Zion in Distress, Poem 1 · Marks – Part 16
THe Marks of the Beaſt.
Firſt Mark.
The Spirit aptly does Characterize
This Muſhroms growth, (f) declares he ſhall ariſe
Not till a day of great Apoſtacy
Corrupts true Faith and Goſpel Purity:
Just ſo it happened at that very time,
When Romes proud Prelate did attempt to climb
To that Prodigious Grandeur which devours
Both Regal, Princely and Imperial Powers.
That ſuch a Fall as then Predicted was,
Did e're his riſing, truly come to paſs,
Some Learned Writers of their own confeſs,
With deteſtation of their wickedneſs.
(f) This is one way whereby we may know who the Man of Sin is, viz. He ſhall not be revealed until there come a falling away firſt, as 2 Theſſ. 2. 3. The Revelation of Antichrist was then to be, when there ſhould appear ſome eminent Defection in the Church. Now Antiquity clearly makes out when that Apoſtacy was; it began an very early: It is affirmed by ſome, The Church did not continue a pure Virgin, nor retained her Primitive Purity, longer then one hundred years. But however, all approved Historians agree, that about the beginning of the Fourth Century, the Apoſtacy of which the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, was viſible, and fully manifeſted: Joan. Wolfius out of Jerom, ſaith, That about the year 390. the Law periſhed from the Prieſt, and the Viſion from the Prophet; Avarice and Corruption crept into the Church; they condemned Meats and Marriage, and yet gave themſelves up to luxurious Banquets and Uncleanneſs. In the year 326, it was endeavoured in the Council of Nice, to cauſe Biſhops and Elders to refrain from their Wives. See Alſted in Chronologia teſtium Veritatis. Alſo the ſaid Wolfius alledgeth a Saying out of Auguſtine, applying it to the year 399. who ſpeaketh thus: That Religion about that time was corrupted with Traditions land Humane Rites; that the condition of the Jews under the Law, was eaſier then that of Chriſtians under the Goſpel. Dionyſius in an Epistle hinteth that they were burdened with Ceremonies and Traditions that were obtruded and laid upon Chriſtians; and that the Sacraments both of Baptiſm and the Lords Supper, ſuffered great mutation, and was grievouſly corrupted. Alſo we find Chryſoſtom declaiming against the Biſhop of Rome, concerning Purgarory; which thing is applied to the Year 410. or there abouts. Beſides, we find mention made of worſhipping of Images▪ which is reprehended by one Amphilocus Biſhop of Iconium, as alſo by Epiphanius, whom we find ſpeaking thus: Whence is this Image-Worſhip, and Deſign of the Devil? And a little after, he ſaith, Be mindful, my beloved Children, that ye bring not Images into the Church, but bear about God in your hearts.
The Second Mark.
WHen Romes great Empire to its Period came,
The Papal Hierarchy (h) uſurpt the ſame,
By hellish Craft he makes that Seat his own,
And forms Regalia's to a Tripple-Crown.
This Man of Sin in * Goſpel-Times we know
VVas but a hatching, and in Embrio;
And e'er he could come to maturity,
The † Roman Empire muſt diſſolved be;
Upon whoſe Ruines he hath built his Neſt,
An rais'd his Rampant Domineering Creſt.
(h) The ſecond thing that was to precede the coming of Antichrist, was the taking away of the Sixth Head, viz. The Heathen Empire, which in the Apoſtles time * did let or hinder his Riſe; He that now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way, and then ſhall that wicked one be revealed, &c. The Empire (ſaith du Moulin) which did bear rule, muſt be aboliſhed, and out of the Ruins thereof the Son of Perdition is made manifeſt, and exalts himſelf: the Emperors hindred him, but the Empire being decayed in the Weſt, and diminiſhed in the Eaſt by the Saracens, the Pope found means to seiz upon the chief City of the Empire, together with great part of Italy, and to devour the Neighbouring Churches and Realms at his pleaſure. Du Moulin, ubi ſupra, p. 119. That this was the general Opinion of Antiquity, may be ſeen in Tertullian, lib. de Reſurrect. cap. 24. Chryſoſt, 4 Sermon on 2 Theſ. The Greek Scholiaſt. in loc. Auguſt. de civitat Dei, lib. 20. cap. 19. Iren. 11. queſt to Algaſia, Lipſius, &c. He that would ſee more particularly how the Biſhop or Rome hath made his Market by the ruine of the Empire, let him read Signonius his Hiſtory of the Kingdom of Italy: In the beginning of his third Book he ſhews how Pope Gregory the Second, becauſe the Emperor oppoſed his ſetting up of Images in the Church, forbad the People to pay Tribute to him, and not ſo much as once to name him in their Publick Service, Du Moulin, p. 157. This then being out of queſtion, to wit, That the Roman Empire whereof St. Paul ſpeaks, is already ruined, and that the Biſhop of Rome thereupon roſe to that height of pride and Blaſphemy, it muſt needs follow that the Son of Perdition is revealed, and that this is he.
The Third Mark.
AT firſt from mean eſtate (1) this Beaſt aroſe,
Came from the Earth, and did at length oppoſe
The former Beaſt, the Roman Empire; he
By help of Lombards chac'd from Italy,
Uſ…rpt his Seat, appropriates his Power,
And doth the Saints (as bad as he) devour.
Popes Tragicks are the ſecond part of his.
As if that Soul by Metempſeuchoſis (2)
Surviv'd, and were tranſlated into this.
Now let all judge if Antichriſt become
That sees theſe Marks upon the Beaſt or R…me.
(1) This Beaſt (saith Du Moulin) roſe from a ſmall beginning and mean eſtate, ſignified by a Little Horn in Daniels Prophecy, and in the Revelations of St. John by his riſing out of the Earth, according as the Latines call ſuch as get up from a little, Terrae Filios, as Muſhromes or Toad-ſtools, pag. 259. Now who is there but knows how mean and poor the Biſhops of Rome were, before they came to be Earthly Monarchs? then when they had not one foot of ground, that the Emperour cauſed them to be whipt, impriſoned, baniſhed, &c. but by degrees to what a mighty height did he riſe? He exerciſed the Power of the Firſt Beaſt by little and little, he took the Empire upon him, (2) ſat down in his very Seat, aſſumed his Habit and Shoes of Scarlet, and counterfeited the actions and rights of the Roman Empire: casting off his Crosier-Staff, he takes to hisſelf a Crown, and is cloth'd in Scarlet, which was proper to the Emperor: the Emperor had a Senate …lad in Scarlet, and he hath a Senate of Cardinals clad in cloth of the ſame colour, and in many other things he ſeem'd to repreſent the Firſt Beaſt.
The Fourth Mark.
(1.) HE doth exalt himſelf above all thoſe
Call'd Gods on earth, does by his (2) Bulls oppoſe
All Regal Edicts, that receive not their
Obliging Sanction from his papal Chair,
He like a Peerleſs Potentate does now
Make Sov'raign Thrones, and Crowned Monarchs bow.
(1.) This is notorious to the World, though the brevity of Notes admit not room for many Examples.
(2.) Pius the Fifth, ſent a Bull to depoſe Qu. Elizabeth. See Jewel's View of Sedition, and Cambden's Eliz 1570. Tom. 1. Gregory the 13 labour'd ſecretly to rnine her, Id. ibid. Anno 1378. Tom. 1. Sixtus 5. gave her Kingdom to the king of Spain, Anno 1588. ibid. Clement 8. Strictly commands that none ſhould inherit the Engliſh Crown, how good ſoever his Title be, unless they be ſworn and reſolved Papiſts, he words are thus: Niſi ejuſmodi esset, qui fidem Catholicam non modo toleraret, ſed omni opp & ſtudio promoveret, & ſtudio promoveret, & more majorum jurejurando ſe id praeſtiturum ſuſceperet. Camb. Ann. 1600. Tom. alter.
(3.) Some hold his Stirrup, (4.) ſome are made to wait
Three Froſty Nights bare-footed at his Gate.
(5.) Imperial Heads lye proſtrate at his Beck,
And to his trampling feet ſubmit their Neck.
(3.) Pope Adrian 4. made the Emperour Frederick 1. to hold his Stirrup, and chid him for holding the wrong one, Balaeus in Act. Rom. Pont. in Vit. Adrian 4.
(4.) Gregory 7. made the Emperour Henry 4. his Empreſs and Child, to wait 3 days and 3 night, in a Froſty Seaſon, bare-footed and bare-legged, before his Gates, before they could get Audience. Id. In vit. Gregor. 7.
(5) Alexander 3. Made the Emperour fall upon the ground, in the Temple of St. Mark at Venice, the whole People being preſent, and puts his Foot upon his Neck, uttering the Pſalmiſts words, Pſal. 91. 13. Thou ſhalt tread upon the Lion and the Adder, the young Lion and Dragon ſhalt thou trample under feet, Id. in vit. Alex. 3. ſee 40 Examples of this in the Learned Dr. White's Way of the Church. p. 18, 19, 20, 21.
The Fifth Mark.
ANother Mark, He in Gods Temple ſits,
Boaſting himſelf a God, and counterfeits
True Holineſs; when he aſſum'd the Throne,
There was a Temple (*) of the Holy One
In Rome, and did continue ſo, till they
Diſplaced Chriſt, (†) and flung his Truth away.
'Tis expreſly latd down by the Apoſtle, as an undoubted Mark of the Man of Sin, viz. That he ſhould ſit in the Temple of God. Chryſoſt. is very expreſs, Hom. 3. 2. Theſ. 8. foreign, that is, not in Jeruſalem but in the Church, ſo Oecumenus, de Rom, lib. 3. cap. 13. and Theoph. Theodor. Ambroſ. Primus Anſelm. Severian. apud imſum. Beſides it was to be in a C… with 7 Hills, and where 7 kings of supream Magiſtrates were or had been, which agrees to no City ty but Rome, as is demonſtrated by peter du Moulin and others; if it be objected, That the Church of Rome at the time of Antichriſts Riſe, could not be the Temple of God, becauſe upon the Great Apoſtacy that denomination ceaſes, it is anſwered▪ It might be called the Church and Temple of God then, though the Preſence of God and the true Religion and Power of Godlineſs was gone it might retain the Name; as Royal Palaces keep their names when ruined; 'its ſaid, I ſa. I. 2 I. How is the Faithful City become an Harlot? Could ſhe be a faithfull City and a Harlot too? The meaning is, ſhe was ſo, but now thus; ſo Matth. II. 5. Mark 7. ult 'tis ſaid, The blind ſee, the deaf hear, the dumb ſpeak, the lame walk, &c. that is, they were ſo, but now otherwiſe; a Woman keeps her Husbands Name though divorced for Whoredom; ſo Rome (*) was Gods Temple & Chriſts Church, but when ſhe eſpouſed another Head, and caſt off her firſt Husband (†) and the true Faith, ſhe became an Harlot and Synagogue of Satan, though bearing ſtill the name of Church and Chriſtian alſo. See an excellent Treatiſe, Intituled, The Man of Sin, Printed 1677. pag. 40. &c.
The Sixth Mark.
THis is the Beaſt upon whoſe Back the great
Inticing Strumpet rides in Pompous State (*)
By him ſhe was ſupported all along,
By his Impoſture ſhe was rendred ſtrong.
(*) So he carried me away in the Spirit into the Wilderneſs, and I ſaw a Woman ſet upon a Scarlet colourd Beaſt, full of Names of Blaſphemy, having ſeven Heads and ten Horns, Rev. 17. 4. I will ſhew the Myſtery of the Woman, and the Beast that carrys her, verſ. 7.
This Mark that (†) Notion throws quite out of Door,
That ſays the Beaſt ſhall not ariſe before
The Deſolation of the Scarlet Whore.
(†) It hath been a received Opinion of ſome Chriſtians of late times, that the Beaſt who is the Antichriſt or Man of Sin, ſhall not ariſe till the Whore is deſtroyed, and that when he comes he ſhall only Reign 3 Years and a half. Which Notion may ſeem ſtrange to all conſiderate men; becauſe that Beaſt who is of the 7th. and an 8th. all confeſs is the Man of Sin: and how evident is it that this very Beaſt bears up, and carrys the Whore from firſt to laſt? Beſides, Conſider 'tis ſaid, the 10 Horns of this very Beaſt's ſhall hate the Whore, and make her deſolate, how could the Horns hate or hurt her, if the Beaſts riſe not till ſhe is deſtroyed? can there be Horns and no Beaſt? And beſides, ſhould this Notion be received, it might ſeem ſtrange that the Holy Spirit paſſeth by in ſilence, and takes no notice of this horrid Monſter, or Succeſſion of Popes, that have continued ſo long, having all the Marks and Characters ſo clearly upon him of Antichriſt. If any ſhould ſay, he doth not deny Chriſt come in the Fleſh. I anſwer, In a Myſtery he doth, and particularly, in his ordaining of Sacrifices, as it was under the Law, which ceaſe all when the Antitype came, and by aſſuming the place of Chriſts Supremacy and Government.
The Seventh Mark.
THe Holy Spirit moſt expreſly faith,
In later times ſome ſhall renounce the faith.
That by the Spirit of Seduction led,
Doctrine of Devils through the Earth ſhall ſpread,
That belch out Falſhood in Hypocriſie
And many Thouſands do deceive thereby;
Forbidding Marriage, (*) and the uſe of Meat,
Which God ordain'd for every man to eat.
(*) This is an undeniable Mark of the Son of Perdition, viz. That he ſhall forbid Marriages, and command to abſtain from Meats, and who it is that commands to abſtain from Meats, and who it is that ſuffers not his Clergy to Marry, and forbids the eating of Fleſh on ſome eertain Day and seaſons of the Year, is known to all. The Council of Chalcedon ſaith (Conon. Cap. 16.) ut nec Deo dicata Virgo, nec Monachus nuberit; That no Nun or Monk ſhall marry. Bellarmine in his 34. Cap. of the Book of Monks, ſtiles the Marriage of Clarks and Monks by the name of Sacriledge; and affirms, That they ſin leſs which commit Fornication after they have once taken a Vow, than they do which Marry; nay, and in the 19 Cap of the Firſt Book of Clarks, he ſaith, That the Marriage of saints is not without ſome Sin, Pollution and Uncleanneſs. The General Council aſſembled at Trullo, to make Canons, tell us plainly in the 13 Canon, that in the Church of Rome, Whoſoever will be a Deacon or Prieſt, muſt firſt proteſt that he will never any more after that have to do with his Wife, &—If a man be found to have broke the Ordinance of the Church, by eating Fleſh in Lent, eſpecially in the Week which they call the Holy Week, the Prieſt, ſaith my Author, hath no power to abſolve him, &c. This Doctrine of the Pope, as 'its a Mark of Antichriſt, ſo'its expreſly called the Doctrine of Devils.
The Eighth Mark.
HE's not content to be Supream below,
And make all Scepters to his Croſur bow;
But th' impious Wretch is grown ſo bold that even
He dares affront the Majeſty of Heaven.
What God Commands, this Imp of Hell controuls,
Condemns the ſav'd, and ſaves condemned Souls:
Himſelf he places in Jehouah's (a) Throne,
As Chief of all, as Second unto none.
(a) He ſhall oppoſe and exalt himſelf above all that is called God, or that is worſhipped, ſhewing himſelf that he is God, 2▪ Theſſ. 2. He ſhall ſpeak great things againſt the moſt High, Dan. 7. 25. That the Pope is guilty of oppoſition to, and emaltation of himſelf above the Majeſty of God, is made appear by divers worthy Writers; the very Life and Soul of Popery ſeems to run in this vein. The Lord Jeſus (ſaith one) is made a very Lacquey to the Pope, he changes Times and laws at his pleaſure. God ſays, Thou ſhalt make to thy ſelf on graven Image, &c. The Pope takes away that Commandment, and declares 'its lawful to worſhip Images. The Lord bids us Search the Scriptures; the Pope oppoſeth this, and forbids the reading of them, nay burns to death thoſe that do read them; and to prevent it, locks them up in an Unknown Tongue. God pardons Sins upon Repentance, the Pope without, for a Sum of Money. The Pope can inveſt a ſorry Prieſt with power by uttering a few words to make a God, to turn Bread into the Real Body of Chriſt, and have power over him to do with him what he pleaſes when he hath done, and he can't deliver himſelf out of his hands.
A brace of Keys he carrys in his hand,
To ſhut and open at his own Command.
He curſes and abſolves, he binds, releaſes,
Puts down, advances whomſoe're he pleaſes.
This is th' Apocalyptick Beaſt, that claims
Sublimeſt Titles, and Blaſphemous Names,
With Matchleſs Pride, and Peerleſs Impudence,
He does for Money with Gods Laws diſpence
To fill his Purſe (O ſhameleſs Avarice!)
All ſorts of Sins he values at a price (b)
(b) What Sin is it but the Pope takes upon him to pardon for Money; beſides be makes, the deteſtable Sins of Treaſon and Murder, if it be done in Zeal, and by his Authority, for the Promotion of the Pretended Holy Church, meritorious, Canonizing black and brutiſh Sinners for Saints, in his Kalendar, he exalts himſelf above the Word of God, he uſurps Gods Seat, by giving what Interpretation to Gods Law he pleaſes, which he makes of equal Authority with it.
The Ninth Mark.
FAlſe Miracles and Lying Wonders too
This grand Deceiver does pretend to do (a)
He fain would make th' abuſed World believe,
That he with Eaſe can make a Dead Man live.
They do ſuch things, their Sottiſh Legend ſaith,
As far exceeds all Truth or Humane Faith;
Their Nature, Number, Circumſtances all,
Done by Atchievments Dabolical;
Their senſelſs Fables, arrant Fopperys,
Are meer Impoſtures and apparent Lyes.
This is an Engine which the Granceleſs Wretch
Does ſpread abroad, the Sons of Men to catch:
And God lets ſuch thoſe horrid lies believe,
Who Goſpel-Truths would not in love receive,
That they might periſh and be damn'd thereby,
The juſt deſert of ſuch Iniquity!
(a) Even him whoſe coming is after the working of Satan with all Power, and Signs, and lying Wonders, 2 Theſ. 2. 9. Bellarmin (de not▪ Eccl. l. 4. cap. 14.) maketh Miracles one infallible Sign of the True Church; md certain I am, the falſe and lying Wonders of the Roman Church, clearly ſheweth the Pope to be the Antichriſt, or Son of Perdition. I have not room here to enumer ate many of them, only take one or two, by which you may judge of the reſt. One Becanus's Head being off, St. Itas Prayers made it come poſting through the Air, ſtand by the Body, and ſhe joyned them faſt again, ſo that in one Hours ſpace the Man became as lively as ever be had been in all his life.
St. Anthony's Arm, that precious Relick at Geneva, was kiſs'd and worſhip'd with great Devotion, whilſt Popery kept its ground; but when the Goſpel came, and the Relick was produced, 'twas found the Piſle of a Stag, Calv. de reliq. propinitium. Poſſibly you may have heard of the Wonders that Relick had done; and of St. Decumanus, who carried his own Head after it was cut off, to a Spring, and there waſhed off the Bloud from it. A Country Curate, ſaith Eraſmus, getting Crabs, and faſtning Candles to their backs, ſet them a crawling up and down the Church-Yard at Night, and in the Morning, after he had taken them in again, perſuaded the People that they were poor diſtreſſed Souls in Purgatory, you muſt think ſuch that wanted Maſſes and Almes▪ ſaith my Author; ye know the Proverb, No Penny, No Pater Noſter: a fit Miracle to pick the Peoples Pockets. Lib. 22. Jo. Epiſt. p. 1529. in Epiſt. Edit. Baſil. A Maid coming into a Garden, and taa Lettice to eat it, cruſht the Devil between her Teeth in the Lettice; and this poor Devil, ſaith Du Moulin, whom ſhe belike ſwallowed down together with the Lettice, being commanded to go out, and checkt by Equitius, excuſeth himſelf, ſaying, Alas! what hurt did I? I was ſitting quietly upon the Lettice, and ſhe came and bit me, the fault was in her for not making the Sign of the Croſs when ſhe gathered the Lettice. Moreover, theſe ridiculous Impoſtors affirm, that when the Body of Pope Formoſus was carry'd into St. Peters Church, all the Images of the Saints that ſtood there, did him Obeyſance; but above all, the Miracle of the aſs that left his Provender to worſhip the Hoeſt, ſeems moſt ridiculous to King James: ſee his Apology, &c. Many of their pretended Miracles were wrought, as Writers intimate, about the 4 and 5 Century, and were contrived to confirm the Popes Headſhip and Univerſal Supremacy, together with their idle ſtorys of Purgatory, Images, Praying for the Dead, &c. Thoſe that would ſee more, let them read Du Moulin, alſo a late Book Intituled, the Man of Sin.
The Tenth Mark.
HIs out Side's ſmooth, he's garb'd in Sheeps array,
But in wardly a rav'nous Beaſt of Prey.
He has a Mouth (a) wherewith he ſpeaks great things,
Blaſphemes the glory of the King of Kings.
(a) And there was given unto him a Mouth ſpeaking great things, and Blaſph…nys, Rev. 13. 5. And he opened his Mouth againſt God, to blaſpheme his Name and Tabernacle, and them that dwell in Heaven, ver. 6. He ſhall ſpeak great words againſt the Moſt High, Dan. 7. 25. This Mark of the Beaſt is apparently ſeen in the Pope, in thoſe Inſolent and Blaſphemous Titles he aſſumes to himſelf; he is called Chriſts Vicar, or his Viceroy and Lieutenant. Bellarm. de Rom. lib. 2. cap. 31. Foundation, Head, and Husband to the Catholick Church; Hid Holineſs, that can be judged by no Man; though he draw an innumer able number to Hell, who ſhall ſay to him, what doſt thou? What would you think to hear him called, The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David? ſo Begnius one of his Biſhops Courted Pope Leo the Tenth, and thereupon bad the Daughter of Sion not to weep, ſaying, God had raiſed to her a Saviour▪ See Council Later▪ ſub Leon 10. Seſſ. 6. ap. ſur.
He is frequently called by thoſe of the Romiſh Church, Our Lord God the POPE. Exter. Joan. 22. Tit. 14. c. 4.
And as touching his Blaſphemies againſt thoſe that dwell in Heaven, to wit, the Saints of God, 'tis evident that they are continually branded for Hereticks Schiſmaticks, and what not.
The Eleventh Mark.
'Tis He that aims at th' utter Diſſolution
Of precious Saints, by Bloudy Perſecution,
That does pronounce no Chriſtian fit to live,
Unleſs they do his Beaſtly Mark receive.
Forbids all Traffick, none muſt ſell or buy,
Except th' adorers of his Hierarchy.
This Mark the Pope doth in his Forehead bear
Of which full proof, is extant ev'ry where,
The Numbers he hath (a) murder'd do ſurmount
The ſtrictteſt of Arithmeticks account.
They ſtain'd each Nation with a Crimſon Floud
And Swelling Current of my Childrens Bloud.
(a) He ſhall wear out the Saints of the Moſt High, Dan. 7. and cauſed as many as would not worſhip the Image of the Beaſt ſhould be killed, Rev. 13. 5. We find upon Record, That Pope Innocent the 3. within the ſpace of a few Months, made more then 200000 of the faithful to be ſlain, who they called Albigeans, he had made all Europe to ſtream with Bloud; in St. Bartholomews Maſſacre, in the Year 1572M more than 80000 were ſlain in cold bloud▪ ſee Du Moulin p. 246. 247. The Duke de Alva (ſ…ith he) played the Butcher in Flanders, and under the ſhew of Catholick Zeal, ſlew Millions of People, in recompence where of the Popeſent hem a Holy Sword and Conſecrated Gloves; beſides the infinite numbers ſlew in other places, by Wars, bloudy Maſſacres, and otherwiſe, of which you will hear more hereafter; ſo that by this time ſure all may conclude Antichriſt is come, and that this is he in whom all the Marks and Characters do ſo fully meet, which the Holy Ghost hath given of him.
Sion's Sons.
THeſe Marks are ſo notorious that we can
Say of the Romiſh Pope, He is the Man:
For theſe Characteriſticks truly are
To him (and only him) peculiar.
This raging Monſter is that Beaſt of Prey:
Shall we ariſe to take his Strength away?
That hath ſo long time tyrannized thus
(With Helliſh Fury) over thee and us?
Self-preſervation is, by every creature
Eſteem'd a Sacred Principle in Nature.
Each Free-born mind, muſt at thoſe Tyrants ſpurn
That would infect their Souls, their Bodies burn.
Why ſhould this Beaſt ſtill rage and domineer
As he hath done, without controul or fear?