A20217:694
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 then being granted, that Babylon here is Rome; it followeth that Rome shall fall: for the Holy-Ghost saith, Babylon is fallen, speaking in the present tense, as the manner of the scripture is in prophesying of things to come. For whatsoever God hath determined to cone to pass, is, as it were, already don, because of the certainty of it:1 and for this cause also the word is doubled: It is fallen, It is fallen. We see then most clearly, that almost 1500. years before Rome began to fall, the certain fall thereof was foretold. This place of it self, is clear enough to prove my second point, which is, that Rome shall fall. But my purpose is to reduce and gather all the five Chapters following to certain heads, to prove the main points which I have propounded: first then I reason thus to prove the second point, that Rome shall fall. That City and kingdom which hath the seven vials of Gods wrath emptied and poured down upon it, cannot stand, but must needs fall. But Rome is that City, which hath the seven vials of Gods wrath poured down upon it: Therefore Rome cannot stand long, but must needs fall. The proposition is manifest, and not to be denied. The assumption is proved throughout all the sixteen Chapter, and especially in the tenth and the twelfth verses, chapter 16. Ver. 10 Vers. 12 where the vials of Gods wrath are expressly said to be poured ⟨p. 213⟩down upon the throne of the beast: and in the second verse of that Chapter it is avouched, ver. 2 that the second vial was poured down upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image: Howe then can the throne of the beast hold out? or how can they which have received the beasts mark stand up long? For there is a great Emphasis or vehemency in the manner of speech. For he doth not simply say, the wrath of God, chapter 15. verse 7. but the fullness of Gods wrath: he doth not say, should be a little sprinkled, but poured down as it were by pailfuls upon the kingdom of the beast. How then can the kingdom of the beast stand, which hath so many great ordinances, and so many double cannons discharged and shot off against it? Surely it must needs fall.
This then beeing graunted, that Babylon here is Rome; it followeth that Rome shall fall: for the Holy-Ghost sayth, Babylon is fallen, speaking in the present tense, as the maner of ye scripture is in prophecying of things to come. For whatsoeuer God hath determined to cōe to passe, is, as it were, already don, because of the certainty of it: