45. In short, several wives and one man cannot become one flesh, that is, one mind, which is made up of the will and the understanding. The marriage of these two or - ¹ - makes marriage in its very existence; for all things in the universe have reference to the marriage of good and truth, and so to marriage, in order that they may be something and bring forth something. And marriage itself in its own form from its own essence is produced in man together with his mate and likewise in an angel.

Poznámky pod čarou:

646. 14:16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. This symbolizes the end of the church, because it no longer had any Divine truth in it.

This is the symbolic meaning, because He who sat on the cloud symbolizes the Lord in relation to the Word (no. 642). To thrust in the sickle and reap means, symbolically, to put an end to something and execute judgment (no. 643). The harvest symbolizes the state of the church, here its last state (nos. 643, 645). And the earth symbolizes the church (no. 285).

When these symbolic meanings are combined into one, it is apparent from them that "He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth and the earth was reaped" symbolizes the end of the church, because it no longer had any Divine truth in it.