1097. Saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great.- That this signifies that the Last Judgment was accomplished upon those who had profaned the holy things of heaven and of the church, by the dominion which they claimed to themselves over them, is evident from the signification of, "fallen, fallen," as denoting complete ruin and destruction, thus the Last Judgment, for by the Last Judgment complete ruin and destruction are effected, because they are then cast into hell; and from the signification of Babylon, as denoting those who have profaned the holy things of heaven and of the church by dominion assumed over them. For Babylon has a meaning similar to that of the harlot sitting on the scarlet beast, and to that of the mother of whoredoms and of the abominations of the earth, in the preceding chapter, by whom are meant those who have profaned the holy things of the church; of these and their profanations we have treated in that chapter.
[2] Continuation concerning the Athanasian Creed.- Thought concerning one God opens heaven to man, because there is only one God; but, thought concerning several Gods closes heaven, since the idea of several Gods destroys the idea of one God. Thought concerning the true God opens heaven, for heaven, together with all that belongs to it, is from the true God; but thought concerning a false God closes heaven, for no other God is acknowledged in heaven but the true God. Thought concerning God, the Creator, Redeemer, and Enlightener, opens heaven, for this trinity belongs to the one true God; also, thought concerning God the infinite, eternal, uncreate, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient, opens heaven, for these are attributes that pertain to the essence of the one, true God; but, thought concerning a living man as a God, a dead man as a God, or an idol as a God, closes heaven, because these are not omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, uncreate, eternal, and infinite, neither did creation and redemption proceed from them, nor are they the source of enlightenment.
[3] Only thought concerning God as a man, in whom is a Divine Trinity, which is called Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, opens heaven; but, thought concerning God as not being a man, which is presented to appearance like a little cloud, or like nature in her minutest parts, closes heaven. For God is a man, just as the whole angelic heaven in its entirety is a man, and every angel and every spirit is consequently a man. Therefore, only thought concerning the Lord, that he is the God of the universe, opens heaven; for the Lord says, "The Father hath given all things into the hand" of the Son (John iii. 35). The Father hath given to the Son "power over all flesh" (John xvii. 2). "All things have been delivered to me by the Father" (Matt. xi. 27). "All power is given unto me in heaven and on earth" (Matt. xxviii. 18).
[4] From these things it is evident, that a man who does not possess such an idea of God as exists in heaven, cannot be saved. The idea of God in heaven is the Lord; for the angels of heaven are in the Lord, and the Lord is in them, and therefore, it is impossible for them to think of any other God than the Lord (see John xiv. 20, 21). Permit me to add, that the idea of God as a man, has been implanted from heaven in every nation throughout the whole world, but - and this I lament - it has been destroyed in Christendom; the reasons for this will be stated below.
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