1061. (Verse 9) This is the mind that hath wisdom. That this signifies the understanding of those things in the natural sense from the spiritual, is evident from the signification of this is the mind, as denoting the understanding of those things; and from the signification of having wisdom, as denoting him who can perceive what is represented, and thence signified, by the vision - especially by the scarlet beast and its seven heads and ten horns. But in the non-personal sense, by having wisdom is meant the explanation of the thing represented in the natural sense from the spiritual; thus, the explanation of what the seven mountains and seven kings denote, which are signified by the seven heads. For the explanation given by the angel, that the seven heads are seven mountains upon which the woman (sitteth), and that they are seven kings, five of whom have fallen, and one is, and the other not yet come, with the rest of the things that follow, is not an explanation in the natural sense from the spiritual; but is an explanation in a sense merely natural, in which the spiritual sense lies concealed, which is to be unfolded; and it is unfolded, when the signification of the seven mountains, the seven kings, the five that have fallen, and the one which is, and so on, is explained. This, therefore, is meant by having wisdom. As also above:

"Here is wisdom. Let him that hath intelligence compute the number of the beast" (13:18).

The reason why the angel did not explain the vision in the natural sense from the spiritual is, that the explanation also makes the Word in the letter; and the Word in the letter must be natural, in every particular of which the spiritual sense must be stored up; otherwise the Word would not serve the heavens for a basis, nor the church for its conjunction with heaven. Hence it is that in other parts also of the Word, as in Daniel, and the rest of the prophets, where angels explain visions, they explain them in a sense merely natural, and not at all in the natural sense from the spiritual. The natural sense from the spiritual is here given, when it is explained what the seven mountains, the seven kings, and the rest signify; namely, that mountains signify the goods of the Word, and seven mountains these profaned; and that kings signify the truths of the Word, and the seven kings those profaned. This is the natural sense from the spiritual, which is called the internal sense, likewise also the spiritual-natural sense.

Concerning the fourth kind of Profanation:-

[2] The fourth kind of profanation is to lead a life of piety, by frequenting churches, hearkening devoutly to sermons, attending the Sacrament of the Supper, and other things pertaining to worship, as appointed; by reading the Word at home, and sometimes books of devotion; and by praying customarily, morning and evening, and yet making the precepts of life in the Word, and especially in the Decalogue, of no account; by acting insincerely and unjustly in trade and in judgments, for the sake of gain or of friendship; committing whoredom and adultery when lust enkindles and allows; burning with hatred and revenge against those who do not indulge them in their gain or honour; lying and speaking evil of the good, and good of the evil, and so on. When a man does these things, and is not yet purified from them by aversion and detestation, and still worships God devoutly, as said above, then he is guilty of profanation; for he mixes his internals which are impure with the externals which are pious, and defiles the latter.

For there can be nothing external which does not proceed and exist from internals, actions and speech being a man's externals; the thoughts and volitions his internals. A man cannot speak except from thought, nor act except from the will. When the life of the thought and will is filled with cunning, malice, and violence, it cannot but be that those things, as interior crimes of life, will flow into the speech and actions of worship and piety, and defile them as filth defiles waters.

[3] This worship is what is meant by Gog and Magog (Apoc. 20:8), and is thus described in Isaiah:

"What is to me the multitude of sacrifices, the meat offerings, the incense, the Sabbaths, the new moons, the stated feasts, and prayers, when your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean, put away the wickedness of your works, cease to do evil" (Isaiah 1:11-17).

This kind of profanation is not hypocritical like the former; because the man who is in it believes that he shall be saved by external worship separate from internal, and knows not that the worship by which he may be saved is external from internal.