A35689:866
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.
Secondly, for Scotland and Holland, and the other Churches adhering to them; (typified by godly Philadelphia) he saith, tha• they shall shut and none shall open, and they shall open and none shall shut; a Virgin Church, chaste, not so defiled with Rome▪ superstitions as others; and speaks of a Covenant and Society they should be joined in ⟨p. 3⟩and bids them not to be perplexed nor discouraged at what the world spitefully prateth of them, as if he had heard men in our times call them Traitors, Rebels, Seditious, and bids them not regard the scoffs of the wicked, who will despise them, because they are godly, little, lowly, and weak in visible power, in comparison of their enemies: For, saith he, no enemy shall be able to prevail against them, and they shall set up a token of victory shortly; and every one shall be compelled to say, that they are dearly beloved of God, they shall be seen to prosper so exceedingly, and so marvellously promoted and advanced beyond all mens expectation; and when that storm and horrible tempest shall come upon the Christian Churches, these Churches shall stand fast like a pillar, and be preserved from wasting, when the other Churches which did not take care for a full Reformation, as they did, shall by the just judgement of God, come, as it were, to nothing; there shall be, saith he, such a miserable hurly burly of all things, that there shall scarce be the form of a Church perceived, but only with holy Philadelphia. Though their enemies whet their blasphemous tongues against heaven and God himself, they shall not carry it away scot-free, let them clatter as much as they will, no endeavours ⟨p. 4⟩of their adversaries shall be wanting by slandering, railing, and all despiteful wrongs to bolt up this door; others shall with force and arms strive to stop it up, as if they would break this Church all to pieces; but Christ will faithfully perform his word to them, if they keep covenant with him, and their enemies shall lose all their toil and sweat, and get nothing but shame and reproach: the praise of this Churches courage shall be so much the greater, because being but little, and her adversaries so potent, she yields not, nor stoops not for all their proud threats, nor forsakes the truth, as terrified with the vain fears of men: