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.

46. What, on the other hand, do miracles amount to? Miracles do not take place at this day, because they lead men astray, and make them natural. They close up the interiors of their mind, in which faith ought to be rooted; wherefore, mere falsities proceed thence (see Matthew 24:24). What did the miracles which were wrought in Egypt effect with the sons of Israel? What did those miracles effect which were wrought before them in the wilderness? What those miracles at their entrance into the land of Canaan? What the miracles wrought by Elijah and Elisha? What the miracles performed by the Lord Himself? Was anyone ever made spiritual by their means? What have the miracles among the Roman Catholics done for them? and those of Anthony at Padua? and of the three wise men at Cologne? And what has been the use of the countless miracles in the monasteries, which are filled with pictures, plates and gifts? Has ever anyone been made spiritual thereby? Have they not become natural thereby, so that there is scarcely any truth of the Word among them, but only externals of worship which pertain to men and to traditions?