A20217:624
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 Antichrist having gotten the world under him, by his counterfeit miracles, doth lay his commandment upon them, to make the Image of the beast. Now what is here meant by the image of the beast, is somewhat hard to discuss: some think, that by the image of the beast, which had the wound of a sword, and did live, is meant the repairing, and the restoring of the decayed estate of the empire, by the Popes, to his full strength and virtue. We do read that the state of the empire under Nero, Otho, Galba, and Vitellius, was weak & feeble, in comparison of that which it was before, under Augustus, Tiberius, & Claudius. We do read also that the Goths and Vandals made horrible rents and dissipations in the Roman empire. We do further read, that the empire was divided and rent in pieces; so that there was the emperor of the East, & the emperor of the West; yea at ⟨p. 186⟩last, the empire of the West fell quite down: so that for the space of three hundred years and more, there was no Emperor of the West, until the Bishop of Rome Leo the third made Charles the Great, the king of France, Emperor: Then was the empire of the West again erected, and in time grew to as great an height under the dominion of the Popes, as ever before; yea and far greater. Now I say, some do take this restoring of the decayed estate of the Empire, by the Popes, to his former strength and power, to be the making of the image of the beast, which had the wound of a sword, and did live. But for mine own part I cannot be of that opinion; and my reason is, that the restoring of the decayed estate of the empire to his former condition, was the setting up of the beast himself: for the empire is the beast, and not the Image of the beast: for we must needs grant, that the beast, and the image of the beast, are two several things. But the Popes in recovering the empire to his pristinate estate, set up the beast again: and therefore not the image of the beast. Therefore the image of the beast, cannot be understood of the restoration of the decayed estate of the empire. Besides this, it is here said, that the inhabitants of the earth had a great hand in making of this image. But the inhabitants of the earth bare small sway in the recovering and erection of the empire.
Now Antichrist hauing gotten the world vnder him, by his counterfeit miracles, dooth lay his commandement vpon thē, to make the Image of the beast. Now what is here meant by the image of the beast, is somewhat hard to discusse: some thinke, that by the image of the beast, which had the wound of a sword, and did liue, is meant the repairing, and the restoring of the decaied estate of the empire, by the Popes, to his ful strength and vertue. We doe read that the state of the empire vnder Nero, Otho, Galba, and Vitellius, was weak & feeble, in comparison of that which it was before, vnder Augustus, Tiberius, & Claudius. We doo reade also that the Gothes and Vandales made horrible rents and dissipations in the Romane empire. We doe further reade, that the empire was deuided and rent in peeces; so that there was the emperour of the East, & the emperour of ye West; yea at