A20217:107
The ruin of RomeThe ruine of Rome
The ruin of Rome: or An exposition upon the whole Revelation Wherein is plainly showed and proved, that the popish religion, together with all the power and authority of Rome, shall ebb and decay still more and more throughout all the churches of Europe, and come to an utter overthrow even in this life before the end of the world. Written especially for the comfort of Protestants, and the daunting of papists, seminary priests, Jesuits, and all that cursed rabble. Published by Arthur Dent, preacher of the word of God at South-Shoobery in Essex.The ruine of Rome: or An exposition vpon the whole Reuelation Wherein is plainly shewed and proued, that the popish religion, together with all the power and authoritie of Rome, shall ebbe and decay still more and more throughout all the churches of Europe, and come to an vtter ouerthrow euen in this life before the end of the world. Written especially for the comfort of Protestants, and the daunting of papists, seminary priests, Iesuites, and all that cursed rabble. Published by Arthur Dent, preacher of the word of God at South-Shoobery in Essex.
London: printed by T. Creede for Simon Waterson and Cuthbert Burby, 1603London: printed by T. Creede for Simon Waterson and Cutbert Burby, 1603
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Now it followeth to speak a word or two of the general proposition contained in these words; I know thy works. We read in all these Epistles, how the Son of God doth praise some of the churches, & dispraise others: commend some of the Pastors, and discommend others. Now, he that will praise or dispraise, must specially look to this, that he be upon a good ground: and therefore Jesus Christ before he enters into any praising or dispraising, commending or reproving, doth first protest that he knoweth their works, & is privy to all their particular actions, yea, their very thoughts, and therefore cannot err or be deceived in his censures. True it is indeed, that men may err in their opinions & censures of others, because they know not mens harts, & with what affections things are carried. Men I say, may praise or dispraise ⟨p. 31⟩too much or too little. But Jesus Christ whose eyes are as a flame of fire, and which searcheth the reins, cannot fail one jot, nor err a hair breadth, as we say, either in commending or discommending, and therefore he stoppeth their mouths at the first dash, so as they can have nothing to reply, when he saith: I know thy works; I know well enough what thou art, & what thou hast bin; I am not deceived in thee; I know thy sitting down & rising up, & am accustomed to all thy ways; And this briefly of; proposition.
Now it followeth to speake a word or two of the generall propositiō contained in these words; I know thy workes. We read in all these Epistles, how the Son of God doth praise some of the churches, & dispraise others: commend some of the Pastors, and discommend others. Now, hee that will praise or dispraise, must specially looke to this, that he be vpon a good ground: and therefore Iesus Christ before he enters into any praising or dispraising, commending or reprouing, doth first protest that hee knoweth their workes, & is priuie to all their particular actions, yea, their very thoughts, and therefore cannot erre or be deceiued in his censures. True it is indeed, that men may erre in their opinions & censures of others, because they know not mens harts, & with what affections things are carried. Men I say, may praise or dispraise ⟨p. 31⟩too much or too little. But Iesus Christ whose eies are as a flame of fire, and which searcheth the raines, cannot faile one iot, nor erre a haire breadth, as we say, either in commēding or discommending, and therefore he stoppeth their mouthes at the first dash, so as they can haue nothing to reply, when he saith: I know thy works; I know wel inough what thou art, & what thou hast bin; I am not deceiued in thee; I know thy sitting downe & rising vp, & am accustomed to al thy waies; And this briefly of; propositiō.