770.天主教之所以被称为“大有势力的城”，是因为它曾强有力地坚固自己；事实上，它不仅通过承认它的数量庞大的民族和人民，还通过其它许多事来加固自己；如利用：众多修道院和那里的教士军团（之所以如此称谓，是因为他们称其事奉为“服役”）；无法估量或不知满足的财富占有；裁判所；尤其是有威胁和恐吓，特别是据说人人都会进入的炼狱；通过严禁并防止阅读圣言扑灭福音之光，由此导致在属灵之事上的瞎眼；以普通百姓听不懂的语言所举行的弥撒；各种外在的圣洁；向民众灌输对死人和画像的敬拜，将他们保持在对神的无知中；各种外在事物上的辉煌展示；以便通过所有这些手段使人们在天主教一切事物的神圣上处于肉体信仰。
结果是，人们完全不知道这个宗教内在所隐藏的东西，而事实上，该宗教完全就像前面那些话所描述的那样：
那女人穿着紫色和朱红色、嵌有金子宝石珍珠的衣服，手拿金杯，杯中盛满了可憎之物，和她淫乱的污秽。（启示录17:4）
然而，无论巴比伦如何加固自己，甚至在灵界也是（如772节所述），但在最后审判之日，她还是被彻底毁灭了。关于她的毁灭，耶利米是这样预言的：
巴比伦虽升到天上，虽使她坚固的高处更坚固，仍必有行毁灭的从我这里去（攻击她）。（耶利米书 51:53）
巴比伦的勇士坐在坚垒之中，她的勇力衰尽，他们使她的住处有火着起，门闩都折断了；城的四方被攻取了，巴比伦的城墙也必坍塌了。（耶利米书 51:30，31，44）
巴比伦必突然倾覆毁灭，要为它哀号！拿乳香来止她的疼痛，也许可以治好她。（耶利米书 51:8）
770. The Roman Catholic religion is called a mighty city because it had well fortified itself. For it had fortified itself not only by the multitude of nations and peoples acknowledging it, but also by many other means, as by the number of its monasteries and the armies of monks in them (we say armies because they call their ministry warfare); by their rich possessions beyond any measure or sufficiency; also by their Inquisition; and moreover by threats and terrors, especially those of purgatory, into which they say everyone comes; by extinguishing the light of the Gospel and people's consequent blindness in spiritual matters, which they accomplish by prohibiting and obstructing their reading of the Word; by masses said in a language that the common people do not know; by various outward shows of sanctity; by inculcating in the common people a worship of the dead and images of the dead, by which the people are kept in ignorance regarding God; and by various splendors in outward displays: all this to the end that people may be kept physically in believing in the sanctity of all the tenets of that religion.
[2] As a result, people are completely unaware of what lies hidden at the heart of that religion, even though that religion is altogether as described in these words explained above:
The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her licentiousness. (Revelation 17:4)
But although Babylon had so well fortified itself, even in the spiritual world as well, as described in no. 772 below, still at the time of the Last Judgment it was completely destroyed.
Its destruction was prophesied by Jeremiah thus:
If Babylon mounted up to heaven, and if she fortified the height of her strength, yet from Me plunderers would come to her... (Jeremiah 51:53)
The mighty men of Babylon... sit in their strongholds; their might is forgotten... They have burned her dwelling places, the bars of her gate are broken... ...(the) city is captured from one end to the other... The wall of Babylon has also fallen. (Jeremiah 51:30-31, 44)
Babylon has suddenly fallen and been broken. Wail over her! Take balm for her pain; perhaps she will be healed. (Jeremiah 51:8)
770. That form of religion is called a 'powerful city' because it had fortified itself strongly; for it had fortified itself not only by the great number of nations and peoples which acknowledge it but also by many other things; as by the plurality of monasteries and by the army of monks there (this is said because they call their ministry military service); by possessions of wealths without any measure or satiety; also by the inquisitorial judgment; and above all by threats and terrors, especially in regard to the purgatory into which everyone is said to come; by the extinction of the light of the Gospel and the consequent blindness in spiritual things which is effected by prohibitions and preventions of the reading of the Word; by masses uttered in a language not known to the common people; by various external sanctities; by the worship of the dead and of images implanted with the populace, who are kept in ignorance of God; and by various glittering displays in external things; so that by all these things (haec et illa) they may be in a bodily faith concerning the holiness of all the things of that form of religion.
[2] The result is that it is altogether unknown what lies hidden inwardly in that form of religion, when yet that form of religion is altogether as is described above by these words:
The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stone and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and the uncleanness of her whoredom. Revelation 17:4.
But howsoever much Babylon had thus fortified herself, even likewise in the spiritual world (of which below 772), yet at the day of the last judgment she was utterly destroyed. Concerning her devastation Jeremiah prophesies thus:
If Babel mounts into the heavens, and if she fortifies the height of her strength, from Me shall come spoilers. Jeremiah 51:53.
The mighty men of Babel sit in the fortifications, her power is given to oblivion, they have set her habitations 1on fire, her bars have been broken; the city has been taken from [one] end. Even the wall of Babel has collapsed. Jeremiah 51:30-31, 44.
Babel has suddenly fallen and broken down; howl over her, take balm for the grief; peradventure she will he healed. Jeremiah 51:8.
Footnotes:
1. The Original Edition has munitiones (fortifications) here as in the previous line, but this appears to be a slip for habitationes (habitations) as in the Hebrew.
770. That religious persuasion is called "a mighty city," because it had fortified itself strongly; for it had fortified itself not only by the multitude of the nations and peoples who acknowledge it, but by many other things also; as by a great number of monasteries, and by the armies of monks there (this is said, because they call the ministry their military service); by possessions of wealth without any measure or satiety; also by the tribunal of the inquisition; besides by threats and terrors, especially of purgatory, into which everyone is said to come; by the extinction of the light of the Gospel, and thence blindness in spiritual things, which is effected by prohibitions and inhibitions of the reading of the Word; by masses spoken in a language unknown to the common people; by various external sanctities; by impressing the worship of the dead and of images upon the common people, who are kept in ignorance concerning God; and by various splendid things in externals; that by these things they may be in a corporeal faith concerning the sanctity of all the things in that religious persuasion.
[2] Hence it is that it is altogether unknown what lies hidden within that religious persuasion, when yet it is altogether as described above in these words:
The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and inwrought with gold and precious stone and pearl, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and uncleanness of her whoredom, (Revelation 17:4).
But howsoever much Babylon had so fortified herself, and in like manner in the spiritual world, see below, (772), still she was altogether destroyed at the day of the Last Judgment. Of her devastation it is thus prophesied in Jeremiah:
If Babel should ascend to heaven, and if she should fortify the height of her strength, from Me shall the wasters come, (Jeremiah 51:53).
The mighty men of Babel sit in their fortifications; her power is given to oblivion; they have set her fortifications on fire, her bars are broken; the city is taken from its extremity. The wall also of Babel is fallen, (Jeremiah 51:30-31, 44).
Suddenly hath Babel fallen and is broken down; howl over her, take balm for her grief, peradventure she may be healed, (Jeremiah 51:8).
770. Vocatur Religiosum illud "urbs valida," quia muniverat se valde; muniverat enim se non solum per multitudinem gentium et populorum qui illud agnoscunt, sed etiam per multa alia: ut per pluralitatem monasteriorum, et ibi per exercitus monachorum (hoc dicitur quia vocant Ministerium suum Militiam); per possessiones opum absque ulla mensura et satietate; tum per Judicium inquisitorium; et insuper per minas et terrores, imprimis pro Purgatorio, in quod unusquisque dicitur venire; per lucis Evangelicae exstinctionem, et inde caecitatem in spiritualibus, quod fit per prohibitiones et inhibitiones lectionis Verbi, per Missas in lingua vulgo ignota edictas, per varias sanctitates externas, per cultum mortuorum et simulacrorum, plebi, quae in ignorantia de Deo tenetur, insitum; perque varia splendida in externis; ut per haec et illa in corporea fide de sanctitate omnium Religiosi istius sint. Inde est quod prorsus nesciatur quid intus in Religioso illo latet; cum tamen Religiosum illud est prorsus sicut describitur supra, his verbis:
"Mulier erat circuminduta purpura et coccino, et inaurata auro et lapide pretioso, et margaritis, habens aureum poculum in manu sua plenum abominationibus et immunditie scortationis ejus," (Apocalypsis 17:4).
Sed quantumvis Babylon ita muniverat se, etiam similiter in mundo spirituali (de quo infra 772), usque die Ultimi Judicii prorsus destructa est. De devastatione ejus ita prophetat Jeremias:
"Si ascenderit Babel in Caelos, et si muniverit excelsum roboris sui, a Mecum venient vastatores," (Jeremias 51:53);
"Fortes Babelis sedent in munitionibus; oblivioni data est potentia ejus, accenderunt habitationes 1ejus, fracti sunt vectes ejus; capta est Urbs ab extremitate. Etiam murus Babelis concidit," (Jeremias 51:30-31, 44);
"Subito cecidit Babel et confracta est: ejulate super ea, sumite balsamum pro dolore, forte sanabitur," (Jeremias 51:8).
Footnotes:
1. habitationes pro "munitiones"