of distress, spoken by the spirits of temptation, ought not to be attended to; but that the internal ear should be open only to hear the voice of the Eternal Mercy and Truth from the great Saviour Jesus Christ.
25. Who can count the dust of Jacob? and the number of the fourth of Israel? (see Numb. xxiii. 10,) is a question, which applies, with far more force and propriety, to the things signified by Jacob and Israel, than to Jacob and Israel themselves.
26. Every thing that may abide the fire, is to pass through the fire, but still is to be purified with the water of separation; and all that abideth not the fire, shall be made to go through the water, (see Numb. xxxi. 23,) to denote the distinct means of purification, 1st, by the good of love, and 2nd, by the truths of faith, applied to the distinct classes of men: 1st, those who are more led by the will than by the understanding; 2nd, those who are led more by the understanding than by the will.
27. David measures with two lines to put to death, but with one full line to keep alive, (see 2 Sam. viii. 2,) to instruct us that the condemnation of the wicked is from truth, separated from good; but the salvation of the righteous is from the full union of those two heavenly principles.
28. They shall go out from fire, and fire shall devour them, (Ezek. xv. 7,) is an eternal law. If man depart from the fire of heavenly love and charity in his own bosom, he must needs plunge himself into the fire of infernal love, which is malice, hatred, envy, and every evil.
