Commentary on the Epistles and Revelation of John, Commentary 22 · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. Verſe 1. I ſaw another Angel]
SOme excellent and worthy man (ſaith Mr Brightman) ſuch an one as ſhould come ſuddenly before he be looked for, as thoſe things do that ſlip down from heaven.
Having great power] Or authority: as having in hand a great buſines,foreign. viz. the denouncing of Romes utter ruine.
And the earth was lighted] He delivered himſelf clearly and expreſly: ſo as that all men may well underſtand his meaning. Ribera the Jeſuite gives this note upon this text, that the judgement of Romes deſolation ſhall be (not kept ſecret, but) made manifeſt to all men,
Verſe 2. And he cried mightily] So to awaken Babylon, that ſlept no leſſe ſecurely, then that old Babylon, whoſe King Sheſack was feaſting and carouſing in the bowls of the Sanctuary, when the City was taken the ſame night. The people alſo did ſo little fea… it,Herodot. l. 1. Ariſt. Polit l▪ 13. that it was three daies after the City was taken by Cyrus, ere ſome of them heard, what was befallen them.
Is fallen, is fallen] Certò, citò, penitùs. Or, with a double Fall. They have fallen culpably, and ſhall fall penally. This was alſo long fince fore-told by Sibylla in the eighth book of her Oracles,
foreign.
Tota eri… in cineres quaſi nunquam Roma fuiſſes.
Rome (during the Roman felicity) was never taken but by the Gauls: but ſince it became Pontificiall,De rem u…r. fort dial. 118. it hath been made a prey to all barbarous Nations, and never beſieged by any that took it not. There yet ſtands, near at hand, a ſecond Babylon (ſaith Petrarch) citò itidem caſura, ſi eſſetis viri. This would ſoon be down, if you would but ſtand up as men.
The habitation of devils] Which, by a ſweet providence of God, for the good of man-kinde, are baniſhed (as likewiſe fierce and wilde beaſts are) to deſerts and diſpeopled places. See Mat. M…r. 5.12.43. (It is an alluſion to Iſa. 13.20. & 14.23. Ier. 50.39) yet not ſo, but that, by divine permiſſion, they haunt and peſter the greateſt throngs of people, yea the holieſt aſſemblies. Some take the words in another ſenſe thus: It is become an habitation of devils, that is, of idols; and this hath wrought her …uine. In the year 610. Boniface 4. inſtituted the feaſt of All-Saints, after that he had begg'd of the Emperour the Pantheon of Rome, which he conſecrated to the honour of All-Saints, Alſled. Chron. p. 346.and ſet up the Virgin Mary in the place of Cybele the mother of the gods.
Verſe 3. For all Nations] All Roman-Cacolicks.foreign.
The merchants of the earth] The Popiſh Emiſſaries that huckſter the Word, and make merchandiſe of mens ſouls, 2 Pet. 2.3.foreign. after they have taken them priſoners, and made prizes of them, 2 Tim. 3.6.
Through the abundance of her delicacies] Or,foreign. of her inſolencies. Proh pudor! haec res est toto notiſſima coelo, ſang Petrarch two hundred year ſince, ſpeaking of the luxury and inſolency of the Court of Rome.
Verſe 4. Another voice] This was Chriſts voice, whether mediate or immediate, it appears not. See Ier. 51.45.
My people] A people Chriſt had, and ſtill hath, where Antichriſt moſt prevaileth. There are thought to be no leſſe then 20000 Proteſtants in Civil it ſelf, a chief City of Spain. S Edw. Sand….Even in Italy there are full 4000 profeſſed Proteſtants: but their paucity and obſcurity (ſaith mine Authour) ſhall encloſe them in a cipher.
Partakers of hir ſins] Eſto procul Româ qui cupis eſſe pius.
Roma vale, vidi, ſatis eſt vidiſſe, &c.
Adam Daml…p Martyr had been a great Papiſt, and chaplain to Fiſher, Biſhop of Rocheſter: after whoſe death he travelled to Rome, Where he thought to have found all godlineſſe and ſincere religion. In the end he found there, as he ſaid, ſuch blaſpheming of God, contempt of true religion, looſeneſſe of life and abundance of all abominations, that he abhorred any longer there to abide: although he was greatly requeſted by Cardinall Pool there to continue,Act. and Mon. fol. …118. and to reade three lectures a week in his houſe: for the which he offered him great entertainment. The like is recorded of Mr Rough Martyr, that being before Bonner, he affirmed, that he had been twice at Rome, and there had ſeen plainly with his eyes,Ibid. 1843. that the Pope was the very Antichriſt: for there he ſaw him carried on mens ſhoulders, and the falſe named Sacrament borne before him; yet was there more reverence given to him, then to that which they counted their God. Mr Aſcham (ſchoolmaſter to Q Elizabeth) was wont to thank God that he was but nine daies in Italy, M. Fullers Holy ſtat…, …. 1….wherein he ſaw in that one City of Venice more liberty to ſinne then in London he ever heard of in nine years.
And that ye receive not of her plagues] Muſculi ruinis imminentibus praemigrant, & aranei cum telis primi cadunt, ſaith Pliny. Plin l 8 c. 28.Mice will haſte out of an houſe that is ready to drop on their heads, and ſpiders with their webs will fall before the houſe falleth. Cerinthus the heretike coming into the Bath where S. Iohn was waſhing,foreign. Lib. 4. c 14. the Apoſtle sprang or leapt out of the bath, ſaith Euſebius: as fearing, leſt being found in his company, he ſhould partake of his plagues. It is dangerous converſing with wicked men, 1. For infection of ſin. 2. For infliction of puniſhment. Ambroſe cloſing up the ſtory of Ahab and Iezabels fearfull end, fitly ſaith thus: Fuge ergò, dives, bujuſmodi exitum: ſed ſugies hujuſmodi exitum, ſi fugeris hujuſmodi flagitium. Fly therefore, O rich man,A mb de Nab. Jezrael, c. 11. ſuch an end as Ahab had, by ſhunning ſuch evils as Ahab did.
Verſe 5.foreign. For her ſins have reached] Gr. Have followed thick or been thwacked one upon another, thick and threefold, as they ſay:foreign there hath been a concatenation or a continued ſeries of them. Others reade, Her ſins are glewed and ſouldered together: or they cleave and are glewed to heaven. Matthew Paris ſpeaking of the Court of Rome ſaith, Hujus faetor uſ que ad nubes fumum teterrimum exhalabat. Her filthineſſe hath ſent up a moſt noiſome ſtench to the very clouds of heaven, as Sodoms did: therefore ſhall Babel (the glory of kingdoms) be as the deſtruction of God in Sodim and Gomorrah, Iſa. 13.19.
Verſe 6. Double unto her double] This is ſpoken to the good Kings that ſhall ſack Rome, that they do the Lords work thorowly; not ſparing Agag, as Saul did, to the loſſe of his kingdom, not diſmiſſing Benhadad, as Ahab did to the loſſe of his own life.
Verſe 7. She hath glorified her ſelf] As mother of Churches, Queen of Nations. Steuchus (one of her Paraſites) ſaith, That Kings have but the uſe and adminiſtration of their Kingdoms, the right and property belongs to her. Pope Boniface wrote thus to Philip the Fair, King of France, Volumus te ſcire te in temporali & spirituali nobis ſubjacere, &c. Contra ſentientes pro inſanis habemus. We would ye ſhould know, that ye are to be ſubject unto us both in temporals and ſpirituals: and that none that are in their right mindes can be otherwiſe minded. The King thus anſwered him again; Sciat tua maxima fatuitas, &c.Alſted Chron. 359.395. I would your ſingular Fooliſhneſſe ſhould know, that I acknowledge no ſuch ſubjection, &c. It was tartly and trimly replied by one Leonard to Rustandus the Popes Legat, claiming all the Churches here in England to be the Popes, Omnes Eccleſias Papae eſſe, tuitione non fruitione, de…ſione non diſſipation…, That if the Pope had ſuch right to all Churches, it was to defend them,Jac Rev. de vit. Pontif p▪ 178. not to devour them.
Verſe 8. Therefore ſhall her plagues] Security uſhereth in deſtruction. God ſhall ſhoot at ſuch with an arrow ſuddenly, and fetch them off, as he did the rich fool, Luk. 12.
Come in one day] To confute their fond conceit of an eternall Empire. See the like Iſa. 48.9. When the warres began in Germany, anno 1619. it was reported, that a great braſſe Image of the Apoſtle Peter (that had, Tu es Petrus, &c. Thou are Peter, and upon this Rock will I build my Church, engraven about it) ſtanding in Saint Peters Church at Rome, there was a great and maſſie ſtone fell down upon it, and ſo ſhattered it to pieces, that not a letter of that ſentence was left legible, ſave theſe words, Aedificabo Eccleſiam meam, I will build my Church. This was ominous to that tottering title of Rome, and might have taught the Popelings, That God is about to build his Church upon the ruines of their worm-eaten title. The Lord thereby ſee med to ſay the ſame unto them,Ezek. 7.6. that once he did to Iſrael by Ezekiel, An end is come, the end is come, it watcheth for this, behold it is come. Sed ſurdis fabulam. This hath been long and loud rung in their ears, but they will not be warned.
Death] That is, Warre, that deadly evil called an evil, foreign, Iſa. 45.7. I make peace and create evil, that is, Warre, a wofull evil that hews its way thorow a wood of men in a minute of time, from the mouth of a murdering-piece, and cauſeth thouſands to exhale their breath, without ſo much as Lord have mercy upon us.foreign
And mourning] For the loſſe of dead friends.
And famine] The uſuall concomitant of war, in ſieges eſpecially. See the Note on Rev. 6.5.
For strong is the Lord] Full able to effect it, ſeem it to Babels brats never ſo improbable, or impoſſible,
Verſe 9.foreign. Shall bewail her and lament] As with the voice of Doves, tabring upon their breſts, Na…um 2.7. The chief of theſe mourners ſhall be the Spaniard likely; who yet hath no ſuch great cauſe,In respon. Apol. … Card Colum. if he look well about him: for he is yearly excommunicated by the Pope, for detaining from him the Kingdome of Sicily, as Baronius witneſſeth. It were to be wiſhed that he would intimate his Predeceſſour Charles the fifth; who upon a diſpleaſure conceived againſt Pope Clement the eighth,Scultet. Annal. D…ad… l. p. 2. aboliſhed the Popes authority thorowout all Spain, Exemplo ab Hispanis ipſis posteritati relicto, poſſe Eccleſ…asticam diſciplinam …itra nominis Pontifi…ij authoritatem conſervari, ſaith mine authour, i. e. The Spaniards themſelves ſetting forth to the world, That the Church may be governed without the Popes authority.
Verſe 10.foreign Atn…ae… l. 13 Standing afarre off] As fearing their own ſafety, they will not venture themſelves for an old withered harlot, that is now (Lais-like) ready to be extinct in the laſt act of her uncleanneſſe
For in one hour] God will make ſhort work of it, when once he begins, Rom. 9.28. This ſhould be an … to Chriſtian Princes and States, to ſet upon the ſervice. The Pirats war was Incredibili celeritate & temporis brevitate confectum, ſaith Auſtin, ſoon diſpatcht:Aug. de civ Dei ſo ſhall this.
Verſe 11. And the merchants of the earth] The Popes Indulgencers, and other officers of his Exchequer.John. Manl. loc. com p. 49 …. What huge ſums of money did Tecelius and his companions rake together out of Germany? The Pope had yearly out of England above nine tu…s of gold: Polydor Virgil was his Collectour of the Peter-pence here. Otto (one of the Popes Muſcipulatores, Mice-catchers, as the ſtory cals him) departing hence, left not ſo much money in the whole Kingdom, as he either carried with him, or ſent to Rome before him. It was truly and trimly ſaid by Pope Innocent 4. Vere enim hortus deliciarum Papis fuit tum Anglia, & puteus inexhauſtus. England was then a gallant garden to the Pope, and a well-ſpring of wealth, that could not be drawn dry.
For no man buyeth their merchandize] Men ſhall ſee further into their fopperies and knaveries, then to endure to be any longer gulled and cheated. William of Malmſbury began to groan long ſince under the grievance. Romani hodiè (ſaith he) auro trutinant juſtitiam, pretio venditant canonum regulam. The Romans now-adaies ſell juſtice, ſacraments, maſſes, diſpenſations, benefices, all: Mantuan comes after and cries out,
—vaenalia nobis
Templa, ſacerdotes, altaria, ſacra, coronae,
Ignis, thura, preces, coelum eſt vaenale, Deuſ que .
Temples, Prieſts, altars, rites (I tell no tale)
Crowns, ſacrifices, heaven and God are ſet to ſale.
The Leaguers here for the liberty of the Kingdome in the daies of King John, drove Martin the Popes publican out of the Land;Iac. Revius. the King alſo curſed him grievouſly at parting,Lib. 3 de pour. Rom c. …. with Diabolus te ad inferos ducat & perducat. But now much more then ever theſe merchants want Chapmen, as Bellarmine ſadly complains. Their markets are well fallen, their Euphrates much dried up.
Verſe 12. The merchandiſe of gold] All this is taken out of Ezekiel 27. All countreys have catered and purveied for the Pope, who hath had it either in money, or other commodity: but money anſwered all things.
Thyne-wood] A wilde kinde of Cedar, very ſweet and ſound: for it will not eaſily rot.
Verſe 13. And Cinnamon] Galen writes that in his time cinnamon was very rare, and hard to be found,Lib. 1. Antido …. except in the ſtorehouſes of great Princes. And Pliny reports, That a pound of cinnamon was worth a 1000 denarij, that is 150 crowns of our money.
And chariots] Or Sedans, as we call them.
And the ſouls of men] Tecelius the Popes pardon monger, perſwaded the people in Germany, that whoſoever would give ten ſhillings,Act. and Mon. fol. 771. ſhould at his pleaſure deliver one ſoul out of the pairs of purgatory; and as ſoon as the money rang in the baſon, that ſoul was ſet at liberty. But if it were one jot leſſe then ten ſhillings, it would profit them nothing. This gainfull gullery Luther cried down with all his might, and ſo ma…red the Market. This gave occaſion to that ſaying of Eraſmus, whom when the Electour of Saxony asked, Why Luther was ſo generally hated? He anſwered,Scultet. Annal. dec. …. for two faults eſpecially; he hath been too-buſie with the Popes crown, and the Monks paunches.
Verſe 14. And the fruits] Thoſe firſt ripe fruits, Mic. 7.1. greedily deſired and bought up at any rate by the richer and daintier ſort of people.foreign.
Which were dainty and goodly] Gr. Fat and fair liking: pleaſant to the eye as well as to the taſte; confections, ſuckets, ſweetmeats, ſecond and third ſervices.
Verſe 15. Which were made rich by her] By their fat benefices, Commendams,Spec. Europ. golden Prebendaries, ſome one yeelding ten or twenty thouſand by the year. The Archbiſhoprick of Toledo is worth an hundred thouſand pounds a year; which is a greater revenue then ſome Kings have had. What a vaſt eſtate had Wolſey gotten?Act. and Mon. So that rich and wretched Cardinal Henry Beauford Biſhop of Wincheſter, and Chancellour of England in the raign of Henry the ſixth, who asked, Wherefore ſhould I die being ſo rich? &c.
Verſe 16. With gold and precious ſtones] All theſe avail not in the day of wrath. Neither need we envy wicked men their plenty: it is their portion, all they are like to have. The whole Turkiſh Empire is nothing elſe, ſaith Luther, Niſi panis mica, quam dives pater familias projicit canibus, a cruſt caſt to the dogs, by God the great houſholder. I have no ſtronger argument (ſaid the ſame Luther) againſt the Popes kingdom, Quam quòd ſinc cruce regnat, then this, that he ſuffereth nothing. Surely there's the more behinde: there will be bitterneſſe in the end no doubt.
Verſe 17. So great riches is come to nought] Gr.foreign. Is deſolated, or become a wilderneſſe. Petrarch writeth that in the treaſury of Pope John 22. were found by his heirs two hundred and fifty tuns of gold. And of Boniface 8. it is recorded, That he was able to ſhew more money then all the Kings in Chriſtendome.
And every ſhip-master] i. e. Cardinall, Patriarch, Archbiſhop, though but titular and imaginary, without juriſdiction, as are the Patriarchs of Constantinople, Antioch, Jeruſalem and Alexandria; which the Pope ſucceſſively conſecrates, ever ſince the holy Land and the Provinces about it were in the hands of Chriſtian Princes, anno 1100. ſo loth is the Pope to loſe the remembrance of any ſuperiority or title,Spec. Europ. that he hath once compaſſed.
And all the company] The Cardinals and Arch-biſhops train and retinue, thoſe in office eſpecially. What a pompous family kept Wolſey, conſiſting of one Earl, nine Barons,Rex Platon. p. 26 very many Knights and Eſquires, and others to the number of four hundred.
And ſailers] Biſhops, Abbots, Priors, &c.
And as many as trade by ſea] All the Clergy, the Jeſuites eſpecially, without whoſe luſty help (ſaith one) S.M Brightman. Peters fiſh-boat had ſtuck in the ſand, and had ruſhed againſt the rocks long ſince.
Verſe 18. What City is like unto this] q. d. Who would ever have thought we ſhould ever have ſeen this diſmall day of Romes deſtruction? It was wont to be ſaid, Roma cladibus animoſior, Rome is unconquerable. The Pope wrote once to the Turk that threatned him,
Niteris incaſſum Petri ſubmergere navem:
Fluctuat, at nunquam mergitur illa ratis.
Verſe 19. And they cast dust] As men willing to be as far under ground, as now they were above ground. Having loſt their livelihood, they had little joy of their lives.
All that had ſhips in the ſea] All Church-men, i. e. All, for the moſt part: ſome of them have little enough. Sanders was ſtarved, Stapleton was made profeſſour of a petty Univerſity,D Featly his Tranſ explod. ſcarce ſo good as one of our free-ſchools. On Harding his Holines beſtowed a Prebend of Gaunt, or (to ſpeak more properly) a Gaunt Prebend. Allin was commonly called the ſtarveling Cardinal, &c.
Verſe 21. Thou heaven] i. e. The Church on earth.
And ye holy Apoſtles, &c.] i. e. Ye Paſtours and Teachers! who as ye have been moſt ſhot at by her, ſo now you are ſpecially called to triumph over her, Pſal. 58.11.
Verſe 21. And a mighty Angel] For further aſſurance a ſign is added, and an alluſion made to Jer. 51.63. And here it is eaſie to obſerve a notable gradation: an Angel, a ſtrong Angel taketh a ſtone,M. Forbes and a great ſtone, even a milſtone, which he letteth not barely fall, but caſteth, and with impetuous force thruſteth into the bottome of the ſea, whence it cannot be boyed up. Thus is ſet forth to the eye alſo the irreparable ruine of Rome.
Verſe 22. And the voice of Harpers, &c.] Thine Organs and Sackbuts, thy chaunting and Church muſick ſhall ceaſe.
And the ſound of a milſtone] Anciently they uſed handmils, which did make a great noiſe in the Cities, as Diodate here noteth.
Verſe 13. And the light of a candle] The candle of the wicked ſhall be put out: they that here love darkneſſe better then light,foreign. ſhall hereafter be thruſt into outer darkneſſe, where they ſhall never ſee the light again, till they ſee all the world on a light fire.
For thy merchants were the great men] The Pope creates his Cardinals by theſe words, Estote fratres noſtri & Principes mundi, Be ye brethren to us, and Princes of the world. They hold themſelves Kings comperes.
Verſe 24. And in her was found] Rome hath ever been the ſlaughter-houſe of the Saints, as Jeruſalem was afore her, Mat. 23.
And of all that were ſlain] For ſhe hath a hand in all the wars of Europe; beſides all the Chriſtian bloud ſhed by her inſtigation, in thoſe holy wars, as they called them, for the recovery of the Land of Canaan.