1058. When they behold the beast, which was, and is not. That this signifies the knowledge that the Word was received, but still rejected, is evident from the signification of seeing, as denoting to know and cognise (concerning which see (n. 260, 529); and from the signification of the beast, as denoting the Word (see n. 1038); and from the signification of, which was, and is not, as denoting that it was received, and yet rejected (concerning which see (n. 1054, 1055, 1056).

Concerning the third kind of Profanation:-

[2] In this kind of profanation are those who adore Divine things with devout gestures and pious lips, and yet in heart and spirit deny them, thus, who outwardly and before the world venerate the holy things of the Word, of the church, and of worship, and yet, at home and in secret, deride them. Such persons, when they are in a holy external, whether they teach in the temple or speak with the common people, do not know but that what they say is so, but as soon as they return into themselves, they think the contrary. Because these are such, they can counterfeit angels of light, although they are angels of darkness. It is therefore evident that this kind of profanation is a hypocritical one. They are not unlike gilded images made of dirt; fruits inwardly putrified, but beautiful in the skin; or nuts inwardly consumed by worms, but whole in the shell. From which it is evident that their internal is diabolical, and consequently their holy external profane.

[3] Such are many of the rulers in the Babylon of the present day, and many of a certain society therein, as they themselves know, who claim to themselves dominion over the souls of men, and over heaven. For to believe, as they do, that power is granted to them to save and admit into heaven, and to acknowledge in heart that there is a God, are two opposites. The reason is, that a man must look to the Lord, and supplicate Him, in order to be saved and admitted into heaven. But the man who believes that that power is given to him looks to himself, and believes the things that are the Lord's to be in himself. And to believe this, and at the same time to believe that there is a God, or that God is in him, is not possible. To believe that God is in him, while he thinks that he is above the holy things of the church, and heaven in his power, is to be like Lucifer. He who is inflamed with the fire of ruling over all things, if he thinks that God is in him, cannot but think this from himself; and to think from himself that God is in him, is to think that God is not in him, but that he himself is God; as also is said of Lucifer in Isaiah (14:13, 14), by whom is there meant Babylon, as is clear from verses 4 and 22 of the same chapter.

[4] Such a man also of himself shows what he is. He breaks out when power is given him, and this by degrees according to his elevation. Hence it is evident that such persons are atheists, some avowedly, some clandestinely, and some ignorantly. And as they regard domination as an end, and the holy things of heaven and the church as means, they counterfeit angels of light in face, gestures, and discourse, and thus profane holy things.

1054. (Verse 8) The beast, which thou sawest, was, and is not. That this signifies the Word, which, in the beginning, was received in the church and read, and afterwards taken away from the people and not read, is evident from the signification of the scarlet beast, as denoting the Word in the letter as to its holy things (concerning which see n. 1038); and from the signification of was, as denoting that in the beginning it was received in the church and read; and from the signification of, is not, as denoting that afterwards it was taken away and not read.

That such things are meant by these words is evident from this, that it was really the case with the Word, that, in the beginning, they acknowledged it as Divine, taught from it, and read it before the people, and afterwards, as they extended dominion over the church and over heaven, they acknowledged it indeed to be Divine, but ceased to teach from it as before; for they forbade the people to read it. And instead of doctrine from it, they delivered their doctrine from the Papal chair as Divine, and instituted Divine worship in masses not understood by the common people. They also preached the adoration of the Pope and of dead men, whom they call saints, instead of the Lord, whom before they had preached. It is therefore evident that it is the Word that is meant by the scarlet beast, which was, and is not, and is about to ascend out of the abyss, and go into perdition.

That Babylon in the beginning was a church which adored the Lord, and preached Divine truth from the Word; and afterwards indeed retained the adoration of the Lord, but the external, which is formal; while the internal, which is essential, they transferred to the Pope as His vicar, and, consequently, to the ministering body as vicars under him, may be seen above (n. 1029).

Continuation concerning the second kind of Profanation:-

[2] Those who are in this kind of profanation cannot but adulterate the goods of the Word, and falsify its truths, and so pervert the holy things of the church. For they do not agree with the end, which is the domination of man over them. For they are Divine things which cannot so serve. Hence it is, that from the necessity that the means should agree with the end, goods are turned into evils, truths into falsities, and thereby holy into profane things; and this in an increasing degree, as the dominion, which is the end, becomes enlarged.

[3] That this is the case is quite evident from Babylon at the present time, to which the holy things of the Word, of the church, and of worship, are means, and domination is the end. For in proportion as they have enlarged their domination, they have weakened the sanctity of the Word, and actually exalted the sanctity of the Pope's dictates above it. They have claimed to themselves power over heaven, indeed, over the Lord Himself, and have instituted the idolatrous worship of men, both living and dead; and this, until they have caused nothing of Divine Good and Divine truth to be left.

[4] That the holy things of the Word, of the church, and of worship are so changed is of the Lord's Divine Providence. Not that it is of His Providence that it should so come to pass; but it is of His Providence that, because man wills to rule by means of holy Divine things, and also does rule, they should therefore adopt falsity in the place of truth, and evil in the place of good. Otherwise they would have defiled holy things, and have rendered them abominable before the angels; this is not done when they are no longer.

For example, as has been done with the Holy Supper instituted by the Lord, in their separating the bread and the wine, and giving the bread to the people, and drinking the wine themselves. For bread signifies the good of love to the Lord, and wine the truth of faith in Him; and good separated from truth is not good, nor is truth separated from good truth. For truth is truth from good, and good is good in truth. And so in other cases.