789.“凡有船在海中的，都因她的奢侈成了富足。它们一时之间就变为荒凉”表因此缘故，凡愿意购买的人都通过天主教的神圣事物而获赦免，因为世俗和短暂的财富换来属灵和永恒的财富；而现在却没有人买了。“因她的奢侈成了富足”表示通过天主教的神圣事物安抚神，或以为用世俗和短暂的货物或财富，他们会换来属灵和永恒的货物或财富；也就是说，用金、银、宝石、珍珠、紫色料和（｛18:12，｛13）所列举的其它事物，他们会换来死后的祝福和幸福。“奢侈”表示这些事物，他们声称他们通过那城因“奢侈”而成了富足。众所周知，他们也这样说的。“它们一时之间就变为荒凉”表示由于该宗教的毁灭，今后没有人会买他们的神圣事物。从这些事明显可知，这些话表示上述事物。奢侈之物表示教会的神圣事物，这一点从以下经文明显看出来：
愿约瑟的地蒙耶和华赐福，得天上的宝物，得太阳所产的宝物，月亮所养成的宝物，永世之岭的宝物，得地的宝物。（申命记 33:13-16）
以法莲是我的宝贵儿子吗？是可喜悦的孩子吗？（耶利米书31:20）
“以法莲”表示对圣言的理解。
锡安的众子比精金还宝贵。（耶利米哀歌4:2）
“锡安的众子”是指教会的真理。此外还有其它地方（如以赛亚书13:12；43:4；诗篇36:7；45:9；49:8；72:14 ；116:15）。正因如此，凡有船在海中的都通过那城因她的奢侈而成了富足。
789. "'In which all who had ships on the sea were made rich by her wealth!' because in one hour they were destroyed." This symbolically means, because by the sanctities of the Roman Catholic religion they all gained absolution, as many as were willing to purchase it, and instead of worldly and temporal riches they received spiritual and eternal ones, and now no one did.
To be made rich by her wealth means, symbolically, to gain absolution before God by the sanctities of the Roman Catholic religion, or to believe that in exchange for their temporal and temporary merchandise or riches, they receive spiritual and eternal merchandise or riches; or in other words, that in exchange for gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, purple, and all the other valuables enumerated in verses 12 and 13, they gain blessings and felicities after death. These are what are meant by the wealth of that city by which they say they were made rich. This is also the way they speak, as people know. Because in one hour they were destroyed, means symbolically that because of the destruction of that religion, no one could buy their sanctities after that. It is apparent from this that these words have the symbolical meaning stated above.
That the sanctities of the church are meant by things of value is apparent from the following passages:
Blessed of Jehovah is (Joseph's) land, with the precious things of heaven..., with the precious fruits of the sun, with the precious produce of the months..., with the precious things of the ancient hills, with the precious things of the earth... (Deuteronomy 33:13-16)
...Ephraim a precious son to Me, a delightful son... (Jeremiah 31:20)
An understanding of the Word is meant by Ephraim.
The precious sons of Zion were valued more than fine gold... (Lamentations 4:2)
The sons of Zion are the church's truths. And so on elsewhere, as in Isaiah 13:12; 43:4; Psalms 36:7; 45:9; 49:8; 116:15.
That, now, is why we are told that all those of that city who had ships on the sea were made rich by her wealth.
789. 'In which all having ships in the sea have been made rich by reason of her preciousness, for in one hour they have been devastated' signifies on this account, that by means of the holy things of that form of religion all, as many as were willing to buy, have been pardoned (propitiati sint), and for worldly and temporal riches have received spiritual and eternal riches, and that now no one [can buy them]. By 'to be made rich by reason of her preciousness' is signified by means of the holy things of that form of religion to be pardoned by God, or to believe that for temporal and temporary merchandise or riches they are receiving spiritual and eternal merchandise or riches, that is, that for gold, silver, precious stone, pearls, purple and the rest that are enumerated (verses 12-13) they are acquiring blessings and felicities after death. These things are understood by the 'preciousness' with which they declare themselves to be enriched out of that city. That they speak in this manner is known. By the statement that 'in one hour they have been devastated' is signified that on account of the destruction of that form of religion no one hereafter can buy their holy things. From these things it is plain that by these words the things that have been set forth above are signified. That the holy things of the Church are signified by 'precious things' is plain from these passages:
Blessed by Jehovah is the hand of Joseph, in respect of the precious things of heaven, of the precious things of the products of the sun, of the precious things of the products of the months, of the precious things of the hills of eternity and of the precious things of the land. Deuteronomy 33:13-15.
Ephraim is a precious son to Me, a child of delights. Jeremiah 31:20; [H.B. 19].
By 'Ephraim' is meant the understanding of the Word.
The precious sons of Zion were esteemed above pure gold, Lamentations 4:2.
'The sons of Zion' are the truths of the Church. Besides elsewhere, as Isaiah 13:12; 43:4; Psalms 36:7; [H.B. 8]; 45:9 [H.B. 10]; 49:8 [H.B. 9]; 116:15. This is why it is now said that out of that city 'all having ships in the sea have been made rich' in respect of' her preciousness
789. In which all that had ships in the sea were made rich from her costliness, for in one hour they were devastated, signifies on this account, that by the holy things of that religious persuasion, all, as many as were willing to buy, were absolved, and for worldly and temporal riches received spiritual and eternal riches, and that now not any. By "being made rich from her costliness" is signified to appease God by the holy things of that religious persuasion, or to believe that for temporal and temporary merchandise or riches they would receive spiritual and eternal merchandise or riches; that is, that for gold, silver, precious stone, pearls, purple, and the other things which are enumerated (verses 12-13), they would receive blessings and felicities after death. These things are meant by the costliness, with which they say that they were made rich by that city. That they also speak thus is known. By "they were devastated in one hour" is signified that on account of the destruction of that religious persuasion, no one can hereafter buy their holy things. From these things it is manifest, that by these words are signified the things which were quoted above. That the holy things of the church are signified by things costly, is manifest from these passages:
Blessed of Jehovah is the land of Joseph, for the precious things of heaven, for the precious things of the products of the sun, and for the precious things of the produce of the months, and for the precious things of the hills of eternity, and for the precious things of the earth, (Deuteronomy 33:13-16).
Is Ephraim My precious son? a child of delights? (Jeremiah 31:20)
By "Ephraim" the understanding of the Word is meant.
The sons of Zion were esteemed more precious than pure gold, (Lamentations 4:2).
"The sons of Zion" are the truths of the church. Besides elsewhere, as Isaiah 13:12; 43:4; Psalms 36:7; 45:9; 49:8; 72:14. Hence now it is that it is said that from that city all that had ships in the sea were made rich by her costliness.
789. "In qua ditati sunt omnes habentes naves in mari ex pretiositate ejus, quia una hora devastati sunt," significat propter id, quod per sancta Religiosi istius omnes, quotquot emere vellent, propitiati sint, et pro divitiis mundanis et temporariis receperint divitias spirituales ac aeternas, et quod nunc non aliquis.--Per "ditari ex pretiositate ejus" significatur per sancta Religiosi istius propitiari Deo, seu credere quod pro mercibus seu divitiis temporalibus et temporariis recipiant merces seu divitias spirituales ac aeternas, hoc est, quod pro auro, argento, lapide pretioso, margaritis, purpura, et caeteris quae vers. 12, 13, enumerantur, accipiant benedictiones ac felicitates post mortem; haec intelliguntur per "pretiositatem," qua se dicunt ex urbe illa ditatos esse; quod sic etiam loquantur, notum est: per "quod una hora devastati sint" significatur quod propter destructionem Religiosi istius posthac non aliquis sancta illorum emere possit: ex his patet, quod per ea verba significentur illa quae supra allata sunt. Quod sancta Ecclesiae per "pretiosa" significentur, patet ex his locis:
"Benedicta a Jehovah terra Josephi, de Pretiosis Caeli, de Pretiosis proventuum solis, de Pretiosis producti mensium, de Pretiosis collium aeternitatis, et de Pretiosis terrae," (Deuteronomius 33:13-16); 1
"Filius Pretiosus Mihi Ephraim, natus deliciarum," (Jeremias 31:20);
per "Ephraimum" intelligitur intellectus Verbi.
"Filii Zionis Pretiosi aestimati sunt prae auro puro," (Threni 4:2); 2
"filii Zionis" sunt vera Ecclesiae.
(Praeter alibi, ut Esaias 13:12; 43:4; Psalm 36:8 (B.A. 7); Psalm 45:10 (B.A. 9); Psalm 49:9 (B.A. 8); 3Psalm 72:14). 4
Inde nunc est, quod dicatur, quod ex urbe illa ditati sint "omnes habentes naves in mari de pretiositate ejus."
Footnotes:
1. 16 pro "15"
2. iv. pro "ii."
3. xlix. pro "xlviii."
4. 72:14 pro "96:8"