Arcana Coelestia (Potts) n. 10265

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10265. The work of a perfumer. That this signifies from the influx and operation of the Divine Itself which was in the Lord from conception, is evident from the signification of "a perfumer," or "a maker of ointment," as being the one who does this work; and therefore when it is said of the Lord, the Divine Itself is signified, and by "work," its operation. Whatever is said in the Word is to be understood relatively to that of which it is said; and therefore when it is said of the Divine, it is to be understood of the Divine and of its operation, influx, and attributes; no matter how it may be expressed in the sense of the letter. In the inmost heaven all things of the Word are applied to the Divine Human of the Lord, for the angels there think immediately from the Lord, and perceive the Word in its inmost sense, which is the celestial sense; and therefore here by "ointment of ointment, the work of a maker of ointment," they perceive nothing else than that which is of the Divine Itself which was in the Lord from conception, and its influx and operation into each and all things of His Human; for the Human of the Lord is the Divine Itself with them. They know that the Divine good of the Divine love, which is called the "Father," is reciprocally in the Divine Human of the Lord, which is the "Son," according to the Lord's words, that "the Father is in Him and He in the Father" (John 14:10, 11); and that they "are one" (John 10:30). Wonder not that by a "maker of ointment" or of "perfumes" is signified the Divine Itself, seeing that in the Word throughout Jehovah calls Himself the "Former," and the "Maker," nay, even the "Potter," as in Isaiah:

O Jehovah Thou art our Father; we are the clay, and Thou our Potter; and we all are the work of Thy hands (Isa. 64:8);

and also in other passages in the same prophet, and in Jeremiah 18:2-6.


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