A20217:729
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 we know, that when men are slain in great numbers in the wars, their bodies lie scattered, as meat for the fowls of the air. And therefore here all fowls are invited and bidden to a great supper, made them by the great God, whose hand is in all this; their cheer, and their dainties are reckoned up to be the flesh of kings and Captains, &c. Now out of all this may be strongly concluded, that hereafter in all time to come, when the armies ⟨p. 240⟩of the Pope, which is the beast, the armies of the king of Spain, who hath given his power and authority unto the beast, & is his great upholder; when the Armies of the Cardinal his great confederate; when the armies of the Leaguers, his great adherents; yea when all these, & all other Popish armies shall join & band themselves together against the christian kings and defenders of the Gospel: they shall have a notable overthrow, insomuch that their dead carcasses shall even cover the earth, and the fowls of the air shall come to their great supper, which the Lord of hosts will make ready for them. For assuredly, and out of all doubt, they that live shall see the fulfilling of all this,1 and shall see the popish armies go down by heaps in all countries and kingdoms, and be made meat for the fowls of the air. For the holy Ghost saith, chapter 16. v. 16. They shall come to Armageddon, that is, the place where their Armies shall be destroyed. And again, If any lead into captivity, chapter 13. v. 10. he shall go into captivity. If any kill with a sword, he must be killed with a sword: For as the Popish forces have in former time taken captive the people of God, and cruelly murdered them: so now the time draweth on apace wherein they themselves shall be taken and put to the sword. And therefore now at last I conclude, that Rome shall fall finally, and come to utter destruction in this life. For as Rome did rise up by degrees in this life, so Rome shall fall by degrees in this life: As Rome grew up to her full height and highest pitch in this life; so it shall come to her lowest ebb and greatest declination in this life: I mean before the coming ⟨p. 241⟩of Christ unto judgement. For the falling down of hail like talents upon the kingdom of the beast, shall be in this life: The extraordinary earthquake upon the dominions of Antichrist, shall be in this life: