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1058. When they behold the beast, which was, and is not. That this signifies the knowledge that the Word was received, but still rejected, is evident from the signification of seeing, as denoting to know and cognise (concerning which see (n. 260, 529); and from the signification of the beast, as denoting the Word (see n. 1038); and from the signification of, which was, and is not, as denoting that it was received, and yet rejected (concerning which see (n. 1054, 1055, 1056).
Concerning the third kind of Profanation:-
[2] In this kind of profanation are those who adore Divine things with devout gestures and pious lips, and yet in heart and spirit deny them, thus, who outwardly and before the world venerate the holy things of the Word, of the church, and of worship, and yet, at home and in secret, deride them. Such persons, when they are in a holy external, whether they teach in the temple or speak with the common people, do not know but that what they say is so, but as soon as they return into themselves, they think the contrary. Because these are such, they can counterfeit angels of light, although they are angels of darkness. It is therefore evident that this kind of profanation is a hypocritical one. They are not unlike gilded images made of dirt; fruits inwardly putrified, but beautiful in the skin; or nuts inwardly consumed by worms, but whole in the shell. From which it is evident that their internal is diabolical, and consequently their holy external profane.
[3] Such are many of the rulers in the Babylon of the present day, and many of a certain society therein, as they themselves know, who claim to themselves dominion over the souls of men, and over heaven. For to believe, as they do, that power is granted to them to save and admit into heaven, and to acknowledge in heart that there is a God, are two opposites. The reason is, that a man must look to the Lord, and supplicate Him, in order to be saved and admitted into heaven. But the man who believes that that power is given to him looks to himself, and believes the things that are the Lord's to be in himself. And to believe this, and at the same time to believe that there is a God, or that God is in him, is not possible. To believe that God is in him, while he thinks that he is above the holy things of the church, and heaven in his power, is to be like Lucifer. He who is inflamed with the fire of ruling over all things, if he thinks that God is in him, cannot but think this from himself; and to think from himself that God is in him, is to think that God is not in him, but that he himself is God; as also is said of Lucifer in Isaiah (14:13, 14), by whom is there meant Babylon, as is clear from verses 4 and 22 of the same chapter.
[4] Such a man also of himself shows what he is. He breaks out when power is given him, and this by degrees according to his elevation. Hence it is evident that such persons are atheists, some avowedly, some clandestinely, and some ignorantly. And as they regard domination as an end, and the holy things of heaven and the church as means, they counterfeit angels of light in face, gestures, and discourse, and thus profane holy things.
1058. Seeing the beast that was and is not, signifies the knowledge that the Word has been received, and yet is rejected. This is evident from the signification of "seeing," as being to know and cognize (See n. 260, 529); also from the signification of the "beast," as being the Word (See n. 1038); also from the signification of "that was and is not," as being that it has been received, and yet rejected (See n. 1054-1056).
(Continuation: the Third Kind of Profanation)
[2] In this kind of profanation are those who with devout gestures and a pious utterance adore Divine things, and yet in heart and spirit deny them; thus who venerate the holy things of the Word and of the church and of worship outwardly or before the world, and yet at home or in secret deride them. When those of this class are in a holy external, and are teaching in a temple or conversing with the common people, they do not know otherwise than that what they say is true; but as soon as they return into themselves they think the opposite. Because these are such they can counterfeit angels of light, although they are angels of darkness. From this it is clear that this kind of profanation is a hypocritical kind. They are not unlike images made of filth and gilded, or like fruits rotten within but with a beautiful skin, or like nuts eaten by worms within but with a whole shell. From all this it is evident that their internal is diabolical, and therefore that their holy external is profane.
[3] Such are most of the rulers in the Babylon of the present day, and many of a certain society in Babylon, as those of them know who claim to themselves dominion over the souls of men and over heaven. For to believe as they do, that authority has been given them to save and to admit into heaven, is the very opposite of acknowledging in heart that there is a God, and for the reason that man, in order to be saved and admitted into heaven must look to the Lord and pray to Him. But a man who believes that such authority has been given to him looks to himself, and believes the things that are the Lord's to be in himself; and to believe this, and at the same time to believe that there is a God or that God is in him, is impossible. For a man to believe that God is in him when he thinks himself to be above the holy things of the church, and heaven to be in his power, is like ascribing that belief to Lucifer, who burns with the fire of ruling over all things. If such a man thinks that God is in him he cannot think this otherwise than from himself; and thinking from himself that God is in him is thinking not that God is in him, but that he himself is God, as is said of Lucifer in Isaiah (Isaiah 14:13, 14), by whom is there meant Babylon, as is evident from the fourth and twenty-second verses of the same chapter.
[4] Moreover, such a man, of himself, when power is given him, shows forth what he is of himself, and this by degrees according to his elevation. From this it is clear that such are atheists, some avowedly, some clandestinely, and some ignorantly. And as they regard dominion as an end, and the holy things of heaven and the church as means, they counterfeit angels of light in face, gesture, and speech, and thus profane holy things.
1058. "Videntes bestiam quae erat et non est." - Quod significet scientiam quod Verbum receptum fuerit, sed usque rejectum, constat ex significatione "videre", quod sit scire et cognoscere (de qua (supra), n. 260, 529); ex significatione "bestiae", quod sit Verbum (de qua (supra), n. 1038); ex significatione "quae erat et non est", quod sit quod receptum, et usque rejectum sit (de qua (supra), n. 1054-1056).
[2] DE TERTIO PROFANATIONIS GENERE.
Ex hoc profanationis genere sunt illi qui devotis gestibus et pio ore adorant Divina, et tamen corde et spiritu illa negant; ita quod foris et coram mundo sancta Verbi, ecclesiae et cultus venerantur, et tamen domi et in conclavi suo illa rident. Illi qui ex hoc genere sunt, dum in sancto externo sunt, sive doceant in templo, sive loquantur cum vulgo, non aliter sciunt quam quod ita sit; ast ut primum in se redeunt, contrarium cogitant. Hi quia tales sunt, lucis angelos possunt mentiri, tametsi angeli tenebrarum sunt. Inde patet genus profanationis sit genus hypocriticum; sunt non absimiles imaginibus ex caeno inauratis, fructibus intus putrefactis in cute pulchris, aut nucibus intus a vermi erosis in crusta integris: ex quibus patet quod infernum eorum sit diabolicum, et inde sanctum externum eorum profanum.
[3] Tales sunt plures ex dominatoribus in hodierna Babylonia, et multi ex quadam societate ibi, quam ipsi norunt qui dominatum super animas hominum et super caelum sibi vindicant; nam credere sicut illi, quod data sibi sit potestas salvandi et intromittendi in caelum, et corde agnoscere quod Deus sit, sunt duo opposita: causa est, quia homo, ut salvetur ac introducatur in caelum, spectabit ad Dominum, et suplicabit Ipsum; at homo qui credit potestatem illam sibi datam, spectat ad se, et credit illa quae Domini sunt, in se esse; et id credere, et simul credere quod Deus sit, aut quod Deus in illo sit, non dabile est: credere quod Deus in se sit, dum se spectat super sancta ecclesiae, et caelum in sua potestate, est sicut idem hoc dicere Lucifero, qui igne dominandi super omnia flagrat: is si cogitare quod Deus in se sit, non posset aliter quam id cogitare ex se; et cogitare ex se quod Deus in se sit, est cogitare quod Deus non in se sit, sed quod ipse sit Deus, ut quoque legitur de Lucifero (Esaias 14:13, 14), per quem ibi intelligitur (Babylonia) ut patet a versibus 4 et 22 ejusdem capitis.
[4] Talis etiam homo a se, et qualis est a se, erumpit dum ei datur potestas, et per gradus secundum elevationem. Inde patet quod tales sint athei, quidam manifesti, quidam clandestini, quidam inscii; et sicut dominatum ut finem, et sancta caeli et ecclesiae spectant ut media, lucis angelos facie, gestibus et loquelis mentiuntur, ac ita sancta profanant.