651. 'And cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God' signifies an examination of the quality of their works, that they were evil. By 'to cast the clusters of the vineyard into the winepress' is signified to examine works, for these are signified by 'clusters', as may be seen above (n. 649). But because it is termed 'the great winepress of the wrath of God' an examination is signified [disclosing] that the works were evil, for 'the wrath of God' is said concerning evil (n. 635). The examination is signified by 'the winepress' because in wine-presses must is pressed out of the clusters, and oil out of olives, and from the pressed out must and oil it is perceived what the clusters and olives were like. And because by 'the vineyard' is signified the Christian Church and by its 'clusters' are signified works, therefore the examination of the latter with the men of the Christian Church is signified by 'to cast into the winepress'. But because they have separated faith from charity and have made it saving without the works of the law, and because none but evil works proceed out of a faith separated from charity, therefore it is termed 'the great winepress of the wrath of God'. The examination of works is also signified by 'winepress' in the following passages:-
My well-beloved had a vineyard in the horn of a son of oil; he planted it with a noble vine; he also hewed out a winepress in it, and he expected it to produce grapes but it produced wild grapes Isa. v 1, 2.
Put forth the sickle because the harvest has ripened, get you down because the winepress is full, the vats have overflowed, for their wickedness is great Joel iii 13 [H.B. iv 13].
The threshing-floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the must shall deceive her Hosea ix, 1, 2.
The waster has fallen upon thy vintage, I have made the wine out of the winepress to cease, none shall tread hedad*, hedad there is no hedad Jer. xlviii 32, 33.
A householder planted a vineyard, and digged a winepress in it, and let it out to farmers, but they killed the servants sent to them, and at last the Son Matt. xxi 33.
'Winepress' is also said of the goods of charity out of which the truths of faith [are derived], in Joel:-
Rejoice, O sons of Zion, the threshing-floors are full of corn, and the winepresses are overflowing with must and oil Joel ii 23, 24.
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