767.启18:9.“地上的君王，素来与她行淫一同奢华的，看见烧她的烟，就必为她哭泣哀号”表那些通过将被歪曲和玷污的圣言真理变成教会神圣事物而拥有更大统治权及其快乐的人，当发现这些事物沦为亵渎之物时所遭受的更内在的悲伤。本节和下一节论述了“地上君王”的悲哀，他们表示那些教阶中级别最高者，也就是所谓的权贵和大主教；11-16节论述了“地上客商”的悲哀，他们表示教阶中级别低者，就是所谓的修道士；17-19节论述了“船主和水手”的悲哀，他们表示那些捐献的人，也就是所谓的平信徒。此处论述的是“地上的君王”，他们表示教阶中级别最高者。“君王”不是指君王，而是指那些处于源自良善的真理之人，在反面意义上是指那些陷入源自邪恶的虚假之人（参看483，704，720，737，740节）。故此处“与淫妇行淫并一同奢华”的“地上的君王”表示那些通过被歪曲和玷污的圣言真理，尤其通过他们所歪曲和玷污的真理，就是主对保罗所说的话而享有统治权及其快乐的人；对此，接下来会解释。“行淫”表示歪曲和玷污圣言的真理（134，632，635节）；“一同奢华”表示享受统治的快乐，同时享受财富的快乐（759节）。他们的“哭泣哀号”表示他们更为内在的悲伤。经上之所以说“哭泣哀号”，是因为“哭泣”是出于统治被推翻的悲伤，“哀号”是出于对丧失财富的悲伤。由于这些人的悲伤比那些“地上的客商”更内在，故经上论及表示教阶中级别高者的“地上的君王”说，他们“哭泣哀号”，而论及表示教阶中级别低者的“地上的客商”则说他们“哭泣悲哀”。“看见烧她的烟”表示当他们发现其宗教的虚假，也就是对圣言真理的歪曲和玷污，沦为亵渎之物时。“烟”表示这些虚假（422，452节），“烧”表示亵渎之物（766节）。从这些事，以及前面所解释的那些事（766节）明显可知，“地上的君王，素来与她行淫一同奢华的，看见烧她的烟，就必为她哭泣哀号”表示那些利用被歪曲和玷污的圣言真理而拥有更大统治权及其快乐的人，当发现这些事物沦为亵渎之物时所遭受的更内在的悲伤。
767. 18:9 "And the kings of the earth who committed whoredom with her and delighted in her will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning." This symbolizes the inner feelings of anguish in those Roman Catholics who had been in a higher degree of dominion and its delights through their falsifications and adulterations of the Word's truths, which they made sacred tenets of the church, when they see them turned into profane ones.
The subject in this and the following verse is the mourning of the kings of the earth, by whom the highest in rank are meant, those called prelates and primates. In verses 11 to 16 the subject is the mourning of the merchants of the earth, by whom those lower in rank are meant, those called monks. And in verses 17 to 19 the subject is the mourning of shipmasters and sailors, by whom those who provide their revenues are meant, those called the laity.
But here now the subject is the kings of the earth, by whom the highest Roman Catholics in rank are symbolically meant. To be shown that kings do not mean kings, but people governed by truths springing from goodness, and in an opposite sense, people governed by falsities springing from evil, see nos. 483, 704, 720, 737, 740 above. Consequently here the kings of the earth who committed whoredom with Babylon and delighted in her symbolize people who enjoyed her dominion and its delights by falsifying and adulterating the Word's truths, especially by falsifying and adulterating the truth which the Lord spoke to Peter, regarding which we will say something below.
That to commit whoredom means, symbolically, to falsify and adulterate the Word's truths may be seen in nos. 134, 632, 635. That to take delight means, symbolically, to enjoy the delights of dominion and at the same time wealth, in no. 759. The king's weeping and lamenting symbolizes their inner feelings of anguish. They are said to weep and lament because weeping is an expression of their anguish over being cast down from their dominion, and lamenting is an expression of their anguish over losing their wealth. Moreover, because their feelings of anguish are deeper than those of the merchants of the earth, therefore the kings of the earth, by whom those higher in rank are meant, are said to weep and lament, while the merchants of the earth, by whom those lower in rank are meant, are said to weep and mourn. When they see the smoke of her burning means, symbolically, when they see the falsities of their religion - their falsifications and adulterations of the Word's truths - turned into profane ones. The smoke symbolizes those falsities (nos. 422, 452), and burning symbolizes profanation (no. 766).
From this and what we explained in no. 766 above, it is apparent that "the kings of the earth who committed whoredom with her and delighted in her will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning" symbolizes the inner feelings of anguish in those Roman Catholics who had been in a higher degree of dominion and its delights through their falsifications and adulterations of the Word's truths, when they see them turned into profane ones.
767. [verse 9] 'And they shall weep for her, and wail over her, the kings of the land who have committed whoredom and lived luxuriously, when they see the smoke of her burning' signifies the interior griefs of those who have been in higher dominion and its delights by means of the falsified and adulterated truths of the Word which they have made the holy things of the Church, when they see them turned into profane things. In this and the following verse it treats of the mourning of 'the kings of the hand' by whom are understood the highest in rank who are called great men and primates. From verses 11-16 it treats of the mourning of 'the merchants of the land' by whom are understood those lower in rank who are called monks. And from verses 17-19 it treats of the mourning of 'shipmasters and sailors' by whom are understood those who make contributions who are called the laity. Here now [it treats] of 'the kings of the land' by whom are signified the highest in rank. That by 'kings' are not understood kings, but those who are in truths derived from good, and in the opposite sense, in untruths derived from evil, may be seen above (483, 704, 737, 740, 720). Here, therefore, by 'the kings of the land who have committed whoredom and lived luxuriously with the harlot' are signified those who are in dominion and its delight by means of the falsified and adulterated truths of the Word, especially by means of that truth falsified and adulterated by them which the Lord told Peter, concerning which something follows. That 'to commit whoredom' signifies to falsify and adulterate the truths of the Word may be seen (134, 632, 635); and that 'to live luxuriously' signifies to enjoy the delights of dominion and at the same time of opulence (759). By [the statement] that 'they shall weep and wail' their interior griefs are signified. 'To weep and wail' is said because 'to weep' is said of grief over the casting down from dominion, and 'to wail' is said of grief over the deprivation of opulence. And because the griefs of these are more interior than those of 'the merchants of the land,' it is therefore said of 'the kings of the land' by whom are understood those higher in rank that they would 'weep and wail,' and of 'the merchants of the land' by whom are understood those lower in rank it is said that they would 'weep and mourn.' By 'to see the smoke of her burning' is signified that they are seeing the untruths of their form of religion, which are falsified and adulterated truths of the Word, turned into profane things. By 'the smoke' those untruths are signified (422, 452), and by the 'burning' is signified what is profane (766). From these things, and those that have been expounded above (766), it is plain that by 'they shall weep for her and wail over her, the kings of the land who have committed whoredom and lived luxuriously with her, when they see the smoke of her burning' are signified the interior griefs of those who have been in higher dominion and its delights by means of falsified and adulterated truths of the Word, when they see them turned into profane things.
767. Verse 9 (Revelation 18:9). And the kings of the earth shall weep for her and wail over her, who have committed whoredom and lived luxuriously with her, when they see the smoke of her burning, signifies the more interior griefs of those who have been in higher dominion and its delights by means of the falsified and adulterated truths of the Word, which they made the holy things of the church, when they see them turned into profane things. In this and the following verse the mourning "of the kings of the earth" is treated of, by whom the highest in the order are meant, who are called magnates and primates; from verses 11-16, the mourning of "the merchants of the earth" is treated of, by whom are meant the lower ones in the order, who are called monks; and from verses 17-19, the mourning of "the shipmasters and sailors" is treated of, by whom those are meant that contribute, who are called the laity. Here "the kings of the earth" are now treated of, by whom the highest in the order are signified. That by "kings" are not meant kings, but those who are in truths from good, and in the opposite sense, in falsities from evil, may be seen above, (483, 704, 720, 737, 740). Here, therefore, by "the kings of the earth" who committed whoredom and lived luxuriously with the harlot, are signified those who are in dominion and its delights through the truths of the Word falsified and adulterated, especially through that truth falsified and adulterated by them, which the Lord said to Peter; respecting which something follows. That "to commit whoredom" signifies to falsify and adulterate the truths of the Word, may be seen, (134, 632, 635); and that to live luxuriously signifies to enjoy the delights of dominion and at the same time of opulence, (759). By their "weeping and wailing," their interior griefs are signified. It is said "to weep and wail over" because to weep over is from grief at being cast down from dominion, and to wail over is from grief at the deprivation of opulence. And because the griefs of these are more interior than those of the "merchants of the earth," it is therefore said of "the kings of the earth," by whom are meant the higher ones in the order, that "they weep and wail over," and of "the merchants of the earth," by whom the lower ones of the order are meant, it is said that "they wept and mourned." By "seeing the smoke of her burning" is signified when they see the falsities of their religious persuasion, which are the falsified and adulterated truths of the Word, turned into profane things. By "smoke" those falsities are signified, (422, 452); and by "burning" is signified what is profane, (766). From these things, and from those which are explained above, (766), it is manifest that by "the kings of the earth, who have committed whoredom and lived luxuriously with her, shall weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning," are signified the more interior griefs of those who were in higher dominion and its delights through the truths of the Word falsified and adulterated, when they see them turned into what is profane.
767. (Vers. 9.) "Et deflebunt illam, et plangent super illa reges terrae, qui cum illa scortati sunt et deliciati, quando viderint fumum combustionis ejus," significat interiores dolores illorum qui in superiori dominio et ejus jucundis fuerunt per falsificata et adulterata vera Verbi, quae fecerunt sancta Ecclesiae, cum vident ea versa in prophana. -In hoc et in sequente versu agitur de luctu "regum terrae," per quos intelliguntur supremi in ordine, qui magnates et primates vocantur; a vers. 11 ad 16 agitur de luctu "mercatorum terrae," per quos intelliguntur inferiores in ordine, qui vocantur monachi; et a versu 17 ad 19 agitur de luctu "nauclerorum et nautarum," per quos intelliguntur qui apportant, qui vocantur laici. Hic nunc de "regibus terrae," per quos significantur supremi in ordine. Quod per "reges" non intelligantur reges, sed qui in veris ex bono sunt, et in opposito sensu in falsis ex malo, videatur supra (483, 704, 720, 737, 740); hic itaque per "reges terrae qui cum Meretrice scortati sunt et deliciati significantur qui in dominio sunt et ejus jucundis per falsificata et adulterata vera Verbi, imprimis per id verum ab illis falsificatum et adulteratum, quod Dominus dixit ad Petrum, de quo aliquid sequitur; quod "scortari" significet falsificare et adulterare vera Verbi, videatur 134, 632, 635; et quod "deliciari" significet frui jucundis dominii et simul opulentiae, 759; per quod "illi deflebunt et plangent" significantur interiores illorum dolores; "deflere" et "plangere" dicitur, quia deflere est doloris super dejectione e dominio, et plangere est doloris super deprivatione opulentiae: et quia horum dolores sunt interiores quam "mercatorum terrae," ideo de "regibus terrae," per quos intelliguntur superiores in ordine, dicitur quod "deflerent" et "plangerent;" et de "mercatoribus terrae," per quos intelliguntur inferiores in ordine, dicitur quod "flerent" et "lugerent." Per "videre fumum combustionis" significatur dum vident falsa Religiosi sui, quae sunt falsificata et adulterata vera Verbi, versa in prophana; per "fumum" significantur falsa illa (422, 452), et per "combustionem" significatur prophanum (766). Ex his et ex illis quae supra (766) explicata sunt, patet, quod per "deflebunt illam et plangent super illa reges terrae, qui cum illa scortati sunt et deliciati, quando viderint fumum combustionis ejus," significentur interiores dolores illorum qui in superiori dominio et ejus jucundis fuerunt per falsificata et adulterata vera Verbi, cum vident ea versa in prophana.