Commentary on the Epistles and Revelation of John, Commentary 22 · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII. Verſe 1. And there came]
THis and the following Chapters are ſet for explanation of the dark and difficult paſſages in the former in the three laſt vials eſpecially.
One of the ſeven] Probably the ſeventh.
And talked with me] Familiarly, as the Samariteſſe with her countrey-men,foreign Joh. 4 42. or as the Maſter with his ſchollar.
I will ſhew unto thee] Thou ſhalt not only be an ear, but an eyewitnes. Segniùs irritant animum demiſſa per aures; Quàm que ſunt oculis commiſſa fidelibus.Horat.
The judgement] The damnation of her: the deſtruction is reſerved to the next Chapter.
Of the great whore] The whore of Babylon, more infamous and notorious,Saluſt. then any Thais, Lais, Phryne, Meſſalina, Oreſtilla (cujus praeter formam nihil unquam bonus laudavit) or Pope Joane, Func. com. in Chronolof whom Funccius the Chronologer ſpeaketh thus. Ego Funccius non dubito quin divinitùs ita ſit permiſſum ut foemina fi…ret Pontifex, & eadem meretrix, &c. I doubt not but that God therefore permitted a notorious harlot to be advanced to the Popedome (and this about the very time when the Popes were moſt buſie in ſubjecting the Kings of the earth, and making them their vaſ…als) that he might point out to men this whore here mentioned, with whom the Kings of the earth committed fornication.
Verſe 2. With whom the Kings] As ſubmitting their ſcepters to his keys; and becoming his feudataries.
And the inhabiters of the earth] So that ſhe is not a noble whore only, but a common ſtrumpet: proſtituting her ſelf to the meaneſt for their money, as in the pardon office.
Have been made drunk] Hence it is ſo difficult to convert Idolaters: ther's no dealing with a man that is drunk. Whoredome and wine take away the heart, Ho…. 4.
Of her fornication] Both ſpirituall and corporall. Sixtus Quintus lupanar utriuſ que Vener…s Romae condidit (ſaith Agrippa) & deceſſit tubidus voluptate.
Verſe 3. Into the wilderneſſe] Whether the true Church fled, Chap. 12. of which they muſt be (ſaith one) that can learn to know the Romiſh Church to be a Whore, condemned of God.
I ſaw a woman] See the Note on Verſe 1.
Sit upon] Not going a-foot, as Chriſt and the Apoſtles did: but magnificently mounted, as the Pope is ever, either upon a ſtately palfrey (Emperours holding his ſtirrop) or upon mens ſhoulders. England was once called the Popes aſſe, for bearing his intolerable exactions.
Ʋpon a ſcarlet coloured beaſt] The proper colour of the Court of Rome: and it well ſerves to ſet forth their pomp and their hypocriſie. Innocent the fourth gave a red hat to his Cardinals, to ſhew them (as he ſaid) that they ſhould be ready to ſhed their bloud for the truth. But that Painter was nearer the point, who being blamed by a Cardinal for colouring the viſages of Peter and Paul too red, tartly replied, that he painted them ſo, as bluſhing at the ſtatelineſſe and ſinfulneſſe of his ſucceſſours.
Full of names of blaſphemy] His head only before was buſked with the blaſphemy, Chap. 13.1. now his whole body. Thus evil men and ſeducers grow worſe and worſe, deceiving and being deceived, 2 Tim. 3.13.
Verſe 4. In purple and ſcarl… ] Clothing for Kings and Nobles, over whom this whore domineers much more then the concubines did over the Kings of Perſia.
And decked with gold] Gr. Guilded with-gold, foreign.to note her hypocriſie and outſideneſſe, gold without, copper within. The Pope ſtiles himſelf the ſet vant of Gods ſervants, but yet ſtamps in his coin, That Nation and Countrey that will not ſerve thee ſhall be rooted out. At the abſolution of King John of England, Daniels hiſt.8000 marks o… ſilver were preſently delivered to Pandol…us the Popes Legate, who trampled it under his feet, as contemning that baſe matter, but yet received it, and ſent away to Rome.
And precious ſtones and pearls] Beſides the rich ſtones that are in the Popes tripple crown, of ineſtimable price and value, he carries in his pantoſſe (which he holds out to be kiſſed) the picture of the croſſe,Heid…ld ſet in pearls and precious ſtones, Ʋt plenis fancibus cruc…m Christi d…rideat, ſaith one, Pope Sixtus quintus was wont to give to Tireſia his harlot, pantoſſes covered with peatle.I…. Re… …. He ſpent two hundred and threeſcore thouſand crowns upon a Condui…, which he built for his pleaſure: and yet he brought in fifty hundred thouſand crowns into the new treaſury built by himſelf in the Caſtle of S. Ang…. At the coronation of Pope Leo X,Ʋno e… l…e 1000000 a… orum … …61 Ibid. a thouſand thouſand crowns are ſaid to have been ſpent in one day. Pope Paul the ſecond was wont to ſleep all day, and ſpend whole nights in weighing monies, and beholding jewels and precious pictures.
A golden cup full of abominations] Gold, if it be right, they ſay, diſcovers and expels poiſon. Put poiſon into a cup of gold, and it will hiſſe and ſend up certain circles like rain bows. Hereby is ſignified (ſaith an authour) that God threatneth judgement and … to thoſe that pour poiſon into divine doctrine, as the Pope do…h with his mad mixtures.
Verſe 5.D. Iames of the co…r. of Script. Prelace. Myſtery] This word Myſtery is in the Popes mitre, ſaith Brocard the Venetian, and many more who have been at Rome, and profeſſe to have ſeen it. The whole Antichriſtian ſtate is a Myſtery of iniquity, 2 Theſſ. 2.7. and is much converſant about myſteries, Sacraments, Ceremonies, pompous rites, &c. murders, treaſons, thefts, &c. they eaſily diſpenſe with, but none of their Ceremonies. Let God, ſay they, ſee to the breach of his own Law: we will look to ours.
The mother of harlots] The Church of Rome to this day delights to be ſtiled holy-mother-Church. Holy ſhe is in the ſenſe that the Hebrens call harlots. And ſuch a mother, as baſtards have for their mother, by whoſe name they are called: the Father is ſeldome mentioned by them.
Verſe 6. Drunken with the bloud, &c.] Biſhop Bonner delivered Richard Woodman with four more, requiring of them to be but honeſt men, members of the Church Catholike, and to ſpeak good of him. And no doubt (ſaith Woodman) he was worthy to be praiſed, becauſe he had been ſo faithfull an aid in the devil his maſters buſineſſe: for he had burned good Mr Philpot the ſame morning. In whoſe bloud his heart was ſo drunk, as I ſuppoſe, he could not tell what he did, as it appeared to us both before and after. For but two daies before, he promiſed us we ſhould be condemned that ſame day, that we were delivered: yea, and the morrow after, he ſought for ſome of us again, yea and that earneſtly.Act and Mon. ſol 1800. He waxed dry after his great drunkenneſſe: wherefore he is like to have bloud to drink in hell, as he is worthy, if he repent not, &c. It is wiſdom (ſaid a certain unknown good woman in a letter to Bonne… ) It is wiſdom for me and all other ſimple ſheep of the Lord, to keep us out of your butcherly ſtall, as long as we can: eſpecially ſeeing you have ſuch ſtore already, that you are not able to drink all their bloud, leaſt you ſhould break your belly,Ibid. 1672. and therefore let them lie ſtill, and die for hunger, &c. Thus I kept the bandogs at ſtaves end (ſaid Shetterden the Martyr) not as thinking to eſcape them,Ibid. 1521. but that I would ſee the foxes leap above ground for my bloud, if they can reach it.
I wondered with great admiration] All things are portentous in the Popedome: What monſters were Pope John 12 and Hildebrand, as Luitprandus deſcribes the one,Lib. 6. de …. geſt in Europ. In vita Hil…eb. and Cardinall Benno the other, both of their own ſide? Tertia cl…ſſis continet Papas vel potius foreign, ſaith Alſtedius. After the thouſandth year of Chriſt, there was no where leſſe piety, then in thoſe that dwelt neareſt to Rome, as Machiavel obſerveth.
Verſe 7. Wherefore didſt thou marvel?] Nil admirari propè res eſt una, Numici. We wonder at things out of ignorance of the cauſes of them. Hinc admiratio peperit philoſophiam.Alſted. Chron. Disput derep. l. 1 cap. 12.
Verſe 8. Was, and is not] Was, before the time of this Revelatian in the Roman government, which was afterward uſurped by the Pope. A thing that the firſt Biſhops of Rome dreamt not of. And yet Tertullian taxeth the riſing ambition of the Popes in his time thus: I hear, ſaith he, that there is an edict ſet forth,Libide pudicitia and that very peremptory, in theſe tearms, Pontifex ſcilicet maximus Epiſcopus Epiſcoporum dicit. Thus ſaith the high-Prieſt,B…ron Annal. Tom. 4. the Biſhop of Biſhops, &c. Odifaſtum illius Eccleſiae, I hate the pride of that Church of Rome, ſaith Baſil.
Go into perdition] Go, not run: by degrees, not all at once. He now takes long ſtrides to ward the bottomleſſe pit; which is but a little afore him, and even gapes for him. There ſtands a cold ſweat on all his limbs already.
Shall wonder] Admiration bred ſuperſtition; and illumination draws men off it. Julius Palmer Martyr, was a moſt obſtinate papiſt all King Edwards daies: and yet afterwards, in Q. Maries time, ſuffered moſt cruell death at the Papiſts hands at Newbury, Act. and Mon. 1755, 1756.for the moſt ready and zealous profeſſion of the truth. His words to one Bullingham walking in Pauls after his converſion were theſe: Oh that God had revealed theſe matters unto me in time paſt! I would have bequeathed this Romiſh Religion, or rather irreligion to the devil of hell, from whence it came. Believe them not, Bullingham; I will rather have theſe knees pared off, then I will kneel to yonder Jackanapes (meaning the rood.)
And yet is] In regard of that imperiall power then extant, which the Pope ſhould afterwards take to himſelf.
Verſe 9. Here is the minde] q. d. Here is work for wiſe men to buſie their brains codicibus. about.foreign. Sapientia eſt vel cordibus.
Seven mountains] The Jeſuites cannot deny but that Rome is here pointed at, as being ſet upon ſeven hils. So the ancient Rome was, whereof the preſent Rome is but a carcaſe, as retaining nothing of the old but her ruines, and the cauſe of them her ſinnes.
Verſe 10. And there are ſeven Kings] That is, kindes of government.
Five are fallen] Kings, Conſuls, Dictatours, Decemvirs, Tribunes.
One… ] i.e. The Heathen Emperours.
And the other is not yet come] ſcil. The Chriſtian Emperours.
A ſhort ſpace] ſcil. At Rome: for Constantine ſoon tranſlated the ſeat of the Empire to Bizantium, calling it Conſtantinople; and left Rome to be the Popes neſt.Zonaras Cedrenus. Joh de co'um… in mari hiſt. The Emperour Conſtans, nephew to Heraclius, and after him, Otho had ſome thoughts to ſet up again at Rome, but could not: that ſo the kingdome of the Church fore-told by Daniel, might there be ſeated, ſaith G…nebrard, Geneb. Chron.if he had ſaid the kingdome of Antichriſt fore-told here by John the Divine, he had hit it.
Verſe 11. He is the eighth] viz. The Pontificality.
And is of the ſeven] i.e. Shall exerciſe that monarchicall power, that was before in the ſeven heads.
Verſe 12. Are ten kings] Of ten ſeverall Kingdoms, Naples, Spain, Portugall, France, Polony, Bohemia, Hungary, Denmark, Sweden, and this of England, which as it was the firſt of the ten that ſubmitted to the Popes yoke, ſo was it the firſt that ſhook it off again, in Hen. 8. time.
Verſe 13. Theſe have one minde] This is the unity, or rather conſpiracy of the Church of Rome. The Spouſe only is but one, Cant. 6 9. Other ſocieties are but as they clay in the toes of Nebuchadnezzars image: they may cleave together, but not incorporate one into another.
Verſe 14 The Lamb ſhall overcome them] 1. With a ſpirituall victory, by a ſweet ſubjection; at leaſt by a conviction of their conſciences. 2. With an externall victory, as the imperialiſts in Germany, the Papiſts here.
Verſe 15. Are peoples] Fitly called waters for their inſtability and impetuoſity.
Verſe 16. Theſe ſhall hate] As baſe fellows uſe to hate their harlots, when they finde them falſe.
And ſhall make her deſolate] Shall deny to defend her.
And naked] By denying her maintenance, and laying her open to the world by their Remonſtrances. King Henry 8.Act and Mon. and the French King, ſome half a year before their death, were at a point to have utterly rooted the Biſhop of Rome out of their realms,Spec. Europ. and to exhort the Emperour to do the ſame, or elſe to break off from him. The Realm of France was ready (upon the Popes refuſall to re-bleſſe K. Henry 4. upon converſion to them) to with-draw utterly from the obedience of his Sea, and to erect a new Patriarch over all the French Church. The then Archbiſhop of Burges was ready to accept it: and but that the Pope, in fear thereof, did haſten his benediction, it had been effected, to his utter diſgrace and decay.
And ſhall eat her fleſh] Be ſo bitterly bent againſt her that they could finde in their hearts to tear her with their teeth. See Job 19.22.
And burn her with ſire] For an old bawd. It is reported that in Meroe, the Prieſts of Jupiter had ſo bewitched the people with their ſuperſtition, that they would ſometimes ſend to the king of Ethiopia for his head: which was never denied them,Alex ab Ale… andro. till it came to King Erganes; who upon ſo inſolent a demand, ſlew them all, and took away their Prieſthood. Why is not the ſame now done to the Bridge-maker of Rome?
Verſe 17. For God hath put] As he ſent Nebuchadnezzar againſt Tyre, Alexander againſt Aſia, and Attilas againſt Rome, who ſirnamed himſelf the Worlds ſcourge, ſo he will one day ſend theſe Kings againſt Rome. It had been burnt when Charles the 5. took it, but that the ſouldiers were kept in by a kinde of violence. Gods time was not yet come for that purpoſe.
Verſe 18. Is that great City] Rome, that radix omnium malorum. This is confeſſed by Bellarmine, Ribera, Alcaſar and other Jeſuites. The Rhemists are ſo ſtraited that they know not which way to turn them, or how to deny ſo clear a truth, which yet they are not willing to acknowledge. The wit of heretikes will better ſerve them to deviſe a thouſand ſhifts to elude the truth, then their pride will ſuffer them once to yeeld and acknowledge it.