The ruin of RomeThe ruine of Rome

and as the Holy-ghost here saith, shall be found no more, or shall fall without all hope of recovery. Stories do report that Rome hath been sundry times destroyed by the Goths and Vandals, and others, yea once fired and quite burnt up, but afterward built and raised up again by the Emperors: But here the Holy-ghost saith expressly, that it shall have a final fall, and an unrecoverable destruction. For can a millstone, cast into the bottom of the sea, ever be got up again? no, no, it is impossible. Therefore, let the Jesuits, and Seminary Priests, do what they can, they shall never set up Rome again; they shall never restore her to her former state and dignity; they shall never repair her credit again. Let he Pope, and Cardinals, and the King of Spain, and all the world, and all the devils in hell, join together, they shall never get up this millstone out of the bottom of the sea. For the Angel hath cast it in with such a violence, that no power of man shall ever fetch it out again. True it is indeed, that the Jesuits bestir them, and the Seminary Priests, and Papists do work apace in all lands, and adventure themselves in most desperate manner, to recover again the credit of Popery, and to set up again ⟨p. 232⟩the dignity and the power of the Pope, and the glory of their Church and City, and their bold enterprises, do make many even to doubt that they will again one day prevail. But assuredly we are to make full reckoning, that although here and there they may support for a time, some ruinous parts of their rotten frame: yet do what they can, it shall in the end down upon their heads, and come to utter desolation. Indeed, Rome standeth yet, and Popery is not quite fallen down. But they are disclosed, their credit is cracked, their power decayeth: and so this thing is begun, and the time draweth on when it shall be fully accomplished. He that had beheld the Power, the Pomp, the riches and estimation of the Church of Rome about some fourscore years paste, and looketh upon it now, shall see a wonderful alteration. It seemed then to be without all danger of shaking: for the Emperor and the Kings of the earth stood forth with all their force and might, power and policy, to uphold it: but God be thanked, we see how it is already come down, and shall come down every day more & more, whosoever saith nay to it.

and as the Holy-ghost here sayth, shall be found no more, or shal fal without all hope of recouery. Stories doe report that Rome hath beene sundry times destroied by the Gothes and Vandales, and others, yea once fired and quite burnt vp, but afterward built and raised vp againe by the Emperours: But here the Holy-ghost sayth expreslie, that it shal haue a final fal, and an vnrecouerable destruction. For can a milstone, cast into the bottome of the sea, euer be gotte vp againe? no, no, it is impossible. Therefore, let the Iesuits, and Seminarie Priests, doe what they can, they shal neuer set vp Rome againe; they shal neuer restore her to her former state and dignity; they shal neuer repaire her credit againe. Let he Pope, and Cardinals, and the King of Spaine, and al the world, and al the diuels in hel, ioyne together, they shal neuer get vp this milstone out of the bottome of the sea. For the Angel hath cast it in with such a violence, that no power of man shal euer fetch it out againe. True it is indeede, that the Iesuits bestir them, and the Seminary Priests, and Papists doe worke apace in al landes, and aduenture themselues in most desperate manner, to recouer againe the credit of Popery, and to set vp againe