322. 'And there was given unto them the power of putting to death over a fourth part of the land' signifies the destruction of every good of the Church. Since by 'death' is understood the extinction of a man's spiritual life, and by 'hell' damnation, it follows that by 'to put to death' here is understood to destroy the life of a man's soul; the life of the soul is spiritual life. By 'a fourth part of the land' is signified every good of the Church, the 'land' being the Church (n. 285). That 'a fourth part' is every good cannot be known by anyone unless he knows what the numbers in the Word signify. The numbers 2 and 4 in the Word are said of goods and signify them, while the numbers 3 and 6 are said of truths and signify them. Consequently 'a fourth part', or simply 'a fourth', signifies every good, and 'a third part', or simply 'a third', signifies every truth; and therefore by 'to put to death a fourth part of the land' is here signified to destroy every good of the Church. It is plain that the power of putting to death a fourth part of the habitable land was not given to the one sitting upon the pale horse. [2] Besides, 'four' in the Word signifies the conjunction of good and truth. That all these things (haec et illa) are signified by 'four' can indeed be confirmed out of the Word, as in the case of the four animals or cherubs (Ezek. i, iii, x; Rev. [iv,] v). [It can also be confirmed] by:-
The four chariots between the two mountains of bronze (Zech. vi 1 [H.B. 2]);
the four horns (Zech. i 18 [H.B. ii]), and the four horns of the altar (Exod. xxvii i-8; Rev. ix 13);
the four angels standing on the four corners of the land, holding the four winds of the land (Rev. vii 1; Matt. xxiv 31);
also, to visit the iniquity upon the thirds and fourths (Num. xiv 8); and elsewhere, the third and fourth generation.
By these and many more [statements] in the Word, I say, it can be confirmed that 'four' is said of goods, and signifies them and also [signifies] the conjunction of good and truth; but because this would not be plain without a lengthy exposition of those passages it is enough to declare that by 'four' and 'a fourth part' nothing else is understood.
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