5089. Those who are dragons are able to defend whatever doctrine they wish; they waver among them all. They can be Catholics, they can be Protestants, they can be Lutherans, and they can be Quakers. In a word, it is a question what faith they profess. The reason is that they think nothing that is beyond the perceptions of their outward senses and agrees with them, where nothing is definite and everything is worldly and earthly. They do not allow themselves to be raised into heaven and draw their doctrine from there, for they all love themselves and the world. As result they are exceedingly dangerous, for they are those who are understood by the serpent whose head was trampled upon, but nonetheless injured the heel [Gen. 3:15]; and in David, he who exults the head and drinks from the brook [Ps. 110:7]; and he is the one in the prophecy about Israel, always lying in the way and biting the heel of the horse [Gen. 49:17].
5089. Such are cast down, in crowds, from heaven, where they first betake themselves. They who are dragons can defend whatever dogma they like; they oscillate amongst all. They can be Catholics, Reformed, Lutherans, Quakers; in a word, they are of unsettled faith. The reason is, because they do not think beyond sensual externals, and according to them in which there is no stability, and everything is worldly and terrestrial. They do not suffer themselves to be elevated [as to the understanding] into heaven, and thence to imbibe doctrine; for they are lovers of self and the world. They are exceedingly dangerous; for it is they who are meant by the serpent, whose head should be trampled, but which should yet wound the heel; 1and by the one in David, which lifted up its head and drank of the river; 2and in the prophecy of Israel, always lying in the way, and biting the horse's heel. 3
Footnotes:
1. Genesis 3:15.
2. The passage which seems to be meant is not in David but in Job 40:23. That passage, it is true, alludes not to the serpent, but to "behemoth;" which creature, however, has, according to Swedenborg's Genesis 49:17.
5089. Qui dracones sunt, possunt defendere quodcunque dogma volunt, fluctuant inter omnes, possunt Catholici esse, possunt Reformati, possunt Lutherani, Quakeri, verbo incertae fidei sunt; causa est, quia ultra sensualia externa nihil cogitant, et secundum illa, ubi nihil firmi est, et ubi omne mundanum et terrestre, non se elevari in coelum patiuntur, et inde haurire doctrinam, nam sunt amantes sui et mundi, sunt perquam periculosi, nam illi sunt qui intelliguntur per serpentem cujus caput conculcatum, sed tamen quod laeserit calcaneum [Genes. III: 15], et apud Davidem, qui extollit caput et e flumine bibit [Psalm. CX: 7], et ille in prophetico Israelis, semper jacens in via, et mordet calcaneum equi [Genes. XLIX: 17].