22. Moreover, it will be proved in its own article in what follows, that the passion of the Lord's cross was not Redemption, but the means of the inmost union with the Divine of the Father, from which He came forth and into which He returned. In the work, THE TRUE CHRISTIAN RELIGION (n. 132, 133), of which this volume is the Appendix, I set out to show that the passion of the Cross being believed to have been Redemption itself, is a fundamental error of the present Christian Church; and that this error, together with the error concerning three Divine Persons from eternity, has perverted the whole Church to such an extent that not a vestige of spirituality remains in it. This will also be further shown in the following pages; and, that these two falsities and delusions have been comparatively like mating butterflies flying about in a garden, which produce the eggs whence are hatched the caterpillars which entirely consume the opening leaves of the trees therein; and further, that they have been like the quails from the sea sent down upon the camp of the Israelites, owing to which, while they were eating, a great plague fell upon the people; and this because they loathed and spurned the manna from heaven, by which, in the highest sense, is meant the Lord (Num. 11:5-6, 32-35; and John 6:31-32, 49-51, 58). And, further, these two errors have been like two drops of black paint, or shoemaker's blacking, dropped into generous wine, and shaken about in the wine-glass; in consequence of which all the brightness, delightful fragrance and fine flavour of the wine are changed into blackness, stench and nauseousness.

673. And in that hour.- That this signifies during that state, is evident from the signification of hour, as denoting state, in this case, therefore, that state when the two witnesses ascended into heaven, and their enemies saw them. Hour signifies state, because, in the Word, times, and all expressions referring to time, as hours, days, weeks, months, years, ages, and also morning, noon, evening, and night, as well as spring, summer, autumn, and winter, signify states of life. That such things are signified by times, is illustrated and shown in Heaven and Hell 162-169), where time in heaven is treated of, as also above in this work (n. 571, 610, 664); and that hour signifies some duration of state, greater and less, thus time and state, may be seen above (n. 194), and that the number employed determines the state as to its quality (n. 488).