A35689:624
The ruin of Rome, or, An exposition upon the whole Revelation wherein is plainly…The ruine of Rome, or, An exposition upon the whole Revelation wherein is plainly…
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 ... written especially for the comfort of Protestants and the daunting of papists ... / published by Arthur Dent ; to which is added an epitome of Reverend Mr. Brightman his Exposition upon the Revelation.The ruine of Rome, or, An exposition upon the whole Revelation wherein is plainly shewed and proved that the popish religion, together with all the power and authority of Rome, shall ebbe and decay ... written especially for the comfort of Protestants and the danting of papists ... / published by Authur Dent ; to which is added an epitome of Reverend Mr. Brightman his Exposition upon the Revelation.
London: printed by T.H. and I.Y. for Jo. Waterson, 1644
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.
Lastly, he will have all men of all conditions to wear his livery, and to receive his mark, as it were his hired and covenant servants.
Here is wisdom:1 Let him that hath wit count the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred threescore and six.
Here is wisdome:1 Let him that hath wit count the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred threescore and six.
- 1Verse 1•.
Now last of all, the holy Ghost telleth us that it is a very high point of wisdom and understanding to count the number of the beast, and requireth a sharp and pregnant wit; and withal, telleth us, that it is the number of a man; that is, such as a man endued with Gods Spirit may find out. Then ⟨p. 258⟩we are encouraged to search into it, sith it is within the compass of mans reach. It is no impossible thing. If therefore we could find out his name, we would desire no more, then the field were won, for his name would discover him, and descry him to all the world, and quite stop the mouths of the Papists, so as they should never have any thing more to say. For if Saint John had said expressly and in plain terms, that the Popes of Rome are this second beast, and the very Antichrist himself, then the Papists had been put to perpetual silence, all matters quashed, and all controversies ended betwixt them and us for ever. But here the holy Ghost doth not tell us his name plainly, but mystically, as many other things in this book, that the worldlings which should fulfil them might be blinded, whilst the eyes of Gods elect are opened to see into the truth of all these matters. Well, to come to the point: S. John doth only here set down the numerative letters of the beasts name. He wrote in Greek, and he only setteth down three Greek letters or characters; which in Greek numeration make six hundred sixty six. Now further, we are to note, the numerative letters of the Greek word