Origen in Iohan. Hom. 7. that hee whiche hath bene three times admonished and yet afterwards amendeth not should be cut off from the bodie of the Churche by the gouernours of the Churche And Saint Cyprian Cypr. lib. 3. epist 10.14 27. making mention of the custome and manner vsed in his time touching the publike and open censures of the Churche saith that nothing at all was done by the Bishoppe without the counsell of the Cleargie and the consent of the people Wherefore the Pope of Rome declareth him selfe to bee a false dealer and indeede a tyrant when snatching away and that by violence from the Churche the right and power that belongeth thereto hee arrogateth to him selfe and to his power and authoritie to cut off from the Churche and to excommunicate whome so euer hee or any of them shall thinke good The fourth consideration is touching the ends which men ought to set before them in the corrections of the Church and namely in excommunication Nowe there are three speciall ends thereof The first is that those which be of wicked life and conuersation may not haue any place amongest true Christians to the contempt of Gods name The second is that good people may not be corrupted by the conuersation of the wicked 1. Cor. 5.6 for a little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe The third is that they which haue fallen and offended may be confounded and ashamed in them selues and afterwardes lifted vp againe comforted and reconciled to the Church 2. Thes 3.14 That is it which S. Paul setteth out and meaneth when he saith If any man obey not our saying note him by a letter and haue no companie with him that he may be ashamed 1. Cor. 5.5 Also speaking of the incestuous person I haue determined saith he that he should be deliuered to Sathan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirite may be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus These three ends are verie largely laid out at length discoursed vpon in the fourth booke of M. Caluines Institution Cap. 12. Sect. 5. Calu. lib. 4. Inst cap. 12. sect 5. Whereof the summe is that in corrections and censures men must regard and looke to three endes that is to say the glorie of God the edification of the Church and the repentance and conuersion of sinners The fift consideration is that men in the reprehensions and censures of the Church looke well to this that they haue not such cōsideration regard or respect to the outward appearance and shewe of mens persons that they tread the little ones or poore people vnder their feete and support aide and hearten the great and rich Deut. 10.17 Gal. 3.28 For as God accepteth no mans person and in the Church there is neither Iewe nor Grecian bond nor free male nor female but all are one in Iesus Christe so the gouernors of the Churche ought alwayes to walke with an vpright and equall foote without turning aside any manner of way in receiuing and allowing some and in refusing and disallowing others It is verie true that corrections ought alwayes to be tempered measured and accompanied with gentlenesse softnesse and courtesie to the end as Saint Paul saith that he that is reproued or blamed 2. Cor. 2.7 may not be swallowed vp with ouer much heauinesse For otherwise we shall turne the the remedie into poyson and hurt And therefore the same Apostle doth exhort vs Gal. 6.1 That we should restore with the spirite of meekenesse such as be fallen into or ouertaken with some fault 1. Tim. 5.12 And againe Rebuke not saith he an Elder vnreuerently but admonish or exhort him as a father the young men as brethren the elder women as mothers the younger as sisters with all purenesse and chastitie We must therefore moderate with gentlenesse and meekenesse the rigour or hardnesse of the discipline least we hurt rather then profite But so farre off is it that they ought to spare any man that the corrections must be equally and indifferently applied and administred to all them which shal haue neede thereof whether they be men or women whether they be great or small whether they be masters or seruantes whether they be Gentlemen or of the common sort We knowe with what earnestnesse and heate Chrysostome was angrie against the Pastours in his time who for feare of great and rich men durst not reiect or put from the supper any of them when they offred them selues thereto nor before they were admitted thereto Chrysost Hom. 3. in Matth. The bloud saith he of these men shall be required at your handes If you feare mortall men for their greatnesse and riches verily men shall mocke you but if so be that you feare the liuing God he will bring to passe that euen men them selues shall haue you in honour and estimation And those which are lifted vp in dignitie An admonitiō to great men not to reiect or despise the discipline ought not to refuse to submit them selues and to make them selues as it were subiect to the discipline and they ought not to refuse the corrections of their Pastours and Elders seeing that by this meanes the Lorde will set them againe vpon their feete after they are fallen There is I knowe not what manner of pride in many which hindereth them from submitting them selues vnto the discipline There is besides I knowe not what maner of foolish and filthie shame which when it hath once seised or taken holde of them they loue rather to continue in their vices than to be aduertised or admonished thereof to the end that they may keepe them selues there from But the Emperor Theodosius was better aduised and of a more godlie minde For we reade Ambr. lib. 1. epist 3. in oratio Theodosij that when Saint Ambrose had excommunicated him by reason of much innocent bloud which was spilt and shead at his commaundement he tooke such a censure in good part and so farre off was it that he was stubborne and selfe willed against his Pastor and his Elders to recoile backe againe or to withdrawe him selfe from the Church that on the other side approuing the same correctiō and censure he vnclothed him selfe of his kingly ornaments and openly bewailing his sinne in the Church he did with teares gronings and sighes demaund and aske forgiuenesse thereof Certainly this is not in vaine that Iesus Christ hath said to the Pastors of his church What so euer ye shall bind or loose in earth Matt. 18.18 shall be bound or loosed in heauen For thereby he hath authorised his Church in the vse of the keyes by the word of God to condemne the peruerse stubborne and vngodlie and by the same word to reconcile and receiue to mercie all true penitent sinners Which authoritie of the Church is not restrained or hedged in to be exercised and executed among the common people only but also vpon Lordes and Magistrates Whereupon it
and occasion required it to the ende I might confirme and strengthē the faithful peoples cōsciences at this time in which it seemeth that the Diuell the enimie of Gods glorie and our saluation is vnchayned and vntyed and that all the worlde is kindled with rage and set on fire with furie and conspired with him furiously to rush vpon the poore Churche setting out and making a shewe against it of all that that crueltie can deuise Weerefore I shewe what is the state and condition of the Church on earth that shee hath alwaies had such a vertue of patience and so great cōstancie and courage in the middest of the crosse that tyrants haue rather left of to persecute her then that shee hath failed and fallen away by their torments insomuch that she hath abode inuincible and vnconquered against the vehemencie and violence of so many horrible cōbats as she was to sustain indure and out of all them hath brought a famous victorie and moste glorious crowne In summe that the sonne of God hath alwaies founde place and passage in the middest of the worlde notwithstanding the fires swordes tormentes furies outcries and horrible scatterings abrode which were made against him As touching the fruite and profite whiche may come of this little labor I dare not affirme any thing thereof except it bee in respect of you my Lorde For I doubt not but you take as muche pleasure to heare mee discourse in writing vpon this matter of the church as you commonly doe when you heare mee speake either particulerly to your selfe or publikelie in the execution of my charge and office And yet if you regarde that which is mine without doubt the fruite wil bee none but if you consider the argument and the large laying out of the matters conteined in this present treatie I assure my selfe that it will not bee altogether vnprofitable and that they which shall reade the same will not repent themselues thereof Furthermore I staying my selfe my Lord vpon your accustomed goodnesse through which you disdaine not or dislike any thing which commeth from your seruants offer and dedicate vnto you this little booke most humbly beseeching you to accept it and to take it well that it commeth out into light vnder the inscription of your name and to receiue it with such gentlenesse and curtesie as you haue been accustomed to loue vertue and fauour Christian religion and those that make profession thereof For I hope that if you receiue and take it well that your name shal procure it more grace and liking and shall get it more authoritie and purchase it more fauour amongest all because that thinges dedicated to great personages are better receiued of the lower sort although the thinges of them selues are oftentimes very base and of small account and value And also as touching my selfe I was gladly minded to declare and shewe by this slender meane a testimonie of the obedience which I owe you and for the singuler earnest desire which I haue to do you the most humble and acceptable seruice that I can in the Lorde whom I beseech with all my hearte to maintein you my Lord my Lady the Coūtesse your sister in his most holy most worthy keeping and to preserue you both in a blessed and long life augmenting and increasing in you dayly more and more the giftes and graces of his holy spirite wherewith hee hath so plentifully decked and liberally inriched you From Turenne this xxv of March 1577. Your most humble and most obedient seruant Bertrand de Loque ¶ An Admonition to the Reader I Was loth gentle Reader to publish this profitable and necessary treatise because it being meant wel may bee taken ill and being a rule and confirmatiō to forraine Churches reformed may perhaps fall into the hands of vndiscreete readers trouble the happy quiet state of the Church of England But to preuent this inconuenience and to helpe the weakenesse of many whiche carried with a preposterous rash zeale doe iudge before they conceaue and like rather to feede their humor then foster the peace of the Church I thought it necessary to put the reader in remembrance of those thinges which being greedily snatched at and read without iudgement by curious and contentious heads may tende to the disturbance of the peace and tranquilitie of the Church Whereas therefore in the nienth Chapter intreating of the degrees of the Ministerie the authour seemeth to detract frō Archbishops Metropolitanes Deanes Archdeacons and other Ministers in this Church of England and els where his meaning is not to condēne those titles allowed attributed to faithfull Pastors in other reformed Churches according to the auncient and laudable order of the primitiue Church but to eleuate and impugne the tyrannie pompe and ambition of the popishe prelacie who leauing their function of preaching and teaching haue vsurped I knowe not what authoritie and power of commanding and countercommanding what they list in the church of God Who in crueltie succeed not Peter but Romulus in pompe and magnificence not Peter but Cōtantine as Bernard faith They doe all for honor and nothing for holines saith the same authour Their courts are full of Symoniacks their thresholds more troddē by ambitiō then by deuotiō and their Cannons Ecclesiasticall procurers of gain lucre The Church is not gouerned by names but by offices which they faithfully performe this day to whom for reuerence wee willingly ascribe the names of honor and dignitie Moreouer no man will denie though the same authoritie be committed to all Gods faithfull Ministers in binding losing preaching or ministring the Sacraments yet that this equalitie in ministration doth nothing hinder a diuersitie distinction of degrees and superioritie in gouernment being very necessary for the auoiding of cōfusion and schisme That this preheminence is not lately deuised or newe begunne may soone appeare by these words of the Apostle The spirites of the Prophetes are subiect to the Prophetes Whereupon I gather that if the spirites of all the Prophetes being lightened by the vertue of the holy Ghoste were not free from the checke of other Prophetes vpon whom it had pleased God to bestowe his gifts of iudgement knowledge and learning much more ought wee to allowe and preferre the graue and learned iudgement of the best and graunt them a dignitie preheminence in matters of lesse importance The reason by the Apostle is not to be neglected Non est Deus author confusionis sed pacis as who shoulde say if some were not appointed to decide such doubtes as arise either of ignoraūce or of mallice all woulde goe to wracke in haste and Christian education to mortall hatred Thē would the frost of priuate quarrel either sterue the buddes of the Gospel or rage of spirituall ambition disturbe the policie of euery congregation Gregorie Nazianzen in his Oration intituled Apologeticus saith There must of necessitie be two sortes of mē 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some
1. Tim. 2.4 that God will haue all men to bee saued that is to say all persons of what qualitie condition soeuer they be And in that place of Saint Matthewe Matt. 4.23 where he saith that Iesus Christ being in Galilee healed all sickenesse and all disease among the people That is to say all sortes of sickenesses and diseases And indeed S. Peter in the seconde Chapter of the Actes Act. 2.16.17 maketh this sense manifest and plaine vnto vs when he saith that this prophecie was then accomplished when Iesus Christ sent his holy spirite vpon the Apostles Nowe we knowe that all fleshe that is to say all men were not at that time indewed with the gift of prophecie Secondly The Prophet speaketh not here of the publike office and charge to teach but of the particular duetie of euerie one calling them generally Prophetes who in the time of the Gospell should be indewed with so great light of doctrine that they might after a sort bee compared with the auncient prophetes Iere. 31.34 Wherevnto also must be referred the place of Ieremiah Mala. 4.2 Matt. 13.16.17 which wee haue expounded in the former argument and likewise the place of Malachie and of Iesus Christe in the 13. of Saint Matthewe It is not then without cause that Ioel attributeth this title or name of prophete to them who haue no publike charge or office to teach but are onely inlightened by the holye spirite and the preaching of the Gospell 1. Thes 5.11 because that this light is farre more excellent then the gift of Prophecie it self was in diuers who liued vnder the law And also though we are bounde to exhort one an other and to teach one an other in the doctrine of godlines and the feare of God yet for al that the publike ministerie of the worde is not superfluous or vaine in the Church For the selfe same God that hath commanded fathers to instruct their children and all vs to admonish one an other hath also ordeined the publike ministerie of the word in the Church that it may be there practised and exercised not for some fewe yeares onely but euen vnto the ende of the world And thus much touching the argumentes of the aduersaries and such as set them selues against the ministerie of the Church Now let vs bring foorth our reasons to proue the contrarie The first reason is Iesus Christe hath commaunded that the Gospell should bee preached and the sacraments administred in the Church vnto the ende of the world Thē it followeth that the ministery is alwaies requisite and necessarie in the Church I proue the Antecedent or former proposition by these wordes of Christ written in the last Chapter of Saint Matthew Matt. 28.19.20 Goe teach all nations baptising thē in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy Ghost teaching them to obserue whatsoeuer I haue commanded you and beholde I am with you vnto the worldes ende For after the cōmaundement to preach the worde and to administer baptisme vnder which sacrament the other also of the holy supper is conteined because the disciples might doubt or feare their charge as being great in labour and harde to execute Iesus Christ addeth a promise of his assistaunce not for tenne or twentie yeares onely but for alwayes euen vnto the ende of the worlde Wherein hee manifestly setteth out and declareth two thinges One that he willeth and ordeineth that the ministerie be exercised in the Church not for one age onely but continually vnto the consummation and ende of all things The other is that he promiseth that although Sathan subtillie deuise and inuent and practise all that hee can to hinder the ministerie the work of Gods seruants and that tyrants by their practises and violences inforce thē selues to the vttermost of their power to ouerthrowe and to bring to naught the Church of God yet hee will by his godly and heauenly power alwaies mayntein his trueth in the worlde and preserue his Church therein by the ministerie labor of his faithfull pastors The seconde reason Rom. 10.17 The Apostle Saint Paul saith to the Romanes That faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God Whereby he declareth that God hath accustomed to plant faith in our harts by the preaching of his word It is true that the power of God is not tyed to this outward meane but that he is able to beget faith in vs after some other fashion and by some other meane although it be to vs incomprehensible euen as it shal please him selfe but notwithstanding all this the ministerie of his worde is the ordinarie meane which hee vseth or serueth himselfe with to giue vs faith by so that they which will haue faith wirhout the preaching and hearing of the worde doe as much as though they woulde liue without meates and drinkes which GOD hath ordeyned for our bodily life Nowe herevpon we take and frame our argumēt thus Faith is in all times and alwayes necessarie for men But faith is giuen vnto men from God by the ministerie of the worde Therefore it followeth that the ministerie of the worde is in all times and alwayes necessarie for men The thirde reason It is certaine that for as much as the sacramentes are ordeyned by God to be as it were seales of the worde to seale in our heartes that which is therein conteyned alreadie that is to say the vnion fellowshippe and partaking which we haue in Iesus Christ it followeth that where there is not the worde of God preached there wee cannot haue any sacramēt For as a seale is altogether vnprofitable yea is not allowed a seale vnlesse it be bound or set to some instrument or writing for the confirmation thereof euen so the sacrament is altogether vnprofitable yea indeed is not a sacramēt if it be not ioyned with the worde of God preached to confirme the same vnto vs. Whervpon S. Augustine hath sometimes saide Let the worde be ioyned to the sacrament Augu. sup Iohan. hom 13. there shall be made a sacrament Of what worde speaketh he verily not of a worde mumbled vp murmured or whispered without vnderstanding ouer the elements but of the worde of God preached to the faithful and receiued of thē through faith as he himself maketh it plaine when speaking of baptisme he addeth this is the word of faith which we preach by which baptisme is consecrated and hallowed 1. Cor. 11.21 to haue power to make cleane Nowe from that which is aboue saide we reason after this manner The administration of the holy supper is alwayes necessarie in the Church euen vnto the end of the world for Iesus Christ hath commaunded vs to celebrate it by that meanes to preach or shewe foorth his death vntill his comming againe But the administration of the supper cannot be performed without the ministerie of the worde Therefore it followeth that the ministerie of the worde
followeth that none can distract or withdrawe himselfe therefrom but hee renounceth and forsaketh the meane of his saluation The conclusion is this that seeing God hath ordeined correction and discipline to the end that wee should profite grow vp in his doctrine that we shoulde not be hardned in our sins but rather that they might be reproued to the end they might not ingender and worke in vs an vncurable rottennesse or infection It followeth that they which flie and refuse the admonitions and censures of the Church which are made and giuen them in the name of God refuse God himselfe despise their owne saluation Beholde this is that which wee haue heere to note and marke as touching the discipline of the Churche For concerning the lawes which shee may establishe and set vp according to the authoritie giuen her of GOD wee will speake thereof in the Chapter following The fifteene Chapter Whether it belong to the Church to make lawes and if she make some how farre the faithfull ought to obey her WHen the question is of the lawes of the Church wee knowe that som concerne the doctrine vnder which wee comprehende the Sacramentes also and other the discipline or pollicie and order that is to say the fashion and maner of doing The lawes which concerne doctrine touch the conscience and in the knowledge and practise of them standeth the seruice worship of God our own saluation Of this sort are al the points articles of doctrine conteined in the Scripture which we must beleeue and obserue without adding any thing thereto or diminishing therfrom in changing it Those which concerne the discipline are to bee referred to the order and honestie which ought to be kept in the church and cōsist in a maner fashion of doing altogether outward and these may a man call indifferent which a man may vse either well or euill of this sort are ordinances touching the places the times the seasons the houres set for preachings ministration of the Sacraments the celebration of marriages fasts publik praiers such like things yet notwithstanding this must be knowne that no man may appoint in the practise and perfourmance of these matters the seruice of God or our saluation neither must any man thinke that of themselues they concerne the conscience Nowe the difference and disputation that some moue and make in the Church touching this matter is not as concerning this laste kinde of Lawes apperteining only to the discipline or pollicie So euery one knoweth and cōfesseth that the church cannot want her pollicie order and that to the end shee may abide vnited and tyed together shee hath neede of certain outward bonds wherfore the church may without any difficulti or doubt make lawes apperteining only to the outwarde discipline and take them away or change them according as she shal iudge them to be expedient profitable hauing alwaies speciall respect to the times places and persons As for example the church may ordeine appoint some day of the week for publike praiers whether the prayers be ordinary or extraordinary the Churche also may chose a certaine day or a certaine houre to giue thankes vnto God when it shall haue pleased him to haue deliuered out of some greate daunger either the whole Churche or the Countrie or the Magistrate or some other members placed in authoritie the Churche also may publish a fast so often as necessitie and occasion shall require It may take order also that Baptisme be ministred at a certaine time after the preachings that the holy Supper be celebrated and ministred so often in a yeere and at those seasons which they shall iudge expedient and meete that the askings or publishing of the banes of marriage shoulde bee as it were proclaimed or declared three seuerall Sundaies And lastly that the saide marriages should bee celebrated at the Sermons or preachings either in the morning or euening that the consistories for the maners of the people and the assemblie or company which haue care for the poore assemble and meete together so often in a moneth as shall bee found expedient and profitable Wherefore the Churche may establish these lawes and other such like which the faithful ought to obey to the ende that there may not be any disorder or any confusion among the people of God But the question is of lawes concerning doctrine and the Sacraments or els other lawes touching the discipline by which they woulde binde consciences inclose and comprehende therein simplie the seruice of God that is to say whether it belong to the Churche to make Lawes thereof or no The Romish Catholikes say they may and wee affirme the contrarie and these are their reasons following The first reasō is this The Church hath authoritie to teach wherefore she hath also authoritie to make lawes belonging to the doctrine or teaching But this argument may be ouerthrown in two wordes if we denie the cōsequence For these be matters very much differing to wit to haue authoritie to teache and to haue authoritie to make Lawes belonging to the doctrine Iesus Christe hath in deede giuen the first of these to his church but so hee hath not the seconde And as God hath expressely forbidden to add any thing vnto his law Deut. 4.2 12.32 so Iesus Christ hath cōmāded his disciples to teach only the doctrine which they had heard and receiued of him The second reason The church hath the vse of the keies can bind and loose absolue and excōmunicate Wherfore it followeth that shee hath also authorie to establishe lawes apperteining to the doctrine I answere in one worde that the consequēce is false as it was in the argument last before going for a Lorde or Ruler will in deed giue power and authoritie to his officers to absolue to condemne according to the lawes ordinances but yet it will not folow for al that that he giueth them power of thēselues to make new lawes ouer his people to iudge by them according to their own fantasie So Iesus Christ hath in deed giuen vnto his apostles disciples this power to binde to loose according to his lawes but this is ill concluded to say that therefore he hath giuē thē this power this authoritie of thēselues to make lawes to establishe them in his Church and thereby to binde mens consciences The third reason Iesus Christ hath said Mat. 23.2.3 The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seat all therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue do Heb. 13.17 And the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrwes Obey thē that haue the ouersight of you and submit your selues to thē Wherfore it followeth that we ought to obey the Pastors of the Church in keeping and obseruing their lawes I answere that when wee are commanded to obey our Pastors this ought to be vnderstood so farre foorth as their commandements proceede and come out of Moses chaīre
There is none but God alone that can institute and ordeine a lawfull seruice which may be agreeable to himselfe and acceptable in his sight for this cause he him selfe saieth Deut. 12. 8.32 Yee shall not doe after all these thinges that yee doe heere this day that is euery man whatsoeuer seemeth good in his owne eyes but whatsoeuer I commaund you take heed yee do it thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take ought therefrom And in Ieremiah Ier. 7.22 23 I spake not saieth he vnto your fathers nor commaunded them whē I brought them out of the land of Egypt concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices but this thing I commanded them saying Obey my voice and I will be your God and yee shal be my people and walke yee in all the wayes which I haue commaunded you that it may be well vnto you He saieth also by his Prophet Samuell 1. Sam. 15.22 Thinkest thou that the Lord hath as great pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as when his voice is obeyed Behold to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken is better then the fatte of Rammes Wee may read many such or the lyke sentēces but specially this is notable and excellent that the sonnes of Aaron were horribly burned and consumed with the fire which was sent out from the Lord Leuit. 10.1 c. because they offered straunge fire and which in deede was not commaunded them But wee adde that the lawes which concerne doctrine and by which mens consciences are tied apperteine to the seruice of God And therfore it foloweth that there is none but God alone which can make and establish such lawes The third reason Lawes concerning doctrine and such as binde mens consciences ought to bee vnto vs a testimony pledge of the wil of God But God alone by his word can giue vnto vs this testimony and at no hand or by no meanes men as of them selues Isaiah 40.13 c. Rom. 11.34 For who hath instructed the spirite of the Lord or was his Counsellor or taught him as the scripture saith It followeth thē that God alone may make establish lawes concerning doctrine and which shal serue to binde mens cōsciēces The fourth reason If it belong to the Church to make lawes concerning doctrine the seruice of god this must needs be that she hath receiued the prerogatiue and authoritie from God him self for mē haue not here in their life any power so to doe But so it is that the Church hath not receiued from God this prerogatiue authoritie For cōtrariwise God hath expresly plainly forbidden them to ioyne or adde any thing to his lawe Deut. 4.2.12.32 Wherefore it followeth that it doeth not apperteine to her to make lawes touching doctrine and the seruice of God The fift reason It is necessary that they which make lawes shoulde haue Lordship rule authoritie ouer thē to whom they giue those lawes But the church hath no Lordship or rule ouer the consciences of the faithful 1. Pet. 5.3 for S. Peter speketh with a loud voice plainly That the Pastors Bishops haue not any Lordshippe ouer the Lordes inheritance that is to say ouer the faithful of whō the church is composed made 2. Cor. 1.4 And S. Paul plainly protesteth touching himself that hee hath not any dominion ouer the faith of the Corinthians Wherefore it followeth that the Church may not make or establish lawes to binde the consciences of faithfull people Mat. 15.9 The sixt reason The Lorde saieth In vaine they worship mee teaching for doctrine mens precepts and commaundements 1. Tim. 4.1 c. And S. Paul calleth lawes traditiōs touching forbidding of marriage and vse of meats the doctrine of Deuils Collos 2.16.18 Also he saieth Let no man condemne you in meate and drinke or in respect of an holy day c. Let no mā at his pleasure beare rule ouer you by humblenes of minde and worshipping of Angels By these sentences it is most plaine and euident that the Church ought not nor may not establish any such lawes to binde tye or restraine mens consciences The seuenth reason The lawes which take away from vs that Christian libertie which Christ hath gotten and purchased for vs ought not in any case to be established or tollerated For S. Paule exhorteth vs Galat. 5.1 to stande fast in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free and that we should not be intangled againe with the yoke of bondage But the lawes giuen by men not from God him selfe touching matters which are commended vnto vs with an opinion of necessitie which are required of vs as workes meritorious or as the seruice of God take away frō vs the christian libertie and freedome which Christ hath purchased for vs of this sort are the lawes made touching the obseruatiō and keeping of lent celebration or keping holy of certaine feasts not to eate flesh vpon Friday Saturday and certain other dayes such like things Wherfore it followeth that such lawes ought not in any case to be established set vp tollerated or borne withall But wee wil make or put an end to this Chapiter with two sentences which make altogether for vs Tho. Aquin. in summa part 3. in additio 46. Artic. 6. are altogether against the Romish Catholikes The one is Thomas of Aquine his owne saying thus Because that the church is founded alreadie and grounded in the faith in the Sacraments it doth not belong to the Ministers of the Church to make newe Articles of faith or new Sacraments or to take away those which are alreadie made and established For this is the excellencie and power which belongeth onely vnto Iesus Christ who is the foūdatiō of the church The other sētēce is of Alphōsus de Castro his own conteining these wordes Alphons de Cast aduersus omnes bareses lib. 1. Cap. 8. It may not at any hand bee either done or suffered that the church should establish a new article of faith but that which was in former time the true faith and which notwithstanding was hidden from vs the Church bringeth to passe by her testimony and witnes that the same is made knowne vnto vs And the Abbot is verie much deceiued in the decretals expounding the Chapiter which beginneth Cum Christus that is when Christ c. in the title of Heretikes when he saieth That the pope may make newe articles of faith Hee knew not nor vnderstood not what it was which hee spake and therefore erred and was deceiued as a Shoomaker should be if hee would take vpon him some matter ouer and besides his occupation The sixteenth Chapter Of the afflictions and persecutions of the Church THere are diuers which woulde faine haue a Church of sugar or of veluet as you wold say that is to say that in seruing God they might be exempted from all afflictions Suche were Zebedeus his sonnes Iames