Kings Sermo disciâ—â— stella Cleri happier or more blessed then Angels and a creator of his creator Insomuch that he that made him without him is made by the meanes of him Are not here excellent vnder Priests in their authority aboue Kings For he that setteth the King before a Priest setteth the creature before the creator saith Stamslâ—â—s Orichouius In their consecration they are aboue the mother of Christ more blessed then the Angels yea aboue the supreme maiesty For God made the world and they make him that made the world euen the God-head of Christ For otherwise they cannot be the creator of their creator without giuing a beginning to him that hath no beginning As the vnder Priest is before God in the consecration so hee is in the place of God in the offering For the offering vp of the humanity of Christ is proper to the God-head of Christ Ioh. 6.51 As the vnder Priest is in the place of God in the offering so he is before Christ in the offering For God looketh not to the sacrifice but to the worthinesse of the offerer which was the cause he reiected Cains when he accepted Abels As the vnder Priest is excellent in his consecration and offering so he is in his mediatorship Not intreating onely in the Masse for the quicke and the dead but for Christ himselfe Praying the Father to accept the body and bloud of his Sonne as he accepted the sacrifices of Abel Abraham and Melchisedec Is not here an excellent vnder Priest that desireth that God would so accept the bloud of his Sonne the Redeemer of the world as hee did the bloud of beasts As the vnder Priest is a mediator to intreate God to accept the sacrifice of his Sonne So likewise he desireth God to command his holy Angels to conuay the body and bloud of his Sonne to his high Alter Bonauentur cited by Doctor Buckly saith That the Priest doth lift vp the body vpon the Altar As though he should say Behold he whom the world is not able to containe is our prisoner therefore let vs not let him go vnlesse we do first obtaine of him that which we doe desire Must he not needes be their prisoner that cannot depart of himselfe vnlesse he be carried Nay must he not needes be their prisoner whose belly is his sepulcher The Priest is Iesus Christ his sepulcher saith that treatise intituled Stella Clericorum Because he swalloweth downe his body and bloud into his belly Briefly as the vnder Priest hath power to make his Creator so he hath to giue remission of sinnes before his Creator nay as well as his Creator Priests haue obtained saith the Annoation vpon the Rhems the wonderfull grace Luk. 5. annot Mark 2. annot to remit sinnes Againe their is one court of consciencce in earth and another in heauen and the iudgement in heauen followeth and approueth this on earth And Cardinall Cusanus saith This power of binding and loosing is no lesse in the Church then it is in Christ For the holy Church of Rome Caâ—d â—usa ad Bohamos saith Pope Iulius hath power granted vnto her by a singular priuiledge to open and to shut the gates of the kingdome of heauen to whom she listed So the vnder Priest with the king of pride in the remission of sinnes would communicate to a creature that which is proper to the Diuinity For no man can remit sinnes but God onely Therefore he which remitteth sinnes is God because no man forgiueth sinnes but God And thus the vnder Priest in the Masse taketh vpon him to be as a God when he saith Et ego authoritate mihi concessa c. And I by my authority do first absolue thee from the sentence of the lesse excommunication if thou haue need thereof And besides I absolue thee from all thy sinnes Thus much concerning the excellency of the vnder Priest who is the maker the offerer and the mediatour of this excellent sacrifice that is offered to vphold religion and the worship of God which Christs sacrifice cannot do Secondly it is necessary to know who it is that can make a round cake a God by consecration able to performe this The Maister of the Sentences saith That an hereticke cannot consecrate Moreouer whosoeuer bewrayeth himselfe to be of the latter standing is an heretique by Kellisons censure which all popish Priestes do in offering vp bread vnconsecrate for the remission of sinnes In the first part of the Canon which beginneth with Te igitur the bread vnconsecrated yet called a holy sacrifice and without spot is offered vp for the Catholicke Church In the second part of the Canon beginning with Memento Domini It is offered not consecrate for the redemption of soules That it is not consecrate it is manifest for in the fift part of the Canon beginning with Quam oblationem The vnder Priest desireth that it may be made the body and bloud of Christ Neither are the words of consecration as they terme them namely Hoc est enim corpus meum reade vntill the sixt part of the Canon Thus they bewraying themselues to be of the latter standing by offering bread vnconsecrate for the remission of sinnes are heretiques by Kel censure And cannot consecrate as the Maister of the Sentencâ—s saith Thirdly we are to consider what other things hinder the consecration which we can no better do then by taking a view of their own Canon Wherein the Priest is commanded To frame his whole mind and intent to the crosses and words He is commanded also to make choise of one Host and let it lye amongst the rest alwaies prouided and that his minde be vpon them all at once He is moreouer commanded with one breath to speake these words Hoc est enim corpus meum without thinking any other thing For if the Priest do not speake these words cum intentione consecrandi that is with an intent and minde to consecrate they be not made the body and bloud of Christ but remaine still nude nude and bare creatures of bread and wine Hâ—lcot Tho. de Aqui. in rationale diuino â—um â—ffiâ—io Therefore Holcot saith vpon the Maister of the Sentences The lay people worship a wafer that is not consecrate Therefore to auoide the errour of such idolatry The Maister of Sentences aduiseth them to worship with a condition saying Lord if thou be there I worship thee If thou be not there I worship not Whose counsell an Inquisitor of Spaine following As Maister Cyprian Valera writeth said to auoide idolatry I adore thee Lord If thou be there In which matter of ambiguity likewise the Priest in the cantels of the Masse is commanded to take vp his owne Host before any other because he beleeueth and is assured of his owne howbeit he beleeueth of the rest but is not assured Moreouer there must be great heed taken by the Priest that a little water be put into the wine For if there should so much
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
sufficient to vphold religion and the worship of God But a round cake offered by a new sacrificing Priest to deface the â—lory and eternall Priesthood of Christ that is sufficient By this it doth appeare that the Church of Rome attempting to draw from the true faith and abrogating the daily sacrifice Christ Iesus to the setting vp of the abhomination of desolation prophesied in Daniel is not the true Church but the Church of Antichrist As in doctrine it proueth it selfe opposite to Christ so in the action of seeking dâ—solation as well temporall as spirituall vnder the colour of merite it doth the like For the fruit of their doctrine is to murther Princes and to ruinate States that Antichrist may sit still in the wildernesse To which end they weÌ„t vp as Christ hath foretold into the plaine of the earth they compassed the tents of the Saints For it is not saith Saint Augustine De ciuitate Dei lib. 20. to be taken that the persecutors should gather to any place as though the campe of the Saints or beloued city shoulâ— be but in one place which indeed are no other thing but the Church of Christ spreaâ— through the whole world And thereforâ— wheresoeuer the Church shall then be which shall be in all nations euen then for so much iâ— insinuated by the earth here specified there shall the tents of the Saints be and the beloued city of God and there shall she be besieged by all her enemies which shall be in euery country where she is in most cruell and forcible sort And thus shee hath bene besieged not to speake of the Bohemians the Massaker in France and other places in this little Island by an army of Priests 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 which should be chiefe in humility doe serue as Souldiers vnder pride and arrogancy By this army of Priestâ— sent by the King of pride treasons haue grownâ— vp in this kingdome as close together as the huskâ— and corne in one eare Squier sent by Walpoole the Iesuite a fellow-worker to the King of Pride marched hither to this end with his poyson Parry sent by Benedict Palimon the Iesuite an other of the ranke with a knife with many moe whose tailes were bound together like Sampsons Foxes to destroy the land Yea by fire also had not the prouideÌ„ce of God preuented the gunpowder treason Thus briefly the Church of Rome likewise appeareth in seeking desolation to be the visible Church of Antichrist And for the further proofe hereof I referre you gentle readers to these few Oppositions following Thus wishing you all happinesse in the Lord and well freed of the Iesuits which like Cannibals hunt after the soules and bloud of you and your posterities as wofull experience teacheth I end THOMAS BEDLE THE TABLE Opposition 1. THat God creating vs able to fulfill his law is neither in commanding nor in punishing vs in not performing his will an vnreasonable Prince as Popery teacheth Oppos 2. That Protestant Preachers teaching the true vse of the law open the way to piety That Popish Priests teaching impieties contrary tâ— the law open a gappe to vnutterable villany Oppos 3. That Christ in taking away our sinnes doth not as Popery auerreth egge forward to vice but to vertue That Popes and popish Priests in giuing remission of sinâ— to commit sinne open a gate to all licencious libertie Oppos 4. That Christ hath perfected our saluation and not left it to our co-operation That Popish Priests which auerre that Christ hath only merited grace for vs co-operate not with that grace but with disgrace of the holy Trinity Oppos 5. That it is not in the power of man to raise himselfe from death to life That Popish Priests in teaching the contrary goe about therein to blot out Gods couenant concerning the absolute remission of sins in Christ to extenuate the merits of our Sauiours passion and to abase the power of Gods Spirit Oppos 6. That we are iustified by Christs whole entire obedience of the law and not by part That Popish Priests in denying this doctrine send men to seeke their saluation in the confusion of Babylon Oppos 7. That we are iustified by faith in Christ which faith is not an idle apprehension of Christs iustice or a lying faith as Popery teacheth That the faith Popish Prists teach is an idle apprehension and lying faith Oppos 8. That Protestant Preachers in teaching an inherent righteousnesse as well as an imputatiue open a gap to all piety That Popish Priests teaching neither an imputatiue nor an inherent righteousnesse but an inherent euill open a gap to all kind of impiety Oppos 9. That the faithfull mans praier beleeuing the remission of sinnes is not without most excellent vse That Popish Priests praiers are most idolatrous yet 〈◊〉 they not weare their hose out of the knees to say them except they may merit heauen by them Oppo. 10. That Protestants acknowledging Christ their only Aduocate neither rob nor dispoyle him of honor That Popish Priests rob and dispoyle him of all honor to bestow it elsewhere Oppo. 11. That Protestants beleeuing in Christ to the remission of sinnes haue both a religion and sacrifice That Popish Priests in seeking their saluation in theiâ— consecrated cake holy water ashes palmes candle and such like ioyned in commission with that their Gâ—â— of bread as a God not all-sufficient to saue of himselfe haue neither religion nor sacrifice An Addition demonstrating the abolishing of Antichrist vniuersall maintainer of treason and supreâ—â— head of Heretiques THE PRINCELY PROGRESSE OF THE CHVRCH MILITANT marching forth by the steps of the Flocke to her triumphant Bridegrome CHRIST IESVS OPPOS 1. THe Protestants doctrine which affirmeth that the commandements are impossible maketh God an vnreasonable Prince Suruey of the new religion pag 459. THE Protestant Preachers in teaching Gods commandemens impossible to be kept preach the truth yet is God as the sequele shall declare most good iust and no vnreasonable Prince To the manifestation hereof we are to consider that Iehouah who in all eternity meditated in the mirror of his Maiestie concerning the creation of Angels and Men to the end they might participate of his immortalitie and permanent felicitie And withall the heauen and earth so excellent in beauty so admirable in variety as glorious pallaces for them to dwell in To the effecting at the time prefixed what he had in his eternall counsell decreed created the Angels with an vnderstanding of surpassing excellency and of nature most simple next vnto his diuine and sacred Deity Afterward not to speake of the worlds creation he made these glorious creatures witnessing spectators of Adams noble birth made by Gods owne hand of the virgin-like earth and in his owne image Not that the
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