A Golden Chain

Therefore by the whore of Babylon is meant a city standing on seven hills. Now it is well known, not only to learned men in the Church of god, but even to the heathen themselves, that Rome alone is the city built on seven distinct hills, called Caelius, Aventinus, Exquilinus, Tarpeius, or Capitolinus, Viminalis, Palatinus, Quirinal••. Papists to help themselves, do allege that old Rome stood on seven hells, but now is removed further to Campus Martius. I answer, that howsoever the greatest part of the city in regard of habitation be not now on seven hills, yet in regard of regiment and practise of religion it is: for even to this day upon these hills are seated certain Churches and Monasteries and other like places where the Papal authority ⟨p. 908⟩is put in execution: and thus Rome being put for a state and regiment; even at this day, it stands upon seven hills. And though it be come to pass that the harlot in regard of her latter days even changed her seat, yet in respect of her younger times in which she was bred & borne, she sate upon the seven hills. Others, because they fear the wounding of their own heads, labour to frame these words to an other meaning, and say, that by the whore is meant the company of all wicked men in the world wheresoever, the devil being the head thereof. But this exposition is flat against the text: for in the second verse of the 17. chapter, she is opposed to the kings of the earth with whom she is said to commit fornication: and in the last verse she is called a city standing on seven hills and reigning over the kings of the earth (as I have said,) and therefore must needs be a state of men in some particular place. And the Papists themselves perceiving that this shift will not serve their turn, make two Romes, heathenish Rome, and that whereof the Pope is head: now (say they) the whore spoken of, is heathenish Rome, which was ruled by cruel tyrants, as Nero, Domitian, and the rest: and that Rome whereof now the Pope is head, is not here meant. Behold a vain and foolish distinction: for Ecclesiastical Rome in respect of state, princely dominion, and cruelty in persecuting the Saints of God, is all one with the heathenish Empire: the See of the Bishop being turned into the Emperors court, as all histories do manifest.

Therefore by the whore of Babylon is meant a cittie standing on seuen hills. Now it is well known, not onely to learned men in the Church of god, but euen to the heathen themselues, that Rome alone is the cittie built on seuen distinct hils, called Caelius, Auentinus, Exquilinus, Tarpeius, or Capitolinus, Viminalis, Palatinus, Quirinal. Papists to helpe themselues, doe alleadge that old Rome stood on seuen hells, but nowe is remooued further to Campus Martius. I answer, that howsoeuer the greatest part of the cittie in regard of habitation be not nowe on seauen hills, yet in regard of regiment and practise of religion it is: for euen to this day vpon these hills are feated certaine Churches and Monasteries and other like places where the Papal authoritie