786. 启18:17，18.“凡船主，和坐船的，并众水手，连所有靠海为业的”表那些所谓的平信徒，无论尊严大小，甚至依附于天主教，热爱并亲吻它，或发自内心承认并崇敬它的普通百姓。9-16节论述了神职人员，他们通过该宗教而处于统治地位，并行使主的神性权威，用来谋取世上的利益。现在论述的是那些未处于神职行列，但仍热爱并亲吻该宗教，发自内心承认并崇敬它的所谓平信徒。“凡船主”表示他们当中的最高者，就是帝王、君主、公爵和王侯。“坐船的”表示那些在大小不同程度上行使各样功能的人。“众水手”表示地位最低者，就是所谓的普通老百姓。“所有靠海为业的”表示总体上所有依附于该宗教，热爱并亲吻该它，或发自内心承认并崇敬它的人。
此处所指的就是所有这些人，这一点从灵义上的一系列事物，以及“船主”、“坐船”、“水手”和“靠海为业”的含义明显可知。“船主”（pilots of ships或“掌舵的”）、“坐船”和“众水手”无非表示那些为前面被称为“货物”的事物做出贡献的人，就是他们收集入库的那些事物，以及产业；而作为回报，这些人会得到祝福和宣福，如功德，以及他们为自己的灵魂所渴求的其它事物。当表示这些人时，显而易见，“凡船主”是指他们当中的最高者；“坐船的”是指在职位上隶属于他们的所有人；“众水手”是指最低者。“船”表示属灵的货物，也就是对良善和真理的认知（参看406节）。此处货物是属世的，他们照自己的想象，当作属灵之物取回来。“所有靠海为业的”是指凡热爱并亲吻该宗教，或发自内心承认并崇敬它的所有人，无论他们是谁。这是因为“海”表示该宗教；事实上，“海”表示教会的外在（参看238，290，403-405，470，565b，659，661节）；这个宗教纯粹是外在的。在以赛亚书，这一切也表示类似事物：
耶和华你们的救赎主，以色列的圣者如此说，因你们的缘故，我已经打发人到巴比伦去，放倒她所有的栅栏，他们都在船上呼喊。耶和华如此说，我在沧海中开道，在大水中开路。（以赛亚书43:14，16）
和此处“（他们）都远远地站着，（从船上）喊着说”一样，这段经文所说到“船上呼喊”。同样，在以西结书：
你掌舵的呼号之声一发，郊野都必震动。凡汤桨的和水手，并一切泛海掌舵的，都必下船，为你放声痛哭。（以西结书27:28-30）
但这论及推罗的毁灭，推罗表示教会对真理与良善的认知。
要知道，此处并非指其他人，而是指那些热爱并亲吻该宗教，发自内心承认并崇敬它的人。但那些同样属天主教，的确承认它，因为他们就在该宗教出生并长大，但对这些人为篡夺神性敬拜，拥有世上所有人的财产所行的伎俩和所设的网罗并不知情，仍出于诚心行善，并注目于主的人，死后则在幸福者之列；因为他们在那里会得到教导，接受真理，拒绝崇拜教皇，祈求圣徒，承认主是天地之神，并被接升天堂，成为天使。因此，灵界中也有他们的许多天堂社群，管理这些社群的，是在世时以这种方式生活的受尊敬者。我得以看到，一些社群的管理者曾是世间的帝王、君主、公爵和王侯；他们甚至承认教皇为教会的最高管理者，但不承认教皇是主的代理人；他们同样承认教皇诏书里的一些内容，但却视圣言为神圣，并且在管理中行事公正。关于这些人，相关信息可参看《最后的审判（续）》（58-60节）中所记载的见闻。
786. "Every helmsman, everyone traveling by ship, and sailors, as many as work at sea." This symbolizes those Roman Catholics called laymen, both those established in a greater position of eminence and those in a lesser one, down to the common people, who are devoted to that religion and love it and kiss it or acknowledge and venerate it at heart.
From verse 9 to verse 16 the subject has been Roman Catholic clerics who by virtue of that religion have been in positions of dominion and have exercised the Lord's Divine authority, and who by it have gained the world. Now the subject is Roman Catholics who have not been engaged in any ministerial order, but who still love and kiss that religion, or acknowledge and venerate it at heart, and are called laymen. Every helmsman means the highest placed of these - emperors, kings, dukes and princes. Everyone traveling by ship means people engaged in various functions in a greater or lesser degree. Sailors mean the lowest class, called the masses. As many as work at sea means all people in general who are devoted to the Roman Catholic religion and love and kiss it or acknowledge and venerate it at heart.
[2] That all of these are meant here is apparent from the sequence of subjects in the spiritual sense, and from the symbolic meaning of being on ships and of travelers on ships and sailors, and from the symbolic meaning of workers at sea. The helmsmen of ships, travelers on them and sailors can only mean people who bring in the valuables that above are called merchandise, which are the valuables the clergy gather into their treasuries and have as possessions, and in exchange for which the people take away blessings and beatifications as merits, and other like things that they desire for their souls. When these are understood to be meant, it is apparent that every helmsman means the highest placed of them, that everyone traveling by ship means all those in subordinate positions, and that sailors mean the lowest class.
That ships symbolize spiritual merchandise, which are concepts of goodness and truth, may be seen in no. 406 above. Here the merchandise is natural merchandise, for which laymen take away merchandise that they think is spiritual. As many as work at sea means all Roman Catholics whatever who love and kiss that religion, or acknowledge and venerate it at heart, because the sea symbolizes that religion; for the sea symbolizes the outward form of a church, as may be seen in nos. 238, 290, 403, 404, 420, 470, 565[r], 659, 661 above, and the Roman Catholic religion is a religion in outward form only.
Similar symbolical meanings are contained in these verses in Isaiah:
Thus said Jehovah, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "For your sake I will send to Babylon and break down all the bars... of those whose cry is in the ships...." Thus said Jehovah, who made a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters. (Isaiah 43:14, 16)
It says, "whose cry is in the ships," as it does also here, saying that they stood at a distance and cried out from the ships. 1
Moreover, in Ezekiel as well:
At the sound of the cry of your ship captains the countryside will shake, and all who handle the oar, all the mariners and captains of the sea, will come down from your ships... and... because of you... will cry bitterly... (Ezekiel 27:28-30)
But this has to do with the devastation of Tyre, which symbolizes the church in respect to its concepts of truth and goodness.
[3] People should know, however, that the only Roman Catholics meant here are those who love and kiss that religion, or acknowledge and venerate it at heart. But people of that same religion, who acknowledge it indeed, having been born and raised in it, yet know nothing of the schemes and snares the hierarchy use to arrogate the worship of God to themselves and to possess all the goods of everyone in the world, and are people who do good from an honest heart and moreover turn their eyes to the Lord - these come to be among the blessed after death; for once instructed there, they accept truths and reject adoration of the pope and the invocation of saints, and they acknowledge the Lord as God of heaven and earth, are raised up into heaven, and become angels.
Consequently there are also many heavenly societies of such people in the spiritual world, and set over them are persons of honor who have lived in the same manner.
I have been given to see that some of those set over these societies have even been emperors, kings, dukes and princes, who acknowledged the pope indeed as the highest governor of the church, but not as the Lord's vicar, and who also acknowledged some of the papal bulls, and yet held the Word holy and acted justly in their administrations.
For more on these Roman Catholics, see A Continuation Concerning the Last Judgment and the Spiritual World 58-60, reported from personal experience.
Footnotes:
1. Verses 17, 18.
786. [verse 17] 'And every steersman and everyone voyaging upon ships, and sailors and as many as work at sea' signifies those who are called the laity, both those who have been placed in greater and those in lesser dignity even to the common people, who have been attached to that form of religion, and love and embrace it or acknowledge and venerate it at heart. From verse 9 to verse 16 [this chapter] has treated of the clergy who have been in the dominion resulting from that form of religion, and have made use of the Lord's Divine authority and by that means gained the world. It now treats of those who are not in any order of the ministry but yet love and embrace that form of religion or acknowledge and venerate it at heart, who are known as the laity. By 'every steersman' are understood the highest of them who are emperors, kings, dukes and princes. By 'everyone voyaging upon ships' are understood those who are in the various functions of greater or lesser degree. By 'sailors' are understood the lowest who are called the common people. By 'as many as work at sea' are understood all in general who have been attached to that form of religion and love and embrace it or acknowledge and venerate it at heart.
[2] That here all these (hi et illi) are understood is plain from the series of the things in the spiritual sense; also from the signification of 'steersmen' 1and of 'voyaging upon ships' and of 'sailors,' and from the signification of 'those working at sea.' By 'steersmen of ships,' also 'those voyaging upon them' and 'sailors,' no others can be understood but those who bring the things that above are called merchandise, which are the things that they gather together into their treasuries, also properties (possessiones), and who take back benedictions and blessings in return for them as things merited, and other similar things which they desired for their souls. And when these are understood it is plain that by 'every steersman' the highest of them is understood, by 'everyone voyaging upon ships' all in offices subordinate to those, and by 'sailors' the lowest. That by 'ships' are signified the cognitions of good and truth that are spiritual merchandise may be seen above (406). Here the merchandise is natural, and they get spiritual things in return as they think. By 'as many as work at sea' are signified all, whoever they may be, who love and embrace that form of religion or acknowledge and venerate it at heart. This is because by 'the sea' that form of religion is signified, for by 'the sea' is signified the external of the Church, as may be seen above (238, 290, 403-405, 470, 565, 659, 661), and that form of religion is purely external. Similar things are signified by these words in Isaiah:
Thus has said Jehovah your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, For your sake have I sent to Babel, and I will cast down all the bars, of which there is a cry in the ships. Thus has said Jehovah, I Who have given a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters. Isaiah 43:14, 16.
It is said 'a cry in the ships,' as also here that 'they stood afar off and cried' out of the ships. And also in Ezekiel:
At the voice of the cry of thy skippers the suburbs shall quake, and all handling an oar shall come down from their ships, all the sailors and skippers of the sea, and they shall cry out bitterly over thee. Ezekiel 27:28-30.
But all these things [are said] concerning the devastation of Tyre, by which is signified the Church as to cognitions of truth and good.
[3] It must, however, be known that no others are understood here but those who love and embrace that form of religion or acknowledge and venerate it at heart. But those of the same form of religion, who indeed acknowledge it because of being born and brought up in it, and do not know anything of their sly tricks and snares for arrogating Divine worship to themselves and for getting possession of all the property of all in the world, and still do good things out of a sincere heart, and also have turned their eyes to the Lord, these after death come among the blessed. For when instructed there they receive truths (veritas), rejecting the adoration of the pope and the invocation of saints; and they acknowledge the Lord as the God of heaven and earth, are taken up into heaven, and become angels. Therefore there are also many heavenly societies of them in the spiritual world over which are set honoured persons who have lived in like manner. It has been granted to see that over those societies some were set who also have been emperors, kings, dukes and princes, who indeed have acknowledged the pontiff as the highest person of the Church but not as the Lord's vicar, and have also acknowledged some things out of the papal bulls but yet held the Word to be holy and acted justly in their administration. Concerning these some things may be seen in the CONTINUATION CONCERNING THE LAST JUDGMENT AND CONCERNING THE SPIRITUAL WORLD (58, 60), related from experience.
Footnotes:
1. The text of the Original Edition here does not make sense, nor is it grammatically correct. We have read gubernatorum (of steersmen) instead of super navibus (upon ships); and in the next sentence versantes super illis et nautas (those voyaging upon them and sailors) instead of versantium super illis et nautarum (of those voyaging upon them and of sailors).
786. Verse 17. And every pilot, and everyone employed upon ships, and sailors, and as many as work at sea, signifies those who are called the laity, as well they who are appointed in greater dignity as those that are in less, down to the common people, who are attached to that religious persuasion, and love and kiss it, or acknowledge and venerate it in heart. From the ninth to the sixteenth verse the clergy are treated of, who have been in dominion from that religious persuasion, and have exercised the Lord's Divine authority, and by it have made gain of the world. Those are now treated of, who are not in any order of the ministry, but still love and kiss that religious persuasion, and acknowledge and venerate it in heart, who are called the laity. By "every pilot" are meant the highest of them, who are emperors, kings, dukes, and princes. By "everyone employed upon ships" those are meant who are in various functions in a higher or a lower degree. By "sailors" are meant the lowest, who are called the common people. By "as many as work at sea," are meant all in general who are attached to that religious persuasion, and love and kiss it, or acknowledge and venerate it in heart.
[2] That all these are here meant, is manifest from the series of things in the spiritual sense; and from the signification of "being upon ships," and of "being employed upon ships," and of "sailors;" and from the signification of "them that work at sea." By the "pilots of ships," and "those employed upon them," and "sailors," no others can be meant but those who contribute the things which are above called merchandise, which are those things which they collect into their treasuries, as also possessions, and who receive benedictions and beatification in return, as merits, and other similar things which they desire for their souls. And when these are meant, it is manifest that by "every pilot" the highest of them are meant; by "everyone employed upon ships," all in offices subordinate to them; and by "sailors," the lowest. That by "ships" spiritual merchandise is meant, which are the knowledges of truth and good, may be seen above, (406[1-4]); here natural merchandise; and they take back spiritual, as they think. The reason that by "as many as work at sea" are meant all, whoever they be, who love and kiss that religious persuasion, or acknowledge and venerate it in heart, is because that religious persuasion is signified by "the sea;" for by "the sea" the external of the church is signified, see above, (238, 290, 403-405, 470, 565, 659, 661); and this religious persuasion is merely external. Similar things are signified by this in Isaiah:
Thus said Jehovah your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, for your sake have I sent to Babel, and will cast down all her bars, whose cry is in the ships; thus said Jehovah, I who have given a way in the sea and a highway in the mighty waters, (43:14, 16).
"A cry in the ships" is spoken of, as here also, that "they stood afar off, and cried from the ships." And likewise in Ezekiel:
At the voice of the cry of thy captains shall the suburbs tremble, and all that hold the oar shall come down out of thy 1ships, all the sailors and captains of the sea, and shall cry bitterly over thee, (27:28-30).
But this is concerning the devastation of Tyre, by which the church as to the knowledges of truth and good is signified.
[3] But it is to be known, that no others are here meant but those who love and kiss that religious persuasion, and in heart acknowledge and venerate it. But they who are of the same religious persuasion, and acknowledge it indeed because they were born and brought up in it, and do not know anything of their devices and snares for arrogating to themselves Divine worship, and for possessing all the property of all in the world, and still do goods from a sincere heart, and likewise turn their eyes to the Lord, these come among the happy after death; for, being instructed there they receive truths, and reject the adoration of the pope, and the invocation of the saints, and acknowledge the Lord as the God of heaven and earth, and are taken up into heaven, and become angels. On which account also there are many heavenly societies of them in the spiritual world, over which are set the honorable, who have lived in the same manner. It has been given to see that some also were set over those societies, who were emperors, kings, dukes, and princes; who indeed acknowledged the pontiff as the highest official of the church, but not as the vicar of the Lord; and who acknowledged likewise some things from the papal bulls, but yet held the Word holy, and acted justly in their administration. Concerning these some things may be seen in the Continuation concerning the Last Judgment and concerning the Spiritual World, (58, 60), related from experience.
Footnotes:
1. The original Latin has "thy," the Hebrew has "their."
786. (Vers. 17.) "Et omnis gubernator, et omnis super navibus versans, et nautae, at quotquot mare operantur," significat illos qui vocantur Laici, tam qui in majore dignitate quam qui in minore constituti sunt, usque ad plebem, qui Religioso isti addicti sunt, ac illud amant et osculantur, aut corde agnoscunt et venerantur.--Actum est a versu 9 ad 16 de Clericis, qui ex Religioso illo in dominio fuerunt, et exercuerunt potestatem Divinam Domini, et per illam lucrati sunt mundum; nunc agitur de illis qui non in aliquo ordine ministerii sunt, at usque Religiosum illud amant et osculantur, aut corde agnoscunt et venerantur, qui nuncupantur Laici. Per "omnem gubernatorem" intelliguntur supremi ex illis, qui sunt Imperatores, Reges, Duces et Principes; per "omnem super navibus versantem" intelliguntur qui in variis functionibus sunt in majori et minori gradu; per "nautas" intelliguntur infimi qui vocantur plebs; per "quotquot mare operantur" intelliguntur omnes in genere qui Religioso isti addicti sunt, et illud amant et osculantur aut corde agnoscunt et venerantur. Quod hi et illi hic intelligantur, patet a serie rerum in Sensu spirituali; et ex significatione "super navibus," et "versantium super navibus" et "nautarum," et ex significatione "operantium mare." Per "gubernatores navium," et "versantium super illis," et "nautarum," non alii possunt intelligi quam qui apportant illa, quae supra vocantur merces, quae sunt quae in thesauraria sua colligunt, ut et possessiones, ac pro illis reportant benedictiones et beatificationes ut merita, et alia similia quae pro animabus suis desiderant. Et cum hi intelliguntur, patet quod per "omnem gubernatorem" intelligantur summi eorum, per "omnem versantem super navibus" omnes in officiis subordinati illis, et per "nautas" infimi. Quod per "naves" significentur merces spiritualis quae sunt cognitiones veri et boni, videatur supra (406); hic merces naturales, et reportant spirituales, ut opinantur: quod per "quotquot mare operantur" intelligantur omnes quicunque sint, qui Religiosum illud amant et osculantur, aut corde agnoscunt et venerantur, est quia per "mare" significatur Religiosum illud, per "mare" enim significatur externum Ecclesiae (238, 290, 403-405, 470, 565, 659, 661), 1et Religiosum hoc est mere externum. Similia significantur per haec apud Esajam:
"Sic dixit Jehovah Redemptor vester, Sanctus Israelis: Propter vos misi in Babelem, et dejiciam vectes omnes, quorum in Navibus clamor; sic dixit Jehovah, qui dedi in mari viam, et in aquis validis semitam," (43:14, 16);
dicitur "clamor in navibus," ut quoque hic, quod "steterint e longinquo et e navibus clamaverint:" et quoque apud Ezechielem:
"Ad vocem clamoris Nauclerorum tuorum contremiscent suburbana, et descendent e navibus suis 2omnes tenentes remum, omnes nautae et naucleri maris, et super te clamabunt amare," (27:28-30);
sed haec de devastatione Tyri, per quam significatur Ecclesia quoad cognitiones veri et boni. At sciendum est, quod non alii hic intelligantur, quam qui Religiosum illud amant et osculantur, aut corde agnoscunt et venerantur. At vero illi ex eodem Religioso, qui quidem agnoscunt illud, quia nati et educati in illud, et non sciunt aliquid de astutiis et laqueis eorum ad arrogandum sibi cultum Divinum, et ad possidendum omnia omnium in mundo, et usque bona faciunt ex sincero corde, et quoque oculos suos ad Dominum verterunt, hi post mortem inter beatos veniunt, nam instructi ibi recipiunt veritates, ac rejiciunt adorationem Papae et invocationem Sanctorum, et agnoscunt Dominum pro Deo Caeli et Terrae, elevantur in Caelum, et fiunt angeli: quare ex illis etiam sunt plures societates caelestes in mundo spirituali, quibus praeficiuntur honorati, qui similiter vixerunt. Datum est videre quod etiam quidam qui fuerunt Imperatores, Reges, Duces, et Principes, qui quidem agnoverunt Pontificem pro Supremo Ecclesiae, sed non pro Vicario Domini, et quoque agnoverunt aliqua ex Bullis Papalibus, sed tamen sanctum habuerunt Verbum, ac juste egerunt in administratione sua, [sint] praefecti 3societatibus illis. Videantur de his aliqua in Continuatione de Ultimo Judicio et de Mundo Spirituali (58, 60), ab experientia relata.
Footnotes:
1. 403-405 pro "403, 404, 420;" et 565 1/2 pro "566"
2. suis pro "tuis"
3. [sint] praefecti pro "praefectos"