CAP .18. .4 l evelationoftheApocalypse. 758 Pope and his kingdome have flourifhed, as the Papiffs brag,this row and rakeoffinsthus chained andcoupled together, hath been great- ly broken off, and hindered from growing to fuch arrhoge andhigh heape. For feeing it much exceedcth in antiquity the ages ofthe Heathen Emperours , it mayeauly blot out the impietyof that three yeares of,/fntichriJI, which theydreameof as it were yet to come, although we fhould grant that he fhould raigne at Rome during that time only. How can the finnes come up even unto Heavenwhich are committed in the left dayes ofall , Which have had fo much ta- ken from their full heape, by meanes ofthe holine fie ofthe Popes that bath lafted fo long tor fo many ages together ? But thisbooke oftheRevelation made the matter cleererwhich teacheth us,that the Popes have kindled their fire brand of hellifh wickèdneffe from the outrage oftheHeathen Emperours, and that they have heaped up new fins in a continuall fircceffìon to make up meature, into which . each of them as he went before cal} in fòmetlrirg thereto ; even as the perpetuall order and fucceflion of the Popes doth (hew., for which purpofe alone the Catalogue ofthe Popes that is fet forth, is of fpeciall ufe. We have feene this very fame heape marveiloufly increa(ed in three Ourdayes,and the Popes which Thal come hereaf- ter, (hall workno lefle Hourlywith all thëir endeavours to makeup the heap,till at lenth,they (hall both have reached up toheaven with their firmes, and (hall have throwne downe their wicked City alto, and laid it even with therduft. 2fretaa read eth thus,herfns have clea- ed togeat er, Mot,t.trms, are gleV cd togeather, oneof them being thwacked u?on another, they being as it were fouldered together. The fettle and ugly hue ofRome therefore (hat be made yet morema- nifeft unto theElea, even fo much the more as they (hall confider more carne(}ly offlying out ofher. Verfe 6. ReWard her as ¡he hath reWardedyou.The other part,ofthe exhortation belongs to the armiesof fouldiets whichare tobe mate- red together again(( Rome, hereby heclothwhet themon & let them on fire with indignation againfl; her, that fo they might take venge- ance onher the more fiercely. But fome willhereperhaps fay, that this is a cruell oration, & that he fhoukl rather have bent the forceof his Beech to appeafe their fury , fo far fhould he have beenoffrom provoking thê to reward her denble.To anfwr:r this,we know what the Lord faith,Curfed is he that doththe t or/Zofthe Lordnegligently-. Neither are we to fear that the punifhrnent (hold begreater & more kvere then thehad deferved feeing no fharpeneffe and fierceneffc. of
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