31. It has been said above (n. 6, 19) that there are three senses in the Word; and also that the celestial sense is its first, the spiritual sense its middle, and the natural sense its ultimate sense. From this the rational man may infer that the first of the Word, which is celestial, passes through its middle, which is spiritual, to its ultimate, which is natural; and thus that its ultimate is the Basis. Furthermore that the first of the Word, which is celestial, is in its middle, which is spiritual, and through this is in its ultimate, which is natural, and that consequently its ultimate, which is natural and is the sense of the letter, is the container. And as the sense of the letter is the basis and the container, it is also the Support.