A Key of Knowledge to Open Revelation, Part 4 · Chapter 6 · Notes 14
Notes vponupon Chap. 17.
This Chapter, ſo likewiſe doe the 18, and 19, and 20 Chapters ſhew more at large, the things foretold to come to paſſe vnderunder the ſixth and ſeuenth vials. For in the ſixth vial is mentioned a gathering together to battell; but Iohn breaketh off the diſcourſe, not ſhewing there fully the iſſue: And in the ſeuenth viall is laid downe ſuch horrible deſtruction, as may worke an aſtoniſhment in mens hearts; except a larger explanation were made thereof, to ſhew how it ſhall come about and why that Citie and theſe men ſhould ſo ſtrangely bee plagued of God, and yet remaine ſo helliſhly obſtinate.
Verſ. 1. And there came one of the … Angels, …. Which of the… it was is not named but hereby is …o…ed that, …ow in the … of theſe vials … …, Rome ſhould be knowne to be Babylon, and that Romane Catholike Church to be a common …; and that not onelyonly of the …, … Biſhops and faithfull Paſtors of the Church, (which gaue the ſeuen vials into the hāds of the Angels), but alſo of theſe Angels themſelues, who ſhall well vnderſtand why they poure out their vials vponupon that ſtate, euen for that it is a damned whore, which they ſhould be deſirous and ready to make knowne; which is noted by this, that this Angell informeth Iohn hereof. The iudgement, that is, this plague and vtter deſtruction, which is briefly foretold to be executed in the pouring out the laſt viall, and at large ſhewed to come to paſſe in chap. 18. and in chap. 19. verſ. 2. Of the great whore: This is not named in this tearme before, and yet is ſpoken to Iohn as a knowne thing. which muſt needs be that great Citie in chap. 16. 19. That ſitteth, that is, which reigneth (verſ. 18) vponupon many waters, that is, ouer peoples and multitudes, and nations, and tongues, verſ. 15, this is the power alſo and dominion of the Beaſt, chap. 13. 7.
Verſ. 2. Committed fornication: That is, entertained her falſe worſhip and idolatrous ſeruice, which is ſpirituall adulterie, as appeareth by the words of the Prophets eueryevery where, Iudg. 8. Eſai. 1. Iere. 2. and 3. Ezech. 16. Oſea. 1. and 2. and 3. made drunke, as Eſai. chap. 29. 9. and 51. 21, ſpeaketh, which is a ſpirituall drunkenneſſe. With the wine, that is, with the doctrine, which as wine they hauehave drunk downe, to vphold her ſpirituall fornication: or by wine may bee vnderſtood all meanes, which that Church vſeth to bewitch and deceiue the mindes of people with; to draw them vntounto her falſe worſhip and ſeruice, and to bee in louelove with her, called in the next verſe abominations and filthineſſe of her fornication.
Verſ. 3. Into the wilderneſſe: A ſolitarie place, there was the true Church, chap. 12. of which they muſt bee, that can learne to know the Romiſh Church to be a whore, condemned of God. A woman, that is, the great Citie, verſ. 18. Sit: But note, without holding bit or bridle, euen ſhewing, how that ſtate will be lawleſſe, and ſhe therewith contented; the Beaſt is expounded verſ. 8. Scarlet coloured, of the Dragons colour, chap. 12. 3. but of a deeper die; this colour the Beaſt got by murthering the Saints, chap. 13. 7. Full of names of blaſphemie: The Beaſt and Popedome was now (the Whore ſitting thereupon) full, all ouer beſpotted, with the names of blaſphemie. Of the ſeuen heads and ten hornes ſee chap. 13. 1.
Verſ. 4. The outward glorious ſtate of that Church, is here ſet out by apparell and rich ornaments, as a Queene; for ſo alſo ſhe eſteemeth of her ſelfe, chap. 18. 7. Hauing a golden cup in her hand: Before was mention made of wine, here is the cup to drinke it out of. This cup in her hand is all the meanes, which by her power ſhe can deuiſe to conuey into their mindes this her wine; which is here called abominations and filthineſſe of her fornication, of which her cup is full.
Verſ. 5. And vponupon her forehead: That is, openly was a name written Myſterie. This word is in the Popes Myter. Brocard, a Venetian, commenting vponupon this place auoucheth it; who was at Trent at one of the Seſſions of that damnable Councell there, as himſelfe affirmeth vponupon the firſt verſe of this Chapter. His relation of the proceedings of the Pope in that Councell, would make that Antichriſt to be abhorred, and his Councell too, with all the helliſh, I cannot ſay holy, fathers thereof: concerning this word myſtery, written in the Popes Myter, many beſides hauehave been at Rome, and profeſſe to hauehave ſeene it: ſee for this, D. Iames, the keeper of the Library in Oxford, his dedicatorie Epiſtle, in his treatiſe of the corruption of the Scriptures, &c. The Church may be ſaid to hauehave it, when the Pope the head thereof weareth it. By this word myſterie, the Prophet would hauehave vsus to know, that Rome by a myſterie is Babylon the great, the mother of harlots, &c. This name ſhee her ſelfe boaſteth not of, but the ſpirit of God teacheth vsus to take her ſo; what other goodly title ſoeuer ſhe aſſumeth to her ſelfe.
Verſ. 6. She made other drunke with her fornication, but ſhe her ſelfe is drunke with the blood of Saints and Martyrs.
Verſ. 7. Heere the Angell promiſeth to giuegive Iohn (repreſenting in this the common type of the faithfull) ſatisfaction touching that, which hee ſo greatly wondreth at.
Verſ. 8. The beaſt: This he beginneth with firſt, and after, verſ. 18. telleth what the woman is; this is the beaſt (the Popedome) in chap. 13. 1. To vnderſtand the words following, was, is not, and yet is, we muſt not conceiue them as ſpoken of the beaſt, either before Iohns time, or in his dayes: this viſion ſeene of Iohn, was not as yet when Iohn wrote, nor in the time of the Heathen Emperors, which is that one (when he liued) mentioned in verſ. 10. but ſhould be afterwards; and being come, ſhould continue but a ſhort ſpace, by reaſon of the deadly wound receiued, by which being as dead, yet liuing and recouering againe, then ſhould theſe words, was, is not, and yet is, be ſpoken of him; was, to wit, in the gouernment Eccleſiaſticall, by Biſhops vponupon the tranſlation of the Empire from Rome to Conſtantinople: and is not, by comming in of the Gothes and Vandals, bereauing Rome of inhabitants, ouerthrowing for a time, that eccleſiaſticall gouernment of Biſhops at Rome: And yet is, not being vtterly by the Gothes furie extinguiſhed, the wound being finely healed by the ſecond beaſt, (cap. 13. 11. 13. 14.) who cunningly crept vp from Epiſcopall iuriſdiction, into a monarchicall ſtate and Empire, by his obtained ſupremacie; and ſo obtaining great power and authority, was wondred at of them that dwelt on the earth, by beholding him, the beaſt that was, and is not, and yet is: And ſhall aſcend out of the bottomleſſe pit: This is the beaſt, chap. 11. 7. which beginning is giuen vntounto him, as he is in his recouered eſtate, and now exalted to the height, to an Antichriſtian gouernment; for ſo conſidered is hee ſaid to aſcend out of the bottomleſſe pit: and ſhall goe into perdition: that is, it ſhall not be a permanent ſtate euer, but bee deſtroyed and vtterly come to nothing with him, as we ſee chap. 19. 20. and they that dwell on the earth ſhall wonder, as is alſo ſaid in chap. 13. 3. whoſe names, &c. Theſe are the reprobates, which ſo ſhall wonder and worſhip the beaſt, cap. 13. 8. When they behold the beaſt that was, to wit, ſubſtituted by the Dragon; Rome being left by the Emperours, chap. 13. 3. and is not: being wounded to death, chap. 13. 3. and yet is, to wit, the beaſt aſcended vp, (cap. 11. 7.) that is ſo mighty, as none is like him, none able to warre with him, hauing power ouer kindreds, tongues, and nations, chap. 13. 4. 7.
Verſ. 9. Hauing expounded the beaſt, ſhewing what he is; here he telleth vsus, what is meant by the ſeuen heads which this beaſt hath: and of theſe heads he giueth a double interpretation; the one is heere, that they ſignifie ſeuen hilles, on which Rome ſtood, as I hauehave before ſhewed at large.
Verſ. 10. The other interpretation is, and there are ſeuen Kings, ſo the beaſt is the whole ſtate, and the heads are the Prime gouernours of it, called heree Kings, for their ſoueraignty and kingly regencie in that Citie; they are not the ſeuen ages of the world, as the Ieſuite Ribera dreameth. fiue are fallen, that is, the fiue heads that had already been. 1. Kings, 2. Conſuls, 3. Dictators, 4. Decemuiri, 5. Tribuni militum: for the heads are ſo many differing kinds of gouernors in the Roman gouernment, and not ſo many ſingular perſons gouerning; for then had this beaſt periſhed long agoe, and not now hauehave been troubleſome to the Chriſtian world. Andone is, that is, the ſixth head, the Heathen Romane Emperors. And the other: that is, the ſeuenth, called an other, for his ſo much differing from all the reſt before him, when he ſhal come. Neither is it ſaid an other, as if the Apoſtle ſpake of one vncertaine, who he ſhould be; but the other (as it is well tranſlated), as if he ſaid, the beaſt already ſeene in the viſion, and ſhewed vntounto mee, in verſ. 3. Is not yet come: Iohn ſaw not this other the ſeuenth, but onelyonly in viſion. And when hee commeth, he muſt continue a ſhort ſpace. It is not ſaid by way of limitation, he muſt continue but a ſhort ſpace, as if the time of this other the ſeuenth, ſhould be onelyonly for a ſhort ſpace, and ſo periſh vtterly; which hath made ſome (ſo conceiuing of the words) to vnderſtand hereby the rule of the Gothes and Vandals at Rome, who had but a ſhort raigne, and periſhed vtterly. But there is a great difference of theſe ſpeeches, he muſt continue but a ſhort ſpace, and hee muſt continue a ſhort ſpace; the former implyeth neceſſarily a cutting off, after a ſhort ſpace, and to be no more; the latter not ſo, but ſheweth that hee hath a grant to bee, and that hee muſt hauehave a ſhort ſpace allotted vntounto him to be; but not therefore inforcing vsus to thinke, that therfore after that ſhort time, hee ſhould hauehave no being at all. It is therefore, as if the Angell had ſaid vntounto Iohn, the other, this ſeuenth head, which maketh the beaſt, which thou ſeeſt, which yet is not come, but certainly will come in his time; and when hee is come in the ſucceeding Eccleſiaſticall gouernment, vponupon the tranſlation of the Empire from Rome, to Conſtantinople, (as our Soueraigne in his moſt learned Apologie ſpeaketh) he muſt continue a ſhort ſpace ſo, till hee receiue the deadly wound; and bee then as it were not, till the ſame againe be healed by the beaſt riſing out of the earth, and exerciſing all the power of the firſt beaſt before him, cap. 13. 11. 12.
Verſ. 11. And (So vponupon this recouerie and ſecond beaſts great power) the beaſt that was, and is not, by this his ſo ſtrange riſing from Epiſcopall gouernment, by which hee was the ſeuenth head, into ſo high and ſupreme power, as altogether varying from it, he ſeemed to become an other then before he was ſeene to be: euen he, (now in mans account) is the eighth King; for ſo the word eighth agreeth in gender with the word King, and not with the word beaſt. And is, (yet in deed and truth) of the ſeuen, that is, the ſeuenth; of which before more at large in the firſt part of this preparatiue, chap. 3. in the anſwere to the third obiection. And goeth into perdition, as is before ſaid, verſ. 8. this is his end, chap. 19. 20. Note heere, that the ſeuenth head, and eighth King in account, is that very Antichriſt, chapt. 13. 11. obtaining onelyonly of all the heads, to be called the beaſt, and ſo the firſt and ſecond beaſt, chap. 13. 1. 11. doe heere become both one. So then the Popedome (the firſt beaſt) beareth vp Rome; the woman and the Pope that Antichriſt (the ſecond beaſt) maketh the Popedome, whoſe deſtruction ſhall bee the vtter ruine of all the Romane ſtate.
Verſ. 12. The Angell hauing ſhewed, what the beaſt is and his heads; now hee commeth to his hornes, and telleth vsus that they are ten Kings, but ſuch as in Iohns daies had receiued no kingdome: but afterwards when this Beaſt ſhould come, they then ſhould receiue power as Kings, that is, hauehave ſoueraigne and kingly regencie. For the hornes were crowned, chapt. 13. 1. Heereby therefore is meant abſolute and free Princes, and not ſubordinate powers, and Leiftenants, or Preſidents of Prouinces, as were vnderunder the ſixth heade, the Dragon, who would weare the crowns vponupon his owne head, and not admit the hornes (as heere) to hauehave crowns, One houre, that is, in the ſpace of an houre, that is, in a very little ſhort time. With the beast, that is, with the ſtate of Rome vnderunder Antichriſt.
Verſ. 13, Whereupon theſe Kings ſhall be ſo vnited to the Beaſt, as all they can do, they will do for the ſame, and that with full conſent.
Verſ. 14. Of the beaſts warre with the Saints, we hauehave heard before, chap. 11. 7. and 13. 7. Heere we ſee by whom he doth it, euen by theſe hornes, but (bleſſed be God) they loſe the victorie.
Verſ. 15. The waters: on which it is ſaid, verſ. 1. that the woman ſitteth, are expounded to be peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues; for Antichriſts dominion ſhall largely extend it ſelfe, cap. 13. 7. and 11. 9.
Verſ. 16. As the riſing vp, and proſperity of the Beaſt hath bin noted; ſo now the ruine and downfall. And the ten hornes: the very ſame which before, with one mind gaue their power and ſtrength to the Beaſt, and which hornes Iohn ſaw vponupon the Beaſt. Theſe ſhall hate the whore: that is, the woman ſitting vponupon the Beaſt (verſ. 3.) and the whore ſitting vponupon many waters, (verſ. 1.) with whom theſe Kings committed fornication, which made alſo others drunke with the wine of her fornication, verſ. 2. but her ſelfe became drunke with the blood of Saints. verſ. 6. Their hate at length, conceiued iuſtly againſt her, ſhall bring Rome to vtter ruine.
Verſ. 17. A reaſon heere is giuen, both of the ſtrange alteration of the minds of theſe Kings againſt the whore; as alſo how it was, and wherefore they affected ſo much the beaſt before. A hand of God was in both, vntill that which he had ſpoken ſhould be fulfilled.
Verſ. 18. The Angell interpreteth the myſterie of the woman, and plainly ſheweth who ſhee is. The woman is the great City: myſtically called Babylon verſ. 5. but in deed and truth, Rome; which in Iohns dayes raigned ouer the Kings of the earth, as as I hauehave before proued out of the Euangeliſts and Acts of the Apoſtles in part, 1. chap. 3. and in the anſwere to the firſt obiection.