A20217:612
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.
This second beast riseth out of the earth, as the former rose out of the sea: then it appeareth that Antichrist is, by his breed, a son of the earth; obscurely borne, & by little and little creeping up out of his abject ⟨p. 182⟩estate; as did the Turk. It is here most truly said, that the kingdom of Antichrist ariseth out of the earth, & is the very breed of the earth: for assuredly it never came from heaven. It was first hatched out of covetousness, ambition, pride, murders, treasons, poisonings, sorceries, enchantments, and such like. For all stories do show, that from these roots the Papacy grew to his exceeding height and altitude.
This second beast riseth out of the earth, as the former rose out of the sea: then it appeareth that Antichrist is, by his breed, a sonne of the earth; obscurely borne, & by little and little creeping vp out of his abiect ⟨p. 182⟩estate; as did the Turke. It is here most truly said, that the kingdome of Antichrist ariseth out of the earth, & is the very breed of the earth: for assuredly it neuer came from heauen. It was first hatched out of couetuousnesse, ambition, pride, murders, treasons, poisonings, sorceries, enchantments, and such like. For al stories do shew, that from these roots the Papacy grew to his exceeding height and altitude.
This second beast hath two horns, like the Lamb: Whereby is meant his civil and ecclesiastical power, or his kingdom, and Priesthood; which he falsely pretendeth to come from the Lamb: and therefore he giveth in his arms two keys, and hath two swords carried before him. So Boniface the eight showed himself one day in apparel as a Pope, and the next day in armour as the Emperor; and the two horns in the Popes mitre are signs hereof. But the Holy-ghost here telleth us, that these two horns are not the horns of the Lamb, but only like the horns of the Lamb: for he received not his power from the Lamb Christ; but from the devil, that is, the dragon with ten horns. Then thus it is, the Papacy is the seventh head of the first beast, that is, the Empire; & yet a beast by it self, with two horns like the Lamb, in respect of his joint power and authority, both ecclesiastical and civil, in which respect he is called even the eight: and one of the seven, Chap. 17. ver. 11.