787. 'Stood afar off, [verse 18] and shouted, seeing the smoke of her burning, saying, Was there ever anything like this [great] city!' signifies their mourning in a remote state over the damnation of that form of religion which they have believed to be supereminent above every religion in the world. By 'stood afar off' is signified while still in a state remote from damnation and yet in fear of the penalties (n. 769, 783). By 'cried' is signified their mourning, by 'the smoke of her burning 'is signified damnation on account of the adulteration and profanation of the Word (n. 766, 767). By 'saying, Was there ever anything like this city!' is signified that they have believed that form of religion to be supereminent above every religion in the world. By that 'great city' is signified that form of religion, as frequently above. That they believe that form of religion to be supereminent above every religion and that it is 'mother Church, queen and mistress' is known. Then also it is known to those who direct their attention to it that it is continually being infused by clerics (canonicus) and monks that they may so believe, and that they do this out of the fire of dominating and making gain. Still, however, on account of the authority of their domination they are unable to withdraw from all the external things thereof; but yet they can withdraw from its internal things, since all liberty has been left, and is left, to man's will and understanding and consequently to his affection and thought.