754.教会终结的方式各种各样，主要通过使虚假看似真理之类的事发生；当出现这种情形时，本质上的良善，即所谓的属灵之善不再存在。那时，仅仅诸如道德生活所带来的属世之善被认为是善。真理和同在的良善走到尽头的主要原因，是与两种属灵之爱截然相对的两种属世之爱，这些爱就是所谓的对己和对尘世之爱。当爱己占主导地位时，它就是爱神的对立面，当爱尘世占主导地位时，它就是爱邻的对立面。爱己就是只想自己好，而不想别人好，除非为自己的缘故；爱尘世也是一样；若发展这些爱，它们会象坏疽一样传播，遍及全身并逐步摧毁它的各个部位。这种爱侵入了教会，从巴比伦以及对它的描述显而易见（创世记11:1－9；以赛亚书14；47；耶利米书50；但以理书2:31－47；3:1－7seq.；5；6:8－28；7:1－14；启示录18全文）。巴比伦最终将自身抬升到如此地步：不但将主的神性权能转到自己身上，而且还极尽所能地占有全世界的财富。除古巴比伦外，很多教会领袖，若其权力不受限，因而被抑制，也会迸发出类似的爱，这一点可从某些并非毫无意义的征兆与迹象推断出来。那么接下来，除了这种人会视自己为神，尘世为天堂，并滥用教会的一切真理外，还能发生什么事呢？对于纯属世之人，认识并承认本为真理的真正真理是不可能的，神也不会赋予他这样的真理，因为它会颠倒，并变成虚假。除了这两种爱外，还有其它原因导致善与真和随之教会的终结；但那些原因是次要的，并从属于这两种爱。
754. 教会终结的方式各种各样, 主要通过使虚假看似真理之类的事发生; 当出现这种情形时, 本质上的良善, 即所谓的属灵之善不再存在。 那时, 仅仅诸如道德生活所带来的属世之善被认为是善。 真理和同在的良善走到尽头的主要原因, 是与两种属灵之爱截然相对的两种属世之爱, 这些爱就是所谓的对己和对尘世之爱。 当爱己占主导地位时, 它就是爱神的对立面, 当爱尘世占主导地位时, 它就是爱邻的对立面。 爱己就是只想自己好, 而不想别人好, 除非为自己的缘故; 爱尘世也是一样; 若发展这些爱, 它们会象坏疽一样传播, 遍及全身并逐步摧毁它的各个部位。 这种爱侵入了教会, 从巴比伦以及对它的描述显而易见 (创世记11:1-9;以赛亚 13; 14; 47; 耶利米 50;但以理书2:31-47; 3:1-7 seq。 ; 5; 6:8-28; 7:1-14; 启示录17, 18全文)。 巴比伦最终将自身抬升到如此地步: 不但将主的神性权能转到自己身上, 而且还极尽所能地占有全世界的财富。 除古巴比伦外, 很多教会领袖, 若其权力不受限, 因而被抑制, 也会迸发出类似的爱, 这一点可从某些并非毫无意义的征兆与迹象推断出来。 那么接下来, 除了这种人会视自己为神, 尘世为天堂, 并滥用教会的一切真理外, 还能发生什么事呢? 对于纯属世之人, 认识并承认本为真理的真正真理是不可能的, 神也不会赋予他这样的真理, 因为它会颠倒, 并变成虚假。 除了这两种爱外, 还有其它原因导致善与真和随之教会的终结; 但那些原因是次要的, 并从属于这两种爱。
754. There are various factors that cause the demise of a church. A primary factor is things that make what is false appear to be true. When what is false is taken to be true, then goodness that is truly and intrinsically good - which is called spiritual goodness - no longer exists. In that state, what we believe to be good is merely the earthly goodness that results from a moral life. The factors that cause the loss of truth, and therefore of goodness as well, are the two earthly kinds of love that are completely opposite to the two spiritual kinds of love. These two earthly kinds of love are known as love for ourselves and love of the world. When love for ourselves is dominant, it becomes the opposite of loving God. When love of the world is dominant, it becomes the opposite of loving our neighbor. Loving ourselves is wanting what is best for ourselves alone and not for anyone else unless we ourselves will benefit. Loving the world is similarly self-centered. When these types of love are deeply embedded in us they spread, like gangrene does through the body, and progressively destroy everything within us.
The biblical descriptions of Babylon make it very clear that a love like this has invaded the churches (Genesis 11:1-9; Isaiah 13; 14; 47; Jeremiah 50; Daniel 2:31-47; 3:1-7; ; ; ; and Revelation 17 and 18 from beginning to end). Babylon eventually developed such an exalted idea of itself that it not only transferred all the Lord's divine power to itself but also put tremendous effort into steering all the wealth in the world toward itself.
[2] There is also fairly substantial evidence that many of the leaders of the churches that separated from Babylon would themselves have developed loves that were similar if their power had not been restrained and curtailed. Where else does this path lead but to viewing oneself as God and the world as heaven? And yet taking this view corrupts every true teaching of the church. People who are exclusively earthly are incapable of recognizing or acknowledging truth that is actually and genuinely true; such people are incapable of being given such truth by God, because it rapidly turns into its opposite inside them and becomes false.
Besides these two kinds of love there are many other factors that bring truth and goodness to an end and cause the demise of the church, but they are only secondary and subordinate to the loves just mentioned.
754. There are various ways in which a church comes to an end. It happens principally through circumstances which cause falsity to look like truth; and when this happens, the good which is inherently good, what is called spiritual good, can no longer exist. What is then believed to be good is only natural good, the product of a moral life. The reason for truth coming to an end, and good with it, is principally the two natural loves which are diametrically opposed to the two spiritual loves; these are called self-love and love of the world. When self-love is dominant, it is the opposite of love to God; and when the love of the world is dominant, it is the opposite of love towards the neighbour. Self-love is wishing well to no one but oneself, except for selfish reasons; and likewise the love of the world. Once those loves have got a grip, they spread like mortification through the body, and stage by stage destroy every part of it. It is clear that such a love attacked past churches from the description of Babylon (Genesis 11:1-9; Isaiah 13, 14, 47; Jeremiah 50; and in Daniel 2:31-47; 3:1-7ff; and Daniel 5; 6:8-end; Daniel 7:1-14; and in Revelation 17, 18, both from beginning to end). In the end, Babylon vaunted itself so much that it not only transferred to itself the Lord's Divine power, but also did its best to attract to itself all the riches of the world.
[2] Omens and far from misleading appearances allow us to conclude that outside Babylon similar loves would have broken out from many of the leaders of churches, had not their power been checked and so limited. What else might be expected but that such a person would look upon himself as God, the world as heaven, and pervert all the church's truth? For real truth, which is inherently true, cannot be known and acknowledged by a purely natural person; nor can God impart it to him, because it turns upside down and becomes falsity. As well as those two loves there are many more causes for truth and good coming to an end, and so causing the end of churches; but these are secondary causes, subordinate to the two mentioned.
754. The church is consummated by various means, especially by such things as cause falsity to appear to be truth; and when falsity appears to be truth, good that is essentially good, such as is called spiritual good, is no longer possible. The good that is then believed to be good is merely natural good, such as is brought forth by a moral life. The chief cause of the consummation of truth and of good along with it, is the two natural loves that are diametrically opposed to the two spiritual loves, and that are called love of self and love of the world. Love of self when it is predominant is the opposite of love to God, and love of the world when it is predominant is the opposite of love to the neighbor. Love of self is a wishing well to oneself alone, and not to any other except for the sake of self; and the same is true of love of the world; and these loves when they are fostered spread like gangrene through the body, gradually destroying every part of it. That such love has invaded the churches is manifest from Babylon and the way it is described (Gen. 11:1-9; Isaiah 13:1; 14:1; 47:1; Jeremiah 50:1; Daniel 2:31-47; 3:1-7seq. (Daniel5:1; 6:8-28; 7:1-14; andRevelation 17:1; 18:1from beginning to end of both). Babylon has finally exalted itself to such a degree as not only to transfer the Lord's Divine power to itself, but also to strive with the utmost energy to grasp all the riches of the world.
That like loves would break forth from many of the leaders of the churches outside the pale of Babylon, if their power were not restricted and thus curbed, may be deduced from certain signs and appearances not altogether without meaning. What then follows but that such a man will regard himself as God and the world as heaven, and will pervert all the truth of the church? For it is impossible for the merely natural man to recognize and acknowledge real truth, which is truth in itself, nor can such truth be given him by God, because it falls into what is inverse to it and becomes falsity. Besides these two loves there are still other causes of the consummation of truth and good, and consequently of the church; but those causes are secondary and subordinate to these two.
754. The Church is consummated by various means, especially by such as cause falsity to appear like truth. When this happens, then good, which in itself is good, and which is called spiritual good, no longer exists. That which is then supposed to be good is only natural good, the product of a moral life. The consummation of truth, and with it of good, is due chiefly to the two natural loves, the love of self and the love of the world, which are diametrically opposite to the two spiritual loves; the love of self, when it rules, is the opposite of love to God, and the love of the world, when it rules, is the opposite of love towards the neighbor. The love of self consists in wishing well to one's self alone, and to no other except for the sake of self; and so with the love of the world. When these two loves are fostered, they spread like gangrene through the body and successively destroy the whole of it.
That such love has invaded Churches is clearly evident from the description given of Babylon,
Genesis 11:1-9; Isaiah 13; 14; 47; Jeremiah 50; and in Daniel 2:31-47; 3:1-7 and following verses; Daniel 5; 6; 7:1-14; and in Revelation 17; 18, from the beginning to the end of each, for Babylon has at length exalted itself to such a degree that it has not only transferred the Lord's Divine power to itself, but it also strives with the utmost zeal to grasp all the riches of the world. And it may be inferred from signs and appearances that are not without meaning, that similar loves would break out among many leaders of Churches outside Babylon, were it not for the limitations and restrictions placed upon their power. It follows, then, that a man under the influence of such dominating love would regard himself as God, and the world as heaven, and would pervert every truth of the Church. For truth, which in itself is truth, cannot be known and acknowledged by the merely natural man, nor can it be imparted to him by God, because it falls into a perverted mind and becomes falsity. Besides these two loves, there are still other causes of the consummation of truth and good, and consequently of the Church; but they are secondary and subordinate to these two.
754. Ecclesia consummatur per varia, imprimis per talia, quae faciunt ut falsum appareat ut verum, et cum illud apparet Verum, tunc Bonum quod in se bonum est, et vocatur bonum spirituale, non amplius datur; bonum, quod tunc creditur bonum, est modo bonum naturale, quod moralis vita producit. Causa, quod verum et una cum illo bonum consummentur, sunt imprimis duo Amores naturales, qui e diametro oppositi sunt binis amoribus spiritualibus, qui vocantur Amor sui et Amor mundi; amor sui dum regnans est, oppositus est amori in Deum, et amor mundi, dum regnans est, oppositus est amori erga proximum; amor sui est sibi Soli bene velle, et non alteri nisi propter se, similiter amor mundi; et illi amores, ubi inescati sunt, se dilatant sicut caro morticina per corpus, et successive consumunt omnia ejus: quod talis amor invaserit Ecclesias, manifeste constat ex Babylonia et ejus descriptione, Genesis 11:1-9; Esaias 13; 14; 47; Jeremias 50, et apud Danielem 2:31-47; 3:1-7, seq., Cap. 5; 6:8. ad fin., Cap. 7:1-14. Et in Apocalypsi 17, et 18, utrumque a principio ad finem; quae se tandem extulit in tantum, ut non modo Divinam Potestatem Domini in se transtulerit, sed etiam summo studio omnes gazas Mundi in se conferre allaboret.
[2] Quod similes amores e multis Primoribus Ecclesiarum extra Babyloniam 1 erumperent, nisi potestas illorum limitata et sic refraenata foret, ex auguriis et apparentiis non ita vanis concludi potest; quid tunc aliud, quam quod homo talis se spectet ut Deum, et Mundum ut Coelum, et quod omne verum Ecclesiae pervertat; nam ipsum verum quod in se verum est, non cognosci et agnosci potest ab homine mere naturali, nec potest dari illi a Deo, quia cadit in inversum, et fit falsum. Praeter hos binos amores sunt adhuc plures causae consummationis veri et boni, et inde consummationis Ecclesiae, sed hae causae sunt secundariae, et binis illis subordinatae.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: Babyloniam.