And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: Ver. 1. _And there came_] This and the following Chapter s are set for the explanation of the dark... [ Continue Reading ]
With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. Ver. 2. _With whom the kings_] As submitting their sceptres to his keys; and becoming his feudatories. _ And the inhabiters of the earth_] So that sh... [ Continue Reading ]
So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. Ver. 3. _Into the wilderness_] Whither the true Church fled, Re. xii., of which they must be (saith one) that can learn to know... [ Continue Reading ]
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: Ver. 4. _In purple and scarlet_] Clothing for kings and nobles, over whom this whore domineers much mo... [ Continue Reading ]
And upon her forehead _was_ a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. Ver. 5. _Mystery_] This word mystery is in the pope's mitre, saith Brocard the Venetian, and many more who have been at Rome, and profess to have seen it. (Dr James of the Co... [ Continue Reading ]
And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. Ver. 6. _Drunken with the blood, &c._] Bishop Bonner delivered Richard Woodman, with four more, requiring of them to be but honest men, members... [ Continue Reading ]
And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. Ver. 7. _Wherefore didst thou marvel?_] _Nil admirari prope res est una, Numici._ We wonder at things out of ignorance of... [ Continue Reading ]
The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is... [ Continue Reading ]
And here _is_ the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. Ver. 9. _Here is the mind_] _q.d._ Here is work for wise men to busy their brains about. _Sapientia est vel codicibus vel cordibus._ Wisdom is either from books or from the hearts. _ Seven mo... [ Continue Reading ]
And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, _and_ the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. Ver. 10. _And there are seven kings_] That is, kinds of government. _ Five are fallen_] Kings, consuls, dictators, decemvirs, tribunes. _ One is_] _i.e._ Th... [ Continue Reading ]
And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. Ver. 11. _He is the eighth_] viz. The Pontifficality. _ And is of the seven_] _i.e._ Shall exercise that monarchical power that was before in the seven heads.... [ Continue Reading ]
And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. Ver. 12. _Are ten kings_] Of ten different kingdoms, Naples, Spain, Portugal, France, Polony, Bohemia, Hungary, Denmark, Sweden, and this of England, which a... [ Continue Reading ]
These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. Ver. 13. _These have one mind_] This is the unity or rather conspiracy of the Church of Rome. The Spouse only is but one, Song of Solomon 6:9. Other societies are but as the clay in the toes of Nebuchadnezzar's image, they... [ Continue Reading ]
These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him _are_ called, and chosen, and faithful. Ver. 14. _The Lamb shall overcome them_] 1. With a spiritual victory, by a sweet: subjection, at least by a conviction... [ Continue Reading ]
And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. Ver. 15. _Are peoples_] Fitly called waters for their instability and impetuosity.... [ Continue Reading ]
And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. Ver. 16. _These shall hate_] As base fellows use to hate their harlots when they find them false. _ And shall make her desolate_]... [ Continue Reading ]
For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. Ver. 17. _For God hath put_] As he sent Nebuchadnezzar against Tyre, Alexander against Asia, and Attila against Rome, who surnamed himself the World's... [ Continue Reading ]
And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth. Ver. 18. _Is that great city_] Rome, that _radix omnium malorum, _ the base of all evil. This is confessed by Bellarmine, Ribera, Alcasar, and other Jesuits. The Rhemists are so straited, that they know... [ Continue Reading ]