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 m 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 (n. 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 (n. 483), by 'crowds' those who are in discipline, by 'nations' those who are in religion (n. 483), and by 'tongues' those who are in confession (n. 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 vers. 8 to 11); and afterwards concerning the reception and understanding of the Word by the noble French nation (from vers. 12 to 14). Here, therefore, it is concerning the reception and understanding of the Word with the remainder under the Papal dominion. After this follow vers. 16 and 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.