3754. In the verses prior to these the subject was three states of the perversion within the Church of what is good and true, and the subject now is a fourth state, which is also the last. The first state exists when people cease to know any longer what good is or what truth is, but begin to argue with one another about these, as a result of which, falsities arise, see 3354. The second state exists when they treat good and truth with contempt and also reject them, and so when belief in the Lord breathes its last, which things take place step by step as charity ceases to exist, see 3487, 3488. The third state exists when good and truth in the Church are made desolate, see 3651, 3652. Now in this present section the fourth state is dealt with, which exists when good and truth are made profane. The fact that the present section describes that state may be seen from each detail in the internal sense, which is as follows.