368.
Moreover, such a conjunction of husband and wife in the inmosts of their minds comes from their very creation; for man is born to be intellectual, that is, to think from the understanding, while woman
is born to be voluntary, that is, to think from the will; and this is evident from the inclination or natural disposition of each, also from their form, from the disposition, in that man acts from
reason and woman from affection, from the form, in that man has a rougher and less beautiful face, a deeper voice and a harder body; while woman has a smoother and more beautiful face, a softer voice,
and a more tender body. There is a like difference between understanding and will, or between thought and affection; so, too, between truth and good and between faith and love; for truth and faith belong
to the understanding, and good and love to the will. From this it is that in the Word "youth" or "man" means in the spiritual sense the understanding of truth, and "virgin" or "woman" the affection
of good; also that the Church, on account of its affection of good and truth, is called a "woman" and a "virgin"; also that all those who are in the affection of good are called "virgins" (as in Rev.
xiv. 4).# # In the Word "young men" signify understanding of truth, or the intelligent (n. 7668). "Men" have the same signification (n. 158, 265, 749, 915, 1007, 2517, 3134, 3236, 4823, 9007). "Woman"
signifies affection for good and truth (n. 568, 3160, 6014, 7337, 8994); likewise the Church (n. 252, 253, 749, 770); "wife" has the same signification (n. 252, 253, 409, 749, 770); with what
difference (n. 915, 2517, 3236, 4510, 4823). In the highest sense "husband and wife" are predicated of the Lord and of His conjunction with heaven and the Church (n. 7022). A "virgin" signifies
affection for good (n. 3067, 3110, 3179, 3189, 6729, 6742); likewise the Church (n. 2362, 3081, 3963, 4638, 6729, 6775, 6788).