silver, spiritual good; and by myrrh, natural good; which three kinds or degrees of good are the three constituents of all true worship.
Still however the science of correspondences was unknown to the Israelitish and Jewish people, although all parts of their worship, and all the statutes and judgments given them by Moses, and all things contained in the Word, were correspondences. The reason was, because they were idolaters at heart, and consequently of such a nature and disposition, that they were not willing to allow, that any part of their worship had a celestial and spiritual signification. Wherefore, had this been revealed to them, they would not only have rejected, but also have profaned it. That such was the case with that people, appears evident from the circumstance of their rejecting the Lord himself, because he instructed them concerning an heavenly kingdom, and not an earthly one: for they wanted a Messiah, who should exalt them above all nations in the world, and not a Messiah, who should provide only for their eternal salvation.
The reason why the science of correspondences, which is the true key to the spiritual sense of the Word, and has been lost for many ages, is revealed at this day, is, because the divine truths of the church are now coming to light, and of these the spiritual sense of the Word consists. The same is signified by John seeing heaven open, and a white horse; and also by his seeing and hearing an angel, who stood in the sun, calling all people together to the supper of the great God, Apoc. xix. 11 to 18. But that it would not be acknowledged for some time, is signified by the beast and the kings of the earth making war against him that sat on the white horse, and against his army, Apoc. xix. 19; and also by the dragon persecuting the woman, which brought forth the man-child, and casting out of his mouth water as a flood after her, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood, Apoc. xii. 13 to 17.
