(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 sitteth upon many waters: (2) 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.
We cannot well be at a loss to discover, who is here meant, if we call to remembrance, that in scripture language, Persons are spoken of by figures, and places by waters. That this woman is a city, the last verse of this Chapter, in so many words plainly saith, the woman which thou sawest, is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth. And what great city but Rome, which had so many provinces under her, and in a religious sense, (that is, I mean a mere nominal religion), how many kings and nations have owned the Pope's supremacy. So that nothing can be more clearly defined. Add to these, it is a very usual thing, to call states and empires harlots and whores, when becoming profane and ungodly. Thus the Lord complained of Israel, How is the faithful city become an harlot. Isaiah 1:21. Waters and rivers are terms used in scripture for states and people; yea, in this very Chapter, the term is explained. And he saith unto me, the waters which thou sawest where the whore sitteth, are people, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues, verse 15. Hence, therefore, here are explanations given, as plain as words can make them, in proof that this great whore, is great city, that hath rule over the kings of the earth, and the many waters she sitteth upon, expresseth her power and authority. So, that Papal Rome and none else, can be meant. This is a great point in discovery.
The next account is, that she is said to commit fornication with the kings of the earth, and the inhabitants of the earth, and to have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. Now when we consider, how many nations profess popery, surely we discover the awful proof of her fornications. And when we call to mind, the blood of the martyrs she has shed, we may well call her thirst after blood drunkenness. We shall see by and by as we prosecute the Chapter, the number of those kings, that are tributes to the whore. But this in due time.