731. 'And I wondered, seeing her with a great wonder' signifies astonishment at that form of religion being such interiorly, when yet exteriorly it appears otherwise. 'To wonder with a great wonder' is to be exceedingly astonished. 'Seeing her' signifies that the woman, that is, the form of religion is such interiorly, when yet outwardly it appears otherwise. For he was astonished at seeing the woman sitting upon the scarlet beast, arrayed with purple and scarlet, decked with gold, precious stone and pearls, having the golden cup in her hand, which things were the appearances thereof in externals; and yet the cup was full of the abomination and uncleanness of whoredom, and he saw written on her forehead 'the mother of the whoredoms and abominations of the land', which things are the internals thereof. These things were said by John, because anyone even at this day cannot but be astonished when he sees that form of religion so holy and magnificent in externals, and does not know that it is so profane and abominable in internals.