3. Aquellos de la iglesia que han negado al Señor, reconociendo tan sólo al Padre, y que se han confirmado en semejante fe, están fuera del cielo, y puesto que en ellos no tiene lugar influjo alguno del cielo, donde el Señor solo es adorado, son gradualmente privados de la facultad de pensar la verdad de cualquier cosa, y acaban por quedar o bien como mudos o bien hablando necedades, con el paso vacilante, los brazos pendientes y vibrando como si les faltare fuerzas en las articulaciones. Por otra parte, aquellos que han negado la Divinidad del Señor, reconociendo tan sólo su Humanidad, como los Socinianos, están igualmente fuera del cielo; son conducidos adelante un poco hacia la derecha, y despedidos en la profundidad, siendo así enteramente separados del resto del mundo cristiano. Pero los que se dicen creer en una Divinidad invisible, a la que llaman Ente del Universo (Ens Universi) y a la que atribuyen todas las cosas, rechazando la fe en el Señor, se aperciben de que no creen en Dios alguno, porque la Divinidad invisible es para ellos lo mismo que la Naturaleza en sus rudimentos, los cuales no pueden ser objeto de fe ni de amor porque no alcanza a ellos el pensamiento. Estos son desterrados con aquellos que se llaman naturalistas. Otra cosa sucede con los que han nacido fuera de la iglesia, llamados gentiles, de quienes hablaremos más adelante.

1116. In the cup with which she hath mixed, mix unto her double. That this signifies much retribution in proportion to their profanation of truth is evident from the signification of a cup, which denotes truth, and, in the opposite sense, falsity, because a cup has a signification similar to that of wine, as may be seen above (n. 887, 1045); from the signification of mixing, which denotes to profane, for he who intermingles falsity with truth, or truth with falsity, profanes - which we shall speak of presently; and from the signification of double, which denotes much, and which is said of retribution; concerning this see just above (n. 1115). Mixing signifies to profane, because it is said of the wine in the cup, which signifies truth, and in the opposite sense falsity; and when truth and falsity are intermingled, then there is profanation; concerning this see above (n. 1053-1063). Mixing has a similar signification in David:

"There is a cup in the hand of Jehovah, and he hath mixed the wine, he hath filled it with mixture, and he hath poured out thence, but the dregs thereof all the impious of the earth shall suck out and drink" (Psalm 75:8).

The cup in the hand of Jehovah, and the wine, signify Divine Truth. By mixing and by mixture is signified profanation, for the intermingling of falsity with truth is meant. By pouring out thence and by the impious of the earth sucking out the dregs and drinking them, is signified the punishment of profanation. From these things it is evident that mixing with the cup has here a signification similar to that in the Apocalypse.

[2] Continuation concerning the Athanasian Creed, and concerning the Lord.- It was from this implanted [capability] that the most ancient people, to a greater degree than their posterity, worshipped a visible God under a human form. The Word bears witness that they also saw God as Man, as for example, Adam heard the voice of Jehovah walking in the garden; Moses spoke with Jehovah face to face; Abraham saw Jehovah in the midst of three angels; and Lot spoke with two angels. Jehovah was also seen as Man by Hagar, Gideon, and Joshua; by Daniel he was seen as the Ancient of Days, and as the Son of Man; similarly He was seen by John, as the Son of Man in the midst of seven lampstands, and also by the other prophets.

That it was the Lord who was seen by them, he himself teaches where he says, that Abraham rejoiced to see his day, and that he saw and was glad (John 8:56); also, that he was before Abraham was (ver. 58), and that he was before the world was (John 17:5, 24).

[3] It was not the Father but the Son who was seen, because the Divine Esse, which is the Father, cannot be seen except by means of the Divine Existere, which is the Divine Human. That it was not the Divine Esse, called the Father, that was seen, the Lord also teaches in John:

"The Father himself who hath sent me, he hath borne witness of me; ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form" (5:37).

In the same,

"Not that any one hath seen the Father, save he who is with" the Father, "he hath seen the Father" (6:46).

And again,

"No one hath seen God at any time, the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath brought [him] forth to view" (1:18).

From these passages it is clear, that the Divine Esse, which is the Father, was not seen by the ancients, nor could be seen, and yet that it was seen by means of the Divine Existere, which is the Son.

Since esse is in its existere, as the soul is in its body, therefore he who sees the Divine Existere or Son, sees also the Divine Esse or Father, and this the Lord proves in these words:

"Philip said, Lord, show us the Father; Jesus said unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and dost thou not know me, Philip? he who seeth me, hath seen the Father, how sayest thou then, Show us the Father" (John 14:8, 9).

It is evident from these words, that the Lord is the Divine Existere, in which is the Divine Esse; thus that he is the God-Man, who was seen by the ancients. It follows from what has been adduced, that the Word must also be understood according to the sense of the letter, as to God having a face, eyes, and ears, and also hands and feet.