The Whole Revelation of John in Two Treatises, Treatise 2 · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII.
THE ARGVMENT.
The moſte ſpeciall intention of the Spirite of God, in this holy worke, being couertly to diſcouer the Antichriſt (couertlie I ſay, leaſt before the time, & to Antichriſtiā perſons it being known, had miniſtred occaſion to their tyrannie, through care of their owne ſtanding, to hauehave deſtroyed this whole Reuelation) now, vnderunder this cō uerture, and locking vp of his ſecretes, God hath bene ſo beneficiall to his owne, that he prouides the meanes, whereby this moſt needfull diſcouerie of the Antichriſt, ſhall be in dew time made patent to them: among the which means, this chapter is the key and chief, for here, in expreſſe tearms, the Spirit of God hath interpreted the great Antichriſtian & Idolatrous whore, to be that citie, that is ſet as miſtreſſe ouer the kingdomes of the earth: and the ſeuen heads of the beaſt, whereon ſhe ſitteth, to be her ſeuen mountaines, whereby (beſide many other tokens herein contained) that imperiall and ſeuen hilled citie of Rome is moſt liuelie expreſſed, and onlie deſigned, and all true Chriſtians thereby certified, that in it muſt the Antichriſt ſet his ſeat and dwelling.
Hiſtorical application. 1 NOw, the laſt of the ſeuen ages being come, the Spirite of God letteth vsus euidentlie ſee the deſtructiō approching of the great Antichriſtian citie, and Idolatrous Empire of Rome, which hither to hath empired ouer all nations.
Paraphraſticall expoſition 1 ANd there cam and communed with me, the a laſt of the Angels, which did bear the plagues of the ſeuen latter ages, ſaying, Approch, and I ſhall ſhew vntounto thee, the deſtructiō of the great Antichriſtian city b & Idolatrous whore, who impires ouer manie c nations.
The Text. 1 THen there came one of the ſeuen Angels, which had the ſeuen vials, and talked with mee, ſaying vntounto me, Com, I will ſhew thee the damnation of the gret whore that ſitteth vponupon many waters.
Hiſtorical application. 2 And with whome all the princes of the earth hauehave bene entiſed to goe ſpiritually a whoring both of olde, after the Pagan Idols of Mars, Minerua, ladie Fortune, and others, as alſo of late, after the images of our Ladie, the Crucifixe, Saint Paule, S. Helen, S. Margaret, S. Sylueſter Pope, and infinite moe Papiſticall Idolles, and hauehave cauſed all people to dote with theſe fond ſuperſticious errours.
Paraphraſticall expoſition 2 And with whom the kings of the earth hauehave bene intiſed to commit Idolatrie, & all that dwell vnderunder her earthlie Empire, are drunken with the d doctrin of her abhominable errours.
The Text. 2 With whō hauehave committed fornication the Kinges of the earth, & the inhabitāts of the earth ar drunken with the wine of her fornication.
Hiſtorical application. 3 And thoſe, whoſe ſpirit God indueth with true judgment, may perceiue, howe that citie of Rome hath broked a bloodie Empire, and hath vſurped proude, glorious, and blaſphemous Antichriſtian titles, calling her ſelfe of olde, Roma aeterna, foelix, invicta, &c. & her Empire, ſacroſanctum & perpetuum: & of new, S. Peters chaire, the Apoſtolike ſeat, and heade citie of the Church. She is builded vponupon ſeuen hils, and hath bene gouerned ſucceſsiuely, by ſeuen princely gouernments, and aſsiſted by the ten chriſtian kings, her confederats, al hereafter nominated.
Paraphraſticall expoſition 3 Then rauiſhed he my ſpirit in e ſolitary contemplations: and I perceiued, vnderunder the figure of a f womā, a citie, ſet ouer a cruel and g blood-thirſty Monarchy, full of glorious & and blaſphemous h ſtiles, which is ſcituate vponupon ſeven i mountaines, and ruled by ſeuen princelie k gouernments, vnderunder the figure of ſeven heades, and afterward deuided into l tē vnderunder kings, vnderunder the figure of ten hornes.
The Text. 3 So he caried me away in to the wildernes in the Spirite, and I ſaw a woman ſitte vponupon a skarlet collored beaſt, full of names of blaſphemy, which had ſeuen heads and ten hornes.
Hiſtorical application. 4 And this imperiall citie inioyeth al the pomp and riches of the world: her pillers are of marble, her tapiſtries of ſilkes, her ſielerings ouer gilt with gold, her Cardinals & rulers clothed in fine skarlet, red, and purple: their temples and idols decored with gold, pearls, and precious ſtones: for al the world paies tribute vntounto her, but ſhee cōmunicated nothing to thē again, but her poyſonable doctrin, and vile allurements of idolatry.
Paraphraſticall expoſition 4 And this whoriſh citie, was clad with all princelie m riches, of purple, skarlet, gold, precious ſtones, and pearle, exhibiting and propining (as out of her hand) to the whol world the venomed drinks of her poyſonable doctrine, and idolatrous hereſie.
The Text. 4 And the woman was arayed in purple & skarlet, and gilded with gold & precious ſtones, and pearles, & had a cup of gold, in her hande, ful of abhominations, nations, and filthines of her fornication.
Hiſtorical application. 5 And though her common name be Rome, yet is ſhe often ſtiled gloriouſly, by her Clarkes, after her grand-mother Babylon, whoſe Empire ſhee brooketh, and ſo is as mother of all vice, and fountaine of all filthines.
Paraphraſticall expoſition 5 And ſhe bare the title & ſtile of n myſtical Babylon, meaning literally her ſucceſſor the mother of all ſpirituall whordome, & abhominable idolatrie of the world.
The Text. 5 And in her forehead vvas a name written, A myſtery, great Babylon the mother of whordoms, & abhominatiōs of the earth.
Hiſtorical application. 6 And wee may daylie ſee, how that cruell citie, hath ſupped the blood of many thouſands of Gods martyrs: ſo that it is wonderfull to behold, how ſhe doeth play the Antichriſt in all her tokens and behauiour.
Paraphraſticall expoſition 6 And I ſawe this citie, as drunkē with the bloud of Gods ſeruants, & martyres of Ieſus Chriſt, and I o wondered marueilouſly with great admiration, whē I conſidered her.
The Text. 6 And I ſaw the woman drunken with the blood of Saints, & with the blood of the martyrs of Ieſus: and whē I ſaw her, I wō dered with a geat meruaile.
Hiſtorical application. 7 Which the Spirit of God, in theſe latter dayes, letteth vsus euidently vnderſtand, to agree in al points with the Antichriſtian citie, Empire, ſeuen mountaines, ſeuen princelie governments, & finallie with the ten vnderunder kings thereof.
Paraphraſticall expoſition 7 Then ſaide the Angell vntounto me, why wondereſt thou? for I ſhal mak plain vntounto thee, & to the whole Church in thee, the perfect interpretation, what is meaned by that woman, and by that imperiall beaſt or monarchie, which vpholdes her, who hath the ſeuen heads & ten hornes.
The Text. 7 Then the Angel ſaid vntounto me, Wherefore merueleſt thou? I will ſhewe thee the myſterie of the woman, & of the beaſt that beareth her, which hath ſeuen heades, & ten hornes.
Hiſtorical application. 8 For ſtoode not that Empire or monarchie of Rome, being gouerned by Emperours, before S. Iohn wrote … it not vake by the deceaſe of Domitian, when he wrot? Roſe not the next Emperour Nerua Cocceius, not of the ancient blood, or honourable ſtock of the Romans, but of baſe linage? euen hee was the firſt ſtranger or barbarian Emperour (Galba not counted; as ſcarce beeing Emperour) and then died he not ſhortly? to wit, after hee had raigned onelyonly an yeare, three moneths, and nyne daies: & finally, doth not the wicked world hauehave in greate reuerence and admiration theſe Emperours, whoſe eſtate (as is ſaide) ſtoode before Saint Iohn wrote: and though by deceaſe of Domitian, it vaked when hee wrote, yet in effect ſtoode it ſtill vnaboliſhed, Nerua and others ſtill ſucceeding.
Paraphraſticall expoſition 8 That imperiall p beaſt that thou didſt ſee, was that Monarchie, which hitherto raigned, & now vaketh throgh the deceas of the Emperor thereof, and immediately ſhal the next Emperor thereof ariſe, of lowe degree and baſe linage to that monarchie and ſhortlie therafter he ſhal die, and the people of the earth, euē they whoſe names ar not from the beginning of the world regiſtred into the booke of life, ſhall hauehave in greate q admiration, reuerence and eſtimation: this greate monarchie, that hitherto ſtood, now vakes in interraigne, & r yet doth ſtande vnaboliſhed, for that more Emperors thereof doe inſtantly ſucceede.
The Text. 8 The beaſt that thou haſt ſeen, was, and is not, and ſhal aſcend out of the bottomles pit, and ſhall goe into perdition, & they that dwell on the earth ſhall wonder (whoſe names are not written in the booke of life, from the foundation of the worlde) when they beholde the beaſt that was, & is not, and yet is:
Hiſtorical application. 9 And beſide theſe infallible tokens, doeth not the reſt of the greater circumſtāces alſo more plainly agre: For is not Rome ſcituate vponupon the ſeuen hills of Palatinus, Coelius, Ianiculus (otherwiſe called Capitolmus) Aventinus Quirinalis Viminalis, and Eſquilinus: and hath not that Cittie & empyre thereof, bene gouerned by theſe ſeuen princely gouernementes, Kinges, Conſulles, Dictators, Triumvirs, Tribunes, Emperours, and Popes.
Paraphraſticall expoſition 9 And now followeth the minde, and meaning of the ſpirit of God, wherin conſiſts the knoledge and interpretation hereof. Theſe ſeuen heades which appeared to thee, are certainelie to bee interpreted ſeuen mountaines, wherupō that whoriſh citie is ſet, and they do alſo meane the ſeuen princely ſ gouernments therof,
The Text. 9. Here is the minde, that hath wiſedom. The ſeuē heds ar ſeuen mountaines, whereon the woman ſitteth: they ar alſo ſeuē king…
Hiſtorical application. 10 Whereof the gouernemet of theſe fiue, to wit, Kings, Conſuls, Dictators, Triumvirs, and Tribunes were paſt before S. Iohns daies. The ſixt, which is the ſtate of Emperours gouerned in his daies, and the ſeuenth ſtate, which is of Popes; came not while after his daies: and ſince they came, they hauehave gouerned 1260. yeares, a time but ſhort in Gods ſight, yea ſhort in reſpect of the contrary eternall kingdome of Gods Elect.
Paraphraſticall expoſition 10 Whereof fiue are paſt, and the ſixt thereof now ſtands, and the ſeuenth gouernment is not yet come, and when it ſhall come, it muſt rule a t certain ſpace
The Text. 10 Fiue are fallen and one is, and another is not yet com: and when hee commeth, hee muſt continue a ſhort ſpace▪
Hiſtorical application. 11 And ſo that imperiall ſtate, that reigned before S. Iohn wrote, to wit, the gouernement by Emperours (after it had vaked from the daies of Auguſtulus in anno. 475. more then three hundreth years) was renewed againe in Charlemaign in Anno. eight hundreth and ſix, and became the eight Romane gouernement, like as it had bene before the ſixt, but now ar the Caeſars and imperiall eſtate, worne to les than a priuate kingdome
Paraphraſticall expoſition 11 And ſo that ſtate of monarchie, and imperial gouernement, which lately was, and now vaketh by interreign, that ſame imperiall gouernment (being hereafter long ſuppreſſed) ſhall bee againe the eight gouernement, like as before it hath bene one of the ſeuen, & at length ſhall it go into final deſtructiō
The Text. 11 And the beaſt that was, and is not, is euen the eight and is one of the ſeuen, and ſhall goe into deſtruction.
Hiſtorical application. 12 And there ar ariſen of their decayed empyre, ten chief Chriſtian Kinges: to wit, of Spaine, France, Lombardie, England, Scotland, Denmark, Swaden, of the Hunnes or Hungarians in Hungarie, of the Gotthes in Italie, & the Exarchat of Rauenna. Who were not in ſaint Iohns daies, nor begunne to reigne while the empyre began to decline.
Paraphraſticall expoſition 12 And as for the tenne hornes which appeared to thee, theſe ar ten vnderunder kings, or confederate kinges, who as yet hauehave not begun to raigne, but ſhall ſtart vp as kings immediatly u after that that monarchie, or imperiall ſtate beginnes to fall.
The Text. 12 And the tenne hornes that thou ſaweſt, are tenne Kinges, which yet hauehave not receued a kingdome, but ſhal receiue power as kings at one houre after the beaſt.
Hiſtorical application. 13 Theſe whollie agreeth in one Papiſticall faith, & Idolatrous profeſsion: and therefore, with all their might, force & ſtrength, maintained the Pope, whoe had the ſeuenth gouerment of Rome.
Paraphraſticall expoſition 13 Theſe ſhall agree vponupon one faith and opinion, and ſhall giuegive ouer again their force, power, and aſsiſtance, to the next gouernors of that monarchie.
The Text. 13 Theſe hauehave one mind, and ſhal giuegive their power, and authoritie vntounto the beaſt.
Hiſtorical application. 14 And concurring with him, they perſecuted & martyred all true Chriſtiā profeſſors, who opponed againſt their papiſticall abuſes, but doubtleſſly, Chriſt Ieſus king of kings, ſhall now ſhortly ouercom them, either cōuerting or ſuppreſsing thē (as he hath already begun) and ſhal erect aboue all his kingdome of his holye people.
Paraphraſticall expoſition 14 Theſe will aſsiſt that Antichriſtian monarchie, fighting x againſt Chriſt Ieſus, and his true ſeruants, but in the end, Chriſt ſhal ouercome them, for they are but earthlie kinges, and he is Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, and his ſeruāts are by him called and choſen, & found faithfull in all their doings.
The Text. 14 Theſe ſhal fight with the Lambe, & the Lamb ſhall ouercome thē: for he is Lord of Lordes, and king of kings, and they that are on his ſide, are called, & choſen, and faithfull.
Hiſtorical application. 15 And ſo, although Rome hath borne hitherto the empyre and ſupremacie ouer all kinreds, people and nations.
Paraphraſticall expoſition 15 And expounding yet farther vntounto mee: theſe waters (ſaith he) that appered to the, ouer the which, is that whoriſh citie ſet, ar to be interpreted people, kinreds, nations and tonges, ouer the which ſhe empyres.
The Text. 15 And hee ſaid vntounto me. The waters whiche thou ſaweſt, where the whore ſitteth, are people and multitudes, and nations, & tongs.
Hiſtorical application. 16 Yet nowe ſhall theſe tenne Chriſtian kinges, her confederats begin to hate her, and renounce her Papiſtical ſuperſtitiōs, depriue her of her dignities and honors, appropriate and annex her rich benefices and rentes, to their owne patrimonies: & at length, ſome of them ſhall ſpoile, that verie citie it ſelfe, of all her coſtly ornaments, & burne vppe with fire her edifices, and deſtroy the ſame for euer.
Paraphraſticall expoſition 16 And theſe ten vnderunder kings (which by hornes appeared to thee) ſhal afterwarde begin y to hate that Idolatros citie & ſhal y make her bare and naked of her honours and dignities, and ſhall y eat vp her patrimonie and rentes, & at length y deſtroy her ſelf with fire.
The Text. 16 And the tenne hornes whiche thou ſaweſt vpō the beaſt, are they that ſhall hate the whore, & ſhall make her deſolate, and naked, & ſhall eat her fleſhe, and burne her with fire.
Hiſtorical application. 17 For although God made theſe princes, firſt to aſsiſt & authorize her with one conſent: yet now is the time come, in the which God hath decreed them to reuolt from her and deſtroy her,
Paraphraſticall expoſition 17 For God had put into their harts to work at al times his wil: euē that firſt they ſhuld giuegive ouer their whole power, might, & ſupremacie of the kingdoms to her, til at laſt the time were come, in the which God had predeſtinate thē to revolt from her.
The Text. 17 For God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will, and to do with one conſente, for to giuegive their kingdom vntounto the beaſt vntil the words of God be fulfilled.
Hiſtorical application. 18 Who hitherto hath bene the Metropolitane Citie, that hath empyred ouer all the whole kingdomes and countries of the world.
Paraphraſticall expoſition 18 And be ſure, that richly decked whore which appered to thee, means nothing els, but the metropolitā & Idolatrous citie, which vſurpes the empyre ouer the whol kingdoms of the earth.
The Text. 18 And the woman which thou ſaweſt, is the gret citie, which regneth ouer the kings of the earth.
Notes, Reaſons, and Amplifications.
a This one of theſe ſeuen Angels, both mentioned here, and in the Apoc. 21.9. agreeth ratheſt to be the laſt, euen the Angell of the laſt age, as being he in whoſe time, both in this place that Antichriſtian whore was deſtroyed, & in that place Gods holie Hieruſalem & true Spouſe and Church decored and d…cked: and therefore, of all the ſeuen, he ſeemeth meeteſt to deſcribe theſe thinges to Iohn, which God had appointed him in effect to execute.
b f That an Idolatrous citie is called in the Scriptures a whore, it is common, For ſaith Eſay 1.21. How is the holie Citie become a vvhore, &c. And how, more particularlie, this decked whore, and filthie woman, is interpreted to be that citie, that doeth impire ouer the Kinges of the earth, reade the laſt verſe of this chapter, and ſo it muſt needes meane Rome, the onlie chief Metropolitane city of the Empire.
c Waters are plainlie interpreted by the Angell, to bee people and nations, ver. 15.
d Of potable liquors, wine and water, the cleare waters and welſpringes, are euer taken in the Scriptures in the beſt parte, for the wholeſome, pure, true, and moſt ſimple doctrine of the Evangell, which our ſoules continuallie thirſte after: But contrarilie, wine, for that it is more alluring, delectable, and prouoketh drunkenneſſe, therefore, in all the Scriptures, it is commonlie taken in an euill parte, for idolatrous, licentious, and voluptuous doctrins, provoking Gods ire and fierce wrath. Read Apoc. 14.8.10. The like is in diuers other places.
e Except we be ſolitarilie, and as in a deſert, diſtracted and withdrawne from worldlie ſocietie and partiall affaires, it is hard to hauehave our Spirit and perfect judgement ripe and ready to diſcerne the trueth of ſpirituall matters.
f Hereof reade the note b.
g As al red coullours, betoken bloudſhead in the Scriptures (as is ſaid Apoc. 6.4. note c) and skarlet is a more glorious red than ſimple red. So betokeneth it, this Romane kingdom not onelyonly ſimplie to be bloodthirſtie, but euen to glorie in their bloodſhead and murthers. And further, beſide the ſpiritual meaning of theſe collours, the Princes of that Empire both firſt and laſt, euen both Emperours and Popes, were corporallie and really clothed in purple and skarlet, in their Pontificals, as is to be read in the Decret. diſtinct. 96. where Conſtantine the Emperour giues his imperial garments of purple and skarlet, called therein, Chlamidem purpuream, & tunicam coccineam, to Pope Sylueſter the firſt, and his ſucceſſours, to be worne by them, as they doe to this day,
h Theſe names of blaſphemie, that here are ſaid, that the beaſte is full of, are ſaid (Apoc. 13.1) to bee vponupon the ſeuen heads of the beaſt. The trueth is therefore, that theſe proud, glorious and preſumptuous ſtiles and ſuperſcriptions, are not only ſet vp in ſundry monuments vponupon diuers places of theſe ſeuen hilles, which are her ſeuen heades, but alſo through al the whole bodie of the beaſt, euen in eueryevery part of that Empire, are there infinite of theſe Temples, Idols, and other monuments erected, bearing ſuch proude and blaſphemous ſuperſcriptions and titles dedicatories, as Diis manibus, Fortunae, Plutoni, Ʋeneri, Priapo, and euen at Muſſilburgh, among our ſelues in Scotland, a foundation of a Romane monument lately found (now vtterlie demoliſhed) bearing this inſcription dedicatorie, Apollini Granno Quintus Lucius Sabinianus Proconſul Aug. Alſo there is to be ſeene in their coines the like vniuerſally, euen titles of the pride and vain-glorie of Rome, as in the daies of Conſtantius and Maximianus, a coine printed with this inſcription, Romae aeternae prat. In the dayes of Licinius Iunior, a coine with this inſcription, Romae aeternae, with the figure of Rome, ſitting as a glorious ladie. In the dayes of Priſcus Attalus, a coine with this inſcription. Invicta Roma aeterna conob. Of which writeth Adolphus Occo, libro Numiſmatum Romanorū. Of this their blaſphemous ſtile of eternity, read S. Ierome, lib. Epiſt. parte. 2. tract. 2. Epiſt. 18. queſtion. 11. litera. Z. in theſe wordes, Vnde ſecundum Apocalypſim Ioannis, in fronte purpuratae meretricis, ſcriptum eſt nomen blaſphemiae, id eſt Romae aeternae; that is to ſay, Whereby, acccording to the Reuelation of S. Iohn, in the forehead of the skarlet vvhore, there is written a name of blaſphemie, which is Eternal Rome.
i Theſe ſeuē heads ar plainly interpreted by the Angel hereafter, v. 9. to be ſeuen mountains, & ſeuē governmēts, or princely eſtats.
k Read theſe heads, taken for kings, and kings for any princely gouernours in verſ. 9. following, and note ſ thereof.
l Now hauehave we to trie, what theſe ten hornes doe meane: firſt by Daniell 7.24. and Reuel. 17.12. theſe be ten kinges. Secondlie, their kingdomes muſt be part of the Romane beaſt, and fourth Monarchy, as both appears, Dan. 7.7.23.24. Reu. 12.3. and 13.1 and 17.3.7. as alſo, becauſe that whol ten horned beaſt, meaning the whole Romane Empire, by our 24. prop. what els can the parts of that beaſt ſignifie, than parts of that Empire, and conſequently the ten crowned horns of the beaſt, ten kings & kingdoms out of the Empire? Thirdly, by ver. 12. hereof, & note u following, appears that theſe ten kings aroſe whē the Roman governmēt by Emperors decayed, and when the Pope began to claime temporal dignities, which al occurred betwixt the 300. and 450. year of Chriſt, by our 36. prop. and approued hiſtories. Fourthly, by the 13. & 14. verſes, appears, that theſe ſhal be of one religion, and ſhal therfore authorize, & giuegive their power & aſsiſtance to the beaſt, that next gouerned that Roman ſeat, euen to the Pope (the Emperours then being decayed) Fiftly, thogh (as is ſaid) theſe ten horns cam at once with that Papiſtical beaſt, & litle Antichriſtian horn, yet they roſe firſt to their kingdoms before this Papiſtical horn roſe to his Monarchy, and then he ſuppreſſed three of them, which teſtifieth, Dan. 7.24. ſaying, Another (euen that Antichriſt) ſhal riſe vp after them (to wit after theſe ten kings) & he ſhall ſubdue three kings, & ſo the Antichriſt that commeth at one time with them, riſeth not to an eſtabliſhed Monarchy til after their riſing, yea, til three of thē wer fallē: for the tearm in the original Hebrue or Chaldee doth not meane there of his firſt cōming or ſimple beginning to riſe, but of his eſtabliſhing or confirming of his riſing: for the ſame tearm that here is put for this riſing, is expreſly put in Iob. 22.28. & 2. Chro. 7.18. & diuers other places, for eſtabliſhing & confirming. So by theſe notes and tokēs, theſe ten appear to be the kings of Spain, France, Lōbardy, England, Scotland, Denmark, Swadē, of the Hunnes or Hungarians in Pannonia, now called Hungarie, of the Gotths in Italy, & the Exarchat of Rauenna, al ſtart vp with the Pope, betwixt the 300. and 450. yeare of God. As to the kingdoms of Arragon, Granad, Portugal, Caſtile, Legeon Tolet, Galice & Nauarre, they ar only inferior kingdoms, partly ſubject to the Empire, partly pendicles of Spain, & ar not kingdoms of old. The other kingdom of Nauarre is alſo of late, & now is & ſhall be (God willing) all one with France▪ Sicil, Beheme, & Naples, for the moſt part are of the Empire, & are neither old nor free kingdoms: Burgundie is of France, & was only a ſmal kingdom, or rather dukedome. Norway is but of late a deuided kingdom from Denmarke, & is now conjoyned again with Denmarke, Ireland is conjoyned with England. Polland is but of late erected in a kingdō. Cyprus is a kingdom both late, ſmall, and ſeldome in Chriſtians hands. As to the Vandals & Ʋiſegoths, that people, as appeares, came from Swaden, & the Northren countries, & began their kingdom in Spain. An. Chriſt. 382. by Modogiſlaus their king: and therfore juſtly, of theſe Vandals & Goths whatſoeuer, we comprehend their goers out vnderunder Spaine, Italy, & Hungarie, wher they came, and their remainers at home, we comprehend vnderunder Swaden, whoſe king now ſtileth him ſelf, king of Swaden, Gothes and Vandals, as in the circumſcription of their coines is to be ſeen. And ſo apparātly, remain only the ſaid ten kingdoms to be chiefly the beaſts ten hornes, with which the Popes litle horn and ſmal kingdom comming at one time, was afterward cōfirmed & eſtabliſhed by Pipin, Charlemaign, & Lodouicus Pius, and thē aroſe it greateſt of all: and by his craft, and meanes of his confederates, ſuppreſſed the kingdoms of the Goths, Longobards & Exarchat, and brooketh their lands within Italy to this day: But the other ſeuen kings yet extant, with the people alſo of theſe three kingdomes, ſhall (God willing) one day repay that Antichriſtian ſeat, with fire, ſword, and vtter deſtruction, as appeareth by the 16. verſe hereof, and other places of this booke.
m Of the great pomp & riches of this town, read Hierom, parte. 2 tract. 5. Epiſtola. 59. litera, G. where he concludeth, Aurata ſua tecta magis velint aspicere quàm coelum, that is, they had rather behold their gilded ſilerings than the heauens: and what merueil is it that it be rich, ſeeing almoſt the whol world hauehave bene tributaries to it, about 2000. years, including the time of pardons, as being the moſt welthy tributes. And as in all things they are glorious, ſo alſo in their tributes they appointed that the ſame ſhuld be brought in earthē pots, & the pots broken in a certaine place of Rome, where, by the great quantity of broken pots, there is waxed a hil, called Monte teſtaceo. And this hauehave they done for their glorious name and oſtentation, which (confirming this text) beareth recorde of the great riches that hath bene brought to them from al the world.
n How and why Rome is ſtiled Babylon myſticallie or figuratiuely, is ſhewed at length in our 23. propoſition.
o Here ſaith Saint Iohn, hee wondered at the beaſt, and hereafter (verſe 8) he ſaith, that they, whoſe names were not written in the booke of life wondred at the beaſt, not making any repugnance, neither making himſelf to be of the wicked number: for ther is a diſtinction in wondering, according to the qualitie of the wonderer: the godlie ſeeing the pomp and glory of the world, wonder at the vanitie and impietie thereof, with great griefe of mind, deteſting the ſame: & ſo S. Iohn here wondred at the whoriſh citie: But the wicked contrarilie, ſeeing herefter (ver. 8.) the great pomp, wealth, & worldlie felicitie of the Romane Emperours, they wondered thereat, not deteſting the ſame, but rather are rauiſhed in admiration, with reuerence, obedience and feare of them, as if they wer gods; and therfore it is ſaid (Apoc. 13.3.4) that the whole world wondred at the beaſt, and worſhipped the beaſt, and the dragon that gaue her power.
p It is ſo notable among the Prophets, that a beaſt, generallie meaneth a king, kingdom, Empire, or Monarchie (as may be prooued by Dan. 7. where he calleth his four beaſts, the four kingdoms or Monarchies of the earth) That here S. Iohn ſuperfluouſly interpreteth not, this beaſt to mean a Monarchie in generall, but entereth to the particular deſcription thereof, ſo plainely, that hee lets vsus euidently ſee it, to be not onlie in generall a Monarchie, but euen in particular, that ſelfe ſame ten horned beaſt, which Daniel called the fourth kingdome or monarchie: and ſo conſequently, to be the Roman Empire, as is proued in our 24. prop. at more length.
q What maner of wondring this is, read before in the note o.
r Some read here, The beaſt that was and is not, onelyonly: but I rather approue thoſe, that read, the beaſt that was, and is not, and yet is, for althogh this ſeem a repugnance, yet it is none: for the Empire or imperial eſtate, at that time that S. Iohn wrot, might juſtlie be ſaid, not to be, ſeing the Emperour Domitian was dead, & the next Emperor Nerua Cocceius not yet receiued: and yet in a maner, the Empire or imperial eſtate that time was, becaus the gouernmēt of Emperors ſtood as yet that time vnaboliſhed. And ſo in diuers maners, and in diuers reſpects, the imperial eſtate at that time, both was & was not, without repugnāce: wherof read the 5. reaſon of our 24. prop.
ſ A king, in the ſcripture, is a general name for any ſupream gouernour, be he king, Monarch, Emperor, or Pope, as in Daniel chap. 7. all the kings of one Monarchie, ar called but one king: wherby the four Monarchies are called foure kings: And again, Moſes being but a gouernour, is called a king. Deut. 33.5. and ſeing hereby, that not only a king, is taken for whatſoeuer ſupreame gouernor, but alſo, ſeeing how many ſoeuer ſupreame gouernors there be of one race or ſort, they are al called but one king. Therfore, we juſtly eſteeme theſe ſeuen kings, here mentioned, to be the ſeuen princelie, royal, and ſupreame gouernments of Rome, ſeing in all the reſt of their circumſtances, they agree ſo well with the text: Hereof is ſpoken in the fourth reaſon of our 24. propoſition.
t It were vnproper, to meaſure the breuity & length of this time that the ſeuenth Papiſtical & Antichriſtian gouernmēt doth ſtand, according to our fantaſie, as to cal it long, that men think long, for ſo indeed, ſhould that Antichriſtian raigne be counted long; but more properly the Spirit of God (in whoſe ſight a thouſand years ar but as one day) here, in compariſon of the aeternity of the Chriſtian kingdom of Chriſt Ieſus, accounteth the contrarie kingdom, euen the Antichriſtian kingdome, to be but ſhort, for that trulie 1260. yeares are nothing in reſpect of aeternitie. Of a longer time called but ſhort, read Apoc. 22.6.7.10.12.20.
u Here doe we followe Ieromes vulgare tranſlation, Poſt beſtiam, that is, After the beaſt, agreing ſufficientlie with the Greek, foreign; for verilie ſo came it to paſſe, that after the Empire of Rome decayed, & the imperiall gouerment was aboliſhed by the Hunes, Gotthes Vandales, and ſuch others: Then immediatelie, and at once, (betwixt the yeares of God, 300. and 450) ſtart vp theſe ten kings. The other tranſlation of T. Beza and others, who tranſlate, vna hora cum beſtia, At one houre with the beaſt, may alſo verie well ſtand with the word foreign which ſometimes ſignifieth after, ſometimes vvith. And ſo in that ſenſe, although after the beaſt, euen after the fall of the Emperours (who in their time were that Roman beaſte & Latine Empire) the ten kings came, and began to raign, yet alſo this comming of theirs, was at one houre (that is to ſay, immediatelie) with the beaſt: to wit, they came and aroſe immediatly with the Pope, who (ſince the fal of Emperors, hath euer bin that Roman beaſt, & poſſeſſed the Empire thereof: and therfore ſaith the text, in the next verſe: Theſe (to wit, ten kings) hauehave one counſell, and ſhall giuegive ouer their ſtrength and power to the beaſt, meaning to the Pope, who ſince this decay of Emperors, hauehave broked for the moſt part, the ſtile, rent, honors and ſeat of this Latin Empire, & Roman beaſt.
x Theſe be the warres (called the holie warres) which the Pope, his vnderunder kings and confederats, did raiſe againſt thoſe kingdoms, princes, and particular profeſſors, that following the trueth, wold any waies mean to repine againſt his Antichriſtian authoritie: But the Spirite of God here, diſcouereth their hypocritical tearmes of holy warres, affirming ſtedfaſtlie, them to fight againſt Chriſt, and that at length to their aeternall confuſion.
y Here doth the Angell declare to vsus, by whome, and after what maner the Antichriſtian and Idolatrous Citie of Rome ſhall bee deſtroyed. The doers thereof ſhall be (ſaith he) the ſame tenne Chriſtian kinges, who before had maintained her. The maner of this deſtruction of Rome, ſeemeth to be three-folde. Firſt (ſaith the text) they ſhall hate her, and leaue her deſolate: taht is to ſay, (as appeareth by Paule. 2. Theſſ. 2.8. and Apoc. 14.6.) The trueth of Gods worde and holie Euangell ſhall be firſt publickely preached, and by the Majeſtie of the comming thereof, and two edged ſword of that holie Word, manie of theſe tenne Chriſtian Princes, their kindreds, and people ſhall be conuerted from their Antichriſtian and Papiſticall ſuperſtitions, and ſhall hate the Romane ſeat, turn backe from it, and leaue it deſtitute of their aſsiſtance; and this is her firſt wracke. Secondlie (ſaith the text) They ſhall eate her fleſh: that is, theſe ten Chriſtian kinges, who before had enriched her, and made her fat with great benefices, rents and dayly caſualities, now hating her, ſhall eate vp theſe rentes and rich benefices, and liue thereon themſelues: and both theſe two wrackes are already come, thought not as yet altogether perfected. Reſteth yet the laſt, whereof, thirdlie (ſaith the text) they ſhall burne her vvith fire: which appeareth not to be figuratiuelie taken, but literallie, by the next chapter, verſes 8.9.16.17.18.21. by which it appeareth, that at length, Princes ſhall make warre againſt the verie citie of Rome, take it captiue, ſpoyle it, and finallie, ſo burne it with fire, that it ſhall be waſte for euer, as at more length in that chapter we ſhall nowe deduce.