751、启17:18.“你所看见的那女人，就是有一国管辖地上众王的大城”表示天主教的宗教说服在教义上在基督教界掌权，甚至在某种程度上仍在改革宗信徒中间掌权，尽管他们不在教皇的统治之下。这些话表示所有这些事，这是因为它们形成结论；因此，它们不仅涉及论到天主教徒所说的事，还涉及关于法兰西民族和新教徒的事，因而那“女人”，即“大城”，也有一国管辖这些人。但我们必须说明这是怎么回事，或管辖的方式。她(即天主教会)有一国管辖新教徒，就像她管辖那些依附于她的宗教说服的人一样；但前提是他们在某种程度上接受了她的教义。他们所接受的教义是这些：他们靠近父神，而不是主；他们不承认主的人身是神性；主的十字架受难是对父神的赎罪、挽回祭和补偿；关于主功德的归算；关于洗礼、原罪和自由意志的一些事；对路德教徒来说，他们非常接近“变体论”。这些教义是从教皇天主教那里遗留下来的，并在一定程度上与它一致；它们就是经上说“那女人，就是大城，有一国管辖地上的众王”的原因或所凭借的东西。“那女人”表示天主教的宗教说服，如前所述；“城”表示教义(AR 194, 501, 502, 712节)；“国”表示教会(AR 749节)；因此，“有国”表示管理；“地上众王”表示教会的真理或虚假(AR 20, 483, 664,704, 720, 737, 740节)，因而也表示教义；“地”表示教会(AR 285节)。由此明显可知，这些话，即“你所看见的那女人，就是有一国管辖地上众王的大城”表示天主教的宗教说服在教义上在基督教界掌权，甚至在某种程度上在改革宗信徒中间掌权，尽管他们不在教皇的统治之下。
751. 17:18 "And the woman whom you saw is the great city which holds sway over the kings of the earth." This symbolically means that the Roman Catholic religion will reign as to doctrine in the Christian world, and to some extent still also among the Protestant Reformed, even though the latter are not under papal dominion.
These words symbolize all of this because they form a conclusion and so involve not only the declarations made about Roman Catholics, but also those made about the French nation and Protestants. Thus we are told that the woman, which is the great city, also holds sway over these.
But we must say how this is so. The Roman Catholic Church holds sway over Protestants, not to the degree that it does over those who are committed to its religion, but to the extent that Protestants in some measure have accepted its doctrines. The doctrines they have accepted are these, that they turn to God the Father and not the Lord; that they do not acknowledge the Lord's humanity as Divine; that His suffering of the cross constitutes an atonement, conciliation and satisfaction with God the Father; the imputation of the merit of Christ; some tenets regarding baptism, original sin, and free will; and, in the case of Lutherans, that they come close to accepting the doctrine of transubstantiation. 1
These doctrines taken over from Roman Catholicism, and that in some part accord with it, are the reason we are told that the woman, which is the great city, holds sway over the kings of the earth.
The woman symbolizes the Roman Catholic religion, as we have said. A city symbolizes doctrine (nos. 194, 501, 502, 712). A kingdom symbolizes the church (no. 749), and thus to hold sway symbolizes the governing of it. Kings of the earth symbolizes a church's truths or falsities (nos. 20, 483, 664, 704, 720, 737, 740), and so also its doctrines. The earth symbolizes the church (no. 285).
It is apparent from this that the declaration that the woman whom you saw is the great city which holds sway over the kings of the earth, symbolically means that the Roman Catholic religion will reign as to doctrine in the Christian world, and to some extent still also among the Protestant Reformed, even though the latter are not under papal dominion.
Footnotes:
1. The doctrine teaching that in Holy Communion the bread and wine are as to substance converted actually into the body and blood of the Christ, under the continuing appearance of bread and wine.
751. [verse 18] 'And the woman whom thou hast seen is the great city having a kingdom over the kings of the land' signifies that as to doctrine the Roman Catholic form of religion reigns in Christendom, and to some extent even still with the Reformed, although they are not under the Papal dominion. The reason that all these things are signified by these words is because they make the conclusion, and consequently they involve not only the things that have been said concerning the Roman Catholics, but also those concerning the French nation and the Protestants, thus that 'the woman' who is 'the great city' has a kingdom over them also. The manner of this will, however, he stated. She does not have a kingdom over the Protestants in the same way as she has over those who are attached to her form of religion, but only so far as they have received her doctrinal tenets to some extent. The doctrinal tenets that they have received are these:
That they approach God the Father and not the Lord.
That they do not acknowledge the Lord's Human as Divine.
That His suffering of the cross is an expiation, propitiation, and satisfaction with God the Father.
On the imputation of the Lord's merit.
Some things concerning Baptism, original sin, free-will.
And with the Lutherans:
That they come very nearly to transubstantiation.
These doctrinal tenets, left over from Papal Catholicism and agreeing with it in part, are the things by virtue of which it is said that 'the woman' who is 'the great city' has 'a kingdom over the kings of the land.' By 'the woman' is signified the Roman Catholic form of religion, as above. By 'the city' is signified the doctrine (194, 501-502, 712). By 'a kingdom' is signified the Church (749); consequently by 'to have a kingdom' is signified the government. By 'the kings of the land' are signified the truths or untruths of the Church (20, 483, 664, 704, 720, 737, 740), consequently also the doctrinal tenets. By 'the land' the Church is signified (285). From these things it is plain that by these words, 'The woman whom thou hast seen is the great city, having a kingdom over the kings of the land,' is signified that as to doctrine the Roman Catholic form of religion reigns in Christendom, and to some extent also with the Reformed, although they are not under the Papal dominion.
751. Verse 18. And the woman whom thou sawest is the great city, that hath a kingdom over the kings of the earth, signifies that the Roman Catholic religious persuasion as to doctrine reigns in the Christian world, and still also in some respects with the Reformed, although they are not under the papal dominion. That all these things are signified by these words, is because they make the conclusion; and thence they involve not only the things which are said concerning the Roman Catholics, but also those concerning the French nation, and those concerning the Protestants, thus that "the woman," who is "the great city," has a kingdom also over these. But how, shall be told. She does not have a kingdom over the Protestants, as she has over those who are attached to her religious persuasion; but only so far as they have in some part received her doctrinals. The doctrinals which they have received are these: That they approach God the Father, and not the Lord; that they do not acknowledge the Lord's Human as Divine: that His passion of the cross is expiation, propitiation, and satisfaction to God the Father; concerning the imputation of the Lord's merit; some things concerning Baptism, concerning original sin, and concerning free will; and with the Lutherans, that they accede nearly to transubstantiation. These doctrinals, the residue from papal Catholicism, and agreeing with it in part, are the things from which it is said, that "the woman," who is "the great city," "hath a kingdom over the kings of the earth." By "the woman" the Roman Catholic religious persuasion is signified, as above; by "the city" is signified doctrine, (194[1-4], 501, 502, 712); by "kingdom" the church is signified, (749); hence by "having a kingdom" is signified government; by "the kings of the earth" are signified the truths or falsities of the church, (20, 483, 664, 704, 720, 737, 704); hence also doctrinals; by "the earth" is signified the church, (285). From these things it is evident that by these words, "the woman whom thou sawest is the great city which hath a kingdom over the kings of the earth," is signified that the Roman Catholic religious persuasion reigns as to doctrine in the Christian world, and as to some part even with the Reformed, although they are not under the papal dominion.
751. (Vers. 18.) "Et Mulier, quam Vidisti, est urbs magna, habens regnum super Reges terrae," significat quod Religiosum Catholico Romanum quoad Doctrinam regnet in Christiano orbe, et ad aliquam partem etiam adhuc apud Reformatos, tametsi non sub Dominio Papali sunt. - Quod haec omnia significentur per illa verba, est quia conclusum faciunt; et inde involvunt non modo illa quae de Romano Catholicis dicta sunt, sed etiam quae de Gente Gallica, et de Protestantibus, ita quod, "Mulier," quae est "urbs magna," etiam super hos regnum habeat. Sed quomodo, dicetur: Non habet regnum super Protestantes quemadmodum habet super illos qui Religioso ejus addicti sunt, sed quatenus doctrinalia ejus quoad aliquam partem receperunt. Doctrinalia quae receperunt, sunt haec: Quod adeant Deum Patrem et non Dominum; quod Humanum Domini non pro Divino agnoscant; quod Passio crucis Ipsius sit expiatio, propitiatio et satisfactio apud Deum Patrem; de Imputatione meriti Domini; aliqua de Baptismo, de Peccato originali, de Libero Arbitrio; et apud Lutheranos, quod prope accedant ad transsubstantiationem. Haec doctrinalia ex Catholismo papali residua, et cum illo quoad partem concordantia, sunt ex quo dicitur, quod "Mulier," quae est "urbs magna," habeat "regnum super reges terrae." Per "Mulierem" significatur Religiosum Catholico Romanum, ut supra; per "urbem" significatur doctrina (194, 501, 502, 712); per "regnum" significatur Ecclesia (749); inde per "habere regnum" significatur regimen: per "reges terrae" significantur vera aut falsa Ecclesiae (20, 483, 664, 704, 720, 737, 740), inde quoque doctrinalia; per "terram" Ecclesia (285). Ex his patet, quod per haec, "Mulier, quam vidisti, est urbs magna, habens regnum super reges terrae," significetur quod Religiosum Catholico Romanum quoad doctrinam regnet in Christiano orbe, et quoad aliquam partem etiam apud Reformatos, tametsi non sub Dominio papali sunt.