754# 教会之终结由多端而成，尤由此类事物而成：使伪谬显为真理；而当伪谬显为真理时，那本身为良善、并称为属灵良善者，便不复存在。其时被信为良善者，不过是道德生活所产生的自然良善。
真理及与之一同的良善之所以终结，主要由于两种自然之爱；此二者与两种属灵之爱正相径庭，即所谓自我之爱与世界之爱。自我之爱一旦居于统治，便与对上帝之爱相反；世界之爱一旦居于统治，便与对邻舍之爱相反。自我之爱，是唯愿自己得益，而不愿他人得益，除非为自己之故；世界之爱亦然。这些爱一旦被诱入并扎根，便如坏死之肉蔓延于身体，渐次耗尽其一切。
此种爱侵入各教会，从巴比伦及其描述可明白见之（创世记11:1-9；以赛亚书13、14、47章；耶利米书50章；但以理书2:31-47，3:1-7及以下，5章，6:8至章末，7:1-14；启示录17、18章，二者自始至终）。巴比伦终至如此自高：不仅将主的神性权柄转移于自身，而且还竭力图谋，将世上一切财宝聚归自己。
至于巴比伦以外各教会中许多首要人物，若其权势未受限制并因而被约束，类似之爱也会从他们身上迸发出来；此由若干征兆与表象，可以作出并非空泛的推断。如此之人又将如何？无非是视己为上帝，视世界为天堂，并歪曲教会的一切真理；因为本身为真理的真理，不能被纯粹自然之人认识并承认，也不能由上帝赐予他；因它落入颠倒之中，便成为伪谬。
除这两种爱之外，尚有多种原因造成真理与良善的终结，并由此造成教会的终结；但这些原因皆属次要，并从属于彼二爱。
754# 教会通过各种方式完结，尤其通过使虚假看似真理完结。当虚假看似真理时，本质上或本身为良善，并被称为属灵良善的良善就不再存在。然后，被视为良善的良善只是属世良善，是道德生活的产物。真理的完结，以及良善随着真理的完结，主要是由于与两种属灵之爱截然对立的两种属世之爱，这两种属世之爱被称为自我之爱和世界之爱。当自我之爱掌权时，它是对神之爱的对立面，当世界之爱掌权时，它是对邻之爱的对立面。自我之爱就是只希望自己好，不希望别人好，除非为了自己；世界之爱也是如此。当这两种爱被培养时，它们就会像坏疽一样在全身蔓延，并逐渐摧毁整个身体，或身体的各个部位。这种爱已经入侵了教会，这一点从巴比伦和经上对它的描述明显看出来（创世记11:1-9; 以赛亚书13; 14; 47; 耶利米书50章; 但以理书2:31-47; 3:1-7等; 5; 6:8-28; 7:1-14; 启示录17 和18章从头到尾）。巴比伦最终将自己高举到这种程度：它不仅将主的神性权柄转移到自己身上，还竭尽全力地抓取世界上所有的财富。
从并非完全没有意义的迹象和表象可以推断出，如果巴比伦之外的许多教会领袖的权力没有受到限制和约束，那么类似的爱就会在他们中间爆发出来。由此可知，这样一个人会视自己为神，视世界为天堂，并歪曲教会的一切真理。纯属世人不可能认识并承认本身为真理的真实真理，神也不能将这样的真理赐予他，因为它很快就会落入扭曲的心智，或它的对立面，变成虚假。除了这两种爱，还有其它原因导致真理和良善的完结，从而导致教会的完结；但这些原因都是次要的，并从属于这两种爱。
754. There are various factors that cause the demise of a church. A primary factor is things that make what is false appear to be true. When what is false is taken to be true, then goodness that is truly and intrinsically good - which is called spiritual goodness - no longer exists. In that state, what we believe to be good is merely the earthly goodness that results from a moral life. The factors that cause the loss of truth, and therefore of goodness as well, are the two earthly kinds of love that are completely opposite to the two spiritual kinds of love. These two earthly kinds of love are known as love for ourselves and love of the world. When love for ourselves is dominant, it becomes the opposite of loving God. When love of the world is dominant, it becomes the opposite of loving our neighbor. Loving ourselves is wanting what is best for ourselves alone and not for anyone else unless we ourselves will benefit. Loving the world is similarly self-centered. When these types of love are deeply embedded in us they spread, like gangrene does through the body, and progressively destroy everything within us.
The biblical descriptions of Babylon make it very clear that a love like this has invaded the churches (Genesis 11:1-9; Isaiah 13; 14; 47; Jeremiah 50; Daniel 2:31-47; 3:1-7; ; ; ; and Revelation 17 and 18 from beginning to end). Babylon eventually developed such an exalted idea of itself that it not only transferred all the Lord's divine power to itself but also put tremendous effort into steering all the wealth in the world toward itself.
[2] There is also fairly substantial evidence that many of the leaders of the churches that separated from Babylon would themselves have developed loves that were similar if their power had not been restrained and curtailed. Where else does this path lead but to viewing oneself as God and the world as heaven? And yet taking this view corrupts every true teaching of the church. People who are exclusively earthly are incapable of recognizing or acknowledging truth that is actually and genuinely true; such people are incapable of being given such truth by God, because it rapidly turns into its opposite inside them and becomes false.
Besides these two kinds of love there are many other factors that bring truth and goodness to an end and cause the demise of the church, but they are only secondary and subordinate to the loves just mentioned.
754. There are various ways in which a church comes to an end. It happens principally through circumstances which cause falsity to look like truth; and when this happens, the good which is inherently good, what is called spiritual good, can no longer exist. What is then believed to be good is only natural good, the product of a moral life. The reason for truth coming to an end, and good with it, is principally the two natural loves which are diametrically opposed to the two spiritual loves; these are called self-love and love of the world. When self-love is dominant, it is the opposite of love to God; and when the love of the world is dominant, it is the opposite of love towards the neighbour. Self-love is wishing well to no one but oneself, except for selfish reasons; and likewise the love of the world. Once those loves have got a grip, they spread like mortification through the body, and stage by stage destroy every part of it. It is clear that such a love attacked past churches from the description of Babylon (Genesis 11:1-9; Isaiah 13, 14, 47; Jeremiah 50; and in Daniel 2:31-47; 3:1-7ff; and Daniel 5; 6:8-end; Daniel 7:1-14; and in Revelation 17, 18, both from beginning to end). In the end, Babylon vaunted itself so much that it not only transferred to itself the Lord's Divine power, but also did its best to attract to itself all the riches of the world.
[2] Omens and far from misleading appearances allow us to conclude that outside Babylon similar loves would have broken out from many of the leaders of churches, had not their power been checked and so limited. What else might be expected but that such a person would look upon himself as God, the world as heaven, and pervert all the church's truth? For real truth, which is inherently true, cannot be known and acknowledged by a purely natural person; nor can God impart it to him, because it turns upside down and becomes falsity. As well as those two loves there are many more causes for truth and good coming to an end, and so causing the end of churches; but these are secondary causes, subordinate to the two mentioned.
754. The church is consummated by various means, especially by such things as cause falsity to appear to be truth; and when falsity appears to be truth, good that is essentially good, such as is called spiritual good, is no longer possible. The good that is then believed to be good is merely natural good, such as is brought forth by a moral life. The chief cause of the consummation of truth and of good along with it, is the two natural loves that are diametrically opposed to the two spiritual loves, and that are called love of self and love of the world. Love of self when it is predominant is the opposite of love to God, and love of the world when it is predominant is the opposite of love to the neighbor. Love of self is a wishing well to oneself alone, and not to any other except for the sake of self; and the same is true of love of the world; and these loves when they are fostered spread like gangrene through the body, gradually destroying every part of it. That such love has invaded the churches is manifest from Babylon and the way it is described (Gen. 11:1-9; Isaiah 13:1; 14:1; 47:1; Jeremiah 50:1; Daniel 2:31-47; 3:1-7seq. (Daniel5:1; 6:8-28; 7:1-14; andRevelation 17:1; 18:1from beginning to end of both). Babylon has finally exalted itself to such a degree as not only to transfer the Lord's Divine power to itself, but also to strive with the utmost energy to grasp all the riches of the world.
That like loves would break forth from many of the leaders of the churches outside the pale of Babylon, if their power were not restricted and thus curbed, may be deduced from certain signs and appearances not altogether without meaning. What then follows but that such a man will regard himself as God and the world as heaven, and will pervert all the truth of the church? For it is impossible for the merely natural man to recognize and acknowledge real truth, which is truth in itself, nor can such truth be given him by God, because it falls into what is inverse to it and becomes falsity. Besides these two loves there are still other causes of the consummation of truth and good, and consequently of the church; but those causes are secondary and subordinate to these two.
754. The Church is consummated by various means, especially by such as cause falsity to appear like truth. When this happens, then good, which in itself is good, and which is called spiritual good, no longer exists. That which is then supposed to be good is only natural good, the product of a moral life. The consummation of truth, and with it of good, is due chiefly to the two natural loves, the love of self and the love of the world, which are diametrically opposite to the two spiritual loves; the love of self, when it rules, is the opposite of love to God, and the love of the world, when it rules, is the opposite of love towards the neighbor. The love of self consists in wishing well to one's self alone, and to no other except for the sake of self; and so with the love of the world. When these two loves are fostered, they spread like gangrene through the body and successively destroy the whole of it.
That such love has invaded Churches is clearly evident from the description given of Babylon,
Genesis 11:1-9; Isaiah 13; 14; 47; Jeremiah 50; and in Daniel 2:31-47; 3:1-7 and following verses; Daniel 5; 6; 7:1-14; and in Revelation 17; 18, from the beginning to the end of each, for Babylon has at length exalted itself to such a degree that it has not only transferred the Lord's Divine power to itself, but it also strives with the utmost zeal to grasp all the riches of the world. And it may be inferred from signs and appearances that are not without meaning, that similar loves would break out among many leaders of Churches outside Babylon, were it not for the limitations and restrictions placed upon their power. It follows, then, that a man under the influence of such dominating love would regard himself as God, and the world as heaven, and would pervert every truth of the Church. For truth, which in itself is truth, cannot be known and acknowledged by the merely natural man, nor can it be imparted to him by God, because it falls into a perverted mind and becomes falsity. Besides these two loves, there are still other causes of the consummation of truth and good, and consequently of the Church; but they are secondary and subordinate to these two.
754. Ecclesia consummatur per varia, imprimis per talia, quae faciunt ut falsum appareat ut verum, et cum illud apparet Verum, tunc Bonum quod in se bonum est, et vocatur bonum spirituale, non amplius datur; bonum, quod tunc creditur bonum, est modo bonum naturale, quod moralis vita producit. Causa, quod verum et una cum illo bonum consummentur, sunt imprimis duo Amores naturales, qui e diametro oppositi sunt binis amoribus spiritualibus, qui vocantur Amor sui et Amor mundi; amor sui dum regnans est, oppositus est amori in Deum, et amor mundi, dum regnans est, oppositus est amori erga proximum; amor sui est sibi Soli bene velle, et non alteri nisi propter se, similiter amor mundi; et illi amores, ubi inescati sunt, se dilatant sicut caro morticina per corpus, et successive consumunt omnia ejus: quod talis amor invaserit Ecclesias, manifeste constat ex Babylonia et ejus descriptione, Genesis 11:1-9; Esaias 13; 14; 47; Jeremias 50, et apud Danielem 2:31-47; 3:1-7, seq., Cap. 5; 6:8. ad fin., Cap. 7:1-14. Et in Apocalypsi 17, et 18, utrumque a principio ad finem; quae se tandem extulit in tantum, ut non modo Divinam Potestatem Domini in se transtulerit, sed etiam summo studio omnes gazas Mundi in se conferre allaboret.
[2] Quod similes amores e multis Primoribus Ecclesiarum extra Babyloniam 1 erumperent, nisi potestas illorum limitata et sic refraenata foret, ex auguriis et apparentiis non ita vanis concludi potest; quid tunc aliud, quam quod homo talis se spectet ut Deum, et Mundum ut Coelum, et quod omne verum Ecclesiae pervertat; nam ipsum verum quod in se verum est, non cognosci et agnosci potest ab homine mere naturali, nec potest dari illi a Deo, quia cadit in inversum, et fit falsum. Praeter hos binos amores sunt adhuc plures causae consummationis veri et boni, et inde consummationis Ecclesiae, sed hae causae sunt secundariae, et binis illis subordinatae.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: Babyloniam.