Revelation 17:4

And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:

Scarlet is the colour reserved for popes and cardinals. Paul II. made it penal for any but cardinals to wear scarlet hats: cf. 'Coeremoniale Rom.,' 3:, see. 5, 100: 5. This book was compiled more than 340 years ago by Marcellus, a Romish archbishop and dedicated to Leo X. In it are enumerated five articles of dress, all scarlet; a vest studded with pearls. The pope's mitre is of gold and precious stones. The very characteristics outwardly which Revelation thrice assigns to the harlot or Babylon. Joachim, an abbot from Calabria, 1200 AD, when asked by Richard of England, who summoned him to Palestine, concerning Antichrist, replied that 'he was born long ago at Rome, and is now exalting himself above all that is called God.' Roger Hoveden ('Angl. Chron.,' 1:, 2) wrote, 'The harlot arrayed in gold is the Church of Rome.' Whenever and wherever the Church, instead of being "clothed (as ) with the sun" of heaven, is arrayed in earthly gauds, compromising the truth of God through fear, or flattery, of the world's power, science, or wealth, she becomes the harlot seated on the beast, and doomed in righteous retribution to be judged by the beast ().

Soon, like the Jews of the apostles' time leagued with pagan Rome, she becomes persecutor of the saints (). Instead of drinking her Lord's "cup" of suffering, she has "a cup full of abominations." Rome, in medals, represents herself holding a cup with the self-condemning inscription, 'Sedet super universum.' Meanwhile the world-power gives up its hostility, and accepts Christianity externally: the beast gives up its God-opposed character, the woman gives up her divine one. They meet half-way by mutual concessions: Christianity becomes worldly, the world Christianized. The gainer is the world, the loser the Church. The beast receives a deadly wound (), but is not really transfigured: he will return worse than ever (Revelation 17:11). The Lord alone by His coming can make the kingdoms of this world His kingdoms. The "purple" is badge of empire: as in mockery it was put on our Lord.

Decked - `gilded.'

Stones - `stone.'

Filthiness. 'Aleph (') A B, Andreas, read, 'the filthy (impure) things.'