to hear eyes to see and a heart to conceiue doth not obserue this flagitious cerermony to bee an Antichristian marke taken in the forehead A marke not onely because by a superstitious and transeunt motion signed by the thumb or finger on the forehead not onely a marke because the Chrisme is to bee fast bound to the forehead so that if it were possible it might make some reall impression in the flesh but a marke most properly because in that state no man is reputed a perfect comsummate Christian without the same a marke because by the order of that state no Rituall Roman in Ceremo de Baptismo fine man is to bee admitted to receiue the bodie of Christ before he haue the same Finally a marke most properly because in that state it is an Article of Faith that by the Cone Trident. vertue of the outward crismaticall vnction there is imprinted and ingraued in the verie soules of the anointed an indeleble spirituall character A marke then it is and by it they professe obedience to the Papall State and can wee require more for the cleering of this point I might here note others yea and shew how they giue markes on the foreheads or crowne of the head or both in their verie administration of the Sacrament of Baptisme it selfe not in regard of their baptising in the vsuall forme In the Impious marking in their administration of Baptisme name of the Father c. but for that they holding naturall water not to be sufficient nor fit matter of the Sacrament doe make a magicall and superstitious commixtion of water and oyles together first of the holy oyle alone so they call it secondly of crisme alone and thirdly of crisme and oyle together Thus they abuse the sacred Sacrament of Christ and with such charmed and commixt waters and oyles they marke all their followers in their foreheads Concerning the Papalls taking of the Beasts marke in their hands I first passe by because it is not generally of them all the superstitious vnction which their Deacons and Priests at their taking of Orders doe take into their Matt. 24. 24. handes in regard whereof it may bee probably thought that Christ is pleased if wee stand to the plaine litteâ—all sense to haue fore-prophecied against them vnder the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 false Christs false anointed-ones This marke I say I passe by The first marke that I note is that their taking in their hands for it is common to them all the marke of their superstitious woodden or siluer I call them blasphemous Agnus-deyes for that they hold the same Depellere omne malignuÌ„ to driue away all euil yea PeccatuÌ„ frangere c. to breake and destroy sin as the bloud of Christ yea there is no good which they they do â—ot bring no euill which they doe not remoue witnesse those knowne verses Balsamus munda cera cum Crismatis vnda c. Marks in the Papacy and the same also Antichristian Crosses their Graines Beads Medalls but aboue all their most blasphemous Agnus-deyes all markes because marked with some superstitious forme or other whereby they acknowledge a sacred Soueraignty in the Pope and his Antichristian State a Soueraigntie on earth by the vse of such superstitious trumpery to remit all sins with a most full and plenary pardon a Soueraigntie in the heauens by the vertue of such superstitious ceremonies to open heauen gates therein to admit all the superstitious receiuers of such marks A Soueraignty within the bowels of the earth thence to fetch out from out of their imagined Purgatory poor patient soules more or fewer according as it shall seeme expedient to the superstitious Blesser or rather Charmer of the said superstitious markes And may not these bee iustly reputed Antichristian markes markes because really such markes because mystically such distinguishing betwixt Popery and Christianity Antichristian for what more Antichristian then to tie remission of sins the opening of heauens gates the deliuering of poore patient soules out of Purgatory to the superstitious vse of such contemptible creatures hauing no other vertue of sanctification in them then what the charme of Papall breath may presume to haue giuen them O impietie of impieties a man dying if hee haue one of these Papall markes of graines or meddals c. in his handes if hee can but say Iesus in his heart hee shall assuredly haue a plenary pardon Papal blasphemy Idulgent variae concess Colleg. Angl. Imperatr nuper pro laborantibus apud Indos and remission of all his sinnes but if hee want or haue no such graine then no such assurance so they rather blaspheme then affirme Again another Antichristian marke taken in the hand in the Papall State I note this That then when those of that Synagogue are made Catechumens which to speake ordinarily they must bee before they bee baptized the Priest must put into their right handes the signe of the Crosse which signe or marke of the Crosse I doe not by The Crosse superslitiously abused a marke of the Papall State any meanes call Antichristian for so much as it is a signe commemoratiue or remembrance of Christs Crosse but I doe boldly and confidently call it Antichristian as it is abused by them in that state for they most flagitiously pretend that the putting of the said marke or signe into the hands of those that are to bee baptised is a necessarie preparation for the Sacrament of Baptisme and the due receiuing of the same and againe for that by that very signe and marke so made they promise defence against Satan perseuerance in faith and after death life euerlasting Ordo Romanu 〈…〉 enduÌ„ Catechumenum This marke such as receiued it not being baptised Infants doe afterwards take it yea some at the state of men and women A maine obiection answered for thus saith the Priest Trade tibi signaculum Domini nostri Iesu Christi in manu tua dextra vt te signes aduersam partem repellas in fide Catholica permaneas habeas vitam aeternam viuas in secula seculorum I deliuer thee in thy right hand this signe of our Lord Iesus Christ that thou mayst signe thy selfe driue away the aduerse part the deuill that thou mayst perseuere in the Catholike faith mayst haue life euerlasting and liue for euer and euer Here to answere an obiection by the way we may not thinke that the Papall State may bee cleered from the iust imputation of Antichristianisme for that together with their vaine vnctions and charmed oyles in their pretended Sacraments or Sacramentalls as they speake they doe ioyne the name of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost or for that they doe call on the mercies of God or for that they doe withall vse the signe of the Crosse no no this will not serue the turne for it is most certaine by expresse testimonie of Scripture that the Antichristian State must be a mystery
and holy Iude and from out of Daniel more there are very few Prophecies in the Scriptures of God or in the approued predictions of any of the seruants of God concerning Antichrist and his Gouernment which may not most probably if not euidently bee settled vpon the Papall State either the head or members thereof but that which hath beene deliuered may suffice for the euidencie of this truth especially with How Neutralizers betray Gods truth sincere professours those I meane which are not Neutralizers if any such heare mee this day Neutralizers I say or Interim-ists such as dare secretly mutter and mussitate Rome and the Reformed Churches agree in the substance of Religion that there is no fundamentall difference betwixt them and vs and againe that they teach no Heresies so that they altogether with vs make vp but one mysticall body of Christ O the vanitie of these men against the Spirit of God thus to dreame of the vniting of Sion and Babylon of Egypt and Hierusalem of Christ and Antichrist of light and darknesse of God and Beliall The 2. Thess 2. Spirit of God hath foretold that Christ shall in the brightnes of his comming by the Spirit of his mouth that is by the preaching of the Gospel in the dayes of reformation when that of the Reuelation shall bee accomplished Oportet te iterum c. Thou must againe prophecie to Nations Peoples Apoc. 10. 11. Tongues and many Kings the Spirit of God hath I say foretold that Antichrist shall bee dissipated and ruinated by No vnion betwixt the State of the Beast and true Christianity the brightnesse of his comming and the Spirit of his mouth and yet these men dare dreame of Christian vnion and brotherly consociation betwixt those whom the Spirit of God doth thus disunite and dissociate here by a perfect hate diuiding each from other and in the world to come by casting the Beast and his Admirers into the lake of euer burning fire and brimstone and by taking vp to the supper and ioyes of the Lamb those who haue here happily followed the Lamb in all things and haue also suffered for the testimonie of Iesus the Lamb. Now come we to declare how the Papall State compelleth all her followers to take certaine impious markes in their hands and likewise on their foreheads without which they may not bee allowed to buy or sell in that State If any one receiue the marke of the Beast either in his hand or in his forehead FOr declaration of this point according to my vse and that I may the better bee vnderstood I suppose these 1. Suppos things First that which I haue already euinced by the euidencie of Reason and the ioynt-consent of Antiquitie The marke and character of the Beast not to be taken for any beast-like marke by inustion or by incision that these markes and Characters of the Beast are not to bee taken for any corporall signes made either by the inustion of some hot-iron or by the incision of some sharpe instrument in the hands or vpon the foreheads of Antichrists followers no no the same is to bee vnderstood of some flagitious mysticall ceremonies taken in the hands or on the foreheads whereby the Takers are marked for deuoted Seruants of the Beast Secondly I suppose that no 2. Suppos State or Gouernment Antichristian or Hereticall Arrian Nestorian Pelagian or of any other forme whatsoeuer since the dayes of Christ did euer cause and compell their followers to take any speciall markes specializing their heresies or infidelities reall or ceremoniall in their hands or on their foreheads thereby to professe a Soule-allegiance to the whole forme of their sect and superstition saue onely the Papall State Thirdly I suppose that whereas it is said that those 3. Suppos who would not receiue such markes of the Beast should Without the Beasts marke no commerce haue no power either to buy or to sell in the Antichristian State that the same must bee vnderstood of a totall exclusion from all manner of communion and societie in that wicked State where that State doth preuaile and is not limited nor abridged by the moderation of any Temporall power Fourthly I suppose that this totall exclusion from all 4. Suppos No buying nor selling in the Papall State without taking of markes manner of buying and selling is so punctually compleated in the Papall State yea in all Popish Kingdomes where the Inquisition is on foot against all those who receiue not certaine markes of profession and obedience from that State that nothing can bee more assured or more manifest These things supposed how manifest is it that all Professours of the Papall State doe receiue in their hands or on their foreheads some ceremonious marke of obedience and profession which if they contemne to doe they are reputed in that state as Of-casts not to be admitted to All in the Papall State receiue marks any manner of commerce and communion Are they not all or ought they not all at least in purpose of mind to be anointed and marked on their foreheads with oyle consecrated I should say execrated by Papall Charmes wherby the same is become so sacred that the very presence Markes in the forehead and efficacie of the holy Ghost is said and by them is beleeued to bee therein so sacred that the hands of those who are anointed therewith on their foreheads may not presume to touch the said oyle or their owne bare foreheads so anointed so sacred that the foreheads of the anointed Foreheads marked must be bound with linnen fillets after the same inunction are for certaine dayes to be couered with linnen bands fastned thereunto that by such meanes the sacred oyle may be defended from the iniury of wind dust and weather and may by such continuance make better impression and pierce into the forehead such is the vanitie of these fooleries and impieties so sacred that the Popish Bishop anointing the forehead calls it and professes it to be Chrisma salutis The very crisme Their manner forme of marking of saluation I signe thee saith the Bishop with the signe of the Crosse and I confirme thee with the crisme of saluation in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost And may wee not here iustly exclaime against such sacriledgies A iust innection against marking vsed in Papacy thus to call a vile creature the very Crisme of saluation O blasphemy against the God of heauen not Christ alone by his bloud but the Beast by his charmed Chrisme doth and can giue saluation O presumptuous men who without any command or institution from God dare thus sacrilegiously presume to annexe the thrice sacred name of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost and this in a sacramentall manner for remission of sins The marks of the Papacie worthy to be execrated to a vile and meane creature Who that hath eares
ignorant of the altitudes of the Beast or not obstinately wedded thereunto are in the way of saluation but I say of such that they are in the Popish Church though not of the Popish Church and that they suck onely the good which is in that Church but haue a reluctancie against the errours and superstitions against the immanities and presumptions of the Beast and of his State If any one aske mee how this can bee so my answere is very facill for that in that Church there is the Creed of the Apostles there are How saluation may be thought to be had in the Popish Church also the holy Scriptures though partly corrupted why then shall it bee thought impossible for many in that Church to professe the holy Creed in its true sense and to imbrace so much of the holy Scriptures in the true sense as is necessary to saluation And as for practise most certaine it is that diuers in that Church neither adore their Images nor their God in bread nor greatly heed praying to Saints nor the Popes Supremacie nor Purgatory flashes with such like and as for Papall Pardons Graines Meddalls Agnus-deyes with such like trumperies they doe both scorne and detest them though for feare of the Pharisies they dare not so professe Of these and such like I will confidently thinke and affirme that they may so fairely bee in the way of saluation as Nicodemus was Iohn 3. 2. whilst hee came to Christ by stealth in the night and as some of those thousands were of whom God to Elias who had not bowed their knees to Baall This point I might further enlarge and more fully confirme but time permits mee not so to doe yet time by your Christian patience and leaue shall yeeld mee libertie to giue a necessarie instruction vnto such if any such heare mee this day who trembling and fearing where there is no iust cause of feare do fearefully presage and feare to themselues that there may happen and also that the same is at hand some generall fall and change from Religion A vaine feare of change of religion conuicted and reproued to Popery in this renowned State and Kingdome Against the vanitie of this conceit though I nothing doubt but that there are who endeuour such a fall and most perfidiously endeuour it let me thus confirme and arme you That such a thing is Morally Royally and Diuinely impossible First it is morally impossible that a Kingdome so setled and established in Christs Gospel should euer indure to behold the puppit playes of Popery had the truth bin so established in King Edwards reigne as now by Gods fauour it is wee should not haue seene nor heard of so sudden a change as was made presently after but what was the cause therof the Calues of Bethel were then fresh in remembrance the Beast then but entred into her consumption with vs the wordes of God there and then are fulfilled when and where her flesh is eaten and her bones consumed The Gospel was indeed planted in King Edwards dayes but not watered before Queene Maries Tragedy The good seed was cast into the ground but it rooted not till it was watered and after it was watered with the blood of Saints euer since it hath flourished as the Palme and shall still God saying Amen flourish maugre the malice of Satan and of Antichrist Cast your eyes round about this present World reflect your memories into Generations al Generations past and shew me if you can any State or Kingdom which hauing once fully fully I say shaken off the Papall yoke by a perfect reformation did euer setledly receiue the same again How many pretended vnions of subiection aboue halfe a score haue beene made betwixt the Church of Rome and those of Constantinople and of the East and as yet they haue not setledly agreed neither will they euer so do The Muscouian Empire which is now of the Greekes beliefe had it not rather fall into the hands of the Turke then into the Beares Feet And is not such the resolued affection of most Reformed professions States Not for any loue they beare to the Turkish profession as Turce-Papizing Reinolds calumniously Coluino turc lib. 7. inferres and deduces but for that there is a Greater Clemencie in Turke then in Pope the later incessantly persecuting with fire and faggot all reformed Professors whom the other Clemently tolerates and respectiuely protects as likewise he doth those of the Papal faith who are tolerated likewise if peaceable within the bounds of his Empire And to conclude this point where the light of the Gospel hath beene throughly preached and the puppet-like vanities of Popery haue been liuely displaied it is not possible that any Intelligent or vnderstanding Nation should bee brought to creep to a wodden stocke or to fall downe and adore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a God of bread which after digestion is to be cast in secessum into the priuy or which locked vp in a Tabernacle may be knawen by a Mouse or Rat or consumed by Wormes c. Thus is alteration and change of religion in this renowned State and what States-man knoweth not so much shewed to be morally impossible more might bee added I said in the second place that such a change was diuinely impossible for how else to dispute probably and why may not such be the sense of the Holy Ghost shall the words of God be accomplished that those States and Kingdomes Apoc. 17. 1◠which first loued the whore should afterwards hate her yea so hate her that they should eat her flesh and consume her bones with fire and what is this else but to make her desolate without any hope of euer recouering her former state againe The Scripture speaketh thus of all the haters of the whore haters of the whore I say such as make a perfect reformation not in part but wholly not in substance only but in ceremonies likewise such as eat and deuoure the delicacy of all her superstitious rags and consume the very body of her errours and heresies the Scripture affirming this of all the haters of the Whore may we not with great probabilitie apply and assume the same to this renowned State and Church which is become as an Assyle and Sanctuary to all sincere haters of the Whore to all such whom the Tyranny of the Whore and her Confederates may force into exile and to all such whom the force of Truth may effectually moue to abandon all subiection to the Whore The Word of God is gone forth and by what is alreadie happily begun let vs bee most assured that her vtter ruine will in time bee accomplished what if our disguised Aduersaries vaunt to their deceiued Dames and deluded wantons the contrary what though our Luke-warme Laodiceanizers halters betwixt Baal and God dreame to the contrary gaping after preferments by such meanes which are neuer likely to come to passe what though the Couert-chaffe of Communion-Recusants doe
not an impudencie of Iniquitie A State so ruling 2. Thess 2. and powerfully working miracles euen in the Temple The Papall State Antichristian though they call vpon the blessed Trinitie and the mercies of God in their superstitious rites of God that the very Elect will be in danger to bee seduced A circumstance so plaine and so important that to mee they seeme no lesse then to dote who affirme that Antichrist shall deny the Lord Iesus Christ for what danger of seducing to the Elect where Christ is flatly denied No no the Antichristian State will pretend to be the very hornes of the Lamb a very Vice-gerency instead of Christ and such in truth is the Genuine signification of the word See Stephanus and all the Greek Lexicons See Matth. 17. 27. Matth. 20. Luke 11. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for according as the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may bee taken it signifieth both one in the stead and lieu of Christ and also one most opposite to Christ and such a one indeed shall Antichrist be He shall pretend to come in the name of Christ and yet shall hee be most opposite to Christ euen to the vtter perdition of the true followers of Christ The Magicians Witches and Coniurers call vpon the name of God vse Crosses both materiall and transions yea the Papall Artotheos God in bread Though the Magicians as it is most certaine though Witches as it is a thing knowne though Coniurers a thing likewise cleere doe vse to call vpon the name of God and the holy Trinity in their abominable practises though they vse frequent and often crossings yea can doe in some businesse nothing without crosses though they haue many materiall crosses sacred oyles hallowed waters yea the Papalls owne Christ in the Hosts which they doe vse and abuse in their most execrable exercises yet I hope no Intelligent Papall will deny but that such their practises may be iustly called abominable flagitious and of the deuill though in them I say they vse often crosses crossings with recrossings yea with adoring of their consecrated Hosts and callings vpon the name of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost and of the holy Angels and of the blessed Virgin her selfe Why then shall wee bee doubtfull to call these practises of Popery Antichristian though they adioyne to their fopperies and impieties the Inuocation of the name of God and though they vse therein the signe of Crosse The signe of the Crosse may be vsed as a laudable ceremony if voyd of scandall the which though it may bee vsed as a laudable ceremonie where iust scandall is not giuen yet as it is abused in the Papall State I boldly call it and such like Antichristian and markes of the Beast Antichristian because deliuered in the name of Christ as efficacious for temission of sinne for increase of grace for defence against Satan hauing for the same end no institution nor command from Christ Antichristian because perswading vs to looke for remission of sinnes otherwise then by the bloud of Christ Antichristian because drawing our confidence from Christ and placing it in the seruile vse of contemptible creatures Concluding this point I answer an obiection which thus may bee made The marke of Antichrist is but one but The Answere then can they bee the marke of the Beast Except many may bee thought to stand for one I answere True it is that the word of the Scripture is here deliuered in the singular How the markes of the Beast both many and one number marke not markes yet for that the said Scripture affirmeth that it is to bee taken in hand and forehead either ioyntly or seuerally it insinuates the markes to bee more then one and this is agreeing to the interpretation See Lira alios of diuers of the Ancient who by the marke in the forehead vnderstand open profession by mouth by the marke in the hand some publike act of obedience or some profession by oath by laying downe lifting vp or putting forth hand or finger But what neede wee to respect the Authoritie of men when as the Scripture it selfe tells vs explicating it selfe that no man shall bee allowed Apoc. 13. either to buy or sell who hath not either the marke of the The markes of the Beast more then one Beast or the name of the Beast or the number of his name Loe here not one but three except we shall not distinguish that which the Holy Ghost hath so distinguishedly deliuered vnto vs or that the name of the Beast or the number of his name shall not be expressed by some ceremonious misticall marke either of denomination or profession of denomination to be called Latines or Romans after the number of the name or by profession to professe the Italike Church or to bee called Papists after the Papists the proper and vnrefusable name of our Aduersaries name of the Beast Papa or some such like I say Papists after the name of the Beast for since the decree of Gregory the seuenth cleere it is that Papa is arrogated as a name peculiar to the Pope and doth significantly expresse the Dictatus Greg. 7. apud Baron ann 1175. whole state of Papacy after which the professours of that State because by faith they beleeue the Pope to be the visible Head thereof ought not to refuse if they vnderstand themselues to bee called Papists or Papalls no they ought rather to glorie in the same name Howsoeuer of this cleere it is that the Admirers of Antichrist may haue more markes then one and yet these more whether two or three may be called one because they agree in one analogicall reason and respect of appertaining and belonging to the Beast and this is without question the sense and intent of the Holy Ghost that no man shall bee permitted either to buy or sell in the Antichristian state who by some publike marke of profession or obedience shall not subject himselfe in a verie Soule-subiection vnto the same Now come we in few words to declare how that no man who wanteth such markes as are aboue expressed No man permittâ—d to buy or sell in the papal state who wanteth the former markes or some of them may be permitted either to buy or sell so our Prophet speaketh within the State of the Popes Dominions A most fearefull calamitie denoting an vniuersall Apostacie and defection designing also the state of the true Church for the whole time of Antichrists reigne to be obscure vnuisible vnconspicuous as being not allowed any manner The true Church inconspicuous in the time of Antichrist of commerce or societie at all what more apparent And is not this very thing to dispatch all in a word the very selfe-yoke of the Exactor and of that oppression which by the Pope iâ— laid vpon all Persons whatsoeuer who refuse or contemne the markes aboue expressed Let our Aduersaries a most fit name for the