Faith55.前面说明，随着时间推移，每个教会都堕入两种普遍的邪恶宗教形式，一种来源于控制欲或统治之爱，一种来源于自我聪明的骄傲；在圣言中，“巴比伦”表示并描述了前一种，“非利士”表示并描述了后一种。由于启示录论述了基督教会的状态，尤其论述了它在末期的性质，所以那里从总体和细节上论述了这两种邪恶的宗教形式。其中17，18和19章描述了“巴比伦”所表示的那种宗教，该宗教就是坐在朱红色兽上的大淫妇；12和13章描述了“非利士”所表示的那种宗教，该宗教就是那“龙”，以及从“从海中上来的兽”和“从地中上来的兽”。在此之前，人们不可能知道这种宗教由龙和他的两个兽来表示，因为圣言的灵义尚未打开，故启示录无法被人理解，尤其因为与仁分离之信的宗教形式在基督教界如此盛行，以至于没有人能看到这一点。每种邪恶的宗教都会弄瞎人们的双眼。
55. The Dragon Mentioned in the Book of Revelation Symbolizes People Devoted to a Faith Divorced from Caring
I noted earlier [Revelation 17, 18, and 19 as the whore who sat on the scarlet beast, and the kind of religion meant by Philistia is described in chapters 12, 13 as the dragon, and also as the beast rising up out of the sea and the beast rising up out of the earth.
Until now there has been no way to know that this kind of religion was meant by the dragon and his two beasts. This is because the spiritual meaning of the Word had not yet been opened, so the Book of Revelation had not been understood, and particularly because in the Christian world a form of religion based on faith divorced from caring had become so strong that no one was able to see this. Every evil kind of religion blinds the eyes.
55. People Whose Faith Is Divorced from Charity Are Meant by the Dragon in the Book of Revelation.
We said above that in the course of time every church goes off into two general, harmful forms of religion, into one out of a love of ruling, and into the other out of a conceit in its own intelligence. Moreover, we said that the first religion is meant and described in the Word by Babylon, and the second by Philistia.
Now because the book of Revelation has as its subject the state of the Christian church, especially the church’s final character, it deals in general and in particular with these two harmful religions.
The religion meant by Babylon is described in chapters 17–19, in its treatment of the harlot sitting upon the scarlet beast. And the religion meant by Philistia is described in chapters 12 and 13, in its treatment of the dragon, of the beast rising up out of the sea, and of the beast coming up out of the earth.
That the latter religion is meant by the dragon and its two beasts could not have been previously known. That is because the spiritual meaning of the Word was not disclosed before, so that the book of Revelation was not understood, and especially because the religion of faith divorced from charity was so widely accepted in the Christian world that no one could possibly see it. For every harmful religious belief blinds the eyes.
55. VIII. They who are in faith separated from charity, are meant by the dragon in the Revelation
It was said above that every Church in the course of time declines into two general evil religiosities, one proceeding from the love of rule, and the other from the pride of self-intelligence; and that the former is, in the Word, meant and described by Babylon, and the latter by Philistia. Now since the REVELATION treats of the state of the Christian Church, and especially of its nature at its end, therefore these two evil religiosities are there treated of, both in general and in particular. That meant by Babylon is described in chapters 17, 18, 19, and is the harlot sitting upon the scarlet beast; and that meant by Philistia is described in Revelation 12, 13, and is the dragon, and the beast that rose out of the sea, and also the beast that rose out of the earth. It could not be known before this time that this religiosity is meant by the dragon and his two beasts, because the spiritual sense of the Word was not opened before this, and consequently the Book of Revelation was not understood; and especially because the religion of faith separated from charity was so prevalent in the Christian world that nobody could see that it was there described; for every evil religiosity blinds the eyes.
55. THOSE WHO ARE IN FAITH SEPARATED FROM CHARITY ARE MEANT BY THE DRAGON IN THE REVELATION.
It has been said above that in course of time every church falls away into two general religious principles that are evil, one springing from the love of rule, and the other from the conceit of self-intelligence, and that in the Word the former is meant and described by "Babylon," and the latter by "Philistia." Now as the Revelation treats of the state of the Christian Church, especially such as it is at its end, it therefore treats both generally and specifically of these two evil religious principles. The religious principle meant by "Babylon" is described in chapters 17-18, and 19, and is there the "harlot sitting upon the scarlet beast;" and that meant by "Philistia" is described in chapters 12 and 13, and is there the "dragon," also the "beast that came up out of the sea," and the "beast that came up out of the earth." That this religious principle is meant by the dragon and his two beasts could not heretofore be known, because the spiritual sense of the Word was not opened, and therefore the Revelation has not been understood, and especially because the religious principle of faith separated from charity has so prevailed in the Christian world that no one was able to see it, for every evil religious principle blinds the eyes.
55. (VIII.) QUOD ILLI QUI IN FIDE SEPARATA A CHARITATE SUNT, INTELLIGANTUR PER "DRACONEM" IN APOCALYPSI.
Dictum est supra, quod omnis ecclesia successu temporis abeat in duo communia religiosa mala, in unum ex amore imperandi, et in alterum ex fastu propriae intelligentiae; et quod prius religiosum in Verbo intelligatur et describatur per "Babyloniam," et posterius per "Philisthaeam." Nunc quia in Apocalypsi agitur de statu Ecclesiae Christianae, imprimis qualis in fine est, ideo de, binis illis religiosis malis, in genere et in specie ibi agitur. Religiosum quod Per "Babyloniam" intelligitur, describitur in cap. xvii., xviii., xix., quod ibi est "meretrix sedens super bestia coccinea;" ac religiosum quod per "Philisthaeam" intelligitur, describitur in cap. xii., xiii., quod ibi est "draco," tum "bestia ex mari," ac "bestia ex terra ascendens." Quod hoc religiosum per "draconem et ejus binas bestias" intellectum sit, hactenus non sciri potuit: causa est, quia sensus spiritualis Verbi non prius apertus fuit, et inde Apocalypsis non intellecta est; et imprimis quia religiosum de fide separata a charitate in Christiano orbe tantum invaluit, ut nemo id videre posset: omne enim religiosum malum occaecat oculos.