A20217:267
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.
CHAP. VIII.
WE have heard out of the seventh Chapter how the devils and their instruments, the Romaine Emperors, did stop the course of the Gospel. Now in this chapter we are to hear the woeful effects of the stopping thereof, which was the springing up, & prevailing of manifold errors & heresies in the world. So that the principal scope and drift of this chapter, is to show, that God for the contempt of his Gospel, and great indignities offered to the true professors thereof did give up the world to blindness, to error, to superstition and heresy: and as the Apostle saith;1 Because they received not the love of the truth, therefore God sent them strong delusions, that they should believe lies. For, as before we have heard how the world was most fearfully punished with ⟨p. 87⟩external plagues and judgements: So here we are to understand how the same was punished with judgements spiritual and internal, as formerly hath been said, upon the stopping of the four winds. For although that spiritual plague was very great, yet these spiritual plagues which follow upon the opening of the seventh seal, are far greater. For now we are to hear and understand, not only of the errors and heresies, whereby a way and passage was made by degrees, as it were by certain stairs, for Antichrist to climb up into his cursed chair, and to take possession thereof: but also we are to understand of his very tyranny and kingdom it self: and also of the kingdom of the Turk, and the last judgement. For the things contained under the opening of the seventh seal, do reach unto the end of the world. For the book sealed with seven seals containeth all the whole matters which were to be revealed.
WE haue heard out of the seuenth Chapter how the diuels and their instruments, the Romaine Emperors, did stop the course of the Gospel. Now in this chapter we are to heare the woeful effects of the stopping thereof, which was the springing vp, & preuailing of manifolde errors & heresies in the worlde. So that the principall scope and drift of this chapter, is to shewe, that God for the contempt of his Gospel, and great indignities offered to the true professors thereof did giue vp the worlde to blindnesse, to errour, to superstition and heresie: and as the Apostle saith;