965. (v. 3) And the second angel poured out his vial into the sea. That this signifies the state of the church manifested as to the knowledges of truth in the natural man, is evident from the signification of the angel pouring out the vial, as denoting the state of the church manifested (see above, n. 960, 961); and from the signification of the sea, as denoting the generals of truth in the natural man (see n. 275, 342, 511, 876, 931, 934); in the present case from the Word, from which the generals of truth are knowledges. Hence by the sea is signified the natural man as to the knowledges of truth from the Word; and also the knowledges of good therefrom; for the knowledges of good are also knowledges of truth; for to know that this is good, and that it is such a good, is truth; also, to see in the understanding various goods, and their differences, and also their opposites, which are called evils, in so far as these are knowledges, are truths. Nor are they essentially goods, except when they are felt as delightful, or not delightful, thus, when they are sensibly perceived, or from some kind of love.
[2] We now come to the explanation of the
Third Precept of the Decalogue, which is, that the Sabbath is to be sanctified.
The third and fourth precepts of the Decalogue refer to those things that are to be done, that is, that the Sabbath is to be sanctified, and parents to be honoured.
The rest of the precepts refer to those things that are not to be done; that is, that other gods are not to be worshipped; that the name of God is not to be profaned; that a man must not steal, must not commit adultery, must not bear false witness, must not covet the goods of others.
The reason why these two precepts are precepts to be done is, that the sanctity of the rest of the precepts depends upon them. For the Sabbath signifies the union of the very Divine and the Divine Human in the Lord, also His conjunction with heaven and the church; and, consequently, the marriage of good and truth with the man who is being regenerated.
Because the Sabbath signifies these things, therefore it was the principal representative of everything of worship in the Israelitish Church, as is evident in Jeremiah (xvii. 20-27), and elsewhere. The reason of its being the principal representative of everything of worship was, that the primary principle of everything of worship is the acknowledgment of the Divine in the Human of the Lord. For without that acknowledgment a man cannot believe and act except from himself, and to believe from himself is to believe falsities, and to act from himself is to do evils, as is also evident from the words of the Lord Himself in John:
The Lord answered those asking, "What shall we do that we might work the works of God? Jesus said, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom God hath sent" (vi. 28, 29).
And again:
"He who abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me, ye cannot do nothing" (xv. 3).
[3] That the Sabbath represented that union, and the holy acknowledgment of it, has been shown in many passages in Arcana Coelestia, that is, that the Sabbath, in the highest sense, signified the union of the very Divine and the Divine Human in the Lord; in the internal sense, the conjunction of the Lord's Human with heaven and the church, in general, the conjunction of good and truth; thus, the heavenly marriage (n. 8495, 10356, 10730). Hence, that rest on the day of the Sabbath signified the state of that union, because the Lord then has rest; and also there is thereby peace and salvation in the heavens and on the earth. And, in the relative sense, that rest signified the conjunction of man with the Lord, because he has then peace and salvation (n. 8494, 8510, 10360, 10367, 10370, 10374, 10668, 10730). That the six days which precede the Sabbath, signified the labours and combats before union and conjunction (n. 8510, 8888, 9431, 10361, 10667).
[4] There are two states pertaining to a man who is being regenerated; the first, while he is in truths, and, by means of truths, is led to good and into good; the other, when he is in good. When a man is in the first state, he is then in combats or temptations; but when he is in the second state, he is then in the tranquillity of peace.
The former state is what is signified by the "six days of labour " which precede the Sabbath; and the latter state by the rest on the Sabbath-day (n. 9274, 9431, 10360). That there were also two states pertaining to the Lord; the first, when He was Divine truth, and from it fought against the hells and subjugated them; the other, when He was made Divine good by union with the very Divine in Himself.
The former state was signified, in the highest sense, by the "six days of labour;" and the latter, by "the Sabbath" (n. 10360). Because such things were represented by the Sabbath, therefore it was the principal representative of worship, and the holiest of all (n. 10357, 10372). That to do work on the day of the Sabbath, signified not to be led by the Lord, but by self; thus to be disjoined (n. 7892, 8495, 10360, 10362, 10365). That the day of the Sabbath is not now representative, but that it is a day of instruction (n. 10360 at the end).