of in the booke of the Actes but this must bee doen accordyng to the rules and canons of the Apostles If they be blamelesse the husbande of one wife vigilante sober and apte to teache c. Secondlie it hath aucthoritie to teache by the lawfull ministers I meane by these ministers that are lawfully chosen with the laiyng on of handes accordyng to the rule and Cannons of the Apostles And these ministers ought to teache and set foorthe none other thyng then thei haue receiued of the Lorde hauyng alwaies before their eyes the saiyng of Christ our Sauiour Docete eos obseruare quaecunque precepi vobis Teache them to keepe and obserue all thynges what soeuer I commaunde you And the same it is that we call Potestatem clauium The power of the keyes which as it hath been sufficientlye declared before consisteth in preachyng free remission of synnes vnto the faithfull and true repentaunte synners and eternall condemnation vnto the vnfaithfull and vnrepentaunte Whiche thyng if it bee duely dooen accordyng to the institution and ordinaunce of our Sauiour Christe taketh no lesse effecte then if it were doen in heauen And vnder this doe we comprehende the aucthoritie that the churche hath to excommunicate open synners and to receiue them again if thei shewe true tokens of repentaunce and of amendemeÌ„t of life Thirdely the true and faithfull Churche hath aucthoritie to minister the sacramentes by the ministers thervnto lawfully appoincted so that it bee doen accordyng to the institution and ordinaunce of our sauiour Iesu Christe vsyng suche tymes and seasons as thei shall thinke moste expediente for the same Fourthly and laste of all it hath full aucthoritie and power to examine the doctrines and to trie the spirites whether thei bee of God or not as it is manifeste and plaine by these saiynges Lette twoo or three Prophetes speake in the Churche and let other iudge Againe Proue all thynges and holde that whiche is good Saincte Ihon saieth Dearely beloued try the spirites whether thei bee of God or not But this triall muste bee doen with the touchestone of Gods woorde whiche with the holie ghoste ought to be the chiefe president in all Sinodes and Counsailes So saincte Augustine saieth againste Maximinus these woordes Nowe neither ought I to alledge the Counsaile of Nice nor thou the counsaile of Ariminum to take aduauâ—tage thereby for I am not bounde to the aucthoritie of the one nor thou restrained to the determination of the other Sed scripturarum authoritatibus non quorumque proprijs sed vtrisque communibus testibus res cumre causa cum causa ratio cum ratione concertet But by the aucthorities of the Scriptures not peculiar witnesses vnto either of vs but common and indifferent vnto vs bothe let one matter with an other cause with cause and reason coÌ„tende with reason Saincte Hierome therefore saieth Omni studio legende nobis sunt scripturae in lege domini meditandum die ac nocte vt probati trapezite sciamus the scriptures are to be read of vs with all diligence and to meditate daie and night in the lawe of the lorde that we maie become perfecte exchaungers to knowe the false counterfecte doctrine froÌ„ the true doctrine of Christe Sainct Origene also hath these woordes Sensus nofiri enarrationes sine scripturis testibus non fidem habet Our iudgemente and expositions without witnesse of the holie scripres haue no credite Thus wee maie plainly see that all our matters muste bee tried by the Canonicall bookes of the holy Scriptures So farre foorth doth the aucthoritie of the true Churche extend which as it can not erre as long as she taketh gods word the holy ghost for her guide so assoone as she forsaketh Gods worde and the guidyng of the holie ghoste she falleth into all kinde of errours at length doeth become the Synagogue of Satan the Church of the malignaunt the stinckyng haâ—lot of antichriste Howbeit the whole vniuersal Church doth neuer so fall awaie from the truthe of Goddes woorde but that God dooeth alwaies preserue vnto hym selfe a certaine number whiche will neuer agree nor consente vnto vngodlinesse and from whom the spirite of trueth is not taken awaie And because that these bee vnknowen of the worlde as thei that lacke the outwarde tokens and signes of the true Churche of Christe whiche are the preachyng of Gods worde and the ministration of the sacramentes and the vse of true discipline accordyng to the institution and ordinaunces of the Lorde are commonly called the inuisible Churche not bicause that men are inuisible whiche thyng can not be as long as they bee here conuersaunt vpon the earth but bicause that thei be only knowen and seen of God who knoweth onely who be his who be not And this faithfull congregation whether it hath the outwarde signes of the true Churche of Christ or not as long as it beareth aboute this body of synne is subiect to many infirmities but for Christes sake thei are not imputed for when it is saide that it is without spot or wrinkle that is to be vnderstanded by imputation through Iesus Christ our sauiour And therefore it is called the glorious congregation And I doe also beleue with sainct Augustine that this catholique Churche is the Barne floore of the Lorde and that in it vntill the daie of iudgement Chaffe shal be mixed still with the Wheate My meanyng is this that in the Church both good and badde true beleuers and hypocrites are conteined together in the felowship of the sacramentes and that it shall be so vnto the worlds ende Whiche thyng we doe learne by the parable of the good seede and of the Darnell and of the Nette that is cast into the Sea and whiche doeth drawe of all kynde of fishes vnto the shore But we must in the meane while beware that we do not because of the Chaffe Darnell and rotten fishes seuere and diuide our selues from the Churche as the wicked Anabaptistes doe which for euery triflyng matter do diuide them selues from the Churche though the worde of God bee neuer so finely nor sincerely preached and the Sacramentes moste rightly ministred according to the institution and ordinaunce of the Lorde Why do we not rather folowe the godly counsell of the blessed Martyr of God S. Cyprian that he geueth vnto vs Although saith he Darnel Tares are seen to be in the church yet our faith and charitie ought not to be letted that bicause we do sée Tares and Darnell to be in the Church we shoulde therfore forsake the Church but rather we ought to endeuour our selues that we may be good corne that when the good corne is gathered into the Garners of the Lorde we maie receaue a rewarde of our labour and worke Also in a great house there be many vessels not only of Golde and Siluer but
in the Popes Boate his Oares will directly rowe thée to that hauen and porte where doctour Storie of late caste his Anker and brake his necke and for that his handes were haltered he gaue all traiterous Papistes the Popes blessyng with his heeles at Tybourne An ende and blessyng mooste meete for all sortes of Papistes God of his mercie quickely conuerte theim that are aliue or els good Lorde sende a merie winde to blowe them all into that course that Felton and Storie before haue runne For I am fullie perswaded that what soeuer he bee high or lowe riche or poore that holdeth with any Popishe or Papisticall doctrine he is a rancke traitour in his harte and when tyme serueth it will so fall out in proofe as daiely experieÌ„ce teacheth vs by our late traiterous rebelles whiche soughte the suppressyng of the faithe of Christe the ouerthrowe of the Queenes Maiestie and vtter desolation of this our Realme If the almightie Lorde had not preuented them of his mercie towardes vs. What resteth now but that we loue God and his worde and obeye our Queene and her Magistrates and also to consider our waies and sée whether wee walke as he hath taught vs For there is no heauen but his dwellyng place no walkyng vnto it but by his coÌ„maundementes and his commaundementes no where to be founde but in the holy Scriptures which he hath left vs Next vnto Gods glory we haue nothing so precious as the sauegarde of our soules And where shal we finde it but in the worde of god And here I make an ende of this my long preface most heartely besechyng thée to accepte in good parte this simple and rude worke of myne consider my good meanyng and wyll towardes the buildyng of Gods Churche who woulde haue giuen thée better if better he had in store I must warne thée not to looke in this booke for the pleasaunt speache of Isocrates nor the high stile of Demosthenes nor for the excellent dignitie of Plato nor the eloquent wordes of Cicero or for the reuerende maiestie of Theucidides For then thou wilt foulie be deceiued But for bare and simple wordes for I seeke not goods but God not gasinges but gayne not prayse but profite not mony but men Therefore gentle and freendly reader if thou receiue any fruicte of my labours helpe mée with thy prayers to God our Father in the name of his Soonne and our onely Sauiour In readyng hereof let reason leade thée lette the aucthorities perswade thée and let trueth enforce thée GOD of his mercie quickely conuerte or soone ouerthrowe al his enimies and the Quéenes fooes that holde of any doctrine contrarie to the true and christian faith Confounde all errours O Lorde giue the victory to thy trueth and glory to thy holy and blessed name now and for euer Amen ¶ Fare well Gentle Reader from Redcliffe in Bristoll ¶ Thy poore brother in Christ Iohn Northbrooke Preacher ¶ The contentes of all the Chapiters OF Gods creation and gouernaunce of all thinges of Christes conception and birth of his death and passion c. Cap. 1. fol. 1. Christes death and passion is a sufficient sacrifice for all mankinde Cap. 2. fol. 2. The meanes whereby the death and sacrifice of Christ may be applied vnto vs. Cap. 3. fol. 3. Of Christes burial and the profite that we haue gotâ—en therby Cap. 4. fol. 4. How many wayes this worde hell is taken in the scripture and after what maner Christ descended into hell Cap. 5. fol. 5. Reasons and argumentes of those that holde that Christe went downe to hell in his soule Aunswered Cap. 6. fol. 7. Christ is our true Purgatorie and the Papists purgatorie is falle Ca. 7. fo 9. Popishe purgatorie is flat against the worde of god For it maketh Christes death and passion of litle or none effect Cap. 8. fol. 11. Against praying for the dead and apparations of the dead after their departing hence Cap. 9. fol. 14. Children that are dead borne or dye before that they can come to baptisme not damned nor yet go into the Popishe Lymbe Cap. 10. fol. 15. What comfort we haue gotten by Christes rising from death againe and that it shoulde be vnto vs as a glasse in this life Cap. 11. fol. 31. Of Christes ascention into heauen and howe it is saide that he fitteth at the right hand of god c. And after what maner he is here amongst vs. ca. 12. fo 34 Christes humane body can be but in one place at once and not in many and diuers places Cap. 13. fol. 37. Against Popishe transubstantiation Cap. 14. fol. 40. what it is to be guiltie of the body and blood of Christ. Cap. 15. fol 47. The â—acrament ought to be ministred to all the people in both kindes Cap â–ª 16. fol. 49. Against worshipping of the Sacrament Cap. 17. fol 56. How the vnworthy receauers are guiltie of the body and blood of Christe although he be not corporally in the Sacrament Cap. 18. fol. 59. whether the papistes haue still the same bodie in the Sacrament that was geuen vpon the Crosse. Cap. 19. fol. 61. Against the carnall presence of Christ in the Sacrament Cap. 20. fol. 64. The wicked dooe neither eate nor drinke the bodie and blood of Christe Cap. 21. fol. 66. The true exposition of these wordes Hoc est corpus meum and that Sacraments are called by those names whereof they are Sacraments Cap. 22. fol. 68. The godlie in the olde lawe did eate and drinke the same fleshe and blood of Christ that we do nowe in the newe Testament Cap. 23. fol. 78. What comfort we haue by Christes ascention into heauen Cap. 24. fol. 79. Against praying and intercession to Saintes Cap. 25. fol. 80. Christ is both our mediatour of saluatioÌ„ and also of intercessioÌ„ Ca. 26. fo â—2 The principall argumentes that the papistes alledge for praying to Saintes Aunswered Cap. 27. fol. 85. Howe and wherein we ought to honour the Saintes Cap. 28. fol. 98. Of Christes comming to iudgement in the last daie Cap. 29. fol. 99. To whoÌ„ the sharpe sentences of the scriptures are terrible Cap. 30. fol. 102. The subtile meanes that Satan vseth to bring vs into securitie Cap. 31. fol. 104. The Pope is Antechriste and that man of sinne which shal be reuealed before Christes comming to iudgement Cap. 32. fol. 107. The strength operation of the holy ghost working in vs. Ca. 33. fo 108. What is the true Churche of God and where it is Cap. 34. fol. 111. Christe is the head of his Churche and not the Pope Cap. 35. fol. 112. All the Apostles had equall power to binde and to loose with Peter and the keyes were equally deliuered to them all Cap. 36. fol. 113. The true Churche of Christ is but as a witnesse to the worde of God adding nothing to it nor taking ought from it Cap. 37. fol. 117. The true Churche is knowen by the worde of God. Cap. 38. fol.
vnto death to those that beléeue not But howsoeuer men liste to take it this shal be my beléef that the goyng downe of Christ into hell is our deliueraunce from thence For excepte our sauiour Christe had been enuironed and compassed aboute with the sorowes and paines of hell and in a maner ouerwhelmed with them for a while hell would haue swallowed vs vp vnto euerlastyng damnation we should haue perished vtterly both in body and soule wee should neuer haue escaped the tyranny of Sathan nor be healed of the deadly wounde that we haue receiued of that olde venimous serpent the deuill and enimie to our saluation So that I denie not that article of Christes discention but of the maner howe is the question for when it is saide he will not leaue his soule in hell he speaketh not of his discendyng into hell of the damned but that he shal rise againe from the dead that is he shall not leaue hym in death or liyng continuallie in the graue For the soule in that place is taken for the whole naturall man c. For seeke all the scriptures from one ende to a nother and ye shall neuer finde that Christ in body or soule discended into hell but that he died and rose againe the thirde daie accordyng to the Scriptures For you shall note that the East Churche had it not the Counsell of Nicen Creede hath it not nor the Counsell of Ephesus c. But to be short ye shal vnderstande that christ descended into hell three maner of waies Videl Firste in power as when the Uaile of the Temple did rent in twaine from the top to the bottome and the earth did quake and the stones were clouen and the graues did open them selues and many bodies of the Sainctes whiche slept arose and came out of the graues after his resurrection and went into the holy Citie and appeared vnto many Secondly in spirite when as he saide my soule is heauy euen vnto the death and when he cried my God my my God why hast thou forsaken mee The thirde in person when as he was laide in the graue as we reade that thei tooke the body of Iesus and wrapped it in linnen clothes with the odours as the maner of the Iewes is to bury Paul saith now in that hee ascended what is it but that he had also descended first into the lower parte of the earth This deare brother is my beleefe grounded vpon the worde of GOD and not vpon men or mens dreames or phantacies And reporte not that I doe denie any article of the faithe God forbid I should wherfore reade with iudgement and with the spirite of mildenes come not pre iudicio but with iudicio Some there be againe that be of opinion that the soule of Christe went not downe into the hell of the damned but that it went onely downe for to deliuer the Patriarkes and other holy fathers of the olde Testament out of the Lymbe ▪ and also for to deliuer the soules of them that were of lesse perfection then the Patriarkes and other holy fathers out of the paines of purgatory where they were kepte for to make satisfaction for those synnes that they had done no penaunce for in this worlde But as for Lymbe I knowe none but Abrahams bosome whiche to saie truely is that moste blessed life whiche they that dye in the faithe that Abraham did shall enioye after this worlde ¶ The .vij. Chapiter ¶ Christe is our true Purgatorie and the Papistes Purgatorie is false AS for Purgatorie I knowe none other but the blood of Iesu Christe our onely sauiour that doth cleanse vs from all our sinnes Againe none other fire doe I know in all the Scriptures that hath any vertue or power to purge synnes but the fire of his holy spirite wherewith he promised to Baptize his elect and chosen and the fire of his sacred and diuine word whereof hym selfe speaketh on this maner ye are cleane bicause of the woorde that I haue spoken vnto you This is true purgatorie wherein all muste be purged afore that they can enter into the kingdome of God. That other Purgatorie that they haue inuented of their owne heades without and against Gods worde is a most deuillishe and abhominable blasphemyng against the merites and bloodshedding of our sauiour Christes death and Passion For by it the onely begotten sonne of God is made an vnperfect sauiour and of lesse aucthoritie power and strength then they will haue that fleshely ydoll of Rome and most pernicious antichriste to be vnto whom they dare attribute and giue full aucthoritie and power to absolue men and to graunte vnto them a ful pardon of all their synnes euen a poena a culpa that is to say to deliuer them not onely from the offence it self but also from the paine or punishment that is due vnto it Whereas poore Christe who hath shed his heart blood for vs and who hath troden the Wine presse alone is scarcely able by their doctrine to forgeue vs our offences at least he cānot release vs of the paine For if it be of his forgeuing we must suffer the paines that be due vnto our synnes in the fire of Purgatorie till we haue made satisfaction for them or till we haue bought them out at the antichristes handes and at the handes of his shauelinges or els we muste make a full satisfaction for them here in this worlde whiles we are here yet a liue if at least we entend for to escape that whot burning fire of theirs So that euery waie Christe shall be but halfe a a Sauiour and God his father a moste abhominable and deceitfull lyer for he saieth at what tyme soeuer a synner doth repent hym of his synne from the bottome of his harte I wil put his wickednes out of my remembraunce so that it shall no more be thought vpon How is this promise fulfilled I praie you if he doe so cruelly punishe our wickednes and offences in the fire of purgatorie after that he hath forgeuen and pardoned them Is this to thinke no more vpon them what can these deuillishe and abhominable Sophisters alledge nowe for them selues will they saie that GOD is a lier and that he doeth not performe and fulfil his promises moste truely either they must saie so what startyng holes soeuer they can finde out or els confesse and acknowledge that their doctrine is most detestable and also blasphemous against the trueth of Gods promises and against the merites of the moste precious death passion and bloodsheddyng of his onely begotten sonne our Sauiour Iesu Christe And in a nother place this moste mercifull Father and bounteous Lorde who is alwaies true and most faithfull in all his promises doeth crie out saiyng I am he I am he that taketh awaie thy wickednes and that for mine owne sake and thy synnes will I remember no more Here
reioycyng against hell For ascending vp into heauen he hath ledde captiuitie captiue and hauyng spoyled his enimies he hath enriched and doth dayly enriche his people with heauenlye richesse preseruyng and defending his Churche with the mightie strength of his arme against the malicious and cruell tyrantes of Sathan the deuyll and of all the mightie rulers of darknesse whom he doth in despite of their heartes brydle and kepe in that they can do no more than he suffereth them and appointeth them to doe for the setting foorth of his owne glorie for the triall of his elect and edifiyng of his congregation and Churche Thirdly we learne by his ascending vp into heauen that we ought not to seke for him here in the earth nor vpon the earth nor about the earth as S. Ambrose writeth but in heauen aboue where he sitteth on the right hande of the father that therefore we can do him no greater honour and seruice than to worshippe him in spirite and trueth bestowing for his sake and loue vppon his poore néedie members all that we coulde finde in our heartes to bestowe vpon him if he were still here vpon the earth conuersaunt among vs And therefore to put vs in remembraunce of the true seruice that he doeth require at our handes he saieth Ye shall haue the poore with you alwayes and whensoeuer ye wyll ye may do them good but me ye shall not haue alwayes We learne also by it that we shoulde in no wyse set our mindes vppon this transitorie worlde sith that our head hath forsaken it and hath taken away his corporall presence from it but that we shoulde go and walke through it as pilgrimes and straungers hauyng alwayes our conuersation aboue in heauen where he sitteth on the right hande of his father and where we shall haue with him a permanent or euerlastyng Citie of a moste strong and sure buildyng and of such a foundation that it can neuer be shaken nor remoued Whereby the shamefull errour both of the Iewes and also of those that folowed them is quite ouerthrowen which did thinke that the Messias should tarie and reigne here beneath in the earth with his elect and chosen for by his ascension vp in to heauen he did sufficiently declare vnto vs that his kyngdome is not of this world but that it is heauenly and eternall But this ought to be moste comfortable of all that by his ascendyng vp we are assured to haue a most mightie intercessour and aduocat with the father For sith that he doeth continually appeare before the face of God for vs we ought not to doubt but that he is our intercessour aduocate mediatour Therefore we neede to feare no maner of thyng whether it be in heauen or in earth if wee haue a stedfast confidence and trust in hym For sith that he is true God without doubt he is almightie Sith that he is of one substaunce and power with the father al that his father hath is his Sith that he hath béen to the father obedient vnto the very death of the Crosse and that he is his welbeloued sonne we haue no occasion to feare that his father will say hym naie of any thing that we aske of hym in his name On the other side sith that Christ is our brother fleshe of our fleshe and bone of our bones and also our head without al doubt he doth loue vs he hath pittie and compassion vpon vs we ought not therfore to thinke that he will forsake his owne fleshe or that he wil suffer his deare and welbeloued spouse to perishe For he hath therefore put on our fleshe and hath taken vpon hym all our infirmities beyng temped in all thynges like vnto vs but yet without synne thereby to assure vs that we haue a Bishop that knoweth our infirmities and miseries and that can haue compassion vpon vs and that whatsoeuer doeth happen or chaunce to be doen vnto vs beyng his liuely members he will impute it to be done vnto himselfe as it doth most plainely appeare by the words that he spake vnto Saul who persecuted his Churche and that also as head of the whole body he is readie to deliuer his members from all miseries and calamities as he hymselfe was deliuered But here wyll I bring in the comfortable scriptures that do certifie vs that we haue in the court of heauen such a mightie freende whiche hauyng all power geuen vnto him both in heauen and in earth doeth alwayes appeare before the face of the great and eternall God which ought to be vnto vs a marueylous assuraunce and comfort against all temptations and peryls These be the wordes of the blessed Apostle S. Paule It is Christe which is dead yea rather which is risen againe which is also on the right hande of God maketh intercession for vs. Againe This man because he endureth for euer hath an euerlasting priesthoode wherefore he is able also to saue them fully or perfectly that come vnto god by him euerliuing for to make intercessiō for them And in the same epistle christ saieth he is not entred in to the holye places that are made with handes which are but similitudes of true thinges but is entred into verie heauen for to appeare nowe in the sight of God for vs Doth not the blessed Euangelist S. Iohn saie also My little children these thynges write I vnto you that ye sinne not Yet if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ whiche is righteous These Scriptures doe sufficiently teache vs that we haue such a frende intercessour aduocate in the heauenly courte that nothyng can bee denied vnto hym of the father Yea hée hymselfe whiche can not lie speaketh these most swéete and comfortable wordes vnto vs all Uerely verely I saie vnto you whatsoeuer you shall aske the father in my name he will geue it vnto you Hauing then so many notable sentences and testimonies of the infallible worde of God whereby we are assured that the onely begotten sonne of God is our aduocate and mediatour and that he doth nowe appeare before the face of the father for to make intercession for vs. The .xxv. Chapiter ¶ Aganst praiyng and intercession to Sainctes WHat néede haue we to flye vnto dead creatures I meane vnto dead Sainctes for to make them our aduocates and intercesours Sith that wee haue not one onely syllable in all the whole Scriptures that biddeth vs so to doe ▪ Againe Where haue wee any promise in the booke of God that we shall haue accesse vnto God by them or that we shall the rather obtaine our petition praiers and requestes by their intercessions and mediations whatsoeuer saith the apostle is not of faith is synne But this praiyng vnto dead sainctes that they should make intercession vnto God for vs is not of faith for why it hath no grounde at