Zion in distressSion in distress

The Sentence.

ROME Thou hast been Indicted by the Name of Mystery, Babylon, Mother of Harlots, Scarlet-coloured Whore, and False Church, or pretended Spouse of Jesus Christ. And found guilty of all these horrid and prodigious Crimes, following:

Thou didst first fall from the Holy Religion of God and his Son, which were established▪ and professed in the Apostles time. Thou didst set up the vile Monster the POPE, the Man of Sin, that foul, Blasphemous Beast. Thou didst most sacrilegiously give those Attributes and Titles to him, that belong to Jehovah and the Great Emanuel. Thou madest his Decrees in Wicked Counsels, above the Laws of God, (the Universal Sovereign) Thou hast made void the Laws and Constitutions of the Gospel, forming whole Nations into Churches, though the greatest part do show themselves the worst of Men. Thou hast made Nurseries of Priests and vile Men, and empowered them to take Confessions for Money, and forgive Sins. Thou hast hypocritically abused all sorts of People, by persuading them that thou hast power to heal their soul here, and help them hereafter, by which cursed frauds thou hast drawn a great part of the Riches of Europe into thine unhallowed hands. Thou hast laid Close Siege to the Courts of Princes, and drawn them into the highest strains of Wickedness ⟨p. 115⟩to commit fornication, promote Idolatry▪ and take away the lives of Innocents. Thou hast lain in wait (where they would not fulfil thy bloody and barbarous Lusts) to contrive Treasons, Sedition and Rebellion against them, to Depose and Murder them by Excommunications, Poisons and Powder-Plots. Thou hast corrupted all Countries and Kingdoms (where thy power extended) by such downright and abominable Idolatries, that Heathens themselves were never guilty of worse. Thou hast not only countenanced Stews and Brothel-Houses, where abominable Sodomy and Adulteries are practiced, but even thy very Nunneries are become Habitations of Whoredom and Filthiness, the bottoms of whose Motes and Ponds, have showed the Murders of New born Babes. Thou hast killed the best Men; thou hast not spared delicate Women and sucking Children. Thou hast made away many Millions both of Christians and poor Heathens. And after so Hellish a sort, that the best learned Heart and Tongues want Rhetoric to set it forth; Thou hast cut them to pieces in Cool Blood, thou hast chained to Stakes and burnt them.