Exposition on the Catholic Epistles, Revelation · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII.
IN this Chapter there is nothing difficult, but that by a ſhort paraphraſe the Reader may eaſily vnderſtand and bee reſolued touching any queſtion or doubt ariſing here, and therefore I will not delay him with other ambages, but come briefly to this paraphraſe. It is to bee vnderſtood that the things here ſet downe follow in order that which was declared of the Kings making Rome and the Pope deſolate in the former Chapter. For after this great deſolation and deſtruction it is here ſhewed, that it ſhall continue ſo, neuer to be built vp or inhabited againe, for foule ſpirits and vncleane birds are wont to keep in deſolate and forſaken places, happily that men might be the leſſe troubled with them,Verſ. 2. and that by the horrour of ſuch places there might be the more liuely repreſentation of hells horrour.Ribera. Ribera yeeldeth a double reaſon of euill ſpirits being in deſolate places, one before Chriſts Incarnation, that through feare ſuch as paſſe by might bee drawne to idolatry, the other, after that monaſticall perſons might be terrifyed from reparing to deſolate & ſolitary places. But this laſt ſauoreth of ſuperſtition, wherunto they that are addicted, are ready to receiue any reaſon for good tending to the confirmation thereof, but I ſhould thinke rather, if for any reſpect towards Monks they keep in ſuch places, it is becauſe they louelove their ſociety being the fitteſt company for them,Verſ. 1. ſeeing they hauehave abandoned the ſociety of men. The Angell that telleth of this deſolation is wonderfully glorious to ſet forth the more the glory of God whō the Angels ſerue.Verſ. 4. Verſ. 6. The other voice from Heauen warning Gods people to come out of her, is the voice of God, hee biddeth them to reward her double, not more than ſhe hath deſerued,Pſal. 137.9. but double ſo much as ſhe did formerly to the Saints, as ſhe is well worthy. As they are pronounced bleſſed that ſhall take the children of Babylon and daſh their braines againſt the ſtones. It is no pity, but diſobedience to God, to ſhew fauour to the bloud-thirſty Babylon, yea, all that be the people of God ought to ioyne together to pull her downe and to deſtroy the Pope.Verſ. 9.
The Kings of the earth, who ſhall bewaile her ruine, are ſome obſtinate and ſtiffe popiſh Kings, that ſhall continue ſo euen till this be accompliſhed, ſo that as I ſaid vponupon Chap. 17.16. it doth here further appeare, that not all, but ſome of the Kings who gaue honor to the Whore, ſhall be her deſtruction, ſome continuing in their ſeduced eſtate ſtill.Verſ. 11.
The Merchants of the earth that lament her fall alſo, whoſe merchandiſe none will buy any more, are the Popes Officers in his Datary, to ſell Benefices, Penitentiaries, and ſuch as goe about with Indulgences, and all ſuch as make benefit by Shrines, Images, and relikes of Saints, by Diriges and Trentals, &c. Theſe being now of no repute any longer, the great gaine which they made hereby ſhall vtterly ceaſe.
After this, the benefit and variety of commodities that came in to the Sea of Rome, and her factors are particularly named, Gold, Siluer, precious Stones, Pearles, fine Linnen, Purple, Silke, Skarlet, Thine-wood, &c. The like place to this is Ezech. 27.12. &c. of Tirus, from whence this ſeemeth to be borrowed. Tirus was ſtored with ſuch varieties from diuers Nations,Brightman. and ſo is Rome, with Gold, Siluer, and pretious Stones from the …niards Indies. With Cinamom, Frankincenſe, Oile, and Wine from Italy; with Wheat and Flowre from Sicely, Sordinia, Corſica; with Beaſts from Germany; with Sheepe from England; with Horſes and Chariots from France; with bodies of men from Heluetia, for the Heluetians are the Popes guard; and laſtly, the ſoules of men of all nations are mancipated to the Pope, when as it is held neceſſary to ſaluation to be ſubiect vntounto the Pope. After theſe Merchants, ſuch as trade by Sea are brought in,Verſ. 17.18. lamenting her ouerthrow, Ship-maſters, the company in Ships, Sailers, and ſuch as trade by Sea. By Ship-maſters vnderſtand all inferiour perſons, for Ship-maſters, and Marriners, and Sailers, &c. are vnderunder the Merchant, ſo that by them we may vnderſtand all ordinary Seminary Prieſts, Ieſuites, and Monkes of eueryevery order that trade in this Sea: for I doe not thinke that particularly iuſt foure orders are here ſet forth, as Parcus hath it.Pareus. That which followeth ſerueth onelyonly to ſet forth Romes vtter deſolation, and the cauſe her extreme bloudthirſtineſſe, whereby it may alſo be gathered that Rome, as it is now gouerned by the Pope is certainly meant, becauſe the poore ſeruants of God, which ſtand for his truth, are no where ſo murthered as there, and by meanes of the Pope and ſuch as rule vnderunder him. A true Chriſtian may finde more fauour at the hand of a Turke or Barbarian than amongſt the Roman Catholikes: for they are more bent againſt ſuch than againſt Iewes and Infidels, nothing but their bloud will ſatiſfie if they be found out within any of the Popes dominions. Is not this then the City wherein the bloud of the Prophets,Verſ. 24. that is, Preachers of the Goſpell and of the Saints is found in the greateſt abundance? And how is it then, (O ye Papiſts) that ye are ſo bewitched that ye ſee not into this to come out from this Babel, as ye would not bee guilty of bloud-ſhed? When Chriſt was ſo milde and alwaies ready to rebuke ſtriking with the ſword, and vſed a bit to curbe and keepe in ſuch hot ſpirits as would hauehave ſuch conſumed with fire from Heauen as would not receiue him. How can ye poſſibly beleeue him to be Chriſts Vicar, that is ſo wood and furious againſt his impugners, as that nothing will ſatisfie him but their deſtruction by fire and fagot, or elſe by the ſword? God open your eyes that ye may not any longer take the Wolfe for a Lambe, becauſe of his two hornes, but by his Lion-like voice diſcerne him to be the Beaſt, and abandon and forſake him for euer. Whereunto that ye may be moued the rather, I hauehave here ſet downe certaine paſſages in the Oracles of the Sybillae, moſt excellently conſenting with, and ſeruing to illuſtrate our Expoſition of the Reuelation in that part which concerneth the Beaſt, from the ſeuenteenth Chapter, &c.
Out of the ſeuenth booke faithfully tranſlated thus:
Rome fierce in minde when Grecians are downe driuen,
Shall ſtellifie thy ſelfe vp to the Heauen:
But when thou thinkst thy ſelfe in higheſt height,
God ſhall tread downe thy ſturdy ſtrength and might.
Out of the eighth Booke.
When reign'd in thee hauehave fifteene Emperours,
Of all the world that hauehave beene Conquerours.
Then commeth a King a manifold Crowne to beare,
Whoſe name ſhall be to Ponti very neare.
His wicked foot the world ſhall vilitate,
Great gifts and goods then ſhall he impetrate:
Huge heapes of gold he ſhall hauehave into treaſure,
With ſiluer hid and money without meaſure:
Diſcouered things he ſhall looſe and remit:
Of Magicke Art well ſhall he know and wit,
The myſteries and ſecret ſorcery.
The mighty God he makes a Babe to be.
Downe he ſhall tread all true worſhippin,
And at chiefe heads of error firſt begin.
His myſteries to all he ſhall expone,
Then comes the time of mourning and of mone, &c.
Theſe bookes of the Sybils were much eſteemed of, and kept in the Capitoll at Rome, during the Ethniciſme thereof, the prouidence of God ordering it ſo, that from Rome wee might learne, that he whoſe Sea is there is the childe of perdition, and after the Popes triple crowne (for he is moſt plainly here deſcribed) much corruption ſhould be in the worſhip of God, and after that ſhould come vponupon that ſtate ineuitable deſtruction.
Touching Romes riſe at the fall of the Grecian Empire no learned man is ignorant, & it fell again by means of the Goths, Vandals and Heruls, and Longobards. But touching the time of the new kinde of Empire in him, that weareth many crownes, it may iuſtly be doubted, ſeeing many fifteene Emperours hauehave beene before the Pope came to this height of honour, which was not till the dayes of Phocas. It is therefore neceſſary to diſtinguiſh betwixt Heathen and Chriſtian Emperours, for this being applied to the firſt ſort will in no caſe ſtand, but to the other it doth very well agree: for from Conſtantine the firſt Chriſtitian Emperour to Phocas are but fifteene, if Iulian the Apoſtata be caſt out who was no Chriſtian, and Mauritius by the murthering of whom, Phocas attained the Empire, be not reckoned, as there is no reaſon to reckon him, ſeeing another vſurped that dignity and tooke it from him. The ſecond to Conſtantine was Conſtantius and his brethren together, the third Iouinianus, the fourth Valentinianus and Valens together, the fift Gratianus, Ʋalentin. and Theodoſius, the ſixt Arcadius and Honorius, the ſeuenth Theodoſius and Valentin. the eighth Martianus, the ninth Leo, the tenth Zeno, the eleuenth Anaſtatius, the twelfth Iuſtinus, the thirteenth Iuſtinianus, the fourteenth Iuſtinus the younger, the fifteenth Tiberius. Next to Tiberius, Phocas gate the Empire from Mauritius his Maſter, in whoſe dayes this new kinde of Empire began, which from Ponti may iuſtly be called Pontificiam. Theſe things thus conſenting to make plaine the myſterie of iniquity in the Popedome: doe not harden your ſelues (O ye Papiſts) but be wiſe in time and come out of Romiſh Babylon, that ye come not with her to perpetuall moſt horrible deſtruction.