Revelation 17

Revelation 17:1-13

This chapter is another representation of their things that had been revealed before, concerning the wretchedness and ruin of antichrist. This antichrist had been before represented as a beall, and is now described as a great valence. And here, 1. The apostle is invited to see this vain woman, ver. 2. 2. 2. He tells us what an appearance she made, ver. 3—6. 3. The mystery of it is explained to him, ver. 7—12. And, 4. Her ruin foretold, ver. 13, &c.

1. 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 fizzeth upon many waters. 2. What whom the kings of the earth have committed for, in the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light of the light

hath the seven heads and ten horns. 8. The beaft that thou fawell 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 beaft that was, and is not, and yet is. 9. And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountain, on which the woman fiteth. 10. 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 thrift fable. 11. And the beaft that was and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. 12. And the ten horns which thou fawell, are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beaft. 13. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beaft.

An angel farther explains to the apostle what was meant by the vision before him; who this great whore was on whose God’s judgments were to be executed; whilst proudly flared upon the waters, the emblem of her vali jurisdiction, and having made the kings and inhabitants of the earth drunk with her industries and forerries, the flattered herself she should fit as a queen, and for no forrow.

Infant in vision John was carried into the wilderness, and there he beheld the antichristian whore feated upon a fearless coloured beaft, the papacy, fearless being the colour in which the pope and cardinals are dressed; or to denote the sanguinary edicts executed by her. This beaft was full of names of blasphemy, the blasphemous titles and prerogatives of infallibility, supremacy, &c. being challenged by the popes of Rome, which is feared on seven hills, signified by the seven heads, and usurped authority over many potent kingdoms. This woman appeared in all the attire of an harlot, intimating the vali pomp and perdition of rich cloaths and ornaments used by the Runnish church, to deck their Priests, idols, and images. In her hand was a cup of philiters, to intoxicate her paramours, and lead them to all her abominable wickednesses in doctrine, worship, and manners; and upon her forehead her name was written, Adelery, (2 Thes. ii. 7.) with deep design and cruel carrying on her iniquitous designs; Babylon the great, like Babylon of old, for oppression, pride, and idolatry; the mother of harlots, and abominations of the earth; the patriot and patriarch of every wickedness; and she was drunk with the blood of martyrs. A character so horrid, infamous, and hideous, greatly excited John’s astonishment.

Observing his amazement, the angel explains the vision. This beaft was of old, when Rome was the feared pagan idolatry and pernicution; and is not, Rome pagan having been destroyed; and yet is, the same under the papal government in tyranny and idolatry as formerly: it is the offspring of hell, and is doomed to return thither. The men of the Roman empire in general, God’s elect excepted, shall wonder after this beaft with superfluous veneration. And here is the mind which hath wisdom; let such a one who is intelligent mark these characters, and they will be led to what is prefigured by them. (1.) The seven hills are seven mountains, on which the woman fiteth; Rome, the capital of her empire, being built on seven hills. (2.) There are seven kings, or successive forms of government; five are fallen, the kings, confuls, dictators, decennists, and military tribunes, no longer fulfill. One is; the pagan emperors that then reigned when the vision was given: and one is not yet come; the Christian emperors, which are to endure but a thrift fable. The beaft is the eighth, in order; or if the empire, as under the pagan and Christian emperors, be considered as one form of government, the papacy is one of the seven kings, and will be as surely destroyed as the former. (3.) Another mark of this beaft is the ten horns, which are so many kings, which had not yet received their kingdoms, but were to arise about the same time when the papal power should grow to its height; even when the empire was divided into about that number of kingdoms, and all their princes submitted to the papal yoke, and consented to uphold the authority of the Roman ponitis.

14. 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. 15. And he said unto me, The waters which thou fawell, where the whore fiteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. 16. And the ten horns which thou fawell, upon the beaft, these shall have the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. 17. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto

the beaft, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. 18. And the woman which thou fawell, is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

Revelation 17:14-18

The life of the papal power had been flared; here we have its dominion.

1. These kings will make war with the Lamb, endeavouring by fire and forced to compel the people to flared with implain obedience to the papal for; but he shall strengthen them with confluence to resist, and even in martyrdom to conquer; for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings; mighty to support his suffering faints, who being chosen by his grace, and called by his word, are enabled to approve themselves faithful in defiance of all opposition.

2. The same kingdoms that have entered their power to support the throne of the beaft, shall, through God’s over-ending providence, be made the means of his destruction. Though God for a while suffers them to give their kingdoms to the beaft, yet, when the time appointed is accomplished, their successes in these kingdoms shall be as much turned to hate and destroy the whore, whose dominion for a while should extend over the nations and kings of the earth, as their predilemors were anxious to maintain the papal usurpations; they shall treat her with every indignity, and destroy her by the most tormenting death. When we may observe, (1.) That there never will be another universal monarchy erected by any of the feasts of Christendom. (2.) That the very powers that have been the pillars of popery, shall be the chief instruments in pulling down the papal throne.