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.

761. Where she is nourished a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.- That this signifies until the church grows and comes to its fulness, is evident from the signification of being nourished, as denoting to be sustained, and in the meantime to grow; and from the signification of a time, and times, and half a time, as denoting the state of the increase of the church, even to its fulness, for this has a similar signification to that of a thousand two hundred and sixty days in the sixth verse, for it is there also said of the woman that she "fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared by God, that there they may nourish her a thousand two hundred and sixty days." That this number has a similar signification to that of the number three and a half, also of the number seven, namely, until it grows to its fulness, may be seen above (n. 732). But here it is said a time, times, and half a time because the numbers named above in their places also signify times, and times signify states of life in their progress, as may be seen above (n. 571, 610, 664, 673, 747) - here, therefore, their progress and growth even to fulness. It is said a time, times and half a time, because time in the singular signifies a state of good; times in the plural a state of truth, each as to its implantation, while half a time signifies a holy state of the church. The reason of this signification is, that a thing in the singular number implies good, in the plural, truths, while a half implies what is holy. A half implies what is holy, because three signifies fulness, and similarly "three and a half," and "seven"; but seven signifies fulness when used where holy things are treated of, and the half after the three fills up and makes the number seven; for three and a half doubled make seven, and a number that is doubled or multiplied has a similar signification to that of the number which is doubled or multiplied, as seven has a similar signification here to that of three and a half. That seven signifies fulness and completeness, and is used of holy things, may be seen above (n. 20, 24, 257). That such things are signified by a time, times, and half a time, is evident from these words in Daniel:

A man clothed in linen "lifted up his right hand and his left hand to the heavens, and sware by him who liveth for ever that it shall be for a fixed time of fixed times, and a half; and when they shall have made an end of dispersing the hand of the people of holiness, all these things shall be consummated" (12:7).

It is evident that these times signify consummation, for it is said, "Until all these things shall be consummated," and consummation means fulfilment, thus even to fulness.