783、启18:15.“这些物件的客商，借着她发了财，因怕她受的折磨，就远远地站着哭泣悲哀”表示诅咒之前的状态，以及那时那些通过天堂喜乐的各种特许和承诺来获利之人的恐惧和哀悼。“这些物件的客商”，就是上一节所论述的灵魂所贪爱的果子，并一切肥甘和华美物件的客商，表示那些通过天堂喜乐的各种特许和承诺而变得富有，也就是获利的人。这些“客商”是指在他们的圣统制中，所有利用这些事物或手段来获利的人，无论品级高低。品级较高的，就包括在内，这一点从启18:23明显看出来，在那里，经上说：“你的客商曾是地上的大人物。”品级较低的，也包括在内，这一点从启18:11(AR 771节)明显看出来。“因怕她所受的折磨，就远远地站着，哭泣悲哀”表示当他们处于远离诅咒的状态，那时仍处于对惩罚的恐惧，并处于哀悼时，如前所述(AR 769节)，那里说了同样的话。
783. 18:15 "The merchants of these things, whom she made rich, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and mourning." This symbolizes the state before damnation of those Roman Catholics who profited by various dispensations and promises of heavenly joys, and their fear and lamentation then.
The merchants of these things, namely of fruits that the soul longs for and things rich and splendid, which we considered in the verse immediately preceding this, symbolize people who by various dispensations and promises of heavenly joys have become rich, that is, who profited by them.
The merchants meant here are all those in the Roman Catholic hierarchy, both those higher in rank and those lower in rank, who have profited by these things. That they include those higher in rank is apparent from verse 23 in this chapter, where it says, "For your merchants were the great men of the earth;" and that they include those lower in rank is apparent from verse 11, as may be seen in no. 771 above.
To stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, means, symbolically, when they are as yet in a state distant from one of damnation, and still at that time in a state of fear of punishments and in a state of lamentation, as in no. 769 above, where a similar statement is made.
783. [verse 15] 'And the merchants of these things who were made rich by her shall stand afar off for fear of her torment, weeping and mourning' signifies the state before damnation, and the fear and lamentation then of those who have made gain by various dispensations and promises of heavenly joys. By 'the merchants of these things,' namely of 'the fruits of the longing of the soul' and of the 'things fat and splendid' treated of in the preceding verse, are signified those who have become rich by means of various dispensations and promises of heavenly joys, that is, have made gain. By these 'merchants' are understood all in their ecclesiastical order, both the higher and the lower ones, who have made gain by such means. That the higher ones are included is plain from verse 23 of this chapter where it is said:
Because thy merchants used to be the great ones of the land.
That the lower ones [are understood also is plain] from verse it, as may be seen above (771). By 'to stand afar off for fear of her torment, weeping and mourning' is signified while they are still in a state remote from damnation, and even then in fear of the penalties and in lamentation, as above (769) where similar things are said.
783. Verse 15. The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, shall stand afar off for fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, signifies the state before damnation, and then their fear and lamentation, who have made gain by various dispensations and promises of heavenly joys. By "the merchants of these things," namely, of the fruits of the soul's desire, and of fat and splendid things, treated of in the verse next preceding, those are signified who by various dispensations, and promises of heavenly joys, became rich, that is, who made gain. By these "merchants" all are meant, as well the higher and the lower in their ecclesiastical order, who made gain by such things. That the higher are included, is manifest from Verse 23 of this chapter, where it is said, "For thy merchants were the great ones of the earth;" that the lower ones also are included, from Verse 11; see above, (771). By "standing afar off for fear of her torment, weeping and mourning," is signified while they are still in a state remote from damnation, and still at that time in fear of punishments, and in lamentation as above, (769), where similar things are said.
783. (Vers. 15.) "Mercatores horum qui divites facti ab illa, e longinquo stabunt propter timorem cruciatus ejus, flentes et lugentes," significat statum ante damnationem, ac tunc timorem et lamentationem illorum, qui per varias dispensationes et promissiones gaudiorum caelestium, lucrati sunt.--Per "mercatores horum," nempe fructuum desiderii animae, ac pinguium et splendidorum, de quibus in mox praecedente versu, significantur illi qui per varias dispensationes, et promissiones gaudiorum caelestium, divites facti sunt, hoc est, lucrati: per hos "mercatores" intelliguntur omnes tam superiores quam inferiores in ordine Ecclesiastico illorum, qui per talia lucrati sunt. Quod etiam superiores, patet a versu 23, hujus capitis, ubi dicitur, "Quia mercatores tui erant magnates terrae;" quod inferiores, a versu 11 1(771); per "stare e longinquo propter timorem cruciatus, flentes et lugentes" significatur dum adhuc sunt in statu remoto a damnatione, et usque in timore tunc pro poenis, et in lamentatione, ut supra (769), ubi similia dicuntur.
Footnotes:
1. 11 pro "10"