1055. And is about to ascend out of the abyss, and go into perdition. That this signifies its being acknowledged as Divine for the sake of form, but nevertheless rejected, is evident from the signification of ascending out of the abyss, when said of the Word with those who belong to Babylon, as denoting to be received and acknowledged as Divine for the sake of form; of which we shall speak presently. And from the signification of going into perdition, as denoting not to be acknowledged but rejected. That this is the case with the Word with those who belong to Babylon is known. For it is acknowledged as Divine because of the Lord's words to Peter concerning the keys; because of the historicals concerning the passion, concerning Mary, and concerning the Apostles; besides some passages which they can pervert to favour their dominion. For since all those things are from the Word, and their religion is founded upon them, therefore if the Word were not acknowledged as Divine, the religion itself would fall, and they could no longer exercise dominion over holy things, nor, indeed, be called Christians. But that the Word is, notwithstanding, rejected by them is also known. For it is not read by the common people, and but little by the monks, who teach it. Many also invalidate its sanctity, as is evident from their writings and discourses, because the things that are therein do not agree with the dictates and bulls of the Pope, and because Babel is there described to the life and condemned to hell. These are the causes of the rejection thereof, from which it is evident, that the Word is only acknowledged as Divine for the sake of form. That such things are signified by these words becomes quite evident, when by the scarlet beast is understood the Word; and by the whore or woman sitting thereon is understood the religious persuasion which regards dominion as an end, and the holy things of the Word, of the church, and of worship as the means.
Continuation concerning the second kind of Profanation:-
[2] Those who are in the love of self, and thence in the love of ruling, and who covet, acquire, and afterwards exercise domination by means of the holy things of the Word, of the church, and of worship, are those who profane. For the delight of the love of ruling for the sake of themselves, that is, for the sake of eminence, and thence of being venerated, and, as it were, adored, is an infernal delight, which also reigns in hell. For in hell every one wishes to be the greatest, whereas in heaven every one desires to be the least. And to rule over things sacred from an infernal delight is to profane them.
[3] But this other kind of profanation of the holy things of the church is not like the former. Those are guilty of the former kind, with whom communication with heaven has taken place by the opening of their spiritual mind. But the other kind of profanation pertains to those with whom the spiritual mind has not been opened, and communication thus effected with heaven. For as long as the delight of the love of ruling exists in a man, so long that mind cannot be opened, nor is communication with heaven possible with him. The lot of these profaners, after death, also differs from the lot of the former. The former, as said, are in a perpetual delirium of phantasy; but these hate the Lord, heaven, the Word, the church, and all the holy things thereof. Into this hatred they come because their dominion is taken away from them; so their state is changed into the contrary. They appear, as it were, fiery, and their hell, as it were, to be on fire; for infernal fire is nothing else but the lust of ruling from the love of self. They are amongst the worst, and are called devils, whereas the rest are called satans.
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