1036. Verses 3, 4, 5. And he carried me away into a wilderness, in the spirit; and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in crimson and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones, and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of the abominations and uncleanness of her whoredom. And upon her forehead a name written, Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of the whoredoms and abominations of the earth.

"And he carried me away into a wilderness, in the spirit," signifies into a place appearing in vision, which corresponded to the state of that religious persuasion; "and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet beast," signifies the dominion of that religious persuasion over the holy things of the Word; "full of names of blasphemy," signifies which are adulterated and falsified; "having seven heads," signifies and profaned; "and ten horns," signifies the power of the Word from truths.

"And the woman was arrayed in crimson and scarlet," signifies the appearance of that religious persuasion in externals, as if it were from heavenly good and truth, when notwithstanding, in internals, it is from diabolical evil and falsity; "and decked with gold and precious stones," signifies the appearance of the religious persuasion in externals, as if it were from spiritual good and truth, although, in the internals, it is from infernal evil and falsity; "and pearls," signifies the appearance in externals, as if it were in the knowledges of good and truth; "having a golden cup in her hand full of the abominations and uncleanness of her whoredom," signifies doctrine from goods and truths profaned; "and upon her forehead a name written, Mystery, Babylon the great," signifies in heart the love of dominion over the world and heaven, to which the holy things of the Word, of the church, and of worship, serve as means.

"The mother of the whoredoms and abominations of the earth," signifies the religious persuasion from which are the adulterations of good and truth, and profanations of the holy things of the church.