A35689:726
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.
But this kingdom is one of those ten horns, and one of those ten kingdoms which a long time had given her power and authority to the beast. Therefore as this kingdom hath happily begun to hate the whore, and to make her desolate and naked; so undoubtedly she shall continue unto the end of the world.* For if this kingdom, and other kingdoms which now hate the whore, do not continue, how shall she be made desolate and naked, &c.? Then it ⟨p. 239⟩should seem, the beast shall revive and recover himself again, and so St. John shall be found a false Prophet. But God is true, and all men are liars; and St. John shall be found a true Prophet: and therefore these kingdoms of Europe which have begun to hate the whore, shall continue, and never give her over, till (as the holy Ghost saith) they have eaten her flesh, and burnt her with fire; that is, till they have utterly devoured her. But here it will be objected, that in the latter days iniquity shall have the upper hand. I answer, first, that I find no such place of Scripture. But this I find, that our Lord Jesus fore-telleth his disciples, that very shortly after his death and resurrection, many seducers and false teachers should arise, which should deceive many, and draw them away from the love of the Gospel: and, saith he,2 because iniquity shall be increased, the love of many shall be cold. But this speech of our Saviour doth not properly concern our times: but yet it must needs be granted, that the wicked shall wax worse and worse, and the world shall not amend, but still be worse and worse, and grow to a greater height and ripeness of sin, as appeareth in this Prophecy. Yet for all this, we must note withal, that the ⟨p. 330⟩number of true believers in those last days shall be very many,3 as this book doth also teach. But it may be objected, How can this gear stand together, that in the last days there shall be multitudes and millions of reprobates, and most wicked and abominable persons, and yet withal, a great increase of true believers? I answer, that the world will be always like it self, impious and unbelieving. But the Church shall purely worship God, and that with daily increasing even unto the end. But now, me thinketh, I hear some man say, What likelihood is there of all this which you write touching the overthrow of Rome? Do we not see, that Rome is yet strong?