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 Counsel they ought to follow, which have princes that are tyrants and enemies to the Gospel: and of the preparation to the cross for the same.

¶ VVhat Councell they ought to follovve, vvhich haue princes that are tyrauntes and enemyes to the Gospell: and of the preparacion to the crosse for the same.

T. This Counsel is very good. But what sayest thou of them which in stead of such princes, have cruel tyrants, who being drunk with the cup of the great whore of Babylon, do persecute furiously the poor children of God, & do daily bathe their bloody sword in the blood of the poor sheep of Jesus Christ? D. Let them pray heartily to God, that it may please him to appease their rage and fury, and that he will so change their hearts, that where they have been persecutors, they may become true feeders of the flock which God hath committed unto them, to save and defend them from the rage of that cruel beast, whose mark they have to long worn. In the mean time, because it is more to be feared that many of the Princes, Lords, and Magistrates, which have already tasted of the word of God, and laid hands to his work, should not loose their taste and wax cold, or should rebel against Jesus Christ in process of time, then there is of hope, according to mans judgement, and the face which the world showeth unto us at this present, that those which resist the truth will embrace it, receive & maintain it: therefore it is very needful in these latter days ye every man make ready himself betime to the cross. We have the experience hereof very plainly in many places.

T. THis Councell is very good. But what sayest thou of them which in stead of suche princes, haue cruell tyrauntes, who being dronke with the cup of the great whore of Babilon, do persecute furiously the poore childrē of God, & do dayly bathe their bloudie sworde in ye bloud of the poore shepe of Iesus Christ? D. Let them pray hartely to God, yt it may please him to appease their rage and fury, and that he will so chaunge their hartes, yt where they haue bene persecutours, they may become true feeders of the flocke which God hath committed vnto them, to saue and defend them frō the rage of that cruell beast, whose marke they haue to long worne. In ye meane time, because it is more to be feared that manye of the Princes, Lordes, and Magistrates, which haue alreadye tasted of the worde of God, and layde handes to hys worke, shoulde not loose their taste and waxe colde, or shoulde rebell agaynst Iesus Christ in proces of tyme, then there is of hope, according to mans iudgement, and the face which the worlde sheweth vnto vs at thys present, that those whiche resiste the truth will embrace it, receaue & maintaine it: therfore it is very nedeful in these latter daies ye euery mā make ready himself betime to ye crosse. We haue ye experience herof very plainly in many places.

D. It is not to be marvelled at. For Satan is continually most busted, about those personages that are most excellent. And also there is the corruption of our nature, and the favour or fear of men, which perverteth many. Therefore he that will be of the children of God, let him always have in his ¹mind these worthy sentences of Jesus Christ & of his Apostles: Who soever will be my disciple, let him give over himself, & bear his cross continually after me, and follow me. ²And again, who soever will live holily in Christ, he must suffer persecution. Again, men must enter into the kingdom of heaven by many tribulations. The time shall come that he which shall put you to death shall think he doth God service. For we should greatly deceive our selves if that we should promise to our selves in this world any rest and any estate or peaceable reign, abounding in all kind of pleasures & voluptuousness, and a continual peace, without any trouble or affliction. For we may not think that the kingdom of Jesus Christ, is any such reign, for so much as his kingdom is not of this world. Therefore he that would have such ³an one, let him seek it at yt hand of Antichrist: for his kingdom is in deed of this world. And further, when we are in this sort disposed, I know no better means, than to travail with all diligence to understand aright the will of God, by his word, and to amend our life according to y• rule thereof: desiring him earnestly to give us true understanding, & a hart to follow the same, & then welcome be what he shall send.

D. It is not to be maruelled at. For Sathan is continually most busted, about those personages that ar most excellent. And also there is the corruption of our nature, and the fauour or feare of men, which peruerteth many. Therfore he yt will be of ye children of God, let him alwayes haue in hys ¹minde these worthy sentences of Iesus Christ & of his Apostles: Who soeuer wil be my disciple, let him geue ouer himself, & beare his crosse continually after me, and followe me. ²

¶ Of the study of holy Scriptures, and of the decree which was made in the Council of Nice concerning the same: and of the excellency and authority of the Bible, and of his decrees.

¶ Of the studye of holy Scriptures, and of the decree vvhiche vvas made in the Councell of Nice concerning the same: and of the excellencie and authoritye of the Bible, and of his decrees.

T. I Find your Counsel, & your resolution very good, & for my part it seemeth unto me, that you have spoken that which is the most sure, & our duty is to enquire with all diligence, & by all means of the will of God, by his holy Scriptures. D. It is the Counsel y• Jesus Christ himself giveth, which saith: ⟨p. 141⟩Search you yt Scriptures: let us follow y• example of those of Beroa of whom it is spoken in the Acts of the Apostles. They ¹were not like to a rabble of obstinate persons, which will not hear at all: nor like unto a number of vain people, which lightly do allow all that ever is set forth unto them, without taking any deliberation, and not proving yt spirits whether they be of God or no: For they heard S. Paul, & then they searched the scriptures, to see if it were so as Paul had taught. And when they saw that he spake according to the Scriptures, they received his doctrine, as the doctrine of God. T. Here was a good order o proceeding. D. It is certain, for we must every one of us answer for himself in proper person, before the judgement seat of God, & not for others, nor yet by attorneys. Wherefore if others will not do their duty, but will tarry for a Council, let not us fail to do our duty & to follow better Counsel, if we may attain unto it. And if a Council be of value, why do we look for new councils? Why do we not cleave unto the old, which are holden long since, & ought to be of greater authority then the new? If we believe not & obey the ancient Councils, why shall we believe & obey the new, let us rather obey the Council of Nice which did ordain y• there should be none among the Christians but they should have Bibles, to learn in them the will of God: then to that in the which Antichrist & his Doctors have forbidden the common people to have them, & to read them in their natural tongues against the determination of the Christian Council. For the book of the Bible is the true book of the true and lawful Councils, and of the eternal ordinances of God, wherefore S. Augustine not without good cause said, that the authority of the scriptures is much greater then all the understanding of man is able to comprehend & know, how subtle, fine and perfect so ever it be: with the which sentence S. Chrysostom agreeth well, saying that the Council may ordain nothing against the word of God:

for what so ever ¹is ordained against the holy Scripture, is error.

for what so euer ¹is ordayned against the holy Scripture, is errour.

1. 1Hom. de perfect. Evang,Hom. de perfect. Euang,

¶ Of the true Councils which do excel all the rest in authority & are the rule by the which all the rest must be examined.

¶ Of the true Councels vvhich do excell al the reste in authority & ar the rule by the which al the rest must be examined.

T. Those which desire a Council, should consider in the same, what hath been ordained by yt ancient Councils, & by the holy Scriptures: to the end that men may know which is the true doctrine of the Church, & which men ought to embrace. D. We have very good mean to know it, and not to tarry at all for a Council. For among all the Councils there are chiefly two of the authority, that all the rest are nothing in comparison of them, by whom all the rest must be measured: whose decrees are so plain, that there is no doubt in them but that every man that will be governed by them, may understand them: as it is needful for all those that will be saved. T. I did think there had been four general Councils, to wit, that of Nice, of Constantinople, of Ephese, and of Chalcedone, the which S. Gregory confesseth to receive, allow, and honour, as he doth the four books of the holy ¹Gospel. D. I do also confess that these four were yt principal of all those that were holden sith the Apostles time: but it seemeth to me that Gregory doth give unto them more authority then he ought to do in comparing them to the books of the four Evangelists. But what soever they be, the two of the which I speak, are yet much more ancient then are those, & of far greater authority, for God himself in proper person did there preside, & did speak with his own mouth, & did there show his presence in great majesty, and by great and excellent miracles & tokens. T. In what place and at what time were these Councils holden? D. The first was holden in the Mount Sinai, in the beginning of the third month, after that God had brought the people of Israel forth of the land of Egypt. The other was holden in the country of Jewry, namely in the Mount Zion, in the City of Jerusalem, at that time that our Lord Jesus Christ was seen upon earth, and that he did accompany among men in the form of man, but they were called and assembled by other mean ⟨p. 143⟩then the Councils of the Papists, & holden in other sort.

T. THose which desire a Councell, shoulde consider in the same, what hath bene ordained by yt auncient Councells, & by the holy Scriptures: to the end yt men may know which is the true doctrine of ye Church, & which men oughte to embrace. D. We haue very good meane to know it, and not to tarye at all for a Councell. For among al the Councells there are chieflye two of ye authoritie, that all the reast are nothing in comparison of them, by whom all the reast must be measured: whose decrees are so plaine, yt there is no doubt in them but yt euery man yt wil be gouerned by them, may vnderstand them: as it is nedefull for al those yt will be saued. T. I did thinke there had bene foure generall Councells, to witte, that of Nice, of Constantinople, of Ephese, and of Chalcedone, the which S. Gregory confesseth to receaue, allowe, and honour, as he doth the foure bookes of the holy

¶ Of the authority of the princes and of the Popes concerning the Councils: and of the Popes tyranny in that behalf, and what advantage he hath at this present.

¶ Of the authoritie of the princes and of the Popes concerning the Councells: and of the Popes tyrannie in that behalfe, and vvhat aduauntage he hath at this present.

T. Seeing we are happened upon this matter of calling & holding of Councils, I would be very glad if that thou wouldest declare unto me some little piece of the order that the papists do observe in holding of Councils, to the end that I might the more easily understand if we should have as small hope in them, as thou hast. D. Thou doest ask of me a very hard thing. For how should I declare to thee yt order of those which have no order? But the truth is that thou makest y• matter somewhat the more easy, in that that thou requires• of me but a little. But yet I know not where to find y• little y• thou doest ask of me, if it be true which I have heard of men worthy of faith, which have been present & have seen y• experience of it. Thou shouldest have spoken a great deal more aptly if thou haddest required me to declare unto thee the disorder: the which always they cloak in such sort, that it shall seem in deed to those that shall behold the manner of their proceeding, that they will observe the order that hath been used in the ancient Councils, saving that the Popes do always seek to encroach not only upon the authority of Emperors, kings, & Christian princes, more then the ancient bishops did: but also upon the word of god, & the Church. T. In what sort? D. We have already showed how the ancient Emperors, kings, & Christian princes did accustom to assemble the Coū cells: not always by tyranny, but by good accord & agreement with the good Bishops & the true pastors of the Church: now the Popes do not only take unto them authority over Emperors, kings, & christian princes, such as in time passed they were wont to have over the Popes & the other Bishops: But also when they have had the means. They have caused Councils to be holden of their own authority in despite of the Emperors & princes▪ when they did know that they ⟨p. 144⟩could not have the Emperors and princes at their devotion: as we have already showed by example. But now in these days, because that the greatest number and the greatest princes of Christendom are much at the devotion of the Pope, they do more easily agree together in this point, than those which are of contrary religion▪ if there be any other which do not well agree with him, he maketh no great account of them, but esteemeth them unworthy of his Council. T. Hath he not reason so to do?

¶ Of the manner of the proceeding of the Papists in their Councils, and of their presidents, and of the princes Ambassadors that are sent thither, and of their instructions, and of the practise of the Pope and his, and of the disputations that they have there.

¶ Of the manner of the proceeding of the Papistes in their Councels, and of their presidentes, and of the princes Ambassadours that are sent thither, and of their instructions, and of the practise of the Pope and his, and of the disputations that they haue there.

D. The Council being appointed and called, if the Pope, the Emperor, the Kings and the Christian princes be not there present, they have then there their Ambassadors & Legates, to represent their persons, they have also their instructions, to lead them according to that y• every of them hath in charge: if yt Pope be not present to preside, then his Legates do preside. These worthy men, before they come thither, do first ask, as it is mete for such Prophets as they are at the mouth, not of the sovereign god, but of the Pope their God upon earth: to understand of him how he will have them to conclude in the Council. For seeing that he is God, he hath also his holy spirit agreeable to his deity. And when they are in this sort well instructed of yt will of their God, then go they on inspired with his sprite, & do put forth to the Council those articles which they have in charge from their God to propone, whose kingdom & glory they have chiefly in recommendation. When this is don, then they dispute of them in sone great haul and there those that will dispute are heard, not to find out thereby the truth, & to conclude according to the same, but to make a countenance to hold some form of a lawful Council, in the which it was accustomed to give audience to all that would ⟨p. 145⟩come, as well of yt laity as of men of the church, for the conclusion that shall be made, is already determined, in the secret Council of the God of the earth, which governeth that Council by his holy spirit: albeit it he remain still enclosed and hidden in the secret chamber of his breast and heart, and of his authorised Apostles, until the time convenient. Then his Legates which are the first borne of his children and creatures, declare the will of their holy father, and their God. T. Here is a goodly order of proceeding.

D. THe Councell being appoynted and called, if ye Pope, the Emperour, the Kinges and the Christian princes be not there present, they haue then there their Ambassadours & Legates, to represent their persons, they haue also their instructions, to lead them according to that y• euery of thē hath in charge: if yt Pope be not present to preside, then his Legates do preside. These worthy mē, before they come thither, do first aske, as it is mete for such Prophets as they ar at ye mouth, not of ye soueraign god, but of the Pope their God vpon earth: to vnderstand of him how he will haue thē to conclude in ye Councel. For seing yt he is God, he hath also his holy spirite agreable to his deitie. And when they are in this sort well instructed of yt will of their God, thē go they on inspired with his sprite, & do put forth to ye Councel those articles which they haue in charge from their God to propone, whose kingdoō & glory they haue chiefly in recōmēda ciō. Whē this is don, thē they dispute of thē in sōe gret haul and ther those yt wil dispute are heard, not to find out therby ye truth, & to conclude accordyng to ye same, but to make a countenance to hold some forme of a lawfull Coūcel, in ye which it was accustomed to geue audience to all yt woulde

¶ Of the prudence that is required in the disputations, of the Councils of the Papists, and how dangerous it is, for those that be honest to be there.

¶ Of the prudence that is required in the disputations, of the Councels of the Papistes, and hovve daungerous it is, for those that behonest to be there.