Commentary on Revelation, Vision 6 · Chapter 17 · Part 1 · Commentary 1 – Part 2
THE COMMENTARY.
AND there came one of the ſeven Angells] The occaſion of the Viſion is the invitation of the Angell unto a new Viſion. Now whether this Angell were the firſt of the ſeven by an hebraiſme, it matters not. Brightman takes him to be the fift, who poured out the Ʋiall on the throne of the Beaſt. But it may be as well any one of the other: for every of them did poure out the laſt plagues on the beaſts kingdom. Notwithſtanding it ſeems to be the ſeventh or laſt, who with his Viall raiſed an earthquake whereby Babylon was deſtroyed: for this ſhalbe the judgement of the great whore, to which Iohn is now invited to behold the ſame, he had heard indeed by the preaching of the ſecond Angell in Ʋiſion fift, chap 14 8the fall of Babylon, and even now in the earthquake he ſaw the diviſion or rent thereof: chap 16.19but the Type was ſomething obſcure: here therefore in a more evident viſion the tragical judgement of Babylon is manifeſted to him.
Come hither, I will ſhew unto thee] The ſenſe is not: I will reveal or expound unto thee in words: but I will bring thee to the very beholding of the thing it ſelfe, as if he ſhould ſay, I will no longer deſcribe Antichriſt in words, but will now ſet him forth plainely before thy eyes. Now as this was a Viſion, ſo it was a mentall tranſportation, as appeares verſe 3. The ſcope or drift was, that Iohn ſhould wrire theſe tragicall apparitions to the terrour of Babylon and comfort of the godlie.
The friendly manner of ſpeaking, Come hither, and the whole matter teacheth us what the Apoſtle ſpeaketh Heb. 1.14. that the Angells as miniſtring Spirits, are with alacrity imployed about theſe things which ſerve for our conſolation and ſalvation: not to the end that we ſhould worſhip them (for thus Iohn is prohibited to do) but that we might rejoyce and give thankes to God, chap 19:10 & 22.9who ſo careth for us, as for our ſakes to ſend forth the Angels as miniſtring ſpirits.
The judgement of the whore] In one word he ſhews the Argument of the Viſion: foreign the judgement of the whore, for foreign the Condemnation: which is not meant of a temporall ſpoiling and burning which the whore ſhall ſuffer by her lovers: but to be caſt for ever into the lake of fire and brimſtone, the which Chriſt the Iudge ſhall himſelfe execute at the laſt day.
Of the great …hore] Gr. foreign with a double Article, Regula articulorum non ſemper perpetua.as if he ſpake of a whore before known, whereas indeed there was nothing formerly mentioned of her. And therefore the rule will not alwayes hold, that articles are never put but before things that are knowne. Vnleſſe perhaps he denotes this Whore by a double article, becauſe ſhe was knowne to the Angell, as if hee ſhould ſay, I will ſhew unto thee that famous Harlot, or Strumpet, well knowne to all the heavenly inhabitants, and what her end ſhall be, ſeeing as yet thou knoweſt it not.
She is not that woman Jezabell, which ſeduced ſome of the Church of Thiatyra by her fornication, Chap. 2.20. For the deſcription ſhews that here a far more famous whore is noted: For this Strumpet ſits not in Thiatyra, but upon many waters: and upon the beaſt: the meaning whereof ſhalbe opened on ver. 3. & ver. 15.
By calling her a whore, and a great one, that is, inſatiable, and far exceeding other Strumpets in luſt and filthineſſe, he teacheth us, that the guilt and cauſe of her horrible judgement ſhall be her fornication, and not ſimply fornication (the puniſhment whereof might happily not have bin ſo capitall) but joyned with deteſtable perfidiouſneſſe, namely her loathſome adultery: as when a Bride forſaking her Bridegroome, or a wife her husband, ſhamefully proſtitute themſelves unto ſtrangers, which ſin both by humane and divine lawes is puniſhed by death.
This may not be taken of corporall fornication: for this harlot is afterward called a Citie, and fornication could not be committed with the walles or houſes thereof. Therefore it is rather to be underſtood of ſpirituall fornication, viz. apoſtacy from God, perfidiouſneſſe and Idolatry: Now wherefore the ſcripture doth ſo often compare this to Fornication, I have ſhewed in my Commentary on Hoſea, Chapter 1. and Chapter 2.
Betwixt Chriſt and the Church is a ſpirituall mariage: Eph. 5: 32 Hoſe: 2: 18He as the Bridegrome hath eſpouſed the Church as his owne Bride in faithfullneſſe, righteouſneſſe, and judgement, and will ſhortly conſummate the mariage at his laſt comming, as we ſhall heare Chap. 19.7. in the mean while enjoyning her to remaine pure and chaſt unto him. And thus the Apoſtle laboured to preſent the Churches of Rome, Corinth, &c. as chaſt Virgins to Chriſt, that is, free from the leaven of Superſtition, idolatrie and humane traditions: ſuch a Church I ſay, was at Rome in the Apoſtles dayes and ſome while after, and here is repreſented in her apoſtacy by this woman the ſame Church as ſhall appear by that which followes.Iſa: 1.21:
But how is ſhe now become a harlot? Becauſe as of old Ieruſalem that holy City caſting off the worſhip of God, and polluting her ſelfe with traditions, ſuperſtitions and idolatrie, is therefore called an Harlot. So the Chriſtian Church (as Egeſippus witneſſeth in Euſebius) remained not long after the Apoſtles death a chaſt Virgin. But touching the declining condition of the Church, and eſpecially that of Rome enough hath bin ſpoken in the foregoing Viſions, and more ſhall bee ſaid hereafter.The fornication of kings with the Romish whore.
2. With whom the Kings committed fornication] The cauſe of her judgement is more expreſly ſignified: viz. her Fornication with the Kings of the Earth; for this is a noble Strumpet, enticing Monarchs and Kings of the Earth to lie with her. But how? by perſwading the kings her lovers under the Title of the Catholicke Faith, to receive her Superſtitions, Idol-worſhip, Decrees, and Decretalls, and ſo bewitching all of them by her faire ſhew of holineſſe: that as Samſon was enſlaved to Dalilah, and Hercules to Omphala: ſo theſe willingly ſerve, dedicate, and give themſelves, and their kingdomes as Tributaries to the Apoſtolicall Sea, Chriſts Ʋicar, and Peters Succeſſour, that avaricious Strumpet. Now who theſe Kings of the Earth are, we ſhall ſee in the opening of the hornes.
To the Kings are joyned the Inhavitants of the Earth, that is, Earthly men, Idolaters, and ſworne enemies of the Goſpell: for with theſe alſo ſhee playeth the Harlot, as deſpiſing no ſorts of people, but with an unſatiable luſt doth promiſcuouſly proſtitute her ſelfe unto all both rich and poore, bond and free, Imprinting the Character of her Idolatry on them all, Recogn: lib. 9:and giving them power to buy and ſell her ſpirituall wares: herein imitating thoſe women of Suſia, who anointing themſelves (as Clemens writeth) with coſtly ointments, and adorned with Ornaments and precious Stones (like unto this Whore verſe 4.) uſed to goe abroad with great Pompe, accompanied with hand-maids, indifferently alluring whoſoever would, whither ſtrangers or ſervants to commit follie with them: This being permitted them by their owne Husbands.
By the wine of her Fornication hee underſtands the glorious Superſtitions and Magnificence of the Apoſtolicall Sea, and Vizard of the Catholicke Church, The wine of fornication:the which earthly men have as greedily embraced, as thirſty lovers drink the wine offered them by their beloved ones. Therefore they are ſaid to be made drunke, becauſe being bewitched with a blind love of Superſtitions, they ſtand for their Idols beyond all ſenſe and reaſon, furiouſly hating and perſecuting the Goſpell of CHRIST. If thou kill a man, its a finne with them to bee bought off with a little money. Romes idolatry:But if thou uncover not thy head to the Idol Image of Marie, or turne thy backe upon it, its a wickedneſſe to bee puniſhed by death, as having committed Crimen leſae Majeſtatis againſt her. Behold the mad drunkenneſſe of Idolaters, occaſioned by this wine of Fornication.
The ſecond Part of the CHAPTER. The Viſion of the Whore upon the Beaſt.
3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderneſſe: And I ſaw a woman ſit vponupon a ſcarlet coloured Beaſt, full of names of blaſphemy; having ſeven heads and ten hornes.
4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and ſcarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious ſtones, and pearles, having a golden cup in her hand, full of abominations and filthineſſe of her fornication.
5 And upon her forehead was a Name written, Myſtery, Babylon the Great, The Mother of Harlots, And abominations of the Earth.
6 And I ſaw the woman drunken with the blood of the Saints, and with the blood of the Martyrs of Ieſus: and when I ſaw her, I wondred with great admiration.