Logician in the Vniuersities or schooles of Sectaries but he vvil oppose him self boldly against al the Church vvith this pretext alvvaies that Gods mere vvord so they call their Bible falsely corruptly and deceitfully translated together vvith as foul fantastical and false suppositions deduced out of the same must be folovved before al mens doctrines and inuentions And generally al Sectmaisters to abuse the people them selues shamefully deceiued before make the state of the controuersie betvvixt them and the Catholikes their aduersaries to be this Vvhether they grounding their doctrine on Gods mere vvord are to be beleued rather then their aduersaries founding theirs vpon mans traditions and fantasies Vvhere that is not the poynt of the doubt but this vvhether the vvord and vvritten letter being redde acknovvledged and common to both they haue the true sense and vnderstanding of it rather then vve and vvhether they folovv fansie that be ledde by their ovvne priuate spirit or vve that leane to the Spirit of the Church Novv then al men must knovv that as it is the propertie of the Protestants and such others to call the sense that them selues of pride and ignorance make choise of Gods mere vvord so also to terme the holy Churches sense or interpretation mans fansie or inuention Vvheras euer the priuate singular nevv and particular spirit is fansie and the common vniuersal old and Catholike interpretation is the true and mere vvord of God vvhervpon our doctrine and trayning vp the Studēts in these Catholike Colleges are grounded And the very drift of Catholike schooles in these daies must be to dravv men from phantasie priuate imagination and liking of their ovvne iudgement to the trusting of al the learned fathers of al ages to the beleefe of the Catholike Church according to a Christians profession to obey in doubtes of doctrine the holy Councels and other authentical Iudgements vvhich Christ hath left in his Church for that purpose to vvhich end vve do svveare al that take degree according to the ordinance of the holy Councel of Trent that they shal during their life in al their preaching teaching disputing vvriting and othervvise expound the holy Scriptures as neere as they can secundum vnanimem consensum Patrum according to the vniforme and agreable sense of the Fathers This is not to bring vp men according to fansies but according to the promised Spirit of truth This is to auoid the particular presumptiō of Heretikes vvho are vvholy so caried avvay vvith the priuate spirit of pride and contention that they frame to them selues certaine platformes of doctrine according to euery of their particular Sectes vvhich they call their analogie of faith and dravv Gods vvord vnto it making it to sovvnd and say vvhatsoeuer they dreame of And therfore S. Augustine noted this to be the propertie of Faustus the Manichée and the like so to handle the matter by much talking of Scriptures that al the authoritie therof might be subiect to them selues and yeld no other meaning then their fansie allovved of To auoid therfore these partial spirits vve imitate in our learning and teaching as neere as the time and opportunitie of things do suffer vs holy S. Basil and S. Gregorie Nazianzene of vvhom thus Ruffinus vvriteth For the space of thirtene yeres they studied only the bookes of holy Scripture and the vnderstanding of the same they folowed not of their owne presumption but of the vvritings and anthoritie of their forefathers vvho also them selues vvere vvel knovven to haue receiued the rule of vnderstanding by succession from the Apostles Vve teach and learne humility and obedience to our Prelates vve teach all ours to knovv and keepe those traditions vvhich the Apostle commendeth to his flockes both vvritten and vnvvrittē those precepts of the Ancients and the like of our Superiors that the faithful in the Actes vvere cōmaunded to obserue according to the difference of things and times prescribed by the gouernours of our soules In al doubtes vve resolue our selues by the definition of holy Doctors Councels and See Apostolike to vvhich Christ hath giuen the Spirit of truth the right sense of holy Scriptures and the grace of discerning the false priuate spirits of errour from the true common Spirit of Christian Catholike people Vve teach them that such precepts and traditions as be in Scriptures commended vnto vs and al other holy Churches decrees are vntruely called the traditions or commaundements of men in the sense of Heretikes for that they be the Ordinances of the holy Ghost vvho continually assisteth our lavvful Pastor in the due regiment of our soules Vve teach them that the Scriptures be hard and high and many vvaies misconstrued to damnation that Manes Arius Macedonius Eutyches Sabellius Pelagius though they redde the Scriptutes and as much vaunted thē selues therof as the Caluinists novv do yet erred and misconstrued them shamefully and that the Protestants therfore may so do and in deede do folovving the like particular contentious and disobedient spirits as they did Vve tel thē of S. Augustines experiēce That Heretikes by daily contentions and fightes raise vp mistes and smoke vnto them selues that they can not conceiue the truth vvhich is hardly seen euē of a stil and quiet mind And againe Heretikes piking out such sentēces and chapters of Scripture as simple men vnderstand not by them do deceiue the ignorant soules which by curiositie are easily misledde because euery vnlearned soul is curious But he that hath well learned the Catholike faith spred throughout the vvhole vvorld and is armed vvith good maners and true pietie can not be deceiued Vve teach our Scholers that the ancient fathers of al ages agreing together are more like to vnderstand the Scriptures then the Protestāts and that if humility make any thing in this case as it doth al they vvere more humble then the Protestants if studie and diligence be required they passe them if great knovvledge in al sciences our good felovves be not comparable if the tonges diuers had the cheefe of them naturally vvherof ours get but a smal tast by art if much exercise of reading conferring comparing expounding the Scriptures help to vnderstād them hovv far they excel our delicate Doctors their vvorkes and infinite treatises do vvitnesse if prayer serue any thing for attaining truth and Gods spirit vvithout vvhich no such verities cā be knovven surely to cōpare onely their deuotions vvatchings fastes sacrifices to these companions endeuours vvere a great iniurie and ridiculous if to be void of vvordly distractions to liue single and chast vvhich to the onely studie of Philosophie vvas of old thought conuenient profit to the knovvledge of Diuinitie the Protestants haue no great aduantage if Gods great graces and vertues euen to the vvorkes of miracles and sustaining Martyrdom and so high holines of life that they are beleued of al Catholike men and not denyed of Heretikes to be in heauen help to the vnderstāding of
Countrie Of vvhich though al take not so much good as they might do yet none feare hurt nor make lavves against his holy and charitable actions but vve The best is that vve haue to do vvith a most benigne father that vvil struggle no othervvise vvith our vnnatural affections but by continual benefites not doubting but he shal gaine that in heauen of God vvhich his immortal merites do deserue and of our posteritie vvhich shalbe void of these preiudicial humors perpetual memorie prayer and benediction And this much by occasion of a certaine clause in the Proclamation of Ianuarie concerning the erection of the said Seminaries in forraine partes ⧠That we liue not in them against the lawes of God and our Countrie with a duetiful exhortation to the Q Maiestie CHAP. IIII. AND vvheras in the same Proclamation vve be charged to liue contrarie to the lavves of God and the Realme if it vvere meant in matters of our life and cōuersation as vve trust it is not our purgation might easily be made hauing so many vvitnesses of our demeanour both for common and priuate vvheresoeuer vve haue liued and vvanting not publike testimonie of diuers Princes and cities for the same vvhich shalbe forth coming as neede requireth But meaning as it is like they do of our regiment and behauiour in doctrine religion and subiection to the lavves of our Countrie vve desire in this point if euer els most benigne Readers both for your ovvne sake and ours that fauorable attention and indifferencie vvhich the vveight of the cause touching both parties so neere doth chalenge and require Vve ansvver then that if the lavves of God and the lavves of the Realme did alvvaies consent and concurre in deede as in this clause and other common vvtitings and speaches proceding from authoritie they be lightly in vvordes couched together against vs hardly could vve defend our doctrines and doings from errour and vndutiefulnes tovvards our Prince But seing the lavves of kings and Countries are not euer consonant but may be contrarie to Gods commaundemēts vve may iustly mislike the one vvithout disloyaltie to the other VVhen Emperours saith S. Augustine be in errour they make lawes for their errour against the truth by which iust men are tried and crowned for not doing that which they commaund because God forbid deth it If our Prince or Realme had the promis that their faith should not faile that Hel gates should not preuaile against thē that Christ vvould be vvith them to the end of the vvorld that vvhen so euer they meete together in consultations him self vvould be in the middes of them that the holy Spirit should perpetually direct them into al truth that he vvould be in their mouth and the mouth of their childrē and the mouth of their childrens children euerlastingly if in doubtes of doctrine vve vvere by the Scriptures referred to them if the States there assembled might iustly vse this clause of ancient Councels It hath pleased the holy Ghost and vs then should our Statutelavves euer cōcurre vvith Gods lavves and the breach of one sort should condēne vs of trāsgression of both Vvherof novv vve neede not feare knovving that no temporal king nor Common-vvealth hath such priuileges of Gods protection being the special prerogatiues of the Churches tribunals vvhose lavves therfore neuer svvarue frō Christes commaundements as our Parliaments haue done by our Aduersaries iudgement al these vvorldes past together and vve are sure that these later haue done and that al other presuming to determine of matters Ecclesiastical must needes do And it vvere the pitifullest hazard and vncertainty of our faith and saluation that could be so to hang on the Princes vvill or the lavves commonly vvholy thereon depending that there could be imagined no neerer vvay to religion then to beleeue vvhat our tēporal Lord and Maister list And it is the turpitude of our Nation through the vvhole vvorld vvhereat vve blush before strāgers that sometimes fall into discourse of such things that in one mans memorie and since this strange mutation began vve haue had to our Prince a man vvho abolished the Popes authoritie by his lavves and yet in other pointes kept the faith of his fathers vve haue had a child vvho by the like lavves abolished together vvith the Papacie the vvhole ancient religion vve had a vvoman vvho restored both againe and sharply punished Protestants and lastly her Ma. tie that novv is vvho by the like lavves hath long since abolished both againe and novv seuerely punisheth Catholikes as the other did Protestants and al these strange differences vvithin the compasse of about 30 yeres Neither may vve looke for more securitie or rest in religion in the times to come so long as our soules saluation and damnation depend vpon our temporal lavves and Princes Vvho if they should for the peoples sinnes either by errour in iudgemēt or for any vantage and aduancement of their state vvhich often leadeth such mens consciences fall to Arianisme or apostasie as great Emperours haue done and Princes are in no lesse peril of such miseries but much more then others be vvith as great facilitie may they force their subiects to folovv them and prouide lavves for them vvhich alvvaies in such cases must be counted Gods mere word as they haue done in points aforesaid specially vvhen the resistance of the vvhole Clergie both superior and inferior shal not be therein any vvhit regarded as late experience in the first Parliament of the Q. Highnes reigne teacheth vs. In vvhich Parliament the determination decision and definition of truthes or of heresies and errours of the true vvorship of God and the false is attributed to that Court of the States no lesse or rather more then to the foure first or any other general Coūcel to vvhich the deciding of such things is there graunted vvith this limitation so far as they can vvarrant their doings by the expresse vvordes of Canonical Scriptures and no further but to the Parliamēt absolutely decreing at the same time that nothing there determined should be counted heresie errour or schisme vvhat order decree sentence constitution or lavv so euer vvere to the contrarie the holy Scriptures them selues not excepted Al this that Parliamēt did and vvithal abolished al the rites of the Catholike Church and the right vse of ministring the holy Sacraments and Sacrifice prescribing a nevv forme in most things agreing vvith Zuinglianisme in some vvith Lutheranisme al the Bishops of the Realme most graue learned and honorable Prelates present as hauing principal place and voice by the lavves of our Countrie in the same dissenting and dissuading vvith al their povver possible the inferior Clergie then also gathered in Conuocation by most humble remonstrance opposing it self therevnto as also many vvise men both of the said Parliament and abrode did signifie their much mislike of the same Thus yet did the sentence of the Laity consisting onely of Noblemen
Gētlemen citizens and some artificers preuaile a monstruous case and that in cause of religion not onely against al the Bishops of the Vniuersal Church besides vvhich haue as S. Ireneus saith receiued vvith their Episcopal succesiō the grace and gift of vnderstanding the truth but euen against their ovvne Prelates and Pastors vvho to say the least must needes both by their great vvisdom learning godly life and by their vocation be more like to knovv the truth and giue true sentence in matters belonging to their ovvne profession and vvere vvith more reason to be heard then those vvho neither for age learning nor diuinitie vvere comparable to them and to vvhom al the said persons by Gods lavv and mans did ovve specially in these cases of religion al subiection and obedience as to the proper Pastors of their soules Aboue al this they moreouer at the same time caused a forme of othe to be conceiued concerning the Queenes spiritual Souerainty vvhich should be offered to al Archbishops Bishops and other Ecclesiastical persons specially vvhom they knevv by their former declaration and Protestation against it could not in conscience take it nor vvould against their conscience receiue it that vpon refusal therof they might be deposed to vvitte the Pastors and parents euen by their sheepe and children Certaine hungrie companions from Geneua shaped into sheepeskinnes vvayting in the meane time to enter vpon their flockes as aftervvard they did the said Prelates honorably and gladly sustaining depriuation and euer since emprisonment for confession of their faith vvhereby and by tracte of time most of them be happily and gloriously deceased These strange and vnnatural dealings these procedings dishonorable to her Ma. tie and the Realme these lavves against Gods expresse cōmaundements vvhich prescribe obedience and subiection to our Prelates these decrees that limite Gods constant and permanent truth to the mutabilitie of temporal statutes to mortal mens vvilles and fansies these are the lavves of the Realme and not the Ciuil ordinances of our Prince that vve refuse to obey and vvhich not onely in our life and doctrine but vnto death and yelding our bloud vve trust to vvithstand vvishing that so at the least God vvil haue mercie on our Countrie and vvipe avvay the ignominie of such violent disorders vvhich to all our posteritie must needes breede shame and rebuke and to vs Gods indignation Vve liue not then here in this our absence from our Coūtrie any vvhit contrarie to Gods lavves as vve be charged but against mans lavves so far as it is euident that they be repugnant to the lavves of God the Church and nature as by the premisses is plaine and as vve are able further to proue against any Protestant Diuine in the vvorld Yea vve auouch further that as no Protestant Diuine in Christendom can proue vve liue against Gods lavves so no Protestant Lavvyer of the Realme for the Catholikes of neither science vvil stand against vs in this poynt can conuince vs that vve liue contrarie to the lavves of our Counrrie Vvhich vve affirme not for that onely that such lavves be vniust and therfore lightly bind not in cōscience nor for that that pertaining to religiō they passed vvith out the consent of any of the Clergie nor for that that being repugnāt to the dignitie and priuileges of the Church they are against the othe of the makers and of al Christian Princes in due order consecrated but for that they be not in deede any lavves at al the makers lacking competent povver authoritie and iurisdiction to procede iudicially and authentically to heare determine define or giue sentence in any such things as be mere Ecclesiastical The Parliament is a mere temporal Court the Bishops them selues hauing voice there no othervvise but as Barons of the Realme nor hauing authoritie thereby or in that respect to treat or define of any matters other then pertaine to the ciuil regiment of the state al the povver that they or others there haue being deriued from the Prince and Commonvvealth ciuil vnto vvhom neither by the lavv of God nor of nature the defining of such matters do belong And it is an euident errour reproueable by al humane and diuine learning that the souerainty or supremacie in causes Ecclesiastical is by nature or by Christian lavves implied in the right or title of a temporal King or that it euer vvas due or can be due to any temporal gouernour Heathen or Christian in the vvorld Not to the crovvne of a Heathen Prince can it belong vvhose Emperial Kingly or Princely povver ouer their peoples vvas notvvithstanding lavvful and true soueraintie and agreable to the lavv of nature and Gods ordinance of vvhich States the Apostles spake vvhen they charged the Christians to pray for them and to be subiect and obedient to them generally through their Epistles as our Sauiour also did in the Gospel concerning the paiment of tribute forasmuch as for some hundred yeres after there vvere not many Princes conuerted to Christ and yet al that vvhile the Church had her seueral regiment Not to Pagan Emperours then did it belong though they vvere no lesse Emperial and Kingly then novv neither vvas it chalenged of them for the principal Apostles ruled the Church in Rome vvhē Nero reigned likevvise vvhere the Kingdoms are reuolted againe as in al the Turkes dominion needes must the Church there haue a spiritual regimēt vvithout any dependance of the Heathen Kings vvhom yet in temporal matters they obey and serue And therfore al that the Protestants alleage out of Scriptures make no more for the claime of a Christian Prince then for the right of the Heathen Againe not to the crovvne of Kings or kingdoms in that they be Christian for then the Church vvhich is Christes mystical body or Commonvvealth matching and meeting vvith a terrene or earthly state should forsake her proper regiment iurisdiction and forme of gouernement receiued immediatly of Christ and yeld the same and it self to the earthly povver vvhich the Apostle calleth humanam creaturam By vvhich meanes vvhen so euer a king or Countrie is conuerted the Church should come and submit to them and not they to Christ and his Church vvhich must needes be most absurd Princes and peoples conuerted alvvaies submitting them selues to Christ and his lavves not dravving the Gouernours of the Church or any person therof to more subiection then they vvere before their Christianitie yea often rather rem◅ting some of that for Christes honour And therfore the holy Scriptures informe vs by euident speaches that conuerted Kingdōs must serue the Church The Kingdom and Nation saith the Prophete that serueth not thee meaning the Church shal perish And S. Augustine Our Lord saith he wil not sail to defend his Church who hath made al earthly kingdoms subiect to his yoke within her lappe spred through out the whole world Kings by receiuing Christes religion are not become Christes Maisters or Lordes ouer the