1056. And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder. That this signifies those of that religious persuasion who reject the Word, is evident from the signification of them that dwell on the earth, as denoting those who are of that religious persuasion. For by the earth is signified the church; but, in this case, that religious persuasion, because the church is not there. For the church is only where the Lord is worshipped and the Word is read.

That those who reject the Word are meant is evident from what follows; that is, that they are those whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world; and that they are those who saw the beast, which was, and is not, but yet is. For by the beast is signified the Word, as was said above. Therefore their wonder is, that the Word still is, although it was, and is not.

Concerning the second kind of Profanation:-

[2] The love of ruling by the holy things of the church as a means, entirely closes the interiors of the human mind from inmost to outmost, according to the quality and quantity of that love. But in order that it may be known how they are closed, something shall first be said concerning the interiors of the human mind.

Man has a spiritual mind, a rational mind, a natural mind, and a sensual mind. By the spiritual mind he is in heaven, and is a heaven in its least form. By the natural mind he is in the world, and is a world in its least form. Heaven with man communicates with the world in him through the rational mind; and with the body through the sensual mind. After man's birth the sensual mind is first opened; afterwards the natural mind; and, as he studies to become intelligent, the rational mind; and, as he studies to become wise, the spiritual mind. But afterwards, as he becomes wise, the spiritual mind becomes with him as the head, and the natural mind as the body, to which the rational mind serves for conjunction, as the neck to the head, and then the sensual mind is like the sole of the foot.

[3] All these minds with infants are so disposed by the Lord, through an influx of innocence from heaven, that they may be opened. But with those who, from their youth, begin to be inflamed with the lust of ruling by the holy things of the church, as means, the spiritual mind is entirely closed, and also the rational mind; lastly, the natural mind, down to the sensual mind, as it is said in heaven, even to the nose. And thus they become merely sensual men; these are the most stupid of all in spiritual things, and thence in rational things; and the most cunning of all in worldly matters and those of a civil kind. That they are so stupid in spiritual things, they themselves do not know, because in heart they do not believe those things, and because they believe cunning to be prudence, and malice to be wisdom.

All of this kind, however, differ according to the quality and quantity of the lust of ruling and of its exercise also, according to the quality and quantity of persuasion that they are holy; and according to the quality of the good and truth from the Word, which they profane.

949. (Verse 6) And there went out of the temple seven angels, having the seven plagues. That this signifies manifestation thence of all evils and the falsities therefrom, and of all falsities and the evils therefrom, which have devastated the church, is evident from the signification of angels, as denoting manifestations, as above (n. 869, 878, 883); and from the signification of seven, as denoting all and completely (see above, n. 257, 300); and from the signification of plagues, as denoting such things as destroy spiritual life, consequently, the church, which are lusts from evil love, and falsities (concerning which see above, n. 584); consequently, evils and the falsities therefrom, and falsities and the evils therefrom; and from the signification of the temple, as denoting the interior Word revealed, as treated of in the preceding article. From these things it is evident, that by the seven angels going out of the temple, having the seven plagues, is signified, that from the Word and its spiritual sense all evils and the falsities therefrom are made manifest, and falsities and the evils therefrom, which have devastated the church.

[2] It is said, evils and the falsities therefrom, and falsities and the evils therefrom; because the church with the Papists, and the church with the Reformed, are both meant. With the Papists evils and the falsities therefrom have devastated the Church; but with the Reformed, falsities and the evils therefrom. The evils with the Papists are evils from the love of ruling over everything in heaven and everything on earth, by means of the holy things of the church, that love being the source of all evils; and from those evils are falsities of every kind. But with the Reformed there are falsities and the evils therefrom. Falsities flow from the principle of man's justification and salvation by faith alone, or by faith without good works; and when good works are separated from faith, evil works take their place. This is why these falsities and the evils therefrom with them have devastated the church, as is the case with evils and the falses therefrom with the Papists.

Continuation:-

As far as evils are removed as sins, so far goods flow in, and afterwards a man so far does goods, not from himself, but from the Lord. As:

[3] First. So far as he does not worship other gods, thus also, so far as he does not love himself and the world above all things, so far the acknowledgment of God flows in from the Lord; and then he worships God, not from himself but from the Lord.

Secondly. So far as he does not profane the name of God, thus also, so far as he shuns the lusts arising from the loves of self and of the world, so far he loves the holy things of the Word and of the church; for these are the name of God; and the lusts arising from the love of self and of the world profane them.

Thirdly. So far as he shuns thefts, thus also, frauds and unlawful gains, so far sincerity and justice enter, and he loves what is sincere and just, from sincerity and justice, and thence acts sincerely and justly, not from himself, but from the Lord.

Fourthly. So far as he shuns adulteries, thus also unchaste and filthy thoughts, so far conjugial love enters, which is the inmost love of heaven, in which love chastity itself resides.

Fifthly. So far as he shuns murders, thus also deadly hatred and revenge, which breathe out murder, so far the Lord enters with mercy and love.

Sixthly. So far as he shuns false witness, therefore also lies and blasphemies, so far truth from the Lord enters.

Seventhly. So far as he shuns the lust of possessing the houses of others, and hence also the love and lusts therefrom of possessing the goods of others, so far charity towards his neighbour enters from the Lord.

Eighthly. So far as he shuns the lust of possessing the wives of others, their servants, etc., and hence also the love and lusts therefrom of ruling over others - for the things recounted in this precept are man's own - so far love to the Lord enters.

In these eight precepts are contained the evils which must be shunned, but in the two others - the third and fourth, are contained certain things which must be done, - that the Sabbath is to be hallowed, and that parents are to be honoured. But how these two precepts are to be understood, not by the men of the Jewish Church, but by the men of the Christian Church, will be explained elsewhere.