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…

¶ What praise is due to good princes & Magistrates, which employ them selves in the reformation of the Church, and what fruit it getteth by their labour and office, as well for the cause of the faithful, as of the hypocrites: and of the changes that happen in Religion, according to the princes that reign.

¶ VVhat prayse is due to good princes & Magistrates, which employ them selues in the reformation of the Church, and vvhat fruite it getteth by their labor and office, as vvell for the cause of the faithfull, as of the hypocrites: and of the chaunges that happen in Religion, accordyng to the princes that raygne.

T. I Say not the contrary, or otherwise, when the Church is troubled and scattered, we should reject the means, which God hath given to repair it: which we may not do without tempting of God. Wherefore I do very well allow the goodwill and diligence of such as travail faithfully in the procuring of a lawful Council, or Synods, such as are requisite in the Church of God: and I Judge those princes worthy of great praise, which according to the example of Hezekiah, ¹and Josiah, do endeavour them selves to reform those Churches, that are within their liberties and countries. For albeit that many dwell still in their old skins, yet do they their duty, for their part. They glorify in their offices, they do assure & entertain the good in peace. They are a means to make strong those that are weak, and do discharge their ⟨p. 98⟩souls from the blood of such as perish through their own default, and not in that, that they have not done their duty. And therefore I deny not but that of lawful Councils, there cometh often times great profit, for a certain time, for the police and outward peace of the Church: but I say that they are not sufficient thoroughly to appease the troubles that are in Christendom, and to edify perfectly the inward man, & to quiet the conscience in deed, and to give it true quietness and assurance, if nothing else. They are unto the wicked as the authority of the sword and of the Magistrate, & may well stay their hands & feet, but they can not alter nor change ²their hearts, which only God hath in his hand, even as the division of waters, and inclineth them to what part he will. We have the example hereof very plain in Hezekiah, and Josiah, of whom we have already spoken: whilst these good kings lived all errors, abuses, Idolatries, and superstitions were abolished outwardly, and put away from among the people of God, and the Church was well reformed: but it was not clearly plucked out of the harts of them all, but was secretly nourished, unto that time, that occasion was offered to declare them selves, as experience doth witness. For as soon as they had changed their king, and that they had a prince which was an Idolater, the people forthwith changed with the prince, and returned immediately to their first Idolatry, as it came to pass under Manasseh, Joachim, and Zedechias.

T. I Say not the contrarie, or otherwise, when the Churche is troubled and scattered, we should reiect the meanes, whiche God hath gyuen to repayre it: whiche we may not do wtout tēpting of God. Wherfore I do very wel alow the goodwil and diligence of such as trauail faithfully in ye procuring of a lawful Councel, or Synodes, such as are requisite in the Churche of God: and I Iudge those princes worthy of great prayse, which accordyng to the example of Ezechias, ¹and Iosias, do endeuour them selues to reforme those Churches, that ar within their liberties and countreys. For allbeit that many dwell still in their olde skins, yet do they their duety, for their part. They glorifie in their offices, they do assure & entertayne the good in peace. They are a means to make strong those that are weake, and do discharge their ⟨p. 98⟩soules from the bloud of such as perishe throughe their own default, and not in that, that they haue not done their duety. And therfore I deny not but that of lawful Councels, there commeth often tymes great profite, for a certaine tyme, for the pollice and outward peace of the Church: but I say that they ar not sufficient thorowly to appease the troubles yt are in Christendome, and to edifie perfectly the inwarde man, & to quiet the conscience in deede, and to gyue it true quietnes and assuraunce, if nothyng els. They are vnto the wicked as the authoritie of the sword and of the Magistrate, & may wel stay their hands & feet, but they cā not alter nor chaūge ²their heartes, whiche onely God hath in his hād, euen as the diuision of waters, and enclineth them to what part he wil. We haue the example hereof very playne in Ezechias, and Iosias, of whom we haue already spokē: whilest these good kynges lyued all errors, abuses, Idolatries, and superstitions were abolished outwardly, and put away from among the people of God, and the Churche was well reformed: but it was not clearely plucked out of the harts of them all, but was secretly nourished, vnto that tyme, that occasion was offred to declare them selues, as experience doth witnesse. For as soone as they had chaūged their kyng, and that they had a prince which was an Idolatrer, the people forthwith chaūged with the prince, and retourned immediatly to their firste Idolatrie, as it came to passe vnder Manasses, Ioachim, and Zedechias.

1. 1ii. Reg. xviii 22. 23 2. Chr. 29. 34. Ezech. iii.
2. 2Prou. 10

1. 1•. Re. xxiiii

¶ Of the hypocrisy of those that depend only upon men, in matter of Religion, and of the proof thereof.

¶ Of the hypocrisie of those that depende onely vpon men, in matter of Religion, and of the proofe therof.

D. Now from whence do these sudden alterations and changes proceed? but that the one sort are enforced ⟨p. 99⟩through fear to leave of, & to set a good face on it: as a horse doth whilst a man hath him short rained in his bridle, which after being put into the fields, as soon as he is at liberty, or else as a river which is letted or holden back by force of ramparts, which floeth forth violently, as soon, as they are broken. The other sort do change as the prince doth, because they dwell upon the authority and doings of men, and not upon the only word of God. And therefore I say, that even as the Councils, do make the one sort hypocrites, so make they the other, disciples of men, rather then of Jesus Christ. For, to receive a doctrine, and to believe it, for the authority and appearance of men, which do allow it, that is not properly to believe the word of God, although it be nothing else but the very pure Gospel: but it is to believe and wholly to put trust in men. For if those men, which by their authority have moved me to receive it, should happen to forsake it: I should be no less prest and ready to refuse & to shake it of with them, then I was to receive it and to allow it be their means. We do at this present see very plainly the experience hereof in those Churches, which here to fore have been reformed by the preaching of the Gospel, which at this present have received the Interim, and the Mass. For yt Interim is a very perfect token or proof for men to know in deed, who they be that have unfeignedly believed God, and his word, and which they be, that have dwelled upon men, and their authority, and have received the Gospel, either through hypocrisy and dissimulation for the love of men, and the hope of their own gain and fleshly liberty, or else by perfect faith and true simplicity of heart, and by yt very persuasion of the spirit of God in their conscience, for the health of their souls, & to serve to the glory of God. Those men that do change in such sort their faith, with every wind that bloweth, do plainly declare that they never understood Jesus Christ very well, when he said: Be ¹not ye called masters upon earth, for ye have a master in ⟨p. 100⟩heaven, to wit Jesus Christ.

D. NOw from whence do these sodaine alterations and chaunges procede? but that the one sort are enforced

¶ In what sort we may esteem men for masters and teachers, and in what manner we are made the disciples of Jesus Christ, or of men.

¶ In vvhat sorte vve may esteme men for masters and teachers, and in vvhat maner vve are made the disciples of Iesus Christ, or of men.

T. Doth he thereby forbid us, to have masters to teach us, and to call those masters of whom we receive instruction? D. How should he forbid it, considering it is he him self, that doth teach us by them that are nothing else, but the ministers of his grace, by whom he, which is our chief master, doth declare him self to us: wherefore should he else have sent his Prophets, Apostles, and disciples, to teach and preach his holy Gospel unto us? would he not that we should hear those that he sendeth unto us, as if it were him self in proper person, that speaketh to us, and doth teach us? Wherefore said he then to his Apostles, he that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that refuseth and despiseth you, refuseth & ¹despiseth me? and after immediately he showeth the reason: For it is not you that speak, but the spirit of your heavenly father that speaketh in you. T. What is there to be understood by these? how may we both have, and not have, masters upon the earth. D. If by hearing those that he sendeth unto us, we receive the doctrine which they preach unto us, and believe the same, not for their sake that speak unto us, ne yet for their great authority and appearance, neither for the opinion that we have of them, either to please them, or else to receive some worldly honour or profit at their hands: but only because it is the pure and true word of God, and that we hear yt voice of Jesus Christ our shepherd, through their mouth: being certain and assured by his holy spirit, that it is he that speaketh in them: we are not then the disciples of men, but of Christ. And then is that same fulfilled in us, which our Lord Jesus Christ allegeth of the Prophet Isaiah, and that which he him self expoundeth in the Gospel of S. John: And thy sons shall be all taught ²of God. Then who soever hath heard, and learned of the father, ⟨p. 101⟩cometh to me. For when we believe, having been so taught by God, it is for his sake, that we do receive the doctrine, ³and we take him for our master, and not the men: all beit that he doth communicate his name unto them, because that they are his servants and ministers: as the name of God is given unto Judges, Prophets, and to the elect of God, because that the Image of his majesty & justice doth shine and is present in them, although they be continually men, and not Gods. And on the contrary:

If I believe the doctrine which I hear, because that Tertullian or Cyprian. Origene or Chrysostom, Irene or Ambrose, Hierome or Augustine, Gregory or Isidore, Luther or Erasme, Eccius or Melanchthon, Gratian or Peter Lombard, master of the sentences, John the Scot or Thomas of Alquine, do preach and teach the same unto me: or else because that the Popes, and Cardinals, the Bishops, and others, whom I esteem rich, mighty and wise personages, of great virtue and holiness, do allow and commend the same, or else because that the Emperors, kings, princes, and Lords, the Italians and Spaniards, the Almains the French, and other nations do believe it: I am then no disciple of Jesus Christ in this doing, but a disciple of men.

Yf I beleue the doctrine whiche I heare, bycause that Tertullian or Cyprian. Origene or Chrisostome, Irene or Ambrose, Hierome or Augustine, Gregory or Isidore, Luther or Erasme, Eccius or Melancthon, Gratian or Peter Lombard, master of the sentences, Iohn the Scotte or Thomas of Alquine, do preache and teach the same vnto me: or els bycause that the Popes, and Cardinals, the Bishops, and others, whom I esteme riche, mighty and wise personages, of great vertue and holynes, do alowe and cōmend the same, or els bycause that the Emperors, kynges, princes, and Lordes, the Italians and Spaniardes, the Almaignes the Frēche, and other nations do beleue it: I am then no disciple of Iesus Christ in this doyng, but a disciple of men.

¶ Of the nature and virtue of true faith, and what difference there is between it and opinion.

¶ Of the nature and vertue of true fayth, and vvhat difference there is betvvene it and opinion.

T. According to this account there are mo disciples of men, then of Jesus Christ. For there are very few which have not greater regard to men, then to any thing else. D. Yet notwithstanding if it be so, their faith to say truth is no faith, but opinion, as it hath ben already declared. For seeing that it is not builded upon the authority of God, and his word, but only upon the opinion which I have of such personages, it may be no faith. For faith may have none other regard, object, subject, nor foundation, but God in Jesus Christ, & his only truth. If it have any other ⟨p. 102⟩foundation, if it be builded upon men, and upon the opinion that men shall have of them, it shall change as men do, and as the opinion doth that men have conceived. It shall fall when they fall, it shall be inconstant, variable and subject to change, even as they are. For she shall not be builded upon ¹the lively stone, which is Jesus Christ, and upon the sure foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, upon the which, the true Church must be builded, if it will endure against the gates of hell, and the whole hellish power, otherwise how may it be a faith? For these vices are as contrary to faith, as is the fire to the water. Wherefore, such as dwell upon men in this sort, and do not discern of things, nor prove the spirits whether they be of God or no, according to the Coū cell given by Saint John: What assurance may they have ²in their consciences? Whilst they are at rest, and that they be not assailed by temptations, nor wakened by the judgement of God, and that they do haunt among such as are of the same religion, that they are of, it seemeth unto them, that their faith is very sure & strong: but when they shall find them selves assailed with divers temptations, & compassed round with great dangers, & that God shall a little astone their con sciences with his judgement, they shall then find what stay they have of men, & that there is no perfect assurance, nor true quietness of conscience, but in the true faith, engendered in the hearts of men, by the very persuasion of the word & spirit of God. And if it should happen that they should be conversant among men of an other Religion, what would they then do? T. If they should be in Turkey, they would as well receive the laws of Mahomet, & refuse the Christian Religion, as the Turks do:

for they have even the same reasons and arguments to do it, as otherwise they have to accept or refuse that, which they have already received or disallowed. They would even do the like, if that they were among the Jews, or any other nation, which should hold any other religion, then the Christian. D. It is not to be doubted.

for they haue euen the same reasons and argumentes to do it, as otherwise they haue to accepte or refuse that, whiche they haue already receiued or disalowed. They would euē do the lyke, if that they were among the Iewes, or any other nation, whiche should hold any other religion, then the Christian. D. It is not to be doubted.

¶ Of the honour that is dew, to good and true teachers in the Church, and of the mean that we ought to keep, to the end that we do give neither to much, ne yet to little credit to men: & how perilous a thing it is, to trust to much to a mans own judgement.

¶ Of the honor that is devve, to good and true teachers in the Churche, and of the meane that vve ought to kepe, to the ende that vve do gyue neither to much, ne yet to little credite to men: & hovv perillous a thing it is, to trust to much to a mans ovvne iudgemente.

T. IF the matter be as thou sayest, to what purpose do the good doctors serve, which have received so many excellent gifts of God, for the edifying of his Church? D. I say not these things to despise or condemn them: for we should be to much unkind toward them, if we should condemn or despise them, considering they have taken so great pain to make the holy Scriptures more plain and easy unto us, and that by their labour we have had great commodity. They have sweat, to deliver us from a great deal of pain and travail, and have greatly holpen us with their labour, and made the way more plain for us. Also we should be to outrageous against God, if that we should despise them, blaspheming the gifts of his holy spirit which he hath bestowed among them. Wherefore, think not that I do allow the judgement of certain rash men, or favour a number of puffed proud spirits, who without any regard condemn all men, esteeming none but them selves. Because they have known that the world hath been seduced by giving to much credit to the judgements of men, and have been to light of credit, not enquiring of the truth, by the witness of the holy Scriptures, they have gone so far on the other side, that they are no less to be blamed, then those whom they do condemn. For if it be perilous to credit to much the judgements of men, so is it also dangerous, if that we give not that credit that we ought to do, to the judgements of those, which govern them selves according to the word of God. T. It is a very hard matter to keep measure and mean, and so to do thinking to avoid the one sort, of extremity and ⟨p. 104⟩peril, that we fall not more dangerously into the other. For if I give no credit to the judgement of others, but will dwell wholly upon mine own, and upon my opinion, wherein am I more worthy of praise, then they whom I do condemn? Am not I a man as they are? D. There is no doubt but if I do follow only mine own judgement, & fantasy, I follow the judgement of men, for I am no God, any more then other men are. If the others be to be blamed, because of their over much lightness, negligence, rash belief, & folly, so should I also fear that I be not subject to greater blame through folly, pride, self will & false persuasion of my self. T. Here is no small danger:

T. IF the matter be as thou sayest, to what purpose do the good doctors serue, which haue receiued so many excellent giftes of God, for the edifying of his Churche? D. I say not these thynges to despise or condempne them: for we should be to much vnkynde towarde them, if we should condempne or despise them, considerynge they haue taken so greate payne to make the holy Scriptures more playne and easie vnto vs, and that by their laboure wee haue had greate commoditie. They haue sweat, to delyuer vs from a greate deale of payne and trauayle, and haue greatlye holpen vs with their labour, and made the way more plaine for vs. Also we should be to outragious against God, if that we should despise them, blasphemyng the giftes of hys holy spirite whiche he hath bestowed among them. Wherefore, thincke not that I do alow the iudgement of certaine rashe men, or fauoure a nomber of puffed prowde spirites, who without any regarde condempne all men, esteemyng none but them selues. Bycause they haue knowē that the worlde hath bene seduced by gyuyng to much credite to the iudgementes of men, and haue bene to lyght of credite, not enquiryng of the truth, by the witnes of the holy Scriptures, they haue gone so farre on the other syde, that they are no lesse to be blamed, then those whome they do condemne. For if it bee perillous to credite to muche the iudgementes of men, so is it also daungerous, if that we gyue not that credite that we ought to do, to the iudgementes of those, which gouerne them selues accordyng to the worde of God. T. It is a very hard matter to kepe measure and meane, and so to do thinckyng to auoyde the one sorte, of extremitie and

but before all other things we ought to fear, least we stand to much in our own con- & trust to much to our own judgements & understanding, despising the judgements of others, & to be to much given and wedded to our own wills. For this vice is marvellous dangerous, & is the chief fountain and cause of all heresies and Schisms, which are the most dangerous pestilences, that may happen into the Church. D. Therefore have I said these things to the end that we might know how to follow that moderation, the which S. Augustine hath followed without giving more or less unto men, then faith & Christian charity may endure, yielding always to God, & to the canonical Scriptures, that honour which we do owe unto them, & taking good heed, that we give no more to Councils & to men, then to them, what appearance or show so ever they have For they that come to Councils, are men. And in that they are men: they are changeable, subject to errors and untruth. They do conclude according as the spirit is, by whom they are governed. If they be led by the spirit of God they will conclude in the favour of the truth: if they be led by the spirit of error, as were the Prophets of Ahab against Miche, they will maintain and confirm lies. ¹And by these means they, that shall follow them, shall be in very good case.

but before all other things we ought to feare, least we stand to much in our owne con- & trust to much to our owne iudgements & vnderstanding, despising the iudgementes of others, & to be to much gyuen and wedded to our own willes. For this vice is meruellous daungerous, & is the chief fountain and cause of all heresies and Scismes, whiche are the most daungerous pestilences, that may happen into the Church. D. Therfore haue I sayd these thinges to the ende that we mighte know how to folow that moderation, the which S. Augustine hath folowed without giuing more or lesse vnto men, then faith & Christian charitie may endure, yelding alwayes to God, & to the canonicall Scriptures, that honor which we do owe vnto thē, & taking good hede, that we gyue no more to Councels & to men, then to them, what apparēce or shew so euer they haue For they that come to Councels, are men. And in that they are men: they are chaungeable, subiecte to errors and vntruth. They do conclude accordynge as the spirite is, by whom they are gouerned. If they be led by the spirit of God they wyll conclude in the fauour of the truth: yf they be led by the spirite of error, as were the Prophetes of Achab agaynste Miche, they will maynetayne and confirme lyes.

¶ Of the difference that men ought to put between the doctrine and writings of the Apostles and Prophets, and of those that came after them, and the cause thereof.

¶ Of the difference that men ought to put betvvene the doctrine and vvritings of the Apostles and Prophets, and of those that came after them, and the cause therof.