But what then,1 shall we be sorry for the fall of Babylon and the ruin of Rome? No no. The holy Ghost counselleth us greatly to rejoice in her destruction and overthrow, saying, O Heavens rejoice over her, and ye holy Apostles & Prophets, because God hath given your judgement on her. We are therefore to be so far from mourning & lamenting for the desolation of Rome, as the kings, merchants, mariners & other her friends, as that it ought to be the very joy and rejoicing of our hearts. For S. John saith, that not only the holy Angels, Prophets, Apostles & Martyrs shall rejoice at the destruction of Rome: but also all the Saints, and the whole body of the Church. And therefore he saith, that after the utter overthrow of Rome, He heard a great voice of a great multitude in Heaven, saying, Hallelu-jah, that is, praise ye the Lord, 2for he hath condemned the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants shed by her hand. And again saith S. John, ⟨p. 252⟩they said, Hallelu-jah, Hallelu-jah, Hallelu-jah, thrice together, thereby expressing the great joy, & thanksgiving, for the destruction and overthrow of the great whore: and even so ought all that love God, that love the Church, and that love the truth, greatly to rejoice in the destruction of Rome: because this monster shall no longer oppress the Israel of God. And sure it is, that the more zealous & godly that a man is, the more he will rejoice at the destruction of Popery: for a man cannot love God and his church, that doth not laugh in the destruction of that Antichristian and bloody kingdom. Let no man here say, this is cruelty: this is want of charity: and want of pity, to laugh in the destruction of any, or to rejoice at other mens harms.3 But the most wise God saith, Reward her, even as she hath rewarded you, and give her double, according to her works, and in the cup that she hath filled to you, fill her the double. Inasmuch as she glorified her self, and lived in pleasure, so much give ye to her torment and sorrow. And therefore I affirm, that no man ought to be moved with any compassion or pity,4 for the overthrow of Rome. But herein that saying of the Prophet is true: Blessed is he that taketh and dasheth her children against the stones: and again bend thy bow, 5shoot at her, spare no arrows. For she hath sinned against the Lord.
But what then,1 shall wee bee sory for the fall of Babylon and the ruine of Rome? No no. The holy Ghost counselleth vs greatly to reioyce in her destruction and ouerthrow, saying, O Heauens reioyce ouer her, and ye holy Apostles & Prophets, because God hath giuen your iudgement on her. We are therefore to be so far from mourning & lamenting for the desolation of Rome, as the kings, merchants, mariners & other her friends, as that it ought to be the very ioy and reioicing of our hearts. For S. Iohn saith, that not onely the holy Angels, Prophets, Apostles & Martyrs shall reioyce at the destruction of Rome: but also all the Saints, and the whole bodie of the Church. And therfore he saith, that after the vtter ouerthrow of Rome, He heard a great voice of a great multitude in Heauen, saying, Hallelu-iah, that is, praise yee the Lord, 2for hee hath condemned the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath auenged the bloud of his seruants shed by her hand. And againe saith S. Iohn, ⟨p. 252⟩they said, Hallelu-jah, Hallelu-jah, Hallelu-jah, thrise together, therby expressing the great ioy, & thāksgiueing, for the destruction and ouerthrow of the great whore: and euen so ought all that loue God, that loue the Church, and that loue the truth, greatly to reioyce in the destruction of Rome: because this monster shall no longer oppresse the Israell of God. And sure it is, that the more zealous & godly that a man is, the more he will rejoice at the destruction of Popery: for a man cannot loue God and his church, that doth not laugh in the destruction of that Antichristian and bloudy kingdome. Let no man heere say, this is crueltie: this is want of charitie: and want of pittie, to laugh in the destruction of any, or to reioice at other mens harmes.3 But the most wise God saith, Reward her, euen as she hath rewarded you, and giue her double, according to her works, and in the cup that shee hath filled to you, fill her the double. In asmuch as shee glorified her selfe, and liued in pleasure, so much giue yee to her torment and sorrow. And therfore I affirme, that no man ought to be moued with any compassion or pittie,4 for the ouerthrow of Rome. But heerein that saying of the Prophet is true: Blessed is hee that taketh and dasheth her children against the stones: and againe bend thy bow, 5
- 1Gods people are to rejoice in the overthr•w of Rome. Apoc. 18.20.Gods people are to reioice in the ouerthr•w of Rome. Apoc. 18.20.
- 2Apoc. 19.1.2.
- 3Apoc. 8.6.
- 4Psal 137.
- 5Jer. 50.14.Ier. 50.14.
