thing at Gods hands that by their doctrine we be still indebted to God concerning the punishment the debt of sinne Therefore it must needs be that all that are deliuered out of the common condemnation are deliuered by the meanes and merits of Iesus Christ as the Annotations elsewhere truly teacheth or not at all Rom 9. annot Reue. 20. marg Againe they thus teach Reue 2. annot Reue. 1. annot 2. Tim. 4. annot That none vnperfectly cleansed can enter into the kingdome of heauen Againe that God cannot be good that can loue and saue him hee knoweth to bee euill Yet they send the Catholicke Christian man liuing but an ordinary honest life either not sinning greatly or supplying his fault by penance as a man of great iustice to challenge heauen in his owne right bargained and wrought for and accordingly to be paid for him Others that are altogether vncleane and not so chast as the Priest that keepeth but one Concubine that they may be made heires of other mens goodnesse that haue none in themselues as the Pope is of Peters make with the foolish virgins purchase of counterfeit oyle that they may receiue to their saluation righteousnesse from their workes of supererogation As the Pope though neuer so wicked receiueth his holinesse by succession of Chaire Others seeke it in Popes Pardons Apol. Bish Iewel pag. 147. Ibid. 125. who by power as hardening inforceth is Peter by annoynting Christ And thus Simon Begumus Bishop of Madâ—usia in the late Councel holden at Lateran in Rome sought it who poynting to the Pope as Iohn Baptist did to Christ said Behold the Lyon is come of the tribe of Iuda of the roote of Dauid ô most blessed Leo we haue looked for thee to be our Sauiour And thus the Ambassadors of Sicilia fought it who cryed lying prostrate on the ground O thou holy Father that taketh away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon vs Thou which takest away the sinnes of the world giue vs peace Others in the Popes Chaire For the truth saith Cardinall Cusanus cleaueth fast to the Popes Chaire Therefore the members vnited to that Chaire and ioyned to the Pope make the Church Others whom the Pope iudgeth in his finite wisedome to bee somewhat vncleane are sent into Purgatory which as Angelus Parsiensis saith is the peculiar possession of the Pope there to stay till his Holinesse thinke them sit through the mediation of Angels to passe to heauen There is none sent to haue passage by Christ to that hauenly Ierusalem but the abiects of the Gentiles Cal. 3. annot Rhem. who commit mortall sinnes For they as the Annotations teacheth cannot be deliuered by themselues nor by any other meanes from the curse of the law but by faith and the grace of Christ Iesus Here we may behold the Angels of light leading to Christ in teaching that not some part but all Christs obedience is imputed vnto vs. The other namely the Angels of darknesse hauing mingled lerma malorum a heape of mischiefe sends men thither from Christ to seeke saluation in them But as Saint Augustine saith Ecclesia in nullo homine spem ponere à suo redemptore dedicit The Church hath learned of her Redeemer to put no trust in any man OPPOS 7. The Preachers of this Monarch teaching that faith onely iustifieth open a gap thereby to all vice Suruey pag. 526. THis Popish Iesuite vseth Faith that is an assurance in Christ for happinesse according as hee hath done the obiect namely Christ Iesus In teaching that faith cannot iustifie without opening a gap to vice As Christ could not make a perfect redemption for vs without opening a gate to all licentious libertie vice and iniquity But contrary to this Pelagian opinon we will proue that Faith onely doth iustifie and withall in the next position make manifest that though the Preachers of this Monarch teach this doctrine yet withall preaching an inherent righteousnesse as well as an imputatiue sanctification as well as iustification open no gate at all to vice Whereas they teaching neither the one nor the other neither the tree nor the fruit set open a gap to all idolatry But first concerning this doctrine in hand we are to consider that the reason why we are iustified by faith and not by workes is because iustification and therefore saluation goeth before workes For the way which the holy Ghost vseth to make vs able for them is Faith vniting vs to Christ whereof he himselfe is a witnesse who saith As the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can you except you abide in me Apol. Bish Iewel pag. 296. The beginning saith Saint Syrill cited by Bishop Iewel and foundation of our â—olineâ—se is Christ by faith I meane and none otherwise for in this sort Christ dwelleth in vs. Those onely are to be counted good wookes saith Saint Augustine which are wrought by loue Faith of necessity must go before for they must take their beginning from saith Rhem. â—4 pag. and not faith from them Saint Ambrose cited by Doctor Fulke thus speaketh Faith onely shal go with you to the next life and iustice shall also accompany you Heb 11. annot If faith go before which as the Annotations vpon the Rhems teacheth is the ground and foundation of all other vertues and worship of God without which no man can please God Rhem. pag. 232. Then that which followeth after which is workes cannot be the cause of that which goeth before namely the free iustification of life through faith By this argument Paul proueth that neither Gentile nor Iewe are iustified by workes but by grace For by grace yee are saued saith the Apostle through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God The Church casteth all her liuing into the gift of God which vnderstandeth all that she liueth not to be of her merit but of Gods gift when she saith God be mercifull to me a sinner As Beda teacheth cited by Doctor Fulke For whether we respect faith or righteousnesse and life which we receiue from Christ by that instrument of faith they are all the gifts of God No maruaile then if Saint Augustine stileth the opinion of merit pride and the iustification of saith the discipline of humility Seeing this as Saint Basil teacheth is a full and perfect reioycing in God When a man doth not boast himselfe of his owne iustice but knoweth himselfe to bee voyd of of true iustice and to bee â—ustified by onely faith in Christ Saint Paul in the definition of the Gospel the seed of immortality sheweth Rom. 1 1â— that the efficient cause of our iustification is the power of God Rom. 1.10 Gal. 3.11 Heb. 10.3 the end our saluation and the instrument whereby it is receiued faith for he addeth vnto euery one that beleeueth And this he confirmeth by a testimony of the Prophet Abacucke wherein
hee so much delighteth that thrise like a Nightingale hee recordeth it againe and againe The iust shall liue by faith Rhem. p. 568. 440. Let the iust man saith Saint Augustine cited by Doctor Fulke tollerate the vniust let the temporall labour of the iust tollerate the temporal impunity of the vniust but yet the iust man liueth by faith For there is no other iustice of man in this life but to liue by faith which worketh by loue For if he liue by faith let him also beleeue that hee shall rest after his labour and they shall haue eternall torments after their present ioy Againe seeing all the iust both of elder time and the Apostles liued by right faith which is in our Lord Iesus Christ and had such holy in inners with faith Chrysâ—st in Mat. hom that although they could not be of so perfect vertue in this life as in the life to come yet what sinne soeuer hath crept vpon them of humaine frailty it is immediatly wiped away through the piety of the same faith He that desireth not vaine glory saith Chrysostome being made Christs Vicar ought to preach the iustice of Christ This iustice did Saint Paul preach to the Romanes Galatheans and Hebrewes This iustice did the Fathers preach to those that liued in their times Ambrose telleth the Gentiles that they haue receiued a gift of grace and not of workes Againe Amb. de Voc. Gent. lib. 1. cap. â— they are iustified because working nothing nor making any recompence they are iustified through faith onely by the gift of God â—mb Epist â—d Rom. cap. â— Againe this was Gods determination that the law being at an end the grace of God should require faith onely to saluation The Apostle saith Saint Origen doth say â—rigen epist â—d Rom. 3. cap. that the iustification of faith alone doth suffice so that he which beleeueth onely is iustified although he haue fulfilled no worke Wherefore it standeth vs vpon that take in hand to defend the Apostles writing to be perfect and all things to stand with good order to inquire who hath bene iustified by faith onely without works Therfore for example sake I thinke that the theefe is sufficient which being crucified with Christ cryed to him from the crosse Lord Iesu remember me when thou commest in thy kingdome Neither are there any workes of his described in the Gospell But for his faith Iesus said vnto him This day shalt thou be with me in paradiâ—e Hillariuâ— vpon Matthew saith It moued the Scribes and Pharises that sinne was forgiuen by a man 〈…〉 â—â—ld a man onely in Iesus Christ and that to 〈◊〉 â—or giuen by him which the law could not release for saith onely doth iustifie â—pol pâ—g â—â— Saint Basil cited by Bishop Iewel saith Who so trusteth not in his owne merits nor loâ—â—â—th to be iustified by his owne workes he hath his onely hâ—pe of saluation in the mercy of our Lord. With whom Saint Augustine agreeing thus exhorteth Presume not of thine 〈◊〉 working but of the grace of Christ for the Apostle sâ—ith Yee are saued by grace Gregory Nazaâ—â—â—â— speaking in the person of the Publican that praied with the Pharisie Workes sâ—â—ll not saue me but let thy grace and mercy drop downe 〈◊〉 â—ime prophane man which onely hope ô king thou hast giuen to miserable sinners Rom. 9. annot Rom. 10. text With this saying agreeth the Annotations vpon the Rhems All that be deliuered out of the common condemnation be deliuered by grace and pardon through the meanes and merits of Iesus Christ Againe the law was not giuen as the Iewes ignorant zeale supposed for them to iustifie themselues by it considering they could not fulfill it but to bring them to Christ to beleeue in him and so for his sake to be iustified But to make the truth of this doctrine more apparent wee are to consider there concurres two things necessary to the iustification of faith that is to say the forgiuenesse of our vnrighteousnesse Act. 20.43 Rom. 3.23 Ibid. 4.7 1. Ioh. 1.4 Ibid. 2.12 or the remission of our sins and the imputaion of anothers righteousnesse For the first the Prophets beare witnesse that euery one that beleeueth in him namely Christ shall through his name receiue remession of sinnes that is shall by faith be iustified and absolued from the guilt and punishment of sinne and so become blessed in not hauing his sins imputed vnto him Blessed is the man â—aith the Prophet to whom the Lord imputeth no â—â—nne With whom S. Augustine agreeing Rom. 4.6 thus redoubleth the words of the Prophet Blessed is he to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne neither is there guilt in his heart This is the coÌ„fession of humble Saints which boast not themselues to be that they are not And this is the confession of S. Ambrose cited by Bishop Iewel Apol. pag. 82. I will not glory for that I haue done good to any man nor for that any man hath done good to me but for that Christ is my aduocate with the Father and for that Christs bloud was shed for me Yet notwithstanding this freedome concerning the remission of sinnes we haue no right to eternall life vnlesse we attaine likewise by faith to an vnchangeable and euerlasting righteousnesse which the law requireth Which sempeternall righteousnesse is that which Christ merited for vs in keeping the law making them blessed to whom it is imputed Daniel 9.21 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without workes This righteousnesse of Christ being sempeternall one and the same is to him to whom it is imputed yea to the iust man that sinneth seuen times a day perpetually the roote of life The Spirit is life for righteousnesse sake Most excellent to this purpose Rom. 8.10 is that saying of S. Bernard cited by M. Whittaker against Champion He that hath taken the desert of sinne by giuing vnto vs hiâ— righteousnesse he hath payed the debt of sinne and restored life For so death being dead life returneth as sinne being taken away righteousnesse commeth againe Furthermore death is abandoned by Christs death and Christs righteousnesse imputed vnto vs. Suruey pag. 607. pag. 637. Rom. 3.25 But forasmuch as Popish Priests alloweth nor liketh iustifying faith which they stile to be an idle apprehension of Christs iustice and a lying faith Let vs try which way else we may be iustified It is most certaine we all haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God and therefore remaine in death for the wages of sinne is death And notwithstanding Christs passion as saith Kellison sin is still imputed vnto vs. Can the euerlasting torment of the creature pay this debt Suruey pag. 262. The euerlasting torment of the creature is not able to satisfie for it For although in the place of horrour they are as an Ancient speaketh Plena fletus ex dolore stridor dentiuÌ„ ex furore Full of weeping because of
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
giue remissioâ— of sinnes to those that come on pilgrimage to Rome or send their Angels to mediate their cause he doth not egge forward with Killison to vice Or if a Pope giue remission of sinnes with Vrâ—aâ— the sixth or Clement the seuenth to fight in hiâ— priuate scisme he doth not giue liberty to iniquity Or if a Pope with Inocent the third giue remission oâ— sinnes to murther a King he openeth no gate to licentious libertie But onely Christ must be taxed with that by Kellison who in no case by the Romanâ— law may take away sinne Iesâ—it caâ—ech lib. 2. page 83. But the society of Iesuites may Our society of Iesus saith a Iesuite is an acquitall of all sins One daies deuotion in their house may as you may finde it thus written in their Catech. first booke Ibid. li. an Page 8. 8. page He that shall come euery yeare to performe his deuotions one whole day in our house shall haue plenary indulgence of all his sins though he said but one Pater noster or an Aue Mary The Masse Priest by his owne authority may Luke 5. an Who hauing obtained the wonderfull grace to remit sin saith in the preparation to the Masse Thy mine owne 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 Almes deeds of themselues may Luke 11.16 annot Almes deedes extinguish sinne redeeme sinne deliuer from death and gaine heauen But Christ without the prayers of the Church and parties merite may not Therefore the Priest before Masse in the absolution saith Let thy sinnes be forgiuen thee through the merits of our Lord Iesus Christ the prayers of our mother holy Church the good deeds that thou hast done and which thou shalt hereafter by the grace of God do The merits of Saints without the helpe of Christ may Therefore as a thing of great secret the Masse Priest secretly saith in the Masse We beseech thee ô Lord through the merits of the Saints whose reliques we here haue through the merits of the rest of the Saints to forgiue me all my sins Briefly Masses wherein a round cake is offered and not Christ Indulgences to the which the Pope subscribes not God mens merit which is a menstruous cloth and not as sweet incense reliques purchased of Masse Priests may take away sinnes and giue life but Christ may not for so to beleeue is high treason to the Romish and Canniball army who hauing inuented many heresies propter gulam ventrem for gluttony and belly cheare as Saint Hierome speaketh feed themselues fat vpon the soules of men But miserable is that spouse as Saint Bernard saith that is committed to such leaders they are not the friends they are the enemies of the Bridegroome Thus much shall suffice concerning the difference of doctrine in this position wherein you may be hold the Angels of light leading the way to Christ the hope of glory and the Angels of darknesse to hopelesse glory lying hid in indulgences merit satisfaction worshipping of Saints images and reliques which Kel in his Epistle to the reader in his Suruey hath promised to make as plaine and as plausible as may be to those that will take his impolished worke in good part that is to deny Christs passion to be sufficient and to looke for saluation in them OPPOS 4. Christ deserued for vs at Gods hands grace by which together with our co-operation we may be saued and redeemed Suruey pag. 26. pag 256. 1. Pet. 1. pag. 257. KEllison a little before this place cited treating of the price of our redemption acknowledgeeth the same to bee so great that as S. Peter saith We were redeemed not by gold and siluer but by the pretious bloud of Christ So rich a price was this bloud that it was sufficient to haue satisfied for the sinne that shed it as Saint Bernard saith Whereupon Kellison concludeth That Christ is our redeemer who hath deliuered vs out of the power of darknesse Pag. 262. Pag. 191. freed vs from the slauery of sinne and bondage of the diuell Yet contrary to all this in another place he teacheth that Christ hath satisfied for our sinnes not because his passion without any co-operation on our part doth suffice and therefore Christ thought it good as he elsewhere saith as we fell by our willes into captiuity so by our owne wils together with grace we should rise againe and winde our selues out of the seruitude of sinne and tyranny of the diuell Saint Paul to the confutation of this doctrine teacheth That Christ himselfe when he ascended on high led captiuity captiue and gaue gifts vnto men not that he led captiuity into heauen where there is no place for sin and death but that to the redeeming and reducing of mankinde to his old liberty and dignity ouercoming the diuell sinne and death he led them in open shew in an vnspeakable triumph according to that saying of the Apostle Col. 2.15 Spoyling the principalities and powers thou hast made a shew of them openly and hast triumphed ouer them Whereupon that ioyfull voyce was heard out of heauen when Christ ascended vp thither not where God the word was not before but where the word become flesh sate not before Now is saluation in heauen and strength and the kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ For the accuser of our brethren is cast downe which accused them before God day and night King Dauid prophesied of this vnspeakable triumph saying They haue seene ô God thy goings the goings of my God and my King which art in the sanctuary The singers went before Reu 12.10 Psa 68.24 the players of instruments after in the middest were the maâ— is plâ—ying with â—â—â—brels In which sweet reioicing it doth most liuely appeare that saluation power is made perfect by the Lords death resurrection by the which sin death is abolished life is restored the diuell cast down ouerthrown so that he can no more accuse mankind before the iudgment seate of God Now we are freed from sin saith the Apostle who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods choseÌ„ Rom. 8. There is our freedome from the punishment It is God that iustifieth who shall coÌ„demne It is Christ which is dead yea rather which is risen againe which is also at the right hand of God and maketh request also for vs So that no accusation may be brought against Gods chosen Seeing then that Christ hath wrought so excellent and perfect redemption as the whole hoast of heauen doth beare witnesse it appeareth that it is not left to the co-operation of our owne wils to rise againe and winde our selues out of the seruitude of sinne and tyranny of the Diuell If it had bene left vnto the will of man how could the will of man haue performed it Ioh. 15. Without me saith