The Key of the Revelation, Part 2 · Section 9
Concerning myſticall Babylon the head Citie of the Apoſtaſie of Chriſtianitie.
THe Metropolis of *foreignApoſtacy foreign, or myſticall Babylon; is the Citie of Rome, or, as we now call it, the Sea of Rome, being in times paſt the Spouſe of Chriſt become not onelyonly an Harlot, but alſo foreign the mother City of Harlots, that is, the head of the Cities Chriſtian ſpiritually committing …ornication with her. Where Reader, I would have thee to obſerve even this firſt (becauſe we are now about the chiefe part of the Revelation) that the great and univerſall *foreignApoſtaſie of the viſible Chriſtian Church is not defined and marked of the holy Ghoſt by any other hereſies or errours, then that ſpirituall fornication ſo much layed to the charge of ancient Iſrael alſo. This only therefore as a *Cynoſura.guide ought to be regarded by him, whoſoever would ſearch out of the Records of Eccleſiaſticall affaires the beginning, progreſſe, ſtay and decreaſe, of the Apoſtaſie of Chriſtianitie; if he ayme at this marke, that which is ſought may even palpably be perceived; but if otherwiſe, he ſhall either faile, or be uncertain. For though this Babylon be guiltie of other errours, yea hereſies (for it is no new thing, that harlots and whores be infamous for other vices and crimes alſo) yet ſeeing the holy Ghoſt hath marked that great Apoſtaſie of the viſible Church with none of thoſe, therefore they are to be accounted either ſymptomes only of that Apoſtaſie, or adventitious errours, and ſuch as are alike common to other times and ſects; or if the hereſie ſhall happily be of great moment (as is that of juſtification and ſalvation hoped for by the merits of works) yet it is ſuch as which of late, and when the whore was now growen old, hath Chap. 17.been permitted by the juſt judgement of God to enter into the Church, as it were foreign a recompenſe of her Rom. 1. 27.great errour: leaſt indeed they who had ſo long and ſo obſtinately contemned the long ſuffering of God, and the preaching of the Witneſſes, afterward (as we reade was provided againſt our firſt parents) ſtretching out their hands ſhould take of the fruit of the Gen. 3.22.tree of Life and eating thereof ſhould live for ever.
Furthermore Reader, this is ſingular in this place, nor to be paſſed over with light obſervation (of which likewiſe I advertiſed thee in the Apocaliptique Key) to wit, that this viſion concerning the great Whore and the Beaſt bearing her, is opened to Iohn and us by the Angel (which he uſed not to doe) by a moſt plaine interpretation: without doubt to that end, that by the benefit of the interpretation thereof, as being the chiefeſt viſion of all the reſt, the other myſteries contained in the Revelation, hitherto indeed ſhut up, but depending upon it wonderfull artificially, might be revealed. Here therefore be attentive, and leaſt the Angel ſhall have taken this paines in vaine as farre forth as it concerneth thee; remember this right well, that the interpretation of the Allegory or parable (ſuch as this of the Angel is) is not a new Allegory or parable. For what ſtrangeneſſe ſhould this be, or more truely madneſſe of an interpreter? or what profit is there of interpreting an Allegory by an Allegory, or a parable by a parable? therefore doe not thou here look after I know not what ages of the world, or ſuch like fained things; but take the meaning of the prophetique Angel according to the letter foreign, not as if he were yet allegoriſing, but rather interpreting the meaning; knowing that it is thy part not to open the meaning of the Allegorie, as otherwhere it happeneth, but to apply its interpretation already given it to the things themſelves.
Which application, as farre forth as God hath revealed to me, I will declare to thee thus.
1.
The Woman, which Iohn ſaw ſitting upon the Beaſt, is that great Citie, which then reigned over the Kings of the earth, v. 18.
The Application. What is this but Rome?
2.
The Beaſt carrying her now become a whore, is that Beaſt, which before this viſion being ſhewed to Iohn, was of a certaine Chap. 17.other forme, but he was not as yet of that ſhape, wherein he ſhould carry the Whore; but in ſuch a forme afterward he was to ariſe out of the bottomleſſe pit, and in it at length utterly to periſh: that is, that forme wherein he ſhould carry the Whore, ſhould be the laſt of the Beaſt, beyond which he ſhould not continue his life, verſ. 8. It followeth in the ſame verſ. (that thou mayeſt know alſo by that marke that this is the very ſame Beaſt ſhewed, Chap. 13.) And they that dwell on the earth ſhall wonder, whoſe names are not written in the Booke of life from the foundation of the world laid, beholding the Beaſt which was, and is not, and yet is to come. In Greeke foreign *Et tamen adfutura eſt.For ſo I read it with the Complutenſe Edition, Primaſius, and the Syriaque Interpreter, that it may agree in ſenſe with the precedent deſcription: The Beaſt which was, and is not, but at length ſhall aſcend out of the bottomleſſe pit. But now of what forme the Beaſt had beene before, and in what ſhape he was to aſcend out of the bottomleſſe pit; that we ſhall know particularly by thoſe things which the Angel by and by addeth.
The Application. In the meane while, if the Woman be Rome it ſelfe, what then can this Beaſt of many formes be upon which ſhe rideth (that is ruleth) but the Kingdome or Empire of Rome?
3.
The ſeven heads of the Beaſt, is a double type, firſt they are Ver. 3. and 7.ſeven mountaines or hils, upon which the Citie being the Metropolis Verſ. 9, 10, 11.of the Beaſt is ſeated: againe ſeven orders of Kings or ſucceſſive Rulers, and that on the ſame hils (which the unitie of the type ſetteth forth) *Hoc teneas vultus mutantem Protea nodo.this is a ſure marke of her) whereof indeed five, that is to ſay, of Kings, Conſuls, Tribunes, Decemviri, Dictators, now in the age of Iohn were paſt: one (of Caeſars) was yet remaining; but that alſo under Chriſtian Caeſars ſo to be changed, that it ſeemed as another Ruler, but of a very ſhort continuance: yet in truth not another: but the laſt, and as already I have ſaid in reſpect of the changed Caeſarſhip the eight, but in truth but the ſeventh (for there are onelyonly ſeven heads of the Beaſt) that very ſame it is under which the Beaſt ſhould be at length foreign, that is, the bearer of the myſticall whore, and in that ſtate and forme wherein ſhe is ſeene of Iohn in the preſent viſion. In whoſe time it might be ſaid, both that he was Chap. 17.in time paſt, and notwithſtanding not yet ſprung up. For in time paſt he had beene a Beaſt under the courſes of the five firſt heads, partly alſo the ſixt; but as yet he was not under the courſe of the laſt head (to wit, of the Popedome) under which at length he ſhould beare the Whore.
The Application. Now therefore harke Reader; if the ſixt head of the Romane Beaſt which reigned in Iohns age in the City ſtanding upon ſeven hils; now almoſt for 12. *1200. Yeers.ages …ath ceaſed to reigne there: it muſt needs be that he who now beareth ſway there (ſince that which is as it were the ſeventh and of ſhort continuance cannot be called a head) is that laſt, of long continuance and truely the ſeventh Ruler of the ſeven hils; and therefore that State, or Common-wealth of Nations over which Rome now reigneth, and long hath reigned, is that government which Iohn fore-ſaw ſhould beare the Whore.
4.
The tenne hornes of the Beaſt, the Enſignes of the laſt head, Verſ 12.are tenne Kingdomes, not yet riſen in the age of Iohn; but into which at length the body of the Romane Beaſt ſhould be rended, in his laſt courſe, by the wound of the Caeſarian head; and which with one conſent ſhould conferre all their authoritie upon the Beaſt, to be made whole and reſtored under the government of Verſ. 13.that laſt head.
The Application. But unleſſe from that time that the Emperours have ceaſed to reigne at Rome, the Romane Empire be divided and rent into tenne or more Kingdomes (even of Nations in Iohns age, ſtrangers from the Empire and barbarous) when, I pray you ever, or by what meanes at length ſhall we expect it to be divided?
5.
Thoſe tenne Kingdomes, which ſhall ſo grow together, by the Verſ. 14.government of the falſe Prophet their head, ſhall fight with the Lambe, yet at length the victory falling out on the part of our Lord the Lambe.
The Application. That battell hath beene fought long ſince, and even daily is in action: this victory even in ſome ſort i… accompliſhed; but we hope ſhall be fulfilled ſometime much more gloriouſly.
For truely out of the ſame tenne hornes, or Kings they ſhall Chap. 17.be, who at length ſhall hate the Whore, whom they have ſo long Verſ. 16.borne (which partly we perceive to be fulfilled) ſhall make her deſolate, and naked, ſhall eate her fleſh, and burne her with fire. For God by whoſe providence it cometh to paſſe, that with ſo marvellous a conſent they ſhould grow together into this Beaſt of the laſt head, untill his appointed time: he even the ſame will ſometime put into their hearts, that they ſhall execute his will alſo upon their Metropolis the Whore: theſe things the Angel hath interpreted.
But what moreover is contained in the deſcription of the parable, Verſ. 4.that this Whore held in her hand a golden Cup, full of abominations, and filthineſſe of her fornication; likewiſe that ſhe did Verſ. 5.beare her name written in her forehead: that needed not the interpretation of the Angel. For truely in both there is an Alluſion to the cuſtome of whores, and ſtewes in time paſt. Which whores were wont to drink to their Paramores philters in a golded Cup: in the Stews the Cels had the name of the whores written upon them: even as that of Tertullian declareth in his booke De Pudicitia: under the very gates of luſt, under the very titles of luſt. But Seneca more perſpicuouſly, Controverſ. 2. lib. 1. Thou art called, ſaith he, a wh…re, thou ſtoodeſt in a common place, a title is put upon thy Cell. See alſo Martiall. lib. 11. Epig. 46. Moreover if a whore was famous, it ſeemeth ſhe bare her name and title not onelyonly written on her Cell, but in her forehead. Seneca intimateth that in the place cited: Thy name, ſaith he, hangeth in thy forehead, thou haſt received the reward of adultery, and the hand that was to give ſacred things to God, hath received rewards. To which I…venal alſo had reſpect, Sat. 6. concerning the unbridled luſt of Meſſalina the Empreſſe.
—nuda papillis
conſtitit auratis titulum mentita Lyciſcae.
She ſtood naked with her gilded pappes bearing the title of Lyciſc….
But if that of Seneca be to be taken of the front of her Cell, this alſo of Babylon may be ſo taken; neither wil it be harſh, for the nature of the figure, which comprehendeth both, as wel the Whore, as the place or Brothelhouſe in which ſhe proſtituteth her ſelfe.