Commentary on Revelation, Vision 6 · Chapter 17 · Part 1
CHAPTER XVII. The Argument, Parts, and Analyſis.
A whorish woman is shewed unto Iohn, ſitting on a Beaſt, at which he wondring, the myſtery thereof is unfolded, firſt, who the beaſt is: ſecondly, who are the ſeven heads and ten hornes thereof: And their unhappy fight againſt the Lambe: who afterward fight more proſperouſly againſt the whore herſelf. Laſtly it is declared who the woman is.
The Parts of the Chapter are three.
I. THere is a generall Preface ſhewing the occaſion and Argument of the whole Viſion, ver. 1.2.
II. The Viſion it ſelfe ver. 3.4.5.
III. The interpretation of the Viſion, in the reſt of the Chapter.
In the firſt Iohn is invited by the Angell to contemplate a new Viſion, ver. 1. The Argument thereof being the judgement or condemnation of the great whore, ibid. Whoſe perſon is deſcribed generally by two adjuncts. 1. Of her ſeat or throne upon many waters. 2. Of her abominable fornication, as the cauſe of her condemnation, v. 2. with whom the kings have committed fornication, &c.
In the ſecond is noted.
1. The place of the Viſion, in the wilderneſſe.
2. The Viſion it ſelfe: A woman ſitting on a beaſt, ibid.
3. The monſtrous ſhape of the beaſt, ibid.
4. The attire of the whoriſh woman, ver. 4. The name on her forehead, ver. 5. and her cruelty, ver. 6.
In the third is ſhewed a twofold occaſion of the interpretation. Iohns great admiration, ver. 6. and the readineſſe of the Angell to interpret, ver. 7. The interpretation followeth, 1. Of the Beaſt, ver. 8.9.10.11.12.13.14. 2. Of the woman, ver. 15. unto the end. The beaſt is unfolded: firſt in the whole, ſecondly, according to his parts. Of the whole Beast is ſhewed 1. The fourefold ſtate: alſo his authority among the inhabitants of the earth, ver, 8. to which is annexed an exclamation, ſtirring up to attention, ver. 9. The parts of the beaſt are unfolded, 1. The ſeven heads: that they are ſo many mountain…s, and ſo many kings, ver. 9.10.11. 2. The ten hornes, that they alſo are ſo many kings, ver. 12. 3. The conſpiracy of the kings with the Beaſt againſt the Lambe, ver, 13. 4. The fight of the kings with the Lambe, ver. 14.
To … the woman here is ſhewed, 1. her ſeat on many waters, ver. 15.2, her … deſertion and burning, ver. 16. The ſecondarie cauſes whereof ſhall be the hornes of the beaſt, ibid. The firſt and chiefe, the divine motion, ver. 17. 3. The ſurname of the woman: the great city reigning over the kings of the earth, &c. that is, Rome, ver. 18.
CHAPTER XVII. The firſt Part of the Chapter.
The Preface of the VISION.
1 And there came one of the ſeven Angels which had the ſeven vials, and talked with me, ſaying, Come hither, I will shew unto …ee the judgement of the great whore, that ſitteth upon many waters.
2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabiters of the earth have bin made drunke with the wine of her Fornication.