THe Text contains two propositions. The first, a Character of a True Witness. A True Witness delivereth souls. The second, a Character of a Deceitful Witness, A Deceitful Wit­ness speaketh lies. In a late discourse we shewed these Characters to be very proper; and that they are Prophetical as well as Proverbial: The first containing a Prophecy of Jesus Christ, of Hed-emeth, the Great Witness of Truth, whose Office was to deliver Souls. The second contain­ing a distinct Prophecy of the Great Witness of Deceit, of Antichrist, who, in direct opposition [Page 2] to Christ, comes and is come to destroy souls with lies. We asserted also that the Hebrew Word, which in the text is rendred A Deceitful Witness, doth plainly, literally and grammatically signifie The Lord of Rome. So that the whole text is to be rendered thus verbatim according to the Hebrew. The Witness of Truth delivereth Souls; but the Lord of Rome speaketh lies. This thing I onely toucht oc­casionally in that discourse, my design then be­ing to justifie the Character and prophecy of the Witness of Truth; which having done, I think it necessary by a peculiar discourse to clear that Assertion; both for mine own sake, because it is my Assertion, and I think asserted by none before: and also for your sake, that they whom I suppose to desire more certain knowledge of the truth of that Assertion, may, as much as lieth in me, be fully satisfied therein: But chiefly for the Truth's sake, which hereby will greatly be advantag'd; when the false Witness shall be found so distinctly reveal'd. For if we can make it plain, that the Holy Ghost has couch­ed this Truth in this Proverb, and has by the pen of Solomon distinctly nam'd the Lord of Rome as the Deceitful Witness that speaketh lies, and that in direct opposition to the Witness of Truth that delivereth Souls; if this be made plain, [Page 3] it will put an end to all Controversies between other Churches and Rome. For the Lord of Rome will not only forfeit his Infallibility, that great Shield of his Papacy and Supremacy; but the World too will deny him to be the Vicar of Christ, and will look upon him as the Great Antichrist, and, next to Satan, the Father of lies. This will certainly come to pass, if men can once read in express terms of Solomon, that as the true Witness, which is Christ, delivereth Souls; so the Lord of Rome speaketh lies. Now this, with the help of That True Witness, we shall shew undeniably, not conjecturally, to be the express terms of Solomon, exprest with all the Circum­stances of Wisdom and Truth that became that Spirit by which Solomon wrote or spoke. To the full proof whereof, premise we,

1. That though the Discovery be clear and evident to those that can be brought to under­stand, yet it must not necessarily be evident to all that hear; for all that hear cannot be brought to understand. So the Discovery of the New World of America was presently evi­dent to all that Columbus could bring thither to see that World; but most of other men, who would not go to see it, would not presently believe it; but now that so many have seen [Page 4] it, I think almost all men believe it. So I shall do my endeavour to bring men to the knowledge of this Truth, that by their own understanding it may be evident to them, as it is evident to me; and when it is evident to Many, the rest will believe as they ought.

2. When the thing is discover'd, it will be certain and evident, as we have just now said: but the Discovery must not be easie nor ob­vious, nor therefore to be rejected because ne­ver yet made. This is plain in respect of all Prophecies, as Christ observ'd to his Apostles, Mat. 24.15. speaking of Daniels Prophecy of the Abomination of desolation; Whoso readeth, saith Christ, let him understand. As if Christ had said, Many have read that Prophecy, and you have read it, but who hath understood it? None; but I tell ye now plainly, that it is the utter Destruction of Jerusalem, which you shall live to see. Even so; many have read this Pro­phecy of Solomon, but it follows not that any hath understood it, till the appointed time, which I shall shew ye, is now. But this Pro­phetical obscurity is most peculiar to our case, which contains the Discovery of the Name of Antichrist, and of the Number of his Name. For of this very thing, it is written by the Pro­phet [Page 5] himself, who speaks most of this matter, Rev. 13.18. Here is wisdom, says the Great Prophet John. Let him that hath understanding count the Number, &c. Beloved, be ye so far from expecting something obvious to every man that readeth; that rather reject ye this Assertion, if ye find not both Wisdom and Un­derstanding in it; yet not my wisdom, or the wisdom of man; but the wisdom of the Holy Ghost, who knew how to couch so valuable a Prophecy under the contemptible covert of a single term of Solomon: And now to discover it by a contemptible Instrument, when the very time calls for it. Nay, not the Wisdom only, but the Goodness of God is apparent in these long concealments of prophetical Truths, and the open Revelation of them in their proper times. For instance, had Solomon writ in vul­gar and obvious terms, that the Lord of Rome speaketh lies; Then had Solomon's Books at least, if not all the old Scriptures, been burnt by the Lords of Rome, without some extraordinary Miracles of preservation, which did not so be­come divine Wisdom, who knew how to order the matter better without them. Again, had Solomon writ this in terms obvious to every Reader, or had it been discover'd before the [Page 6] time; then such Lords of Rome as have been Witnesses of Truth, had been branded with an undue Character: Now then is the time, that this Prophecy should be discover'd, and first here in England; for here first, by the most wonderful Discoveries that ever were made in the world, the Lord of Rome appears to be indeed, that Great Witness of deceit who speaketh lies, and by Lies destroyeth those Souls which the great Witness of Truth came to deliver.

Proceed we directly to the Discovery. The thing to be discovered lyes hid in the Hebrew term, which in the Text is render'd A deceitful Witness. The Hebrew term is in the first Ori­ginal written with these four letters onely, M. R. M. H: Now the Hebrews, till above four hundred years after Christ, writ no Vow­els in their words, as a, e, i, o, or u, but writ the Consonants only, and understood the Vow­els. Which Custom of that Language God himself was the Author of, when he gave his Law to Moses written without distinction of Vowels: and I cannot doubt but the Divine Wisdom appointed it so, to this very end, that many things and prophecies might lye hid in that obscure Writing, till a proper time to be discover'd. And so it came to pass; for the [Page 7] Christians, discovering daily more and more testimonies of the Truth from the Old Scrip­tures, and confounding the obstinate Jews with their own writings; the Masorethans, that they might either change or obscure such places in Scripture as plainly made for the Christians against them, found out this trick of writing Vowels, [which however in it self a perfecti­on of writing, yet was in them but a trick of corrupting]: and several places, which they could not corrupt, they utterly rejected, even the whole Book of Daniel; and consulted to serve Isaiah so, but publick shame could not permit that. But Prophecies of the nature of the Text, which lay hid in close Coverts of words admitting another vulgar sence, as this word Mirmah doth; such they could not at­tempt to change; for they could not suspect any prophecy in them: and I know there are more in the Scripture, and there may be many more which I know not, in which the Wis­dom of God shines wonderfully to him that understandeth, and his gracious Providence to preserve his Truth from them that would sup­press it utterly, were it in their skill and pow­er. These Masorethans added their points and vowels to all the Words, of the Old Testa­ment, [Page 8] Ann. Chr. 479. twelve hundred years agoe at the most. From this,

'Tis plain, that the Vowels of this word Mirmah are not of Divine Authority, unless we have other authority than that of the Masore­thans. But the Letters of the word being ori­ginally written by Solomon are of Divine Au­thority, that is, M. R. M. H: which Letters according to the exact analogy of the Hebrew reading, make the entire word of Maromah, of which Mirmah is only a contraction: for the Word Maromah gives every letter its Vowel; but the word Mirmah casts out the middle-vowel, O, from the letter R, and for the long vowel, A, puts the short vowel i, and so draws together three Syllables into two; Maromah in­to Mirmah. So that the whole difference is from the Vowels only, which, as all confess, are not Divine Scripture. If then the Letters, which are certainly of Divine authority, con­tain in them a more profitable Truth, than what is exprest by the Masorethans pointing of it; and if that Truth be plainly confirm'd by other Scriptures; then without all doubt we ought to embrace that Truth, and to use the words of the Holy Ghost to the greatest ad­vantage of it. So, seeing the Scripture of the [Page 9] Holy Ghost is really and literally Maromah as well as Mirmah, we may read Maromah as well as Mirmah; yea, rather Maromah than Mirmah, if Maromah be more significant and conform to the Holy Ghost in the other Scriptures, as we shall shew it is. We reject not the word Mir­mah; no; But

We preferre the Word Maromah, for reasons to be given: and we retain the word Mirmah, which in its vulgar use signifies Deceit; and so was a most fit word to conceal the Prophecy included in Maromah, which Mirmah too includes in its radical signification; yea, is the same Word essentially with Maromah, and is the same word, letter for letter, in the Original writing of Solomon, which was the writing of the Holy Ghost: It was necessary then it should be read Mirmah, till the discovery of the Prophecy of Maromah contained in it. But when the Kernel must be produced, then the Shell must be bro­ken. Then leave we Mirmah as the Shell; and prove we the property of Maromah.

Maromah, literally and grammatically, accor­ding to exact Lexico-graphy and Etymology of the Hebrew tongue; and which is more, accor­ding to the style of the Prophets, Old and New, signifies the Lord of Rome.

[Page 10]I will first prove the grammatical, and then the prophetical signification of the Word. The Grammatical signification is apparent three wayes; all as plain as Grammatical things can be, only, as was premised, it must not be Ob­vious to Every Grammarian, nor to be read in the School-Dictionary; for then where's the Mystery? of which it is said, Let him, that read­eth, understand. And here is Wisdom. And let him, that understandeth, count the Number, &c. But you shall see the Wisdom of God shine out from a single word; even from this word of Maromah. Only have patience, and despise not small things, which the wise God makes choice of to confound the things that are great.

And first, to foreshew the Lord of Rome, which is spiritually Babylon, the Spirit would use a Ba­bylonian word; for Maromah is an Hebrew word in the Babylonian Dialect; for Mar, says Bux­torfius, is Vox babylonica, and signifies a Supreme Lord, and is often used by the Rabbies, sayes the same Buxtorfius, for Bahal, or Adon: and not only by the Rabbies, but by the Holy Ghost too, both in the Old and New Prophets, Dan. 2.47. Maremalchin, a Babylonian word, for the Lord of Kings, 1 Cor. 16.22. Maranatha, a Ba­bylonian word, for the Lord cometh: Even so [Page 11] Maromah, for the Lord of Rome. For Rome is Ori­ginally a Hebrew word, and the Hebrews have no other word for Rome, but Roum in the He­brew Dialect, and Romah in the Babylonian or Chaldaick dialect, whence comes the Greek word Romη, with an η in the end; which an­swers the Hebrews He; and from the Greek came the Latin word, by turning η into a, as in cena, musa, and a thousand such. Indeed the Greek and Latin tongues come originally from the Hebrew, as Arpenius has learnedly shown; but especially this word Rome came from the Hebrew, as will better appear by the conside­ration of the Hebrew, Roum, which you may see in every Lexicon.

Roum is an Hebrew Verb, and signifies to be High and exalted, or to exalt Ones-self in place, power, and pride, or to usurp high and great things, chiefly indeed it is spoken of the exaltation of God above all, as Psal. 46.10. Know that I am God, says the Lord; I will be exalted among the Heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. Aroum baggojim, aroum baarets. But secon­darily, the word is used, for the pride, ambi­tion and usurpation of men, as we shall see. From the Verb Roum come the Substantives, Roum, and Romah; both which signifie Height [Page 12] in place, power, or pride, from which certain­ly comes the name of the City of Rome. From the same Verb you have also Maroum, which is the principal Word we look for, and you have it in every Hebrew Lexicon. See Buxtorfius in the Radix Roum. Now the com­monly receiv'd signification of Maroum, in the Lexicons, is, The high One of the Earth, or the High thing of the Earth; to which if ye joyn the first Etymology, in which is shewn that Mar is an usual term for Lord; then it will appear plainly that Maroum, as Maromah, sig­nifies literally and grammatically the Lord of Rome. For as it appears in Buxtorfius, in the Radix Roum, that the Substantives Roum, and Romah, are all One; so it must needs be equally plain, that Maroum, and Maromah, are all One.

But if ye ask, which of these is the proper and Original Word? Maroum certainly with Vau-cholam, is the Original Hebrew word in the Hebrew dialect; and Maromah in the Chal­dean or Babylonian dialect. The Pronuncia­tion of Vau-cholam is certainly very hard, and I think quite lost among the Hebrews themselves: but as for the Greeks and Latins, who have no Vau-cholam in their Language, neither can [Page 13] pronounce it; the Greeks are forced to take an η in the end, and for Roum say Romη: the Latins take an a, and say Roma; the English take an e quiescent and say Rome. And all be­cause of the difficulty of pronouncing Vau-cho­lam in the word Roum, or rather Rovm. After the same manner the Original Word, Maroum, with Vau-cholam, is after the Greek fashion, Maromeh; after the Latin, Maromah; after the English, Marome, with an e quiescent; all which alters not the signification of the word, but the pronunciation of it only. So homo in Latine is made huomo in Italian, Hombre in Spanish, un homme in French, yet all are Originally the same word with homo, a man. Much more easie is it to conceive Maroum and Maromah, to be the same word in the Hebrew tongue, which counts not the difference of Vowels, nor of ac­cidental, but chiefly of essential or radical let­ters. For which,

Observe, that the Radix Roum has two cog­nate and collateral Radixes, one on one side, and the other on the other: That is, Marah and Ramah. Marah with an Aleph, whence comes Mar a Lord, or one that exalts himself, has the same signification with Roum, to exalt it self: but Marah with an He, signifies to Rebell, [Page 14] which is a thing consequent to pride. Ramah is of the same radical letters with Roum, only He in the end is put for Vau the middle; which, as we shewed, is an usual thing; and Ramah signi­fies to deceive; and thence comes Remijah and Mir­mah, Deceit; So that however the words be ta­ken; whether Roum or Romah; whether Mirmah, Maroum, or Maromah; whether from Marah, Roum or Ramah; take the words as you will, it still will appear, that God has lodg'd the Mystery of Rome, and of the Lord of Rome in these words, which signifie Pride, Rebellion, Usurpation and Deceit, the certain distinctive Characters of that proud City, and of the lofty Lord that rules therein, who has deceiv'd the Nations with his Lies. This then is the plain issue of this long Grammatical discourse, that the word of the Text, which is render'd a Deceitful Witness, is literally and grammatically to be render'd Ma­roum or Maromah, that is, the Lord of Rome.

Thus much for the Grammatical; come we now to the Prophetical property, use and sig­nification of this word. And first, Observe: That the Word Mirmah, though it signifies in its common use, Deceit, in genere, yet the Scriptures use it not, but where Antichrist is foretold or spoken of; which argues the peculiar applica­tion [Page 15] of that word to that purpose. Besides the Text, I have noted six places in this Book of the Proverbs, where Solomon useth this word, and they have all a peculiar application to the Deceitful Witness, Antichrist, as the Text hath. The like may be observed in the other Books, as Psal. 5.6. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the Lord shall destroy the bloody and deceit­ful man. The Word is Mirmah or Maromah. And Psal. 10.7. His mouth is full of cursing, and de­ceit, and fraud. The Word again is Mirmah or Maromah. And these places mean plainly of Antichrist. But where the place is not appli­cable to the deceit of Antichrist, there Deceit is not exprest by the Word Mirmah, but by Remijah, toke, or some other word.

But for the Prophetical use of this word, we have undeniable Authority in the Prophet Isaiah, in the 24 ^th, 25 ^th, and 26 ^th, Chapters: In which the Prophet foretells the Judgement of God upon Rome, calling the Romans, chap. 24.4. The haughty people of the earth. The Hebrew word is, Meroum ham haärets; that is, The Ma­romah people of the earth, or the People of Maroum or Maromah, The Lord of Rome: or it may be render'd, the Maroum of the people of the earth, that is, the Roman Lord of the people [Page 16] of the earth, or the Supreme Lord of the Peo­ple of the earth. For we shewed that Maroum is the true Original writing, or pronunciation of the Word: And v. 21. It shall come to pass, in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the High ones that are on high, and the Kings of of the earth upon the earth. The Hebrew calls it Zeba hammaroum bammaroum, that is, verbatim, The host of the high One in the high One; he will punish Maroum in Maroum, that is, the Lord of Rome in his own person; or, he will punish the high Lord of Rome in the high City of Rome, and all the Kings of the earth that join with him; and Chap. 26.5. He bringeth down them that dwell on high, the lofty City he layeth it low. The Hebrew is, Joshebë Maroum, the inhabitants of Maroum, that is, the people of the Lord of Rome, or the people of the high or proud City of Rome. Then Maroum is a prophetical term for Antichrist, which I might shew in many more places; but I shall shew it agreeable to the style of Christ too and of his Apostles.

Maroum, as every Lexicon will shew ye, sig­nifies him that exalts himself on high. Now this is the very distinctive term that Christ and S. Paul have used for Antichrist. Christ, Luk. 14.11. Whosoever exalteth himself, shall be abased; [Page 17] and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted. Which, though it obviously be understood of every proud or humble man; yet is primarily to be understood of the Exaltation of Christ, because of his voluntary Humility: and of the destruction of Antichrist, because of his proud Usurpations. Paul following the style of Christ, speaks plainly of Antichrist, and calls him the Maroum, 2 Thess. 2.4. Who exalteth himself above all. This is, the Maroum, The Lord of Rome, who has made himself Supreme, that is, Maroum, ex­alted over all.

What need we say more? We have said this to satisfie Criticks in Grammar and Style. But if any man be not satisfied with this; we have yet an undenyable Argument, that Ma­roum, the Lord of Rome is. The Antichrist: and that Maroum is his Name; Even the Argu­ment of the Holy Ghost, Rev. 13.18. His Number is six hundred threescore and six. We shall shew this so clearly, that no scruple can re­main; and you shall see, that here is Wisdom, even the Wisdom of God, to preserve his Truth in a Word: and here is Understanding without errour, to count the Number of the Beast. And that ye may know, how plain it is to be count­ed, I shall give first an Example of the like work.

[Page 18]As it is foretold of Antichrist, that the Num­ber of his Name shall be 666. so was it fore­told of Jesus, that the Number of his Name should be 888. See we then how the Name of Jesus makes up that number of 888. and then if the Name Maroum make up in like manner the Number of 666. then our work is done. The Name of Jesus in the Greek tongue has six letters, ι, η, δ, ο, υ, ς

These six letters make the Number of 888, thus: ι, 10. η, 8. δ, 200. ο, 70. υ, 400. ς, again, 200. These put together, make 888. 200, and 200, and 400, make 800. and 70, and 10, make 80. and the η 8.

Even so does this Name of Maroum make the Number of 666. For it contains originally, as we shewed ye, four letters, M, R, V, M. no more, and no less. Now in the Hebrew account, M. stands for forty, R. as the twentieth letter in Order, is twenty; See Psal. 119.123. the twentieth part: there's sixty of our Num­ber in the two first letters. V. is the sixth letter in the Alphabet, and makes the odd 6; and M. final, that is, M. as it is shapen in the end of a word, for so in the Hebrew it has a pe­culiar shape, stands alwayes for six hundred: So ye have the whole Number of the Beast 666. [Page 19] in the Name of Maroum; just as ye had 888. in the Name of Jesus. Thus you see the Pro­phecy of John fulfill'd concerning the Number of the Name of Antichrist; after the very ex­ample, as the Prophecy of the Sybilla was fulfilled concerning the Number of the Name of Jesus. In both you see the Wisdom of God, that can preserve the Truth, and foretell things to come in a single Name: and you see in both under­standing given to men to count the Mysteri­ous Numbers of Mysterious Persons; Christ the Great Witness of Truth, and Antichrist the great Witness of Deceit.

There remains a petty Scruple or two: 1. Why was not the Name of Antichrist to be number'd in Greek, as the Name of Jesus? The answer is easie. The Uniformity is better as it is. For as Christ an Hebrew, was num­ber'd in Greek, so Antichrist a Roman, is number'd in Hebrew. If ye ask, why not an Hebrew in Hebrew; and a Roman in Roman? I answer, First, perhaps to prevent suspicion; lest if the Names had been number'd in their Mother-tongues, it might be taken for an In­vention of their own Mother or Countrey. There is secondly, another good reason. Christ was sent to the Nations, to teach them the [Page 20] Wisdom of God, therefore his Name was to be numbred in the language of the Wisdom of the Nations, which then was the Greek tongue: But now Antichrist is the great Wit­ness and Lord of Babylon, spiritually so called; therefore his Name is number'd in the Baby­lonian Language; for as we said, Maromah in both ends, and Maroum too in the first Syllable, are Hebrew words in a Babylonian dialect. So all things are proper.

2. A Scruple may be made. Why is not Antichrists Name to be number'd an Individu­al Name; seeing the Name of Jesus is indivi­dual? I answer, There is but One Christ In­dividual; and therefore his Name must needs be individual. But Antichrists are many: but the greatest of Antichrists is the Lord of Rome, that Lord of Rome which exalteth himself as Su­preme above all; and because there is but One at a time, though many at once may fight for it; the many, that succeed one another, are by succession made One, but cannot be One individual; so no individual name of Antichrist can be number'd, but a Specifical Name. Now the most specifical Name that can be thought on, is this of Maroum, or Maromah, or Lord of Rome; which is also to say, Lord ex­alted [Page 21] over all; Or Lord supreme. Therefore, we have rightly chosen this Name to number; and we know we have chosen aright. For as we know the Name of Christ by the Number of 888. so we know the Name of Antichrist by the revealed Number of 666. Rest we then here, for I know not the least scruple remaining. Yea, I know, whoever shall seek another Name or Number of the Beast, shall seek in vain. Nothing is here of my own making. Neither Word nor Signifi­cation, nor Letter, nor Number. The Word of Maroum is of the Prophets. Isa. 24, 25, 26, chapt. The Signification of the Word, you may see in Buxtorfius; and in every Hebrew Lexicon. The Letters and the Number of the Letters you have in every Hebrew Alphabet: but most distinctly and prophetically in Psal. 119. My work was onely this, to understand what I read, and so to collect it as to give you the understanding. I doubt not but more time will give both you and me more understanding. But God gave me this, and I hope will give as much more as is good for me: and this is enough for this time of this matter. Let the Text be read thus: The Witness of Truth de­livereth souls: But Maroum, The Lord of Rome [Page 22] speaketh lies. Then a word or two to that Epi­thet, Speaketh lies.

The Lord of Rome speaketh Lies two wayes; By Himself, and by his Emissaries. First, The Lord of Rome speaketh Lies by himself. We shall not undertake to give ye the Number of his Lies, as we gave ye the Number of his Name; for we might better give the Number of the Starres, or of the Sand of the Ocean-shore. But, as the Starres are reduced to Classes, so shall we reduce the Lies of the Lord of Rome to three Classes; that is, of Doctrine, of Discipline, and of Manners.

The first and fundamental Lye of the Do­ctrine of Maromah is, That he has asserted him­self Infallible, and that he cannot erre when he speaks in his Chair. This is the Mother of Lyes, and he the Father. And with this fa­mous Infallibility he hath begot an innumerable Issue of Lies, and hath put them out to be espoused by all Nations; and many Nations have been deceiv'd with them these many Ages: But thanks be to God and to our Wit­ness of Truth, Jesus Christ; for he by his Go­spel has discover'd these lyes unto us, and has deliver'd our Souls from this Witness of De­ceit, Our Witnesses of Truth, which the Lord [Page 23] hath raised up from time to time in the Re­formed Churches, have confounded Maromah in thousands of Controversies. We at Present deny his Assertion of Infallibility, and that not from our own mouth, but from the Mouth of the Holy Ghost, who speaking by Solomon, hath said unto us, Maromah, The Lord of Rome speaketh lies: Ergo, is not Infallible.

2. The Great and Fundamental Lye of his Discipline is this, That he is the Vicar and Substitute of Christ, The Supreme Lord over the Christian World, exalted by Christ over Kings and Princes, and over all that is called God on Earth. With this his Lye he has got the Crowns of Kings and Emperours into his hand, and has brought Kings and Emperours under his feet, and disposeth of them and of their Kingdoms as he pleaseth, giveth the Life of Kings into the hands of Murderers, and the Murderers of Kings are his Martyrs; Massacres of Nations are his Holy Leagues, and the most hellish Plots are the most meri­torious Works of his best beloved Sons and Subjects. But Now this Lye is laid open to the World. Maromah is proved to be the De­ceitful Witness directly opposite to the Wit­ness of Truth which is Christ, and therefore [Page 24] the Antichrist, and not the Vicar of Christ. Yea, his own mouth betrayes him; for he professedly exalts himself above all on Earth; Therefore he's the Maroum, whose Number is 666. And of him it is written, Maromah speak­eth lies.

3. The Great and fundamental Lye of his Manners is this, that he styles himself, The most Holy, and The most Humble too, even The Ser­vant of the Servants of God. But certainly he's the most unholy and the most proud; the most destructive and the most abominable evil among men; and therefore termed by the Holy Ghost, not a Man but a Beast. And the Bishops of Rome, since they were Maroums, that is, since they usurp'd Supremacy, have been the most cruel, bloody, most filthy and abominable Beasts in Nature; that the name of Beast was never so agreeable to any thing on Earth, as to the Popes of Rome.

Gregory the Great was the first who took that Title of The Servant of the Servants of God: not in a spirit of Humility, but of the greatest Pride and Envy. For, the Emperour prefer­ring John Jejunator Patriarch of Constantinople be­fore Gregory, and giving John the title of Uni­versal Bishop: Gregory oppenly opposing Johns [Page 25] Supremacy, took it upon himself the best way he could, by the equivocal Title of Servant of the Servants of God. In the mean time neglect­ing no Stratagems to promote his Supreme Authority. For which sole end, he sent his Agents, Austin and the other Monks into England, to lay the foundation of his Usurpations there. So that of a truth Gregory was the First Maroum, at least in plot and design: but his Successour Boniface the third, was an open and profest One, who obtain'd of Phocas Emperour the Title of Supreme Bishop and Lord of the Church. And the Usurpation had such success, that Boniface the Eighth, in solemn Jubilee, Attired one day in Pontificalibus, another in Imperialibus, with two Swords before him, made Proclamation that he was Supreme Lord and Emperour of the Whole World, and Accursed all the Kings of the Earth that subjected not their Kingdoms to him.

So egregious is that Lye of the Title of Most Holy, and of the Servant of the Servants of God, that since the time of that most ambi­tious Hypocrite Gregory the Great, there has not reign'd One Pope but what has been a monstrous Beast in Manners; All monstrous in Pride, Covetousness, Rebellion, Deceit, Usur­pation [Page 26] and Impostures: And Most, profest Atheists, Whoremongers, Sodomites, Simoni­acks, Blood-shedders, Incendiaries, so unwea­ried in plotting and raising Warres among Christian Kings and Princes, murdering the Fathers by the Sons, and Brother by Brother, Soveraigns by Subjects, and one Neighbour­ing Prince by another; that we read in Hi­story more Christian and Royal Blood shed by the Popes of Rome, than ever was shed by all the Enemies of the Church of God, since God had a Church on earth. While then the Pope acts thus most bloodily and most beastly, and yet calls himself Most Holy: We answer from the Holy Ghost; Maromah; The Lord of Rome speaketh lies.

Lastly, He lyeth by his Emissaries. For these are taught and teach; That to Lye and Equivocate is their Duty, when it serves their Masters turn. Therefore they Equivocate in their Names, and Habits, and Professions, changing them every day, and often in a day, as the weather of their Affairs changeth. They equivocate in their Doctrines, resolving their Cases and Controversies, as may serve to en­gage all manner of Proselytes. They Equivo­cate at the Barr of Justice, holding Murders [Page 27] and Massacres to be just, and no Oaths so lawful as such as serve to conceal their Plots. They Equivocate on their private death-beds, and give up their Ghost with Oaths of Equi­vocation; as is certain of Tresham's Case in King James his time, acknowledged by Garnet himself. What wonder then if they dye on the Gallows with Oaths of Equivocation! We are sure the Murderers of Sir Edmundbury God­frey dyed with Lyes, or (which is the most deceitful kind of lyes) with Equivocation and horrid Execration denying that bloody Fact. We are sure they dyed Lying. What wonder if the Plotters dyed in a lying or equivocating Denyal of the Plot. We are sure Ireland dyed Lying; why not the Rest! especially Gawen, who in his last words tells ye of Material Pro­locution, a new and fine way of Deceit; when a Jesuit may speak what words he will; but means nothing but the sound of the words, but leaves the hearer to give what significa­tion he will, and to deceive himself if he will, Si vult decipi, decipiatur. I think it necessary, says the Jesuit, to speak these words, but I mean no such thing. Thus the Life and Death of an Emissary of Rome, is Lying, Equivocation, or, as the Martyrs of lyes have taught us, Mate­rial [Page 28] Prolocution. As Christ is the great Author of Truth, and came to bear witness to the Truth, and to save all by the Truth: Even so it is apparent, that the Lord of Rome walks in direct Opposition to Christ; is the great Author of Deceit, and by all methods of Ly­ing, seeks to deceive all. Therefore the Lord of Rome is the Antichrist. And of him in op­position to the Christ, Solomon prophesied: A true Witness delivereth Souls, but Maromah, the Lord of Rome speaketh Lies.