1038. And I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet beast, signifies the dominion of that religious persuasion over the holy things of the Word. This is evident from the signification of a "woman," as being the church (See n. 555, 707, 721, 730), here Babylon, which is not a church but a religious persuasion devastated of all the truth and good of the church. That Babylon is meant by this "woman" is clearly evident from the fifth verse of this chapter. Also from the signification of "sitting," as being to have dominion (See just above, n. 1033; also from the signification of "a scarlet beast," as being the Word as to the holy things of it, which the woman that is Babylon had profaned by dominion over them. That "the scarlet beast" signifies the Word as to the holy things of it that have been profaned by Babylon can be seen from what follows in this chapter, where it is said that "it was and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and to go into perdition" (verses 8-11); and afterwards, that "the ten horns of the beast were ten kings, who hated the harlot, and would make her desolate and naked, and would eat her flesh, and burn her up with fire, and would give the kingdom unto the beast" (verses 12, 16, 17). From these words viewed in the spiritual sense it is clear that "the scarlet beast" signifies the Word as to the holy things of it.

[2] The Divine Word can be signified by a "beast," because many of the holy things of the church are signified in the Word by "beasts," as:

The cherubim that appeared as four beasts (Ezekiel 1 and 10

And the four beasts, or four animals, that also were cherubim, were seen by John sitting and standing before the throne (Revelation 4:6-10; 5:6-12; 7:11; 14:3).

And these as cherubim signify providence and protection that the Lord be not approached except by the good of love, and thus also they signify the Word in the letter, since that protects (See above, n. 277, 278, 717). Moreover, all beasts that were sacrificed, as oxen, bullocks, goats, she-goats, kids, rams, sheep, and lambs, signified the holy things of the church (as can be seen from what has been shown above, n. 279, 283, 362, 552, 650, 781, 817 . And this is why men because of charity are called "sheep," and even the Lord Himself because of the Divine innocence is called a "Lamb," and because of the Divine power is called a "Lion." This has been said that it may not seem strange that the "beast" here signifies the Word, but the Word in the letter, where it is natural. Also, in a general sense, "beast" signifies in the Word the natural as to affection. The beast appeared scarlet in color, because "scarlet" signifies truth from a celestial origin, such as the truth of the Word is in the sense of its letter, that is, in its natural sense, which is what is meant by its holiness. Nearly the same is signified by "the harlot seen sitting upon many waters" (in the first verse of this chapter), also "upon many treasures" (in Jeremiah 51:13). For "many waters" and "many treasures" there signify the truths of the Word, and thus the holy things of the church which have been adulterated (See above, n. 1033). The signification of "scarlet" will be seen in the explanation of the following verse.

65. And girt about at the paps with a golden girdle, signifies Divine good likewise. This is evident from the signification of "being girt about at the paps with a girdle," as being to be encompassed about the breast; "paps" and "girdle" are mentioned, because paps stand out from the breast, and a girdle encompasses. Divine good going forth from the Lord is here meant because this is signified by the "breast" in general and by the "paps" in particular. Good proceeding is meant because all garments signify things that proceed, for they are outside the body and clothe it; as things that proceed are also outside the body and encompass it. (That this is so can be seen from what is said in the work on Heaven and Hell, of The Garments with which Angels are Clothed, n. 177-182; namely, that everyone is clothed with garments according to his affection for becoming intelligent and wise, and this affection is what proceeds from them; for there is a sphere that proceeds from every angel and spirit, which is a sphere of affection, and is called the sphere of his life, and their garments are according to this sphere. That this is so does not appear before their eyes, but yet they know that it is so. Of this sphere, see Arcana Coelestia 2489, 4464, 5179, 7454, 8630.)

[2] From this it can be seen that the "Lord's garments" signify the proceeding Divine, which is Divine truth united to Divine good, which fills the universal heaven and enters into the interiors of the mind, and gives to him who receives it intelligence and wisdom. This is meant by being "clothed with white garments." Because the proceeding Divine good is signified by "the girdle" with which the Lord was girded, therefore the girdle appeared golden, for "gold" signifies the good of love (See Arcana Coelestia 113, 1551, 1552, 5658, 6914, 6917, 9510, 9874, 9881). The "paps" are mentioned instead of the breast, which was girt with the girdle, because "paps" signify spiritual love, and "breast" signifies the good itself of that love. This love is signified by "paps" in Isaiah:

I will make thee a magnificence of eternity, the joy of generation and generation. Thou shalt suck the milk of the nations, and shalt suck the paps of kings (Isaiah 60:15 (Isaiah 60:18)).

"Kings" are truths out of good from the Lord (See above, n. 31; "paps" and "breast" are that good, which is the good of spiritual love.

[3] That "breast" signifies the good of spiritual love is from correspondence with heaven; for the whole heaven corresponds to all things of man; the inmost or third heaven corresponding to the head; the middle or second to the breast; and the outmost or first to the feet. Because there is this correspondence, heaven is also called the Greatest Man. And as the inmost or third heaven corresponds to the head, by "head" is signified the good of celestial love, which is the good of love to the Lord; because that good rules and makes that heaven; and as the middle or second heaven corresponds to the breast, by "breast" is signified the good of spiritual love, which is the good of love to the neighbor, because that good rules and makes that heaven; and as the outmost or first heaven corresponds to the feet, by "feet" is signified the good of natural love from spiritual love, which is the good of faith; because that good rules and makes that heaven. From this it is clear why "paps" signify spiritual love, and the "breast" its good. (But these things may be better understood from what is shown in the work on Heaven and Hell, especially in the following chapters: On the Three Heavens, n. 29-39; That the Divine of the Lord in the Heavens is Love to Him and Charity towards the Neighbor, n. 13-19; That the Universal Heaven represents one Man, n. 59-67; That there is a Correspondence of Heaven with all things of Man, n. 87-102; and in the Arcana Coelestia, n. 4938, 4939, 10087. It may be permitted to cite from that work, by way of illustration, this further reason why the "breast" signifies the good of spiritual love, namely, that within the breast are the heart and lungs, and the "heart" from correspondence signifies celestial love, while the "lungs" signify spiritual love, but the lungs fill the breast. That there is this correspondence, see in the Arcana Coelestia, n. 3883-3896, 9280, 9300. What celestial love is, and what spiritual love, see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 23.)