Doc. of Sacred Scripture (Potts) n. 84

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84. Readers of the Word who pay attention to the matter can see that there are pairs of expressions in it that appear like repetitions of the same thing, such as "brother" [and "companion," "poor"] and "needy," "waste" and "solitude," "vacuity" and "emptiness," "foe" and "enemy," "sin" and "iniquity," "anger" and "wrath," "nation" and "people," "joy" and "gladness," "mourning" and "weeping," "righteousness" and "judgment," etc. These expressions appear synonymous but are not so, for "brother," "poor," "waste," ["vacuity,"] "foe," "sin," "anger," "nation," "joy," "mourning," and "righteousness" are predicated of good, and in the opposite sense of evil; whereas "companion," "needy," "solitude," "emptiness," "enemy," "iniquity," "wrath," "people," "gladness," "weeping," and "judgment" are predicated of truth, and in the opposite sense of falsity. And yet it seems to a reader who is not acquainted with this secret, that "poor" and "needy," "waste" and "solitude," "vacuity" and " emptiness," "foe" and "enemy," are one and the same thing; and in like manner "sin" and "iniquity," "anger" and "wrath," "nation" and "people," "joy" and "gladness," "mourning" and "weeping," "righteousness" and "judgment"; and yet they are not one thing, but become one thing by conjunction. Many things are also joined together in the Word, such as "fire" and "flame," "gold" and "silver," "brass" and "iron," "wood" and "stone," "bread" and "water," "bread" and "wine," "bright crimson" and "fine linen," etc., which is done because "fire," "gold," "brass," "wood," "bread," and "bright crimson" signify good; and "flame," "silver," "iron," "stone," "water," "wine," and "fine-linen" signify truth. And in the same way it is said that men are to "love God with all the heart and with all the soul"; and that God will "create in a man a new heart and a new spirit"; for "heart" is predicated of the good of love, and "soul" of the truth from that good. There are also words that are used alone, or without a mate, because they partake of both good and truth. But these and many other things are not apparent except to the angels, and to those also who while in the natural sense are also in the spiritual sense.


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