802、前面说，对圣言的一切真理、因而对教会的一切圣物的玷污和亵渎都来自“巴比伦城”所指的宗教说服；前面也多次说到，这种宗教说服不仅玷污了圣言的良善和真理，还亵渎了它们；因此，在圣言中，“巴别”表示对神圣之物的亵渎。现在要说一说这种亵渎过去是如何发生的，现在又是如何发生的。前面说到，出于自我之爱而对统治教会圣物、统治天堂，从而统治主的一切神性事物的爱，就是魔鬼(AR 796, 797节)。由于作为目的的这种统治占据了那些创立这种宗教说服之人的心智，所以他们不能不亵渎圣言和教会的圣物。假如这爱，即魔鬼，从内在占据某人的心智，如一切主导爱所行的那样；那么将某个神性真理从外在摆在它眼前，它岂不会将其撕成碎片，扔在地上，踩上几脚，并召唤与它自己一致的虚假来取代它吗？
对占有世界上的一切事物的爱就是撒但，并且对那种由于这一种爱而陷入另一种爱的人来说，魔鬼与撒但行如一体，就好像通过盟约被绑在了一起。由此可以推断出，为何在圣言中，“巴比伦”表示亵渎。例如：将这一神性真理摆在这爱，也就是魔鬼面眼前，即：唯独神要受到敬拜和崇拜，而不是任何人；因此，代牧是一种发明和虚构，应当被弃绝；以及这个真理：召唤死人、在他们的像前跪拜、亲吻他们和他们的骨头，是一种简单而肮脏的偶像崇拜，也应当被弃绝。这爱，即魔鬼，岂不会激烈而愤怒地弃绝这两个真理，猛烈抨击它们，并把它们撕成碎片吗？
但如果有人对这爱，即魔鬼说，打开和关闭天堂，或释放和捆绑，因而赦罪(这与改造和重生是一回事)，从而救赎和拯救一个人，是纯粹的神性；人若将任何神性之物归于自己，就不能不犯亵渎罪；彼得没有将它归于自己，因此也没有行使过任何这样的权柄；此外，使徒继任是这爱所捏造的东西，就像圣灵从一个人转移到另一个人那里一样；听到这些话，这爱，即魔鬼，岂不会用诅咒来攻击说这些话的人，并在怒火中命令将他交给审问者，并把他打入死牢吗？如果有人接着问，主的神性权柄怎能转移到你身上？主的神性怎能与祂的灵魂和身体分离？按照你的信仰，这岂不是不可能？父神怎能将祂的神性权柄赋予圣子，除非赋予祂的神性，也就是容器？这神性权柄又怎能转录到一个人里面，以至于成为他的？此外还有其它类似的话。听到这些话，这爱，即魔鬼，岂不会哑口无言，内心怒不可遏，咬牙切齿，大喊：“把他带走！钉他十字架，钉他十字架！你们都去吧，去看看这个大异端，寻些乐子吧”？
802. We say that from the Roman Catholic religion, meant by the city of Babylon, comes the adulteration and profanation of all the truth of the Word and so of every sanctity of the church; and a number of times previously we have said that that religion has not only adulterated the Word's goods and truths, but has also profaned them; and that Babylon in the Word therefore symbolizes the profanation of what is holy. We will now say how that profanation came about and continues.
We said above that the love of exercising dominion, springing from a love of self, over the sanctities of the church and over heaven, thus over all the Divine sanctities belonging to the Lord, is the Devil. 1Now because that dominion was fixed as the objective in the hearts of those who founded the Roman Catholic religion, they could not help but profane the sanctities of the Word and the church.
Suppose that that love, which is the Devil, is inwardly fixed in someone's mind, as is the case with every reigning love, and place some Divine truth outwardly before his eyes. Would he not tear it up, throw it on the ground, and trample it, and in its place summon up some falsity agreeable to him?
[2] A love of possessing all the goods of the world is Satan, and the Devil and Satan act in concert, as though bound together by covenant, in the kind of people who, owing to the one love, are caught up in the other.
One may conclude from this why it is that Babylon in the Word symbolizes profanation.
By way of illustration, place before that love, which is the Devil, this Divine truth, that God alone is to be worshiped and adored, and not some man, thus that the Vicariate is a fabrication and a fiction which ought to be rejected. Or else this truth, that to call upon the dead, to fall prostrate before their images, to kiss them and their bones, is a pure and foul idolatry that ought also to be rejected. Would not that love, which is the Devil, vehemently and angrily reject these two truths, fulminate against them, and tear them to pieces?
[3] If, moreover, someone were to say to that love, which is the Devil, that to open and close heaven or loose and bind, thus to forgive sins - which is the same thing as reforming and regenerating and thus redeeming and saving mankind - is a work purely Divine; that a person cannot claim for himself something Divine without committing profanation; that Peter did not claim it for himself, and therefore did not exercise any such power; moreover that the apostolic succession was fabricated by that love, as was also the transference of the Holy Spirit from one person to another - on hearing these things, would not that love, which is the Devil, deafen with anathemas the person saying them, and in a fiery rage command that he be turned over to an inquisitor and thrown into a prison of the condemned?
If someone still were to ask, "How can the Lord's Divine power be transferred to you? How can the Lord's Divinity be separated from His soul and body? Is it not according to your belief that this cannot be done? How can God the Father impart His Divine power to the Son except to His own Divinity as its receptacle? How can this be transferred to a person so as to be his?" And many other like things.
Hearing them, would not that love, which is the Devil, fall silent, rage within, gnash its teeth, and cry, "Take this person away! Crucify him, crucify him! Everyone go, go! See the great heretic and amuse yourselves!"
Footnotes:
802. It is said that as a result of the form of religion that is understood by 'the city Babylon' there is the adulteration and profanation of every truth of the Word, and consequently of every holy thing of the Church; and it is said many times in the things preceding that that form of religion has not only adulterated the goods and truths of the Word but has also profaned them, and that therefore 'Babel' in the Word signifies the profanation of what is holy. It shall now be said how that profanation has been and is effected. It was said above that the love, derived from the love of self, of dominating over the holy things of the Church and over heaven, thus over all the Divine things of the Lord, is the devil. Now because that dominion as the end in view has occupied the minds of all those who fashioned that form of religion, they could not do otherwise than profane the holy things of the Word and the Church. Suppose that that love, which is the devil, occupies the mind of anyone interiorly, as does every ruling love; then place some Divine Truth exteriorly before its eyes; will it not tear it in pieces, cast it to the earth and trample upon it, and in place of it summon an untruth in accord with itself?
[2] The love of possessing all the things of the world is satan, and the devil and satan act as one, as if joined by a covenant, with such as from the one love are in the other. It can be concluded from these considerations whence it is that by 'Babylon' in the Word is signified profanation. For example: place before that love which is the devil this Divine Truth, that the Only God is to be worshipped and adored, and not any man; and that the Vicariate is an invention and figment that must be rejected. In like manner this truth, that to invoke dead men, to fall down before their images, to kiss them and their bones, is an utterly and disgustingly idolatrous practice that also must be rejected. Would not that love which is the devil reject these two truths in the vehemence of its anger, fulminate against them, and tear them to bits?
[3] But if anyone should say to that love which is the devil, that to open and shut heaven, or to loose and to bind, thus to remit sins, which is the same as to reform and regenerate and thus to redeem and save a man, is purely Divine; and that a man cannot claim anything Divine to himself without profanation; and that Peter did not claim any such thing to himself nor had he exercised any such authority; moreover that the succession is a thing invented by that love, as also the transference of the Holy Spirit from man to man; on hearing these things would not that love which is the devil belabour the speaker with anathemas, and in the fire of its fury order him to be delivered to the inquisitors and cast into the condemned cell? If anyone should say further, How can the Lord's Divine authority be transferred into you? How can the Lord's Divinity be separated from His Soul and Body? Is it not in accordance with your faith that it cannot? How can God the Father being His own Divine Power into the Son, if not into His Divinity which is the receptacle? How can this be transcribed into a man so as to be his? Besides other similar things. On hearing them would not that love which is the devil be silent, burn with rage inwardly, gnash the teeth and cry out, 'Bring him forth, crucify him, crucify him, go forth, let all go forth, let them see the great heretic and entertain themselves'?
802. It is said that from the religious persuasion which is meant by "the city Babylon" is the adulteration and profanation of every truth of the Word and thence of every holy thing of the church; and it has been said many times in what precedes, that that religious persuasion has not only adulterated the goods and truths of the Word, but has also profaned them; and that "Babel" therefore in the Word signifies the profanation of what is holy. It shall now be said how that profanation has been and is effected. It was said above, that the love of having dominion from the love of self over the holy things of the church and over heaven, and thus over all the Divine things of the Lord, is the devil. Now because that dominion as an end resides in the minds of those who founded that religious persuasion, they could not do otherwise than profane the holy things of the Word and the church. Suppose that that love, which is the devil, should reside in the mind of anyone interiorly, as every ruling love does; then place some Divine truth exteriorly before its eyes; will it not tear it to pieces, cast it to the earth, and trample it down, and in place of it summon a falsity that agrees with itself?
[2] The love of possessing all the things of the world is satan, and the devil and satan act as one, as if joined in a covenant, with such as from the one love are in the other. It may be concluded from this, whence it is that profanation is signified in the Word by "Babylon." For example: place before that love which is the devil this Divine truth, that God alone is to be worshiped and adored, and not any man; and thus that the vicarship is an invention and a fiction, which is to be rejected. In like manner this truth, that to invoke dead men, to fall down to their images, to kiss them and their bones, is simply and foully idolatrous, which is also to be rejected. Would not that love which is the devil reject these two truths in the vehemence of its anger, fulminate against them, and tear them in pieces?
[3] But if anyone should say to that love which is the devil, that to open and shut heaven, or to loose and to bind, and thus to remit sins, which is the same as to reform and regenerate, and so to redeem and save man, is purely Divine, and that a man cannot ascribe to himself anything Divine without profanation; and that Peter did not ascribe it to himself, and therefore did not exercise any such authority; moreover, that the succession is a thing invented by that love; as also the transferring of the Holy Spirit from man to man; on hearing these things, would not that love which is the devil, belabor the speaker with anathemas, and in the fire of its fury command him to be delivered to the inquisitor, and to be cast among the damned? If anyone were to say further, How can the Lord's Divine authority be transferred to you? How can the Lord's Divinity be separated from His soul and body? Is it not according to your faith that it cannot? How can God the Father introduce His Divine power into the Son, except into His Divinity, which is the receptacle? How can this be transcribed into a man that it may be his? Besides other similar things. On hearing these, would not that love which is the devil be silent, kindle into wrath within, gnash the teeth, and cry out, "Lead him forth, crucify him, crucify him; go, go all of you, see the great heretic, and delight yourselves with him"?
802. Dicitur, quod ex Religioso, quod per "Babylonem urbem" intelligitur, sit adulteratio et prophanatio omnis veri Verbi et inde omnis sancti Ecclesiae; et in antecedentibus pluries, quod Religiosum illud non modo adulteraverit bona et vera Verbi, sed etiam prophanaverit illa, et quod ideo "Babel" in Verbo significet prophanationem sancti. Nunc dicetur, quomodo prophanatio illa facta est et fit. Dictum est supra, quod Amor dominandi ex amore sui super sancta Ecclesiae et super Caelum, ita super omnia Divina Domini, sit Diabolus. Nunc quia dominium illud ut finis insedit animis eorum qui Religiosum illud condiderunt, non potuerunt aliter quam prophanare sancta Verbi et Ecclesiae. Suppone quod Amor ille, qui est Diabolus, insideat alicujus menti interius, ut facit omnis amor regnans, et pone aliquod Divinum verum exterius ante oculos ejus, annon discerpet illud, projiciet in terram, et proculcabit illud, et loco ejus arcesset falsum secum concordans. Amor possidendi omnia mundi est Satanas; ac Diabolus et Satanas unum agunt, sicut foedere conjuncti, apud tales qui ab uno amore in altero sunt. Ex his concludi potest, unde est quod per "Babylonem" in Verbo significetur prophanatio.
Pro exemplo sit: Ponatur ante illum Amorem, qui est Diabolus, hoc Divinum verum, quod Solus Deus colendus et adorandus sit, et non aliquis homo, et sic quod Vicariatus sit inventum et figmentum, quod rejiciendum est: similiter hoc verum, quod invocare homines mortuos, procumbere ad imagines illorum, osculari illas et ossa illorum, sit pure et foede idololatricum, quod etiam rejiciendum: annon Amor ille, qui est Diabolus, haec duo vera in vehementia irae rejiceret, fulminaret contra illa, et dilaceraret illa.
Si autem quis ad illum Amorem, qui est Diabolus, dicturus esset, quod aperire et claudere Caelum, seu solvere et ligare, ita remittere peccata, quod idem est cum reformare et regenerare, et sic redimere et salvare hominem, sit pure Divinum; et quod homo absque prophanatione non sibi aliquod Divinum possit vindicare, et quod Petrus nec sibi vindicaverit, quare nec aliquid tale exercuerat: praeterea quod successio sit inventum ab Amore illo; ut et translatio Spiritus Sancti ab homine in hominem; his auditis, annon Amor ille, qui est Diabolus, obtunderet loquentem anathematibus, et in igne furoris mandaret ut traderetur inquisitori, et conjiceretur in damnatorum 1carcerem. Si adhuc quis dicturus sit, Quomodo potest Divina potestas Domini in 'vos transferri: quomodo potest Divinitas Domini separari ab Ipsius Anima et Corpore: annon est secundum vestram fidem quod non possit: quomodo potest Deus Pater Divinam Suam potentiam inferre in Filium nisi in Divinitatem Ipsius, quae est receptaculum: quomodo potest hoc transcribi in hominem, ut sit ejus: praeter similia plura: his auditis, annon Amor ille, qui est Diabolus, taceret, intus excandesceret, frenderet dente, et exclamaret, "Educ, crucifige, crucifige, exeant, exeant omnes, videant magnum haereticum, et oblectent se."
Footnotes:
1. damnatorum pro "damnatum"