Page:Arcana Coelestia - Volume I.djvu/35

43—46.] and hence amongst the prophets, and constantly in the Word of the Old Testament, the like things are represented by different kinds of animals. Beasts are of two kinds; the evil, so called because they are hurtful, and the good, which are harmless Evils in man are signified by evil beasts, as by bears, wolves, dogs; and the things which are good and gentle, by beasts of a like nature, as by heifers, sheep, and lambs. The beasts here alluded to are the good and gentle and thus signify affections, because it here treats of those who are being regenerated. The inferior things in man, which have more connection with the body, are called wild beasts of that earth, and are lusts and pleasures.

46. That beasts signify man's affections,—evil affections with the evil, and good affections with the good,—is demonstrable from numerous passages in the Word, as in Ezekiel, when speaking of regeneration: "Behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and sown;—and I will multiply upon you man and beast, and they shall be multiplied and bring forth fruit: and I will settle you after your old estates," (xxxvi. 9, 11.) So in Joel: "Be not afraid, ye beasts of my field, for the pastures of the wilderness do spring," (ii. 22.) In David also: "So foolish was I and ignorant; I was as a beast before thee," (Psalm lxxiii. 22.) And in Jeremiah when treating of regeneration: "Behold the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah, with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast, and I will watch over them to build and to plant," (xxxi. 27, 28.) Wild beasts in the following passages have a similar signification; as in Hosea: "In that day will I make a covenant for them with the wild beasts of the field, and with the fowl of the heavens, and with the creeping thing of the earth," (ii. 18.) So in Job: "Thou shalt not be afraid of the wild beasts of the earth, for thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field, and the wild beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee," (v. 22, 23.) Again, in Ezekiel: "I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil wild beast to cease out of the land, and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness," (xxxiv. 25.) In Isaiah: "The wild beasts of the field shall honor me,—because I give waters in the wilderness," (xliii. 20.) In Ezekiel: "All the fowls of the heavens made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the wild beasts of the field bring forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations," (xxxi. 6.) This is said of the Assyrians by whom is signified the spiritual man, who is compared to the garden of Eden. Again, in David: "Glorify ye him [Jehovah], all his angels.—Glorify Jehovah from the earth, ye whales,—fruitful trees,—wild beasts, and all beasts, creeping things, and flying fowl," (Psalm cxlviii. 2, 7, 9, 10.) Here mention is made of the same things—as whales, the fruitful