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A20217 The ruine of Rome: or An exposition vpon the whole Reuelation Wherein is plainly shewed and proued, that the popish religion, together with all the power and authoritie of Rome, shall ebbe and decay still more and more throughout all the churches of Europe, and come to an vtter ouerthrow euen in this life before the end of the world. Written especially for the comfort of Protestants, and the daunting of papists, seminary priests, Iesuites, and all that cursed rabble. Published by Arthur Dent, preacher of the word of God at South-Shoobery in Essex. Dent, Arthur, d. 1607.; Culverwell, Ezekiel, 1553 or 4-1631. 1603 (1603) STC 6640; ESTC S117456 184,102 332

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that they gnawed their tongues for sorrow that is they were ful of furie and rage ver 10 barking and grinning like mad dogs or rather like helhounds against all such as set the Gospel abroach wherby their Babylon began to shake For at the first when the Gospel began to peep forth they did despise it as a thing which they could easily suppresse but within a short time they found that neither by excommunications wherewith in former times they had euen as it were with lightening and thunder caused kings and nations to tremble neither by force of warres and bloudy slaughters neither by anie skill in learning nor by treacheries they could any thing preuaile but that the Gospell did still more and more lay open their filthinesse and shame then did they become and so do they continue til this day euen as mad men in sorrow and rage which the holie Ghost expresseth in saying chapter 16. v. 11. that they gnawed their tongues for sorrowe and blasphemed the God of heauen c. Wherby it is euident that the beast and all that haue receiued his marke are full of firie hatred and malice and cannot tell which way to be reuenged For the more they striue the more they lose dayly Faine would they haue Poperie restored to his ancient credit and dignitie and they deuise what they can to bring it about but it will not be For their kingdome waxeth darker and darker weaker and weaker and that is a dagger vnto them a griefe of all griefes which maketh them gnaw their tongues and gnash their teeth for sorrow But yet for all this chapter 16. v. 11. they repented not of their works saith Saint Iohn and therefore God is more incensed against them and causeth the sixt Angel to poure out another vial vpon the great riuer Euphrates and the water therof dried vp as wee haue heard Now then obserue carefully and note it diligently that the frogges come forth vpon the darkening of the kingdome of the beast the drying vp of their Euphrates For who knoweth not that the pope his cōplices perceiuing y e weakning diminishing of their kingdome haue sent out these Iesuits and Seminarie Priests into all parts of Europe to repaire the ruines of Rome if it were possible And this is one circumstantiall reason to proue these three frogges be vnderstood of the Iesuits But let vs proceede to open the whole description of the holy Ghost that it may yet more plainely appeare First these frogges are called vncleane spirits chapter 16. v. 13. because they are the verie limmes of the diuell full of all filthinesse and vncleannesse Secondly they are called spirits because they come out of the mouth of the Dragon ●he beast and the false Prophet Thirdly they are called three in number being in the truth neerer vnto three thousand because they proceed out of three seuerall mouthes the Dragon the beast and the false Prophet that is the diuell the Roman Empire and the Papacie Three horrible monsters three terrible bug-beares which with one consent conspire together against the Gospell to vphold their Babylon and to stop the leake of their Euphrates Nowe these three Frogges are said to come out of the mouth of the Dragon the beast and the false Prophet because they come with the verie mind and message of the Pope and the Roman Empire and so consequently with the verie mind and spirit of the Dragon For they are the verie breath of the Pope and the spirits of the diuell as like him as if they had beene spitte out of his mouth They are sent on the diuels errand and the Popes embassage into all countries and kingdomes and are taught their lesson what they shall say and instructed what they shall doe and what courses they shal take with all sorts of men both Kings Nobles and the meaner sort and for this cause the holy Ghost saith they came out of the verie mouth the verie heart and the very bowels of the Pope and of the diuell And although these Iesuits and seminarie priests are called of their fauorits Catholike doctors holy fathers c. yet the holy Ghost saith flatly they are the spirits of diuels working false and fained miracles and with great efficacie of errour deluding and deceiuing the simple and blind multitude Wee see then that the holy Ghost in al this description doth plainly note out the Iesuits and seminary priests For to whom can these things here spoken of agree but only to thē And do not we which liue in these daies sensibly see and discerne the fulfilling of al these things Surely we can not but see feele thē vnles we be wilfully blind and do of purpose blindfold and hoodwink our selues But the holy ghost goeth yet futher and doth more fully as it were demonstratiuely point them out vnto vs describing thē by their office which is to go vnto the kings of the earth of the whole world vers 14 to gather thē to the battel of that great day of God Almighty Who is ignorāt that the Iesuits seminary priests are sent out to al kings Nobles of the whole world that fauour thē their proceedings Are they not croking in corners thicke and threefold in all parts of this land Are they not practising of treacheries tresons against our most gratious Queene and the whole state are they not plotting the destruction subuersion of this Church common wealth Nay as the holy Ghost saith the chiefe end of their comming abroad is to sollicite gather y e kings of the earth vnto battel against God against Christ and against all true professours of religion The bettell betwixt them is heere called The battell of the great day of God Almighty that is that Battell wherein the Almightie God will haue the day and goe away with the victorie For it followeth that the Iesuits and seminarie Priests did preuaile with the seduced kings of the earth so farre as to gather them together to place which in Herbrue is called Armageddon that is to say a place where they shall be destroyed and that with such horrible slaughter that the place shall take a name thereof For it was an vsuall thing among the Hebrues to call the place where anie famous thing fell out by a name which did report y e same vnto all posteritie as Kibroth Hataanah the graues of Concupiscence Hamon Gog the multitude of Gog and diuers such like And so here Armageddon the destruction of an armie because the kings of the earth and their armies which shall fight against the Church at the instigation of the Iesuits shall come to a place where they shall haue a notable ouerthrow This word Armageddon may fitly bee deriued of two Hebrue words that is to say Cherem which signifieth destruction and Gedudh which signifieth an armie that is the destruction of an army or as some say that verie iudicially it may come of Gnarmah
of The holy Ghost did well foresee this practise of Sathan and therefore bringeth the moe reasons for the confirmation therof If the credit and authoritie of this booke should neuer haue bene impugned there needed not any such special confirmatiō But now God be thanked there is no question or controuersie concerning the authoritie of this Prophesie It is receiued as authenticall by the common consent of all the Churches Almost all the auncient Fathers do acknowledge it to bee Canonicall The new writers doo with one voice giue their consent approbation vnto it The Papists themselues do acknowledge it to bee the sacred vndoubted word of God though of al scriptures they cannot endure it should be medled withall because it cutteth them so neare the bone Moreouer it may not be omitted that God is called the Lord God of the holy Prophets chapter 22. verse 6. which proueth that this Prophesie is of equall authoritie with the Prophesies which were of olde in as much as the same God is the Author of it And this booke is to be held in the same account with the bookes of Moses and of the Prophets for all things contained in it shall as certainly be fulfilled in their time as theirs were In Esay in Ieremie in Ezechiel in Daniel and in the rest we find many things which the Lord shewed by thē lōg before they came to passe Euē so there be many things foreshewed fore-prophesied in this booke which in their time shal be assuredly fulfilled Nay we see and know that many things here fore-tolde are already fulfilled some things are come to passe euen in these our daies Hee that shall looke into the times that are past since this Prophesie was giuē shal finde that all things haue fallen out agreeable to the Prophesie of this booke And surely if there were none other thing to perswade vs touching the authoritie thereof this might suffice that euery thing hath fallen out iust and iumpe as this Prophesie did foreshewe It is our great negligence that we do not clearely see so much And I do humbly entreate all the people of God to looke more diligently and narrowly into it in all time to come And thus much concerning the circumstances Now as concerning the booke it selfe it may very fitly be deuided into three visions as it were into three generall parts The first vision is contained in the three first Chapters The second vision is contained in the next eight Chapters following from the 4. to the 12. Chapter And the last vision is contained in all the Chapters following from the 12. to the ende As concerning the first vision my purpose is not to stand much vpon it because it is plaine and easie to vnderstand and because it containeth no Prophesies of things to come but onely openeth the present state of the Church at that time also because I haue alreadie touched the summe of it in handling the circumstantiall points I will therefore content my selfe with a very briefe opening and resolution of it beginning at the first Chapter CHAP. I. The summe of the first Chapter THe first Chapter containeth foure principall things The Title of the booke The salutation of the Churches The maner of Iohns calling to receiue this Prophesie The description of Christ the person that calleth him The Title of the booke is set downe in these words The Reuelation of Iesus Christ which God gaue him vers 1 It containeth three things First the Author of the booke which is Iesus Christ receiuing it from God the Father vers 1.2 Secondly the end and vse of this booke which is to shewe vnto all the seruants of God the things which must shortly be done vers 3 Thirdly the singular fruite and benefite which the Church shall receiue by it in these words Blessed is he that readeth and they that heare the words of this Prophesie c. vers 4 The salutation is in these words Iohn to the seuen Churches which are in Asia Grace bee with you peace c. It containeth a description of the Trinitie or three persons in the God-head The Father is described of his eternitie namely to be he which is which was and which is to come vers 4 The holy Ghost is described of his diuerse gifts and operations and therefore is called the seuen spirits which are before the Throne or which proceed from the Throne but S. Iohn speaketh here of the holy Ghost according to the vision shewed him in the fift chapter where Christ is said to haue seuen eyes which are the seuen spirits of God sent into all the the world Of the which afterward vers 5 6. Iesus Christ is described of his three great offices of King Priest and Prophet and also of his glorious power and eternitie vers 7.8 First touching his kingly office hee is called the Prince of the Kings of the earth that is vers 5 King of Kings for he is King of Sion He is a King to rule and gouerne his Church Hee must raigne ouer the house of Iudah for euer Hee must raigne ouer all his enemies and in the middest of all his enemies euen till he haue trode them all vnder his feete And this benefite we haue by it that we are made Kings in him in this life to raigne ouer our corrupt affections and after this life to raigne as crowned kings foreuer with him in infinite glorie and endlesse felicitie Secondly touching his Priest-hood vers 5 hee is said to loue vs and wash vs from our sinnes in his bloud For hee is our onely high Priest which by his owne bloud hath once entred into the holy place and obtained eternall redemption for vs. Hee onely it is which through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without fault to God to purge our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God So then by vertue of his Priest-hood and sacrifice wee are reconciled vnto God haue free accesse vnto the throne of grace and are made Priests in him to offer vp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through him vers 6 For hee hath made vs Kings and Priests vnto God euen his Father Thirdly concerning his Propheticall office hee is called that faithfull witnesse For hee said to Pilate vers 5 For this cause was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I might beare witnesse vnto the truth And the Apostle saith Hee witnessed vnder Pontius Pilate a good confession So then Iesus Christ is one of those three great witnesses which beare record in heauen Iesus Christ is the Prince of Prophets euen that great Prophet that should come into the world through whom all the counsels of God are reuealed vnto vs he is that only begotten son which is come downe from the bosome of his Father and hath made knowne vnto vs whatsoeuer he hath receiued of his Father Hee both by his doctrine life and miracles hath borne witnesse vnto the truth
newe Babylon that is Rome shal come to vtter destruction and as the Holy-ghost here sayth shall be found no more or shal fal without all hope of recouery Stories doe report that Rome hath beene sundry times destroied by the Gothes and Vandales and others yea once fired and quite burnt vp but afterward built and raised vp againe by the Emperours But here the Holy-ghost sayth expreslie that it shal haue a final fal and an vnrecouerable destruction For can a milstone cast into the bottome of the sea euer be gotte vp againe no no it is impossible Therefore let the Iesuits and Seminarie Priests doe what they can they shal neuer set vp Rome againe they shal neuer restore her to her former state and dignity they shal neuer repaire her credit againe Let he Pope and Cardinals and the King of Spaine and al the world and al the diuels in hel ioyne together they shal neuer get vp this milstone out of the bottome of the sea For the Angel hath cast it in with such a violence that no power of man shal euer fetch it out againe True it is indeede that the Iesuits bestir them and the Seminary Priests and Papists doe worke apace in al landes and aduenture themselues in most desperate manner to recouer againe the credit of Popery and to set vp againe the dignity and the power of the Pope and the glory of their Church and City and their bold enterprises doe make many euen to doubt that they wil againe one day preuaile But assuredly wee are to make ful reckoning that although heere and there they may support for a time some ruinous partes of their rotten frame yet doo what they can it shal in the end downe vpon their heades and come to vtter desolation Indeede Rome standeth yet and Popery is not quite fallen downe But they are disclosed their credit is cracked their power decaieth and so this thinge is begunne and the time draweth on when it shal bee fully accomplished He that had beheld the Power the Pompe the riches and estimation of the Church of Rome aboute some fourescoure yeeres paste and looketh vpon it now shal see a woonderfull alteration It seemed then to bee without al daunger of shaking for the Emperour and the Kinges of the earth stoode foorth with al their force and might power and pollicy to vphold it but God be thanked we see how it is already come down and shal come down euery day more more whosoeuer sayth nay to it But beholde yet more and more plaine proofe for the vtter desolation of Rome For Saint Iohn describeth the eternal desolation thereof by denial of those things which are in Cities inhabited First hee sayth there shall be no more any voice of harpers Musitians chapter 18.22.23.24 Pipers and Trumpeters heard in Rome that is al musick shal surcease which argueth an vtter desolation For what inhabited cities are without musicke Secondly hee sayth there shall be no craftes man of what trade soeuer found in Rome which argueth an vtter desolation For what flourishing City is without artificers Thirdly he sayth no light of a candle shall any more shine in Rome which argueth an vtter desolation For what inhabited Citie is without candles Fourthly hee sayth no sounde of a milstone shal bee heard in Rome which argueth an vtter desolation For what Citie is without milles to grinde their corne Lastly hee sayth the voice of the Bridegroome and of the bride shall be heard no more in Rome which argueth an vtter desolation for what Citie is without bride and bridegroome and without mariage for procreation sake Then I conclude from al this that Rome shal fal finallie and come to vtter destruction But behold yet more plaine and pregnant proofe drawen from the pitiful mournings and most woful lamentations of the Kinges of the earth the Merchantes and the Mariners who al doe iointlie lament and mourne for the destruction and desolation of Rome crying alas alas chapter 18. ver 10. Vers 17. Vers 19. that great City Babylon that mighty City for in one houre is thy iudgement come In one houre so great riches are come to desolation In one houre she is made desolate What can bee more plainely and fully spoken to prooue an vtter desolation of Rome What can bee more required then to haue it set downe in expresse tearmes as here we see For nowe the Holy-Ghost vseth no figure no hardnesse no circumlocution no obscurity but telleth vs plainely and thrise for failing that Babylon that is Rome is made desolate is come to desolation ver 10 ver 15 ver 18 Moreouer it is said that the Kinges Merchants and Mariners shall stand a far off for feare of her torment and they shall weepe and waile when they shall see the smoake of that her burning signifying that the torment and plague of Rome shal be so great that Kinges for al their might shal not dare to come nigh to rescueher no not the Kinge of Spaine with al his great might and power hee shal bee faine to stand a far off or rather vtterly to forsake her weeping and wailing as wel as others for her most feareful and vnrecouerable destruction But wee are to obserue in al this that the holy Ghost vseth a figure or kinde of speech which they cal a Prosopopoeta or fayning of a person whereby the Popishe Kinges beeing dead and rotten are brought in lamenting and bewailing the fal of Babylon as if they were aliue againe or else it may bee vnderstood of the Cardinalles and Legates which are euen as Kings vppon the earth But it cannot be vnderstood of christian Kinges for they shal be the instruments of God to pul down great Babylon as wee shal heare anone Furthermore let vs consider the causes of this great lamentation for the deadlie downefal of Babylon by the Popish Kings Merchants and Marriners First the Kings they mourne and lament sayth Saint Iohn because they had committed fornication with the great whoore of Babylon ver 9 and liued in pleasure with her That is they had liued long with her in abominable idolatry and pleased her that waie and therefore shee gaue them dispensations to liue in wantonnesse and al carnal pleasures and euen to doe what they list spending their dayes in sensuality and al kinde of fleshlie delightes Secondly the Merchants do weepe and waile ver 12.13.14 because no man buyeth their ware any more These Merchants are not named but they may easily be knowne by their wares which the holy-Ghost describeth to witte that they be the Popish Merchants the shauen Merchants who are heere brought in mourning and lamenting for the losse of their gaine The Monks Friers Priests cannot haue that vtterance of their wares that in times past they haue had their wares are nowe out of request their markets wax deade and they haue colde takings When these fellowes passe by the great Monasteries and Abbeyes and see them made ruinous heapes and
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 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 shoot at her spare no arrowes For she hath sinned against the Lord. Moreouer wee are to obserue that forasmuch as the Lord willeth commandeth all men to reward Rome as shee hath rewarded vs to giue her double according to her works therefore wee ought euery one of vs as much as in him lieth and as his calling will beare to doe his vttermost to pull downe Rome the Magistrate by the sword the Minister by the word and the people by their prayers For euen Christian kings and princes and all the nobles of the earth must not bee negligent to fight against Rome For heerein that saying is true Cursed is hee that doth the worke of the Lord negligently and cursed is hee that keepeth backe his sword from bloud For this cause I doe vpon my knees night and day most humbly and instantly intreate the God of heauen that as hee hath put into the heart of our most gratious and excellent Queene to hate the whore of Babylon and to be his greatest instrument in the whole world for the weakening and ouerturning of Rome and defence of his most glorious gospell which is her crowne and glory in all the Chuches and her great renowne in all Christian kingdomes so shee may constantly continue and neuer cease drawing out the sword of Iustice till she haue vtterly rooted out of her dominions all the cursed crew of popish Iebusits and all such as haue receiued the beasts marke and especially the Iesuits and seminary priests which are the diuels brokers the popes agents and the king of Spaines factors in all kingdomes Here also I doe most humbly euen vpon my knees with dropping eies yea if it were possible with teares of bloud beseech and intreate the learned and reuerend fathers of our Church that they would bend all their power and authoritie with might and maine against the Romish strumpet and the rather because in these dayes shee seemeth to make a head againe hauing so many and great fauourers that shee and her complices dare perke with their nebbs and very boldly and confidently prate of a tolleration Heere also I doe most humbly and earnestly intreate all my learned and godly brethren the ministers and preachers of this Church of England that in all their publike teachings and priuate proceedings they would make strong opposition against Rome and Romish religion And I beseech the God of Gods that wee may all ioyne together with vnited forces to march on valiantly against the armies of Antichrist and to spread the euerlasting Gospell far and neere to the vtter ouerturning and beating downe of this westerne Babylon and that howsoeuer wee may amongst our selues differ in iudgement in some things yet that there may bee no breach of loue or alienation of affections amongst vs but that wee may all goe together hand in hand and arme in arme to preach Gods euerlasting truth and to set our selues against the common aduersaries For if wee will not set our selues against them yet they will be sure to set themselues against vs. And thus much concerning the third maine point which is the finall fall of Rome euen in this world Now it followeth to speake of the fourth maine point which is by whom and when Rome shall bee ouerthrowen But for the better vnderstanding of this point concerning the persons that shall ouerthrow Rome wee are to obserue that S. Iohn describeth the whore of Babylon sitting vpon a scarlet coloured beast hauing seauen heads and tenne hornes whereby is meant the Romane monarchie as hath beene shewed before After this the Angell expoundeth vnto Iohn what the heads and hornes of the beast meane and saith that the ten hornes are ten kings or ten kingdomes ver 12 which yet haue not receiued a kingdome but shall receiue power as kings at one houre with the beast The sense is that these tenne kingdomes had not receiued such power and authoritie vnder the Emperours as they should vnder the Popes for there was great difference in these kingdomes vnder the Popes from that which they had beene vnder the Emperours For they receiued far greater power and they carried an other minde toward the papacy then the nations did before toward the empire for they did submit themselues to the papacy for conscience and loue euen as to the holy Church which they neuer did to the Empire And this is the reason why the holy ghost saith they had not receiued a kingdome but should receiue power as kings at one houre with the beast Which is not to be vnderstood simply but after a sort for they had receiued kingdomes vnder the Emperors but not in such sort as afterward they did vnder the Popes For the Romane monarchie vnder the dominion of the Popes was in his greatest height and altitude and the kings of Europe grew vp together with the papacie in power might and dominion And S. Iohn addeth that these ten kings or kingdomes were all of one minde and did giue their power and authoritie vnto the beast that is they did with might and maine labour to vphold the Babylonicall strumpet But the Angell telleth Iohn flatly that the ten hornes that is the ten kingdomes of the empire which before had giuen their names their power and authoritie to the beast to vphold her and defend her should now in these last daies all change their mindes and turne against her For saith the Angell to Iohn chapter 17.36 The ten hornes which thou sawest vpon the beast are they that shall hate the whore and make her desolate and naked and shall eate her flesh and burne her with fire Heere then it doth plainely appeare who they bee that shall ouerthrow Rome and by whom it shall bee destroyed To wit by the tenne kings of Europe or kingdomes of Europe which some very learned doe reckon vp to bee these England Scotland Germany France Spaine Denmarke Sweueland Poland Russia and Hungary S. Iohn words are plaine that these kingdomes which tooke part with the beast shall take against her pull her downe But we know that all the kingdomes of Europe did take part vvith her therefore it followeth that all the kingdomes of Europe shall take against her And therefore it is very probable that in time France Spaine and Italy shall turne against the beast Wee know that the rest of the kingdomes are already turned against the beast and the beast hath lost seuen of his hornes the eight which is France beginneth to be somewhat loose and to shake a little which if it fall off the rest will follow after a pace The reson why the kingdomes which were subiect