By Water & Blood

§12: This point, indeed, is not to be passed by without notice, viz.

This point, indeed, is not to be passed by with­out notice, viz., that there are certain passages of Scripture where this body, as we termed it, i.e., this inferential historical sense, is not always found, as we shall prove to be the case in the following pages, but where that which we termed soul or spirit can only be understood. And this, I think, is indicated in the Gospels, where there are said to be placed, according to the manner of purification among the Jews, six water-vessels, containing two or three firkins a-piece; by which, as I have said, the language of the Gospel seems to indicate, with respect to those who are secretly called by the apostle Jews, that they are purified by the word of Scrip­ture — receiving indeed sometimes two firkins, i.e., the understanding of the soul or spirit, accord­ing to our statement as above; sometimes even three (firkins), when in the reading (of Scripture) the bodily sense, which is the historical, may be preserved for the edification of the people. Now six water-vessels are appropriately spoken of, with regard to those persons who are purified by being placed in the world; for we read that in six days­— which is the perfect number — this world and all things in it were finished. How great, then, is the utility of this first historical sense which we have mentioned, is attested by the multitude of all be­lievers, who believe with adequate faith and sim­plicity, and does not need much argument, because it is openly manifest to all; whereas of that sense which we have called above the soul, as it were, of Scripture, the Apostle Paul has given us numerous examples in the first Epistle to the Corinthians. For we find the expression, You shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treads out the grain. And afterwards, when explaining what precept ought to be understood by this, he adds the words: Does God take care for oxen? Or says He it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written; that he who ploughs should plough in hope, and he that threshes, in hope of partaking. Very many other passages also of this nature, which are in this way explained of the law, contribute extensive information to the hearers.