729. Verse 5. And upon her forehead was a name* written, Mystery, Babylon the great, mother of whoredoms and abominations of the earth, signifies the Roman Catholic religious persuasion as to the quality of its interiors, which were hidden, that from its origin from the love of dominating from self-love, over the holy things of the church and over heaven, thus over all things relating to the Lord and His Word, it defiled and profaned the things which relate to the Word, and thence to the church. By "written upon her forehead" is signified to be implanted in the love, for "the forehead" signifies the love (n. 347, 605). By "mystery" is signified what is concealed interiorly. By "Babylon the great" is signified the Roman Catholic religious persuasion and all its quality, as above (n. 717). By "whoredoms" are signified the adulterations of the good and truth of the Word (n. 719-721); and also their defilements, as above (n. 728). By "abominations" are signified the profanations of the holy things of the church, as also just above (n. 728). By "the earth" is signified the church (n. 285). Thence by "mother of whoredoms and abominations of the earth" is signified their origin. Now because these words were written on her forehead, and by "written on the forehead" is signified to be implanted in the love, and their love is the love of dominating from the love of self, over all things of the church and over heaven, thus over all things of the Lord and His Word, therefore this is signified. [2] From these things it may be seen, that by "written upon her forehead, Mystery, Babylon the great, mother of whoredoms and abominations of the earth," is signified the Roman Catholic religious persuasion as to its interior hidden quality, that from its origin from the love of dominating from self-love over the holy things of the church, and over heaven, and thus over all things of the Lord and His Word, it has defiled and profaned those things which are of the Word, and thence of the church. That it is the love of dominating over all things of the church, is known from the authority claimed over the souls of men and over all things relating to their worship. That it is over heaven is known from the authority they assume of loosing and binding, and thus of opening and shutting. That it is over all things of the Lord is known from the vicarship, by which they attribute to themselves all that is His. That it is over all things of the Word is also known from their reserving to themselves alone the right of interpretation. It is called the love of dominating from the love of self, because there is also a love of dominion from the love of uses, which two loves are diametrically opposite to one another, for the love of dominating from the love of self is diabolical, for it regards itself only, and the world for the sake of self; but the love of dominion from the love of uses is celestial, for it regards the Lord, from whom all things which proceed are uses, and uses to him consist in doing good to the church for the sake of the salvation of souls; wherefore this love abominates the love of dominating from the love of self. * The original Latin omits "name."