5422. CONTINUATION ABOUT THE DRAGON. As was said above, those were dragons who have not been in any doctrine, but only in the sense of the letter of the Word, which they have applied to whatever they wished, for the purpose of upholding their principles and their loves, and also those of others, especially the powerful and rich, and for flattering the delights of their own love and of theirs; consequently, who have in this manner committed adultery with the Word - filthy and heinous adulteries; who have been able therefore to be of any doctrine whatever, and thus to be carried hither and thither like the wind; knowing, consequently, nothing of truth, and thus being not at all in the affection of truth for the sake of truth. Such men, also, are sensual; not thinking beyond the senses; holding the interiors of the Word in hatred, and also the doctrinals of the Church in aversion. For he who does not learn truth from the doctrine of the Church, is not in any doctrine, nor can he be in the affection of truth. They were questioned, from doctrine, about some matters. They answered from some passages of the Word, thus from whatever doctrine they chose; and, when it was inquired how the Word in that place ought to be understood, and also in other parts where dissimilar statements occur, they would not listen, much less answer. Several times they propounded something heretical and false, from that diabolical crew; and secured their favor at first, by honoring them; then, immediately, they found passages from the Word for confirming them, and thus for confirming evils and falses: as, for instance, that there is fury with God; that there is anger and passion; that all evil is from Him; that He might save and is not willing, and that when He might be merciful He is hard; that (from the instance of David) robbery and murder [may be committed] providing only the civil law does not stand in the way; that the torments of hell are from Him, and, thus, that He is merciless; [that He] promises and does not perform, as [with] the sons of Jacob out of Egypt; that He repents Himself like a man; that the Lord [Jesus Christ] is only like a common man. Thus they waver and wander amongst all heresies. They can be Jews, Socinians, papists. Since they are such, heaven cannot be allotted them, because not anything of truth, and consequently not anything of wisdom.