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
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
not good first as he is good yea essentiall goodnesse cannot but require notwithstanding our wofull fall obedience at our hands to the fulfilling of his law through the purity of nature in which he created Adam Which purity lost being also the grouÌ„d and iustice out of the which the law should be kept no man though the Lord command obedience is able to performe the same For by sinne as Kellison saith we were dispoyled of grace Suruey pag. 254. And that force of grace had we none because sinne had depriued vs of it Likewise Saint Augustine cited by M. Whittaker against Campian saith Naturall gifts were corrupted the supernaturall extinguished Insomuch that the naturall mans vnderstanding as the Scriptures auerre is so farre off from doing the office of a Generall to direct the will to the effecting that which is good That it neither perceiueth 2. Cor. 2.14 Ephes 4.18 Rom 7.14 Ibid. 6.16.17.20 nor conceiueth the things of God And the will depriued of liberty to choose that which is good and wanting the direction of reason like an vnruly Souldier transgresseth coÌ„tinually the law through disordered motions and euill desires O euill is free will without God saith S. Augustine cited by Bishop Iewel Againe Man misusing his free will Apol. pag. 16. spilt both himselfe and his will Againe What do men presume so much of the possibility of nature it is wouÌ„ded it is maÌ„gled it is troubled it is lost it behoueth truly to confesse it then stedfastly to defend it Againe Free-will once made thrall auaileth nothing but sinne But to make this yet more manifest Rhem. pag 195. that neither the will nor vnderstanding haue life in them most excellent is that place cited by Doctor Fulke from the Councell of Arausican Chap. 7. That we are not apt to thinke any thing of our selues as of our selues If any man do hold that by force of nature he can thinke any good thing which pertaineth and is expedient to eternall life or that hee can choose to be saued that is to consent to the preaching of the Gospel without illumnation and inspiration of the holy Ghost which giueth to all men the sweetnesse in consenting and beleeuing the truth He is deceiued with an hereticall spirit not vnderstanding the voice of God saying in the Gospel Without me yee can do nothing And that of the Apostle Not that we are apt of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiency is of God And touching vnderstanding the Apostle saith The naturall man vnderstaÌ„deth not those things that be of the spirit of God For they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned So that neither the will nor vnderstanding haue heauenly life in them Therefore it is impossible to do good although the Lord commands it Neither is the Lord bound â—o woâ—k it in vs for he oweth vs nothing may leaue vs reprobate to be condemned for euer without impeachment to his goodnesse As he refused Esau when he loued Iacob Respecting them both as ill Rom. 9. Annotat. Rhem. as the Annotations vpon the Rhems teacheth and the one no lesse then the other guilty of damnation for originall sinne which was alike in them both And therefore where he might haue iustly refused both he saued of mercy one which one being as ill as void of grace as the other must therefore hold of Gods eternall purpose mercy eleâ—tion thâ—t he is prâ—fâ—rred before his brother which was â—lder then himselfe and no worse then himselfe Suruey pag. 58â— Secondly God as he is iust requireth obedience at our hands that our actions may be tryed by the diuine rule of iustice namely his law Otherwise as S. Augustine cited by Kellison teacheth No sinne should be if no law did forbid it If no sinne then no death Iâ— no death then Aâ—am should escape vnpunished contrary to Gods word which saith In the day that thou â—aâ—â—st thereof thou shâ—lt dye the death Yet God in commanding vs that which is good and in puniâ—hing vs doing euill and not good which both as Saint Augustine saith are damnable neither impeacheth hiâ— gooâ—nesse as we said before nor iustice the fault being ours that we transgresse and not Gods who created Adam and we in Adam able to performe his law as his word doth auerre his Angels witnesse and Kellison afore cited testifie Therefore if Princes for a momentary transgression may iustly punish their subiects with perpetual exile and death it selfe how much more may God that created Adam so glorious a creature both punish him for his rebellion all his posterity in him that spaâ—â—d not the Angels yet himselfe a most iust and good God According to that saying of Moses Perfect is the work of the mighty God Deut. 32.4 all his waies are iustice and iudgement God is true and without wickednesse iust and righteous is he Not cruell inhumane barbarous or tyranicall as the false Prophet Kellison like a prophane Marcionite vrgeth For as Aristotle a heathen could say Iustitiam esse hespero lâ—cifero sormosiorem Iustice is farre more beautifull then the euening and morning starre But to conclude against this most blasphemous hereticke with Saint Augustine Detrâ—ctor diabolum in lingua portat A slaunderer beareth the diuell in his tongue and yet maketh himselfe in the meane time as cunning as any Pelagian of whom Saint Augustine thus speaketh The Pelagians thinke themselues cunning men when they say That God would not command that thing that he knoweth a man is not able to do And who iâ— 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 Thus we see God is good in requiring that which is good at our hands and iust in punishing vs not performing the same And Kellison a blasphemous wretch to vrge the contrary to disgrace the truth the Lord of truth and the preachers of the same OPPOS 2. The Protestant Preachers auouching the lawes and commandements of God to be impossible giue occasion to all impiety Suruey of tâ—â— new religion Pag. 570. The Protestant preachers auerring the couenant of workes founded in nature and in the law of God impossible to be performed auouch the truth Yet teaching the true vse of the law direct the way to all piety Whereas Popish Iesuites and Priests making the law to be no law leade the way to all impiety as the sequele shall declare Although the promise of the law hath annexed condition impossible to be performed by any of the sonnes of Adam yet concerning the elect it is not without most excellent vse For first it serueth thâ— Spirit of God as an instrumentall meanes to bring them to the notion of sinne Secondly to worke a terrour in them for sinne And thirdly to be as a Schoolemâ—ister directing to Christ Concerning the
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