745.启17:15.“天使又对我说，你所看见那淫妇坐的众水，就是各人民、群众、各民族和各方言”表那些出于其各种教义和准则，以及各种教派和信条而属于天主教的人在教皇的统治之下，但却陷入被该宗教各种玷污和亵渎的圣言真理。约翰看见那淫妇所坐的“众水”就是本章第一节所提到的“众水”，那里说“我将坐在众水上的大淫妇所要受的审判指示你”。那里的“众水”表示被玷污和亵渎的圣言真理（719节）。本节之所以说“众水就是各人民、群众、各民族和各方言”，是因为这些表示所有那些出于其各种教义和准则，以及各种教派和信条而在教皇的统治之下的人；因为“各人民”表示那些处于教义的人（483节）；“群众”表示那些处于准则的人；“各民族”表示那些处于教派的人（483节）；“各方言”表示那些处于信条的人（282，483节）。现在之所以说到这些事，是因为前面论到那些在天主教本身的人对圣言的接受和理解（｛17:8-｛11）；后来论到尊贵的法兰西民族对圣言的接受和理解（｛17:12-｛14）；故此处论到在教皇统治之下的其他人对圣言的接受和理解。本节之后，将论及新教（｛17:16，｛17）；因而一切事都是照着适当次序来预言的。人们知道，教皇统治下的人处于各种教义、准则、教派和信条；因为这个宗教在不同国家并非以同样的方式被信奉。
745. 17:15 Then he said to me, "The waters that you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes, nations and tongues." This symbolically means that under papal dominion, but caught up in various ways in that religion's adulterated and profaned truths of the Word, are peoples of a varying doctrine and discipline, and of a varying religion and confession of it.
The waters that John saw where the harlot sits are the waters mentioned in verse 1 of this chapter, where we are told, "I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters." The waters there symbolize the Word's truths adulterated and profaned, as may be seen in no. 719 above.
This verse says that the waters are peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues, because these symbolize all those peoples of various doctrines and disciplines, and of various religions and confessions, who are under papal dominion. For peoples symbolize people concerned with doctrine (no. 483); multitudes, people concerned with discipline; nations, people concerned with religion (no. 483); and tongues, people concerned with confession (nos. 282, 483).
These are now mentioned, because we are earlier told of the reception and understanding of the Word by people in the Roman Catholic religion itself (verses 8-11); and after that of the reception and understanding of the Word by the noble French nation (verses 12-14). Here then we are told about the reception and understanding of the Word among all the rest of the people under papal dominion. This is afterward followed by verses 16 and 17 regarding Protestants. Thus in due order is everything foretold.
That there are peoples under papal dominion of various doctrines and disciplines, and of various religions and confessions, is something people know; for that religion is not revered in the same way in the different kingdoms.
745. [verse 15] 'And he says to me, The waters that thou hast seen, where the harlot is sitting, are peoples and crowds, nations and tongues' signifies that under the Papal dominion, but in the truths of the Word variously adulterated and profaned by that form of religion, there are those who belong thereto out of a diversity in doctrine and discipline, and in religion and confession. The waters' that he saw 'where the harlot is sitting' are the waters that are mentioned in verse 1 of this chapter, where it is said I will show thee the judgment of the harlot sitting upon many waters.' That there by 'the waters' are signified the truths of the Word adulterated and profaned may be seen above (719). It is said that those waters are 'peoples, crowds, nations and tongues' because by these are signified all who are under the Papal dominion out of a diversity in doctrine and discipline and religion and confession; for by 'peoples' are signified those who are in doctrine (483), by 'crowds' those who are in discipline, by 'nations' those who are in religion (483), and by 'tongues' those who are in confession (282, 483). These things are said now because what precedes is concerning the reception and understanding of the Word by those who are in the Roman Catholic form of religion itself (from verses 8-11); and afterwards concerning the reception and understanding of the Word by the noble French nation (from verses 12-14). Here, therefore, it is concerning the reception and understanding of the Word with the remainder under the Papal dominion. After this follow verses 16-17 concerning the Protestants. Thus all things have been foretold in a regular (justus) order. That under the Papal dominion there are those who are in a diversity of doctrine, discipline, religion, and confession, is known; for that form of religion is not practised in the same manner in different kingdoms.
745. Verse 15. And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples and multitudes, and nations and tongues, signifies that they are under the Papal dominion, but in the truths of the Word variously adulterated and profaned by that religious persuasion, who are of its varieties of doctrine and discipline, and of its varieties of religion and confession. "The waters" which he saw, "where the harlot sits" are the waters which are mentioned in verse 1 of this chapter; where it is said, "I will show thee the judgment of the harlot that sitteth upon many waters." That the truths of the Word adulterated and profaned are there signified by "the waters" may be seen above, (719). It is said that these waters "are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues," because by these are signified all those who are under the Papal dominion, of its varieties of doctrine and discipline and religion and confession; for by "peoples" are signified they who are in doctrine, (483); by "multitudes" those who are in discipline, by "nations" those that are in religion, (483); and by "tongues" those who are in confession, (282, 483). These things are now said, because what precedes is concerning the reception and understanding of the Word by those who are in the Roman Catholic religious persuasion itself (from verses 8-11); and afterwards concerning the reception and understanding of the Word by the noble French nation (from verses 12-14); here therefore concerning the reception and understanding of the Word with the rest who are under the Papal domination. After this it follows concerning the Protestants (verses 16-17); thus all things are foretold in a right order. It is known that there are those who under the papal domination are in various doctrine, discipline, religion, and confession; for that religious persuasion is not observed in the same manner in the various kingdoms.
745. (Vers. 15.) "Et dicit 1mihi, Aquae quas vidisti, ubi Meretrix sedet, populi et turbae sunt, et gentes et linguae," significat quod sub Dominio Papali sint, sed in veris Verbi a Religioso illo diversimode adulteratis et prophanatis, qui ex varia doctrina et disciplina, et ex varia religione et confessione ejus sunt.- "Aquae," quas vidit "ubi Meretrix sedet," sunt aquae quae in vers. 1 hujus capitis memorantur, ubi dicitur, "Ostendam tibi judicium Meretricis sedentis super aquis multis." Quod per "aquas" ibi significentur vera Verbi adulterata et prophanata, videatur supra (719). Quod dicatur quod aquae illae "sint populi, turbae, gentes et linguae," est quia per illos significantur omnes qui sub Dominio papali sunt ex varia doctrina et disciplina et religione et confessione; per "populos" enim significantur qui in doctrina sunt (483) 2, per "turbas" qui in disciplina, per "gentes" qui in religione (483), et per "linguas" qui in confessione (282, 483). Quod haec nunc dicantur, est quia praecedit de receptione et intellectu Verbi ab illis qui in ipso Religioso Catholico sunt (a vers. 8-11); et postea de receptione et intellectu Verbi a nobili Gente Gallica (a vers. 12-14); hic itaque de receptione et intellectu Verbi apud reliquos sub Dominio papali: posthaec sequitur (vers. 16 et 17) de Protestantibus; ita in justo ordine omnia praedicta sunt. Quod sub Dominio Papali sint qui in varia doctrina, disciplina, religione et confessione sunt, notum est; non enim similiter colitur Religiosum illud in variis Regnis.
Footnotes:
1. dicit pro "dixit"
2. 483 pro "383"