A20217:30
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.
As touching the first, it is agreed upon amongst ⟨p. 2⟩the soundest Divines, that John the Apostle or Evangelist; John the Disciple, whom Jesus loved, was the Author and Instrument of penning this Prophecy:1 as he himself testifieth, saying: I am John which saw these things and heard them. And he receiveth a commandment from Jesus Christ which hath the keys of hell & death, that he should write the things which he had seen and heard,2 and set them all down together in a book. Now we all know that the testimony of John is of great weight, though he be but a man: for he is such a man as is firmly to be believed in all that he speaketh. He is an Apostle, an Instrument of the holy Ghost, and so guided by the spirit of God, that he speaketh & uttereth nothing that is his own. He was well known to the Churches to be one of Christs Apostles, his authority among all the faithful was throughly known and approved. For we must consider, that what an Apostle did utter, he did utter it as the instrument of the spirit, which cannot err. For the prophets & Apostles did not write the holy scriptures as they were men only, nor yet as they were Ministers of the church only, but as they were the immediate & certain instruments of the holy Ghost, of purpose chosen & set apart to pen & publish the holy books of God.3 This S. Peter confirmeth saying: Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost. The Apostle Paul also affirmeth the same touching his Gospel, which saith,4 he was not after man, neither received he it of man, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. Therefore when this our Apostle saith, I am John, which saw these things, and heard them, he giveth us to understand, that he was both an eye and an ear witness. He ⟨p. 3⟩bringeth not matters which he hath heard by uncertain report: he delivereth this book to the churches: they which received it at his hands, did know him to be a most faithful servant of the Lord, even a great Apostle, which delivereth not any thing but that which he had received of the Lord, and therefore he testifieth, that he saw & heard all the things which he hath written in this book. And moreover he testifieth of himself, that he was called and authorised by Jesus Christ, to write this Prophecy, & did nothing herein of himself, or of his own brain.