启示录9
1.第五位天使吹号，我就看见一个星从天落到地上，有无底坑的钥匙赐给他。
2.他开了无底坑，便有烟从无底坑里往上冒，好像大火炉的烟。日头和天空，都因这坑的烟昏暗了。
3.有蝗虫从烟中出来，到了地上，有能力赐给它们，好像地上的蝎子有能力一样。
4.并且吩咐它们说，不可伤害地上的草和各样青物，并一切树木，惟独要伤害额上没有神印记的人。
5.有命令赐给它们，不许蝗虫杀死他们，只叫他们受痛苦五个月，这痛苦就像蝎子螫人的痛苦一样。
6.在那些日子，人要求死，决不得死；愿意死，死却逃避他们。
7.蝗虫的形状好像预备出战的马一样，头上戴的像冠冕，仿佛是金的；脸面好像男人的脸面。
8.它们有头发像女人的头发，牙齿像狮子的牙齿。
9.它们有胸甲，好像铁甲；它们翅膀的声音，好像许多车马奔跑上阵的声音。
10.它们有尾巴像蝎子，尾巴上有毒钩，有能力伤人五个月。
11.它们有无底坑的使者作它们的王，按着希伯来话，名叫亚巴顿；按着希腊话，他名叫亚玻伦。
12.第一样灾祸过去了，看哪，此后还有两样灾祸要来。
13.第六位天使吹号，我就听见有声音从神面前金坛的四角出来，
14.对拿着号筒的第六位天使说，把那捆绑在幼发拉底大河的四个使者释放了。
15.那四个使者就被释放；他们原是预备好了，到某年某月某日某时，要杀人的三分之一部分。
16.马军的数目有二万万，他们的数目我听见了。
17.因此我在异象中看见那些马和骑马的，骑马的有火胸甲，与紫玛瑙并硫磺。马的头好像狮子头，有火、有烟、有硫磺，从马的口中出来。
18.口中所出来的火与烟，并硫磺，这三样灾杀了人的三分之一部分。
19.这马的能力是在口里；因它们的尾巴像蛇，并且有头用以害人。
20.其余未曾被这些灾所杀的人仍旧不悔改自己手所做的，还是去拜鬼魔和那些不能看、不能听、不能走的金、银、铜、石、木的偶像；
21.又不悔改他们那些凶杀、邪术、奸淫、偷窃的事。
对新教教会中那些因确认与仁分离之信，以及唯信称义、得救而被视为有学问和智慧之人的生命状态的审查和显示（1-12节论述了这些人）。对新教教会中那些没有这样的学问和智慧，但却陷入唯信，并随心所欲地生活之人的审查和显示（13-19节）。最后论述了新教教会中那些除了信就是人藉以得救的全部，其它的都不行之外，什么也不知道的人（20-21节）。
第1节.“第五位天使吹号”表审查并显示新教教会中那些因确认与仁分离之信，以及唯信称义、得救而被视为有学问和智慧之人的生命状态（419节）。“我就看见一个星从天落到地上”表属灵的神性真理从天上流入存在于他们当中的教会，并审查和显示（420节）。“有无底坑的钥匙赐给他”表打开他们的地狱（421节）。
第2节.“他开了无底坑，便有烟从无底坑里往上冒，好像大火炉的烟”表从他们的邪恶之爱涌出的属世人欲望的虚假（422节）。“日头和天空，都因这坑的烟昏暗了”表真理之光由此变得幽暗（423节）。
第3节.“有蝗虫从烟中出来，到了地上”表最末端或最表层部位中的虚假从这些欲望涌出来，就是盛行在那些已变得感官化，通过感官及其谬论来看待并判断一切事物之人当中的那类虚假（424节）。“有能力赐给它们，好像地上的蝎子有能力一样”表说服人们相信他们的虚假是真理的能力（425节）。
第4节.“并且吩咐它们说，不可伤害地上的草和各样青物，并一切树木，惟独要伤害额上没有神印记的人”表主的圣治或天命规定，除了诸如没有处于仁，因而没有处于信的那类人外，他们不能夺走其他任何人的任何信之真理与良善，以及对它们的任何情感和领悟（426节）。
第5节.“有命令赐给它们，不许蝗虫杀死他们，只叫他们受痛苦五个月”表他们也不能夺走这些人理解并意愿真理与良善的官能，只能短时间内造成精神麻痹（427节）。“这痛苦就像蝎子螫人的痛苦一样”表这是由于他们的说服力（428节）。
第6节.“在那些日子，人要求死，决不得死；愿意死，死却逃避他们”表他们渴望在信的事务上关闭认知或理解力，封住意愿，以这种方式使属灵的光和生命被熄灭，然而这是不可能做到的（429节）。
第7节.“蝗虫的形状”表那些确认与仁分离之信的人的表现和形像（430节）。“好像预备出战的马一样”表因为他们能推理，所以他们在自己看来就像是通过对来自圣言的真理的理解来作战（431节）。“头上戴的像冠冕，仿佛是金的”表他们在自己看来像是胜利者（432节）。“脸面好像男人的脸面”表他们在自己看来像是有智慧的（433节）。
第8节.“它们有头发像女人的头发”表他们在自己看来像是处于对真理的情感（434节）。“牙齿像狮子的牙齿”表对他们来说，感官事物，也就是属世人生命的最末端看似有能力掌管一切事物（435节）。
第9节.“它们有胸甲，好像铁甲”表他们藉以作战并得胜的出于谬论的论据，在他们看来如此强大，以至于不可能被驳倒（436节）。“它们翅膀的声音，好像许多车马奔跑上阵的声音”表他们的推理仿佛源自教义的真理，而这些出于圣言的教义真理都得到了充分理解，他们必为此而激战（437节）。
第10节.“它们有尾巴像蝎子”表被歪曲的圣言真理，他们通过歪曲真理引发精神麻痹（438节）。“尾巴上有毒钩，有能力伤人五个月”表对圣言的巧妙曲解，他们通过这种巧妙曲解短时间内使认知或理解力昏暗和迷惑，从而欺骗和蛊惑（439节）。
第11节.“它们有无底坑的使者作它们的王，按着希伯来话，名叫亚巴顿；按着希腊话，他名叫亚玻伦”表那些因欲望而陷入虚假，并通过彻底歪曲圣言而摧毁教会的人就在撒旦的地狱中（440节）。
第12节.“第一样灾祸过去了，看哪，此后还有两样灾祸要来”表对教会状态进一步的悲哀（441节）。
第13节.“第六位天使吹号”表审查并显示新教教会中那些没有如此的智慧，然而却将宗教信仰的一切都置于信中，只思想信，随心所欲地生活之人的生命状态（442节）。“我就听见有声音从神面前金坛的四角出来，对拿着号筒的第六位天使说”表从主出于属灵天堂向那些要去审查并显示之人发出的命令（443节）。
第14节.“把那捆绑在幼发拉底大河的四个使者释放了”表要除去他们的外在约束，好叫其心智的内层显现出来（444节）。
第15节.“那四个使者就被释放”表当外在约束被除去后，其心智的内层就显现出来了（445节）。“他们原是预备好了，到某年某月某日某时，要杀人的三分之一部分”表他们一直努力要从教会之人那里夺走属灵的光和生命（446节）。
第16节.“马军的数目有二万万”表关于唯信的推理，其心智的内层塞满了这些推理，它们来源于大量纯粹邪恶的虚假（447节）。“他们的数目我听见了”表它们的性质被察觉（448节）。
第17节.“因此我在异象中看见那些马和骑马的”表那时发现其心智内层对唯信的推理都是想象和幻想，他们自己因它们而疯狂（449节）。“（骑马的）有火胸甲，与紫玛瑙并硫磺”表他们想象和幻想的论据源于地狱之爱和自我聪明，以及由此而来的欲望（450节）。“马的头好像狮子头”表关于唯信仿佛大有能力的妄想（451节）。“有火、有烟、有硫磺，从马的口中出来”表从内在观之，他们的思想和话语里面什么都没有，除了自我之爱和尘世之爱，以及源于这二者的对他们自己聪明的骄傲和对邪恶并虚假的欲望之外，没有任何东西从他们那里发出（452节）。
第18节.“口中所出来的火与烟，并硫磺，这三样灾杀了人的三分之一部分”表教会之人正是因这些而灭亡（453节）。
第19节.“这马的能力是在口里”表他们在确认信时仅凭话语得胜（454节）。“因它们的尾巴像蛇，并且有头用以害人”表推理，因为他们感官化，颠倒了，只是口头上谈论真理，但却通过构成其宗教信仰之头的原则而歪曲它们，因而他们是骗人的（455节）。
第20节.“其余未曾被这些灾所杀的人”表新教教会中那些没有像上述那些人一样在灵性上因幻想的推理、自我之爱、对自己聪明的骄傲，以及由此而来的欲望而死亡，然而还是使唯信成为其宗教信仰之首的人（456节）。“仍旧不悔改自己手所做的”表他们也不避开自己的事物，也就是各种如罪的邪恶（457节）。“还是去拜鬼魔”表因此他们陷入其欲望的邪恶，并与地狱里的同类合而为一（458节）。“和那些金、银、铜、石、木的偶像”表因此他们的敬拜出于纯粹的虚假（459节）。“不能看、不能听、不能走的”表它们里头没有丝毫属灵和真正理性的生命（460节）。
419.启9:1.“第五位天使吹号”表审查并显示新教教会中那些因确认与仁分离之信，以及唯信称义、得救而被视为有学问和智慧之人的生命状态。这一节直到第十二节论述的是这些人，这一点从以灵义来理解的细节明显看出来。“吹号”表示审查并显示教会的状态，因而审查并显示那些其宗教信仰系唯信之人的生命状态（参看397节）。
419. CHAPTER 9
1. Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth, and to him was given the key to the bottomless pit.
2. And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit.
3. Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
5. And it was given them not to kill them, but to torment them for five months, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man.
6. In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them.
7. The locusts in appearance were like horses prepared for battle, and on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold, and their faces were like the faces of men.
8. They had hair like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth.
9. And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of many horse-drawn chariots rushing into battle.
10. They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails, and their power was to hurt men five months.
11. And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but who in Greek has the name Apollyon.
12. One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things.
13. Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
14. saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates."
15. And the four angels were released, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, to kill a third of mankind.
16. Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million, and I heard the number of them.
17. And thus I saw the horses in the vision and those who sat on them, having breastplates that were fiery, hyacinthine and sulfurous; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone.
18. By these three a third of mankind was killed - by the fire and smoke and brimstone coming out of their mouths.
19. Their power was in their mouth [and in their tails]; for their tails were like serpents, having heads, and with them they do harm.
20. But the rest of mankind, who were not killed in these plagues, still did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk.
21. And they did not repent of their murders or their enchantments or their sexual immorality or their thefts.
THE SPIRITUAL MEANING
The Contents of the Whole Chapter
An examination and disclosure of the state of life of those people in the Protestant Reformed church who are called learned and wise because of their defense of faith divorced from charity and of justification and salvation by it alone. This is the subject of verses 1-12.
An examination and disclosure of the state of life of those people in that church who are not so learned and wise, who are caught up in faith alone and live as they please. This is the subject of verses 13-19.
Finally, concerning people in that church who know only that faith is the whole means by which a person is saved, and nothing more beyond that. Verses 20, 21.
The Contents of the Individual Verses:
| Verse Contents | Spiritual Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1. Then the fifth angel sounded, | An examination and disclosure of the state of life of those people in the Protestant Reformed Church who are called learned and wise because of their defense of faith divorced from charity and of justification and salvation by it alone. |
| and I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth, | Spiritual Divine truth flowing in from heaven into the church with them, examining and exposing them. |
| and to him was given the key to the bottomless pit. | Their hell opened. |
| 2. And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace, | Falsities accompanying the lusts of the natural self springing from those people's evil loves. |
| and the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. | Therefore the light of truth became thick darkness. |
| 3. Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, | From them issued falsities of the lowest sort, such as are found in the case of people who have become sensual and who view and judge everything in accordance with the senses and their fallacies. |
| and to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. | Their power to persuade that their falsities are true. |
| 4. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. | The Lord's Divinely providing that they be unable to take away any truth or good of faith, or any affection for or perception of these, from any others than people lacking in charity and so having no faith, |
| 5. And it was given them not to kill them, but to torment them for five months, | and that they also be unable to take away their faculty for understanding and willing truth and good, but be able only for a short time to induce a mental numbness, |
| and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. | and this owing to their persuasiveness. |
| 6. In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them. | They wish the intellect to be closed and the will stopped up in matters of faith, which extinguishes spiritual light and life, but that this is impossible. |
| 7. The locusts in appearance | The appearance and likeness of those people who affirmed in themselves a faith divorced from charity, |
| were like horses prepared for battle, | who because of their ability to reason appeared to themselves to be battling from an understanding of truth founded on the Word. |
| and on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold, | They seemed to themselves to be conquerors. |
| and their faces were like the faces of men. | They seemed to themselves to be wise. |
| 8. They had hair like women's hair, | They seemed to themselves to have an affection for truth. |
| and their teeth were like lions' teeth. | Matters of the senses, which constitute the lowest elements of the natural self's life, appeared to them to have power over all else. |
| 9. And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, | Their arguments based on fallacies, with which they battled and prevailed, appeared to them too strong to be refuted. |
| and the sound of their wings was like the sound of many horse-drawn chariots rushing into battle. | Their reasonings, as though founded on doctrinal truths from the Word fully understood, which they had to ardently defend. |
| 10. They had tails like scorpions, | The Word's truths falsified, by which they induce a mental numbness. |
| and there were stings in their tails, and their power was to hurt men five months. | Their clever falsifications of the Word, by which for a short time they darkened and enchanted the intellect, and so deceived and captivated it. |
| 11. And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but who in Greek has the name Apollyon. | Those caught up in falsities springing from lusts, who by a total falsification of the Word destroyed the church, are in a satanic hell. |
| 12. One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things. | Further lamentations over the state of the church. |
| 13. Then the sixth angel sounded, | An examination and exposure of the state of life among those people in the Protestant Reformed Church who were not so wise, and yet who placed the whole of religion in faith, thinking of it alone and living as they pleased. |
| and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14. saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, | A command by the Lord out of the spiritual heaven to those who were to examine and expose it, |
| "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates." | to remove from them external bonds, to enable the interiors of their minds to appear. |
| 15. And the four angels were released, | When the external bonds were removed, the interiors of their minds became apparent. |
| who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, to kill a third of mankind. | Their being in a perpetual effort to take away spiritual light and life from the people of the church. |
| 16. Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million, | Their reasonings concerning faith alone, with which they had filled the interiors of the minds, springing from nothing but an abundance of falsities accompanying evil. |
| and I heard the number of them. | Their character perceived. |
| 17. And thus I saw the horses in the vision and those who sat on them, | The discovery then that the reasonings of the interiors of their minds concerning faith alone were fanciful and illusory, and that they themselves were insane because of them. |
| having breastplates that were fiery, hyacinthine and sulfurous; | Their fanciful and illusory arguments springing from a hellish love and their own inherent intelligence, and from the attendant lusts. |
| and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; | Their delusions with respect to faith alone, as though they had power. |
| and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. | Interiorly regarded, their thoughts and discourses contained nothing else, and issuing from them was nothing but a love of self and the world, a conceit in their own intelligence, and from these two the lusts attendant on evil and falsity. |
| 18. By these three a third of mankind was killed - by the fire and smoke and brimstone coming out of their mouths. | It is because of these that the people of the church perish. |
| 19. Their power was in their mouth | They prevailed only by their discourse affirming faith. |
| [and in their tails,] for their tails were like serpents, having heads, and with them they do harm. | The reason being that they are sensual and turned upside down, speaking truths with their mouths, but falsifying them by the postulate which forms the chief tenet of their religion, and thus deceiving others. |
| 20. But the rest of mankind, who were not killed in these plagues, | Those people in the Protestant Reformed Church who were not as spiritually dead as the former were because of their illusory reasonings and love of self, a conceit in their own intelligence, and the attendant lusts, and yet who made faith alone the chief tenet of their religion. |
| still did not repent of the works of their hands, | Nor did they refrain from their native proclivities, which are evils of every kind, as being sins. |
| so as not to worship demons, | Thus they were caught up in the evils of their lusts, and acted in concert with their like in hell. |
| and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, | Thus they engage in worship founded on nothing but falsities, |
| which can neither see nor hear nor walk. | which do not have in them any spiritual or truly rational life. |
| 21. And they did not repent of their murders or their enchantments or their sexual immorality or their thefts. | The heretical belief in faith alone induces in their hearts stupidity, backsliding, and intransigence, so that they give no thought to the Ten Commandments, not even to any sin as something to be shunned because it is on the side of the Devil and against God. |
THE EXPOSITION
Then the fifth angel sounded. (9:1) This symbolizes an examination and disclosure of the state of life of those people in the Protestant Reformed Church who are called learned and wise because of their defense of faith divorced from charity and of justification and salvation by it alone.
That this is the subject in what follows now up to verse 12, is clear from the several particulars, understood in their spiritual sense.
To sound a trumpet means, symbolically, to examine and expose the state of the church and consequent life in people for whom religion is faith alone, as may be seen in no. 397 above.
419. THE NINTH CHAPTER
1. AND the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fallen out of heaven upon the land, and to him was given the key of the pit of the deep.
2. And he opened the pit of the deep, and there arose a smoke out of the pit of the deep as the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun was darkened and the air by reason of the smoke of the pit.
3. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the land, and to them was given power as the scorpions of the land have power.
4. And it was said to them that they should not hurt the grass of the land, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only those men who did not have the seal of God upon their foreheads.
5. And to them it was given that they should not kill those, but that they should torment them for five months, and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man.
6. And in those days shall men seek death, and not find it, and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
7. And the likenesses of the locusts were like horses prepared for war, and upon their heads as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
8. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as [those] of lions.
9. And they had breastplates as iron breastplates, and the sound of their wings was as the sound of the chariots of many horses rushing to war.
10. And they had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails, and their power was to hurt the men five months.
11. And they had over them a king, the angel of the deep, whose Hebrew name is Abaddon, and in Greek he has the name Apollyon.
12. One woe is past, behold there come two more woes hereafter.
13. And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard one voice out of the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
14. Saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, Release the four angels bound at the great river Euphrates.
15. And the four angels were released, who were prepared in an hour and a day and a month and a year, that they might slay a third part of the men.
16. And the number of the armies of horsemen, two myriads of myriads; and I heard the number of them.
17. And thus I saw the horses in a vision, and those sitting upon them, having breastplates fiery and blue (hyacinthus) and sulphurous, and [I saw] the heads of the horses as the heads of lions, and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and sulphur.
18. By these three was a third part of the men slain, by reason of the fire and the smoke and the sulphur issuing out of their mouths.
19. And their power was in their mouth, for their tails were like serpents, having heads, and with these (in his) they do hurt.
20. And the rest of the men, who were not slain in these plagues, yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not adore demons, and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk.
21. Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their enchantments, nor of their whoredoms, nor of their thefts.
THE SPIRITUAL SENSE
THE CONTENTS OF THE WHOLE CHAPTER
Concerning an examination and making manifest [to show] the state of life of those in the Church of the Reformed, who are called learned and wise on account of the confirmation of faith separated from charity, and of justification and salvation by it alone; it treats of these from verse 1 to verse 12.
Concerning an examination and making manifest [to show the state of life] of those there who are not learned and wise in that manner, and are in faith alone, and live as they please; it treats of these from verse 13 to verse 19.
Lastly, concerning those there who know nothing but that faith is the all sufficient means of a man's salvation, and not anything besides (verses 20-21).
THE CONTENTS OF EACH OF THE VERSES
1. The fifth angel sounded, signifies an examination and making manifest [to show] the state of life of those in the Church of the Reformed who are called learned and wise on account of the confirmation of faith separated from charity, and of justification and salvation by it alone.
And I saw a star fallen out of heaven upon the land, signifies spiritual Divine Truth inflowing out of heaven into the Church with those, examining and making manifest.
And to him was given the key of the pit of the deep, signifies their hell open.
2. And he opened the pit of the deep, and there arose a smoke out of the pit as the smoke of a great furnace, signifies the untruths of the lusts of the natural man pouring forth out of their evil loves.
And the sun was darkened and the air by reason of the smoke of the pit, signifies that as a consequence the light of truth became thick-darkness.
3. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the land, signifies that out of those lusts there were untruths in the outermost parts, such as those have who have become sensual and see and judge all things from the senses and the fallacies thereof.
And to them was given power as the scorpions of the land have power, signifies the power of persuading that their untruths are truths.
4. And it was said to them that they should not hurt the grass of the land, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only those men who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads, signifies the Lord's Divine Providence, that they are not able to take away any truth and good of faith, nor the affection and perception thereof from any others than those who are not in charity and consequently not in faith.
5. And to them it was given that they should not kill those, but that they should torment them five months, signifies that neither are they able to take away from these the faculty of understanding and of willing what is true and good, but that they are only able for a short time to induce stupefaction.
And their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man, signifies that this results from their persuasiveness.
6. And in those days shall men seek death, and not find it, and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them, signifies that they are desirous that in matters of faith the understanding be closed up and the will blocked, by which means spiritual light and life are extinguished, and that nevertheless this cannot be done.
7. And the likenesses of the locusts, signifies the appearances and images of those who have confirmed in themselves faith separated from charity.
Were like horses prepared for war, signifies that because they are able to reason they appeared to themselves as if fighting by virtue of an understanding of truth out of the Word.
And upon their heads as it were crowns like gold, signifies that they appeared to themselves as if conquerors.
And their faces were as the faces of men, signifies that they appeared to themselves as if wise.
8. And they had hair as the hair of women, signifies that they appeared to themselves as if in the affection of truth.
And their teeth were as [those] of a lion, signifies that the sensual things which are the ultimates of the life of the natural man appeared to them to be in power over all things.
9. And they had breastplates as iron breastplates, signifies the arguments derived from fallacies by means of which they fight and have strength appeared to them so strong that they could not be disproved.
And the sound of their wings was as the sound of the chariots of many horses rushing to war, signifies their reasonings as if they were derived from the truths of a doctrine out of the Word fully understood, for which they must fight ardently.
10. And they had tails like scorpions, signifies the falsified truths of the Word by means of which they induce stupefaction.
And there were stings in their tails, and their power was to hurt the men five months, signifies the clever falsifications of the Word by means of which for a short time they darken and bewitch the understanding, and thus deceive and captivate.
11. And they had over them a king, the angel of the deep, whose Hebrew name is Abaddon, and in Greek he has the name Apollyon, signifies that they are in the satanic hell who are in untruths derived from lusts, and they have destroyed the Church by the total falsification of the Word.
12. And one woe is past, behold there come two more woes hereafter, signifies further lamentations over the state of the Church.
13. And the sixth angel sounded, signifies an examination and making manifest [to show] the state of life in the case of those in the Church of the Reformed who are not wise in that manner, and yet place everything of religion in faith, and think of it alone, and live as they please.
14. And I heard one voice out of the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, signifies a command from the Lord out of the spiritual heaven to those who were examining and making manifest.
Release the four angels bound at the great river Euphrates, signifies that external bonds should be taken away from them so that the interiors of their minds might appear.
15. And the four angels were released, signifies that with external bonds taken away the interiors of their minds appeared.
Prepared in an hour in a day and a month and a year, that they might slay a third part of the men, signifies those in a perpetual endeavour to take away spiritual light and life from the men of the Church.
16. And the number of the armies of horsemen two myriads of myriads, signifies the reasonings concerning faith alone with which the interiors of their mind were crammed full derived from sheer untruths of evil in abundance.
And I heard the number of them, signifies the quality thereof perceived.
17. And thus I saw the horses in a vision, and those sitting upon them, signifies the discovery then that the reasonings of the interiors of their mind about faith alone were imaginary and visionary, and that they themselves were insane because of them.
Having breastplates fiery, blue (hyacinthus) and sulphurous, signifies their imaginary and visionary arguments derived from infernal love and self-intelligence and from the resultant lusts.
And the heads of the horses as the heads of lions, signifies the phantasies about faith alone as though it were powerful.
And out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and sulphur, signifies that in their thoughts and discussions interiorly regarded there is nothing, and there proceeds out of them nothing but the love of self and the world, the pride of self-intelligence, and the lust of evil and untruth derived from those two.
18. As a result of (ex) these three things a third part of the men was slain, by reason of the fire and the smoke and the sulphur issuing out of their mouths, signifies that it is as a result of those things that the men of the Church perish.
19. And their power was in their mouth, signifies that they have strength only by discourse confirming faith.
For their tails were like serpents having heads, and with these (in his) they do hurt, signifies the reason, that they are sensual and inverted, speaking true things by mouth but rendering them false because of the principle that makes the head of their religion, and thus they deceive.
20. And the rest of the men who were not slain in these plagues, signifies those in the Church of the Reformed who are not in this manner spiritually dead as a result of visionary reasonings and the love of self, the pride of self-intelligence and the consequent lusts, like those before mentioned, and yet make faith alone the head of their religion.
Yet repented not from the works of their hands, signifies that neither did they flee from the things of their proprium, which are evils of every kind, as from sins.
That they should not adore demons, signifies that thus they are in the evils of their own lusts, and make one with their like in hell.
And idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, signifies that thus they are in a worship derived from nothing but untruths.
Which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk, signifies in which there is nothing of spiritual and truly rational life.
21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their enchantments, nor of their whoredoms, nor of their thefts, signifies that the heresy concerning faith alone induces on their hearts such a dullness, fickleness and hardness that they think nothing of the precepts of the Decalogue, nor indeed of any sin that there should be a fleeing from it because it is on the side of the devil and against God.
THE EXPOSITION
[verse 1] 'And the fifth angel sounded' signifies an examination and making manifest [to show] the state of life of those in the Church of the Reformed who are called learned and wise on account of the confirmation of faith separated from charity, and of justification and salvation by it alone. That it treats of these in the things now following as far as verse 12 1is established from the details understood in the spiritual sense. That by 'to sound' is signified to examine and make manifest the state of the Church and consequently the state of life in the case of those for whom religion is faith alone may be seen above (397).
Footnotes:
1. "Summaria Expositio 89", is printed with inverted commas in the Original.
419. Revelation 9
1. And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth, and to him was given the key of the pit of the abyss.
2. And he opened the pit of the abyss; and there went up a smoke out of the pit of the abyss, as the smoke of a great furnace: and the sun and the air were darkened from the smoke of the pit.
3. And out of the smoke there went forth locusts upon the earth; and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4. And it was said to them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree; but only the men who had not the seal of God in their foreheads.
5. And it was given to them that they should not kill them, but that they should torment them five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when it striketh a man.
6. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
7. And the likenesses of the locusts were like unto horses prepared for war; and upon their heads as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
8. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as those of lions.
9. And they had breastplates, as breastplates of iron; and the voice of their wings was as the voice of chariots of many horses running to war.
10. And they had tails like unto scorpions; and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
11. And they had a king over them, the angel of the abyss, whose name in the Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he hath the name Apollyon.
12. One woe is past; behold, there come two woes more hereafter.
13. And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God.
14. Saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, Loose the four angels that are bound at the great river Euphrates.
15. And the four angels were loosed; who were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, to kill a third part of men.
16. And the number of the armies of horsemen was two myriads of myriads: and I heard the number of them.
17. And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat upon them, having breastplates of fire, and jacinth, and brimstone; and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire, and smoke, and brimstone.
18. By these three was a third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, that issued out of their mouths.
19. And their power was in their mouth; for their tails were like unto serpents, having heads, and with them they hurt.
20. And the rest of the men who were not killed by these plagues, yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not adore demons, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and wood; which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
21. Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their enchantments, nor of their whoredoms, nor of their thefts.
THE SPIRITUAL SENSE
The contents of the whole chapter
Of the exploration and manifestation of the states of life of those in the church of the Reformed, who are called learned and wise from the confirmation of faith separated from charity, and of justification and salvation by it alone (these are treated of from (verses 1-12).
Of the exploration and manifestation of those therein, who are not so learned and wise, and are in faith alone, and who live as they please (from verses 13-19).
Lastly, of those therein, who know nothing but that faith is the all by which man is saved, and not anything besides (verses 20-21).
The contents, (Revelation 9:1) of each verse
Verse 1. "The fifth angel sounded," signifies the exploration and manifestation of the states of life of those in the church of the Reformed, who are called learned and wise from the confirmation of faith separated from charity, and of justification and salvation by it alone, (419). "And I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth," signifies spiritual Divine truth flowing from heaven into the church with them and exploring and manifesting, (420). "And to him was given the key of the pit of the abyss," signifies the opening of their hell, (421).
Verse 2. (Revelation 9:2) "And he opened the pit of the abyss, and there went up a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace," signifies the falsities of the concupiscences of the natural man springing forth from their evil loves, (422). "And the sun and the air were darkened from the smoke of the pit," signifies that thence the light of truth became thick darkness, (423).
Verse 3. "And there went forth out of the smoke locusts upon the earth," signifies that from them were falsities to the lowest things, such as are with those who have become sensual, and see and judge of all things from the senses and their fallacies, (424). "And unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power," signifies the power of persuading that their falsities are truths, (425).
Verse 4. "And it was said to them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree; but only the men who had not the seal of God in their foreheads," signifies the Divine providence of the Lord, that they should not be able to take away any truth and good of faith, nor any affection and perception of them, from any others than such as are not in charity and thence not in faith, (426).
Verse 5. (Revelation 9:5) "And it was given to them that they should not kill them, but that they should torment them five months," signifies that neither from these should they be able to take away the faculty of understanding and willing truth and good, but that they should only be able to bring on stupor for a short time, (427). "And their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when it striketh a man," signifies that this is from their persuasive power, (428).
Verse 6. "And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them," signifies that they wish that in matters of faith the understanding should be shut up and the will closed, by which means spiritual light and life are extinguished, and that yet this cannot be done, (429).
Verse 7. "And the likenesses of the locusts," signifies the appearances and images of those who have confirmed in themselves faith separated from charity, (430). "Were like unto horses prepared for war," signifies that because they can reason, they appear to themselves as if they were combating from the understanding of truth from the Word, (431). "And upon their heads as it were crowns like gold," signifies that they appeared to themselves as if they were conquerors, (432). "And their faces were as the faces of men," signifies that they appeared to themselves as if they were wise, (433).
Verse 8. "And they had hair as the hair of women," signifies that they appeared to themselves as if they were in the affection of truth, (434). "And their teeth were as the teeth of lions," signifies that sensual things, which are the ultimates of the life of the natural man, appeared with them to have power over all things, (435).
Verse 9. "And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron," signifies that arguments from fallacies, by which they fight and prevail, appeared to them so powerful that they could not be refuted, (436). "And the voice of their wings was as the voice of chariots of many horses running to war," signifies their reasonings as if they were from the truths of doctrine from the Word fully understood, for which they must ardently fight, (437).
Verse 10. "And they had tails like unto scorpions," signifies the truths of the Word falsified, by which they induce stupor, (438). "And there were stings in their tails, and their power was to hurt men five months," signifies subtle falsifications of the Word, by which for a short time they darken and fascinate the understanding, and thus deceive and captivate, (439).
Verse 11. "And they had a king over them, the angel of the abyss, whose name in the Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he hath the name Apollyon," signifies that they are in the satanic hell who are in falsities from lusts, and by the total falsification of the Word they have destroyed the church, (440).
Verse 12. "One woe is past; behold, there come two woes more hereafter," signifies still further lamentations over the state of the church, (441).
Verse 13. "And the sixth angel sounded," signifies the exploration and manifestation of their state of life in the church of the Reformed who are not so wise, and yet place the all of religion in faith, and think of it alone, and live as they please, (442). "And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet" signifies a command from the Lord out of the spiritual heaven to those who were to explore and make manifest, (443).
Verse 14. "Loose the four angels that are bound at the great river Euphrates," signifies that external bonds should be taken away from them, that the interiors of their minds might appear, (444).
Verse 15. "And the four angels were loosed," signifies that when external bonds were taken away, the interiors of their minds appeared, (445). "Who were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, to kill a third part of men," signifies that they were perpetually in the effort to take away spiritual light and life from the men of the church, (446).
Verse 16. "And the number of the armies of horsemen was two myriads of myriads," signifies reasoning concerning faith alone, with which the interiors of their minds were filled up, from the great abundance of the mere falsities of evil, (447). "And I heard the number of them," signifies that the quality of them was perceived, (448).
Verse 17. "And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them," signifies that it was then discovered that the reasonings of the interiors of their minds concerning faith alone were imaginary and visionary, and that they themselves were insane with them, (449). "Having breastplates of fire, and jacinth, and brimstone," signifies their imaginary and visionary arguments from infernal love and their own intelligence, and from the lusts thence, (450). "And the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions," signifies fantasies concerning faith alone as if it were in power, (451). "And out of their mouths issued fire, and smoke, and brimstone," signifies that in their thoughts and discourses, viewed interiorly, there is nothing, and from them there proceeds nothing, but the love of self and of the world, and the pride of their own intelligence, and the lusts of evil and falsity from these two, (452).
Verse 18. "By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths," signifies that from these it is that the men of the church perish, (453).
Verse 19. "And their power was in their mouth," signifies that they prevail only by their discourse in confirmation of faith, (454). "For their tails were like unto serpents, having heads, and with them they do hurt," signifies the reason, because they are sensual and inverted, speaking truths with their lips, but falsifying them by the principle which constitutes the head of their religion, and thus they deceive, (455[1-4]).
Verse 20. "And the rest of the men who were not killed by these plagues," signifies those in the church of the Reformed who are not so spiritually dead from visionary reasonings, and from the love of self, the pride of their own intelligence, and from lusts, thence as those before mentioned, and yet make faith alone the head of their religion, (456). "Yet repented not of the works of their hands," signifies that neither did they shun the things that are of their proprium, which are evils of every kind, as sins, (457). "That they should not adore demons," signifies that thus they are in the evils of their concupiscences, and make one with their like in hell, (458). "And idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and wood," signifies that thus they are in worship from mere falsities, (459). "Which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk," signifies, in which there is nothing of spiritual and truly rational life, (460).
Verse 21. "Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their enchantments, nor of their whoredoms, nor of their thefts," signifies that the heresy of faith alone induces on their hearts stupidity, tergiversation, and hardness, so that they do not think anything of the precepts of the Decalogue, nor indeed of any sin that it ought to be shunned because it is in favor of the devil and against God.
THE EXPLANATION
Verse 1. And the fifth angel sounded, signifies the exploration and manifestation of the states of life of those in the church of the Reformed, who are called learned and wise from their confirmation of faith separated from charity, and of justification and salvation by it alone. That these are treated of in what now follows as far as verse 12, is evident from the particulars, understood in the spiritual sense. That by "sounding" is signified to explore and make manifest the state of the church, and thence the state of life with those whose religion is faith alone, may be seen above, (397).
419. CAPUT IX.
1. Et quintus Angelus clanxit, et vidi stellam e Caelo delapsam in terram, et data ei clavis putei abyssi;
2. Et aperuit puteum abyssi, et ascendit fumus e puteo abyssi sicut fumus fornacis magnae, et obscuratus est Sol et aer e fumo putei.
3. Et e fumo exiverunt Locustae in terram, et data illis potestas sicut habent potestatem scorpii terrae.
4. Et dictum illis ne laederent gramen terrae, neque ullum viride, neque ullam arborem, nisi homines solos, quicunque non haberent sigillum Dei in frontibus suis.
5. Et datum illis ut non occiderent illos, sed ut cruciarent menses quinque, et cruciatus illarum sicut cruciatus scorpii cum percutit hominem.
6. Et in diebus illis quaerent homines mortem et non invenient illam, et cupient mori et fugiet mors ab illis.
7. Et similitudines Locustarum similes equis paratis ad bellum, et super capitibus illarum sicut coronae similes auro, et facies illarum sicut facies hominum.
8. Et habebant capillos sicut capillos mulierum, et dentes illarum sicut leonum erant.
9. Et habebant thoraces sicut thoraces ferreos, et vox alarum illarum sicut vox curruum equorum multorum currentium in bellum.
10. Et habebant caudas similes scorpiis et aculei erant in caudis illarum, et potestas illarum laedere homines mensibus quinque.
11. Et habebant super se regem, Angelum abyssi, nomen ei Hebraice Abaddon, et in Graeca nomen habet Apollyon.
12. Vae unum praeteriit, ecce Veniunt adhuc duo vae post haec.
13. Et sextus Angelus clanxit, et audivi Vocem unam ex quatuor cornubus altaris aurei quod coram Deo,
14. Dicentem sexto Angelo qui habebat tubam, Solve quatuor Angelos vinctos ad flumen magnum Euphratem.
15. Et soluti sunt quatuor Angeli, qui parati in horam et diem et mensem et annum, ut occiderent tertiam partem hominum.
16. Et numerus exercituum equitatus, duae myriades myriadum: et audivi numerum illorum.
17. Et ita vidi Equos in visione, et sedentes super illis, habentes thoraces igneos et hyacinthinos et sulphureos et capita equorum sicut capita leonum, et ex oribus illorum exivit ignis et fumus et sulphur.
18. A tribus his occisa est tertia pars hominum, ex igne et ex fumo et ex sulphure exeunte ex oribus illorum.
19. Et potestas illorum in ore illorum erat, nam caudae illorum similes serpentibus, habentes capita, et in his laedunt.
20. Et reliqui homines, qui non occisi sunt in plagis his, etiam non paenitentiam egerunt ex operibus manuum suarum, ut non adorarent daemonia, et idola aurea et argentea et aenea et lapidea et lignea, quae neque videre possunt neque audire neque ambulare.
21. Et non egerunt paenitentiam ex homicidiis suis, neque ex incantationibus suis, neque ex scortationibus suis, neque ex furtis suis.
SENSUS SPIRITUALIS.
Contentus Totius Capitis.
De exploratione et manifestatione status vitae illorum in Ecclesia Reformatorum, qui vocantur docti et sapientes ex confirmatione Fidei separatae a Charitate, ac justificationis et salvationis per illam solam (de his agitur a versu 1 ad 12); 1
De exploratione et manifestatione illorum ibi, qui non ita docti et sapientes sunt et in sola fide, ac vivunt ad lubitum (de his agitur a versu 13 ad 19); 2
Demum de illis ibi, qui nihil sciunt quam quod fides sit omne per quod homo salvatur, et praeter id non aliquid (vers. 20, 21).
Contenta Singulorum Versuum.
1. "Quintus Angelus clanxit," significat explorationem et manifestationem status vitae illorum in Ecclesia Reformatorum, qui vocantur docti et sapientes ex confirmatione fidei separatae a charitate, ac justificationis et salvationis per illam solam (419); et vidi stellam e Caelo de lapsam in terram," significat Divinum Verum spirituale influens e Caelo in Ecclesiam apud illis, explorans et manifestans (420); "et data ei clavis putei abyssi," significat infernum eorum apertum (421).
2. "Et aperuit puteum abyssi, et ascendit fumus e puteo (abyssi) sicut fumus fornacis magnae," significat falsa concupiscentiarum naturalis hominis scaturientium ex malis amoribus illorum (422); "et obscuratus est sol et aer e fumo putei," significat quod inde lux veri facti sit caligo (423).
3. "Et ex fumo exiverunt locustae in terram," significat quod ex illis falsa in extremis, qualia sunt illis qui sensuales facti sunt, ac omnia vident et judicant ex sensibus et eorum fallaciis (424); "et data illis potestas sicut habent potestatem scorpii terrae," significat potentiam persuadendi quod falsa illorum sint vera (425).
4. "Et dictum illis ne laederent gramen terrae, neque ullum viride, neque ullam arborem, nisi homines solos, quicumque non haberent sigillum Dei in frontibus suis," significat Divinam Domini Providentiam, quod non possint auferre aliquod verum et bonum fidei, nec affectionem et perceptionem illorum, aliis quam qui non in charitate et inde non in fide sunt (426).
5. "Et datum illis ut non occiderent illos, sed ut cruciarent menses quinque," significat quod nec his possint auferre facultatem intelligendi et volendi verum et bonum, sed modo quod possint ad breve tempus inducere stuporem (427); "et cruciatus illarum sicut cruciatus scorpii cum percutit hominem," significat hoc sit ex persuasivo illorum (428).
6. "Et in diebus illis quaerent homines mortem et non invenient illam, et cupient mori et mors fugiet illos," significat quod velint ut in rebus fidei intellectus occlusus sit et voluntas obturata, per quae lux et vita spiritualis exstinguitur, et quod usque hoc non possit fieri (429).
7. "Et similitudines locustarum," significat apparentias, et imagines illorum qui fidem separatam a charitate apud se confirmaverunt (430); "similes equis paratis ad bellum," significat quod quia ratiocinari possunt, apparerent sibi sicut pugnantes ex intellectu veri ex Verbo (431); "et super capitibus illarum sicut coronae similes auro," significat quod apparerent sibi sicut victores (432); et facies illarum sicut facies hominum," significat quod apparerent sibi sicut sapientes (433).
8. "Et habebant capillos sicut capillos mulierum," significat quo apparerent sibi sicut in affectione veri (434); "et dentes illarum sicut leonum erant," significat quod sensualia, quae sunt ultima vita" naturalis hominis, apparerent illis in potentia super omnia (435).
9. "Et habebant thoraces sicut thoraces ferreos,"significat argumentationes ex fallaciis, per quas pugnant et valent, (quae) apparerent illis tam validae ut refelli non possent (436); "et vox alarum illarum sicut vox curruum equorum multorum currentium in bellum," significat ratiocinia illorum sicut ex veris doctrinae e Verbo plene intellectis, pro quibus ardenter pugnandum est (437).
10. "Et habebant caudas similes scorpiis," significat vera Verbi falsificata, per quae inducunt stuporem (438); "et aculei erant in caudis illarum, et potestas illarum laedere homines mensibus quinque," significat astutas falsificationes Verbi, per quas ad breve tempus obtenebrant et fascinant intellectum, et sic fallunt et captant (439).
11. "Et habebant super se regem angelum abyssi nomen ei Hebraice Abaddon, et in Graeca nomen habet Apollyon," significat quod in Inferno Satanico sint, qui in falsis ex concupiscentiis sunt, et per totalem falsificationem Verbi perdiderunt Ecclesiam (440).
12. "Et vae unum praeteriit, ecce veniunt adhuc duo vae posthaec, "significat ulteriores lamentationes super statu Ecclesiae (441).
13,14. "Et sextus Angelus clanxit," significat explorationem et manifestationem status vitae apud illos in Ecclesia Reformatorum qui non ita sapientes sunt, et usque omne religionis ponunt in fide, et illam solam cogitant, et ad lubitum vivunt (442); "et audivi vocem unam ex quatuor cornubus Altaris aurei quod coram Deo, dicentem sexto Angelo qui habebat tubam," significat mandatum a Domino e Caelo spirituali ad illos qui explorarent et manifestarent (443); "solve quatuor Angelos vinctos ad flumen magnum Euphratem," significat ut vincula externa auferantur illis, ut appareant interiora mentis illorum (444).
15. "Et soluti sunt quatuor Angeli," significat quod sublatis vinculis externis apparuerint interiora mentis illorum (445); "parati in horam in diem et mensem et annum, ut occiderent tertiam partem hominum," significat illos in perpetuo conatu auferendi hominibus Ecclesiae lucem et vitam spiritualem (446).
16. "Et numerus exercituum equitatus duae myriades myriadum," significat ratiocinia de sola fide, quibus interiora mentis eorum referta erant, ex mere falsis mali in copia (447); "et audivi numerum illorum," significat perceptum quale eorum (448).
17. "Et ita vidi equos in visione et sedentes super illis."
significat tunc detectum quod ratiocinia interiorum mentis illorum de sola fide essent imaginaria et visionaria, ac ipsi insanientes ex illis (449); "habentes thoraces igneos, hyacinthinos et sulphureos," significat argumentationes illorum imaginarias et visionarias ex amore infernali et propria intelligentia et ex concupiscentiis inde (450); "et capita equorum sicut capita leonum," significat phantasias de sola fide tanquam in potentia (451); "et ex oribus illorum exivit ignis et fumus et sulphur," significat quod in cogitationibus et sermonibus illorum interius spectatis, non aliud sit et ex illis prodeat, quam amor sui et mundi, fastus propriae intelligentiae, ac concupiscentiae mali et falsi ex duobus illis (452).
18. "Ex tribus his occisa est tertia pars hominum, ex igne et ex fumo et ex sulphure exeunte ex oribus illorum," significat quod ex illis sit quod homines Ecclesiae pereant (453).
19. "Et potestas illorum in ore illorum erat," significat quod solum valeant sermone confirmante fidem (454); "nam caudae illorum similes serpentibus habentes capita, et in his laedunt," significat causam, quod sensuales sint ac inversi, loquentes ore vera, sed falsificantes illa ex principio quod facit caput (doctrinae) religionis eorum, et sic fallunt (455).
20. "Et reliqui homines qui non occisi sunt in plagis his," significat illos in Ecclesia Reformatorum qui non ita sunt spiritualiter mortui ex ratiociniis visionariis, et ex amore sui, fastu propriae intelligentiae, et ex concupiscentiis inde, sicut priores, et usque solam fidem faciunt caput religionis suae (456); "etiam non paenitentiam egerunt ab operibus manuum suarum," significat quod nec illi fugerint propria sua, quae sunt mala omnis generis, ut peccata (457); "ut non adorarent daemonia," significat quod sic in malis concupiscentiarum suarum sint, et "num faciant cum similibus in inferno (458); "et idola aurea, et argentea et aenea et lapidea et lignea," significat quod sic in cultu sint ex mere falsis (459); "quae neque videre possunt, neque audire, neque ambulare," significat in quibus nihil vitae spiritualis et vere rationalis est (460).
21. Et non egerunt paenitentiam e, homicidiis suis, neque ex incantationibus suis, neque ex scortationibus suis, neque ex furtis suis," significat quod haereticum de sola fide inducat cordibus stupiditatem, tergiversationem et duritiem, ut non cogitent aliquid de praeceptis Decalogi, ne quidem de ullo peccato quod fugiendum sit quia est cum Diabolo et contra Deum (461).
EXPLICATIO.
(Vers. 1.) "Et quintus Angelus clanxit," significat explorationem et manifestationem status vitae illorum in Ecclesia Reformatorum, qui vocantur docti et sapientes ex confirmatione fidei separatae a charitate, ac justificationis et salvationis per illam solam. - Quod de his in nunc sequentibus usque ad vers. 12 3agatur, constat ex singulis in Sensu spirituali intellectis. Quod per "clangere" significetur explorare et manifestare statum Ecclesiae et inde vitae apud illos quibus religio est sola fides, videatur supra (397).
Footnotes:
1. 12 pro "13"
2. 19 pro "20"
3. 12 pro "13"