the Queene of England Iesuit Cat. lib 3. pag. 143. 144. told him that it should be a godly sacrifice to God and that Squire needed not to feare the danger of his life or person by reason of the meanes which he had opened vnto him and though the enterprise should saile yet he should change this present condition into the state of a glorious Saint and Martyr in Paradise Benedict Polimio a Iesuite caused William Parry to vndertake to murther the Queene Le Franc. Disco 37. pag. afterward a Priest to whom he imparted it disswaded him from the attempt telling him the act was damnable whereupon seeing this contrariety of opinions he repaired to Hanniball Codretto a Iesuite to be confest who told him it could not be but this Wats was an hereticke For the true Church made no question or rather the Church of Antichrist but that Kings excommunicated by the Pope were ipso facto tyrants and therefore ought to be slaine The Pope himselfe granted vnto Parry plenary indulgence and remission of all his sinnes to murther the Queene An accident of no great wonder for Popes haue bene common murtherers Yet Bellarmine in his letter to the Archpriest saith It was neuer heard of from the Churches infancy vntill this day that euer any Pope did command that a Prince though an Hereticke though an Ethnike though a persecutor should be murthered or did approue of the fact when it was done by any other But he meaneth by those that were deafe and could not heare Pope Clement the fourth stirred vp Charles the Earle of Aniou against Manfreed the King of Sicil who vanquished and killed Manfreed Pope Gregory the seuenth conspired the death of Henry the fourth to be acted in the Church whither the Emperour resorted to pray Pope Vrban the sixth sent for Charles nephew of Lodowicke King of Hungaria to aide him against Queene Iane with a promise of the kingdome of Naples which kingdome Charles appeasing put the Queene to death Pope Gregory the 9. caused the Embassadors to be slaine that came froÌ„ Fredericke the 2. to certifie him concerning the winning of IerusaleÌ„ Fredericke the 2. was poysoned after strangled by one Manfredus by the appointment of Innâ—â—ent the 4. Pope Clement the sixth sent one to Lodowicke the Emperour to giue him poyson in wine whereof he dyed But to returne to the army of Priests of these Kings of pride Iesuit Cat. lib. 3. pag. 134. 335. The Iesuites of Doway sent Peter Pan a Cooper dwelling at Spres to kill Maurice Prince of Orange and Earle of Nassaw with a promise to procure a prebend for one of his children The Prouinciall moreouer gaue him a blessing at his departure saying Friâ—nd go thy waies in peace for thou goest as an Angell vnder Gods protection and safegard Ibid. Balthâ—zaâ— Gizzard that slow the father of this prouince of Grâ—â—gâ— confessed that a regent Iesuite in the Collâ—â—ge of Trees assured him that hee had conferred with three other of his companions who tooke it wholly to be fr m God Castel a Scholer of the Iesuites resolâ—â—â—â—â—stab Henry the fourth of France in the throate with his knife Le Franc. disco pag. 34. and did in the midâ—t of his Nobles strike him iâ— the mouth beleeued the act was lawfull and meritorious Ambrose Varade did aâ—â—â—â—te Battier to go and sâ—eath hâ—â— two edged knife prepared by a Priest of purpâ—â—â— in the French Kings breâ—st bindiâ—g him thereto â—y the Scrament and assuring him by the liuing God that hee could not do a more meritorious act Ibid. pag. 31. that he should therefore â—e 〈◊〉 Angels into Paradice Gâ—â—guard the Iesuite teâ—mes the aâ—t of Iames Clement in muâ—thering Heâ—â—y â—he third with a poysoned kniâ—e which he tâ—â—ust into his belly a heroicall act The Iesuites of France terme it the gift of the holy Ghost Ibid. pag. â—3 Pope Sixtus the such in a solemne Oration made in the Consistory of Cardinals the 11. day of September 1589. compared the treason of this cursed Dominicke with the act of Eliazer and Iudeth yea a farre greater worke a rare a notable a memorable act that a Monke a religious man had slaine the vnhappy French King in the middest of his hoast an act not done without the prouidence of God and assistance of his holy Spirit Thus did the Pope glory in his bloudy Oration as Vrban the sixth with great ioy and contentment did contemplate in the bloudy sword that slew Charles who for the kingdome of Naples at his request put to death Queene Iane. Fiftly Rom. 13. the Apostle commandeth euery soule to be subiect to the higher powers Vpon which place Saint Chrysostome thus saith Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers although thou be an Apostle although thou be an Euangelist although thou be a Prophet although thou be whatsoeuer thou art For this subiection doth not ouerthrow religion S. Aug. And Saint Augustine saith Who being in his right wits would say to Kings Take you no care by whom in your kingdome the Church of your Lord is defended or oppugned let it not pertaine to you who in your kingdome will be religious or sacriligious to whom it cannot be said Let it not pertaine to you who in your kingdome will be chast or vnchast Againe A Prince serueth God otherwise as hee is a man otherwise as he is a King because he is a man he serueth God in liuing faithfully but as he is a King he serueth God by making lawes in coÌ„uenient streÌ„gth which coÌ„mand iust things and forbid the contrary As Ezechias serued God in destroying the groues and temples of idols Dauid Salomon and Ezechias commanded the Priests to execute their offices according to the law of God were obeyed Constantine Theodosius Martianus and Iustinianus made Ecclesiasticall lawes to compâ—ll Ecclesiasticall persons to do their duties called general Councels to decide questions of religion and gaue order to proceed in them according to the Scriptures They appoynted Iudges a Senate to order the Councell as Valentianus in the Councel of Chalcedon and were obeyed But contrary to all this and the Lords commandement the Church of Rome teacheth that treason in a Clergy man is no treason For the Iesuite Emanuel Sà deliuereth in expresse termes vpon the word Clericus Le Franc. â—isco 26. Page That the rebellion of a Church man against his King is not treason because he is exempted from being the Kings subiect But so they were not in the dayes of Dauid Salomon Iehosophat Ezechias and Iosias which exercised supreme gouernment in causes Ecclesiasticall and ouer the high Priests themselues yet they are in the daies of Antichrist exempted from being obedient to Princes For the Church-men saith Bellarmine are as far aboue Kings as the soule aboue the body or more truly hee might haue said as the Pope aboue the Emperour and so haue ioyned the King of pride and his army together
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
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