1091. After these things.- That this signifies after the Last Judgment had been accomplished upon those who are meant by the harlot, is evident from what follows in this chapter, namely, from the exclamation of the angel who had descended out of heaven, that Babylon the great was fallen, and had become "the habitation of demons, the hold of every unclean spirit, and of every unclean and hateful bird," by which is meant its destruction, thus the Last Judgment. It is also evident from what follows, for those who stood afar off for fear of her torment said, "Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! for in one hour her judgment is come" (verses 10, 15, 16, 19); and from the rest. But that which was to take place after this, that is, after the Last Judgment upon them, is related in this chapter, namely, that their religion would be altogether condemned, and never rise again.

But these things must be understood in this way, that that religion will indeed prevail in the world, because the love of ruling is so implanted in every one that it cannot be eradicated, and as long as that love remains that religion cannot cease to exist in the world. But yet in the spiritual world, into which every one comes after death, it will come to an end, for then all those who are of that religion, and have exercised dominion from the delight of the love of ruling, do not make heavens for themselves, as it were in the world of spirits, as they used to do previously, which is in the midst between heaven and hell, and remain there for a time, but as soon as they come there, they are sent away, and cast into their own hells. This is meant by the destruction of Babylon, predicted not only here in the Apocalypse, but also in many places in the prophets.

Since the Babylonians have transferred (transtulerunt) the Lord's power over heaven and the church to the pope, whom they call the successor of Peter, and therefore the vicar of the Lord, saying that power over heaven and hell was transferred by the Lord to Peter, and that it was not the Divine power of the Lord, but His human power given to Him by God, the Father, therefore at the end of the articles of this chapter I intend to show that the Lord also as to His Human was God, that is, that His Human was Divine. It follows from this that the Babylonians have transferred His Divine power to him, whom they call the Lord's vicar, and thus that they have made him a god upon earth, and that he has made his ministers gods; a thing that cannot but be abhorrent. First, then, at the end of the articles, we shall examine the doctrine of the Trinity accepted throughout the entire Christian world, and which was published by decree of the Council of Nice as the Creed of Athanasius, or the Athanasian Faith. Here the creed itself, as taken from the decree of the council, and read in England, shall be quoted in full.

THE ATHANASIAN CREED.

[2] "Whosoever would be saved it is altogether necessary for him to hold the Catholic Faith. Which faith, unless every one do keep whole and entire without doubt, he shall perish everlastingly. The Catholic faith is this:- That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither commingling the persons, nor separating the substance (essence), since there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit, but the Divinity of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, is one and the same, the glory equal, and the majesty co-eternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit. The Father is uncreate, the Son is uncreate, and the Holy Spirit is uncreate. The Father is infinite, the Son infinite, and the Holy Spirit infinite. The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal: And yet there are not three eternals, but one eternal; and there are not three infinites, nor three uncreate, but one uncreate, and one infinite. In like manner as the Father is omnipotent, so the Son is omnipotent, and the Holy Spirit is omnipotent; and yet there are not three omnipotents, but one omnipotent. As the Father is God, so the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God; and yet there are not three Gods, but one God. Although the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, and the Holy Spirit is Lord, still there are not three Lords, but one Lord. For as we are compelled by the Christian verity, to acknowledge every person by himself to be God and Lord, yet are we forbidden by the Catholic religion to say that there are three Gods or three Lords (according to others, we cannot, from the Christian faith, make mention of three Gods or three Lords). The Father was made of none, neither created nor born. The Son is of the Father alone, neither made, nor created, but born. The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son, neither made, created, nor born, but proceeding. Thus there is one Father, not three Fathers, one Son, not three Sons, one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. And in this Trinity none is before or after another, none is greater or less than another; but the whole three persons are together eternal, and are altogether equal. So that in all things, as was before said, the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped. (According to others, three Persons in one Godhead, and one God in three Persons, is to be worshipped.) Wherefore, whosoever would be saved, must thus think of the Trinity. It is also further necessary to salvation, that he believe rightly the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. (According to others, that he constantly believe that our Lord Jesus Christ is truly man.) Since the true faith is, that we believe and confess, that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God of the substance (or essence; according to others, nature) of the Father, born before the world, and Man of the substance (according to others, nature) of the mother, born in the world; perfect God and perfect man, consisting of a rational soul and a human body; equal to the Father as to the Divine, and inferior to (according to others, less than) the Father as to the Human. Who, although God and man, yet they are not two, but one Christ; one, not by conversion of the Divine Essence into the Human (of the Godhead into body), but by the taking of the Human Essence into the Divine (into God); one altogether, not by commixture of essence (of substance), but by unity of person (according to others, because they are one person). Since as the rational soul and body are one man, so God and man is one Christ. Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, and re-ascended on the third day from the dead; and He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father God Almighty; whence he is about to come to judge the quick and the dead. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies; and they that have done good things shall enter into life eternal, and they that have done evil things, into eternal fire. This is the Catholic faith, which, unless a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved. Glory to God the Father and Son and Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be forever, world without end. Amen."