The first part of the Christian instruction, and general so[m]me of the doctrine, contained…The firste parte of the Christian instruction, and generall so[m]me of the doctrine, conteyned…

¶ Of the hindrance which the Christians do cause in the reformation of the church, more then all others, and of the end whereunto the suppostes of the popish church tend under the title and name of a Council.

¶ Of the hindraunce vvhich the Christians doe cause in the reformation of the church, more then all others, and of the ende vvhereunto the suppostes of the popishe church tend vnder the title and name of a Councell.

1. 1ii. Reg. xvii

Thou mayest well assure thy self that those worthy fathers, which travail there, tend to none other end, but to confirm and establish again, all their ancient errors, to the end they may have a more better colour ⟨p. 82⟩to defend and maintain them here after, and to persecute the children of God, and to bathe all Christendom, in the blood of poor Innocents, and true servants of God do they not apparently show, that they will not admit any reformation, which is conformable in any one point to Gods truth, and that they have no care, neither of peace ne yet of the union of Christendom, but only how to maintain their most filthy & damnable estate, and to oppress by their tyranny all true Christianity, and utterly to destroy it? For, if they were desirous to hear & understand the truth, & to bring into the right way, those which they hold for heretics, & Schismatics, why do they not there admit them, and frankly & safely receive them, & to hear their reasons, & to show them by the word of God (if their cause have good foundation in the same) their errors, wherein they say that they are? But they pass not for that: for they will not hear their judges, nor endure that the word of God shall judge them: knowing well that by it they are already condemned, but will be judges over it, and condemn it as their adversary. Truly their doings must needs be good, their conclusions good, & their condemnations lawful: In so much as they are both judges, parties, & witnesses, even as their predecessors were against Jesus Christ: & they have their hangmen, & executioners ready at hand, to execute their sentences. What difference is there, between such a Council, & a conspiracy of thieves, which swear together to take in hand, some enterprise to cut mens throats? What authority ought such a Council to be of? What prophets are there, & what doctors, what Christian princes, how may then all christendom lawfully receive for resolution & determination of the christian doctrine, & for a true reformation of the church, the conclusion y• shall be had in such a conspiracy of the enemies of God, & of all Christianity? There is no man of sound judgement, that will agree to this: for it is in a manner such a conspiracy, as was that which Solomon describeth of those which said: Let us lay ambushes to shed blood, ⟨p. 83⟩and let us lye in wait for yt innocent without cause.

It is a conspiracy like unto that of the false Priests, & false Prophets, ¹enemies of Jeremiah, which said: let us go, let us wound and smite with the tongue, for the Sacrificers shall never want wisdom. It is much like to y• which the Papists say: The Councils can not err. And if it be lawful to constrain men by force, that fear God, & with great strokes of swords, by wars, murders, & shedding of blood, & with great store of fagots, & mighty fires, as these worthy fathers do: I leave to thy judgement, what edification, what peace & union such a Council may bring to the church of Jesus Christ, & to all christendom.

It is a cōspiracie like vnto yt of the false Priests, & false Prophets, ¹enemies of Ieremie, which sayd: let vs go, let vs woūde and smite with the toung, for the Sacrificers shall neuer want wisedom. It is much like to y• which the Papistes say: The Coūcels cā not erre. And if it be lawfull to cōstrayne mē by force, yt feare God, & wc great strokes of swordes, by warres, murders, & sheding of bloud, & with great store of fagotes, & mighty fiers, as these worthy fathers do: I leaue to thy iudgemēt, what edificatiō, what peace & vnion such a Coūcell may bryng to the church of Iesus Christ, & to al christēdom.

1. 1Prou. i Jere. xviii.Prou. i Iere. xviii.

¶ What Counsel the true Christians ought to follow, in waiting for the general Council.

¶ VVhat Councell the true Christians ought to folovve, in wayting for the generall Councell.

T. What shall we then do, if this hope be taken from us? D. Though we have no occasion at all to conceive any good hope of the Council of Trent, yet will I not therefore say that all hope is taken from us forever: but I will only say that we living in this hope should be occasioned to stay without any further inquiring of the will of God, & without the assuring of our consciences in his word. And when such matter hath been in question, I have always been thus resolved in my self: Either there shall be a Council holden, or else there shall be none holden. Ff ther non holdē I am then deceived in my waiting for it: if there shall be one holden, I know not whether I shall live unto that time or no, or at the least to see the end, & conclusion thereof. And in the mean time if I dye, not being well resolved in my conscience of religion: I shall dye in great disquietness of conscience, and in great peril of my salvation, as thou mayest well understand by those matters, which have already ben debated sufficiently, and at large, between us. Wherefore I had rather in the mean time, to assure my self, following the admonition of our Lord Jesus Christ, which saith: Be upon your guard, watch and pray, and ¹do like that good servant that is always ready, & looketh for his master, not knowing what hour he shall come. We ⟨p. 84⟩are well assured that he shall come, but we neither know the day, ne yet the hour. Wherefore let us live alway in such estate, as becometh Christians to be, when he shall come, and then shall we never be suddenly taken.

T. WHat shall we then do, if this hope be taken from vs? D. Though we haue no occasiō at al to cōceiue any good hope of the Coūcell of Trēt, yet will I not therfore say that al hope is taken frō vs foreuer: but I will onely say that we liuing in this hope should be occasioned to stay without any further inquiring of the wil of God, & without the assuring of our consciences in his worde. And whē such matter hath bene in question, I haue alwayes bene thus resolued in my selfe: Either there shalbe a Coūcel holdē, or els there shalbe none holdē. Ff ther non holdē I am thē deceiued in my waityng for it: if there shalbe one holdē, I know not whether I shall liue vnto yt time or no, or at ye least to see ye end, & conclusiō therof. And in ye mean time if I dye, not being wel resolued in my cōscience of religion: I shall dye in great disquetnes of conscience, and in great perill of my saluation, as thou mayest wel vnderstand by those matters, whiche haue already ben debated sufficiently, and at large, betwene vs. Wherefore I had rather in the meane tyme, to assure my selfe, folowyng the admonition of our Lord Iesus Christ, whiche sayth: Be vpon your garde, watche and praye, and

¶ Of those which would agree the doctrine of Jesus Christ, and that of Antichrist together, and of the form of doctrine, compounded to such an end, called Interim, and of the vanity of the authors of the same.

¶ Of those vvhiche vvould agree the doctrine of Iesus Christ, and that of Antichrist together, and of the forme of doctrine, compounded to such an ende, called Interum, and of the vanitie of the authors of the same.

T. IN deed it is the most sure, but in the mean time it is a hard matter, to find any kind of Religion, wherein a man may so well continue in waiting for the general Council, as that which men call at this day the Interim D. Thou hast now put us into a very large field. I would gladly that these forgers of Interim, should declare unto me the very cause why, they do call this new form of Religion, which they have forged, by the name of Interim T. Thou doest well understand y• Interim, signifieth in the Latin tongue, in the mean time, or whilst. D. I do know that very well: yet notwithstanding I would gladly know what they mean by this word, in the mean time, or whilst. T. They mean as I think, y• that manner of life hath ben set forth only to that end, that men should live according to the same, in matter of Religion: whilst they away• for a Council, in the which more ample and more certain determination in matter of Religion, or else an other reformation, more perfect shall be had. D. Is not that a very wise Counsel? I would desire no more, but the title of this worthy manner of reformation, to declare the great vanity of the authors of the same. For either it is builded upon the word of God: or else it is against it. If it be agreeable to Gods word, there needeth not, either whilst, or until, for it shall be always good and holy, If it be against it, and if it endure but one hour, it shall continue over long, for so much as what so ever thing it be, that is against God, the same ought to have no place, neither for short, nor long time. ⟨p. 85⟩For it fareth not with gods kingdom as it doth with worldly kingdoms, neither with Gods laws over the which we have no power, as it doth with mans laws. For when a king is dead, there is a certain time between the decease of the dead king, and the creation of the new king, which is called enter reign, which is a time between both, which is properly called neither reign nor kingdom, for so much as there is, as yet no king chosen as head of the same, and men can not say, that there is utterly no reign or kingdom, for so much as the laws, and country stand in their full power and effect, saving only that they have not, as yet their king appointed & chosen. And the like is when a chief Magistrate dyeth in a Seigniory. Now this can have no place in the kingdom of God:

for the king thereof never dyeth. Wherefore as he is eternal, so are his laws eternal, and the order of life, which he hath given to his subjects. T. For so much as it is so, there needeth then nother other reign nor other law, nor yet Interim, as these men would have.

for the king thereof neuer dyeth. Wherfore as he is eternal, so are his lawes eternal, and the order of lyfe, whiche he hath gyuen to his subiectes. T. For so much as it is so, there needeth then nother other raygne nor other lawe, nor yet Interim, as these men woulde haue.

¶ For what cause and reason, the doctrine of the Interim, can not be re•eived neither into the Church of Christ, ne yet into the Popes Church.

¶ For vvhat cause and reason, the doctrine of the Interim, can not be re•eiued neither into the Churche of Christ, ne yet into the Popes Churche.

D. Therefore let us leave of this Interim, which doth so much confound it self, as ever did any thing: for it is made by such understanding and judgement, that no man may by reason approve it: for so much as in every respect, it is but a very Papistry, somewhat disguised, published, and covered with a mask, being finally different from the first. And therefore no man may follow the doctrine thereof, unless that he renounce the doctrine of Jesus Christ, and make a new alliance with that of Antichrist. T. Yea and it was not framed, but to the end it might by little & little, pluck back from the Gospel, such as had already professed it, and to bring them wholly in the end to Papistry again. D. In deed ⟨p. 86⟩it is accepted of none but of such men, for the papists will none of it, & that not without cause: for if they should receive it, they should condemn themselves, for so much as the Interim doth permit things which they do utterly condemn. Wherefore as soon as they shall have received & allowed it, their traditions are clean gone: for they have embraced this foundation to build their kingdom upon, that their Church can not err: because it is alway governed by the holy ghost. Wherefore if it should once by them be admitted which they have condemned: behold all their doctrine scattered & spilled, & consequently their kingdom overthrown. Afterward it will fare with them as it doth with a piece of work made of woollen third without any seam: which being once broken in any place, & that there be one third plucked out of it, all the rest follow after in order easily. For, if that they once do that, then must they needs confess ye either their Church hath not been governed by the holy Ghost, or else that they have an holy Ghost that may err. Wherefore, to avoid this inconveniency, they will leave no kind of thing which they have invented: they will never acknowledge their faults what or how many soever they be: notwithstanding that they know them apparently, & that they be enforced to condemn them in their own conscience, & that they be so foul, that the very beasts may judge of them. T. I have often times marvelled at that which thou now sayest: but now I do well see what it is that letteth them.

D. THerefore let vs leaue of this Interim, whiche doth so much confounde it selfe, as euer did any thyng: for it is made by such vnderstādyng and iudgement, that no mā may by reason approue it: for so much as in euery respect, it is but a very Papistrie, somewhat disguised, published, and couered with a maske, being finally different from the first. And therfore no mā may folowe the doctrine therof, vnlesse that he renounce the doctrine of Iesus Christe, and make a new aliance with that of Antechrist. T. Yea and it was not framed, but to the end it myght by litle & litle, plucke backe from the Gospell, suche as had already professed it, and to bryng thē wholly in the end to Papistrie agayn. D. In dede

¶ Of such Christians as be Neuters and indifferent, which follow the doctrine of the Interim: and of the mixture of the true & false doctrine, & how much it displeaseth god.

¶ Of such Christians as be Nevvters and indifferent, vvhiche folovv the doctrine of the Interim: and of the mixture of the true & false doctrine, & hovv much it displeaseth god.

D. For so much as it is so, we have no just occasion to dwell at all upon these Interimists, ne yet upon their Interim, which is a name whereunto men may join whatsoever they will. It is a beast that hath a very strong and a ⟨p. 87⟩mighty back, which will bear what soever men will lay on him. It is a name made of an adverb, which doth very well agree with the Grammar, of those Grammarians, which have forged it. For even as their Grammar. (I mean their divinity) is strange and different from all other doctrines, and especially from the true divinity of the sacred Scriptures, even so his language is very new, and strange, and hath his rules utterly different. The Greek and Latin Grammar, have the Masculine, Feminine, and Neuter Gender, the Hebrew hath but the two first, and wanteth the Neuter. And contrarily the Interim, hath neither Masculine nor Feminine, for he is neither Male nor Female: but is Neuter, or at the least compounded of Male and Female: and so must needs by common, and must needs be Male and Female, both together, or else he can be neither the one, ne yet the other. T. Then shall he be a Monster. D. Yea in deed very monstrous, and so contrary to the word of God, as nothing more: for his Grammar is like to the Hebrew Grammar. It alloweth no Neuter ¹Gender, and hardly doth it any common. It doth not permit to couple the Ox, and the Ass together in the plough, no more doth it permit to sow a field, with sundry kinds of grain, ne yet to make a cloth, of sundry stuffs and substances. It condemneth also the confusion of seed, of nature in beasts, and other living creatures, & holdeth those beasts for unclean, that are engendered by beasts of sundry kinds, as are Mullets, and Mules, and such other like, In the which it is plain, that the Lord hath had a further regard then to those things, when he gave such laws: & that he would admonish his people by those same, to observe good order in all things, & to eschew & avoid all confusion and disorder. Then if the mixture and confusion of sundry things do displease him, it must needs then displease him more, when that the greater part is the worst, as it is in the Interim. For there is very little pure ⟨p. 88⟩doctrine in it: and that which is, is so darkened and corrupted, that nothing is more.

Wherefore this common kind, by which he will be as a mean between the doctrine of Jesus Christ, and y• of Antichrist, doth right well be seem him. For common in the Scripture, is as much to say as polluted and defiled, as witnesseth Saint Mark in his. 7. chap. and Saint Peter in the Acts of the Apostles the. 10. chapi. And in our language, a common woman, is a whore. This Interim in like manner, maketh us common Christians, and Neuters, like unto the Samaritans. For even as the Samaritans were properly neither Jews, ne Pagans, but were made of them both: even so are these men properly neither Evangelic Christians, ne yet Papists, but a certain confusion, and mingle mangle of both together. T. Albeit that the doctrine of this Interim, be not in all respects so pure and perfect, as we would have it, is it not yet better to have it so, then to have it more corrupted, and to be such as is the doctrine of the Papists. D. In deed in one thing it is to be preferred, before the Popish doctrine, whereof thou speakest: which is that the poison that therein is, is more hidden. Wherefore it is the more dangerous, and the more to be feared and rejected. T. It is very true.

Wherefore this common kynde, by whiche he wil be as a meane betwene the doctrine of Iesus Christ, and y• of Antichrist, doth right wel be seeme hym. For common in the Scripture, is as much to say as polluted and defiled, as witnesseth Saint Marcke in his. 7. chap. and Saint Peter in the Actes of the Apostles the. 10. chapi. And in our language, a common woman, is a whore. This Interim in like maner, maketh vs common Christians, and Newters, like vnto the Samaritanes. For euen as the Samaritanes were properly neither Iewes, ne Paganes, but were made of them both: euen so are these men properly neither Euangelique Christians, ne yet Papistes, but a certayne confusion, and mingle mangle of both together. T. Albeit that ye doctrine of this Interim, be not in all respectes so pure and perfect, as we would haue it, is it not yet better to haue it so, then to haue it more corrupted, and to be such as is the doctrine of the Papistes. D. In dede in one thinge it is to be preferred, before the Popish doctrine, wherof thou speakest: which is that the poison that therin is, is more hidden. Wherfore it is the more daungerous, and the more to be feared and reiected. T. It is very true.