[3] 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.
And he carried me away - In the vision. Into a wilderness
- The campagna di Roma, the country round about Rome, is now a wilderness,
compared to what it was once. And I saw a woman - Both the scripture and
other writers frequently represent a city under this emblem. Sitting upon
a scarlet wild beast - The same which is described in the thirteenth chapter.
Revelation 13:1- 18 But he was there described as he carried on his
own designs only: here, as he is connected with the whore.
There is, indeed, a very close connexion between them; the seven heads
of the beast being "seven hills on which the woman sitteth." And yet there
is a very remarkable difference between them, - between the papal power
and the city of Rome. This woman is the city of Rome, with its buildings
and inhabitants; especially the nobles. The beast, which is now scarlet
- coloured, (bearing the bloody livery, as well as the person, of the woman,)
appears very different from before. Therefore St. John says at first sight,
I saw a beast, not the beast, full of names of blasphemy - He had' before
"a name of blasphemy upon his head," Rev 13:1:
now he has many. From the time of Hildebrand, the blasphemous
titles of the Pope have been abundantly multiplied. Having seven heads
- Which reach in a succession from his ascent out of the sea to his being
cast into the lake of fire. And ten horns - Which are contemporary with
each other, and belong to his last period.
[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:
And the woman was arrayed - With the utmost pomp and
magnificence. In purple and scarlet - These were the colours of the imperial
habit: the purple, in times of peace; and the scarlet, in times of war.
Having in her hand a golden cup - Like the ancient Babylon, Jeremiah 51:7.
Full of abominations - The most abominable doctrines as well as practices.
[5] And upon her forehead was
a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS
OF THE EARTH.
And on her forehead a name written - Whereas the saints
have the name of God and the Lamb on their foreheads. Mystery - This very
word was inscribed on the front of the Pope's mitre, till some of the Reformers
took public notice of it. Babylon the great - Benedict XIII., in his proclamation
of the jubilee, A.D. 1725, explains this sufficiently. His words are, "To
this holy
city, famous for the memory of so many holy martyrs,
run with religious alacrity. Hasten to the place which the Lord hath chose.
Ascend to this new Jerusalem, whence the law of the Lord and the light
of evangelical truth hath flowed forth into all nations, from the very
first beginning of the church: the city most rightfully called 'The Palace,'
placed for the pride of all ages, the city of the Lord, the Sion of the
Holy One of Israel. This catholic and apostolical Roman church is the head
of the world, the mother of all believers, the faithful interpreter of
God and mistress of all churches." But God somewhat varies the style. The
mother of harlots - The parent, ringleader, patroness, and nourisher of
many daughters, that losely copy after her. And abominations - Of every
kind, spiritual and fleshly. Of the earth - In all lands. In this respect
she is indeed catholic or universal.
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