1053. (v. 7) And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. That this signifies manifestation of all things is evident without explanation. But what is signified by each particular, as by wondering, by the mystery of the woman, by the scarlet beast, by the seven heads, and by the ten horns, has been stated in the previous pages, and will be further explained in those which follow.
Concerning the second kind of Profanation:-
[2] There is another kind of profanation of things holy which takes place with those who have domination for their end, and the holy things of the Word, of the church, and of worship, as the means. It is according to Divine Order that heaven and the church should be the end, consequently, their holy things, and that domination should be a means to promote this end. For when such holy things are the end, and domination the means, then the Lord is worshipped and adored; but when domination is the end, and holy things the means, then, instead of the Lord, man is worshipped and adored. For the means regard the end as servants look to their lord; and the end looks to the means as a lord to his servants. As a lord, therefore, esteems and loves his servants according to the compliance which they give to his will, so also the man who has domination for an end, esteems and loves the holy things of the Word, of the church, and of worship, according as they show compliance with his end, which is domination. And, on the other hand, as a lord lightly esteems and rejects his servants, and takes others in their place, if they do not serve at command, so also the man, who has domination for an end, lightly esteems and rejects the holy things of the church, and if they are not subservient to his end, takes other things in their place.
[3] It is therefore evident that holy things, with those who have domination for an end, are of no account except so far as they are subservient to the end. And, also, that if they are subservient to the end with them, yet they are not holy but profane. The reason is, that the end, when it is domination, is the man himself. And since it is the love of self, it is his proprium; and a man's proprium, strictly, is nothing but evil, indeed, it is profane; and the end unites the means to itself, in order that they may be one. In this kind-of profanation are all those who perform sacred ministries, and by means of the holy things of the church seek their own honour and glory, from which they rejoice in heart, and not from the use, which is the salvation of souls.
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