ought no more to be reputed Magistrates but are to be accused examined and condemned The people saith a Bucan de iure regni populus principem in ius capitis vocare potest Bucanan haue power to iudge of the life of kings It were to be wished b Lib. de iure regni Optandum est vt praemia à plebe decernantur iis qui tyrannos occiderint vt fierisolet iis qui lupos caedunt saith he againe that rewards were appointed for such as kill tyrants as we are wont to doe to those that kill woolues But what forme doe you obserue in these depositions None at all Vvhat respite doe you allow kings that are to be deposed by the people to recant None at all In your opinion they depose themselues when they behaue themselues otherwise then they ought so that the people are onely to oppose themselues and rise vp against them The kings of the earth saith c in 6. Dan. v. 22. 25. Abdicant se potestate terreni principes cum insurguÌ„e contra Deum immò indigni sunt qui in numero hominuÌ„ censeantur ideoque in capita potiùs corum compuere oportet quam illis parere Cal doe depriue themselues of power when they make head against the king of heauen Yea they are vnworthy to be numbred amongst men and therfore we are rather to spitt in their faces then to obey them If Princes saith a a Rnoxus queÌ„ Galuinus epist 305. virum insignem eximium virum ex animo colendum fratrem Beza ep 74. Euangelij apud Scotos restauratoreÌ„ quem teste Vvitakero coÌ„ trou 2. quaest 5. cap. 13. Scoti omnes testantur fuisse spiritu prophetico Apostolico praeditum in admonitione ad Angliam Scotiam si Principes aduersus Deum ac veritatem eius tyrannicè se gerant subditi eorum à iuramento fidelitatis absoluuntur scotish man whom Caluine tearmes an excellent man Beza the restorer of the Gospell in scotland whom all the scots as Vvitakere relates esteemed to haue the spirit of prophesie If Princes saith this famous personage in your iudgement gouerne tyrannically against God and his truth his subiects are absolued from their oath of fidelitie But what cause is sufficieÌ„t to depose a king according to your doctrine Onely religion no not that onely but many other more their wicked life their vices No man saith b Apud Osiand in epitonâ— centur 9. Nullus est Dominus ciuilis nullus est Praelatus nullus est Episcopus dum est in peccato mortali Vviclef is a temporall Lord none a Prelate none Bishope when he is in mortall sinne c In explan art 42. Principes quanâ—â— perside extra regulam egerint possunt eum Deo depo â—i It is lawfull to depose Princes saith Suinglius when they do disloyally transgresse the rule of Iesus Christ which he thinkes they doe as he himselfe confesseth if they f Cum seelerates prouehit innouios praegrauat vt cum inutiles ventres otiosos sacrificos defendit Princeps aduance the wicked oppresse the innocent and defend the idle sacryficers to witt Catholikes as is to be noted I could proue out of a multitude of authours what is your sense in this behalfe which paines I would willingly vndertake if that which you teach vpon this subiect were as aduantagious as preiudiciall vnto you I will onely inuite the Reader to see a booke in titled the Protestants Apologie one of the most profitable that hath bene printed these many yeares where he will find far more passages vpon this subiect amongst the rest some which doe verifie that your Authours haue written that it is lawfull by diuine and humane law to kill impious kings that it is a thing conformable to the word of God that a priuate man by speciall instinct may lawfully kill a Tyrant a most detestable doctrine in euery point which will neuer enter into the thoughtes of the Catholike Church This is not yet all Hauing now seene what you deliuer touching the deposition of kings we must also see by your actions how you behaue your selues towards them Since your etrours were brought into the world by Luthere and Caluine you haue let no occasion slipe where you could make vse of your pretended power in which you haue not done it You put an armie a foote against Charles the V. whom by way of derision you instiled Charles of Gant to trouble him in his Dominions Surius ann 1547. and to depriue him of dominion You haue borne armes against three kings of France Francis the II. Charles the IX Henry the III. in the raigne of Charles the IX you coyned money in the name of another to whom you gaue the name of king Du Chesne in the historie of England vnder Elizabeth and Marie How did you vse Marie Queene of Scotland did you not make her captiue Did you not in prison cause her to renounce her royall dignitie Did you not thrice take vp armes against Marie Queene of England Did you not sett vp a pretended Queene against her Did not oue of yours attempt vpon her royall person Iane borne vp by the Duke of Northumberland In Flanders you dispoyled Philippe king of Spayne of a part of his Prouinces Christiernus Surius king of Denmarke was by yours dispossessed of his crowne driuen out of his kingdome afterwards clapt in prison where following the opinion of the tymes the dayes of his life were abridged by poyson Sigismond who at this day raignes in Polonie sees himselfe depriued of the crowne which appartaynes vnto him by right of inheritance and which his father did peacably possesse his vnkle who was of your profession being put vp into his place by your men You vsurped vpon the Emperour Rodolphus the last deseased Transsiluania which he possessed by iust title as king of Hongarie And all this following the example of your predecessour Caluine who cannot indure the Bishope of Geneua I will not say in qualitie of Bishope onely but euen in the nature of temporall Prince Vvhosoeuer shall reade the histories wherin what I speake is contayned shall see that in one age you disturbed two Emperours acctually spoyled one king excluded another out of his kingdome deposed one Queene made warre against another to bereeue her of her crowne bore armes against foure kings deposed other temporall Princes put a king to death brought a vertuous and wise Queene into captiuitie who had power to inlarge others with libertie whom in conclusion violating diuine and humane lawes you put to death after a most inhumane and incompassionate manner CHAP. IX MINISTERS TO bring more light and euidence vnto this matter we must giue your Maiestie to vnderstand that you nourish in your kingdome a faction of men who call themselues companions of Iesus as though it were too â—itle to be his disciples who haue made an oath of blind obedience and that
the Ghospell transposeth it in many places addes to it And speaking of Beza his translation saith he not b Idem Molinae ibidem de facto mutat textum that indeede he changeth the text And doth not c Castalio in defensione suarum translationum ait Quo omnes eius Bezae errores noiarentur magno volumine opus esse Castalion going on in the same sense affirme that it would require a great volume to put downe all his errour To conclude that Great kinge whose witt did as far surpasse yours as his person did indignitie all his subiects the king of great Britaignie whose iudgement ought to be taken for the whole Church of England both because you esteeme him the heade therof and for that it is not credible that he would publish opinions which that Church holds not Saith not this Prince in the conferēce at Hampton Court that the verie worst version of the Bible was that of Geneua and further that he found the notes of the Geneua Bible vvonderfull partiall false seditious and too much smelling of the designes of a most dangerous and peruerse mynde 5 That you haue the true canon of scripture Vvorthy of hatred because it makes the vvord of men passe for scripture That the bookes which you allow of are not corrupted That the body of Iesus-Christ is onely figuratiuely in the Euchariste are not these the principall articles of your Faith And that your onely and absolute Faith that is the Faith by which euery one of the Faithfull beleeues to be iustifyed by the apprehension of the iustice of Iesus Christ doth iustifie you is it not the ground worke and soule of your Religiō And yet whereate these tenets found in the holy Scripture Formall and expresse passages such notwithstanding the ratification of your confession doth oblige you to produce there are none Toutes lesdites Eglises Françoises approuuēt ratifient la susescrite confession on tous ses chefs articles comme estant entieremēt fondee sur la pure expresse parole de Dieu You haue recourse to consequences which yet are not grounded vpon two diuine Principles contayned in the Scriptures but vpon two Principles wherof of the one is drawen from your owne braine which doth clearely demonstrate vnlesse I deceaue my selfe that you propose the word of men for the word of God which is found in holy Vvritt since that according to your owne tenet your faith can haue no other fundation then scripture Le ts see whether I be a Liar In the third Article of your Conf. you put downe for an article of Faith that the canon of scriptures is the onely rule of Faith you further accnowledge that all the bookes contayned in the said Canon proceeded from the mouth of the holy Ghost and are conserued in their originall puritie besides those you accnowledge none But by what syllogisme conclude you this in the margent of the next Article you cite sundrie passages of this nature The pure and vnspotted vvord of God Psal 12. v. 7. Psal 19. v. 8. The Lavv of God immaculate The Testimonie of God Faithfull giuing vvisdome to litle ones The Precept of our Lord cleare enlightening the eyes Out of these passages which doe not affirme in expresse tearmes that the bookes you admit of are canonicall you would by consequence inferre it you forme the maior of your argument as followeth The Law of God say you is immaculate pure and vnspotted But all the bookes which we hold for Canonicall and no others are immaculate pure and vnspotted Ergo They alone and no others are the Law of God Whence I pray you doe you draw your Minor Doth the Scripture affirme that these bookes and no other are pure and immaculate verily no. Vvho doth auerre it then You of your owne brayne This proposition therfore is humane and withall false which yet I will not now prosequute being sufficient for my present purpose to shew that this principle is but the words of men Vvhence it followes that ether your word passeth for Gods word or that your Faith in this point which vertually compriseth all the rest since now the question is touching the Scripture which you will haue to be the onely fundation of Faith is not diuine but onely humane whence it clearly followes that it is of no other kind euery conclusion being of the same nature with the more imperfect part of its cause But now let vs speake of the Euchariste You hold as an article of Faith that the words of consecration ought to be vnderstoode figuratiuely so that the body of Iesus Christ is not really vnder the species of bread as we sustayne it is The proofes that you bring of your Faith are diuers passages of holy Scripture which teaching as you dreame things that are incompatible with the reall presence of Christ in the Eucharist doe clearely shew that the words of consecration are figuratiue Let vs see some of your Arguments One body cannot be in two places by Gods omnipotencie to witt in heauen and in the Eucharist which is in earth But the scripture teacheth that the body of Christ is in heauen till the day of Iudgement Ergo it is not in the Euchariste The Maior not being found in all the scripture it is the word of men and consequently it is cleare ether that you make it passe for the word of God or els that your conclusion cannot be diuine and infallible for the reason I haue touched aboue Now let vs examine what your Faith is You beleeue that euery one of the faithfull is iustified by that faith wherby he certanely persuades him selfe that he is iustified in Christ Iesus Paraeus l. 3. de iustif c. 1. l. 1. c. 10. One of your moderne Authours formes this syllogisme Vvho so euer beleeues in the sonne of God shall be saued But I beleeue in the sonne of God Ego I shall be saued Not to dispute of the Maior suppose that it were in the scripture though in deede in your sense it is not The Minor can in no sort be found therin for it is not said in any place that Luther for example Caluin Beza Pereus and others beleeued whence it is euident euen according to your selues that it is the word of men and not of God whose whole word you will haue to be written Now hauing made manifest how you vse the scriptures all men I dare assure my selfe will greatly wonder with what face you dare so highly magnifie the scripture in words which in deedes you so horribly wronge But they will cease this admiration if they call to mynd how ordinarie a thing it is for heretikes to serue them selues of the scripture and to wrong it withall nay which is worse they are in some sort necessarily constrayned to doe both To serue them selues of the scripture because the true religiō being grounded vpon the word of God it is necessarie for euery sect that pretends a true religion
without reserue to the heade of their order who is and alwayes was subiect to the king of spayne who were condemned by your Courts of Parlament as enemyes of your state of the liues of kings and corrupters of youth who teach the people that the Pope hath power to depose kings to cause them to be slayne and to transport their crownes to others That they are not to detect conspiracies against the king which they heare in confession and that being attached they may vse equiuocation before the Iudge Vvhence effectes haue sprung pernicious to France and to all Christendome Vvherpon their bookes put out by the publike approbation of the Generall of their Order together with a good quantitie of Iesuite Docteurs were by the Decree of the Court publikly burnt by the comon executioner And if your Maiestie will daigne to informe himselfe he shall find in the Iesuite Colledge of Flesche founded by the bountie of the king your Father of most glorious memorie he shall find I say in the Fathers low hall a great Picture wherin are represented the Martyres of their Order amongst whom some are found who were put to death for hauing enterprised the death of their kings and that this punishment is there called martirdome and this is placed in the view of a multitude of youthes to induce them by their examples to attayne to the glorie of Martirdome by the same meanes And yet euen those men without hauing made any retractation or publike declaration wherby to condemne such bookes and such doctrine haue at this day the eares of our kings they search the secretes of their consciences and haue freest accesse to their royall personns ANSWERE GOd's goodnes is so greate that ordinarily he doth conuert the euil which is intended against his friends to their benefit Your ayme is to hurt the Iesuites and you doe them great seruice since all men will confesse that it is a great glorie vnto them to be blamed with the same mouth which doth accuse the Catholike Church reiects good workes calumniates the saintes iniures Iesus Christ yea makes euen God himselfe blame-worthy It is a thing truly whichmakes greatly to their aduantage we see it by experience for so much as besides the considerations which ought to make all men esteeme them diuers doe loue them particularly because you hate them Let vs see the crymes which you lay to their charge You say they call themselues the companions of Iesus Christ what proofe doe you bring to make this good you will say that to call ones selfe of the companie of Iesus is to make themselues the companions of Iesus but your consequence is impertinent for to be said to be of the companie of a Prince no other thing is required then to be one of his followers marrie to be said to be his companion much more is requisite False therfore it is that the Iesuites tearme themselues the Companions of Iesus Christ though they be said to be of his companie Wherin they doe nothing worthy of reprehension since the words of the Apostle 1. Cor. 1. v. 9. 1. Ioan. 1. v. 3. you are called into the societie of his sonne and those ef saint Iohn let our societie be with the Father and his sonne Iesus Christ are not onely to be vnderstoode of those to whom they are spoken but of all Christians in generall who follow the faith and doctrine of Iesus Christ But how is it sufferable that the Reuerend Ministers should blame the Iesuites as though they called themselues the Companions of Iesus while they assume to themselues that title which they blame for arrogant Certainly you haue forgotten your Catechisme 6. Sunday where speaking of Iesus Christ you say in plane tearmes we are Companions of his priesthoode And it appeares planly that you begin to neglect Caluine by reason of the multitude of blasphemies wherof his workes are conuinced for if you had read him you had obserued without doubt that it being said in the second of S. Peter Cap. 1. v. 4. that we are partakers of the diuine nature he made vs fellowes of Christ in the eternitie of life You would also haue noted him where he saith that a Calu. in Coloss 1. v. 24. Paule was Christs companion that Christ b In Mar. 13. v. 43. promised the thiefe that he would make him his fellow-partner of eternall life c In Hebra 2. v. 13. that we are all fellowes to the sonne of God that the d 3. Instit c. 18. §. 1. Elect are taken into the fallow shipe of Christ yea of God too e ibid. c. 17. § 6 Or if you had bene conuersant in f Luth postillain Domin 5. post Pascha Luthere certainly you would haue fallen vpon these words Through Iesus Christ we are made equall and brothers to him to witt to God The Iesuites say you make an oath of blind obedience and that without all exception If you were not your selues blind you would see that a vowe of its owne nature contaynes an exception of all that may be preiudiciall to kings for seeing all vowes haue good for their obiect a man cannot oblige himselfe by vowe to doe any thing contrarie to the law of God the Decrees of the Church obedience due to the kinge and loue to our neighbours If you had diligently reade the Fathers you would haue learnt that the obedience which you call blind is not subiect to blame since they teach that a true religious ought to haue it So saith a Basil in cōstit Mon. c. 23. Quamadmodū igitur Pastori suo oues obtemperant viam quācunque vult ingrediuntur sic qui ex Deo pietatis cultores sunt moderatoribus sins obsequi debent nihil omninò iussa eorū curiosius perscrutantes quando libera sunt à peccaco c. Item vt Faber singulis aertis instrumentis pro arbitrio vtitur suo neque vnquam vllum enuentum est instrumētum quod ad quēcumque vsum elle voluisset non se facile tractādū praebuerit c. S. Basile teaching that it is not the part of a true religious to examine his Superious commande so longe as he doth not oblige him to sinne and he compares him to a sheepe which goes which way the Pastour pleaseth and to an instrument which neuer resistes his will that vseth it So b Bernard Tract de pracepto dispensat c. 9. Perfecta obedientia legem nescit terminis non arctatur largiori voluntate fertur in altitudinem charitatis c. S. Bernard saying perfect obedience knowes no lawes no limines but is carried with a full will into the depth of charitie to all that is commanded So a S. Hieron epist 4. ad Rustic c. 4. credas tibi salutare quicquid praepositus praeceperit nec de maiorum sententiae iudices saint Hierome when he saith be confident that all that thy Superiour commands thee is wholsome for thee and
is nothing in all this which is not most conuenient you wrong vs in vpbrading vs with it and in striuing to bring our holy Father into hatred as though forsooth by vertue of that letter he would haue made some aduantage ouer this state which is altogether ridiculous Your strife in this is to make the Popes power be suspected by all the kings of the earth But regall dignitie and the dignitie of the Church haue noe repugnancie the duties which we render to the holy Sea doe no wayes hinder vs to make appeare by effects what you professe in words to wit that a subiect owes his life and all his fortunes to the defence of the dignitie of his king's crowne In this you shall continually haue vs not for companions onely but euen for Guides And doubtlesse if you second vs as I beseech God grant and giue credit vnto vs France shall conserue her peace which hitherto hath bene too much troubled by yours But with what face can you affirme that the Pope hath the thirds of the the territories of France that he hath seduced the fift part of the knigs subiects from their obedience to him and that out of the kingdome we haue another soueraigne in pointe of temporalities It is false that the Pope hath the third part of France seeing he hath onely the Countie of Amgnion which his Predecessours bought of the Counts of that Prouince It is false that he withdrew the Clergie from their obedience to their king sith they preach obedience vnto and will preach it all the dayes of their life in word and worke It is false that we doe not esteeme our selues the kings subiects sithens in subiection to him we are readie to spend our liues for his seruice It is false that we did not submitt our selues to temporall iurisdiction as though to pretend exemptions in certaine cases by the concession and grant of our Princes whose authoritie is in question were to franchise our selues from their iurisdiction and to inioy a benefit granted by a king in vertue of his Grant were not rather an accnowledgment of his authoritie then a withdrawing from it It is false that we accnowledge any other soueraigne in our temporalls then our king It is false that the Pope pretends to haue authoritie to put kings to death False that he practised this pretended power false that he holds this kingdome to be a fief which holds on and owes homage to his chaire false to conclud that the king liues but at his discretion Kings would be immortall if their conseruation depended vpon Popes who wish their good as parents the good of their children Vvhy did he who to the great happines of all Christen dome sits now in the chaire of Peter The censure of Ianuarie 1613. cause Becanus to be censured who had put out seditious propositions and with all importing danger to kings but to prouide for their safetie Vvhy did he approue that the Clergie of France in the assemblie of the states and that Sorbone at other tymes did renew the publication of the article of the Councell of Constance which pronunceth a curse vpon those that doe attempt vpon kings vnlesse their liues were as deare to him as his owne You passe ouer these truthes in obliuion and not without reason seeing they discouer to all men that it is false to affirme that the Popes and Clergie of France doe not affect the kings prosperitie they doe and will alwayes doe in such a measure that the Pope will not omitt to indeuour any thinge which may tend to their good nor will the Clergie-men of France euer spare their owne liues to assure the life of their saueraigne If accusations were enough to make a man culpable none would be found without faulte innocencie would not be exempt You are bold in laying aspersions but that which is your disgrace is that you fall short in your proofes You make vs criminall in point of our dutie towards our France while to you she stands bound for benefits as though forsooth her defence were onely found in your hands and your weapons were her warrant against the vsurpations of strangers You doe wisely to tearme them strangers least your owne enterprises might be comprised which are so frequent and palpable that the weakest witt will with facilitie deserne that it is not your affection to your king which makes you so zealous of their greatnes but your hatred to the Pope and the vniuersall Church And that it may not seeme that I impose vpon you I will make clearly appeare that you grant a far greater power to the people then that which you deny the Pope which is exceedingly disaduantagious to kings for there is no man that doth not esteement a thing far more perilous to be exposed to the discretion of the rude multitude which doth easily though falsly esteeme it selfe oppressed and which is a many headed Hyder which is ordinarily gouerned by its owne passions then to be subiect to the correction of a tender Father whose hart is full of affection for his childrens aduantage The common people a Lib. de iure regni Popule ius est de sceptro regni disponends pro libito suo saith Bucanan whom b Epist. 78. Beza accnowledgeth to be excellent and a man of great merit haue right to dispose of the scepters of kingdomes at their will and pleasure Bad Princes saith an c In Apolog. Godman English man who was d Epist 306. Caluins intimate friend and whom he called brother according to the Law of God ought to be deposed and in case the Magistrates neglect to doe their dutie the people hath also as free libertie to doe it as though ther were no Magistrate at all and in those circunstances of tyme God enlargeth them with leaue to vse the sword a Goodman in Apolog. Reges ius regnandi à populo habent qui occasione data illud reâ—ocare potest The same Authour in the reigne of Marie Queene of England composed a booke intitled of obedience printed at Geneua approued by Beza and Caluine wherin these words are found Kings haue right to raigne from the people who vpon accasion can also reuoke it Nor are you content with saying that kings may be deposed you steppe on further teaching that they may be punished condemned and slayne That a reward is to be giuen to the executioners of so horrible and execrable crimes The People saith Vvicklefs followers as b Osiander in Epist centur art 17. Vulgus provoluntate sua punire potest principes peccantes Osian relates may as they shall please punish their Princes which offend The c Goodman in Apolog. Protestant booke wherof I made mention aboue printed at Geneua in the Raigne of Queene Marie of England saith that if Magistrates transgresse the law of God and oblige others to doe the like they fall from the dignitie and obedience which otherwise is due vnto them and
them vnto a gentleman of our religion to bring them vnto vs. ANSWERE SInce Euery man vnderstands his owne busines best I haue nothing to say vpon this paragrafe which toucheth F. Arnould he hauing in his replie answered it himselfe onely this I will say he that knowes his merits learning Zeale and moderation of mynd will easily iudge him to be a man of greater performance then vndertaking and more prone to render your soules gratefull to God then your persons hatefull to men CHAP. XIII MINISTERS THis Soueraigne Lord did oblige vs to make answere for this confession hauing bene made to giue an accompt of our faith to our Soueraignes and to that effect being presented to king Henry the II. your predecessour we thought fitt to addresse the Defence of the same confession to his successour in whose presence it was calumniated And I wish to God we were licenced to propose our defence verbally in the presence of your Maiestie and were authorised publikly and in presence of the king which God hath bestowed vpon vs to mantayne the truth of the Gospell against those that doe diffame it which is a thing which your Maiestie ought also to desire For seeing a dissension amongst your subiects in point of religion what is more conuenient then that he who is the common father of vs all should know in what the difference consistes and see the ground of the processe and to this effect he should looke to the head of the fountaine to discouer what Christian religion was in its source For he that is established on earth to see that God be serued ought exactly to know the rule of Gods seruice he who in his charge represents God's royaltie ought in his actions to imitate his iustice which how can it be done without knowing the soueraigne rule of Iustice which is the word of God Vvher vpon it is that God commands kings continually to haue before their eyes the booke of the law therin to read all the dayes of their life But if they permitt themselues to be hood winked and be content to follow without seeing the way before them the Popes and Prelates haue faire occasion to accommodate religion to their priuate lucre and crect their owne greatnes vpon the ruines of the Ghospell For now religion is made a trafike and those our great Masters haue inuented rules of pietie which doth intrench not onely vpon the liuing but euen vpon the deade To no other end haue the Popes for some ages past probibited the kings your Maiesties Predecessours to read the holy Scripture but that their Empire is grounded vpon the ignorance of Gods word Neuer had it bene permitted to haue growen so great with the diminution of the greatnes of our Kings if they had not wrought vpon the aduantage of an obscure age wherin few people discouered their designe He could not haue made himselfe soueraigne Iudge in points of faith if the people had had the rule of faith before their eyes which God long agoe pronounced with his owne mouth ANSWERE IT is a great art in him that is feable and fearefull to fayne himselfe bold and valourous you put a good face vpon it and beare it boldly to make the world beleeue that you haue a great desire to appeare before the king to make good in his presence and in publike the truth of your new Gospell Your words which sound no other thing but a chalance wherby you prouoke all the Clergie of France to a publike disputation makes me call to mynd the Troian wherof mention is made in Homere Iliad 7 who boldly prouoked to combate marrie when it came once to blowes he stood in neede of a cloud to couer his flight and shame Vve could with facilitie if we pleased refuse to giue you battaile without the disaduantage of our dishonour or affording you occasion of complaint For Luther doth sustayne that we are not to dispute with such as renew old heresies which were long agoe condemned But we will not proceede so rigorously with you the Church of France by Gods prouidence being prouided of store of Prelates wherof I am the least and of an infinite number of Doctours who vpon all occasions will make appeare the veritie of her doctrine the vanitie of your errours The onely shadow of that great Cardinall will alwayes be able to defeate you for the same reason for which the Picture of Alexander made him quake vnder whose powerfull hand he had somtymes sunke to the grouÌ„d Is it not a mere flatterie to inuite a king to discerne differences in religion Vvill you haue princes to assume to themselues the authoritie of Iudges in such causes Though you would yet would not your brethren consent therto Princes themselues haue no such pretension The Holy fathers giue testimonie and the Scriptures teach that iustly they cannot doe it That your brethren will not haue it so they themselues shall speake Princes saith a Bezainconfess c. 5. art 15. Principes Synodo intersint non vt regnent sed vt seruiaÌ„t non vt leges condant sed vt ex Deiverbo per os ministrorum explicatas sibi aliis obseruandas proponant Beza are present in synods not to rule but to serue not to inact lawes but to propose those to be kept by themselues and the people which according vnto the word of God are explicated by the mouth of the Minister The Prince saith b Controu 5. lib. 2. c. 18. De sensu fidei mec cognoscit Princeps nec cognoscere officio Principali potest Iunius nether doth nor can by vertue of his charge iudge of the meaning of faith Vve say saith c Controu 1. q. 5. c. 4. Dicimus lites Ecclesiasticas decernendas esseex lege diuina per Ministrum Item cap. 6. Respondeo Martinum Ecclesiae vindicare iudicium de genere doctrinae non coÌ„cedere Imperatort c. Vhitakere that Ecclesiasticall differences are to be decided by the Minister in vertue of the diuine law In another place I answere that Martine doth ascribe the iudgement of points of doctrine to the Church he doth not grant it to the Emperour and who will deny that this iudgment appertaynes to â—ishopes Finally it belongs not to kings and Princes to confirme euen true doctrine but they are to be subiect to and obseruant of it saith Luthere That Princes doe not pretend to make themselues Iudges in matters of Faith the a Apud Soz. l. 6. c. 7. Mihiquisum de sorte plebis fas non est talia perserutari Sacerdotibus ista curae sunt Emperour Valentinian doth confirme in these words It is not lawfull for me who am of the ranke of the people to sound and search into those things they are committed to the Preistes care It belongs me not saith the same as b Epist 32. noÌ„ est mecum iudicare inter Episcopos S. Ambrose relates to iudge of the differences which rise amongst Bishops