Matthew Poole and continuators on Revelation 17:3

3 So he carried me away in [illegible: 1 word] Spirit into the wilderness : and I saw a wo[illegible: 3 letters] sit upon a scarlet coloured beast , full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns .

That is, being in an extasy; see chap. 4.2. whether in the Body or out of the Body he could not tell, as Paul expresseth it, 2 Cor. 12.2.

A place not, or not much inhabited, either as fittest for Contemplation; or to signify that this Great Whore which had driven the Spouse of Christ into the Wilderness, should shortly her self come into her State; according to the fate of old Babylon, Ier. 50.13.

The great Whore mentioned v. 1. upheld by the Roman Emperors.

The same which is mentioned chap. 13, 1. see the Notes there. Here is a great Question ariseth who this Woman is, or (which is the same, as appeareth by v. 5.) what City is meant by Babylon mentioned, v. 5? a question, (as Mr. Pool noteth) of high concernment; for whoever this Woman is, or whatsoever this Babylon signifieth, the People of God are upon pain of Damnation admonished, to avoid any Communion with her, and to come out of her, chap. 14.9, 10. Mr. Pool hath diligently collected into his Latine Synopsis all opinions about it, and shewed what is to be said for or against them; I will give my Reader the summ of what he saith. 1. Some would have it to be the whole World of wicked Men. Against this it is said, 1. That Iohn speaks here of a certain great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth, v. 18. This cannot be meant of the wicked World. 2. The World of wicked Men are those Inhabitants of the Earth, whom this Woman made Drunk with the Wine of her Fornications: Now she that made them drunk, and those that were made drunk cannot be the same. 3. This Woman, v. 9. sitteth on seven Mountains, and so do not all the wicked of the World. 4. We are commanded to come out of this Babylon, but we are not obliged to go out of the World. 2. Others would have this Woman, or this Babylon to be the old Chaldean Babylon. But 1. Where then is the Mystery mentioned v. 5? 2. The Babylon here mentioned, is by all agreed to be the seat of Antichrist; so was that never. 3. The generality agree it to be Rome. Amongst the Ancients, Tertullian, Hierome, Ambrose, Oecumenius, Augustine, Eusebius, Of later writers Beda, Aquinas, Salmeron, Pererius, Bellarmine, Lapide, Ribera (all Papists,) besides a multitude of Protestant writers; that City is also like old Babilon for Power and Greatness, for Oppression and Tyranny of, and over God's Israel; besides, the City here mentioned is described by two Characters, agreeing to none but Rome, v. 9. Dwelling upon seven Hills. 2. Reigning over the Kings of the Earth: For the first Rome is the only City in the World founded upon seven Hills, and famed for it by its old Poets, Ovid, Virgil, Horace, Propertius, &c. It is attested to be so founded by Plutarch, Pliny, Dionysius, Halicarnassaeus; the names of these Hills are known. Palatinus, Quirinalis, Aventinus, Celius, Ve[illegible: 2 letters]inalis, Esquilinus, Capitolinus. Both Papist and Protestant writers agree that here by Babylon, Rome is meant. But they are divided, whether it be to be understod of Rome in its old Pagan state, or in its present state, or in a state yet to come. 4. Some would have it to be Rome in its Pagan state; of this mind are Grotius and Dr. Hammond, and some others; but against this many things are said. 1. It is manifest that God here describes Rome not as under its sixth head, viz. the Pagan Emperors, but as it was under its last Head, the eighth King, v, 11. as it should ascend out of the bottomless Pit, v. 8. What Iohn saw herein mentioned as a Secret about the Blood of the Saints, which he wondred at; now the Pagan Emperors spilling the Blood of Saints was a thing long since done. 3. The Desolation of the Babilon here mentioned, was to be final, never to be repaired, as appears by chap. 18.21, 22, 23. but Pagan Rome was never made so desolate. 4. If Rome Pagan be here meant, then after its fall, Rome Christian was the habitation of Devils, chap, 18.2. 5. Rome Pagan fell upon our Saints with downright blows, not with allurements, making them drunk with the Wine of her Fornication, as v, 2.. 5. The Papists, who grant that by Babylon, Rome is meant, would have it to be Rome toward the end of the World, when they say Rome shall apostatize from the Pope to Paganism again; but for this Opinion there is no foundation in Scripture, nor the judgment of the Ancients, and some of the Papists themselves reject it as improbable and detestable. 6. The generality and best of Protestant writers understand by Babylon and by this woman Rome, as it is at this day under the conduct of the Pope, for which they give these Reasons. 1. Because it cannot be understood of Rome in either of the other Notions, as hath been proved. 2. Because Antichrist is to set in the Temple of God, 2. Thess. 2.4. as God, therefore not in any Pagan City. The Mystery of Iniquity was working in the Apostle's time, but v. 7. the Roman Empire hindred the appearance of Antichrist till the Popes had wrung Rome out of their hands, and were the sole Rulers there, then Antichrist shewed himself. 3. Because there is nothing said of this great Whore, or this Babylon, but admirably agreeth to Rome in its present state.

What Iohn saw herein mentioned as a Secret about the Blood of the Saints, which he wondred at; now the Pagan Emperors spilling the Blood of Saints was a thing long since done. 3. The Desolation of the Babilon here mentioned, was to be final, never to be repaired, as appears by chap. 18.21, 22, 23. but Pagan Rome was never made so desolate. 4. If Rome Pagan be here meant, then after its fall, Rome Christian was the habitation of Devils, chap, 18.2. 5. Rome Pagan fell upon our Saints with downright blows, not with allurements, making them drunk with the Wine of her Fornication, as v, 2.