VIII

They who are in faith separated from charity, are meant by the dragon in the Revelation

It was said above that every Church in the course of time declines into two general evil religiosities, one proceeding from the love of rule, and the other from the pride of self-intelligence; and that the former is, in the Word, meant and described by Babylon, and the latter by Philistia. Now since the REVELATION treats of the state of the Christian Church, and especially of its nature at its end, therefore these two evil religiosities are there treated of, both in general and in particular. That meant by Babylon is described in chapters xvii, xviii, xix, and is the harlot sitting upon the scarlet beast; and that meant by Philistia is described in chapters xii and xiii, and is the dragon, and the beast that rose out of the sea, and also the beast that rose out of the earth. It could not be known before this time that this religiosity is meant by the dragon and his two beasts, because the spiritual sense of the Word was not opened before this, and consequently the Book of Revelation was not understood; and especially because the religion of faith separated from charity was so prevalent in the Christian world that nobody could see that it was there described; for every evil religiosity blinds the eyes.