3786. It is not time for the cattle to be gathered together. That this signifies that the goods and truths of the churches and of doctrinal things could not yet be gathered into a one, is evident from the signification of “time,” as being state in general (n. 2625, 2788, 2837, 3254, 3356); from the signification of “being gathered together,” as being to be in a one; and from the signification of “cattle,” as being in general the goods and truths of churches and of doctrinal things. That “cattle” in general have this signification, is because in the rituals of the representative church, and in the Word, animals signify the affections of good or of truth; as may be seen from what has been shown above (n. 45, 46, 142, 143, 246, 714, 715, 2679, 2697, 2979, 3203, 3502, 3508, 3510, 3665, 3699, 3701).

[2] The case is the same in general with the church when it is being set up again-the doctrinal things of good and truth must be collected into a one, for it is on these that it is built. Moreover doctrinal things have a connection with and mutual respect to each other, and therefore unless they are first collected into a one, there will be a defect, and that which is lacking must be supplied by man’s rational; and how blind and illusory this is in spiritual and Divine things, when its conclusions are from itself, has been abundantly shown above. For this reason there has been given to the church the Word, which contains all the doctrinal things of good and truth. In this regard, with a man who is being regenerated, the case is the same with the church in general as it is with the church in particular; for such a man is the church in particular. That the doctrinal things of good and truth which belong to the church must needs first be together in a man before he is regenerated has been shown above. This then is what is signified in the internal sense by “Behold as yet the day is great, it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together.”

142. Verses 19-20. And Jehovah God formed out of the ground every beast of the field, and every fowl of the heavens, and brought it to the man to see what he would call it; and whatsoever the man called every living soul, that was the name thereof. And the man gave names to every beast, and to the fowl of the heavens, and to every wild animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a help as with him. By “beasts” are signified celestial affections, and by “fowls of the heavens” spiritual affections; that is to say, by “beasts” are signified things of the will, and by “fowls” things of the understanding. To “bring them to the man to see what he would call them” is to enable him to know their quality, and his “giving them names” signifies that he knew it. But notwithstanding that he knew the quality of the affections of good and of the knowledges of truth that were given him by the Lord, still he inclined to his Own, which is expressed in the same terms as before-that “there was not found a help as with him.”