453.启9:18.“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”表教会之人正是因这些而灭亡。“人的三分之一部分被杀”表示教会之人因刚才所提到的这三样事物（452节）而灭亡；“被杀”表示属灵的被杀，也就是灵魂的灭亡；“三分之一部分”表示所有陷入这些虚假的人，前面频繁提到这些虚假；至于“火”、“烟”、“硫磺”以及“它们口中出来”各表什么，可参看前文（452节）。正是由于这些虚假，整个基督教界没有人知道此处的“火”论及自我之爱和救世之爱，这爱就是魔鬼；也不知道从这火冒出来的“烟”就是对人自己聪明的骄傲，而这种骄傲就是撒旦；正如没有人知道，通过这骄傲而被这火所点燃的“硫磺”指的是对邪恶与虚假的欲望，而这些欲望就是魔鬼与撒旦的团伙，地狱便由它们构成；不知道这些事，就不可能知道什么是罪，因为罪从它们那里获得其一切快乐和愉悦。
453. By these three a third of mankind was killed - by the fire and smoke and brimstone coming out of their mouths. (9:18) This symbolically means that it is because of these things that the people of the church perish.
A third of mankind killed means, symbolically, that the people of the church perish because of these three things, as explained just above in no. 452. For to be killed means, symbolically, to be killed spiritually, which is to perish as regards the soul, and a third symbolizes all those people who are caught up in the aforesaid falsities, as enumerated often above. For the symbolic meaning of fire, smoke and brimstone, and of their coming out of the horsemen's mouths, see no. 452 just above.
It is owing to these falsities that no one knows anywhere in the whole Christian world that the fire mentioned here is the love of self and the world, and that this love is the devil. Nor does anyone know that the smoke issuing from this fire is a conceit in one's own inherent intelligence, and that this conceit is satan. Neither does anyone know that the brimstone ignited by this fire through that conceit is the lusts attendant on evil and falsity, and that these lusts are the diabolical and satanic crew of which hell consists. And when these things are not known, it is impossible for anyone to know what sin is; for sin finds its every delight and gratification in them.
453. [verse 18] 'As a result of these three things a third part of the men was slain, by reason of the fire and the smoke 1and the sulphur, issuing out of their mouths' signifies that it is as a result of these things that the men of the Church perish. That 'a third part of the men was slain' signifies that the men of the Church shall perish as a result of the three things that have just now been treated of above (452); for by 'to be slain' is signified to be slain spiritually, which is to perish as to the soul; and by 'a third part' are signified all who are in those untruths, as frequently above. What is signified by 'fire,' 'smoke' and 'sulphur,' and what by 'to issue out of their mouths' may be seen just above (452). It is as a result of those untruths that it is not known in the whole of Christendom that the 'fire' here treated of is the love of self and the world, and that that fire is the Devil; also that the 'smoke' from that fire is the pride of self-intelligence, and that that pride is Satan; as also that the 'sulphur' kindled by that fire by means of that pride is the lusts of evil and untruth, and that these lusts are the mob of the Devil and Satan, of whom hell [is constituted]; and when those things are not known it cannot be known what sin is, for every sin draws its delight and pleasantness from them.
Footnotes:
1. In the Original here the order of 'fire' and 'smoke' is reversed.
453. Verse 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, signifies that it is from these that the men of the church perish. "A third part of men being killed," signifies that the men of the church perish by the three things just now mentioned, (452); for by "being killed" is signified to be killed spiritually, which is to perish as to the soul; and by "a third part" is signified all who are in those falsities, which have been frequently enumerated above; what is signified by "fire," "smoke," and "brimstone," and what by "issuing out of their mouths," may be seen above, (452). It is from these falsities, that in the whole Christian world it is not known that "fire" here spoken of is the love of self and of the world, and that this love is the Devil; also that "the smoke" from this fire is the pride of one's own intelligence, and that this pride is Satan; as also that "brimstone" kindled by this fire, by means of that pride, is the lusts of evil and falsity; and that these lusts are the crew of the Devil and Satan, of which hell consists; and when these things are not known, it cannot be known what sin is, for sin derives all its delight and pleasantness from them.
453. (Vers. 18.) "Ex tribus his occisa est tertia pars hominum; ex igne et ex fumo et ex sulphure exeunte ex omnibus illorum," significat quod ex illis sit, quod homines Ecclesiae pereant. - Quod "occisa sit tertia pars hominum," significat quod homines Ecclesiae ex tribus illis, de quibus nunc supra (452), pereant; per "occidi" enim significatur spiritualiter occidi, quod est quoad animam perire; et per "tertiam partem" significantur omnes qui in illis falsis sunt, ut supra saepius; quid per "ignem," "fumum," et "sulphur," et quid per "exire ex oribus illorum" significatur, videatur mox supra (452). Ex falsis illis est, quod in toto Orbe Christiano nesciatur, quod "ignis," de quo hic, sit amor sui et mundi, et quod ille amor sit Diabolus; tum quod "fumus" ex illo igne sit fastus propriae intelligentiae, et quod ille fastus sit Satanas; ut et quod "sulphur" ab illo igne per illum fastum accensum sint concupiscentiae mali et falsi; et quod hae concupiscentiae sint turba Diaboli et Satanae, ex qua Infernum et cum illa nesciuntur, non potest sciri quid peccatum; peccatum enim omne suum jucundum et amoenum trahit ex illis.