63. Wherefore do they contend? For the idols of their heart, for the stone-houses of the churches, and for the pride of the images [and forged opinions]. Everyone will honour his image, and set it up aloft as a high tower, that so he might have great respect in the city, Babel. And therefore they build themselves strongholds, and make great bulwarks and walls to defend and keep the image; and flatter themselves in hypocrisy, and understand and mean, by the contrived and painted image, the god Maiisim, viz. the fat belly [god], and pleasure of the beast, viz. of this whore's image. They set the image upon the tower for the show of their holiness, and therewith they are very devout in glistering appearances before God, as with a peculiar self-born god. But they immure the beast within their stone-houses, that it may be secure, and there fat itself.
64. What is now this beast with the whore? It is half devil, which has its kingdom upon the earth, and it is half beast; this evil beast has devoured man, viz. the image of God.
65. And for this cause God became man: that he might destroy, slay, and nullify the works of the devil. And we must put on this divine humanity, and destroy the devil's kingdom in us, and mortify all images; otherwise we cannot see God: the living Word must mortify the literal image.
66. The living Word is therefore become man, that the literal image might die, and the first man, which was formed out of the living Word, in God's image, might be regenerated anew in Christ's spirit, viz. in the living Word; and if now he be born, then all the image-teachers are more prejudicial than beneficial to him; for they introduce only their images into the Temple of Christ, and destroy the image of God.
67. And here let this be declared concerning the children of Nimrod, and the tower of Babel; as the spirit has so given us to know. And we do admonish the Reader, in love, to prove and examine himself: he shall find where he is. This is not written to reproach any. But thus the spirit speaks with open mouth, and shows what all things are, from whence they come, and into what end they shall go.
68. But the reason why so much is written of the beast and the whore of Babel, is because it is at its end, and shall soon be broken in pieces; therefore it must be revealed, that men may see and know it. for Babel falls not: unless that all whatsoever has made the images does likewise fall. All images [opinions and sects of religion] together with the beast and whore must fall; else there is no cure or remedy.
69. Men have for a long time been a patching and piecing of it, and have verily thought to have made a virgin of the whore. But her whoredom has thereby been only adorned, trimmed up, and made the greater. If this whore shall fall, then all sects, which are only the images of the whore, must fall down and come to naught, together with the beast upon whom she rides. Every man must break down and destroy the images and idols in himself: and where they will not do it, there the seal of the Lord does it.
70. How very finely does the whore at present perk up its head, and seeing it hears that the spirit does intimate [great and glorious things] of Zion, viz. of the adorned holy bride of Christ; then it thinks that it is the fair child which God will bring into a golden temple, wherein there shall be a brave golden time, and mere joy, pleasure and delight; and it looks about to see from whence this fair temple of God should come, into which it should enter, and become a virgin; it hearkens continually from whence these holy people should come, who, as it supposes, should make a golden world.
71. But it thinks not to leave off from its covetous voluptuous whoredom, and be converted. No! it grows worse and worse; and more unchaste and abominable, full of blasphemies; so that there is scarce any good at all in it; and it stands before God, as an arraigned condemned whore.
63. Wherefore do they contend? For the idols of their heart, for the stone-houses of the churches, and for the pride of the images [and forged opinions]. Everyone will honour his image, and set it up aloft as a high tower, that so he might have great respect in the city, Babel. And therefore they build themselves strongholds, and make great bulwarks and walls to defend and keep the image; and flatter themselves in hypocrisy, and understand and mean, by the contrived and painted image, the god Maiisim, viz. the fat belly [god], and pleasure of the beast, viz. of this whore's image. They set the image upon the tower for the show of their holiness, and therewith they are very devout in glistering appearances before God, as with a peculiar self-born god. But they immure the beast within their stone-houses, that it may be secure, and there fat itself.
64. What is now this beast with the whore? It is half devil, which has its kingdom upon the earth, and it is half beast; this evil beast has devoured man, viz. the image of God.
65. And for this cause God became man: that he might destroy, slay, and nullify the works of the devil. And we must put on this divine humanity, and destroy the devil's kingdom in us, and mortify all images; otherwise we cannot see God: the living Word must mortify the literal image.
66. The living Word is therefore become man, that the literal image might die, and the first man, which was formed out of the living Word, in God's image, might be regenerated anew in Christ's spirit, viz. in the living Word; and if now he be born, then all the image-teachers are more prejudicial than beneficial to him; for they introduce only their images into the Temple of Christ, and destroy the image of God.
67. And here let this be declared concerning the children of Nimrod, and the tower of Babel; as the spirit has so given us to know. And we do admonish the Reader, in love, to prove and examine himself: he shall find where he is. This is not written to reproach any. But thus the spirit speaks with open mouth, and shows what all things are, from whence they come, and into what end they shall go.
68. But the reason why so much is written of the beast and the whore of Babel, is because it is at its end, and shall soon be broken in pieces; therefore it must be revealed, that men may see and know it. for Babel falls not: unless that all whatsoever has made the images does likewise fall. All images [opinions and sects of religion] together with the beast and whore must fall; else there is no cure or remedy.
69. Men have for a long time been a patching and piecing of it, and have verily thought to have made a virgin of the whore. But her whoredom has thereby been only adorned, trimmed up, and made the greater. If this whore shall fall, then all sects, which are only the images of the whore, must fall down and come to naught, together with the beast upon whom she rides. Every man must break down and destroy the images and idols in himself: and where they will not do it, there the seal of the Lord does it.
70. How very finely does the whore at present perk up its head, and seeing it hears that the spirit does intimate [great and glorious things] of Zion, viz. of the adorned holy bride of Christ; then it thinks that it is the fair child which God will bring into a golden temple, wherein there shall be a brave golden time, and mere joy, pleasure and delight; and it looks about to see from whence this fair temple of God should come, into which it should enter, and become a virgin; it hearkens continually from whence these holy people should come, who, as it supposes, should make a golden world.
71. But it thinks not to leave off from its covetous voluptuous whoredom, and be converted. No! it grows worse and worse; and more unchaste and abominable, full of blasphemies; so that there is scarce any good at all in it; and it stands before God, as an arraigned condemned whore.
No commentary for this page.
There is commentary on page 1.