1038. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast. That this signifies the dominion of that religious persuasion over the holy things of the Word, is evident from the signification of a woman, as denoting the church (concerning which see n. 555, 707, 721, 730); in this case Babylon, which is not a church but a religious persuasion, devastated of all the truth and good of the church - that it is Babylon which is understood by this woman is manifestly evident from the fifth verse of this chapter - and from the signification of sitting, as denoting to rule; see just above (n. 1033); and from the signification of the scarlet beast, as denoting the Word as to the holy things thereof, which the woman, which is Babylon, profaned by dominion over them.

That by the scarlet beast is signified the Word as to the holy things thereof, which are profaned by Babylon, is evident from the following parts of this chapter, where it is said:

It was, and is not, and is about to ascend out of the abyss, and to go into destruction (vers. 8, 11).

And afterwards:

That the ten horns of the beast were ten kings, who had hatred against the whore, and would make her devastated and naked, and devour her flesh, and burn her with fire, and would give the kingdom to the beast (vers. 16, 17).

From these words, in the spiritual sense, it is evident, that by the scarlet beast is signified the Word as to the holy things thereof.

[2] The reason why the Divine Word can be signified by a beast is, that many of the holy things of the church are signified by beasts in the Word:

As the cherubs, seen as four beasts, in Ezekiel (1; 10).

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

And by these, as cherubs, is signified Providence and defence that the Lord may not be approached except by the good of love; and thence also they signify the Word in the letter, because this is for a defence (concerning which see above, n. 277, 278, 717). And, moreover, all the beasts which were sacrificed, as oxen, heifers, goats, she-goats, kids, rams, sheep, and lambs, signified holy things of the church, as is evident from the things shown above (n. 277, 283, 362, 552, 650, 781, 817). Hence it is, that men from charity are called sheep; indeed, the Lord Himself, from Divine innocence, is called a Lamb, and from Divine power a Lion.

These things are mentioned in order that it may not appear wonderful, that by the beast is here signified the Word; but the Word in the letter, wherein it is natural. Beast also, in a general sense, in the Word, signifies the natural as to affection. The reason why the beast was seen of a scarlet colour is, that scarlet signifies truth from a heavenly origin, such as is the truth of the Word in the sense of the letter or natural sense, which is meant by what is holy in it. Something nearly similar is signified

By the whore seen sitting upon many waters (ver. 1 of this chapter);

Also:

Upon many treasures (inJeremiah 51:13).

For by many waters and many treasures are there signified the truths of the Word, and thence the holy things of the church, which are adulterated (see above, n. 1033). The signification of scarlet will be seen in the explanation of the verse following.

248. (Verse 20) Behold, I stand at the door and knock. That this signifies the perpetual presence of the Lord is evident from the signification of door, or gate, as being, in the highest sense, the Lord as to introduction into heaven or into the church, and in the internal sense truth from good which is from Him, because by it man is admitted into heaven (concerning this see above, n. 208). Here, because it is said by the Lord, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock" signifies His perpetual presence, and at the same time His perpetual will, because He wills to admit into heaven, and also does admit; and He conjoins Himself with all who receive Him, which is effected by means of truths from good, or by faith from charity; therefore it follows, "If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Because mention is made of a door, mention is also made of knocking, which signifies the Lord's perpetual will of conjoining Himself with man, and of communicating to him the happiness of heaven. That this is the case, is evident from this, that in the Lord is Divine love; and Divine love consists in the will to give all its own to others, and in the will that they may receive it. And because this can be accomplished only by the reception of good and truth, or love and faith, by man, because these are the Divine things which proceed from the Lord and are received, and, being Divine, the Lord Himself is in them, therefore conjunction of the Lord with angels and with men is effected by means of truths from good, or by means of faith from love. To will to give these things and to implant them in man, is specifically signified by I stand at the door and knock.

[2] There are two things in man's free-will from the perpetual presence of the Lord, and from His perpetual will of conjoining Himself with a man. THE FIRST is, that he has the capability and the faculty of thinking well concerning the Lord and concerning the neighbour; for every one can think well or ill concerning the Lord and concerning the neighbour; if he thinks well, the door is opened, if otherwise, it is shut. To think well concerning the Lord and concerning the neighbour, is not from man and his proprium, but from the Lord, who is perpetually present, and by perpetual presence gives him that capability and faculty; but to think ill concerning the Lord and concerning the neighbour, is from man himself and his proprium. THE SECOND THING in the free-will of man from the perpetual presence of the Lord with him, and from His perpetual will of conjoining Himself with him is, that he is able to abstain from evils, and in proportion as he does this, in the same proportion the Lord opens the door and enters. For the Lord cannot open and enter so long as evils are in a man's thought and will, because these oppose and close the door. It has been granted to man by the Lord to know the evils of his thought and will, also the truths by means of which these evils are to be dispersed; for the Word has been given, where those things are made known.

[3] From these considerations, it is evident that nothing is wanting in order that a man may be reformed if he will, for all means of reformation are left to man in his free-will; but it should be well understood that that free-will is from the Lord, as said above, and hence that the Lord operates those things, if man, from free-will, which is given to every one, is receptive. Reception must be entirely on man's part, which is meant by If any one hear my voice, and open the door. It is of no consequence that a man, in the beginning, does not know that this is from the Lord, because he does not perceive the influx, if he only believes afterwards from the Word that all the good of love and the truth of faith are from the Lord; for the Lord effects those things, although man is ignorant of the fact; and this by His perpetual presence, which is signified by I stand at the door and knock. Finally, the Lord wills that man from himself should abstain from evils and do good, only believing that the faculty of so doing is not from himself, but from the Lord. For the Lord desires that a man should be receptive; and reception can be given only as man acts as of himself, although it is from the Lord; thus also a reciprocal faculty is given with man, which is his new will.

[4] From these considerations it is evident how much those are deceived who say that man is justified and saved by faith alone, because he cannot do good of himself. And what else would such belief be, but that man would hang down his hands and expect immediate influx? and he who did this could receive nothing at all. Those also who believe that they can dispose themselves for influx by prayers, adorations, and other externals of worship are mistaken; for these things are nothing unless a man abstains from thinking and doing evils, and by means of truths from the Word leads himself as of himself to goods as to life; if a man does these things, then he disposes himself, and in such case his prayers, adorations and external acts of worship, avail before the Lord. (Upon this subject more may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 521-527.)