they also sinne without punishment. But when as I do peruse auncient histories, and the actes of the Apostles, I do not fynde this order, that councels should be gathered onely at the wyll of the pope: MarginaliaThe first councell of the Apostles.for the first councell of all, after that Mathias was substitute in the place of Iudas, was not congregate at the commaundement of Peter, but at the commaundement of Christ, who commaunded the Apostles that they should not departe frō Ierusalem, but looke for the promise of the father.

The second councell as touchyng the election of the deacons, Peter alone did not congregate, but the xij. apostles: for it is written, The. xij. Apostles callyng together the multitude, &c.

MarginaliaGenerall councells in tymes past congregated by Emperours and not by popes.The third coūcell, which was holdē as touching þ^e taking away of circumcisiō & other ceremonies of þ^e law, was gathered together by a generall inspiration: for it is written: The Apostles & elders came together, &c.

The fourth councell, whereas certaine thyngs contayned in the law are permitted, semeth to be gathered by Iames, and so discoursing throughout all, there can nothyng be found in the primatiue churche, whereby it should appeare that the authority of congregatyng of Councels should pertaine onely vnto bishops of Rome. Neither afterwardes in the time of Constantinus Magnus, and other emperors, was the consent of the bishops of Rome greatly required to the congregating of councels, and therefore it is written thus of the Synode of Chalcedon: The sacred and vniuersall Synode gathered together at Chalcedon the chiefe city of the prouince of Bethunia, accordyng vnto the grace of God, and the sanctions of the most godly and Christian Emperours Valentinian and Martian, doth not make any mention of the bishop of Rome, although his consent wer there. MarginaliaIf the greater parte of the church do consent, a councell may be holden whether the pope will or no.Wherfore, if the pope would resist, and would haue no councell congregate, yet if the greater part of þ^e church do iudge it necessary to haue a councel, the councel may be congregate whether the pope will or no. The councell holden at Pisa, was not congregate by the autoritie and consent of any pope, when as Gregory did condemne it, and Benedict cursed it. The same also may be sayd of the councel of Constance, which was assembled by the authority of Pope Iohn, who in respecte of the Spaniardes was no true Pope. And if the councell of Pysa were no true councell, Pope Iohn was no true Pope: Wherupon hys consent to the congregatyng of the councell of Constance, was of no effect. Moreouer it is more then folly to affirme, that when the pope hath once geuen hys consent, if it should be called backe, that the councel should then cease, for then it is no more in his power to reuoke hys consente: And of necessitye he must be obedient vnto the councel, wherof he is a member, and geue place vnto the greater parte: MarginaliaHow the pope is a schismatike.and if he separate hymselfe from the consent of the greater part, & depart from the vnitye of the churche, he maketh hymselfe a Schismaticke.

Now, to come vnto the second conclusion, if it be true, as it is in deede, that the Pope is vnder the Councell, how can the Pope then dissolue, alter and transport the councell, agaynst the wyll of the same? MarginaliaThe pope can not dissolue a generall councell agaynst the will of the same.For wyth what countenaunce can we say, that the inferiour hath power ouer the superiour? How can the Sinode correct the Pope, if the Pope may dissolue the Synode contrary to the wil therof? Admit that the Pope be libidinous, couetous, a sower of warre & discorde, and a most mortal enemy vnto the church, and the name of Christ, how can the councel reproue him, if he haue autority to dyssolue the councel? For as sone as euer that the bishop of Rome shall vnderstand that in the councell they doo intreate or talke of hys correction or punishment, straight wayes he wyll seeke remedy by dissoluing the councell. MarginaliaThe saying of Macrobius.For as Macrobius sayth: he that hath liberty to do more then is fit or necessarye, wyll often times doe more thenis lawfull. If so be that the bishop of Rome may exempt hym selfe from correction by dissoluing or transportyng the councell, it followeth that the councell is not aboue hym. Therefore we must eyther denye that which is aforesayd, that the Pope is vnder the councell, or els deny that the Pope hath power to dissolue the councell, contrary to the wyll and determination of the councell.

And as thys fyrst conclusion is most true, so are all other conclusions false, whyche seeme to impugne the same. MarginaliaWhether the pope is certayne cases may dissolue the councell.Wherefore the second conclusion of the diuines is also manifest: albeit that some do admit it in certaine cases, and in other some exclude it agayne. For if we do admit, that for certaine causes the Pope maye dissolue the councell contrary to the wil and determination therof, that is to say, to make the Pope iudge of the Councell, it were cleane contrary vnto the fyrst conclusion.

Now it is proued that the councel is aboue the Pope, & can not be dissolued by the pope without consent therof. Nowe we must further see, whether it be an article of our fayth to beleue it: whych matter hath respect vnto the thyrd conclusion. For ther haue ben many, which albeit they dyd confesse these two conclusions to be true, yet they doubted whether it were a verity of the catholike fayth or no. Therefore thys second part must be cōfirmed. And we must see whether it be an article of faith that the pope be vnder the Councell. Which beyng proued, it shall also appeare to be an article of fayth, that the Pope cannot dissolue the councell without the consent thereof. Whych consequent none of the contrarye part hath refuted. Fyrst of all therefore wee must enquyre what fayth is, that we maye therby the better vnderstand, what pertayneth thereunto.

MarginaliaThe definition of Fayth.Fayth, as the Diuines do define it, is a firme & stedfast cleauing vnto thynges, beleued by the autoritye of hym that speaketh. If then we beleue as is aforesayde, that the Pope of Rome is vnder the conucell, some autority doth moue vs thereunto: so is it the fayth of hym whych beleueth it. But the question is not whether it be an article of fayth onely, but whether it be an article of the Catholike fayth. Wherfore we must againe enquire what the catholike fayth is. MarginaliaThe definitiō of the catholike fayth.Thys woord Catholike is a Greeke word, and signifieth vniuersall. The catholyke fayth, that is to say the vniuersall fayth, is not so called because that euerye man holdeth it, but because euerye man ought to beleue it. For all men doo not beleue that God is incarnate, but euery mā ought so to beleue. And albeit that many be agaynst thys fayth, yet doth it not cease to be vniuersall. For what writeth the Apostle vnto the Romains? MarginaliaRom. 3.If some of them haue not beleued, doth theyr misbeliefe make the fayth of God vayne? God forbyd. Verely God is true, but euery man is a lyer. Therfore to beleue that the Pope is vnder the Councell, is a poynt of the catholike fayth, although some thincke the contrary: for we are bound to beleue it, for so muche as it is taken out of the Gospell. MarginaliaCatholike what it is.For we are not bound onely to beleue those thynges whych are noted to vs in the Crede, but also all those thynges which are contayned in the holye scriptures, whereof we maye not denye one iote. And those thynges whych we alledge for the superiority of þ^e generall councell, are gathered out of the sayings of our sauiour Iesu Christ, and the Epistles of S. Paule: Ergo we are all bound to beleue it. And to proue that these thinges are taken out of the Gospell, the councell of Constance doth witnes, the whych groundeth hys authority vpon these woordes: Dic Ecclesiæ, that is to say, tell it vnto the Church. And, where two or three are gathered together in my name. &c. And, whatsoeuer ye shall bynde. &c. wyth other such lyke textes.

MarginaliaThe councell of Constance.
Vide supra pag. 770.Wherupon Pope Martin the iiij. beyng yet at Constance, vnder the licence of the Councell, sent out hys Bulles, which do recken vp the Articles, wherupon they ought to be examined, whiche had fallen into any here-