of whom Gregory Bishop of Rome hath long foretold saying All things are done which were foreshewed the King of pride is at hand and that which is a vile thing to be spoken an army of Priests is prepared for him Because they that were appointed to be chiefe in humility do serue as souldiers vnder pride arrogancy But of some it may be demanded how they serue as souldiers vnder him First they serue as spyes in Israel vsing to that end much craft in change of rayment but more in their speech Secondly they serue as infernall furies to publish excommunications and Popish Brieues against Kings and Princes that they may incite the subiect to deny obedience and rebel Thirdly they serue where they haue power as Iulian the Cardinall serued vnder the King of pride in Bohemia in burning of townes killing men women and children rauishing deflouring and making a spoyle Fourthly they serue where they want power like blinde Moles vnderminining vnder the earth that they may blow vp the Church of God at an instant through vnmercifull fire Fifthly they serue where they haue authority as the executioners in the Massaker of France in the reigne of Charles the ninth And as the tormentors in the reigne of Queene Mary who spared not the child in the mothers belly This is not Apostolicall but Antichristian Sixthly like them that despise gouernment and vphold the faction called Prasinie they teach that the rebellion of the Laity is no rebellion Euâ—gra l. 4. Annot. Pope tyraÌ„ Page 74. The Catholikes of England say the Diuines of the Vniuersity of Salamanca namely Iohn de Sequereza Emanuel de Royos Iasper de Mena Peter Osorio may fauour Tirone in his warres and that with great merit and hope of eternall reward as though they warred against the Turkes Againe All Catholickes doe sinne mortally that take part with the English against Tirone anâ— can neuer be absolued from their sinnes by any Priest vnlesse they repent and leaue the English They are in the same case that helpe the English with any victual or any such like thing Againe the most worthy Prince Hugh a Neale and other Catholickes of Ireland that fight against the Queene are by no construction rebels Moreouer to passe from the army to the King of pride himselfe Pope Pius the fifth sent Rodolphin a gentleman of Florence to moue the Laity to rebellion in the State in Queene Elizabeths reigne and incited Phillip King of Spaine to send Duke Alua into England to assist and strengthen the rebellion Gregory the 13. and Sixtus the 5. did likewise excommunicate the Queene to the end to fill the state with bloud Paulus the fifth in his first Breue as the King of pride thus exhorteth all them that will be of his army Stand saith he your loynes being girt about with verity and hauing on the breast-plate of righteousnesse tâ—king the shield of faith Be ye strong in the Lord and in the power of his might and let nothing hinder you to doe what to deny the Oath of Allegeance to your King Which cannot be taken without hurting the Catholicke faith and the saluation of your soules Thus contrary to Gods law they make sinne no sinne iniquity no iniquity the rebellion of subiects meritorious and not damnable And hee an Hereticke by the Iesuite Anniball Codretto his censure that holds the contrary Secondly the law causeth terrour like those fiery serpents that stung the children of Israel Exod â—0 Heb. 1â— 21 It so terrified Moses at the deliuery of it that hee did feare and quake and so astonished the Israelites through the diuine image of Iustice shining in the same that they said to Moses Talke thou with vs and we will heare but let not God talke with vs lest we dye Nay such was the contradiction betweene sinne and the rule of diuine iustice that they could neither endure to talke with Moses vnlesse he couered his face with a veile This second vse of the law Rom. 9. annot Iam. 4. annot 2 Tim. 2. annot Math. 12. marg Rhem. Popish Priests likewise take away First in teaching that a man may cleanse himselfe from the filth of sinne and so become a vessell of honour in the house of God And that he hath power to make himselfee cleane and purge his owne heart To make himselfe a vessell of saluation To be a good tree to bring forth good fruite So they haue no more cause to be terrified for sinne in whom this power remaineth then a naked man going to bathe himselfe in a riuer hath cause to grieue if he fall in a soft miery or moorish place seeing he may wash it away at his pleasure Secondly to take away the terror of sin Iesuit Catech. lib. 2. pag. 7. Ibid. lib. 2. pag. 124 12â— they haue their oath of blindfolded obedience whereby they binde the inferiours to obey the Generall of the order blindfolded For these be the expresse words of their Constitution Wisedome is not saith the Iesuite Ignace for him that must obey but for him that must command Againe there is nothing so contrary to the coÌ„mendation of obedience as to delay or rather arrogancy in examining the reason of our Superiours commandement Therefore their vowe constraines and binds them to beleeue that when the Pope or superiours enioine any thing they are to thinke that God is in their mouthes and that assoone as they command they must obey though it be to murther a Prince To this end they fill the Pulpit with fire with bloud with blasphemies to make their Auditory beleeue that God is a murtherer of Kings and Princes And the more to take away the terrour of sinne therein â—bid li. 1 â—ag 7. The Iesuites when they send any man to execute their designements before he depart they confesse him and imploy one part of his penance to confirme him in that holy enterprise they make him heare Masse with deuotion they minister the blessed sacracment of the Altar vnto him and this done they giue him their blessing for a sure pasport to goe directly to Paradise or rather to hell Le Franc. dis p. 35. 90 Thirdly in stead of the law which worketh terror for sin they haue their chamber of meditations to terrifie men to sin Which chaÌ„ber is filled with pictures or many diuels in diuers terrible shapes Varades incited Barriers to kill the French Kiâ—g which the Iesuites vse to affright mens minds to doe some notable seruice for them Namely if a second Varades bring a commandement from his Generall to murther such a King or Prince hee must according to his oath of blindfolded obedience vndertake it otherwise he feares he should bee damned for disobeying his Generall Thirdly the law serueth to leade to Christ who is the brasen serpent that taketh away the sting of conscience that saueth all them that behold him with the eye of saith from the paines and sorrowes of hell He is that better Mediator that
THE PRINCELIE PROGRESSE OF THE CHVRCH MILITANT marching forth by the steps of the flocke to her triumphant Bridegrome CHRIST IESVS ENCOVNTERED WITH AN erronious Army turned side from IESVS to the IEBVSITICALL Faction to fight with the Lambe and make warre with the SAINTS As it appeareth in the ensuing Oppositions With an Addition demonstrating the abolishing of Antichrist supreme Head of Heretickes and vniuersall Maintainer of treason Written by THOMAS BEDLE ISAIAH 29.11 Reade this I pray thee Then shall he say I cannot LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes dwelling neare Holburne Bridge 1610. TO THE MOST EXCELLENT MIGHTIE PVISSANT WISE AND VERTVOVS PRINCE IAMES by the grace of God King of great Brittaine France and Ireland defender of the Faith c. T. B. wisheth all celestiall Honour and eternall Blisse MOST mightie Monarch In the infancie of the precious blooming Church planted by the perfection of beauty vpon the earth Lucifer in his instruments roared against it Christianos ad leonem non licet esse Christianos In the reigne of Queene Mary the haire then being growne as white as the bloome of the Almonde tree Christianos ad ignem non licet esse Christianos In the reigne of Queene Elizabeth when â—either Lyon nor Fire teâ—rified Gods children he hastened to Rome sâ—nt away Perillus brasen Bull to see if any Phalaris would or could torment Gods children therein But when none of power could be found he knowing that the Children of the Church plaied stil about the mouth of the Bull as vpon the hole of the Aspe poasted from Rome to this little Paradise to try if he could by speaking to your Maiestie in Popish bookes and petitions procure your Grace to the Churches subuersion to eate of the forbidden fruite But herein likewise failing he mustereth vp Cayphas knights that they might besiege the Church by compassing the tents of the Saints about and the beloued citty inhabiting as a glorious Monarch liuing vnder your gracious and royall regiment in the Parliament house to the end shee might as the Chariot of Light there imployed to Gods glory be ouerturned by those Phaëtons hâ—s instrumentall surtes in whom he euermore roareth Nemo nostrûm frugâ—esto But seeing right royall Soueraigne the all-seeing Deity that made them cry Deus venit in castra vae noâ—is hath preuented the same to the giuing of vs you Maiesty as a King not amongst vs before once more in all humilitie as vpon a second Coronation I do present vnto your Highnesse these liuely Oppositions shewing the diffâ—rence betweene the truth preached by the Lords Ambassadours and the falshood by Popish instruments which Gentlemen vnworthy of that stile would with so much bloud set vp Thus crauing pardon of your gracious Clâ—mencie for my boldnesse herein In all humility praying to God to blesse your Maiestie your vertuous Queene and royall progeny with the glorious beatitude of this life and the blisse of eternity I humbly take my leaue Your Maiesties poore Subiect in all humble and dutifull obedience Thomas Bedle. TO ALL ENGLISH Metamorphosed Romanes THE Iesuites seriously plotting which way through treasâ—n they might reedifie the walles of Rome with panting hearts and by the meanes of vnmercifull fire make spacious streets for some second Nero to walke in sent forth as it cannot bee vnknowne vnto you Gentlemen of the Romish faction their books the fore-ruÌ„ners of that wicked designe in the meane time to sollicite their causes and to prepare to battell when the Alarum to the Massaker should be giuen Out of which Popish bookes I thought good to draw these few Oppositions First that you may know the Protestants of England bred vnder the preaching of the Gospell not to be caried with blind Papists like Haukes hooded they know not whither Secondly that you may examime by the same whetâ—er the Church of God be visible still at Rome or no For saith the Argument before the Acts in your Rhems The Church shall still continue visible in Rome vntill the fulnesse of the gentiles be come in Which examinatioÌ„ being taken by your doctrine the effect of your doctrine it wil appeare that Antichrist is gotten into the temple of God seeking to draw from the true faith to abrogate the daily sacrifice and atchieue desolation All which as your Annotations vpon the Rhems teacheth aâ—e the markes of Antichrist For doctrine the Church of Rome disgracefully teacheth yea blaspemously first that if God command vs impossibilities and not for doing them doth not onely punish vs temporally bâ—t damne vs perpetually He I say saith Kellison must needs be more cruell inhumane more barbarous then any Scythian so tyrannical that in respect of him Nero Domitianus and Dionysius were no tyrants but clement Princes But we may say to these proud blasphemers as Saint Augustine said to the Pelagians The Pelagians thinke themselues cunning men when they say God would not command that thing that he knoweth a man is not able to do And who is there that knoweth not this But therefore God commandeth vs to do some things that we are not able to do that we may vnderstand that we ought to craue of him Secondly their doctrine is disgraceful to Christ and to the decree of the whole Trinity concerning the redemption of man through Christ who vndertooke for Adam before he was created that if Adam did fall to redeeme him to his pristen estate Otherwise God could not in iustâ—ce haue condemneâ— his Son for Adams transgression had he not bene obliged for him before he became a traytor to God Contrary to this precious redemption Kâ—llison saith If Christ hath deliuered vs from hell because he hath payed the punishment due to sinne and requireth no other satisfaction at our hands then doth he in a manner egge vs forward to all vice But if a Pope with Vrban the 6. or Clement the 7. giue remission of sinnes to commit sinne by fighting in priuate schismes or to murther a Prince with Innocent the â— they do not egge forward to vice But if Christ hath taken away sin yet he onely with Kellison although also he worketh a glorious renouation in man eggeth forward nay openeth a wide gaâ—e to all licencious libertie vice and inâ—â—uity Thirdly they seeke the disgrace of Christian Faith stiling it an idle apprehension of Christs iustice and a lying faith But their faith which is onely hope well corroborated confirmed and strengthened vpon the promises and graces of God and the parties merite or in the Popes Pardons or in the merit of others which can merit their owne glory and others saluation VVhereas Christ merited his owne glory as the Annotations vpon the Rhems teacheth this Romish faith is no idle apprehension nor lying faith But to haue an affiance in Christ for happinesse which is the very life and soule of faith that onely with them is an idle apprehension of Christs Iustice and a lying faith Lastly they seeke the disgrace of all religion in teaching Christs sacrifice is not
and seeking battile Speaking peace in their petitions to the Kings maiesty and seeking battaile in their gun-powder treason But the Church standeth Frustra circumlatrantibus hereticis The heretickes in vaine barking about it Gentle Readers thus you may behold the Angels of light teaching as well an inherent as an imputatiue righteousnesse not to giue leaue to sinne whereas the Angels of darknesse teaching neither leade the way to all idolatry OPPOS 9. In vaine the faithfull man praieth for iustification or remission of sinnes because before he praieth his sinnes are forgiuen him and he is iustified or else his full assured faith is a lying and deceiptfull saith Suruâ—y of the nâ—â— Râ—ligion pag 458. THe Protestants saith this Popish Iesuite pray in vaine but the Papists wee may say pray vainly who thinke to wash away their sinnes by praier Heb. â— 2â— Pag. 4â—3 annot 4â—â— which cannot bee remitted without bloud Otherwise Kellison knoweth no reason why we should weare our hâ—se out in the knees with praying if praier neither sâ—nctifieth for sin nâ—â— meriteth any thing at Gods hands truly if we weare our hose out in the knees weâ— loose more then we get if this doctrine be true This is the supreme honour called by them Latria that this hereticke giueth to God that asketh in the ambition of his owne heart Who is the Almighty that we should serue him Iob. 21. or what profite should we haue if wee should pray vnto him vnlesse by our prayers we may wash away our sins But by what praier By those that are more odious then profitable and not so profitable as odious For though they begin in many of their praiers with Omnipotens sempeterne Deus Act. 17.28 and end with Per Dominum Iesum Christum yet nothing is placed in the middle part but Saints and the merits of Saints to make their prayers meritorious being filled so full of merit But what Saints Such for the most part that haue bene canonized not by God but by Popes As S. Francis made a Saint by Gregory the ninth and Thomas Becket by Pope Alexander the third For none by the decree of the said Alexander are to bee taken for Saints but such are canonized and admitted by the Bishop of Romes Bull. The merits of Saints so canonized are in their prayers offered as an vnlawfull composition for the remission of sinnes not vpon the golden Altar as the righteousnesse of Christ but vpon the stinking Altar of mens nature as the merits of men Iohn 16. marg 1 yet they suppose they are made in Christs name because their praiers made to Saints are concluded with Per Christum Dominum nostruÌ„ meum as the margent note vpon the Rhemes testifieth But for breuity we will speake no further of the praiers of these faithlesse men that denying the sufficiency of Christs passion seeke their saluation in them by saying them vpon beads by number that they may know at least thereby how many they say though they vnderstand not what they say But leauing them to their beads I will turne my pen to maintaine the praiers of the faithfull man whose prayers Kellison saith are vaine because hee is assured of his saluation Will Kellison say that S. Iohn the beloued Desciple of the Lord that leaned vpoÌ„ his breast vnto whom he bequeathed in his last will his mother a virgin to a virgin was not assured of his saluation If he say hee was not the testimony of Saint Iohn will confute him wherein it is written 1. Iohn 3.14 We know that we are translated from death to life Or that Peter did not beleeue the remission of sinnes 1. Pet. 3 18. whose confession is that Christ once suffered for sinnes the iust for the vniust that he might bring vs to God Or that the Apostles in generall did not beleeue the remission of sinnes when the Creed of the Apostles doth testifie they did Yet Christ taught them to desire not once but alwaies when they prayed forgiuenesse of sinnes by these words Forgiue vs our debts Mat. 6.12 not that the punishment due to sin was not forgiuen them for then Saint Iohn would not haue said We know that we are translated from death to life But that through the increase of faith they might more and more inwardly feele the application of the forgiuenesse of sins Saint Paul 1. Cor. 15 17. Phil. 3.13 who proueth by the resurrection of Christ the actuall remission of sinnes which could not be If Christ be not raised as he saith your faith is in vaine and ye are yet in your sinnes Afterward saith I count not my selfe that I haue attained vnto it namely in the 9. and 10. verses before to the full knowledge of Christ and perfect taste of his resurrection Now if an Apostle wrapped vp in the third heauen a pen man of the holy Ghost could not attaine to a full and perfect tast of his saluation how much lesse those whose faith is but as a graine of mustard seede yet sufficient to saluation attaine to the full taste of the application of the forgiuenesse of sinnes without much praier The man that beleeued in Christ desired of him to helpe his vnbeliefe and many a poore soules conscience cast downe yet the children of God would be glad to pray day and night to finde but one dram of this application that Popish Priests will not weare their hose out in the knees for Secondly Tim. Eph. Isa God who hath shewed mercy vnto the faithfull man not that he was but that he should be faithfull and hath selected him not that he was but that he should be holy hath promised that he may be both faithfull and holy to worke a renouation in him and that so apparent that whosoeuer seeth him shall know him thereby Then here is another notable motiue to stirre vp a faithfull man to praier that hee may earnestly desire with Saint Paul that God would make perfâ—â—â— his image in him And that by vnderstanding knowing aright the cause and author of all things he may attaine to more noble and purer actions as well in his vnderstandidg as will That his memory sanctified may retaine euermore good and holy cogitations of God and of commendable actions whereby religion is preserued and increased That he would purifie his affections and in stead of such as are euill and corrupt excite by his holy spirit working in his word honest and vertuous motions in his heart And that the inferour powers may be obedient to the superiour that the image of God thereby repaired and the image of Satan abolished we may bee wholly gouerned through the effectuall working and the plentifull presence of Gods Spirit For as yet in this life the faithfull man hath the first fruits of the spirit and not the tenth so that the flesh liueth still in a manner fully in him The which aduantage Sathan espying by beholding grace begun and not perfected fighteth against
Saints is iniurious to God Secondly the place where we must pray to them Apoc. 6. annot the Annotations vpon the Rhems saith Where they are present the Catholicke men resort to pray to theÌ„ that is to their tombes and reliques for the Saints are present at their tombes and reliques saith the Annotation But we must vnderstand that they are present with their dead bodies if their presence be at all For their soules saith the Annotation liue vnder Christ their Altar in heauen expecting their bodyes So that if we will needes pray to them wee must pray to them as they are present namely to the dead bodies separated from their soules Thirdly how the dead bodies of Saints in whose presence they pray come to the knowledge of our praiers for other presence they can proue none Kellison saith By the reuelation of God Pag. 354. For as they see God face to face so in him they see and know our cogitations and prayers Seeing then they come to the notion of our prayers by seeing God face to face it resteth they proue how the dead bodies can see God face to face in whose presence they pray But say that their soules did attaine to the knowledge of our prayers from God what necessity is there in it that they needing themselues a perpetuall mediator to stand in the presence of God should acquaint God as second mediatours with that hee knew before to the breeding of a confusion in that celestiall Ierusalem 2. Cor. 4.9 Isai 42.1 where the Saints both liuing departed behold God in the face of his Sonne and God againe his Saints in the face of his Sonne as in him in whom his soule delighteth If their soules did know when wee prayed vnto them yet would it nothing profite because not knowing whether our prayers were in faith or no which is a thing peculiar to God they could not tell when to offer or not to offer them for feare of the Lords displeasure who hath threatned euerlasting destruction to the fauourits of his enemies Rom. 8.27 Apo. 14. Neither if they did know could they be secondary mediators or intercessors for intercession is to stay or let a matter that it goeth not forward And what Saint by merit can make stay of the Lords iudgements against vs in whose sight the Angelâ— are not perfect For this is peculiar to Christ the righteous who shewing himselfe to the Father craueth for his owne name and his owne merit aâ— iust reward vpon a due debt namely remission of sinnes sempeternall righteousnesse and the gift of the holy Ghost for all his elect Hee is Emanuell God with vs he speaketh for vs he excuseth vs hee maketh our cause good by offering vp his owne righteousnesse vpon the golden Altar of his owne pure and incomprehensible nature which as sweet perfume mounteth to the highest throne seated in incomprehensible light to the obtaining all things for vs that we might be complete in him in whom all things are giuen euen in him who is not the Son of God vnuÌ„ or vnicuÌ„ one alone but with many brethren And to what Saint can this without blasphemy be spoken but of Christ Who as S. Amb. saith is our mouth whereby we speake to the Father Ambrose de Isaac Euanua our eye wherby we see the Father our right hand wherby we offer our selues to the Father without whose intercessioÌ„ neither we nor all the Saints haue to do with God S. Augustine cited in the Rhems saith That Christ is the aduocate and patrone of mankinde that by himselfâ— alone and by his owne merits purchaseth all grace and mercy to mankinde in the sight of his Father 1. Tim. 2. annot none making intercession for him or giuing any grace or force to his prayers but he to all none asking or obtaining either grace in this life or glory in the life to come but by him Gentle Reader now with equity censure whether the Protestants giue more honour to Christ in acknowledging him their only Sauiour aduocate and his righteousnesse the onely sweet perfume to be offered vp in the censer of faith Or the Papists that haue found out other Sauiours intercessors withall made a composition of diuers mens merites to offer vp as a sweet incense of gratefull smell to God Exod. 30.38 But if the earthly incense might not be imitated but vpon paine of death let Kellison and all Popish Priests iudge what their hire shall be for counterfeiting that which is heauenly and not of any created composition as the Legall incense the shadow of the heauenly was OPPOS 11. The Reformers haue no religion because they haue no sacrifice His reason without reason is because Christs sacrifice is not sufficient to vphold religion and the worship of God Suruey pag 376. pag. 384. ANtichrist saith the Annotation vpon the Rhems shall abrogate the daily sacrifice Againe shall impugne Christs kingdome vpon the earth 2. Thes 2. annot that is to say his spirituall regiment Againe shall impugne Christs Priest-hood pag. 384. and take away as Kellison likewise saith the daily sacrifice And what is this but to take away the Priestly and Kingly dignity of our Sauiour to teach that Christs sacrifice is not sufficient to vphold religion and the worship of God Concerning whom the Lord hath sworne and will not repent that Christ and none but Christ is a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedec Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedec saith the Lord speaking in the singuler and not in the plurall number For onely Christ is King of peace King of righteousnesse Onely without Father of his manhood and mother of his God-head Hauing neither beginning of his daies nor end of his life and therefore continueth a Priest for euer without successors in his Priesthood as confirmed vnto him by the oath of the Lord himselfe after he had said Sit thou on my right hand vntill I make thine enemies thy fot-stoole O Lord which hast sworne saith S. Augustine Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedec The same Priest for euer is the Lord on thy right hand The very same Priest I say for euer of whom thou hast sworne is the Lord on thy right hand because thou hast sayd vnto the same my Lord Sit thou on my right hand vntill I make thine enemies thy foot-stoole Which euerlasting Priest-hood of our Sauiour cannot be without vse yea most excellent vse first in shewing himselfe before his Father Secondly by giuing gifts vnto men First in that he appeareth in the sight of God for vs we are esteemed righteous perpectually in him who is the true sacrifice and full accomplisher of mans redemption Hâ—b 7. an As the Annotation vpon the Rhems truly stileth him And hath by once offering wrought a perpetual freedom from the kingdome of death Our high Priest saith the Apostle which is holy innocent impolluted separated