A20217:245
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.
The blowing of the winds, doth very fitly represent the preaching of the Gospel, and that heavenly inspiration and breathing of the holy Ghost which goeth with it. Wind is so taken, Joh. 3. where our Lord Jesus saith; The wind bloweth where it listeth, &c: 1So is every man that is borne of the spirit. And again in the 4. of the Cantic. in these words; Arise ô North, and come ô South and blow on my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Where it plainly appeareth, that the Church craveth the inspiration of the spirit, that her fruits may abound: For what can be meant by these winds which she wisheth to blow upon her garden, but the heavenly breathings of Gods holy spirit and word. It followeth then, that if the blowing of the winds in the scriptures do signify the breathing of Gods grace, and holy spirit, that the stopping of the winds by a reason of the contraries ⟨p. 79⟩doth here signify the stopping of the same, and the deprivation of all heavenly blessings. So that it is clear, that a spiritual plague is here represented, which also is the more apparent, because here is such special proviso and care had for the churches safety, that it might not be infected with this spiritual contagion. Now all this doth plainly fore-prophesy, not only the stopping of the course of the Gospel: but even the utter taking of it away from the world, for their great contempt thereof, and the horrible murdering & massacring of all the true professors of it: according as it came to pass afterward in the prevailing first of heresies, and afterward of the Popish and Mahometish religion, as in the two next Chapters following shall plainly appear.
The blowing of the windes, doth very fitly represent the preaching of the Gospell, and that heauenly inspiration and breathing of the holy Ghost which goeth with it. Winde is so taken, Ioh. 3. where our Lord Iesus saith; The wind bloweth where it listeth, &c: 1So is euery man that is borne of the spirit. And again in the 4. of the Cantic. in these words; Arise ô North, and come ô South and blowe on my garden, that the spices thereof may flowe out. Where it plainly appeareth, that the Church craueth the inspiration of the spirit, that her fruites may abound: For what can be meant by these windes which she wisheth to blow vppon her garden, but the heauenly breathings of Gods holy spirit and word. It followeth then, that if the blowing of the windes in the scriptures doo signifie the breathing of Gods grace, and holy spirite, that the stopping of the windes by a reason of the contraries