In this chapter, the organized church was increasing from external things to more external things. The course of its actions could lead but to one thing: corruption and breaches that would end with the destruction of internal or inmost things. Their decisions were against God and doctrine. The church with all things belonging to it would “perish.”

1452. 'And he pitched his tent' means the holy things of faith. This becomes clear from the meaning of 'a tent' as the holiness of love, and consequently the holiness of faith deriving from love, as shown already in 414. His pitching his tent there means that this was now beginning.