----中文待译----
715. Having seven heads.- That this signifies the knowledge (scientia) of the holy things of the Word, which they have adulterated, and consequent insanity, but yet craftiness, is evident from the signification of head, as denoting intelligence and wisdom, and in the opposite sense insanity and folly, (concerning which see above, n. 553, 577, and that it also denotes craftiness, n. 577); and from the signification of seven, which denotes all men and all things, and is said of that which is holy (concerning which see above, n. 257), in this case therefore, of the holy things of the Word, which they have adulterated. As seven is used in reference to holy things, it is also, in the opposite sense, used in reference to those things when adulterated and profaned; for in the Word every expression has also an opposite sense, and the opposite of what is holy is what is profane. It is clear from these things that the seven heads, which the dragon was seen to have, do not mean heads, or seven, but the knowledge (scientia) of the holy things of the Word, which they have adulterated, and, consequent insanity, but yet craftiness.
[2] Insanity is signified by the head of the dragon, because the intelligence of the man of the church is from genuine truths from the Word. The truly human understanding is formed and perfected by means of natural, civil, moral, and spiritual truths, the interior understanding by means of spiritual truths, but the exterior by means of moral and civil truths; such therefore as the truths are, such is the understanding that is formed from them. All spiritual truths are from the Word, and make one with the good of love and of charity. When therefore a man places everything of the church and of heaven in faith, and separates the good of charity and of love from that faith, as those do who form the head of the dragon, as stated in the preceding article, then the interior understanding cannot be formed, consequently, instead of intelligence in spiritual things, they have insanity. For from a false principle falsities flow forth in a continual series, and, in consequence of the separation of the good of charity, they cannot possibly have any genuine truth, since all truth is of good, and in fact, is good in form. From this it is clear that the head of the dragon signifies insanity in spiritual things.
[3] The head of the dragon also signifies craftiness, because all those who form its head are merely natural and sensual, and if such have at the same time studied the Word and the doctrine of the church, and have seized upon falsities instead of truths, and have also confirmed these by knowledges (scientifice), they are crafty above all others. But this craftiness is not so manifest in the world as it is afterwards when they become spirits; for in the world they cover over their craftiness with external piety and feigned morality, which conceal it from view, but as the craftiness is in their spirit, it is plainly manifest when externals are removed, as is the case in the spiritual world. But it must be understood that the craftiness which is signified by the head of the dragon is craftiness in perverting the truths and goods of the Word by reasonings from fallacies and sophistries, also from persuasive things, by means of which the understanding is fascinated, thus by giving to falsities the appearance of truths. That this is the case is also evident from the serpent by which the first parents were seduced, which is said, "to have been more crafty than any wild beast of the field" (Genesis 3:1); for the signification of that serpent is similar to that of the dragon. Therefore the latter is also called "the old serpent that seduceth the whole world," in the ninth verse of this chapter.
715. Having seven heads, signifies the knowledge of the holy things of the Word, which they have adulterated, and consequent insanity, and yet craftiness. This is evident from the signification of "head," as being intelligence and wisdom, and in the contrary sense insanity and folly (of which above, n. 553, 577), and that it also means craftiness (n. 577); also from the signification of "seven," which is all persons and all things, and is predicated of things holy see above, n. 257, so here of the holy things of the Word, which they have adulterated. As "seven" is predicated of things holy, so also in the contrary sense it is predicated of holy things adulterated and profaned, for in the Word every word has also a contrary sense, and what is contrary to what is holy is profane. From this it is clear that heads and seven are not meant by the "seven heads" that the dragon was seen to have, but the knowledge of the holy things of the Word which they have adulterated, and consequent insanity but yet craftiness.
[2] "The head of the dragon" signifies insanity, because the intelligence of the man of the church is from genuine truths which are from the Word. The truly human understanding is formed and perfected by natural, civil, moral, and spiritual truths, the interior understanding by spiritual truths, but the exterior by moral and civil truths; therefore such as the truths are such is the understanding that is formed of them. All spiritual truths are from the Word, and make one with the good of love and charity. When, therefore, a man places everything of the church and of heaven in faith, and separates from that faith the good of charity and love, as those do who constitute "the head of the dragon," as has been said in the preceding article, then the interior understanding cannot be formed, consequently in place of intelligence in things spiritual such have insanity; for from a false principle falsities flow in a continual series, and from the separation of the good of charity no genuine truth can be given them, since all truth is of good, yea, is good in form. Thence it is evident that "the head of the dragon" signifies insanity in spiritual things.
[3] "The head of the dragon" also signifies craftiness, because all those who constitute his head are merely natural and sensual, and if these have at the same time studied the Word and the doctrine of the church, and have caught at falsities in place of truths, and have confirmed these by knowledges, they are crafty above the others; but this craftiness does not manifest itself in the world as it does afterwards when they become spirits, for in the world they cover over the craftiness with external piety and feigned morality which conceal it; but as the craftiness abides in their spirit it is plainly manifest when externals are removed, as is done in the spiritual world. But it is to be known that the craftiness signified by "the head of the dragon" is a craftiness in perverting the truths and goods of the Word by means of reasonings from fallacies and sophistries, also from things persuasive, by which the understanding is fascinated, thus by inducing upon falsities the appearance that they are true. That this is so can be seen from "the serpent" by which the first parents were led astray, that is said to have been:
More crafty than any wild beast of the field (Genesis 3:1);
that "serpent" having a similar signification as "the dragon," therefore the dragon is also called "the old serpent that seduceth the whole world," in the ninth verse of this chapter.
715. "Habens capita septem." - Quod significet scientiam sanctorum Verbi, quae adulteraverunt, et inde insaniam, at usque astutiam, constat ex significatione "capitis", quod sit intelligentia et sapientia, ac in opposito sensu insania et stultitia (de qua supra, n. 553, 577 1
); quod etiam sit astutia (n. 577 2
): et ex significatione "septem", quod sint omnes et omnia, ac dicantur de sanctis (de qua supra, n. 257), hic itaque de sanctis Verbi, quae adulteraverunt: "septem" quia dicuntur de sanctis, etiam in opposito sensu dicuntur de illis adulteratis et profanatis; unumquodvis in Verbo etiam oppositum sensum habet, et oppositum sancto est profanum. Ex his patet quod per "capita septem", quae habere visus est draco, non intelligantur capita, nec septem, sed scientia sanctorum Verbi, quae adulteraverunt, et inde insania, at usque astutia.
[2] Quod insania per "caput draconis" significetur, est quia intelligentia homini ecclesiae est ex genuinis veris quae ex Verbo; intellectus vere humanus formatur et perficitur per vera naturalia, civilia, moralia, et spiritualia; intellectus interior per vera spiritualia, exterior autem per vera moralia et civilia: inde qualia sunt vera, talis est intellectus ex quibus. Omnia vera spiritualia sunt ex Verbo, ac unum cum bono amoris 3
et charitatis faciunt. Si itaque homo omne ecclesiae et caeli ponit in fide, et ex illa separat bonum charitatis et amoris, (ut faciunt illi qui "caput draconis" constituunt, ut in articulo proxime praecedente dictum est, ) tunc intellectus interior non formari potest; inde illis pro intelligentia in spiritualibus est insania; ex principio enim falso fluunt falsa in continua serie, et ex separatione boni charitatis non illis dari potest aliquod genuinum verum, quoniam omne verum est boni, immo est bonum in forma: exinde patet quod per "caput draconis" significetur insania in spiritualibus.
[3] Quod per "caput draconis etiam significetur astutia, est quia omnes illi qui "caput" ejus constituunt, sunt mere naturales et sensuales, qui si simul studuerunt Verbo ac doctrinae ecclesiae, ac pro veris captaverunt falsa, et haec scientifice etiam, confirmaverunt, illi prae reliquis astuti sunt; sed astutia illa non ita se manifestat in mundo sicut postea cum spiritus facti sunt, nam in mundo obvelaverunt astutiam externa pietate et ficta moralitate quae astutiam abscondunt; at quia illa in spiritu eorum residet, patet illa manifeste quando externa removentur, ut fit in mundo Spirituali. At sciendum est quod astutia quae per "draconis caput" significatur, sit astutia pervertendi vera et bona Verbi per ratiocinia ex fallaciis et ex sophisticis, tum ex persuasivis, per quae intellectus fascinatur, sic inducendo falsis species sicut essent vera. Quod ita sit, constare etiam potest ex serpente ex quo primi parentes seducti sunt, de quo dicitur,
Quod factus sit "astutus prae omni fera agri" (Genesis 3:1):
per illum "serpentem" simile intelligitur quod per "draconem"; quare hic etiam vocatur "serpens antiquus... seducens universum orbem", versu 9 hujus capitis.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.
2. The editors made a correction or note here.
3. The editors made a correction or note here.