671. That the above mentioned washings figured and shadowed forth, that is, represented spiritual washings, which are purifications from evils and falsities, is clearly evident from the following passages:
When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have washed away its blood; in the spirit of judgment and in the spirit of cleansing (Isa. 4:4).
Though thou shalt wash thee with lye, and take thee much soap, thine iniquity shall still retain its spots (Jer. 2:22; Job. 9:30, 31).
Wash me from mine iniquity, and I shall be whiter than snow (Ps. 51:2, 3).
Wash thine heart from wickedness, O Jerusalem, that thou mayest be saved (Jer. 4:14).
Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes; cease to do evil (Isa. 1:16).
That the washing of man's spirit was meant by the washing of his body, and that the internals of the church were represented by externals, such as were in the Israelitish church, is very plain from these words of the Lord:
The Pharisees and Scribes seeing that some of His disciples ate bread with unwashed hands, found fault; for the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands to the fist, eat not; and many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups and pots, brazen vessels, and couches. To them and to the multitude the Lord said: Hear Me all of you, and understand; there is nothing from without a man that entering into him can make him unclean but the things that come out of him, make him unclean (Mark. 7:1-4, 14, 15; Matt. 15:2, 11, 17-20).
And elsewhere:
Woe unto you. Scribes and Pharisees! for ye cleanse the outside of the cup and the platter but within they are full from extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also (Matt. 23:25, 26).
From this it is evident that the washing called baptism means spiritual washing, which is purification from evils and falsities.