1130# “素来与她行淫一同奢华生活的”表示那些因以这种权柄为快乐而处于虚假及其邪恶的人。这从“行淫”和“奢华生活”的含义清楚可知：“行淫”是指歪曲真理（对此，参看AE141,161,805d,983节），因而也指热爱虚假，因为处于对邪恶的爱之人也处于对虚假的爱，因为虚假确认邪恶。“奢华生活”是指从统治中，或从这种权柄中获得快乐，因而是指热爱邪恶。“行淫”论及虚假，“生活奢华”论及邪恶，这两者都论及由它们产生的快乐。
由于“行淫”表示对真理的歪曲，“奢华生活”表示热爱邪恶，因而也表示虚假，所以现在要阐明巴比伦民族或教派歪曲圣言，削弱其神性神圣性的起因。在基督教界，众所周知，圣言是神性；因此，圣言所包含的一切都是神性真理。由于巴比伦人篡夺，并实际取得了对教会的一切，以及对天堂的统治权，他们由此陷入从自我之爱中产生的一切邪恶，所以对他们来说，通过圣言确认或证实这些邪恶是有必要的，而这种确认或证实只有通过歪曲它才能实现，因为圣言决不能确认或证实邪恶；因此，当一个人通过圣言确认或证实邪恶时，他会歪曲圣言的真理。这就是巴比伦人所做的事；由于他们仍在圣言中看到他们无法歪曲的真理，例如，圣言关于巴比伦或巴别所说的一切话，所以他们诡诈地削弱了圣言的神性神圣性，并禁止人们阅读它。其被称为修道士的领袖和长老们也不阅读它，声称教皇的法令和圣言的内容一样神圣，教会的一切都必须适应教会的状态，因而必须按其状态的要求进行改变，这种适应和改变必须根据教皇的灵感来作出。这一切清楚表明，为何圣言的真理被歪曲了，也被他们弃绝，取而代之的是，他们的教皇为支持和迎和他们对权力的爱所采纳并颁布，或说所接受并认可的那些东西，这些东西本身就是虚假。地上的列王与淫妇或妓女巴比伦行淫的含义由此变得显而易见。
（关于《亚他那修信经》续，关于主）
神因是非受造的，故也是永恒的；因为生命本身，也就是神，就是生命本身，既非来自它自身，也非来自虚无；因此，它没有起源；没有起源之物都来自永恒，就是永恒的。但对没有起源的任何事物的观念是不可能被属世人理解的；对来自永恒之神的观念也是如此；但属灵人可以理解这些事物。属世人的思维无法与时间观念分离，也无法从中抽象出来；这种观念从他所在的自然界那里粘附于他。他的思维也无法与起源的观念分离，并从中抽象出来，因为对他来说，起源意味着时间上的一个开始。太阳行进的表象已经把这种观念深深印在属世人上。但属灵人的思维从时间观念中抽象出来了，因为它被提升到了自然界之上；在那里，取代时间观念的，是生命状态的观念，取代时间持续的，是来自情感的思维状态的观念，这状态构成生命。因为与世上的太阳不同，天使天堂的太阳既不升起，也不落下，不制造年和日；因此，天堂天使因处于属灵观念，故从时间中抽象出来思考。因此，他们对来自永恒之神的观念不从起源，也就是一个开始中取得任何东西，或说不涉及起源或一个开始的观念，而是一种状态的观念，即：祂是永恒的，因而系神，并从神发出的一切都是永恒的，换句话说，是神性本身。我已经通过从属世观念被提升到属灵观念而被允许感知到，情况就是这样。由此清楚可知，非受造的神也是永恒的；还可知，认为自然界来自永恒，或在时间上来自它自身是不可能的；但认为神来自永恒，自然界和时间都来自神是可能的。
1130. Who have committed whoredom with her, and lived delicately.- That this signifies, who were in falsities and in the evils thereof from delight in that power, is evident from the signification of committing whoredom, which denotes to falsify truths (concerning which see above, n. 141, 161, 805, 983), thus also to love falsities, for he who is in the love of evil is also in the love of falsity, since falsity confirms evil; and from the signification of living delicately, which denotes to receive pleasure from ruling, or from the exercise of that power, thus to love evils. To commit whoredom is said of falsities, and to live delicately of evils, in each case in reference to the delights arising from them.
[2] Since to commit whoredom signifies to falsify truths, and to live delicately signifies to love evils, and thus falsities also, the origin of the falsification of the Word by the Babylonish sect and the weakening of its Divine sanctity by them shall also be stated. It was well known in the whole Christian world, that the Word is Divine, and that therefore all the things contained in it are Divine truths. Now because the Babylonians arrogated to themselves, and actually assumed, dominion over everything in the church, and over heaven also, and because in consequence of this they plunged into all the evils that spring up from the love of self, it therefore became necessary for them to confirm those evils by the Word, and this could be done only by its falsification - for the Word can never substantiate evil; therefore the man who does substantiate it by the Word falsifies its truths. This was done by the Babylonians. But because they still saw truths in the Word which they could not falsify, as all those things that are said concerning Babel, therefore they craftily weakened its Divine sanctity, and forbade the reading of it by the people. Their prelates and their presbyters, who are called monks, also ceased to read it, maintaining that the declarations of the Pope are as holy as those contained in the Word. They also said that everything belonging to the church ought to be accommodated to its state, and should consequently be changed when the state of the church required, and that such accommodations and changes ought to take place according to inspiration from the Pope. It is evident from this why the truths of the Word have been falsified and also rejected by them, and in the place of these such things adopted and promulgated by their Pope as countenance and pander to their love of power, these things being in themselves falsities. From these things, the particular signification of the kings of the earth committing whoredom with Babylon the harlot is evident.
[3] Continuation concerning the Athanasian Creed, and concerning the Lord.- Because God is uncreated, He is, also, eternal; for life itself, which is God, is life in itself, neither from itself, nor from nothing, thus it is without origin; and what is without origin is from eternity, and is eternal. But an idea of that which is without origin cannot be grasped by the natural man, neither can the idea of God from eternity; but these things are apprehended by the spiritual man. The thought of the natural man cannot be separated and withdrawn from the idea of time, this idea inhering in it from nature in which the natural man is; neither can it be separated and withdrawn from the idea of origin, because it regards origin as implying a beginning in time. The appearance of the sun's progression has impressed this idea on the natural man. But the thought of the spiritual man, because it is elevated above nature, is withdrawn from the idea of time, and instead of this idea of time there is the idea of state of life, and instead of the duration of time there is the idea of the state of thought from affection, which constitutes life. For the sun in the angelic heaven neither rises nor sets, nor does it cause years and days, like the sun in the world; for this reason the angels of heaven, being in spiritual ideas, think abstractedly from time. Their idea therefore of God from eternity does not partake of the notion of origin, or a beginning, but it is an idea of state, that He is eternal, thus that every thing that is God, and which proceeds from God, is eternal, that is, Divine in itself. That this is the case I have been permitted to perceive by being raised above the natural into the spiritual idea. From these things it is now evident, that God, who is uncreated, is also eternal; and also that it is impossible to think that nature is from eternity, or in time from itself, but that it is possible to think that God is from eternity, and that nature together with time is from God.
1130. Who hath committed whoredom and lived luxuriously with her, signifies who have been in falsities and in the evils of falsities from delight respecting that authority. This is evident from the signification of "to commit whoredom," as being to falsify truths (See n. 141, 161, 805, 983); thus also to love falsities, for he who is in the love of evil is also in the love of falsity, since by falsity evil is confirmed. Also from the signification of "living luxuriously," as being to have delight from dominion or from that authority, thus to love evils. "To commit whoredom" is predicated of falsities, and "to live luxuriously" of evils, and both of delight in these.
[2] As "committing whoredom" signifies the falsifying of truths, and "living luxuriously" signifies loving evils and thus also falsities, it shall now be told whence it is that the Babylonish nation has falsified the Word and weakened its Divine holiness. It has been known in the whole Christian world that the Word is Divine, and consequently that all things contained in the Word are Divine truths. Now as the Babylonians have claimed for themselves and have actually assumed dominion over all things of the church and also over heaven, and as they thus let themselves into all evils that spring up from the love of self, it was necessary for them to confirm those evils by means of the Word, and this could be done only by falsifying it, for the Word can in no wise confirm evil; consequently when a man confirms evil by means of the Word he falsifies its truths. This was done by the Babylonians; but as they still saw truths in the Word that they could not falsify, as for instance, all that is said in it about Babylon, so by their craft they weakened the Divine holiness of the Word, and forbade the reading of it by the people; and their leaders and presbyters, who are called monks, also refrained from reading it, saying that the decrees of the Pope were just as holy as the contents of the Word, and that all things of the church must be adapted to its state, and consequently must be changed as its state requires, and that such adaptation and changes must be made from the inspiration of the Pope. All this makes clear how it is that the truths of the Word have been falsified and rejected by them, and in place of these such things as pander to their love of ruling and wholly favor it, and which are in themselves falsities, have been accepted, and have been endorsed by their Pope. From all this the particular signification of "the whoredoms of its kings" with Babylon the harlot can be seen.
(Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord)
[3] As God is uncreate He is also eternal; for the life itself which is God is life in itself, not from itself, nor from nothing; thus it is without origin; and what is without origin is from eternity and is eternal. But an idea of anything without origin is impossible to the natural man; so, too, is the idea of God from eternity; but it is possible to the spiritual man. The thought of the natural man cannot be separated and abstracted from the idea of time; this idea clings to him from nature, in which he is. Nor can his thought be separated and abstracted from the idea of origin, since origin means to him a beginning in time. The appearance in the sun's progression has impressed this idea on the natural man. But the thought of the spiritual man is abstracted from the idea of time, because it is raised above nature, and in place of that idea there is the idea of state of life, and in place of duration of time is an idea of the state of thought from affection, which constitutes life. For in the angelic heaven the sun does not rise or set or make years and days, as the sun in the world does; and for this reason the angels of heaven, because they are in spiritual ideas, think apart from time; consequently their idea of God from eternity does not take anything from origin, that is, from a beginning, but from state that it is eternal, and that everything therefore that is God and that proceeds from God is eternal, in other words, is Divine in itself. That this is so has been granted to perceive by an elevation above the natural idea into a spiritual idea. From all this it is now clear that God, who is uncreate, is also eternal, also that it is impossible to think that nature is from eternity, or that it is from itself in time; but it is possible to think that God is from eternity, and that nature with time is from God.
1130. "Qui cum illa scortati sunt et deliciati." - Quod significet qui in falsis et malis eorum ex jucundo super potestate illa fuerunt, constat ex significatione "scortari", quod sit falsificare vera (de qua [supra] , n. 141, 161, 1
805 [d] , 983); ita quoque amare falsa; nam qui in amore mali est, is quoque in amore falsi est, falsum enim confirmat malum: et ex significatione "deliciari", quod sit jucundum ex dominatione seu ex potestate illa habere, ita amare mala: "scortari" praedicatur de falsis, et "deliciari" de malis, utrumque de jucundo illorum.
[2] Quoniam "scortari" significat falsificare vera, ac "deliciari" amare mala, et sic quoque falsa, dicetur etiam unde est quod gens Babylonica Verbum falsificaverit, et quoque Divinam ejus sanctitatem infirmaverit. Notum fuit in toto Christiano orbe quod Verbum sit Divinum, et quod inde omnia illa quae in Verbo sunt Divina vera sint; nunc quia Babylonici dominationem super omnia ecclesiae, et quoque super caelum, sibi arrogaverunt et actualiter assumpserunt, et quia per id in omnia mala scaturientia ex amore sui se immiserunt, ideo necessum illis fuit mala illa per Verbum confirmare, quod non potuit fieri nisi per falsificationem ejus, nam Verbum nusquam confirmat malum; quare homo qui id per Verbum confirmat, is falsificat vera ejus: hoc fecerunt Babylonici; sed quia usque viderunt in Verbo vera, quae non falsificare potuerunt, ut omnia illa quae de Babele ibi dicuntur, ideo ex astutia Divinam sanctitatem Verbi infirmaverunt, et lectionem ejus populo inhibuerunt, et quoque antistites et presbyteri illorum, qui vocantur monachi, a legendo illud destiterunt, dicendo quod dictamina papae aeque sancta essent ut sunt illa quae Verbi sunt, et quod omnia ecclesiae accommodanda sint ad statum ejus, consequenter quod mutanda cum status ejus postulat, et quod accommodationes illae et mutationes ex inspiratione apud papam fiant. Ex quibus patet unde est quod vera Verbi ab illis falsificata sint, et quoque rejecta, ac loco illorum acceptata et a papa illorum demandata sint talia quae amori dominandi illorum patrocinantur et prorsus favent, quae in se sunt falsa. Ex his constare potest quid in specie significatur per "scortationes regum" ejus cum Babylone meretrice.
[3] (Continuatio de Fide Athanasiana, et de Domino.)
Quoniam Deus est increatus, est etiam aeternus; ipsa enim Vita, quae Deus, est Vita in se, non a se, nec a nihilo; ita est absque ortu; et quod absque ortu est, hoc ab aeterno est, ac aeternum est. Sed idea absque ortu, non dari potest apud naturalem hominem, ita nec idea Dei ab aeterno; sed datur apud spiritualem: cogitatio naturalis hominis non potest separari et abstrahi ab idea temporis, inhaeret haec a Natura, in qua est; ita nec separari et abstrahi potest ab idea ortus, quia ortus est illi initium in tempore; apparentia progressionis solis impressit naturali homini ideam illam. At cogitatio spiritualis hominis abstracta est ab idea temporis, quia est elevata supra Naturam, et pro illa est idea status vitae, et pro duratione temporis est status cogitationis ex affectione, quae facit Vitam: Sol enim in caelo angelico non oritur, nec occidit, nec facit annos et dies, sicut sol in mundo; inde est quod angeli caeli, quia in ideis spiritualibus sunt, abstracte a tempore cogitent; quare idea illorum de Deo ab aeterno non trahit aliquid ab ortu, seu ab initio, sed a statu quod ille aeternus sit, ita quod omne id quod Deus est, et quod a Deo procedit, sit aeternum, hoc est, Divinum in se. Quod ita sit, percipere datum est per elevationem supra naturalem ideam in spiritualem. Ex his nunc patet quod Deus, qui increatus est, etiam sit aeternus, tum quod impossibile sit cogitare quod Natura sit ab aeterno, nec in tempore a se, sed quod possibile sit cogitare quod Deus sit ab aeterno, et quod Natura cum tempore sit a Deo.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.