Exposition on the Catholic Epistles, Revelation · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII.
IN this Chapter and that which followeth, the great City before ſaid to bee diuided into three parts is more particularly deſcribed, together with her vtter ruine and ouerthrow, in reſpect of the head and fountaine Rome, from whence all the abominations of idolatry and ſuperſtition hauehave flowed. In the expoſition of the particulars there is no great difference nor difficulty, ſo much light hauing beene already giuen, and therefore I will the more briefly, only touching the diuerſity of interpretations, come to open eueryevery paſſage as it lieth in order.
Queſt. 1. Which of the ſeuen Angels is it that ſheweth Iohn theſe things,Verſ. 1, 2, &c. who is the great Whore whom he ſaith he will ſhew vntounto him, what are the waters called alſo a beaſt verſ. 3. ſtrangely deſcribed that ſhe ſitteth vponupon. And why was hee led into a deſart place to behold this? and touching the more particular deſcription of this Whore, and the word Myſtery written in her forehead, what is meant hereby?
Anſw. The Angell is held by ſome to bee the fift,Brightman. who powred out his Viall vponupon the throne of the beaſt.Pareus. Napier. But others more rightly hold him to bee the ſeuenth Angell, vponupon the powring out of whoſe Viall the great City was diuided into three parts, which is againe more particularly vndertaken here, that by the relation of this Angell it might be more fully vnderſtood, both what this City is, and how and by what meanes ſhe commeth to be deſtroyed.
Others indefinitely take this Angell for one of the ſeuen.Bullinger, &c.
Touching the great Whore, it is agreed almoſt by all that it is Rome, Bellar. lib. 3. de Rom. pont fice cap. 13.yea euen by Romaniſts themſelues. Bellarmine ſaith, Wee may ſay, and that better in my iudgement, that by the Whore Rome is vnderſtood: ſo likewiſe Ribera and Viegas the Ieſuites vponupon this place. Tertullian of old ſpake to the ſame effect:Tertul. contra Iudae…s. Babylon in Saint Iohn doth repreſent Rome, being as great and as proud of her dominions, and as tyrannizing ouer the Saints as euer Babylon was. Ieronim. 11. qu. ad Algaſiam.And Ierome ſaith, According to the Reuelation of Saint Iohn, in the ſorehead of the queane clad in purple, there was a name of blaſphemy written, to wit, Rome the euerlaſting. See more touching this before, Chap. 14. verſ. 8. and how that ſhift of heathen Rome being meant here is confuted, whereunto wee may adde, that heathen Rome cannot be meant, becauſe then Rome ſubdued the Kings of the earth by force, and not by ſubtill inticements as this Babylon doth, and becauſe the Rome here ſpoken againſt ſhall bee vtterly deſtroyed for the ſins found then therein when the time of deſtruction commeth; but heathen Rome was not ſo deſtroyed, and if Rome ſhould at the laſt be deſtroyed for the idolatries of the Heathen, this deſtruction muſt come for idolatries put downe many hundred yeeres agone, which is contrary to the courſe of the Lords proceedings againſt ſinfull places. As for their laſt refuge to an apoſtaſie, yet to bee expected in Rome, in regard of which it is thus ſpoken of here, ſee alſo Chap. 14. verſ. 8.
Touching the many waters whereupon this woman ſitteth, they are interpreted, verſ. 15. to be peoples, and Nations, and tongues, ouer which Rome ruleth by the power reſiding there. And this circumſtance of her ſitting is varied eueryevery time that it is ſpoken of.Verſ. 3. Verſ. 3. She is ſhewed ſitting vponupon a beaſt of a purple colour, full of names of blaſphemy, hauing ſeuen heads and ten hornes: and verſ. 9. the ſeuen heads being ſpoken of are ſaid to be ſeuen hills whereupon the woman ſitteth. Verſ. 9.She is ſhewed ſitting thus diuerſly for diuers reſpects; ſhee ſitteth vponupon many waters, becauſe ſhe ruleth ouer many peoples and Nations; vponupon a purple coloured beaſt, becauſe the Senators and Rulers of this State vnderunder the Emperours did weare purple and skarlet clothing, aſcribing diuine titles of honor vntounto their Emperours in a blaſphemous manner, as the Cardinals, by whom the Pope ruleth now doe vntounto him, being alſo likewiſe apparelled; and vponupon ſeuen hils, becauſe the City was anciently ſeated vponupon ſeuen hills. And this variation maketh it ſo plaine, as that nothing can bee plainer, than that Rome is meant by this Whore, ſeeing no City in the world is ſo ſeated but Rome onelyonly, neither doth that periphraſis whereby this City is deſcribed, verſ. 18. agree to any other, This is the great City that hath rule ouer the Kings of the earth. And this name Whore is choſen to expreſſe Rome the head of the Antichriſtian Sect, for continuation of the allegory of a woman, in the ſimilitude of whom the Church appeared, chap. 12. The true Church is a chaſte and holy woman, who keepeth her ſelfe only to the Lord to whom ſhee is married, refuſing to worſhip any other, or to make any other partaker with him in his diuine titles and attributes. The Antichriſtian Sect is a whoriſh woman, together with the Lord worſhipping Images and Saints departed, and attributing that vntounto the Pope which is proper to the Lord only, wherein truly ſpirituall whoredome doth conſiſt.
Touching the place, the Wilderneſſe,Verſ. 3. Brightman. into which hee was led to ſee this ſight; ſome take Iohn carried hither for a type of ſuch as ſhould be able to ſee Rome to be the beaſt, and the Pope to be the Whore tiding this beaſt, they ſhould bee obſcure perſons, and ſuch as in whom this light ſhould be little expected, euen as in a man liuing and brought vp in the Wildernes there is expected no great matter of learning & knowledge. Some expound the Wilderneſſe of Gentiliſme wherein Popery indeed appeareth,Bullinger. for ſo much as the idolatries and ſuperſtitions of the Gentiles barren of good men, as the Wilderneſſe is without people, are the very attire wherein Popery marcheth.Pareus. Some hold that reference is had here to the woman before ſpoken of, Chap. 12. flying into the Wilderneſſe in the time of heathen perſecution, being then chaſte and beloued of God, but now become an Whore by her manifold idolatries. Laſtly,Forbs. ſome hold that hee is carried into the Wilderneſſe as the fitteſt place for contemplation, and he that will diue into any deepe myſteries muſt retire himſelfe from all worldly incumbrances. I hold with this my laſt Author, that there is no myſtery in this paſſage, but as vponupon other occaſions it hath beene vſed,Mat 4. Chriſt was carried by the Spirit into the Wilderneſſe to be tempted, ſo here Iohn is carried into the Wilderneſſe to ſee this myſtery, onelyonly that in ſo ſolitary a place there might be no interruption by the comming in of any man, or any occurrence which vnuſually hapneth in places more frequented; whereunto if we adde, that the Wilderneſſe is in a ſecret place, and ſo properly choſen to manifeſt this great ſecret in,Verſ. 4. Pet. du Moulin. Lib. 3. Sanct. Ceremon. c. 5. ſect. 3. Ruber color proprie ad papā pertinet. lib. 1. cap. 1. ſect. 9. Planum totū cum magno ſcabello coopertū erit panno coecineo, Caligis rube…s, ſanda leis rubeis, aurea cruceornatis. lib. 1. cap. 6. ſect. 1. it will not bee impertinent. And hence wee may note, that it is not the caſe of all men to vnderſtand this myſtery, but it is a long time ſhewed but vntounto a few taken apart from others.
Touching the aray of this Whore in purple and skarlet colour, and gold, and precious ſtones, and pearles, and vponupon her forehead a name written, Myſtery, Babylon the great, &c. We ſhall not need to ſeeke farre for the fitting of theſe things to the Hierarchy of Rome. For the Pope, according to the orders ſet downe in his Booke of Ceremonies, ought to be cloathed in Skarlet, and his Chaire is to be couered all ouer with cloth of Skarlet, yea, his very ſtockings and ſhooes are appointed to be red, adorned with a golden Croſſe. And his very Mule by the ordinance of Paul the ſecond is to be cloathed with Skarlet, as Platina reporteth. He is alſo apparelled with a long Albe, a Girdle, and a Stole hanging about his necke all imboſt with Pearle. She hath in her hand a golden Cup full of abominations to ſet forth the Pope of her ſtate, and ſecretly to intimate the very name of him that is here meant, the firſt letters of theſe words in Latine, Poculum aureum plenum abominationibus, put together making Papa. As for the word Myſtery in her forehead, this doth moſt notably agree, for in the Caſtle of Saint Angelo in Rome, Brocard. Scaliger.are certaine old plaine Miters, which hauehave the name M…ſterium ingrauen vponupon them, as both Brocard affirmeth vponupon this place, and Ioſeph Scaliger, that being at Rome with Mounſeur de Abin, the French Kings Embaſſadour, amongſt other things they were ſhewed vntounto him. Moreouer, a myſtery in the forehead doth argue a profeſſion of myſteries: for all things in their Sacraments and ſeruice, they ſay, are full of myſteries. But chiefly it is thus written, becauſe being ſo abominable a ſtrumpet, it ſhould be hidden from the eyes of moſt men, honouring in ſtead of loathing her. Babylon the great, the mother of harlots. Rome is called Babylon, becauſe ſo like to old Babylon in tyranny, pride, power, and dominion ouer the world. The mother of harlots, becauſe they that ſeeke to draw the world to ſpirituall whordome by idolatries hauehave their authority from thence. Theſe things being ſo plaine, let vsus be aſhamed ſtill to continue ſo blinde as that wee ſhould not ſee them; the Pope of Rome could not more plainly hauehave beene deſcribed than he is in this place: for what would one hauehave more to know the party meant by, than a deſcription by his apparell and manner of going, and his very name?
Queſt. 2. How are theſe words to be vnderſtood,Verſ. 8. The beaſt which thou ſaweſt was and is not, and ſhall aſcend out of the bottomleſſe pit, by and by rendred thus againe, The beaſt that was and is not, and yet is.
Anſw. The words immediatly following, verſ. 10, 11. ſerue to explaine this Riddle. There are ſeuen Kings, fiue are fallen, one is, and the other is not yet come. And againe, The beaſt that was and is not, euen hee is the eighth, and is of the ſeuenth. All this then is ſpoken of the Pope with his imperiall power, declaring the order and manner of the comming on thereof. This higheſt power vponupon earth which hee doth exerciſe, was in the old Rulers of the Roman ſtate, during the time of Kings, Conſuls, Tribunes, Decemuirs, and Dictators; but is not, when the ſixt head of Emperours was deadly wounded by the Goths and Ʋandals, Heruls and Longobards: for then the beaſt as quite deſtroyed ceaſed to bee for many yeeres, as hath beene already ſhewed, Chap. 9. vnderunder the ſounding of the fifth Angell. And in ſpeaking of this in the preſent tenſe, when as it was to come long after, he doth but proceed in a propheticall ſtile, as he plainly ſpeaketh alſo of that which was to be long after this, of which he had immediatly before ſpoken in the future tenſe, for comming to repeat was, and is not, and yet ſhall aſcend, he rendreth it thus, was, and is not, and yet is. Whereas in regard of this ſixt it is by and by ſaid, one is, but here, is not, the reaſon is, becauſe that being explanatory is but an hiſtoricall narration, and ſo reporteth things ſo farre as they had beene and at that time of Saint Iohn were, but here ſeeming to ſpeake of a thing preſent, he prophetically ſetteth forth that which ſhould be afterwards. So that in reſpect of the ſame head of Emperours it might bee truly ſaid one is not, and one is now; to ſpeake hiſtorically, one is now, prophetically, one is not: and ſo for the time, the beaſt is not, becauſe put downe by a forreigne power. That which is added, but ſhall aſcend out of the bottomleſſe pit, or but yet is, ſetteth forth the riſe of the Pope in Rome after this by a diabolicall inuention, as if he had beene plainly ſeene riſing out of Hell. He is the ſeuenth, but yet is the eighth, for he is a like powerfull with his predeceſſors, the rulers of that ſtate, and hath another kinde of ſingular gouernment by the ſpirituall ſword different from them all. And hereby it is plaine, that the tearme beaſt, and head or King, are coincident one with another,P. du Moulin. Pareus, &c. becauſe he which is called the beaſt, verſ. 11. is ſaid to bee one of the ſeuen heads, which are expounded to bee Kings. Almoſt to this effect ſpeake ſome of my moſt iudicious Authors,Brightman. and Brightman not much different will hauehave this ſaying, the beaſt is, expounded of the Pope vnderunder Conſtantine, is not, of him in the daies of the Goths, and ſhall be of him reſtored to his dignity by Iuſtinian and Phocas after him. But ſome hold that the vanancy of the Empire in Saint Iohns time by the deceaſe of Domitian is here meant:Nopier. Bullinger. for thus it might be ſaid that it was before, but is not, and yet is, becauſe Nerua Cocceius of baſe linage ſucceeded, and departed ſhortly againe, for he died at the end of a yeere, three moneths and nine daies. But being thus taken, that which followeth cannot bee applyed as explaining this, nay, it cannot be reconciled how it ſhould be ſaid one is not, and yet of the ſame, is now.
Queſt. 3.Verſ. 12. Who are the ten Kings which are ſaid not to hauehave receiued any Kingdome as yet, but receiue power as Kings at one houre with the beaſt: and afterwards againe grow to hate the whore, and make her deſolate and naked, Verſ. 16.and eat her fleſh, and burns her with fire?
Anſw. Moſt Expoſitors conſent, that theſe Kings are the Kings that aroſe out of the ruines of the Roman Empire: for whilſt this ſtood, all Kingdomes about were ſubiect vntounto it and made tributary, except Scotland; but this Empire falling by the inuaſion of the Barbarians, Goths, Vandals, Heruls in the weſt, and of the Turkes, Saracens and Tartarians in the eaſt, there was an opportunity offered vntounto them to reſume their ancient ſtate which they did, and ſo became abſolute Kingdomes of themſelues, without dependance vponupon any higher power vponupon earth. But whether theſe Kings be iuſt ten, or ſaid to be ten, that is, many, it is diſſented.Bullinger. Pareus. Graſſ…rus. Gen. 31.7. Some ſtand for an vncertaine number, as the word ten is vſed in ſome other places, as in that of Iaacob challenging Laban for changing his wages ten times; and of the Lord, affirming that the people had tempted him ten times, that is, many times.Numb. 14.22. Some hold, that theſe ten are ſuch a iuſt number,P. du Moulin. and reckon them to be either 1. France. 2. England. 3. Spaine, held by the Ʋiſigoths. 4. Lumbardy, held by the Longobards in Italy. 5. Selauonia. 6. Hungary, held by the Huns and Auarians. 7. Bulgaria and Seruia, held by the Bulgarians. 8. Denmarke. 9. Poland. 10. the Kingdome of Naples and Sicely. Or elſe thus; France, England, Spaine, Lumbardy, Denmarke, Hungary, Napier.Sweden, Scotland, the Exarchate of Rauenna, and the Kingdome of the Goths in Italy. As for the Kingdomes of Arragon, Granado, Portugall, Caſtile, Leon, Toledo, Galicia, Nauarre, they are inferiour Kingdomes, and appendices either of the Empire, Spaine, or France. Sicily, Bohemia, and Naples are of the Empire, Burgundy of France, Norway of Denmarke, Ireland of England, Cyprus a late Kingdome and not in Chriſtians hands.Brightman. Some different from all others will hauehave ten Emperours to be meant, in whoſe time the Pope flouriſhed, but after their Empire expired he ſuffered much: 1. Contantinus magnus. 2. Conſtantinus ſilius, & Conſtans, ac Conſtantius. 3. Iulianus. 4. Iouinianus. 5. Ʋalentinianus. 6. Gratianus. 7. Ʋalentinianus ſecundus. 8. Arcadius. 9. Honorius. 10. Theodoſius. Theſe are ſaid not to be in Saint Iohns time, becauſe heathen Emperours ruled then, but receiued their Kingdome the ſame houre, that is, about the ſame time with the beaſt. This expoſition of all others ſeemeth to me to diſagree moſt with the Text: Firſt, becauſe the hornes of the beaſt are of the beaſt, and certainly limbs of Antichriſt, ſuch as God forbid that we ſhould count theſe godly Emperours. Secondly, becauſe theſe Emperours did neither receiue their Kingdome, which argueth a thing newly erected, and that was not before, neither were they all at one houre, for they ſucceded one another in ſundry yeeres. Thirdly, becauſe the ſame ten which giuegive honour to the beaſt ſhall at the laſt deſtroy her, which cannot poſſibly be applied vntounto them who did euer onelyonly ſtand to her and defend her, if the Pope be counted the beaſt in their times. Neither can I approue of a certaine number put here for an vncertaine, becauſe howſoeuer ten may be thus put elſewhere, yet here about the heads and hornes of the beaſt the ſpirit is more punctuall, for the ſeuen heads it is agreed, and why ſhould another kinde of expoſition then be giuen of the ten hornes? Preciſely ten therefore are doubtleſſe meant, and not ſo much Kings as Kingdomes, being taken with the ſucceſſion of the Kings reigning therein, and of theſe Kingdomes I doe not thinke Lumbardy to be any, or any Kingdome ſpringing vp at the diſſolution of the Empire to endure a ſhort time onelyonly, but ſuch Kingdomes as then deliuering themſelues from the Imperiall yoke, hauehave ſtood and ſhall ſtand free till the ruine of the Pope. And theſe I take to be 1. England. 2. France. 3. Spaine. 4. Poland. 5. Denmarke. 6. Sueuia. 7. Hungary 8. The whole Kingdome of Germany both higher and lower. 9. Bohemia. 10. The free States of Italy, Ʋenice, Genoa, &c. Ireland is not reckoned, becauſe an inferiour Kingdome and vnderunder the Crowne of England, Nauarre of France, Portugall and the Kingdomes of Naples and Sicilies of Spaine, Norway of Denmarke. Germany, which hath beene ſince gouerned by Emperours, is alſo a new kinde of Kingdome diuerſly ruled, and not as in times paſt; and the other free States may well be ſet forth by the name of a Kingdome, and of one, becauſe all in one Nation. To Bohemia belongeth Morauia and Sileſia, and although it be in Germany, and commonly is vnderunder the Emperour, yet for ſo much as it hath the liberty of Election and is an abſolute Kingdome in it ſelfe, I thinke that we may well reckon it for one. As for Solauonia, together with Dacia and Seruia ioyning to it, and Bulgaria, or any other Kingdomes which ſprung vp alſo at the diſſolution of the Empire, howſoeuer they were popiſh in times paſt, and had a hand in giuing honour to and ſetting vp of the Pope, yet now they are Mahumetan, and therefore the Lord foreſeeing this, left them out of the number, as not being likely to hauehave an hand with the reſt in deſtroying the Pope at the laſt. Their receiuing of power at one houre with the beaſt is not ſo ſtrictly to be taken as it ſoundeth, for by an houre in Scripture, ſomtime a compaſſe of times conſiſting of many yeeres is to be vnderſtood; thus the time of the Goſpell is called the laſt houre, and the ſame houre here is much about the ſame time 100. yeeres before or after or ſomewhat more; and if it be thus taken, the euent doth notably agree, the ſpringing vp of theſe Kingdomes being out of the ruines of the Empire, about ann. Dom. 500. &c. till 700.
Theſe Kings with one conſent hauehave made warre with the Lambe, by taking the Popes part againſt the profeſſors of the truth, when any hauehave ſhewed themſelues, perſecuting them with ſword and fire, as wofull experience hath proued many yeeres, but the Lambe hath ouercome them by planting his truth in their dominions, notwithſtanding all their hot oppoſitions, and by ſubiecting ſome of them to himſelfe, by bringing them to the acknowledgement and profeſſion of the ſame truth, as England, Denmarke, Sweuia, Bohemia, and ſundry free ſtates of Germany, to whom we hope more ſhall bee ioyned, though not all, (for ſome muſt take the Popes part vntounto the end, till the greateſt fatall blow that ſhall be giuen to him and them in Harmageddon, as hath beene already ſhewed vponupon Chap. 16.) and theſe together ſhall hate the Pope, and deueſt him of all the honour which formerly in their ignorance they or their predeceſſors gaue vntounto him, and deſtroy him, ouerthrowing and burning Rome downe to the ground. And to put it out of all doubt that Rome is meant here, he addeth, that it is the great City that ruleth ouer the Kings of the earth.Verſ. 18. Let all theſe things be conſidered together, and there is nothing in this kinde that can be plainer, than that the Pope of Rome is the ſubiect of all this deſcription, and whatſoeuer can be ſaid here-againſt, will eaſily appeare to bee but a deuiſed euaſion.